In the guest room, after Li Muyun left, only Lun Ying remained.
Lun Ying brought a towel over to wipe Li Weihuan’s face. Li Weihuan laid lifelessly on the bed, his eyes devoid of spirit. He appeared thinner than the last time she’d seen him, causing Lun Ying to sigh. "You fool, it’s over. Why do you insist on torturing yourself ?"
Li Weihuan’s fingertips trembled, but he remained silent.
"Don’t feel hard done by. To me, it’s only logical that you lost Miss Gu. Because you never truly tried to understand what she genuinely needed in her heart!"
Lun Ying said, "You don’t believe it, but I knew the first time I saw Miss Gu and Mr. Lu together that you would lose her. In everyone’s eyes, Miss Gu is a warm girl. But there’s a saying in this world, ’extremes breed opposites.’ So, the warmer she seems, the more warmth she may need on the inside! While you and Miss Gu were together for so long, did you really try to understand her? Do you know what she thinks? What she needs?"
Li Weihuan’s eyes flickered as he listened to Lun Ying’s words. "Of course, it’s normal for you not to understand. You’ve always been , being given things without having to give back since you were a child. Also, even if you tried hard to give, what you give may not be what the other person wants. But Mr. Lu is different..."
"To be honest, I’ve never really believed in love in this world! I don’t have parents, only a grandfather who isn’t my real one and died a long time ago! The lack of familial love made me terrified of romantic love. After witnessing the love and separations of friends and colleagues, I thought it possible to live in this world without love. But Mr. Lu changed my perspective."
"I always found it hard to imagine that a man as aloof, mature, successful, and high above as Mr. Lu would one day be so careful, thoughtful, and unreservedly devoted to a woman... Tell me, which woman in this world could summon the courage to reject him? That Miss Gu fell in love with him, truly, is not surprising! Because any woman would fall for him! He’s such a captivating man, like a poison. Once you’re infatuated, it’s hard to quit! So, Weihuan, don’t feel wronged. You didn’t lose because you loved less, but because you gave her too little of what she needed. And losing to such an opponent, you should feel lucky!"
"I know!" Li Weihuan interjected, his voice hoarse with emotion, his eyes welling up once more.
"I know!" he said, "I accept my defeat gracefully. My loss is set in stone, an unchangeable reality! So, I’ve endeavored to conceal myself in corners they wouldn’t find, silently blessing them, pretending I don’t know Nanxi, pretending I’ve never loved Nanxi, not caring at all... But, I can’t! Jiajia, do you know, I just can’t..."
Li Weihuan’s tears fell once more, flowing unchecked and dripping onto the pillow. He said, "I feel terrible, unbearably so. Every time I think of the moments I spent with Nanxi, I am overcome with such pain that I can’t breathe! I think I’m ill, but I don’t know where to find the cure... Nanxi is my cure. But I’ve lost her. I’ve lost her to a place I can no longer find..."
"You fool!" Lun Ying yelled at him, tears streaming down her face.
Li Weihuan reached up to rub his brow, "Yes, I am indeed a fool! Not just a fool, but a madman! Do you know? Jiajia! Sometimes I think, if it wasn’t for my uncle, I would’ve done everything to bring Nanxi back to me. Even if it meant stealing or robbing her back... But he’s my uncle. We, the Li Family, owe him too much, debts we can never fully repay in this lifetime... I can’t compete with my uncle because I’m not qualified... I’m not qualified..."
"If you’re not qualified, then why can’t you let go?" Lun Ying fired back, "Weihuan, you’re a man, and a mature one at that! Even if you once loved so deeply it seared your very bone, but if she no longer loves you and has found happiness, should you not let go decisively and gracefully like a man? Is that so hard to accomplish?"
Lun Ying’s eyes flickered, "And also, aren’t you... aren’t you going to marry Yi Mu? Since you’ve already decided to marry, why do you keep telling me how much you love Nanxi, how hard it is for you to let her go? Don’t you think this is cruel and unfair to your future wife Yi Mu?"
As she talked, Lun Ying couldn’t control her tears, they fell even harder, and she couldn’t stop them.
She quickly reached out to wipe her tears, turned her head, and was about to head to the washroom. As she got up, Li Weihuan abruptly pulled her back, yelling, "Jiajia..."
Lun Ying’s nose twitched, her fingers tightened slightly. She shouted back at him in exasperation, "Li Weihuan, can’t you have some dignity?"
"...I’m sorry!" Li Weihuan replied, "Jiajia, don’t cry! It’s not worth shedding tears for someone like me!"
"..." Upon hearing this, Lun Ying felt even more distressed. She shook off Li Weihuan’s hand, but didn’t leave. Instead, she sat down next to him on the edge of the bed.
"Weihuan, listen to me!" Lun Ying paused, adjusted her breath, and began, "Trust me, Weihuan, everything will pass! A month, a year, two years, ten years, you’ll eventually forget! You’re only twenty-five years old, life is long. You can’t just stop because of one failed love! If everyone were like you, should I have died when my grandfather passed away?"
"Weihuan, many people in this world aren’t strong because they have strong reasons, but because they’re forced to be strong by circumstances... Because if you’re not strong, who would care if you’re weak? For example, you’re in such despair right now. Why? Do you want Nanxi to feel guilty? Or do you want your uncle to feel remorse? Or do you want us bystanders to feel bad for you? None of those, right? Probably it’s just the most honest expression of your emotions and you don’t know how to hide it. Therefore, you’re not truly mature..."
"Weihuan, let go of Nanxi, let go of your uncle, and also let go of yourself! Otherwise, it will just be torture for all three of you. None of you will genuinely find happiness. Let go! Trust me, there are many good girls in this world. There must be one that is suitable for you. She might not be Nanxi, but she will love you the way you loved Nanxi, with no holds barred!"
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