BXBX NOVEL Chapter 416: 416: Severely Slapping the Old Lotus (Lin Ximeng)
Chapter 416: 416: Severely Slapping the Old Lotus (Lin Ximeng)
He really hadn’t thought it was a possibility.
He was sure that his feelings for Ji Baixing were dead! He had pursued her and loved her for so many years; it was impossible for her to now like him.
He told Luo Xiaolang, “She won’t like me.”
Luo Xiaolang looked at Yin Qin.
Yin Qin said, “So, there’s nothing to discuss about this topic.”
Luo Xiaolang lowered his eyes.
So, he did not answer her directly in the end.
She wanted nothing more than a straightforward answer.
She hadn’t thought of obsessing over anyone.
Yin Bin left the Yin Family villa and headed to Lin Ximeng’s residence.
Previously, he had used Lin Ximeng, who was aware of it, but now she had no more use.
After all, he had planned to confront Yin Ying directly in the past, and now that he had relinquished his power, there was no need to tangle with Lin Ximeng anymore.
His heart aches at the thought of having transferred all his shares to Yin Qin today.
It’s not that he looked down on Yin Qin, or feared he would exhaust his fortune. But he felt a sort of sudden old age creeping on, having been bold and enterprising in his career for so long, suddenly stepping back, a strong sense of loss filling his heart.
The car stopped at Lin Ximeng’s apartment complex.
Yin Bin knocked on Lin Ximeng’s door.
Lin Ximeng was extremely warm.
She quickly grabbed Yin Bin’s arm and affectionately said, “Everything you love to eat is here tonight.”
Yin Bin swallowed the words at the tip of his tongue.
He had dinner with Lin Ximeng.
Almost all throughout the meal, Lin Ximeng was serving him – peeling shrimps for him, picking vegetables for him, serving him soup.
As a man, who wouldn’t be moved by such a woman at times.
Truth be told, everyone wants to be treated gently.
He said, “Lin Ximeng, tonight is the last time I eat dinner at your place.”
Rejection, was only because it wasn’t that person.
Lin Ximeng’s hand got stiff.
Yin Bin stated straightforwardly, “Qin Keqin is pregnant.”
It was as though lightning had struck Lin Ximeng on a sunny day.
All this time she was with Yin Bin, not even a finger of his would he let her touch, yet Qin Keqin could so easily end up in his bed?!
She held back her emotions, not letting them explode, just looking straight at Yin Bin.
Yin Bin said, “As I said before when we were together, I no longer have feelings for you, and I hope that you were just playing along with me. I gave you a choice, whether you wanted to play along with me or not, and you chose to. Now, the show’s over, and we should stop.”
“I thought if I treated you like this, you’d at least be a bit softer on me. Seems like it was all my wishful thinking.” Lin Ximeng said coldly.
“In this life, I owe you.” Yin Bin pulled a bank card from his pocket, “This is the compensation I promised you. I added ten percent.”
“To you businessmen, can money replace everything?”
“No.” Yin Bin said, “It can’t replace Qin Keqin.”
Lin Ximeng sneered.
It can’t replace Qin Keqin.
Over and over, it was all about Qin Keqin.
“From when did you start liking Qin Keqin?” Lin Ximeng suddenly asked him.
Yin Bin’s eyes flickered slightly.
“No need to answer if you don’t want to. I’m just very curious, I just really want to know, where did I lose? When did I lose?” Lin Ximeng sounded a bit melancholy.
Yin Bin answered straightforwardly, “I don’t know.”
Lin Ximeng raised her eyebrows.
“I don’t know when I started liking Qin Keqin, I didn’t even believe myself that I would like that woman. She isn’t good to me, she isn’t as gentle and considerate as you. There was nothing dramatic between her and me. I once thought that our political marriage would keep us apart for the rest of our lives. But who would have known, I’d fall for her so much that I can’t extricate myself.” Yin Qin spoke softly, but his beliefs were clear.
He really didn’t know why or when he fell in love with Qin Keqin.
By the time he came to his senses and really confronted his feelings, he found he had fallen for her ages ago, and so deeply.
Lin Ximeng sneered again in the corner of her mouth.
She muttered, “Can’t extricate myself.”
Yin Bin was not a man who held love above all else. Their relationship back in their college days had been a product of consistent interactions and a spark of love between them, but it was not an all-consuming bond. Otherwise, Yin Bin wouldn’t have capitulated in the face of his parent’s pressure.
She fully understood that if Yin Bin had loved her deeply, he wouldn’t have quickly married Qin Keqin.
The truth of it all lay in the fact that their love back then simply was not profound enough.
Thus,
When they were truly forced to separate, Yin Bin might have only felt unwillingness or slight guilt, but there was none of that burning, impossible-to-discard kind of sentiment.
Yin Bin did not know what Lin Ximeng was thinking, nor did he have to guess. Their relationship had ended many years ago, to the point where he could not even remember when he lost all feelings for her. Similarly, he didn’t know when Qin Keqin’s place in his heart had become so profoundly important.
“I hope you can take good care of yourself in the future…”
“What if I can’t?”
“That’s your problem.”
These were nothing but pleasantries.
Yin Bin put down his chopsticks, standing up from the dining table.
This man, even at 48 years old, still held a dignified air. Time seemed to have left nothing but an alluring, evident maturity on him, no unnecessary age traces.
Indeed, the heavens still favored him.
But she seemed not to share the same fortune.
She watched as Yin Bin left nonchalantly.
Time and time again, turning away from her coldly.
Regardless of her efforts, regardless of the efforts she put in to please him.
Just a single mention of Qin Keqin, and everything collapsed.
She had grown accustomed to it.
Accustomed, but… did he assume she would just give in?!
Lin Ximeng had already compromised once before.
This time, she wouldn’t let go, not even if it killed her.
She watched with cold eyes as Yin Bin closed the door without a backward glance.
She turned and headed for the balcony, watching Yin Bin stride away hurriedly.
Was he in a rush to return to Qin Keqin?!
What a cruel irony.
She wanted to see just how cold-hearted Yin Bin could be towards her.
She turned around, walked back to the living room, sat on the couch, and picked up the sharp fruit knife on the table.
No matter the cost, she’d make Yin Bin return to her side!
She gritted her teeth, applied force, and savagely sliced her own wrist with the knife.
The moment felt like she was numbed to all pain, watching her own blood spill, the corners of her mouth twitching into a sinister smile!
Yin Bin returned to the mansion from Lin Ximeng’s home.
Inside the mansion, everyone had just finished dinner and were sitting on the sofa, watching television.
He quietly slipped in.
Quietly sat down next to Qin Keqin, melting into the situation.
Seeing Yin Bin approached, Qin Keqin got up to leave.
She thought he wouldn’t be returning.
She had clearly heard Lin Ximeng’s soft voice telling him she’d wait for him forever on the other side of the phone just a moment ago.
Did it finish just this quickly?!
She puckered her lips, trying to maintain her composure.
It wasn’t that Yin Bin’s actions might cause some tremendous impact on her, but she found herself flustered over his behavior. Was it because her emotions had become more intense due to her pregnancy?!
She didn’t think this was a good development.
That’s why she decided, out of sight, out of mind.
Just as she was getting up.
Her hand was abruptly held tight.
Seemingly anticipating her departure, the grip was quick, precise, and harsh.
Qin Keqin couldn’t pull her hand away.
She glared at Yin Bin.
Yin Bin said, “You may not believe me, but there’s really nothing between Lin Ximeng and I.”
“Whether there is or not, it has nothing to do with me.”
“Qin Keqin.” Yin Bin stood up from the sofa.
Yin Bin stood a half head taller than Qin Keqin, so he could look down at her now.
Qin Keqin frowned.
Yin Qin and Luo Xiaolang sat on the sofa across the room in perfect unison, keeping their lips sealed as they watched them with rapt attention, several anticipating some earth-shattering event.
“I don’t care if you’re disgusted, uncomfortable, annoyed, or if you hate me.” Yin Bin continued persistently, “From now on, I’ll always be there for you, whether we’re eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom…”
Yin Qin’s eyeballs looked ready to pop out of his head.
He had never imagined his father could be so shameless.
This was a man who had always placed himself above others, refusing to sacrifice his pride, wasn’t he?!
“You’d better accept it,” Yin Bin issued an ultimatum.
No refusal allowed!
At that moment, Qin Keqin really felt on the verge of passing out in frustration.
If being pregnant wasn’t already damaging enough to her, Yin Bin’s unpredictability and intrusion in her life was even worse.
Was it Liang Jingru who had given him the confidence to challenge her so brazenly?
She didn’t particularly want to answer Yin Bin.
All she said was one word, “Get out!”
Get as far away as possible.
Stop blocking my fresh air!
Yin Bin eventually showed signs of strain.
Yin Qin held back a laugh.
He believed he should’ve recorded this comedic side on his phone.
His father’s passionate confession was repaid with only a single word from his mother.
A word that might really elevate his father’s anger to the point of a nosebleed.
Yet, in that moment, his father did not turn to leave.
He said, “I’m not asking for your permission.”
What he meant was: no matter if she chose to accept or not, he’d already made up his mind and would not accept any objections.
Qin Keqin was so furious her temples throbbed.
She shook off Yin Bin’s hand abruptly, her face expressing enormous disdain to converse with an imbecile and stormed off.
The moment she left, Yin Bin followed behind.
Sticking with her every step of the way.
As Qing Keqin entered her room, Yin Bin held the door she was trying to shut.
No matter how hard Qin Keqin struggled, she couldn’t manage to close it. Irritated, she let go.
Yin Bin walked into her room, then shut the door behind him.
He asked, “Do you want to take a bath? Or, just wash your face and feet.”
Qin Keqin merely glanced at him without answering.
Yin Bin seemed to expect this, so he didn’t wait for her response and started preparing a bath.
While the bath was filling, he went through Qin Keqin’s closet searching for clothes she could wear afterward.
Qin Keqin frowned.
She really disliked other people touching her things.
She was somewhat fastidious about such emotional matters.
However, in that instance, she just tolerated it.
Eventually, Yin Bin found her underwear.
Qin Keqin felt a headache coming on.
Just looking at Yin Bin gave her a migraine!
Yin Bin said, “Go and bathe.”
“You, go out.”
“I’ll wait here in the room.”
“You, go out!”
“I could help you bathe…”
Qin Keqin snatched her bra from Yin Bin’s hands, and slammed the bathroom door in his face.
Yin Bin watched the direction of the closed door.
No matter how much she hated him, he wasn’t planning on leaving.
He wouldn’t leave, even if it killed him.
Qin Keqin quickly finished bathing.
Since becoming pregnant, her doctor had advised her against long baths. It had been a quick rinse, nothing more.
After bathing and brushing her teeth, she returned with a towel wrapped around her hair.
Walking out, she saw Yin Bin leaning on her bed.
She stared at him coldly.
Yin Bin saw her come out and stood up from the bed. At that moment, he walked straight into the bathroom, carrying a hair dryer in his hand.
Qin Keqin frowned.
Yin Bin said, “Sit down, I’ll dry your hair.”
“No need, let it air dry.”
“No.”
“Yin Bin!”
“You could catch a cold.”
“The hairdryer emits a lot of radiation, I don’t want my daughter exposed to that!” Qin Keqin stated sternly.
“The radiation from household appliances is within safe limits. A little radiation from the hairdryer compared to the serious consequences of catching a cold…” Yin Bin tried to reason, suddenly becoming very understanding.
Qin Keqin stared at Yin Bin.
“I was foolish before. I’ve caught up on some common knowledge in the past few days.”
Qin Keqin said nothing.
She absolutely didn’t want to say a word to Yin Bin.
Yin Bin was now savvy. He knew it was useless to seek Qin Keqin’s consent. Plus, he knew she wouldn’t give it.
He directly unravelled the towel from Qin Keqin’s hair, guided her to sit on the sofa, and started to carefully blow dry her hair.
Qin Keqin wasn’t sure how she should feel.
Besides the inevitable consummation of their marriage and Yin Bin’s recent bout of insanity, the two of them had always maintained a strict distance. But now, Yin Bin was clearly beginning to close the gap.
She felt somewhat conflicted.
It was oppressive, a feeling of consternation trapped in her chest.
In the silent room, only the hum of the hairdryer filled the space between them.
It was a while.
Only when Yin Bin was confident that each strand of Qin Keqin’s hair was dry, did he switch off the hairdryer.
“There, done,” Yin Bin said, “You can go to sleep now.”
It was still fairly early.
Nine o’clock hadn’t even passed yet.
But these days, Qin Keqin had been going to bed pretty early.
On the one hand, being pregnant made her sleepier than usual, and sickness caused by pregnancy made it so the only time she felt slightly comfortable was when she was asleep, thus she would rather spend most of the time sleeping.
She said, “Then you go out.”
“You may not have understood earlier, but when I said ‘eating, sleeping’… It includes the ‘sleeping’ part.”
Qin Keqin stared directly at him.
“I’m going to bathe.”
With that, he walked straight into the bathroom.
Closing the bathroom door behind him.
Yin Bin breathed in deeply.
He was genuinely afraid that Qin Keqin would kick him out.
He had never imagined that there would come a day when he would be so afraid of a woman. Afraid to the extent that he became excessively cautious and timid in her presence.
He quickly bathed.
After finishing his bath, he realized that he was in Qin Keqin’s room and, consequently, there were no spare clothes or even a bathrobe.
He looked around and casually grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist.
He was afraid that if he walked out naked, Qin Keqin would tear him apart.
In reality, to Qin Keqin, him walking out like this was no different than him being naked.
So Qin Keqin’s facial expression clearly changed at that moment.
She just watched Yin Bin, noting how for a man his age, he had maintained his body admirably.
Defined chest and abdominal muscles, the characteristic V-line of a man’s side profile…
“I forgot to bring my clothes over.” Yin Bin quickly explained.
From Qin Keqin’s gaze, he could feel her obvious repulsion.
He was not concealing anything at all.
He even began to question if his sporadic exercise routines were a form of sickness?!
Not all women necessarily liked this type!
Perhaps Qin Keqin preferred potbellied middle-aged men.
Qin Keqin turned around, her back facing him.
For not being told to get out, he felt Qin Keqin had afforded him a great favor.
How could he be so self-abasing?!
At that moment, he did not even bother to change his clothes.
He knew very well that once he stepped out of this door, Qin Keqin would never let him in again!
So, he directly crawled into Qin Keqin’s quilt.
Qin Keqin was patient.
Luckily, Yin Bin was civilized enough not to get too close. He was lying right on the edge of Qin Keqin’s bed, a simple roll could make him fall off.
Of course, Qin Keqin wouldn’t kindly allow him to move in a bit.
Anyway, if he wasn’t sleeping comfortably, he would leave.
That’s what she thought.
She didn’t want to waste energy arguing with Yin Bin, so she closed her eyes to sleep.
Yin Bin’s phone suddenly rang.
Yin Bin glanced at the incoming call, it was a stranger’s number. He took a look at Qin Keqin, whose back was turned to him, and answered the call.
“Hello.”
“Is this Yin Bin?!” A somewhat angered woman’s voice came from the other side.
Yin Bin frowned, “Yes, it’s me. May I know who you are?”
“I am Lin Ximeng’s mother, get to the downtown hospital immediately! Immediately!”
“What happened?” Yin Bin’s face slightly darkened.
“Lin Ximeng attempted suicide because of you, shouldn’t you come? My daughter is dying, shouldn’t you come? Yin Bin, I don’t care where you are right now, you must come here immediately, or you’ll have to answer to me!”
With that, the call was abruptly ended.
The sound from the phone call was loud.
Qin Keqin heard everything clearly.
At that moment, Yin Bin seemed to freeze.
He wondered if he had heard wrong. How could Lin Ximeng possibly commit suicide?!
But?!
Who would joke about such a thing?!
His heartbeat started to increase, slowly becoming faster.
His hand holding the phone was even trembling non-stop.
His mind was occupied with visions of Lin Ximeng’s bloody suicide scene that kept replaying over and over…
“Aren’t you going?” Qin Keqin suddenly sat up on the bed.
Yin Bin looked at Qin Keqin.
“The person was here because of you, you should be responsible,” Qin Keqin said calmly.
Compared to Yin Bin’s slight panic, Qin Keqin seemed exceptionally poised.
Yin Bin’s throat bobbed, he said, “I’m not going.”
Qin Keqin frowned.
“I’m not going,” Yin Bin confirmed.
“Yin Bin, the least you can do is show some responsibility!”
“I’m only responsible to you!” Yin Bin enunciated each word.
As for others…as for others, he didn’t have the kindness.
“Lin Ximeng is your woman!”
“She’s not!”
“Are all men this practical?” Qin Keqin scoffed, “You play your game and then when it’s over, you just walk away…”
“I’ve said she’s NOT! NOT! NOT!” Yin Bin’s voice immediately got louder, blinded by rage.
He could accept Qin Keqin’s indifference, he could accept Qin Keqin’s lack of feelings for him, but what he couldn’t accept was how Qin Keqin always pushed him away, always pushing him towards other women.
How many times did he have to say it, what did he have to do for her to keep him by her side?!
They were a married couple!
He’s her husband, not someone else’s!
“I fucking swear, besides when I was young and got my head stuck in a door frame and slept with Lin Ximeng, I’ve never touched her since, not even a hair!” Yin Qin still spoke very loudly.
It seemed like he was at a point of desperation where he felt like he was about to have a heart attack.
Qin Keqin was also somewhat stunned at this moment!
Really, she surprisingly had a moment where she wanted to believe him.
She wanted to believe that he truly had nothing going on with Lin Ximeng over these years!
But the next moment, she wondered…
Why the heck was she fretting over whether or not to believe him?!
She didn’t care at all about what he had done. To her, there was no difference between a man doing it once and doing it countless times.
The silence between the two of them, a somewhat oppressive silence, was broken by the abrupt sound of a ringing cell phone in the room.
Yin Bin took a look and angrily hung up on the call.
After he hung up, the phone incessantly rang continuously.
Yin Bin grabbed the phone and turned it off.
He violently lied back down on the bed, pulling the covers over his head and went back to sleep.
Qin Keqin watched his actions throughout, just watching him.
She felt that it wasn’t necessary to meddle in Yin Bin’s affairs, nor was it necessary to waste her energy on them.
Regardless of how Yin Bin treated Lin Ximeng, whether Lin Ximeng lived or died, it had nothing to do with her.
She also planned to continue sleeping.
Just as she laid down…
Her cell phone suddenly rang.
She picked up the phone and saw a strange number, then answered it.
Without any preamble, the voice on the other end of the line asked, “Is Yin Bin there?!”
The voice was filled with fury and dominance.
Qin Keqin paused for a moment, “Who are you?!”
“I am Lin Ximeng’s mother. Is Yin Bin there or not?”
“He’s asleep.” Qin Keqin blurted out, it was the truth, he was asleep.
“Qin Keqin! How much longer is my daughter Lin Ximeng supposed to be like this? How much longer is she supposed to continue being this way towards you and Yin Bin? When they were together, she stepped away. She’s been living abroad alone all these years. She’s still unmarried because of Yin Bin. Finally, getting over her heartbreak, she returned, only to be toyed around with by Yin Bin again. Now she lays in a hospital bed, her life hanging by a thread. Is my daughter supposed to endure such pain? Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?!”
The person on the other line cursed and yelled, her voice very loud.
Qin Keqin pursed her lips, “Auntie, the one who should be struck by lightning from the heavens isn’t me, it’s Yin Bin. Please watch your language…”
She was pregnant.
She was sometimes traditional. She didn’t want to be cursed.
She didn’t want her child to be implicated!
“It’s me!” Yin Bin suddenly sat up from the bed, snatched the phone from Qin Keqin’s hands and roared into the phone,” It’s me, I’m the one who should be struck by lightning! So, whether Lin Ximeng lives or dies, don’t contact me and don’t call Qin Keqin!”
“Lin Ximeng sadly ended up with a man like you. After all these years, she never forgets you, you heartless bastard!”
“I am heartless, I admit it. I am a jerk. Whether Lin Ximeng lives or dies, that’s her problem. Don’t bother me about it!” Yin Bin abruptly hung up the phone.
Following that, he even shut off Qin Keqin’s phone.
Qin Keqin glared at Yin Bin.
Yin Bin met Qin Keqin’s gaze, “After all, in the eyes of the world, I am not a good person! Since I have abandoned Lin Ximeng, why should I care about whether she lives or dies!”
“Yin Bin, you disgust me more and more,” Qin Keqin enunciated every word.
Yin Bin clenched his fists tightly.
“The first time was your marital infidelity. I never imagined that my husband would do such a morally corrupt thing. It still disgusts me to this day! This time, it’s your cold-blooded indifference! Does a life mean nothing to you? As long as you are not the killer, as long as you are not legally liable, you think it’s not important?!” Qin Keqin asked him harshly.
“Are you forcing me to go to Lin Ximeng? Are you forcing me to go to her?!” Yin Bin roared.
Qin Keqin looked grim.
“And what if I do go? Will I be taking responsibility? Will I be starting over with Lin Ximeng? Otherwise, what’s the use in going? What purpose can I serve?” Yin Bin gritted his teeth.
He wasn’t as heartless as he seemed.
For a living person to commit suicide or die for him, he really wasn’t as indifferent as he seemed. He too would suffer from moral torment. What he needed most at this moment was comfort, not being berated and scolded like this!
And he didn’t go because, what good would it do if he did go?!
He knew very well that he wouldn’t take responsibility, it was impossible for him to be with Lin Ximeng just because she had attempted suicide, so his going would serve no purpose!
Rather than that, he’d prefer if Lin Ximeng gave up on him, completely gave up on him!
“Since you got involved with Lin Ximeng, as a man you should take full responsibility.” Qin Keqin gave him a very definite answer.
That moment, Yin Bin felt like his lungs were about to explode from rage.
He forced himself to control his emotions. He stifled a question to her,”And what about you? I’ve gotten you pregnant. Should I just simply walk away?”
“Go as far away as you can…”
“Damn it, Qin Keqin!” Yin Bin fiercely grabbed Qin Keqin’s arm.
He was applying real force.
Great force, indeed.
He could truly accept anything from Qin Keqin, everything, because it was all his fault in the past. He cheated on her, so he deserved a life of celibacy and the consequences of unrequited love.
But, Qin Keqin, can you please not push him towards other women?
His fingers were tightening, continuously tightening.
So much that Qin Keqin felt as if Yin Bin might physically harm her.
And she was carrying their baby.
She even began thinking about how to protect herself.
How to protect?!
At that moment,
Yin Bin abruptly let go of her.
He threw off the covers, suddenly stood up.
Then he went directly into the bathroom, put on the clothes he had just taken off, and immediately set off.
Given how Yin Bin usually waited on people, this moment, he was so furious he didn’t care about anything!
Once he finished changing,
Qin Keqin thought he would just leave.
But then she saw him rummaging around in her cloakroom.
In a while, he found her outdoor clothes, and without a word, he stripped off her nightgown and put the outdoor clothes on her.
Qin Keqin was frowning.
She was coldly watching Yin Bin, wondering what kind of nerve the man was on.
After Yin Bin had eventually managed to dress Qin Keqin, he asked, “Should I carry you out, or will you walk by yourself?!”
“What are you trying to do…ah…” Qin Keqin stiffened.
At that moment, Yin Bin had already lifted Qin Keqin off the bed, and directly carried her out of the room, downstairs.
Yin Qin was still watching TV in the living room at this moment.
Seeing his father like this with his mother startled him.
“Get a pair of shoes for your mother!” Yin Bin ordered.
“Okay.” Yin Qin immediately went forward, picked up a pair of flat shoes from the entrance and handed them to his father.
Yin Bin took the shoes and went straight out.
Yin Qin leaned against the door and watched his father’s figure, thinking to himself how his old dad was still pretty strong, and looked rather handsome…
While thinking this,
He suddenly became alarmed.
In the middle of the night, his dad suddenly carrying off his mom, no no no, it wasn’t kidnapping, it was literally carrying. Was something wrong with his sister?!
After Yin Bin put Qin Keqin in the rear seat of the car, he bent down to help her put on her shoes. Then he returned to the driver’s seat and drove off.
Neither fast nor slow.
Definitely not speeding, nor crawling like a snail, just an average speed.
Qin Keqin had her lips pressed together.
She chose not to refute him and to accompany him without arguing. She was pregnant now and needed peace and calm.
However, her emotions had fluctuated far more during this period than in her entire married life with Yin Bin!
She looked out the window, silent.
And Yin Bin was also silent.
The car pulled into the hospital.
Yin Bin got out of the car.
And Qin Keqin followed suit.
After asking for directions, the two reached Lin Ximeng’s ward.
Yin Bin, standing at the door of the ward, seemed to hesitate for a second.
Qin Keqin was watching him.
Then she saw him, the very next second, just push the door and enter.
In the ward, Lin Ximeng was lying on the bed with a pale face, her wrist wrapped in thick gauze, looking very pale at the moment.
The ward was occupied by an older woman, probably Lin Ximeng’s mother, and a young man and woman, presumably Lin Ximeng’s younger brother and sister.
Several people stayed with her in the hospital room.
The moment she saw Yin Bin enter, a strange light sparkled on Lin Ximeng’s lifeless face.
She knew Yin Bin could not be so cold-hearted, that he could not simply neglect things.
She confessed. Yes, she attempted suicide to threaten Yin Bin and to keep him by her side. She didn’t want to die. It was painful when Yin Bin rejected his mother. She truly thought there was no chance for her and Yin Bin anymore. But seeing him now, her hope was rekindled.
However, the next moment, she saw Qin Keqin.
She saw Qin Keqin following behind Yin Bin.
Lin Ximeng’s face instantly changed, drastically.
Seeing Yin Bin’s arrival, Lin’s mother utterly lost her composure. She said harshly, “You have the nerve to come here!”
Upon confirming Lin Ximeng was still alive, Yin Bin shifted his gaze. He coldly replied to Lin Ximeng’s mother, “Didn’t you ask me to come?!”
“You bastard! You’ve pushed my daughter to this point. How dare you talk like this! Have you no conscience?”
“I pushed her?” Yin Bin snorted in cold laughter, then suddenly admitted, “Yes, I did push her. And what exactly do you want now?”
“Take responsibility for my daughter, marry her immediately!” Lin’s mother declared righteously.
“In your dreams.” Only two words, yet they managed to infuriate everyone.
At that moment, Qin Keqin thought to herself, if their unborn daughter ever encounters such a scumbag, she would fume too.
Then, she saw Lin’s mother looking like she might pass out from anger.
Lin’s mother screamed hysterically, “You heartless beast! You played with my daughter and wasted her youth. You will be punished by the heavens for what you’ve done…you will!”
“Good. Now that everyone is here, family members of Lin Ximeng, in front of my wife, we should clarify the past issues between Lin Ximeng and me.” Yin Bin remained unfazed by Lin’s mother’s eruptions.
Upon hearing “wife,” Qin Keqin unconsciously pursed her lips.
That word “wife” from Bin made her heart flutter.
Perhaps, it’s just a simple heart flutter. Nothing strange.
Yin Bin asked Lin Ximeng, emphasizing each word, “Back then, we broke up amicably, didn’t we?”
Lin Ximeng looked at Yin Bin.
Her eyes reddened, and tears streamed down instantly. She looked pitiful.
“When we were dating in university, have I ever touched you?” Yin Bin asked Lin Ximeng.
“I understood your respect for me back then,” said Lin Ximeng. She did not answer directly, yet her response was an admission.
“I’ve neither wronged you nor made any promises to you. Have I ever said I would marry you? Have I introduced you to my parents, or have you introduced me to yours? We were in a free relationship. We broke up peacefully, so I do not owe you any responsibility.”
Lin Ximeng stared at Yin Bin with tears streaming down her face.
She didn’t expect him to suddenly bring up their past.
“But for compensation, did I promise to secure a spot for you in graduate school?” Yin Bin raised his eyebrows.
Lin Ximeng bit her lip and nodded.
“I didn’t blame you for dating in college!” Lin’s mother interjected, “Free love, peaceful breakup; I never said you were responsible! I’m talking about afterwards, how could you, a married man, still look for my daughter and let her bear the reputation and mental torment all by herself abroad, remaining single all these years!”
“Auntie Lin, are you sure I approached your daughter first that year? Are you sure it wasn’t her seducing me?”
“What do you mean!”
“That year, she purposefully got drunk and called me, making me worry about her safety so I went out to look for her. My greatest regret to this day is caring about her wellbeing that night. If I hadn’t left the house that day, my life wouldn’t have turned into this tragedy! I didn’t want to come here today. I did it only to make it clear to my wife about our past, otherwise, do you think I would repeat the same mistake!”
“What nonsense are you talking about? My daughter seducing you? Could she have seduced you if you were a good man?” Lin’s mother continued to defend her daughter.
“Exactly. I only found out now, that I was drugged by your daughter back then!” There was a tightening in Yin Bin’s gaze. It was sharp enough to wound!
Lin Ximeng’s heart skipped a beat.
How could he know?!
Yin Bin glared coldly at Lin Ximeng, “You’ve always been curious as to why Qin Keqin and I are expecting another child, aren’t you? Thanks to you, I was drugged and passed out after having dinner at your place. Upon waking up, I felt a change in myself, and that’s how Qin Keqin became pregnant. I thought those uncontrollable feelings for you back then were from my physical reaction. I was so naive, I thought I was drawn to you. If it weren’t for experiencing that again, I wouldn’t have known about the ‘magical effect’ of that glass of plain water you gave me at the hotel!”
“I, I didn’t…” Lin Ximeng denied, but she lacked conviction.
“I, Yin Bin, would never engage in morally corrupt acts. For a long time, I thought I truly liked you, which is why I had an affair with you after my marriage. I even doubted if it was because I loved you so deeply that I did things which my own morals wouldn’t allow me to accept. Thank God, you gave me the answer, letting me realize the despicable means you had used!”
“I, I, I…” Lin Ximeng bit her lips.
She didn’t expect that her actions back then would be discovered by Yin Bin. That she would get caught.
At the moment, she was in too much haste to refute or cover up her actions.
“Also, do you think I don’t know, when we broke up, you took 5 million from my parents.” Yin Bin spoke slowly, stressing every word.
Lin Ximeng looked straight at Yin Bin.
She thought he didn’t know.
Didn’t Yin Bin’s parents say they wouldn’t tell him?
Yin Bin snorted, “After all, my parents are indeed my parents!”
How could his parents be partial to others?
Lin Ximeng was indeed too naive!