Chen Jin's heart twisted. He couldn't bear to look at her red eyes, his guilt overwhelming him. He couldn't face her, so he lowered his head and quietly said, "Wan Wan, soon you'll be free of me."
Lin Wan continued to sob. Chen Jin rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "Don't worry, Wan Wan. You'll never have to meet someone like me again."
Lin Wan whimpered, "Who knows…?"
Chen Jin felt his heart soften and ache simultaneously. He gritted his teeth and said, "If anyone dares to hurt you, I'll kill them."
Lin Wan scoffed, "Then you should just kill yourself."
Chen Jin smiled bitterly in his heart, thinking to himself, You don't know that there's a punishment worse than death—loving someone but being unable to be with them. He kissed the top of Lin Wan's head gently and whispered, "Wan Wan, as long as you're well, that's better than anything."
For Chen Jin, helping Lin Wan recover was now the most important mission of his life. He spent half the evening drafting a plan, reorganizing his work schedule, canceling evening events, and replacing his morning indoor exercise with outdoor walks in the park with Lin Wan. Weekends were also blocked off for her. He'd adjust the plan as necessary.
Many depression patients lose interest in work, but Lin Wan was different. Perhaps it was related to her job. Chen Jin worried she might overexert herself, but she said she could only forget about her illness when she was working. He agreed, understanding that depression patients need to interact with others and live like normal people. So he approved it, but privately told her supervisor not to overwork her.
In the midst of his busy schedule, Chen Jin received a call from his so-called fiancée. Arriving at the scheduled tea at Xi Tulan Ya restaurant, Zhang Yun Yi was already waiting. As Chen Jin looked at her composed posture and meticulously done makeup, he suddenly realized she had a certain aura—one he had long been accustomed to, the aura of authority. But now, it felt alien to him.
"Been busy lately?" Zhang Yun Yi asked gently, noticing the dark circles under Chen Jin's eyes.
"Same old, same old," he replied casually.
"How's Miss Lin feeling now?"
Chen Jin chuckled, "You seem pretty concerned about her."
Zhang Yun Yi smiled and took a sip of tea, then replied seriously, "Chen Jin, let's just be straight with each other. We…"
"Hold up," Chen Jin interrupted, raising his hand. "Before we go there, I need to ask. Did you tell my grandfather about me and Lin Wan going to the hospital?"
"It was me," Zhang Yun Yi admitted.
Chen Jin let out a sarcastic laugh, "Well, at least you're honest."
"That's one thing we have in common," she said smoothly. "Now, can I talk?"
"Go ahead."
"I think it's time we confirm where we stand."
Chen Jin smirked, speaking slowly, "You already said it, didn't you? We're friends. Oh, right, good friends."
"That was just to save face for your Miss Lin. I couldn't just let her lose face in front of everyone, could I?"
Chen Jin glanced at the small plate of snacks on the table, thinking about whether Lin Wan would like them. Hearing Zhang Yun Yi's words, he laughed and looked at her, "You're excellent at reading people. So, what do you think our relationship is?"
Zhang Yun Yi replied with confidence, "We're going to be husband and wife."
Chen Jin almost choked on his tea, coughing a couple of times. He quickly grabbed his cup to recover. Zhang Yun Yi, clearly offended by his reaction, said, "Stop playing dumb. Our families have already agreed on this. You didn't object back then. Now you're trying to back out?"
Chen Jin put his cup down and smiled. "You've been to Western countries, right? Aren't Americans all about human rights? So why are you okay with being arranged by your family?"
Zhang Yun Yi responded lazily, "I trust power more than human rights. And by the way, who told you I was being arranged? Actually, it was my idea first…"
Chen Jin looked up at her sharply, his eyes narrowing. Zhang Yun Yi, with a self-assured smile, continued, "That's right. I was the one who took an interest in you first, so I told my family…"
"So you thought I would just go along with it?"
She laughed. "Come on, it's a perfect match, don't you think? The Chen family and the Zhang family need this alliance."
Chen Jin cursed inwardly, Damn, I really misjudged her. He gave her a cold look. "I'm not interested. I'm not a pawn in some family deal."
"You're not doing this for Miss Lin, are you?"
"It has nothing to do with her."
"I figured as much. Men have to experience a thousand beauties before they're willing to settle down with marriage. But fun is fun, you can't forget the serious stuff."
Chen Jin felt his temper rising. This woman's just like the old me, and I hate it. He coldly said, "Since we're being blunt, let me make it clear again. I'm not marrying you."
He stood up to leave, but Zhang Yun Yi called after him calmly, "Chen Jin, think carefully. Both your uncles' terms are almost over. Don't make a rash decision now."
Chen Jin turned around, sneering, "Miss Zhang, I have to admire your confidence. But tell me, why do you think I'm rejecting this?"
"Why?"
Chen Jin took an envelope out of his coat pocket and placed it on the table, sliding it toward her. "You're right, we'd be a good match, but…"
Zhang Yun Yi opened the envelope and pulled out a photo. Her face changed immediately, and she looked up at him in shock. "Where did you get this from?"
"Sorry, I'm just a traditional man. I can't accept a wife who's so… open."
Zhang Yun Yi's face went pale, and then red. The photos were from a college party, showing her sitting between two men, only in a bra, kissing them alternately. These were the kind of photos that should have been destroyed, but somehow, Chen Jin had them. Should she feel ashamed or applaud his skill in getting them?
But she quickly regained her composure, smiling nonchalantly. "We're all adults. Who doesn't have a past? I never expected you to be so pure."
Chen Jin grinned. "You've been away for a while, huh? In our country, men like to put a green hat on others, but they won't let anyone put one on them. Why don't you go ask your dad or brother about it?"
Zhang Yun Yi blushed and glared at him. She was about to speak when Chen Jin raised a finger and shushed her. "Let's pretend I didn't see the photos. And don't try to use the election as leverage for me. Everything between us, real or fake, ends here."