Even if a person loses their memory, the essence of their being will not change.
He completely disregarded Shen Yan.
And everything unfolded as he had anticipated. Shen Yue walked towards him, but her gaze was fixed on Shen Yan, watching the youth's transformation from hopeful expectation to crushing disappointment.
The fingers of her hand, hanging by her side, twitched. For a fleeting moment, she felt an impulse to embrace the boy.
Lu Jin seemed to see through her thoughts. In that instant, he felt his supposed control begin to slip from its track. He raised a hand and grasped her shoulder, the force so immense it felt as though he intended to crush it.
Shen Yue blinked, her eyes becoming moist. Tears dotted her eyelashes, shimmering like tiny diamonds, stinging the observer's eyes.
He leaned in, staring at Shen Yue's face, his expression intimate, as if they were the most devoted lovers in the world. Yet, his tone was sinister, "Be good. Don't make me angry."
Shen Yue lowered her long, thick eyelashes, a silent acquiescence.
Disappointment and anger coiled around Shen Yan's nerves and reason like a man-eating net, a raging inferno burning through his limbs and bones.
The man prepared to take Shen Yue away.
As they walked out the door and were about to descend the stairs, Shen Yan let out a soft chuckle. Shen Yue's footsteps faltered.
She didn't turn back, only hearing the boy's voice behind her, laced with undisguised mockery and sarcasm.
"Shen Yue, aren't you a slut?"
Even without seeing the boy's expression, one could imagine his fair, handsome face contorted with derision and contempt.
Shen Yue lowered her head and silently responded, "Yes."
So, please don't feel sad or angry for someone like her.
Shen Yue left, walking away with that man.
Shen Yan clenched his fists, his veins bulging, as if he were desperately trying to suppress his rage.
A burnt smell wafted from the kitchen. Shen Yan stood motionless, a searing pain tearing through his heart. His vision blurred, instantly veiled by a misty haze.
Upon returning, Shi Juan saw her usually arrogant and sensible son, the one who wouldn't complain even if his head was broken or his leg fractured, squatting at the doorway and crying. The eighteen-year-old boy looked like a child, his grievances evident as tears slowly dripped down.
He remained squatting at the door, and passersby on the stairs cast him curious glances, startled by his display.
This greatly alarmed Shi Juan, who feared something serious had happened. She hurried over and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you crying like this?"
He looked at his mother, his lips trembling. Before he could speak, he began to sob.
Shi Juan grew frantic, "Oh, what is it? Are you deliberately trying to kill me with worry?"
Shen Yan, who was usually very concerned with his image and even a bit chauvinistic, was now crying so hard he couldn't even speak.
His voice hoarse, he cried like a child who had made a mistake, repeatedly murmuring, "The food is burnt, and I haven't eaten yet..."
This time, Shi Juan smelled the burnt odor from the kitchen and felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. "You child, if the food is burnt, it's burnt. Just throw it away and cook something else. Why are you crying like this, trying to scare me to death?"
Shen Yan sobbed, his shoulders shaking, a quivering sound emanating from his throat.
Shi Juan pulled the boy inside, preventing him from squatting at the door and looking foolish. She gently consoled him, "Alright, alright. You're almost an adult, why are you still like a child? If it's burnt, we'll make it again, okay? Don't cry anymore."
The boy whimpered, it was unclear if he was listening.
—
Shen Yue was taken by Lu Jin to a nearby hotel.
As soon as they got out of the car, Lu Jin silently pulled her along and up. This hotel was likely one of his properties, as no registration was required. Shen Yue was dragged directly into a suite.
The door slammed shut with a bang. Shen Yue was unceremoniously thrown onto the bed.
He hadn't controlled his strength, and Shen Yue hit the headboard with a dull thud, causing her to instinctively curl up, clutching her head.
Lu Jin, regaining a semblance of clarity, quickly grabbed Shen Yue's hand. "Where did you hit yourself? Let me see."
Shen Yue lacked his strength, and her slender hands were instantly pulled away. Lu Jin frowned as he touched the back of Shen Yue's head, where a small bump had formed.
His tone became urgent.
"Does it hurt? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
He heard the man's hasty apologies, filled with guilt, as if he were deeply concerned and helpless.
Shen Yue remained silent, not meeting his gaze. She turned her face to stare at a point in the void. She was so thin, her collarbones slightly sunken, possessing a delicate and fragile beauty.
Lu Jin continued to talk at length but received no response. He suppressed his anger and dissatisfaction, trying to convey his hidden grievances in a calm tone.
"I called you so many times, and you didn't answer. I thought you had run away, which is why I was so angry. If you were going back to your hometown, you could have just told me. I wouldn't have stopped you."
With a few words, he positioned himself as the victim, feigning vulnerability before Shen Yue, as if that could somehow offset his egregious and excessive actions outside.
Shen Yue closed her eyes.
Once again treated as if she were invisible, Lu Jin endured the situation. Soon, his attention was captivated by Shen Yue's long, fair, and delicate neck, its lines exceptionally beautiful. Beneath the thin skin, the bluish-green veins were like sweet and sour plums.
The faint fragrance from her nose tempted him to taste.
Lu Jin's breathing gradually deepened, and his fingers clutched her fragile neck. His hot breath seemed to scorch the small patch of skin, threatening to melt it.
Just as he was about to kiss that skin, Shen Yue pushed him away forcefully. Lu Jin was completely unprepared, his being thrust back abruptly and without warning.
Lu Jin looked at his empty hands, his expression suddenly darkening, like a sky heavy with the threat of an oncoming storm.
"Didn't I tell you?" he said, pressing Shen Yue's shoulders, pinning her slender figure to the bed. He stared intensely at the stiffened Shen Yue, his gaze filled with the anger of being ignored. "You are not allowed to refuse me!"
Shen Yue, usually compliant, struggled today, her hands and feet flailing, her resistance particularly fierce.
But he easily subdued her.
Lu Jin could no longer hold back. He wasn't known for his good temper, and the fire in his heart burned intensely. He tightened his grip, not even noticing Shen Yue's shoulder creaking under the pressure. He then grabbed Shen Yue's neck and bit down hard without hesitation.
Shen Yue, caught completely off guard, let out a muffled cry of pain, struggling with all her might, but Lu Jin's palm held her fast.