Chapter 162; it will not be easy
"Ah-Lin," Jin Shuren’s voice rumbled softly beside her, cutting into her spiral. He had never called her this gently and intimately. "Do you see now?" His hand brushed the edge of the phone, but his eyes never wavered from hers. "It’s not that I don’t want to, but because the chances of her getting better are in the negative... Honestly, I don’t want to see her like this, I don’t want her to recognise my presence like this, I also want her to acknowledge me in her sound mind, acknowledge her daughter in her sound mind, she is the woman I have loved for 20 years, tell me, am I supposed to watch her go down and disappear completely? Do you think I’m selfish? If I were, I would have forced her to recall so that she could acknowledge me, but I can’t... Do you think I want to lie to her?"
Fang Lin’s chest tightened, her heart hammering in a rhythm that made it almost painful to breathe.
She wanted to argue, to shout that Yueyao deserved the truth, deserved a chance to reclaim herself, yet she could feel the weight behind Jin Shuren’s words, the unbearable gravity of the reality she had so desperately tried to ignore.
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, but she forced herself to take a slow breath. "I... I understand the risk," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, though it tasted bitter on her tongue. "But watching her like this... knowing she’s trapped in her own mind... it feels cruel, Uncle. Even if it’s the safest way."
Jin Shuren’s gaze softened just a fraction, but it was fleeting, almost imperceptible. "Lin Lin," he murmured, his tone low, intimate, the kind reserved for confessions shared in shadows. "Do you know what’s worse than keeping her here? Seeing her awaken only to find herself shattered, her memories twisted into nightmares she cannot bear. Do you think I would ever choose that?"
Fang Lin swallowed hard, torn between the logic of his words and the ache in her chest for her friend. Her eyes drifted back to Yueyao, still humming, still smiling at something only she could see, still holding Yueqin with that delicate possessiveness that made Fang Lin ache with helplessness.
"You are... You are trying to protect her," Fang Lin said finally, voice trembling despite her effort to steady it. "Even if it means deceiving her. Even if it means... keeping her from herself."
Jin Shuren nodded, a shadow of weariness crossing his face. "Yes. And every day I do, I carry the burden of knowing that love isn’t always gentle. Sometimes it’s the weight that holds them together, when everything else threatens to tear them apart."
The silence that followed was thick, suffocating. Fang Lin’s mind raced, the psychologist’s words still echoing: a single misstep, and Yueyao could vanish into herself entirely. Her own desperation pressed against her chest, but she forced herself to step back, lowering her voice as she glanced at Yueyao once more.
"She’s fragile and unstable.." Fang Lin whispered, almost to herself. "More than I realized... more than I could have imagined."
Jin Shuren’s hand rested lightly on hers, a subtle anchor. "And that is why you must tread carefully. I know your heart, Lin Lin. I know you want to save her. But saving her recklessly is no salvation at all. It will destroy her. Since you are by her side, protect her all the time."
Fang Lin closed her eyes for a heartbeat, the weight of the truth settling into her bones. She understood now, and yet, the ache of wanting to reach Yueyao, to pull her out of this delicate dream, refused to leave.
She looked up, voice steadier this time. "Then... we do it your way. Uncle, I hope you will protect her forever."
Jin Shuren’s eyes softened, and for a fleeting moment, the tension between them eased. Yet Fang Lin knew, the line was still razor-thin. One wrong move, one careless word, and the fragile balance keeping Yueyao’s world intact could shatter completely.
The doctor’s voice came again, as if reinforcing his point. "Miss Fang, the worst mistake you can make... is to act on impatience. She needs stability, not confrontation. If you love her, give her that. Let her love in that dream for as long as she is okay, she can recover or never, ask yourself, why did she have to have her memories rewritten? It’s because she doesn’t want to recall them, she doesn’t want to have nightmares."
Fang Lin exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing just slightly as the psychologist’s words sank in. She glanced once more at Yueyao, who was humming softly, her eyes bright yet distant, entirely unaware of the storm that had just passed between Fang Lin and Jin Shuren.
"Stability..." Fang Lin whispered, the word tasting foreign on her tongue. It felt like a cage, yet one that might keep her friend alive. She pressed her palm against her erratic chest briefly, while sneakily eying her, as if to silently promise: I will guard you. I will keep you safe, even in this fragile dream.
Jin Shuren’s hand lingered near hers, and his quiet presence grounded her. "Lin Lin," he murmured, "it will not be easy. You will see things, hear things, that may anger you, frustrate you. But remember this, every time you feel the urge to intervene recklessly, ask yourself: does it save her, or does it destroy her?"
Fang Lin nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I... I understand, Uncle. I will be careful. I will stay by her side."
The psychologist’s voice softened, almost gentle this time. "Miss Fang, your love and vigilance are her anchors. Watch over her, yes, but never push. Let her mind mend at its own pace, within the safety of the framework that keeps her whole. One wrong step could undo everything."
Fang Lin’s gaze drifted to Yueqin, nestled against her mother...