The Nightmare Experience of a Useless Person

"Ye Qingchen, say it now! Say you don't want to!" Jiang Zhiyang was so anxious that he jumped up and down, pulling Yu Qingjun's arm so hard that it hurt her.

Yu Qingjun hesitated. She didn't know how to answer. This answer must be the key to influencing Xiao Chengyang's dream. After such a long period of peace, this crucial point came suddenly.

The moment Jiang Zhiyang pulled her into the house, it seemed as if all eyes were on her, as if all the developments of the situation had come to a conclusion at that moment.

"The child is ignorant, Chengyang, you are too rude." Song Huixin pulled the two of them out of the house. Jiang Zhiyang had a strong and stubborn body, and it took a lot of effort for the small Song Huixin to pull him out.

Finally, Xiao's father smoothed things over and respectfully saw the group off before the four of them sat down at the dinner table.

Speechless.

"It's very simple, it just depends on whether you're willing in the early morning," Xiao Shaoping said, breaking the silence.

"He doesn't want to." Jiang Zhiyang hurriedly replied as soon as Xiao's father finished speaking.

"How do you know whether he's willing or not!" Xiao Shaoping unconsciously raised his voice. He was already annoyed by Xiao Chengyang's presumptuous behavior, and now this kid dared to talk back.

"I knew it!" Jiang Zhiyang crossed his arms, sweating profusely, and the sugar figurine he brought back was crushed.

"Chengyang, you're both grown up now, not children anymore. These are things you have to face eventually. Try to calm down," Song Huixin reassured her. "We know you two have a good relationship, but you two won't be tied together forever. He'll get married, and so will you. You'll both have your own families and futures. That's a fact, isn't it?"

Calm and composed? How do I achieve this?

Right? Right? Right my foot!

Why can't they be together forever? Even if they have to be tied together, they should be tied together forever! They've been like this for so many years, why can't they be together now that they're grown up?

There is no such thing.

"Alright, alright, there's nothing to discuss. Marriage is a matter of parental arrangement and matchmaker's word. I think that girl is suitable, so it's settled." The usually gentle and open-minded father made his decision. At this moment, in Jiang Zhiyang's mind, he was an old-fashioned relic, a broken bottle filled with pedantic garbage!

Yu Qingjun was still in a daze, remaining silent and lost in her own thoughts.

If we only consider feelings, Ye Qingchen's heart beats for only one person, and her emotions are swayed by only one person. If we were to ask for a long and lasting relationship, and leave two names on that prayer plaque, it would definitely be Ye Qingchen and Xiao Chengyang.

But logically speaking, how could they possibly stay together for a lifetime? When they finally pass the imperial examinations and are appointed to official positions, they will inevitably be separated, and it will be difficult for them to meet again.

Furthermore, Ye Qingchen's health is so poor, and we don't know when it will end. We are already fortunate to have grown up together, so how could we dare to ask to accompany and protect each other for a lifetime?

The request... was also a wish for Xiao Chengyang to have a peaceful and smooth life and a bright future. How could he dare to be that leg-clinging water ghost and hold back Xiao Chengyang's progress?

Overwhelmed by a flood of thoughts, Yu Qingjun felt dizzy and was about to collapse when she closed her eyes.

Throwing away all these messy thoughts, Yu Qingjun understood what Ye Qingchen wanted. What he wanted most was to escape with Xiao Chengyang, regardless of feelings or reason, and escape all the constraints.

He no longer wanted to be that clumsy, wooden stone statue; he wanted to be the free wind, recklessly burning with life, free for once.

But she also knew best what Ye Qingchen was attached to: filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, a bright future, bringing honor to the family, kinship, blood ties—how could she possibly give all of this up for the sake of a fleeting freedom?

His head was throbbing with pain. At this moment, Yu Qingjun seemed to have disappeared. There was only Ye Qingchen completely inside him. He was afraid, he was uneasy, he was heartbroken, he was silent and drifted with the tide.

This incident was just a minor episode; they continued living their lives as usual, seemingly enjoying each other's company and talking about everything. However, this facade made Jiang Zhiyang feel like he was about to have a mental breakdown.

All of this clearly happened, clearly hasn't been resolved, clearly his anger hasn't subsided, yet it was forcibly glossed over, he was ignored.

Jiang Zhiyang could only vent his anger in the dark. For example, when eating breakfast, he would normally hand the steamed bun to Ye Qingchen, but now he would let the annoying Ye Qingchen take it herself!

When walking on the street, he would normally walk behind Ye Qingchen to block the flow of people for him, but now let the annoying Ye Qingchen get bumped into!

When he was going to sleep, he would usually wait until Ye Qingchen was in bed before blowing out the candles and locking the Ye family's doors. Now, he would let the annoying Ye Qingchen close the door in the dark!

Jiang Zhiyang really didn't understand. Ye Qingchen clearly liked Xiao Chengyang, tacitly accepted his intimacy, and accepted his flirting. Why was her attitude ambiguous at the crucial moment?

Ye Qingchen was prone to overthinking, and Jiang Zhiyang could sense his unease and fully understand his concerns, but were those really important?

A person's life is a continuous process of growth. If one is hindered at any moment, their entire life will remain stuck at that age.

Ye Qingchen wanted to be a soaring eagle, but her sharp talons were bound to a piece of land by a thin thread. How could this be? Xiao Chengyang hoped that Ye Qingchen would grow into a towering tree, a majestic eagle with outstretched wings, free to roam the vast sky and sea, rather than a well-behaved and sensible child, a kind-hearted orphan, or a gentleman trapped by worldly etiquette.

Ye Qingchen once said that he didn't actually want to be an official. He only wanted a place to live, to devote himself to learning, and to write books. Xiao Chengyang couldn't say anything about his life ideals, but Jiang Zhiyang knew that what he wanted was for Ye Qingchen's wishes to be fulfilled. Wherever Qingchen was, he would be there.

All of this is so simple, seemingly within reach, yet it's like a pie hanging over your head, something you keep chasing but can never get.

These past few days, Jiang Zhiyang has been hiding by the lake alone to clear his mind, watching the withered leaves fall into the water, creating ripples that eventually return to calm.

But he still felt uneasy, and only when Ye Qingchen hurriedly found him and kept calling his name did he find a moment of relief.

Jiang Zhiyang wouldn't obediently follow Ye Qingchen. He would go up alone and deliberately let Ye Qingchen see his lonely back. This was his punishment for not facing his own heart. Let him suffer along with him.

Such distress is too superficial and too easily overlooked. Yu Qingjun saw Jiang Zhiyang's little actions but felt powerless to do anything about them. She dared not face her own heart, nor did she dare let Ye Qingchen confront her desires.

"Since he doesn't dare, then I'll force him. Even if it's just a slight movement, I'll make Ye Qingchen walk." Jiang Zhiyang thought to himself. He knew all too well how to make Qingchen suffer.

In fact, Jiang Zhiyang is not like this. Most of the time, he is easy-going, cowardly, and submissive. But now, he is stubborn, unrestrained, and does whatever he wants.

Because he knew that person could never leave.