DLRC – Chapter 108 Give Me a Promise

Huo Mingwang continued driving without saying a word. The atmosphere inside the car suddenly became heavy, even a little stifling.

He rolled down the window slightly, letting in a cold draft. The temperature inside the car dropped sharply.

Even though it was supposed to be a warm season, Yu Wei felt a chill run down her spine, as if the cold seeped through her bones. She shivered.

“So are you taking me to see her now?”

Before Huo Mingwang could reply, Yu Wei interrupted him, “Wait! In her current state, wouldn’t seeing me make her condition worse?”

Though he didn’t want to admit it, he nodded honestly. “Yeah.”

Yu Wei frowned. “And you still want to take me to her?”

Huo Mingwang turned the steering wheel. The rush of cold wind into the car finally helped clear his muddled mind.

He said, “No. We’re not going.”

“Then where are we going now?”

After a long pause, Huo Mingwang finally said, “Yu Wei.”

She frowned, watching him, waiting for him to continue.

“I didn’t expect that after six years, her memory of you would still be so vivid.”

He was talking about Huo Mingxia. He hadn’t expected that Mingxia’s memory of Yu Wei would last so many years—or that the pain would return so violently after all this time.

“She hadn’t had a relapse in a long time.” Though normally, she barely interacted with anyone other than her brother.

Yu Wei was silent for a while before muttering, “Mm.”

The silence returned. Neither of them spoke, until Yu Wei finally sighed and turned to look at him.

His profile was particularly clear under the faint sunlight. Yu Wei couldn’t help but think about what he looked like six years ago.

“I know… six years ago, I caused a lot of damage to you and your sister.”

Huo Mingwang turned to look at her. Yu Wei continued, “I really didn’t expect you’d still… care.”

She gave a bitter smile and corrected herself, “I didn’t expect you’d still have feelings for me.” 

Feelings deep enough that, despite what the original version of her had done, he could forgive her—could even want to try again.

It’s hard to understand someone stuck in a mental loop, and Huo Mingwang didn’t understand it either. But he responded patiently, “Yu Wei, it’s because I love you.”

Her heart trembled in that instant. His sudden confession left her stunned. She stared blankly at his profile as he focused on the road. Aside from a flicker of sweetness, she mostly felt… sadness.

He said, “Because I love you, I chose to forgive you again and again.”

For you, there’s no bottom line. Everything is forgivable.

As long as the person is you, that’s enough.

Enough to let go of the past.

“Yu Wei, I loved you six years ago, and I still love you now.”

But not the version of you that made all those mistakes—that version he could only forgive, humbly.

After he said that, Yu Wei’s tangled personality started spinning again. So… was Huo Mingwang really in love with two people?

Or maybe… he was just in love with the wife he had six years ago. And this current version of Yu Wei? He was simply continuing that old love.

Yu Wei didn’t respond to Huo Mingwang’s heartfelt confession.

Not just because she didn’t know how—but because she couldn’t shake the resentment she felt toward how deeply he had loved the original her.

In love, in front of the person she loved, Yu Wei couldn’t be magnanimous.

“So, in your sister’s current condition, if I show up, she’ll probably break down again, right?”

Wasn’t he afraid her condition would worsen?

“I know,” Huo Mingwang said.

Soon, the car pulled up in front of the city hospital. He parked in an open space. “I won’t let her see you. But I want to talk to you.”

“Talk about what?” Yu Wei asked, confused.

Huo Mingwang made no move to get out of the car, and it was clear he intended to have the conversation right there.

Yu Wei waited patiently. She undid her seatbelt. Huo Mingwang did the same.

“Yu Wei, let’s start over.” He suddenly leaned in, pressing his forehead gently against hers. That spot was warm—like the fiery heat of his heart.

“I want to live a good life with you. I want you to be my wife again. And Yu Hui—I want the three of us to live together as a family. I’ll treat you both well, I promise.”

“I really love you.”

Yu Wei still didn’t speak. After a long moment, he finally sighed.

“Tell me—what are you mad at me about lately? I’ll change. Just say the word. As long as you’re willing to tell me, I’ll change.”

He really did love her, deeply. He didn’t look for excuses in others—only in himself.

He thought… maybe he really had gone crazy.

“Huo Mingwang…”

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Yu Wei really wanted to throw away all the secrets she had and tell him everything. But…

“There’s a knot in my heart,” she murmured.

“What knot?”

He pulled her tightly into his arms, unafraid of any passersby who might see them. He just wanted to hold this insecure woman close and soothe her restless heart.

But Yu Wei shook her head. “I don’t want to say.”

She couldn’t say it—not something so absurd. If it weren’t for her phone always being at her side, she might have thought she had a delusion—hallucinated an entire future world decades ahead.

She breathed in the comforting scent of Huo Mingwang, feeling the gentle strokes he placed on the top of her head. It gave her immense peace.

Warmth flowed between the two of them. Huo Mingwang sighed and cupped her cold face.

“When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here.”

His fingertips brushed the side of her face. The soft light filtering through the window made his long, slender fingers look even more poetic, like something out of a painting.

Yu Wei nodded softly. The next second, he captured her lips.

The warmth of the kiss spread across her. His large hands, which had been cradling her cheeks, moved to support the back of her head.

“Yu Wei…”

In the space between kisses, he whispered her name, his voice low and hoarse, a sound both seductive and disarming. Yu Wei forgot everything else, only wanting to sink into the sweetness of this moment with him.

It had been more than half a month since they last shared any intimacy. To be honest, Yu Wei missed his kisses.

She missed his scent, his touch, the sense of security he gave her.

His heart, strong as steel, only turned soft for Yu Wei.

As his warm breath brushed against the tip of her nose, Huo Mingwang continued caressing the back of her head with one hand and gently soothing her soft shoulders with the other.

Yu Wei suddenly looked up at him with a bright, curved smile. Her cheeks still flushed red. She saw Huo Mingwang looking down at her, his gaze filled with such intense tenderness that it made her heart flutter with nervousness.

Without saying much, the atmosphere was already thick enough. Yu Wei started to feel a tingling itch in her heart, and Huo Mingwang could barely restrain himself either.

The two of them were so close that they were practically stuck together. In the haze clouding her mind, Yu Wei reached out and wrapped her arms around the man’s burning hot neck.

Their lips searched for each other, finally finding a place to rest.

Tonight, Huo Mingwang was extraordinarily gentle—gentle down to his very bones.

Yu Wei felt as if she had turned into a pool of water, and Huo Mingwang was like a paper boat floating on its surface, swaying back and forth with his tender movements, drifting endlessly with no destination in sight.

The car was soon filled with a thick, ambiguous atmosphere. Fortunately, there weren’t many people on the streets at this hour, and Huo Mingwang’s car was parked in a corner, unnoticed by anyone.

“Huo Mingwang…” Yu Wei’s chest began to heave as she tried to catch her breath, but before she could say anything else, the rest of her words were swallowed by him.

His palm was warm—it always was, no matter the season.

That large hand now gently cupped her cheek, stroking softly. An odd sensation passed through her heart, and Yu Wei suddenly went weak, collapsing into his arms, breathing heavily.

Their lips broke apart the moment she lost strength, but Huo Mingwang wasn’t satisfied. He chased after her lips again. As their breaths tangled, a thought flashed through Yu Wei’s mind.

She didn’t want to argue with him anymore. She didn’t want to dwell on the past. Let it all become bygones—unimportant, like fleeting clouds.

She only knew that she loved him too. Deeply. Hopelessly.

His lips continued their wanton movements, like a devout believer worshipping his beloved, yet also like a tender lover carefully grinding away her senses, making her lose herself, little by little, until she belonged completely to him.

…

Before getting out of the car, Huo Mingwang reluctantly let her go. He helped straighten out the messy clothes he had disheveled, then patted his wrinkled suit jacket.

The car door opened, and they finally stepped outside. The sunlight was a bit harsh, making them squint.

Huo Mingwang’s long legs carried him a few steps ahead. He was about to stop and wait for Yu Wei when she tugged at the hem of his jacket from behind.

“Huo Mingwang, I’m sorry.”

That apology wasn’t just from her to him—it was also an apology on behalf of the original owner of this body.

Regardless of whether those absurd things in the past were directly caused by him or not, they had all been done with this body. By strict reasoning, it was still her fault.

Now that she wanted to stay with Huo Mingwang, she needed to apologize and help him let go of all the old entanglements.

Huo Mingwang turned around, took her hand that was clutching his jacket, and gently squeezed it—it was even softer than their son’s.

He couldn’t help but chuckle softly, then bent down and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her soft hair.

After a long while, he let out a muffled laugh. “Yu Wei, it’s only now that I finally feel like I’m not dreaming.”

Over the past six years, he had longed for this moment too many times. He was terrified that everything now was just an illusion—a dream.

He spoke in a very light tone, breathing low into her ear, but she heard every word clearly.

Yu Wei froze for a moment, then raised her hand to gently pat his back with a touch of heartache. “It’s real.”

She spoke softly, gently holding his slender, defined fingers, intertwining their hands.

Huo Mingwang smiled silently. Then he heard her say, “I’m sorry. From now on, I won’t let my thoughts run wild anymore. I want to live well with you. I also… like you.”

Only after a while did he tremble slightly, then stood up with her hand still in his. “Mm, let’s go.”

His large hand wrapped around her delicate one, and the two of them walked step by step toward the upper floors of the hospital, their hearts unusually calm.

Mingxia’s ward was on the top floor. When they arrived, she was still quietly sleeping in her bed.

The room was quite nice—it was a private one, with no other patients around, peaceful and quiet, just right for someone with her unstable emotions.

Yu Wei stood beside Mingxia’s bed, holding Huo Mingwang’s hand.

She lowered her voice in concern, “Maybe I shouldn’t stand here. What if she wakes up and sees me…”

But Huo Mingwang gave her a reassuring smile and squeezed her palm. “It’s fine. She just fell asleep a little while ago, after being given medicine.”

She wouldn’t wake up anytime soon.

Yu Wei finally relaxed and turned to study Mingxia’s face.

She had to admit, the Huo family was full of beautiful people. Huo Mingwang was like that, so was Mingxia, and even Yuhui was an incredibly pretty boy.

Mingxia looked about sixty percent like Huo Mingwang. While he had a cold air, she was soft and gentle. Her most striking features were her lips and nose, and her long, thick eyelashes.

She had very fair skin and disliked going outside. Even in her sleep, her delicate features made her look like a finely carved porcelain doll.

“Your sister… is really beautiful.” But who would’ve thought that such a pretty, spirited girl would have such a serious psychological illness?

“Mm.” Huo Mingwang gave a neutral reply. His expression didn’t change as he looked at her peaceful sleeping face. “Since you’re going to stay with me from now on, I hope Mingxia will come to accept you too.”

Yu Wei looked up at him, nervousness flickering in her eyes.

She said nothing, only quietly stared at the girl’s serene face, silently praying that everything would turn out well.

In the afternoon, Huo Mingwang dropped her home first. Yu Wei began making dinner. Their son was picked up by Huo Mingwang, and once he got home, he couldn’t stop chattering.

“Mama, why did Uncle Huo pick me up today?”

Yu Wei kept chopping vegetables, not looking at her son who was leaning against the kitchen door. She calmly replied, “Because Mama didn’t have time to pick you up today.”

Yuhui tilted his little head in thought. “Then Mama, why didn’t Uncle Huo go back home? Why is he staying at our house?”

Uncle Huo usually only stayed for a little while, but today after dropping him off, he never left!

He pointed at the man sitting in the chair playing with Xiao Bai, his face full of confusion.

“Uncle Huo is our guest today. He’s staying for dinner.”

“Oh, okay.”

Although he didn’t understand why Uncle Huo suddenly became a guest, it didn’t really matter to him.

Yuhui ran over, snatched Xiao Bai back, and went to play with it and Guguji.

Dinner was abundant, but Yu Wei’s heart was filled with concern.

“Huo Mingwang, once you finish eating, you should head back to the hospital to check on your sister.” It must be lonely staying alone in that hospital room.

Huo Mingwang nodded. “Mm.”

“Mm, what? Has your sister eaten dinner?” She figured he must have arranged for someone to take care of her, but still, as her brother, he should show more care than others.

“She’s eaten. Someone’s with her.”

Yu Wei sighed helplessly. “Is this how a brother should act? Your sister is sick—she needs her family around her more than ever.”

“No worries, my aunt is taking care of her over there.”

Yu Wei was even more puzzled. “Your aunt? When did your aunt come?”

How come this man never mentioned he had an aunt before…

“Ge Zheng went back to hometown and brought her over for me.”

So it was Ge Zheng who brought her here. But it really was the first time he had ever mentioned having an aunt. As for whether the original Yu Wei from six years ago knew about this aunt, she wasn’t sure.

They didn’t continue with that topic. Huo Mingwang turned his head and glanced at little Yu Hui across the table, who was in an intense battle with a shrimp.

Chuckling, Huo Mingwang picked up a shrimp from the bowl, peeled it skillfully, and placed the cleaned shrimp meat into the boy’s small bowl.

“Here.”

Yu Hui looked at the perfectly peeled shrimp, then grinned excitedly. “Thanks, Uncle Huo!”

But right after he spoke, the man let out a sigh and gave Yu Wei a resentful look. “When are you going to tell our son?”

“Huh?” Yu Wei froze. “Tell him what?”

Huo Mingwang rubbed his head. “What do you think?”

“I think… Oh!” Realization dawned on Yu Wei. “You mean…”

Huo Mingwang nodded at her, and Yu Wei smacked her forehead. “Ah! That… Actually, I haven’t figured out how to say it gently, or what’s the best way to tell him that… you’re his…”

Dad.

She didn’t say those last two words, but Huo Mingwang clearly understood. His gaze grew even more full of grievance.

“Are you planning to keep it from him forever?” Was she really going to keep stalling just because she hadn’t figured out how to say it?

“No, no, it’s just… I really haven’t figured out how to tell him yet.” Yu Wei also felt aggrieved. Who would’ve thought that Uncle Huo would suddenly transform into Dad Huo?

If she were Yu Hui, she’d definitely struggle to accept it too. She might even think her mom made up a lie just to give her a dad.

Not to mention, Yu Hui was the kind of child who tended to overthink everything—so Yu Wei’s hesitation was totally understandable.

But Huo Mingwang didn’t agree.

“If you can’t bring yourself to say it, I will.”

Yu Wei waved her hands in panic. In response, Huo Mingwang smoothly placed a piece of pork rib into her bowl. Yu Wei gave him an awkward smile, picked up the rib, and took a bite. The flavor was so good it was almost sinful.

“Alright, alright, I’ll find a chance to tell him later.”

That topic was finally dropped.

That night, when Yu Wei was getting ready for bed, she first went to the bathroom to wash her hair. Afterward, with wet hair, she stepped out.

She hadn’t bought a hair dryer yet, so she usually just let her hair air-dry. Now, she planned to go to the balcony and catch some wind to dry it off.

Logically, she should’ve gone to the private balcony. But for some reason, she pushed open the door to the shared balcony instead.

The moment the door opened, Yu Wei nearly flung her towel in fright.

There was someone standing outside—a tall man. If she hadn’t recognized him right away, she might’ve screamed on the spot.

Especially since it was 8 p.m., pitch dark outside, and there were no lights in the hallway—only a full moon in the sky for illumination.

Standing in the room looking out, she was completely backlit and couldn’t see the tall man’s face at all, even though the moon was round and bright.

There was no doubt—it was Huo Mingwang. But why was he standing outside her door instead of being at home getting ready for bed?

He remained still in the doorway, hand raised in mid-knock.

The moment the door opened, before she saw him, a rich familiar scent entered his nose—the fragrance he’d longed for for years, unforgettable even in his dreams.

The scent he fell asleep with every night, hugging it tightly.

He lowered his head—his angle wasn’t backlit at all.

In fact, everything was clearly visible to him, etched into his eyes vividly.

Yu Wei’s long, thick black hair flowed down her back, its wetness making it look even darker and shinier.

Her skin was as dewy as a fresh bud, and her delicate face was as fair and smooth as jade, glowing with a clean, graceful light.

And her lips—like cherry blossoms. Though she wasn’t wearing any lip balm, they were plump and glossy, irresistibly alluring.

But what really stirred his heart was that familiar fragrance, increasingly intoxicating the more he inhaled.

As his eyes moved downward, he saw that Yu Wei was only wearing a thin black top. Though it had long sleeves, the tight fit clung to her figure, and Huo Mingwang’s Adam’s apple bobbed as his thoughts raced…

To those passionate times with her in the past.

Those unforgettable times.

He unconsciously stepped forward and gave a soft cough, turning his head slightly. For once, he didn’t look confident and domineering—instead, he seemed awkward.

“I just wanted to see Yu Hui,” he said, clearing his throat. “Haven’t played with him in a while.”

Haven’t played with Yu Hui in a while? Didn’t he just spend the whole afternoon with him playing with Little Bai? What kind of lame excuse was that? Knocking on her door late at night… to play with Yu Hui??

Yu Wei was speechless and rolled her eyes inwardly.

She turned to call Yu Hui out, but suddenly felt an arm wrap around her waist—Huo Mingwang had pulled her into his warm embrace.

“What are you doing?”

“Yu Wei…” His Adam’s apple bobbed again—his intent was obvious. “I want to kiss you.”

He gently pulled her back inside and softly shut the door. Her lips were immediately captured in a tender bite. His large hand cradled her damp hair, stroking it inch by inch, soothing and gentle.

“Yu Wei… Yu Wei…”

He kept calling her name. Each whisper was a confession of his deep love.

“Yu Wei, my darling.”

“Huo Mingwang…” Yu Wei, who had never been in a relationship before, was overwhelmed by such bold affection. She wanted nothing more than to push this sly man away right now.

He had no idea her skin was covered in goosebumps!

But with the strength difference between a petite southern woman and a tall northern man, Yu Wei had no hope of escaping his embrace.

Soon, their lips were locked together again. Thanks to his height, he only had to glance down slightly to see a streak of brightness across her chest.

Damn, this outfit was insane!

Not only did it perfectly outline her sexy curves, but right at the chest…

That deep cleavage made Huo Mingwang feel like he was about to combust. “Yu Wei, want to come over to my place?”

“You lecher!” Yu Wei laughed and scolded. “What are you thinking?!”

She didn’t even realize she was accidentally showing a little too much. Still grumbling about how dirty his mind was, she was completely unaware of how seductive she looked right now.

Huo Mingwang’s eyes remained fixed on that snowy skin, his desire surging.

“Come on, come over. You still haven’t been to my place after all this time…”

His voice was hoarse and needy, his face full of longing. Yu Wei might have been single all her life, but she wasn’t naïve—she’d seen plenty online before transmigrating. She knew exactly what this man was trying to do.

She pressed her hands against his chest. “You’ve completely lost your mind!”

Lost his mind over what? What else could it be but that?

Men—they’re all the same!

“There’s nothing to see at your place. I’m not going!”

If she went, she’d be walking straight into the lion’s den.

Just as Huo Mingwang was about to say something more, they heard a voice from inside the room:

“Mom! Are you back? I want to go to sleep!”

“Coming!” Yu Wei quickly pushed Huo Mingwang away, but couldn’t move him. She looked up at him, eyes misty. “Let go!”

“Don’t want to.”

Yu Wei was his wife—why should he let go? Why couldn’t he cuddle with his wife when she was right next door?

Why why why?!

But those childish protests stayed in his heart—his pride wouldn’t let him voice them aloud.

“Enough, if I don’t go in now, Yu Hui will start crying.” Yu Wei kept shoving at him.

Of course that was a lie. Yu Hui wasn’t that easy to cry. She was just using him as an excuse.

Knowing it wasn’t the right time, Huo Mingwang didn’t force her. No matter how reluctant he was, he finally let go.

But before leaving, he gave her lips a long, intense kiss that left her dazed.

He whispered into her ear, voice low and husky, seductive to the bone.

“Yu Wei… when will you accept me? Give me a promise.”

He was a man who needed security too.

Both of them knew what kind of “acceptance” he meant—not just becoming his girlfriend, but something far more intimate.

Thankfully, Yu Wei wasn’t the overly coy type. She didn’t keep him hanging. Instead, she softly replied:

“Soon… just wait a little.”

She darted into the room like a startled rabbit. Huo Mingwang watched her retreating figure, then finally smiled and gently closed the door before turning to leave.

…

Two days later, Huo Mingwang brought someone to Yu Wei’s home.