CHAPTER 441: CHAPTER 441: THIS IS JUST THE WAY I AM

"I can ignore everyone else I’ve met, but I can’t ignore the fact that I met you when I was young. Back then, you relied on me so much, but now, you’re treating me like this."

Two such extreme situations collided, leaving his heart deeply unsettled, even believing that everything before him was utterly undeserved.

Sometimes, Ji Yu really regretted it. Why did she have to meet him back then?

"Stop bringing up these things. To me, they have no value at all. I don’t want to reminisce about childhood memories with you. We were young then, so maybe we just acted immaturely, don’t you think?"

Immature indeed—back then, she had been bullied and needed someone to protect her.

When Jiang Huai appeared, she stubbornly believed he was an older brother figure, which is why they became so close.

And precisely because of this, when she discovered that this "older brother" was a murderous psychopath, her fear consumed her, and all she wanted was for him to disappear completely.

"I admit that I did some things back then that wronged you, but I’ve paid it all back by now. Haven’t the torments you inflicted on me during this time been enough?"

Those torments had nearly driven her to death.

"Whatever I owed you back then should be settled by now, don’t you think? But if you persist in clinging to me, don’t blame me for being ruthless."

"When have you ever shown me mercy?" he retorted. "Look at the state you’re in now—surely even you know deep down how cruel you’ve been to me."

His heart ached unbearably.

"But I should thank you as well. During the darkest moments when I almost couldn’t hold on, the thought of coming to find you kept me alive. Look, aren’t I doing just fine now?" Jiang Huai said, an unsettling smile playing on his lips.

Indeed, things had spiraled into extremes between them.

Perhaps their fates were already entwined back then, making it impossible to separate them now.

Sometimes, Ji Yu really wanted to ask him—why does he insist on clinging to the events of that time?

Now, he finally had an answer. It was probably because everything about it was unforgettable.

"You and I are the same—you know very well we can easily forget the kindness of others, but hatred stays with us forever."

What he said was true—Ji Yu was just that sort of person.

But the current situation was far worse than anyone could have imagined. Honestly, neither of them could make the right decision.

Ji Yu decisively placed the knife she held onto the table.

"If you still feel unsatisfied with what happened back then, feel free to stab me with this knife. But you must hand over the antidote. That is incredibly important to me—I have someone I need to protect."

That truly was her only thought. She had no intention of provoking anyone.

But Jiang Huai, hearing these words, trembled with fury. He could not accept that the person he cared about most could say such a thing.

"Ji Yu, are you truly unaware, or are you just pretending? I care so deeply for you, and yet you’re willing to let me stab you for the sake of protecting someone else."

How was this any different from murdering him outright? How could she utter these words and not feel any discomfort in her heart?

"Why should I care about your feelings? This has been my stance all along; I’m just saying it out loud now so you’re clear. I don’t want you to misunderstand."

When Ji Yu became cruel, her coldness was truly chilling. Like now—despite knowing her words would hurt Jiang Huai deeply, she spoke them anyway.

"Ji Yu, you’re quite something, aren’t you? Even now, you’re still hurting me. You should know by now how much I care for you, and yet you choose to treat me like this."

At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to tear his heart out and show it to her—to prove they were not the same at all.

"Yu, why? Why are you doing this to me? I cared so much for you, did so much for you, and yet in the end, you discarded me."

A faint sense of pity flashed across Ji Yu’s eyes as she looked at him. She seemed to see someone who had already descended into madness and thus felt no need to argue further.

"You always think others have abandoned you, but have you ever considered that it might be your own fault? What you’ve done—who could ever accept it? I know I was wrong back then, but I don’t think you were right either."

Both of them had made flawed decisions back then. But since they had both survived, there was no need to dwell on the past anymore.

"Hate me, love me—whatever you feel, I don’t care anymore. I just want the antidote. Hand it over, and we’ll have no more entanglements after this."

Her words were so light and casual, as if all the years of connection between them had never existed at all.

"Yu, you’re absolutely heartless. No matter when it was, I never thought about severing ties with you. But when you say these things, you’re so cold and indifferent."

It was as if such words could be spoken so effortlessly.

Yet Ji Yu’s expression remained unchanged.

"Then what do you think I should say? Should I put it more tactfully? That’s just not my style. I prefer being direct."

Perhaps this was the very reason they could never truly be together.

For the first time, Jiang Huai felt his spirit begin to break. Staring at the woman in front of him, he suddenly wanted to demand why her heart had to be so callous.

"Everything I’ve done for you—can you really just ignore it all? Just this once, can’t you give me something in return, even the tiniest bit of affection?"

He wasn’t asking for much. Just a fraction of what they once shared would suffice. But why did even that now seem so impossible?

"The past is in the past. No matter how much you cling to it, it can never come back."

Ji Yu genuinely didn’t understand why some people insisted on living in the past. In truth, so many things could bring happiness if only one chose to let go.

"I just don’t want to forget the happiest time of my life, that’s all."

For Ji Yu, perhaps that period had been excruciatingly painful. But for him, it had been the most joyful time of all.