Chapter 11: I'm Not Worthy

“Why are you still standing there like a fool?”

“Hurry up and go to your room to pack your things. If you don’t want to, just say so. I won’t force you.”

Lin Shuyu stared at Hong Yu for over ten seconds before repeating herself.

Hong Yu nodded eagerly. After replying, he rushed to the storage room.

He had been living there for the past few years.

Though it was called a storage room, Hong Yu kept it spotless. The space was small—just enough for a bed and a wardrobe, with no room for a desk.

He didn’t own much. Rolling up his bedding and grabbing his pillow, he stepped out of the storage room.

Catching Lin Shuyu’s gaze once more and seeing her nod, he excitedly headed for her bedroom.

“Hey! Wait! You useless fool, stop right there!” Chen Lan had been frozen in shock. Seeing Hong Yu actually dare to enter Lin Shuyu’s bedroom, she could no longer remain rooted to the spot.

“Shuyu, are you running a fever today? What on earth happened to make you do something so foolish?”

“If you have no shame, I at least do! A man and a woman alone in a room—if word gets out, how will you ever get married?”

For years, Chen Lan had regretted agreeing to Lin Shuyu’s marriage with Hong Yu.

Especially after today’s humiliation, she resolved to have them divorce as soon as possible.

She knew everything that had happened over these years.

Since their wedding, Lin Shuyu and Hong Yu had never even shared a room; Lin Shuyu was still untouched.

With her daughter’s looks and height, if she tried a little harder, finding a richer heir than Zhao Minghui wouldn’t be impossible.

But if Lin Shuyu were to lose her innocence to Hong Yu, negotiations would become difficult. After all, what man doesn’t want his bride to be pure?

“Mom! I think you’re the one with a fever. What nonsense are you spouting?” Lin Shuyu was furious.

“What’s wrong with a married couple sharing a room? Hong Yu and I are legally married. Isn’t it normal for us to sleep in the same room?”

“Besides, I’m already married to Hong Yu. I won’t marry anyone else!”

After shouting, Lin Shuyu dragged Hong Yu into the room and locked the door.

“I swear, I’d rather have given birth to a roast pig than to you. Is this how you speak to your mother?”

“I’m your mother! Everything I do is for your own good!”

“Haven’t you seen the reality yet? If you keep sticking with this useless man, do you want to keep being a laughingstock?”

“Shuyu, listen to me. Don’t be stubborn.”

Chen Lan pleaded anxiously outside the room for a long while. When there was no response, she yelled, “Hong Yu, you animal, get out here!”

“If you’re a man at all, don’t drag Shuyu down with you.”

“Oh right, aren’t you poor? If you’re willing to leave Shuyu, I’ll transfer money to your account right now.”

“Will half a million be enough? A million, then?”

Chen Lan’s angry scolding and humiliating words continued outside, but inside the room, Hong Yu could no longer hear her. At that moment, his world was filled only with Lin Shuyu.

In all their years of marriage, opportunities to be alone together were rare. Now, Hong Yu could even hear Lin Shuyu’s gentle breathing.

Lin Shuyu met his eyes and suddenly asked, “There’s something I forgot to ask you earlier. What exactly were you doing this afternoon?”

Hong Yu’s heart skipped a beat. He marveled at her intuition, then smiled and said, “A friend of mine came to Fengzhou today and insisted on treating me to a meal. We caught up, and I didn’t realize how quickly time passed.”

Lin Shuyu’s eyes were full of suspicion. “Are you still lying to me? Back there, you told me not to leave and said something exciting was about to happen.”

At first, she’d let his excuse slide, but on the way home, something had felt off.

Based on what Hong Yu had said, there was no way she could have anticipated what later happened—unless he knew it was coming, or at least had some inside knowledge.

Hong Yu was silent for a moment, then replied, “It was all guesswork.”

“If the Zhao family really sent those gifts, there’s no way the delivery people wouldn’t tell Zhao Minghui. And that box of Okamoto—didn’t you find that suspicious?”

Hearing his explanation didn’t reassure Lin Shuyu; if anything, it deepened her disappointment.

She said impatiently, “Why do you always focus on things like this? With such sharp insight, why waste it on gossip?”

“Don’t think talking like this will make me see you in a better light.”

“If you really want me to admire you, then do something with your life. Stop wasting time on pointless things.”

Lin Shuyu had always been practical. She truly disliked how Hong Yu spent his energy on trivialities like a gossiping old woman.

Moreover, her instincts told her he still wasn’t being honest.

Her expectations were never high. She didn’t ask for Hong Yu to be rich or to toil endlessly for money; she simply wanted him to be ambitious and positive—a decent young man.

That wasn’t too much to ask. In fact, it was the most basic expectation in any relationship.

Hong Yu became anxious at her words.

He knew Lin Shuyu misunderstood, and he knew she meant well.

But some things, he truly couldn’t tell her yet. Was he supposed to say he was the sole heir of the Hong family?

Even if she believed him, he’d only just declined his family’s offer that day, making bold claims. He couldn’t contradict himself or lose all his pride.

With no other choice, Hong Yu suddenly picked up his bedding from the floor.

Seeing this, Lin Shuyu bit her lip and said, “I only said those things for your own good. Are you really so upset?”

“Is it because I don’t scold you like everyone else? Because I’m too kind to you, is this how you repay me?”

“I’ve seen you endure insults from relatives and others without reacting before.”

Hong Yu sighed. “Shuyu, how could I ever be angry with you?”

“Everything you said makes sense. I really can’t let you keep being disappointed.”

“Don’t worry. From now on, I won’t let anyone bully you again.”

Looking at Hong Yu, Lin Shuyu suddenly felt a wave of sadness.

Seeing he was really about to leave, she instinctively reached out to stop him. “If you know I want what’s best for you, then why are you leaving? Stay. Don’t you want to be with me?”

“I do. I do—every day and every night, I want nothing more!”

Hong Yu’s voice shook with emotion. “But I can’t. Because right now, I’m not worthy.”