novelraw Chapter 45 Transformation 1
Chapter 45 Transformation 1
The seventh day of the first lunar month.
Lin Chen pushed open the door and walked into the house, carrying an exquisite gift box containing handmade pastries from a time-honored brand and a pot of warm, aged Pu'er tea.
"Hongmei, are you settling in alright? Does it feel lonely?"
Lin Chen placed the items on the coffee table and smiled at Wu Hongmei.
Wu Hongmei was sitting on the sofa flipping through a magazine when she saw him arrive. A sense of security welled up in her heart, and she quickly stood up and replied softly, "No, it's so nice here that I don't have to worry about anything. It's just that I'm troubling you too much, Mr. Lin."
She still spoke with a hint of restraint, but compared to her initial unease, she was much more natural.
"You're still so polite. Just make yourself at home." Lin Chen gestured for her to sit down.
Wu Hongmei ignored him and turned to make him tea.
Soon, a cup of tea was handed to Lin Chen. The aroma of Biluochun tea rose gently, clear and mellow, filling the living room.
Lin Chen reached out and took the teacup from Wu Hongmei. His hands were very beautiful, with long, clean fingertips and knuckles, and his fingers were well-proportioned and neat.
He gently supported the bottom of the cup with his palm, his thumb lightly tapping the rim. He gently raised his hand, bringing the rim of the cup close to his lips. The lines of his lips were clean and crisp, and the contours of his jaw were clear and sharp, exuding the calm and reserved angularity of a mature man.
He sipped his tea, his brows slightly lowered, his long eyelashes casting a soft shadow beneath his eyes, exuding an air of composure that comes with the passage of time.
As he swallowed the tea, he slowly put down the teacup, his movements gentle and silent.
Wu Hongmei, who was standing to the side, sat up straight subconsciously and quietly looked at him. Taking advantage of the moment he was drinking tea, she couldn't help but scrutinize him closely.
Since meeting Lin Chen, she hadn't really looked at him closely. Although Lin Chen had always been very kind to her, Wu Hongmei knew in her heart that they were from two different worlds and didn't dare to think too much about it. But now it was just the two of them, and Lin Chen was sitting right in front of her.
Lin Chen was born with outstanding features, with handsome eyebrows and eyes, a high and straight nose, and smooth and neat facial lines. He had the kind of mature appearance that grew more and more attractive the more you looked at him.
He was dressed in a simple yet stylish casual suit. He was tall and well-proportioned with straight shoulders and back, and his posture was elegant. When he sat, his back was neither slumped nor stiff, and his demeanor was composed and graceful.
Every gesture, every frown, every movement—from drinking tea to raising her hand to putting down her cup—was elegant and composed.
Wu Hongmei watched quietly, a strange feeling unconsciously rising in her heart, and a blush appeared on her face.
Lin Chen gently put down the teacup, the bottom of the cup landing on the tea tray with only a very soft thud.
He slowly raised his eyes, his gentle gaze falling on Wu Hongmei, his tone calm and soft: "You're starting work tomorrow, are you ready?"
"I...I'm fine." Wu Hongmei's heart skipped a beat. Feeling a little awkward under his gaze, she quickly lowered her head, concealing the strange and chaotic emotions in her heart. Her ears turned slightly red, and her voice was soft and somewhat restrained. Trying hard to suppress the strange feeling in her heart, she said somewhat shyly.
"Can you drive? There's a car in the underground parking lot you can drive first."
"Ah, no need, Mr. Lin. I have a driver's license, and the company is very close by. I can walk there."
Wu Hongmei looked up at Lin Chen, a warm feeling welling up in her heart, her nose tingling slightly, and she spoke softly:
"Thank you, Mr. Lin. If I hadn't happened to run into you that night, I really wouldn't know where I would have gone or what I would have done."
In the vast city of Shanghai, she had worked hard for many years, but in the end, she had nowhere to settle down, and her heart was full of grievances with nowhere to put them. It was Lin Chen who quietly reached out to her in her most miserable and helpless moment, giving her a safe haven, so that she would not have to wander the streets or wallow in her grievances alone.
"It was nothing, everyone has their difficulties sometimes." Lin Chen smiled gently, then looked into Wu Hongmei's eyes and said earnestly, "We're friends, isn't it only natural for friends to help each other?" As he spoke, he pretended to be serious and said in a mock scolding tone, "Don't keep calling me 'President Lin' like that. It's always so formal and distant. If you keep calling me that, I really won't consider you a friend anymore."
"No!" Wu Hongmei blurted out instinctively, only realizing her tone was too urgent as soon as the words left her mouth. Her cheeks flushed instantly, her heart pounded wildly, and she lowered her eyes shyly, her voice barely a whisper as she cautiously called out:
"Lin Chen..."
Looking at her shy and bashful appearance, with her ears turning red, Lin Chen smiled inwardly. It was hard to connect the reserved, gentle, sensitive, and delicate Wu Hongmei in front of him with the sharp and worldly-wise Model Sister-in-Law from the movie "Raging Storm." But at this moment, her shy and gentle demeanor had a unique and touching charm.
As the atmosphere quieted down, Wu Hongmei gradually let down her guard and felt as if she had found a safe outlet to confide in, slowly opening her heart. Gazing at the dazzling night view outside the window, her voice tinged with melancholy and helplessness, she softly said:
"Zhang Xiaobei and I... I don't know who's at fault now. This time, my parents secretly used all the money I'd saved up over the years to buy a house for my younger brother. If they had listened to him earlier, this wouldn't have happened. Thinking about it seriously these past two days, he's really been good to me. It seems like I'm the one who's more at fault."
At this point, she sighed softly, a hint of weariness and relief flashing in her eyes: "But I don't know why, I'm really tired. The excitement and expectations I had when we first got together are long gone. All that's left is the daily compromise, accommodation, and mutual exhaustion. Forcing ourselves to stay together is just torture."
Lin Chen listened quietly, and only spoke slowly after she finished speaking: "There is no absolute right or wrong in relationships, only what is suitable and what is not. Once you have made up your mind, follow your heart."
Whether we live a fulfilling life or not depends on our own hearts.
"Hongmei, you're already very outstanding."
"Be more confident, don't care so much about what others think, face your own heart honestly, stick to your own ideas, and you will live a more wonderful life."
This understanding and empathy deeply moved Wu Hongmei.
From childhood, she was used to being arranged by her family, swept up by life, and bound by emotions. No one had ever truly respected her thoughts or considered her feelings. But with Lin Chen, she could shed all pretenses, without having to pretend to be strong or force herself, and could openly express her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.
The two sat quietly by the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, the aroma of tea wafting through the air. Outside, the JA district shone brightly with its dazzling neon lights that never ceased, a constant flow of traffic and a sea of lights; inside, warm light flowed softly, creating a tranquil and cozy atmosphere, the subtle fragrance of tea lingering in the air. There was no unnecessary noise to disturb them, only the peace and comfort of two hearts drawing closer to each other.
Before we knew it, the night had grown deeper, the city lights still shone brightly, but the atmosphere inside the house gradually became more tender and intimate.
Lin Chen glanced at his watch, slowly stood up, and prepared to take his leave.
"It's getting late, you should get some rest, you have to go to work tomorrow."
"or"
Wu Hongmei was reluctant to see him leave and subconsciously wanted to stop him, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she realized it was inappropriate and quickly stopped.
Lin Chen felt a surge of anger at her shy demeanor, but Wu Hongmei was still a married woman, and he was a moral man who would never do anything to corrupt public morals.
In the tense silence, Wu Hongmei suddenly mustered immense courage, looked up at Lin Chen with a mixture of probing and boldness in her eyes, and softly asked, "Lin...Lin Chen, may I use the kitchen here?"
"Of course, you can use it if you want."
Upon receiving permission, a faint smile instantly appeared in Wu Hongmei's eyes, her tone carrying a hint of anticipation and invitation: "Then... if you're free tomorrow evening, would you like to come over here? I'll cook some of my specialty hometown dishes for you to try."
"Great! I really like the food from your area. I'll be in for a treat tomorrow." Lin Chen didn't shy away and readily agreed.
Wu Hongmei felt a warmth in her heart, and shyly escorted him to the entrance, then reached out to press the button for his private elevator.
The elevator doors slowly opened, and Lin Chen stepped inside. Just as the doors were about to close, Wu Hongmei seemed to muster all her courage, rushed forward, stood on tiptoe, and quickly planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
Before Lin Chen could react, she immediately turned around with a flushed face, ran into the room, closed the door behind her, leaned against the door, her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest, her whole face was burning hot, she was both shy and flustered, but a secret sweet feeling rose in her heart.
Lin Chen, who was in the elevator, was stunned for a moment. He subconsciously raised his hand and gently touched the cheek that she had kissed. Looking at the closed door, he chuckled.