Chapter 162: Different Directions, Yet Sharing One Dawn
There was a barely perceptible electric current.
But there was no elevator, and Jin Shi Yue holding her hand.
Lian Li, like a newborn small beast observing a new world, withdrew her hand from Jin Shi Yue’s fingers and then put it back.
Repeating this, she was never tired of it.
Lian Li grew up looking at the faces of Lian Jingcheng and Jin Yan Ting, and her aesthetic standards were truly spoiled; very few men could catch her eye.
At school, many boys confessed to her, but she couldn’t muster any interest.
In the twenty-two years of Lian Li’s life, her mind was only focused on her studies and finding her mother. Her curiosity and desire to explore men’s bodies were built upon Jin Shi Yue.
Jin Shi Yue was flamboyant, and his affections were also flamboyant. Physical contact with him was like ice and snow melting into a warm, clear pool, whether it was gentle ripples or overwhelming waves, it was extreme immersion.
With Jin Shi Yue, Lian Li experienced a strange feeling, a feeling she had never had before.
Her thinking was quite logical, and she rarely acted on feelings.
The harshness of this world towards women far exceeded that towards men.
She did not want to be guided by public opinion, nor did she want to easily change her mind due to inflammatory words from others.
She was mentally independent, possessing her own complete values, outlook on life, and worldview.
When she was a child, while classmates in her class read novels and were deeply moved by the protagonist’s devotion, Lian Li had already learned to judge that man as having low character, using vulgar language, bullying women, and disrespecting people… Some people said she was stubborn and didn’t understand love.
A certain divorce lawyer said that human nature is complex and inherent traits are difficult to change; if the underlying nature beneath deep devotion is dirty, even the most profound devotion cannot conceal it.
Perhaps it was the lesson from Lian Jingcheng’s tragic love life. Feelings occupied only a small part of Lian Li’s life; she wanted to find her mother, complete her studies, and gain a voice in her own field.
Growing up by Jin Yan Ting’s side, being subtly influenced by him, Lian Li clearly understood the benefits of power.
Unearned gains, Cinderella marrying into a wealthy family, waiting for a prince to save her… none of these were what she wanted.
Lian Li’s epitaph would surely be inscribed with her career achievements, not as someone’s wife.
Currently, her thoughts had not changed.
The only change was Jin Shi Yue.
He was an accident, and even more so, an exception.
Lian Li withdrew her hand from Jin Shi Yue’s fingers, lifted the quilt, put on her slippers, and walked into the bathroom to wash up.
As soon as she entered, she saw the expensive purple dress, looking pitifully crumpled on the floor.
The intense scene from last night flashed in her mind, Lian Li’s cheeks flushed slightly. She bent down and threw the ruined dress into the trash can.
The dawn light shone on the green fig tree on the balcony; the morning dew was crystal clear, with a plump fig hanging from the tip of every branch.
Aunt Deng, as always, arrived at eight o’clock to do housekeeping.
Lian Li waited until breakfast was ready before going into the bedroom to call Jin Shi Yue.
Jin Shi Yue had already washed up. His tall and straight figure stood by the bedside table, examining a photo frame—a picture of her and Lian Jingcheng.
Jin Shi Yue: “How many copies did you make?”
He thought she had taken away her most precious photograph, but in reality, she had countless most precious photographs.
Lian Li honestly replied: “Five paper copies, and I lost count of the digital ones.”
Since it was the most important photo together, there couldn’t be only one or two.
Jin Shi Yue raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of a smile in his eyes, as if he hadn’t expected her to be so cautious.
Lian Li snatched the photo frame from his hand and put it back on the bedside table.
“Breakfast is ready, let’s go eat.”
Jin Shi Yue followed her with slow steps, his posture relaxed, his usually indifferent and calm eyes carrying a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
Breakfast was simple; Aunt Deng made Hong Kong-style dim sum. The two sat opposite each other at the dining table, eating quietly.
After eating, Lian Li told Jin Shi Yue she was returning to school, while Jin Shi Yue had important matters to attend to at the Jin Family Old House.
For the first time in a while, they didn’t part at the door of the house and took the elevator down together.
Qing Teng Road Residential Area was an older residential district, and there weren’t many people in the morning. Ling Yu was responsible for taking Lian Li to school, while Li Ye came to pick up Jin Shi Yue.
Stepping over the stairs, before getting into the car, Lian Li looked back at Jin Shi Yue.
The man stood in front of the pure black Hongqi Car, his white shirt tucked into his trousers, outlining his superior physique with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, as distinguished and casual as ever.
Their eyes met, and Jin Shi Yue parted his thin lips: “Come here.”
Lian Li looked around, confirming there was no one she knew, then walked over and opened her arms, hugging Jin Shi Yue’s lean and strong waist.
A slender waist must have a fold. It was this waist that made her back ache.
Lian Li hugged him for seven or eight seconds. She lifted her chin from Jin Shi Yue’s embrace. He happened to be looking down, and his large hand cupped her face as he lowered his head to kiss her.
Do not look at impropriety.
Li Ye by the car consciously turned his back, while Ling Yu clearly lacked that awareness, staring dumbfounded at the couple’s intimate moment.
Li Ye caught a glimpse of the dazed Ling Yu out of the corner of his eye, reached out, and with his palm gripping the back of his head, forcefully pushed him down.
What are you looking at, dog.
A kiss that was just a taste, very pure.
Jin Shi Yue let go of Lian Li, and the two said goodbye.
The sun was just rising, the bright sun as smooth as frosting on a cake, light and elegant, casting shimmering reflections on the tall buildings of the Capital City.
Two cars drove on the bustling streets, heading in different directions, yet sharing one dawn.
Lian Li got busy as soon as she returned to school. Pei Qingji messaged her saying his Mother had returned.
It was quite inconvenient; they had tried to meet several times, but unexpected events always came up. Pei Qingji’s Mother was busy with work and occasionally not in the Capital City, so their schedules rarely aligned.
Being the Madam of a powerful family was not easy.
Lian Li replied to Pei Qingji that her schedule was completely free. It was troublesome to ask, so her attitude had to be good. She had no complaints, but Pei Qingji was more patient than she had imagined.
As expected of the Western Mansion Begonia.
Hands-on, gentle, and refined.
Friday was the day the school awarded scholarships.
When Lian Li received the bank’s text notification, she was eating with Xue Shufan in the canteen. She glanced at it; it was a considerable sum of money.
Lian Li always treated Xue Shufan to a meal whenever she received a scholarship. However, this time Xue Shufan said, “My Aunt has arranged a blind date for me. Come with me, and we can eat a free meal too.”
Lian Li wasn’t so poor that she needed to beg for free meals, but she understood Xue Shufan’s intention: “Who is the blind date?”
“I don’t know him, he’s a doctor.”
Xue Shufan’s Aunt was the Dean of Concordia Hospital, so the person she chose was likely highly skilled.
Lian Li wasn’t interested in blind dates or men, so she didn’t ask further and chatted with Xue Shufan about research projects and studying abroad.
After eating, Xue Shufan returned to the laboratory to continue her experiments, while Lian Li went back to the dormitory to get a charging cable to charge her mobile phone.
Peers, different circumstances – it was vividly displayed in their dormitory. Meng Yi was preparing for her wedding, Shen Huaining was going abroad, Shang Lingyu had secured a recommendation for postgraduate studies at the same university and was currently playing a game with a young man online.
And Lian Li… returned to get a charging cable.
She paused at the dormitory, waited for her mobile phone to charge for a while, and after it turned on normally, she tapped on WeChat and sent a message to Jin Shi Yue:
The school gave out scholarships, I’ll treat you to hot pot.
Are you free tonight?
