Chapter 79 Using Past Methods to Win Her Back

Fu Xuan gripped the steering wheel, steadied himself, and mustered his courage.

"Shuangmiao, I know it might not be appropriate to say this now, but I still want you to know that my feelings have never changed. If you're willing to consider it..."

"Fu Xuan".

Shen Shuangmiao gently interrupted him, her eyes filled with apology, "Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me today, and thank you for your kindness, but it's better if we remain friends."

Fu Xuan's eyes dimmed, and he forced a smile. "I understand. Happy birthday."

"Thanks."

Shen Shuangmiao smiled and got out of the car, walking into the Su family's gate.

However, she stopped as soon as she entered the living room.

Zhu Jin was sitting on the sofa, having tea with Old Madam Su.

The old lady wore a slightly helpless smile, as if she could no longer cope.

Upon seeing Shen Shuangmiao return, Zhu Jin immediately stood up, his gaze fixed intently on her.

"Wonderful."

Madam Su also stood up, gave Shen Shuangmiao a wink, and said in a reassuring and explanatory tone, "Miaomiao is back. Zhu Jin insisted on coming over to give you a birthday present, and he's been waiting for a while."

"You young people chat, Grandma is a little tired, she'll go upstairs to rest first."

After saying that, the old lady turned and left the living room, leaving them alone.

Shen Shuangmiao was taken aback, thinking that the old lady would help to stop it.

Her expression turned cold as she looked at Zhu Jin, asking weakly, "Zhu Jin, what exactly do you want? Why do you have to haunt me like this on my birthday?"

Zhu Jin's face turned slightly pale.

He silently picked up a transparent, sealed bag from beside him. Inside the bag were some carefully pieced-together scraps of paper.

Shen Shuangmiao could vaguely make out that it was a group photo taken during a trip when they had just graduated from university.

The two people in the photo are smiling brightly.

Later, on the night Shen Shuangmiao decided to leave Zhu Jin, she tore the photo to shreds and threw it in the trash.

How did the photo end up here?

What surprised her even more than that the photos didn't go straight into the trash was that Zhu Jin, who hated her at the time, still kept the photos.

In addition to the photos, the bag also contained a hand-carved wooden bookmark.

That was during the most difficult time of their startup, and she stayed up all night to make a birthday gift for Zhu Jin.

There was also a clear crack on the bookmark, which had been glued back together.

Zhu Jin handed both items to her.

His voice was low, “I remember you promised me that you would spend every birthday with me from now on, and I also promised you that I would always be with you.”

"I know I may not be in a position to ask anything of you now."

Shen Shuangmiao was stunned for a moment, and saw the deep, unbearable pain in his eyes.

"But at least accept this birthday present, okay?"

"Consider it as fulfilling a promise I made a long time ago."

Shen Shuangmiao looked at the meticulously restored photo, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to linger any longer, just wanting to get rid of him as soon as possible.

Shen Shuangmiao reached out and took the sealed container, her tone still indifferent.

"I've taken your things, you can leave now."

Zhu Jin was flattered to see her finally accept the gift, and his voice trembled slightly.

"Okay, I'm leaving, I'll leave right away."

"Shuangmiao, happy birthday."

He looked at her intently, as if trying to etch her image into his heart, before reluctantly turning away.

Silence was finally restored in the living room.

Shen Shuangmiao held the gift, standing there motionless for a long time.

She looked down at the gift box on the sofa, hesitated for a moment, then walked over and gently opened the lid.

She froze when she saw what was inside.

The gift box contained no jewelry or luxury goods, but a thick stack of letters neatly arranged inside.

Shen Shuangmiao picked up the top letter, pulled out the paper, and saw familiar handwriting.

The letter was written by Zhu Jin during his university years, with a touch of youthful vigor. The tone of the letter also deliberately imitated his tone back then, with a clumsy apology and a deliberately lighthearted joke.

Zhu Jin told her jokes between the lines to reassure her and promised to take her to see the aurora borealis, as if those two years of estrangement had never happened between them.

Just as Zhu Jin never questioned her with the most hurtful words, never imprisoned her at home, and the unborn child never existed.

Zhu Jin meticulously traced the warmth of the past with each stroke, as if trying to erase those painful memories in this way.

Shen Shuangmiao read through the letters one by one, her fingers trembling slightly, her heart feeling as if something was blocking it, causing a dull ache.

She was very sad.

What's sad is that I feel sorry for the version of myself that once truly loved Zhu Jin.

Zhu Jin shattered that beautiful relationship with his own hands, yet now he fantasizes about going back to the way things were.

Shen Shuangmiao recalled how good Zhu Jin had been to her in the past; he had indeed spoiled her to the extreme, as if she were his whole world.

But later, it was Zhu Jin who hurt her without any restraint.

In this world, it's impossible for someone to suffer endless injustices and remain in the same place.

Shen Shuangmiao didn't think that everything Zhu Jin was doing now was out of love for her. Rather than love, it was more like possessiveness and resentment.

She immediately picked up her phone and dialed the number that had just been removed from her blacklist.

Zhu Jin no longer dared to expect anything from her attitude on the phone. "Shuang Miao?"

Shen Shuangmiao took a deep breath, her tone calm and undisturbed, "Zhu Jin, don't do the things you did before."

“Every time you do something, it only makes me remember more clearly how you pushed me away time and time again, and how you made me give up completely.”

"The past is gone and can never be returned to. You can no longer move me. I love the Zhu Jin of the past, not the you of today."

"No matter what you do, it's useless. I'll burn these letters anyway."

After saying that, Shen Shuangmiao hung up the phone without waiting for Zhu Jin's response.

She stood up, holding the heavy box of letters, looked at the trash can not far away, and then at the fireplace.

Shen Shuangmiao pursed her lips, took the item, and walked upstairs step by step, returning to her room.

She opened a locked drawer and put the box of letters inside along with the sealed bag containing photos and bookmarks.

With the lock closed, her past, a past she could never return to, was sealed away forever.

Shen Shuangmiao walked to the door of Old Madam Su's room and gently knocked.

"Grandma, it's me."

"Come in."

Madam Su was reading a book while wearing her reading glasses.

Shen Shuangmiao sat down opposite her, her expression serious. "Grandma, Zhu Jin and I are really over. What he did won't change anything. I hope you can understand."

Old Madam Su put down her book, took off her reading glasses, looked at her, sighed softly, and had a hint of helplessness in her eyes.

“Miaomiao, Grandma knows your heart and believes what you say, but…”

She suddenly changed the subject.