Chapter 225: You Think This Is What? This Is a Trope
To be perfectly honest, Li Jing didn’t really have any prejudice against Yu Linna. She was just annoyed, purely and simply annoyed. Her personality was that of a proud woman who refused to accept defeat. When she tasted failure, she was naturally unhappy, especially with Yu Linna. You could have sold it to anyone, so why not me?
But it was already a done deal, and she couldn’t say much more. After all, what was done was done.
But she had never thought that her niece had such a history with this Shion-Sensei. She had no idea. Before, she had heard that Ye Zhiyun had lost eighty million for nothing and thought her niece had made a reckless investment and lost everything. After all, Ye Zhiyun had a prior record; she had once used a hundred thousand to speculate in stocks and ended up losing every penny.
How could she have known that the eighty million was used to buy Yu Linna’s freedom, to redeem her from Chenghe? Thinking about it now, it made sense. Ye Zhiyun’s personality was proud, and she wasn’t a fool in business. Even when negotiating projects, she wouldn’t just give money away for free. It was a good thing if she didn’t swindle others; how could she let others take advantage of her? But for Yu Linna, she had given up eighty million without a second thought. One had to remember that the eighty million she had earned by investing in two movies at that time was several times her total assets from the past few years. Even if you added it all up, it wasn’t as much as she had earned in that one year.
She was actually willing to invest all the assets she had earned in that one year without caring about the loss.
From a business perspective, it was too foolish.
As a member of society, Li Jing also couldn’t understand it.
She wanted to know what magic Yu Linna possessed to make Ye Zhiyun so willing to give everything for her.
At that time, Yu Linna was penniless, with no status and not even a decent family. She really couldn’t understand what Ye Zhiyun saw in her.
Li Jing yawned. After staying in Shanghai for a while, she thought it was about time to leave. She had a project to discuss in the United States, and she could also visit her niece. Ye Zhiyun was now stuck in the United States; she must be very unhappy. She would buy her some gifts.
She didn’t plan to say anything about the eighty million she had spent for no reason. After all, it was her own decision. But she still wanted to tell her to play less with Yu Linna. She didn’t like Yu Linna very much.
“Sis, are you really leaving? Won’t you stay for a couple more days?”
Seeing her sister was about to leave, Li Yuexin still wanted her to stay. After all, she was usually too bored at home. Her husband was often away on business, and her daughter had become a workaholic just like him. She was quite happy to have her sister stay for a short while, because it wasn’t boring.
“It’s time to get serious. I’m going to the States for a few days. I’ll come back and stay at your place for a week or two then. Don’t worry.”
“Alright, you’re always welcome.”
Li Jing bought her plane ticket and flew to the United States early, without even notifying Ye Zile. She wanted to give them a surprise.
…
Ye Zhiyun’s days in the United States were quite comfortable. She had good food and fun every day, and could visit tourist attractions. But she was also someone who couldn’t sit still. Even in the United States, she had to help her brother with work and negotiate projects. The Ye siblings were always like this, with super high business talent, geniuses in the commercial field. After all, their parents had both been big shots in the business world. How could the combination of the two be anything less?
But unlike Ye Zhiyun’s proud persona, Ye Zile was like his father: calm and steady. When he worked, it was like playing chess, step by step, drawing his opponent into his net, every move calculated with precision.
“Zhiyun, are you sure you don’t want to take a break? You’ve been staying up late these past few days. The housekeeper said you often sit in the courtyard watching the stars before I get back. What are you doing?”
“It’s none of your business, old brother. Just focus on your work. With me helping you share the load, what do you have to worry about?”
Ye Zhiyun lazily leaned on the sofa, playing a mobile game, thinking how boring life was.
The two siblings had rarely seen each other since they started making their own way in the world. Her older brother, Ye Zile, had graduated from university in the United States early and was now starting his own business abroad. His company had gone public long ago. Ye Zile wanted to escape his father’s shadow and create his own world. And Ye Zhiyun thought the same way, but creating her own career was too difficult. If not for this, Ye Zhiyun wouldn’t have been given the title “Miss Ye” in the industry, a name that clearly carried her father’s shadow.
“Zhiyun, I’m going to work. Aren’t you going today?”
“I’m talking business on my phone. What’s the rush? You don’t even have to meet face-to-face for business these days.”
“Alright, I’m leaving.”
“Go on, go on.”
Ye Zhiyun waved her hand dismissively, telling him to hurry up and leave. As her older brother, Ye Zile was heartbroken. The Ye Zhiyun of his childhood was clearly so cute, a perfect little princess. He would buy her whatever she wanted. How did she become like this after growing up? Sigh, little sisters are really better when they’re young.
After her brother left, Ye Zhiyun continued to scroll through her phone. In truth, she wasn’t talking business with anyone. She was just taking some time to chat with Yu Linna on WeChat. At this time, it was evening in China, and Yu Linna had just about finished her work for the day, so she could chat with her. And every evening, she would make a video call. At this time, Yu Linna would just be waking up, and they could chat for a long time.
◇ NA Nana~: Then I’m going to sleep now. We’ll talk in the morning.
◇ Leaf: Okay.
When WeChat stopped replying, Ye Zhiyun felt a wave of emptiness. Life without her was indeed still very boring. Her feelings for her grew stronger with the passage of time. People always said that time makes you forget everything, but for her, time was more like a potent drug, making her miss her even more.
She wanted to maintain the status quo with her, but also wanted their relationship to become something different. This thought was very contradictory, to the point where she didn’t even know what she wanted in the end.
She opened her phone’s photo album and clicked on an album called “Nana.” It was filled with photos of Yu Linna. Some were taken during the time Yu Linna stayed at her house, some were taken when they went out to play, and some were photos she had taken of her secretly. Ye Zhiyun’s photography skills were quite good; each photo was comparable to that of a professional photographer. If she hadn’t become a businesswoman, she would definitely have been an excellent photographer.
Her longing for her grew deeper and deeper. She wanted to see her so badly.
At the latest, by September, they could go to school together. Although they wouldn’t be in the same dorm or the same major, they could meet in elective classes, go to class together, eat together, and even take walks every day. The thought of such a life made her very happy. The days of being with her every day would soon come. She had to be patient, she had to endure.
Once her aunt’s attention was diverted by other things, she wouldn’t have to worry anymore.
She stretched, ran to the courtyard, a smile on her face. Half of August had already passed. If she could just endure a little longer, it would be over soon. The ideal happy life was about to arrive. She could disregard everything, no longer having to worry about others’ feelings.
“Nana…”
“How I wish I could tell you in person.”
“How much I like you.”
These words had always been kept in her heart, never spoken. Perhaps from the moment they met on that bus, they were destined to have a story. She had once been hostile to her, disliked her, resented her. She had even wanted to destroy her. But in the end, she had protected her, pulling her back from the abyss of hell. An enemy becoming a lover—this phrase couldn’t be more fitting for her.
…
Let’s turn back the clock a little.
Li Jing got off the plane, met a friend in the United States, and talked business for two hours. Although they hadn’t successfully signed a contract yet, there were no disputes or unpleasantness. Li Jing estimated that after another one or two meetings, she should be able to get the contract on the table.
Coincidentally, she wasn’t far from where Ye Zhiyun lived. She didn’t plan to stay in a hotel, but instead called a driver to take her directly to Ye Zile’s house, wanting to give her two nieces and nephews a surprise. As expected, when she arrived, the housekeeper was very surprised, because he hadn’t received any news that she would be coming. But the housekeeper still respectfully invited her into the house and made her tea.
“Where are my niece and nephew?”
“The young master has to work and will be back in the evening. The second young miss is in the courtyard. Would you like to go see her?”
“What is that girl doing in the courtyard in broad daylight? Looking at flowers? Has she gone crazy?”
Li Jing couldn’t understand it. Had her niece become foolish after leaving the country? What was she doing in the courtyard? Was she that bored during the day? Even if the flowers in the courtyard were beautiful, wouldn’t she get tired of looking at them every day?
Li Jing put a cookie in her mouth and decided to go to the courtyard herself and give her a scare.
After all, it had been a while since she had seen her.
She saw Ye Zhiyun’s back from a distance. Just as she was about to go up and greet her, she heard Ye Zhiyun’s voice, talking to herself.
“Nana…”
“How I wish I could tell you in person.”
“How much I like you.”
Li Jing froze. The foot she had been about to step forward with stopped in mid-air. For a moment, she was at a loss.
Did she just hear something shocking?
Her niece was…
No, it can’t be.
Li Jing felt a little confused. She stood behind Ye Zhiyun for a long time, and Ye Zhiyun didn’t notice. She just stood in the courtyard, lost in thought.
Li Jing quietly retreated back to the living room and sat on the sofa. Even now, she couldn’t believe what she had seen.
Ye Zhiyun, was she… a lesbian?
Li Jing shook her head. How she wished what she had seen was false. But… the affectionate tone Ye Zhiyun had used when she said those words didn’t sound like she was joking at all. And Ye Zhiyun had no reason to be joking to the air alone.
So, was she telling the truth?
Li Jing still couldn’t believe it.
And besides, the object of her confession was that Shion-Sensei?
This was a bit… terrifying.
“Auntie, when did you get here?”
At that moment, Ye Zhiyun had returned from the courtyard. She was very surprised to see Li Jing sitting in the living room.
“Just arrived. Didn’t I come to see you, Zhiyun? I brought you some good food.”
She composed her expression, put on a smile, as if nothing had happened. But her palms, at this moment, were sweating.
