Chapter 1683 - 1102: Close Pursuit
The first watch arrives.
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"So you are rejecting me?"
This sentence echoed in Lin Chudong’s mind like a curse. He desperately wanted to shout, "I have not rejected you, I don’t want to reject you, but I cannot not reject you! Because... I love you!"
However, these words remained only in his thoughts, as he lacked the courage to say them aloud. Therefore, after a long silence, he nodded to acknowledge Loo Xixia’s words.
"Can you be more manly?" Loo Xixia said angrily, punching him, "I said before, when you didn’t fight for Chuyue, I despised you, but ultimately, I understood you.
But now, a girl has put aside all her dignity and stood in front of you, telling you her thoughts and decisions. Why don’t you dare accept them?
Don’t say it’s for my sake, or that you don’t want to delay me. I know better than anyone what is the best choice for myself. The happiness you speak of is not the happiness I want. The happiness I want, only you can give.
So here I am, Loo Xixia, standing here, once again seriously asking you, Lin Chudong, I want to marry you, I am willing to marry you, will you... be willing to marry me?"
Lin Chuyue looked at her sister-in-law in shock. She always knew her sister-in-law liked her brother and that her sister-in-law’s kindness towards her was related to her brother, but she never expected her sister-in-law’s feelings for her brother to be this deep.
She thought if it were Loo Xiyong who had given up on her, she would never wait like this, let alone wait so devotedly for his return. To her, giving up is a kind of betrayal, and betrayal is unforgivable!
How deep a feeling must be to make such a concession?
She glanced conflicted at her brother. At this moment, she actually thought her brother was unworthy of her sister-in-law. Such persistence, endurance, kindness, and tolerance deserved a better happiness!
Shuanshuan, held in Lin Chuyue’s arms, unconsciously shrunk a little...
"Shuanshuan, don’t be afraid..." Lin Chudong quickly comforted upon noticing his son’s small movements, "Aunt Xixia is talking to Dad, not arguing."
"Shuanshuan..." Loo Xixia stepped forward and took Shuanshuan in her arms from Lin Chuyue, giving him a kiss on his little cheek, "Auntie apologizes, Auntie didn’t mean it. Your dad isn’t lying to you; Auntie really is talking to your dad. If, in the future, Auntie only spoils you, would you be willing to be Auntie’s son?"
To a child over three years old, this was a difficult question to comprehend, but Loo Xixia treated him very gently, which instinctively made him feel dependent. After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded, "Mm."
"See, Shuanshuan has agreed. What else do you have to say?" Loo Xixia looked at Lin Chudong smugly, "Didn’t you say everything you do is for Shuanshuan?
Well, now that Shuanshuan likes me, should you not accept me for his sake? I can assure you that if you don’t want it, we can just have Shuanshuan.
In this lifetime, I will love Shuanshuan as my own son. When he grows up, if he wants to return to Liu Meiqing and take care of her, I won’t stop him.
Of course, whether you want to stop him is your business. Anyway, I will give Shuanshuan the freest space to grow. If you trust me, don’t torture yourself and me anymore, okay?"
"Oh..." Lin Chudong sighed deeply, looking helplessly at Loo Xixia, "With your qualities, it should be effortless to find someone better than me, so why insist on hanging on my crooked tree?"
"I just want to hang on your crooked tree, are you going to let me or not?"
Lin Chuyue: "..." She never realized her sister-in-law was so fierce before. Thinking this, she quietly turned to look at her brother and saw that her brother’s face was almost twisted like a rope...
"Is it that hard to marry me?" Loo Xixia glared at Lin Chudong unhappily, "Do you really have to make it look like such a big burden? If you didn’t admit you liked me, I wouldn’t insist like this.
Lin Chudong, I’m saying this not to force you, I just hope my life can be more meaningful, and I also hope your life won’t be wasted meaninglessly.
If you don’t like me, I really wouldn’t hold you back for half a word. But the problem is that we both have feelings for each other, so why make it difficult for ourselves because of others’ opinions?"
"It’s not as easy as you say," Lin Chudong sighed deeply, looking at her with a conflicted expression, "Liu Meiqing, however flawed, is my lawfully wedded wife. I cannot just find someone myself and immediately divorce her.
Xixia, being such a good girl to fancy me, a bad potato, is a blessing I earned over several lifetimes, such a blessing that I would wake up laughing from dreams.
However, I cannot think only of my own happiness; I must bear my responsibilities. You want me to ignore others for my own happiness, I cannot do that."
Loo Xixia looked seriously at Lin Chudong after taking a deep breath, "So, you mean only if Liu Meiqing proposes a divorce with you, is that correct?"
"I..." Lin Chudong sighed, "Xixia, don’t be like this, I’m not worth it."
"Answer my question." Loo Xixia looked at him intently, with an attitude that she wouldn’t give up unless he explained clearly.
With a bitter smile, Lin Chudong said, "Yes, only she can abandon me. I would never abandon her. It has nothing to do with feelings; it’s a responsibility a man must bear."
Lin Chuyue also sighed quietly, she knew her brother could never leave Liu Meiqing. That’s her brother; no matter how extreme Liu Meiqing’s actions were, he couldn’t bring himself to abandon her.
He was willing to live at her place with Shuanshuan purely for Shuanshuan’s sake. If it were for him, he would endure anything.
Sometimes she wondered, her mother wasn’t forgiving and tolerant, nor was her father. But why was her brother’s personality like this?
Generally speaking, children’s personalities more or less resemble their parents’. For example, although she wasn’t as selfish as her parents, she was just as domineering.
Back then, when Loo Xiyong married her, she had a fierce conflict with her family, exhausting all her strength to fight for her rights. After getting married, she really almost never set foot in that household.
If it weren’t for her elder brother, she would probably never return to that home.
If she and her brother swapped places, her brother definitely wouldn’t handle it like her. He would quickly forgive them and do everything in his power to be good to them.
No matter how disappointed they made him, he couldn’t bear to be ruthless.
Sometimes she really didn’t know whether to think her brother’s way was good or bad. For others, it was indeed good; being with him was nothing but beneficial. But for himself, it was a deadly flaw.
Those who truly cared for him would treat him well. Those with ill intentions would constantly exploit him...
If she could persuade her brother, she would have done so long ago. Precisely because they grew up together, since her brother always cared for her the most, she knew that despite his mild and agreeable demeanor, his stubbornness with certain matters was unyielding—even eight oxen couldn’t change his mind, especially when it came to responsibility and principles. Once he decided, it was decided, and no one could persuade him.
Helpless, she could only look to Loo Xixia, hoping her admired sister-in-law could muster greater effort to make a turn in the situation—perhaps even scold her brother harshly to make him think clearly!
Some people are worth taking responsibility for, while others aren’t worth a dime! Even though Liu Meiqing is also a woman, if she had even a bit of conscience in what she did, she wouldn’t expect this!
However, Loo Xixia remained silent for a long time, not saying a word.
Lin Chuyue’s heart sank; perhaps her sister-in-law had given up.
Thinking about it, if she were in this cold situation, how could she continue holding on?
An unmarried girl, pretty, with good circumstances, doesn’t mind the partner being divorced with kids, doesn’t mind the excellent people in his family—what more could she want?
Is she supposed to beg to marry him? Why?!
Forget it, just say her brother doesn’t have such fortune. From her standpoint, she definitely felt embarrassed to persuade her sister-in-law to insist, she didn’t have the face for it!
"Shuanshuan, Aunt will take you to find Maomao, alright?" Lin Chuyue crouched down to discuss with her nephew, no matter what would come of her brother and sister-in-law, they needed some space alone for now.
Shuanshuan hesitated, looking at Lin Chudong. The situation in front of him made him a little scared; though his father said it wasn’t a fight, to him, both Dad and Aunt Xixia were angry. When Mom got angry, she twisted him, or she’d twist Dad—it hurt a lot. He didn’t want Dad to get twisted...
"Shuanshuan, go with Aunt to find Maomao." Lin Chudong also wanted to comfort Loo Xixia well and sincerely apologize. Besides, there were things truly unsuitable in front of his son.
Though Shuanshuan was only three years old, having witnessed many battles between adults in such a family, he was more sensible than the average child.
Furthermore, this child was sensitive, so to be safe, he still paid extra attention.
With Dad saying this, Shuanshuan no longer persisted. To him, Aunt Xixia was smaller than Mom in stature, so even if she did hit Dad, Dad wouldn’t take too much of a loss. At the doorway, he paused, glanced back at Lin Chudong and then at Loo Xixia, muttering, "Dad, Aunt Xixia, it hurts to fight. Don’t fight, okay?"
Lin Chudong hastily added, "We won’t fight, I promise we won’t fight. Shuanshuan doesn’t believe Dad’s words anymore?"
Shuanshuan still stood there, unmoving, fixating on Loo Xixia, silent.(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)