CHAPTER 256: CHAPTER 256: HIS DECISION

He stood at the bus stop, seeing Bian Yue standing beneath the drizzling rain, looking out for the dense flow of cars.

That instant, as he sat inside the vehicle, limbs ice-cold, all the longing and repressed emotions surged forth.

How could he bear to hand her future over to someone else?

He had never contemplated the risk of losing Bian Yue.

Amidst the bustling traffic, he couldn’t feel the commotion at all, only one thought became increasingly clear: Li Sihe, how could you let go?

So he got off the bus crazily, disregarding everything to approach her, with an unprecedented impulse.

He said, Bian Yue, divorce him, and marry me.

Every word was serious.

But he also clearly saw the estrangement in Bian Yue’s eyes.

They were no longer the adolescents who depended on and trusted each other. All these years, he squandered Bian Yue’s trust, and at this moment, he found himself without a single chip to play.

He could only plead with his eyes over and over, begging her to change her mind.

It was on that night he realized, Bian Yue would not look back.

In the long period that followed, Shen Jinci struggled with the choice between Bian Yue and the Li Family—what weighed more.

It was hard for him to break through the education he received from childhood, equivalent to denying his efforts of over twenty years.

Until he believed his chronic illness was incurable, hopelessly ill.

It is only at times like these that one realizes what truly cannot be relinquished.

What of the Li Family? The power and status could not bring him happiness during such moments.

He just kept thinking of Bian Yue, over and over, realizing his mistake—therefore, they missed their chance. But Bian Yue was nearly his wife.

They were supposed to live this life happily together.

How could he let go?

Those talks of letting go are all deceiving.

Ironically, Li Tingmo also wanted to use his marriage to Zhuang Jie Ning to cement the foundation of the Li Family.

He was on his deathbed, yet in Li Tingmo’s eyes and heart, the Li Family was still more important.

Li Sihe couldn’t help but feel cold-hearted; he suddenly felt that all he had schemed for the Li Family over the years seemed like a joke.

Li Tingmo treated him like a pawn, using his last breath for the stability of the Li Family.

As for him, he was merely inconsequential.

Li Sihe was stubborn at heart, proud as he was, how could he allow himself to be treated with such disdain.

So, he chose betrayal.

He chose to betray and leave.

This game of chess, in fact, started with that thought from that moment.

Later, he was fortunate to cure his disease but also kept it a secret, wanting to restart his life.

He wanted to take what he deserved, and to give him and Bian Yue a chance to start over...

As Xiangjiang entered autumn, Bian Yue, no matter how busy, would always return home on time.

She enjoyed sitting with Shen Jinci, reading a book or watching a depressingly long film.

The feeling of a moment’s warmth after a busy day was fatally attractive.

That day, as usual, Bian Yue watched a movie with Shen Jinci. It was an old Hong Kong film with unclear picture quality.

Bian Yue felt drowsy and fell asleep halfway through.

When she woke up, the credits were rolling on the screen.

Bian Yue let out a regretful sigh, asking Shen Jinci what happened next in the movie.

"The protagonist died trying to save the heroine," Shen Jinci stroked Bian Yue’s hair, his voice tired, "Yueyue is better off not having watched it, or she would have cried."

Bian Yue was not the kind of person who would cry during movies.

She huffed lightly, pinching Shen Jinci’s face solemnly, "When have I ever cried?"

Bian Yue never remembered crying over a movie with Shen Jinci.

Shen Jinci, stroking her hair, didn’t reply.

"Why don’t you speak?"

"Do you remember, three years ago, you watched a comedy in the cinema?"

Bian Yue rarely watched films, so she easily dredged up the memory.

"I remember," Bian Yue paused before continuing, "At that time, Li Sihe was rumored to be involved with an actress, I was in a bad mood, wanting to watch a comedy to lighten up."

After speaking, she looked up at Shen Jinci with eyes full of surprise and probing, "Were you there that day?"

Shen Jinci, touching her hair, stopped and then whispered, "I was there, I saw you. There were so many people in the cinema, all laughing, but you were expressionless."

Shen Jinci’s voice carried a tenderness that pierced through Bian Yue’s facade as if it were nothing.

Bian Yue’s nostrils tingled, she forced a smile, trying to be light-hearted, "I must have looked strange then, didn’t I?"

"Not strange." Shen Jinci said, "Because seeing you like that, I couldn’t laugh either. I really wanted to go over and comfort you, but I didn’t know what to say, Yueyue... At that time, I never thought you’d choose me."

Bian Yue’s smile finally faded. She looked at the man’s noble and cool facade, with its discordant sadness, Bian Yue saw it all too clearly.

So, she kissed Shen Jinci’s chin softly saying, "I’m not foolish, I will find my way back."

The night was still desperately lonely, as Bian Yue nestled into Shen Jinci’s arms, she softly said, "Shen Jinci, talk about the first time we met, you haven’t told me, how you fell in love with me."

"That’s a bit long."

"I’m not sleepy." Bian Yue said this seriously.

Bian Yue really listened attentively, as Shen Jinci spoke of watching her through the window glass, telling her about taking over Lixing in those years, how he was abroad most of the time, yet every two or three months he would make time to return to the country, just to take a glance at her.

"The first time I saw you, I was already moved, then after some time of secret observations, I don’t know when, but I had completely fallen for you."

"Bian Yue, I never thought I was someone who needed love, I was even sure, if I had known that one day I would love you so much, I would never let myself indulge in it. My life plan back then, didn’t include the thoughts of staying for loving someone."

Bian Yue listened quietly, saying, "Having a soft spot is very dangerous."

She understood everything.

Shen Jinci hugged her even tighter and said softly and seriously, "But this feeling, for the first time, makes me feel my life is vibrant. So now, my thinking has long changed."

"What are you thinking now?" Bian Yue asked, smiling at him, eyes curved warmly.

Shen Jinci couldn’t help it; he kissed Bian Yue’s eyes and earnestly said, "Now, I never thought of being anywhere but by your side... I’m certain no matter where I go, in the end, I will still return to your side."