Chapter 361: Chapter 224 Secret_3

She sniffled, “I agreed to it for the money.”

Wen Shulin was somewhat incoherent, “I needed money, my mom also needed money, I couldn’t just watch her struggling alone…”

“Shulin, you’ve really had a tough time.” Chen Cheng embraced her to provide comfort and strength.

At this point, Wen Shulin began to choke up, her tears becoming uncontrollable.

Chen Cheng tenderly held her in his arms, gently patting her back, offering silent consolation.

He knew that those past wounds were indelible scars in Wen Shulin’s heart.

After a while, Wen Shulin’s emotions began to settle down.

She left Chen Cheng’s embrace, wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and continued: “That’s the real reason why I signed the Sponsorship Agreement back then.”

She gazed at the man in front of her,

“Chen Cheng, I’m telling you all this so you know that I’m not as perfect as you imagine.”

Wen Shulin lifted her head, looked into his eyes seriously, and said, “I have too much of a past and hurts that you couldn’t imagine.”

“But meeting you, Chen Cheng, you’re like a light that shone into my world.”

Wen Shulin’s body shivered slightly, “I’m not the lady of the house that the outside world believes I am. Back then, I was just an ordinary girl who came from a family like that.”

By the end, Wen Shulin’s voice became softer and softer, as if narrating something shameful that she found hard to disclose.

“I’m just an ordinary woman who wanted to protect herself and her family.”

Chen Cheng looked at the vulnerable yet strong woman before him, filled with tenderness and love.

He reached out, lifted her proud chin, and looked at that tear-streaked yet still cold face, “Shulin, I understand, I get it all.”

“You don’t need to explain anything to me, I believe you.”

“I… back then…” Wen Shulin attempted to explain but found herself unable to articulate.

“You don’t have to say anything.”

Chen Cheng gently pressed his index finger to Wen Shulin’s lips, “Let the past be the past. You are now Wen Shulin, the Wen Shulin that I love, and that’s enough.”

“Husband, if only I had met you sooner.” Wen Shulin embraced Chen Cheng, her head resting against his chest.

“It’s not too late now, the timing is just right.”

“Not too late?”

“Look,” Chen Cheng gently supported Wen Shulin’s shoulders to face him,

“Now you’ve achieved success in your career, Li Ya has grown up, and you’re about to completely free yourself from the past to pursue the life you truly desire. Isn’t that just right?”

Wen Shulin, looking at Chen Cheng’s resolute eyes and listening to his tender words, felt her last traces of hesitation vanish completely.

Yes, it wasn’t too late; she still had the chance to pursue her own happiness.

“Chen Cheng, thank you.”

Wen Shulin’s eyes moistened again, but she smiled—a bright and happy smile.

“Silly, I’m your closest person, there’s no need for thanks.”

Chen Cheng wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes, softly saying, “From now on, I will always be by your side, never letting you suffer again.”

Wen Shulin nodded with emotion, snuggling into Chen Cheng’s embrace, feeling an unprecedented sense of security and happiness.

Chen Cheng took her hand, “Today I truly understand you, allowing me to see that the fearsome Sister Lin they’re afraid of was actually made this way.”

“Stop it!”

Wen Shulin playfully bit Chen Cheng’s lower lip, but that brief moment of pain quickly turned into endless tenderness.

A denim miniskirt slowly slid down, piling into a soft heap of fabric at her feet, just like Wen Shulin’s tender heart at that moment.

She revealed all her secrets to Chen Cheng before her, truly bearing her soul, as in this moment.

Wen Shulin was no longer the high-powered lady everyone thought she was, having taken off all disguises and defenses, like a weary bird allowing Chen Cheng to kiss her neck.

She was trembling, nervous too.

But there was absolutely no regret.

Her slender arms wrapped around Chen Cheng’s neck; Wen Shulin’s words were muffled, “Give… me…”

…

…

Forty minutes later, Wen Shulin stood in front of the floor mirror, adjusting her clothes.

Chen Cheng lay on the bed, watching her silhouette with a smile on his face.

“Do you often come back here?” he asked.

Wen Shulin turned around, walked back to the bed, and sat down, “I used to come here often when Li Ya wasn’t around.”

“When work got stressful or something went wrong, I just wanted to come back and have some quiet.”

“Here, I can sleep soundly because this is my real home.”

She said with a smile, “But now that Li Ya is by my side, I haven’t been here for a while.”

Chen Cheng pulled her into his embrace, “In the future, we’ll come back together.”

Wen Shulin nodded slightly, “Okay.”

She stood up again, “Let’s go; it’s time to go back.”

Chen Cheng then got up from the bed and clumsily dressed, asking, “By the way, you mentioned your aunt just now…”

“My mother passed away last year.” Wen Shulin spoke indifferently, as she normally did, with no trace of emotion,

“She passed peacefully.”

Hearing this news, Chen Cheng was somewhat shocked.

But he quickly composed himself, wrapping his arm around Wen Shulin’s shoulder, “Condolences.”

The two left the room, Wen Shulin taking one last look at this place filled with countless memories before closing the door.

As they were descending the stairs, Chen Cheng asked, “Where is your aunt buried?”

“Longquan Cemetery.”

“I’ll accompany you to visit her once you’re less busy.”

Wen Shulin just nodded slightly without speaking, yet her heart felt warm.