"Yangyang, why haven't you come out yet?"
Yang Jinchu carried the soup bowl and paced around the living room before walking to the bedroom door.
His tone was feigned impatience, but softened at the end.
"If we don't come out soon, the soup will get cold."
The door was then opened a crack.
Chu Wuyang changed into clean home clothes, her hair was loose, and there was still some redness in the corners of her eyes.
She walked out with her head down.
"They're here."
Yang Jinchu glanced at her, his brows furrowing slightly.
"You cried?"
"No."
She went straight to the dining table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"Then why are your eyes red? Did the white camellia prick you?"
He spoke in a lighthearted tone, as if he were teasing her.
Chu Wuyang scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it gently, and said nothing.
Yang Jinchu didn't press further. He simply sat down in his wheelchair, slowly cutting the steak on his plate, and said calmly,
"I've been keeping an eye on things back home. A few days ago, the Kim family sent someone to bring Jingmin back,"
The air was still for a few seconds.
Chu Wuyang put down the spoon, her voice as soft as the wind.
"It really is time to go back."
"Yangyang..."
Yang Jinchu stared at her, but his eyes held a hint of pity.
"Can't you let go?"
“…No,” she whispered.
"But you're not happy right now."
Yang Jinchu's words struck her like a hammer blow, leaving her feeling empty inside.
"So, what do you want?"
Chu Wuyang did not answer.
She looked down at the soup in the bowl, where ripples slowly spread across the surface.
Yang Jinchu stared into her eyes for a long time.
Those eyes, which were usually so bright, now looked like flower petals just touched by mist, with a faint red tinge.
She concealed it very well, and her movements were natural, but he saw through it at a glance.
He finally spoke, but unusually, his tone lacked its usual teasing glint; instead, it was low and somewhat serious.
"Yangyang, have you ever thought... we could actually try..."
Although it's extremely inappropriate to say these things now, he's willing to take advantage of the situation and play the villain, even if it's just as temporary comfort and a substitute.
Chu Wuyang looked up, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Try what?"
Yang Jin paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
"I really am—"
She suddenly laughed, interrupting him.
"Brother Jin Chu, the most important thing right now is for you to get better. It would be best if you could find me a sister-in-law while you're still young, instead of worrying about other people's affairs all the time."
Yang Jinchu was stunned for a moment.
Looking at the clean yet aloof smile at the corner of her eyes, it was as if a gentle breeze had brushed past her.
It was as if a single sentence had pushed me out of my place.
Chu Wuyang pushed the soup bowl towards him, her voice gentle and soft, yet tinged with a hint of reproach.
"What? You offered to help me out, and I promised to take care of you,"
"But don't try to take advantage of me, wounded soldier."
Yang Jinchu stared at her, his gaze complex, as if he wanted to say something.
He finally chuckled softly and took the soup she offered.
"Then what if I insist on clinging to you?"
Chu Wuyang smiled generously.
"What can we do? We'll just let you default."
Chu Wuyang raised an eyebrow and smiled, then scooped a spoonful of soup and placed it beside him.
"The flowers, like their owner, are really hard to take care of; they just keep clinging to me."
She leaned back in her chair, her tone suddenly becoming more proud, and pointed towards the balcony outside the window.
“Look at your few pots of white camellias. When the maid was taking care of them, they were wilted every day, as if life had bullied them. But now? The leaves are shiny green, and the flower buds are swelling one after another. It’s just a matter of setting off firecrackers to celebrate.”
Yang Jinchu looked in the direction she pointed and saw sunlight shining through the glass onto the white camellias, making the branches sway and look exceptionally vibrant.
He couldn't help but laugh.
"So they've... received your guidance?"
Chu Wuyang didn't say anything, but lowered her head and took a sip of soup, the spoon making a soft sound as it tapped against the edge of the bowl.
Her gaze returned to the soup bowl, and she said casually,
"They are the result of my fussing. If I don't water them or prune them, they throw a tantrum at me."
She paused, then added softly,
"They probably don't want me to be idle."
Yang Jinchu stared at her profile, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes.
She continued, almost self-deprecatingly.
"However, it's good to be busy, otherwise when my mind is blank, I'll start thinking about all sorts of random things."
The wind outside the window made the camellia sway slightly, as if it were quietly responding to her mood.
Yang Jinchu asked in a low voice,
"So now..." Do you still think about him?
Chu Wuyang gently pushed the soup bowl away, wiped her hands, and stood up.
"I went out to check on those newly pruned branches, and they seemed to be sulking again."
Yang Jinchu watched her retreating figure, a half-smile playing on his lips.
"Fine, go and appease your group of people who are even more stubborn than you."
Chu Wuyang waved her hand without turning her head, replying lazily.
"Of course, besides taking care of the wounded, I also have to play the womanizer, I have to coax them one by one."
The sun was shining brightly, the sky was warm and gentle, and she muttered to herself, "What a troublesome person."
He squatted down to examine the new branches of the white camellia.
She meticulously worked, pruning, watering, and straightening a crooked twig.
It's like finding a legitimate reason to avoid thinking about whether the phrase "being busy is good" is true or false.
But when the wind blew, she still unconsciously looked up at the horizon.
It was as if they were subconsciously searching for someone who had long since disappeared.
When she intentionally distanced herself from Jingmin before, she wondered if Jingmin felt the same way, feeling like he was always around even when she couldn't see him.
The phone rang again.
Chu Wuyang vaguely thought she was hallucinating. Had Jing Min ever hallucinated her phone calls like this before?
But the phone was still ringing, and she realized it was a real call.
Even though she knew it couldn't be him calling, she still felt a faint sense of hope.
However, as expected, it wasn't him who answered the phone.
An aged voice came, but Chu Wuyang's eyes remained calm and indifferent.
"Miss Chu, you are truly remarkable."
"You actually launched a surprise attack, proceeding step by step, which I didn't expect... You really achieved all your goals."
Chu Wuyang lowered her eyes, her expression calm, as if listening to a play that had already been rehearsed.
"You flatter me too much."
Her tone was indifferent.
"I just recognize it."
“I can’t beat you, Jingmin can’t beat you, and even the Golden Kirin who has been lurking by your side for so long… still can’t beat you.”
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