Chapter 543: Life is Not a Fairy Tale
Chapter 543: Life is Not a Fairy Tale
Zong Shimeng didn't really want to get involved in this matter, but seeing Shi Xinyu crying like a little kitten, she couldn't bear to leave her like that. She asked, "Xjiaxin, what do you think it would take to convince Tao Yong to give their relationship another chance?"
If Shi Xinyu had asked this question, Lu Jiaxin wouldn't have said a word. But since it was Zong Shimeng asking, her answer was quite different, "Unless she can get rid of all her bad habits and become more mature and stable, even if Tao Yong agrees to reconcile, they will still end up parting ways eventually."
"Shimeng, we have a saying in the mainland that goes, 'It's easier to change the river's course than a person's nature'. I think it's extremely difficult to change the flaws that have been cultivated over two decades." Zong Shimeng replied.
Zong Shimeng agreed with her, "Well, I've given my opinion. Whether she can change or not is up to her."
Shi Xinyu expressed her willingness to change, but Tao Yong didn't believe her and asked her to return to Star City sooner rather than later. Left with no choice, Shi Xinyu could only turn to Zong Shimeng and Lu Jiaxin for help once again.
Seeing the sincerity in Shi Xinyu's plea, Lu Jiaxin agreed to go shopping with her. Of course, they wouldn't be going alone—Zong Shimeng and Yu Meotong would be joining them as well.
When they met up, Lu Jiaxin was startled by Shi Xinyu's appearance. In the month and a half since they last met, she had lost a noticeable amount of weight. It seemed that while she was causing trouble for others, she was also causing trouble for herself.
Given Shi Xinyu's state, Lu Jiaxin didn't feel like going shopping anymore. Instead, they headed straight for a coffee shop and chose a seat in a quiet corner to chat.
Yu Meotong spoke up on Shi Xinyu's behalf, "Jiaxin, Hu Jie Fu has already spoken to Tao Yong, but he wouldn't listen. Now, our only hope is Nie Chen."
Seeing Shi Xinyu in such a state, Yu Meotong's heart softened despite knowing that she was at fault. While it was true that she had made mistakes, the fact that she recognized them and wanted to make amends prompted Yu Meotong to lend a helping hand.
Lu Jiaxin didn't respond to this statement. Instead, she turned to Shi Xinyu and asked, "Love is not a game, and marriage is an even more serious matter. When you were dating, you would threaten to break up at the slightest hint of dissatisfaction. Now that you're married, can you guarantee that you won't resort to divorce at the first sign of unhappiness? You should know that saying the word 'breakup' too often hurts the relationship. After a while, the other party might start to think that breaking up is a good idea, that it's less exhausting."
Shi Xinyu quickly interjected, "I know, I will change, I promise."
Lu Jiaxin didn't think she could change, but she kept this thought to herself. Seeing how Shi Xinyu had already pushed herself to such a state, she didn't want to say anything too harsh that might push her over the edge—a responsibility she didn't want to bear.
Zong Shimeng spoke up, "Jiaxin, I think Xinyu is truly determined to change this time. Let's help her!"
She asked her husband to plead on Shi Xinyu's behalf, but he returned with the news that Tao Yong was not willing to reconsider. Knowing her husband's personality, Zong Shimeng suspected that he hadn't put much effort into the plea as he himself didn't like Shi Xinyu and preferred that they stay separated. However, Nie Zhan was a different story. If he agreed to Jiaxin's request to intervene, he would definitely put in sincere effort to reconcile the couple.
After some thought, Lu Jiaxin turned to Shi Xinyu and asked, "Are you envious that not only is Nie Zhan gentle and considerate, always accommodating to me, but he also gave me shares worth several hundred million?"
Zong Shimeng felt that Lu Jiaxin's question was too direct, so she lightened the mood by jokingly responding, "Forget about Xinyu, even Meotong and I are envious!"
Yu Meotong joined in with a laugh, "Don't just talk about the two of us, every woman in Hong Kong City wishes for a fairy tale boyfriend like Nie Zhan. Alas, we don't all have that kind of luck."
This way of phrasing it avoided putting Shi Xinyu in an awkward position.
Both Zong Shimeng and Yu Meotong had responded, but Shi Xinyu, the main person they were talking about, remained silent.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "Actually, I met Nie Zhan before I came to Hong Kong. He was representing Wan Sheng Bank in a project negotiation back in the mainland. At that time, I was in poor health and didn't have any money. Fortunately, I happened to come across a couple of antiques, so I thought I'd try my luck with a Hong Kong businessman given their reputation for having deep pockets."
It turned out that they were staying at the same hotel."
She had never mentioned this before, and Zong Shimeng and the others had no idea.
Shiyuyu listened with a dreamy expression on her face. "Your encounter was so romantic. As for me and Tao Yong, we first met at a gathering and barely exchanged a few words."
Yu Meotong also chimed in with a curious expression, "I didn't know you knew each other that early on. What happened after that? Was it love at first sight, and then you missed your chance?"
Lu Jiaxin rolled her eyes, "I was so poor back then that I couldn't even afford to take care of my health. You can imagine what state I was in. Do you think Nie Zhan would fall in love at first sight with a pale and skinny girl like me?"
Zong Shimeng recalled something upon hearing this, "I remember when Mr. Nie celebrated his birthday a few years ago, Nie Zhan gave him an ancient painting called 'Xianshou Tu'. That painting was bought from the mainland. Jiaxin, did Nie Zhan buy that painting from you?"
"Yes, he bought it from me, but it was through his secretary. He didn't show up in person."
It was common for bosses to delegate minor tasks like purchasing items to their secretaries; otherwise, they would be exhausted from handling everything themselves. Zong Shimeng asked, "So, you didn't meet him then?"
Lu Jiaxin replied, "I saw him when I was having a meal on the first floor of the hotel. He walked past me, surrounded by a group of bodyguards."
"Because he was so handsome, I couldn't help but take a few extra glances. Feng Ge, my previous bodyguard, thought I liked him and advised me that we were from different worlds."
Zong Shimeng was surprised, "Didn't Nie Zhan even glance at you? That's hard to believe!"
Why was she so skeptical?
Lu Jiaxin laughed, "I've never mentioned this to Nie Zhan, and if you ask him, he definitely won't have any impression of it. It's not his fault, though. I was in terrible shape back then, and it took me a year to get my health back on track. When I went to Wan Sheng Estate in Hong Kong City, even his secretary didn't recognize me as the same person."
Shiyuyu, upon hearing that she had gone to Wan Sheng Estate, asked curiously, "Jiaxin, does that mean you fell in love with Mr. Nie at first sight?"
Lu Jiaxin felt that the thought processes of wealthy young ladies were quite similar, "Shiyuyu, life isn't a fairy tale. I was weakened and knew that if I didn't take care of my health, I might not live past thirty. At that time, I was only focused on selling the ancient painting for a good price so that I could find a doctor to treat my health. I didn't have time for romantic distractions. The reason I looked at Nie Zhan a few more times was simply because he was handsome, and it's only natural to appreciate beautiful things."
Yu Meotong agreed with this sentiment, "Shiyuyu, if Jiaxin had truly fallen in love with Nie Zhan at first sight, Mr. Nie wouldn't have taken a year to pursue her and win her over."
Shiyuyu wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words.
Lu Jiaxin continued, "What Nie Zhan fell in love with was the healthier, more beautiful, and independent version of me. And I only agreed to be with him when I was sure that he truly liked me."
In reality, it was a mutual attraction. She was willing to give the relationship a chance because Nie Zhan was handsome, wealthy, and took love seriously. If he had been a playboy, she wouldn't have given him the time of day. Of course, there were cases of love at first sight that led to happy marriages, but those were the exceptions. Most of the time, love at first sight was simply physical attraction. Once the novelty wore off, it might be time to part ways.
Zong Shimeng spoke with a wise tone, "Shiyuyu, the reason Jiaxin is telling you this is that life isn't a fairy tale, and relationships require effort to maintain. If you want your marriage with Tao Yong to last, you need to understand and accommodate him. If you continue acting like you did in the past, even if you two are technically married, you won't find happiness."
(End of Chapter)
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