Ji Yuzhe fell silent.
His heart pounded with hope and anxiety. Memories flooded back.
During the graduation party at the Feng mansion, he had mustered all his courage to confess his feelings to Feng Suyin. He had rehearsed his speech countless times in his head, eager to convey his feelings to the woman who had captured his heart.
He sent a bouquet of white roses to her. But when he went to the Feng mansion to see her, he found Feng Yilan holding the flowers. She was about to get rid of them.
Ji Yuzhe confronted her. Questioned why she was holding the flowers he intended to gift to Feng Suyin for finishing medical school.
Feng Yilan's eyes narrowed. Her grip tightened on the bouquet.
"Why do you care so much about who receives these flowers?" she asked, a hint of malice lacing her words.
Ji Yuzhe stood his ground. His heart pounded with nerves and determination.
"Because those flowers are for Feng Suyin."
Feng Yilan's gaze flickered. A sly smile curved her lips.
"Oh, Feng Suyin," she drawled, emphasizing each word as if savoring a secret. "I'm afraid you're a little too late, Ji Yuzhe. Feng Suyin is no longer here. She left with your brother. Our parents have given them their blessing to date." She tilted her head. "Besides, why would she want to date someone like you?"
She smiled mockingly.
"Don't you know? My sister hated you for stealing the spotlight from her at medical school. She resented the way you always seemed to outshine her in every way."
Her words cut through Ji Yuzhe like a knife.
His world shattered around him. The woman he loved had left with his brother. Even her family seemed against him.
No. He never meant any harm to her.
His mind raced to make sense of the bombshell Feng Yilan had just dropped. Feng Suyin—the woman he cherished and admired—was dating his brother.
He knew they were friends. But since when did their relationship turn into something deeper? Was he wrong to assume that he and Feng Suyin were getting along, despite their fierce competition in med school?
Ji Yuzhe tried to push down the wave of hurt and confusion threatening to consume him. He clenched his jaw, his hands curling into fists at his sides as he faced Feng Yilan. His eyes searched for any hint of deception.
Feng Yilan watched him closely, enjoying the turmoil evident in his expression. She took a step closer. The scent of white roses mingled with her perfume, filling the space between them.
"You see, Ji Yuzhe, Feng Suyin was never really interested in you." Her voice low and taunting. "It was always your brother she admired. Always him she wanted by her side. She was only pretending to be nice to you out of politeness. But in reality, she couldn't stand the sight of you."
His brother.
The realization struck him like a lightning bolt. He remembered the countless times Feng Suyin and his brother had spent together—studying late into the night, sharing quiet conversations that seemed to exclude everyone else.
How could he have been so blind?
Feng Yilan's laughter echoed around him, grating against his ears.
A storm of emotions raged within him. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He had assumed his brother liked Feng Yilan. So why did Ji Hanjun pursue Feng Suyin instead?
A bitter taste filled his mouth.
Was it true? Did Feng Suyin truly harbor such resentment toward him? Had he been so blind to her feelings all this time?
His gaze shifted from Feng Yilan's smug expression to the white roses clutched tightly in her hands. The flowers that were meant to convey his deepest feelings now seemed like a bitter mockery of his unrequited love.
He turned away from Feng Yilan and strode purposefully out of the mansion.
His heart ached with a pain he had never known before. The revelation of Feng Suyin's true feelings—or lack thereof—left him feeling lost and empty.
The stars twinkled above, oblivious to his turmoil. Ji Yuzhe wandered down the path lined with blooming cherry blossoms. Memories of moments shared with Feng Suyin flickered through his mind like a cruel slideshow. Each image now tainted by the knowledge of her supposed facade.
He had been so sure of his love for her. So confident that their connection ran deep.
But now, faced with the harsh reality of her indifference, a seed of doubt took root in his heart. Was everything between them just a charade? Had he been nothing more than a fool clinging to false hope?
The questions echoed in his mind. Each one a painful stab to his already wounded heart.
The cool night air did little to soothe him. He made his way to the one place he knew would offer some solace—the old willow tree by the riverbank where he and Feng Suyin used to spend countless hours reading their medical notes, far from distractions.
He reached the familiar spot. Sat on a stone bench beneath the willow tree. His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair in frustration. The moon cast a soft glow over the river's rippling waters. Gentle whispers mingled with the rustling of willow leaves above him.
How could everything have gone so wrong in an instant?
Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He clenched his jaw, refusing to let himself break down completely. He was not one to wallow in self-pity.
But this blow was almost too much to bear.
The memory faded.
Ji Yuzhe returned to the present. To Feng Suyin sitting beside him in his moonlit study. To her tear-streaked face and her trembling hands holding his arm.
"That's what she told me," he said quietly. "That you hated me. That you left with Ji Hanjun willingly. That I was nothing to you."
Feng Suyin's grip on his arm tightened.
"She lied," Feng Suyin whispered. "About all of it."