Chapter 197: Second Young Master Jin Fell Flat, Didn’t He?
From Xi Shang Yuan all the way to the airport, whether in the car or on the plane, Lian Li did not speak. Jin Shi Yue knew she was conserving energy to deal with his mother.
He didn’t distract her like he had not long ago, but simply stayed by her side.
But Lian Li suddenly buried her face in the pillow in a daze, for so long that she almost suffocated.
Jin Shi Yue frowned, his long fingers pinching the back of her neck, and lifted her up.
Lian Li’s clear and bright eyes looked at him in surprise, her mouth opening to speak but no sound coming out.
Jin Shi Yue’s thin lips curved: “Why are you glaring at me?”
Lian Li looked honest: “I’m not glaring at you, my eyes are naturally big.”
Jin Shi Yue was amused by her: “You have self-awareness.”
It was unclear if he was praising her or teasing her with that remark.
Lian Li’s lips moved, wanting to say something, but she obediently closed them again, remaining silent.
Jin Shi Yue picked up the water cup she had just drunk from and took a sip. He sat on the sofa opposite her, his long legs naturally spread, subtly brushing against her leg.
“Didn’t you ask about my relationship with my mother before?”
At this moment, Lian Li didn’t want to know about his relationship with Chen Shifei. She felt their mother-son relationship was very complicated and required her to rack her brain to think about it.
But she didn’t stop him, only lifting her eyelids and looking at him silently.
Jin Shi Yue took Lian Li’s hand, placed it in his palm, and held it, slowly playing with it.
“The outside world is spreading that Jin Zhengchuan and Chen Shifei’s family marriage alliance was a grand wedding of the century, and they lived in harmony and love after marriage, but that’s not true.”
Lian Li asked: “Then what is it?”
The political and business alliance between the Jin Family of the Capital City and the Chen Family of Hong Kong Island appeared glamorous to outsiders, but in reality, it was already rotten inside.
When Chen Shifei was pregnant with Jin Shi Yue, she discovered that Jin Zhengchuan was keeping a mistress. Her husband’s betrayal caused her to develop Bipolar Affective Disorder, making her unable to control her emotions.
She blamed her husband’s betrayal on her youngest son. When she lost control, she would hurt him, and when she was lucid, she would regret it. This tormented her youngest son for six years. The youngest son thought this was his mother’s love for him and never told anyone.
It wasn’t until he was six years old that he realized it wasn’t, and he walked out of that dark room by himself.
After he came out, Chen Shifei’s illness was also discovered. Old Master Jin arranged for a psychologist to treat her, and as for Jin Zhengchuan… The Hong Kong Island Chen Family cared about their reputation and naturally wouldn’t agree. Thus, they sternly stated: either divorce, or break off with your mistress.
Divorce in a political and business marriage alliance was not that simple. Jin Zhengchuan’s choice to break up with his mistress seemed like the Chen Family had the upper hand, but in reality, it was still the Jin Family.
The reputation of a top aristocratic family was of utmost importance; they couldn’t let Jin Zhengchuan mess around outside. Old Master Jin personally intervened, replacing a group of Jin Zhengchuan’s confidantes, giving Chen Shifei a sense of security.
Although Xue Shufan had told Lian Li, hearing it confirmed by the person involved made Lian Li’s eyelids tremble uncontrollably: “Then what about you?”
Jin Shi Yue lowered his head, his gaze level with hers, and said casually: “I followed the route planned by the Old Master, joined the Military Region to protect the country.”
Was it to protect the country, or to consolidate the Jin Family’s interests?
Perhaps both.
Before this, Lian Li basically didn’t believe the gossip Xue Shufan had told her about Jin Shi Yue.
Jin Yan Ting was truly a favored son of heaven, superior from birth, doted upon, given hope, and had everything he wanted. He was one of the most fortunate aristocratic descendants among the nobles of Sijiucheng.
Lian Li thought Jin Shi Yue, like Jin Yan Ting, had been pampered since childhood, and after growing up, they shouldered their responsibilities, one entering the corporation and the other the Military Region.
Jin Shi Yue was so lawless, never hiding his feelings. If he liked someone, he wanted the whole universe to know.
Such a passionate and flamboyant personality, in Lian Li’s understanding, was something only possessed by someone who had been infinitely spoiled since childhood.
But the outcome was not…
Logically, human joys and sorrows are not shared. Hearing about someone else’s tragic experience could somewhat alleviate one’s own gloomy and irritated mood.
That’s how people are; if they’re not doing well themselves, they feel relieved when they see others are also not doing well.
However, after hearing Jin Shi Yue’s words, Lian Li’s heavy mood did not turn into schadenfreude, but rather a faint ache welled up.
She felt sorry for him.
Despite being unable to take care of herself, she could still spare some thought to feel sorry for him.
Jin Shi Yue stood up straight, reached out to cup the back of her head, and pressed her face into his chest, deliberately teasing: “What, pity me?”
Lian Li’s hands clenched the fabric of his expensive shirt, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably. She muffled her voice and asked: “Can’t I?”
“Yes.” Jin Shi Yue wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her closer and holding her tighter. “It’s best to pity me to the point of love.”
Lian Li pursed her lips, remaining silent.
She rubbed her face buried in his chest, took a deep breath, as if cheering herself on.
After a moment of silence, Lian Li softly asked: “Don’t you blame her?”
Jin Shi Yue easily lifted her onto his lap, holding her more tightly. “Which answer do you want to hear?”
“I want to hear the truth,” Lian Li said.
Jin Shi Yue chuckled, his voice lowering: “I blamed her when I was little.”
Especially seeing how good Chen Shifei was to Jin Yan Ting and how bad she was to him, the stark contrast was like a sharp blade piercing his heart.
No child doesn’t want to be loved by their parents. The desire to be loved is not inferior, but that desire, after being baptized by cruel reality, slowly wore away.
Jin Zhengchuan hurt Chen Shifei, and Chen Shifei hurt Jin Shi Yue… Lian Li didn’t know how to comment.
Chen Shifei deceived herself in love, believing that if she hadn’t been pregnant with Jin Shi Yue, Jin Zhengchuan wouldn’t have cheated. She tormented herself and the innocent Jin Shi Yue.
What about Lian Jingcheng?
Was he deceiving himself when he said Ji Tan loved them, father and daughter?
She would know soon, wouldn’t she?
As Lian Li thought of this, fear struck her, and her grip on Jin Shi Yue’s shirt tightened.
Jin Shi Yue sensed her movement. His heart felt like that piece of fabric being clutched by her, and the hand holding the back of her head gently stroked it.
By the time they arrived in Shanghai, it was already dusk. The orange-red afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky like a vibrant oil painting.
Lian Li didn’t need to do anything; she just needed to follow Jin Shi Yue.
From the Capital City to Shanghai, from Hongqiao Airport to Nanhua Ancient Temple, he held her hand.
Lu Hansheng had been waiting at the temple for a long time. He stood with one hand on his hip and the other casually holding a broom, gazing into the distance.
The day he discovered Lian Li and Jin Shi Yue’s relationship, Jin Shi Yue had intercepted his vehicle midway. He thought the other party wanted to fight him, but unexpectedly, it was about Lian Li’s mother.
The arrogant Second Young Master Jin, he’s stumbled, hasn’t he?
The familiar sedan stopped at the entrance of the ancient temple.
Lu Hansheng squinted, watching Jin Shi Yue stand outside the car like a prince asking a noble princess to alight, extending his hand to the Lian Li inside the car and leading her out.
“……”
The way Jin Shi Yue looked at Lian Li, it was as if he was the only one in the world with a girlfriend?
