Chapter 138 "Now that you've said what you wanted to say, let go."

Shen Yun looked at the boy in front of her with some helplessness.

He wanted to hug the other person, but suddenly didn't know where to start.

In the end, he simply put his arm around Pipa's shoulder very lightly.

It's like holding back a candle flame that could be extinguished at any moment.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... It was my fault that day. I shouldn't have done such a terrible thing to you just because I was upset. It was all my fault..."

Shen Yun repeated his apologies over and over again until he himself felt powerless and ineffective.

"I just... I just don't understand myself. I like you, really, but I don't know what to do. I also know that Li Xiao is still alive, I've always known..."

"..."

“I can’t just stand by and watch my cousin die—but as long as Li Xiao is alive, I can’t openly show you any goodwill. I don’t want to do what my mother did back then, and I don’t want to end up like her. But I… I also can’t keep avoiding you.”

"..."

"I want to see you, touch you, hug you, hear you speak, and see you smile—I don't know why, but I've always had this strange feeling. It's like everything right now is wrong, that the person you should like is me, not Li Xiao, not anyone else... You should have always been looking at me."

As Chen Yun continued her rambling conversation, Pipa listened quietly without uttering a word.

Until I heard the other person say—I feel like everything right now is wrong.

The boy's heart skipped a beat.

Could it be... could it be that Shen Yun also has memories of her past life? Does that mean that the young man in front of her is really the reincarnation of her senior sister Shen Yingxue?

The scenes in the dream were limited, and Yu Qingzhou's memories were incomplete, so Pipa really had no idea what happened to Shen Yingxue later.

All that is known is that he seems to be trapped by a great demon, which is why Yu Qingzhou went to the secluded place of the Yun clan to seek the secret treasure.

Unfortunately, the request to borrow money failed, and instead, complications arose, leading to further trouble.

Later, in the battle at Fumu Mountain, Yu Qingzhou narrowly escaped death, but never heard from her senior sister again, so she must have died in battle...

But Chen Yun's current appearance doesn't seem like she's really remembered.

I'm probably just overthinking it.

Pipa sighed silently in her heart.

To be honest, Shen Yun never mistreated him.

Given their past relationship, even if Shen Yun had continued to do something in the room that day, or even gone too far, it wouldn't have been a problem.

Besides, if Shen Yun hadn't happened to appear and save him, he might have died long ago. And in such a humiliating way, right there in the bustling hall.

So to put it bluntly, the problem actually lies with Pipa himself, because he can't get over that mental hurdle.

Pipa loathed the feeling of being completely suppressed and having no chance to fight back.

He also loathed himself to the extreme for being someone who could only be slaughtered like prey on a chopping board.

—Compared to the out-of-control Chen Yun, Pipa hates even more this weak and powerless self.

Even though they were powerless to change things, they were still unwilling to accept it.

They had no choice but to maintain the status quo, continue to pretend to be deaf and dumb, and continue to eke out a living.

Deceiving oneself, whitewashing reality...

Such a life, such a person, made him feel disgusted with himself.

That's why Pipa made up her mind to try and end it all, no matter what.

Therefore, after listening to Shen Yun's heartfelt words, which were almost a self-revelation, he was not deeply moved.

What good will it do to say you like someone now?

If it had been a few months earlier, or when we met again just now, perhaps... but there are no "perhaps" in the world.

Shen Yun is different from Li Xiao after all. He can't bear to leave the Shen family, and he would never do something like eloping with Pipa.

At this point, saying anything more would be futile.

Moreover, Pipa had already heard about it from Mr. Ajiu before she came.

"Sir, you've finished speaking."

"I……"

"Now that you've said what you need to say, let go."

Pipa gently interrupted Chen Yun, retreating from the young man's embrace.

Because of the fear of scaring the other person, I dared not hug them too tightly, which in turn became an easy reason to break free.

Shen Yun watched Pi Pa retreat step by step, feeling the emptiness in her arms. She wanted to step forward again, but was stopped by Pi Pa's actions.

"I understand." Pipa showed an understanding expression and even smiled at Shen Yun without any reservations.

It was just like many years ago, when the young boy bowed his head to thank Shen Yun on the riverbank illuminated by lights. Only this time, there was no deliberate avoidance of his gaze.

He no longer avoided the face that bore such a striking resemblance to his senior sister.

Not only this time, but never again...

Upon realizing this, Shen Yun was suddenly overwhelmed by a boundless bitterness, which also made his heart feel extremely suffocated.

A voice inside me sneered, "Just as I thought."

No matter how the story begins, in the end, he will be the one who gets abandoned...

—Without exception.

Shen Yun stopped. He didn't try to stop him anymore, but listened quietly to what the other person had to say next.

The boy said, "People always have to say goodbye to the past in order to better enter the next stage."

The young man added, "Actually, before I came here, Mr. Ajiu had already told me that Lord Shen's good fortune was approaching. He was going to marry the eldest daughter of the Lu family, his childhood sweetheart. I had long heard of the eldest daughter's talent and character. I had also heard from the second daughter of the Lu family that the future Mrs. Shen was devoted to him and that she and Lord Shen were a match made in heaven."

Shen Yun was already tired of hearing those compliments and praises about how well he and Miss Lu were a good match.

But when the same words came from the boy's mouth, Shen Yun not only did not show the slightest aversion, but nodded in agreement, and a slightly cold smile appeared on her face.

"That's well said. After all, marriage is a lifelong matter, and it's important to consider social standing and family background. After all—"

He paused for a moment before slowly uttering, "What kind of pot goes with what kind of lid?"

Hearing Shen Yun say this, Pipa paused for a moment, but still expressed her agreement: "What Lord Shen said is absolutely right."

His deep, dark eyes narrowed slightly as he subtly scrutinized the boy's face, seemingly trying to determine whether the boy's words were sincere.

Then he suddenly said, "Fine, since you've said so, I'm sure you'll come to the wedding in a few days."

Pipa was taken aback when the topic suddenly turned to this.

Seeing this, Shen Yun smiled faintly, but her words carried a hint of amusement: "What, we've known each other for so long, you won't even give me this much face?"

It was because of this so-called old acquaintance that...

Pipa frowned slightly: "It's not a matter of saving face, but rather that my former status made it inappropriate for me to appear in such a setting."

"Oh? Is there something inappropriate about it?"

Shen Yun suppressed her smile and said casually, "According to what you said before, since you've said goodbye to the past, you should be able to move on to the next stage smoothly. I've already let go, so why are you hesitating like this?"

Before Pipa could explain, Shen Yun waved her hand.

"Alright, aren't you leaving? If you want to leave, I won't stop you. As for the invitation, someone will deliver it to you later. Please be sure to attend on the day."

After saying that, he turned and left without waiting for the boy's reply.

Sure enough, on the very night she returned home, Pipa received a handwritten wedding invitation.