Part Three: The Way Home
“Sometimes, the longest journey is not measured in miles, but in the distance between yesterday and today.”
No one spoke.
The private room remained wrapped in silence.
Lu Yanxi slowly withdrew his hand from Yu Mingyue’s cheek.
The lingering warmth of her skin still rested against his fingertips.
Warm.
Alive.
Real.
For eight years, those three words had existed only in dreams.
Now…
She was standing before him.
Not beyond a gravestone.
Not inside a photograph.
Not within a memory.
Right in front of him.
Yu Mingyue looked around the room.
The familiar faces that had once surrounded her at birthday parties, hospital visits, and holiday gatherings were all staring at her with red eyes.
Some looked relieved.
Some looked frightened.
Some still seemed unable to believe what they were seeing.
She smiled awkwardly.
“…Everyone…”
“I’m really back.”
The quiet voice finally broke the spell.
Someone covered their mouth and began crying.
Another quietly wiped away tears.
A young man who used to quarrel with Gu Mengmeng every time they met suddenly laughed through his tears.
“I knew it…”
Then immediately shook his head.
“No…”
“I wanted to believe it.”
The atmosphere gradually softened.
Not because anyone had stopped crying.
But because hope had finally entered the room.
Gu Mengmeng refused to let go of Yu Mingyue’s hand.
Her fingers remained tightly intertwined with hers.
As though loosening her grip for even a second would make the miracle disappear.
Yu Mingyue looked down.
Then smiled helplessly.
“…Mengmeng.”
“No.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“I know.”
Gu Mengmeng tightened her grip even more.
“I’m answering in advance.”
Yu Mingyue couldn’t help laughing.
“…You’re still so unreasonable.”
“Hmph.”
“I learned from you.”
“I’ve never been unreasonable.”
Gu Mengmeng looked at her.
“…You once insisted jelly was medicine because it made you feel better.”
“…”
“…That doesn’t count.”
A faint chuckle escaped somewhere in the room.
Tiny.
Almost imperceptible.
Everyone instinctively turned toward the sound.
It was Gu Mingzhe.
He stood quietly beside them, the corners of his lips lifting by the smallest degree.
Yu Mingyue blinked.
“…Brother Mingzhe.”
“Hm?”
“…You smiled.”
Gu Mingzhe paused.
As though only now realizing it himself.
He slowly touched the corner of his own lips.
“…Did I?”
Yu Mingyue nodded earnestly.
“You did.”
“It suits you much better.”
Gu Mingzhe lowered his hand.
For the first time in eight years…
His smile reached his eyes.
Small.
Gentle.
But real.
Yu Mingyue suddenly felt her throat tighten.
So…
They could still smile.
That was good.
Really good.
She quietly blinked away the moisture gathering in her eyes.
At the side of the room, Li Yue watched the scene in silence.
No resentment.
No jealousy.
Only quiet understanding.
She finally knew why these people had never looked at her the way they looked at Yu Mingyue.
It wasn’t because she wasn’t good enough.
It was because…
No one could replace someone who had become part of their family.
Li Yue lowered her eyes.
Then quietly stepped back.
She intended to leave without disturbing them.
“Miss Li.”
Li Yue stopped.
She turned around.
Yu Mingyue was looking at her.
With the same gentle smile she had given everyone else.
“I’m sorry.”
Li Yue blinked.
“…Why are you apologizing?”
“Today’s your birthday.”
Yu Mingyue glanced at the untouched cake.
“I think…”
“I accidentally stole it.”
For a moment…
Li Yue simply stared.
Then…
To everyone’s surprise…
She laughed.
A genuine laugh.
“It would be strange if I argued with someone who came back from the dead.”
Yu Mingyue scratched her cheek sheepishly.
“…That’s true.”
Li Yue walked over.
She stopped before Yu Mingyue.
Then smiled.
“…Welcome back.”
There was no reluctance in her voice.
Only sincerity.
Yu Mingyue smiled back.
“…Thank you.”
Their eyes met for only a moment.
Yet something quietly settled between them.
Not friendship.
Not yet.
But understanding.
It was enough.
Lu Yanxi finally spoke.
“We’re leaving.”
His voice remained calm.
As always.
Yet this time…
No one questioned him.
Everyone simply nodded.
Of course she should go home.
She had already spent eight years away.
Gu Mengmeng immediately stepped closer.
“I’m coming too.”
Gu Mingzhe looked at her.
“You’ll scare her.”
“I will not.”
“You’ve been crying for twenty minutes.”
“I cry beautifully.”
“…”
“…That’s not the point.”
Yu Mingyue laughed softly.
The familiar bickering.
How much she had missed it.
Outside the private room, the corridor was unusually quiet.
Word had already spread through the nightclub.
Staff members peeked cautiously from behind counters.
Several guests looked over in confusion.
No one understood why three of the most influential business leaders in X City—and the Gu
family’s young miss—had personally escorted a single young woman out of a private room.
Yu Mingyue noticed the strange stares.
She leaned slightly toward Gu Mengmeng.
“…Why is everyone looking at us?”
Gu Mengmeng answered without thinking.
“Because they’re afraid.”
“…Afraid?”
“Of them.”
She pointed toward Lu Yanxi.
Then Gu Mingzhe.
Then Xie Chengyi.
Yu Mingyue blinked.
“…Really?”
“They’ve become quite famous.”
“How famous?”
Gu Mengmeng thought for a moment.
“…Let’s just say…”
“If President Lu frowns…”
“The stock market starts wondering what happened.”
Yu Mingyue stared.
“…Seriously?”
“…Pretty much.”
She slowly looked toward Lu Yanxi’s back.
The tall figure walking quietly ahead.
The young man who used to secretly buy her ice cream after doctors said she couldn’t have any.
Now…
He had become someone capable of shaking the entire business world with a single expression.
Eight years.
They had all grown up.
Except her.
That thought felt strangely lonely.
As they reached the elevator, Lu Yanxi instinctively pressed the open button before anyone else could.
He stood beside the door.
Waiting.
Yu Mingyue tilted her head.
“…Yanxi-ge.”
He looked at her.
“…You used to make me press the elevator button myself.”
A brief silence followed.
Before Lu Yanxi could answer, Gu Mengmeng quietly spoke.
“…Because you always said you wanted to do things by yourself.”
Yu Mingyue smiled.
“I did.”
“…Not anymore.”
The smile on Yu Mingyue’s face slowly faded.
She looked at the four people around her.
None of them had spoken dramatically.
None of them had said they were afraid.
Yet…
Their actions had already answered everything.
Eight years ago…
They had lost her once.
None of them were willing to risk losing her again.
The elevator doors opened.
Lu Yanxi gently raised one hand.
After you.
The simple gesture made Yu Mingyue’s heart ache.
She stepped inside.
Without anyone saying a word…
The four of them naturally surrounded her.
Lu Yanxi stood nearest the door.
Gu Mingzhe beside her.
Xie Chengyi behind.
Gu Mengmeng holding her hand.
Yu Mingyue looked around.
Then sighed dramatically.
“…Why do I feel like an endangered animal?”
No one laughed.
She rubbed the back of her neck.
“…”
“…That joke usually works too.”
This time…
Gu Mengmeng let out a very soft laugh.
“…Idiot.”
Yu Mingyue looked at her.
Gu Mengmeng’s eyes were still red.
But she was smiling.
Just a little.
Yu Mingyue smiled too.
That was enough.
The elevator doors slowly closed.
Carrying them toward the parking garage.
And toward the home they had all been trying to find again.