Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Realizing that Qin Jiayan was understandably acting strange, Zhang Lin was worried, but after a moment of hesitation, she finally nodded her head lightly, stood up silently, and left the dining room.

  After the door closed and Qin Jiayan was alone in the room, his shoulders began to quiver.

  I never expected anything like this based on her outward demeanor. I was never aware that Su Qing was actually loving me and being so devoted as to be foolishly sacrificing herself for me.

  All these years, I’ve constantly lived with mixed feelings of love and hate and thus, after meeting her again, I felt so conflicted toward her. That was why my embarrassment turned into rage when I was faced with her rejection a second time—and why I ultimately completely gave up on her.

  I always thought that I had sacrificed too much for our relationship, but today I finally understand how little I sacrificed in comparison to her. My efforts were insignificant—barely worth a mention.

  I thought I knew her well, yet I was unaware of all the misery she kept hidden away.

  My own misery and suffering could be said to be smooth sailing…… But in fact, I’m learning today that she gave away her youth—and even her life—to ensure my happiness and my wellbeing.

  No…… Not just me but also my sister, my mother, and my entire family……

  My mother often told me that my sister has a good life because she found her true love and married a good man. It was as if the heavens are taking care of her because of what she did to help our family through our setbacks back then. This made sense, and I believed it.

  But what about Su Qing? Why did the heavens not take care of her when she had helped me in addition to her own family? Right now, all the wealth and luxury that I enjoy, which makes my life stable and enjoyable, was built upon the numerous hardships that she endured.

  Zhang Lin is right…… Why was she so foolish?

  How could there be a girl as foolish as her in this world?

  She didn’t need to take such a path! She knew that if she came to look for me I could have taken her away from that living hell. Even if the family had a hold on us because of photographs showing us together, even if I had to give up everything to pay what they demanded, even if I were to lose my reputation completely…… So what? I don’t care about that……

  You had already stopped me that day…… Why didn’t I say something?

  I heard you stop me…… Why didn’t I turn around and ask you what was wrong?

  I was so angry that day and couldn’t figure out why you repeatedly provoked me even though you were unwilling to be with me ever. It’s only now that I discover you weren’t even provoking me…… You only called out my name to hear my voice so that you could put an end to your life. You were saying goodbye to me……

  Qin Jiayan raised his hands to cup his face and broke down in sobs……

  After they left Zhang Lin’s house, Qin Jiayan took Mother Qin and Qin Zhi’ai home, but instead of heading inside himself, he drove directly to the Lin family residence.

  After Qin Jiayan met the family, he cut through the chase and directly declared the purpose of his visit.

  He told Lin Mo to annul his marriage to Su Qing and to destroy all evidence of the photographs.

  With Su Qing dead, the photographs posed no threat anymore; even if they were to be released publicly, few people would be willing to attract bad karma by pointing fingers and gossiping about someone who had passed away. Furthermore, the conditions that Qin Jiayan proposed were also generous in that the Lin family would draw good business from their loss. There was nothing in his terms that they could disagree with. The deal benefiting both parties was the means to their hitting it off.