Chapter 103
The two didn't speak to each other in the car, and soon they arrived at the Junyi Hotel. When Chen Zhiyi got out of the car, he didn't expect to see an acquaintance at the hotel entrance—Han Ming.
Although both of them left Jiali one after the other, and Han Ming also switched to theater, the two seemed to have no connection. However, they kept in touch quite often in private, and occasionally they would get together for a drink. After all, Han Ming was one of Chen Zhiyi's few good friends in the industry.
He was surprised to see Han Ming there; he was clearly waiting for someone, and his expression changed from sunny to cloudy in just a few seconds.
I saw people who were waiting, and I also saw people who shouldn't have been there.
Han Ming saw Lin Ting walking over and quickly went to greet her, but when he saw the face of the man following behind her, he immediately froze on the spot.
In such a vast city, we encountered each other in just one night. Was it a tragic fate or destiny?
Han Ming was unwilling and refused to believe it; this time, he was determined to see it through to the end.
He ignored Chen Zhiyi's presence and waited for Lin Ting to walk up to him. His face was still full of worry as he asked, "Where did you go? I knocked on your door at the hotel for ages but there was no response. I had to ask a hotel staff member to open the door, but you weren't there. I called your phone but you didn't answer. I was very worried."
Lin Ting forced a smile. "Sorry, my phone died."
He hadn't changed his clothes, and the lingering smell of alcohol wafted out.
Han Ming sighed, “I won’t interfere with your lifestyle of drinking to relieve stress. But if you’re going to your usual bar, it’s fine to go alone. But if it’s a bar you’re not familiar with or it’s your first time going there, you must find someone to go with you. And no matter what, you can’t drink too much. You have to stay sober. It’s very dangerous for a girl to drink too much outside. If you really want to get drunk and let it all out, you can do it at home, or with someone who can protect you present.”
Lin Ting nodded repeatedly, "Okay, I'll definitely pay attention next time."
"My phone is online 24/7, you can contact me anytime."
In other words, I will be there for you the moment you need me. Please keep me in your heart and think of me whenever anything happens.
Lin Ting pursed her lips and smiled faintly, "Thank you!" She didn't know how else to reply.
"I'll go upstairs and rest for a while. You can take me back to Nancheng this afternoon."
"good."
Han Ming glanced at Chen Zhiyi, whose face was full of astonishment and confusion, but Han Ming did not explain. He watched Lin Ting get on the elevator and then prepared to leave, thinking that Lin Ting must have had a hangover all night, so he went to buy her some light lunch.
Chen Zhiyi stopped him, his expression grave. "Aren't you going to explain?"
Han Ming casually remarked, "What's there to explain?"
“I consider you a brother, and you know I’ve been looking for Lin Ting. I’ve told you many times how much I miss her, but you clearly have news about her but you didn’t tell me?”
Han Ming's expression was cold, and he spoke casually, "Who treats you like a brother? The first thing I felt when I saw you was jealousy. It's your business if you go to find Lin Ting, and it's my business if I have contact with her. I don't need to explain every single one of my private matters to you."
Chen Zhiyi was furious. "That's just sophistry. We might not be brothers, but we're friends, right? How could you steal your friend's girlfriend? You know better than anyone how much I love her!"
Han Ming gave a casual, indifferent laugh. "When you were with her, did I even show up in front of you? I didn't see you loving her; all I saw was the harm she suffered because of you. You can't even protect the girl you love. What kind of man are you?"
Provoked, Chen Zhiyi turned pale, grabbed Han Ming's collar hard, and said fiercely, "Shut up."
Han Ming was clearly not afraid of him, grabbing his hand and pulling him outside. "Don't forget who you are. This is right in front of a hotel. You want to be trending, but I don't." He paused and chuckled. "Or are you trying to get others to suffer online harassment because of you again?"
This sentence was like a stab to Chen Zhiyi's lungs, making him instantly unable to breathe, his chest heaving violently a few times, before he let go of her hand.
Are you two together now?
No comment.
Hearing these four words, Chen Zhiyi's heavy heart relaxed a little. If they were together, how could Lin Ting stay in a hotel alone or go to a bar alone? He felt more confident.
"Do you think you can make her happy? We've known each other since we were young, and ten years of friendship can't be replaced by just anyone."
Han Ming found it utterly ridiculous and scoffed, "Are you bad at math? Where did this 'ten-year relationship' come from? Were you even together for a year? I can't give her happiness, but can you? What kind of happiness are you talking about? Is it making her suffer countless insults while you don't even know where she is? Is it making her lose her job and give up her dreams, leaving her with all her talent and ability, only able to showcase her skills in a small live-streaming room? Is it making such an excellent and generous person afraid to face crowds because of cyberbullying, always wearing a mask whenever she appears in public, afraid of being recognized and stared at with strange eyes? Is it making her chronically insomnia, needing to take large amounts of sleeping pills or get drunk to fall asleep? Is it making her have a beautiful name, but only being able to be recognized and remembered by people under a different name? Is this what you call being able to give her happiness? You love her, yet you've left her with nothing."
Chen Zhiyi felt as if something had ripped out of his heart, a sharp pain spreading rapidly throughout his body. He clenched his fists tightly, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. The bloodshot in his eyes was clearly visible, and he spoke with a hint of bitterness, "There's a misunderstanding here, and it can't be cleared up in a short time."
"Then don't bother explaining." Since things had come to this, Han Ming didn't want to hide his feelings anymore. "I'll tell you to your face, I like Lin Ting. In the past, your relationship was so deep that I had no right to interfere, but things are different now. I was by her side when she was in the most pain and needed someone to be with her. I was there for her when she handled her mother's funeral. I still remember how she trembled when she put down her mother's urn. She was clearly in so much pain but couldn't utter a sound. I had never seen her so vulnerable and grief-stricken. It was as if even her soul was shattered. But where were you then? And for the past two years, I've been there for her, helping her manage her little shop. I was there for her on her birthday, New Year's Day, and Spring Festival. All things considered, I've been by her side for much longer than you have. What do you have to compare with me now?"
After saying that, Han Ming left.
Chen Zhiyi stood there, stunned, unable to recover for a long time. He had never imagined that one day a man would question his love for Lin Ting, a love that he had always been firm and unbreakable.
But at this moment, he despised even himself, thinking, "What am I anyway?"
At 3 p.m., Han Ming drove Lin Ting home, and a black Volkswagen followed behind them. Both of them knew whose car it was.
Han Ming spoke first, "Should I dump him?"
Lin Ting smiled faintly, her tone light, "No need, it's too dangerous on the highway."
Han Ming: "It's okay, I know my driving skills." He didn't want Chen Zhiyi to know where Lin Ting was living now; to put it bluntly, he was paranoid.
"I'm really fine. I thought I would at least be sad when I saw him again, but I was very calm, as if he was just a passerby in my life, and that was the end of it."
Because he had let go, he was so calm and composed. Han Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at the car following behind in the rearview mirror and found it strange that it seemed mocking.
"With his net worth, he still drives a Volkswagen. I don't know if he's just being low-key or pretending to be."
Lin Ting knew perfectly well where this car came from, but he never expected that the person in the car was still driving it.
This time when they met again, she could still feel his love, but his love was shrouded in too much danger. Love could beautify danger, but it couldn't make it disappear. She was tired and wouldn't repeat the same mistakes.
In other words, forcing incompatible people together only results in repeated, painful separations. Such separations will eventually wear down even the most intense love, leaving only endless torment for the other person.
Han Ming's car turned into the parking lot of the farmers' market, and Chen Zhiyi followed. He didn't get out of the car and watched the two of them walk into a shop hidden in the market.
The shop has two floors, decorated in a classic style. A wooden plaque hangs across the entrance, reading "Yezi Clothing Customization." A pair of red "Fu" (good fortune) characters adorn the transparent glass door, and two tall, lush money trees stand at the entrance, exuding vitality. In this bustling market, it stands out as a unique presence, elegant yet down-to-earth.
Opening a custom clothing studio was a shared goal for the two of them, but now that Lin Ting has started, he is not by her side. Chen Zhiyi finds it ridiculous, but also deeply guilty.
Han Ming's criticism is correct. If it weren't for him, such an exquisite and elegant store should be located in a bustling area or an art district, instead of being tucked away in a farmers' market.
He pounded the steering wheel a few times to vent his regret.
It was 5 p.m. when Han Ming finally came out of the shop. He was about to leave when he spoke with Lin Ting for a while at the door.
"Don't rush things with the project. Think carefully about the design plan. Since the letter of intent has been signed, there shouldn't be any changes. The director and producer have high hopes for you."
Lin Ting: "I know. I'll be focusing my energy on this for the time being, and I'll finish the design draft as soon as possible. I won't let you down."
Han Ming smiled, "I will never be disappointed in you. If this project succeeds, it will greatly boost your career, and your business empire will expand further."
"It's too early to say now. Actually, I'm already very satisfied with my current work situation and operating income."
"But live streaming and e-commerce are constantly changing and fluctuate too much. It's always good to have more options when doing business."
Lin Ting nodded. Han Ming had indeed helped him a lot in business over the past two years. It was Han Ming who encouraged him to start live streaming. Moreover, in order to improve the quality of the videos, he brought in a professional photographer. Lin Ting was responsible for the content output, while the photographer was responsible for shooting and editing. Sure enough, the video quality, camera movement, and other aspects improved significantly, and the number of video views also increased significantly.
Han Mingchao glanced at the parking lot and, sure enough, Chen Zhiyi was still there. He was still his biggest rival in love. Although Lin had heard that he had moved on, the memories of the two of them together were still vivid. He mustered his courage and took a step forward, reaching out to hug her, but there was still a gap between them, and he didn't actually hug her.
No matter how much he anticipated or was anxious, Han Ming always treated Lin Ting with the same respect.
Nevertheless, he felt the person in his arms stiffen, becoming reserved and resistant, but he did not let go, partly out of selfishness, and also to show Chen Zhiyi what he was doing.
"Although I've acted in many romance dramas, I'm still not good at sweet talk, and I'm unwilling to make promises to just anyone. But I believe you've felt my feelings for you over the past two years. It's funny, really. I only started to like you because of the descriptions Chen Zhiyi gave me. What truly touched my heart was your care for me in the hospital. I still cherish the thermos, hot water bottle, and fluffy cover you gave me. And the way you helped me out of a predicament on the red carpet made my feelings for you even stronger. I'm not saying this to burden you, and please don't overthink it. I've been really happy with the time we've spent together these past two years. I thought that with time, even if I didn't say these things, you would gradually accept my feelings and let them become natural, not something I forced upon you. But today, he appeared, and I decided to say it. I know you're not a girl who easily opens her heart to others. I'm willing to wait, and I'm willing to stay by your side as a friend. But if you want to open your heart again, could you please give me a chance?"
Lin Ting hesitated. Looking into those sincere eyes, it was impossible not to be moved. Moreover, even a blind person could feel the care he had given her and Qin Wei over the past two years. But being moved was not the same as being in love. She couldn't say something against her conscience. Being irresponsible to herself would also be disrespectful to Han Ming. She cherished her friendship with Han Ming.
"I...."
Han Ming could see her struggle, but he wasn't upset. He loosened his embrace, ruffled her hair, and pretended to be relaxed. "Alright, don't make a hasty decision. You need to give yourself some leeway. Think about it carefully. I'm going back to Haishi first. I won't be coming over next week. I have a play tour. I'll come over after the performance."
"good."
"Remember to contact me immediately if anything happens."
"good."
"They check on the renovation progress of the villa from time to time, and if they think anything is not suitable, they will change it according to your preferences. Maybe as they change it, it will become the style you like, and you will be willing to move in."
Lin Ting covered her forehead and smiled helplessly.
"Okay, I'm not teasing you anymore, I'm really leaving."
"Uh-huh!"
Han Ming just turned around and remembered something. "A news message popped up on my phone saying that a new respiratory virus is spreading. It's quite serious in the neighboring province. There's no effective treatment yet. Remember to stock up on disinfectant. Make sure to disinfect all incoming and outgoing packages. Wear a mask when you go out."
"Okay, don't worry."
Upon reaching the parking lot, Han Ming knocked directly on Chen Zhiyi's car window, getting straight to the point without any preamble.
"See? This huge shop is all run by Lin Ting, so she's happier without you."
After saying that, Han Ming walked towards his car.
Her tone was light and airy, but every word was a gentle knife, stabbing into Chen Zhiyi's heart.
The shop didn't close until 9 p.m., and Lin Ting walked out with a boy who was a head taller than him.
The boy was the one who had been packing and sending packages at the store entrance all afternoon. Chen Zhiyi assumed he was the store's mail clerk or employee, but seeing the two of them coming in and out together now, their relationship seemed to be more than that.
Chen Zhiyi immediately put on a black mask and quickly followed behind the two.
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