Chapter 9 Background
◎ Chen Jingshu felt as if he had kissed his own spring in autumn. ◎
"Jingjing, don't let go, I can keep you from the wind."
When Chen Jingshu said this, his eyes were exceptionally firm, filled with the fearlessness and high spirits of a young man.
So much so that even though Lin Yujing was fully aware that happiness at this moment was nothing more than a fleeting dream, the boy's sincerity shone like light, and she still couldn't help but want to step onto the thin ice.
Just as all life is filled with suffering, when one feels blatant favoritism, even the most illusory flesh and blood will grow wildly as if they have been redeemed.
-
Penghu City is about a half-hour drive from Penghu Township. Chen Jingshu parked his car in the parking lot.
Lin Yujing looked up at the Chijin Building, where the four large characters "Wanxiang Plaza" were hung high.
She first learned about this square in art class, where the teacher said that the owner was the first in the country to carve giant paintings into the curtain wall, and even the carpet underfoot used 3D technology to give guests the visual illusion of goldfish swimming with every step they took.
Perhaps the gears of fate began to turn from that moment.
Chen Jingshu turned around and looked at her, who was standing still. "What's wrong? Are you tired? I'll carry you."
The young man strode over, but Lin Yujing inexplicably felt a sense of awe towards Chen Jingshu because of those four large characters.
"Stop teasing me, hurry up and choose your gift so we can go home," she said, dodging the boy's hand.
The two agreed to choose birthday gifts separately and meet in the parking lot an hour later.
Lin Yujing earned nearly six thousand yuan during the entire National Day holiday.
She first went to the clothing section to buy Chen Xuan a winter coat, then went to the appliance store to buy a massage chair and scheduled an appointment for the installer to come and install it on Chen Xuan's birthday.
As I was leaving, I saw the fountain pen counter on the first floor.
She walked around the counter and finally chose the cheapest discounted item in the window: a Little Prince pilot resin fountain pen.
After paying, Lin Yujing looked at her empty wallet and felt a great sense of comfort.
When she arrived at the parking lot, she found that Chen Jingshu was already waiting there.
On the way home, the sun began to set over the sea, and along the coastline, in the distance, churning crimson clouds stretched out.
Lin Yujing, who rarely experienced such tranquility, leaned on Chen Jingshu's shoulder and said, "Let's watch the sunset for a while before going home."
Two people sat barefoot side by side on the coastal rocks below the coastal highway.
The waves lay at her feet, and Chen Jingshu helped her lift her skirt with one hand.
The boy lowered his eyes, and the deep blue cotton-linen skirt was indeed more beautiful than the clear sea.
"I have a gift for you." The two said almost simultaneously, then looked at each other and laughed.
"Then give it all together."
Chen Jingshu took out a small box from his backpack and scratched his head slightly embarrassedly. "The school gave me a 6,000 yuan prize for this competition. But after buying my mom a necklace, the remaining money is only enough to buy a second-hand camera."
Even though this was the best the young man could give her given the available resources, he still felt ashamed and heartbroken. "But the shop owner said the seller was a young lady who took very good care of the camera; it was practically brand new. Next time, I will definitely, definitely send you a brand new, more professional camera."
Lin Yujing's eyes welled up with tears again, and her heart felt like it was being torn apart by a knife called sincerity. "Chen Jingshu, this is already very good. I like it very much. I like anything you give me."
Then she handed over the gift she had bought. "I didn't have anything particularly nice or special. This is actually the cheapest pen in the store, but the sales assistant said it has a romantic name: The Little Prince Pilot." She hoped that the Little Prince could fly freely and choose wherever he wanted to go.
Both of them accepted the gifts with great care, but their eyes were only on each other.
"Chen Jingshu, let's take a picture together." Lin Yujing raised her camera and moved closer to him. With a slight tilt of her head, the boy's lips landed on her forehead, seemingly by camera angle.
Blue sky and clouds, with the boundless sea as a backdrop.
The two took their first photo together, side by side, on the beach in late autumn.
Later, this group photo was printed in two copies. One accompanied the boy across the ocean, and the other accompanied the girl through her wanderings.
Just then, a sea breeze swept by, and Lin Yujing took the opportunity to lower her head, hiding the tears welling up in her eyes.
And a strand of her hair gently landed on Chen Jingshu's lips.
At that moment, Chen Jingshu felt as if he had kissed his own spring in autumn.
Just as he reached out his hand in a daze, his hair suddenly fluttered away into the distance like a startled butterfly.
"Lin Yujing," Chen Jingshu said softly, "your hair seems to have grown longer."
I remember when she first came to Penghu, her hair was only below her shoulders.
But while it may seem like the boy is saying her hair has grown longer, if you listen carefully, he is clearly saying—my feelings for you seem to have grown even stronger.
Lin Yujing sniffed, not looking him in the eye, and replied, "Chen Jingshu, how about we both go to Yijing University?"
She thought.
Even those living in darkness deserve to dream of capturing the light.
Chen Jingshu hadn't touched Die's hand before, but instead put his arm around her shoulder and tightened his grip.
As the sun sets, the young girl nestles gently in a broad and warm embrace.
“Okay. I’ll accompany you wherever you want to go,” Chen Jingshu replied.
On the road that had restarted, Chen Jingshu drove at an extremely slow speed.
His voice was gentle, carried on the breeze, as he said, "Jingjing, although I was born into a single-parent family, I grew up surrounded by love. So, you don't need to worry that I will become psychologically twisted and unable to take responsibility for your future."
Lin Yujing hugged Chen Jingshu's waist, wanting to tell him that the two months she had lived in Pengzhen were the happiest and most blissful moments of her seventeen years.
Some even wish time could stand still.
“Chen Jingshu.” She held back the tears welling up in her eyes. “I never thought that way.”
"I think that a person who possesses the qualities of kindness, sincerity, and integrity is already incredibly precious and rich." Unlike her, who often despises even her own despicable and hypocritical side.
Especially when I look into Chen Jingshu's clear eyes, it's like staring directly at the sun without any reverence, only to be burned by its light.
“But actually, I also have a dark side that you haven’t seen.” Chen Jingshu confessed: “Do you remember Cheng Xiang that we met in the park last time? It was him who spread the rumor that I don’t have a father and that I’m an illegitimate child born out of wedlock to my mother.”
"Later, when my mother heard about this, I saw her secretly crying all night. So the next day, I stripped Cheng Xiang naked, tied him to a tree, and whipped him until he was covered in blood with my grandfather's belt." He spoke as if he were telling someone else's story, but only he knew how heartbreaking it was. "Although afterwards, my mother scolded me for being so cruel at such a young age, I don't regret it, because no one dared to say anything like that again and hurt my mother."
Lin Yujing's arms around his waist tightened, "Chen Jingshu, everything will be fine as a boat sails over ten thousand mountains."
"Jingjing, I will protect you just like I would protect your mother." Even if she is called ruthless and arrogant, and becomes a lifelong enemy, she will not hesitate.
-
Chen Xuan's birthday was a week before the National Mathematical Olympiad Winter Camp. After spending the whole day with her, Chen Jingshu left the classroom the next day to begin training for the National Olympiad.
He leaves early and returns late every day, leaving only Lin Yujing and Chen Xuan at home for each other's company.
However, just two days before Chen Jingshu was about to leave for the winter camp in Xiang City, Chen Xuan suddenly fainted.
But when Lin Yujing wanted to take her to the hospital, she refused, saying, "Jingjing, this will affect Ashu. You must keep it a secret for your aunt."
"Throughout her life, Auntie only hoped that A-Shu would have a bright future."
Lin Yujing ultimately couldn't bring herself to tell Chen Jingshu, but she and Chen Xuan agreed that once Chen Jingshu left, she would accompany him to the hospital for a full checkup.
-
On the eve of the national competition, Lin Yujing went to pick up Chen Jingshu outside the training hotel as usual, while Chen Xuan packed his luggage for the next day at home.
Just as Lin Yujing was about to arrive at the hotel, she ran into Cheng Xiang and his group.
Chi Man followed behind him, looking menacing and clearly coming for her.
Lin Yujing hardened her heart and ran in the opposite direction of the hotel, but she was outnumbered and unfamiliar with the alleys of Pengzhen. She was soon blocked by Chi Man.
"Little beauty, why are you running away? What's wrong with playing with us for a while?" Cheng Xiang said fiercely, grabbing Lin Yujing by the back of the neck and forcibly taking her away.
Throughout the journey, Lin Yujing forced herself to calm down and prepared to find a suitable opportunity to escape to a crowded place.
Cheng Xiang deliberately took a detour, choosing secluded paths, and eventually led her to an underground internet cafe.
"What do you want?" Although she was trying to remain calm, Lin Yujing's voice trembled with instinctive fear.
Cheng Xiang's smile was both wicked and disgusting, his eyes brazenly scanning her body. "Did Chen Jingshu ever tell you why we became enemies?"
Lin Yujing remained silent, only staring at his movements.
“You’re his girlfriend, it’s only right for you to help him settle this old grudge, isn’t it?” Cheng Xiang said, reaching for his belt. “Don’t worry, we’ll just record a video. I promise I’ll go easy on you.”
With tears welling up in her eyes, she could no longer stop her jaw from trembling. "I will call the police."
"Go ahead and report it!"
"Oh, by the way! Has Chen Jingshu ever told you about his true background?"
Lin Yujing tried to close her eyes to escape, but Cheng Xiang forcefully grabbed her chin, making her lower face feel like it was about to dislocate.
"His family was always extremely poor because Grandpa Chen had a very serious heart condition. His mother, in order to pay for the 300,000 yuan surgery, fought alongside a group of scions of wealthy families from Beijing..."
Lin Yujing glared at him fiercely, her eyes seeming to be filled with venom. "Cheng Xiang, stop spreading rumors!"
Cheng Xiang felt even more pleased. "Spreading rumors? Aren't you from Yijing? Just ask around and you'll know whether it's true or false."
"Have you heard of the Deep Sea Bomb game? A group of guys, without condoms, have sex with one girl. Whoever gets her pregnant gets money from the others. As for the child, well, the young men in Beijing's elite circles all want arranged marriages; they're not going to let it be born..."
"Little sister, judging from your look, you didn't understand?"
Lin Yujing wasn't unfamiliar with the game; it was just that the refined gentleman who brought her there hadn't told her the same story.
Sitting to the side, Chi Man stepped forward with a smile, "Brother Cheng Xiang, with so many of you, go play with her once, and you'll know what a deep-sea bomb is."
Lin Yujing felt as if she were in an ice cellar, staring at the locked internet cafe door, her heart sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.
Before she completely lost hope, she thought it was good that Chen Jingshu didn't know.
"Lin Yujing, I'll record a video for you and send it to the whole school tomorrow." Chi Man, feeling the exhilaration of finally getting revenge, began adjusting the camera.
But just as Cheng Xiang and a group of people tied her hands and feet to the sofa, about to destroy her in an endless hell, the sound of breaking glass suddenly came from outside the internet cafe.
In the pitch-black night, the boy is like the light of dawn breaking through the ruins of desolation.
His eyes were filled with rage, and his arm, gripping the wooden stick, was covered with a dense network of blue veins.
Seeing her lying on the sofa, even her last shred of reason was extinguished.
Chen Jingshu charged straight at Cheng Xiang, his movements as swift as lightning. The wooden stick struck Cheng Xiang's flesh, the dull thud of flesh tearing open accompanied by Cheng Xiang's heart-wrenching screams filling every corner.
He was like a mad lion, relentlessly pressing forward with deadly moves.
At the same time, Cheng Xiang's henchmen quickly grabbed a wooden stool and slammed it down on Chen Jingshu from behind.
Before Chen Jingshu could react, blood gushed from the back of his head, and he fell straight to his knees, prostrating himself on Lin Yujing's chest.
"Chen Jingshu!" she screamed, "Help! Call an ambulance!"
But when faced with her cries for help, Cheng Xiang and his group simply fled in panic.
-
Lin Yujing only realized afterward how they were taken to the hospital that night.
When Cheng Xiang took her away, she happened to be seen by a fellow student. However, fearing that he would offend some thugs, he quickly went to find Chen Jingshu and helped call the police.
The feelings of guilt, fear, and helplessness became even stronger and more unbearable when Lin Yujing saw Chen Jingshu lying unconscious on the hospital bed.
Just then, her phone rang in her pocket.
Almost suppressing her grief, she answered the number from Yijing that hadn't been saved in her contacts.
"Mr. Chen, I'm sorry," Lin Yujing apologized softly first.
"Ms. Lin, do you think a simple 'I'm sorry' can solve everything?" The man's voice was gentle and slow, yet carried a deliberate and authoritative pressure. "Between you and Chen Jingshu, is it so hard to judge who is more important?"
"..." Lin Yujing was speechless for a moment, then thought of something and was eager to verify, "What is the true background of A-Shu...?"
"Alright, this isn't entirely your fault." Chen Rongqing interrupted her directly. "I'll deal with those thugs, but you need to take Chen Jingshu back to Yijing as soon as possible."
Lin Yujing gripped the bedsheet tightly, defiant for the first time, saying, "But A-Shu is in the crucial stage of preparing for the college entrance exam. We've agreed to go to Yijing University. We can actually get him to accept it step by step..."
Chen Rongqing was silent for a second, then laughed softly and contemptuously, "Little girl, Chen Jingshu is my son, the only heir of Huaren Group. Even if he is a piece of trash, the Chen family can still send him to the best schools at home and abroad."
Lin Yujing was speechless for a moment.
"Besides, Chen Jingshu has been raised too naively by his mother. I sent you there precisely to temper his arrogance. Sometimes, a child prodigy needs to be crippled a bit, otherwise how can he see the world with his feet on the ground?"
Lin Yujing felt as if she had swallowed a shard of glass. "Mr. Chen, A-Shu is your son."
"By the way, I saw your exam results this time, and you performed consistently well." Chen Rongqing changed the subject. "If Huaren were to help you get into the Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts, it would be an easy thing."
Lin Yujing gritted her teeth and replied coldly, "Thank you for your kindness. You only need to pay the agreed-upon training fee for the senior year. As for the college entrance exam, I will work hard on my own."
Chen Rongqing just smiled, showing no worry about his son's serious injury. "Little girl, you are still too naive. But I also want to remind you that you must learn to restrain your feelings that shouldn't be there."
Before Lin Yujing could explain, the other end of the phone had already hung up.
She turned around helplessly, only to be surprised to find Chen Xuan standing at the door.
"Auntie, I..." Lin Yujing was a little nervous, afraid that her purpose for coming would be discovered.
"Is A-Shu still not awake? I brought you some food, have some first." Chen Xuan's tone was calm, and her face showed no emotion whatsoever, as if she hadn't heard the contents of the phone call.
"Auntie, I'm not hungry. I'll stay and watch over A-Shu a little longer."
Chen Xuan didn't force her, but instead prepared to leave, her face pale.
"Auntie," Lin Yujing called out to her again, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."
Chen Xuan sighed, looking as if she had aged ten years in an instant. She hunched over and barely managed to maintain her balance by holding onto the wall. "Although I feel sorry for A-Shu, I don't want a young girl like you to get hurt."
The ward door was closed again, leaving only Lin Yujing and Chen Jingshu.
As if her vulnerability had nowhere to hide, Lin Yujing lay by the hospital bed and began to sob.
Suddenly, she felt a hand fall on her head.
"Don't cry," Chen Jingshu said weakly. "I'm fine."
"A-Shu." But when she looked up, tears still fell like broken pearls, pattering all over the ground.
"Jingjing, don't cry!" Chen Jingshu frowned, his heart breaking more than his physical wounds. "Your crying makes my wounds hurt even more."
A note from the author:
Riding the Wind
Singer: Young Master Chen
[Gentle][Firm][Only her in my eyes][Microphone in hand][Go ride the wind, go where you want to go. This is just the beginning; the world is so vast. Let's set off together.]
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Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 18:26:56 on August 29, 2023 and 01:29:50 on August 30, 2023!
Thank you to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: Yvonne Ye (5 bottles);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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