Chapter 750: Do You Really Want to Be With Me?

Neither of them was particularly interested in listening to the storytelling. In fact, despite having been in North City for so long, Qin Jiqun had never been to a place like this.

But today was different.

He had thought carefully about what his niece, Qin Jiao, had said to him.

Being alone for so many years was certainly not easy, and the way Jiang Ling made him feel was completely different from his ex-wife, Feng Lan.

He did have feelings for her, but a deep-seated insecurity held him back. He felt his circumstances weren’t good enough and that he didn’t deserve someone as kind and gentle as Jiang Ling.

Then he heard she was sick, and he grew anxious.

And so, he had finally mustered up the courage to ask her out.

Adult relationships aren’t as ambiguous as they are when you’re young. In Qin Jiqun’s case, he felt his current situation meant he couldn’t afford to start some vague, undefined relationship.

Okay, so he was still a little insecure.

“Sister Ling, are you feeling any better?”

Jiang Ling’s complexion looked alright. After all, she’d had a few days to adjust to her disappointment.

They were both adults; even if she was a little dejected, she wouldn’t make a huge scene about it.

Jiang Ling smiled faintly. “Much better. So, what did you want to see me about today?”

“Sister Ling, do you really want to be with me?”

Jiang Ling froze.

Truthfully, before coming, she had considered that this meeting was a final chance—for herself, and for Qin Jiqun.

She nodded solemnly. “Yes. But if you don’t think we’re a good match, that’s okay too.”

“But I’m divorced, I’ve been to prison, and my son, Xiao Tao, is in prison right now. To be honest, I have a lot of faults. Even though I’ve been trying hard to correct them these past two years, I probably still have some bad habits. You might… look down on me for them.”

Jiang Ling said, “Of course, I already knew about your family situation. We’ve known each other for a long time, after all. As for flaws and shortcomings, who doesn’t have them? I’ve thought about it. You might have some minor flaws, but they’re nothing serious. I have flaws too. If we’re together, we can keep an eye on each other and help one another change.”

“To be honest, I never thought about getting married again. I just figured I would focus on raising Xiao Yue. Then, once she got married, I’d help her and her husband take care of their children. That would be my life. As long as my daughter was filial, I knew my later years would be happy.”

“But Xiao Yue always encouraged me. She said that if I found someone suitable, I should give it another try.”

“I can’t let one failed marriage make me ‘once bitten, twice shy.'”

“And in the last couple of years, I’ve watched you. At first, you were working so hard all by yourself on construction sites, and then you went to the restaurant. You became a completely different person. It made my heart ache for you, but I also came to admire you.”

Jiang Ling said all this in a rush. A little embarrassed, she picked up her teacup and took a sip.

The green tea was light, but a bite of the pastry was refreshingly sweet.

“Sorry, I’ve been doing all the talking. Ji Qun, you should share your thoughts too. Honestly, I’ve thought it over the last few days. If this works out, it’s fate. If it doesn’t, that’s fine too. After all, a relationship can’t be one-sided. I can accept either outcome, so you don’t need to feel guilty at all.”

Jiang Ling’s sincerity and easy-going nature made Qin Jiqun feel deeply ashamed of himself.

He felt he was far too lacking compared to her.

Clenching his teacup, Qin Jiqun fell silent for a long time before finally speaking in a low voice, “No, it’s not one-sided.”

Jiang Ling was startled.

Now that Qin Jiqun had started speaking, the rest of his words flowed much more smoothly.

He said, “Truth is, I know I’m not a great person. Before I realized it, I was just drifting through life, waiting to die. When I finally understood how lazy and useless I’d been, how I’d taken a perfectly good life and ruined it, I felt incredibly ashamed of myself.”