CHAPTER 160: SHE MAY BE QI JIANYI...BUT SHE’S NOT MY JIANYI

Song Chengfeng remained silent. His refusal to speak made his stance clear—but his silence only deepened Mrs. Song’s frustration.

Throwing a sharp glare his way, she let out an irritated sigh and snapped, "So you’re just going to keep quiet? Fine. But don’t expect me to stop looking for a wife for you."

With those words, she stood up from the couch and made a show of walking away, clearly attempting to provoke a reaction.

Predictably, Song Chengfeng took the bait. He quickly stood up and moved to block her path.

"Mom..." he called out softly, his tone subdued.

"I really don’t want to get married. Can’t you just stop pushing me?" His voice held an almost pleading quality, the weariness unmistakable.

But this time, Mrs. Song had resolved not to waver. If her son insisted on continuing this cold, lifeless charade, then she was ready to play her part to the end.

She had already asked several of her friends’ daughters to attend fake blind dates with him—just to annoy him enough to force out the truth behind his and Qi Jianyi’s sudden "breakup."

After all, she had no intention of ruining some innocent girl’s future just to get herself a daughter-in-law. If her son was determined to suffer in silence, then he would have to suffer through endless dates until he spoke up.

"I’m your mother, Song Chengfeng. You will listen to me and go to the blind date I’ve arranged," she declared firmly. "I’ll send you the time and location later."

Then, with a dramatic push against her son’s chest, she added sternly, "And if you dare not show up, then don’t bother calling me ’mother’ anymore."

She tried to walk past him again—only to be stopped once more by her son.

"Mom, do you really have to force me?" Song Chengfeng asked solemnly, his voice heavy with resignation.

Without even a moment’s pause, Mrs. Song nodded and replied without mercy, "Yes."

"I will keep pushing until you’re willing to tell me the truth behind this ’lifeless’ version of you," she added firmly.

Then, her tone softened as she looked up at her son with a mix of concern and determination. "Chengfeng, if you still like Jianyi...if you really care about her. Then just tell mom. I’ll do everything I can to persuade her parents. If they disapprove, I’ll coax them until they agree to let you be together again."

She reached out and gently patted his chest, a small but heartfelt reminder that his parents would always be there for him—no matter what choices he made.

But Song Chengfeng shook his head, turning down her kindness before the thought could even settle.

"Don’t bother..." Before he could finish, Mrs. Song lightly smacked his chest, frustration beginning to rise.

"Then what? Should I just pretend not to see how much you still long for her? Pretend I don’t notice the way your entire presence dims when her name is mentioned?" Her voice cracked slightly—not from anger, but from deep maternal worry.

"Chengfeng... what really happened between you two that made you like this?" Mrs. Song’s voice was soft but tinged with frustration. It was a question she had asked countless times over the years—each time met with silence.

And deep down, she knew this time would be no different. Her son was preparing to brush it off again, just like always.

But before he could escape behind his walls, Mrs. Song delivered her warning, sharp and clear: "If you still won’t answer me, then be prepared to attend every single blind date I’ve arranged for you."

Driven speechless, Song Chengfeng closed his eyes and took a long, weary breath.

"Mom, I don’t like Miss Qi," he said flatly, pausing for a moment as if forcing himself to calm down against the rising anger in his heart. "Whatever happened between us ended seven years ago. You should stop holding onto it."

Mrs. Song narrowed her eyes, unimpressed. "If you had truly let go, then you wouldn’t still be like this."

She took a step closer, her voice growing firm yet gentle. "You love her, Chengfeng. I, as your mom, can see that much. That love never left you. It’s still there. Strong, silent, and aching. Yet instead of fighting for her, you’re here tormenting yourself."

But she didn’t realize that the more she urged him to return to ’Qi Jianyi,’ the more irritated and uneasy Song Chengfeng became.

"I don’t like Miss Qi. Can we stop talking about this?" Song Chengfeng’s voice dropped lower, strained, no longer carrying the calm composure he usually wore like armor.

But that flicker of agitation only emboldened Mrs. Song. She could see it—she was close. Closer than ever to the truth. And instead of retreating like she always did, this time, she advanced.

"Who are you trying to fool, Chengfeng?" she snapped, eyes sharp with determination. "Even a five-year-old can see how much you love Jianyi! You’ve never moved on!"

She pressed on before he could shut her down again. "Just listen to your mom, alright? Go to the Qi mansion. Apologize. Be sincere. Ask them to let you date her again. They won’t hold a grudge. Qi Jingxuan and He Ling are reasonable people."

Song Chengfeng scoffed, jaw tightening. "Why would I go?" he said, cold and dismissive. "I have no feelings for their daughter."

Though his face remained eerily calm, the fire in his eyes betrayed him. Mrs. Song noticed the subtle flare of anger—and she knew.

She was right. She was almost there. Instead of backing down, she crossed her arms with a triumphant glint in her eyes.

"Keep lying to yourself if you want, but my mind’s made up. You’re coming with me to the Qi family mansion tomorrow. We’ll talk things through. Clear the air. And you’ll tell them how you truly feel." Her tone brooked no argument. This time, she wasn’t going to let him run.

Song Chengfeng ruffled his hair in frustration. "Mom, why can’t you just understand me? I have no feelings for Miss Qi, so what’s the point of going to their house?"

Mrs. Song snorted. "Unless you bring home another woman as your wife, I’ll never stop believing you’re still in love with that girl, Jianyi."

"The woman I loved has been gone from this world for a long time! So please, stop mentioning her name!" As though a fragile thread holding his composure finally snapped, Song Chengfeng exploded.

Mrs. Song froze.

The room fell into complete silence, so heavy it felt suffocating. Her eyes widened—not just from the sharpness of his words, but from the pain buried inside them.

That wasn’t a denial.

That was grief.

Slowly, she took a step back, her voice softening with disbelief and quiet horror.

"What...what do you mean she’s gone from this world?" Her tone trembled.

"She’s still alive, Chengfeng. Jianyi is alive."

Song Chengfeng laughed bitterly, but it was hollow, broken.

"No, mom. She’s not." His voice was low, almost trembling.

"The woman I swore to love with all my heart and soul died the moment she woke up from that accident. I lost her that day." His fists clenched at his sides, voice cracking at the edges.

"Miss Qi may be Qi Jianyi... but she’s not my Jianyi."

Mrs. Song stared at her son, stunned. Finally, the puzzle pieces clicked into place—his distance, his silent mourning, his refusal to move on.

He wasn’t grieving a breakup.

He was mourning the death of someone he loved deeply.

But now, another question took shape in Mrs. Song’s mind. If the woman her son loved wasn’t this "Miss Qi," then who was she? Was this the reason behind Qi Jianyi’s sudden change in personality?

No—it wasn’t that her attitude had changed. It was as if she had simply returned to who she had been before.

Still, she was certain that the woman her son had fallen for was Qi Jianyi—the only daughter of the Qi family. So did this mean... Qi Jianyi had a split personality? Did her son fall for the other version?

Or... could it be that two different souls had once inhabited the same body? Mrs. Song shook her head, unable to believe she was even entertaining such a strange idea.

But seeing the raw pain in her son’s eyes made her heart ache. He had carried this torment alone for so long.

"Chengfeng..." she murmured, reaching for his arm. But he stepped back, avoiding her touch.

"I’ve tried, mom. I really tried to forget her. To convince myself it was all just in my head. But every time I look into her eyes... they’re not hers. Not the eyes I loved." His voice broke then—cracking as the pain slipped through.

Mrs. Song could only whisper, "Then tell me, Chengfeng...What truly happened seven years ago?" She took a step forward and softly embraced her son.

And as though the fog in his heart had finally parted beneath a sliver of sunlight, Song Chengfeng gave in to that fleeting warmth—and began to confess everything.