Chapter 141: I Will Be His Only Choice

Lin Xi found it all rather unbelievable.

"I was only in middle school back then," she said, assuming Zhou Jingheng had misremembered.

"Perhaps," Zhou Jingheng replied, though he didn’t rule it out entirely. "That’s just my deduction. The most likely timeframe would have been during his university years."

"I thought," she stammered, "that it started when I moved to Lin City."

Qin Yu had once mentioned that a part of the reason he rushed back to China after graduation, instead of pursuing opportunities abroad, was because of her. But she had always assumed he merely had a slight crush on her back then. If it were love, she thought, it had to have come later.

Lin Xi carefully retraced her memories. During Qin Yu’s four years of university, he didn’t seem to return to China all that often—mostly just for major holidays. They hadn’t seen much of each other during that period, and their daily contact was limited to group chats rather than private conversations. If someone were truly in love, wouldn't they maintain more frequent contact?

"Actually, if you think about it, it wasn't without traces," Zhou Jingheng said, clearly aware of her skepticism. He slowed his pace, his voice lowering as if he were recalling the past. "When he was in university abroad, Grandfather Qin told him he didn't need to come back for every holiday, just the Lunar New Year. Yet, he insisted on returning frequently."

"I know Qin Yu’s temperament well. If there hadn't been someone he was longing to see, he wouldn't have been so persistent."

As he spoke, Zhou Jingheng glanced at Lin Xi. The person "Qin Yu was longing to see" felt a lump form in her throat.

"I... I doubt it," Lin Xi said, looking away, her heart racing despite her dismissive words.

"It seemed like nothing at the time, but looking back now, it was definitely unusual," Zhou Jingheng continued. "Do you remember how, every Mid-Autumn Festival, he would return to China well in advance? And every single time, he managed to arrive just in time for your birthday."

"Coincidence, don't you think?"

At that mention, Lin Xi suddenly recalled the gifts Qin Yu brought her every year. Aside from birthday presents, there were gifts for other holidays, too. The most striking thing was that every item he gave her was exactly what she had been obsessed with at that stage in her life. In the beginning, he used to ask her if there was anything she wanted; as time went on, he stopped asking. It seemed he had understood her deeply even back then.

"I didn't have much contact with him at the time," Zhou Jingheng added. "If you don't want to ask him directly, I suggest you ask Cheng Si or Bai Xu. They should have the answers you're looking for."

Those two certainly knew a lot—especially Bai Xu. Since Bai Xu had attended the same school as Lin Xi, he was the person who knew her daily life best. If Qin Yu wanted to learn about Lin Xi, he would have undoubtedly turned to Bai Xu.

Lin Xi understood this perfectly. "Did... did Third Brother say anything else?" she asked tentatively.

Zhou Jingheng couldn't help but chuckle, ruffling her hair. "Xi Xi, you wouldn't have asked about this before. It seems I guessed right."

Lin Xi felt her face flush. "I was just asking casually."

Zhou Jingheng continued to smile. Truth be told, Lin Xi had never been particularly curious about anything, nor would she ever ask. Usually, people would simply tell her things when they couldn't hold them in any longer. The fact that she was so concerned about their conversation meant her feelings for Qin Yu were real. Even if they weren't together yet, it was only a matter of time.

"He explained your current relationship to me, told me he had liked you for a long time, and that you weren't together yet. When I asked him about your thoughts, he said he wasn't sure." Zhou Jingheng looked at her kindly. "It seems to me that you both like each other, don't you?"

Lin Xi opened her mouth. "I..."

"It's alright, you can skip this if you don't want to answer."

"No," she said, shaking her head firmly. She didn't need to hide anything from her second brother. She knew he understood; he had seen it all along. He only pressed her because he wanted to know when it had begun. She had just hidden it too well back then.

"The year I moved to Lin City, he was always by my side. I didn't know if it was right—some people told me it wasn't. But at that time, I truly liked him. Or rather, I shouldn't deny that I still do."

"Why wouldn't it be right?" Zhou Jingheng frowned. He stopped walking and pulled Lin Xi to face him. "No one has the right to judge your feelings. Loving someone is never a matter of right or wrong."

"Our Xi Xi is so clever; why let others' opinions sway your decisions? Why trap yourself in such emotions?"

That wasn't the Lin Xi he knew. In his memory, she was a girl with her own ideas, independent and autonomous.

"Because..." Lin Xi smiled suddenly. "Because back then, I really felt I wasn't good enough for Qin Yu."

Zhou Jingheng found the notion absurd, but after a moment, he understood. When you love someone, you look at them through an idealized filter, which naturally leads to feeling inferior, no matter how perfect you are yourself. "Our Xi Xi is also excellent."

Lin Xi shook her head. "Back then and even now, I couldn't reach him."

"At that time, I was struggling with such strange, contradictory feelings. I felt that since we had known each other since childhood, our families were close, and my background was respectable, I had the qualifications to stand beside him. But then I would immediately think of my isolated personality, my incomplete speech, my hearing loss—I had lost the hearing in one ear. It was like a battle between my own hands; my flaws constantly suppressed the advantages my family background gave me. At that stage, I was certainly not his best choice."

"As for now..." She paused. "I still have my advantages. And the biggest one is that he likes me. But I want to stand a little higher. I don't want to be his accessory."

At seventeen, she lacked the confidence to stand by Qin Yu’s side. She couldn't silence Aunt Rong's gossip, nor could she refute Song Ning's words. All she had was what her family provided. This time, she wanted to catch up with Qin Yu’s pace. If Qin Yu could stand on his own in the capital right after graduating from college, why couldn't she?

"I will push my strengths to the limit and make my greatest advantage the fact that I will be his only choice."

"Not for his sake, but to become a better version of myself." She spoke with confidence. "I am fully capable of standing beside him."

As their eyes met, Zhou Jingheng saw "ambition" burning in Lin Xi’s gaze.

"That's it," he said, finally feeling at ease. He opened his arms and pulled her into a hug. "I believe that day will come very soon."