Because I am Chu Ran, and always have been.
The sentence was very straightforward, but Lin Zhi gripped the bracelet tightly in his hand, staring blankly for a long while before he seemed to realize what it meant. In an instant, it was as if a thunderbolt exploded in his head, making his blood surge.
He blurted out, screaming, "You're not him! How could that be?! Stop lying!"
This person is his Chu Ran? The gentle and beautiful Chu Ran, the Chu Ran he loves and is intimate with every day? That's absolutely impossible!
How could he possibly fall deeply in love with a man who had a past entanglement with his father and whom he had hated and loathed since childhood?!
He won't believe it.
Jiang Chuting said, "I didn't lie, I..."
"Shut up! I don't want to listen to your nonsense!" Lin Zhi interrupted him angrily, her emotions running high. "You think you can become Chu Ran just by wearing his clothes and taking his things? Do you think I'll fall in love with you? Stop dreaming! You're not even worth a single hair on his head!"
“But he is me, and I am him, that’s a fact.” Jiang Chuting raised his hand to touch him, but Lin Zhi abruptly slapped his hand away and took a step back. “Don’t touch me! Get away! Get away from me!”
Lin Zhi's chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath, his eyes bloodshot. His once handsome face was now filled with a chilling coldness as he gritted his teeth and said, "You're not him! I don't want you! Where did you hide Chu Ran? Give him back to me right now!"
Even though she had anticipated his reaction, Jiang Chuting still felt a deep pain in her heart at his sight of such complete resistance.
Jiang Chuting's eyes reddened, and she tried hard to control the trembling of her lips as she forced herself to say, "Before you go to buy me sour plums this evening, tell me that once your mother agrees, we will get married."
This was indeed a conversation known only to him and Chu Ran. Lin Zhi's eyes widened in shock, and the seemingly solid barrier in his heart instantly crumbled. He still refused to accept it, coldly questioning, "Did you overhear this? You forced Chu Ran to tell you, didn't you? I won't fall for it!"
Jiang Chuting looked back at him and said, "Back in Changliu Manor, you told me that no matter what my status was, as long as I truly loved you, that was enough."
Lin Zhi's face grew increasingly grim, and she snapped at him, "Stop talking! You're not allowed to say another word!"
Jiang Chuting didn't pause and continued, "Once, I locked you out, making an excuse that I needed to apply medicine before letting you in after a long time. And a while ago, you went to fetch water, and I said I'd wait for you there, but you suddenly disappeared. That was because my disguise pill suddenly stopped working, and I didn't dare see you. Do you want me to say more?"
So that day, just when he thought he was about to catch up with Chu Ran, he was still left behind and instead saw the man with his hair down, soaking in a pool. Later, he even got the money pouch that he had originally left for Chu Ran and arrived at the agreed-upon inn.
Not only these, but also some of the previous unusual behaviors seem to be explained immediately.
Lin Zhi's eyes widened in shock, tears streamed down her face, and her breath trembled uncontrollably.
Even if you don't want to admit it, even if you try your best to resist this possibility, at this moment, you can no longer deceive yourself.
So, the person he truly loves has always been right in front of him?
And he was like a fool, being deceived for so long!
Lin Zhi suddenly raised his dark eyes and stared intently at Jiang Chuting's face, a face he had never wanted to look at before.
He was with Chu Ran right before nightfall, but in the blink of an eye, his Chu Ran was gone, vanished.
Now tell him that the face he's obsessed with is just a disguise, an illusion, not something that truly exists in this world. Even the name of the person he loves is fake.
The relationship he cherished and was deeply involved in was actually a deception.
Lin Zhi felt as if a piece of her heart had been suddenly ripped out. She was bewildered and helpless, in pain and panic. Something inside her body was being forcibly peeled away bit by bit, a torture comparable to being slowly sliced apart.
He felt that Chu Ran, whom he deeply loved, had been killed by the person in front of him.
He was shrouded in gloom, his eyes filled with malice as he said, "Jiang Chuting, do you find it fun to play with me? You must be very proud of yourself to see me so infatuated with you, loving you to death."
Jiang Chuting's eyes widened in shock and pain as she urgently said, "Lin Zhi, how could I be playing you? I truly love you, otherwise, why would I be with you?"
"I don't want your love! And the person I love isn't you!" Lin Zhi shouted stubbornly, her face streaked with tears. "The person I love is named Chu Ran, not Jiang Chuting!"
He was completely unwilling to accept that Chu Ran and Jiang Chuting were actually the same person. Jiang Chuting's face paled even more, and she said in a low voice, "The night I agreed to be with you at Xiangsi Xiaozhu, I asked you a question, do you remember? I said, 'Lin Zhi, look carefully, is the person you love standing in front of you me?' You answered, 'I look carefully, the person you love is me.'"
These words only served to remind Lin Zhi how ridiculous and ironic he had been, saying he hated him while simultaneously professing love for him! This person must think he's an absolute idiot!
Lin Zhi became increasingly angry and embarrassed, and blurted out, "I was blind and loved the wrong person. I didn't see clearly that the person standing in front of me was a scheming and treacherous liar. If I had known it was you, I would never have been with you!"
Jiang Chuting knew he was angry and might say anything, but he still couldn't help feeling hurt. His throat tightened, his bloodless lips moved, and he managed to say with difficulty, "Lin Zhi, you hate me simply because of those rumors from back then. But you've been with me for so long, can't you choose to trust your own judgment about what kind of person I am?"
"What kind of person are you, really?" Lin Zhi's eyes gleamed with an unyielding hostility as she stared at him with piercing eyes. "Only you know best what kind of person you are. How could I possibly judge you? And what ability do I have to do so?"
“I…” Jiang Chuting’s eyes dimmed, and she fell silent.
Lin Zhi glared at him: "You used the same scheme to get close to my father back then, didn't you? Years later, you even fooled his own son. You really have some skills." The more Lin Zhi spoke, the angrier he became. This man had once said he had a mutual love affair. How could he have known back then that this "mutual love" was related to his own father, and that it had become known throughout the entire martial arts world? This deep affection was truly earth-shattering!
Hearing him recount the past again, Jiang Chuting felt powerless. "I told you, you misunderstood this matter, but you always stubbornly insist on your own opinion. Back then, your father and I weren't like what you think."
Lin Zhi pressed on aggressively: "What if it wasn't like that? You weren't with him? You didn't love him? Or you didn't seduce him and have a secret rendezvous that everyone saw before his wedding?!"
He seemed to be radiating endless anger with every word, leaving no room for argument. Moreover, he firmly believed that what happened back then was his fault, and that continuing the conversation like this would be pointless. Jiang Chuting paused for a moment and said, "Lin Zhi, you are not calm right now. Can we not talk about your father for the time being?"
"No, why won't you mention it?!" Lin Zhi's eyes were icy cold as she said hatefully, "Are you feeling guilty? You can't deny it at all, and you even said I misunderstood. In fact, you are a shameless liar who plays with other people's feelings!"
Jiang Chuting felt a suffocating pain in her chest, and she didn't want to speak anymore, nor could she utter a word.
He was already injured and bleeding, and due to the emotional turmoil, he finally couldn't hold on any longer and swayed unsteadily with his eyes closed.
Seeing that he was about to fall, Lin Zhi's expression changed, and almost instinctively, she put her arm around his waist to support him.
After being with Chu Ran, he didn't know how many times he had hugged him. Although he had a different face, touching his body felt strangely familiar. This made Lin Zhi even more furious!
Jiang Chuting slowly opened his eyes, and their gazes met. Lin Zhi reacted as if he had been burned by fire, quickly releasing him with a sullen face and taking a step back.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you? With your martial arts skills, who could hurt you like this? You're trying to play the victim in front of me? Let me tell you, it's useless." Lin Zhi scoffed, declaring her stance with unwavering firmness, "You're not Chu Ran, and I won't show you any pity. Seeing your face will only make me hate you more!"
After the dizziness subsided, Jiang Chuting leaned against the wall and lowered her eyes. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Lin Zhi, your mother knows about my relationship with you, and she also... knows my true identity."
Lin Zhi's eyes widened immediately upon hearing this, and then she gritted her teeth and said, "So, don't tell me that you were injured like this by my mother?"
Jiang Chuting looked at him and tacitly agreed. She hadn't told him directly earlier because even if she had, he would have just thought it was a setup.
Sure enough, Lin Zhi laughed in anger: "If my mother knew your true identity, how could she not come to see me first? If she wanted to harm you, what were she doing all these past ten years? Even if my mother really wanted to do something to you, would your martial arts skills have resulted in such severe injuries?"
Jiang Chuting paused for a moment, then said, "Because of my internal energy..."
"Shut up. I don't want to hear your excuses. And don't put on this weak act. Who are you trying to fool?"
Jiang Chuting's head was spinning. He endured the intermittent cramps in his abdomen, pursed his pale lips, and lowered his long eyelashes, remaining silent. His hair was slightly disheveled, and there were still specks of blood on his fair, jade-like cheeks. A large patch of dark red was wet on his chest, and a strong smell of blood filled the air.
The blue crickets continued to tirelessly circle around him, their wings beating.
The sound enraged Lin Zhi, who grabbed it, crushed it, and threw it to the ground.
It was right at Jiang Chuting's feet.
Lin Zhi said expressionlessly, "Since you say my mother wants to kill you, then come with me back to the Lin family to confront my mother face to face. If you are wronging her, you'll be sorry."
Jiang Chuting looked up at him and gently shook her head: "Lin Zhi, it's pointless, because no matter what, you won't believe me."
Lin Xi deliberately avoided attacking Lin Zhi in front of him. Firstly, she wanted to strike first to prevent Lin Zhi from wavering and continuing to harbor feelings for him. Secondly, she didn't want Lin Zhi to see her true colors. After all, in Lin Zhi's mind, Lin Xi had been incredibly tolerant and forgiving towards him, the man who wanted to steal her husband, for over ten years. How could she possibly kill him outright?
Lin Xi failed to deal with him tonight, so she must be observing him in secret and making other plans. She has most likely already returned to Anyang.
Lin Zhi took him back to the Lin family to confront Lin Xi, but it wasn't really a confrontation; it was just listening to Lin Xi's one-sided account.
A dark glint appeared in Lin Zhiyou's eyes as he asked in a low voice, "So, you don't want to come back to the Lin family with me?"
“No.” Jiang Chuting sighed weakly, her dark, moist eyes fixed on him as she said, “Wherever you go, I will go. I want to be with you.”
Lin Zhi's lips twitched violently. He turned to face him and said, "I want you to come back to the Lin family with me just to expose your lies and leave you speechless. I don't want you to be with me, so don't overthink it!"
Jiang Chuting said, "I know."
"Good to know." After saying that, Lin Zhi stood there for a moment with a stern face before leaving first, exuding a chilling aura.
Jiang Chuting watched his retreating figure and let out a soft sigh of relief. No matter what, Lin Zhi hadn't said she wouldn't see him again, and that was enough.
Holding his sword, Jiang Chuting dragged his weak steps to a clinic. After spending a lot of time cleaning, applying medicine, and bandaging, he leaned back in a chair for a long time due to abdominal discomfort before returning to the inn.
As they were going up the stairs, they looked up and saw Lin Zhi, looking irritable, hurrying downstairs. After seeing each other, they both stopped in their tracks.
Jiang Chuting looked at Lin Zhi and asked, "Are you planning to come looking for me?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhi immediately exploded, glaring at him and saying, "Don't flatter yourself! Who would go looking for you? Who do you think you are?"
Lin Zhi continued downstairs, walking past him. Jiang Chuting turned back and took two steps after him, "Where are you going?"
"None of your business." Lin Zhi left him with only his retreating figure.
After returning to her room, Jiang Chuting stayed alone until almost dawn before changing out of her blood-stained clothes. With her bracelet taken away, her wrist felt empty and quite uncomfortable.
But that was given to Chu Ran by Lin Zhi, not to him.
About half an hour after changing her clothes, Lin Zhicai returned. He pushed open the door but didn't come in. He said to Jiang Chuting in a very bad tone, "Aren't you leaving yet? Are you waiting for me to carry you?"
Jiang Chuting picked up her packed bundle, stood up, and walked towards him, saying, "No, I can walk by myself." He lied first, he was in the wrong, and it wasn't unfair that he was treated so badly. Lin Zhi deserved to vent his anger.
Jiang Chuting thought that if she went along with him, he would be a little better, but for some reason, his expression became even more rigid. Without saying a word, he turned around and went downstairs.
After getting into the carriage, Lin Zhi sat on either side of him, glancing out the window and ignoring him.
Jiang Chuting had no energy to talk to him. He got out of the car and vomited several times in just half a day. He didn't eat much and vomited bitter water. The vomiting was so bad that it caused his wound to reopen, and a large bloodstain spread on his clothes.
The day before, Lin Zhi would probably have hugged him and cried with heartache, but now it was different. Lin Zhi didn't even give him a second glance, because the person who was injured and unwell was now "Jiang Chuting".
Lin Zhi distinguishes them very clearly.
They stopped to rest by a river. Jiang Chuting sat on a large rock by the river, staring blankly at the bottle containing the disguise pill.
If someone ate one of these, and Chu Ran's face appeared instead, would the atmosphere between the two of them ease up a bit?
Just then, a shadow loomed over him. Jiang Chuting looked up and saw Lin Zhi standing in front of him, staring at what he was holding.
"What's this?"
Jiang Chuting thought for a moment, then answered truthfully: "Disguise pill."
Lin Zhi's expression twisted for a moment, then he snatched the medicine bottle away and said coldly, "You don't think I'll treat you well if you disguise yourself as Chu Ran again? Do you think I'm a three-year-old? I will never allow you to impersonate him and insult him again!" As soon as he finished speaking, he threw the medicine bottle into the river with all his might, and it sank with a splash.
Jiang Chuting stood up, glanced in that direction, and when she turned her gaze back, Lin Zhi had already strode back into the carriage.
Jiang Chuting couldn't help but smile bitterly. It turned out that in Lin Zhi's heart, his existence was an insult to Chu Ran.
After another day of travel, the carriage finally entered Anyang.
The Lin family mansion was located in the south of the city, covering a vast area, with carved beams and painted rafters, numerous servants, and strict security. It was more like a huge villa or palace than a mansion.
This was Jiang Chuting's second time entering this place. He followed behind Lin Zhi, and the servants who came towards them all stepped aside and knelt down respectfully to greet him, "Young Master."
They knelt the whole way they walked.
Lin Zhi kept his eyes straight ahead and walked extremely fast. Jiang Chuting felt heavy-hearted and quickly fell far behind.
The servants all had their eyes downcast and didn't look up. When Jiang Chuting passed by a covered walkway, a young male servant who had been kneeling beside her suddenly raised his face. Jiang Chuting noticed and looked over. Their eyes met in the air.
Even after Jiang Chuting had walked past, he couldn't help but turn back to look at him, and the handsome servant was also staring at Jiang Chuting, not avoiding his gaze.
Jiang Chuting's heart stirred slightly. Why did this person seem somewhat familiar? This person had also been staring at him. Could it be that he also knew him?
Lost in thought, his already slow pace faltered, and he saw the servant suddenly lower his head again.
Jiang Chuting turned around and saw Lin Zhi, who had already walked ahead, appear in front of her.
Lin Zhi said to him, "Do you think I invited you here as a guest? What are you dawdling around for?"
Jiang Chuting said, "I'm sorry, I'll catch up."
Lin Zhi glanced at the kneeling servants out of the corner of his eye, then walked to the front. Jiang Chuting quickened her pace.
To Jiang Chuting's surprise, Lin Zhi did not directly ask him to see Lin Xi, but instead took him to a very secluded courtyard, did not even glance at him, and turned to leave.
This is definitely not Lin Zhi's place. Jiang Chuting called out to him sadly, "Lin Zhi, aren't you living with me?"
Lin Zhi stood still for a moment before turning around, giving a sneer, and asking in return, "Why should I live with you?"
Jiang Chuting had no rebuttal. Things were different now than before. Lin Zhi hated him whenever she saw him, so naturally she would avoid seeing him if she could.
Jiang Chuting didn't press the matter further, lest he become even more disgusted. She took two steps back with a dejected expression and sat quietly on the stool.
After a while, he noticed that the person outside the door hadn't left yet, and a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes. He stood up and called out to him, "Lin Zhi, you..."
Lin Zhi roared at him in extreme anger, "What do you mean 'you'? You just stay here quietly by yourself!"
This time he's really gone. Jiang Chuting watched his figure disappear quickly and sighed softly.
Lin Zhi was furious and strode away from the side courtyard. He didn't know why he was angry; he just got angry whenever he saw him, and even angrier when he couldn't see him.
In less than a day, he felt that his feelings had been ruthlessly destroyed. He was determined not to let that despicable liar get away with it and torment him to death!
When Lin Zhi passed through the garden, Chun Tao blocked his way.
"Young master, the madam requests your presence."
Lin Zhiyi composed himself and said in a deep voice, "I was just about to go find her."
Although his mother didn't manage household affairs much, his return home with that man would surely alarm her. He needed to give her an explanation, and there was something he needed to clarify.
Lin Zhi followed Chun Tao to Lin Xi's residence. He had been away from home for more than half a year and had not seen his mother for a long time. As soon as he entered the house, he saw that her face was pale and tears were streaming down her face.
Lin Zhi was surprised and quickly stepped forward, knelt down at her knees, took her hand, and asked with concern, "Mother, what's wrong?"
Lin Xi, her eyes red, withdrew her hand and stroked his cheek. "Lin Zhi, tell me, why did you bring that person back to the Lin family? Did you want to embarrass your mother?"
Her tears flowed even more, and she looked very sad. Lin Zhi quickly said, "No, of course that's not what I meant. I brought him back for another reason."
Lin Xi looked at him with teary eyes and pressed, "Other intentions? What intentions?"
Lin Zhi didn't answer. She gritted her teeth and cautiously asked, "Mother, it was indeed him who seduced my father back then, and he was caught in the act before your wedding, wasn't that right?"
Lin Xi's face paled even more, as if she were lost in unpleasant memories. She closed her eyes tightly in distress before saying in a trembling voice, "That's right, it's true. At that time, the two of them were in bed, their clothes disheveled, a truly disgusting sight..."
On the bed, his clothes were disheveled and an eyesore.
Although he had heard the rumors many times before, this was the first time he had heard his mother say it herself. Lin Zhi quickly conjured up a corresponding image in his mind, and a flame in his heart suddenly shot through his entire body, burning his eyes until they turned a scarlet red.
Lin Zhi clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. If he were holding anything at that moment, it would surely have been pulverized.
Lin Xi, with tears in her eyes, watched his expression. He seemed unable to continue, so she wiped away her tears with a handkerchief before saying, "Lin Zhi, I didn't talk to you about these things much before, just so you wouldn't grow up with hatred. But that doesn't mean I can accept him appearing in front of me."
Lin Zhi was lost in his own thoughts and didn't speak for a moment.
Lin Xi cupped his face, making him look at her, and asked with a hint of caution in her eyes, "Son, you wouldn't have fallen in love with him like your father, would you?"
Lin Zhi instinctively denied it, her voice much louder than before: "How could that be? How could I possibly fall in love with him?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Xi patted her chest and let out a long sigh of relief, saying with lingering fear, "That's good. Otherwise, if you were like your father, I would have no choice but to die."
Lin Zhixin's heart sank at the last sentence. After a pause, she said to Lin Xi, "I don't love him at all, but... he fell in love with me. I brought him back only to play with him and then dump him, so that you can get revenge."
Lin Xi suddenly quieted down, staring intently at him.
"Mother..." Lin Zhi felt uneasy under her unreadable gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't you want me to avenge you?"
Lin Xi's gaze softened with pity as she looked at him, and she sighed, "Why wait until today to get revenge on him? There are countless ways to get revenge on him, so why should I wrong you? Just let him go and don't let him succeed."
Lin Zhi asked, "Successfully? What did he succeed at?"
Lin Xi frowned and said, "Silly child, don't you know how much you look like your father? There are so many men in the world, why did he choose to be obsessed with you and fall in love with you? Maybe he just sees you as a substitute for your father. If he doesn't really love you, how can you get revenge on him?"
It was like being doused with a bucket of ice water in the dead of winter, a bone-chilling cold. Lin Zhi's dark eyes remained fixed and motionless, and he didn't say anything. After a long while, he suddenly stood up and walked outside.
Lin Xi called out, "Lin Zhi! Where are you going?"
Lin Zhi stopped, without turning her head, and asked, "Mother, have you gone out these past two days?"
Lin Xi asked, puzzled, "I've been at home the whole time, why are you asking this?"
Lin Zhi squeezed her eyes shut. "It's nothing, just asking... Mother, I have my own plans for him, so don't interfere. Don't worry, I won't let him get in your way." With that, she strode away, completely forgetting about the medicine trial she had originally intended to ask her.
Lin Xi got up and followed him outside the door, her gaze following his departing figure until he was out of sight. Then she bit her lower lip, twisting the handkerchief in her hand tightly, her expression becoming somewhat neurotic.
She absolutely cannot let that man take her son away, absolutely not.
Jiang Chuting stayed in the room for a long time without any servants appearing. It was probably because Lin Zhi had given the order, which allowed her to have some peace and quiet.
I doubt he'll come again today.
Jiang Chuting noticed that the wound seemed to be bleeding again, so she opened her bundle, took out some medicine, and changed the dressing herself.
While tidying up his clothes, he saw the wad of cloth wrapped around the hairpin again. He reached out, took out the broken hairpin, and sat down to examine it carefully.
If only he could get more clues through his dreams. He didn't know how long Lin Zhi would tolerate him staying in the Lin family, and he wanted to find out the cause of Zi Que's death as soon as possible. But ever since the hairpin broke, the occasional fragments of dreams he received were always brief and broken.
I wonder if repairing the wooden hairpin would be of any use.
He lacked the skills and was pondering how to repair the two broken hairpins when a voice suddenly rang out from the doorway: "What are you doing? Reminiscing about someone while looking at these things?"
Jiang Chuting was surprised that Lin Zhi had returned so quickly. She paused for a moment before getting up and looking at him as he slowly approached.
He had little expression, but his eyes looked somewhat frightening.
Jiang Chuting realized that his behavior might be related to the hairpin in her hand, and tried to hide it discreetly.
"What are you hiding? What's there to hide?" Lin Zhi walked up to him, grabbed his wrist tightly, and lifted his clenched hand slightly. His dark eyes were unfathomable. "You've used it for over ten years, and you can't bear to throw it away even when it breaks. You're so affectionate, tsk tsk."
Jiang Chuting knew that Lin Zhi must have guessed who gave him the wooden hairpin, but he didn't expect her to suddenly come and settle the score with him. He quickly explained, "I haven't used it since I got together with you."
"You've never used it, but you always secretly relieved your lovesickness behind my back, so focused that you didn't even notice when I came, right?"
"It's not what you think. I've discovered something suspicious about your father's death back then, and it might even be related to that matter we've been investigating, so..."
"So, what clues can you glean from staring at this broken hairpin?"
Jiang Chuting did hope to find some clues, but if he said it, Lin Zhi would definitely think he was making excuses.
He fell silent, but Lin Zhi's eyes blazed with fury. "If there's anything suspicious about my father's death, that's my job to investigate. What's it to you? Give me the hairpin." He then tried to pry Jiang Chuting's hand off, but Jiang Chuting pulled his hand away, preventing him from succeeding.
What do you want to do with the hairpin?
Lin Zhi gritted his teeth and said, "Burn it. Don't leave any more behind."
Lin Zhi meant it when he said it was burned; he wasn't joking. Jiang Chuting shook his head, his attitude resolute. "You can't take it. Believe it or not, this hairpin might actually provide me with clues." Not only the cause of Zi Que's death, but also the truth behind the drug trials, were mostly related to the Lin family. Lin Zhi trusted Lin Xi implicitly and wouldn't investigate his own family; only Jiang Chuting could do it. If the hairpin was still usable, it would give him a significant advantage.
Lin Zhi sneered: "What a high-sounding excuse."
Jiang Chuting said earnestly, "Lin Zhi, your father and I are a thing of the past. He is no longer alive. Why do you still care about what a deceased person left behind? I promise you, after I finish investigating this matter, I will completely seal it away and never take it out again, okay?"
No matter how much she talked, she still wouldn't hand it over. The hairpin he'd used since childhood, the one he'd met again as an adult, was still in use; even after it broke, he wouldn't throw it away. Such deep affection, such cherished love—it was truly touching. Lin Zhi gave a sinister smile and nodded, saying, "Yes, my father is long gone. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gone to such lengths to get close to me, your substitute."
A stand-in? Jiang Chuting's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected that Lin Zhi wasn't just concerned about his past relationship with Zi Que, but rather that she saw him as a stand-in for Zi Que.
Jiang Chuting found it unbelievable and vehemently denied it: "I didn't."
Lin Zhi didn't believe him at all. She grabbed his shoulders with both hands and asked in a cold voice, "I'm asking you, when I was a child, you saved me and kept me by your side to take care of me. Was it because of my name?"
Yun Que, Yun Zi Que. I vaguely remember that after I told him my name, he repeated it.
She had cherished Chu Ran's gentleness and beauty deep in her heart for so many years, which led to her falling in love with him the moment they met again, unable to suppress the surging emotions in her heart.
But now I suddenly realize that my initial attraction stemmed from this person's feelings for his father.
That's so embarrassing!
Jiang Chuting, unaware of his thoughts, only felt distressed as he continued to ramble on. "Lin Zhi, why dwell on things from so many years ago? How old were you then? And even if you hadn't used that name, I would still have saved you and taken care of you. Is that really so important?"
"It doesn't matter?! Yes, nothing matters to you except this face of mine that resembles my father's! My identity, appearance, name—all of it was a lie, and now even my feelings are a lie. Jiang Chuting, do I look like someone so easy to mess with?" Lin Zhi remembered the first time he intercepted this person at the foot of Nine Heavens Mountain; it felt like he was looking at someone else through this person's face. An action he once despised had now become a knife cutting into his heart, making him want to crush this person to pieces!
Another time, he heard this person talking in their sleep at night. He only caught a vague sound and assumed it was someone calling his childhood name, and even indulged in some wishful thinking. Now, he just felt a burning pain in his face!
Hearing this made Jiang Chuting feel terrible, so she could only express her feelings to him: "I love you, can't you feel it? I really don't know why you doubt my feelings for you, but I can tell you clearly that I don't see you as a substitute for your father. If I hadn't fallen in love with you, even if you looked exactly like him, I wouldn't have agreed to be with you. Lin Zhi, you can be angry with me, but can you please stop questioning me like this?"
Lin Zhi's expression did not soften at all upon hearing this. Instead, she raised her voice slightly and said, "You make it sound so nice? Fine, I'll give you a chance to prove it now."
Lin Zhi stared intently at his face and continued, "Hand over the hairpin in your hand to me immediately, and I'll trust you."
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