In the corner of the apartment, Lin Yue hugged herself tightly, but her mind kept flashing back to the scene at the airport. At this time, her phone rang, its piercing sound abnormal in the silent room. After a long time with no one answering, the call automatically went to voicemail. The phone then transmitted a breathy sound and Zhuo Xiangnan's hoarse but affectionate confession. Lin Yue covered her ears and shrank into the corner, her whole body trembling incessantly.
The next day, the phone in her apartment rang several times before automatically switching to voicemail, "Miss, Miss Lin Yao is coming back today. The master has asked that you come back home for a meal together." The voice paused for a moment, "Miss, I have found the item you asked me to look for last time. Would you like to come and pick it up today, or should I bring it to you next time?"
After a long while, Lin Yue, who had been curled up in the corner, slowly helped herself up using the wall and walked to the bathroom. She scooped a handful of cold water and splashed it on her face, watching the pale-faced person in the mirror and uncontrollably started to laugh, though her face was covered in tears.
In front of the Lin Family mansion, Aunt Hong, who was waiting at the door, immediately greeted her upon seeing her, "Miss."
Lin Yue smiled at her and said, "Aunt Hong."
"The master is in the living room. I've placed the items in your room." Seeing Lin Yue's pale complexion, a look of pity appeared in Aunt Hong's eyes.
Entering the living room, Lin Yue glanced at the man sitting there; a hint of contempt quickly flitted across her eyes. After calling out "dad," she turned and walked upstairs. Liu Man, sitting beside Lin Tianhao, looked up at Lin Yue ascending the stairs, a flicker of displeasure passing through her eyes. After retrieving her things from her room, Lin Yue prepared to leave the house. However, Lin Tianhao spoke up from the sofa, "Your sister is coming back today. Stay for a meal together."
Lin Yue frowned slightly and replied, "I have to attend to some business at the company today."
"Tianhao, our Yueyue really is a busy person," Liu Man said with a smile towards Lin Yue, "Yueyue, if you're busy, then go ahead."
Already unhappy with Lin Yue's demeanor, Lin Tianhao's temper flared up thinking of the entertainment news concerning Lin Yue, "You're always saying how busy you are! Look at yourself now; what sort of state are you in? What kind of job is that? The news about you is always saying what?!"
Listening to Lin Tianhao's words, Lin Yue, already feeling a bit unwell, furrowed her brows even more and her tone carried a touch of impatience as she responded, "What I look like now, my job, I've gotten it on my own strength. And even if the news says something, they won't involve you."
Lin Tianhao's voice grew louder as he pointed to Lin Yue standing aside, "What did you say!" Liu Man quickly held him back and consoled, "Yueyue is all grown up now, you should say less." Patting his back, she made him sit down, "Yaoyao will be back soon. What will she think seeing you like this?" After finishing her words to Lin Tianhao, she turned to Lin Yue, "Yueyue, if you have things to do, you can go ahead."
Without a word, Lin Yue turned and left, with Liu Man's soothing voice to Lin Tianhao echoing behind her. Aunt Hong, who had been in the kitchen and saw Lin Yue leaving, quickly grabbed the soup she had prepared and chased after her.
"Miss… Miss…" Hearing Aunt Hong's voice, she turned around and saw her carrying a thermos.
"Aunt Hong?" Just as she was about to speak, Aunt Hong thrust the thermos into her hands, "This is a soup I've made; take it and drink it warm. Miss, take care of your body when you're outside." Aunt Hong said with a heartbroken expression.
Lin Yue nodded and, after saying goodbye to Aunt Hong, walked towards the parking lot outside the door. As soon as she stepped out, she saw two people, walking arm in arm intimately, approaching the door. Lin Yue's face instantly turned pale.
Lin Yao, who had been acting coquettishly with Zhuo Xiangnan, also saw Lin Yue standing at the door and immediately let go of Zhuo Xiangnan's arm. Suddenly released, Zhuo Xiangnan followed Lin Yao's gaze and saw Lin Yue standing there, his expression instantly turning cold. Taking Lin Yao's hand, he walked towards her as if the person at the door were a stranger.
Standing at the door, Lin Yue felt as if she had been stabbed by Zhuo Xiangnan's gaze. When he reached her side, she grabbed Zhuo Xiangnan's sleeve and said in a low and struggling voice, "Xiangnan... Brother... don't you want Yueyue anymore?"
Lin Yao looked puzzled at Zhuo Xiangnan stopping and saw Lin Yue holding his sleeve. Although a flash of annoyance quickly crossed her eyes, she still let go of Zhuo Xiangnan's hand and said with a smile as Zhuo Xiangnan thought she was angry, "I'll go inside and wait for you."
Watching her enter the large mansion, Zhuo Xiangnan pulled his hand away from Lin Yue impatiently and said, looking at her with annoyance, "What else do you want?"
Zhuo Xiangnan kept glancing towards the mansion's gate, and Lin Yue, seeing him like this, felt as if something was tightly squeezing her heart, painfully so.
"You grabbed me just to say this?" he said irritably. "I didn't like you two years ago, what makes you think I would fall in love with you two years later?"
Lin Yue's lips curved into a smile, "But, Brother Xiangnan, even if you love Lin Yao so much, do you think Aunt Yun will accept her?"
Zhuo Xiangnan's gaze turned icy, and his look towards her became extremely cold, "Even so, I would never choose you, Lin Yue."
Hearing this, Lin Yue's already pale face turned even paler, and her lips weakly curled up. Zhuo Xiangnan glanced at her and then walked towards the mansion.
Lin Yue laughed softly, "Brother Xiangnan, do you hate Yueyue now?" As she said this, she tugged at the corner of her mouth and murmured, "I hate this part of myself too."
Feeling him leave, Lin Yue's lips formed a tragically beautiful smile. Hearing the sound of the mansion's iron gate closing, Lin Yue felt as though she had been locked out by the entire world. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.
On the way back, Lin Yue's mind was filled with Zhuo Xiangnan's cold tone. Everything around her started to become hazy until she was jolted back to reality by the sharp honk of a car horn behind her. By the time she realized it, she had already driven into the center of the intersection. The driver of the car opposite her, rolling down both windows, loudly cursed, "Can you even drive? Do you have a death wish!"
Regaining her composure, Lin Yue quickly drove out of the intersection and returned to the parking lot of her apartment. Unable to hold back any longer, she leaned on the steering wheel and started crying bitterly, her suppressed sobs echoing in the cramped space of the car.