Chapter 106 Long Time No See

In mid-December, Lin Yu approached the dean and spoke with him, indicating that she accepted the company's decision to terminate her contract. She remained calm, knowing that further delay would be pointless.

Thinking that Lin Yu had been working here since graduation, he felt helpless yet filled with emotion.

During the conversation, the dean mentioned the patent that Lin Yu had been working on for a long time without being published. He frankly admitted that although there were occasional dissenting voices within the company, he had always firmly stood by her side.

He also invested a lot of energy in the early brainstorming and resource coordination stages of the project. Therefore, we hope that Lin Yu can consider leaving behind the technical data and algorithm models so that we can take the lead and continue to move the project forward.

The dean assured her that even if the technology did not gain widespread market acceptance later on, he would never let it fizzle out, nor would he allow anyone to squander her hard work.

He appealed to Lin Yuxiao's emotions while remaining polite, implying that if she went out with a half-finished product, how many of the investors and partners outside would truly understand its value? And how much energy would she have to expend to explain and prove it?

However, within the company, the platform is readily available, the resources are mature, and he will personally send people to supervise and follow up. Therefore, this plan is undoubtedly the most beneficial and responsible choice for all parties.

Finally, the dean promised Lin Yu that if she agreed to his proposal, the company would give her a one-time project transfer compensation. Alternatively, in the longer term, it could be considered as her contributing her technical expertise as equity, with her receiving dividends proportionally once the project generated profits.

In this way, even if she leaves, the growth of the project remains deeply intertwined with her interests.

Lin Yu was filled with mixed emotions. She was grateful for the company's support all along, and she understood that her research and development achievements were inseparable from the data support provided by the company, as well as the two colleagues at headquarters who stayed up all night with her to build the model.

She had to admit that large companies had advantages in funding, equipment, teams, and platforms. Whether she started her own business or moved to a smaller company, she would indeed face much greater challenges.

The dean seemed to be offering Lin Yu a "pragmatic" suggestion based on his own experience. He acknowledged his own abilities, had genuine enthusiasm for the project, and truly wanted to push it forward.

But Lin Yu always had a vague feeling that, in his heart, the individual should always give way to the collective, and he himself was the representative of this collective.

Therefore, faced with the dean's proposal, she was unwilling to hurt her relationship with her former employer, and she was also unable to weigh the pros and cons in time, so she could only ask him to give her a few days to consider it carefully.

At the end of the conversation, both parties reached an agreement. Lin Yu would continue to work for the company until the end of the year, and the company promised to pay two more months of social security contributions for her, providing her with a buffer period to find a new job.

Back at his workstation, Lin Yu quickly tidied up his personal belongings in the drawer and then scrolled through Shi Shendahai's interview replies on WeChat.

Suddenly, she saw a wedding invitation from a friend she hadn't seen in a long time, sent two months ago, now quietly lying in her chat list.

Zhou Tianze was Lin Yu's childhood friend; the two had been playing together since they were toddlers. Their mothers were colleagues: Lin Yu taught English, and Zhou Tianze's mother taught chemistry.

The Zhou family has been running a large agricultural machinery business in their hometown for the past few years, and their business has grown quite prosperous. The two attended the same high school. Unlike Lin Yu, she was lively and optimistic from a young age.

In high school, Zhou Tianze started dating the top student in his grade.

The man came from a political family and initially looked down on the Zhou family's nouveau riche status, so he wanted to use the opportunity of sending his son to study in Hong Kong to break them up. But no one expected that the two of them would be so capable and manage to withstand the pressure and survive four years of long-distance relationship.

After graduating from university, Zhou Tianze did not hesitate to take the entrance exam for postgraduate studies in Hong Kong, finally ending her long separation from her boyfriend.

Now, her boyfriend works as an architect in Hong Kong, while Zhou Tianze has unexpectedly followed in his mother's footsteps and become a primary school Chinese teacher.

Although he didn't know how many unimaginable twists and turns the two of them had gone through over the years, Lin Yu was genuinely happy for them as their story finally came to a happy ending.

She took out her wallet from her bag, found her Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao under a hidden compartment, and discovered that the endorsement was still valid for another six months.

Knowing that Lin Feng's chemotherapy had temporarily come to an end, she hesitated for a moment, then sent a message to a friend to ask if there were any rooms available at the hotel. After receiving a positive reply, she immediately decided to attend this belated wedding banquet.

My friend specifically chose New Year's Day for the wedding, taking advantage of the homophonic meaning of "I love you, I love you forever." Lin Yu flew to Hong Kong a day early and checked into the wedding hotel near Victoria Harbour, which my friend had prepared.

When I met Zhou Tianze, she was standing with her hands on her hips, directing the staff to adjust the stage set. Her back view was efficient and neat, showing that she was personally handling the details of the wedding.

Lin Yu called her name, and upon hearing the familiar voice, she turned around, a delighted smile instantly spreading across her face.

Zhou Tianze has changed a lot; he is no longer the tomboy with braces and short hair from his student days.

Her profession as a teacher has given her a more composed demeanor. She wore a well-tailored suit, her hair was styled in an elegant bun, and the pearls on her earlobes swayed gently with her movements, adding a touch of gentleness and liveliness.

Only the curve of her eyebrows and eyes when she smiles, and her neat, white teeth, still retain the infectious charm unique to her student days.

Lin Yu brought her coffee, and the two rested by the floor-to-ceiling window outside the venue. The midday sun shone on Victoria Harbour, and the shimmering water was dotted with boats, adding a touch of life to this natural painting.

“My mother-in-law wants to hold the main event in our hometown.” Zhou Tianze took a sip of coffee and squinted at the window. “But you know my personality. I can’t stand all those formalities. It’s more comfortable like this.”

"So you're in charge of your family now?" Lin Yu winked mischievously.

"Of course!" Zhou Tianze laughed, the sunlight making her pearl earrings sparkle with an unusual brilliance. "Otherwise, all those years of chasing him from north to south would have been in vain."

"I'm so happy for you," Lin Yu said sincerely.

"Thank you!" Zhou Tianze suddenly grasped Lin Yu's hand. "It's so good that you came. We haven't seen each other for so many years, I wonder how you've been?"

"That's great!" Lin Yu held her hand, a smile playing on his lips. A thousand words surged within him, but ultimately they all coalesced into a smile that needed no further explanation.

Outside the window, a cruise ship sounded its horn, the long, drawn-out sound echoing over Victoria Harbour.

Because her friend had to rush to deal with a problem with the wedding dress and didn't have time to entertain Lin Yu, she told her that she could have dinner at the buffet restaurant downstairs. After giving her instructions, she hurriedly left the scene with her bag.

Lin Yu had lunch alone at the hotel restaurant. Seeing that it was still early, he decided to take advantage of the free time to go to the nearby Wong Tai Sin Temple to offer incense and pray for his aunt.

When I arrived at the temple by subway, it was already quite late. The temple was crowded with people from all over the country who had come to offer incense and fulfill their vows.

The strong smell of incense rose from the open halls, making the entire temple resemble a giant incense burner, so strong that Lin Yu couldn't open his eyes.

She touched the bronze kylin at the doorway, stepped over the threshold, took three sticks of incense, and lit them in the incense burner next to the main hall.

Although her mother was a member of the Communist Party and no one in the family believed in such things, at this moment she was willing to try any possibility to improve her aunt's health.

Amidst the swirling smoke, she bowed deeply, sincerely praying to Wong Tai Sin to bless Lin Feng and help her overcome her misfortunes.

As she inserted three thin incense sticks into the incense burner and turned around, she suddenly froze in place. Through the rising smoke, a figure devoutly prostrating in the distance unexpectedly came into her view.

Jiang Chuan wore a sharply tailored black suit, his upright shoulders standing out prominently amidst the swirling incense smoke. As he bowed his head to burn incense, a glimpse of fair skin was revealed on the back of his neck, and even this devout posture exuded an innate nobility and composure.

My heart felt like it had been scalded by a burning incense stick. The heart-wrenching breakup from a few months ago suddenly came rushing back, carrying a heavy, bloody stench.

She stood frozen in place, gazing at the swirling smoke and passing worshippers for a long time, until the person opposite her finally inserted incense into the incense burner. As if sensing something, their gaze pierced through the thick smoke and looked in her direction.

Lin Yu thought that at least there should be embers of resentment when they met again. But at this moment, all she saw in Jiang Chuan's eyes was a deathly stillness covered with incense ash, empty and indifferent.

She looked away as if avoiding a wisp of insignificant smoke and walked straight out of the hall.

"Banban..." Just as they brushed past each other, her wrist was suddenly gripped by a warm force. His voice, as if imbued with the scent of incense, was hoarse and carried a barely perceptible probing tone. "Long time no see."

Lin Yu stopped, neither pulling away nor turning back. His gaze fell on a banyan tree with withered leaves inside the hall, his tone calm and indifferent. "Does Attorney Jiang also believe in this?"

Lin Yu reverted to the way they addressed each other when they first met. Jiang Chuan's fingers tightened slightly, then loosened, and he walked around to face her. "I didn't believe it at first."

His gaze lingered on Lin Yu's face, a bittersweet smile of loss and regain playing on his lips. "But it seems that fate is on my side."

Jiang Chuan certainly didn't believe in fate, and fate never favored him. Everything he possessed now was the result of his own careful planning and execution.

These days, he has not found a suitable opportunity to appear in front of Lin Yu, and has only been able to maintain that fragile connection with Zou Lang and the people around her.

That night of drunken outburst felt like a distant, unattainable dream.

He admitted that he felt resentful and unwilling when he saw the photos Chen Guang posted on his WeChat Moments.

But reason told him that he could no longer let his emotions control him and deal with the problem in the same way, as that would only push Lin Yu further away.

He knew that in the moment of bowing down in worship, he was standing in his own shadow, and perhaps what he was praying for was never gods or Buddhas, but himself.

Lin Yu didn't press him about the unspoken meaning in his words, nor did he bother to guess what he had just asked for. He simply asked, "Are you here on a business trip?"

A bitter look appeared in Jiang Chuan's eyes. "If you say so, then so be it."

They didn't speak again and walked side by side towards the temple gate. Passing the fortune-telling area, he suddenly grabbed her arm. "Since we're already here, why don't you come with me and draw one?"

Lin Yu didn't respond, letting Jiang Chuan pull him towards the fortune-telling area.

The old divination stick container gleamed with an oily sheen, having been caressed by countless hands making prayers. Jiang Chuan's slender fingers cupped the container, gently shaking it. The bamboo sticks rattled inside, and soon, one stick fell to the ground with a thud.

He picked up the long slip of paper, his fingertips tracing the tiny inscriptions on it. Lin Yu glanced at it out of the corner of her eye and unconsciously read aloud, "The Hegemon-King and Consort Yu..." She crossed her arms, her expression unreadable, but her words were sharp. "Attorney Jiang has good luck."

The fortune-telling stalls were lined up on both sides of the temple gate. Jiang Chuan chose an old woman with gray hair, who looked more experienced than the others. Lin Yu followed her, purely wanting to see him get his comeuppance in front of him.

The two sat down at the faded wooden table, and Jiang Chuan handed them bamboo skewers. "Thank you, Grandma."

He spoke in fluent Cantonese, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, his voice alluring and sexy.

Lin Yu glanced sideways, and Jiang Chuan met her questioning gaze, explaining, "I spent some time in Hong Kong with my elders a few years ago. It's been a while since we last talked, so we've become a bit estranged."

Lin Yu turned his head noncommittally and saw the old woman push up her reading glasses with her thin fingers, open the thick fortune-telling book, and slowly trace the dense fortune slips with her well-defined fingers.

"Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King, was a peerless hero, but his extreme strength made him prone to breaking. This divination slip indicates a mediocre outcome; the matter at hand will likely be fraught with discord, all because neither side is willing to yield."

She looked up at the man and woman in front of her, whose atmosphere was subtly tense, and said earnestly, "Young man, always take a step back and you'll see a brighter future." The old woman copied the fortune slip onto a small pink piece of paper, shook off the ink, folded it in half, and handed it to Jiang Chuan.

Jiang Chuan accepted the red paper with the fortune slip written on it with both hands. Lin Yu's gaze involuntarily fell on the plain ring on his middle finger, and his heart felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead.

She watched him carefully put the piece of paper into his wallet, and just as the leather lining was opened, a yellowed old photograph unexpectedly entered Lin Yu's field of vision.

Lin Yu remembers that this photo was taken by Lin Jianguo on her fifth birthday, during some of the happiest years of her life. In the photo, she is missing a front tooth, wearing new clothes bought by her mother, and making a face at her father's camera.

She hadn't looked through her childhood photo album in a long time and had long forgotten about this photo. Now, it appeared unexpectedly in Jiang Chuan's wallet, like two parallel lines briefly intersecting in a chaotic spacetime.

A surge of bittersweetness rushed to her nose. She abruptly turned and walked towards the door, not wanting him to notice her unusual behavior.

Jiang Chuan paid the bill and followed Lin Yu out of the ancestral hall. A breeze picked up, and she looked up at the sky outside the eaves of the Three Saints Hall, which was shrouded in a hazy gray from the incense smoke.

"Is your grandma... feeling any better?" Lin Yu hesitated before asking, remembering that Jiang Chuan had mentioned his grandmother's illness when they broke up. Asking after so long seemed a bit hypocritical and deliberate.

Jiang Chuan lowered his eyes and remained silent for a moment.

Alzheimer's disease is irreversible, and the condition of those afflicted will only worsen. But when he looked up and saw the lingering fatigue between Lin Yu's brows, he simply sighed softly and said in a low voice, "It's alright."

Lin Yu nodded almost imperceptibly, then glanced at her phone. "I'm leaving now, goodbye."

"Banban..." Jiang Chuan called out to her from behind, the two standing at a distance that wasn't too close or too far. "How about you? Are you alright?"

"What's wrong with me?" Lin Yu asked knowingly, hiding her sharp chin under her pulled-up collar, turning around to smile back, and looking openly into his eyes.

Jiang Chuan seemed stung by that gaze, his body trembling slightly, his expression hesitant and unsure what to say. "But... I'm not doing too well."

He paused, then finally said in a low voice, "I've tried to see you a few times, but I haven't found a suitable opportunity to apologize."

"Actually, many things aren't quite as they seem..."

“It’s all in the past, Jiang Chuan,” Lin Yu interrupted him, his tone surprisingly calm.

In the past few months, she has been shuttling between the company and the hospital, and naturally has no time to take care of her already broken relationship.

When Jiang Chuan brought it up now, she suddenly realized that the questions that had been troubling her for months, the truths she had been so determined to uncover, had all become unimportant.

Time is the best healer, allowing her to recover from the pain of the breakup.

She admitted that Jiang Chuan's appearance had rekindled her fond memories of the past, and that her love for him wouldn't be as easy to turn off as a tap.

Even so, she would no longer easily repeat the same mistake because of the remaining goodwill or the other party's affectionate performance.

At least for now, she no longer insists on whether she can have this relationship again.

"If we were still together, we would indeed need to give each other an explanation, but now, none of that matters."

"I'm not one to hold grudges, but there are some things that need to be cut off decisively."

"It's my own fault." Jiang Chuan seemed to have heard some harsh words he couldn't bear. He took a half step back, slumped down, and let out a bitter laugh.

Lin Yu couldn't see his expression clearly, but he had never seen Jiang Chuan so vulnerable.

His face was ashen, and his beautiful black eyes were lifeless, like frosted glass balls, as if he himself were the one who had hurt him the most.

The inexplicable gloom made her feel a little uncomfortable. She didn't know how to play the role of a qualified ex, and felt that she should at least act like in TV dramas, appearing mature and magnanimous.

So, on a whim, she suddenly suggested, "How about we take a tram?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chuan raised his head, his eyes filled with a renewed hope, like a wasteland lit up by a spark.