CHAPTER 254: CHAPTER 254: FU BING, YOU MUST BE ENTANGLED WITH ME FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

Jiangcheng had several large, comprehensive amusement parks, complete with all sorts of thrilling rides.

The moment Fu Bing arrived at the amusement park, she headed straight for the bungee jumping zone.

The instructor, upon seeing her, said anxiously, "Bing, are you sure you want to do this?" If Bing’s image were harmed, a horde of fans would tear them apart.

"I’ve done it plenty of times."

Still cautious, the instructor said, "Hold onto the railing and check the height. If you’re sure it’s okay, then we’ll do it."

"Mm."

Fu Bing looked at the natural valley below but felt nothing in particular.

Only then did the instructor dare to strap her into the safety gear and harness, but he still decided to make it a tandem jump with her.

Fu Bing sighed inwardly. It wasn’t just the people closest to her who wanted to protect her; even in bungee jumping, someone still sought to shelter her as much as possible. She understood they were trying to do what was best for her. But she really wasn’t afraid.

Fu Bing, positioned in front of the instructor, plunged downward with him. The wind whistled past her ears. The sensation of rapid freefall was exhilarating. Watching the swiftly passing scenery, Fu Bing laughed unrestrainedly.

Jian Si and Xiaomei also jumped. Han Hu initially thought not many girls would participate in such activities, but the proportion wasn’t low at all. Among the four of them, the participation rate was 75%.

After bungee jumping, Fu Bing went paragliding. Standing on the mountaintop, she ran with the instructor, and her body was suspended in mid-air at the edge of the cliff. The next second, she soared into the sky. The wind inflated the parachute, and she, along with it, drifted into the distance like a giant dandelion. From mid-air, Fu Bing looked down at the ground.

The suburban mountains and rivers, if untouched by construction projects, would remain unchanged for hundreds, even thousands of years. People might live to be a hundred, yet they are often too distracted by countless worries to truly appreciate life.

So it had been with her past. Back then, even if life was tough, at least she had been unrestrained and at ease. When she gritted her teeth in hatred, she had also felt driven. Unlike now, when most people she met treated her like a fragile doll, coddling her. Her own vitality felt diminished; she didn’t like this feeling.

That evening, Fu Bing, Xiaomei, Han Hu, and Jian Si soaked in a hot spring in the mountains.

Jian Si looked at Fu Bing with admiration. "Bing, I have a completely new understanding of you today! I used to think you were the typical wealthy young lady, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I never expected you to be so adventurous."

"I learned it when I was with your former boss," Fu Bing said frankly.

Jian Si was taken aback. "I thought that aside from your looks matching, you two weren’t very compatible in other areas."

Jian Si knew how much Qin Jinhai loved Fu Bing. He loved her enough to give his heart and soul. If Fu Bing wanted it, Jinhai would even give up his life. She had once been prejudiced against Fu Bing, thinking she wasn’t worthy of Jinhai’s deep affection. Only after getting to know her did she realize Fu Bing possessed a charm that always put people at ease. Even she couldn’t help but prioritize Fu Bing, indulge her, and pamper her, just like everyone else.

The four of them soaked in the hot spring, chatting, and had only to tilt their heads back to see the clear stars. It was comfortable and cozy.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, Fu Bing felt a pair of strong arms lift her and place her onto a soft bed. She forced her eyes open and saw a blurry silhouette. The room was dimly lit. Just from the silhouette, she knew who it was.

Qin Jinhai looked at her silently. Neither of them spoke. The air seemed to stagnate.

Fu Bing recalled their last meeting, her expression turning somber. After all that had happened, she suddenly didn’t know how to face him anymore.

"You’re finally here," Fu Bing said softly.

Qin Jinhai settled her more comfortably into the bed and lay down beside her.

"You don’t seem surprised at all."

"You’ve appeared before, haven’t you?"

"Mm."

"Is everything with the Qin Family settled?"

"It is," Qin Jinhai slowly added. "Everyone who ever hurt you has been dealt with."

Fu Bing hummed softly in acknowledgment.

Quiet returned to the room; only the sound of their breathing could be heard in the darkness.

Do you still hate me? Qin Jinhai wanted to ask. He wanted to know the answer but was afraid to face it. He had always been by her side, knowing she held him in a special place in her heart—a place no one else could take, reserved in the name of love. That didn’t mean she didn’t also hate him.

Suddenly, Fu Bing said, "Now that you’re back, you should manage your own assets."

"You don’t want them?"

"The compensation you gave for emotional distress was too much. I can’t accept it."

"If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to make money. A share of it rightfully belongs to you."

After a long silence, Fu Bing said, "Qin Jinhai, I can’t trust you. I never know when you might suddenly set a trap for me. Holding onto your assets would only make me constantly anxious."

"Right now, I can neither hate you nor love you. Every day feels so conflicted. I really dislike this feeling."

Qin Jinhai reached out to touch her face.

Fu Bing turned her head away.

Qin Jinhai’s hand froze in mid-air, then slowly retracted to his side.

Qin Jinhai said hoarsely, "Sleep peacefully. Whether you hate me, love me, or feel nothing at all, I’ll keep pestering you until you figure things out."

"From the moment you met me at the Anfu Orphanage, you were destined to be entangled with me."

"Who told you to let me devour you in the first place?"

"This lifetime, if I don’t devour you whole, how could I ever bear to let you go?"

His words were still in his familiar, incisive style. Like the lethal fangs of a beast, even a gentle lick could leave a wound deep to the bone.

Fu Bing showed little reaction to his words. If Qin Jinhai weren’t like this, she would actually be more uneasy. His undisguised appearance before her conveyed a message: things were back under his control, and there was no longer a need to hide.

Fu Bing lay there rigidly, yet eventually fell asleep amidst her unease.

When she woke up the next day, she realized she was no longer where she and Xiaomei had been at the hot springs. This was a small wooden cabin deep in the mountains. Opening the door, she was greeted by imposing mountains, the morning mist swirling around their peaks, partially veiling them.

As she gazed at the scene, steady footsteps approached from behind.

Without turning her head, Fu Bing asked, "Are you planning to keep me captive here?"

"Why not say I brought you here for a change of scenery?"

"Your idea of a ’change of scenery’ is certainly unique."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Qin Jinhai had set up a table in the yard, laden with steaming hot dishes.

"Come and eat. You can be angry after you’ve finished."

Fu Bing was so angry she almost laughed. "What did you tell Xiaomei and the others?"

"Jian Si will explain."

Fu Bing had momentarily forgotten that Jian Lingyuan and Jian Si were his people.

"How long are you planning to keep me here?"

"Depends on my mood," Qin Jinhai said, placing a heap of food into the small bowl in front of her.

The dishes on the table were, undoubtedly, all her favorites. If Qin Jinhai was willing to pretend, he could be the perfect lover.

Fu Bing took a couple of bites, then put down her chopsticks, having lost her appetite.

Qin Jinhai didn’t force her. He continued eating.

Apart from the occasional clink of chopsticks against porcelain, there was no other sound.

Putting down his chopsticks, Qin Jinhai’s gaze was still sharp.

"You went bungee jumping and paragliding intentionally to draw me out!"