Lin Wan Ning's fingers trembled slightly as she answered the phone, and Fu Jingchen's urgent voice came through the line. "Wan Ning, I need to tell you something, about what happened between us…"
She furrowed her brows. She had thought everything was in the past. Fu Jingchen's appearance seemed like nothing more than a distant memory, but she never expected him to come to her at this moment.
"Jingchen, what is it?" Lin Wan Ning asked softly, trying to remain calm.
There was silence on the other end for a moment, before Fu Jingchen's low voice came again, "Wan Ning, you never truly understood what happened between us. That night, I…" His voice became muffled, as though he was hiding something.
"What are you saying?" Lin Wan Ning's heart tightened, her unease growing. It felt like her heart was being squeezed by an invisible hand. She remembered that night all too well—the betrayal and pain, like a knife deeply embedded in her heart.
"I know I was wrong, but you need to understand, that night was not intentional. There were so many misunderstandings…" Fu Jingchen's voice was still full of urgency.
"Misunderstanding?" Lin Wan Ning sneered, "Fu Jingchen, there's no misunderstanding between us anymore. I'm no longer the Lin Wan Ning who would lower her head in front of you, feeling lost."
"Wan Ning, I…" Fu Jingchen's voice choked again, as though he wanted to express something, but she interrupted him with her tone.
"What's the point of saying all this now?" Lin Wan Ning said coldly, "The past is the past. I don't want to look back at it. What you need to do now is to let go of it too."
She hung up the phone, and the beeping sound on the line was a cold response to Fu Jingchen. She took a deep breath, placed the phone on the table, and stared at it in a daze.
Outside the window, the night had grown quiet, with only the occasional honk of a car in the distance. Lin Wan Ning walked to the window, her gaze falling on the distant neon lights. A complex mix of emotions rose within her.
Fu Jingchen's words were impossible to ignore. She had once been filled with hope for their relationship, but all the trust and expectations had been shattered by his betrayal. Deep in her heart, there was still a pain that was hard to put into words.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. She turned around, quickly regaining her composure. She walked to the door and opened it, surprised to see Shen Sihan standing outside.
"What are you doing here?" Lin Wan Ning asked, slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected him to come, especially at a time like this.
Shen Sihan didn't answer her, only walked into the room silently, his deep gaze lingering on her for a moment. Lin Wan Ning felt a strange, hard-to-define emotion in his eyes, and her heart tensed slightly.
"What happened?" Shen Sihan asked, his voice low, sounding both concerned and inquisitive.
She shook her head, not saying anything, and walked over to the couch. "It's nothing."
Shen Sihan walked up beside her and looked down at her. "Are you sure?"
"I'm fine." Lin Wan Ning gave a bitter smile. "It's just that some things aren't worth dwelling on anymore."
Shen Sihan stared at her for a while, then suddenly reached out and grasped her wrist, forcing her to look up at him. "You don't have to bear all the pain alone. I'm here, and I won't let you suffer anymore."
His tone was firm, his eyes full of unwavering determination.
Lin Wan Ning's heart skipped a beat, and it felt as though a long-lost emptiness inside her had been filled in that moment. She didn't know how to respond, instinctively lowering her head, not daring to meet his eyes.
"You…" She started to speak, but didn't know where to begin.
Shen Sihan seemed to see her hesitation. He suddenly leaned in closer, his voice low and soft. "Don't let the shadows of the past affect you. The most important thing now is who you are right now."
Her heart raced, and her mind was filled with countless images of Shen Sihan—his transformation from indifference to warmth. Every glance and every gesture of his made her feel a sense of dependence and attachment she had never experienced before.
She suddenly felt a wave of dizziness and instinctively closed her eyes.
"Lin Wan Ning," Shen Sihan's voice sounded again, his fingers gently caressing her cheek with tenderness. "You know, sometimes, I really want you to let go of all your burdens and just be your true self."
She opened her eyes and found Shen Sihan's face so close to hers. His gaze was deep, as if trying to see through her very soul. She bit her lip, finally summoning the courage to speak softly, "I…"
"You don't need to say anything." Shen Sihan gently interrupted her, his eyes full of warmth and certainty. "I know you need time. I'll give you time, until you're ready to step into my world."
His words caused a warm sensation to spread within Lin Wan Ning. Although she knew their contractual marriage wasn't over, Shen Sihan's care had already made her feel a warmth she had never experienced before.
She took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay."
Just then, her phone rang again, a missed call from Fu Jingchen.
Lin Wan Ning glanced at the screen, her heart giving a slight jolt, but she quickly tucked the phone into her bag. She looked up at Shen Sihan, her eyes resolute. "I won't look back anymore."
When Shen Sihan heard this, there was a flicker of a complicated emotion in his eyes, but it quickly turned into calm. "Good."