Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Junxi never expected that what Shen Yunchong wanted to know was this. In her eyes, Shen Yunchong was not the type of man who would gossip about others' relationships.
"It's a personal issue that prevents us from being together," Junxi said.
"Is it because of your father's case from years ago?" Shen Yunchong asked suddenly.
"How do you know about my father's case?" Junxi looked at Shen Yunchong warily.
Shen Yunchong shifted his leg and put his hands in his pockets, appearing somewhat relaxed.
"How I know is not important. What matters is that I want to make a deal with Teacher Wen," a glimmer of light flashed in Shen Yunchong's eyes.
Junxi's heart skipped a beat.
"I don't know what capital I have to make a deal with Mr. Shen."
Shen Yunchong smirked, "I'm a businessman; I would never let myself suffer a loss. Teacher Wen shouldn't underestimate herself either; you have plenty of conditions to negotiate with me."
"You tell me."
"As long as Teacher Wen can agree to my terms, I can promise to take care of your brother until he is discharged from the hospital. At the same time, I can have someone reinvestigate your parents' case and clear their names."
Junxi narrowed her eyes.
"Mr. Shen, you're making me more and more curious. What exactly do you hope to gain from me?"
He claimed to be a businessman, and since he offered such tempting conditions, what he wanted in return surely wouldn't be something she could easily provide.
The transaction had not yet begun, but it was enough to make her both excited and anxious. However, as long as it could save her brother and parents, she was willing to do anything.
"My next condition may be a bit rude; I hope Teacher Wen won't mind."
"In this world, what transaction requires consideration of etiquette? Mr. Shen, just speak your mind."
Shen Yunchong smiled. "Alright, then Shen will be rude."
Junxi looked at him, quietly waiting for his next words.
"I hope Teacher Wen will marry me."
Shen Yunchong spoke slowly, enunciating each word clearly. Yet Junxi couldn't help but ask, "What did you say?"
"I hope you will marry me."
Junxi was stunned and took a step back, pressing against the wall of the elevator.
"Mr. Shen..."
"I warned you it would be very rude."
"Why?"
Why her? Why was it her?
He, Shen Yunchong, had wealth and looks; within Qingcheng, finding a woman with better character and background than her would be as easy as picking fresh fruit in a grocery store.
"Because Minya likes you." Shen Yunchong's answer was simple.
“Minya likes me. What about you?” Junxi questioned, “Does Mr. Shen only consider Minya's feelings when choosing a partner, without any regard for your own?”
Shen Yunchong was not angered by Junxi's inquiry; instead, he laughed.
It was quite refreshing that she still had the presence of mind to consider his feelings at such a moment.
“How does Teacher Wen know that I don’t like you?”
His candid gaze made Junxi even more flustered.
“Mr. Shen! Please don’t joke like that!”
Shen Yunchong’s smile deepened. “So my affection can scare Teacher Wen this much.”
“Mr. Shen…”
Shen Yunchong waved his hand, signaling to drop the subject.
“This is my only condition, Teacher Wen. What do you think?”
Junxi lowered her head, her back against the cold wall, the icy touch amplifying her despair.
“Can I have some time to think it over?” Junxi murmured.
“Of course.” Shen Yunchong pressed a hand on Junxi’s shoulder. “You can refuse me, and I will never pester you.”
Junxi looked at him.
“Because I understand you. After all, neither of us is doing this for ourselves.”
Junxi leaned against her brother's bedside, watching the IV drip slowly release drops of fluid.
In just a day, her brother's hand had already developed dark bruises from the needles. Yet he insisted he didn't need a catheter, claiming he would be discharged soon and that it was unnecessary.
Junxi didn't know how to tell him that his condition was actually more serious than he imagined. But she thought, her brother was a smart person; perhaps he was just trying to lighten the mood to keep her from worrying.
The IV bag still had more than half of the medication left, and as her brother remained asleep, she gradually lost her patience.
Ever since she heard Shen Yunchong's proposal, she had been restless.
It was a deal that would benefit everyone involved; she should agree to it. This way, their family could be reunited, and her brother would receive care from their parents.
But this deal would come at the cost of her own happiness.
Yet what choice did she have now?
Was there one?
Perhaps there was!
Suddenly inspired, Junxi jumped up from her chair. As she rushed out of Jun Xuan's hospital room, she spotted Jason walking toward her.
"Junxi, where are you going?" he asked.
"I need to find Zhou Xuanyu. Where is he?"
Jason chuckled. "You two are quite amusing. He sent me to check on you and your brother, yet here you are looking for him."
"Where is he?" Junxi asked again.
"In Room 808, his brother's ward... Hey, are you going to find him?" Jason's words were cut short as Junxi had already dashed away.
Jason rolled his eyes.
With such an urgent desire to meet, it hardly seemed like they were arguing. If it wasn’t an argument, then why did Zhou Xuanyu look so troubled?
Why was their relationship so complicated?
Junxi rushed into the elevator and pressed the button for the eighth floor. Room 808, what a lucky number; however, applied to that person, it felt rather ridiculous.
The door to Room 808 was slightly ajar, and she paused at the entrance.
"Xuan Yu, just consider it a request from your older brother. Please don’t bring out that evidence, okay?"
Through the crack in the door, Junxi caught a glimpse of Zhou Xuanyu standing with his back to her. His spine was straight, giving his silhouette an air of righteousness.
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent.
Suddenly, Zhou Xuan Yong stood up and lunged toward him.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Brother, this isn't right..."
"Don't tell me what's right or wrong. Five years have passed; Wen Wei and Yang Tingfang will be out in a few more years, but what about me? If you send me to prison, I’ll die there!"
Zhou Xuan Yong trembled with agitation, his whole body shaking as if he were having a seizure.
"Big Brother, please don't get agitated."
"Then promise me, promise me, okay?"
Zhou Xuan Yong grasped Zhou Xuanyu's arm, applying a bit of force. He intended to embrace Zhou Xuanyu, but his legs were too weak to support him, and he fell from the hospital bed.
"Big Brother..."
"Look at my legs, my legs... Xuan Yu..."
"Big Brother, please get up." Zhou Xuanyu leaned down, trying to help Zhou Xuan Yong up. However, Zhou Xuan Yong turned on the ground and ended up kneeling in front of him. "Just consider it Big Brother begging you. You have to help me this once. In my entire life, I'm asking you for this one last time. Will you promise me? Please?"
"You need to get up first."
"You have to promise me first," Zhou Xuan Yong insisted.
Zhou Xuanyu sighed.
"Fine, I promise you."
?
"Junxi, why didn't you come in?" Jason appeared out of nowhere.
Junxi was caught eavesdropping and, in a panic, bumped into the door.
With a loud thud, both Zhou Xuan Yong and Zhou Xuanyu turned to look at the commotion.
Junxi immediately turned and ran away.
“Junxi!” Zhou Xuanyu shouted from inside.
“What’s going on?” Jason asked, puzzled.
“Jason, come in and watch my brother,” Zhou Xuanyu quickly handed his brother over to Jason before dashing out.
“Hey, hey, hey… why does it feel like everyone is avoiding me? Wherever I go, you all disappear…” Jason complained as he steadied Zhou Xuan Yong.
Junxi had taken the elevator down, and Zhou Xuanyu couldn’t wait for the next one, so he ran down the stairs.
Fortunately, when he reached the ground floor, the elevator had just arrived. Junxi emerged with red-rimmed eyes, and he immediately intercepted her.
“Come here.” Zhou Xuanyu pulled her to a quieter spot without giving her a chance to protest.
Junxi remained silent; it was the most obedient she had been since the incident began. But her quietness only made Zhou Xuanyu feel more uneasy.
“Junxi, what did you hear just now?”
“I heard everything. Including your plan to protect him,” Junxi replied coldly, staring at Zhou Xuanyu.
The moisture in her eyes seemed ready to evaporate her whole being, prompting Zhou Xuanyu to pull her into his embrace.
“He is my older brother. Just as you have been at odds with me for your parents these past few days, I have my own reasons,” Zhou Xuanyu's voice was hoarse, filled with a painful helplessness.
To his surprise, Junxi didn’t struggle against him.
During these past few days, whenever her heart ached unbearably, she wished she could lean against him like this. Now that she finally had her wish—though it might be the last time—she didn’t want to leave so soon.
Zhou Xuanyu’s heartbeat was more chaotic than ever; it was perhaps the best indication of how troubled his emotions were.
And she, too.
"Xuan Yu Uncle," Junxi gently tugged at Zhou Xuanyu's collar, her voice soft and almost like a whisper.
In the past, when she called him "Xuan Yu Uncle," it was often filled with mischief, but today, he felt only despair.
It was his fault; he had promised to help her investigate her parents' case, but now that there were results, he could only keep hiding the truth from her. He dared not hope for her forgiveness, yet he did not want to lose her.
Zhou Xuanyu pressed her head down, holding her tightly as if trying to meld her into his very being.
"So, you have already made your choice, haven't you?" Junxi looked up at him gently.
"Junxi, he is sick. I can't just watch him suffer in prison..."
"My parents are healthy, so do they deserve to suffer in that prison?" She raised her voice.
"That's not what I mean!" His tone was equally firm but laced with a calming intent.
Junxi gradually calmed down.
"No matter what you mean, since you have made your decision, then it's time for me to make mine."
Junxi pulled away from Zhou Xuanyu's embrace. One hand pressed against his arm while the other caressed his cheek—the face she loved most. But soon, she would no longer be able to touch it like this.
"I understand that you cannot abandon your brother for me. So please understand that I cannot abandon my parents to be with you."
"…"
"We should end this completely."
Junxi turned around and walked out without looking back. She tried her best to keep her tears at bay, not wanting Zhou Xuanyu to see her trembling shoulders, thinking that she still couldn't let him go.
She had to let go.
Since their love was beyond their control, what reason was there to continue?
Zhou Xuanyu pressed against his burning chest, where she had just grabbed his clothing, as if it were on fire. The pain started from his chest and spread throughout his body.
But he couldn't hold her back.
As she said, neither of them could give up their families for each other. If that was the case, how could they be together?
The moment Junxi stepped out of the hospital doors, she dialed Shen Yunchong's number.
She needed to make this call while her emotions were still raw; she feared that if she calmed down, she would regret it, but there was no room for regret.
"Teacher Wen, it's only been a short while since we parted, and you already miss me?" Shen Yunchong sounded in a good mood on the other end.
"Mr. Shen, you're quite the joker today."
"But you aren't laughing."
"If I never laugh again in the future, would you still marry me?"
Shen Yunchong paused for a moment; Junxi could sense the sudden drop in pressure on the other end. He must have been displeased.
"You know why I want to marry you. I don't expect you to face me with joy, but for Minya, I hope you can still be Sister Junxi who brings her happiness," Shen Yunchong replied coldly.
"Mr. Shen, don't worry, this is natural."
Shen Yunchong responded with a soft "Hmm": "So Teacher Wen means that you have already agreed to marry me?"
Junxi fell silent.
She did not want to marry Shen Yunchong, but what other choice did she have besides agreeing?
Originally, she had sought out Zhou Xuanyu, hoping to persuade him to give her the evidence he had found. As long as he was willing to save her parents, she would let everything else go. They could leave this place and pretend that nothing had ever happened, continuing their lives in happiness.
But before she could say a word, Zhou Xuanyu had already made his choice.
Since there was no longer any possibility of being with Zhou Xuanyu, what difference did it make who she ended up with?
"Yes, I agree to marry you. But I hope Mr. Shen will also keep your promise."
"Teacher Wen, rest assured, you will soon be reunited with your family."
Reunited with family—a beautiful phrase.
Now that it was finally about to come true, why did she only feel desolate?
More than five years of torment linked to the misery of her remaining life; this was her destiny.
?
Midnight.
In the vast darkness of the room, Zhou Xuanyu suddenly sat up in bed and reached for the light switch on the wall.
The dim yellow light cast a glow on his face, illuminating the beads of sweat on his forehead.
Another nightmare.
Recently, his sleep quality had been extremely poor; he either tossed and turned unable to fall asleep or was jolted awake by nightmares as soon as he drifted off.
That dream haunted him repeatedly.
He could clearly remember the deafening shout from within that dream. It belonged to his brother, Zhou Xuan Yong.
Though it was called a dream, it was actually a real event that had occurred.
That summer, he had just graduated from his second year of high school and was about to enter the intense final year. However, he found it impossible to calm his mind. Understanding the heavy burden of his studies and the immense pressure he faced, his brother Zhou Xuan Yong had promised to take him along on a business trip to help him relax.
Zhou Xuan Yong was going to a neighboring county for a commercial event and intended to survey a piece of land there for potential development.
It was Zhou Xuanyu's first time accompanying his brother to such an event, and although he appeared calm on the surface, he felt a surge of excitement inside.
On the day of the event's ribbon-cutting ceremony, a typhoon struck. However, the inclement weather did not delay the proceedings. To shield against the wind and rain, the organizers hastily erected a canopy over the outdoor stage. Yet it was this very canopy that would alter the fates of Zhou Xuanyu and Zhou Xuan Yong forever.
The makeshift canopy could not withstand the force of the wind and suddenly collapsed. In an effort to protect Zhou Xuanyu, Zhou Xuan Yong was tragically struck on both legs. Although staff members rushed him to the hospital in time, his legs were ultimately rendered useless.
From that day forward, Zhou Xuan Yong became paralyzed from the waist down. As for Zhou Xuanyu, he bore an immense burden on his shoulders.
If it hadn't been for his brother's attempt to protect him, Zhou Xuan Yong would not have been injured. But he also understood that if his brother hadn't intervened, what he would have lost would have been far more than just two legs.
Thus, what he owed Zhou Xuan Yong was not merely a pair of legs but a life.
His decision to reluctantly take over Hengfu Group in place of Zhou Xuan Yong was simply an act of gratitude. Since he could not repay his brother with legs, then naturally, he would have to walk the path that his brother could no longer tread.
This was a relative who had risked their life to save him. Even though he had made a tremendous mistake, he had no right to send them to prison.
Zhou Xuanyu got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face, slowly calming the turmoil within him.
Suddenly, his phone by the pillow rang.
At this late hour, who could possibly be calling him?
Zhou Xuanyu glanced at the screen and was surprised to see it was Zhou Ziyan, someone he hadn't heard from in a long time.
Ever since he found out that Junxi was with him, Zhou Ziyan seemed to have intentionally cut off contact, never reaching out first.
He quickly answered the call.
"Zhou Ziyan."
"Uncle!" Zhou Ziyan's voice sounded cheerful.
Zhou Xuanyu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Why are you calling so late? Did something happen?"
"Oh, Uncle, I called you according to my local time! I almost forgot about the seven or eight-hour time difference between us!"
With a seven or eight-hour time difference, Zhou Xuanyu could roughly figure out where Zhou Ziyan was.
"I hope I didn't disturb you! If I interrupted your busy schedule as a president, then my sins would be grave!" Zhou Ziyan exclaimed animatedly, his tone already returning to the way it used to be.
It seemed that he had finally gotten through those difficult days. Indeed, time was the best remedy in this world.
It was a pity that Zhou Ziyan had let go; his relationship with Junxi was over. This made his departure seem somewhat unworthy.
However, conversely, if it had been him who had left back then, and Zhou Ziyan was the one with Junxi now, the outcome would likely have been much the same.
After all, Zhou Ziyan also bore the surname Zhou.
The deep friendship between the Zhou family and the Wen Family had ended in such a tragic manner due to his brother's selfish greed, which was truly lamentable.
"No, I just woke up from a dream."
"It wasn't a good dream, was it?" Zhou Ziyan chuckled ambiguously on the other end of the line. "If I disturbed your sweet dreams, that would be a greater sin than disturbing your own, haha..."
Zhou Ziyan's hearty laughter inexplicably eased Zhou Xuanyu's tension. He often envied Zhou Ziyan for his ability to let go. Being able to take things lightly was what a true man should embody.
This did not mean that Zhou Ziyan loved Junxi any less; on the contrary, the fact that Zhou Ziyan took the initiative to call him indicated how much he cared for Junxi.
It was because he cared that he did not want to become a source of conflict between them.
"What is it that you want?" Zhou Xuanyu asked.
"Oh, I almost forgot! I called to tell you that I'm coming back tomorrow."
Comment 0 Comment Count