C108 The Crowd Tried to Persuade Him to Stay but It Was in Vain They Left the Team and Ran away(2)

"Mengli..." Lin Leyan gently patted her back, struggling to find the words.

Qin Mengli's breathing was rapid, her emotions raw and intense. "But I despise myself too! I joined the team for this very purpose, yet when the moment came, I couldn't act! The chance was right there, but I couldn't harden my heart! You all think I was wrong, and I agree! My mistake was lacking courage! My mistake was fearing death! I knew that once he was gone, there'd be no one left in the team to protect me! Faced with the choice between revenge and survival, I chose life! But it was futile, he had to go, all because of another mistake I made! What was it all for? What's the meaning behind any of this? I have no right to blame him, because I'm even more selfish..."

"Mengli, don't talk like that!" Lin Leyan's heart ached, "Your teacher understands you!"

"Talking won't change a thing!" Sun Meng addressed Qin Mengli with a stern resolve, "It boils down to a simple choice: live or die. Whatever you chose before doesn't matter now. What matters is your choice this time! I don't care about your past or what's in your heart. Let me be clear! You're probably the only one who can persuade Bing now! But you'll have to let go of your pride, let go of all your past actions! I've been watching you all this time, and despite Bing's claims of cutting ties, you're still there in his heart, in the deepest part! It might be unfair to ask this of you, but if you're willing to do whatever it takes, Bing might just stay! I've said my piece, now it's up to you to decide."

With those final words, Sun Meng turned and dashed back upstairs, not once looking back.

Qin Mengli watched Sun Meng's retreating figure vanish from sight, her heart in turmoil. She sat back down, cradling her head in her arms, burying her face in her knees.

The four of them exchanged glances, enveloped in a heavy silence.

Finally, Liang Hui broke the silence. "It's going to be a real hassle if Bing leaves. Maybe I should give it a shot?"

Lin Leyan turned to her daughter upon hearing this, and Zhao Dagang also looked her way.

"Do you think Bing would go for someone like me?" Liang Hui asked, biting her right index finger thoughtfully.

Lin Leyan's face twisted with concern at her daughter's words.

"No way!" Zhao Dagang blurted out, standing up abruptly, his face etched with worry.

"Why not?" Liang Hui challenged, not easily dissuaded.

"I just know, okay? I've asked Bing myself!" Zhao Dagang huffed, clearly agitated. "Drop it, it's not happening. I'm going to see if I can talk him into staying."

With that, Zhao Dagang hurried upstairs. Liang Hui watched his flustered retreat and couldn't suppress a chuckle. "What a kid!"

"Huihui, you weren't serious just now, were you?" Lin Leyan asked once Zhao Dagang was out of earshot.

"Mom, I was just messing with him!" Liang Hui replied with a grin. "Isn't it hilarious how clueless Zhao Dagang can be?"

Relieved, Lin Leyan couldn't resist giving her daughter a gentle tap on the head. "Is this really the time to be joking around?"

"What else can we do?" Liang Hui responded with a shrug. "The sky's going to pour, a woman's going to wed, and Bing's set on leaving. We do what we can to make him stay. If it's not meant to be, then so be it."

"You're taking this rather well," Lin Leyan said, shaking her head.

"What other choice do we have?" Liang Hui looked over at Qin Mengli. "Mengli, don't overthink it."

"Thank you," Qin Mengli murmured, still cradling her head, weighed down by her thoughts.

Half an hour later, Zhao Dagang returned downstairs, his face grim.

Despite anticipating the outcome, Lin Leyan inquired, "How did it go?"

"I tried my best," Zhao Dagang answered, his voice tinged with defeat. "Bing sent me packing."

"It really does seem hopeless," Lin Leyan said, her expression mirroring her sadness. "Looks like Little Tang is determined to leave, isn't he?"

"Yep," Zhao Dagang murmured, his gaze fixed on the floor.

"I'll give it a shot!" Liang Hui declared, rising to her feet.

At her words, Zhao Dagang looked up quickly, his eyes filled with concern. "Don't be rash! Bing really doesn't like you. Talking out of turn will only turn him off more!"

"Mind your own business!" Liang Hui shot back, dashing upstairs.

"Hey! I'm telling the truth!" Zhao Dagang called out, scrambling to his feet to follow her.

Lin Leyan called out to stop him, "Dagang, Huihui knows what she's doing!"

"But, Teacher Lin! She..." Zhao Dagang's voice trailed off as he recalled Liang Hui's earlier words, a sense of unease settling in his chest.

Seeing his worried look, Lin Leyan shook her head. "Relax! Huihui was just pulling your leg. She's well aware of what should and shouldn't be said."

Despite her reassurance, Zhao Dagang remained visibly anxious, unable to sit still.

More than ten minutes later, Liang Hui returned downstairs, her expression sullen.

Upon seeing her, Zhao Dagang let out a relieved breath and quickly stood up to inquire, "Hu... Liang Hui, what happened?"

"I did everything I could," Liang Hui replied with a sense of resignation. "But it's clear there's no hope. Mom, you don't need to bother going up there. It's a dead end."

"I'll still have a look for myself," Lin Leyan sighed. "No matter how slim the chance, it's worth a try. It's getting late; you all should head to your rooms and get some rest."

"I'm going to sit here a little longer," Qin Mengli murmured, her voice raspy as she curled up tightly.

Zhao Dagang glanced between Qin Mengli and Liang Hui before standing. "Well, I'm off to bed then."

"Mom, I'm heading to my room too," Liang Hui announced, giving Qin Mengli's shoulder a comforting pat. "Mengli, try to get some rest soon, okay?"

"Mhm," Qin Mengli nodded ever so slightly.

Lin Leyan, it turned out, was no more successful in swaying Tang Bing. After descending the stairs, she retired to her room, tucking herself and her daughter into bed, her mind a whirl of thoughts.

Qin Mengli lingered downstairs for quite some time, only returning to her room as dusk settled in. Lying in her bed, she found herself restless, sleep eluding her for hours.

Tang Bing was set on leaving. Everyone but her had exhausted their efforts to convince him to stay, to no avail. Qin Mengli doubted her ability to sway Tang Bing, yet Sun Meng's words echoed incessantly in her mind.

She faced a stark choice: abandon her pride, forget the past, and desperately plead with Tang Bing to stay, hoping he still harbored feelings for her that might soften his resolve. Or she could do nothing and watch him walk away.

In bed, she wrestled with these conflicting thoughts, ultimately refraining from seeking out Tang Bing to make her appeal.

For Tang Bing, the pleas of his teammates stirred some hesitation. He had been adamant in his decision, but reminiscing about the camaraderie and shared moments made him somewhat reluctant to part ways. Despite considering them a bunch of 'pig teammates,' with Zhao Dagang being the only real exception, their idle chats and games during downtime had a way of whisking away the day's exhaustion.

Yet, the disappointment he felt now was profound and painful. His emotions were tumultuous, preventing any semblance of calm.

The team's attempts at persuasion had some impact, but not enough to alter his course. He waited, half-expecting Qin Mengli to show up. But there was resistance too; even if she did come to plead with him, he was determined not to waver.

His heart was torn, caught between the hope of her arrival and the wish that she'd stay away.

Ultimately, Qin Mengli never came. Tang Bing felt a sense of relief, but it was quickly overshadowed by a profound sense of loss. It was an odd and unsettling feeling. He feared that if Qin Mengli had come, he might have caved. Yet her absence only seemed to fuel the fire of resentment burning within him.

Tang Bing succumbed to a deep slumber amidst flames that refused to be quenched...

At dawn the next day, he was the first to rise.

After freshening up and packing his belongings, he visited the workshop for one last glance at his smelting furnace and workbench. With a heavy sigh, he took a deep breath to steel himself against further hesitation and descended the stairs.

He had no desire to bid farewell to anyone; it was better to slip away in silence.

Reaching the threshold, he cast a lingering look back at the factory building. Beyond this point, he would sever all ties with the team.

Perhaps it was for the best.

Tang Bing lingered at the door, lost in thought, until he finally produced the key.

"Tang Bing!" A raspy voice echoed from above.

Tang Bing hesitated, but his resolve held firm. He unlocked the door, stepped outside, turned to secure the lock, and tossed the key back inside.

Qin Mengli hurried down the stairs, only to find the door already locked. The key—one of the set Tang Bing always carried—lay silently on the ground.

She crouched down, stunned, gently lifting the key as tears spilled from her eyes. Confronted with the desolate street, her heart clenched. "Don't go..."

But Tang Bing hadn't left; he was just out of sight, hidden around the corner of the wall. The belated plea reached his ears, and he fought to keep his emotions at bay. With a heavy heart, he quietly slipped away.

The plea had come much too late.