Chapter 45 Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Chapter 45

1

An embrace that felt like it could shatter her heart brought Lin Chenxin a sharp pain.

She closed her eyes, holding Chen Gujun’s waist tightly, burying her face in his chest.

She felt a lingering dread.

If she hadn’t returned, what would have become of Chen Gujun?

Would he really have died here alone?

Just the thought made Lin Chenxin feel suffocated, beyond her control.

After what felt like forever, Chen Gujun loosened his grip, his hoarse voice coming from above her head.

“Why did you come back?”

With her eyes shut, she said hoarsely, “If I hadn’t come back, I’d be afraid I’d regret it for the rest of my life.”

Chen Gujun lowered his head, saying nothing.

He wrapped his arm around Lin Chenxin’s shoulder, his fingertips tightening, his bowed head covered by long hair, obscuring the expression on his face.

Cold wind swirled around them, and the wind chimes above clattered in a chaotic jingle.

Suddenly, a “clang” rang out, and Lin Chenxin looked down in shock.

—The shackles on Chen Gujun’s feet had broken.

She immediately looked up at Chen Gujun, but he pulled her into his embrace.

His sharp chin rested on the top of her head, and when he spoke, his voice rumbled from his chest, low and magnetic.

“Do whatever you want. I’ll try my best to hold on until that day.”

Lin Chenxin’s nose stung, and she pursed her lips, a surge of warmth and strength rose in her chest.

“Mm!”

She lowered her head, grabbing the long hair that fell before her eyes, and after a long moment, whispered in a choked voice.

“Chen Gujun, I’m sorry.”

Her throat tightened with a bitter ache as she forced out a trembling whisper.

“I’m sorry.”

Chen Gujun hugged her tighter, lowering his head to press a gentle but heavy kiss to the top of her head.

“No, I’m the one who should be sorry.”

Lin Chenxin’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. She looked up at Chen Gujun’s sightless eyes, raised her fingertips, but only managed to tremblingly wipe away the blood-red tears on his face.

She leaned against Chen Gujun’s chest, her bright eyes like flames flickering in the dark night.

At that moment, a true, boundless sense of faith welled up inside her.

At this time, in the quiet Lanting Courtyard.

Ms. Liang stood by the window, staring at the sky, which had been overcast for days.

The middle-aged woman stood behind her, her eyes blazing.

“Miss, she’s returned.”

“Mm.”

Ms. Liang still wore that unreadable expression, only her cold, lonely eyes held a deep, dark gleam.

“I knew she wouldn’t let me down.”

—

Kneeling by the well, Lin Chenxin’s face broke into a delighted smile.

She turned to Chen Gujun and said, “It’s a Madagascar periwinkle.”

The seeds had grown lush and strong. Even in the cold, shady spot by the well, the tender green leaves stood tall, showing off their vibrant vitality.

“That’s a pretty name,” Chen Gujun said softly.

Lin Chenxin looked at Chen Gujun’s lifeless eyes, her heart stirred. She took his hand and guided it to touch the green sprouts.

Chen Gujun quickly pulled his hand back, but didn’t dare to struggle forcefully for fear of hurting Lin Chenxin, so he kept his sharp nails hidden.

Lin Chenxin felt both sad and amused at his nervousness, she coaxed, “It’s fine, touching them won’t make you shrink.”

Chen Gujun kept his mouth shut, refusing to reach out.

Lin Chenxin’s stubbornness flared up, and she held onto him.

“Don’t you want to know how strong the seeds you carefully tended have gotten?”

Chen Gujun’s expression softened a little.

Lin Chenxin’s voice softened again. “They’ve grown wonderfully. It’s all because of you.”

Chen Gujun lowered his head, relaxing his grip.

Lin Chenxin, with a barely hidden smile, guided Chen Gujun’s hand to touch those proud little green sprouts.

The cool leaves were incredibly fragile, yet they radiated an upright vitality. Chen Gujun’s fingertips trembled as he touched them with extreme caution, like a dragonfly skimming water.

Lin Chenxin’s eyes gradually softened.

She didn’t know why the Madagascar periwinkle had survived.

But at that moment, she believed that in the Junzi Courtyard, death rested with Chen Gujun, and life rested with him too.

Nothing was set in stone.

Her gaze deepened slightly as she turned to look at the ring of lush green sprouts.

—

Chen Gujun’s vision and hearing weren’t just deteriorating endlessly, but his energy was also fading, like someone in their twilight years.

Lin Chenxin didn’t know how much longer she could hold on.

But she would definitely break the curse before Chen Gujun completely "withered away."

Looking at the bruises so deep the bone was visible on Chen Gujun’s feet, she pressed her lips together, pulled a blanket over his body, stood up, and walked out of the Junzi Courtyard with a cold expression.

The wind chimes under the eaves chimed in the wind, but Chen Gujun on the recliner didn’t stir.

The brightly lit Chen residence seemed to have returned to its usual order, yet beneath the gloom, a heavy unease hung in the air.

Lin Chenxin walked calmly in the light, nodding composedly in response to the servants’ cautious "Young Mistress" greetings.

Perhaps those people didn’t truly respect her in their hearts, but now that she alone walked upright under the light, she became the small, fragile hope in everyone’s eyes.

She walked to the Lanting Courtyard, gave a brief glance at the middle-aged man standing guard at the entrance, and walked in without a backward glance.

The man opened his mouth but made no sound, his outstretched hand didn’t even brush her sleeve before he pulled it back awkwardly.

In the end, he watched her go in silence.

The hall door facing the courtyard stood open, and a middle-aged woman stood at the threshold, a dark, blurry silhouette from a distance.

Lin Chenxin walked right over, and the woman lowered her head, stepped aside to let her in.

Inside, the hall was brightly lit. Ms. Liang sat in the seat of honor, her back ramrod straight, her eyes cold and deep. She seemed unchanged, but her face was thinner, her cheekbones more prominent.

Lin Chenxin pulled up a chair and sat across from Ms. Liang.

She said nothing, just met her gaze.

After a long pause, Ms. Liang gave a low laugh and looked at her. "No matter when, you never give in."

Faced with her admiration, Lin Chenxin stayed stone-faced.

Ms. Liang closed her eyes, breathed deep, and sighed, her gaze wandered past Lin Chenxin to the dark sky outside the door.

A moment later, she looked at Lin Chenxin’s face glowing in the lamplight.

She suddenly smiled.

"I'm always trying to find even a hint of resemblance to others in you, but I never do."

Ms. Liang was way too curious about someone like Lin Chenxin.

Time and again, she'd tried to see another familiar face in Lin Chenxin.

Whoever that person was, whatever they looked like, as long as there was a shred of similarity, she could find an answer to satisfy herself.

But no one gave her a question, so naturally, there was no answer.

She was just making excuses.

Why wasn't she the one doing all this?

Why, after stepping into the abyss for so many years, had she become the one who needed saving?

She couldn't stand it.

So much so that this resentment started to warp.

But she was powerless to fight it.

And so, she ended up this way.

"I didn't come here to hear your life story."

Lin Chenxin didn't care about Ms. Liang's complex psyche.

Once she figured out Ms. Liang's goal, she knew Ms. Liang had been waiting for someone.

It didn't have to be her.

It's just that she happened to survive and happened to do what Ms. Liang wanted to do but didn't dare.

Ms. Liang's eyes were unreadable, a faint smile on her lips. "Then what did you come to say?"

Lin Chenxin locked eyes with Ms. Liang, stood up, and spoke coldly, her words sharp and final.

"Out of respect, I'm here to give you my final warning. Since I'm back, every single person in the Chen family will pay the price."

She stared into Ms. Liang's eyes. "Every single one."

With that, she turned and walked out into the biting wind without looking back.

The expression on Ms. Liang's face quickly faded, her cold eyes fixed on Lin Chenxin's retreating figure.

The middle-aged woman approached, frowning. "Miss."

Ms. Liang leaned back in her chair, tilting her head and closing her eyes.

"From now on, just call me 'Madam.'"

The middle-aged woman was taken aback.

Ms. Liang let out a low laugh, more like self-mockery.

She gripped the armrest of the chair tightly, the screeching sound sharp, and soon, blood oozed from her broken nails, shocking to see, yet she kept laughing.

The middle-aged woman looked uneasy, pursed her lips, and said, "Little… Madam, I don't understand why you're handing over the initiative to her."

As if answering her, or perhaps just speaking to herself, Ms. Liang rasped, "I couldn't do it, because I couldn't do it…"

She raised her hand to cover her face, admitting her own cowardice in that moment.

—

Just as she stepped out of the Lanting Courtyard, Lin Chenxin saw the Second Miss standing in the shadows.

The other seemed to be waiting for her, her bright eyes in the darkness fixed unblinkingly on Lin Chenxin.

She walked over and stopped in front of the Second Miss.

Uncertain of the Second Miss's emotions, the latter said in a sharp voice, "Lin Chenxin, you must be feeling pretty proud now, aren't you?"

Lin Chenxin looked at the Second Miss's gaunt face and reddened eyes, moved her lips, then turned away. "You don't look well. Go back and rest early."

She turned to leave, but the Second Miss grabbed her arm.

"What do you mean by that!"

Lin Chenxin closed her eyes and sighed.

She asked, "How much do you know about the Chen family's affairs?"

The Second Miss stared right at her.

"Why do you care so much about my family's business? Do you really think you're the Chen family's Young Mistress now? Even if you've come back, I won't..."

The Second Miss wanted to say more, but when she saw the pity in Lin Chenxin's eyes, her heart sank, then quickly flared into a blazing fury.

"What's that look for!"

She seemed provoked, the pressure of the past few days had left her fragile beyond words.

"You're pitying me? How dare you pity me? Who do you think you are? Just some mercenary nobody who sold herself into this house. I'm a daughter of the Chen family, and you dare to pity me!"

The Second Miss screamed like a madwoman, her eyes growing redder, glistening with tears in the dim lighting.

She didn't realize that in that moment, she looked like a child lashing out from insecurity after finally feeling safe.

But she had too many thorns, and no one was there to embrace her.