Li Wei's confession lingered in the air between them, heavy with unspoken pain. Mei Lin's hand stayed wrapped around his, their fingers entwined in a fragile connection. She could feel the tension in his grip, like he was holding on to something too big for him to carry alone. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of his words filling the silence.
Mei Lin's heart ached as she looked at him. The cold, aloof Li Wei she had known for so long was nowhere to be found. In his place stood someone who had been hiding behind layers of ice, someone she had been trying to reach for what felt like an eternity.
"I didn't know," she whispered, her voice soft but steady. "I didn't know you were going through all of this."
Li Wei's gaze shifted to the ground, his shoulders slumping as if the burden had grown heavier. "I didn't want you to know," he admitted quietly. "I thought I could handle it on my own."
Mei Lin's brow furrowed as she gently squeezed his hand. "But you don't have to. You don't have to go through this alone, Li Wei. I'm here. I've always been here."
Her words seemed to sink into him slowly, but he remained silent, as if unsure whether to believe her. Mei Lin bit her lip, her mind racing as she tried to find the right words to break through the walls he had built around himself.
"Look," she began, her voice hesitant, "I don't know what it's like to be in your shoes, to have the kind of responsibilities you do. But I know what it's like to feel like the world is too much. I know what it's like to lose people, to feel like you're drowning and there's no one to pull you out."
Li Wei's eyes flicked up to meet hers, and in that moment, Mei Lin saw a flicker of something—recognition, perhaps, or understanding.
"I've lost people too," she continued, her voice trembling slightly as memories of her parents surfaced. "And I know what it feels like to want to shut everyone out, to think that no one can understand what you're going through. But I've learned that sometimes… sometimes you just need someone to be there. To listen."
She paused, giving him time to absorb her words. His face was a mask of conflicted emotions, his jaw tight as he processed what she was saying. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Li Wei sighed, the tension leaving his body in a slow exhale.
"It's not just the family stuff," he said, his voice low. "It's… everything. My father, his business, the pressure to live up to everyone's expectations. And then you…" He stopped abruptly, shaking his head as if he had said too much.
"Me?" Mei Lin asked gently, urging him to continue.
Li Wei hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. "You're different, Mei Lin. From the moment I met you, I knew that. But I… I didn't know how to handle it. You made me feel things I wasn't ready to feel. And now, with everything falling apart, I don't know if I can deal with any of it."
Mei Lin's heart raced at his words, a mixture of hope and confusion swirling inside her. She had suspected for a long time that there was more to Li Wei's cold demeanor than met the eye, but hearing him admit it out loud made it all the more real.
"Li Wei," she said softly, "you don't have to figure it all out right now. But I need you to know that I'm not going anywhere. I care about you. A lot. And whatever happens, I'll be here."
For a moment, she thought he might pull away again, retreat back into his shell. But instead, Li Wei's hand tightened around hers, his gaze steady on her face. It was a small gesture, but in that moment, it felt like a breakthrough.
"Thank you," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "For not giving up on me."
Mei Lin smiled, her heart swelling with a mixture of relief and something else—something deeper that she wasn't quite ready to name. "I'm not giving up," she promised. "We'll figure this out together."
---
Over the next few days, Mei Lin found herself thinking about Li Wei constantly. Their conversation by the fountain had left her with more questions than answers, but it had also opened a door she wasn't sure had existed before. He had been vulnerable with her, in a way she had never seen him be with anyone, and it made her wonder what else he was hiding beneath that stoic exterior.
But even as her feelings for him deepened, Mei Lin couldn't ignore the uncertainty that lingered in the back of her mind. Li Wei was still dealing with his family's issues, and the rumors about the financial scandal were only growing louder. Every time she heard another snippet of gossip in the hallways, her stomach churned with worry.
She didn't want to push him, but she also couldn't stand the thought of him going through it all alone. More than anything, she wished he would trust her enough to let her in completely.
One afternoon, as she sat in the art room sketching absentmindedly, her thoughts drifted to the future. She hadn't told Li Wei about her own uncertainties—the conflict she felt between her passion for painting and her old dream of becoming a lawyer. It was something she had been wrestling with for months, ever since she had rediscovered her love for art.
Part of her still felt the pull of her original goal, the one she had clung to ever since her parents' death. Becoming a lawyer had been a way to honor them, to fulfill the future they had envisioned for her. But every time she picked up a paintbrush, she felt something shift inside her, like she was finally allowing herself to be who she truly was.
Could she really have both? Could she find a way to balance her passion with her responsibilities?
Mei Lin sighed, staring down at the half-finished sketch in front of her. The answer wasn't clear, but one thing was certain—she couldn't ignore her feelings for much longer. Whether it was her love for painting or her growing affection for Li Wei, she knew she had to face the truth sooner or later.
---
That evening, Mei Lin found herself walking through the campus gardens, the cool evening air soothing against her skin. The soft glow of the setting sun bathed everything in a warm, golden light, and for a moment, she felt at peace.
But as she rounded a corner, she spotted a familiar figure standing by the old oak tree at the edge of the garden. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized it was Li Wei, his back turned to her as he stared out over the horizon.
Without thinking, Mei Lin approached him, her footsteps quiet on the grass. She didn't call out to him, didn't announce her presence. Instead, she stood beside him, her gaze following his out into the distance.
For a long time, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was heavy, but not uncomfortable. It was as if they both knew that words weren't needed in that moment.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Li Wei broke the silence. "I don't know what's going to happen," he admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper. "With my family, with everything. But I know I can't keep running from it."
Mei Lin's heart ached for him, but she remained silent, letting him speak.
"I've made a lot of mistakes," he continued, his voice tight with regret. "But I don't want to make the mistake of pushing you away again."
Mei Lin turned to him, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the raw emotion in his eyes. He wasn't the cold, distant Li Wei she had once known. He was someone else—someone real, someone vulnerable.
"I'm not going anywhere," she said softly, her voice steady despite the racing of her heart. "I'm here, Li Wei."
He looked at her then, really looked at her, and for the first time, Mei Lin felt like he was seeing her—not just the surface, but everything she was.
"I don't deserve you," he whispered.
Mei Lin smiled, a soft, bittersweet smile. "Maybe not. But I'm still here."
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End of Chapter 21
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