Chapter 93
On the way to the old house, Lin Langyi's phone kept vibrating, with messages coming one after another, but she didn't have a chance to take it out and reply.
Feng Congning led her into his car, and the two sat together in the back seat.
Throughout the journey, Feng Congning wore a long face, rubbing her protruding belly and sighing incessantly. If it weren't for the fact that the driver in front of her had two ears, the questioning would probably have started on the way.
What exactly happened between you two?
"Why are you suddenly saying you want to dissolve the marriage alliance?"
Upon arriving at the old house, this was the first thing Lin Langyi heard as she entered. Meng Hui and Lin Liaoyuan, who followed her in, both showed expressions of astonishment upon hearing this news.
What was even more astonishing was that Cheng Yanjin was kneeling in front of Old Master Cheng, while Cheng Yangkang stood with his legs together and his back slightly hunched, his face displaying a variety of expressions.
In the large house, Old Master Cheng sat majestically in the center of the sofa with his legs spread wide, leaning on his huanghuali cane with his hands folded on it, his back straight.
Lin Langyi glanced at Cheng Yanjin's slightly disheveled clothes and frowned.
Now that everyone is here, once the door is closed, everything can be said frankly.
As soon as Lin Langyi sat down, Old Master Cheng said, "Say what you just said again."
These words were spoken to Cheng Yanjin.
Cheng Yanjin didn't even raise his head or look at anyone's face. He kept his eyes fixed on the front and calmly said, "I did something wrong, so I'm here to admit my mistake."
The old man squinted: "What's wrong?"
Cheng Yanjin's gaze fell on the exquisitely curved cane in front of him, and his tone was calm: "Lin Langyi and I broke up because she found out that I had made a mistake while drunk, so our relationship broke down."
A thunderclap from a clear sky.
"What did you say! What do you mean by 'causing trouble while drunk'?" Feng Congning exclaimed in shock. "Explain yourself!"
Lin Langyi paused, slightly curled her fingers, and frowned even more.
What kind of development is this...? The two of them never planned for this kind of plot.
Neither she nor Meng Hui spoke up easily. Lin Liaoyuan twisted his neck, glared, and was about to question them when Meng Hui stopped him in time.
The old man's jaw twitched slightly, and the beard on his chin moved along with it.
He glanced at his beloved grandson kneeling before him, gripped the end of his cane, and asked, "What do you mean?"
Cheng Yanjin remained kneeling, surprisingly keeping his composure and employing a subtle, evasive style, saying, "I accidentally drank too much and blacked out; I don't know what I was doing."
“After I woke up, Lin Langyi called me more than twenty times. She was afraid something had happened to me, so she came to find me…” He pursed his lips and lowered his head. “We had a fight. It was a matter of principle, and she refused to forgive me.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Old Master Cheng suddenly pulled out his cane and struck Cheng Yanjin hard on the shoulder and back.
Cheng Yanjin didn't even try to dodge. The blow hit his shoulder, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the side with a thud, hitting something with an unclear sound.
Lin Langyi's face turned completely cold as she watched the farce unfold without uttering a word.
She sat in her seat without adjusting her posture or changing her expression, as if it were none of her business; she was merely a detached outsider observing from the sidelines.
"Kneel properly!" Old Master Cheng showed no mercy, using his cane to lift Cheng Yanjin's neck as if hooking a garbage bag, forcibly making him return to his knees.
Cheng Yanjin staggered, lowered his head, wiped his chin with the back of his hand, and used his elbows to brace himself and straighten up on his knees again.
"What's the use of kneeling before me?" The old man slammed his cane on the ground, and finally, still unable to bear it any longer, he gave Cheng Yanjin a loud slap on the side. "If you've done something wrong to someone, go and beg for their forgiveness!"
Cheng Yanjin's Adam's apple bobbed, and he nodded. When he stood up, his waist was pulled by the part that had just been hit, and his movements were slowed for a moment. The old man's cane was about to fly over again.
He took a few steps back and turned to walk towards Lin Langyi.
"Xiaoyi, the fact that we were able to reach a marriage agreement in the first place is something both our families are happy to see happen." Cheng Yangkang was unwilling to let this marriage be easily canceled. At first, he took a liking to the Lin family because it was rare to hear Cheng Yanjin say "I want her." Later, it was because the Lin family had undergone a transformation and was rising rapidly. Moreover, now all of the Lin family's capital is controlled by Lin Langyi alone, which is extremely rare in wealthy families with multiple children.
It's no exaggeration to say that Lin Langyi is a golden bird.
Now, if word gets out, everyone will envy the Cheng family for choosing such a good marriage, praising their keen eye—they've bought a promising stock that has now hit its daily limit.
How can you just cut ties like that?
Cheng Yangkang laid out the benefits and tried to smooth things over: "Look, after our cooperation, Yingshanhu has undergone tremendous changes. Our cooperation with you in the skincare and pharmaceutical sectors has become increasingly close. This is a win-win situation."
"These two young people are talking about their feelings, what are you talking about win-win situations?!" Old Master Cheng suddenly slammed his cane heavily on the ground and rebuked him sharply.
Cheng Yangkang choked and dared not utter a sound.
Cheng Yanjin walked up to Lin Langyi, and everyone tacitly kept their mouths shut.
Lin Langyi crossed her legs, leaned back, and slightly raised her chin to scrutinize the man who stood in front of her, casting a small shadow over her.
Cheng Yanjin turned his back to her and made a few hand gestures, but she didn't react at all, only coldly watching him kneel in front of her.
She clearly understood the meaning of this self-inflicted injury. It's like when a disobedient child does something wrong outside, the parents' reprimand is actually another form of protection, allowing the other party to let it go after the merciless scolding.
For the sake of him having learned his lesson, for the sake of his genuine remorse, and for the sake of the fact that the marriage between the two of them is a win-win situation, let's finish this beating today and then move on.
Lin Langyi found it quite interesting, and felt that today's completely unexpected drama was like a marriage she had both participated in and hadn't participated in. It was absurd, bizarre, and the person behind closed doors had two different faces. She didn't know how long this self-deceiving story would last, or who the audience was.
"Is that so?" she asked.
Cheng Yanjin was frantically gesturing to her with his back to her. When he noticed her expression was off, he gestured even more urgently.
"I'm asking you, is that right?" Lin Langyi asked a second time.
Cheng Yanjin had no choice but to bite the bullet and answer, "Yes, Lin Langyi, have you forgotten? After that, you went to G City. The long-distance relationship didn't allow us to calm down, and our feelings—"
Lin Langyi asked calmly, "Did our problems only arise after we started being in a long-distance relationship?"
Cheng Yanjin had been giving her a reassuring smile and winking at her, but upon hearing her words, his shoulders gradually tensed, and a hint of panic appeared in his light brown eyes. He knelt straight down on the ground, looking at her helplessly.
Lin Langyi tugged at the corners of her lips. He stopped smiling, but she raised a faint smile instead: "Between us, there's really been almost no time when we're on the same wavelength."
"Lin Langyi!" Cheng Yanjin's eyelids twitched, realizing what she was about to say, and he hurriedly crawled forward a few steps to grab her hand.
Lin Langyi raised her face, stopped talking to him, and looked around, pausing on each person's face for a moment, and asked, "It's rare to hear the word 'feeling' from any of you. I've searched high and low, but I haven't found the word 'feeling' in any of your previous words. How come you start talking about feelings when it's time to part ways?"
She slowly pulled her fingers out of Cheng Yanjin's burning palm; he held them tightly, as if grasping at a lifeline.
When he couldn't pull his fingers out anymore, Lin Langyi simply raised her left hand high and flung him away.
Cheng Yanjin looked at her pleadingly, his face pale.
Lin Langyi stared at him: "From the very beginning, this marriage was based on interests and cooperation, but there was no affection, right?"
“Xiaoyi, feelings can be cultivated…” Feng Congning’s feelings for Lin Langyi were complicated. Sometimes, she represented Cheng Yanjin’s side of power and was a competitor who could rival the future child in his womb; other times, she held such huge business interests in her hands, which meant that the Cheng family would definitely get a share of the profits after the marriage between the two families.
"Have you ever seen hamsters kept in the same cage?" Lin Langyi suddenly changed the subject. "The zookeepers put carefully selected hamster companions or breeding partners in the same cage, thinking that they would be able to pair up successfully no matter what. But one hamster ate the other."
She crossed her arms and calmly stated, "I was shocked when I first saw a hamster eat its caged companion, but now that I'm that hamster in the cage, I completely understand."
The room was completely silent.
Lin Langyi stared at Lin Liaoyuan's face for so long that Lin Liaoyuan's head began to twitch.
In a daze, perhaps because Lin Langyi and Yuan Chuyu had suddenly had close contact on the court, Lin Liaoyuan didn't know why he thought of Yuan Chuyu's deep and silent gaze when he looked at people, which was so similar to his usually shrewd and charming daughter for a moment.
Lin Langyi seemed to be stating a common-sense statement, speaking at her usual pace: "If you've ever seen a hamster that eats its own kind, you'll know that when you stick your finger in to try and save a tragedy, the hamster will bite your finger as well, showing no mercy whatsoever."
"I think what it most wants to eat is the person who put it in the cage, but it can't eat a person like it would eat another hamster."
Lin Langyi frowned slightly, her face showing genuine confusion. She looked at the various expressions on their faces with eager curiosity and asked, "If it had the chance, do you think it would eat it?"
"Zhuzhu..." Lin Liaoyuan got goosebumps from her words. "We understand. The arrangement for you two children to meet was due to various factors. You're sensible and understanding, so that's why—"
"Sensible and understanding." Lin Langyi nodded. "When Cheng Yanjin and I first started getting along—"
She mimicked Lin Liaoyuan's tone, emphasizing each word: "It's also because of various reasons that I've been the one maintaining things, but now I don't want to play along anymore."
Cheng Yanjin looked at her, flustered and increasingly anxious as he listened.
He did indeed start the conversation under the pretext of being in a different location, but he overheard what happened on the court on his way here and knew that Cheng Yangkang and the others had become suspicious. So he turned to making up a false accusation in an attempt to cover things up.
But Lin Langyi didn't seem to want to do it this way. In fact, because of his unilateral decision, she didn't even want to use the excuse of being in a different place. It was as if she wanted to flip the table and say all the nasty things.
Cheng Yangkang, fidgeting, opened and then clenched his fists, adding, "We knew what kind of person Cheng Yanjin was before. Xiaoyi, you've worked hard. From now on..."
"What do you mean, 'afterwards'?" Lin Langyi suddenly laughed. Just as Cheng Yanjin had completely calmed down, he heard her say, "Afterwards, sit at the head table and drink at my wedding with someone else?"
Feng Congning's expression changed drastically. She subconsciously sat up straight and asked the question that had been on her mind: "What is your relationship with Yuan Chuyu?"
Lin Langyi passed the ball back to Cheng Yanjin. She looked at him leisurely, a smile still on her lips, and asked, "Should you say it or should I say it?"
Cheng Yanjin's face turned deathly pale. Lin Langyi didn't give him much time to react before raising her head and answering in a clear voice, "Yes, just as you guessed, he and I—"
"It's Yuan Chuyu who likes her!" Cheng Yanjin suddenly turned around to face Cheng Yangkang and the others who were in shock.
His words were painful and heart-wrenching: "Yuan Chuyu has liked her for a long time. At first, I didn't care about this marriage and even suggested an open relationship to him."
"You, you..." Old Master Cheng, who had lived to this age, didn't even know what the term "open relationship" meant. His mind went blank, and his finger pointing at Cheng Yanjin trembled. Finally, with a livid face, he choked out, "Do you even have a brain?!"
"So, do you still think this relationship can be cultivated?" Lin Langyi looked at each of them one by one, took out her phone from her bag, and searched for her contacts. "You missed one person when we questioned you today, but it's okay, I'll call him over for you."
"Xiao Yi, Xiao Yi," Cheng Yangkang hurriedly tried to stop him, and Feng Congning chimed in, but Lin Langyi waved her hand aside to avoid his obstruction, and the call was made just like that.
The phone call made her feel incredibly relieved, reminding her of the time she left dinner midway to go for a ride on her motorcycle. She even waved the lit-up screen of her phone at Lin Liaoyuan in a provocative manner.
She's always the one "putting the big picture first," and I really want to see what it's like when she flips the table and everyone else has to "compromise."
Lin Liaoyuan had never put Yuan Chuyu's name together with his daughter's. He didn't know whether Yuan Chuyu was the active or passive party in that "open relationship," and he was so frightened that he came over to stop her, not wanting to involve more people.
"Mr. Yuan just had a family emergency these past few days, so let's not disturb him too easily..."
"Interesting." Lin Langyi sneered. "You didn't want me to make this call because you didn't want to confront him? You were quite enthusiastic when you asked me, but now that things have come to this, are you still playing hard to get?"
The phone rang twice and was answered immediately. The music stopped abruptly, and all the noise vanished once more. Everyone seemed to be paused, afraid to make a sound.
Yuan Chuyu still didn't speak first. Lin Langyi stared at the call timer ticking away on her phone screen and suddenly said, "From now on, you don't have to wait for me to speak first."
After a two-second silence, a gentle voice rang out: "Okay."
Where are you?
"In the car."
Lin Langyi glanced out the window subconsciously, but the old house's four walls framed the view tightly, and the uniquely shaped red maples outside the window blocked her view.
But she knew he was outside.
He asked, "May I come in?"
Lin Langyi had kept the phone on speakerphone. She placed the phone on the coffee table and shrugged at Cheng Yangkang, saying, "Let me ask. After all, it's not my house."
Cheng Yangkang forced himself to speak, each word coming out as if squeezing toothpaste:
"Yan Jin just mentioned some family matters, you..."
"Hmm," Yuan Chuyu responded indifferently.
They agreed without saying a word, it was an unspoken understanding between them, what else is there to say?
Cheng Yangkang felt his intracranial pressure surge to the heavens. He clutched his collar, as if trying to buy himself some more oxygen: "It's all because of that lawless brat Cheng Yanjin, dragging you into this. I'll definitely teach him a lesson and get to the bottom of this—"
"Ask clearly?" Yuan Chuyu smiled faintly. "I'm here so that you can ask whatever you want to know."
"I understand, I understand," Cheng Yangkang replied hastily.
"Understood. I'll call the legal department and lawyers in." Lin Langyi leaned over to exit the call and opened WeChat. "Cheng Yanjin previously owned about 10% of the company's shares. We need to cut ties and settle everything today."
"I'll transfer it to you," Cheng Yanjin said directly.
Lin Langyi's gaze remained fixed on the screen, unmoved: "That was Lin Xiangshuo who contacted you, right? Since it's a normal investment, I'll ask you to buy it at the normal market price."
“These shares…” Feng Congning was heartbroken. She had thought that Lin Langyi had monopolized all of Lin’s businesses and that the newly entered Haizhu Line also held core technologies. She thought that the market value of these shares would not be limited to what it is now.
Lin Langyi turned her head to look at Feng Congning. The light from the screen made her face appear eerily white. She smiled and said, "As Uncle Cheng just said, the cooperation between the Cheng family and the Lin family is much closer than before. Whether it's the pharmaceutical industry or skincare products, if I remember correctly, the prices and quality offered by Yingshan Lake are quite different from those of the common freshwater beads currently available on the market."
Cheng Yangkang suddenly pressed down on Feng Congning's restless shoulder.
Things are different now. A win-win situation means a deal where both parties benefit, not one party trying to climb the social ladder by climbing the other's ladder.
Ying Shan Lake's supply has always been stable and of high quality at low prices. Because of the long-term cooperation, the development of Cheng's related business lines has always been smooth, without any worries. However, if the largest supplier were to be suddenly replaced, the sudden increase in costs would not be something that could be borne with just a few words.
Every product, once it reaches the top position in the industry, will definitely sell well, but buyers may not necessarily be able to purchase it.
Cheng Yangkang was a shrewd businessman who had worked his way up in the business world, and in an instant, all sorts of thoughts raced through his mind.
If even marriage alliances can be entirely driven by self-interest, then when it comes to business, one should be even more cautious.
Lin Langyi's fingers tapped on the screen, and she said casually, "However, the Cheng family is so large and powerful that it doesn't necessarily have to work on these few lines. If that's the case, I'll send the legal department back."
She picked up her bag again, stood up and walked towards the door, saying to Meng Hui and the others, "We've said everything, let's go."
Feng Congning understood Lin Langyi's implication and anxiously said, "You were the one who cheated on me first, how can you still have this attitude!"
Meng Hui was unusually quiet today, but she replied calmly and respectfully, "What kind of talk is this? Putting aside who came up with such a ridiculous idea as an open relationship between two children, if we're talking about cheating, Zhu Zhu's legs have never been here, have they?"
"Marriage is a matter between two families!" Feng Congning emphasized.
Cheng Yangkang pressed down on Feng Congning's finger, which was pointing at him. These lines were just getting started. Such a large initial investment had been poured in, and those were all sunk costs. They couldn't just be dismissed with a angry outburst of "I'm not doing it anymore."
The production lines and factories are already operational. Now that they've broken ties with Ying Shanhu, what good can they possibly gain? Not to mention, fundamentally, the Cheng family, who proposed an "open" approach in this relationship, is completely in the wrong. If word gets out, it will only end in a lose-lose situation.
Furthermore, judging from Yuan Chuyu's tone just now, his heart has already turned to Lin Langyi. When that happens, not only Ying Shanhu, but also Ying Yuan, the Cheng family will have to fill countless holes after their setback.
With his mind racing, Cheng Yangkang quickly stood up and stopped Lin Liaoyuan, who was about to leave. He refilled the tea in front of him and softened his tone: "Liaoyuan, no matter what, our two families have had a honeymoon period. Although we didn't end up together, our relationship is still closer than that of ordinary families... Hey, please sit down, please sit down."
Lin Liaoyuan, his face tense, refused to sit down. He said, "My daughter has already said she doesn't like it. As her father, I didn't do a good job from the beginning, but now I'm helping others sell my daughter. Zhuzhu has made it so clear. If you're willing to hand over the daughter, then hand it over; if not—"
He glanced at Lin Langyi's face and realized for the first time how powerful it was that his daughter held control of the company. He also truly felt how satisfying it was that she had brought Ying Shanhu to where it was today and now had the right to negotiate with Cheng Yangkang head-on.
He used to drink, socialize, and joke around, but after all that hard work, it was his daughter, who was both far away and right in front of him, who truly brought prosperity to the family.
Lin Liaoyuan's chest heaved as he said in a resounding voice, "If you're unwilling, to put it bluntly, it won't affect my daughter's control. She's still the largest shareholder, and our family will definitely support her wholeheartedly. You're just getting a small share of the profits. Compared to the long-term supply and sales contract between Ying Shan Lake and you, you should think about it yourselves."
“Yes, we should give them a gift.” Old Master Cheng suddenly spoke up. “The fact that the two children have gotten to this point is the fault of all the elders present, including myself.”
“I can tell. When it’s time to talk about feelings, you don’t talk about feelings. But when it comes to shares and cooperation, you start talking about feelings again. No wonder the two kids have fallen out. You want both.”
Cheng Yangkang quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, it was our oversight. We just wanted the two children to get to know each other. It's our fault, sigh!"
He was quick to state his position: "Let's just forget about what happened here today. It's fate that we parted amicably. Those shares were supposed to be returned to their rightful owners after the marriage."
"Moreover, after the marriage alliance was canceled, everyone saw that we still transferred the shares without affecting the normal business dealings between the two companies. Firstly, this dispelled some rumors, and secondly, it's about making money through harmony!"
After these words were spoken, everyone's attention still turned to Lin Langyi and Cheng Yanjin.
Cheng Yanjin was in low spirits, but he had no objection to the decision and nodded directly: "Register my name, I'll do it as soon as possible."
Lin Langyi acted even faster. She had drafted this share transfer agreement countless times. She sent the electronic version of the agreement to Cheng Yanjin, stating succinctly: "If there are any objections to the price, we can discuss it further."
Cheng Yanjin tried hard to force a smile, but the smile disappeared before it even reached his lips.
He thought he didn't need to look to know how fair and objective the market price she was using, just like her abrupt departure to G City. When they parted, she always hated dragging things out and also hated any possibility of reconnecting in the future because of a sense of indebtedness.
That's probably why she disliked his taking all the blame earlier, because she didn't want to owe him any more favors, and she wanted to end things there.
Once those secrets that should have been kept inside are revealed, there's no going back.
He tried to keep it from her, but failed; he tried to keep it from his elders, but failed as well.
Like a shooting star streaking across the sky, no matter how hard you try, you are destined to only retain a fleeting moment of brilliance.
Having nothing else to say, Lin Langyi nodded to the elders as a farewell and left with Meng Hui.
Cheng Yangkang got up and accompanied him to see them out.
Lin Langyi walked to the gate of the Cheng family's old house. The four-sided courtyard wall was behind her. She looked up at the sky and saw that the azure sky in her field of vision was like an infinitely large piece of silk. She could look to the end of it and there would never be any railings or walls.
She smiled, her lips pursed. On this beautiful day with a clear blue sky, she looked up at the sun, feeling as if she, like those thin clouds, was slowly melting in the sunlight, and she could drift freely in the sky like a floating veil.
"Yu... President Yuan?" Cheng Yangkang suddenly called out.
Lin Langyi blinked, turned her gaze from the sky to the front, and saw a handsome figure.
Behind Yuan Chuyu was a low-key black Bentley, almost blending into his expensive black suit from head to toe. The white flower pinned to his chest had been removed, and the sorrowful aura of losing his father had quietly dissipated. Standing before him was Ying Yuan, the powerful figure with the power of life and death, exuding an imposing aura.
Lin Langyi sensed his gaze fixed on her as soon as she came out, scrutinizing her from head to toe in just a few glances, as if he were rigorously judging her condition.
He looked at her openly and honestly for a while before slowly turning his gaze to Cheng Yangkang, whose forehead was covered in sweat.
Cheng Yangkang really didn't want to meet Yuan Chuyu at this time.
He had to carefully consider his words even when speaking through a screen, so now that he was actually facing Yuan Chuyu, he was even more nervous and had to be on his guard.
Yuan Chuyu didn't say anything. He simply called out to everyone, from Lin Liaoyuan to Meng Hui to Cheng Yangkang, greeting them one by one. After receiving stiff replies from the other party, he finally looked at Lin Lang and asked gently, "What day is your flight?"
Lin Langyi's tone was ambiguous, revealing neither familiarity nor lack of acquaintance: "I still have some things to do at the company, I'll leave after the equity transfer is completed."
"Did your legal counsel go to G City with you?" Yuan Chuyu asked. "If needed, I have a few good lawyers with me."
Lin Langyi nodded: "Will I meet him later? I'm really in a hurry."
Suddenly, another person appeared in the car. It turned out that Lin Xiangshuo had also come in Yuan Chuyu's car. He saw Lin Liaoyuan and the others coming out and wanted to go back with them in the same car.
After Lin Xiangshuo came down, he looked left and right, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
He had overheard Yuan Chuyu and Lin Langyi's conversation in the car earlier. The cryptic dialogue had a sense of privacy that kept others at bay, which convinced him that the two had a close relationship.
Lin Xiangshuo's gaze darted around, wondering if anyone else knew, and if not, he could remind Lin Liaoyuan...
"Brother," Lin Langyi suddenly called out to him.
Lin Xiangshuo paused, looked at Lin Langyi, and quickly responded, cautiously inquiring about the situation: "After you left, I came over in President Yuan's car. Is everything alright...?"
Lin Langyi walked straight over, seemingly intending to get into the Bentley.
Lin Xiangshuo's pupils dilated in shock. He quickly glanced around out of the corner of his eye, thinking to himself that she was incredibly bold. There were people all around, including Cheng Yangkang.
After looking around, not a single person showed any shock or surprise; it was as if everyone had expected it.
Lin Xiangshuo was completely baffled. When he saw Lin Liaoyuan calling him over from a distance, he could only suppress his questions for the time being and said, "I'm leaving now, Xiaoyi, and President Yuan, see you next time."
Lin Langyi: "Okay, goodbye, brother."
Lin Xiangshuo looked at Yuan Chuyu.
The other person stood in the bright sunlight, which gave his handsome face a shimmering glow, and he seemed to be in a very good mood.
Yuan Chuyu smiled at Lin Xiangshuo, his tone calm and his pace gentle, and replied, "Goodbye... Brother?"
Lin Xiangshuo was horrified.
Even when it was time to get in the car, Lin Xiangshuo was still standing by the car in a daze, as if he had been struck by lightning. Meng Hui pulled him, but he was still oblivious, twisting his neck and staring straight at the Bentley. He hesitated for a long time and refused to get in the car, so Meng Hui kicked him.
"They're gone."
Lin Xiangshuo, in a daze, pulled his leg back slightly, half-sitting into the car, his head still tilted outwards, desperately seeking the truth: "Xiao Yi hasn't gotten in the car yet."
Meng Hui pulled the person in and closed the door: "She won't be in the same car as you."
Lin Liaoyuan felt like he was the only one in the world who was completely bewildered: "Why didn't she ride in the same car as me?"
"Why is she in the same car as President Yuan?"
"And also, he just called me brother... he called me brother?! He called me brother like Lin Langyi did?!"
Meng Hui ignored him and waved his hand, "Let's go, let's go."
The Lin family's car drove away. Lin Langyi got into Yuan Chuyu's car first. Turning her head, she saw him walk to the eaves of the mansion and say a few words to Cheng Yangkang. Cheng Yangkang replied with a pale face, and then stopped talking, only nodding listlessly.
After Yuan Chuyu finished speaking, he returned to the car. There was a thin briefcase near him. He glanced at Lin Langyi and handed the briefcase to her.
Lin Langyi thought this was some kind of document. He used to come to Yingshan Lake every day to slip her a document bag. Even now, you can probably still find two of those that he didn't have time to clean up in her office.
“What is it?” she asked.
Yuan Chuyu didn't answer, but only glanced at her hand, indicating that she would know once she opened it.
Lin Langyi, puzzled, untied the cloth and poured it out. Immediately, a giant, laminated photograph slid out from inside.
The image quality isn't very clear, but the pink heart takes up a third of the photo.
Lin Langyi swiftly stuffed the photo back into the box.
“I made it my chat background.” Yuan Chuyu wasn’t embarrassed at all as he handed her his phone to show her. “We don’t have any photos together, so I went and asked for it.”
Lin Langyi stared at his ear for a while... It was really strange. His ear was almost bleeding on the court, so how could he be so nonchalant about printing photos and setting them as chat backgrounds in private?
Yuan Chuyu seemed to be in an extremely high mood today. After showing her the photo of the kiss cam on the basketball court, he turned around and offered a friendly suggestion: "Do you like this photo? I think it would make a pretty good background."
Lin Langyi put the document bag back on her seat, and the chat background she had set for him remained the default: "I won't change it."
Yuan Chuyu didn't insist: "I'll send it to you, and I'll give you a copy too."
Lin Langyi's phone lit up. She tapped it open, and the miniature pink heart was still so obvious, making her head spin.
She was just about to advise Yuan Chuyu to stop when she turned her head and saw his gaze fixed on her phone, unblinking.
She didn't react at first, but after glancing at his phone and then back at her own, she suddenly felt a throbbing in her temple.
Forgot, she deleted most of their chat history, and apart from official business, there wasn't a single word of idle chatter. Anyone who saw it would have to admit that it was a truly solid and pure revolutionary friendship.
Yuan Chuyu sat back down quietly, fiddling with his phone. Lin Langyi's gaze involuntarily followed him, and she saw that he had opened his favorites, which were filled with voice messages and conversations she had sent him.
She sat back down stiffly, and the car drove smoothly for a while before she said, "Let's take some normal photos next time, and then change it."
“Okay.” Yuan Chuyu readily put away his phone, his previous lonely and dejected expression vanishing instantly.
Lin Langyi: ...
***
Lin Langyi flew to the United States a week later.
The person in charge of the experimental field collaboration was a 42-year-old Asian-American woman named Temi Law. She was unmarried but had four children, and the fathers of her three children would visit her island cottage from time to time with delicious food or exquisite gifts.
Taimi is a vibrant and adventurous person with high cheekbones and honey-colored skin that glows like amber in the sunlight. Lin Langyi loves going diving with her. When she changes clothes in front of him, the muscle definition on her back is very muscular and sexy.
Lin Langyi had never officially dived before. The first time she went underwater with Taimi, she experienced the beginner mode. As a result, she encountered many problems. Water got into her mask, and she couldn't equalize her ear pressure. She was in a terrible state. After surfacing, her head was buzzing and her ears hurt for three days.
While helping her adjust her mask with a cheerful laugh, Taimi comforted her, "Lin, I can tell you're a great swimmer. When you're in the water with your flippers on, you look like a graceful and beautiful mermaid."
Lin Langyi tilted her head and hopped on one foot on the boat, wiping the water from her ears with a towel. With a self-awareness, she sighed, "A mermaid wouldn't be unable to distinguish east from west underwater."
Taimi burst into laughter.
Because the cooperation and exchange on the experimental field took a long time, Lin Langyi stayed in the United States for a month and a half. During this time, apart from official business, he would go diving with Taimi whenever he had free time, because this was the last golden time for diving, and after that, they would have to wait until next year.
"People should seize every day," she said.
Taimi agreed: "Lin, your upward and indomitable spirit is more beautiful than your appearance. Oh, of course, I'm not saying you're not beautiful. You are really very beautiful. My eldest son still asks me if Miss Lin is coming swimming again today."
She brushed the hair off her shoulder and said dismissively, "I told him that nobody likes a little brat. You should clean your sneakers first; they're turning into a kidney stone for his dad."
Lin Langyi burst into laughter.
Having seen several of Taimi's boyfriends, this kind of topic often comes up between the two girls.
"Lin, you know, men are like the subway. If you miss this one, the next one will be here in five minutes," Tammy said.
Lin Langyi pretended to be profound: "Really? I don't know who got drunk and kept repeating people's names. I listened and listened but couldn't understand, so I had to record it for you to ask you when you wake up."
Taimi, relying on her healthy and radiant cheeks so that even blushing wouldn't be noticeable, declared confidently: "The end of diving is freedom. I love freedom, but I have to admit that in life you will always meet some people. When they appear, they will stir up a tsunami in your heart. It's just that the sea is calm on the surface, and you can't see anything. But that doesn't mean they don't exist. I like them just the same."
Lin Langyi tied her hair up: "People remember certain fragments. Emotions are quite strange. Sometimes it's like the humid season, when at certain times water droplets overflow and can be seen everywhere."
“But sometimes, I feel it’s similar to using eye drops,” Lin Langyi said with a smile, making a gesture above her eyes. “The moment it enters my eyes, it’s both stinging and cold. Because the presence is so strong, I remember that feeling every time I see it, even before it gets into my eyes.”
“Yes, yes!” Taimi excitedly patted Lin Langyi’s arm and said dreamily, “My first boyfriend made me a pair of earrings by hand when he was broke. Later, whenever we argued, I would see those earrings and forgive him.”
"My second boyfriend, when he missed me, drove for more than five hours through heavy snow to come to my house. Because he arrived in the middle of the night, I didn't see his message in time. He just stood there downstairs for almost half an hour. When I ran downstairs to see him, there was a thin layer of snow on his hair and eyelashes." Taimi recalled, immersed in the past. "It was at that moment that he smiled as soon as he saw me and said that he had come because he missed me. As he spoke, the snow on his eyelashes fell off with a pattering sound, and I fell hopelessly in love with him."
She talked on and on about the most memorable things in her memories, as if she were digging out a few diamonds from the long river of her memories.
She noticed that Lin Langyi had been quietly listening as they talked, so she quickly stopped, feeling embarrassed, and asked, "Why didn't you continue with the analogy you just used, about the humid weather and eye drops? You were just listening to me talk."
Lin Langyi thought for a moment, and finally honestly said, "Me? I ate a fast food meal under a drafty roof."
Taimi blinked, not understanding what was so romantic about it.
Lin Langyi added, "Heated milk can be used temporarily when there is no hot water bottle."
Taimi was even more bewildered.
Lin Langyi laughed and said, "But the most romantic thing right now is to go underwater and swim."
Taimi readily agreed, got dressed, and jumped into the water first.
Lin Langyi followed suit and jumped into the water, her diving suit, weight belt, and various equipment transforming her into a resolute warrior, attempting to use her ticket to knock on the door of the azure waters.
She can now float and swim freely in the water with ease, as if exploring different planets in the vast, deep blue universe.
Huge, brightly colored coral trees; plump, pink starfish; and sea turtles drifting with the current, their backs covered in soft fur, like a green lawn.
There were also orange-white clownfish hiding in the sea anemones. Lin Langyi moved closer to observe them, while a large swarm of sardines swam past behind her.
Don't miss this opportunity!
She quickly changed direction and caught up with the school of fish, watching them curve into a beautiful parabola, so smooth it resembled the arc her math teacher had simulated on a computer back in her school days.
The first lesson Lin Langyi learned about diving was to maintain slow and long breaths, and then fully live in the present moment to experience rich and wonderful different experiences.
After teaching her, Temi said, "Life is like that too."
“The second lesson is about real-world safety,” Tammy said, patting her chest. “Go into the water in pairs and trust your buddy.”
Lin Langyi chased the sardines for a while, then returned to Taimi's side, still wanting more.
Taimi didn't see her approach immediately; instead, she was looking at the two divers not far away. Lin Langyi patted her on the shoulder, and she finally came to her senses.
Taimi pointed to the opposite side.
Lin Langyi also looked over.
Another group of divers went underwater; they looked like veterans.
Taimi gestured with her fingers: "Her swimming style is very standard, and her physical fitness is also very good."
Lin Langyi gazed quietly through the mirror for a while, her breath bubbling up a long string of bubbles in front of her eyes, like a group of silvery-white little fish.
She wiggled her flippers, and several pretty little fish swam around her, occasionally bumping clumsily into her.
The two people swam over here too.
The underwater world possesses a sense of eternal freedom and romance.
Lin Langyi picked up where Taimi left off, wanting to say, "Actually, his butterfly stroke is better."
But that sentence only turned into a string of bubbles rushing upwards.
But that's okay, we can talk when we get to shore if we can't talk underwater.
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