Jin Hanshuang's secret surprised Lu Yunshu.
She frowned, "Who scolded you? Why did they scold you?"
Her expression was so serious, as if she was ready to seek justice for her right then and there.
Jin Hanshuang, on the other hand, was amused by her reaction and gently patted her arm, "It's okay, it's all in the past."
She spoke with a sense of openness, truly not caring anymore.
After all, it's been over ten years, what couldn't be overcome?
But Lu Yunshu cared.
She looked at her intently, her eyes seemingly filled with a hint of heartache.
"You cared a lot that day, you were clearly a bit unhappy."
Jin Hanshuang didn't deny it, "Who can be happy after being scolded?"
Lu Yunshu asked again, "Who was it?"
Jin Hanshuang met her gaze, silent.
Actually, this topic was crossing a boundary for them.
Just like when Lu Yunshu asked her why she married Shen Minghai, the Lu family was prying into the Shen family's affairs.
But this time, she didn't refuse Lu Yunshu's overstepping.
A name floated in her mind.
"It was Wenxin's father, my late husband."
Lu Yunshu was slightly stunned, "Why did he..."
Jin Hanshuang smiled gently and looked away, walking slowly forward, "Because I took the liberty of asking for Wenxin's leave. Because at that time, to the Shen family... I was still an outsider."
What did marriage mean? Even after marriage, she was still an outsider.
How could an outsider make such an important decision for the family's child during a crucial period?
What if the child's grades fell behind because of missing that day's progress?
What if the child lost to the Lu family's child because of it?
What if the child didn't get into University A?
âCould you take responsibility for that?!
Jin Hanshuang still felt a lingering fear when she recalled the day Shen Minghai scolded her.
It wasn't the scolding she feared.
It was Shen Minghai's words: Can you guarantee her entire life?!
Those words were as heavy as a mountain, pressing down on her.
She was young at the time, still figuring out the rules of society, yet she was expected to be responsible for a child's entire life.
This child was raised by the Shen family, representing the future of Minghai Jewelry. If she made a single misstep, could she take responsibility for her future?
"Does she even deserve it?"
At that time, the coldness seeped into her bones, and fear swallowed her voice, leaving her unable to retort.
But she just wanted to give the child a moment to breathe...
"Being responsible for another person's life, those words are truly terrifying..."
Jin Hanshuang looked towards the distant alleyway, her gaze deep, as if she had traveled back in time to that day.
She was still the young, powerless Jin Hanshuang, unable to argue back.
"Who am I to casually guarantee another person's life?"
"Luckily, I don't have children, and I don't have to raise children. Raising children is the most troublesome."
Shen Minghai's words made her realize how heavy the responsibility of another person's future was, and she felt deeply afraid.
Who was she to be responsible for someone else's future?
Whoever wants to have children can have them, but she wouldn't, and she couldn't anyway.
Lu Yunshu spoke, "What about Shen Wenxin...?"
"She's an exception."
Mentioning Shen Wenxin, Jin Hanshuang's expression softened.
"Wenxin is different. She's grown up, she's very smart, sensible, and filial. She doesn't need us to take care of her all the time, and she knows what she wants."
"She likes me as her stepmother, and I like her as well."
"Our Wenxin is really cool. She doesn't need me to be responsible for her future; she will bravely pursue the life she wants."
"And she even speaks up for me."
"If she hadn't told her dad that she wanted to live with me, I wouldn't have had much chance to stay. I would have probably been sent back to the Shen family immediately."
Lu Yunshu was stunned for a moment and asked, "Was it the same during university?"
She and Shen Wenxin both got into University A, and unfortunately, they ended up at the same school, even in the same department.
There was no choice; University A was the top school, and it was local. Their fathers needed them to stay local to inherit the company.
At that time, she lived on campus, while Shen Wenxin lived off-campus.
Jin Hanshuang also lived off-campus and would come to pick up Shen Wenxin from school every day.
Because of this, she saw Jin Hanshuang many times.
Jin Hanshuang said, "Ah... more or less."
Lu Yunshu: "Hmm?"
Jin Hanshuang smiled, "I didn't want to stay at the Shen family, so I had Wenxin tell her dad to let me continue taking care of her."
Lu Yunshu instantly understood.
So, she had to thank Shen Wenxin for speaking up, giving her the chance to meet Jin Hanshuang during university.
The night breeze blew gently, and Jin Hanshuang's voice was also gentle, "Wenxin is a good child."
She turned to look at Lu Yunshu, her eyes curved, "Yunshu is too."
"You too," Lu Yunshu said.
Jin Hanshuang blinked, "Hmm?"
Lu Yunshu leaned closer, her voice as gentle as the night breeze, "Even when her father criticized you, you didn't give up on making Shen Wenxin happy... Our Hanshuang is truly a kind person."
Shen Wenxin's smile that day and everything Shen Wenxin gave Jin Hanshuang today were the best rewards for Jin Hanshuang.
Hearing this, Jin Hanshuang suddenly laughed, "Yes, I think so too, I'm really good."
She couldn't be responsible for Shen Wenxin's entire life, but she at least preserved Shen Wenxin's happiness for a weekend.
The two of them looked at each other, their smiles gentle.
They chatted aimlessly about many things.
Lu Yunshu asked why she suddenly helped Shen Wenxin take a leave of absence back then.
Jin Hanshuang smiled again and said, "It's a secret."
She said, "It's Wenxin's secret."
During that time, Shen Wenxin was in a low mood, as if something was weighing on her, making it hard for her to breathe.
The night before asking for leave, Jin Hanshuang accidentally saw Shen Wenxin hiding in her room, crying silently because she was too tired.
Shen Wenxin was sitting at her desk, writing her papers while crying, her shoulders trembling, not even willing to cry out loud.
Through the crack in the door, she saw a child's silent vulnerability.
She thought of Shen Minghai's demands on this child, the heavy burden on her shoulders, and she felt it was so heavy, a weight even she, as an adult, found hard to bear.
So, she gathered a bit of courage.
Let's rest first.
We'll talk after resting.
Grades are important, but so is mental and physical health...
Shen Wenxin and Lu Yunshu both cared a lot about their image in front of each other, so she didn't tell Lu Yunshu about this, to save face for her Wenxin.
Jin Hanshuang didn't say, and Lu Yunshu wouldn't ask further.
"You and Shen Wenxin have a really good relationship."
"Of course," Jin Hanshuang laughed, "Our Wenxin said she would be my retirement insurance."
The orange light fell on her face, illuminating her bright eyes.
Still beautiful, still captivating.
Lu Yunshu gently curved her eyes and suddenly said, "This time you didn't say I crossed the line."
Jin Hanshuang responded, "Hmm."
Her eyes curved, her tone open-minded, "Didn't we say we are friends?"
Hearing this, Lu Yunshu's heart blossomed with joy.
Although it wasn't the relationship she most hoped for, hearing Jin Hanshuang say this still made her very happy.
Happy and unable to resist pushing her luck a bit further.
"We can also meet up more often when we're free."
"Hmm?"
"Friends meeting up, going out together, what's wrong with that?"
So serious, so reasonable, so irrefutable.
Jin Hanshuang couldn't help but laugh, "Right, very right, let's just say it like that."
Jin Hanshuang agreed.
Lu Yunshu's eyes curved into crescents.
The bright moon hung high, and the night breeze rustled through the treetops.
The wind and moonlight rustled above them, just like every night they had sat side by side watching the stars.
But this time, they were a little closer.
"Let's just say it like that."