Chapter 431: Once Were Lovers
Xiao Ye was silent for a moment. "We used to be a couple."
'A couple?'
Lin Chuxing felt a sharp pang in her heart. "And now?"
"Right now, we've been forced apart by some external factors. But sooner or later, I will be with her again."
Xiao Ye had no intention of hiding anything. Once he set his mind on something, he saw it through to the end and never wavered.
As the first person to have saved her, Lin Chuxing naturally felt a greater sense of reliance on Xiao Ye.
But she had seen romance movies and knew this feeling definitely wasn't love.
All her current sorrow stemmed from her insecurity; she didn't want Xiao Ye, her lifeline, to leave.
Lin Chuxing took a deep breath, and her expression quickly relaxed into a smile. "Then you should work hard to overcome those external difficulties and be with Chuyue. I'll bless you two and hope you grow old together."
Seeing that she wasn't reacting the way the imposter would have, Xiao Ye breathed a sigh of relief and said jokingly, "I'm afraid I'll need your help with this matter."
"Me?" Lin Chuxing was confused. "What do you need my help with?"
The words were on the tip of Xiao Ye's tongue, but he swallowed them back. "I shouldn't be the one to tell you this. How about this, you can ask Chuyue yourself."
Because he had other things to attend to, Xiao Ye only stayed for a short while before turning to leave.
Lin Chuxing watched his retreating back, growing more and more curious. 'What kind of matter is it? How could it possibly require help from a useless person like me?'
In the blink of an eye, another day passed.
「The next day.」
Jian Qiuyan and Lin Feng arrived at the hospital, full of excitement.
They had received definite news from the doctor. Lin Chuxing's physical condition had improved greatly, and if she could maintain this stable recovery, she could be discharged in half a year at most.
However, because she hadn't moved for a long time, her muscles had atrophied. She would probably need about three years of physical therapy before she could truly walk again.
But for the Lin Family, this was nothing at all.
"Chuxing, we're here!"
"Dad, Mom!"
"My dear daughter, Mom missed you to death!" Jian Qiuyan hugged Lin Chuxing, lovingly ruffling her hair.
"Chuxing, if there's anything you want to do, tell Mom everything. I'll write it all down, and I'll help you make all those wishes come true."
Lin Chuxing smiled and shook her head. "I don't have any ideas like that right now. Dad, Mom, could you please tell me something?"
"What's really going on between Xiao Ye and Lin Chuyue? And does this matter have anything to do with me?"
"Well..." The couple exchanged a glance, hesitating over whether to tell the truth.
Jian Qiuyan, however, was quick-witted. She was the first to ask, "Chuxing, why are you suddenly asking this question?"
"Because their situation is very strange. I saw a romance movie once where a misunderstanding between a man and a woman caused them to separate and then get back together."
"The way they are now reminds me a lot of the main characters."
A wry smile appeared on Jian Qiuyan's face. She didn't know if her eldest daughter being so clever was a good thing or a bad thing.
"Mom can't tell you about this."
"Why not?"
Jian Qiuyan explained earnestly, "Because this concerns the privacy between you all. It's better to wait until Chuyue gets back to talk about it."
Lin Chuxing was also learning how to be a bit coquettish. "But I want to know now."
She didn't want to wait until 'later.' That word was foreign and felt endlessly long to her.
As a test subject, she only knew how to live in the present moment.
Seeing Lin Chuxing's insistence, Jian Qiuyan had no choice but to recount the whole tangled web of love and hate between the three of them in detail.
Lin Chuxing finally understood. "So, I was originally the one with the marriage engagement to Xiao Ye, but because I was missing, he met Chuyue first, and they pledged their lives to each other?"
Jian Qiuyan nodded. "That's more or less it. But you can't exactly say they committed to each other for life. It was more like they were in a serious relationship."
"After all, back then, Chuyue had no idea her older sister, you, even existed. It's also our fault for not asking clearly."
Jian Qiuyan looked at Lin Chuxing. "Can you tell Mom what you're thinking?"
"Whatever problems there are, we'll face them as a family. Please don't keep them bottled up inside; it's not good for your health."
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm not that unreasonable. Since they met first and like each other, it's only natural that they should be together."
Jian Qiuyan and Lin Feng exchanged a glance, clearly finding it hard to believe.
Because of the imposter before, their feelings for this eldest daughter were complicated. They felt a mix of unfamiliar pity and lingering fear.
Lin Chuxing gave a helpless smile. "Dad, Mom, why won't you believe me? Is it because of that imposter?"
"Don't worry. I'm not like her."
She might not understand grand principles, but she knew the difference between right and wrong.
"Chuxing, my good Chuxing!" Jian Qiuyan pulled her into a hug, continuously stroking her back to comfort her.
"Chuxing, don't you worry. Mom will definitely find you a good boyfriend. I'll make sure you have no regrets!"
"Mom, I don't want to be in a relationship yet, and my current health won't allow for it. I want to wait until I'm better. Can we just let things happen naturally?"
"Of course." Jian Qiuyan wiped the tears from her face. "Your father brought you some special treats today. Come on, try them and see how they taste."
Outside, Lin Chuyue was still unaware of the conversation that had taken place inside. She was staring distractedly at the tips of her toes and only snapped out of it when two pairs of shoes appeared in front of her.
"Dad, Mom, are you leaving?"
"Yes, we'll be back tomorrow. What would you like to eat?"
"Nothing in particular." Lin Chuyue watched them leave, then returned to the hospital room.
As soon as she sat down, she heard Lin Chuxing speak. "Chuyue, I already know everything about you and Xiao Ye."
"I don't understand much about feelings, but after getting to know you two, I've realized how beautiful a bond that you can't let go of is."
"So I won't interfere in your relationship with Xiao Ye. In fact, I'll give you my heartfelt blessing."
Lin Chuyue couldn't believe what she was hearing. Guilt quickly replaced her excitement. "Sister, you don't have to go this far for me."
"I... I can just be friends with Xiao Ye."
According to the rule of first come, first served, Lin Chuxing was indeed first. Her name was even on the marriage contract.
"There's no need to say anymore. You like each other, so you should be together."
Lin Chuyue was moved beyond words. She collapsed by the side of the hospital bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
Only heaven knew how much she had been suffering during this time.
Ever since she found out about Lin Chuxing's existence, she had been consumed by anxiety and insecurity almost every single moment.
Not to mention all the hurtful things the imposter had done.
Thank goodness, that would all be in the past now!
Lin Chuyue raised her head, smiling through her tears. "Sister, I'll do my best!"
「The Xiao Family Estate.」
The main gates opened.
A luxury car slowly drove in.