Chapter 58 [VIP]
After talking with his mother, Shen Mian was worried, but he was also somewhat encouraged by Su Yueqiu's last words. Lin Langli also returned from his father's office and continued to stay by Shen Mian's side as if nothing had happened, watching the tablet with him.
The warm embrace dispelled some of the gloom, and Chenmian poked the man's forearm and asked, "What did Daddy say to you? Was it about us?"
Lin Langli's expression hardened slightly when he recalled Shen Mianjun's opposition to his relationship with Shen Mian. However, with Shen Mian nestled in his arms, that coldness quickly dissipated. Suppressing his inner turmoil, Lin Langli smiled again and said gently, "Yes, Dad isn't very willing for us to be together. He thinks I am..."
She lay in his arms, holding the young man's waist, and looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, like pools of spring water.
Lin Langli was so engrossed in the sight that he only snapped out of it when the person in his arms gently patted him again and continued, "You think I'm getting back at you."
He pulled the person in his arms up a little, stared into Chenmian's eyes, and asked in a vacant tone, "Chenmian, am I getting revenge on you?"
"...Probably not." Chen Mian thought to himself, Lin Langli really hadn't done anything to him. It's just that he was sometimes too annoying with his mouth, too quick to suspect his relationships with others.
But apart from that, Lin Langli was completely obedient to him, and was even willing to forgive him for the mistakes he had made to Lin Langli in the past, and forgive Shen Mian for taking away nineteen years of Shen Jiazhen's life.
Is this retaliation?
After thinking it over, Chenmian understood why her family objected.
"It shouldn't be?" Lin Langli's tone was still doubtful.
Chenmian glanced at him and sensed that her boyfriend seemed a little unhappy. She straightened up, cupped the young man's face, and leaned in to kiss him. He kissed her several times, making loud noises.
Lin Langli continued to look at Chenmian with an expressionless face.
Chenmian then coaxed him, "Baby, husband, don't be angry. I feel like you haven't repaid me at all!"
Lin Langli finally managed a smile, silently pulling Chenmian closer and nestling her in his arms.
Chenmian continued to comfort him: "Mom told me to think more about our future. Lin Langli, don't be afraid. Just talk to your parents and everything will be fine."
The two did not engage in any deep intimacy that night; it seemed to be just an ordinary night.
At six o'clock in the morning, Lin Langli woke up regularly, but did not leave. He just looked at the sleeping face.
Lin Langli gently pressed his fingertip against the boy's curled eyelashes, feeling a slight tickle. He withdrew his hand, his gaze continuing to sweep over the boy's eyebrows and eyes.
At 8:30 a.m., Chenmian finally woke up. He opened his eyes groggily and saw Lin Langli staring at him from the side.
He had gotten used to being surrounded by Lin Langli. Chenmian yawned, remembered his parents' objections, and decided not to stay in bed any longer. He jumped out of bed to wash up, determined to make it to breakfast in time to win back some of his parents' favor.
The two sat together at the dinner table, and Chenmian tried her best to ignore the gazes from her family, greeting them as if nothing was wrong.
Shen Mianjun's expression was unfriendly, and he asked bluntly, "Were you together last night?"
Chenmian blushed slightly and waved her hand in denial: "Um, I'm not feeling well, Lin Langli has to take care of me."
This felt like a trap, and Chenmian felt a little unhappy. His father was really something, asking such an embarrassing question.
Breakfast ended in this strange atmosphere.
Chenmian wanted to finish his meal and head back to his room as usual, but his mother stopped him and gently asked him to sit down and talk.
He looked around and realized that the aunt had left the main building without even washing the breakfast plates after collecting them.
This is truly a trap.
Chenmian's first reaction was still a bit cowardly. He comforted Lin Langli with words that it was easy, but when faced with the situation, he didn't have that kind of courage.
The seating arrangement strangely overlapped with the one on the day Lin Langli first returned to the Shen family.
Shen Mian was dazed and confused, sandwiched between her parents. Shen Ci sat alone on a small sofa, Lin Langli was opposite them, and Shen Jinshan stood behind Lin Langli with his hand on the back of the sofa.
It truly felt like yesterday had come true again.
But now, the oranges that Shen Ci was about to peel are no longer on the coffee table, and the atmosphere is even more tense than it was that day.
Chenmian fiddled with the fabric of her jeans on her knees, but one of her hands was suddenly taken and held by Su Yueqiu.
Su Yueqiu's eyes were still so gentle, but now they seemed to carry a hint of sadness. Just as Chenmian was wondering if he was seeing things, she heard her mother say softly, "Mianmian, don't be afraid."
Chenmian glanced at Lin Langli, who was sitting opposite her with a calm expression, and wondered what he was thinking.
Shen Mianjun sighed and said first, "Xiao Li, I've arranged for you to study abroad next semester."
Doesn't that mean Lin Langli left when school started?
Chenmian's heart tightened, and she blurted out, "What about me? What about me?"
Shen Mianjun glared at him, the meaning in his eyes was very clear. He hesitated for a moment and dared not make a sound, but after only two seconds of silence, the boy spoke again: "It's not good for Lin Langli to go abroad alone. He definitely won't get used to being outside."
Shen Mianjun said, "So, Xiao Li, I will also arrange a chef and a personal assistant to go and take care of you."
Lin Langli frowned: "Thank you, Dad, but I want to stay in China."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Or, as you arranged for me before, I'll go abroad next year."
When did you say that? Chenmian stared wide-eyed, feeling a sense of anger at being deceived and misled.
But upon closer reflection, Chenmian remembered that Lin Langli had mentioned it to him, but he was too confused at the time to pay attention to the details in the other person's words.
The space was deathly silent for a few seconds, then the atmosphere became terrifying again.
Shen Mianjun abruptly changed the subject, his tone laced with barely suppressed anger: "Then let's talk about you and Shen Mian first. Xiao Li, is your relationship with Mianmian truly legitimate?" His last sentence even hinted at a growing rage.
Confused, Chenmian frowned, startled by the harshness in her father's tone, and instinctively shrank into her mother's arms.
Lin Langli remained upright, showing no sign of panic. He even smiled slightly: "Dad, Mom, Mianmian and I are dating. Is there anything improper about that?"
"A relationship?" Shen Mianjun's voice suddenly rose, filled with suppressed anger. "What kind of relationship requires such despicable means?!" He slammed his hand on the coffee table, making the teacups on it clang loudly.
Startled, Shenmian instinctively tried to look at Lin Langli, but Su Yueqiu held her hand tightly.
“Xiao Li, we brought you back hoping to make it up to you, hoping for a family reunion.” Su Yueqiu’s voice was choked with sobs, her eyes red-rimmed. “But what about you? Have you been holding a grudge against Mianmian for what he did when he was young and naive? So you deliberately approached him, coaxed him, and used this method to get back at him, to get back at the Shen family, didn’t you?”
"Mom!" Lin Langli frowned, trying to explain, "I'm serious about Mianmian..."
Chenmian hurriedly echoed, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly: "Yes, yes, Lin Langli is very good to me, we're serious..."
Lin Langli's jaw tightened as he looked at his parents, who were protecting Chenmian as they sat opposite him: "So, Mom and Dad, is this how you think of me?"
"Then what do you expect us to think of you?!" Shen Mianjun was furious, pointing at the silent Shen Jinshan, "Jinshan, take out what you received! Let him see it for himself!"
Almost as soon as the photo was placed on the coffee table, Chenmian couldn't help but crane her neck to look at it.
Before he could even see it clearly, the photo was grabbed by the enraged Shen Mianjun and hurled at Lin Langli.
The white photographic paper fluttered down, all of them the same photo, saved from an email, then developed, and finally handed to Shen Mianjun, before being presented to his family.
Chenmian bent down to pick up the photograph that had just fallen to her feet. When her gaze fell on the person in the photo, she froze, as if her blood had instantly frozen.
Su Yueqiu helped him up and flicked the photo away again: "Mianmian, don't look at it."
But it was too late.
Chenmian's face was ashen, even more so than when he had ever been sick.
If he wasn't mistaken, if it really was what he thought.
The scene in the photo was clearly a candid shot of herself taken by Lin Langli, with Lin Langli's face cropped out.
Chenmian's vision went black, and she could barely feel any strength. She leaned limply against Su Yueqiu.
Lin Langli withdrew his gaze from the swaying figure of the sleeping man, lowered his eyes to look at the photo at his feet, and casually glanced at it.
He knew which photo was being sent to Shen Jinshan.
His phone's folders contained images far more sensual and moving than this photo.
He only picked the most inconspicuous and subtle one, yet it still managed to force Shen Jinshan into this state, making him even have to go to his parents.
But now that things have come to this, will Chenmian forgive him?
Lin Langli's first reaction was not to think about how to explain the situation to his family, but to focus all his attention on Chen Mian.
Being dormant indicates a lack of intelligence; one is merely an empty shell with nothing inside, or rather, rotten cotton inside.
But that was his previous idea.
Only after spending time with Shen Mian and experiencing the trust and affection that the boy had for him could Lin Langli objectively re-evaluate him.
Sleeping is adorable, and he deserves to be treated well, cherished, and loved.
So he was so deeply involved that he couldn't extricate himself, even fantasizing about his life with Shenmian and the blueprint that Shenmian had drawn for him.
Even without a baby, it doesn't matter. Chenmian and he are perfectly capable of forming a family.
Doesn't Chenmian like kittens? Then it's okay to raise two more. He'll love the little guys just like he loved Chenmian.
As long as Chenmian is willing to stay by his side.
But is Chenmian willing now? Lin Langli looked up at the boy opposite him again, trying to catch Chenmian's expression.
But with Su Yueqiu holding him in her arms, Lin Langli couldn't see anything clearly.
The young man looked away with regret and fear, then calmly looked at Shen Mianjun.
Shen Mianjun was heartbroken, his finger trembling as he pointed at him. He stood up and roared emotionally, "Lin Langli, are you still going to pretend? The facts are right in front of you, how can you deny them? Is this your conscience and sincerity?"
Shen Mianjun was furious. He felt heartbroken that his beloved son, whom he had raised and cherished for more than ten years, had been deceived and misled. He was also proud that his biological son, who had been living away from home, was so outstanding. But now everything had changed, and he felt terrified that Lin Langli was sliding out of control into another direction he did not want to see.
At his age, having navigated the business and political arenas for so many years, having had to fight against the Shen family since childhood and against outsiders as an adult, he considers himself to have a sharp eye and accurate judgment of people.
But he never expected that Lin Langli, on whom so much hope was placed, would do such a thing!
There are many more ways to teach Chen Mian a lesson, so why did he choose to start with emotions? How foolish!
Shen Mianjun was filled with rage and glared at Lin Langli.
But Lin Langli remained remarkably calm at this moment, seemingly unconcerned about his family's objections. He ignored Shen Mianjun's questioning, Su Yueqiu's condemnation, and Shen Ci's hatred, only looking at Chenmian, who was being held in someone's arms, and softly asked, "Chenmian, what do you think?"
The young man in her arms trembled upon hearing the question, and then the surroundings fell silent as everyone's gaze focused on Chen Mian.
Chenmian slowly emerged from her mother's embrace, straightened up, her face pale and her expression sorrowful, her lips even trembling as she looked back.
But he couldn't utter a single word at that moment.
The scattered photos at his feet seemed to be looking at him and mocking him from all angles.
He always believed that intimacy was a natural progression when feelings ran deep, and even if it started badly, it would eventually lead to mutual affection.
But how could such photos be exposed to others? Were these intimate moments all evidence, or leverage?
Did Lin Langli send it to Shen Jinshan, or was it sent to more than just him?
Chenmian clutched her chest tightly, barely managing to muster the strength to ask, "Are you really getting revenge on me?"
The person on the other end fell silent.
Lin Langli couldn't understand why he was silent. He could have easily denied it lightly, using lies to deceive and appease Shenmian.
Sleeping is so stupid, it's bound to believe it.
But when the words reached his lips, he simply couldn't say them. Why couldn't he say them?
Was it because he did indeed harbor such feelings for Shen Mian? Was it because he did indeed maliciously consider how to repay Shen Mian for everything she had done yesterday?
"Speak! Lin Langli! Are you deliberately getting back at me?" Chen Mian looked at Lin Langli, who remained silent, and roared with all her might, "Why won't you speak?"
Lin Langli's Adam's apple bobbed, and he finally spoke, his voice dry and tight: "Can't you feel my sincerity towards you?"
Sleeping felt it, but Sleeping didn't want it.
He didn't want a story that started badly, had an inglorious middle, and only ended with genuine feelings.
How could Lin Langli treat him like this?
His privacy was displayed at will, allowing others to spy on him.
He always believed that even at the very beginning, Lin Langli had been infatuated with him. Otherwise, why would she have hugged and kissed him? Why would she have willingly taken care of Xiao Mianbao after he brought him back without prior notice? Why would she have traveled all the way to the city where Shen Jinshan was on a business trip to search for him? And why did she reject him the first time she offered herself to him?
That's why he was willing to take the initiative to ask Lin Langli that morning if he wanted to possess him.
Tears still flowed uncontrollably, gushing out like beads from a broken string, blurring everything before my eyes.
But he still managed to maintain his senses. He stared intently at Lin Langli and asked, word by word, "Do you have any other photos or videos of me? Do you have any?"
Lin Langli stood frozen in place, not moving.
"Give it to me, give me the phone!" Chen Mian stretched out her hand, her fingertips trembling violently with excitement, her voice almost filled with a desperate sense of impending collapse, "Lin Langli, don't force me to hate you!"
Every word was written in tears. Shen Mian actually had some daydreams. Fortunately, he had such a big conflict with Shen Jinshan two days ago. With the sadness he felt before, he was not so sad this time.
The person in front of me, the bright sunlight outside the window, and a little further out are the green trees planted at home. Will they sprout new buds at this time of year?
Why is there a trace of blood on Lin Langli's face? Did he scratch him with his fingernail last night?
After thinking for a moment, Chenmian realized that he hadn't.
The tiny cuts on the person's face were caused by Shen Mianjun throwing the photo at them earlier.
He thought about many things aimlessly.
Until the phone was handed to Chenmian, Lin Langli looked into his tear-filled eyes, brimming with pain and determination, and said in a deeply hushed tone, "Mianmian, I never intended to show those things to anyone else. This photo is only because I'm unwilling to accept it..."
Without even glancing at it, Chenmian slammed the phone to the ground the moment she grabbed it.
He really used all his strength, and saw the phone screen crack and the back cover shatter into pieces.
Chenmian withdrew her gaze and leaned back weakly: "Lin Langli, I don't blame you anymore, let's break up."
"It's understandable that you want revenge on me, given all the wrong things I did in the past," tears started falling uncontrollably again. Chenmian wiped her face, but the more she wiped, the more tears fell. "I was so stupid to actually believe you forgave me. Have you taken your revenge enough? Look at me now."
"That should be enough, right?" He was almost talking to himself. Lin Langli tried to interrupt and deny it several times, but Shenmian covered up his words. "I have nothing left. You've succeeded."
Finally, he raised his eyes and looked at the man who had once given him warmth and intimacy, but now brought him bone-chilling coldness, and softly declared: "You are even worse than Shen Jinshan—Lin Langli, we break up, and from now on we owe each other nothing."
Without asking "Is it okay?" or giving Lin Langli any further chance to speak, Chen Mian finished speaking and looked at Su Yueqiu almost pleadingly, "Mom, I'm so sleepy and tired, I want to go back to my room to rest..."
But before he could finish speaking, a dizzying sensation swept over him, and darkness enveloped him. All he heard was his mother's startled cry: "Mianmian, what's wrong? Mianmian!"
Immediately afterwards, a chaotic chorus of footsteps and anxious shouts, as if through a thick film of water, blurred and distant, completely engulfed him.
A note from the author:
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