CHAPTER 538: CHAPTER 538: YAN XINXIN FINALLY LEARNED THE TRUTH!

Go...

For what?

Yan Xinxin perked up her ears in confusion, only to find that Ah Ding had stopped speaking.

It seemed like he’d received a subtle signal from Mo Chuxi, so he quietly walked over and handed him something.

Noticing Yan Xinxin spaced out, Lu Chenxue gently reminded her.

"Xinxin, do you want to go over and take a look?"

"...No need."

Yan Xinxin shook her head, snapping back to reality.

"Let’s go!"

"Alright, let’s go."

The summer sun was bright and radiant.

Yan Xinxin and Lu Chenxue were discussing the competition at a cozy dessert café.

This year’s final jewelry design theme was "Blossom," which naturally brought flowers to mind.

Generally, floral motifs are often used for brooches, but Yan Xinxin wasn’t particularly fond of brooches. She preferred jewelry that adorns the neck.

"Xinxin, Xu Nuo... it seems like he can’t stop thinking about you, doesn’t it?"

Lu Chenxue scrolled through a design gallery on her tablet while speaking with curiosity.

Yan Xinxin smiled faintly in response, her focus remaining on sketching her design with the pencil in her hand.

"He’s just acting out to spite his brother, that’s all."

"Really?"

Lu Chenxue’s eyes turned thoughtfully, before she suddenly halted with excitement.

"Xinxin, look at this! This rose-themed design is pretty good—see if it sparks any ideas for you."

Lu Chenxue handed over the tablet, which displayed a piece of rose-themed jewelry.

The intricate craftsmanship of the flower and the delicate bloom of its petals were quite striking.

It perfectly embodied the theme of "Blossom."

But as Yan Xinxin gazed at the vivid red roses, she found herself slightly dazed.

"Xue, do you know what 88 roses symbolize?"

"Eh? 88 roses? I only know that 99 roses stand for everlasting love. What does 88 roses represent?"

Lu Chenxue looked puzzled, pulling out her phone to search for the answer.

"Got it! Found it! The meaning of 88 roses is ’an earnest attempt to make amends.’"

Hearing this, Yan Xinxin’s right hand trembled violently.

With a sharp snap, the pencil she was holding broke cleanly in half.

An earnest attempt to make amends?

So that’s what it means!

Yan Xinxin froze, momentarily stunned.

She suddenly remembered that it wasn’t too long ago when Mo Chuxi began sending her bouquets of 88 roses daily.

It wasn’t right from the start; only after some time into their acquaintance did he suddenly begin delivering those bouquets every day, each arranged uniquely.

Could it be...

That it was from that day onward that he realized what he had done to me five years ago? That it wasn’t deception from the very beginning?

That, at first, he truly didn’t know he was Xi’s biological father—the same man who had hurt me back then?

And that only after he found out did he begin silently trying to make amends to me?

His earnest wish to compensate for the harm he had caused?

As these realizations crashed in, Yan Xinxin’s body felt weak, leaving her uncertain and overwhelmed.

Then she recalled how many years ago, he had been holding on to thoughts of her—of Mu Qianyuan. This realization made her inexplicably ache in her heart.

"Xinxin, what’s wrong? Why did your face suddenly turn so pale?"

Lu Chenxue asked with worry.

"I’m sorry, Xue. I’m feeling a bit worn out. I think I’ll head back to the hotel to rest. Let’s talk more about the competition tomorrow."

Speaking hurriedly, she stood up abruptly, even forgetting to take the design sketches she had just drawn. She headed straight to the counter.

Whatever she bought was unclear, but she quickly exited the dessert café in haste.

Lu Chenxue watched Yan Xinxin’s hurried departure, baffled. She was just about to pack up and leave herself when someone suddenly appeared in front of her.

The person stepped forward, picking up Yan Xinxin’s abandoned sketch from the table. A faint smile played at the corners of his lips.

"It seems Yan Xinxin truly has some remarkable ideas."

"Why are you here? What are you up to? Give me back Xinxin’s sketch!"