Chapter 80 Courage: I've decided to give it my all in pursuit of happiness. Wish me luck...
The announcement by the United University of St. Oswald that it would officially move into the Xique project was like a boulder thrown into the calm lake of Nanhai City, instantly creating ripples and once again pushing Ke Shi to the forefront of public opinion.
This internationally renowned university's every move resonates with the city's development, especially its highly anticipated Xique project, poised to become a new national economic center. The announcement of St. Oswald University's arrival not only caused surrounding property prices to surge by nearly 20% within three days, but also triggered a long-awaited surge in the stock price of the Ke's Group, with everyone discussing how this golden combination of an "internationally renowned university + a super commercial district" will reshape the economic landscape of Nanhai City.
The fervor of the celebration had barely subsided for a week when a bombshell dropped online. The official website of the United University of St Oswald published a 37-page land survey report, the final line of which, in bold, was jarringly obvious: Soil samples from 70% of the Xique project site contained heavy metals and volatile organic compounds exceeding national standards by 50 times, indicating severe chemical pollution and rendering the site unsuitable for educational or residential development. The accompanying soil profiles and laboratory test data, like precise scalpels, dissected the lie of the Kirkland Group's previous claim that "the land fully met standards."
Within the first hour of the announcement, public opinion exploded, and the phone at the Ke Group headquarters was bombarded with calls. Homebuyers flocked to the sales office with their purchase contracts demanding refunds, the cooperating bank urgently froze subsequent loans, and government investigation teams even moved into the project site. Ke Yanchen, who had become incredibly popular due to the Xique project, once again plummeted into despair, his previous scandals involving indiscretions in his private life resurfacing, and various rumors swirled around him.
In just two days, the stock price of Ke's, a giant that had once ranked among the top three real estate companies in the city, plummeted, and all of its projects under construction were halted. Half a month later, Ke's finally filed for bankruptcy liquidation and collapsed amidst sighs of regret.
*
When Yu Wu heard Sister Ling tell her about the Ke family's bankruptcy liquidation, the line from Cheng Yi's diary, "10.1 billion, to buy you ten years of unresolved resentment," suddenly flashed through her mind. She couldn't help but start calculating how much money he had spent to bring down the Ke family.
Ling Jie's usually calm face showed a rare hint of sadness. She raised her head and looked directly at Yu Wu, subtly provoking him: "The owner behind Zhenpin Real Estate is also the Cheng family."
Yu Wu lowered her eyelashes and obediently nodded, pursing her lips. She knew that what Sister Ling meant was that the Ke family's bankruptcy was deliberately orchestrated by the Cheng family, and that she shouldn't provoke them.
After leaving Sister Ling's office and returning to my seat, my mind was in turmoil, and I couldn't concentrate on my work.
I haven't been feeling well lately, and I keep thinking about Cheng Yi's sharp, silent, dark eyes when he left. Every time I think about it, my cerebral cortex feels a sharp pain.
......
After get off work, Yu Wu put on her coat and scarf, and wandered alone through the bustling streets.
The Chinese New Year is approaching, and the streets are filled with festive cheer.
She was walking alone when fireworks suddenly exploded in the sky across from the mall, instantly filling the night sky with golden and red light. People on the street raised their phones to take pictures, and cheers rolled down the wind, reaching Yuwu's ears. She looked up, and the embers of the fireworks slowly faded in the sky, as if they had never happened.
It got dark again.
The neon lights reflected off the glass curtain wall danced in her clear pupils, and the warm air from the vents blew over and over again, but it could not dispel the mist in her eyes. For a moment, she felt like a figurine trapped in the glass at the entrance of the mall, no matter how loud the surrounding noise crashed outside, it could not penetrate her heart at all.
She buried her head in her scarf and wandered aimlessly down the street. In front of a men's clothing store, she saw a tall, broad figure from behind. For a moment, she gasped, feeling suffocated.
The man in front of her turned around, and Yu Wu saw his face clearly. Her hopes were dashed, and a numb, sharp pain shot through her heart.
It wasn't him.
It's been almost two months since I last saw him.
What is he doing now? Does he eat on time?
Could someone as cold-hearted as him really be heartbroken and cry like she was?
Will he be completely disappointed in her and never want to see her again?
Is he alright now?
......
I didn't want to eat dinner, but then I remembered that Chengyi had said she had lost weight in Ireland, so I just went into a restaurant and had dinner there.
When I got home, I found Yu Jianting and Xia Hongmian in the living room, with a large table of home-cooked dishes on the table.
"Dad, Mom?" Yu Wu called out as she changed her shoes.
"Hey, Yu Zi, we couldn't get through to you on the phone. We were about to go out and look for you." Yu Jianting took the bag from Yu Wu's hand and gently asked her how her work and life had been lately.
Yu Wu answered each question and sat down on the sofa. Xia Hongmian awkwardly handed her a glass of warm water, without looking at her.
Yu Wu lowered her eyes and took it, saying softly, "I want it iced."
Xia Hongmian glared at her, stood up from the sofa, took ice cubes from the refrigerator, poured them into a glass, and handed it to her with a grumbling, "What will you do when you get old? You'll suffer from being cold-sensitive!"
Yu Wu smiled and took it, saying softly, "I'll drink it hot then."
Ye Hongmian gave a disdainful snort and asked her if she had eaten. Yu Wu said she had. She thought Ye Hongmian was going to bring up her weight and force her to eat more, but Ye Hongmian just gave her a few disdainful glances and sat down at the table with Yu Jianting to start eating.
Yu Wu nestled on the sofa, chatting casually with them about their plans for the New Year. Seeing how much they enjoyed their meal, she was influenced and also picked up a pair of chopsticks and took a few bites, creating a warm atmosphere.
After finishing their meal and cleaning up, Yu Jianting and Ye Hongmian prepared to leave.
Ye Hongmian pointed to the paper bag on the table and grumbled, "I bought a few cashmere sweaters and coats, which have already been washed and are ready to wear. There are also a few pairs of thick socks; cold starts from the feet, so be careful. Try to drink less iced food and eat more rice. And," she paused, tilting her head awkwardly, "why don't you stay home a few more days for the New Year? You used to live in Dongning City all year round, but you'd only stay home for three days during the New Year, leaving on the third day of the Lunar New Year. How could you do that..."
"Alright!" Yu Jianting frowned and interrupted her, "The child can stay as long as he wants. Let's go."
Ye Hongmian clicked her tongue at Yu Jianting and turned around.
"mom--"
Ye Hongmian turned around and found a slender figure holding her in her arms, her nostrils filled with a rich, sweet fragrance.
"Should we stay here?" Yuwu mustered her courage and asked sullenly.
Ye Hongmian's eyes reddened, and she couldn't speak for a long time. She patted Yu Wu's back and said, "Next time, your dad and I don't have pajamas here either. Next time for sure."
"Mm." Yu Wu pursed her lips and separated herself, her eyes a little timid. "Then, you should get some rest."
Yu Jianting stood to the side, smiling and nodding as he adjusted his glasses.
*
It was late at night, and the room was dark and silent. Yu Wu was still awake in bed.
The improved relationship with her parents made her happy for a while, but then, like a beam of light, it slowly dimmed and could never shine again.
Her heart was pounding heavily, and she felt short of breath and tightness in her chest, as if something was pressing down on her. The suffocating pain of lack of oxygen made it difficult for her to breathe from time to time.
Suddenly, I remembered what Cheng Yi had said: the depth of love can be judged by the pain of separation.
Over the years, she had always thought she was fighting alone, but it turned out that she had always been gently supported by a pair of hands in places she couldn't see.
She sat up abruptly, turned on the bedside lamp, gasped for breath, and then made a decision.
—She was going to find Chengyi.
In that one instant, she understood everything.
I turned on the main light in the room, took out my suitcase, and started packing.
She grabbed a warm down jacket, thick cashmere socks, a scarf, and gloves. Then, remembering she had many projects coming up and might need to work there, she went to the storage room to find what she needed. Her frantic search left the storage room in complete disarray.
After tidying up, it suddenly dawned on me that I didn't know which country Cheng Yi was in.
As she took out her phone, hesitating whether to call him, she accidentally bumped into the notebook behind her. The notebook fell to the ground and scattered. The last line of that page read: "[I've decided to stop believing in sincerity. Wish me luck.]"
It was written in high school.
She blinked, paused for a moment, then quickly smiled, tears welling in her eyes. Picking up the pen on the table, she wrote down, word by word, below that line: "I've decided to give my all to pursue happiness. Wish me luck."
Everything cleared up.
Perhaps life is actually quite simple.
Laugh when you're happy, cry when you're sad, and if you fall, dust yourself off, get up, and keep moving forward.
There's no need to live in the pain of the past, punish yourself for other people's mistakes and heartlessness, and push everyone around you away because of your inner turmoil and conflict.
The desire to be loved purely and genuinely was the only way she believed she could resist pain in the first few decades of her life.
In fact, she doesn't need any lifeline; she is the master of her own subjective self.
She no longer wants to passively wait for someone to love her, and then try to discern whether that love is sincere. She no longer needs to worry about how long the love will last. She no longer wants to be trapped in a shell; she wants to be someone who gives love, not someone who waits for charity. She will only be responsible for her own emotions; if she likes something, she will pursue it; if she doesn't, she will give up easily. She only needs to care about how she truly feels at that moment.
......
Yu Wu dialed Cheng Yi's number.
After a prolonged, drawn-out beeping sound lasting several seconds, a deep, pleasant male voice rang out from the other end.
"Hello?"
Yu Wu's breathing became rapid. She tried her best to control herself, and in a moment of impulsiveness, she blurted out, "I want to come find you."
There was a pause on the other end before a curt "Oh."
The "oh" calmed Yu Wu down considerably, leaving her momentarily speechless. She blinked, gripped her phone tightly, and slowly said, "I saw your diary."
A clear, cold laugh came from the other end. "So you're pitying me?"
"No! It's not about feeling sorry for myself, it's about myself. I've figured out a lot of things, and I want to try to be brave—"
Cheng Yi coldly interrupted her, "I never need anyone's pity." With that, he hung up the phone.
Yu Wu stared blankly at her phone screen as it gradually went dark, speechless for a long time. After thinking for a moment, since she still didn't know where he was, she messaged Zan Ya, asking her to check, then turned off the light and went to bed.
Xiao Yi, you are so proud.
A smile played on her lips as she slowly closed her eyes, beginning to look forward to tomorrow.
*
The next day at noon, Zan Ya gave Yu Wu her address and then called to ask why she needed it.
Yuwu explained her intentions.
Zan Ya was excitedly shouting "Ahhh!" on the other end, genuinely happy for her, and even said she would invite her to dinner after get off work.
......
Yu Wu had just left the company building after work when Zan Ya tackled her.
"Ahhh! Yuuko, Yuuko! You're so brave! You're so different! You've become a completely new you!"
Yu Wu was also in a good mood. She smiled and agreed while leading Zan Ya to her car, saying with a grin, "I'm hungry. Let's eat and talk."
The two of them ate hot pot.
Yu Wu ate a piece of spicy beef with satisfaction, then quickly took a sip of milk tea to calm down a bit before saying, "I bought a plane ticket for Friday. I can only stay there for five days at most. I have a lot of things to do here and can't leave."
Zan Ya scrutinized her from head to toe, her clear, round eyes full of admiration. She clicked her tongue in amazement: "This is the first time you've taken the initiative, and you even chased him all the way abroad by yourself. I find it incredibly novel and impressive. Yu Zi, look at your phone, I've sent you a lot of tips on how to pursue men!"
Yu Wu felt an unprecedented sense of joy and anticipation. "Actually, I'm a little scared, but I want to be brave for once."
"How far are you planning to go? What if Chengyi says something harsh? What if that guy refuses to see you? Oh dear, I'm starting to get a little nervous and scared for you."
Yu Wu raised her milk tea and clinked glasses with her, laughing wildly: "I leave no way out, I'm crazy and unrestrained."
Zan Ya laughed heartily, picked up her glass, and clinked glasses with her, saying, "To the passionate and courageous soul!"
The two chatted for a long time. Finally, Zan Ya and Yu Wu went home, took a shower, and then kept chattering until they finally fell asleep in the early hours of the morning.
After Zan Ya fell asleep, Yu Wu sent Cheng Yi a screenshot of her plane ticket.
My flight is at 8 AM on Friday. I talked a lot with Ya Ya today, and she just fell asleep. Xiao Yi, I'm so happy, and I miss you so much.
After doing all this, Yu Wu quietly put down her phone, pulled the covers over her head, and closed her eyes. As soon as she closed her eyes, her mind uncontrollably began to recall every little moment she shared with Cheng Yi.
I really want to hug him...
*
On Thursday after get off work, Yu Wu went to the mall to buy a gift for Cheng Yi.
To be honest, Cheng Yi gave her far too many things.
From large appliances to small items like earrings, he would always bring them home without asking if she liked them. He had excellent taste, and his items always perfectly matched Yu Wu's personal style.
Yuwu had only ever given him one set of pajamas.
Yu Wu bought a lot. She went to a suit shop and had three suits custom-made, then bought two overcoats, ties, cufflinks, and so on. In the end, she had so many things that she couldn't carry them all, so the shop assistant helped her put them in the trunk of her car.
She took a picture of the trunk, intending to send it to him, but paused and then stopped.
Let's surprise him on the spot.
He hasn't replied yet.
Yuwu couldn't help but send another message.
Eat meals on time.
A while later, another message was sent.
I want to see you.
*
Finally, Friday arrived. Yu Wu finished handing over all her work and left work ten minutes early.
As she walked downstairs to the company and opened the car door, a gust of cold wind ruffled her slightly curled hair. The moment she bent down to get into the car, her gaze was drawn to the tall, imposing figure of a man across the street.
The man was tall with long legs and strikingly handsome features. He leaned casually against the door of a dilapidated Audi RS, his posture exuding a noble and languid air. He looked down at the passersby with a carefree and calm demeanor. His dark, deep eyes remained as aloof as ever, and his casual stance alone was imposing and dazzling.
Downstairs, commuters passed by Yu Wu as she walked away from work, while she stood there, motionless.
It was as if a heavy hammer had struck my heart, and the tremors and ripples in my chest spread out in a dense, continuous stream.
The driver in the front seat leaned over and tentatively called out, "Ms. Yu?"
"I think I don't need to go to the airport." Yu Wu closed the car door and ran across the street.
The footsteps drew closer, the image became clearer, and my heart pounded harder. My ears were filled with the deafening sound of my heartbeat.
Cheng Yi was only half a meter away from her.
He kept a silent expression, lowered his eyelids, and gazed at her indifferently.
The surrounding area was bustling with traffic and noise, but the two of them were alone in a specific space.
Even though it had only been two months since we last met, hugging and kissing felt like something from a past life; a familiar yet strange feeling lingered in my heart.
My breathing was trembling, my throat was dry and tight, and I tried to speak several times but couldn't. Only hot tears kept streaming down my face.
It's always like this.
He always kept his promise; he could walk ninety-nine steps to her by himself. But this time, before she had even taken that one step, he had already walked it all for her.
Yu Wu stared at his handsome and refined features, speechless. Her heart warmed, and she truly loved being with him.
......
His pupils were dark and focused, deep yet with a unique gentleness; just standing next to him, one could feel a constant warmth emanating from him.
Finally, Cheng Yi spoke first.
He slightly lifted his eyelids, calmly glancing at her, his tone casual and indifferent: "You still haven't paid me back for the car."
Amidst the chaotic and disordered surroundings, his deep, arrogant voice clearly reached my ears.
Yu Wu smiled, wiping away her scalding tears with her fingertips. She opened her mouth several times but couldn't speak, only crying.
Cheng Yi gazed at her intently, his emotions surging silently, and reached out his fingertips to wipe away her tears.
He was actually disdainful when he learned that Yu Wu had come back to him after reading his diary. A man who tries to win a woman's heart by gaining her sympathy is the most despicable and contemptible person.
But he really couldn't live without her.
......
Yuwu's tears flowed even more uncontrollably, and she tilted her head back to gently kiss him.
Their soft, warm lips met. Cheng Yi paused for a second before hooking his arms around her neck and taking control.
He gently kissed her lips, their breaths mingling, and they gradually lost control.
After a long, long time, the two parted. Their fingers were tightly clasped together, their eyes fixed on each other.
Despite it being winter and a cold wind sweeping through, a boiling, turbulent energy surged within me, flowing from my heart into my eyes.
Cheng Yi's lips curved slightly, the curve slowly widening.
Yu Wu smiled, tears streaming down her face.
The distant clamor of voices fell silent, and the overflowing fervor almost drowned them both.
The image freezes, the telephoto lens slowly zooms in, forever capturing this moment.
......
Amidst the regrets and missed opportunities that filled my return, I finally grasped the happiness that belonged to me, piercing through layers of fog.
At twenty-six, I finally found true love.
......
[The main story is complete]
2025.9.9
Full of pine needles
-----------------------
Author's Note: Sorry I'm a little late! [heart emoji]
This article will be renamed "The Unresolved Regret That Killed Me" in the future.
Or which title do you think is better?
That concludes the main story. The proposal and some post-wedding content will be added in the extra chapters. Are there any extra chapters you'd like to see?
Order of side stories:
Zan Ya: I won't be a supporting character in someone else's life.
Xia Tingxue: "Green tea bitch" is the highest praise one can receive.
Ke Yanchen: Selfish and despicable love
Ikuko & Cheng Yi
The following is a very long rambling:
I started working on the outline for this story before signing with Jinjiang Literature City, and I wrote two books before getting to this one, so the outline alone took over a year to complete. However, I'm also quite slow and often get stuck. I started updating after accumulating 100,000 words of the main text, but in the end, it still wasn't quite enough.
Let me tell you about the inspiration behind this book.
This article was actually inspired by myself. Please note that all characters in this article are fictional!!
In high school, I had a crush on boy A. At that time, my core was still unstable during puberty, and I was actually quite insecure. But A actively pursued me, showing exceptional devotion and commitment, for about two months. I was genuinely excited and happy then; it was the first stirrings of love for a young girl, and my heart was pounding every day.
A senior, B, also liked me. When he found out we were together, he brought a dozen or so guys to A's dorm to ambush him. To this day, I still don't know what happened that night; neither A nor B will tell me. A told me not to blame B.
B said that B was actually doing it for my sake. B told me that A was very brave and that he wouldn't cause any more trouble.
I was really touched at the time, but I was also worried about him. A just downplayed it and said that even if something happened, he would take care of it. He said he wouldn't let me cause any trouble.
A is very well-mannered. He often brings me milk tea and snacks, cares about my studies, and has made many changes for me. He takes care of my fragile self-esteem and knows I get jealous, so he deliberately keeps his distance from girls who like him. He only gives and never asks for anything in return, showing a heartfelt and tender sincerity. We've never even held hands or had any physical contact.
Later, he started using passive-aggressive tactics, which made me increasingly blame myself for not being good enough. Off-campus, I had a fight with a female friend, but it was actually just her having a problem with me. I ran into him and a group of his friends (who weren't from our school), and some of them were making fun of him, but he avoided my gaze, silently looking at me with his dark pupils for a few moments before turning away and pretending not to know me.
The men and women around him were laughing hysterically, and to this day I can still remember their mocking, disdainful, and sarcastic looks, which cut like knives into my shame. My friends also mocked me.
The day I got back, he didn't say a word and just deleted me. I wanted to ask him something, but when I sent him a message, I found out I'd already been deleted. I cried silently in bed all night.
Later, she completely broke off relations with my friend. It's worth mentioning that she later became good friends with A, and they frequently interacted and exchanged gifts. I lost contact with A completely, and A quickly found a new girlfriend.
Later, A came to my class and told me that his deskmate C liked me, and that his deskmate was a scumbag who made lewd advances towards me every day. I was disgusted and ignored him completely.
C added me as a friend several times, but I rejected him each time. A long time later, C added me again late at night. I wanted to see what he wanted, so I accepted. C didn't say anything. To this day, C still occasionally visits my QQ space.
It took me a long time to suddenly realize that C wasn't the despicable person A described.
But life isn't a fairy tale, and there's no longer any possibility between C and me. To be honest, C is fairer-skinned, more handsome, and has more defined features than A.
I have a deep, lingering resentment towards A. I hate him, yet I can't forget him. He made me lose faith in sincerity, shattered my inner peace, and made me feel utterly worthless. For a long time, I was extremely insecure, retreating into my own shell.
I even felt that all sincerity could be faked, and I couldn't trust friendship anymore. He showed me the bloody cruelty of the adult world, yet he remained unaffected and continued his wonderful life.
More than seven years later, I was still not satisfied.
I found his contact information, added him, and confronted him.
I know it's very undignified, and I know I'm being ridiculous.
But I am not reconciled, I am deeply resentful.
I just want an answer.
I just want a real answer for what I truly want.
I was lying in bed, tears streaming down my face, asking all sorts of incoherent questions. I asked him why he lied to me, why he acted so genuinely sincere.
I said, "You clearly didn't like me back then."
Because true affection isn't like what you're doing. It's not something you can just walk away from like that.
True love, like mine, is something I can't let go of, something I can't give up.
I never expected that he had forgotten everything.
He was very reasonable and kept apologizing to me.
He said he didn't know he was such a jerk back then. He said he was young and ignorant, and he was really sorry.
He wished me all the best, saying it wasn't easy for a girl to make her way in society alone, and told me to be careful when I was out.
I suddenly fell silent.
He forgot everything.
And just like that, I forgot everything.
What am I?
To this day, I still keep the things he gave me.
That was my foolish naiveté during my adolescence.
It's quite ironic.
He destroyed all my courage for love, all my passion for relationships, and the already crumbling inner order of my heart.
However, he was completely unaffected.
Even after so much time has passed, typing this memory still makes my eyes sting.
It turns out that sincerity and honesty can be faked.
To this day, I still don't understand.
Why play with people's true feelings?
————————
Back then, during my adolescence, no one told me any of this. So, I'm writing this story to tell all the girls who have crushes: don't be insecure. Everyone is unique, and you should learn to affirm and love yourself.
I also want to tell all the girls who have been deceived in their sincerity: don't punish yourself for the heartlessness of others.
Love is not a required course in life. Self-growth, inner order, self-subjectivity, and dialectical thinking are the essential courses in life.
May all girls be confident and radiant, like trees, growing strong and upward despite wind and rain.
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