Chapter 18: Exquisite Performance
A surge of emotion welled up in his heart, the cold mist on the waves intoxicated. Fireworks, fireworks flying across the sky, for whom do you wither away? Fireworks, fireworks flying across the sky, for whom do you shed tears?
—Epigraph
Yin Lingyan looked at his actions strangely, murmuring to herself, “Did you take the wrong medicine?”
Yin Lingyan rode her bicycle alone to the agreed-upon location. After sending a text message, Yin Lingyan waited quietly.
“Lingyan.” Suddenly, a pleasant voice called her name. The voice was somewhat familiar, somewhat distant. Yin Lingyan looked up and saw a handsome man smiling at her with a gentle expression.
Yin Lingyan was stunned for a moment, then a brilliant smile bloomed on her face. With a leap, she gave him a big hug. “Brother.”
Yes, she had a biological brother—Yin Lingchen. They had met very few times. Before their parents’ divorce, her brother had already made a name for himself out in the world. She hadn’t seen him for a very, very, very long time.
Her brother was very handsome and had many female admirers, but it seemed none of them caught his eye. Seeing his sister had grown into a graceful young woman, Yin Lingchen recalled the experiences of the past few years. Holding his sister, he felt immensely content.
“Brother, are you leaving again?” Yin Lingyan immediately transformed from a lion into a kitten, looking at him pitifully.
Yin Lingchen smiled helplessly, affectionately stroking her soft hair. “No, I’ll stay with you.”
Her mother watched the reunion of the siblings with a kind gaze, her eyes even reddening slightly. She wondered if she was mistaken, but she thought she saw a hint of heartache in her eyes.
Did Mother have some hidden reason for leaving me? This thought instantly struck Yin Lingyan’s mind. Her heart felt a mix of anticipation and fear. In the end, she swallowed the words that were about to be spoken.
After a long conversation, she finally saw her uncle, her mother’s current husband. He looked at Yin Lingyan kindly, as if she were his own daughter. However, this smile was incredibly jarring to her eyes.
“Uncle, do you need something from me?”
“Yes, Lingyan. I heard you like design. I have an application form for a national design competition here. I want to give it to you to try.”
Yin Lingyan was taken aback. She then remembered that she already had an application form in her hand. Why would he know she liked design? Who told him?
“Thank you.” But since he had already taken it out, out of politeness and to save face, Yin Lingyan reluctantly accepted it.
The four of them chatted for a while and had lunch. Yin Lingchen watched Yin Lingyan leave.
*
“Mother, why don’t you tell him?”
Yin Lingchen looked at the haggard woman before him with heartache, his eyes filled with both pity and a touch of helplessness.
“Lingchen, don’t tell Yan’er. Even if she hates me, don’t tell her.”
Seeing her mother’s firm stance, Yin Lingchen nodded resolutely. Back home, Yin Lingyan couldn’t stop herself from reveling in the joy of seeing her brother.
Happily hugging her Carney bear, she rolled around on the bed. Meanwhile, at Chuxia Bar, Yi Chuxia was guzzling down a bottle of wine. She hadn’t disturbed Yin Lingyan when her phone suddenly rang. Yi Chuxia picked up the phone and saw it was Yin Lingyan.
Mu Qingran’s lips curved into a joyful smile. “Lingyan.”
Yin Lingyan, who had originally intended to share her joy with Mu Qingran, was taken aback by her slightly tipsy tone. “I’m coming to find you.”
With those words, Yin Lingyan rushed to the bar. Mu Qingran smiled and continued drinking.
