Chapter 25: “Regret?”

“I heard that Brother is going to marry Nanzhi?”

Jiang Jinnian silently rubbed his fingers together, raising his eyes to meet Jiang Tingxu’s gaze.

He didn’t deny it.

Or rather, there was no need to deny it.

“Yes.”

Hearing this affirmative response, Jiang Tingxu’s brows immediately furrowed. He almost instinctively blurted out:

“But… Brother and Nanzhi aren’t familiar with each other and have no feelings at all. How can you two get married?”

“Tingxu.” Jiang Jinnian looked at Jiang Tingxu, his tone as calm as ever:

“Compared to feelings, what’s more important in a marriage alliance is responsibility.”

Jiang Tingxu’s face turned pale. “So, Brother is marrying Nanzhi just because of responsibility?”

Just like many years ago, when he remembered his brother was more inclined toward medicine, but due to the family’s need for a successor, Jiang Jinnian didn’t hesitate to abandon his ambition for further studies in that field.

Jiang Tingxu found it hard to describe his feelings.

Over the years, he had never heard Jiang Jinnian express any regret about giving up medicine.

Jiang Tingxu knew very well that once his brother married Nanzhi, regardless of whether they developed feelings afterward, since he chose this path, Jiang Jinnian would never bring up divorce.

“For the sake of a family alliance, to sacrifice a lifetime of marriage, does Brother really not regret it?”

This question seemed rather absurd to Jiang Tingxu.

Jiang Jinnian didn’t answer him, instead throwing the question back:

“After resisting the family marriage for two years, are you regretting it now?”

Jiang Tingxu closed his eyes.

The memories of his gradually distant relationship with Shen Nanzhi over the past two years flooded back to him, as well as… her complete indifference to any other females around him, even when she saw them with her own eyes, her expression showed no emotional fluctuations.

His fingertips turned white from clenching, and the breath he drew into his lungs felt icy, spreading a chill throughout his chest. Yet, he maintained his composure, still responding with the same answer.

“… I don’t regret it.”

Jiang Jinnian averted his gaze and didn’t say anything more.

Before heading upstairs, he left behind one last remark:

“Since you don’t regret it, then just move forward with your choice.”

“As for the marriage alliance between the two families, from now on, it will no longer be your shackles.”

Footsteps gradually faded away.

The lights at the staircase on the second floor flickered on and off.

Jiang Tingxu was left alone in the hall.

The clock on the wall indicated that it was approaching midnight.

The heavy night air outside seemed to seep through the thick glass, filling the hall with a coldness that permeated even the atmosphere.

—

The next day.

Shen Nanzhi had spent the entire day in the lab, finishing her thesis before heading back to the apartment. By the time she arrived, it was already dark outside.

Many residents in the apartment building had finished dinner and were out walking their dogs.

One resident downstairs had a large golden retriever. The owner was a female supervisor from a nearby company who, due to work commitments, had no time to walk her dog during the day, so she could only take the golden retriever out in the evenings.

Although Shen Nanzhi had few classes at school, she was pursuing a double degree and often had to write papers and conduct experiments, frequently returning from Huaihai University after dark.

After encountering the neighbor several times, they had gradually become familiar with each other.

The golden retriever was very friendly and would excitedly wag its fluffy tail and leap toward Shen Nanzhi whenever it saw her.

Shen Nanzhi loved cats and dogs but simply didn’t have the time to keep one.

However, since she often saw the friendly golden retriever downstairs, she could at least enjoy petting its head now and then.

As usual, after petting the golden retriever and giving its soft tail a few playful rubs, Shen Nanzhi smiled and said goodbye to the dog owner before pressing the elevator button to go upstairs.

The smile on her lips held until the elevator doors opened, and only then did it slowly fade when she saw someone standing outside the elevator.

Jiang Tingxu was leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette.

When he noticed the elevator door open, he glanced over.

Under the warm yellow light of the corridor, their gazes met through the faint haze of smoke.

Shen Nanzhi hadn’t expected Jiang Tingxu to suddenly come to her place.

For so long, they had avoided reaching out to each other, almost forming a tacit understanding.

The smell of smoke filled the corridor. Shen Nanzhi looked down, noticing a pile of cigarette butts by his feet.

As the elevator door beeped and began to close, Shen Nanzhi withdrew her gaze and stepped out of the elevator.

Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Tingxu extinguished his cigarette and fixed his gaze on her, speaking first.