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墨書 Inktalez
"I heard you wanted to see me." In the VIP Room, Jin Chengyan arrived alone and encountered the bodyguard sent by Liu Mingzhang to protect Ruan Shengyu outside the door.
Jin Zhongshu was also in this hospital, and it seemed that the Jin Family and the Liu Family were beginning to engage in a subtle competition.
The people from Liu Mingzhang approached Jin Chengyan and informed him that Ruan Shengyu wanted to meet him.
She hadn’t used her phone or any form of communication; instead, she had sent someone from Liu Mingzhang. This left a sense of distaste in Jin Chengyan's heart.
But he still came, curious to hear what Ruan Shengyu had to say.
"Look, this is the first dress you gave me; it still looks as good as new." Ruan Shengyu sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at a neatly placed floral dress on the bed.
That was a gift from six years ago, given to her with his first earnings, a surprise he had hoped would delight her.
Yet, he had only seen her wear it once.
"Because it was a gift from you, I never wanted to wear it out. I didn’t want to ruin it. So all these years have passed, and it still looks new, doesn’t it?" Ruan Shengyu's gaze remained fixed on the dress rather than on Jin Chengyan, as if she were lost in memories from long ago.
"I thought you didn't like it," Jin Chengyan replied, reminiscing about the past.
"How could I not like it? It was the first gift I ever received. You have no idea how much I cherish it. Every memory you gave me is precious; every gift you sent me is carefully kept away. I feared that if one day you left me, I could hold onto those things to get through life." Her eyes lost focus. "But I realized I couldn't do that. Looking at these things only reminds me of our happy times together, and it's hard to accept that you are gone."
Ruan Shengyu closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks and falling onto the dress, leaving a mark of sorrow.
"I know I should wish you happiness and celebrate your true love... true love..." she choked on her words. "But here, it hurts so much."
She placed her hand over her heart, gripping her clothing tightly; the veins on her hand stood out, revealing how hard she was holding on.
"My desire to end my life isn’t just about seeking redemption; more than that, it's about not wanting to live in a world where I see you loving someone else. I can’t bear to witness your happiness with another woman when I'm alone. Why won’t you even let me die?"
The scar on her hand was covered by a bandage, but Jin Chengyan knew how hideous the wound beneath it was.
"Shengyu, it's all over now." He guessed that she might be trying to escape from the prison of her own making, which was why she acted this way in front of him.
She probably thought he couldn't bear to leave her alone.
Indeed, Jin Chengyan could not remain indifferent when he saw Ruan Shengyu isolated and helpless.
But the premise was that she had to be isolated and helpless.
"For you, everything is over, but for me, it has just begun. Every day from now on, I can only live with memories of you. Are you really going to be this cruel to me?" Ruan Shengyu wiped her tears and looked directly at Jin Chengyan.
"You don't need to rush to accuse me. If you really want to make amends, would you call Liu Mingzhang? You can't possibly be unaware of his relationship with the Jin Family, right?" Jin Chengyan's words were cold towards Ruan Shengyu.
Ruan Shengyu was taken aback but quickly regained her composure.
"Since you left me, I've been isolated and helpless. Am I not allowed to find someone to help me? Don't you know that it was your Jin Family that ordered my banishment? I can't get any work, my reputation is gone. How am I supposed to live? How am I supposed to survive?" In saying this, she was merely protecting herself; she had done nothing wrong.
Jin Chengyan frowned.
"What if I let you sever ties with Liu Mingzhang right now? Would you agree?"
"Then I'll make you divorce Jono. You divorce her, and I'll immediately cut ties with Liu Mingzhang!"
"That's two different matters!"
"To me, it's one and the same."
After a brief argument, no unified answer was reached.
"How about we each take a step back?" Ruan Shengyu said softly, not wanting to anger Jin Chengyan, nor did she want to leave him.
Jin Chengyan raised an eyebrow at Ruan Shengyu. Was there really a way to take a step back? How could they do that?
"Can we be as good as we used to be? You can come see me from time to time, and we can be without any grudges. I've been gradually distancing myself from Liu Mingzhang. You know he has a lot of power, and he has truly helped me. If I turn my back on him, I won't be able to live with myself." This arrangement seemed to be the best option for now!
But Jin Chengyan remained silent, his eyes holding an inscrutable expression, leaving her uncertain if he would agree.
"You do realize that by doing this, you are becoming the third party? I haven't divorced Jono yet."
If he maintained that kind of relationship with Ruan Shengyu, then without a doubt, she would be the third party. Had she not thought about that?
The phrase flashed through Ruan Shengyu's mind, and her face flushed red. Did she not realize that her actions made her equivalent to a third party?
She simply hadn't voiced it, yet Jin Chengyan bluntly stated it, leaving her stunned.
Jin Chengyan was showing her no mercy at all!
"Alright." Just when Ruan Shengyu felt despairing, Jin Chengyan's lighthearted voice felt like a lifeline!
She looked at Jin Chengyan in disbelief, her eyes filled with surprise.
"But you know, Jono is not someone easy to deal with. If she finds out about us, there will be chaos. She might even blow up the situation regarding how you hurt her before, so..."
"Okay, I will keep it a secret. This matter will only be known by the two of us. As long as you are by my side, I will be content!" Ruan Shengyu quickly agreed.
Having acted in so many films, how could she not know what a qualified third party should do?
She just never expected that the time would come for her to be the third party.
Jin Chengyan nodded, "But your relationship with Liu Mingzhang..." He deliberately left his sentence unfinished, wanting Ruan Shengyu to speak for herself.
She hesitated for a moment, "He is my benefactor, treats me very well, and has never had any improper thoughts about me. He really treats me like a daughter..."
However, when she looked back at Jin Chengyan, all her inner turmoil faded away. After all, the person who would accompany her through life was Jin Chengyan, not Liu Mingzhang.
"Don't worry, I will gradually distance myself from him and support you quietly from behind," Ruan Shengyu resolved.
With Ruan Shengyu's decision made, Jin Chengyan also had his own plans.
"Now that you're almost recovered, I'll arrange for you to be discharged. You won't stay in your original apartment; I'm afraid reporters might go there. Also, it's best if no one knows about your discharge—neither Liu Mingzhang nor Jono—to avoid unnecessary complications."
Ruan Shengyu could only nod. Since she had come this far, she would naturally follow Jin Chengyan's lead.
Everything was arranged, and it seemed that Jin Chengyan had solved a difficult problem. His heart felt lighter, and the heroic spirit in his brows re-emerged.
As they were leaving, Ruan Shengyu asked him, "Ayan, you still love me, right?"
Jin Chengyan's lips curled into a slight smile, just like every time he had smiled at her in the past. He didn't answer but didn't deny it either.
...
Jono brought over the lunch prepared by the Jin family for Jin Zhongshu. Jin Zhongshu had already woken up but was often in and out of sleep. When he was awake, he wanted to eat the porridge cooked at home.
She personally went back to get it and also brought a change of clothes for Jin Chengyan. For the past two days, Jin Chengyan had been taking care of him without leaving his side.
Although Jin Chengyan usually referred to Jin Zhongshu as "old man" repeatedly, he was genuinely attentive to his father.
When the elevator reached their floor, Jono stepped out just as Jin Chengyan's elevator arrived, and the two emerged simultaneously.
Jono paused for a moment, instinctively glancing at the elevator display. Jin Chengyan had come down from above, while Jono had come up from below, so they hadn't crossed paths on the first floor.
Seeing Jono carrying something heavy, Jin Chengyan stepped forward to help. "Why didn’t you have someone bring you over? This is so heavy."
In addition to the lunch prepared for Jin Zhongshu, there were also some toiletries.
Jono's gaze returned from the elevator display. "You came down from upstairs!" She knew Ruan Shengyu was in a hospital room on the upper floor.
"You went to see Ruan Shengyu," it was more of a statement than a question.
Jin Chengyan's hand froze for a moment as he replied, "No." He said it so naturally and smoothly, "The old man's attending physician is in the office upstairs. I went to ask about his condition."
It seemed plausible enough.
However, Jono felt terrible and looked at Jin Chengyan helplessly. "I must be really annoying like this!"
Jin Chengyan looked at Jono and gently rubbed her cheek with his other hand. "Not at all."
Jono quickly pulled away; they were not in that kind of relationship now. How could they act so intimately without any awkwardness?
Jin Chengyan's hand hung awkwardly in the air, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Jono didn't think much of it and walked into the hospital room with the thermos in hand.
Upon opening the door, he saw the nurse chatting with Jin Zhongshu, who had apparently woken up.
"Young Mistress, Mr. Jin is asking where you all went!"
Jono looked at Jin Zhongshu lying on the bed, noticing that his complexion seemed much better. He should call Melancholy to come and see him; otherwise, she would be gloomy all day, worrying but too afraid to visit the hospital and see Jin Zhongshu, who might not wake up for a long time. That would undoubtedly be a torment for her.
"I brought some porridge made by Auntie for Dad. He can have a little when he wakes up," Jono quickly placed the porridge on the table, eager to let Jin Zhongshu eat a bit before he fell asleep again and missed his chance.
At that moment, Jin Chengyan also entered the room. Seeing that Jin Zhongshu was awake, he exchanged a glance with him.
Jono scooped some porridge into a bowl and held it in his hands. After a moment's thought, he said to Jin Chengyan, "You feed Dad."
Jin Chengyan had never done anything like this before, but with Jono saying so, he couldn't refuse. He took the bowl and sat down in front of the bed.
Jono adjusted the bed slightly so that Jin Zhongshu could sit up a bit. His complexion was slightly flushed, likely due to the air conditioning in the room.
When Jin Zhongshu saw Jin Chengyan preparing to feed him porridge, he felt a bit shy; it was probably the first time he experienced such concern from his son.
However, Jin Zhongshu's appetite wasn't great. He only managed to drink half of the bowl of porridge that wasn't even full to begin with before shaking his head to indicate he didn't want any more.
Jin Chengyan had no choice but to set the bowl aside and wipe his father's mouth.
"Ayan..." Jin Zhongshu sighed deeply as he called out his son's name.
"Yes, I'm here," Jin Chengyan replied.
“Jono.”
“I’m here too.” Jono quickly approached Jin Zhongshu upon hearing his name, looking at him.
Seeing his son and daughter-in-law standing before him brought Jin Zhongshu comfort. He reached out and took the hands of Jin Chengyan and Jono, placing them together.
In truth, Jono felt a bit reluctant. After all, what if Jin Chengyan had really gone to find Ruan Shengyu? Had they embraced? Had they said anything to each other?
Jono found himself feeling particularly bored by these thoughts.
“I’ve come this far, and all I can think about is that you two should be well together. A harmonious family leads to prosperity! Don’t let trivial matters interfere with your feelings for each other. You two are just like your mother and me back in the day; after weathering storms, you will eventually see the sunshine,” Jin Zhongshu’s weak voice came through.
Jono was somewhat puzzled as to why he was saying such things now.
However, Jin Chengyan immediately replied, “Dad, why are you saying this at a time like this? Once you recover, just watch us happily together; it will definitely be more affectionate than you and Mom were back then!”
Affectionate…
Jono muttered those words in his heart, feeling a chill run down his back.
“I never doubt that, but… my health is ultimately failing. I still hope to see grandchildren in my lifetime, so you two need to work hard!”
Jono’s face turned red instantly. How could they work hard? What could they even do?
Then, Jin Zhongshu fell asleep, drifting off…
Jono: “…”
Because Jin Zhongshu had fallen asleep, Jono and Jin Chengyan stepped out of the hospital room and sat in the living room outside.
Initially, they were sitting a bit apart, with Jono scrolling through Weibo on her phone, unsure of what else to do. To her surprise, Jin Chengyan moved closer and closer until Jono found herself cornered on the sofa.
Finally unable to tolerate it any longer, Jono put her phone down on the sofa and turned to glare at Jin Chengyan.
However, she found him gazing at her with deep affection, causing her accumulated anger to dissipate instantly. It was hard to stay mad at a man like him.
"Could you move over a bit? You're crowding me," Jono said, pushing against Jin Chengyan, but he didn’t budge.
Instead, he pressed her hand against his chest. After struggling for a moment without success, she resigned herself to leaving her hand resting there, feeling the strong rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her palm.
"Jono, the old man said he wants a grandchild."
"Oh, let Chuyu Xiu come over later for him to hold. But right now, Dad probably doesn’t have the strength to hold Chuyu Xiu," Jono replied. She knew exactly what Jin Chengyan was implying but pretended not to understand, using Chuyu Xiu as a diversion.
"Chuyu Xiu is your grandson; the one we have together would be our biological grandchild," Jin Chengyan said as he leaned closer to Jono. His strong masculine presence enveloped her, making her feel somewhat… restless.
"You think having a baby is that easy? Just because you say so doesn’t mean it can happen," Jono turned her face away. As long as she didn’t look at Jin Chengyan, everything would be fine!
"Having a baby is just about you and me…" Jin Chengyan suddenly leaned in close to Jono's ear and whispered something that made her face flush instantly.
She knew this man—despite his polished appearance in a suit—was entirely different when he took it off. He could say things that made Jono feel embarrassed, completely unlike the composed Jin Chengyan she was used to.
Yet that side of him held an undeniable charm.
In short, it made Jono feel a flutter of excitement inside.
She pushed Jin Chengyan away, her expression serious. "This is a hospital; can you tone it down a bit? Besides, I don't want to talk about that right now."
Jono noticed that after Jin Chengyan said that, she could no longer look at that activity directly. Her mind was filled with those scenes, almost hypnotic!
Jin Chengyan watched Jono's flushed face, feeling quite pleased.
He took Jono's hand and said earnestly, "Jono, let's have a child together, or maybe two. I want to build a happy family with you—just you and me, and our children."
His eyes were filled with sincerity, leaving Jono unable to detect any oddity.
Jono hesitated; this was undoubtedly a huge temptation for her. She longed for a happy family with the person she loved and their children. If such a family were possible, she would be willing to sacrifice everything to make it happen.
So when Jin Chengyan made this request, Jono felt her heart stir.
"Okay? I know you also want a stable family. What I can offer you is just that—it's everything I have. Do you want it?"
"Do you want it?" That question struck Jono like cotton candy, hitting her soft heart.
Seeing Jono's slight hesitation, Jin Chengyan leaned in and kissed her. He held her hand against his waist while his other hand caressed the back of her neck, sending shivers through her entire body.
She felt as if she were about to suffocate; her heart raced to her throat, and Jono thought she might not be able to breathe.
She should push this man away; otherwise, it would be like last time—being thoroughly overwhelmed by him and quickly surrendering, lost in his tender embrace.
But every time after his gentleness, Jin Chengyan would deal her a fatal blow!
No, Jono didn't want this!
She pushed Jin Chengyan away, his taste still lingering on her lips, yet she did so without hesitation.
"Jin Chengyan, do you know that a child's birth comes with the blessings of their parents and the prayers of their family? I don't want my child to be burdened by pressure from all sides right from the start. I’ll say it again: if you resolve your troubles, I will be with you unconditionally. If not, don’t touch me again." Jono declared resolutely, standing up and quickly leaving the hospital room.
Jin Chengyan leaned back on the sofa, rubbing his temples with one hand.
He closed his eyes lightly, a hint of fatigue on his face.
Alright, he was getting anxious. But what could he do? After seeing Jono, he couldn't help but want to possess her; he couldn't bear even a moment apart. This feeling of being able to see her but not touch her was truly unbearable.
Those issues really needed to be resolved quickly!
...
Once outside the hospital, Jono wandered aimlessly down the street. What had just happened was truly a misfire; her resistance in front of Jin Chengyan felt utterly worthless!
From now on, she really couldn’t be alone with Jin Chengyan anymore; otherwise, he always had a way of breaking down her self-control.
But then there was Jin Zhongshu's words—he wanted to hold his grandchild.
Jono had heard the doctor’s report about Jin Zhongshu's condition and knew that it was serious; he might not last another year. The old man’s last hope was simply to hold his grandchild. If they worked hard now, it was very likely that a baby could be born in ten months.
Every time she saw Jin Zhongshu, Jono couldn’t help but think of her own father. She hadn’t been able to fulfill her filial duties before him, and now he had left this world first.
So she didn’t want Jin Zhongshu to have any regrets; that was the least she could do as a younger generation for their elder.
But a child...
Jono really didn't want to make a hasty decision; after all, it was a matter of life. If she were to have a child with Jin Chengyan, what if he still had unresolved feelings for Ruan Shengyu?
She actually believed that Jin Chengyan genuinely wanted to build a life with her. However, the most terrifying thing in this world was a persistent mistress; they always found ways to drive a wedge between couples.
Moreover, Ruan Shengyu was Jin Chengyan's first love.
The concept of first love was an indelible mark for men.
Thinking about it made Jono feel quite confused.
So for the past couple of days, Jono tried her best to avoid being with Jin Chengyan. However, she wasn't idle; she met with Xiao Yuanshan and brought along a lawyer.
She couldn't just let the matter of Ruan Shengyu's attempted murder slide.
After meeting with Xiao Yuanshan, Jono felt somewhat heavy-hearted. Now, what stood in her way wasn't just Jin Chengyan, but also Liu Mingzhang!
After parting ways with her lawyer, Jono headed towards Jin Mansion. To her surprise, just after taking a couple of steps, she was grabbed by several strong men and quickly shoved into a black sedan.
By the time Jono realized what was happening, she found herself next to Liu Mingzhang.
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