The antique girlfriend of a chaebol heir

In the warm hall, Old Master Lin, Shen Xiaoming, and Lin Ruoting took turns playing chess, fighting fiercely until the sky darkened.

A short while later, the old man threw down the chess pieces, glared at them, and cursed, "Two lousy chess players!"

The chess game ended badly, and the three of them went off to have some tea, feeling rather disgruntled.

"long."

Lin Ruochen walked alone to the chessboard, his gaze passing over the wafting aroma of tea, and waved to Shen Ci.

Shen Ci got up and walked over, sitting down opposite him.

Lin Jin followed like a little tail, skillfully moving her chair half an inch closer to Shen Ci, resting her chin on the edge of the table, her eyes sparkling.

"Would you like a plate?" Lin Ruochen asked gently.

Shen Ci nodded.

The chess box was on the left. She stretched out her left hand, picked up a glistening white chess piece with her fingertips, and gently tapped it on the chessboard.

Lin Ruochen's gaze swept over her left middle finger—

The platinum ring gleamed with a cold light under the lamp.

His eyes darkened slightly, and he placed a black piece, with a bit more force than usual.

Unlike Xie Shuheng's bold and unrestrained style of play, Lin Ruochen's style of play is like a winding vine, pressing forward step by step, yet leaving no room for error.

The two exchanged blows, their words swirling and their stances blurred, creating a stalemate where neither side could gain the upper hand.

Lin Ruoting brought over a teacup.

His younger brother's chess skills far surpassed his own, and he had rarely seen him play against him in recent years. He never expected that Shen Ci could hold his own against him for so long.

As he focused his attention and looked closely, his gaze lingered on Shen Ci's profile. In the end, he could only sigh inwardly: "Incredible."

He couldn't help but glance at Shen Xiaoming, who was sitting not far away, head down, blowing on the tea foam—

Aside from being pretty and having a gentle temperament, there's really nothing special about her. How did she give birth to such a remarkable daughter?

An hour passed quietly, and Lin Jinyi's eyelids began to droop, her little head nodding off.

"Jin Yi, go to the inner room and take a nap," Lin Ruoting said in a low voice.

"I don't."

Lin Jinyi rubbed her eyes, stubbornly staring at the chessboard. "I want to watch Sister Youyou play chess. Sister Youyou will definitely win."

There were hardly any empty spaces left on the chessboard; the black and white pieces were intertwined, and the game was still undecided.

In the end, Shen Ci won by half a point.

"I knew Sister Youyou would win!"

Lin Jinyi suddenly perked up, clapping her hands and cheering, "Sister Youyou is the most amazing in the world!"

Lin Ruochen stared at Shen Ci for a long time, so long that the air seemed to freeze.

"Youyou, come with me for a moment."

He stood up and said to Lin Jin, "You stay here and don't follow me."

Alarm bells rang in Lin Ruoting's mind.

He put his hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "It's so late, and it's deserted outside. Let's talk about it during the day tomorrow."

"Brother, I know what I'm doing."

Lin Ruochen's tone was extremely calm.

Lin Ruoting watched his retreating figure, feeling that something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Shen Ci put on her coat and followed Lin Ruochen into a study.

It was much smaller than the one that Grandma Lin had taken her to, and the furnishings were more private, with the air filled with the scent of old books and sandalwood.

Lin Ruochen took out a brocade box from deep within the bookshelf and handed it to her.

Shen Ci: "?"

Why do the elders of the Lin family always like to give gifts in the study?

She reached out and took it, then lifted the lid.

A hairpin lay quietly inside.

The flower, carved from a full-green jadeite, is so translucent it seems to drip water, and paired with an intricately engraved gold hairpin handle, its value is immediately apparent.

Shen Ci closed the lid without hesitation.

Hairpins are quite different from ordinary ornaments; they have always been a token of love given by men to their beloved women.

Perhaps this era has long since faded the meaning of this gift, but Lin Ruochen is her elder, and she cannot and dare not accept it.

"Uncle, this is too precious."

She handed the brocade box back, her voice soft yet firm, "I can't accept it."

Lin Ruochen didn't answer, he just looked at her.

"This is the first time I've heard you call me uncle."

Shen Ci lowered her eyes and said in a steady voice, "Whether at school or elsewhere, you are my teacher, and I am used to calling you Professor Lin."

"Since the family is celebrating the Lunar New Year together, I should call you my uncle."

She deliberately emphasized the word "family," as if building a bridge between two mountains, or drawing a boundary.

Lin Ruochen looked into her clear eyes and suddenly smiled.

The smile didn't reach his eyes; he took the brocade box without hesitation, took out the hairpin, and tilted it towards her hair—

Upon seeing this, Shen Ci instinctively took a step back, her back pressing against the bookshelf. The sharp edges of the sandalwood dug into her shoulder blades, causing a slight pain.

She looked up and called out again, "Uncle!"

Lin Ruochen maintained the posture of holding the hairpin, her wrist suspended in mid-air, but the words she spoke were somewhat chilling:

"Why are you so reluctant to accept a gift from your uncle?"

He paused, his voice as soft as a snowflake falling on hot coals, "Are you afraid Jiang Duo... will misunderstand?"

Shen Ci stared at him blankly, unsure how to respond.

A burst of fireworks suddenly exploded outside the window, and the red light leaked in through the gap in the curtains, leaving a fleeting warm mark on his profile, but making his eyes appear even colder.

Why choose him?

Before Shen Ci could answer, he continued, his voice low but each word clear: "Youyou, you two are not a good match."

He slowly withdrew the hairpin, his fingertips caressing the jade flower, his voice lowering.

"I know that in the eyes of you young girls, Jiang Duo is impeccable in both appearance and family background. But even if he likes you—"

He looked up at her, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Where are his parents?"

Shen Ci's fingertips trembled.

"The challenges you'll face in such a family are far more complex than you imagine. Social standing, rules, conflicts of interest... Do you think marriage is just a matter between two people?"

He chuckled softly, but there was no warmth in his laughter. "Youyou, you're still too naive."

Shen Ci stood still, her back ramrod straight. She neither avoided his gaze nor offered any rebuttal.

"Uncle," she finally spoke, her voice soft yet exceptionally clear.

"Jiang Duo and I are indeed dating."

"Although the feelings weren't that deep, Jiang Duo was different from others in my eyes."

She paused, then met his scrutinizing gaze openly without flinching.

"I have never thought that far ahead, nor have I considered the complexities of social class and interests you mentioned."

Shen Ci took a deep breath, her tone becoming increasingly resolute, "But I also know that if we break up in the future, it will definitely not be because of the difference in status or other interests. The only reason is that I don't love him that much."

"I don't know how far I'll go for him in the future," Shen Ci's voice gradually softened, "but since I've already promised him and started to face our relationship seriously, then I shouldn't give up on him easily because of other people's words."

She looked at Lin Ruochen with eyes as clear as an autumn lake, without the turbidity of worldly affairs.

"Uncle, this is my own choice."