Greed
"Ciqing, have you decided which school to attend? Any further delays will make it very rushed," Jiang Moyun asked without looking up from the documents in her hand.
"More or less," Jiang Ciqing replied casually. "Mom, why have you been so busy lately? I thought you were already busy enough before. How can you still find time to work?" She looked worried, as if she had already foreseen her future.
Jiang Moyun sighed deeply, rubbed her temples, closed her eyes briefly, and continued reading the documents. "Please get me a glass of water, I don't want coffee anymore, my head hurts." Her voice was full of exhaustion. "It's almost Chinese New Year, and I wanted to make some time to spend with you all. Then you'll be going abroad for university, and I won't see you for a long time. I promised your dad I'd go on a trip with you, but I haven't been able to find the time."
Jiang Ciqing brought her water and gently massaged her, saying, "You'd better do your best and not break your promise, or my dad will cry in your face."
Jiang Moyun gave her a reproachful look, "What are you saying? Doesn't your dad have any pride?"
Jiang Ciqing wasn't afraid at all. With a grin, she asked knowingly, "Anyway, I'm not the one who'll feel sorry for you if you cry. Mom, will you take me and my brother with you then?"
"Get out of the way," Jiang Moyun said, feigning anger, and waved her hand away. "What are you two little light bulbs doing here? I have lights in my car, so I don't need you to provide illumination."
"Oh, I know you two want to have some alone time~"
"You brat, all you ever do is talk nonsense," Jiang Moyun said with a laugh.
Jiang Ciqing didn't respond at all. Just then, she heard the phone ring, and she ran away laughing to answer the call from her younger brother.
...
However, she didn't end up going. It wasn't her intention, but she always seemed to be doing things that hurt Lin Bairan.
The entire itinerary had been planned, and Lin Bairan said he wanted to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights.
Jiang Moyun took a whole month off. This trip was a joint effort between the two of them. They could have easily hired a professional tour guide to customize it, but Lin Bairan said that these kinds of things are more fun when done together. "Although the journey hasn't started yet, from now on, every time a new itinerary is added, I'll imagine what it would be like to do it with you, and then every day from now on will be spent in anticipation."
He smiled broadly as he said this, and Jiang Moyun was infected by his smile and laughed along.
So Jiang Moyun followed his example and began to imagine her future with Lin Bairan. Every task marked on the schedule no longer carried the usual sense of urgency, but instead transformed into a symbol of happiness the moment it was written down, carrying two ordinary expectations. The calendar pages dwindled, the wait slowly ticked away... all of this wove together a joyful dream.
It turns out that happiness is nothing more than such a small thing.
But on the night before their departure, Lin Xihui suddenly fell ill. The illness came on suddenly and she had a fever on and off for several days. Usually so lively, this sick child was quiet and still, delirious with fever, curled up in a small ball on the bed. Even when she was in great pain, she would just clutch the blanket and silently shed tears, without making a sound.
Seeing her son like this, all her previous expectations were dashed. Jiang Moyun stayed by the hospital bedside, her heart feeling like a bulging balloon, making her feel bloated and aching.
"Is this one of the prices I have to pay?" Panic crept over Jiang Moyun.
Now neither of them felt like going on a trip, and they just stayed home with their child. Later, Jiang Moyun became very busy again, and the matter was put on hold.
This is also part of the reason why Jiang Moyun was running away. In every contact with Lin Bairan, she seemed to be anxiously waiting for the executioner's knife to fall.
Lin Bairan never brought up the trip again. He still gave off a warm and welcoming feeling, as if nothing had ever happened between them.
But they both knew perfectly well that some misunderstandings had been brewing for a long time, only gradually being smoothed over by the silent passage of time.
Lin Bairan still smiled and told her he loved her every day, and brought her a fresh flower every day. The pleasant fragrance of the flowers floated and intertwined in the air, filling the air with a sea of love.
The waves were surging, but Jiang Moyun didn't have enough love to create a small boat for people to rest in; she was about to drown in this turbulent sea.
Jiang Moyun had long lost the ability to love someone. Twenty years ago, she was already on her deathbed, and all she could offer was repeated indulgence and a little bit of pity.
But she was facing Lin Bairan's sincere heart.
"Sister." Jiang Moyun leaned back on the sofa looking at documents, while Lin Bairan rested her head on her knees, her voice very soft.
"Hmm, what's wrong?" Jiang Moyun gently rubbed his head as usual.
Normally, Lin Bairan would look up happily at this time and give her a sweet smile, allowing Jiang Moyun to see into his smiling, crescent-shaped eyes. But this time, Lin Bairan kept his head down, and she could not see his expression from beginning to end.
"Sister, I want... a greenhouse."
"Of course, I'll have someone fix it tomorrow. Why the sudden urge to grow flowers?" Jiang Moyun asked in a coaxing tone, reaching out to touch his face. Her fingertips trembled slightly; she was worried about touching the dampness on Lin Bairan's face, and she no longer had the courage to face him—
Thankfully, no.
So once again she despicably chose to close her eyes and ears, like an ostrich burying itself in the sand, thinking that as long as she didn't listen, see, hear, or ask, she could luckily avoid one disaster after another.
Lin Bairan lifted her head following the force of her hand, revealing a calm and expressionless face. Her once bright and clear eyes had become dim without her noticing. She heard Lin Bairan speak, her voice muffled, "Because I'm so bored. I have nothing to do every day, so I'll go plant flowers. I'll plant the flowers that you like, sister. What flowers do you like the most? You haven't told me yet."
“It’s fine to plant what you like. I’ll have someone find different seeds so that the greenhouse will be full of roses and hydrangeas all year round. You’ll be happy to see that, won’t you?” Jiang Moyun gently pinched his cheek.
Lin Bairan didn't reply, he just looked at her, and suddenly he showed that smile again, "Sister, I love you so much."
His expression was innocent and pitiful, as if he were making some kind of devout but hopeless prayer.
She was startled by her own associations. The clear words in her ears transformed into a small, sharp awl, easily piercing through the shell of hypocrisy. The voice mixed with her blood stained with calculation, quietly blooming within her body, blossoming into beautiful flowers.
Lin Bairan wanted to make sure Jiang Moyun could no longer ignore his love.
He wanted Jiang Moyun to respond to him with the same fervor.
Jiang Moyun has the bravest dog in the world.
But she was just a cowardly timid girl.
It seemed as if all the oxygen in her body had been stolen by Lin Bairan's love, and then completely consumed in the blooming of his affection. In this dizzying illusion, she lowered her eyes, avoiding Lin Bairan's sincere gaze, pinched his earlobe, and made her usual harmless joke, "Hmm, Bairan is the cutest little dog."
Jiang Moyun is the most incompetent master in the world.
She did not respond to him.
She never responded to him.
Lin Bairan once again realized this clearly during a courageous attempt to test the waters, and could no longer find any lame reasons to exonerate Jiang Moyun, so he mercifully left himself a way out.
Lin Bairan couldn't help but think back to the past: perhaps he shouldn't have ended his trip after praying for blessings; he should have gone to Yuzi Creek to chase the sunset one more time, so that he might have missed the Jiang family's recruitment and wouldn't have had the chance to meet Jiang Moyun; or perhaps he shouldn't have presumptuously pursued Jiang Moyun, he should have understood the warning from heaven when that vase shattered, and retreated wisely to protect himself; or perhaps all his suffering stemmed from the sins he was born with, he shouldn't have craved too much love, indulged in hopeless greed, and still clamored for more even in the face of heaven's mercy…
But why?
Why can he do it but I can't?
Is it really true, as their names suggest, that the other person is the pure and inviolable white jade in Jiang Moyun's heart, while his life, spent in vain, will only be a wasted effort?
It was a predetermined ending from birth.
But on what basis?
He was willing to be a moth drawn to a flame, seeking only a moment of intense heat.
Even if he were to be burned to ashes afterward, he would willingly accept that he had brought this upon himself.
He was unwilling to wait for that futile endeavor.
But you won't even give me this tiny spark.
He then recalled the jade bead he had seen in the safe; it was lustrous and translucent, but its only flaw was a tiny crack, so it couldn't be described as "flawless."
The jade bead was placed in the same position as the wedding ring, in a place far more valuable than it. Lin Bairan was relieved that it wasn't white jade, which allowed him to explain other possibilities, but jealousy kept causing him to overthink.
He recalled an interview he had seen on television, in which the man wore a very simple necklace with only a single green bead at the end of its long strand, and told the reporter that he would not consider a duet.
It might just be a coincidence, but Lin Bairan had no way of verifying it, nor did he dare to.
On TV, reporters were still relentlessly pressing for the reason why the man wouldn't dance a duet. Lin Bairan thought to herself with a self-deprecating smile, "I know, it's for his 'beloved,' which is also mine." But then she thought, these reporters might know their story, maybe they just wanted to hear the man say something that could be used as a selling point.
Sure enough, after the man made it clear that he did not want to answer the question, the reporter asked first, "Is it because of your former dance partner, Jiang...?" The name was about to be uttered, but he hurriedly changed his mind, probably out of consideration for the power of the Jiang family.
Lin Bairan suddenly became very curious: if related news were to circulate, would Jiang Moyun have someone handle it? Aside from early dance footage, Jiang Moyun has rarely appeared in the public eye in recent years, except for necessary occasions. Their wedding was a huge affair, with extensive advertising for the rings to promote the jewelry brand. However, apart from a blurry profile and a close-up of a hand wearing the ring, not a single photo of his face was leaked, and no information was disclosed; he has always been very well protected.
However, this also led to the fact that while people online were lamenting the "Wenmo" love story, they would always add that his marriage with Jiang Moyun was nothing more than a business alliance for profit.
Lin Bairan scoffed at such comments; these ignorant people knew absolutely nothing!
While I was lost in thought, I heard the person reply calmly, "This is just my personal choice. I hope everyone will refrain from making too many guesses and involving others. In the end, I hope you will focus more on my achievements than my private life. Thank you."
Lin Bairan was fairly satisfied with his answer and began to scrutinize him closely. He saw that the man was dressed in a pristine white robe, his posture upright, and apart from the single emerald bead around his neck, he wore no other adornments. While Lin Bairan was still in a daze, the man gave a slight nod to the camera, flipped his robe, and turned to leave, completely ignoring the incessant questioning from the reporters behind him, "You keep participating in various competitions, isn't this just pursuing profit...?"
"Tsk, what a handsome young man." Lin Bairan curled his lip in dissatisfaction and once again brought himself and him onto the arena.
Wen Yushen and Jiang Moyun were once in love.
Lin Bairan and Jiang Moyun are now together.
Wen Yu deeply cherishes Jiang Moyun's past.
Lin Bairan now occupies Jiang Moyun's present.
...
No matter how many comparisons are made, there will be no result. In the end, Jiang Moyun's thoughts will not change because of his childish comparisons. What is the point of who wins and who loses?
But he simply couldn't control himself. In the fifteenth year since he met Jiang Moyun, Lin Xihui was already twelve years old and had just won a gold medal in a violin competition; Jiang Ciqing was already capable of handling things independently in the company, taking over almost a third of the work and managing it perfectly; even the roses and hydrangeas in the greenhouse had bloomed and faded five times...
Lin Bairan was still meticulously calculating his resources and assessing his value to Jiang Moyun.
Lin Bairan knew that Jiang Moyun had once loved Wen Yushen; this was common knowledge and an indisputable truth.
Lin Bairan didn't know if Jiang Moyun loved him. It was like looking at flowers through a fog; once the fog cleared, he had no way of knowing whether the tree was full of beautiful blossoms or withered, old trees.
"But we both have a child, so I think my sister loves me too..." He could only comfort himself with this thought once again.
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