Chapter 440: Thoughts Laid Bare
Lin Ning could see that Cai Xiaojing was avoiding him. He held her hand tightly. She tried to look away, but she couldn’t escape his persistence. Cai Xiaojing didn’t know what she wanted. After what happened with Wen Nuan and Ye Feimo’s relationship, Cai Xiaojing no longer dared to think about her original intentions.
Revenge was a thing of the past.
She didn’t want to become enemies with Lin Ning and make a mess of things for everyone.
However, she had an inexplicable fear of marriage.
"Xiaojing, let’s get married," Lin Ning said, holding her hand and repeating himself seriously. Cai Xiaojing instinctively avoided his gaze, not daring to look him in the eye. Lin Ning was a little disappointed, but he held her hand firmly. "I’m sure I can make you happy."
*Happy?*
Cai Xiaojing gave a bitter smile. Who could guarantee anything? When Wen Nuan and Ye Feimo got married, they both promised to make each other happy, but what was the result? Were they happy? They were both scarred from their marriage. Could that be called happiness?
No one could promise anyone anything, especially something as intangible as happiness. She really didn’t dare to believe it.
She had no confidence in Lin Ning, a man who was known for being a player.
She thought that Lin Ning didn’t even know how to spell happiness, so how could he promise it?
"I don’t have any plans to get married right now," Cai Xiaojing said calmly. She looked Lin Ning in the eye, and her sincerity was clear. "You have confidence, but I don’t."
Lin Ning’s brows furrowed slightly. Cai Xiaojing thought to herself that Lin Ning probably didn’t know how scary he looked when he frowned. He looked cold and unpredictable. That was why many people were afraid of him when he got angry. His gaze seemed to pierce through a person’s body and see all of their thoughts.
That look was terrifying.
Cai Xiaojing was also afraid of that look, but she allowed him to look at her.
Her thoughts were laid bare.
"I know you don’t have confidence in me, but Xiaojing, give us a chance. How do you know I can’t if you don’t even try? I said I have confidence that I can make you happy, and I do. You can’t just give me a life sentence because of my past, can you?" Lin Ning said.
Cai Xiaojing was shocked. "How... how did you know?"
Cai Xiaojing had never told Lin Ning about their past relationship. She was afraid to say anything, afraid he would make fun of her. She thought that Lin Ning had forgotten all about her and didn’t remember anything. She was just a blip in his life. It was completely normal for him not to remember.
When she heard Lin Ning say that he remembered, she felt a little flustered and at a loss.
"I didn’t remember at first, but the last time I went to your house, I saw an old photo and it all came back to me. No wonder..." Lin Ning’s lips curled into a smile. Cai Xiaojing was annoyed. She pushed him away. "Get out, get out, get out. What are you smiling at? Go back to your office and smile."
Lin Ning laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a hug. The smile on his face grew. "Fine, fine, fine. I won’t say anything. Honestly, I remember the old Xiaojing was so well-behaved and cute. How did you become a tiger?"
"Who are you calling a tiger? Get lost."
Lin Ning laughed, looking at her embarrassed and angry face with a gentle gaze. It was this girl after all this time. It really was fate. He sighed. "If I had known I’d fall for you, I wouldn’t have let you go back then. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have spent ten years living a wild life, and we would probably have several kids by now."
*If I had known that I would fall in love with you, and that you were the one for me, I should have held onto my power when I was young, possessed you, loved you, and been with you forever.*
But you can’t buy foresight.
Lin Ning regretted his past actions.
Cai Xiaojing gave a cold laugh. "Don’t say such sweet things. If you hadn’t left me back then, you probably would have gotten bored of me and we would have gotten a divorce."
"You don’t have that much confidence in me?"
"What about you is worthy of my trust?" Cai Xiaojing shot back. She wasn’t like other women who believed whatever a man said. She was Cai Xiaojing, a top manager who had been in the entertainment industry for almost ten years. She had seen it all. She had also been in countless relationships that never lasted. But she was still very experienced. It was impossible for Lin Ning to convince her with just a few words.
Lin Ning looked at her. "Do you want us to become like Feimo and Wen Nuan and turn on each other for you to be happy?"
"You’re thinking too much, Lin Ning. If I don’t marry you, does that mean we’ll become enemies? If that’s the case, then I don’t think we have anything to talk about. Let’s not even be friends." Cai Xiaojing said. "You men have one thing to say when you’re in love and another when you’re not. I don’t know what’s real and what’s fake with you."
"Xiaojing..." Lin Ning said helplessly. "I’m not Feimo, and you’re not Wen Nuan. Their tragedy has nothing to do with us, directly or indirectly. Why are you so fixated on it?"
"I don’t want to talk about this anymore," Cai Xiaojing said, her voice flat. "Just know that if I don’t want to marry you, it’s because you’re not good enough. That’s my attitude. If you think we’re not compatible, then you can either leave or I will. I don’t need you."
Lin Ning was at a loss for words. It was impossible for him to leave at this point, so the big-shot director cleverly backed down and gave up. "Okay, okay, okay. Whatever you say. I’m not good enough. Let’s not talk about this."
*Cai Xiaojing, you win. This girl is something else. I’ll make you willing one day.*
She watched him leave the office, her heart in turmoil. As soon as Lin Ning left, he came back. Cai Xiaojing didn’t have time to hide the sadness on her face before the handsome director smiled playfully. "Oh right, Xiaojing, let’s have dinner tonight. I made a reservation."
Cai Xiaojing was so angry she couldn’t speak. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.
He had been busy with the promotions for *Liang Hongyu*. Since the two main actors, Ye Yan and Wen Nuan, weren’t there, Lin Ning had to put in extra effort for the promotions. The movie would be released in two months, and the promotions had already started.
Regardless of whether Wen Nuan had left Anning International, this movie was a milestone for her and Lin Ning.
When Cheng Anya ran into Wen Nuan at the hospital, she was a little surprised and also wanted to laugh because she saw Wen Nuan holding a small bag of medicine. They ran into each other in the hallway, and Wen Nuan couldn’t pretend she didn’t see her. She had to steel herself and say hello.
There will be at least four Chapters today. Hoho, where’s the applause?