The Splendor of Spring by the Lake, Today Ends the Yearning

Shen Yi grabbed his keys by the door and set off.

With his hand on the steering wheel, Shen Yi thought a lot along the way.

Before, he believed that simulation was simulation, reality was reality, and the two should not be mixed.

Unfortunately, changes came too quickly, and now reality was a mess, something he had no power to change or stop.

Despite all the positive feedback he was getting, with a happy life and love embracing him, if things were not handled properly, all the goodness could slide into the abyss.

He exhaled softly, parked his car, and walked towards the agreed meeting place.

The meeting spot was chosen by Shen Yi, by the lake where he had run last time.

It was around 9:00 AM, the weather was not very clear, misty, and the air was damp. There were few people by the lake.

Shen Yi crossed a bridge and turned a corner, spotting a woman. Upon closer look, it was Cheng Jun.

She was pacing near a bench.

Since she was going to meet someone, she had dressed up specially for the occasion.

The morning air by the lake was a bit chilly. Cheng Jun wore a long trench coat, her slender waist and graceful posture making her stand out.

Her tall and graceful figure, with a face like a snow lotus and long, straight legs that the coat couldn't hide, was complemented by short socks and delicate little sandals.

Such a beautiful sight stirred waves of emotion in Shen Yi's heart, even the lake's waves couldn't compare.

As footsteps approached, Cheng Jun also noticed the person coming and turned her head, her smile spreading across her face.

"Cheng Jun."

"Shen Yi!"

She called out, almost running towards him.

Although she had only been back in the modern world for a day or two, her soul still seemed to be wandering alone in the apocalypse.

Everything she was experiencing now felt unreal, light, and unsteady.

Seeing Shen Yi at that moment, everything finally found its anchor, and her hanging heart finally settled.

This time, she didn't hesitate and directly rushed into Shen Yi's arms, her face against his chest, feeling the warmth again. She took a deep breath:

"It's so good to see you again!"

"It's okay, it's all over."

Shen Yi gently patted her back to comfort her.

After a while, she straightened up, her clear eyes looking up at him, slightly red around the rims.

"It wasn't easy to find you."

"By the way, why didn't you tell me you were also an employee of Tiancheng? Did you deliberately want to see me make a fool of myself?"

Shen Yi obviously remembered her boastful words and chuckled:

"How could that be? I'm just a small fry, I dare not overstep my bounds."

"You can, with just one word, and you're not a small fry."

Cheng Jun looked at Shen Yi with serious eyes, her tone solemn as if she wasn't talking about arranging a job.

Shen Yi avoided her gaze and changed the subject:

"I'm not as good as you think."

Cheng Jun, however, didn't back down. With wide eyes, she stepped closer:

"No, you're very good. I don't care what others think; to me, you're the best."

Shen Yi couldn't handle this and quickly changed the topic, asking her:

"I didn't know you and Nan Zhi were cousins."

"Nan Jie?!"

Cheng Jun's eyes narrowed, keenly noticing the change in address, but her tone remained unchanged:

"Not exactly relatives, just that our elders were close. We grew up together as kids, and since Nan Jie is older, we've always called her that."

Then, as if casually, she asked:

"Did she contact you?"

"Yes."

Shen Yi nodded without evading, calculating how to gently break the news to Cheng Jun.

Seeing his straightforward acknowledgment, Cheng Jun's heart skipped a beat, a bad feeling rising.

"How long have you known Nan Jie?"

Mentioning this, Shen Yi smiled, recalling their past interactions. Despite the bumps along the way, they eventually found perfection.

"That's a long story. We've known each other for a while."

"Oh."

Cheng Jun couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency. She had thought only she knew how good Shen Yi was.

Unexpectedly, her cousin, who was supposedly face-blind, had unblinded thoughts and moved faster than her.

They walked along the lakeside, chatting as they went, reminiscing about the warm past in the small Western-style house.

In the apocalypse, they had shared meals and lived together, enduring hardships together, knowing each other inside and out.

Cheng Jun had long since realized her feelings and had firmly decided on Shen Yi.

Her emotions were almost unconcealed; anyone with eyes could see her words full of affection for someone.

How simple it was: a flower likes a tree, so it strives to grow and offers all it has in spring.

They stopped by a willow tree. Summoning her courage, Cheng Jun looked at Shen Yi and confessed:

"I like you, Shen Yi."

Her thin lips pulled into a perfect arc, awaiting Shen Yi's response.

Such intense passion overwhelmed Shen Yi, leaving him at a loss, with the words he had prepared spinning in his mind but unable to come out.

"I..."

Shen Yi felt bitter inside. It's hardest to bear the grace of a beauty indeed.

If it weren't for Fu Nanzhi, he wouldn't feel so conflicted. Being favored by a beauty like Cheng Jun would have made him ecstatic in other circumstances.

If he were an unscrupulous selfish scoundrel, he wouldn't feel so conflicted either. Being loved by two women simultaneously, enjoying the blessings of having multiple wives, would be a dream come true.

"What's wrong?"

Cheng Jun keenly noticed Shen Yi's unease and asked in surprise.

Pushed into a corner, Shen Yi took a deep breath and made up his mind, apologizing:

"I'm sorry, I can't..."

In an instant, Cheng Jun, who had endured hundreds of days of torment in the apocalypse, was utterly shattered. She took two steps back, her eyes blank, and forced a smile:

"You... don't agree?"

Her smile was very forced, her face completely devoid of color, pale and ghastly. She hadn't expected Shen Yi to refuse so directly.

Seeing her expression, Shen Yi's heart ached violently, but better a short pain than a long one, so he hardened his heart and refused.

"You're very good, it's me who doesn't deserve you."

"Did I do something wrong?"

Cheng Jun ignored Shen Yi's words, her brief question full of grievance and a trembling voice, tears streaming down her cheeks, her expression heartbreaking.

Shen Yi couldn't bear to look at her anymore and averted his eyes:

"It's not your fault; there's someone in my heart already..."

He and Fu Nanzhi could enjoy a lifetime of married bliss because of mutual respect.

This respect wasn't just about treating each other with courtesy in daily life, but also about considering each other's feelings when facing issues.

Cheng Jun wasn't wrong, and Shen Yi wasn't wrong. It was just that she had come too late.

Shen Yi had already accepted Fu Nanzhi's love. If he were to suddenly accept Cheng Jun now, it would not only be a betrayal of Fu Nanzhi but also a negation of his own lifelong happiness.

Cheng Jun looked at Shen Yi's avoiding eyes, her gaze turning gray:

"Shen Yi, I want you to look at me."

"Just look into my eyes and say you don't like me, and I'll leave immediately, never appearing in front of you again."

Shen Yi had intended to say it outright, but seeing Cheng Jun's lifeless eyes, his heart felt like it was being gripped by a giant hand, unable to utter a single word.

"I..."

In Shen Yi's hesitation, Cheng Jun seemed to be infused with new strength, her eyes regaining their sparkle.

Her view on love was simple and straightforward: it had to be mutual. She liked someone, and that person had to like her back. Shen Yi was the one she had decided on.

She would never settle.

Cheng Jun was already decisive and strong-willed, and now she was even more motivated.

She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said decisively:

"So, that person is Nan Jie, right?"