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墨書 Inktalez
Los Angeles International Airport was bustling with people.
Su Yuyan dragged her suitcase, weary as she stepped out of the arrivals hall. After more than ten hours of flying, her face looked haggard, and her eyes were bloodshot.
"Aunt Su!" A familiar voice called out from a distance.
Su Yuyan looked up to see Zhang Zihao waving at her.
"Zihao, thank you for your trouble," Su Yuyan managed a strained smile.
"Don’t mention it." Zhang Zihao took her luggage and led her toward the parking lot. "You must be exhausted. Close your eyes for a bit in the car; we should reach the hotel in about half an hour."
"I’ve arranged a room next to Su Yao’s."
"No need, I can share a room with Su Yao. By the way, does she know you’re here to pick me up?" Su Yuyan asked.
Zhang Zihao paused slightly in his steps. "Don’t worry, Auntie, I didn’t tell her."
"Good." Su Yuyan replied briefly.
On the way, Zhang Zihao occasionally glanced at Su Yuyan's expression. "Auntie, are you alright?"
"Not really." Su Yuyan leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes to rest. Her tone was cold. "Su Yao is involved in an inappropriate relationship; I have to stop her."
Zhang Zihao felt a surge of excitement. "Auntie, if there’s anything I can help with, just let me know."
At the Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Su Yao nestled in Lin Yue's arms. "We can't keep this from my mom for too long; I want to tell her soon."
Lin Yue gently stroked her hair. "Alright, we’ll face it together."
Su Yao tilted her head up to meet Lin Yue's kiss.
Suddenly—
"Ding dong"—the doorbell rang, breaking the warmth of the moment.
Su Yao sat up straight, her heart racing. "So early, who could it be?"
"I'll check," Lin Yue began to rise.
"I'll go," Su Yao said, pulling her back as she walked toward the door. Peering through the peephole, she saw Zhang Zihao standing outside.
She frowned slightly and opened the door. "Zhang Shao? What’s the matter?"
Before she finished speaking, Su Yuyan appeared behind Zhang Zihao.
"Mom?!" Su Yao stepped back in shock, her eyes wide.
Hearing Su Yao call out "Mom," Lin Yue immediately stood up from the sofa.
Su Yuyan ignored them and walked straight into the room. When she saw Lin Yue standing in the middle of the living room, her face turned pale instantly.
The handsome face that resembled Lin Zhihong's youth and the innate superior aura of Shangguan Yun made it clear to Su Yuyan that this person was their child.
Her body swayed slightly, and both Su Yao and Zhang Zihao hurried forward to support her until she steadied herself.
"Mom, why did you come suddenly?" Su Yao snapped back to reality and asked hurriedly.
Su Yuyan fixed her gaze on Lin Yue as if seeing the person who had betrayed her over twenty years ago. "You are Lin Yue?"
Lin Yue bowed politely. "Hello, Aunt Su, I am Lin Yue. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you."
"A pleasure?" Su Yuyan scoffed coldly. "Does anyone from the Lin family feel pleasure upon seeing me?"
The atmosphere in the room turned tense instantly, as if electricity crackled in the air.
"Mom!" Su Yao stepped forward to stand between Lin Yue and her mother. "Please calm down."
"Calm down? How can I calm down?" Su Yuyan raised her voice by several octaves. "You’re entangled with someone from the Lin family behind my back; how can I possibly calm down?"
She turned to her daughter, her voice filled with hurt and anger. "Yao Yao, what exactly is your relationship with that Lin family member?"
Su Yao stepped closer to Lin Yue, mustering the courage to hold her hand. "Mom, we are dating."
The words detonated in the room like a bomb.
Su Yuyan's face turned pale instantly, as if she had been slapped hard.
"What did you say?" Her voice was hoarse, as if someone had choked her.
"We're in love, truly in love." Su Yao straightened her back, her voice firm.
"In love?" Su Yuyan scoffed. "The Lin family only knows how to toy with feelings; they don't understand what true love is!"
She strode forward and grabbed Su Yao's wrist. "Come back with me, right now!"
"Mom!" Su Yao struggled. "Please let me explain!"
Lin Yue stepped forward. "Aunt Su, please calm down. Let's sit down and talk this through."
"Shut up!" Su Yuyan snapped, fire blazing in her eyes. "I don't need to say a word to anyone from the Lin family!"
Zhang Zihao stood by, watching the family drama unfold with a slight smirk.
"Mom, I'm not going." Su Yao broke free from her mother's grip and stood firmly beside Lin Yue.
Su Yuyan took a step back, disbelief etched on her face as she looked at her daughter. "Yao Yao, are you really ignoring your mother's words for this Lin family member?"
Her eyes reddened. "Is this the power of the Lin family? Just a few words can make my daughter betray me?"
"Mom, it's not like that." Su Yao explained urgently. "I haven't betrayed you; I just—"
"Enough!" Su Yuyan interrupted. "I need to talk to you alone, now!"
Lin Yue gently squeezed Su Yao's hand and whispered, "It's okay. I'll wait for you in the lobby, alright?"
Su Yao looked at Lin Yue reluctantly, worry filling her eyes.
Lin Yue offered her a comforting smile. "Go on, have a good talk with Auntie. I'll be downstairs."
She turned to Su Yuyan and politely nodded. "Aunt Su, I’ll take my leave now."
Seeing this, Zhang Zihao also took the hint and followed suit out of the room. "I'll step out too; just let me know if you need anything."
As the door closed, only Su Yuyan and Su Yao remained in the room.
"Mom, Lin Yue has already told me about her father and you," Su Yao said, looking directly into her mother's eyes.
Su Yuyan's expression changed dramatically. "What did she tell you?"
"She said that you and Uncle Lin were once in love but eventually parted ways," Su Yao replied calmly. "Mom, that's in the past; it shouldn't affect my relationship with Lin Yue."
"Hah!" Su Yuyan let out a sharp cold laugh. "Is that what she told you?"
She sank onto the sofa, her gaze hollow. "Did she tell you how Lin Zhihong promised me eternal love? Did she tell you we even planned to elope?"
Su Yao sat beside her mother and gently held her hand. "Mom, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to bring up old wounds."
Su Yuyan smiled bitterly. "This isn't just an old wound; it's the deepest pain I've carried for over twenty years—my greatest shame as a woman!"
She tightened her grip on her daughter's hand. "Do you know how I felt? The media suddenly reported Lin Zhihong's engagement to Shangguan Yun; everyone was laughing at me for trying to climb the social ladder of the Lin family."
"And what about Lin Zhihong? He didn't even offer an explanation; he just vanished from my life."
Su Yao had never seen her mother so vulnerable before; she hugged her tightly. "Mom, I'm so sorry you've gone through all of this."
Su Yuyan lifted her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "So do you understand now? Why I absolutely cannot allow you to have any ties with anyone from the Lin family?"
"Mom, Lin Yue is not like her father," Su Yao said softly.
Su Yuyan let out a cold laugh. "She is from the Lin family; she must be just as selfish and cold-blooded at her core!"
"No, she is not that kind of person," Su Yao said firmly. "Lin Yue has sacrificed a lot for me; she truly loves me."
Su Yuyan scoffed, "People from the Lin family only think about their own interests. They don’t understand what true love is!"
"Mom, Lin Yue doesn’t care about her parents' objections. She insists on being with me," Su Yao replied.
"That sounds nice now, but what will happen when the family really puts pressure on you?" Su Yuyan said coldly.
"Lin Yue has already made her stance clear to her family," Su Yao insisted.
A flicker of surprise crossed Su Yuyan's eyes, quickly turning into doubt. "In the end, isn’t it all the same?" She stood up and began pacing. "I know the Lin family well; what they value most is family interests and social standing."
"Moreover," she paused, "do you know? Lin Yue is betrothed to the daughter of the Jiang family. The marriage alliance between the Lin and Jiang families has been arranged by the three major families long ago."
"I know; Lin Yue has already told me."
Su Yuyan looked at her daughter in disbelief. "You still want to be with her knowing this?"
Su Yuyan shook her head. "You naive child, when it comes to making a real choice, will she choose you or her family?"
Su Yao fell silent, unsure how to comfort her mother’s long-standing pain.
Su Yuyan's expression suddenly turned desolate. "Yao Yao, being betrayed by the one you love is a pain you can never imagine."
She walked to the window and gazed out at the cityscape. "I won’t let you repeat my mistakes; we are going back to our country tomorrow."
"Mom!" Su Yao exclaimed anxiously.
"There’s no room for negotiation! When we return, you will focus on your acting, and we’ll discuss everything else later," Su Yuyan turned around, her tone resolute.
Taking a deep breath, Su Yao decided to take a roundabout approach. "Alright, Mom. We’ll go back tomorrow, but could you please rest for a bit? You look too tired."
"Yao Yao," Su Yuyan fixed her gaze on her daughter’s eyes. "Promise me you won’t see Lin Yue again."
Su Yao avoided her mother’s gaze. "Mom, I’m going to find Zhang Zihao to arrange our return trip."
With that, she hurried out of the room.
Lin Yue sat in a corner of the hotel lobby, anxiously waiting for Su Yao.
When she saw Su Yao exit the elevator, she immediately stood up to greet her. "How did it go?"
Su Yao forced a smile and shook her head. "Mom insists I go back with her tomorrow."
Lin Yue's expression changed. "So soon?"
"I just agreed to go back with Mom so she would calm down a bit," Su Yao sighed.
Lin Yue grasped her hand tightly. "I understand; you go with your aunt back home first. I’ll take care of things here as quickly as possible and then come back to find you."
Su Yao leaned against Lin Yue's shoulder. "I’m sorry for putting you through so much trouble."
"Fool, don’t say that," Lin Yue gently brushed her hair aside. "None of this matters as long as I can be with you."
Not far away, Zhang Zihao silently watched this scene, jealousy and unwillingness flashing in his eyes.
Lin Yue and Su Yao reluctantly said their goodbyes.
"I’ll be back home soon; wait for me," Lin Yue lightly kissed Su Yao's forehead.
Su Yao nodded, her eyes filled with reluctance. "I will wait for you no matter how long it takes."
She watched as Lin Yue left the hotel until her figure disappeared from sight.
Just as she was about to return to her room, she saw Zhang Zihao approaching with a cheerful smile.
"Zhang Shao, I was just about to look for you."
"What can I do for you?"
"I need you to arrange for my return to the country tomorrow," Su Yao said wearily.
"Not a problem, I'll take care of it right away," Zhang Zihao replied cheerfully.
The two returned to their respective rooms.
Zhang Zihao dialed Jiang Rou's number.
"Hello, Miss Jiang," his voice was filled with a hint of schadenfreude, "I have some good news for you."
"What good news?"
"Su Yuyan is here," Zhang Zihao chuckled, "She just met with Lin Yue."
"What was Su Yuyan's attitude?"
"Of course, she was furious," Zhang Zihao laughed, "She insists on taking Su Yao back home immediately, saying she won't allow her daughter to be with anyone from the Lin family."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Jiang Rou's eyes: "What about Su Yao? Does she agree to go back?"
"She has compromised and asked me to prepare a plane for her to leave tomorrow."
"And Lin Yue?" Jiang Rou asked anxiously.
"That depends on your skills, Miss Jiang, whether you can keep Lin Yue here."
Jiang Rou chuckled lightly: "Alright, if there are any changes with Su Yao, let me know immediately."
After hanging up, Jiang Rou sent a message to Lin Yue: Lin Yue, where are you? We are all very worried about you!
Lin Yue did not reply but instead sent a message to Lu Chen: Brother Chen, I have something important to tell you.
Soon, Lu Chen replied: What happened? Jiang Rou has been looking for you and can't get in touch with you.
Lin Yue smiled wryly: Let's talk in person.
In Su Yao's suite, Su Yuyan lay exhausted on the bed, listening to the sound of water running from the bathroom.
She closed her eyes as memories surged like a tide—
That rainy night when Lin Zhihong made promises to her;
That chance encounter when Lin Zhihong held Shangguan Yun's hand and ignored her;
That lonely night when she made mistakes...
"I will never let history repeat itself," she murmured, "Even if it means hurting you, I won't allow you to follow in my footsteps, Yao Yao."
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