The Thorn Birds Are Singing
Lin Guodong has been in a very bad mood recently and has a stern face all day long.
All of this stemmed from his son, Lin Jinxuan, a child he had placed high hopes on since childhood, but now he had become as rebellious as his sister, Lin Qingyue.
Three years ago, Lin Qingyue volunteered to go overseas to oversee the company's restructuring. A position in China was left vacant. He repeatedly urged Lin Jinxuan to seize the opportunity, only to have increasingly heated arguments. Finally, the boy ran away from home, using his saved pocket money to rent a small studio and set up a clothing design business.
Initially, Lin Jinxuan tried to sell his designs. However, buyers in the industry, seeing that he was a newcomer, aggressively lowered his prices and even asked him to modify his designs to reduce costs:
"This embroidery is too labor-intensive, remove it."
"Change to cheaper fabrics"
“Don’t be too complicated, make it more accessible to the public”
…
Lin Jinxuan's inherent pride and obsession with beauty made him unable to accept such a compromise. After several setbacks, he completely gave up the idea of selling the design draft.
He decided to turn his drawings into finished products himself. From selecting materials to making patterns and sewing, he personally invested a great deal of effort and all his money. The quality and design of his clothes were impeccable, but his limited funds meant he couldn't afford a good model or photographer. He resorted to using cheap models for fittings and photoshoots, resulting in mediocre results that even overshadowed the clothes themselves.
Reality soon dealt Lin Jinxuan a heavy blow.
He was suffocating from the rent, materials, and living expenses. His father's secondary card had long been deactivated, but he stubbornly refused to give in.
All his friends who usually played together knew that he had run away from home. Lin Guodong had already informed their parents, and no one dared to help him.
He was even more reluctant to ask his sister for help. He knew that it was very hard for his sister to work hard overseas alone. Their relationship had long been estranged. He didn't want to cause any more trouble for his sister, and he was also afraid that his sister would become one of the people who looked down on him.
During the most difficult times, his studio was filled with unsold garments, and he could only eat instant noodles three times a day, not knowing where his future lay.
Lin Jinxuan himself wasn't afraid of hardship. The path to artistic pursuits was inherently difficult, and he had long been prepared to endure poverty and setbacks. But he couldn't accept the girl he loved suffering with him.
Xia Xiaoran was one of the few close friends he met on his journey to pursue his dream. She understood the spirit hidden in his designs and his almost obsessive pursuit of beauty. She was just an ordinary office worker with a meager income, but she stood by him through his difficulties, donating all her savings to support his seemingly unrealistic dream.
Lin Jinxuan thought that one day, when he really made a name for himself, he would solemnly and ceremoniously confess his love to his girl and give her the best of everything.
However, the studio's last funds were about to run out. Seeing Xia Xiaoran's increasingly depressed look due to worrying about him, seeing the forced smile in her eyes, Lin Jinxuan's heart felt like being stabbed by a needle. He couldn't drag her down like this selfishly any longer.
Finally, he made a painful decision: to stop this seemingly hopeless struggle, give up his so-called dream, and return home to admit his mistake to his father. He would first pay back Xia Xiaoran's debt in full, and then...completely withdraw from her life and return to being the well-behaved young master of the Lin family.
An unexpected phone call changed everything.
The voice on the other end of the phone was gentle and clear: "Hello, is this Mr. Lin Jinxuan? I am Shen Yu."
Lin Jinxuan's impression of Shen Yu still lingers on that rainy night a few years ago, when he caught a glimpse of her in his sister's cold apartment. He remembered asking his sister bluntly if she had a "beauty hidden in a golden house." Later, he vaguely heard that they had broken up, and he also learned that Shen Yu had entered the entertainment industry and seemed to have won a big prize some time ago.
"I've seen the work of your studio, and the design impressed me." Shen Yu's voice was emotionless, but sincere. "I need some private clothes for events recently, and I think your style is very suitable. I wonder if you would be honored to tailor a few sets for me?"
In the years since their breakup, Shen Yu had been secretly following news about Lin Qingyue, and naturally noticed the difficult situation her brother was currently facing. Shen Yu remembered the rainy night when the young man, dejected, ran to his sister's house for refuge. He knew that Lin Qingyue claimed to dislike her brother, but in reality, she cared more than anyone else. She was a person who spoke hard but was soft-hearted. If he could help Lin Jinxuan, would she soften her attitude towards him when they had the chance to see each other again in the future?
On the appointed day, Shen Yu arrived as promised. He was thinner than a few years ago, and his temperament was more calm, but his beauty was not diminished at all. Instead, the hardships he had experienced added a bit of a broken and tough story. When he put on the clothes designed by Lin Jinxuan, the effect was even more amazing - the tailoring and texture of the clothes perfectly set off his temperament, and his own brilliance gave the clothes a soul. Lin Jinxuan looked at the model in front of him who seemed to have walked out of his design drawings, and was so excited that he couldn't speak.
Shen Yu not only ordered several suits, but also resolutely chose a suit designed by Lin Jinxuan when attending a well-known film festival. When he appeared on the red carpet, the media flashes instantly focused on him. Countless people asked which brand this uniquely tailored and outstanding dress was from.
Shen Yu faced the camera and answered calmly and clearly: "This is the work of my friend, independent designer Lin Jinxuan."
Overnight, the name "Lin Jinxuan" and his studio became a trending topic. The previously deserted online store was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of visitors, and all inventory was sold out, with orders pouring in.
While Lin Jinxuan was flattered, he knew full well that his humble reputation wasn't enough to attract such a popular star to offer his assistance. The only possible reason for this timely help was his sister.
With Shen Yu's help, Lin Jinxuan's studio got out of trouble and developed well. To express his gratitude, he specially booked a table at a good restaurant and solemnly invited Shen Yu to dinner.
During the meal, Lin Jinxuan sincerely thanked him: "Mr. Shen, this time it is really thanks to you. Thank you for your willingness to lend a hand when I was in the most difficult time."
Shen Yu just smiled gently: "Your design is very good and should be seen." His smile was still handsome, but Lin Jinxuan could sense a lingering sadness hidden under that smile.
After a few drinks, the atmosphere relaxed slightly. Lin Jinxuan hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Mr. Shen, you're helping me...because of my sister, right?"
Shen Yu's fingers holding the cup tightened slightly, neither admitting nor denying, silence itself was the answer.
Lin Jinxuan sighed lightly: "I only know that you broke up, and then she went to New York to handle the affairs of the branch. She never mentioned what happened specifically." He looked at Shen Yu with inquiry and sympathy in his eyes, "What happened to you...?"
Shen Yu lowered his eyelashes, hiding the surging emotions in his eyes. After a long time, he looked up, his voice trembling and almost humble pleading: "Jinxuan, I...can you do me a favor? I just want to see her again, there are some things I want to ask her in person."
Lin Jinxuan felt bad looking at this bright star who was so popular but now showed signs of vulnerability. But he still shook his head, his tone realistic and cruel:
"Mr. Shen, I'm very grateful for your help. But precisely because of this, I must tell the truth. My sister's personality is such that when she says she's breaking up, it's a complete end. She never leaves anything to chance, especially when it comes to things like this." He paused, recalling some rumors. "Any of her former playmates who didn't know what was good and wanted to cling to her after they broke up didn't end up well. She hates things that drag on and get out of control the most. If you insist on forcing a reunion, I'm afraid... it will only disgust her even more and exhaust the last bit of your affection."
Shen Yu's face turned pale little by little, and the light in his eyes was completely extinguished. He seemed to have lost all his strength and slowly put down the wine glass.
"...Really?" He murmured, his voice almost inaudible. "I see. Thanks for the reminder."
The atmosphere was extremely dull in the second half of the dinner. Shen Yu almost stopped talking. After the dinner, he declined Lin Jinxuan's farewell and left alone.
Lin Jinxuan looked at Shen Yu's distraught figure disappearing into the night, feeling mixed emotions.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
