“Yuehua, he is drunk and not in his right mind. Whoever takes him home, he probably will not even know.”
“There is no need for me to go. I do not have time anyway.”
“Please take good care of him.”
After saying that, Zeng Xiaoya hung up the phone.
The film started.
Zhan Yue asked with concern, “What happened?”
“Senior Lin got drunk at the Supreme Bar. The bar staff called Yuehua, that young nurse who admires him. Then Yuehua called me, asking me to go and take Senior Lin home.”
“He got drunk, perhaps because of my repeated rejections. But I really cannot go to fetch him.”
“If I went, he would think I feel sorry for him, that I have softened, that he still has a chance. He would cling even more and refuse to let go. But I truly cannot return his feelings. I do not love him.”
Zhan Yue said, “You are doing the right thing. If you do not love him, do not give him hope. Since someone is going to pick him up, there is no need to worry about him.”
He would rather go himself in Zeng Xiaoya’s place than let her fetch Senior Lin home.
Zeng Xiaoya sighed. “Setting aside feelings, Senior Lin is genuinely a good person. He is hardworking and outstanding.”
“But he is not my type. I do not want to think about romance right now either.”
Having been hurt in love once, she was very cautious about relationships.
“I heard from Second Aunt that his family background is not great. His large extended family pooled resources to send only him to university. He is the most promising in his clan. Relatives and friends always turn to him for help with anything.”
“That cannot be blamed on him. No one can choose their birth family.”
“His family is like that. It was not his choice. It is not his fault. It is just that he has too much pressure and too many people to support. Most people would find that off-putting.”
Zeng Xiaoya said softly, “I cannot accept it either. It feels like marrying him would mean joining him in supporting the whole family in poverty. I just want someone I can talk to, someone who can support each other mutually, not a charity project.”
“Actually, this situation is something Senior Lin has allowed to happen. He always feels that since he has made something of himself, he should help his relatives. That way, his parents can hold their heads high.”
“Helping his own siblings when he can is fine. But he takes on far too much. There is no need to shoulder everything himself.”
“In the future, he will be exhausted.”
“Once he really settles down and starts a family, his wife may not be as tolerant of his relatives as he is. No matter how good-tempered a woman is, over time she would not be able to bear him taking everything upon himself.”
Zeng Xiaoya was very clear-headed.
She knew that if she ever got together with Senior Lin, his relatives would trouble her. They would use her connections to seek jobs or backdoor medical treatment.
If she helped, she would only create endless trouble for herself.
If she did not, his relatives would accuse her of being heartless and lacking family loyalty. Senior Lin would blame her too. He would not side with her. He would only choose his family.
Because she saw through this, Zeng Xiaoya had never considered Senior Lin.
“That is true. You have rejected him. Slowly, he will let go.”
After a moment of silence, Zeng Xiaoya said, “I do not know about him. I have work tomorrow. I do not have the energy to worry about him.”
“He sees you as a romantic rival and has caused you trouble. Mr Zhan, I am sorry. It is because of me that Senior Lin has targeted you.”
Zhan Yue smiled and said, “It is fine. I am not afraid of him. If he glares at me, I will not lose a piece of flesh.”
“He views me as a rival. I even feel honoured, because Doctor Zeng is wonderful and worth it.”
Zeng Xiaoya smiled. “I am not as good as you all say.”
“When he speaks nonsense about Mr Zhan, please do not take it to heart.”
