Chapter Twenty-Nine: Shadows of Light

When the crystal chandelier in the venue suddenly lit up, Lin Tang was still nestled in Qiao Yuan's arms, the smell of tobacco from his suit lingering on her nose. It wasn't until the whispers around them surged in like a tide that she abruptly pushed him away.

Qiao Yuan's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his usual smile and replied in Japanese.

For a moment, Lin Tang was shocked and bewildered. She had taught herself Japanese, but she hadn’t expected Qiao Yuan to be able to fight so fluently. She saw the smugness in Sato’s eyes, which pierced her heart like a needle.

Chen Kan stood in the shadows of the terrace, his cigar long since extinguished, unaware that the ash had fallen into his sleeve.

Looking at Lin Tang's reddened eyes and Qiao Yuan's actions of fixing her hair, he felt as if his chest had been hit with a blunt object, a dull ache throbbing in his chest.

Cheng Qing suddenly walked over, holding a handkerchief embroidered with lilies, and wiped the blood from Qiao Yuan's forehead: "Master Qiao, are you alright?" Her voice carried a hint of coquettishness, but she cleverly changed the subject, "Sister Lin, are you alright? You scared me to death just now, Brother Chen Kan is still waiting over there."

A collective sigh of relief rippled through the crowd.

Lin Tang brushed the hair from her forehead, and only then did the piercing pain in her feet reach her, causing her to let out a soft "hiss".

Qiao Yuan looked at the soles of her feet, and his expression immediately changed.

Qiao Yuan subconsciously squatted down and gently lifted her ankle with his fingers. "How could you be so careless?"

Lin Tang's face flushed instantly. She tried to pull her foot back, but he gripped it even tighter.

Qiao Yuan's hand was still bleeding, and the red blood between her fingers stained her fair ankle like a blooming little flower.

"Mr. Qiao is quite chivalrous, isn't he?" Sato's voice suddenly broke in, tinged with a sarcastic laugh, his eyes behind his glasses like two will-o'-the-wisps. "Mr. Qiao, have you forgotten that Miss Lin is now Chairman Chen's woman? Aren't you afraid that Chairman Chen will be displeased by what you're doing?"

Lin Tang turned her head to look at Chen Kan on the terrace. He had originally intended to come in, but after hearing Sato's words, his expression darkened even more.

Qiao Yuan stood up and stood in front of Lin Tang, smiling casually: "Mr. Sato is joking. Miss Lin is my ex-wife. I was just expressing my concern. There's no need to make such a fuss."

“Ex-wife…” Sato drawled, turning to smile at those around him, “But just now I saw you two hugging very tightly, like a loving couple. Mr. Joe, don’t you think so?”

Whispers arose from the crowd; some chuckled, while others shook their heads.

Lin Tang's face turned even redder. She looked down at her feet, her toes unconsciously rubbing against the ground.

Cheng Qing quickly smoothed things over, taking Lin Tang's arm. "Sister Tang, shall I help you to rest?" She then whispered sweetly, "Mr. Chen, if you don't come soon, Sister Tang might not be able to stand properly."

With so many people watching, Chen Kan couldn't just stay on the terrace, so he walked over and reached out to support Lin Tang's waist.

"I'll help you to the car," he said, but he didn't dare look at her, his eyes fixed on her blood-stained feet.

Lin Tang responded softly and slowly leaned her weight on him. As soon as her right foot touched the ground, the pain of shards of glass digging into her flesh shot up her nerves, and she couldn't help but gasp, her body swaying.

Qiao Yuan's hands tightened as he watched, but he could only pretend not to care and turn away, a cold mockery on his lips, "It seems Mr. Chen's ability to take care of people is far inferior to mine! No wonder Miss Lin still has feelings for me."

Chen Kan's hand instinctively tightened, but then suddenly loosened, as if it had been burned.

Qiao Yuan, displaying a rogue and dissolute demeanor in public, said with a smile, "So, Miss Lin, have you seen through this Mr. Chen? He's all show and no substance, isn't he? If you're thinking of turning back, I don't mind, but I can only make you my concubine!"

Cheng Qing tugged at his suit sleeve, her voice tinged with a hint of coquettish complaint: "Mr. Qiao, if you keep talking nonsense, Sister A-Tang will get angry." She then winked at Lin Tang, "My feet are all scraped and bleeding, how can I stand you teasing me like this?"

Qiao Yuan touched his nose and wisely stopped talking, but he still stared at Lin Tang's ankle, his concern hidden in his frivolous smile: "Alright, Miss Cheng, I won't say anything."

Chen Kan's face was as dark as ink. He picked up Lin Tang and walked out without looking back.

The wind outside carried a chill as it blew in, and Lin Tang shivered.

Although Chen Kan looked hesitant, he still gentlemanly took off his suit jacket and draped it over Lin Tang after helping her into the car.

The Chen family's car drove away from the venue. The car headlights shone on the road.

Lin then noticed that Chen Kan's hands were trembling; it turned out that he had crushed the wine glass earlier, and his hands were still shaking.

Lin Tang took a handkerchief out of her bag and handed it to him: "Wrap it up first, so it doesn't get infected."

Chen Kan took the handkerchief but didn't move it, only staring into her eyes: "You were... very worried about him just now?"

Lin Tang paused for a moment, but didn't say much. She simply changed the subject and said, "Kan, I overheard your conversation with Uncle Zhong."

Chen Kan's body stiffened, and the handkerchief in his hand fell to the ground: "You... heard everything?"

"Yes." Lin Tang nodded, her voice very soft. "I know you have your difficulties."

Chen Kan lowered his eyes and after a long while said, "I'm sorry. But Jintang, I... I really didn't mean to take advantage of you. I genuinely wanted you to get out of this hellhole, Qiaoyuan. I... I just overestimated myself..."

“No, Kan, I truly understand you. You’ve always wanted your mother to be proud of you, and now that you’ve finally returned to the Chen family and can fulfill your aunt’s long-cherished wish, you have to do what the Chen family wants you to do. Besides, what you’re doing isn’t really wrong; it’s all about mutual interests and serving your own masters…”

Chen Kan was at a loss for words.

“Kan, so much has changed in these past five years. I know that no matter how much I miss it, we can never go back to the time when Lin Jintang and Bai Mu were together. On the day I married Qiao Yuan, I changed my name to ‘Lin Tang,’ because I wanted to sacrifice the ‘Jin’ for you.” Tears welled up in Lin Tang’s eyes, but she looked at Chen Kan and finally smiled. “Kan, I’m so glad to see you still alive. Your mother in heaven would be so happy to see her child so successful. I… I’ve changed a lot, but I’ve always held onto my belief in saving the country through industry. Kan, you used to say you wanted to be the best architectural scholar, and your wish was never to be scheming like these people. I hope you remember your original aspirations…”

Chen Kan looked at Lin Tang, tears welling up in his eyes.

This was the first time he had heard Lin Tang's honest analysis of him since he returned as "Chen Kan," but he didn't know how to respond.

"You..." He finally said after a long pause, "Are you telling me all this because of Qiao Yuan...?"

"Yes!" Lin Tang didn't hesitate for a moment. She turned to look at him, and although there was a hint of apology in her eyes, she still said, "I really... haven't let go of Qiao Yuan yet."

Chen Kan's Adam's apple bobbed, and after a long pause, he finally spoke: "You don't need to say these things."

“No, I have to say it,” Lin Tang interrupted him. “You’re very good, really very good, but I…” Her voice choked. “I can’t lie to myself.”

Chen Kan turned to look at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Lin Tang, do you know? I thought that once you saw through this bastard's true colors, you would leave him."

"I'm sorry." Lin Tang lowered her head, her fingers twisting the tassels of her shawl. "I know I owe you too much."

"You don't owe me anything. It's all fate!" Chen Kan said hoarsely. "Don't think about it anymore, let's go to the hospital first!"

He seemed both resolute and evasive, not giving her a chance to continue the conversation, and told the driver to hurry up and go to the hospital.

...

The clinic was brightly lit. As the doctor picked at the glass shards, Lin Tang frowned. The glass fragments on the floor reflected the light, turning a bright red like a blooming rose.

"Alright, Ms. Lin, the wound is treated." The doctor said with a smile, "Don't get it wet for a while, and don't wear high heels."

Lin Tang nodded and looked up at Chen Kan, who was staring at her feet, his eyes filled with tenderness.

Her guilt was overwhelming, but she could only turn it away.

As Lin Tang stepped out of the hospital, a chilly wind blew in, causing her to shiver.

Chen Kan draped his suit jacket over her shoulders, his fingers touching her shoulder before quickly withdrawing them.

"Thank you," Lin Tang said.

"No need," Chen Kan shook his head and helped her to the car. "It's my pleasure."

As the car started, Lin Tang looked at the streetlights outside the window and suddenly said, "Ah Kan, do you remember? We used to be in Suzhou..."

It was already one in the morning when the car stopped downstairs at Lin Tang's house. Chen Kan helped her upstairs. The stairwell was dimly lit, and he held her hand tightly.

"We've arrived." Lin Tang stood at the door.

Chen Kan took a medicine bottle out of his pocket: "This is anti-inflammatory medicine, remember to take it." He paused, then added, "Have Ah Xiu apply the medicine, and don't get it wet yourself."

Lin Tang took the medicine bottle and said softly, "Okay."

He turned to leave, but Lin Tang suddenly called out to him, "Kan!"

"What's wrong?" He turned around.

Lin Tang took a handkerchief out of her bag and handed it to him: "Your hand..."

Chen Kan looked down and realized that his hand was still bleeding. The shards of the wine glass he had just crushed were embedded in his palm, and blood was flowing down between his fingers, staining the cuffs of his suit.

"It's alright." He smiled, took the handkerchief, and said, "I'll handle it myself."

Lin Tang watched his figure disappear into the stairwell, closed the door, leaned against it, and finally let her tears fall. Were they tears of guilt, helplessness, or perhaps tears for the time that had passed and would never return?

Meanwhile, Chen Kan returned to the Chamber of Commerce.

Uncle Zhong was like a lurking fox, his eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"Uncle Zhong," his voice tinged with weariness, "everything is progressing smoothly."