Chapter 1300: WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THE TWO (II)

ONCE again, Su Yuqi just stared at him for a long moment. Luo Jin gritted his teeth. He almost shouted at her to just spit it out already. But even now, he couldn't bring himself to raise his voice at her. So he waited. He waited for her to finally tell him whatever the hell this 'proposal' was.

Instead of answering him directly, she asked a question. "Did I ever tell you I've always wanted to be a tattoo artist?"

Luo Jin blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change of topic. He shook his head without thinking. "No, you haven't."

"It's something I haven't told anyone," she began, her gaze steady on him. "Because until now, I was stuck, trying to decide if I should actually go for it or not. You know my family. They're all artists. My father is a national-level painter. It was always just... assumed that I'd follow that same traditional path. But my heart was never in it. I don't want to put my art on canvas. I want to tattoo art on skin. I want to help create something that has real meaning for the person getting it, something that will stay with them. I've been thinking about it for months, stuck in my head. And then, after what happened between us... I just decided. To hell with it. I'm going for it."

Luo Jin was completely surprised to hear all this. It was the first time he had ever heard Su Yuqi talk about this kind of inner struggle. He felt a sharp, unexpected sting—a feeling that she had kept this big part of herself hidden from him. It made him feel like he didn't really know her as well as he thought. But he quickly pushed the feeling down and scolded himself. This wasn't about him or his feelings. This was about her and her life. Why was he making it about himself?

"You should go for it," he said after a moment, his voice softer now. "You can't really go wrong if you're following what your heart wants to do."

Su Yuqi stared at him for a second, then let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah," she said. "I'm starting to realize that's how I should've done things from the start. Just like with us. I should have just listened to my heart and not worried about all the consequences."

Luo Jin let out a sharp scoff. "Hell yeah, you should have," he said, his tone a mix of frustration and agreement.

A helpless little smile crossed her lips. "But that's the thing. I couldn't just do that. Not when it involves you and your entire future."

"We're just going around in circles again," Luo Jin said, letting out a frustrated groan.

"You're right. Let's go back to that proposal," Su Yuqi said, pulling the conversation back on track. "Like I said, I'm going to follow my heart. Next year, after I graduate, I'm planning to go to Country M to work and build a career as a tattoo artist. I'll probably need to stay there for a while to establish myself. It could take a few years before I'm ready to come back."

Luo Jin felt like he had just been punched in the stomach. All the air left his lungs. He stared at her, completely shocked. He didn't need her to say another word. He could already see exactly where this conversation was going.

"No," Luo Jin cut her off, his voice rough. "Stop right there. If your big proposal is that I wait for you for years, and if I do, then it'll prove my feelings are real... then you're out of your mind if you think I'll agree to that."

A flash of sadness and disappointment crossed Su Yuqi's face. Her shoulders slumped a little. She looked down and let out a slow breath. "Of course," she mumbled. "I understand."

A frustrated growl escaped his throat. Because, damn it, he could already tell exactly what she was thinking.

"No, you don't understand," he said sharply. "Listen. I'm not trying to stop you from leaving. I'll support your decision to go follow your dreams. I'm even willing to wait. But what I won't do is go completely without contact. If you're leaving, then you and I are going to video call each other regularly. Every day if we can, unless one of us is too busy. That part is non-negotiable."

Su Yuqi blinked, her expression confused. "But... wouldn't that ruin the whole point of seeing if your feelings are real?"

"Why do we have to 'see' if my feelings for you are real?" he shot back. "Like your leaving is some kind of test I have to pass? What about you? Why aren't you testing your own feelings for me?"

"Because I already know," she said in a firm voice. "I know for sure that even if years go by without us talking, my feelings for you won't change."

That statement made Luo Jin go completely silent. Then he felt his whole face heat up, burning with a sudden, intense warmth. He looked down at the ground between them, unable to meet her eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost a mumble. "Why can't you believe that I'm the same?"

"Because you're young," she said in a quiet, unwavering voice. "You'll meet more people and have new experiences. And when you do, you might realize I'm not the best one for you. I can't tie you to me before you've had that chance to see for yourself. What if you meet someone better along the way? Someone who fits you perfectly? That's why I think time and distance would do the job for us."

Luo Jin clenched his jaw so hard he felt his teeth might crack. He reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders, gripping her in place. "There you go again," he said, his voice tight with anger. "Being so damn selfish. Stop deciding for me. Who said I want someone better? I don't want this imaginary someone! The one I want is you!"

Then he crashed his lips to hers.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.