38

Such a beautiful, soft-hearted girl should be cherished and loved by a man, yet in the original story, she endured so much, only to get a chance to be near the man she loved after all the suffering.

A long-time unrequited love, waiting for more than ten years, only to be tormented for a long time after.

Zhu Jia wondered if, after all the pain of experiencing love, Su Ke could still have those eyes as clear as autumn waters.

“My father is doing well. I’ve been with him in the US for his recovery. The doctors say he’s past the critical stage, and with three to five years of good care, he’ll recover.” Su Ke smiled for the first time that night.

Su Ke’s father was Mo Yichen’s tutor during his middle school years, someone he deeply respected.

“If you need anything, feel free to ask me.”

“Mm, thank you, Yi Chen.”

Su Ke smiled with her eyes, slightly lifting her gaze to look at the tall, handsome man in front of her. She still remembered the first time she met him.

It was more than ten years ago when her father went to Mo Yichen’s family to teach every weekend. That day, their house had a water and power outage, so her father took her along to Mo Yichen’s house.

It was her first time seeing such a beautiful and luxurious mansion. The young Su Ke was full of curiosity and amazement.

As soon as they arrived, her father hurried off, leaving her to play in the vast garden. It had rained the night before, and there was still some mud in the garden.

Bored, she hopped across the steps and slipped, falling from the fourth step.

Her pink dress got all dirty, and it was the first time she’d gone out with her father for work. She couldn’t let him down.

Embarrassed, she felt like crying.

“Here you go.” A clear and crisp male voice suddenly rang out from behind.

Su Ke turned around, frozen in place! She had never seen anyone so handsome. His skin was pale, his lashes like wings, and his features were carved to perfection.

The teenager, tall and slender like a bamboo stalk, had narrow, cold eyes with no extra expression.

Su Ke’s face turned red, and she immediately took the white jacket from his hands. A refreshing scent of pine filled her senses, leaving her at a loss.

She was small and thin, with a childish face covered in mud, while he was flawless, even the clothes he handed her were spotless.

Su Ke silently watched him walk away, her eyes moist. Could someone in such a low place ever touch the flawless moonlight?

That fleeting glimpse in her youth left an unspoken secret in her heart.

……………..

Mo Yichen, standing quietly by the pool smoking, the red tip of his cigarette flickering in and out.

He glanced at Su Ke, seemingly asking if she had anything else to say.

Su Ke lowered her eyes, her nails digging into her soft palms, silent for a while, as if making a decision.

Her voice, soft yet bitter, echoed, “Yi Chen, the reason I came back was to say goodbye. My father and I are planning to immigrate to the US, and we’ve already sold our old house.”

Su Ke looked up, gazing at the man she had secretly loved for years, “My career prospects are much better in the US, and more importantly, my father will have better care there.”

Mo Yichen nodded, “That’s indeed a good choice.”

Zhu Jia’s pupils contracted. Su Ke was really giving up?

The system, playing a sorrowful background music, sighed: “Wuwuwu! Who will shed tears for such a beautiful love story? She loved him for over ten years, but he, after only knowing a woman for a year, fell in love with her! To fulfill his happiness, she resolutely left, burying her feelings forever, leaving him with nothing but a lonely, distant back.”

Zhu Jia: …

The system continued: “Will there be a future for them? Can this love find its way back to the light? Oh man, come to your senses! Why love a woman who doesn’t love you, forgetting the one who truly does?”

Zhu Jia’s face darkened like a pot’s bottom. “Shut up already!”

Zhu Jia awkwardly crouched in the corner, startled by the system’s dramatic background music. Combined with the discomfort of wearing high heels, she accidentally twisted her ankle with a loud crack.

“Ouch!” Tears welled up in Zhu Jia’s eyes instantly.

The noise from the corner caught the attention of the two by the pool. Mo Yichen looked over, his gaze landing on a pink skirt corner.

He strode over, seeing Zhu Jia leaning against the wall, bending down to support her leg, with her delicate little foot exposed.

“What happened?” Mo Yichen furrowed his brows.

“I twisted my ankle. These shoes are so hard to wear!” She tried to rub her ankle, but the tight skirt made it impossible to bend down.

Before she could do anything, Mo Yichen swiftly picked her up in a princess carry. Zhu Jia gasped in surprise as he carried her to the long bench by the pool and gently set her down.

He knelt before her, holding her right foot on his leg while tenderly massaging her slender ankle.

Mo Yichen lowered his gaze. Zhu Jia’s foot was small and delicate, her toes round and beautiful. In the soft glow of the night lights, a healthy pink hue could be seen.

“Is it better now?” Mo Yichen raised his eyes to look at her.

Zhu Jia felt a flush on her face. She tried to pull her foot away from his strong hand, but it wouldn’t budge.

“It’s much better. Please, put it down now.” Catching sight of Su Ke nearby, Zhu Jia felt a wave of embarrassment.

Mo Yichen noticed the pointed high heels still on her left foot. He frowned slightly. “I’ll get you a pair of flats. Stay here.”

He stood up, draping his black suit jacket over her shoulders before heading toward the banquet hall.

Zhu Jia adjusted his jacket, which still retained his warmth.

She gave Su Ke an awkward smile. “Sorry, I wasn’t eavesdropping on your conversation on purpose.”

The system chimed in: “Host, you’ve gotten bad! You actually learned to lie! You were eavesdropping all along!”

Zhu Jia ignored the system’s righteous accusation. She scratched her head, unsure of what to say to Su Ke.

Su Ke lowered her lashes, and when she saw the tenderness Mo Yichen had shown Zhu Jia—something she had never witnessed before—it shattered the last bit of hope she had.

Facing Zhu Jia’s unguarded, friendly gaze, Su Ke felt a wave of guilt, almost making her feel like she had nowhere to hide.

“Mo… Mrs. Mo, does your foot still hurt?”

“Don’t call me Mrs. Mo. Just call me Zhu Jia.”

Su Ke nodded. Her heart was a tangled mess. Then, she blurted out, “Actually, I really envy you.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she realized they might have been out of line. She quickly added, “I mean, I envy you for having a happy family.”

“I envy you too. You live so freely. Unlike me, I don’t have any freedom while taking care of the baby, and it’s really exhausting.”

Su Ke was taken aback by her response. The two girls’ eyes met, and suddenly, an unspoken understanding passed between them. They both smiled, awkwardly but warmly.

The tension in the air seemed to dissipate, and despite the chilly autumn night, there was a sense of mutual understanding.

At that moment, Mo Yichen returned, holding a pair of white hotel slippers. Zhu Jia glanced at them in disdain. “I won’t wear these. They’re too ugly.”

Without saying a word, Mo Yichen tossed her high heels aside and slid her small, pale feet into the slippers.

He gave her a once-over. “They’re not ugly. They actually suit you quite well.”

Zhu Jia: … Was that a compliment or an insult?

Mo Yichen took her hand. “Let’s go. Little Wen is probably looking for you by now.”

He nodded toward Su Ke and led Zhu Jia back. As they walked, Zhu Jia glanced back at Su Ke and smiled, waving a casual goodbye.

Under the streetlights, Su Ke’s shadow stretched long, making her appear even more solitary and alone.

Zhu Jia thought to herself, if she were following a different script in this book, maybe she and Su Ke could have become good friends.

On the way back, Fang Bo Ran called, his voice loud enough for Zhu Jia to hear clearly.

“Yi Chen, you’re being unfair! My dad just asked me to go drink with him. Didn’t I tell you to wait for me there? How did you end up going home without me?”

“Forget it, I’ll talk to you later,” Mo Yichen said, seeing Zhu Jia resting her chin on her hand, gazing out the window.

Zhu Jia stared at the scenery rushing by outside, her mind still on Su Ke.

Suddenly, a warm, dry hand covered hers.

“What’s wrong?” Mo Yichen tilted his head toward her.

Zhu Jia shot him a glance. Ever since he confessed, he had stopped pretending and started looking at her with affectionate eyes.

Hah, this flirty dog man. It’s obvious he’s someone who can’t be trusted!

Zhu Jia slapped his hand off hers.

Mo Yichen: …

When they got home, the entire villa was pitch dark, except for the lights by the entryway, where a stack of neatly-arranged packages was waiting.

Zhu Jia entered the room, where Xiao Wen was peacefully sleeping in his crib. She quietly pinched his pink little face. Xiao Wen stirred, turning over in his sleep.

The events of the auction, Mo Yichen’s confession, and Su Ke’s sacrifice left her feeling troubled.

In the end, she preferred spending time with the baby. She’d rather sit down quietly, planning Xiao Wen’s meals and early education, than deal with these exhausting social events.