MingYu

8

Note: [Text] = Thoughts-one-has | [Text]= Thoughts-one-has-but-doesn't-want-to-acknowledge-it

Warnings: the usual depressive and suicidal thoughts, angst (because we can't live without it), bouts of misplaced and rightful anger and miscommunication. If any of these triggers you, please don't read.

Author's Notes: Also, I've been hearing of some talks about another interface app that monetizes works on Ao3 or something along those lines. I do not allow that, I'll mention that right now, so if anyone sees that happening, please let me know asap. This is a free work that I share to allow my ideas to be shared with the community. It is for fun. Therefore, I do not allow anyone monetizing this work. If I find something like that happening, I will change the setting so that only logged in users will be able to see this work. But until then, everyone is free to enjoy this work.

"Tell me, what should I be satisfied about her?"

Jiang Yanli closed her eyes at the remembrance. She may have ended her engagement verbally, but she still had to send a letter and follow courtesy. She did not look forward to it. [What was the point of an engagement when the other didn't even accept it?]

Those words pierced through her and for once, she wished she didn't know of what she lacked. Everyone knew she wasn't too beautiful nor did she have much spiritual energy. She was just average. No different from all the girls that surrounded Young Master Jin.

She knew.. she knew that but it still hurt. The blatant rejection to her face.. never before had she felt so hated. [She wanted to cry, but she knew if she even allowed a tear to flow, then there would be a massacre. Not just from A-Xian and A-Cheng, but also from her parents. More than that, she just knew that Mingyu-ge would react negatively. Extremely poorly.]

Ending the engagement, even just verbally, felt like a sword stabbing through her heavy heart. To think she would end an engagement she was looking forward to.

"If the other person still doesn't acknowledges you despite your efforts, then it isn't worth it. It'll hurt but you have to let go. You can't continue to cling onto them if it's never going to be reciprocated. You'll just hurt yourself more."

Jiang Yanli took a deep breath in, using Mingyu-ge's words to keep her grounded. [She couldn't let her grief overwhelm her. Not in front of so many people. She was the oldest child of Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan, she would not let herself cry]

It hurt, physically and mentally, but she was prepared. Thanks to Wei Mingyu's words. [Why did he look so pained when he uttered those words? Just who was he thinking about then?]

Even if she didn't want to be, she was prepared for the worst and was thankful to him. If Jin Zixuan didn't like her, then she wouldn't pursue this non-existent relationship. She wanted someone to love her. She wanted a love-filled life, where she could actually be happy.

Clearly, that wasn't with Young Master Jin, so it was time to move on.

"Shijie/A-Jie/A-Li!"

A genuine smile graced her face. Even if Young Master Jin wasn't interested in her, her family would always stand by her side. And that was enough.

She couldn't help but recall what Mingyu had said to her alone, a few days later.

"Patience is the key to everything, Yanli. Even an unpolished gem will shine brightly when the time comes and that is when everyone will realize its worth. Time is of essence here, so wait."