Lin Chen opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back.
Lin Jianwei spoke for him: "You won't call, because you know that if you did, people would think the eldest young master of the Lin family is abusing his power?"
Lin Chen's expression shifted slightly, and the hatred for Jiang Cheng in his eyes involuntarily dimmed.
Yes, it wasn't that he couldn't do it, but that he wouldn't.
Just like when Jiang Cheng teased him to his face earlier, he clearly could have bickered back.
He had the ability and the confidence to do so.
But he wouldn't.
Lin Jianwei's words woke him up at the right time.
In the end, his frustration wasn't caused by Jiang Cheng.
It was a problem with his own personality.
Lin Jianwei continued: "From childhood, you've had to think three steps ahead for everything: what will others think of this step? Will it make the Lin family seem too ostentatious? Will it cause gossip for Grandpa? Will those watching us find something to use against us?"
She paused.
"You want to be someone who considers everything. And you've succeeded. Everyone says you're as gentle as jade, well-bred, and sensible."
"But Brother—"
"Have you ever thought about what you would do if you didn't have to think about these things?"
This question was not only for Lin Chen but also for herself.
Since childhood, she had been a well-bred, good Girl.
She was soft-spoken, smiled without showing teeth, and maintained proper posture whether standing or sitting.
Everyone said she was sensible and a true daughter of the Lin family.
But she knew the cost of being "sensible."
Lin Chen fell silent.
The night view outside the car window flickered past.
Lights flashed on and off, one by one.
Finally, he spoke.
"I have thought about it."
Lin Chen looked out the window, a very faint curve on his lips, though it was hard to tell if it was a smile or something else.
"I've thought about it many times..."
"Especially just now, watching him hold that woman, reaching out to pinch Miss Qiu's face, talking nonsense, acting like he doesn't care about anything—I thought about it."
"I thought, if I could be like that, how would it feel?"
"But after thinking, I realized I can't even imagine it."
Seeing Lin Jianwei remain silent, Lin Chen finally turned his head.
"Because I'm not him. I was raised this way for over twenty years; it's grown into my very bones. Even if given a chance to ignore everything, I wouldn't even know how to be reckless."
He smiled faintly, a smile that was a bit thin and bitter.
"So you say you're envious? I don't know. I just know I can't live the way he does."
Lin Jianwei looked at her brother's face, suddenly feeling a bit of a lump in her throat.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something.
But Lin Chen had already turned back to the window, his tone returning to that faint gentleness:
"Alright, don't overthink. Wake me when we get home."
Lin Jianwei didn't speak again.
She just looked at her brother's profile and his unreadable expression.
She suddenly remembered something her grandfather had said:
"In our Lin family, the most sensible children are you two."
She didn't understand what those words meant back then.
Now she did.
They were sensible because they never dared not to be.
She had seen many playboys; those who played wildly were everywhere.
But most of those people played in the shadows.
After all, given their status, being caught in the act would be a major blow.
So they played wildly in private while acting like perfect gentlemen on the surface.
Just like herself, even if she was uncomfortable, she would still speak pleasantly to Jiang Cheng.
But Jiang Cheng was different.
Logically, his status was even more high-profile than her brother's, so he should be acting with low-key caution.
But he wore all his emotions on his face.
He acted so naturally.
So natural that it gave bystanders an illusion.
As if he was meant to be this way.
As if these women were meant to be by his side.
As if reaching out to pinch Qiu Yihe's face was perfectly natural, requiring no explanation or consideration of anyone's feelings.
Just like that internet joke says:
If you don't want your daughter to be led astray by some yellow-haired guy, don't keep her on such a tight leash from a young age.
Otherwise, when she grows up and encounters someone free-spirited who does whatever they want for the first time—
She will throw herself at him like a moth to a flame.
Lin Jianwei used to just smile at such jokes.
But today, on the helipad, watching Jiang Cheng walk away with Chloe without looking back.
She suddenly understood.
Isn't that man a "yellow-haired guy"?
Not literally.
But that feeling.
A feeling she had never experienced.
No need to think three steps ahead, no care for others' opinions, saying what he wants, laughing when he wants, pinching whose face he wants.
Lin Jianwei: favorability value: +20!
Seeing Lin Jianwei's favorability value toward him rise to 50,
Jiang Cheng's brow couldn't help but twitch.
He had just humiliated Lin Chen, yet she wasn't angry.
Could it be that the relationship between these siblings wasn't good?
That didn't seem right; hadn't she just come out specifically to help her brother?
A woman's heart is truly like a needle at the bottom of the sea.
When Jiang Cheng arrived at the private jet with Chloe, Wang Congcong and the other two had just reached the side of the plane.
Seeing Chloe, the three politely nodded and called her "Sister-in-law."
Even for an open-minded Foreigner, hearing this made her shy.
"This is my first time on a private jet. Can I take a photo with it? I want to post it on Instagram."
Jiang Cheng knew about that; it was basically the Foreigner' Social Media Platform.
He let go of her hand and allowed Chloe to take photos with the private jet.
The Flight Attendants for this trip were still Chen Jiaxue and Zhao Yihan.
Seeing Chloe, these two Girls were clearly more natural and accustomed than when they saw the other Girls a few days ago.
Then again, after so many times, they should be used to it.
Furthermore, Chen Jiaxue's favorability value toward Jiang Cheng had reached 98, while Zhao Yihan's had reached 99.
After boarding, the eyes of Wang Congcong, Qin Fen, and Wang Zheng frequently drifted toward Chen Jiaxue and Zhao Yihan.
Of these two women, one was tall and cold, with a distance in her eyes that warned others not to approach.
The other... how should one put it? She was the type where your gaze would automatically slide downward.
That figure was so good it was almost cheating; her uniform buttons looked like they were struggling.
The "explosive" kind.
This lineup was truly top-tier.
Soon, the plane began to accelerate.
Minutes later, looking out the window, the entire Kyoto was beneath their feet.
Once the plane stabilized, everyone unbuckled their seatbelts.
Wang Sicong and the others went to sit on the sofa.
Zhao Yihan dutifully served them a platter of fruit, snacks, and drinks before immediately retreating.
Wang Congcong raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Qin Fen.
Wang Zheng seemed to misunderstand Wang Congcong's meaning.
He raised an eyebrow back, his eyes following Zhao Yihan's retreating figure: "Brother Cong, you also think it's very round, right?"
Wang Congcong glared at Wang Zheng: "What's round?"
"Round in the front and back, can't you tell? You don't see them this round very often nowadays..."
As Wang Zheng spoke, his eyes were still glued to Zhao Yihan, who was helping tidy up the clothes they had scattered everywhere.
Wang Congcong immediately picked up a throw pillow from the sofa and tossed it at him with a look of disgust.
"You bastard, you really say anything... That's not what I meant. Didn't it occur to you that these two belong to Brother Cheng?"