CHAPTER 146: CHAPTER 146: SYMPATHY BUT NO FORGIVENESS

"Ningwan, you’re really lucky, your brother treats you so well. I also have a younger brother, but he’s only eight this year and still needs my care, how could he protect me?" Jin Yingzi looked at Ye Ningwan enviously.

Ye Ningwan snorted and laughed: "You’re also very lucky, the greatest luck is knowing me."

Jin Yingzi’s expression stiffened, she nodded and said, "Yes, my greatest luck is knowing you. But Ningwan, I’m sorry."

"Why apologize? Is it because you used Wu Taotao to find me to apologize, or because you used me to climb the high branch of the Zhan Family to apologize?" Ye Ningwan asked.

Jin Yingzi lowered her eyes and said: "Both, no matter which point, I should apologize to you."

"Hmph." Ye Ningwan sneered: "If it’s for using me to climb the high branch of the Zhan Family and apologizing, then there’s no need. It’s your skill to use me to climb up to the Zhan Family, and it’s my lack of judgment to be used by you, so there’s nothing to apologize for. But you should indeed apologize for exploiting Wu Taotao’s kindness. This is the last time, Jin Yingzi, I don’t blame you for using me to get close to Zhan Hanjue, you have your reasons. But from now on, stay away from Wu Taotao, and if it happens again, I won’t let you off."

Ye Ningwan warned coldly.

Jin Yingzi frowned, her voice trembling: "I thought that, like Wu Taotao, I was also a very important friend to you."

Ye Ningwan snorted coldly: "I did consider you a very important friend once, but how did you treat me? Wu Taotao wouldn’t use me to get close to Old Mrs. Zhan, Wu Taotao also wouldn’t deliberately frame me, on one hand getting close to Zhan Hanjue, and on the other causing a rift between me and Zhan Hanjue. Before, I thought it was the three girls from other classes in the dorm jealousy that led them to trick me into the mountains. Now I realize it was all your self-directed act. I treated you sincerely, yet you always used and framed me, how can you have the face to compare yourself to Wu Taotao?"

"You’re so smart, I should have thought long ago that I couldn’t keep it from you forever." Jin Yingzi smiled bitterly.

Slowly raising her head, tears had already streamed down her face.

Her eyes were red, she looked both frail and pitiful.

As if she was the one being bullied, crying so pitifully.

At this moment, anyone looking would feel sorry for her.

Ye Ningwan frowned, turned her gaze away, and said coldly: "You don’t need to cry like this in front of me, deliberately playing the victim. Now that I know what kind of person you are, do you think I would still be deceived by you?"

"Of course not," Jin Yingzi choked out: "I know, once you know I’ve deceived you, you would never trust me again. But Ningwan, when I first met you, I never thought of using you. When I saved you initially, I didn’t think of using you. Initially, I genuinely treated you as a friend."

"Friend? Your way of treating friends is truly terrifying." Ye Ningwan mocked.

"I know that no matter what I say now, you won’t believe me. But what I say is true. Ningwan, you’ve never been poor, you don’t know the taste of poverty. Perhaps in your view, going to the cafeteria for a meal and buying an extra chicken leg for me on purpose is kindness. But you have no idea how painful it was for me."

"So, was it wrong for me to deliberately get an extra chicken leg for you?" Ye Ningwan sneered.

"You weren’t wrong, of course you weren’t wrong. You have a kind heart, and to not embarrass me, you even said it was a mistake, considering my self-esteem, of course you weren’t wrong," Jin Yingzi said: "But you don’t know, that was my first time eating such a delicious chicken leg, I was about to cry at the time. Turned out, there really is such delicious chicken leg in the world."

"So, eating a delicious chicken leg could twist your mind?" Ye Ningwan mocked.

Faced with her ridicule, Jin Yingzi didn’t get angry, she said bitterly: "My family is very poor, really poor. You can’t imagine that kind of poverty, living in a house that leaks from all sides, having a meal today and not knowing where the next will come from. As soon as you step out, it’s all mountains, the first time I saw a car was after walking for three days to town to buy a train ticket. My mom has been ill with no money to see a doctor, I broke a leg and became a cripple, just lying on the grass bed for years.

I have to collect herbs for the family, over time developing the skill to recognize medicinal herbs. Being recommended by the old Chinese medicine doctor in our village was the only opportunity for me to go to this school and study. The first time I came to this big city, when I first saw how girls could wear such beautiful clothes, could buy whatever they wanted, and always smell nice, I was envious, so envious.

But I knew it’s not something I should have. I use the school’s scholarships, poverty grants, and I even have to save some to send back home. I still have parents, brothers and sisters at home, people like me, how can I have the right to enjoy all this?

In the whole class, there were only two girls, me and Huang Mengyun, but I know she wasn’t there to study sincerely, she was there to chase men. But her family is rich, living recklessly and not allowing anyone else to outshine her.

Just right, she disdained to talk to someone like me, I didn’t want to bother with her either. If it weren’t for your appearance, I would continue to be alone, although lonely, this is the life I should have.

But you were like a beam of sunlight forcibly shining into my life, leaving nowhere for my shadowed life to hide. After seeing the sunshine, who would want to return to darkness and gloom?

Seeing you being pampered by the most powerful man in Jiangcheng, seeing him able to build you a pharmacy, grow all the herbs you want. Seeing you wear the most beautiful and expensive clothes without a care, I couldn’t help but envy, couldn’t help but want to get close.

If... if I could have these, my mother wouldn’t have to suffer from illness, my father could sit in a wheelchair, and see the sunshine outside. My sister wouldn’t... wouldn’t have to miss out on schooling, married off early, having children while still a child. My brother could go to school, live like children his age.

Ningwan, I know, I used you. But I couldn’t help it, to leap out of my original life, I could only do this."

Jin Yingzi finished, covering her face and crying bitterly.

Ye Ningwan sighed softly.

In this world, everyone can find the most suitable reason for their actions.

She tells such a miserable story, if left unmoved, would it not seem inhumane?

Too bad.

She is an unemotional person.

"I sympathize with your plight, but I won’t forgive what you’ve done to me. Your misery is not an excuse to harm me."

Jin Yingzi released her hands, her eyes red, looking at her in shock and sadness.

Ye Ningwan snorted coldly: "You can leave now! How to stay by Zhan Hanjue’s side is your own skill. But I won’t help you anymore."