Chapter 28 Rainy Season "But I can't love you either."...

Liang Yanzhe tilted his head slightly and said with a smile, "Don't try to change the subject."

Seeing that the appeasement policy was ineffective, Lin Fei withdrew his hand, propped himself up on the piano lid, and swayed his legs even more.

"Shall we talk?" he asked her.

“If it’s about whether we can let go of our prejudices against my grandfather, then there’s nothing to talk about.” Lin Fei put her hand on his shoulder and shook it. “You’re my husband, he’s just your teacher.”

Liang Yanzhe lifted her down and sat her back down on the stool in front of the piano keys. "They can't be confused."

“You’re taking someone else’s side,” Lin Fei said, puffing out her cheeks. “It will make me sad.”

He couldn't see a trace of sadness in her, but he could see her impatience.

"Since you're my husband, tell me, what good things are you going to say to my grandfather?" Lin Fei wasn't completely unyielding; if it were Liang Yanzhe, she might listen.

But she only listened; ever since she learned of her maternal family's existence, she had no intention of getting too close to them, except for Zhong Shuwen.

Liang Yanzhe said slowly, "I'm not trying to say nice things about him. After all, everyone has the right to like or dislike. I just want you not to take dealing with your grandfather too seriously. Every time you encounter something related to him, your emotions fluctuate a lot, which is not good for your health."

His answer surprised Lin Fei.

I thought I was going to lecture her and say some nice things about my grandfather.

But he didn't care about any of that; he was only concerned about her feelings.

“But when you hate someone or like someone, it’s impossible for your emotions not to fluctuate.” Lin Fei chuckled. “What you’re saying is a bit hard to do.”

Liang Yanzhe looked at her intently.

But when she expressed her feelings for him, her emotions remained completely unchanged.

He didn't say what was on his mind, not wanting to embarrass them.

“Rather than constantly giving in, I would prefer you to speak your mind.” He stroked the soft hair beside her cheek.

“I can’t do it.” She refused decisively and readily admitted her shortcomings. “I can say whatever I want to outsiders, but I can’t do it to my family.”

Liang Yanzhe curled his lips: "Then you can say whatever you want to me."

“You’re different from all of them.” Lin Fei snuggled into his arms playfully, pouting as she said, “Mr. Liang, if we keep talking, it’ll hurt our feelings.”

He tactfully changed the subject, but not completely: "Did you go to work in Haishi after graduation to avoid your grandfather?"

Lin Fei shook his head, then nodded.

She gave a bitter laugh and sighed, "My feelings about deciding to go to Haishi were complicated. At first, I chose to work in another province to escape my grandfather, but I also had my pride. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was strong and could take care of myself. I always wanted to go out and be independent. But once I actually went out, I didn't know what to do or where to go. When I stood alone on the bustling streets of Haishi, I realized for the first time how insignificant and naive I was. That was my first lesson in society, realizing that I was just an ordinary person with a little courage. Although that was the truth, I was too much of a hero. I chose to bravely face each day, thinking that I could slowly grow, get better, and establish myself in Haishi. I did achieve some small successes in my field, but it seems I went astray. I only look good on the surface; inside... I'm not good at all."

In her second year in Shanghai, she was plagued by illness. She worked overtime late into the night, forcing herself to live a healthy life. One afternoon, she woke up and looked out the window at the unreasonable downpour, and broke down in tears.

She wasn't crying because she felt sorry for herself, nor because she was crying because life was too hard. It was just that she had negative emotions that she dared not show and needed to be released. The sound of rain would cover up her vulnerability. No one knew that she had cried. She was still the independent and strong Lin Fei in other people's eyes.

"This emotion... is very complex."

She was conflicted, trying hard to explain herself, but afraid that he still wouldn't understand.

Liang Yanzhe could sense her subtle emotions and touched her cheek tenderly.

Actually, it wasn't just her.

Many people dream of growing up, becoming independent, and venturing out when they are young, but when they actually take that step, they become confused and don't know which path to choose.

Unable to avoid the overwhelming pessimism, yet unwilling to admit defeat, one can only drift aimlessly through a life of mindlessness, yearning to find a piece of driftwood to rest on.

“It’s not your fault,” he said. “Because the environment you grew up in taught you that you can only survive by solving problems, so your first thought when facing any difficulty is to solve it. But don’t forget that everyone has emotions, and you need to learn to treat them kindly.”

"So... is this good or bad?" Lin Fei never dared to delve too deeply into her true emotions. She didn't have time to wallow in pessimism; for her, survival was the most important thing.

At this moment, she was like a patient seeking medical help, urgently needing Liang Yanzhe to prescribe a remedy to cure her.

"Very good." Liang Yanzhe patted her head. "It would be even better if you could also take care of your own emotions."

He hoped she wouldn't live such a tense life.

"I understand, I will change." Lin Fei said with a smile, "Then what about you? Is Liang Yanzhe, who is speaking so gently to me, truly at peace, or is he just suppressing himself?"

"How did the topic turn back to me?" Liang Yanzhe put his hand down.

The two then separated.

Lin Fei grasped her drooping hand, opened his palm, pressed her face against his, and gently rubbed against him, just like Shunshun usually rubbed against people.

“It’s repressed, isn’t it?” She slowly approached him. “Six years ago, Liang Sheng told me clearly here that he couldn’t respond to me, nor could he love me.”

He once said it was out of respect, but she didn't believe him. It was just a nicer way of saying no, to make her advances less embarrassing.

“Isn’t your answer even more bastardly?” Liang Yanzhe was not afraid of her relentless questioning. “You told me that I don’t need love, and that kisses and hugs can exist without love.”

Showing affection and asking for kisses without the intention of establishing an intimate relationship—isn't that just wanting to sleep with him?

"But you don't hate me."

"But I can't love you either."

“Liang Sheng, look, you said no, it doesn’t mean you don’t love me.” Lin Fei looked at him deeply. “I once thought you would be the light in my life, but you destroyed my expectations with your own hands.”

"So, that's why you left the port city early?"

“Otherwise, we had a huge fight that night, how could I not leave? If I continued to live under the same roof as you, every time I saw you, I would remember what you said when you rejected me.” Lin Fei let go of him and stood up. “If it weren’t for you, I probably would have made a fuss about leaving Gangdu a long time ago. Let alone staying for two months, even two weeks would have been difficult.”

Lin Fei walked to the door, adopted an indifferent attitude, and shrugged: "Forget it, everyone had their own unspeakable difficulties back then, let's not talk about it."

She glanced at the huge music room and decided she would never come back. The topics they discussed there always made her feel uncomfortable.

"I'm going back to my room to take a shower." Lin Fei turned and left, looking dejected and listless.

"Non-literature".

He stood up and called out to her urgently.

Lin Fei stopped and turned slightly to the side.

Liang Yanzhe said, "I also went to the airport the day you left."

Her dream wasn't a dream.

He did arrive that day, but hesitated to go forward.

He didn't leave the airport until the rain stopped and she boarded a plane to leave the port city.

"Okay, I understand." Lin Fei's reaction was indifferent. He took two steps outside, then stopped.

Liang Yanzhe was worried that she was really angry this time, so he strode forward.

She was faster than him, turning and running towards him, hugging him tightly.

"You're a fucking bastard! Do you know how much pressure your words put on me back then? Did you think I was a girl without self-respect or self-love?" Lin Fei felt more wronged than angry.

Even at this point, Liang Yanzhe's first words were still: "Don't swear."

“I’ll tell you!” Lin Fei said. “Even if my motives for approaching you weren’t pure, I’ve never denied it. Even if I only had a good impression of you, and it wasn’t love or affection, wasn’t my desire to kiss you genuine at that moment? You’re the one who’s even less honest than me!”

Liang Yanzhe couldn't help but smile wryly.

These words were very much like Lin Fei's; her feelings for him were passionate, but she couldn't give herself to him.

But, do you know Feiwen?

I want more than just that.

But I also crave the passion you give me.

"Yes, I was wrong." Liang Yanzhe gently rubbed her head. "Shall we turn the page?"

She could sense that he had his reasons, but he was unwilling to tell anyone, so she didn't press him further.

"Then you promise to tell me why when the time is right."

She can wait until the day he's willing to talk.

He laughed and said, "There are some things I don't want to talk about anymore because I don't care anymore, and you don't need to take on my past."

"I will wait." Perhaps it was her stubbornness, but she also believed that one day he would be willing to tell her in person about his unspeakable secrets and his insincere words.

Liang Yanzhe lowered his head and nuzzled her forehead: "Okay, let's turn the page and not talk about it anymore."

Lin Fei felt a tingling, numb sensation in his heart.

The man was bigger than her and was even trying to rub against her like she was doing it; she was overjoyed.

"You..." Lin Fei forced himself to stop thinking about it, "What did you talk about with Xiao Yi today?"

“She’s having a bachelorette party tomorrow night and invited us to a small gathering, not many people,” Liang Yanzhe said. “She has a 20-day vacation after the wedding next week and is thinking of staying in Jiangdu for a while.”

Lin Fei looked up, puzzled, and asked, "Even a CEO as busy as her only gets holidays?"

They thought Liang Yanyi was like the characters in novels and TV dramas, sleeping only five hours a day, attending endless meetings, reviewing countless reports, and even relying on her assistant to send flowers and gifts to maintain her relationship with her lover.

Liang Yanzhe: "If she doesn't take leave for her honeymoon, the Zhou family will feel that she doesn't value Zhou Hui enough, and it will give her a bad reputation. Moreover, her grandmother will also feel that she is too busy to take care of her family and that she lacks ability."

"Your family has so many demands...you're really crazy." Lin Fei's words were indeed venomous, hitting the nail on the head.

Liang Yanzhe smiled and asked, "Can we go back to our room to rest now?"

"Carry me over there." Lin Fei didn't wait for his agreement, went around behind him, and insisted that he carry her for those few steps.

-

Liang Yanzhe and Liang Yanyi, the siblings, each compromised: he could skip the wedding, but he would attend the bachelor party.

Since it wasn't in a public place, just on a private ship, Liang Yanzhe could stay in his room if he didn't want to see anyone, so he agreed.

Lin Fei woke up early in the morning. She hadn't slept much last night, her mind filled with what Liang Yanzhe had said to her in the music room.

She tiptoed out of bed and quickly changed into a tracksuit.

Liang Yanzhe is a light sleeper, and he woke up when she got out of bed.

"Where to?" he asked, sitting up.

Lin Fei pointed outside: "I'm going to walk around. You don't need to follow me. I want to think about opening a shop by myself."

Liang Yanzhe: "Wear a coat."

"No, I'm going for a run." Lin Fei's sports jacket was windproof, and he didn't want to wear too many layers, as it would make him clumsy when walking.

"I'll be home in two hours." Liang Yanzhe respected her need for privacy, but he was a little worried about her wandering around the unfamiliar port city alone.

She gave a perfunctory "uh-huh" and picked up her phone to go out.

There was cash in a small storage box in the entryway, which Liang Yanzhe had specially prepared for her. Lin Fei took two large denomination banknotes.

She left the apartment building, walked briskly to the next street, and hailed a taxi.

The destination is the hospital.

The hospital's outpatient building was packed with people in the morning, so Lin Fei went around to the inpatient department at the back and took the elevator directly to the third floor, which had the best natural light.

There are only four wards on this floor, all of which are high-end VIP wards. Although they are called wards, each ward is actually a small three-bedroom apartment structure, consisting of the ward, the accompanying room, and the nurse's room.

Needless to say, the equipment is top-notch; the best medical resources in the port city are all here.

I heard that this hospital is owned by the Liang family.

Before, she only knew that Liang Yanru's family was rich, but when she actually came to Hong Kong, she realized the power of their wealth.

Lin Fei pushed open the door to the VIP ward. Zhong Deshou, who was sitting on the bed reading a newspaper, was stunned for a moment and then quickly got up.

"Shufei, what brings you here?" Zhong Deshou's Mandarin was a little unclear because he had been speaking Cantonese for many years, but he tried his best to speak clearly.

Lin Fei put his hands in his pockets and strode into the ward, saying without beating around the bush, "I came here specifically."

The auntie preparing breakfast asked, "Miss Shufei, have you had breakfast yet? I'll prepare one for you."

Lin Fei nodded.

"Go and prepare another one right away, hurry up!" Zhong Deshou grinned from ear to ear.

Zhong Deshou, leaning on his cane, walked to the dining table and beckoned, "Shufei, come and sit down."

Lin Fei walked over and sat down.

She thought to herself, "Should we get straight to the point and finish breakfast first?"

But Zhong Deshou didn't give her a chance. He inquired about her meeting with the Liang family the day before, and she gave him a perfunctory reply.

Fortunately, the aunt was quick and served breakfast soon.

Zhong Deshou introduced her to breakfast, which consisted entirely of local specialty snacks from the port city.

Lin Fei ate until she was about 60% full, making sure she didn't overeat. It wouldn't be right for her to go back and tell Liang Yanzhe that she couldn't resist the temptation to eat while exercising, so she had to maintain the facade.

"What are your plans for the Chinese New Year this year?" Zhong Deshou asked cautiously, watching Lin Fei's expression to decide whether to continue.

Lin Fei: "The new store is about to open. It's a Zhuang brocade shop that I invested in. Grandma will provide the techniques, and I'll take care of the rest. We'll have a trial run during the Chinese New Year, and it should be very busy."

Chung Tak-sau wisely refrained from mentioning again his hope that Lam Fei would spend the Lunar New Year in Hong Kong.

"Grandpa."

Lin Fei stammered, finding it difficult to pronounce the address correctly.

Zhong Deshou straightened his back: "Shufei, you speak."

“There are some things I’ve been keeping to myself for a long time. If I don’t say them, both of us will feel uncomfortable. Why don’t we speak frankly?” Lin Fei’s hands on her lap tightened slightly as she encouraged herself, recalling what Liang Yanzhe had told her last night—don’t always suppress your emotions, learn to treat them kindly.

"I don't really like you." Lin Fei observed Zhong Deshou's expression; he looked dejected, his spirits instantly gone.

"May I ask why?" Zhong Deshou asked in a low voice.

Lin Fei: "Because you were so heartless to my mother. Every time she talked to you on the phone, you would always verbally belittle and threaten her. She would be sad for many days after contact with you, but she never said a bad word about you to me. Even my father tried hard to gain your approval, changed my name, and planned to settle in Hong Kong as you requested. They both tried so hard, but they didn't get a kind word from you before they passed away. Later, you sent people to take away my mother's ashes. My grandmother was sad but dared not say anything because your Zhong family is well-off, and she couldn't support me and needed your help. Your kindness to me was out of a sense of compensation. You would fulfill all my requests, but compared to these, the suffering you brought me outweighed the happiness. I also want to get along with you harmoniously, but my upbringing makes it impossible for me to easily erase my dislike for you, because you hurt the people who truly loved me."

She paused for a moment, then said, "You're not being nice to me because you like me, your granddaughter, are you? You just feel guilty towards your daughter."

Zhong Deshou's eyes reddened: "Shufei, you've misunderstood your grandfather."

“No, I’ve seen how you dote on your grandson, how you patiently teach Zhong Shuwen, and how you spoil and pamper Zhong Shuyu.” Lin Fei didn’t want to be sad, but her emotions overwhelmed her, and her voice trembled uncontrollably. “It’s different for me. I have to exchange something to get the same treatment as them.”

Zhong Deshou remained speechless for a long time.

“You always say I’m like my mother, and it’s true, even the way I feel sad because of your actions is similar.” Lin Fei took a deep breath and turned her face away. “I’m not here today to sever ties. I’m not a child who only acts on impulse. Grandpa, let’s find a new way to get along. Although I don’t know what that way should be, if we put ourselves in each other’s shoes, we’ll find it someday.”

Zhong Deshou slowly raised his old, blurred eyes, his face filled with disbelief.

He really thought the relationship between grandfather and grandson was over, but he never expected Lin Fei to want to repair their relationship.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

“Grandpa, I’m an upright person. After all, you are my family, my mother’s father. It would be bad for me to be at odds with you. Why don’t we each take a step back and not make things so difficult for each other?” Lin Fei had said what he needed to say, and he felt much lighter. His shoulders were no longer as straight as before.

After a long while, Zhong Deshou quietly wiped his wet eyes and said, "Okay, let's start over."

Lin Fei changed the subject from the serious topic, pointing and saying, "These shrimp dumplings are delicious, can we have another serving?"

Zhong Deshou immediately asked the aunt to bring another one.

Lin Fei momentarily forgot to save room for breakfast with Liang Yanzhe at home, and only left the hospital after eating until she was stuffed.

Zhong Shuwen, who had been listening outside, entered the room and called out, "Grandpa."

Zhong Deshou stood motionless by the window, a smile on his lips, but his eyes were still red.

“Shufei is just like her mother, in every way. She was like that when we argued as children.” He watched Lin Fei get into the car before turning around and letting out a long sigh. “I was harsh on Azhi those years.”

After listening to their entire conversation, Zhong Shuwen sincerely admired Lin Fei's broad-mindedness, her logical thinking, and her problem-solving methods.

“If Afei had talked to you earlier, she wouldn’t have had to marry Liang Yanzhe,” he said softly.

Zhong Deshou, still hearing, hurriedly said, "Don't talk nonsense. The Liang family has done all the proper etiquette for this marriage. Aze and his grandmother came to propose it in person, and Aze also said he was serious. Although the process was a bit fast, there are no problems. They are both good kids, and feelings can be cultivated. As for you, you're not getting any younger, you should start thinking about settling down."

Zhong Shuwen dared not ask any more questions, lest all the blame fall on him in the end.

-

Lin Fei ran and jumped back to the apartment, and Liang Yanzhe opened the door for her.

As soon as the door opened, she pounced on him, excitedly saying, "Guess what good thing I did!"

Liang Yanzhe almost missed her when she suddenly lunged at him. He took two steps back to steady himself, and didn't forget to reply to her, "It must be a great thing."

"Yes, please don't hesitate to praise me!" Lin Fei leaned closer to hear.

Before Liang Yanzhe could speak, a female voice interrupted him.

"This must be your new wife, Mr. Liang?"

Lin Fei looked up from above Liang Yanzhe's shoulder and met the gaze of the girl standing at the end of the corridor.

She wore a light blue Chanel-style suit, had a neat, short bob, and a striking appearance with delicate and bright features.

"Who are you?" Lin Fei got off Liang Yanzhe.

The girl smiled slightly and said, "She could be considered his ex-fiancée."

Lin Fei wasn't buying it. He calmly retorted, "Don't you have a name? Or do you have to add a prefix before introducing yourself?"

-----------------------

Author's note: [shy][shy] Here it comes, I'll write about Liang Sheng's story slowly, no rush!

Our Fei Wen team focuses on solving problems as they arise and strives to avoid internal conflicts (though she does experience a little internal conflict sometimes).

-

The new character is here to deliver business, not a love rival, and the two aren't engaged!

[Sprinkling flowers] Still 66