Who's Playing Who? - Chapter 10
Chapter 10
In the days following the birthday banquet, Lin Zhixia felt as if all her strength had been drained. A shadow seemed to loom over the entire household; in the wake of the family storm, everything she knew was changing at a breakneck pace. The scandals surrounding the Lin Family continued to ferment online, the discussions rising and falling like venomous snakes coiling around her.
“How could you do such a thing?” Neighbors who had once been gentle toward her now looked at her with strange, judgmental eyes. Their words were stripped of respect and filled with mockery. Even her colleagues at work whispered about her in the breakroom, their voices low but their eyes never leaving her. She chose to endure it all in silence, not even bothering to kindle a spark of anger. This kind of life, which she had once yearned for as a form of peace, had now become a nightmare she was loath to face.
Her mother had been removed from the board of directors, and the divorce had become common fodder for idle gossip. The loss and fury she felt amidst it all were inextricably intertwined and utterly foreign. Faced with external suspicion and disdain from those close to her, Lin Zhixia’s inner resolve only grew clearer. What she wanted was no longer her parents’ protection or her innate privilege, but control over her own life.
“Zhixia,” her father’s voice suddenly came from behind, breaking her train of thought. She turned to see him sitting on the sofa, his face etched with exhaustion and his hair slightly disheveled. His features, once cleanly carved by time, were now weathered and haggard.
“I…” Her father opened his mouth, but seemed unable to find the words. His eyes were a mixture of guilt, apology, and helplessness.
“Don’t say it.” Lin Zhixia’s heart tightened, knowing that her father was also under immense pressure. This man, who had once been powerful in her eyes, no longer possessed his former glory; he even seemed at a loss in her presence.
“I was the one who forced you down this path,” her father said, his voice so low it was heartbreaking. “I was always busy with work and neglected you… my child.”
“I can’t blame you.” She wanted to smile, trying to pull her feelings away from the heavy atmosphere, but she trembled slightly. Over the years, she had stayed by her father’s side, acting as both a filial daughter and the bearer of his moral compass.
“I… I will work hard to change,” her father said, bowing his head, his voice weak. “The things you used to pursue, I will work hard to let you have them.”
“There’s no point in saying these things.” Lin Zhixia’s voice was calm, yet it betrayed a deep heartache. Even if emotions were surging like a tide at this moment, some wounds were destined to be irreparable. Moreover, she was no longer that little girl waiting for her parents to provide a sanctuary.
She wanted a future she could control herself, not just a life carried out under her parents’ names.
“Then what do you plan to do?” Her father hesitated for a moment before finally looking up. Through the dim light, she saw a desperate yearning for answers in his eyes. “Are you willing to let go of the past? I can make amends for you.”
“The past is the past,” Lin Zhixia said softly, a flash of determination in her eyes. “I want to start a new life. It might not be as perfect as you imagine, but it must be my choice.” As she spoke, she felt a sense of finality.
After a moment of silence, her father gave a helpless sigh and could only nod weakly. His emotions were like a stripped-away mask, dissolving into endless guilt and regret.
A few days later, Lin Zhixia met Gu Lan again. It was a day of beautiful, warm sunshine. Gu Lan sat by the window of a small café, a cup of coffee that had been sitting for a long time placed before her. Her gaze was distant, as if she were being crushed by the weight of life until she could barely breathe.
She had grown much thinner. The lively spark that usually defined her had vanished from her eyes, replaced by pallor and despair.
“Zhixia…” Gu Lan’s voice trembled, as if she had a thousand things to say but no way to speak them.
“We’ve both been hurt,” Lin Zhixia sighed. She reached out to take Gu Lan’s hand but ultimately hesitated. The buried past surrounded them like a cage-inescapable, yet something they both desperately wanted to shatter.
“I… I shouldn’t have appeared in your life.” Gu Lan lowered her head, as if invisible shackles had locked her heart once more. “I approached you with an agenda from the very beginning. Now, I don’t know how to face you.”
“But you’ve been in my life for a long time.” Lin Zhixia nodded slightly, watching her quietly. Though she was conflicted, her gaze held a measure of grace. “Besides having no choice, you also have your own pursuits and desires.”
“But I…” Gu Lan’s voice was like shattered porcelain, trembling in waves, appearing incredibly fragile yet revealing a bottomless stubbornness. “I don’t have the right to return to your side.”
“We both want a complete home,” Lin Zhixia’s voice dropped instantly. “I understand your situation, and I understand the struggle in your heart even more. But do you know? We’ve already been through too much; there’s no need to turn our backs on each other anymore.”
Gu Lan looked up, a glimmer of hope and tenderness in her eyes, yet still carrying an unspeakable heartache. “I’m willing to make amends for the mistakes of the past, but perhaps for now, we can only be passing travelers in each other’s lives.”
“We can’t say we’re just passing travelers.” Lin Zhixia hesitated, taking a step back before finally speaking slowly. “Perhaps I can try to forgive you, but your mistakes shouldn’t just be understood-they deserve to be answered for.”
Gu Lan lowered her head, her lips trembling. “I’m sorry…”
“There’s no need to say sorry anymore.” Lin Zhixia’s gaze was clear as she gently took her hand. “You just need to live well, get your life back on track, and live beautifully. That is the version of you I look forward to seeing.”
“Lin Zhixia…” For some reason, Gu Lan’s tears welled up again, crystal clear, as if washing away the darkness in the depths of her heart.
“Forget it.” Lin Zhixia smiled faintly. “We’ve only just started reconnecting. Perhaps there will be more opportunities in the future, right?”
In that moment, despite still being shrouded in clouds, Lin Zhixia could feel the sunlight gradually breaking through. The light was bright and warm, as if awakening a life that had been covered by jealousy and fear.
Just as their conversation was deepening, He Xingchuan’s phone call suddenly rang out, breaking the current silence.
“Zhixia,” his voice on the other end was low yet certain, “are you ready?”
“Ready for what?” Lin Zhixia was slightly stunned, her voice carrying a hint of restraint despite her concern. However, her heart secretly flared up; it was as if this phone call was the torch her soul had been waiting for, pushing her out of the darkness and toward the light.
“How about we collaborate on my studio?” He Xingchuan’s proposal was direct, fully displaying his usual decisiveness.
“A studio?” Lin Zhixia’s eyebrows arched, an incredible surge of excitement flashing through her heart. “What do you mean by that?”
“Brand planning. It might be a good start. Let’s call it ‘Xiaxing.’ It happens to have a connection to your name.” He Xingchuan’s voice was steady and charismatic.
“I…” Her voice trembled slightly at the flash of inspiration. Thinking of the infinite possibilities of the future, her subconscious hesitation vanished without a trace.
“I will teach you how to balance thought and feeling. I won’t push you forward anymore; instead, I’ll walk side by side with you.” He Xingchuan’s tone remained steady, sounding like someone who had returned to shore after sailing through a thousand storms.
Lin Zhixia savored these words repeatedly. The emotion in her heart surged even more powerfully, seizing the initiative like a rising drumbeat.
“I think… I can give it a try,” she said firmly, her complex emotions intertwining. “This is a new beginning, and I hope to move forward together with you.”
“Then it’s settled.” A hint of a smile seemed to color He Xingchuan’s voice. Though it wasn’t overt, it made Lin Zhixia feel that the future was filled with infinite possibilities.
The moment she hung up the phone, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. It was as if the whirlpool of life was beginning to slow down until it became manageable. Choosing a side also meant bravely facing every upcoming challenge and exploring every possibility in this brand-new field.
“Are you starting to look forward to the future?” Gu Lan’s gaze had softened significantly, as if she were seeing that old passion once again.
“Yes.” Lin Zhixia smiled, relaxed and confident. It was as if invisible shackles were melting away, leaving a future without limits. “I have to live for myself, after all.” She ultimately believed that all of this was merely a new starting point in the journey of life.
Through the sunlight streaming in the window, she could almost see the road ahead. It was no longer a narrow, twisting path, but a fresh and smooth choice. In this city, the future no longer left her feeling lost; instead, it was becoming clear.
Just as He Xingchuan said, success lies in choice, no longer in the wandering confusion under the control of others.
