Chapter 120 Marionette
After she finished speaking, Lin Heng paused for a moment, then raised his face, his expression blank and utterly cold. "What do you like about He Ziyan?"
"I..." After uttering the first word, Jiang Luo realized that Lin Heng's question was not just what it seemed to mean.
Does he really care what Jiang Luo likes about He Ziyan?
not necessarily.
He probably wanted to get a clear answer so he could refute it.
I like his thoughtfulness.
You two are currently in the passionate stage, so of course he's very attentive to you.
Such point-by-point refutations.
Having thought it through, Jiang Luo decided not to follow up on his question and instead said, "Liking is not the same as admiring. Being able to clearly articulate the reasons is enough. Liking is simply liking. All of He Ziyan combined is what I like about him."
Upon hearing Jiang Luo's reply, a slight fluctuation appeared in Lin Heng's expression.
Another moment of silence followed.
"Luo Luo".
Suddenly, he grasped Jiang Luo's hand.
Jiang Luo shuddered as soon as that unfamiliar touch appeared.
She and Lin Heng rarely had physical contact.
This is the first time I can remember that we've shaken hands so intimately.
A slight discomfort welled up inside her, but Jiang Luo forced herself to suppress it and looked at him with embarrassment, "Brother Lin, please don't be like this."
The rational judgment that Fu Jingshi had been using vanished at this moment.
She vaguely felt that the current Lin Ge was no different from those greasy men, but because of her gratitude to Lin Heng, she felt that she should be able to understand.
"Luo Luo," Brother Lin called again, almost pleading. "Don't be foolish."
“I’m not confused, Brother Lin, I like He Ziyan,” Jiang Luo said again.
Looking at Lin Heng, she tried to pull her hand away, but found that Lin Heng gripped it even tighter.
At that moment, she couldn't help but feel a strange sensation as if she were looking at a stranger.
This was not the Lin brother she knew.
"Brother Lin, let me go."
Their eyes met, and an undercurrent of tension simmered beneath the surface.
Lin Heng didn't move, and Jiang Luo frowned slightly.
After waiting a few seconds without Lin Heng letting go, Jiang Luo exerted all her strength and finally managed to pull her hand back.
The warmth of my fingertips detached, and I unconsciously followed it by an inch.
As if slashed by a sharp blade, Lin Heng looked at Jiang Luo with bloodshot eyes.
Why did it come to this?
Jiang Luo couldn't understand it, but dark thoughts would flash through her mind.
“Brother Lin,” she gazed at him, “I am not your puppet.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Heng visibly paused, then, as if angered by having his weakness exposed, he suddenly waved his hand, catching everyone off guard.
The bowls and chopsticks on the table fell to the ground, the dishes were scattered all over the floor, and the beautiful porcelain bowl was shattered into pieces.
Jiang Luo showed no panic as expected, only gazing indifferently at the person in front of her.
“Jiang Luo, if you really want to be with He Ziyan, fine,” he said coldly, “then we’ll terminate the contract.”
Contract termination.
This was the first time Jiang Luo had heard Lin Heng mention terminating the contract.
Even during her most difficult times, she never experienced that.
Over the past few years, Lin Heng has patiently guided her and led her forward.
Now they're telling her they want to terminate the contract.
It was simply because she liked He Ziyan and wanted to date him.
It's just because... she broke free from his control.
A long silence followed.
Lin Heng looked at her, his usual amiable demeanor gone, his face pale, instantly reminding Jiang Luo of the zombies in "Love in the End of the World".
After sitting there for a while, Jiang Luo finally stood up.
She stood while Lin Heng sat. She was much taller than him and was clearly looking down at him, but without the slightest hint of arrogance. "If this is your decision, I respect it."
"Jiang Luo!" Lin Heng roared, his face contorted with rage like a beast about to transform.
Without lingering any longer, Jiang Luo picked up her phone and walked outside.
Upon reaching the door, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and bowed deeply to Lin Heng.
Holding onto the door frame, her legs felt like lead. Jiang Luo steadied herself and decided to make things clear.
“Brother Lin.” She looked at him.
“I respect you and am grateful to you for everything along the way, but that doesn’t mean I will always follow the path you planned for me.”
“If our journey together ends here and that is the end, then I want to make it clear to you that I am willing to part ways with you, not because of He Ziyan.”
"If we want to go on for a long time, there will always be times when we disagree. I can't accept that I have to compromise every time we disagree."
“Perhaps I used to be like that. Even when you didn’t give a clear opinion, I would guess what you were thinking and then act on that guess. But now, I don’t want to do that anymore.”
"Brother Lin, I also want to be myself, I also want to...respect myself."
It felt like a stone was stuck in her throat, making it difficult and uncomfortable for Jiang Luo to swallow.
“I respect your decision, but that doesn’t mean I only want to break up with you. I still hope you can reconsider. Consider it my plea for another chance.”
After saying that, she walked out of the private room, making sure to politely close the door behind her.
When I looked up again, I saw the waiter looking embarrassed, unsure whether to go forward or back.
As if nothing had happened, Jiang Luo cheered herself up, smiled at her, and said gently and politely, "I'll pay the bill."
The waiter cautiously hummed in agreement.
The two walked through the second floor of the restaurant and up the wooden stairs to the cashier on the first floor.
When Jiang Luo was paying with her phone, she discovered the message He Ziyan had sent her.
Ten minutes ago, He Ziyan wrote: "[I'll come pick you up after this is over.]"
"Hello, this is your receipt. Thank you for your patronage."
Jiang Luo exchanged glances with the waitress and, seeing her still looking worried, nodded to comfort her.
As Jiang Luo walked towards the door, she dialed He Ziyan's voice call.
The ringtone lasted only a second before He Ziyan's voice came from the other end: "Luo Luo, is it over?"
"Um."
It has only one pronunciation.
He Ziyan could tell that something was wrong with her.
Perhaps he had a premonition that the meeting ended too quickly.
In short, after Jiang Luo finished responding, he immediately said, "Send me your location, I'll be right there."
With all her might, Jiang Luo hummed in agreement again.
My throat felt like it was stuck together by thick water, and I couldn't rub it open.
With her head buzzing, Jiang Luo walked out of the restaurant, completely lost, and waited by the roadside.
It was very bright, so bright that her vision was slightly blurred.
Cars came and went on the road, their horns blaring and engines roaring, creating a chaotic, flowing sound.
Everyone was in a hurry, without even stopping to catch their breath.
Everyone is like running code, constantly moving and evolving.
The world before her eyes seemed unreal, and she wondered more than once if she was dreaming.
Was her argument with Brother Lin just a dream?
Otherwise, why would Brother Lin say he wanted to terminate the contract with her?
But why would she have such a terrible dream?
Thankfully, dreams always end eventually.
The dream will end soon.
She stood alone in front of the towering street sign, motionless, like a sculpture waiting for the moment she would wake from her dream.
"drop--"
The sound of a horn brought Jiang Luo back to her senses, and she saw a black car parked in front of her.
I don't know how long it's been stopped.
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