Xingcan had always believed he was jealous of his sister, but in the end, he realized it wasn't jealousy, but envy.
He had never seen his father smile at him. His father always scrutinized him with cold eyes, as if judging whether he was worthy of inheriting the company, though he didn't actually want to.
When he was very young, his sister was the only source of gentleness in his life.
Even though she always looked at him coldly, she would extend a hand to help him up when he fell.
His father would scold him in a harsh tone, telling him to get up himself. His mother, while applying makeup, would be on the phone with her sisters. Seeing him fall, she would only softly tell him to get up.
She never reached out to help him, afraid of ruining her freshly done nails.
In his childhood, Xingcan didn't understand, but later he did. In his parents' eyes, his existence was merely for profit, for the continuation of the family. In that home, only his sister was different.
He was very attached to his sister, but she was always too lazy to even give him a glance.
At first, he attracted her attention by getting hurt. Later, when that was exposed, he deliberately snatched her things in front of their parents.
When he saw his sister frown in annoyance because of him, he felt a strange sense of peace in his heart.
Because anger meant she cared, and he wanted her to care about him.
All of this came to an abrupt halt when he was ten years old.
His sister had a fight with them and then moved out. No matter how he contacted her or played the victim, she remained indifferent, not even willing to come back to see him.
From then on, his life lost all its joy. He began to hate his sister for leaving.
That year, he found out where his sister lived. Knowing she wasn't there, he still sneaked in.
He found a few diaries under the bedside table. He flipped through them casually. They recorded only formal matters, and he found them boring. But as he was putting the diaries back, a few small slips of paper fell out.
Curiously, he opened them. They contained some irregular girlish thoughts. From the messy handwriting, he found a crucial clue: his sister had someone she liked.
He investigated out of curiosity and accidentally stumbled upon Ji Wenyue.
He had only intended to test the waters, but he never expected Ji Wenyue to have such feelings for his sister. It was almost laughable.
However, when he sent his sister a message using Ji Wenyue's name, his sister, who was abroad, replied instantly, tentatively inquiring about Ji Wenyue's recent situation.
In an instant, he pieced everything together.
So, she really was the person his sister liked. Did they like each other?
Xingcan became wildly jealous of his full-blooded sister. Why, why was she so lucky that the person she liked also liked her?
It was like how she could leave home to do what she liked back then, while he could only stay at home and follow his father's arrangements.
The intense jealousy led him to make a decision he would never forget. He made a deal with Ji Wenyue.
He knew his sister's personality too well. She wouldn't even spare a glance for someone she didn't care about, but she was always cautiously probing those she did.
And Ji Wenyue was the same. Unless one of them honestly confessed their feelings, they would never be together.
He succeeded in seeing his sister's distraught appearance. At that moment, years of pent-up frustration vanished.
He had no interest in Ji Wenyue; she was merely a tool for him to make his sister angry. He enjoyed seeing his sister lose her composure, and only she could do that.
However, later he met a woman who deliberately approached him, but whom he fell in love with at first sight.
He loved Gu Wan so much that he wanted to marry her. It was the first time he regretted his impulsiveness, so when he saw the online rumors, he didn't clarify them.
Out of annoyance, he didn't want to divorce Ji Wenyue, but he didn't know how to face her, so he simply notified his sister, hoping she would return.
But perhaps he had been too harsh last time, and she had gone completely incommunicado.
Even so, he had never intended for her to die. By the time he realized it, it was already too late.
So when his sister returned and saw the hatred in her eyes, he pursed his lips and lowered his head in shame.
He even deliberately exposed a weakness when facing his sister's revenge, allowing her to avenge herself more smoothly.
Later, his father, unwilling to accept defeat, tried to threaten his sister in other ways. But no one expected his sister to commit suicide in the same manner.
Even though he considered himself heartless, the moment he learned of his sister's death, regret and guilt filled him. If only he hadn't interfered.
And Gu Wan, upon learning that their family business had gone bankrupt, wanted to leave. How could that be possible?
He loved her, so he wanted her to stay by his side forever.
He imprisoned her, but unfortunately, she was discovered later. However, it didn't matter. After serving his sentence, he found her again.
This time, he was more cautious, and they could finally be together forever.
His father's misdeeds were exposed, and he served twenty years in prison. After finally being released, he relied on his mother.
His uncle was also benevolent and gave his mother some money. Although it couldn't allow her to live the life of a rich wife, it could guarantee a basic quality of life.
But ever since his father joined them, the family had become mired in filth again. Just as he never imagined his sister would be so deeply in love, he also never imagined that his seemingly fierce father could be so ruthless when he resorted to violence.
He had imprisoned Gu Wan for a very, very long time, but she eventually managed to escape. This time, she wisely went to the hospital to have her injuries examined.
She bore the scars inflicted by Xingcan over the years. In court, Xingcan presented Gu Wan's mental evaluation, sending her to a psychiatric hospital, while he went back to prison.
This time, he wasn't so lucky. The label of domestic abuser was attached, making it difficult for him to be respected. I didn't argue or resist, allowing myself to be beaten black and blue.
At the very last moment, Xingcan saw the snowflakes through the small prison window.
The snowflakes were pure white and translucent, illuminating his eyes. He reached out his hand, and a voice only he could hear emerged:
Sister, I'm sorry. I've come to atone!
ps: Some people say Xing Yuan's affection is too readily given, and showing affection in front of outsiders is not good. Here, I want to explain.
She is inherently this kind of person, and in their previous lives, they missed each other because neither confessed. Because of love, there was fear.
Confession itself is a gamble. If you win, everyone is happy. If you lose, you lose everything.
Moreover, under such societal pressure, it's normal to have reservations.
When someone is certain they can receive all of the other person's exclusive affection, isn't it normal to be a little spoiled?
And she wants to use this method to give her a sense of security, to tell her in front of everyone: I like you, the whole world can bear witness, so, will you believe me?
Personal opinion, please do not criticize if you dislike it.