The next day passed in a haze. Mei Lin barely made it through her classes, her mind consumed by what Li Na had overheard. What could it be? Something about Li Wei's family? A secret that he'd been keeping from her? The questions spiraled in her mind, making it nearly impossible to focus on anything else.
After her last class, Mei Lin hurried to the courtyard where she and Li Na had agreed to meet. The autumn sun was setting, casting long shadows across the campus. As she approached, she spotted Li Na sitting on one of the benches, her expression unusually serious.
"Li Na," Mei Lin called, quickening her pace.
Li Na looked up, her eyes scanning the area to make sure no one was around before motioning for Mei Lin to sit beside her. The tension in the air was palpable.
"Okay," Li Na said, lowering her voice as soon as Mei Lin sat down. "What I overheard... it's huge."
Mei Lin's heart pounded in her chest. "What is it? What did you hear?"
Li Na hesitated, glancing around again before leaning in closer. "It's about Li Wei's family. I overheard a conversation between some of his relatives. They were talking about... a marriage contract."
Mei Lin felt her stomach drop. "A what?"
"A marriage contract," Li Na repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "Apparently, Li Wei's family has had this agreement in place for years. They're planning to marry him off to someone from another powerful family to merge their businesses or something."
Mei Lin's mind reeled. A marriage contract? For Li Wei? It didn't make any sense. "But Li Wei never mentioned anything like that," she murmured, more to herself than to Li Na.
"I don't think he can," Li Na said. "From what I overheard, he's been trying to fight it, but it's pretty much out of his hands. His family has all the power, and they're not giving him a choice."
Mei Lin's thoughts raced, her heart sinking with every passing second. Was this why Li Wei had been so distant? Why he kept saying there were things he couldn't tell her? Was this the reason he had been holding back from fully opening up to her?
Li Na's voice cut through her spiraling thoughts. "I'm sorry, Mei Lin. I know this must be a lot to take in."
Mei Lin nodded, her throat tight. "Yeah. It is."
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the revelation settling between them. Mei Lin's mind was a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. She thought about all the times Li Wei had seemed on the verge of telling her something, only to pull back at the last second. Had this been the secret he was keeping from her all along?
"I don't know what to do," Mei Lin whispered, her voice trembling.
Li Na placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you need to talk to him. Confront him about it."
Mei Lin nodded, though the thought of confronting Li Wei made her stomach churn. She didn't want to believe that he had been keeping something so huge from her. But at the same time, she couldn't ignore what Li Na had overheard.
"I guess I don't have a choice," Mei Lin said, standing up. "I need to hear it from him."
---
Later That Evening
Mei Lin paced back and forth in her room, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. Her heart pounded as she stared at Li Wei's name on the screen, her thumb hovering over the call button. She had to do this. She had to know the truth, no matter how much it might hurt.
Taking a deep breath, Mei Lin finally pressed the call button. The phone rang once, twice, three times. Just as she was about to hang up, Li Wei answered.
"Mei Lin?" His voice sounded surprised, but there was an underlying tension that she hadn't noticed before.
"Li Wei, we need to talk," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Can you meet me?"
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Now?"
"Yes. Now," Mei Lin replied firmly. "It's important."
Another brief silence, and then, "Alright. I'll meet you at the park in thirty minutes."
Mei Lin hung up, her heart racing. She had no idea what she was going to say to him, but she knew she couldn't keep pretending that everything was fine. Not after what she had learned.
---
The Park
Mei Lin arrived at the park early, her nerves on edge as she waited for Li Wei. The sun had set by the time he arrived, the soft glow of the streetlights casting long shadows across the empty park.
When she saw him walking toward her, her heart skipped a beat. He looked as handsome as ever, but there was a heaviness in his expression that mirrored her own.
"Mei Lin," he said as he approached, his voice quiet. "What's going on?"
Mei Lin took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "Li Wei, I need to know the truth. About your family. About... the marriage contract."
Li Wei's face immediately hardened, his eyes flashing with something Mei Lin couldn't quite place—anger? Frustration? Pain?
"Who told you about that?" he asked, his voice tense.
"It doesn't matter who told me," Mei Lin replied, her voice trembling. "I just need to know if it's true. Are they forcing you into some kind of arranged marriage?"
Li Wei's jaw tightened, and for a long moment, he said nothing. Mei Lin's heart sank as she watched the conflict play out on his face. He looked like he was struggling with something, fighting some internal battle that he didn't want to lose.
Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yes," he said quietly. "It's true."
Mei Lin's breath caught in her throat. She had suspected it, but hearing him confirm it felt like a punch to the gut. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Li Wei looked away, his expression hardening. "Because it's not something I can change. My family... they control everything. They've been planning this for years, long before you and I ever met."
"But you're not going to go through with it, right?" Mei Lin asked, her voice desperate. "You're going to fight it?"
Li Wei's silence was deafening. He didn't need to say anything—his expression said it all.
"Li Wei..." Mei Lin's voice cracked, her chest tightening. "You can't let them control your life like this."
"It's not that simple," Li Wei said, his voice strained. "My family... they've done everything for me. I owe them. And if I don't follow through with this, they'll lose everything."
Mei Lin shook her head, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "But what about us? What about everything we've been through?"
Li Wei looked at her, his eyes filled with pain. "I care about you, Mei Lin. More than you know. But this... this is bigger than us. Bigger than anything I can control."
Mei Lin felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. She had hoped—prayed—that there was some way they could work through this. But now, standing here in the cold, empty park, she realized that some things were beyond her control. Beyond Li Wei's control.
"I can't do this," Mei Lin whispered, her voice barely audible. "I can't stand by and watch you be forced into a life you don't want."
Li Wei's expression softened, but the sadness in his eyes remained. "I'm sorry, Mei Lin."
Without another word, Mei Lin turned and walked away, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the silence. She didn't look back, even though every part of her wanted to. She couldn't.
Because she knew, deep down, that this was the end.
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End of Chapter 35
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