Heart-to-Heart Talk 02

Back at the apartment, Fu Nanzhi had just finished tidying up inside and out.

When she returned, she found Shu Yunyi already awake, wrapped in a blanket and staring blankly into space.

Fu Nanzhi sat down beside her and asked softly,

"You're awake. How do you feel? Are you uncomfortable?"

Shu Yunyi didn’t answer, only shaking her head silently.

Her constitution was always unusual, and after drinking ginger tea, she had recovered quickly.

Her head was still a little dizzy, but otherwise, she didn’t feel too unwell.

"You remember what you just did, right?"

Fu Nanzhi stared into her eyes as she asked.

With the alcohol wearing off, Shu Yunyi naturally remembered. She avoided eye contact and lowered her head.

"I know."

"Ah..."

Fu Nanzhi sighed and shook her head.

"Why would you do this to yourself...?"

Shu Yunyi hugged her knees and curled into a ball, her eyes downcast.

"I just couldn’t stand it..."

"How could she get ahead of me?"

She had already been in a foul mood, and in her moment of weakness, she had broken her own rules—her thoughts had spiraled out of control.

Now, with a clear mind, the memory filled her with dread.

This incident had nearly caused a major disaster. Shen Yi would definitely not be pleased with her, and in her usual state, she was still deeply afraid of him.

Fu Nanzhi, on the other hand, was far more accepting. She couldn’t help but say with a hint of envy,

"But what else could we do? We all agreed to the rules back then, and now she’s pregnant."

"There has to be some resolution—if not for ourselves, then for the child."

"I..."

Shu Yunyi’s lips trembled, but she swallowed her words.

If it weren’t for Yaoyao, if she hadn’t made that agreement with Shen Yi, Cheng Jun would never have stolen her chance.

After a moment of silence, Shu Yunyi still couldn’t suppress her resentment.

"Honestly... if I’d lost to you, I could’ve accepted it."

"But I just can’t stand her—always acting like she has ulterior motives."

Fu Nanzhi couldn’t help but laugh, taking it as a compliment to herself.

"It’s not really ulterior motives. I know Zhujun a little better."

"She’s always been clever, with a quirky personality, and she’s naturally good at winning people over. That’s just how she is..."

Then, with a touch of melancholy, Fu Nanzhi added,

"That’s just how love is—it’s inherently selfish. Anyone would feel the same."

"Besides, Zhujun’s family isn’t just any ordinary household."

"Uncle Cheng and Aunt Wen dote on her. How could they hide something as serious as an out-of-wedlock pregnancy from them?"

"Once the elders get involved, things get complicated. The pressure is no small matter..."

"......"

Fu Nanzhi’s meticulous explanation left Shu Yunyi uneasy. She knew full well the gravity of the mess she had just caused.

Her impulsive words earlier, whether true or not, would undoubtedly bring Shen Yi to her—on that point, Shu Yunyi still trusted him completely.

But with only half an hour left before the wedding, there was no way he could make it back in time. The ceremony wouldn’t wait or be postponed for anyone.

Threatening Shen Yi with her life to make him abandon the wedding was tantamount to dragging him down with her.

Thankfully, Fu Nanzhi had stopped her at the critical moment, saving her life. And now, despite everything, she was still taking care of her. Shu Yunyi felt deeply grateful.

"I understand."

"Either way... thank you."

For the first time, Shu Yunyi gave Fu Nanzhi a faint smile.

"No need for thanks. I couldn’t just watch you jump."

Fu Nanzhi hadn’t thought as deeply as Shu Yunyi—she had simply acted out of compassion.

"But you were too reckless... You have to stay calm."

Today had truly shaken Fu Nanzhi, and she couldn’t help but warn her.

"Yeah."

Perhaps there was a natural stubbornness in her personality, but Shu Yunyi was definitely calm now.

Her mood remained low as she rested her chin on her knees, her gaze distant.

"I’m already thirty-five... not young anymore."

"My life is already laid out before me."

Fu Nanzhi smiled reassuringly.

"People age slowly these days. You’re still beautiful—what’s wrong with being thirty?"

"Don’t you watch dramas? Plenty of actors in their forties are still playing young characters."

"It’s not the same."

Shu Yunyi shook her head, a chill running through her at the thought. For the first time, she confided in someone other than Shen Yi.

"I have less than forty years left to live."

This was a secret she should never have shared, but Fu Nanzhi was different—they both carried the same kind of hidden truth.

"What...?"

Fu Nanzhi was stunned, completely unprepared for the revelation of Shu Yunyi’s short lifespan.

"Is there... some kind of illness?" she asked.

"No."

Shu Yunyi shook her head again.

That was precisely why it was so hopeless. If it were an illness, she could seek treatment. But the truth was, she simply wouldn’t live longer.

Ordinary people feel anxious just looking at their bank balances—how much worse was it to count down the years of your life?

Fu Nanzhi didn’t know how to comfort her.

She, too, knew exactly how long she would live, but in her case, that lifetime had been happy and fulfilling.

There were regrets, of course, but they were things she could make up for. Fu Nanzhi had never asked for more than what she was given.

"So... you understand, don’t you?"

Shu Yunyi suddenly looked up at her.

Fu Nanzhi hesitated.

"Understand... what?"

"Why I care about him so much."

At this, Shu Yunyi’s eyes reddened again.

"He’s all I have left. I can’t lose him in the years ahead."

Fu Nanzhi sighed.

"The deeper the love, the sharper the pain. It’s a tangled mess."

Shu Yunyi murmured,

"In just a few years, I’ll start to fade. How could I ever compare to you and Cheng Jun then?"

Finally, Fu Nanzhi understood a little better. Shu Yunyi was someone who deeply lacked security, and that insecurity stemmed from many factors.

Seeing the dynamics between them more clearly, Fu Nanzhi decided to speak more openly.

"I think you need to trust Shen Yi a little more. Otherwise, why did you fall for him in the first place?"

"If you don’t trust him, maybe it’s better to walk away."

"If you believe in the strength of your bond, then in the end, it all comes down to how you live your lives."

The words felt foreign to Shu Yunyi, and she looked lost.

"Are you saying... I should leave?"

Fu Nanzhi shook her head, her beautiful eyes unwavering.

"I can’t give you advice. You have to decide based on what you truly want."

Seeing Shu Yunyi’s confusion, she decided to spell it out even more plainly.

"All this back-and-forth between us, the endless emotional drain—isn’t it exhausting?"

"Either walk away and live freely, or compromise and live comfortably."

"You’ve already lost. No matter how much you struggle, the outcome is set."

Fu Nanzhi tapped her fingers on the coffee table.

"You only have two choices now..."

She held up one finger.

"One—you’re heartbroken, like now, and decide to leave."

"That’s not necessarily a bad choice. Living alone can be simple and freeing."

Then, a second finger.

"Two—you still can’t accept it, like now, so you compromise."

"Try to accept it, to compromise—because we’re already tangled up in a mess that can’t be cut or unraveled."

At this point, Fu Nanzhi couldn’t help but sigh, revealing that her calm exterior belied the turmoil within.

"This... this is..."

The words were undeniably bold, and Shu Yunyi’s eyes widened in shock.

Her thoughts wavered between resignation and reluctant defiance.