Volume One, Chapter 14: Lin Zhiwan Arrives at Song Jinhe’s Residence

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Lin Zhiwan rang the doorbell, and soon the door was opened. Song Jinhe wore a brown wool dress, her wavy hair cascading down her back, radiating a sensual charm.

“Welcome! Please come in!”

Lin Zhiwan handed over the bottle of red wine she had brought.

“Thank you for lending me your coat today.”

“You’re welcome. I made steak for dinner; your wine pairs perfectly with it.”

Song Jinhe warmly welcomed Lin Zhiwan inside.

“Feel free to look around; I’ll go to the kitchen to let the wine breathe.”

“Alright.”

Lin Zhiwan took in the apartment. Song Jinhe lived just one floor above her. Their layouts were identical, located in the best building of the complex, boasting a 270-degree balcony that offered breathtaking views of the river.

“This apartment was a gift from my husband,” Song Jinhe said as she emerged from the kitchen, carrying two glasses of red wine.

Lin Zhiwan accepted a glass.

“Thank you. It’s clear your husband loves you very much. You must have a strong relationship.”

Song Jinhe raised her glass, took a sip, then smiled wryly.

“You misunderstood. We’re divorced.”

Lin Zhiwan was taken aback.

“Sorry! I thought…”

“It’s alright!” Song Jinhe waved her hand. “We parted on good terms.”

She invited Lin Zhiwan to sit on the balcony. “We had a child before marriage. After the birth, I didn’t want to be confined to the home, so I applied to study abroad. Though he was reluctant, he respected my decision. He believed that at my age, I should pursue my dreams and see more of the world.”

Lin Zhiwan studied the woman before her. They were of similar age but led completely different lives.

She realized then that truly loving someone doesn’t mean clipping their wings to keep them close; true love is willingly letting go so they can soar higher.

Lin Zhiwan felt more deeply than ever that Fu Yanzhou had never truly loved her.

She raised her glass and swallowed the bitterness lodged in her heart.

“To have a partner like that is truly fortunate.”

Song Jinhe set down her glass, her slender knuckles tapping lightly against the rim. Her eyes quietly studied the fleeting loneliness flickering across Lin Zhiwan’s face.

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A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved Song Jinhe’s lips, quickly masked thereafter.

“Yes, sometimes I even feel that leaving them—my ex-husband and child—was selfish. But after I left the country, my ex remarried. After all, the child needs care, and he’s a man with his own needs.”

Lin Zhiwan nearly choked on her wine, coughing uncontrollably.

“Are you alright?” Song Jinhe handed her a tissue.

“Thank you, I’m fine.”

Though her coughing subsided, Lin Zhiwan remained stunned by Song Jinhe’s words. Her ex-husband had remarried? The man who had once loved Song Jinhe dearly had married another woman? Just to have someone care for their child? Just to satisfy his own male needs? And what about the poor woman he married?

“You…” Lin Zhiwan frowned. “Now that you’ve returned, do your ex-husband and his new wife know about your relationship?”

As mere neighbors, Lin Zhiwan didn’t want to be too harsh.

Song Jinhe observed Lin Zhiwan’s reaction keenly. She masked her amusement and pride behind the act of sipping her wine.

“They probably don’t. He said he would handle things properly and give me and the child some explanation.”

Lin Zhiwan’s frown deepened, and she placed her glass on the table, her voice growing tense.

“Shouldn’t you be the one to explain to that young lady? Have you ever thought about the hurt you’re causing that innocent girl? Sacrificing someone else’s youth to fulfill your own love—isn’t that selfish?”

Realizing her words might have been harsh, Lin Zhiwan softened. Perhaps it was because both struggled in loveless marriages, she empathized deeply with the woman kept in the dark.

Lin Zhiwan stood.

“Sorry, I think I’ve had too much to drink. Thank you for your hospitality. Goodbye.”

She pushed back her chair and left Song Jinhe’s apartment.

On the balcony, Song Jinhe gazed out at the moonlight shimmering over the still river surface. But who could tell what turbulent currents churned beneath?

She chuckled softly, downing her wine in one gulp. Her delicate face bore a look of unwavering determination.

Whether it was Fu Yanzhou or Xu Wenjun’s doctoral position, she would have them both.

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Returning to her own apartment, Lin Zhiwan’s mood remained unsettled. An unspoken fury roared within her. She wasn’t one to meddle, yet hearing Song Jinhe’s story made calm impossible. She could already imagine how shattered that poor woman would be if she ever learned the truth.

But there was so much injustice in the world; so many with twisted values. It was best not to involve herself in others’ affairs.

Lin Zhiwan resolved to keep her distance from Miss Song in the future.

She made herself a bowl of noodles, then turned to review the materials on Mr. Qiao’s collection. The auction was imminent, and she needed to prepare thoroughly.

Wang Xueying soon located Lin Zhiwan’s residence.

Upon learning that Lin Zhiwan lived at Riverside Tide, right below Song Jinhe, Fu Yanzhou’s fleeting guilt vanished completely, replaced by anger and disdain.

This woman was still the same as before, obsessed with jealousy and rivalry.

Now she even discovered the apartment he had prepared for Jinhe—and was living just downstairs.

The thought that Lin Zhiwan might disturb Song Jinhe made Fu Yanzhou restless.

Grabbing his coat, he left the office and drove straight to Riverside Tide.

Snow began to fall unnoticed as the silver Bentley weaved swiftly through rush-hour traffic.

His mind was consumed with worry for Song Jinhe’s safety.

In his view, Lin Zhiwan was fixated solely on love and jealousy—she even grew jealous of his assistant Wang Xueying.

Now that she knew Jinhe had returned, given her temperament, if she discovered his relationship with Jinhe, who knew what she might do?

With that thought, Fu Yanzhou pressed harder on the accelerator.

He called Song Jinhe, informing her that Lin Zhiwan was living just below her. He promised to remove Lin Zhiwan as soon as possible, ensuring she wouldn’t be disturbed.

Over the phone, Song Jinhe’s voice was gentle.

“So, she is your wife!”

Fu Yanzhou deftly steered the car, glancing at his phone.

“You’ve met?”

“Yes. She came over tonight and left about an hour ago.”