"Seize the joy when life goes well; never let your wine cup face the moon empty. You'll always be the softest spot in my heart, but you won't be my Achilles' heel," Jiang Cong suddenly said. He was a rational man, whether in matters of the heart or at work.
Since he had chosen Chen Er, Jiang Cong would take this relationship seriously. However, it didn't mean that he would change his principles for her or keep making concessions without limit.
If an ordinary girl heard such words, she would probably question him, wonder why she wasn't her lover's Achilles' heel, and doubt the authenticity of their relationship.
Even Gong Si back then hadn't been the exception. Gong Si once said to Jiang Cong, "Jiang Cong, your greatest strength is your intelligence and rationality, but it's also your biggest flaw. Being overly rational will make you live more clearly, but it will also rob life of a lot of fun. Sometimes, smart people tend to have more troubles."
Now, facing Chen Er, Jiang Cong chose to be honest about his true feelings. He wanted to tell Chen Er that he could spoil her like a child, but she couldn't really act like a child when facing society and life.
That was obviously unrealistic. What he wanted to do was to teach Chen Er to grow up and become a better person. Loving someone wasn't about possessing them; it was about accompanying them to become better and walk further together.
Chen Er understood. Almost as soon as Jiang Cong finished speaking, she grasped the deep meaning behind his words.
"What if I do something wrong one day? Will you cover for me or expose me?" Chen Er asked this question half - jokingly and half - seriously. She needed an answer.
Jiang Cong frowned and thought. Just when Chen Er thought he wouldn't answer, the solemn - faced Jiang Cong looked up, stared directly into Chen Er's eyes, and said word by word seriously, "I won't do either. I'll persuade you to admit your mistake. That's the best outcome for you and the victim."
"Hehe..." Although Chen Er had already mentally prepared herself, she still couldn't help feeling a bit of uncontrollable disappointment. Yes, how could a man as noble as him do something like covering up a mistake?
Maybe sensing Chen Er's low mood, Jiang Cong didn't defend himself. Instead, he changed the topic. "Do you think I'm too heartless? Over the years, I've witnessed all kinds of cases, just like a tourist passing by in a hurry. The various aspects of this world are filled with helplessness and choices."
"So? What lies behind helplessness and choices?" Chen Er didn't give Jiang Cong a chance to skip this heavy topic. She was determined to get to the bottom of it.
"It's human nature. People take revenge because of unrequited love or unfair treatment. It may seem like an eye for an eye, but there's also a saying that revenge never ends." Jiang Cong placed his hand on Chen Er's shoulder, letting her soft hair slide through his fingers.
"So, this is the reason for your answer?" Chen Er slumped like a deflated balloon and leaned on Jiang Cong's shoulder, her heart in a turmoil.
She just hoped that a smart man like Jiang Cong would never discover that secret. Then, in his eyes, she would always be that little girl with a bit of wit, not a scheming person who had been plotting revenge.
Life was unpredictable. How many people could get what they wanted? Most of them were just struggling to survive.
"Yes," Jiang Cong held Chen Er's face, his nose gently touching her cheek. "Because of my identity and education, I've developed this kind of personality. I have no other choice."
Chen Er was silent. She didn't say a word but hugged Jiang Cong back and let out a short sigh.
After that, they both tacitly stopped talking about that heavy topic. Their mutual understanding made this trip to the seaside more interesting and became one of the best memories for Jiang Cong and Chen Er.
The weather in the coastal area was unstable. After it had rained for a whole week, Chen Er was almost moldy from staying in the room. Jiang Cong had proposed going somewhere else, but Chen Er refused.
She didn't want to leave any regrets about this seaside trip, so she stubbornly waited for the sky to clear.
"The sun is out. Didn't you keep saying you wanted to bid farewell to this place? Let's go," Jiang Cong walked into Chen Er's room as if there was no one else around. As soon as he pulled open the curtain, the long - awaited sunlight shone through the French window onto the person lying on the bed.
"Really?" Chen Er came back to life immediately and jumped out of bed so quickly that it was astonishing.
"Weren't you just complaining that life wasn't worth living? Why are you so quick now? I really underestimated you, classmate Chen Er," Jiang Cong bent down to tie Chen Er's shoelaces.
Chen Er watched the man concentrating on tying her shoelaces. Her heart was filled with contentment. "Hehe, keep it low - key. I've got this skill from fighting in the old days. It's a piece of cake for me."
Jiang Cong gave a cold laugh. "What? Is fighting something to be proud of? Hmm?"
The end of his words rose in tone, carrying a hint of danger.
Chen Er pretended to be deaf and didn't understand Jiang Cong's veiled meaning. She "suffered" through waiting for Jiang Cong to finish tying the shoelaces and then rushed out without a second's delay, as if Jiang Cong behind her was a monster.
Jiang Cong took out his phone to check the weather forecast. After the brief sunny spell, it would start raining again, and there would be a rainy season for the next half - month.
Then, Jiang Cong opened Chen Er's wardrobe, took out a coat, and went back to his own room to change into long - sleeved clothes and trousers.
Chen Er, who had already run downstairs and been waiting for a long time, looked a bit puzzled when she saw the fully - armed Jiang Cong coming out of the elevator. "Are you allergic to UV rays or are you afraid of the cold? It's sunny outside. It's not cold."
Jiang Cong gave Chen Er a sidelong glance. "It'll rain later."
Chen Er was full of doubts. "Really?" Although she said so, her body honestly took the coat Jiang Cong handed her.
Since the day they held hands, Jiang Cong had developed the habit of holding Chen Er's hand wherever they went.
Jiang Cong and Chen Er went to the seaside in tacit agreement and took a casual stroll. As they were relaxing, a small figure appeared in front of them.
Getting closer, they saw a little boy holding a laptop and sobbing softly. He looked extremely aggrieved.
"What's wrong, little brother? What happened?" Chen Er squatted down, gently stroked the little boy's back, and wiped the remaining tears on his chubby face.
The little boy cried even more pitifully when Chen Er showed concern. He gasped for breath as if the sky had fallen.