Chapter 96 Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, I will love you forever...
Cui Yiluo's fingers trembled as if she had been electrocuted, and she struggled to pull them back, but he pressed them even tighter, the uneven texture of his palm sending a tingling sensation through her chest.
Jiang Yunjin gripped her wrist with great force, forcing her to pinch him. He winced in pain and let out a muffled groan.
It instantly pulled her back to that night two weeks ago, when the curtains were drawn, his head was hanging down beside her ear, and stray hairs were brushing against her cheek.
Cui Yiluo's hand trembled, and she quickly pulled it back.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes briefly, and then calmly said, "Jiang Yunjin, I don't like you, so I don't want to marry you. If you don't publicly say we're over in a month, then I'll say it myself."
The incident happened suddenly tonight. If it is made public a month later, it will not cause too much damage to either her reputation or Jiang Yunjin's.
To be honest, she had indeed shamefully wavered for a moment just now; the conditions he offered were too tempting. For over a year, wasn't it because of his face and body that she had, knowing it shouldn't be this way, cheated on Lan Hui and the rest of the Jiang family with him, and had been his casual sex partner for so long?
Anyway, by now, everyone knows they're together, and not just recently, but over a year ago; even Lan Hui knows.
Fortunately, her worst fears had come true, though she embellished it slightly, thinking they were just a couple. The worst outcome would be to confess to Lan Hui; it couldn't be worse than that.
As for Jiang Yunjin saying that he had liked her for a long time, she didn't even know when it started, let alone that the usually calm, self-controlled, and rule-abiding person would one day act ruthlessly and lose his mind to the point of being reckless.
The evening breeze made the wisteria vines sway gently, and the light from the distant streetlights shone on Jiang Yunjin's cold and resolute profile, giving his pale skin a touch of warm jade color. However, the other half of his face, shrouded in shadow, was gloomy and cold, and even the few rays of warm light could not dispel the chill.
Even offering his looks as a bargaining chip was rejected without mercy. His face darkened horribly, his dark eyes fixed on her, and his words seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth: "Marry me, and you can use me to appease your family. No one will force you to go on blind dates anymore, and no one will use you as a bargaining chip. A'Luo, are you not even willing to use me?"
Cui Yiluo was stunned. Her family background was complicated, a dark side of her life, and she didn't want Jiang Yunjin to know any of those sordid things, not even a little bit.
However, it was clear that Lan Yi was too eager for Hui Guang tonight. First, she brought Yuan Ling and Madam Yuan to socialize with her. Then, after Jiang Yunjin said that they were engaged, she repeatedly hinted at her relationship with her mother and daughter. The ladies and socialites present could see the hidden thoughts in her words, and Jiang Yunjin certainly could too.
Cui Yiluo clenched her fist. "Since you know my family situation, why did you do this tonight? Didn't you guess that tomorrow, those people from the Cui family might come to your company, try every means to contact you, try to get involved with you, ask you to invest or introduce connections, and even use your name to show off when they go out?"
Even she herself was in the process of getting rid of the Cui family. Jiang Yunjin had a stellar reputation in the business world of City A and was respected by many people. There was really no need for her to wade into the Cui family's mess.
It's not worth it. She can't drag him down with her and hold him back.
She pointed out the cruelest reality, thinking that Jiang Yunjin would rationally weigh the pros and cons and give up on her. But she saw the man's eyes flicker slightly, and his dark eyes seemed to seep in a few scattered lights from afar. The ice and snow just now melted away.
He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
Are you worried about me?
Cui Yiluo pushed against his chest, "No."
Jiang Yunjin restrained her wrist, holding it tightly in his hand, ignoring her repeated denials, "You said you don't like me, that's a lie. If you didn't like me, you wouldn't worry about me."
Cui Yiluo didn't know what logic he used to arrive at this conclusion. She frowned and opened her mouth to refute him. Even if she was worried about him, it was only because he used to be her cousin and took good care of her. She wasn't the kind of ungrateful person.
But he seemed to see through her thoughts and interrupted her sharply: "Don't tell me it's because of your cousin relationship. Mingxun is also your cousin, or even your blood cousin, but I haven't seen you distance yourself from him. And you avoided me before, that was because of the Cui family, you didn't want to involve me, right? This time, if you really hate me that much, and are so unwilling, you won't consider my situation."
He stared intently at her, his sharp gaze seeming to pierce through everything. "You can't possibly have no feelings for me at all."
Jiang Yunjin spoke with certainty, as if he was already certain that she liked him.
Cui Yiluo found it utterly absurd. "I only consider you my cousin. If they want to use me to take advantage of my second cousin, I'll be worried about him too."
What he said seemed to be true; she really didn't want to get involved with him, but that didn't mean she liked him.
"Really? You only see me as your cousin, nothing more? Then why did you kiss me that night? Why were you willing to sleep with me? You clearly recognized me."
Cui Yiluo wanted to retort, but she couldn't say a word for several seconds.
That night, she hugged him and straddled him. He grabbed her waist to restrain her and asked her coldly if she still recognized him. She replied that he was her cousin.
He pressed her to tell him which cousin she was, and she replied that it was Shenzhi's cousin.
Her vision was somewhat blurred by the alcohol, but she felt that his complexion had softened, and his face looked even more handsome under the light. His usually aloof eyes were also misty. She couldn't resist and kissed him directly.
She thought he would push her away, but instead he parted his thin lips and gently sucked on hers, his tongue entwining with hers. His movements were clumsy, and his teeth even knocked against her lips several times, but his arms pulled her closer and closer into his embrace, kissing her more and more deeply.
Before entering her, Jiang Yunjin confirmed one more time that she knew who he was. After she answered, he leaned down and kissed her, simultaneously lowering himself into her body. What followed was a natural progression.
She just thought it was because he was drunk that he did that.
Her feelings for him were indeed not simple; at least she didn't just see him as a cousin.
She remained silent, which made it even less likely that Jiang Yunjin would let her off easily. She lowered her eyes and turned her face away to avoid his gaze. He wrapped one arm around her and pinched her chin with the other, turning her face back and forcing her to look at him.
"say."
Cui Yiluo was almost unable to withstand his offensive. Jiang Yunjin was a very perceptive person. No matter what she said, he could find a flaw in her words. She could not admit it, so she simply kept quiet, bit her lip tightly, and glared at him.
Jiang Yunjin raised his thumb, which was gripping her chin, and pressed it against her soft lips. "Don't bite yourself."
Cui Yiluo tried to push his wrist away, but she couldn't budge him no matter what she did, and she stubbornly refused to give in.
Jiang Yunjin didn't press his lips too hard. He knew she was very stubborn, and if he pressed harder, she would press harder too. He was afraid of really hurting her.
A stalemate ensued.
Jiang Yunjin suddenly loosened his grip, withdrew his thumb, and then pinched her chin again. Just as Cui Yilu thought he had given in, he leaned down and kissed her lips.
He easily pried open her teeth. Before Cui Yilu could react, she felt his tongue lightly sweep across the spot she was biting, as if to soothe her. A small mark was left on it, uneven and moist, the soft texture mingling with the lingering pain, sending a tingling, electric-like sensation through her heart.
Cui Yiluo was wearing high heels tonight, and her legs were already sore and weak. Now she was even more unsteady on her feet and subconsciously tried to back away, but he nimbly pressed the back of her head down, preventing her from separating from him.
He relentlessly and forcefully drew her into a passionate kiss, stealing her breath away. On the verge of drowning, she managed to bite him hard with her last shred of reason before he finally pulled away.
The passionate kiss left them both breathless, their lips glistening with moisture. Jiang Yunjin's eyes were filled with affection as he gently traced her lips with his fingertips, as if forcing her to admit how moved she had just been, emphasizing, "Baby, you can't possibly not like me."
Cui Yiluo felt that Jiang Yunjin had completely gone mad. He was even using that name under the bed, and it was something that someone who had never been involved in love was using. It was really shameful.
She shoved him again in anger, and sneered, "Think what you want, I'm going back. Remember what I said, if you don't announce our breakup within a month, I'll go and tell them myself."
"Okay, one month then."
His attitude suddenly changed drastically, and he actually agreed. Cui Yiluo turned to look at him in surprise, only to meet his deep gaze fixed on her, the coercion he exuded like the determination to have his prey locked on.
Her heart skipped a beat, sensing that things wouldn't be that simple. But after what had just happened, Cui Yiluo didn't want to get entangled with him anymore and turned to leave.
He grabbed my arm.
Cui Yiluo protested, "What are you going to do now?"
"I want to tell you that I had already thought of everything you just mentioned about the Cui family."
Cui Yiluo's resistance abruptly stopped, and she frowned: "You even thought of this in advance..."
“If I want to marry you, of course I want to face things together with you. If I’m afraid of even this little thing and can’t handle it, why should I marry you? Is this what you’re worried about and that’s why you won’t marry me? Well, let me tell you now, you never need to worry about these things. I will never give up on you for anything.”
Jiang Yunjin straightened his expression and looked at her with utmost seriousness, as if making the most sincere promise. Cui Yiluo knew that he was not a smooth talker; on the contrary, he was usually a man of few words, doing more than he said, and always keeping his word.
His words stunned Cui Yiluo into silence for a long time before she finally said in a dry voice, "Jiang Yunjin, you are a madman."
The Cui family is full of ulterior motives, and he acts with integrity; how can he possibly deal with them? She can't drag him down with her, and he has no reason to sacrifice anything for her.
Anyway, if he doesn't make it public in a month, she'll do it herself; she won't have any further dealings with Jiang Yunjin.
But amidst her resolve, a conflicting thought suddenly arose within her: could she and Jiang Yunjin truly end things completely? She couldn't possibly never see Lan Hui again, but seeing Lan Hui might mean seeing Jiang Yunjin again.
However, although Jiang Yunjin is stubborn and old-fashioned, he can't keep wasting time on her forever. Perhaps he will figure it out on his own soon.
Cui Yiluo turned and left, and this time he didn't stop her.
The man stood there, watching her enter the banquet hall, before taking out his phone and making a call.
-
Cui Yiluo's guess was accurate. The next day, the news that she and Jiang Yunjin were engaged and were fiancé spread throughout the entire circle. Even her long-lost girlfriends sent her messages to congratulate her, while others tried to test her.
Jiang Zhaoyue missed a lot yesterday because she wasn't there, and only found out about this today. She even said she was going to come to her dormitory building today.
Meanwhile, in the president's office of the Jiang Group, Cui Qi and Cui Jun followed suit, entering with their heads held high as they walked in, after all, Jiang Yunjin was a rising star, now the son-in-law of the Cui family. But once they reached the president's office, their demeanor became increasingly reserved.
Wen Feng observed this and led them through several security gates before arriving at Jiang Yunjin's office and pressing the bell.
The heavy doors slid open to the sides, revealing Jiang Yunjin, dressed in a suit and tie, sitting upright and reading documents. He only stood up when he saw Cui Qi and the other person being led by Wen Feng to sit on the sofa in the reception area.
Jiang Yunjin had just sat down on the opposite sofa and hadn't even asked a question when Cui Qi hurriedly said, "President Jiang, I haven't congratulated you on your engagement yet. That Yiluo is really something, not even telling the family about such a big event. But don't worry, Yiluo is generally obedient and sensible, and will definitely be very responsible in the future..."
Jiang Yunjin gently turned the ring, his lowered eyes growing colder, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.
Wen Feng quickly interrupted, "President Cui, what important matter brings your son here today?"
When the topic turned to business, Cui Qi became a little excited. "Actually, it's nothing much. Cui's Group has a new project that's all going well. Jun'er has been participating and learning from it, but we're just short of an investment, which is about this amount."
Cui Qi made a gesture and said with a forced smile, "President Jiang, we'll be family from now on. If the Cui Group prospers, it will benefit both Yi Luo and you. Why don't you have some free time when I can have them report to you, and you can consider it after you understand?"
"No need, I can invest."
Jiang Yunjin spoke calmly, and Cui Qi and Cui Jun exchanged a glance, both excited. They hadn't expected that Jiang Yunjin, who was usually so composed, would actually let them have whatever they wanted because of Cui Yiluo. This amount was enormous for the Cui family, but Jiang Yunjin agreed without batting an eye. It seemed that their family was going to prosper in the future. They hadn't expected Cui Yiluo to be so useful.
But before the two could even enjoy their happiness for two seconds, Jiang Yunjin added, "However, I have two conditions."
Cui Qi hurriedly replied, "President Jiang, please speak."
“I will invest, but in my personal capacity.”
Cui Qi and Cui Jun hesitated for a second. Jiang Yunjin was investing in his personal name, which meant the money would go into his private account. It certainly wouldn't have the same reputational boost as investing in the Jiang family's name. But having an investment was better than nothing. So, after only a second of hesitation, Cui Qi hurriedly agreed. Cui Jun, on the other hand, seemed somewhat disappointed and dissatisfied.
"What is the other condition?"
Jiang Yunjin stopped turning the ring on his finger and said slowly, "No one from the Cui family is allowed to contact Yiluo anymore, and you are not allowed to tell her about my investment."
He did this willingly because he loved her, not because he wanted her to feel indebted to him, to repay him, or to make amends.
Cui Jun couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "How can this be allowed?"
They were hoping to get in touch with the Jiang family through Cui Yiluo, and then connect with the Jiang family's network of connections. If they didn't contact Cui Yiluo, wouldn't they have made their money and then stopped?
Cui Qi would certainly not agree, but he was more mature than Cui Jun. He first stopped Cui Jun from resisting, and then smiled at Jiang Yunjin and said, "This is not a good idea, President Jiang. I am Yi Luo's biological father after all, and although her mother did not give birth to her, she has always been very good to her. President Jiang, you can't stop us from connecting with our daughter, can you? Besides, it wouldn't sound good if word got out."
Jiang Yunjin's eyes grew even colder.
Clearly, Cui Qi was certain that Cui Yiluo wouldn't reveal anything about her family to anyone in the Jiang family. In fact, she never did; over the years, she had never once spoken to him about her family. In his presence, she always presented a strong and resilient image, but he knew that secretly she was preparing to leave the Cui family.
"Since President Cui does not agree, please leave."
After saying that, Jiang Yunjin made a move to get up.
"Wait, I promise."
Cui Qi hurriedly replied.
It's just an engagement now. Who knows if Cui Yiluo will eventually marry into the Jiang family? Of course, we should seize the opportunity. Besides, he is Cui Yiluo's biological father. Jiang Yunjin has no way to legally sever his relationship with Cui Yiluo. It's easy for him to contact his daughter.
But when he looked up, he saw Jiang Yunjin staring at him intently, his gaze sharp, exuding the domineering aura of someone who had dominated the business world. Cui Qi couldn't help but feel a pang of panic.
Jiang Yunjin seemed to see through his thoughts and said, "President Cui should remember what he promised, otherwise it is not certain whether Cui's Group can continue to operate smoothly."
His gaze was sharp, and even Cui Qi, who had lived for almost half his life, felt a chill run down his spine. He was actually frightened by a junior.
Jiang Yunjin certainly has many ways to bring down the Cui family. The fact that he's willing to give them this investment today is just a final show of politeness as he negotiates terms with them.
Having grown up under the strict upbringing of the Jiang family, they have a bottom line in their actions. They have also financially supported Cui Yiluo for more than ten years. It was because of this that Jiang Yunjin used bargaining to force them to sever ties with Cui Yiluo.
However, they are not like him, who strictly adhere to the rules. Because of his blood relationship with Cui Yiluo, he can continue to profit from Cui Yiluo.
Cui Qi left with mixed feelings, while Cui Jun, unaware of what was going on, assumed that Jiang Yunjin had been tricked and left with his father with a smug expression.
Silence returned to the CEO's office.
He tentatively asked, "President Jiang, what's your plan?"
Jiang Yunjin said calmly, "Proceed as usual."
He lowered his eyes upon hearing this, then went out to take care of it.
The Cui family never imagined that regardless of whether they agreed to sever ties with Cui Yiluo, the Cui family was doomed. That investment was more like a last meal, a death sentence. Outsiders only saw Jiang Yunjin's decisive and upright actions, but they were unaware of his ruthless side.
However, basically, all his actions were for Cui Yiluo.
The president's office fell silent again. Jiang Yunjin unlocked his phone and opened WeChat. He had done this countless times in the past few days, and his movements were quite practiced.
He stared at the screen filled with green chat boxes, his sharp eyebrows furrowing tightly.
She won't even reply to his messages anymore? Not even a single punctuation mark.
Cui Yiluo frowned as she looked at her phone screen.
Her roommate's voice pulled her back to reality: "Yi Luo, what's wrong? Did something happen? You've been staring at your phone for ages."
Cui Yiluo quickly replied to her roommate, "It's nothing."
She just didn't know how to reply to the message.
The nickname above the chat window was still "Big Cousin," but the person on the other end had gone crazy for some reason, sending her good morning and good night messages every day for several days in a row, like a daily check-in, and also sending some trivial daily news, as if reporting to her.
For the first time, she didn't know how to reply to someone's message. In the past, Cui Yiluo had always simply blocked those persistent suitors, and even her family members were on her blacklist. These past few days, Lan Yi had been trying to get her to bring Jiang Yunjin home, so she blocked Lan Yi as well.
But Jiang Yunjin is different.
Moreover, even though she didn't reply, the other person seemed oblivious to her indifference and continued to send her messages without fail.
She even considered messaging him to ask if his account had been hacked, but looking at the everyday snippets he sent her, Cui Yiluo could immediately tell that they were indeed Jiang Yunjin's daily routines. His tone was stiff and immature, as if he were sharing his daily life with someone for the first time.
Cui Yiluo frowned as she scrolled through the chat box. The screen was filled with messages from him, densely packed. Why was he sending her all of these?
Cui Yiluo didn't know how to reply, so she simply left it at that and let him continue posting. She thought he would stop after a few more days, but he didn't miss a single day, and the frequency didn't decrease.
Just after midnight on Cui Yiluo's birthday, her phone vibrated a few times. Cui Yiluo swiped through the chat list and saw Jiang Yunjin's profile picture standing out among the birthday wishes sent by Jiang Zhaoyue and some close friends.
Happy birthday, baby.
Cui Yiluo's resolve softened slightly; after so many days of his messages, she wanted to reply. But who gave him permission to call her that? And he'd gotten addicted to it.
She deftly swiped to the left, simply setting his chat window to not display.
But after that, Jiang Yunjin never sent any more messages.
That morning, Lan Hui called her to wish her a happy birthday and asked if she wanted to come over for lunch. Cui Yiluo hesitated for a moment. Going to the Jiang family might allow her to see Jiang Yunjin, but it wasn't the weekend, and Jiang Yunjin usually didn't stay at the Jiang family home, so there was a high probability they wouldn't run into each other. Therefore, she agreed.
Lan Hui said she would have her driver pick her up in the evening.
Jiang Zhaoyue came to find her for lunch at noon.
Didn't your aunt invite you home for dinner tonight?
Jiang Zhaoyue shook her head blankly, "No."
"No?"
Lan Hui invited her to have dinner at the Jiang family home, so it was impossible for her not to bring Jiang Zhaoyue along.
"By the way, I haven't questioned you yet. When did you and your cousin get engaged?"
Faced with Jiang Zhaoyue's questioning, Cui Yiluo didn't know where to begin. She unconsciously poked at the grains of rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, and said with a slight frown, "This matter is a bit complicated."
She was pondering how to explain to Jiang Zhaoyue that she and Jiang Yunjin were not actually together when she heard Jiang Zhaoyue say, "What's so complicated about it? I've known for a long time that you and your cousin are together."
"Huh?" Cui Yiluo was taken aback: "You knew all along?"
Jiang Zhaoyue picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs from her bowl and nodded smugly, "Yes, it's so obvious."
Cui Yiluo's hands were stiff. Was it obvious? She and Jiang Yunjin had barely met in the eyes of outsiders. Their only connection was the Jiang family. Yet Jiang Zhaoyue had noticed this early on, and even thought they were dating.
Jiang Zhaoyue continued, "Back then at the beach, when he took you surfing, were you two already together?"
Cui Yiluo was stunned. They hadn't even slept in bed together back then, how could that be?
Seeing her reaction, Jiang Zhaoyue also began to have doubts: "Isn't that right? I thought you two were already together back then."
Cui Yiluo remembered that the time Jiang Yunjin took her surfing was after they finished their college entrance exams, when she and Jiang Zhaoyue planned to go abroad to the beach. Yang Jingling was also on the trip, and since Yang Jingling was there, Jiang Mingxun naturally came along too, but surprisingly, Jiang Yunjin was also on the list.
She didn't think much of it at the time, assuming that Lan Hui was worried about them and asked Jiang Yunjin to come and help take care of them. From childhood to adulthood, Jiang Yunjin had always been a reliable older brother.
Jiang Zhaoyue and Jiang Mingxun are both skilled surfers. This time, they're kitesurfing, which is more difficult than traditional surfing, and neither Cui Yiluo nor Yang Jingling are very good at it. Seeing that Yang Jingling wanted to try, Jiang Mingxun offered to carry her, and Yang Jingling immediately agreed, asking him to carry her.
Now Cui Yiluo was left alone on the beach. She simply lay down on a beach chair and started drinking juice, quite content with herself, though she would occasionally glance at the sea. The kite, billowing in the sea breeze, glided gracefully in the air, curved into a crescent shape.
"Want to play? I'll show you how."
A man's low voice suddenly came from behind.
Cui Yiluo turned around and saw Jiang Yunjin standing beside her, wearing a black one-piece swimsuit, looking down at her. The black swimsuit clung to his body, outlining his smooth and handsome physique. His muscles were well-proportioned, and one could vaguely feel the power stored beneath.
He usually has a cool and aloof demeanor, which makes him seem distant but is actually quite peaceful. Today, wearing all black, he appears sharper and his features are more defined.
He seemed to have just changed his gear. Perhaps he saw her before going into the water and came over to ask her out politely, Cui Yilu thought at the time.
Cui Yiluo glanced at the few small dots on the sea whose faces were indistinct, soaring freely on the waves, and nodded in agreement.
Jiang Yunjin carried her on his back. At first, she was still careful and tried her best not to let her body touch him. But as he gripped the handle and controlled the kite, and the speed increased, Cui Yiluo couldn't care less in the exciting high speed. She hugged his neck tightly, afraid of falling into the sea.
The waves were sharply cut by the surfboard, and the sea breeze hit her face. Cui Yiluo watched the sea view rush by, and a corner of her vision was occupied by the man's taut jawline, which looked as sharp as if it had been carved by a fine brush. His wispy hair was stuck to her cheek, and in the heat of their contact, she could clearly feel the man's taut and strong muscles.
Amidst the thrilling excitement, Cui Yiluo was slightly shocked. In her eyes, Jiang Yunjin was indifferent, yet when he went surfing, he was even more ferocious than the outgoing Jiang Mingxun. However, he was able to maintain his balance very well. With Cui Yiluo holding him tightly, she would definitely not fall into the sea.
So she couldn't help but ask him, "Cousin, when did you learn that?"
Jiang Yunjin turned his head slightly, still firmly controlling his balance and direction.
"A week ago."
After they decided on their travel destination, he began to study. Unlike those playboys who were good at having fun, his life was monotonous and boring, but he was afraid she would find it boring.
Jiang Yunjin turned his face to the side, getting even closer to her. Their breaths mingled, their cheeks almost touching, and his straight nose nearly brushed against hers.
They were too close. It was the first time she'd ever been so close to him. Because Jiang Yunjin needed to hold onto a handle, she had to wrap her arms around him, using her legs to support herself. Then it suddenly dawned on her—this position was far too intimate. Of course, there was nothing wrong with Jiang Mingxun and Yang Jingling being like this; they were childhood sweethearts, mutually attracted, but hadn't yet confessed their feelings. But what about her and Jiang Yunjin?
Cui Yiluo was startled and was about to pull away when she suddenly heard him stop her: "Don't move, be careful not to fall."
Cui Yiluo had no choice but to hug him tightly. The afternoon sun was strong, and surfing was really exciting. Her cheeks were burning hot, and her heart was beating faster. Even though a lot of cool seawater splashed on her, it did not relieve the heat.
The exercise generated heat, and she felt Jiang Yunjin's skin, which she was touching, also heat up and become scalding hot.
She spoke softly, as if her voice might be blown away by the sea breeze at any moment: "You've learned so well in just one week, cousin, you're quite impressive."
Jiang Yunjin heard this and hummed in agreement.
Now, thinking back, the feeling of salty waves crashing against my skin comes back.
"Actually, I wanted to come back and bring you with me, but I just happened to see my cousin with you. Were you two really not together back then?"
Jiang Zhaoyue was a little surprised.
Cui Yilu shook her head, "Really not."
Jiang Zhaoyue said "Oh", "I thought you two would get together after the college entrance exam. Before our college entrance exam, my cousin cared about you a lot. Only my mom, who is so oblivious, couldn't see it."
Cui Yilu asked instinctively, "Does he care about me?"
Their contact at that time was limited to tutoring once a week. As Cui Yiluo's grades improved, the tutoring stopped. I remember the last tutoring session, Jiang Yunjin gave her the corrected test paper and said that there was no need for tutoring anymore.
His expression was indifferent, as if he were completing some task.
Their interactions became even less frequent afterward. The only time he asked about her chemistry grades was when she went to the Jiang family's house for dinner, which ended with a simple "hmm" from him.
If this is what you call concern, then his concern is far too simplistic. She thought he was just asking out of politeness because of Lan Hui's request.
Jiang Zhaoyue, however, did not bring up this matter.
"The house I lent you back then belonged to my cousin. I thought you knew about it. What, he hasn't told you yet?" Jiang Zhaoyue said, both teasing and surprised.
Cui Yiluo was caught off guard. "He knew?"
“Yes,” Jiang Zhaoyue nodded, “and the daily meals are actually specially prepared for you by a nutritionist he had arranged.”
Cui Yiluo remained silent for a long time.
She was quite surprised at the time. Jiang Zhaoyue was busy with the college entrance examination, so why would she ask someone to help her prepare meals? The dishes were different every day, focusing on both deliciousness and nutrition.
During the crucial stage of preparing for the college entrance examination, Cui Jun was afraid that she would actually get into a top university, so he did everything he could to sabotage her so that she could not study at home. Cui Qi would not care about her, nor would Lan Yi. Jiang Zhaoyue, who was in the same grade, was also busy catching up on her studies. Lan Hui had been very caring towards her. So Cui Yiluo thought of trying to move out first. If that didn't work, she would ask Lan Hui for help. The college entrance examination was a big deal, and she couldn't afford to delay it.
She didn't own many properties, and they were all "coincidentally" under renovation. She wanted to find a place to stay, but her stepmother had bribed the school dormitory manager to say there were no vacant beds. Cui Yiluo had no choice but to plan to rent an apartment; she still had some money on hand.
But just then, Jiang Zhaoyue offered to move into her house. Cui Yiluo didn't think much of it and immediately packed her things and moved in. To avoid worrying Lan Hui, she repeatedly told Jiang Zhaoyue not to tell Lan Hui.
Looking back now, there were reasons why Jiang Zhaoyue suggested moving into her house and why Cui Yiluo was surprised when she thanked her for preparing meals for her.
Jiang Yunjin had been paying attention to her situation, but never said anything. He knew she didn't trust others or want to rely on them; it was more of a matter of putting himself in her shoes.
He has always understood her.
Cui Yilu remained silent for a long time, then suddenly said to Jiang Zhaoyue, "What else did he do? Cousin, tell me."
In the evening, Lan Hui sent a car to pick her up.
Before leaving the house, Cui Yiluo glanced at WeChat. There were no familiar profile pictures in the new messages; he hadn't sent her any messages all day.
Cui Yiluo opened the passenger door, but the person in the driver's seat was not Lan Hui's driver.
The man was dressed in a suit and had his hair styled; he had clearly put a lot of effort into his appearance, even more so than during his last presentation.
Before Cui Yilu could open the door and get out of the car, it was too late; Jiang Yunjin quickly locked the door.
Cui Yiluo sneered: "Cousin is getting more and more skilled at lying now."
They even conspired with Lan Hui to deceive her.
Jiang Yunjin kept staring at her, not replying to her question, but only saying, "Seatbelt."
Cui Yiluo replied decisively, "No."
Jiang Yunjin didn't speak, but suddenly leaned over and pulled the passenger seatbelt to fasten it. With a crisp click, he didn't leave, his dark eyes fixed on her.
"Happy birthday."
The intense emotions surging in his eyes seemed to go beyond a simple "Happy Birthday."
Cui Yiluo simply asked, "Where are you taking me?"
Jiang Yunjin didn't say anything, just drove in silence. This time, music was playing in the car, but unlike the somber atmosphere last time, the playlist was the same familiar songs.
What Cui Yiluo didn't expect was that Jiang Yunjin wouldn't take her back to his apartment or to the Jiang family home, but instead would take her out to dinner and then arrange a movie. Actually, the newly released movies weren't very good, and she often saw posts on social media complaining that there were fewer and fewer good movies.
He seemed to be doing something in a methodical way.
After the movie, she thought he should take her home, but as the streetlights passed by, the view became increasingly expansive, and he led her to the seaside. Then, he opened the trunk, and a trunk full of flowers burst forth into view.
Cui Yiluo: ...
Looking at her expression, Jiang Yunjin finally frowned for the first time that evening, his tone turning indifferent, "You didn't like anything tonight?"
The car headlights shone brightly, allowing Cui Yiluo to clearly see the emotions in his eyes.
With her slender fingers gently touching the violet, Cui Yiluo asked him, "Who taught you to do this?"
Jiang Yunjin remained silent for several seconds, then said in a muffled voice, "Mingxun."
Jiang Mingxun was surprised to hear his question, seemingly not expecting that after being together for over a year, his son would still ask him for advice on dating. However, he patiently explained the key points to him. Jiang Mingxun said that this is the standard procedure for dating among young people these days.
Cui Yiluo said "oh," opened the chat window, and swiped around a few times. It was full of messages from him, but she didn't reply to any of them.
"What do you mean by posting these things lately?"
Jiang Yunjin's face flickered in and out of focus in the sea breeze. He pursed his lips, but his eyes held a hint of obsession. "Isn't this how couples should be? You said dates, special holidays, daily messages. Shouldn't couples share their daily lives?"
"So, what are you doing tonight?"
"A date with you." He looked up at her intently, his posture both naive and obsessive.
Cui Yilu shook her head. "Jiang Yunjin, you don't need to do this."
Jiang Yunjin looked at her and suddenly smiled, "Then why are you willing to come with me?"
You lied to me.
“Aro, you always lie so convincingly,” he said. “You knew from the start that I was in the car, didn’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have opened the passenger door directly.”
Cui Yiluo didn't expect to be exposed by such a small detail, but she still said without changing her expression, "What? Actually, every time Uncle Chen comes to pick me up, I always sit in the passenger seat."
Jiang Yunjin's lips curled up, and his tone became firm: "If you really don't want to stay with me, you have many opportunities to leave, but you don't."
Because of her upbringing, Cui Yiluo has always been very careful to protect herself.
Jiang Yunjin understood her far better than she had imagined.
Cui Yiluo remained silent this time.
Jiang Yunjin took a step closer, covering her figure. "So you saw the messages, why didn't you reply?"
Cui Yiluo chuckled and said, "Why should I go back? Jiang Yunjin, we have no relationship whatsoever. In two weeks, we'll have absolutely no relationship left."
"Really?" Jiang Yunjin's voice still carried an unyielding determination despite the sea breeze. "If you really found me annoying, you would have blocked me long ago, but you didn't. You wanted to see me send you messages."
His gaze was direct and sharp, like a razor-sharp sword that could pierce right into her heart.
Before Cui Yilu could even retort, he suddenly changed the subject.
"I've always remembered the one-month deadline you mentioned."
Cui Yiluo was taken aback, not understanding what his sudden change in attitude meant, but her intuition told her that it was not simple.
Sure enough, he said the next second, "I've already had our engagement invitations prepared, and they'll be sent out in a couple of days."
Cui Yiluo's mind went blank for a moment, and she blurted out, "What are you saying?"
Jiang Yunjin's expression was unusually calm, as if he had gone completely mad and was now reckless. "Engagement doesn't necessarily mean marriage. Whether we get married or not, I completely respect your wishes, but I can't not be with you. If you don't come to the engagement party, everyone will know that you dumped me and that you don't like me."
He chuckled self-deprecatingly. "You dumped me, that's a fact. Don't worry, I'm prepared. Public opinion won't do you any harm; they'll only speculate about how terrible I am that you dislike me so much that you even refused to attend the engagement party I had prepared. At that point, our engagement will be dissolved."
Cui Yiluo exclaimed in disbelief, "Jiang Yunjin, are you really crazy?"
Such negative public opinion will not only damage his good reputation in City A, but also affect the Jiang family, and all the achievements he has worked so hard for will be destroyed.
The sea breeze ruffled his tousled hair as he slowly said, "I'm just gambling on whether you have feelings for me. If you come, it means you care about me. I know your personality; you won't compromise yourself. If you really didn't like me, you definitely wouldn't have come. Besides, this won't cost you anything, and in fact, we'll never have anything to do with each other again."
His tone was calm, and the distant waves crashed against the shore, their sound mingling with the sea breeze and reaching his ears again and again.
Cui Yiluo looked at him with complicated emotions: "Is this meaningful? You'll regret it later."
Jiang Yunjin smiled softly, her tone indifferent: "I will never regret it."
The beach was quiet at night, with only a few streetlights. The only bright light source was Jiang Yunjin's car headlights, which cast long shadows of the two of them.
Cui Yilu remained silent for a long time, and Jiang Yunjin also did not speak, as if he was stubbornly waiting for her to speak.
After a long while, Cui Yiluo lowered her head slightly and said, "Jiang Yunjin, I told you, you don't need to do this."
"Dating isn't a formula; do you have to be so rigid?"
The thought of how he awkwardly sent her those daily updates every day made Cui Yilu laugh.
Jiang Yunjin's expression froze instantly, his brows furrowing. "What did you say?"
Cui Yiluo curled her lips into a smile, stepped forward, hooked her fingers around his tie and played with it, and said with a laugh, "Why have I never seen you date like that before?"
Jiang Yunjin was stunned for several seconds, his eyes going from blank to disbelief, then a complex mix of surprise and delight, as if he had finally realized what she was saying.
His voice suddenly became dry. "This is my first time being in a relationship."
He had never paid attention to how to be in a relationship before. Before his parents passed away, they always treated each other with respect and never expressed any affection for him. All they ever did was strictly discipline and control him.
He believed that love was never something he could just talk about.
He only realized last time that love also needs to be expressed.
He skillfully put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. She didn't struggle, her fingers idly playing with his tie.
"A-Luo, I've been thinking about this lately. If I had told you earlier that I love you, and if you had realized sooner that I never considered you a bed partner, would you have understood sooner and been with me sooner?"
Cui Yiluo looked at the trunk filled with flowers and asked, "Will you still do this?"
"Won't."
Cui Yiluo slightly raised her chin. "I know everything about what happened before. Cousin, aren't you the most upright and proper person?"
Jiang Yunjin's joy faded slightly, his brows furrowed again, and his voice immediately turned cold: "A'Luo, are you only willing to be with me because you're moved? You don't need to do that."
He did all those things simply because he loved her; he never intended to control her.
Cui Yiluo smiled, "How could I possibly agree to this just because I'm touched?"
Jiang Yunjin lowered his head slightly, his breath mingling with hers, their warmth flowing between them.
He pressed further, "Then why?"
Cui Yiluo didn't answer. She slightly raised her chin, lowered her eyes, and her gaze fell on his straight nose and thin lips. Her breaths mingled even more tightly.
Jiang Yunjin didn't ask any more questions and instead kissed her lips.
The sea breeze gently caressed them, and as their lips met, she heard him say, his voice indistinct yet firm:
I will love you forever.
-The End-
Author's note: Towards the end, I discovered some inconsistencies in the characters' ages and the timeline. Just to clarify, all romantic interactions occur after the characters reach adulthood.
Due to length constraints, the modern "what if" scenario ends here. The core of the two characters remains unchanged: what Aro needs is unwavering choice and trust.
This concludes the main story. I can only update the bonus chapters after the settlement period, so they will be updated later. Currently, they are tentatively set as the story from the perspective of raising a child and the cousin (both are from the main story's perspective, not a modern-day "what if" scenario). Originally, I planned to include the child-raising part in the VIP chapters, but I've been getting orders for the bonus chapters from readers with zero subscriptions to the main story, so I decided to write more bonus chapters to give back to the regular readers. Frankly, seeing my four months of hard work so easily stolen and sold cheaply, I really don't know what to say. Thank you so much to all the readers who have followed the story for the past four months; thank you for liking it.
I want to say it again: of the three books I've written, A'Luo's character is undoubtedly the most complex, bringing me many different challenges and experiences. Although I often see various comments in the comments section, including some very unpleasant ones, I still like her very much. However, I also regret that my writing skills still need improvement, and I've reflected on areas that need to be addressed. While writing this book, I created a memo app on my phone to jot down inspirations, and now it's filled with notes.
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My next book is "Mistakenly Arriving in Spring." I'll release it once I have enough drafts. Here's the synopsis again; feel free to add it to your favorites if you're interested!
Xu Lingyi had a close friend she had known since childhood, and when she visited her, she would inevitably run into her friend's brother.
Her friend's elder brother was born as the heir to the Duke of Dingguo. He was arrogant and would only nod slightly whenever he saw her, rarely speaking, and he was very intimidating.
It is said that he and Miss Yang are about to get married.
One day, Miss Yang approached her, asking for her help to dissuade the Duke of Dingguo's heir from marrying her.
Xu Lingyi: "I understand! I'm also very afraid of him."
Xu Lingyi kindly agreed to do the favor.
On the day Miss Yang got engaged to her sweetheart, Xu Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief and happily congratulated her.
She left without a trace after accomplishing her task, concealing her merits and fame.
That very night, someone climbed over the wall into her yard.
-
Xiao Zhun, the heir of the Duke of Dingguo, has always been fond of his younger sister's good friend.
Young people are often at a loss when they first fall in love. The girl they love only has awe for them, and they don't know how to win her admiration.
It turns out she liked him too.
On the day Miss Yang got engaged, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart, and she was overjoyed when she offered her congratulations.
Xiao Zhun noticed a hint of envy in her eyes. Was it because someone else was engaged?
He tossed and turned all night, and finally, unable to contain his emotions, he climbed over the wall into his beloved's yard and, in one fell swoop, broke through the thin veil between them.
"Tomorrow I will go and ask His Majesty to grant us a marriage."
Xu Lingyi: "Huh? Me?"
*Xu Lingyi: Breathing
Xiao Zhun: She likes me, and I'm very good at seducing her. What should we name our child?
*A clever but emotionally oblivious girl x A clumsy, self-confident boy trying to win over his crush
*Childhood sweethearts + a touch of pseudo-incest, leaning towards a sweet everyday story.
*1v1, both leads are virgins. The male lead has never liked anyone other than the female lead and has explicitly refused to get engaged to anyone else.
*This copy was written on May 25, 2025, and has been archived.
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