Qin He felt like Shen Yicong was treating her like a dog.
She clenched her fists, forcing herself to calm down.
“Didn’t you say Yilin was waiting outside? Can you let me go now?”
Shen Yicong released Qin He’s wrist. His fingers, which had held her wrist, felt slick.
He unconsciously rubbed his fingertips together.
The two left the room and headed to the dining hall.
In the dining hall, Shen Yilin was already sitting obediently, talking to a maid.
“Sister doesn’t like alcohol, please take it away.”
The maid immediately responded respectfully, stepped forward, and removed the wine.
When Qin He entered the dining hall and saw Shen Yilin, the anger on her face immediately softened.
“Yilin.”
Shen Yilin looked up and saw Qin He, his eyes sparkling with a little more life.
“Sister, you’re here.”
Shen Yilin stood up, intending to pull out a chair for Qin He.
Qin He gently pushed him back down. “Sit properly.”
About three minutes after Qin He arrived, Shen Yicong also entered. He wore a cheap suit and a respectful smile. “Miss Qin, Yilin.”
Qin He gave him a cold glance and looked away.
After Shen Yicong sat down, the atmosphere at the table became lively.
He continuously expressed his gratitude to Qin He.
“If it weren’t for Miss Qin, I truly wouldn’t know what to do about my brother.”
Qin He took a sip of the juice by her hand, feeling that Shen Yicong was deliberately trying to disgust her.
“Big Brother Shen is exaggerating. To me, Yilin is like my own brother. No matter what his illness is, I will treat him.”
Shen Yicong smiled. “Then I’ll toast Miss Qin.”
After picking up his wine glass, Shen Yicong realized Qin He didn’t have any wine in front of her.
Shen Yilin explained, “Sister doesn’t like alcohol, so I asked someone to remove her wine glass.”
Shen Yicong smiled. “Then Miss Qin can have juice instead of wine. I’ll drink mine, you can do as you please.”
His demeanor was as smooth and practiced as if he were still Qin Corporation’s assistant.
Qin He watched him with cold eyes, but to avoid alarming Shen Yilin, she had to pick up her juice and take a sip.
Shen Yilin, unable to drink alcohol due to his condition, received gentle servings of plain dishes from Qin He from time to time.
Shen Yilin painstakingly picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and placed it in Qin He’s bowl.
“Sister, eat fish.”
Qin He smiled. No matter what, Yilin was still that sunny and radiant young boy.
Thinking of his terminal illness, Qin He lowered her gaze.
Time was running out. Shen Yilin’s illness was discovered at a late stage, leaving her no time for research.
Cancer.
Heaven was truly unfair. A kind young man like Shen Yilin had a fatal illness, while a wicked terrorist mastermind like Shen Yicong sat there healthy.
Midway through the meal, Shen Yilin raised his juice glass and toasted Shen Yicong again.
After putting down his glass, Shen Yilin lowered his gaze. “Sister, I have something to tell you.”
Shen Yicong also watched with amusement.
Qin He put down her chopsticks. “What do you want to say?”
Shen Yilin looked up at Qin He, his sunny eyes now holding a hint of depth.
“Sister, I’ve never actually treated you as my own sister.”
Qin He was momentarily stunned, then patted Shen Yilin’s arm soothingly. “It’s alright.”
Shen Yilin frowned, knowing Qin He had misunderstood him.
“I never wanted to call you sister, but if I didn’t, I was afraid you would drift further away from me. So, I acted like a little brother, staying by your side in a despicable way.”
Shen Yilin spoke slowly, his eyes cast down.
Across the table, Shen Yicong felt inexplicably annoyed by these words.
Qin He frowned. “Yilin, what are you saying?”
Shen Yilin seemed to have made a great decision. “Sister, I know I have a terminal illness and it’s incurable. In my condition, I should quietly await death. But I still hold a somewhat selfish hope.”
Shen Yilin looked up, his gaze firm and clear as he looked at Qin He. “I don’t want to die with this feeling unexpressed. Even in my final moments, I still want you to know that I love you.”
The atmosphere at the dinner table fell silent.
Qin He tightly gripped her chopsticks, staring at Shen Yilin.
He was three years younger than her. She had never thought of him in that way.
“I’ve always loved you,” Shen Yilin said, his lips pressed together, his hand on the table trembling slightly. “But I was afraid that if I told you, you would distance yourself from me. I know your decisive nature; once you discovered my feelings, you would surely reject me immediately.
I had hoped that one day I would graduate, mature, and perhaps even with this life, I could try my hardest after graduation to surpass Gu Qichen and your other suitors. Maybe then you would notice me. I was waiting for the moment I was good enough to stand by your side, good enough to be worthy of you.
But I never expected I wouldn’t have that chance.”
Qin He’s lips were tightly pressed together. Suddenly realizing Shen Yilin harbored such feelings, she was at a loss for how to respond.
“Yilin—” Qin He said with difficulty.
Even in his final moments, she could not deceive Shen Yilin.
“I’ve always treated you as my brother.”
Qin He’s voice was strained.
Shen Yilin smiled. “I know, that’s why I’ve always called you sister. I also know I have no future. I shouldn’t have said anything, it only burdens you. But perhaps I don’t love you deeply enough, so I still want you to know my feelings.”
Qin He noticed that Shen Yilin hadn’t called her sister again in this moment.
Across the table, Shen Yicong’s gaze was profound.
He was aware of his brother’s hidden and deep affection for Qin He.
Shen Yicong watched Qin He thoughtfully. If Qin He agreed to date Yilin, would it help with Yilin’s illness?
Qin He’s heart was in turmoil. It felt as if her own younger brother had suddenly confessed his love.
But she didn’t want to crush Shen Yilin’s spirit. After a moment’s thought, she smiled. “Yilin, focus on recuperating now. We can talk about other things later.”
Shen Yilin stared at Qin He. “I know I won’t get better. Can I call you Qin He from now on?”
He didn’t want to die as just her brother.
Qin He’s lips pressed together. After a long pause, she said, “Yes.”
Shen Yilin smiled. “Qin He.”
Qin He forced a smile to her face. “En.”
Shen Yicong watched them, his fingers tightening around his chopsticks.
He poured himself a glass of red wine and drank it himself.
In less than five or six minutes, as Qin He was eating with her eyes lowered, she suddenly heard a crash from across the table.
She looked up at Shen Yicong and saw him with one hand pressed on the table, his face grim, sweat beading on his forehead.
Qin He frowned. Shen Yilin was still there, she couldn’t reveal too much. “Big Brother Shen, what’s wrong?”
Shen Yicong used his hand to support himself on the table, seeming to want to stand up, but his body swayed and he abruptly slumped back into his chair.
His gaze swept across the table with a sinister intensity, and in a flash, he made a judgment.
“Where did this red wine come from!”
Shen Yilin, sitting beside him, calmly put down his chopsticks and turned to look at Shen Yicong.
“The wine is yours, Brother, but the poison was mine.”