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墨書 Inktalez
Some things truly cannot be solved with money, especially when the other party is wealthier than oneself; in such cases, money becomes utterly useless.
Jono stood once again at the entrance of Jin Mansion. If her previous visit had been driven by a determination to sever ties with Jin Chengyan, this time, she merely hoped that he would not pursue her to the bitter end.
"Ding dong~ ding dong~" Jono pressed the doorbell, hoping he wouldn't see her face on the screen and hang up immediately.
After half a minute, the door opened from within, revealing A-Shan, whom she hadn't seen in a long time.
A-Shan's expression was complex upon seeing Jono.
"Miss Qiao, hello."
"A-Shan, I need to talk to Jin Chengyan about something. Can you let me in?" If it weren't for Qiao Lovely, she might never have set foot here again. The humiliation and discomfort surged within her.
A-Shan stepped aside to let Jono enter.
However, as soon as Jono walked into Jin Mansion, she noticed two gardeners clearing out all the flowers and plants from the yard. Nearby, a vehicle was loaded with new plants.
But those being replaced seemed perfectly fine; there was nothing wrong with them.
Jono had no time to ponder why the flowers in the yard were being replaced; she walked into the villa.
Once inside, Jono realized that not only had the outdoor plants changed, but the furnishings inside the villa had also undergone a complete transformation.
In just a couple of days, Jin Chengyan had completely altered everything within Jin Mansion.
He had told Jono that everything here remained as it was to await her return.
After that day, he changed everything. Should he tell her that in his world, Jin Chengyan, he would eliminate Jono from now on?
Jin Chengyan was in his study, which had also been completely refreshed with a new bookshelf, a new desk, and a new carpet.
He sat in the chair, bringing work back to do because he had no mood to go to the office these past few days.
Hearing footsteps, Jin Chengyan looked up and saw Jono.
The pen in his hand was gripped tightly, his knuckles turning white.
"Mr. Jin..."
"Who let you in?" Jin Chengyan coldly interrupted Jono. It was obvious that A-Shan had allowed this person to enter.
Jono's face no longer bore the resolute expression from a few days ago; perhaps needing something from him required a more humble demeanor.
"It was my insistence to come in; it has nothing to do with A-Shan."
"I didn't know you had a considerate side," Jin Chengyan quickly retorted, then lowered his head to look at the documents, ignoring Jono standing at the door.
Jono observed Jin Chengyan's resistant posture and thought that perhaps it was what she said that day that had upset him.
But that day, whose fault was it really? Didn't Jin Chengyan have any decisiveness?
After a long silence in the room, Jin Chengyan looked up and found that Jono was still there, feeling dissatisfied.
"How long are you going to stand there? Don't you want to get as far away from me as possible?"
Jono had anticipated everything she would endure by coming here, and she had even imagined the worst-case scenario. Therefore, she had developed an immunity to his cold words.
"Mr. Jin, I want to ask you to donate bone marrow for Qiao Lovely. As long as you agree, I will fulfill any request you make." Jono mustered her courage and stood before Jin Chengyan. For Qiao Lovely, she was willing to do anything.
Finally, Jin Chengyan lifted his gaze from the documents.
He slammed down his pen and coldly stared at Jono.
"Is it true that without Qiao Lovely, you would never look at me again in your life?"
Jono tightly closed her mouth. If he hadn't forced her into this situation, perhaps there would have been a chance for something different; however, he insisted on being domineering.
Receiving no response from Jono, Jin Chengyan rose from his chair, walked around the desk, and stood in front of her.
He lifted Jono's chin with one hand. "Tell me, don't you hate me? But because of Qiao Lovely, you had no choice but to come here and plead with me! To you, I'm just someone you can use whenever you need and discard afterward! Is that what you're really thinking?"
He deliberately raised her chin high, forcing her to look up at his face, which was so close yet so familiar and strange at the same time.
"I didn't know at first that you were the donor; it was Dr. Qi who told me."
"Are you implying that I intentionally had Ziluo inform you? To make you come begging me?" Wasn't that how it was? "Then why don't you go plead with your Xi Yisheng? He's the behind-the-scenes boss of the Italian Mafia; wouldn't asking him be quicker than asking me?"
He clearly cared about what she had said to him that day—every word laced with barbs aimed at Xi Yisheng.
"I don't want to owe him any more," Jono replied honestly. Four years was already enough.
If the incident a few days ago, where Jin Chengyan forced her, hadn't happened, Jono could have approached Xi Yisheng for help without any reservations. He knew many people and surely had a way.
But that was based on the fact that she was someone Xi Yisheng liked. She could offer him a worn but restored body, a heart that had been mended.
However, Jin Chengyan had ruined everything. With her current state, how could she face Xi Yisheng and ask for his help?
"Do you think owing me feels better than owing Xi Yisheng?" Jin Chengyan poked at Jono's heart with each word.
But that place had long been empty.
"If I'm destined to be entangled with you, then any struggle I make is meaningless. You want me; I'll give myself to you, as long as you can save Qiao Lovely." He must know everything. Qiao Lovely's biological mother couldn't save her, so she had no choice but to seek his help.
Jin Chengyan smiled, so coldly. He withdrew his hand and no longer approached her.
"Do you think I would want a woman who has been touched by someone else? Those were your own words!" Jin Chengyan turned his back on Jono, using her own words against her.
Jono took a deep breath. Indeed, they had always gone to great lengths to hurt each other; it seemed that only this way could they prove their deep love for one another.
"What will it take for you to save Qiao Lovely? She's dying! If she dies, I can't go on living! Jin Chengyan, please save her! I'm begging you! Please..." Jono was truly at her wit's end. She had anticipated Jin Chengyan's indifference, but she never expected it to be this cold.
He hurt her again and again with his words, openly stabbing at her heart with a knife. What more did he want?
Would it be acceptable if she knelt before him? As long as he could save Qiao Lovely, she would do anything!
And so she truly knelt before Jin Chengyan, sweeping all her dignity away once more in front of him.
A voice came from below, and when Jin Chengyan turned around, he saw Jono kneeling on the ground. For some reason, his heart twitched painfully.
This was how they were—constantly hurting each other. They both knew that their actions would lead to unbearable pain for the other, and they understood that if they could just endure a little longer, everything would pass. Yet, they never stopped their cycle of harm.
He crouched down and grasped Jono's shoulders.
"Is there anything I can do?" Jin Chengyan asked in a tortured voice.
Jono nodded, tears falling in sync with the movement of her head, landing on the pristine carpet beneath her.
"Then let me ask you, have you slept with Xi Yisheng?"
"No."
After saying this, Jin Chengyan lifted Jono's chin and kissed her.
She should have pushed him away, but if she did, Qiao Lovely would be lost. This was his way of coercing her into submission.
He only released her when her lips turned slightly red from the kiss.
"Since you don't want to be my wife, Jin Chengyan, then be my lover. When I'm tired of you, we'll see what happens next."
He pushed Jono down onto the white carpet and took full possession of her.
...
When Jono woke up, she found herself in a guest room. Jin Chengyan had already gotten out of bed and was looking down at her from above, dressed in a shirt.
"From now until I get bored, you will stay in this room. The room upstairs is for me and my wife." He deliberately used this tone to humiliate her, making her recognize the current situation.
Jono covered herself with the blanket and sat up in bed.
"I understand."
But Jin Chengyan suddenly leaned over, yanking the blanket away from Jono's face.
Her chest was marked by him, along with the remnants of the previous days' encounters, now exposed before Jin Chengyan.
Jono felt extremely uncomfortable, wanting to cover her beautiful form but was held back by Jin Chengyan's grip on her hand.
"Remember, your body is mine now. I have the right to see what I want at any time." He was venting his dissatisfaction, releasing the pent-up resentment he had been holding.
Jono slowly lowered her hand, allowing her body to be displayed before Jin Chengyan.
So much had changed.
Jin Chengyan would no longer be gentle with her; in fact, he was even worse than before.
When they were in bed, he no longer cared about her feelings; it was all about releasing his desires, striking deep into her soul again and again.
Afterward, he would not hold her close or offer tender affection. He would simply push her away and go alone to the bathroom.
He said that those things could only be done with his wife.
She was merely a mistress, not worthy of such treatment!
"I understand," Jono nodded, seemingly only able to respond with those four words.
Jin Chengyan was dissatisfied with what he saw. He reached to the back of Jono's head, gently applying pressure to grasp her hair, forcing her to look up at him.
"Don't give me that expression. I'm the one going into surgery to extract Bone Marrow for Qiao Lovely. Shouldn't you be smiling at me?"
What more did he want?
Even now, he expected her to face him with a smile?
Was he being too domineering?
"Smile, huh?" After saying that, Jono managed to put on a smile for Jin Chengyan, but it was heart-wrenching and painful.
Jin Chengyan immediately released his grip on the back of Jono's head and stepped back, creating some distance between them.
"I have a social engagement tonight. Once this matter is resolved, I'll prepare for the surgery. If I don't see you when I return tonight..." Jin Chengyan's words trailed off, but Jono understood the implication.
She nodded; everything she did now was thoughtless. As long as she catered to Jin Chengyan, he would save Qiao Lovely!
As long as she pleased him, there was no need to think about anything else.
After Jin Chengyan left, Jono lay on the bed, slowly processing her entanglement with him once again.
It was fine; she just had to wait until he grew tired of her. She didn't believe she was unique in his eyes—once he got bored, he would naturally let go!
But right now, there were some matters that needed to come to an end.
She took a shower, standing in her room feeling refreshed and clean. Outside the floor-to-ceiling window was a newly renovated view. Jono opened her phone and found Xi Yisheng's number.
Xi Yisheng always answered her calls immediately.
"Yisheng, I'm sorry, but I won't marry you anymore." Jono thought about the promise he made when he left for Italy, a promise she had agreed to.
But unexpectedly, everything changed in such a short time.
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the line before he replied, "Jono, you are Jono now, right?"
Xi Yisheng had called her "Jono" only a handful of times; he always believed that after her rebirth, she should be called Faye—a brand new version of herself.
Only the old Jono would hesitate and get entangled in the emotional whirlpool with Jin Chengyan.
"I'm sorry; no amount of apologies can make up for what I've done, but you deserve someone better. I don't deserve you."
"There has never been a question of worthiness; it’s only about whether you are willing. You ultimately chose Jin Chengyan, didn't you?" Xi Yisheng's voice carried a hint of defeat.
If it was because he had to return to Italy to handle family matters that gave Jin Chengyan an opportunity, then he had truly learned the meaning of the phrase "the backyard is on fire."
How could the vast Xi Family suddenly come under attack? With gangs targeting them and the government cracking down hard, it was all too sudden and unexpected.
Such coincidences were hard for Xi Yisheng to believe.
Thinking about it, there was only one reason: Jin Chengyan didn’t want him to stay by Jono's side.
"Thank you, goodbye." Jono hung up the phone. If she continued talking, she wasn't sure if Xi Yisheng would pick up on anything.
It was not her choice to follow Jin Chengyan; rather, it was Jin Chengyan who forced her down this path.
If she had to maintain contact with Xi Yisheng while being compelled to choose this route, she would truly be a sight unworthy of respect, even despising herself.
Before she became even worse, she needed to distance them all from herself.
Jono closed his eyes, unable to imagine how difficult the days ahead would be.
...
"Ayan, you've had enough to drink today!" Yan'an City snatched the bottle from Jin Chengyan's hand and set it aside.
He knew that Jono's return had struck a nerve with Jin Chengyan, and everything he had done during this time could hardly be described as rational. But drinking too much was truly harmful!
Jin Chengyan tilted his head back and downed the contents of his glass in one go.
There was too much frustration that he couldn't express; he could only drown it in alcohol.
Seeing Jin Chengyan drink like this, Yan'an City couldn't help but join in, downing a few more glasses himself.
Who among them wasn't burdened with troubles? Who could remain unscathed?
Jin Chengyan finally noticed that something was off with Yan'an City. Half-drunk and half-awake, he asked, "What's wrong with you?"
He had never seen a look of disappointment on Yan'an City's face before. This person had food and drink, wandered around freely, and lived a comfortable life.
If there was anything troubling him, it was the sudden disappearance of Yan Beiting four years ago, which had caused him to lose an older brother and forced him into the role of someone whom the elders kept an eye on.
"Isn't it all because of Brother Three? He disappeared out of nowhere, and I have no interest in managing things!"
Jin Chengyan's mind cleared as he recalled that Old Master Yan had asked him to find Yan Beiting's whereabouts some time ago. With everything that happened with Jono, he had pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.
Hearing Yan'an City mention it today jogged his memory.
However, Jin Chengyan had always been skeptical about this matter.
Yan Beiting wasn't someone who left without a trace, but four years ago, he vanished without a word, leaving no clues behind. He wasn't the type like those in Yan'an City who lived freely and recklessly; could it be that he truly wanted to experience a life of poverty and ran off to Africa? To live in isolation?
"Ayan, I've always felt... Brother Three is already... dead." Yan'an City said, holding a wine glass, his expression somewhat dazed as he spoke.
Jin Chengyan's heart skipped a beat; this thought had crossed his mind more than once.
Yet, he always believed in the saying that one must see the living or the dead.
Look, Jono returned safe and sound; he believed Yan Beiting should still be alive too.
"What nonsense are you spouting? If your grandfather hears this, won't he beat you to death?" Jin Chengyan interrupted Yan'an City's wild thoughts.
"Let him beat me; I don't care about the company's affairs anyway!" Yan'an City shrugged off the concern. "But you—your sister-in-law is back. Why do you still look so troubled?"
The conversation inevitably circled back to Jono, leaving Jin Chengyan at a loss.
He truly had no way to deal with Jono; it was absurd that he even thought of using such a method to keep her by his side.
When he first voiced that idea, even he was taken aback.
Even if Jono hadn't said anything, when Qi Ziluo informed him that Qiao Lovely's biological mother couldn't donate for her transplant, he had already prepared to undergo the surgery.
However, with Jono showing up, all his plans fell apart.
He glanced at the time; it was about time to return to Jin Mansion. He wondered if Jono would still be there.
"Leaving?" Yan'an City asked as he saw Jin Chengyan getting up.
"Yes, heading home," Jin Chengyan replied, deliberately using the word "home," indicating that only where Jono was felt like home to him.
"Since you're leaving, I might as well go too!" Yan'an City rubbed his temples and stood up, ready to leave with Jin Chengyan.
Both of them had decent drinking capacities, but they had consumed quite a bit of alcohol that night, and as they stepped outside, their feet struggled to maintain a straight line.
As they walked, someone approached them. The person seemed to want to avoid them but ended up colliding directly.
Jin Chengyan was slammed against the wall. He couldn't tell if it was due to the other person's strength or if he simply lacked any energy at that moment.
It felt like he grabbed onto something—most likely a person's arm.
Jin Chengyan thought he had caught hold of Yan'an City, but upon looking closer, he involuntarily exclaimed, "Yan San?"
The man in black clothing who had been grabbed by Jin Chengyan paused slightly. He steadied Jin Chengyan and helped him stand upright.
"Sorry, sir, you've mistaken me for someone else," a deep and hoarse voice reached Jin Chengyan's ears.
It was indeed not Yan Beiting's voice; he had made a mistake.
He shyly released the man's hand, wanting to find Yan'an City, but he couldn't see him anywhere.
When he turned back, he noticed that the man was still standing there.
Having just made a mistake, Jin Chengyan apologized and said to the man while waiting for Yan'an City, "Your eyes really remind me of a friend of mine..."
The man smiled slightly. "Sir, if you have nothing else, I’ll take my leave." Seeing the slightly tipsy Jin Chengyan, he felt no concern.
"Okay." Jin Chengyan nodded and watched the man leave.
It was too much alike; it was truly uncanny. The gaze was identical to Yan Beiting's. Even after so many years, Jin Chengyan would not forget it.
But aside from those eyes, there was nothing else about him that resembled Yan Beiting.
When Yan'an City returned, he saw Jin Chengyan staring blankly in one direction. He had just gone to throw up; after drinking so much, it would have been strange if he hadn't.
"What are you looking at? Hurry up and go home. I have to get up for a meeting tomorrow. Nine to five, what nonsense is that? Whoever wants to be the Boss can go ahead..." Amidst Yan'an City's complaints, Jin Chengyan snapped back to reality.
Seeing Yan'an City get into the car sent by the Yan Family, he then got into his own car, with A-Shan driving.
Jin Chengyan closed his eyes, resting his hand on the window as he rolled it down to let the cold wind in.
"After all these years, you're the only one still by my side," Jin Chengyan's voice showed no trace of drunkenness; he must have sobered up.
"Young Master..." A-Shan glanced at Jin Chengyan's face through the rearview mirror. "Drinking is harmful to your health."
Jin Chengyan rubbed his temples. Over the past four years, he had lost count of how much alcohol he had consumed and how many times he had suffered from alcohol poisoning or gastric bleeding that required hospitalization. He always attributed it to socializing and work.
As the President of Jin Corporation, does he really need to drink to make money?
The reason was all too clear.
"No matter how much it hurts, it can't be worse than this," Jin Chengyan said, placing a hand over his heart, where a dull ache lingered, refusing to fade.
A-Shan sighed. He could feel the bittersweet pangs of love through Jin Chengyan.
"I'm afraid to taste the flavor of love," A-Shan teased lightly, though there was an underlying sense of melancholy in his words.
"What do you know? Only by loving can life be perfect."
"Knowing it will hurt, yet still diving in headfirst without hesitation! If given another chance, would you still be with Miss Qiao?"
"I would," Jin Chengyan replied without a moment's hesitation. "And I wouldn't use those underhanded tactics. I would be open and honest with her, making her the happiest woman in the world, so she would feel that being with me is a joyful thing."
In his mind, he painted a beautiful picture, as if he had truly experienced it.
If it weren't for A-Shan's whistle, Jin Chengyan's beautiful dream might have continued.
But waking up meant returning to reality.
Jin Chengyan rubbed his temples again; the effects of the alcohol were starting to kick in.
"A-Shan, how's the investigation into Yan San coming along?"
At the mention of this matter, A-Shan's expression turned serious.
"On the day Yan San went missing, it just so happened to be the day Miss Qiao..."
"I don't like hearing you call her Miss Qiao," Jin Chengyan interrupted A-Shan out of nowhere, simply to correct his address.
"Alright. That day was also the day Young Mistress went missing. You don't believe that Young Mistress could have perished in the fire, so you asked me to investigate. But all the road surveillance in the city malfunctioned that day; the footage from that hour was completely hacked and destroyed, so we couldn't find any trace of Young Mistress, and naturally, we couldn't find Yan San either."
At first, A-Shan hadn't connected Yan Beiting's case with Jono's incident; it was only after Jin Chengyan suggested he look into Yan Beiting's whereabouts that he began to see the connection.
Bringing the two cases together revealed numerous points of suspicion.
"And someone saw Yan San’s car at the hospital before the explosion."
Jin Chengyan suddenly snapped to attention, looking at A-Shan in surprise from the driver's seat.
"How could he have gone to the hospital?" The things that were unknown four years ago were now being brought up, and all Jin Chengyan felt was shock.
"The person you asked me to investigate, Xi Yisheng, the head of the Italian Mafia, was a close friend of Yan San. However, due to Xi Yisheng's identity, Yan San has never publicly acknowledged their relationship."
Hearing this, Jin Chengyan couldn't help but connect all these dots.
"Jono was able to leave the hospital thanks to Yan San, who then handed him over to Xi Yisheng for care. But... where is Yan San?" This question continued to baffle Jin Chengyan.
It was true that Yan Beiting had feelings for Jono. If he truly didn't want Jono and Jin Chengyan to be together, why would he entrust Jono to Xi Yisheng?
And what about Yan Beiting himself?
"This is something I've been puzzled about as well. Where exactly did Yan San go? Perhaps asking Young Mistress would yield more direct answers," suggested A-Shan.
Jin Chengyan thought about asking Jono about the past four years, and she was sure he wouldn't be pleased.
"This is something I asked you to investigate, yet you're giving me orders."
A-Shan replied, "I know I was wrong."
Jin Chengyan turned away, visibly irritated.
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