Is a Year Long

Chen Zhi took a long moment before speaking.

“A year is too long.”

Lin Wanwan looked at him.

“Is it long?”

Her voice was hoarse.

“The time you deceived me—was it shorter than a year?”

Lin Jing stood nearby, her eyes still red.

Lin Shuxian sat on the sofa, hands resting on his knees, neither rushing nor persuading.

This conversation tonight wasn’t meant for Chen Zhi to bargain.

Chen Zhi took a steadying breath.

“I can agree not to come see you, not to call.”

“But you have to let me know how you’re doing.”

Lin Wanwan lowered her head.

“How I’m doing has nothing to do with you.”

“It does.”

Chen Zhi looked up.

“Wanwan, you can hate me, you can ignore me, you can refuse to see me for a year.”

“But don’t punish yourself with your own body.”

Lin Wanwan suddenly let out a small laugh.

“Chen Zhi, do you still think everything I do is because of you?”

Chen Zhi had no reply.

Lin Wanwan placed her hand on the door handle.

“I’m leaving the industry because I want to stop.”

“I don’t want to stand in front of the cameras every day, pretending nothing’s happened.”

“I’m not punishing you.”

She paused.

“I’m saving myself.”

That last sentence fell into the living room like a stone, silencing everyone.

Zhang Guifang’s heart ached.

She used to think Lin Wanwan was just a carefree little sun, someone who would cry for a bit and then be fine.

Now she realized the girl had grown up, and she could hurt so deeply she didn’t want anyone to touch her.

“Okay.”

Chen Zhi finally nodded in agreement.

“I promise you.”

Lin Wanwan raised her eyes to him.

“Don’t agree so quickly.”

“I’m not playing a cold war with you.”

“For this year, don’t send me things, don’t ask about me through others, and don’t have your company arrange any resources for me.”

Chen Zhi frowned.

“About the resources—”

“I don’t want them.”

Lin Wanwan cut him off directly.

“When I want to sing, I’ll go back on my own.”

“When I don’t want to sing, I’ll just stay home.”

“Chen Zhi, I don’t want people to think in the future that I only got anywhere because of you.”

Chen Zhi opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Lin Shuxian spoke up then.

“Chen Zhi, do you understand?”

Chen Zhi nodded.

“I understand.”

Lin Shuxian picked up his glasses from the coffee table and put them on slowly.

“Then do as Wanwan says.”

“For this year, don’t show up in front of her.”

“If she wants to see you, she’ll say so.”

Chen Zhi looked up.

“Uncle Lin, can I add one condition?”

Lin Jing flared up instantly.

“You still have the nerve to ask for conditions?”

Zhang Guifang glared at him too.

“Shut up!”

Chen Zhi ignored his mother’s death glare and pressed on.

He had to. This determined his future with Lin Wanwan. He couldn’t just let it slide.

“It’s not for me.”

“It’s for her.”

Lin Shuxian watched him for a few seconds.

“Go on.”

“She’s in a bad state right now. Suddenly quitting the industry—rumors will fly.”

“Media, fans, haters—all kinds of people.”

“I won’t contact her, but I hope Su Man can still look after her.”

“If someone harasses her, I need a way to know.”

Lin Wanwan immediately frowned.

“I said, no arrangements from you.”

Chen Zhi looked at her.

“This isn’t a resource.”

“It’s about safety.”

“You used to be a nobody. Now you’re not.”

Lin Wanwan bowed her head and said nothing.

Chen Zhi added another line.

“I won’t have anyone tailing you.”

“But your agent should at least have an emergency contact.”

“If something really happens, Su Man can reach me.”

Lin Jing was about to curse again, but hearing this, she held back.

She might dote on her daughter, but she knew Chen Zhi wasn’t wrong.

Lin Wanwan’s sudden withdrawal from the industry was bound to bring paparazzi sniffing around Jiang City sooner or later.

Lin Shuxian turned to Lin Wanwan.

“Wanwan, this is acceptable.”

Lin Wanwan pressed her lips together.

After a long moment, she spoke.

“Only for safety issues.”

Chen Zhi nodded at once.

“Deal.”

“And one more thing.”

Lin Wanwan locked eyes with him.

“Don’t tell Su Man to try to persuade me.”

Chen Zhi smiled bitterly.

“Man Jie probably wants to kill me right now. She’d be happy just not cursing me out.”

Lin Wanwan ignored his attempt at a joke.

She turned and walked back to her room.

Just before the door closed, she paused.

“Chen Zhi.”

Chen Zhi looked up instantly.

“Yeah?”

“That box—you’d better not peek.”

“I won’t.”

“Even if you can’t help yourself, it doesn’t matter.”

Lin Wanwan didn’t turn back.

“If you open it, I will never see you again.”

Click.

The door shut.

Chen Zhi stared at the small box on the coffee table. His fingers twitched, but he quickly pulled back.

Lin Jing walked over, picked up the box, and shoved it into Chen Zhi’s hands.

“Take it.”

Lin Jing’s voice was cold.

“Don’t leave it in our house.”

“I’m afraid if I see it, I’ll remember what a bastard you are.”

Chen Zhi spoke quietly.

“Auntie Lin, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t give me that.”

Lin Jing turned away.

“You better leave now.”

“I’m afraid I’ll slap you again.”

Zhang Guifang immediately moved to push his wheelchair.

“Let’s go, let’s go. Get out of here.”

But Chen Zhi didn’t seem ready to leave.

He looked at Lin Shuxian.

“Uncle Lin.”

Lin Shuxian raised his head.

“Something else?”

“I want to apologize to you and Auntie Lin.”

“You already did.”

“It’s not enough.”

Chen Zhi gripped the wheelchair armrests, trying to stand up.

Zhang Guifang’s head hurt just watching.

“What are you doing now!”

Lin Jing was fed up.

“Don’t pull some martyr act in our home.”

Chen Zhi held onto the armrests, teeth clenched, and slowly rose to his feet.

Zhang Guifang reached out anxiously to support him.

“Do you want to die?”

Chen Zhi didn’t let her help.

He bowed deeply to Lin Shuxian and Lin Jing.

“Uncle Lin, Auntie Lin.”

“I used to think Wanwan and I were so close.”

“So close that I believed no matter what I did wrong, she’d always come back.”

“Tonight I finally realized—that way of thinking was really inhuman.”

Lin Jing laughed coldly.

“And now you know?”

“Too late.”

Chen Zhi had a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

“This year, I won’t disturb her.”

“But after a year, if she gives me even one word, I’ll come back.”

Lin Jing was about to lash out, but Lin Shuxian raised his hand to stop her.

“Enough.”

He looked at Chen Zhi.

“No matter how well you speak right now, it means nothing.”

“People don’t grow up again just from a few nice words.”

Chen Zhi nodded.

“I’ll remember that.”

Lin Shuxian stood up and walked over to him.

“Chen Zhi, I don’t care how impressive you are out there.”

“To me, you’re still just the kid from next door who got scolded growing up.”

“I remember how you used to protect Wanwan. I don’t forget kindness.”

“But now you’ve hurt her. I won’t make excuses for you either.”

“This year, think hard.”

“If you can’t figure it out, then don’t come back.”

Chen Zhi responded in a low voice.

“Okay.”

Lin Shuxian added one more thing.

“And don’t bring that hundred-billion-dollar way of thinking into your relationships.”

“People aren’t projects.”

“Wanwan isn’t a system you can reboot with the press of a button.”

Zhang Guifang wheeled Chen Zhi out.

The moment the door closed, Lin Jing finally broke down, leaning against the doorframe, crying.

In the stairwell.

Zhang Guifang pushed the wheelchair down the steps. Halfway, she stopped.

“Chen Zhi.”

“Ma.”

“Do you think you were being some kind of tough guy tonight?”

Chen Zhi remained silent.

Zhang Guifang raised her hand and smacked the back of his head.

"That's what you call writing an IOU after being a scoundrel."

Chen Zhi didn't dare talk back.

"You've been like this since you were little."

"Get into trouble, apologize faster than anyone, but do it again next time."

Zhang Guifang got angrier as she spoke.

"I used to think you were just mischievous."

"But now, you've made something of yourself."

"Peking University, a billion-dollar company, press conferences, trending on every social media platform."

"And yet, in matters of the heart, you haven't even managed to act like a decent human being."

Chen Zhi muttered quietly,

"Mom, stop scolding me. My wounds kind of hurt."

"Serves you right if they kill you."

After her scolding, Zhang Guifang still reached out and steadied his shoulder.

"Sit still."

Chen Zhi let out a soft "mm."

When they reached the bottom of the building,

Li Zhiyi was still standing by the unit entrance.

Seeing the slap mark on Chen Zhi's face, she paused for a second.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

Chen Zhi gave a faint, crooked smile.

"Aunt Lin's got decent strength, but she's not as fierce as my mom."

Hearing that, Zhang Guifang was so furious she wanted to hit him again.

"You still have the nerve to joke around!"

Li Zhiyi walked over, took some wet wipes from her bag, and gently wiped his face.

Zhang Guifang watched with mixed feelings.

She had complicated emotions about Li Zhiyi originally.

But this girl had never been competitive or pushy, and she even accompanied a half-crippled man on a late-night flight back home.

If anyone said she had no feelings, they'd be lying.

"Zhiyi,"

Zhang Guifang finally softened her tone.

"You've been through a lot."

Li Zhiyi shook her head.

"It's nothing."

"Auntie, you've been pushing for a while. Let me take over."

Zhang Guifang's voice grew gentler.

"Where are you staying tonight?"

"At a hotel."

"It's so late—it's not safe for a young woman alone."

Zhang Guifang said,

"Come stay at our place for the night."