CHAPTER 272: CHAPTER 246: NO REASON TO RETREAT

Bai Shunyuan was even more shocked. What kind of man was this in front of him?

How did he know so much? Where did he find out from?

"Not speaking? Seems like I hit the mark..."

Bai Shunyuan clenched his fists, his face pale, "You... what do you plan to do? Are you going to tell them..."

"If I wanted to say anything, I wouldn’t have taken you out alone. I would have said it in the study this afternoon."

"Although we’ve only interacted a few times, those brief encounters made me certain that you’re a carefree and easy-going big boy, very self-centered and assertive."

"A girl like Jiang Shanshan doesn’t seem like someone who would catch your eye. What I can think of... is that this girl must have some major leverage over you."

Yin Shixiu said this, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled, "Connecting everything together, coupled with your attitude change towards Su Xiaomeng and your willingness to stand up for Xiaomeng today, yet not helping her at the bar, these contradictions..."

"It’s not hard to guess what Jiang Shanshan is using to threaten you..."

Yin Shixiu’s eyes narrowed slightly, carefully watching Bai Shunyuan.

"Ha..."

Bai Shunyuan let out a light laugh, only to feel like a big joke, thinking he had hidden it well, only to realize a man had already seen through him completely...

"Attracted to a close relative, and a married one at that... You must find me ridiculous."

"At that time, you didn’t know that Su Xiaomeng was your cousin, did you?"

Bai Shunyuan froze.

"Liking someone has never been ridiculous. But Shunyuan, watching your own cousin suffer and doing nothing is quite ridiculous, and quite pathetic."

"I’m not ignoring it! I’m just scared!"

"I’m afraid of how much I care for her! I’m afraid of constantly being in contact with her! I’m afraid she’ll find out one day... I’m afraid she’ll find me disgusting, and I’m afraid she’ll be criticized for it!"

"But you see, fear didn’t solve anything... it just hurt her in another way."

"..." Bai Shunyuan closed his eyes, feeling a deep pain in his heart.

"I’ve already realized my mistake, I know... my heart doesn’t feel any better than yours!"

Yin Shixiu looked at the troubled young man in front of him.

This boy who hadn’t even stepped out of school, did he understand what love was, and what it wasn’t?

Yin Shixiu knew he liked Su Xiaomeng, even felt jealous of Bai Shunyuan once...

But he ultimately wouldn’t take it too seriously, even if in this young man’s heart, he had fallen for someone he shouldn’t like.

"Don’t run away, the more you avoid it, the more it matters. She’s your cousin, if you like her, there’s nothing wrong with it."

"Ha... Yin Shixiu, you don’t mind?"

"Mind you? A cowardly boy being led around by a girl?"

"Who do you mean—"

"How is Jiang Shanshan threatening you, what exactly does she have on you, tell me everything now."

Yin Shixiu’s eyes dangerously narrowed, "These days, too many people think too much of themselves, if not stopped, everyone will start wielding feathers like command tokens."

After Bai Shunyuan left, his heart was still pounding uncontrollably in his chest.

The cold sweat on his back hadn’t dried for a long time, all because of what Yin Shixiu had said, because of Yin Shixiu’s clear insight.

Ha...

Maybe it’s his age, maybe it’s his experience, maybe it’s his status...

Maybe it’s not these things, but something else...

Or maybe it’s not just these things, but something else in addition...

The gap between him and Yin Shixiu was indeed too large.

Facing Jiang Shanshan’s threat, he lost his stance, lost his calm, and became a puppet led by Jiang Shanshan.

He had too many concerns, too much fear, too much cowardice, and too dim-witted a mind.

"You’re afraid Xiaomeng will find out you like her, afraid she’ll find you disgusting... You’re afraid Jiang Shanshan will tarnish your and Xiaomeng’s reputation, just like the Rong Family is doing now."

"...Afraid."

"But Shunyuan, didn’t you see, the Rong Family, even brandishing surveillance footage with confidence to seek justice for their daughter, what was the result?"

"People should have fears, this makes a person complete, but not everything should be feared, even a little girl can easily ride on the head of a Bai Family young master, how ridiculous does your grandfather’s political prowess seem?"

"Are you lecturing me?"

At that time, someone couldn’t help but frown.

"What, don’t I have the right? To a cowardly boy coveting my wife, led around by a young girl?"

"I—"

"You what?"

"I’m Xiaomeng’s cousin! So, naturally, I’m also your cousin!"

Yin Shixiu slightly curved his lips and meaningfully exclaimed, "Yes, cousin..."

Yin Shixiu called him that, but Bai Shunyuan didn’t feel any comfort in his heart.

But the accumulated gloom in his chest gradually dissipated... like a puff of smoke, slowly scattering.

The black and white, right and wrong of all things in this world, are all just a matter of the heart’s momentary thought.

So what if one likes a close relative...

She is such a likable, such an endearing girl.

And she’s still his cousin...

In this world, how many people love the wrong person at the wrong time and place...

All they can do in the end is tuck it away in a tiny corner of their heart, for a lifetime, not daring to touch it lightly, not daring to mention it.

How many have such luck as he does?

In a situation where this person is destined to be beyond reach, they still forge another layer of connection.

They are cousins.

"Try to love her in another way. You’re her cousin. If she ever falls into danger again, I hope you can stand up without hesitation to protect her, so that such a tragedy won’t happen again..."

Bai Shunyuan, for some reason, felt his heart hit like a heavy blow by the words of a man like Yin Shixiu.

He was moved to the point of wanting to shed tears.

Don’t let such a tragedy happen again...

These few words he said as if it was a mere hope of Yin Shixiu...

Yet Bai Shunyuan could clearly feel... the helplessness in his heart, the slight reproach, and... the pain in his heart.

After sending off the Bai Family, Yin Shixiu didn’t immediately return to Jun Garden but chatted with his parents for a while.

He was very grateful that his parents could stand by Xiao Meng’s side.

"Once this matter is over, the relationship between the Yin Family and the Rong Family will end in the ugliest possible way."

Yin Shaohui looked at Yin Shixiu, "You know what this means."

Yin Shixiu took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, "I will bear this responsibility."

"...How will you bear it?"

"With the identity of the Yin Family’s seventh family head."

When Yin Shixiu returned to Jun Garden, it was already past eight o’clock.

Su Xiaomeng had just coaxed their two children to sleep not long ago.

He heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom, took off his jacket, and hung it on the coat rack nearby. He walked to the bedside, looked at his son lying on his back and his daughter, who was sprawled like a turtle...

The piercing cries of "Mama" still echoed in his mind.

He was truly worried, worried that when the children grew up, they would become people he completely did not understand.

"Your mom, she’s suffered much grievance, suffered much harm. You must grow well, obediently, become upright people who can distinguish right from wrong, know good from evil..."

"Meow meow..."

Shuangshuang mumbled in her sleep. Was she transformed into a lazy little cat in her dreams?

Yin Shixiu chuckled lightly, leaned down, and gently kissed both Shuangshuang and Huang Huang.

He got up, looked at the still unopened bathroom, frowned slightly, and walked over.

He... could guess what kind of scene would be inside.

But upon opening the door, his heart still gave a fierce contraction.

Su Xiaomeng was holding a washcloth and was desperately scrubbing her arm, the area she’d scrubbed was already dark red.

Startled by the noise, she turned back, somewhat evasive in her gaze, "You, you’re back?"

"Mm."

"I, I’ll be done soon."

Su Xiaomeng said, ducking under the showerhead, letting water cascade down from her head.

Her other arm was almost scrubbed into a horrible bruise, and the red marks on her back, some recently inflicted today, others left from previous days.

Yin Shixiu stepped forward, wearing slippers, without taking off his shirt, pants, or socks, he walked under the showerhead and pulled Su Xiaomeng into his embrace from behind.

Su Xiaomeng’s body shrank slightly, her heart tightened along with it.

Embracing her waist, he locked her securely in his arms.

Neither of them spoke, one too aggrieved to speak, the other too heartbroken to speak.

Yin Shixiu held her tightly like this, closing his eyes to gently nuzzle against her.

He whispered the most beautiful love words in this world, mingling with the sound of water, resounding extraordinarily far and wide.

Again and again, tirelessly, endlessly, fearing she couldn’t hear, fearing she wouldn’t believe...

Tears mixed with water, slowly flowing.

After emerging from the bathroom, Yin Shixiu sat her on his lap and blew her long hair dry.

Blowing for a while, kissing for a while...

"Wife, you smell really nice."

Su Xiaomeng lowered her head.

Yin Shixiu’s fingertips twirled around her long hair, seemingly weaving around her delicate body, utmost tenderness and affection, utmost longing and yearning.

With her hair half-dry, Yin Shixiu held her sitting by the bedside, lying behind him were their pair of children.

Outside, the moon was bright and stars sparse, he leaned his chin on her shoulder, occasionally nestling his entire face into the crook of her neck.

"Wife, be brave, please?"

"Have you forgotten what I said? Whatever happens, you are my wife, the person I love the most, the most, the most in my life!"

He, like a child, softly whispered into her ear, his tone carrying some playfulness.

Su Xiaomeng felt a sourness in her nose, her words fragmented, "I feel... feel I’m really... really undeserving of you..."

"What are you saying..."

Yin Shixiu pinched her arm, then, like comforting a child, gently rocked her, "Wife, life is very long, very long, nobody will know what will happen in this long life... Today you bled, and I’ll lick your wounds, but this isn’t selfless or expecting nothing in return..."