Chapter 31 Origin

"I thought you'd finally given in and taken the initiative to come to me."

That night, Lin Yujing told everyone to go back to rest, and she stayed by Chen Jingshu's bedside alone.

Okay, sit in the spot closest to his heart and think about each other's future.

In the stillness of the night, her dappled shadow fell beside him, as if they were embracing in another way.

This was the first time in seven years that she had taken a close look at Chen Jingshu.

The once carefree young man who lived a simple life amidst fireworks and the bright moonlight now has quite a few gray hairs at his temples.

Perhaps because he was often bullied by the Chen family's uncles and elders, his brow was furrowed with worry, and several deep lines could be seen between his brows. Even when he was fast asleep, one could sense his heavy heart.

Lin Yujing's eyes stung, and as tears gradually filled her heart, all she could hear was the sound of her heartbeat coming from the monitor connected to Chen Jingshu's heart.

She tried hard to recall the bond between them, but her brain seemed to sense her intentions and preferred to shut down rather than obey her commands.

Even more contrary, I found three fragmented words for her: "scam," "class," and "engagement."

Suddenly, it was as if three great mountains were pressing down on her, making it impossible for her to see the spring mountains again.

Finally, she dared not stare at Chen Jingshu, so she looked up and gazed vaguely out the window.

I just realized that tonight's winter night, the moonlight radiates a rare, warm, and luminous glow, pouring in through the gaps in the pure white gauze curtains.

It was just like the moonlit fishing light that Chen Jingshu had given her.

However, she has always been cautious and timid. Since bringing the light back to her dormitory on her birthday, she has never dared to turn it on herself. It's as if the command to "turn on the light" is what makes her open her heart.

"Jingjing." Chen Jingshu called her name three times in a row before bringing her back to her senses.

Lin Yujing turned her back to him, quickly wiped away her tears, and hurriedly got up. "You're awake. I'll go call the doctor."

Chen Jingshu grabbed her hand, "Don't go, just stay with me."

Upon learning of his engagement, Lin Yujing instinctively wanted to avoid such intimate gestures.

But he was holding on very tightly, as if he sensed the possibility of losing his beloved and was trying to salvage the situation.

"Jingjing, this is the first time I've opened my eyes and I'm not all alone." Chen Jingshu said pitifully, seeing that although she didn't want to leave again, she was still resisting.

Lin Yujing sighed, her heart softening slightly.

But then he felt that the scene before him was very familiar, and suddenly realized that this was the way Liu Hua usually used to keep Qi Woxue.

She sniffed, and tears welled up in her eyes, unable to hold back any longer.

"What's wrong?" Seeing her tears, the person who had just been pretending to be pitiful changed his expression and said with a worried look, "My heart is fine."

Lin Yujing's brow trembled slightly, and she finally spoke frankly, choking back tears, "I've met President Jiang, and I know about your engagement."

Chen Jingshu frowned, then pulled her wrist even tighter, only stopping when he pulled her into his arms. "This marriage was arranged arbitrarily by the elders of the Chen and Jiang families. I have only met Miss Jiang twice, and we both oppose this marriage."

"..." Lin Yujing didn't know what to say, so she remained silent.

"Originally, I planned to handle this situation like I did with the old building and Li Qinci before, without letting you know..."

"Why didn't you let me know?" Lin Yujing interrupted directly, "You're preparing to make me accept your favor without my knowledge."

"Jingjing, you have to believe me."

Lin Yujing sighed deeply. That night, her heart was in turmoil, as if she were being torn apart by a storm of voices.

"Alright, I'll only ask you three questions. Then I'll decide whether or not to believe you."

"good."

Lin Yujing: "Can this matter be resolved tomorrow?"

Chen Jingshu: "No."

Lin Yujing: "How many times more difficult is it to handle this than the previous ones?"

Chen Jingshu: "Ten times."

Lin Yujing: "What will you lose by resolving this?"

Chen Jingshu: "..."

Lin Yujing bit her lip and answered for him, "Inheritance rights, right?"

“Jingjing, I have never cared about a single penny of the Chen family. If it really comes to an irreversible day, I can give up everything here and we can go back to Pengzhen to live.” Chen Jingshu held her hand and placed it on his heart, trying to make her feel that it came from the bottom of his heart.

Lin Yujing silently withdrew her hand, and after a long while sighed, saying helplessly, "You guys in Beijing are all the same, you're all helpless, and you still love to pretend to be great romantics."

“Jingjing, even if we go back to Pengzhen, I can guarantee that you can continue to live a comfortable life.” He hugged her, his voice pleading, and his words made his whole body burn and his heart pound.

There were moments when she thought she might as well become the kind of wicked woman Li Qinci described—one who wanted to have her cake and eat it too.

She was simply trying to grasp at the only glimmer of hope in her miserable days.

But the warm, bright moonlight that had just been shining through the window was suddenly obscured by dark clouds.

It's as if the gods are reminding us at the right time not to forget the bottom line in our hearts.

She also couldn't forget Chen Xuan's dying words to her.

After all, sending him to that high platform came at the cost of severing all ties between them.

There is absolutely no reason to let him fall from his pedestal and be forced to wallow in the mire of worldly affairs with her.

"Ah Shu, let's call it quits before we even start." Lin Yujing's voice was very soft, as if it were lighter and thinner than her own fate.

"Why do you think we haven't even started yet?" Chen Jingshu had been waiting for this answer for a long time, but it was the one he least wanted to hear: "I thought that when I saw your name in those two thousand tender documents, we had already started all over again!"

“Project bidding has never been within my scope of work. It just so happens that my portfolio was included,” she said calmly, as if she had suddenly stabbed him in the heart.

"So it was me again, being delusional..." Chen Jingshu released her. "I thought you were finally willing to back down and take a step towards me."

Lin Yujing took a step back, looked into his eyes, and said, "A-Shu, then teach me, which way should we go?"

"Would you rather I close my eyes, cover my ears, and become your mistress, Young Master Chen? Or would you rather fall from the high platform, give up your inheritance, and become a poor student with me, living hand to mouth?"

"I can!"

"I can't!"

In the quiet night, in the empty VIP ward of the hospital, the screams of the two still echoed ethereally.

“We’re all adults now, how come you still have that childish and naive mentality from when you were a kid?” Lin Yujing held back her tears, suppressing another answer that was about to burst forth from her heart.

She clearly knew that Chen Jingshu was never naive, but rather that he had seen through her insecurity and that's why he gave her the most straightforward love.

Love that is readily available, without the need to doubt its authenticity.

But having experienced so much, she is no longer a good match for the spirited Chen Jingshu of today.

“Even compared to when we were kids, there are countless mountains between us that we can’t cross.” She raised her hand and told him about them one by one: “Class and social standing, we can’t cross that; your engagement, we can’t cross that; and the misunderstanding from seven years ago that you chose to give up on, ignoring it doesn’t mean it’s resolved.”

“You say you don’t care because everyone is paving the way for you. Even if you give up everything, you still have someone to rely on.” Lin Yujing handed him her hand to look at. Apart from the frostbite, her fingers were covered with yellow calluses. “But just to raise the tuition for the Huaqing Academy of Fine Arts, I almost had to sell my blood on the black market when I was eighteen. Looking back now, every step I’ve taken has been a bloody footprint.”

"Ah Shu, Chen Jingshu, the young master of Huaren Group, I live in the real city, I can't play the love games in fairy tales with you." In comparison, everything she has gained is too hard-won.

Therefore, she had no choice but to give up once again the love he offered her, a love that was readily available to her.

"Jingjing, I really want to hate you." Chen Jingshu gritted his teeth. "Why is it that every time I walk firmly toward you, you always push me away?"

"But I really, really, really!" Chen Jingshu looked at her, his sigh mingling with his tears, "Hearing what you said still breaks my heart."

"..." Because of this sentence, Lin Yujing felt that her psychological defenses were about to collapse.

So she turned around and opened the window. The biting cold wind blew against her face, bringing her back to her senses.

"Jingjing, can we discuss this again?" Chen Jingshu seemed to have been awakened by the cold winter wind, and his tone slowed down. "We don't have to be together, we don't have to be lovers. We can just continue to be friends."

"I will use all my connections and influence to help you get everything you want."

Lin Yujing suddenly laughed, and at the same time, the night wind blew her a mouthful of air.

My entire chest felt cold and stabbing. "Do you think that's possible?"

"We've already played the 'adopted brother/sister' game once. Or are you planning to play the 'sugar baby' game with me this time, a game of half-hearted consent and unspoken understanding?"

Chen Jingshu's brow twitched, as if he hadn't expected her to misunderstand to this extent.

Even the most good-tempered person finally lost control and yelled at her, "Lin Yujing, I just want to have a proper relationship with you! Why the hell do you always try to play these emotional games with me!"

"I must be out of my mind to act like a jerk in front of you again and again."

Chen Jingshu lowered his head, clutching his heart which was beginning to ache intensely, and picked up his phone from the bedside table. "Yuan Shu, come to the hospital and take Miss Lin back to school."

Miss Lin?

They've finally returned to square one.

Lin Yujing curled her lips into a smile, but it was hard to tell whether it was a smile or a bitter smile.

She walked to the bar area and quietly packed her schoolbag.

"No need to trouble Yuan Shu, I can go back by myself."

Chen Jingshu ignored her and lay down in the blankets, as if acquiescing to let her decide her own decision.

Lin Yujing put on her down jacket, and just as she was about to leave the ward, she heard the man's cold voice again, "Go back by yourself, I'll withdraw my investment immediately."

That night, there was this hysterical argument.

They talked about nothing but love, forgetting that he was still her boss.

Lin Yujing opened the door and said, "A-Shu, I'm sorry."

Turning back, he said casually, "Mr. Chen, I wish you a speedy recovery."

As she walked out of the hospital building, she looked back at the room on the top floor that was still lit up.

Unbeknownst to her, the butterfly she had carefully nurtured, which was drawn to light, ultimately froze to death in the winter.

A note from the author:

Wait a minute, just a minute.

Ah Shu will bring his butterflies to spring.

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Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-09-21 23:51:26 and 2023-09-22 23:46:56!

Thank you to the little angel who watered my plants with nutrient solution: I can drink a whole bottle without getting drunk;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!