Chapter 268: Goodbye, Lin Shumo
Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Goodbye, Lin Shumo
Su Zhaozhao stopped in her tracks and looked at Lin Shumo.
Lin Shumo frowned, unable to stop himself from apologizing to Su Zhaozhao again.
"Zhaozhao, about what happened last time... I have to apologize to you again."
Hearing this, Su Zhaozhao smiled at him. "You don’t have to. You already apologized last time."
"It’s different. Zhaozhao, I want to ask you... what can I do to make you forgive me? Can our relationship go back to the way it was before?"
Back to how it was before. Back to a time when there wasn’t such a huge conflict between them.
Even though Su Zhaozhao was married, he could still quietly chat with her and be good to her.
They could get along just like friends.
But ever since that incident, he had a premonition that he and Su Zhaozhao could never go back.
"I don’t think that’s necessary," Su Zhaozhao said to Lin Shumo. "We stand on different sides. I don’t like Gu Qingran, and you’re friends with her. Do you really think I can still be friends with you?"
’Actually, I know what Lin Shumo is thinking.’ Su Zhaozhao was well aware. ’I also respect his character role. In the novel, it’s written that Lin Shumo stayed chaste his entire life for the female lead.’
’Right now, all he did was help her out of a minor difficulty. Compared to dedicating his entire life, this is nothing.’ Su Zhaozhao felt it was hardly a big deal.
But she and Lin Shumo were destined to walk different paths.
Because she hated Gu Qingran, she couldn’t be friends with her, and Lin Shumo was Gu Qingran’s friend...
She wouldn’t treat him as an enemy, but she had to keep her distance from him.
Lin Shumo heard her words, so direct they felt like a slap to his face.
It was true. He didn’t want to cut ties with Gu Qingran, nor did he want to cut ties with Su Zhaozhao.
But Su Zhaozhao was the type of person who loved and hated with absolute clarity. Her eyes were clear; she couldn’t tolerate a single grain of sand.
His expression immediately wilted, his face turning a shade paler. He hurriedly lowered his gaze, hiding the sorrow and despair in his eyes.
He couldn’t stop his hands at his sides from clenching into fists. Only by doing this could he make himself appear somewhat calm.
After a long moment, Lin Shumo said in a low voice, "It’s my fault. I was always too greedy, hoping that you and Qing Ran could both be okay. It seems I was thinking too much. Regardless, Zhaozhao, I hope you’ll be happy, and I hope your life ahead is smooth and open."
When he raised his eyes again, his emotions had calmed. He gazed at the equally calm girl before him.
’She doesn’t know what I’m thinking, which is why she can face me so calmly. If she knew my true feelings, she’d probably curse me to death, wouldn’t she?’
’I like her, but in the end, I wasn’t willing to stand on her side...’
’If I were Su Zhaozhao, I’d be furious too.’
Hearing this, Su Zhaozhao smiled at Lin Shumo. "I also wish you smooth sailing from now on. Be a good doctor and bring good to the people."
"Also, seize your own happiness. Gu Qingran... might not be a good match for you." In the end, Su Zhaozhao couldn’t resist giving Lin Shumo a small hint.
Lin Shumo froze for a moment, then said, "I don’t like Gu Qingran."
Su Zhaozhao let out a soft "Ah." ’He doesn’t like Gu Qingran? Could it be that he likes... me?’
Su Zhaozhao had actually felt this way before, but she was never quite sure.
’I thought I was being too narcissistic. It’s probably because he’s the devoted second male lead; he could look at a dog with that same deeply affectionate expression.’
So Su Zhaozhao hadn’t let her thoughts go in that direction.
Later, when Lin Shumo chose Gu Qingran’s side, it became even more impossible for Su Zhaozhao to think he liked her.
’But now he’s clarifying that he doesn’t like Gu Qingran?’
The man before her, his eyes held a trace of sorrow, like a shattered moon.
It was a rather heart-wrenching sight.
But Su Zhaozhao had already decided not to speculate too much about these things.
’Whether he likes me or not has little to do with me anymore.’
"You don’t like her? Oh, that’s good," Su Zhaozhao told him. "I don’t think she’s worthy of you. Just treat her as a childhood friend, keep some distance. You’ll meet a better girl in the future."
She suddenly thought of Fu Yuling. ’But, looking at Lin Shumo, he probably doesn’t like Fu Yuling either, does he?’
’Otherwise, they spend all day together and see each other constantly. If they were going to get together, they would have done so long ago.’
"I have to go home and cook. Goodbye." Su Zhaozhao waved at Lin Shumo, her eyes crinkling into crescents.
"Goodbye," Lin Shumo said softly.
This time, he didn’t stop her. He knew he also needed to slowly sever those thoughts in his heart.
This might very well be their last conversation.
Lin Shumo’s gaze followed Su Zhaozhao’s departing figure, watching her until she was gone.
The girl’s figure was graceful and slender. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, making her look as beautiful as a celestial fairy.
She was the bright moon in the sky, already gathered into Xie Huaizheng’s embrace.
And from now on, he could only gaze up at her from afar, from down on the earth.
’It’s better to have less contact. The more we interact, the more I discover how brightly she shines. In the future, I might truly be unable to let go.’
’But what can be done?’
’What you can’t have will only bring more sorrow.’
Su Zhaozhao wasn’t in a good mood either. She was a person with strong empathy. Even though Lin Shumo hid it well, she could still feel the immense sadness radiating from him.
A normal person exuding that much sadness would be unable to stop themselves from sobbing.
But what about Lin Shumo?
His face was just a little pale, his eyes just a little red. Other than that, there was nothing unusual about his expression.
’For him to hide it so well, the sadness in his heart must be immense.’
’And I was the source of his pain.’
But Su Zhaozhao didn’t regret her actions. After all, regardless of whether Lin Shumo truly liked her or not, she couldn’t be friends with him anymore.
She wasn’t some kind of player, stringing along one person after another.
Lin Shumo should go and pursue the happiness that belonged to him—happiness that neither she nor Gu Qingran could give him.
In any case, life was long. She would only be a passerby in Lin Shumo’s life.
Back home, Su Zhaozhao started cooking.
Today, she was again making a pear soup to soothe Xie Huaizheng’s throat. The weather had been incredibly dry lately.
She also needed something hydrating to drink.
Su Zhaozhao also added apples to the pot.
She had been doing this for a while now. Xie Huaizheng hadn’t tasted them, so his body was able to accept it.
After a little more time, she would have to come clean with Xie Huaizheng.
Let him know that he’d been eating apples for a while. That way, it would be easier for him to overcome his psychological fear.
First, acceptance through action, then let the body inform the mind, allowing his psyche to gradually accept it as well.
Su Zhaozhao was really taking an unconventional approach now.
Xie Huaizheng returned home soon after. The moment he walked in the door, he headed straight for the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Su Zhaozhao. "What are we having today? It smells so good."