The only thing that made He Teng feel a bit bad was that returning to the military would mean yet another separation from He Zhilan. However, thinking about how hard He Zhilan had been running back and forth recently, He Teng felt that him going back for a rest would ease her burden greatly. Most importantly, him going back to the military and He Zhilan returning to school would simplify her life. She would no longer need to keep coming to the hospital and dread meeting with Bian Muhe and his group.
He Teng never gave up the thought of He Zhilan fading out of Lin Chan’s circle, even though he had interacted with Lin Chan and knew he was not as bad as others said. However, people should live in the environments they belong to. Rashly intruding without the ability, with He Zhilan’s status, she would inevitably become a weak point for Lin Chan and his group to exploit, and she would be the one to get hurt in the end.
In their circle, status and power serve as the strongest shield, while He Zhilan was nothing more than a little girl from a mountain village with no backing.
He Zhilan was making chit-chat with the old nurse. She didn’t notice that He Teng’s mind wasn’t on their topic after he had spoken his piece. Lin Chan, on the other hand, had beckoned to He Zhilan from a distance, then ran towards them, waving something in his hand.
"I heard from Bian Muhe that you’re taking He Teng out for some sun. Hey, looking good. Though Bian Muhe should have wrapped you up even more thoroughly, then it’d look like a mummy’s leg!" Upon seeing He Teng, Lin Chan couldn’t help but make a jibe, then he grabbed He Zhilan’s hand, thrust the thing he was carrying into her hands and exclaimed, "Fresh off the press, it’s the engagement photos of Ding Jinshi and Ding Long!"
"This fast?" He Zhilan was astounded. The engagement banquet of Ding Long and Ding Jinshi had happened only two days ago.
"I brought them over as soon as they were developed!" Lin Chan laughed triumphantly, "It was quite a letdown that day. Bian Muhe and his crew didn’t go. I was the only one who did. I had expected that Lan Li would suddenly show up and steal the bride, but I waited all night and nothing happened. Gu En didn’t show up either. There wasn’t even a bit of arguing. So I just kept taking pictures."
"Gu En didn’t go?" He Zhilan was taken aback, "Gu En took leave from school that day. I thought she had gone to Ding Long’s engagement banquet specially."
"Who knows what she was up to?" Lin Chan shrugged. His expression made it clear that he could not care less about Gu En’s private affairs. He pointed at the photos in He Zhilan’s hand and urged her to look.
He Zhilan chuckled. When it came to Lan Li, Lin Chan was truly relentless in his nastiness.
The stack of photos was as thick as an adult’s palm. Every single photo captured Ding Long and Ding Jinshi; either the two of them conversing with guests, or speaking with elders. Even the photos of them in silent mutual regard were captured by Lin Chan.
In some of these photos, Ding Long and Ding Jinshi seemed to get along well. But whenever the two of them were alone without anyone else butting in, their faces were expressionless. They obviously did not wear their hearts on their faces, thus revealing that all of Ding Jinshi’s smiles at the guests were fake.
"Ding Jinshi..." He Zhilan sighed, "As a woman, I actually feel a bit sorry for her, firstly dealing with someone like Lan Li and then having to marry someone like Ding Long."