Chapter 13 Reunion

◎“I like Chen Jingshu from the Chen family of Yijing, not Chen Jingshu from Pengzhen No. 1 Middle School.”◎

From the mountain stream, one can see the tombstones overlooking the sea; the wind and rain howl, and even the dawn becomes gloomy.

Lin Yujing still couldn't bring herself to do it, and she embraced her absurd yet romantic spring.

"Ah Shu, it will all pass." She will definitely send her boy to the bright sunshine.

-

When the two returned home, the courtyard was covered with fallen leaves.

Chen Jingshu put his arm around her shoulder and tilted the umbrella more towards her. "You go upstairs and rest first. Mom doesn't like messy things. I'll clean up the yard."

Lin Yujing held back her tears, complaining again and again about how unfair the world was.

Not far away, Chen Jingshu held a broom, muttering words to reassure Chen Xuan, "The courtyard will reopen tomorrow. I'll hire staff here when school starts. Don't worry, Mom, I'll take good care of myself and Jingjing."

Lin Yujing listened for only a short while before her eyelashes began to freeze, and she fled upstairs as if in a panic.

She has been staying with Chen Jingshu in his bedroom for the past few days. The boy has lost his mother and suffers from insomnia night after night, and has nightmares after falling asleep.

The successive blows were like a premeditated plan to destroy the teenager.

But time is too cruel, never giving people time to grow, urging and pulling, leaving us unaware of when we will find ourselves on the turning gears of fate.

Lin Yujing wiped away her tears and spread the dusty suitcase on the ground.

She didn't bring much luggage when she arrived, just a few clothes, which Chen Xuan gradually filled up her wardrobe for her. As for the small ornaments on her desk and the piles of small toys on her bed, Chen Jingshu found them novel and collected them all for her to take home.

Sometimes, when neighbors see the three of them going out together, they tease Chen Xuan, saying, "Taking your son and daughter-in-law out to play again!"

"Why are you sitting on the floor?" Lin Yujing only realized later that Chen Jingshu had appeared at the door of the room.

After a moment, he came to his senses and said, "I'll pack up the box."

She hadn't figured out how to be honest with him yet, so she could only give vague answers.

"There's still a long way to go before school starts, no need to rush." ​​Chen Jingshu sat down behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and hugged her tightly. "You've worked hard these past few days. How about I take you to the sea for a ferry ride in a few days?"

Lin Yujing closed her eyes and leaned into Chen Jingshu's arms, listening to the boy's ramblings. This was the last greedy thing she could hold onto.

"I've never asked about your parents' health. May I visit your family before the start of the semester?"

When Lin Yujing's parents were mentioned, her smile faded.

They took the Chen family's money and have kept quiet for a whole year.

Lin Yujing didn't want to talk about them, so she patted Chen Jingshu's hand and said, "This is nothing, and you're already preparing to meet the parents."

“I have no parents now, and I’m dating this girl and taking advantage of her. I need to show up and make a promise to put your parents at ease.” Chen Jingshu stroked her palm, and then slowly intertwined his fingers with hers. “Although I only have this small house left by my mother now, the income from the downstairs guesthouse is enough to support our daily lives.”

"But don't worry, Jingjing, I promise this is only temporary. I will definitely give you a better life."

"Can a promise last a lifetime?"

“I don’t know about others, but I can.” Chen Jingshu rested his chin on her shoulder blade, and his words were so powerful they made her heart ache. “As long as it’s you, Lin Yujing, then you can always hold the privileges in my life.”

"What privileges?"

"No matter what changes happen in the future, I will protect you for the rest of my life."

Lin Yujing smiled wryly, nuzzled his head, and sighed inwardly, hoping that when they met again, they would truly have the opportunity to sit down and chat peacefully.

"Ah Shu, I'll remember that. I'll be very sad if you break your promise."

Chen Jingshu smiled, his lips brushing against her cheek. "When have I ever lied to you? I love you too much to ask."

Lin Yujing lowered her eyes, pulled her hand out of his palm, turned around, and returned his kiss.

The kiss was both suffocating and deep, leaving one breathless and panting heavily.

The boy's desires, suppressed by grief for many days, were rekindled.

"There's no one around now, and the weather's cool. Want some?" he asked.

Lin Yujing blinked, thinking that they should comfort each other one last time.

She was also really unwilling and reluctant.

The floor was cold, so Chen Jingshu took off his coat and placed it behind her back.

His chest was hot, but she didn't feel cold as she knelt on his hips.

"Jingjing, the teeth marks are almost gone, bite me again." Chen Jingshu cupped her face, all his movements were very gentle.

Lin Yujing wrapped her arms around his neck, and with the sound of waves crashing outside the window, she lowered her head and bit his chest hard.

She only slowly released her mouth when the salty, fishy taste of blood filled her mouth.

"I think you have masochistic tendencies." He always made her bite him.

Chen Jingshu looked up into her eyes and admitted with a smile, "I'm willing to die on your body, it would be blissful. Jingjing, I like being completely honest with you."

His spiritual desires were not enough; he needed the fusion of flesh and blood.

Lin Yujing finally felt a lump in her throat and couldn't breathe. Then she pressed her body tightly against his chest, hiding her out-of-control emotions behind his back.

But at the same time, she saw a document bag that had fallen out of the suitcase.

That was the information Chen Rongqing had prepared for her to show Chen Jingshu before she came to Pengzhen.

The early summer rain finally stopped, and looking out the window, the world was full of vibrant green.

"Are you hungry? I'll go cook."

"Don't rush, I have something to say."

Lin Yujing got up and neatly put on the clothes that were scattered on the floor.

"Go ahead." He waited for a long time, thinking he had misheard.

"Ah Shu, I'm getting ready to go."

"Where to?" Chen Jingshu narrowed his eyes, his gaze full of confusion. "Are we going to meet your parents now? I was planning to spend a few days exploring the area around Pengzhen first. We finally finished the college entrance exams, and then there's this whole mother-in-law thing..."

"I know you miss home, just think of it as keeping me company and helping me relax?" He quickly added, afraid she would be unhappy.

Lin Yujing nodded, her long hair obscuring her delicate face. When she looked up again, she sighed deeply, her usual sweet and charming expression gone.

It was a cold and stubborn face, devoid of any life in its eyes, like those of a cold-blooded animal. Its tone was even more cruel than the weather: "Chen Jingshu, I really can't keep up the act of loving you anymore."

After saying that, she took the document bag out of her suitcase and threw it at Chen Jingshu, who was completely petrified.

Lin Yujing still couldn't bear to watch the boy break down, so she turned around, opened the wardrobe, and pretended to be very busy packing her luggage.

"I don't understand." After flipping through a few pages, Chen Jingshu got out of bed, pulled her arm, and insisted on looking her in the eye, pressing her for the deeper meaning of that sentence, as if the facts written in the documents were less impactful than Lin Yujing's words. "What do you mean by acting?"

The way she looked at him every time was so genuine.

"Chen Jingshu." But today, her beautiful, glass-like eyes gave the impression of an emotionless robot, simply following a programmed sequence of commands. "Oh no! It should be Young Master Chen of the Yijing Chen family, Huaren Group."

“Young Master Chen, your mother has kept your background a secret quite well.” Knowing full well what the boy was sensitive about and what was fatal to him, she still deliberately tore open the wound and sprinkled it with salt and pepper. “Now, she would rather keep it to the underworld than tell you.”

Chen Jingshu clenched his fists tightly at his sides, but still managed to suppress his emotions. "Jingjing, what nonsense are you talking about?"

“Young Master is so smart, and I have prepared such detailed information. Are you deliberately trying not to understand it, or do you simply not want to understand it?” Lin Yujing pushed him aside, stepped towards the bedside, and then picked out the paternity test report and several introductions about Huaren Group from the stack of documents.

“Then let me tell you personally. You, Chen Jingshu, are the only grandson of Mr. Chen Zhenfeng, the current chairman of Yijing Chen Family Huaren Group, whose net worth exceeds 100 billion.

Chen Jingshu remained staring at her blankly, without a change in expression.

"Still don't understand?" Lin Yujing got more and more excited as she spoke. "Then do you remember the Huaren Wanxiang Shopping Mall where we went to buy a gift for your mother? Its surname is Chen, the Chen of Chen Jingshu."

Chen Jingshu: "Jingjing, my mother just passed away, and my mind is still in a very chaotic state. We..."

Lin Yujing: "Chen Jingshu, can you face the reality? Or are you secretly pleased that things have taken a turn for the better and you've become a scion of a prestigious family?"

"That's enough!" Chen Jingshu shook off her hand, looking at her like she was a stranger. "Then what exactly do you mean?"

“Chen Jingshu! I traveled all the way to Pengzhen to study, and I’ve always been around you, just because I wanted to find a way to climb the social ladder, what’s commonly known as marrying a rich man. But the Chen family told me today that I should give up on that idea, so I can’t continue playing this innocent game with you.”

It felt like being stabbed in the back by the person closest to him. Chen Jingshu's brain began to ring with a brief, sharp sound. The beautiful and gorgeous lover in front of him was no longer like the innocent wild crow in the mountain stream, but like the red spider lily blooming on the banks of the River Styx.

"Marrying a rich man?" He chuckled, still sounding somewhat incredulous. "Don't be ridiculous. My mother said that my biological father died, and I was born posthumously."

Lin Yujing looked at Chen Jingshu, who, despite trying his best to maintain a calm tone, still revealed his panicked state of mind through the bulging veins on his forehead. "Originally, I thought so too. But last time, when Cheng Xiang kidnapped me, he revealed your true identity while trying to scare me. So, I dialed the chairman's hotline of Huaren Group on a whim, and I didn't expect that the Chen family really does have a young master who has been living away from home."

At the end, Lin Yujing laughed heartily, as if she had won a gamble worth billions. "Even more fortunate, Chen Zhenfeng had two sons. The eldest son died after giving birth to only one daughter. The second son, who is your biological father, lost his fertility due to an injury sustained in the line of duty a few years after you were born. Your grandfather favored sons over daughters, and the inheritance rights were given only to his eldest grandson."

"I'm truly your benefactor!" Lin Yujing smiled and reached out to smooth out his folded collar. It was clearly a tender and affectionate gesture, but at this moment it seemed full of calculation. "If it weren't for me, you would have been Chen Jingshu, an orphan in Pengzhen, for the rest of your life."

Perhaps because he had suffered too many blows recently, Chen Jingshu's face did not show any dramatic emotional changes, but faced with Lin Yujing's intimate actions, he still found it hard to accept and shook off her hand.

But in his voice, he still clung to the feelings between them, saying, "We clearly...had such an intimate relationship, and now you're saying you're lying to me?"

Lin Yujing stepped forward nonchalantly, pressing her body against his chest. "Small-town boys are so naive. Isn't dating a rich guy all about using your body to depend on him?"

"Besides, no matter how close two people are, it's just sleeping together. Even married couples with children get divorced, so why should a fleeting affair require responsibility?" She laughed smugly, and brazenly wrapped her arm around his neck. "Ah Shu, sleeping with you is really great. I still have three hours before my train ticket arrives. If you want, we can hurry up and have a farewell fling."

Chen Jingshu gritted his teeth, and anger finally surfaced in his eyes. He grabbed her arm and left the bedroom without looking back.

"Lin Yujing, you're absolutely insane."

With a deafening slam of the door, Lin Yujing's legs went weak, and she collapsed to her knees on the floor.

To this day, what she misses most is actually the time when she was so destitute that she had to sell her conscience to make a living.

But it was also at that time that the boy, like a ray of light, shone brightly in her sky, which was filled with wind, frost, rain, and snow.

"Ah Shu, I hope you will have a smooth and peaceful life in the future, and never encounter someone like me again."

In the entire bedroom, the only things that truly belonged to her were three or four pieces of clothing and a few art books.

She picked up the camera from the bedside table, wanting to look at the past again, but found several extra photos, all taken while she was sleeping.

There was also a short video, about ten seconds long, where Chen Jingshu's doting and gentle voice could be heard as soon as the play button was pressed.

"Jingjing is sleepy again. But why does she always curl up when she sleeps?" He gently ruffled her soft hair. "Is my little girl so insecure?"

Even she was surprised to learn that when she slept, she always had a furrowed brow and her whole body was curled up tightly, like a hedgehog ready to go into battle at any moment.

Flipping back further, you'll see the scene of Chen Xuan and Chen Jingshu celebrating her birthday with longevity noodles and a cake.

As soon as the song started, her tear ducts broke down again.

Tears fell one by one onto the camera screen, scrolling forward.

The screen showed her first photo with Chen Jingshu.

Looking back at the photos from that day after a long time, Lin Yujing realized that she was staring at the camera the whole time, while Chen Jingshu was only looking at her.

When you're at your lowest point, you can't even shed a tear; all that's left is the helplessness of wanting to cry but being unable to, and the heart aching so badly it feels like it's suffocating.

Lin Yujing hugged the camera tightly, curled up her legs, and lay down on the floor.

But she had no chance to regret it; she could only be like a programmed machine, completing her final departure mission.

Lin Yujing carefully placed the camera back on the bedside table, looked around the bedroom again, and finally only took the Moonlight Fishing Light that Chen Jingshu had given her.

The fear of the dark that I had finally overcome had relapsed severely in just one year.

With no excuse to linger, Lin Yujing dragged her luggage out the door.

She walked around the second floor but didn't find Chen Jingshu. She thought it would be fine to leave without saying goodbye, but as soon as she got to the first floor, she saw the boy standing in the courtyard.

His former arrogance and rebellious spirit were gone, replaced by bloody scars.

It was her masterpiece, cruelly chosen to happen on the day the boy's mother was buried.

"It's raining so hard, let's leave tomorrow." Despite the torrential rain, his tone was calm, making one feel as if nothing had just happened.

But Lin Yujing knew that he was just restraining his temper.

Perhaps it wasn't restraint, but rather that he loved her so much that even after hearing so many of her words, which were like sharp knives piercing his heart, he still couldn't bring himself to blame her.

"Leave tomorrow?" She saw the luxury car with its hazard lights flashing in the rain in the distance and knew she didn't have time to continue memorizing the boy's appearance. She had to swallow her words of heartache and instead uttered seductive and lewd flirting, "Does Young Master Chen think an hour isn't enough to fully express himself?"

Chen Jingshu's eyes finally began to redden. "Lin Yujing, can't you be a little smarter? Do you want both the person and the money?"

Upon hearing this, she was speechless for a moment.

Heartache, longing, and her love had reached its peak.

Even the smile on her face turned into a self-deprecating bitter smile. "I'm just a poor student, how could I possibly be worthy of you, young master of Huaren? These are the exact words your biological father told me, otherwise I might really be dreaming of marrying into a wealthy family."

"I can't keep going like this," Lin Yujing thought to herself.

But every time she took a step forward, Chen Jingshu would try to stop her.

Lin Yujing finally blurted out what she had been holding back for so long, “Are you ever going to stop! I’ve already said it, I like Chen Jingshu from the Chen family of Yijing, not Chen Jingshu from Pengzhen No. 1 Middle School who is orphaned and has no one to rely on.”

"My youth only lasts a few years, and I don't want to use broken or second-hand things for everything."

On a stormy night, the boy finally erupted in rage.

But the fist still managed to miss Lin Yujing's cheek and landed on the old locust tree behind her.

The stench of blood filled the air in the rain, and Chen Jingshu's last shred of pride was trampled underfoot and shattered.

The love in the boy's eyes finally turned into an unyielding hatred: "Get out, and never let me see you again."

Lin Yujing fled as if in a panic, until the train roared and started moving. Looking out the window at the distant lights of countless homes, her heart finally felt a belated, intense tearing pain.

In the rain-shrouded town, the night is bathed in a warm, golden glow.

The fishing lights at sea are like the long arms of a giant, easily embracing the entire coastal town from the sea to the shore.

The salty sea breeze was replaced by the night breeze in this prime commercial area after a "ding".

The quaint and well-preserved open-air courtyard also pulled her back from her memories.

Lin Yujing looked up; this was the first time she had seen such a dense starry sky since arriving in Yijing.

I thought to myself, who says it's lonely at the top? The top is where the bottom ants are, unable to see the starlight.

-

"Hello, is this Ms. Lin Yujing?" A middle-aged man in a black business suit walked out of the courtyard. "I am Mr. Chen's personal butler, Yuan Shu."

Lin Yujing nodded and replied, "Hello, Mr. Chen and I have a business appointment."

It seemed like he was explaining his purpose to Yuan Shu, but it was more like a warning to his own heart that tonight's trip to the rooftop was for project cooperation, not for Chen Jingshu as a person.

"President Chen has already given instructions, but he is currently delayed by some matters and cannot get away. You will need to wait a while."

Lin Yujing glanced at her watch; the hands landed at 9. "It's still early; I can wait."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu gestured to her and led her into the courtyard house.

The courtyard is built with an antique charm and is spacious and airy. Flowers and stones are planted in the courtyard, and the roof ridge and porch are exquisitely carved with colorful ink and gold powder to outline the patterns.

As you walk along, you'll see winding corridors, pavilions, ponds, and flowers and trees.

Thanks to Chen Jingshu, she saw the rooftop garden for the first time.

There is also a separate building in the front yard with a plaque that reads "Sixiang Room".

No wonder when she came in, she felt as if there was a bluish-gray smoke swirling around her, even though it was nighttime.

"Mr. Chen has a heart condition, so we need to fumigate the courtyard with herbs every day. Is Miss Lin getting used to it?" Yuan Shu glanced at her and said.

"What's wrong with Ah Shu's heart?" she asked anxiously, blurting out almost without thinking, "I mean, Mr. Chen."

“The fact that you’re allowed to come here to discuss business means that you must be a project manager that Mr. Chen values ​​highly. It’s fine for you to come and talk to him.” Yuan Shu pushed open the door to the reception room and led her in. “That happened the year before last. Mr. Chen was in a car accident abroad and suffered some aftereffects.”

Lin Yujing wanted to ask for more details, but Yuan Shu changed the subject again, "Miss Lin, please wait here for a moment. I have other work to do, so I won't keep you company."

She pursed her lips and watched Yuan Shu close the door and leave.

Left alone here, Lin Yujing looked around boredly and found that all she could see were dazzlingly expensive things.

Those who study fine arts all have an art appreciation course.

She saw real furniture and decorative items here that she could only see in textbooks, and even more impressively.

Lin Yujing looked down at her business attire, which cost less than 200 yuan in total and was purchased from Taobao. She immediately became hesitant to even sit on the thin, hand-embroidered sofa.

She could only stand in place, pacing back and forth, wearing five-centimeter high heels.

“Miss Lin, why don’t you sit down?” In less than five minutes, Yuan Shu came in with a tray. “President Chen just called, so I’ll have to trouble you to wait another hour.”

"It's alright, Mr. Chen's matter is more important than mine, I can wait." The graduate student dormitories at their art academy don't have access restrictions; anyone can enter at any time by swiping their card. As long as she can catch the last subway, everything else is fine.

"That's good." Yuan Shu placed the tray on the coffee table. "The early autumn nights are cool, so I've prepared some warm porridge for you. Here's also a thin blanket for you to cover your legs."

Lin Yujing remained standing there awkwardly. "No need, I'll just stretch a bit."

Yuan Shu looked at her shoes and smiled awkwardly, "Solid wood flooring can't withstand your high heels stepping on it."

Lin Yujing suddenly realized what was going on and immediately sat down on the sofa.

With Yuan Shu gone, she was left alone once again.

Lin Yujing looked at the exquisite plate in front of her and the thin blanket that she had placed on her legs.

Just by looking at it with the naked eye, one can tell that it's expensive.

Lin Yujing pursed her lips and realized that a bloody taste had filled her mouth without her noticing.

Even poor students who study art will have the opportunity to see all kinds of luxury goods through work and study.

But I've never felt so down before.

It's not that he hates the rich, or regrets his actions that day, or that he didn't listen to him; he wants both the money and the person.

Rather, it is the extreme loneliness of years gone by and things changed beyond recognition.

I just heard from Yuan Shu that Chen Jingshu was in a car accident two years ago and suffered lasting heart problems.

The two of them used to be intimate, whispering sweet nothings to each other.

Just being in his space now, I already feel a strong sense of unfamiliarity and distance.

Not to mention, knowing what has happened to him over the years.

But looking at the air of nobility emanating from him, she breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Chen Jingshu must be doing quite well, definitely better than her.

-

On the screen connected to the private monitoring backend, Lin Yujing would occasionally glance around before lowering her head in deep thought.

She didn't touch the tray Yuan Shu brought, whether it was porridge or a thin blanket. If you looked at her for a while, you'd also notice that she was always on tiptoe, her thin heels dangling in the air, which looked tiring.

"You don't have to pay for the floor you stepped on, so why did you say those things to her?" The man's voice was hoarse and cold as he wearily pinched his straight nose, his gaze still fixed on the screen.

“If I hadn’t said those things, Miss Lin would probably have been standing all night,” Yuan Shu said with a slight smile.

-

Just as Lin Yujing was about to fall asleep, the phone on the side table next to the sofa rang.

She was startled and realized that the hour hand on her watch had fallen to 12.

Ignoring her aching legs and hunger, Lin Yujing quickly answered the phone, "Hello, is this President Chen? This is Lin Yujing, I'm still waiting for you."

"Hmm." A hoarse and cold voice, carrying the arrogance of a superior, said, "I have things to do right now, you don't need to wait."

Lin Yujing paused for a moment. Before her was an otherworldly wealth and luxury, but in the dormitory, there was only the dreaded thesis.

The pent-up frustration from the entire day finally couldn't be contained, and his tone became anything but gentle as he spoke, "Mr. Chen, are you playing me?"

The person on the other end probably didn't expect her to get angry. A casual laugh escaped from his throat, tinged with a hint of contemptuous mockery, "Not even one ten-thousandth as good as Miss Lin."

A note from the author:

Love That Never Loses Contact

Singer: Young Master Chen

[Heartache][Hate][Reluctance][Self-reproach][Holding the microphone][Walking past the rooftop where we watched shooting stars together, enduring the long wait after losing you, I'm so worried that no one understands your helplessness. Without me, who will still treat you like a child? I guess you must miss me too, and I'm also afraid that I'll be lost in the vast sea of ​​people...]

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I have so much to say, but I'm afraid of spoilers. Oh well, Peach's words are all in the novel.

The next chapter will be available for purchase (VIP)! I hope you all can support the official version and not wait until it's fully released before subscribing. Please help me boost my subscriptions!

I love you all! I love you all! I love you all! I'm saying it three times because it's important!

To celebrate Jingjing and Ashu's reunion, there will be red envelopes in the comments section for this chapter. And for the next three chapters, there will be red envelopes for every 100% subscription!

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