C2

After greeting Bai Hechi, Bai Chuman turned and left, disregarding the formalities the Bai family held dear. Her abrupt departure left the family members, who were merely putting on a show, scrambling to explain her rebellious nature to the guests.

Bai Chuman had already distanced herself from the noisy crowd. She didn't care about the rumors the mother-daughter duo spread about her. Holding a glass of champagne, she kicked off her high heels and let the soft sand cushion her feet, while the salty sea breeze tangled her hair and the waves washed over her toes.

She stood there for an unknown amount of time, her off-shoulder dress doing little to shield her from the chilly night air by the sea. Despite the cold seeping into her bones, she refused to return to the insincere party.

Footsteps approached from behind, but Bai Chuman didn't turn around until a warm jacket was about to be draped over her shoulders. She shifted away.

"If the reporters at the hotel entrance find out that Bai Aixue's fiancé isn't with his future wife but instead sneaked off to the beach with her sister-in-law, do you think it would make the headlines in Araamouth tomorrow?"

The person behind her paused, glancing around at her words. Bai Chuman couldn't help but chuckle, downing the pale golden liquid in her glass.

Jee Hanxin wasn't upset. He stubbornly draped his jacket over her shoulders until she stopped resisting, and they sat side by side on the beach.

"It's been years since we last met, and you've changed so much. You weren't like this before." The old Chuman would have quietly cried alone no matter how much she was wronged, unlike the girl in front of him now, bristling and ready to snap at any moment.

Chuman remained expressionless, tossing the glass in her hand a short distance away, watching as the waves carried it back and forth.

"If I don't change, your fiancée will skin me alive."

Jee Hanxin frowned slightly at her words.

"Bai Aixue is your sister. She's just a bit headstrong, but she has a good heart."

"It seems you misunderstand the meaning of 'good heart.'"

Her retort left him speechless. He looked at her delicate profile, unwilling to let their conversation end on a sour note. There were things he needed to say, questions to ask, and he might not get another chance. Gathering his thoughts, he changed the subject.

"Three years ago, why did you leave without a word? Do you know how long I searched for you, even..." He trailed off, not mentioning how he nearly lost his life in a fire while looking for her. That fire marked the point where their lives diverged, never to intersect again.

"Three years ago? Let me think. Wasn't that when my mom was killed by the head of the family, and I was thrown out? You watched it all happen with cold indifference. How could you forget?"

Jee Hanxin's face rarely showed such discomfort, but now his handsome features were clearly embarrassed, something Bai Chuman noticed entirely. She looked away, a hint of disdain crossing her face.

Jee Hanxin remained silent for a long time, seemingly trying to find the right words to minimize her rejection and hostility. He suddenly felt a bit wronged; he was willing to give his all, yet Bai Chuman discarded him like he was nothing.

"Back then, it was your mother who stepped in as the... third party. Given the close ties between our families, do you think it was appropriate for me to intervene on your behalf?"

"It wasn't appropriate, of course not. You're the son-in-law of the Bai family; it's only natural for you to side with them. How could I blame you?" Bai Chuman retorted sarcastically, her sharp tone causing Jee Hanxin's breath to become uneven, his bloodshot eyes fixed on her.

"Did it have to come to this between us?"

A glass goblet was slowly swept by the waves to her feet. Bai Chuman picked it up and threw it far away, as if casting her feelings into the depths of the ocean, never to be revisited.

"Jee Hanxin..." Bai Chuman's voice softened as she gazed at the distant lighthouse lights on the sea, as if trying to steady her trembling voice. "There’s no future for us. Please, stop being kind to me."

Jee Hanxin was taken aback. Three years ago, Chuman had said this to him countless times. There was always a follow-up: "The more you treat me well, the more I like you. What will we do when that time comes?" He never took it seriously, truly believing that lovers would eventually end up together, unable to foresee the future.

Finally, this time, he had no answer and admitted defeat!