During such occasions, the things people talked about were nothing more than business affairs. He Ruize was also biting the bullet while socializing. Lin Xinyan could see that he didn’t like such occasions, so she tugged He Ruize’s arm and whispered, “I want to get some fresh air outside.”
He Ruize took her hand, “I will take you to the back room.”
The lights, noise, conversations, and flatteries gradually faded out.
Passing through the corridor, they came to the back room, which was spacious, bright, and much quieter than the lobby. Occasionally, there were people standing in front of the window talking.
“You do not like to listen to those conversations, do you?” He Ruize smiled faintly. “I don’t like it either.”
He had no choice but to agree to come after being forced by Xia Zhenyu.
He didn’t like socializing, people scheming against each other, and doing everything possible to make money.
This might be due to his family background, as he was born rich and didn’t need to worry about money.
“I knew it. So, do you want to thank me for taking you out of that place?”
“How do you want me to thank you?” He Ruize leaned over. Lin Xinyan could clearly smell the breath of masculinity on his body, lingering in the air around her. She couldn’t help but try to pull away, but He Ruize held her waist.
“I used to think you were young, but unknowingly, you have grown up.” He paid attention to her before but had no other thoughts. He didn’t know since when he had such a feeling towards her.
Lin Xinyan felt that He Ruize was different from the one she knew. He was warm and always wore a gentle smile on his face, taking care of her, and caring for her like a big brother.
But now he had changed. He was always ‘flirting’ with her.
“You’ve changed.” Lin Xinyan turned her head, her hands clenching uneasily.
“You are an adult, so of course I can’t treat you as a child anymore, don’t you think so?” He gave a faint smile.
Lin Xinyan pushed him away. “But I’m your sister.”
He Ruize was caught off guard and took a step back. After returning to his senses, he looked at her. “Not a biological one.”
Lin Xinyan walked to the window and looked up at the stars in the sky. “I want to treat you as my brother.”
He Ruize looked at her back. Did she reject me?
“I might just know who the father of the baby inside my belly is,” she said in a light tone, as if to herself, and also to He Ruize.
He Ruize changed into a serious look and said, “Who is it?”
“I’m not sure. There are a lot of things that I still don’t understand.” Lin Xinyan took a deep breath and turned around to look at He Ruize. “I feel conflicted, and at a loss. I don’t know—”
She was unable to describe her feelings.
“Who do you suspect?” He Ruize frowned. “Could it be a Chinese man?”
He was annoyed thinking of what happened that night. “Why didn’t you go to me at the time?”
Lin Xinyan lowered her head. “I did, but I couldn’t find you.”
She didn’t want to owe others favors, but she didn’t bother as it was related to the safety of her younger brother and mother. She went to look for him, but to no avail. Later, the woman found her.
At the time, she was desperate and needed the money to save her mother and brother.
He Ruize carefully recalled what happened that night. It was the day when He Ruilin was lost. He was in a bad mood and drank a lot of wine. Maybe he fell asleep and didn’t hear it when she knocked on the door.
He always thought that Lin Xinyan didn’t look for him at all.
His heart sank even more at this moment.
“I’m sorry.” If I didn’t get drunk and heard her knocking on my door, maybe everything would be different now.
She didn’t have to bear the stigma of being unmarried and pregnant, while he could also legitimately take care of her.
But all this had changed because he was drunk.
“You didn’t owe me anything, so if you apologize, I feel ashamed instead,” Lin Xinyan said in a self-deprecating tone.
It was her own choice, and also her destiny.
“I want to go back.”
“I’ll send you home.”
He Ruize walked over, held her hand tightly in his palm. “From now on, I will always be readily available to you, and will definitely take good care of you.”
Lin Xinyan did not move, nor did she break away. At this moment, she somewhat understood that his feelings toward her might not be love, and instead came from his feelings for his sister.
It was just that he didn’t know it clearly.
They came out from the back door, while the neon lights outside the building were still flashing brightly under the dim streetlights, making the dark sky as bright as the day.
He Ruize opened the car door, whereas Lin Xinyan bent over to get in the car.
They didn’t talk to each other along the way, each with something weighing on their minds.
Lin Xinyan didn’t want him to send her to the villa, so she asked him to stop at the intersection. “I’ll get off here.”
She unfastened the seatbelt and opened the car door.
“Yan.” He Ruize stopped her.
“Yeah?” Standing by the car window, Lin Xinyan bent over to look at him.
He Ruize paused. “Who is the person you suspect?”
Lin Xinyan looked down. She didn’t have absolute proof, and it was just her speculation. “I’m not sure.”
He Ruize pursed his lips, saying nothing for a moment. “I’ll help you.” He paused. “Tell me first, who do you suspect?”
He felt extremely self-contradictory, as he hated to know, yet also wanted to know.
Lin Xinyan thought for a while. She couldn’t figure out the hidden truths behind on her own.
“Zong Jinghao.”
After Lin Xinyan finished speaking, the air was suddenly tense.
He Ruize was also stunned for a long time.
He didn’t expect Lin Xinyan to suspect it was Zong Jinghao at all.
How is this possible?
Could it be that she purposely comes up with an excuse in order to turn me down?
“You know where I live in A Country. It was a woman named Mei Lan who introduced me. If we find her, we might know what happened that night—”
“Why did you want to look for that man?” He Ruize interrupted her.
At first, Lin Xinyan didn’t plan to look for him.
It was just that she unintentionally found some hints on Zong Jinghao.
“Didn’t you say that children that grow up in single-parent family will have character flaw—”
“I said, I can take care of you and your child.” He Ruize interrupted her again.
Pursing her lips, Lin Xinyan stared at He Ruize. “But you’re not my child’s biological father.”
She said it on purpose, as it was impossible for her to be together with He Ruize.
On the one hand, she wanted to make it clear to He Ruize that she could not be with him; on the other hand, she really wanted to know the truth.
She knew that she couldn’t be with Zong Jinghao either.
She only wanted to find out if he was the father of the child, and also what happened that time.
At least, when the child was born, she could tell him about his father.
Perhaps it was some sort of compensation.
“I think I’d better not trouble you. It’s late. You should go back and rest earlier, Ruize.” Lin Xinyan straightened her body and smiled. “Drive safe. I’m going back.”
Then, she turned around and walked along the roadside toward the villa.
After she took a few steps, He Ruize stopped her. “I’ll do it for once I promised you, but I hope that you will leave him when the time comes.”
“You don’t understand each other. He won’t love you and won’t accept you just because of a child.”
Lin Xinyan halted, and then started walking again.
I know, and I don’t have any improper thoughts. I just want to know the truth.
She was walking on the side of the road, while the streetlight shone on her slender figure, casting a long shadow.
A black car was parked not far away from her, with a tall and straight figure leaning against the car. The intertwining warm yellow light reflected on his profile, making him more beautiful, less rigid, and gentler.
Lin Xinyan stopped walking. She thought he hadn’t come back yet. Unexpectedly, he came back earlier than she did.
She wasn’t far away from him, and yet she found herself unable to move her legs.
He turned to gaze at her for two seconds before saying in an intriguing tone, “Come here.”
