Chapter 125: Paying the Price for Passion!

For a woman, what kind of man is the most detestable?

It is the kind of man who teases you until you are burning with desire, your body flushed, your lower regions damp, and that unbearable sense of emptiness driving you to the brink of madness—and then, suddenly, he climbs off you and says, "I just remembered I have something very important to attend to. Let’s continue tomorrow."

To Lin Wanxi, Qin Luo was exactly that kind of man.

Of course, this refers to the emotional aspect, not the physical one.

Lin Wanxi had been hurt by love before, which made her exceptionally sensitive to it. After she fled back from the United States, she had completely given up on romance. Lacking timely comfort and guidance, her suppressed emotions festered into an illness, developing into "androphobia." In her mind, all men were hypocritical liars. Whenever she saw a man, she would involuntarily distance herself, treating them with coldness or even disgust.

This was especially true for her suitors, whom she perceived as having ulterior motives. The more someone tried to get close to her, the keener her intuition became, and the more fierce her counterattacks would be.

She knew she was ill. Those around her knew she was ill, too. Yet, everyone was helpless.

Qin Luo was the exception. He had approached Lin Wanxi in the capacity of a doctor.

When they first met, Lin Wanxi was full of hostility toward him. However, Qin Luo’s somewhat overbearing approach, combined with his persuasive reasoning and emotional appeals, finally opened her heart. She became willing to cooperate with his treatment.

In truth, for mental health issues, once the patient is willing to accept treatment, half the battle is already won. The remaining half depends on the physician’s skillful methods and the passage of time to help them forget.

Under Qin Luo’s care, Lin Wanxi recovered rapidly. She was able to talk to those around her and even smile at Qin Luo—though she was still unwilling to get too close to her colleagues, that was simply because the lifestyle she had cultivated over the past few years was set in stone and could not be changed overnight.

During the treatment process, physical contact was inevitable. For any other woman, this might not be worth mentioning, but for Lin Wanxi, a thirty-something virgin, it sent ripple after ripple through her heart.

There is a drawback to treating androphobia: if the channels for emotional release are blocked, the patient is very likely to transfer the feelings they have suppressed for so long onto their primary physician. Such emotions arrive suddenly and fiercely, making them impossible to guard against.

If Qin Luo and Lin Wanxi could have maintained a healthy relationship and walked toward each other with mutual love, her condition would have naturally healed, perhaps even returning to her pre-illness state.

However, just as their relationship reached its most delicate point, Guan Xu suddenly returned to the country, leading to that misunderstanding at the Western restaurant.

Qin Luo’s departure dealt a fatal blow to Lin Wanxi. The second wave of emotions she had desperately suppressed and had yet to express withered away for no reason, plunging her into a state of emotional vacuum. It was as if she had fallen into a bottomless abyss; she could only feel herself sinking, yet there was nowhere to grasp, nowhere to vent, and no one to listen.

This state was the early stage of emotional closure syndrome.

Due to her personality, Lin Wanxi always preferred to keep things to herself. When she suffered her first emotional betrayal, she chose silence. When she fell in love with Qin Luo, she chose silence. And when Qin Luo left, she still chose silence.

One must either erupt in silence or perish in it. Because she had accumulated so many emotions within her, she eventually became overwhelmed. The dam of her emotions was on the verge of collapse.

At this moment, Qin Luo returned. He began to provoke her again—teasing, touching her chest, and displaying unintentional affection and ambiguity—all of which caused Lin Wanxi’s state of mind to rise and fall, preventing her from finding true peace.

Near yet far. Present yet absent. It was something she could neither grasp nor hold tight.

People always like to pursue what they do not have. Because she had nowhere to anchor her own emotions, Lin Wanxi loved to read about the emotions of others. "When You Are Old" was her favorite poem. She envied how that young, beautiful woman could receive Yeats's lifelong devotion—a love that remained unswerving even when the glamour faded, her beauty vanished, and she became a thin, silver-haired old lady.

When Qin Luo recited this poem, which held such special significance for her, it was the final straw that broke the camel's back. The usually icy and indifferent Lin Wanxi finally collapsed, letting out a roar of questioning.

"Why are you always like this? Why are you always like this?"

"When I loved you, you abandoned me."

"When I tried to forget, you appeared again."

Qin Luo was stunned. He was shocked by Lin Wanxi’s uncharacteristic attitude and her inexplicable words. He stood there at a loss, not even knowing what mistake he had made. It was just a poem—how could it elicit such a reaction?

Could the unfathomable mind of a woman ever be understood by a novice in love like Qin Luo?

It wasn't until Lin Wanxi’s face was covered in tears and she was squatting on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, that Qin Luo finally reacted. His heart ached for her. He ran over and hugged her trembling body, saying, "Sister Lin, what's wrong? Tell me. Did I do something wrong?"

"Qin Luo, what should I do? What am I supposed to do?" Lin Wanxi asked through her tear-streaked eyes.

"What should you do? What exactly happened? You have to tell me so we can find a solution," Qin Luo said.

If she could say it, would she be in such pain? "I love you" is only three words, but how much courage and strength does it take to say them?

"Forget it. You don't have to tell me what to do," Qin Luo said. "Let me tell you what to do."

He held her cheeks in his hands, letting her tears wet his fingers. This woman, who made his heart ache, was showing a look of bewilderment and helplessness for the first time.

"You're such a wonderful woman, why do you have to be so strong? When you want to cry, cry; when you want to make a fuss, make a fuss. When there's nothing wrong, act a little spoiled and let a man run errands for you. Isn't that better? Why be a 'strong woman'? Are you tired?"

For a man, some things are learned without a teacher. Qin Luo had never had such an experience, nor had he even seen such a scene on television. But driven by pity, he kissed Lin Wanxi’s forehead, her brows, and her crystal-clear tears.

Lin Wanxi’s body stiffened suddenly. The tears were still falling, but she had forgotten how to sob. When Qin Luo kissed her lips—equally salty—she suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Tightly. With all her strength. As if she were afraid of losing him again. Treasuring him like life itself.

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When the alarm clock woke him up again, it was already six in the morning. It was time for Qin Luo’s daily workout.

After washing up and putting on his sportswear, he ran downstairs to find Lin Qingyuan already exercising in the courtyard. The old man’s face looked a bit weary; it seemed he hadn't rested well the night before.

"Grandpa Lin, why not rest a little longer?" Qin Luo asked while assuming the starting pose for the "Twelve Daoist Calisthenics."

Lin Qingyuan was practicing Tai Chi. Hearing Qin Luo's question, he smiled and said, "That’s how it is when you get old. Once it hits this hour, I can’t sleep even if I want to. It’s uncomfortable just lying in bed. I might as well get up and practice some Tai Chi."

"Why did you come back so late last night, Grandpa Lin? Was there something difficult to deal with?" Qin Luo asked.

Lin Qingyuan sighed and said, "There is a patient in a very dangerous condition. We held a meeting last night to discuss the treatment methods. Because the patient’s identity is special, no one can decide whether to use Traditional Chinese Medicine or Western medicine."

Qin Luo said, "If there is anything I can help with, just ask."

Lin Qingyuan smiled and said, "I naturally want to invite you to help. However, this matter is confidential. I cannot act on my own authority."

Since Lin Qingyuan was in a difficult position and couldn't say more, Qin Luo did not want to force it. Although he was very confident in his medical skills, he also had to consider Lin Qingyuan’s position. These days, it wasn't necessarily the case that doing more was better. If a difficult patient appeared and Lin Qingyuan called him in every time, the hospital's doctors would surely have complaints. If he did everything, what were they supposed to do?

"Grandpa Lin, come, follow me and do these two movements. They can quickly relieve fatigue," Qin Luo said.

The "Twenty Daoist Calisthenics" were a treasure of health cultivation, and the breathing techniques within were uniquely gifted. If the "inhalation" and "exhalation" methods were mastered correctly, one could wipe away all physical fatigue through breathing alone within five minutes.

"Good. Let me learn this from you, too," Lin Qingyuan said with a smile. Then, under Qin Luo’s guidance, he followed along with the breathing and lifting of energy. In a short while, he felt refreshed, and his complexion became ruddy.

"What kind of method is this? It’s truly magical," Lin Qingyuan said happily.

"This is also a technique from the arts of longevity. There is great depth in a person’s every breath. If you can master the rhythm, it has health-preserving effects," Qin Luo explained with a smile.

"You kid, you’re a treasure in every sense," Lin Qingyuan praised.

Lin Wanxi walked out and looked at the old man and the young man exercising in the courtyard; for no reason, her heart turned sweet. It was a happy thing for the man she liked to be loved by her family.

"Grandpa, breakfast is ready," Lin Wanxi called out.

"Alright. Qin Luo, let’s go have breakfast," Old Man Lin said.

"Okay," Qin Luo agreed. He finished his stance and followed Lin Qingyuan into the house.

At the dining table, Lin Qingyuan looked at Qin Luo, then at Lin Wanxi, and said, "Qin Luo, I have something I want to discuss with you."

"What is it?" Qin Luo asked.

"I happen to be going on a business trip to the South recently, and I plan to visit your grandfather at the Qin family. I was wondering, should we take this opportunity to settle the matter between the two of you?" Lin Qingyuan said. He wasn't really going on a business trip; he was making the trip specifically for this matter.

"What matter?" Qin Luo asked, stuffing a fried dough stick into his mouth.

"The happy event, of course. What? Not ready to marry our Wanxi yet?" Lin Qingyuan said with a chuckle.

Qin Luo was dumbfounded, forgetting to even swallow the dough stick. This was too fast, wasn't it? He had only just gotten the chance to touch her chest last night, and now he had to pay the bill for that passion today?