A Shocking Dream

Qin Rongchen fell into deeper contemplation. He wanted to find out the truth immediately, but once he took this step, there would be no turning back.

"Uncle, if you continue to hesitate like this, I'm afraid there will be changes. Don't you want to know whether she is Shuang'er?" Qin Ruoyu continued to urge.

Qin Rongchen sighed deeply, "Of course I want to know, but I'm even more afraid of the consequences. If she truly harbors hatred, how can I face her? If she doesn't, can I calmly accept that this is all just a misunderstanding?"

Qin Ruoyu watched his uncle in such a state of distress, and felt helpless. He knew that the relationship between his uncle and Shuang'er was too deep, and this complicated situation was the reason why he was so indecisive.

Lin Wunian was Lin Bingshuang. Qin Rongchen couldn't imagine that these two unfamiliar faces were actually the same person. He was calm and composed, even extremely peaceful. But beneath this calmness, there seemed to be an undercurrent surging, threatening to swallow him up at any moment.

He thought of Lin Wunian, trying to find traces of the familiar in her eyes. Those eyes, once as bright as stars, were now deep and reserved; the corners of her lips, once always filled with a gentle smile, were now firm and resolute. Time and experience, like two ruthless hands, had sculpted the Lin Bingshuang of his memory into the Lin Wunian of today.

Qin Rongchen stood in the courtyard, the cool breeze rustling his clothes, but it couldn't dispel the melancholy that filled his heart. He thought back to every moment he had spent with Lin Bingshuang, the storms they'd weathered together, the sunrises and sunsets they'd shared. Her every smile, every gesture, had stirred ripples in his heart. He knew his love for her was already deep in his bones, but what about her?

She clearly knew he loved her deeply, yet she hadn't revealed her true identity during all their time together. Qin Rongchen twitched his lips in self-mockery, a bitter feeling welling up in his heart. Perhaps she had truly let go, let go of her feelings for him, and that was why she was so determined to conceal her true identity, not daring to face his love directly, not daring to reveal her true identity.

"Could it be that all these years of affection could be so easily erased from her heart?" Qin Rongchen clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, but the pain in his body was far less than the pain in his heart. He was unwilling to accept this, but he didn't know how to save the relationship.

She had clearly made promises to him months ago as Yunshuang, and those sweet words still rang in his ears, but now she seemed like a completely different person. Qin Rongchen couldn't comprehend the situation, his confusion tangled like a tangled mess. Yuanyuan had claimed to have seen her many times, which meant she had been secretly watching his every move. So why had she pretended to be a stranger, reappearing as Lin Wunian and hiding all this from him?

Qin Rongchen paced back and forth, each step seemingly treading on his chaotic thoughts. Months ago, Yunshuang had been so gentle and affectionate, sharing their hearts under the moonlight, their vows of eternal love still fresh in his mind. But now, while Lin Wunian's eyes occasionally flashed with familiarity, they were more distant and mysterious.

"What has she been through? Is there something she's hiding, or has she truly forgotten me?" Qin Rongchen whispered, his brow furrowed. He recalled every moment he had spent with Yunshuang, trying to find a clue in those fond memories to unravel the present mystery. But the more he recalled, the more painful it became. The stark contrast was like a sharp blade, slicing through his heart.

He recalled the scenes Yuanyuan had described, her silent gaze from the shadows, yet she never appeared. Was she guarding him? Or plotting? Qin Rongchen felt as if he were trapped in a vast maze, its exit obscured by a thick fog. He had once believed his relationship with her to be rock-solid, but now, all this was making him doubt. Were all their past promises but illusions, shattered at the slightest touch?

"No, she wouldn't do that." Qin Rongchen stopped abruptly, a voice in his heart screaming. He firmly believed that Lin Wunian was Yun Shuang, and there must be some irresistible force that caused her to change like this. He decided not to sit idly by and wait for death, but to find out the truth.

"Uncle, Lin Bingshuang's hair turned white overnight for you, and she changed her name to Lin Wunian because she didn't want to be entangled with the past. I told you her identity because I didn't know that Lin Bingshuang and Yunshuang were the same person." Qin Ruoyu said slowly, with a hint of helplessness and regret in his eyes.

Qin Rongchen stood there stunned, as if struck by lightning. A sharp pain surged through his heart. He seemed to see the once gentle woman, her hair rapidly turning white as snow amidst endless pain and longing. What kind of despair and deep affection was that?

"The changes that happened back then made her lose too much. The decline of her family, the separation of her relatives, and the seemingly unbridgeable gap between her and you all weighed heavily on her heart. She felt that only by abandoning the past could she start over, but fate always tied her to you." Qin Ruoyu sighed and continued.

Qin Rongchen's mind flashed back to Lin Bingshuang's past appearance, her long, shiny black hair cascading down like a waterfall. But now, it had turned completely white because of him, and he was filled with guilt and regret.

He recalled his encounter with Lin Wunian, the vague feeling of familiarity he'd felt. Now that he thought about it, it was all because she was Lin Bingshuang. "I'm so stupid, Ruoyu. How can I make amends?" Qin Rongchen clutched his head in agony.

Qin Ruoyu shook his head. "Uncle, the situation is far too complicated. She's now using the alias Lin Wunian, hoping to completely bid farewell to the past. If you want to win her back, I'm afraid it will be extremely difficult. Her heart is filled with love for you, yet she's also trying to escape the pain of the past. These conflicting emotions can't be easily resolved." After a pause, Qin Ruoyu continued, "Uncle, it's not that I don't want to tell you her identity. It's just that I can't bear to see her so deeply hurt, and I don't want to see you so infatuated with her. I recognized her identity the moment I arrived in Linzhou."

Qin Rongchen stared at Qin Ruoyu, with a hint of blame and more helplessness in his eyes: "You already knew it, but you hid it from me for so long." Although his voice was calm, it could not hide the ups and downs in it.

Qin Ruoyu lowered his head, as if avoiding the burning gaze. "Uncle, at first I thought she just wanted to distance herself from the past and start anew. Seeing her strive to live as Lin Wunian and break away from her past, I began to think that perhaps respecting her wishes would be the best thing for her. I know deeply that you miss her and are deeply in love with her, but I also understand the pain and struggle she's gone through."

Qin Rongchen gazed into the distance, his thoughts drifting back to the past with Lin Bingshuang. Those beautiful memories were now tinged with bitterness. Qin Rongchen clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "But she shouldn't have to endure all this alone, and I shouldn't have been kept in the dark. If I had known earlier, I would have stayed by her side no matter what."