LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 952 To forge a new path
952 To forge a new path
Seated defeated on a bench, Shui stared at her painting that hung on the wall with a vacant gaze. The number of guests visiting the gallery was steadily declining as the day was coming to an end and few and few people passed by her now.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Xinyi smiling at her. "What are you doing here all alone? Zhiyuan was looking for you."
"Ah…nothing," she smiled back. "I was looking at my painting from a guest's perspective rather than an artist's."
Xinyi stared at her pale expression and asked, "Did something happen, Shui?"
"Huh? What would happen?" Shui lied. "Oh don't worry, Mom. It's just the painting that makes me emotional sometimes, haha."
She knitted her brows, understanding that Shui was definitely keeping something from her.
She pulled her head against her stomach and softly said, "Don't overwhelm yourself, okay? We are all ready to leave. Come by when you are ready."
I will give her some space and ask about it later…
Is it related to Jin again? Xinyi couldn't help but wonder.
"Mm. I have something to discuss with the director and will then quickly come back."
Xinyi softly pinched her cheek. "Okay."
Seeing her walk away, Shui released a trembling breath from her lips. She wasn't sure if she had completely fooled her mother.
As she looked back at her painting, Falling petals, the tears couldn't help but roll down her cheeks which she was struggling to hold onto.
If…if your future and happiness is in Kang Yuze, then…I want you to accept his confession.
Let us end any hopes for our future...once and for all.
Shui broke down into silent, soft sobs as she lightly hugged herself. She continued to gaze at the painting with a previous conversation with the stranger man reliving in her mind.
*Flashback*
Shui asked, stupefied, "Pointless? How is my theme pointless?"
"Oh you misunderstand me, dear. It's a good theme from an artistic perspective. Simply as an expression of art. But not from a practical one," the stranger replied.
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "...I am sorry but I disagree. I don't think it's pointless to wish for going back in time and rewriting your past."
18:19
He chuckled mischievously. "Why? So that you feel good about not making those mistakes anymore? Because they wouldn't exist in the first place?"
"If it helps you change your fate and embrace the happiness you deserve, then yes," she slightly clenched her fists, thinking about Jin's pain and grief.
"You don't change your fate that way, dear."
"I…I know somebody who has!" Shui blurted out in a moment of uneasiness.
She thought about Jun and Ai and couldn't help but mention them. She didn't panic though as if she could really trust the man before him.
The man tipped his head to the side. "Wrong."
She grimaced. "It's fine if you don't believe me."
"Oh, I believe you. But your assumption is wrong. The ones you are talking about didn't change their fate by changing their past. That's not how this works. The past never disappears. It's always there. Which means your choices, mistakes and decisions are also always there. You never forget or rewrite your past. You make certain renewed choices that rewrite your future."
Shui stiffened.
"Wanting to rewrite your past means you are not allowing yourself to make mistakes at all. You want to live a perfect and proud life with the best and the most righteous decisions you make. But you forget that you are a human. Humans are bound to make mistakes. The whole point of a past is to take a better look at yourself, what you did, what you should have done and decide your present and future path from that experience."
"And what if that past makes you loathe yourself so much that you cannot move on?" Her lips quivered. "What is so wrong in me wanting to take away his guilt that haunts him?"
He smiled. "Mistakes."
"Sorry?"
"The nature of mistakes isn't in wiping the slate clean but in learning to live with the scars they bring."
She laughed bitterly. "So he has to live with this pain for his entire life? Even if I don't want him to? Isn't this too unfair and harsh?"
"Harsh? Yes. Unfair? No. Some wounds don't fade, even with forgiveness."
"So is this what I have to accept? A bleak and lonely future for us?"
From the corner of his eyes, he saw Jin slowly approaching Shui but a moment later, Yuze cut his path.
"Not if you two can forge a new path for yourselves."
He quietly turned with his hands on his back and left with a knowing smile on his lips.
"Wait…!"
"Hey," Yuze called her out with a smile. "There is something important I want to talk about. Can I?"
*Flashback ends*
Shui let out a breath and slowly opened her misty eyes. She revealed about Yuze's confession to Jin because she wanted to prove that man wrong. She believed that the fear and reality of losing her would finally make Jin move.
He almost had too but eventually lost himself into that pitch black darkness yet again.
Forge a new path…
Shui chuckled bitterly.
There is no other path anymore.
"...Miss. Han."
Shui slightly jolted and quickly wiped her eyes. She half-turned and froze upon seeing Lin.
"You…"
Lin stood, doubtful and hesitant. He rubbed his hands together and looked left and then right multiple times.
Seemingly coming to a decision, he said, "I…have something to say to you."
Shui stared at him and slowly stood up. She faced him and asked after a long moment's pause,
"Say something to me?"
"Y-Yes. It's very important."
She burst into a peal of self-deprecating laughter.
"What do you have to say to me? Or should I ask - what else is remaining for you to say to me?"
Lin blinked, confused.
"You and that woman…destroyed everything for us. You plunged a good man into such a hell that he cannot see a way out of it no matter how much he tries. No matter how much I try. Your revenge blinded him with guilt and remorse to the point of no return. Everybody is happy but only he is living miserably and only…only because you and Zhan Yahui chose to do so."
She gnashed her jaw in hatred. "So after everything that you have put us through, what else is still left for you to say to me!?"