"Hu Lincheng, you..." Ling Nuan felt incredulous.
A person like Hu Lincheng, would he propose again after being rejected once?
Especially when there didn't seem to be much time between these two confessions.
"I like you. So, do you want to give us a try?" Hu Lincheng spoke again.
Compared to the first time when he just said "Would you like to date me", this time, he clearly said he liked her.
These simple four words made Ling Nuan's heart beat faster. Especially at this moment, with the short distance between them and only each other in their eyes, Ling Nuan felt a sense of panic more than happiness.
She avoided Hu Lincheng's gaze and buried herself in his arms instead.
Hu Lincheng paused for a moment but didn't ask any more questions. He just slowly stroked her hair.
He seemed to be extremely patient and tolerant towards Ling Nuan.
Compared to his anger after the first rejection, he seemed to be well - prepared for this silent rejection the second time, and his state of mind was unexpectedly calm.
"If you don't want to answer, you don't have to." He even comforted Ling Nuan.
Ling Nuan just felt a strong sourness in her nose.
"Hu Lincheng, I don't know." Ling Nuan still gave the same answer.
Hu Lincheng's tone was filled with a smile: "Okay, it's okay not to know."
"I don't know how to answer you or how to handle our relationship." This time, Ling Nuan said more.
The hand stroking Ling Nuan's hair clearly paused.
Ling Nuan continued: "My purpose for approaching you was not pure. I haven't finished what I wanted to do. I..."
Maybe not being able to see Hu Lincheng gave her the courage to speak out, or maybe Hu Lincheng's embrace gave her a bit more sense of security.
"I'm afraid that my mom will scold me, get angry, and even abandon me when she knows." Towards the end, Ling Nuan's voice was tinged with a sob.
She couldn't even imagine going to her mom's tomb and telling her, "Mom, I've found a boyfriend. He's the uncle of the person who killed you."
She wondered if it would be enough to anger her mom back to life.
Although she and Hu Lincheng had already done almost everything that lovers do, before they officially confirmed their relationship, Ling Nuan could convince herself.
Everything she did was for revenge. But if she agreed to Hu Lincheng, it would be like removing the veil of revenge and revealing her naked emotional choice.
She knew she was just burying her head in the sand, but she just couldn't bring herself to break through everything and accept the reality.
Ling Nuan was also surprised to find that she was such a timid and coy person.
"It's okay. We'll take it slow." Hu Lincheng comforted her.
After all, they were just lacking an official title.
Whether Ling Nuan agreed or not, in others' eyes, they were already firmly tied together as lovers.
But because of Hu Lincheng's words, Ling Nuan cried loudly, soaking the front of his shirt. Her sense of guilt towards Hu Lincheng reached its peak.
When she finally cried herself out, Hu Lincheng gently wiped away her tears and asked with a smile, "Now, shall we go home?"
Ling Nuan nodded.
Of course, when Hu Lincheng said "go home", it didn't mean going to Ling Nuan's home.
Ling Nuan was taken back to the Jinyu Mansion again.
"You've been crying for so long. Go wash your face first and apply a warm compress." Hu Lincheng told Ling Nuan while taking off his shirt.
Although the wet part had already dried, it was still uncomfortable to wear.
"I'm going to take a shower." Hu Lincheng said.
Ling Nuan nodded.
Hu Lincheng went upstairs to the bedroom, while Ling Nuan went to the bathroom on the first floor. After washing her face and suppressing those emotions, when she recalled what she had said to Hu Lincheng just now... Ling Nuan covered her face helplessly.
She wanted to scream for help.
Taking advantage of the time when Hu Lincheng was taking a shower, Ling Nuan opened Huang Sheng's message and briefly told her about her situation.
"He likes me, and I like him a bit too. But on one hand, I keep rejecting him, and on the other hand, I still maintain this ambiguous relationship with him and use him..."
"Sheng Sheng, am I being really pretentious?" Ling Nuan asked aggrievedly.
Huang Sheng was silent for a moment and then said, "Do you want to hear the truth?"
Ling Nuan: "..."
"Thanks, but just tell me a white lie." Ling Nuan replied coldly.
Huang Sheng laughed and then spoke sincerely, "Nuan Nuan, sometimes it's hard for others to empathize with your emotions. From an on - looker's perspective, you may seem pretentious, coy, and there may even be more unpleasant words. But they are just on - lookers."
"Nuan Nuan, don't care what others think. No matter what decision you make, I'll support you. Whether you can't let go of the relationship between Hu Lincheng and Hu Xiao and decide to separate from him, or you want to be with Hu Lincheng, no matter which decision it is, both I and Auntie will support you. Because,"
Huang Sheng's tone was filled with a smile, "Our ultimate goal is to hope that you'll be happy. As long as you're happy, we'll support you."
Ling Nuan was touched and couldn't help but say, "I just can't seem to let go of the relationship between Hu Lincheng and Hu Xiao."
She liked him and didn't want to let go, but she also couldn't let go of the relationship between them.
Huang Sheng advised her, "What's so special about this relationship? If you loved the son or father of your enemy, I would definitely advise you to give up, because that kind of relationship is inseparable, and your future life would surely be entangled in it. But what's the relationship between Hu Lincheng and Hu Xiao? Once it's cut off, they're just strangers."
Ling Nuan pursed her lips and didn't say a word.
Seeing that she was silent, Huang Sheng sighed softly and continued, "Nuan Nuan, if you didn't like him, because of Hu Xiao, I would hate everyone around her, relatives and friends. But you like Hu Lincheng, and Hu Lincheng likes you and treats you well. He chooses you without hesitation between Hu Xiao and you. So, I'll abandon the worldly ideas and wish you happiness."
The phone call with Huang Sheng didn't last long.
Friends always considered things from her perspective and hoped that she would live a good and happy life.
Ling Nuan was actually the one who couldn't let go the most, always brooding over this relationship.
Sometimes, Ling Nuan would also reflect that if she hadn't chosen to approach Hu Lincheng in the first place, she wouldn't have these troubles today.
It was a pity that time couldn't turn back. Now, the difficult situation was right in front of her, and she would have to make a choice one day.
And the initial determination to use him had long since tilted in the balance during their daily interactions.
"What are you thinking about?" Hu Lincheng came out of the shower and saw Ling Nuan sitting on the sofa in a daze.
Ling Nuan looked up at Hu Lincheng and said, "I'm in a bad mood."
Hu Lincheng sat down beside her and pinched her face with a smile. "Then how can I make our Nuan Nuan happy?"
Ling Nuan thought that she seemed a bit happier now.
"Let's eat something sweet." Ling Nuan suddenly said and then added a more specific request, "I want to drink milk tea."
Hu Lincheng: "?"
"Which... milk tea?"
Ling Nuan: "?"
"Which milk tea do you mean?"