Pei Nianchen held her hand tighter, wishing to meld it into his palm, "Then let’s be together, live well together." Yes, together, he would give her all his best love, letting the sweet memories of those sixteen years extend beautifully. Gu Jiayin smiled slightly, withdrew her hand, and narrated calmly, "Brother Nianchen, those sixteen years were a romantic dream, seven years of separation, the dream has ended, and it’s time to wake up." Pei Nianchen suddenly restrained all his expressions, staring at her intensely, "Jiayin..." Why must she be so ruthless and determined? Perhaps the tears she shed earlier released the emotions she had suppressed all night, and now Gu Jiayin seemed increasingly calm, her resolve set, even her tone was level, "Brother Nianchen, either we’re family, or we go our separate ways. Stop forcing me." "Even if you die, nothing will change." The space suddenly turned silent, their eyes fixed on each other, sight locked in stalemate. Pei Nianchen looked at the woman he had known since childhood; she was still so beautiful, dazzlingly so, but he could no longer find the shadow of her from seven years ago. Her meaning was clear, even if he dies, he can’t keep her. In seven years, what did he really lose? After a long time, he still foolishly asked, "Why?" even though he knew it was a foolish question. Follow current novᴇls on noⅴelfire.net Gu Jiayin blinked, her long slightly curled eyelashes sketching a beautiful arc. She felt reluctance in her heart, yet determination was laid in her eyes; she must sever ties with him today, or the pain would continue to spread. For him, or for herself, it was the same. "Because you can’t give me what I want, but Sheng Qianchi can." Pei Nianchen suddenly furrowed his ink-black eyebrows in anguish, "You want to go back to Sheng Qianchi’s side?" "Why?!" Pei Nianchen stood up impulsively, causing other diners at the restaurant to turn and look. Gu Jiayin ignored the other people’s glances, still calmly looking back at Pei Nianchen, "I want Twilight Manor, and Twilight Manor is in his hands." Pei Nianchen was briefly stunned, seemingly taking a long time to remember such a place exists, "That garden is that important to you?" He suddenly realized how much he didn’t understand about her, he didn’t know when she began to choose to return to a man she had decisively broken up with for the sake of a dilapidated garden. More so, that man was Sheng Qianchi. Gu Jiayin smiled faintly, her pretty face laid with its usual cool aloofness, "Look," she said, "Brother Nianchen, you weren’t even aware this whole time I’ve been striving for this garden, which shows I’m no longer the Gu Jiayin from seven years ago, the Jiayin you’re forcing now is no longer the Jiayin in your heart." Pei Nianchen suddenly froze in place. Seven years, neither long nor short, the best youth of a woman, seven years slipped away unbeknownst to him, she changed, changed in a way that he increasingly felt he couldn’t keep up with her pace. These seven years, like a pen, drew a galaxy between him and her, he could not grow wings to fly across. Until Gu Jiayin got up to leave, Pei Nianchen was still frozen in place, only her most simple farewell words echoed in his ear, "Take care, Brother Nianchen." She left, and the world seemed to become transparent, he stood there alone, as if the world only had him left. His thoughts suddenly drifted very far, far back to many years ago, scene after scene. How she stumbled as she learned to walk, how she looked happy when he gave her candy, how she chased him with her two pigtails, how she sat laughing behind him on his bicycle, how she waited for him with an umbrella in the rain, how she nestled beside him under the blooming pear tree... When she was three years old, she even promised in her childlike voice to be his wife when she grew up. They even once raised a pet dog named "Jiajia" together. Her sweet voice calling "Brother Nianchen" echoed in his ear. So many years, so much beauty, so many vows they once made together, youth spilled over, yet her memories had died, and he was still lingering in the memories, unable to move on. As he uttered a faint self-mocking sigh, his phone rang. The screen slid open, a video message lay silently in the inbox, a caption below: You might need this video in the future. It was sent by Gu Jiayin. Opening the video, Qin Xueyao’s disgraceful actions and conversations with Thompson on the Eagle Emperor Cruise flooded his eyes and ears. In an instant, his pupils contracted tightly, and the atmosphere around him condensed into ice. To think Qin Xueyao had been so shameless with Thompson before drugging and scheming against him filled him with disgust and filth, accompanied by fury that erupted like a sudden torrent. Gu Jiayin left the breakfast shop and returned to Lu Xiya’s place. She thought she would have a long entanglement with Pei Nianchen but didn’t expect to finish all the words over breakfast, and he didn’t come forcing her again. Returning to the apartment, Lu Xiya had already had breakfast and was sitting alone at the desk drawing comic drafts. Seeing her come in, Lu Xiya quickly threw down the pencil and followed her into the bedroom, "How did the conversation go?" Gu Jiayin responded calmly while tidying her things, "I’ve said everything I needed to say." Lu Xiya asked worriedly, "He...didn’t threaten with death again?" "I said," Gu Jiayin folded the clothes one by one and put them into the suitcase, "I’ve experienced death once, I don’t want to die easily again, so if he dies, I won’t follow, but I won’t live peacefully either." Lu Xiya gently let out a breath; given Pei Nianchen’s love for Gu Jiayin, if she said so, he definitely wouldn’t use death to threaten again. Watching Gu Jiayin pack all her things into the suitcase, Lu Xiya said with some emotion, "To return to Sheng Qianchi for that garden, this time you might never be free again, don’t you regret it?" Gu Jiayin paused, then continued packing, "Things in this world never give me the chance to regret, nor the time to consider whether I will regret." Yes, regardless of whether she will regret in the future, she must do so now. Lu Xiya was silent for a long time, her intricate gaze falling on Gu Jiayin’s face, seemingly studying for a long time, "Jiayin, how do you feel now?" Gu Jiayin thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "I feel nothing." Yes, she felt nothing. She thought she would at least feel humiliated or suppressed or resentful, but there was nothing, just a calmness. Returning to Sheng Qianchi’s side, she didn’t feel any joy or ecstasy, but neither did she have any sadness or unacceptable emotions. Thinking this way, she suddenly paused, shouldn’t she feel indignant? In her moment of stupor, Lu Xiya’s gentle words reached her ears, "Jiayin, have you fallen in love with Sheng Qianchi?"