Chapter 1077: Chapter 1101:
"Cleared... up?" Lu Xingshen staggered slightly, releasing her and stepping back two steps, the light casting shadows beneath his cold gaze as his raspy voice sounded,
"Nuannuan, are you drawing a line with me for another man?"
"No, Iām doing it for myself." Shi Nuan had never felt so relieved; her lips curled slightly, "Second Uncle, for the past eighteen years, Iāve lived for the Shi Family. Iāve been reliant on others, unable to have my own thoughts.
I am a girl, yet for Shi Yue, I could only wear black, white, and gray. I couldnāt grow my hair long, nor wear skirts, and all this merely because Shi Yue didnāt like it.
If she didnāt like it, I couldnāt have it. Otherwise, I was deemed ungrateful. I was adopted by the Shi Family, which gave me a home, and Iām very grateful. But if I had known Iād lose my freedom by having a home, Iād rather have stayed in the orphanage back then.
Though I was an orphan, I did whatever I wanted, even if I wasnāt well-fed or clothed, I was truly happy. The grandmother at the orphanage named me Nuannuan, hoping I would have a warm life.
Yet, after coming here, all Iāve felt is the cold. Second Uncle, Iām really tired. I donāt want to live here anymore, nor do I want to be under your control. Iām an adult now; I should have my own life. Thank you for taking care of me in the past. I will honor you and the Shi Family in the future."
"Your own life?" Lu Xingshen burst into cold laughter, harshly saying, "You paint yourself so pitifully, but have you forgotten? Without me and the Shi Family, what makes you think you deserve the position of Miss Shi? Havenāt you always had the best food and clothes? What is warmth? Warmth is being well-fed, warmly clothed, living without worries. If you had grown up in an orphanage, fighting to the point of injury for a mere bun each day, you wouldnāt dream of this ridiculous concept of freedom!"
"Shi Nuan, youāve had too many good days and forgotten the miserable ones you lived before. When you came to the Shi Family at three years old, your clothes were tattered, you were skinny like a monkey. Without the Shi Family, you couldnāt even afford school. Why didnāt you talk about freedom then? Now you bring it up, do you even deserve it, Shi Nuan?"
Tears welled in Shi Nuanās eyes, and she bit her lip, saying, "No matter what you say, Iāve made up my mind."
Lu Xingshen closed his eyes, "Youāre really this determined!?"
"I donāt mean to sever ties with you all." Shi Nuan explained, "I just donāt want to rely on you anymore, nor do I want to live here. I still want to continue my studies. Iāll earn my own tuition and living expenses. Once I start my internship next semester, Iāll send money to repay you for your kindness."
Lu Xingshen snorted, "You think I care about your money? Shi Nuan, you understand nothing!"
"Second Uncle, I wonāt break up with Chu Zhan. In a while, heāll come to propose, and I want to marry him."
When Shi Nuan said this, Lu Xingshenās face contorted.
He said, "Nuannuan, try marrying him, and I wonāt spare you, nor him!"
Shi Nuan replied, "You donāt need to threaten me; Iām not scared of what youāll do to me. As for Chu Zhan, heās an engineer now; you canāt touch him."