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墨書 Inktalez
Lan Xin'en's thoughts quickly returned to that scene from ten years ago—
"I never want to see you again, not for the rest of my life!"
Lin Guangying shouted furiously, his fists pounding against the wardrobe behind Lan Xin'en, leaving a series of dents in its surface.
"I'm sorry," Lan Xin'en said, straightening her shoulders, a faint sadness shimmering in her eyes.
She didn't want to hurt him, nor did she ever think she would end up in this situation. She had once believed that her life would be a simple one spent together with him, but little did she know she would encounter that demon.
She only wanted to explain herself before any harm was done, but things didn't go as planned. She had to act quickly to stop the damage before it escalated.
"There's no need to apologize. Get out of my room! I never want to see you again! Not for the rest of my life!" Lin Guangying yelled, his eyes bloodshot and fixed on her, a mix of desperation and rage.
Lan Xin'en said nothing more; she simply looked at him quietly, not shedding a single tear. With a calm demeanor, she pushed open the heavy door and walked out.
She thought she would never see Lin Guangying again.
Lan Xin'en lowered her long lashes, hiding the glimmer of contemplation in her eyes.
" Sister Lan, what are you thinking about?" Zhong Li Fan exclaimed with an angelic smile, his not-so-small body crashing into Lan Xin'en's, knocking the breath out of her and causing her to wince in pain.
"Xiao Fan! Where did you learn this bad habit?"
Lan Xin'en tried to push him away but hesitated, fearing that he might become sentimental and think she disliked him. However, when she glanced up, she noticed Zhong Li Ming Jie sitting on one side of the circular sofa, his subtle yet captivating gaze fixed intently on her. A shiver ran down her spine.
Right, work hours were over.
Upon seeing Lin Guangying, her already chaotic thoughts were further disturbed. The entire afternoon passed in a haze; not only was she unable to accomplish anything, but she also failed to notice that it was already time to leave work.
She never expected that one day they would meet again because of work. He didn’t glance at her even once, showing no surprise or shock, as if he didn’t recognize her at all. When discussing business matters, he merely exchanged opinions with her in a professional manner, devoid of any unnecessary expressions or lingering gazes.
She didn’t feel sad; she just felt uncomfortable.
Although her feelings for him might not be romantic, he had always felt like an older brother to her. They had grown up together, and the bond they once shared still existed. His indifference made her feel deeply unsettled.
She disliked this feeling.
“Still thinking about him?” Zhong Li Ming Jie asked softly.
Her gaze was distant and unfocused, as if lost in some thought, and she had long forgotten his presence.
Did she still have feelings for Lin Guangying?
He knew that during the eight years he had been away in England, she hadn’t seen Lin Guangying, so he felt reassured. He believed that one day she would surely develop feelings for him, so he waited. He could wait for her at any cost, but given the current situation, perhaps he had been too optimistic.
“Who are you thinking about?” She evaded the question a bit too conspicuously.
“Guang Ying.” He didn’t beat around the bush; perhaps this was the main reason she had never been able to develop feelings for him.
“What’s there to think about?” Lan Xin'en scoffed. “It’s been so long; whatever attitude he chooses to take towards me is irrelevant. It’s my own fault anyway.”
The fact that she had given up on someone who loved her for the sake of that jerk Zhong Li Ming Jie was what truly made her feel uncomfortable. Someone once said that accepting someone you don’t love but who loves you deeply is better than loving someone who doesn’t love you back. While this might not feel like passionate love, at least it could provide the tranquility that many women desire. Yet, a moment of indecision changed everything; or perhaps it was that she didn’t want to deceive herself or Lin Guangying.
Once the heart changes, it changes—no amount of reasoning can serve as an excuse.
“Are you mocking me now?” he couldn't help but smile faintly. “Are you blaming me for changing your fate?”
His past actions were deliberate and meticulously planned. If he could, he would have liked to refine his approach further, to completely capture her rather than becoming her prisoner.
“If I don't want to, can you really change anything?” She nestled comfortably into the back of the sofa, her delicate hand brushing through Zhong Li Fan's fine hair and soft face. It all depended on her willingness; without that, change was impossible, right? She wouldn’t yield to threats or be swayed by temptations; it was purely a matter of will.
“Have you never thought that if nothing had happened between us, you might have already married Guang Ying? Perhaps you wouldn't be wealthy, but you would have a warm family, maybe one or two children, and perhaps even a pet…” As he spoke, he felt his tone grow bitter, and he was annoyed with himself for not being able to remain detached.
He had intended to mock her, but the more he imagined that scenario, the more restless he became. At his age, how could he still not control his temper? Why did his heart remain so unsettled?
It shouldn't be like this; why was he acting so childishly?
She had no room for him in her eyes; her heart held no extra space for him. Yet he still refused to give up, as if clinging to something stubbornly. He couldn't bear this torment of being at a disadvantage with no way to turn the tide.
“Don’t talk about such things in front of the children,” she suddenly interrupted him.
Her brows furrowed slightly; she increasingly found it hard to understand what he wanted or what he was trying to imply. She disliked this meaningless back-and-forth argument.
“Oh, so now you’re playing the good mother?” He scoffed. How infuriating! Why did he have to speak in such a way? It didn’t lead anywhere productive and only sparked unnecessary cold wars. Yet he couldn't suppress the jealousy burning within him.
“Are you just bored and looking for a fight with me?”
“No, I’m just thinking about how excited you must be to meet Guang Ying again tomorrow!” He nearly bit his own tongue in frustration. It was as if he had a split personality; when he forced himself to ignore the fact that she didn’t love him, the inner demon took over and incessantly voiced his dissatisfaction: “After all, he is your first love; it must be unforgettable. What a sweet first love story it must have been; even I think…”
“Zhong Li Ming Jie, you better shut up! I don’t want you to embarrass yourself in front of the children!” Lan Xin'en lowered her voice deliberately, wanting to prevent Zhong Li Fan from sensing any discord between them.
Do not think that children are too young to understand; in fact, they see everything, they just choose not to speak about it. She grew up in a less than perfect family and had long suffered from her parents' pointless arguments. How could she bear to inflict such pain on her own child?
"What are you going to do to make me look bad?" Zhong Li Ming Jie approached her calmly, looking down at her.
He was truly too good to her, yet she took his kindness for granted. Little did she know that he was on the verge of being driven mad by her complacency!
"Don't go too far." She didn’t want him to force her to conjure up uncomfortable memories for Zhong Li Fan.
What was wrong with him today? Wasn't he usually gentle to the point of making her nauseous? Why was he suddenly confronting her like this?
Zhong Li Ming Jie leaned in slowly, suddenly gripping her delicate chin and kissing her slightly parted lips. His tongue boldly slipped into her mouth, teasingly igniting her desires; meanwhile, his other hand roamed restlessly over her exquisite figure, seemingly ignoring their son’s presence.
The unexpected action made Lan Xin'en blush deeply. She clenched her fists, wanting to hit him, but found herself restrained and unable to move.
What was he thinking? Xiao Fan was right there in her arms!
Zhong Li Ming Jie abruptly ended the passionate kiss, his enchanting gaze fixed on her flushed cheeks. His long fingers caressed her soft skin; before she could speak, he kissed her again.
His kisses grew more intense and reckless, as if he wanted to infuse his soul into hers or embed her deeply within himself. He disregarded her struggles and resistance, only focused on claiming and invading her with fervor, showcasing his possessiveness...
"Daddy..."
Zhong Li Fan was pitifully caught between the two of them, nearly suffocating from the pressure.
Oh dear, he felt so sorry for himself. Being left alone at home all day was already boring enough; he thought Sister Lan would come back to play with him, but instead, she ended up arguing with Daddy. And Daddy seemed to be in a strange mood today, getting angry for no reason.
It wasn’t just his imagination; ever since he woke up at Sister Lan's house and saw Daddy, he felt something was off about him—something inexplicable—especially now when it felt the strangest of all.
Look, Daddy is actually pulling on Sister Lan's clothes from a distance!
He should be protecting Sister Lan, but he finds himself caught in the middle, truly in a dilemma; he can barely protect himself, how can he save her?
"Let go of me..." Lan Xin'en murmured through the tangled fabric, shyly pushing him away, only to be grasped tighter. "Are you trying to use the same trick again?"
Zhong Li Ming Jie suddenly stopped, his hand that had slipped under her clothing resting on her slender waist.
"Didn't you say you would respect me?" Lan Xin'en quickly pulled down her clothes, and before he could respond, she slapped his face with a hot flush of anger.
She was so flustered that she didn't know how to face his sudden passion.
"I stopped; doesn't that already show my respect for you?" Zhong Li Ming Jie replied lightly, feeling a bit of metallic taste in his mouth; he brushed his long fingers over his lips and noticed the blood on them, suddenly chuckling softly.
"This is what you call respect? When will you ever learn?" She shouted, letting tears well up in her eyes, reddening them. "You've always been so reckless, never considering others' perspectives. As long as it's something you want, you'll go to any lengths to get it, regardless of whether you actually like it or if it's just for show, or whether you'll even cherish it."
Her existence felt so ridiculous; she had always been unwilling to admit it. She just wanted to believe in the tenderness he once showed; she didn't want to be a mere plaything.
Zhong Li Ming Jie raised an eyebrow, a wicked smile curling on his lips. "So, Lin Guangying will cherish you? That rigid man will understand how to treasure you?"
He tried hard to appear mature and composed, but when it came to emotions, all his efforts seemed futile.
"You—" She glared at him through gritted teeth.
Was he really so bored that he had to stir up trouble? Couldn't he be a little more mature?
"Daddy, don't bully Sister Lan!" Finally breaking free, Zhong Li Fan jumped back into Lan Xin'en's arms and turned around to glare at his father. "Daddy, you already have so many aunties whose names you can't even remember; why do you have to bother Sister Lan?"
"Come here!" Zhong Li Ming Jie tried to pull his son over, but to his surprise, Zhong Li Fan clung tightly to Lan Xin'en and wouldn't let go. "Zhong Li Fan!"
It was foolish to be jealous of his own son, but he couldn't help it.
"Don't! Sister Lan, save me..." Zhong Li Fan's hands were wrapped around her neck, refusing to budge.
"Xiao Fan!" Lan Xin'en winced in pain but was torn between pulling him back or letting him go. "Zhong Li Ming Jie, what are you doing? Xiao Fan is your son!"
"What, are you feeling sorry for him? After all, he is your son too. No matter how cold or cruel you are, you can't completely ignore him, right? He is the child you carried for ten months and endured nearly twenty-four hours of labor to bring into this world." As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them, but he quickly accepted it.
He was taking a gamble; since he was going to gamble, he might as well bet big and include their son. If she agreed to marry him, he would win; if not, he wouldn't return to Taiwan and would simply stay away for ten or twenty years—better yet, never see her again.
"Zhong Li Ming Jie!" Lan Xin'en's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe he had revealed the truth she had forbidden him to say in front of Zhong Li Fan.
"Daddy, you can't be saying that you don't want me to pursue Sister Lan because she's my mommy, right? She's too young! She looks even younger than Sister Xiao Fan; how could she possibly be my mommy? Don't just make up excuses to fool me!" Zhong Li Fan laughed so hard his lips nearly cramped, but he didn't get a response from his father. Even Sister Lan didn't refute him. Could it be... true? " Sister Lan, are you really my mommy?"
No! He didn't want to be the pitiful child in a tragic drama that no one wanted!
"If you're truly that heartless, then I have nothing more to say except that I feel sorry for Xiao Fan," Zhong Li Ming Jie continued to provoke her from the side. He once thought their son might be an obstacle to his reconciliation with Lan Xin'en, but sometimes an obstacle could become a stepping stone.
Lan Xin'en glared at him in frustration. She didn't want to face this scene; that's why she insisted he keep everything from Xiao Fan. Little did she know that he was so despicable and untrustworthy.
"Xiao Fan..." Her nose twitched as she looked at his tear-filled eyes, and her heart ached.
Xiao Fan would surely hate her—he would hate her so much that he might never call her name joyfully again or even acknowledge her existence. Why had she put herself in such a predicament?
"Don't lie to me! There can't be such a coincidence!" He refused to listen!
He could no longer pursue her, and he had to call her "Mommy." Moreover, he had to ask her why she didn't want him. He didn't want to ask such clichéd questions, but… his heart ached!
"I'm sorry, Xiao Fan, I'm so sorry!" Lan Xin'en's trembling hands reached out to embrace him, but he turned and ran up the stairs.
"Xiao Fan!"
She never intended for things to turn out this way; it was all that detestable Zhong Li Ming Jie’s fault.
"Weren't you supposed to promise me that you would never tell him? Why didn't you keep your word? You're being too much!"
Zhong Li Ming Jie raised an eyebrow and boldly said, "Xiao Fan cried. That child never cries, just like you. In both temperament and appearance, he is just like you; as his mother, shouldn't you comfort him? Shouldn't you make amends?"
She could disregard his existence, but she couldn't completely ignore her son; she wasn't that cold-hearted. If she were, it would mean he had lost the bet.
"I…" Lan Xin'en was taken aback.
"For the past eight years, I've been the one taking care of him. From feeding him milk to changing his diapers, even taking him to school and on trips; as his mother, shouldn't you do something for him? While there's still time, you can get close to him. Otherwise, when he grows up a bit more, if you want to get close to him, he might not pay you any attention."
He deliberately spoke harshly to shake her resolve. Even if it caused her pain, he wanted to force her a little closer to him.
Lan Xin'en stared blankly at the stairs but lacked the courage to take the first step. She was too timid to move, yet thinking of Xiao Fan, that cheerful child crying made it impossible for her to remain indifferent.
Zhong Li Ming Jie watched as she slowly made her way up the stairs, a deeper smile forming on his lips as he secretly rejoiced without daring to make a sound.
The outcome was still uncertain, but just looking at the present moment felt like a good beginning.
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