It took a while before Shen Nian found her voice again.
"What are you doing here?"
As she spoke, her voice carried a hint of hoarseness.
After asking, she lowered her head again in silence, taking a tissue from the side to wipe off the ointment that had smeared onto her hand due to her earlier outburst.
Lu Lingchuan stared at her intently. "I came to see you."
"..." Shen Nian paused in the motion of wiping her hands.
Lu Lingchuan walked over and stopped in front of her, then knelt down on one knee in a very natural manner. He took the ointment from her hands, held one of her hands, and examined the now faded red spots on it.
He squeezed a little ointment onto the tips of his fingers and carefully applied it to her arm.
"Since when have you been allergic to alcohol?"
He didn't know.
"Don't drink next time."
"..." Shen Nian stared at the top of Lu Lingchuan's head with an expression of utter disbelief.
Suddenly, she jerked her arm back and asked him in a tone of utter bewilderment, "Do you even know what you're doing?"
Lu Lingchuan looked up, meeting her gaze.
Shen Nian's throat felt a little dry as she turned her head away and said flatly, "You're currently Liang Jinghe's boyfriend. Although we had some entanglement in the past, we should keep our distance from the moment Liang Jinghe appeared."
After a pause of two seconds, she continued, "I don't want to be the other woman, nor do I want to hurt an innocent person."
She had hurt too many people in this life and didn't want to owe anyone else any emotional debt.
Lu Lingchuan remained in his kneeling position, just slightly lower than Shen Nian sitting on the couch, his jet-black eyes betraying no emotion in their silence.
He stared at her for half a minute before asking, "Do you really wish for me to be with her?"
"..." Shen Nian's eyelashes fluttered slightly. "At least she's more suitable for you than I am."
That was the truth.
"Only I know best who is suitable for me or not," Lu Lingchuan said, then asked her, "I don't like her, so no matter how good her conditions are, she's not the one I like."
Shen Nian looked up and met his gaze.
With a wry smile, she said, "What you're saying is only appropriate for dating. For marriage, you have to find someone suitable, whether you love them or not is irrelevant."
"..." Although her words sounded sarcastic enough, it was the truth.
Many married couples live together, have children, yet don't necessarily love each other deeply - they're just suitable for one another.
"Perhaps," Lu Lingchuan nodded, revealing a self-deprecating smile. "Liang Jinghe may be the suitable one for me, but do you know who the one I love is?"
"..." Shen Nian's eyelashes trembled even more violently, and she lowered her head again to avoid his gaze.
"I don't know."
She was avoiding the topic and tried to get up.
Lu Lingchuan seemed to have anticipated her intent to flee, holding her down and not letting her leave. "It's you," he said. "You're the one I like."
He had always liked her.
"..." Even though she knew the answer, her heart still raced uncontrollably upon hearing him say it.
She stared at Lu Lingchuan in bewilderment, not understanding... why he would say such a thing.
"Shen Nian, we've known each other for six years and been entangled for five years. But the most beautiful and memorable time... was only that one year," Lu Lingchuan said self-mockingly.
One year was too short - the most beautiful memories they shared were too fleeting.
"..." Upon hearing Lu Lingchuan's words, Shen Nian also felt a sense of melancholy.
Yes, only one year. But even though it was brief, it was still the warmth she could never obtain again in her short life.
"The fact that we've been entangled for so many years and never let go of each other, doesn't it prove... that we still have some destiny together?" He tightened his grip on her hand. "I know you've never given up your obsession with Ling Rui either. Now that things are being resolved, can we start over?"
His tone grew more and more humble.
Before, there was no Xiao Mubai or Liang Jinghe. Even though they hurt each other, they were still there for one another after the hurt.
Now there were others in their lives, and the distance between them grew farther and farther...
"..." Shen Nian opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her voice failed her. After a long while, she finally managed to rasp out haltingly, "You already have Liang Jinghe."
"No, I don't," Lu Lingchuan said. "I've made it clear to her that I don't like her. We've broken up."
Now the three of them were all free. Liang Jinghe wouldn't be the other woman, and neither would Shen Nian.
Shen Nian lowered her eyes, staring at his hand holding hers, but ultimately she silently pushed him away in rejection.
"..." Lu Lingchuan's expression, which had previously held hope, immediately darkened.
He forced a smile, revealing a sorrowful expression.
He asked her, "Is it because of Xiao Mubai?"
Is it because... she had accepted Xiao Mubai?
"It has nothing to do with anyone," Shen Nian said, her thin lips trembling slightly.
It was her... own choice.
Her emotions seemed to be getting slightly out of control as she glanced at the hot water and pills on the tea table.
She reached for them, dropping the pills into the hot water.
Lu Lingchuan watched as Shen Nian took the medicine.
The man frowned, just watching her.
Sensing his gaze, Shen Nian took another sip of hot water before flatly explaining, "The doctor said my allergies were quite severe, so aside from applying ointment, I also need to take antihistamines."
Lu Lingchuan watched her, and she met his gaze with a calm expression.
Shen Nian was too calm, so calm that even she herself believed the words she spoke were true.
Lu Lingchuan's mind was in a jumble at the moment, fixated only on Shen Nian's rejection and her apparent lack of guilt, so he didn't dwell too much on this particular issue.
His voice was hoarse as he suddenly said, "Today is September 22nd."
Shen Nian was taken aback for a moment, then nodded, "Yes."
Time was passing so quickly - it would be October soon.
This year would be over soon.
Lu Lingchuan stared at her and said, "There are still 100 days until next year."
Shen Nian didn't respond, silently listening to him continue.
"I want to make a bet with you."
"Using the one year we loved each other as the capital for the bet," Lu Lingchuan added.
"..." Shen Nian pursed her lips. "Go on."
Lu Lingchuan looked at her, "Starting from tomorrow until December 31st, a total of 100 days. During these 100 days, we'll date like we did six years ago, regardless of anyone or anything else. After 100 days, if you choose to be with me, we'll get married."
December 31st was the last day of this year, followed by January 1st - the start of a new year.
As long as Shen Nian still wanted him, they would abandon the past and start anew.
Shen Nian did not immediately agree, but instead asked him, "What if I choose to end it?"
"You're so looking forward to ending things with me?" Lu Lingchuan countered, a hint of self-mockery flickering in his eyes.
"..." Shen Nian silently bit her lip. "Since it's a choice, naturally there would be at least two options."
