The Southern European sun is lovely, but without you.
Lin Zhen'er's time studying abroad was quick and easy. The school she found offered almost no tuition fees other than registration fees. Although the apartment she rented was a bit old, it wasn't far from the school. Every day after class, she would work out at the nearby gym and then go to the supermarket to buy groceries.
The old, small room didn't have much equipment, and the mirror wasn't very big, but she would always think of the Jin family's huge gym and that strong yet unassuming figure when she was panting and exhausted.
I've been in Turin for over a month now, and those days feel like scenes from an old movie, making people who now go to school with their backpacks feel a sense of unfamiliarity.
"The card I gave her was never used even once when we went there."
In a high-end office building in Pingyang, Mr. Jin, sitting at his desk, complained impatiently to his secretary about his runaway wife's whereabouts. His wife, whose expenses should have increased after going to Europe, hadn't touched the two credit cards Mr. Jin had given her since the day she disappeared.
It's said that besides studying, she spends her days filming a low-budget movie with her best friend, and has no other income. It's hard to know how she's managed these past few days, especially since he's been bogged down in several major projects and has so much to do to completely sever business ties with the Jin family.
Of course, his decision not to go to Italy wasn't entirely due to the project; there was also an element of spite involved. That guy's sudden departure and the silence that followed were extremely upsetting.
“Our people went to check on her and said that the wife cooks for herself there, and a few pounds of pork and cheap milk can last her for several days. She also takes the subway whenever she needs to get around.”
This kind of life really doesn't cost much. She often goes to the supermarket to buy discounted items, and even many of her wines are nearing their expiration date. It's tough on her; she's seen all the luxuries and luxury she's experienced with you, and now she's living quite comfortably.
Hearing this, Jin Yanzhi felt as if his head had doubled. He thought that from the day they met, the woman who had always lived cautiously on her own would never have such a day again; she would take the shortcut he had paved and walk smoothly down the road to the end.
The assistant's words, aside from confirming that the woman in the photo who wore her sneakers like dirty shoes was now struggling financially, made no mention of him whatsoever.
"Looks like you didn't get anything from the Jin family either? All you bought were on sale."
When Jiang Chengjing appeared at the supermarket entrance, the woman who had just returned from a film festival was carrying a bag of groceries and heading back to her apartment. The pampered Miss Jiang across from him clearly didn't have the same energy and spirit as before.
But the other person, still impeccably dressed and luxuriously wearing sky-high heels and a well-fitting suit skirt, stood outside waiting for her. The small bag in her hand gleamed gently in the warm Italian sunlight, the fine leather shimmering softly, echoing the owner's perfectly styled, large waves in her hair.
"What happened? The Jin family has recently drastically cut off their cooperation with you."
"Life's really tough, so you've come all this way to me? Honestly, Jiang Chengjing, you're the most narrow-minded rich person I've ever met. All you do is fixate on this trivial matter, like a fighting rooster, frantically chasing after people and pecking at them."
The person carrying the things continued walking back, laughing at Jiang Chengjing who kept getting his heels stuck in the cracks between the paving stones, while planning what delicious food to cook for himself to reward himself for passing all his exams with high marks.
"You went to see your father? He probably asked you to study abroad to lay the foundation for your younger brother."
It seems Miss Jiang went to see that gambler again. What's meant to happen can't be avoided; she's only a few dozen meters from home. Not wanting to take this crazy woman back, Lin Zhen'er looked around and went into the nearest coffee shop, putting down her things and ordering two drinks.
The woman who sat down next to him wiped the slightly worn coffee cup with some disdain, then took out a semi-permanent mirror and started touching up her lipstick.
Those who had no desire to linger in this place squinted at the pedestrians of various skin colors on the street and spontaneously poured out their thoughts. Time had passed, and even though the woman opposite had used every means to hurt her over the past few months, her hatred had dissipated by about 60-70% with her studies abroad.
"Jiang Chengjing, this trick of yours is no longer effective against me."
You've been living in a sweet, pampered world for too long, thinking everyone values face above all else. That's why you keep using my dad's dirty laundry to threaten me, even going so far as to go to him and use him to get a fake paternity test. Too bad, we're just too different.
She wasn't actually afraid to face these things at all. The reason she was repeatedly manipulated and hurt by these things in her previous marriage was ultimately because she was afraid that her past would implicate the Jin family.
Perhaps she could never reciprocate Jin Yanzhi's immense love with anything of equal value, but at least she could try her best to keep him from being affected by those negative news stories. Those nights when she would wake up repeatedly in fear were never about the sadness she felt towards her husband, but rather about the debt and guilt she felt towards him.
Even in the days leading up to her departure for Southern Europe, the self-consciousness she secretly harbored in her heart was a love that was neither respectable nor daring to be expressed.
But the woman in front of me, she's just like those girls who grew up in a honey pot. Even if she's experienced the sadness of losing a sibling in an accident, or the regret of having a wealthy and snobbish in-law who's difficult to get along with, her life is still a million times better than the average person's, and she has enough energy and time to go crazy for love.
It seems that the more someone is like this, the less they can accept imperfections in life. Even if it's just that a man she knew in her youth isn't interested in her, it can drive that Miss Jiang crazy. A life script that's too smooth seems to make it harder for her to accept things not going as planned in relationships than for ordinary people.
"I can feel your determination to kill me, but the way you're resorting to any means is so stupid."
The way you torment me is by making me look bad, but someone like me will feel sad at first.
As you know, I've been detained before. Now I have a younger brother out of nowhere, so what? I'm not afraid of you digging up all the dirt, not at all.
The person opposite was clearly surprised that Lin Zhen'er would bring up the past. He was stunned for a moment, then pretended to casually look at the street scene around him.
Noticing the other person's surprise, she quickly finished her coffee. Before the aroma of the coffee had even faded from her lips, she hurriedly spoke to Ms. Jiang, who seemed to have been born in Rome:
"Do you think I never thought of fighting back? Do you think your marriage abroad can withstand scrutiny?"
When you bullied me before, I also felt humiliated and embarrassed, but at that time, because I loved him, I loved Jin Yanzhi, I could endure your ridicule of me for not knowing anything about jewelry. I was afraid that if I went crazy with you, I would cause those multi-billion dollar projects to fall into an irrecoverable predicament in the vortex of public opinion.
But I'm not afraid of you anymore. As the heir of the Jiang family, you don't even care about the rise and fall of your own family, so why should I care? You can continue to fabricate stories about you and him having a son. I'm about to start a live stream to sell handmade jewelry here and make money. The more people criticize me, the more traffic I'll get.
You have your ways of humiliating people as a socialite. I have my own ways of dealing with it, having climbed up from the bottom. No matter how much trouble you cause, I won't divorce him.
I will use the 100 topics you sent me to do 100 live streams.
Thank you for sending me wealth ahead of time. I can't wait to get rich!
Having said what was on her mind, she grabbed the fresh vegetables from her pocket and turned to walk home, without looking back at the face left on the table. She knew without a doubt that the expression on Miss Jiang's face would be quite something.
I bought a discounted steak today, and with the leftover red wine from yesterday, I can sit down and watch a movie with my friends. For Lin Zhen'er now, this is far more relaxed than when she was wearing glamorous clothes and forcing smiles at social events in the past.
She never expected that when she opened the door, that face she hadn't seen for over a month would appear in the apartment. Bingbing, who was sitting on the sofa exchanging pleasantries, saw her return and rushed over to take her things as if they were a lifesaver before disappearing into her room.
“I found out that Jiang Chengjing came to Turin today. I was afraid she would make things difficult for you, so I came over without telling her.”
Jin Yanzhi was clearly a little nervous and awkward. His long legs were cramped by the small coffee table, bent at an awkward yet charming angle, supporting his owner who was nestled on the sofa trying to sit up straight.
"We just met, she shouldn't bother me anymore."
Did you have meal? "
Stepping into the cramped kitchen, the woman deftly prepared the newly purchased ingredients, her seemingly calm demeanor masking her trembling fingers. The encounter was so sudden that she didn't even have time to glance in the mirror or wipe the coffee stains from her lips.
She longed to catch a glimpse of that face that haunted her mind countless times every day, but the thought of leaving without a word made her keep her head down, feeling guilty.
"I...I didn't eat. This house is too small, and the bedroom doesn't even have windows."
I'll get you a bigger one. You didn't take the dog with you when you left. It's been in a lot of heat lately, and the vet recommended I get it spayed. I thought I should discuss it with you first.
Mr. Jin, who had bitten his lips until they almost bled, gripped the ear pick in the bag tightly. He missed her so much that the moment he saw her face, all his resentment towards her vanished in the damp, woody air of the room.
The person opposite him was tidying up the meat and vegetables they had bought, but his eyes were filled with a strong sting. It was just an ordinary, warm afternoon, with the sun shining through the window and making people feel a little hot, but in Jin Yanzhi's heart, a huge tsunami was raging.
The puppy now sleeps beside his pillow every night, because it is a dog that can confirm Lin Zhen'er will return to the Jin family, and therefore it is especially precious to him.
A heavy longing surged within him, crashing against his chest, making him almost unable to sit still, yearning to rush forward and grasp the standing figure at any moment. Though the scene of his heart collapsing was terrifying, his savior was right before him.
Would you like noodles?
The woman's voice possessed a calmness that drove him mad. Yet, the person who heard it was overwhelmed by a vortex of surging emotions, causing his ears to ring.
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