Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 97 If I had married Jiang Man back then

Lin Yanqing, filled with aspirations for the future, stepped into the gates of Tsinghua University of Science and Technology.

He stood tall and straight, his eyes filled with determination and confidence, clutching the admission letter tightly in his hand as if it were the key to unlocking the door to the future.

Beside him, Lin Yao, who was also brimming with youthful energy, walked briskly with him into the university that held countless dreams.

Lin Yanqing and Lin Yao both chose to major in Chinese literature. For them, words are like a magic key that can unlock the doors to countless unknown worlds.

They look forward to immersing themselves in the ocean of literature at this top university, absorbing knowledge, and pursuing their literary dreams.

On registration day, the campus was bustling with activity. New students came and went, their faces beaming with excitement and curiosity. Lin Yanqing and Lin Yao moved through the crowd, completing various enrollment procedures.

Lin Yao kept pulling Lin Yanqing along, pointing to various scenic spots on campus, and excitedly said, "Yanqing, look how beautiful this campus is! We'll be spending our wonderful university years here!"

Lin Yanqing nodded with a smile, her eyes also filled with anticipation.

However, behind this seemingly beautiful facade lies a hidden entanglement.

Jiang He, the girl who deeply loves Lin Yanqing, learns that both Lin Yanqing and Lin Yao have been admitted to Tsinghua University and Peking University of Science and Technology, and she is determined to follow them.

She felt that as long as she could attend the same university as Lin Yanqing, there was still a chance to salvage their relationship.

Jiang He packed her luggage and prepared to embark on her journey to Tsinghua University of Science and Technology.

However, just as she was about to leave, Lin's mother suddenly appeared.

Lin's mother looked at Jiang He, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes, but she quickly put on a kind smile and said, "Jiang He, where are you going?"

Jiang He answered nervously, "Mom, I...I want to go find Yan Qing."

Lin's mother stepped forward, gently took Jiang He's hand, and said, "Jiang He, Auntie knows you like Yan Qing, but you're pregnant now, and it's not safe for you to keep running around like this. Besides, Yan Qing is going to university for his future, and you don't want to cause him unnecessary trouble because of your presence, do you?"

Jiang He hesitated. She looked down at her slightly protruding belly, her heart filled with conflict.

Seeing this, Lin's mother continued, "Just stay home and rest during your pregnancy. I'll take good care of you. Once Yanqing graduates and everything settles down, you might still have a chance. If you go to school now and something happens, it won't be good for the baby."

Jiang He felt conflicted after hearing Lin's mother's words, but in the end, she was coaxed back home by Lin's mother.

The reason Lin's mother did this was ostensibly for the good of Jiang He and her unborn child, but in reality, she didn't want Jiang He to ruin her son's plans.

She always hoped that Lin Yanqing and Lin Yao could be together, believing that they were a perfect match and could support each other. As for Jiang He, a girl from an ordinary family, in Lin's mother's eyes, she was not good enough for her son at all.

After Jiang He returned home, Lin's mother outwardly showed her great care, preparing various nutritious foods for her every day and taking care of her daily life.

In reality, Lin's mother was constantly monitoring Jiang He's every move, fearing she might secretly go to school to see Lin Yanqing. Jiang He sensed her mother's surveillance, her heart filled with helplessness and pain. She missed Lin Yanqing and wanted to see him, but she worried that her actions would cause trouble for him, and even more so, she feared it would affect the baby in her womb. Meanwhile, at school, Lin Yanqing and Lin Yao began their vibrant university life. They attended classes together, buried themselves in their studies in the library together, and participated in various literary club activities together. Lin Yao's liveliness and cheerfulness complemented Lin Yanqing's composure and introversion, and they progressed together on their literary journey, gradually becoming a perfect couple in the eyes of their classmates.

The warm sunlight shone on the bustling street as Lin Yanqing and Jiang He strolled along.

Jiang He gently linked her arm with Lin Yanqing's, her face beaming with happiness. Lin Yanqing also occasionally looked down at Jiang He, his eyes filled with tenderness.

The two chatted and laughed as they strolled among the shops on the street, enjoying this rare moment of leisure. However, when they reached the vicinity of Tsinghua and Peking Universities, Lin Yanqing's gaze was suddenly drawn to a familiar car.

The car was parked steadily at the entrance of Tsinghua and Peking Universities, its body reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight; it was Qin Yishen's vehicle.

Lin Yanqing abruptly stopped, his smile freezing on his face. Jiang He noticed Lin Yanqing's unusual behavior and followed his gaze, also seeing the car.

She asked in confusion, "Yan Qing, what's wrong? Do you recognize this car?"

Lin Yanqing didn't answer immediately; his mind was a jumbled mess, various thoughts flashing through his head. A bad premonition welled up in his heart, and a guess gradually took shape in his mind—could it be that Jiang Man got into Tsinghua or Peking University?
He never imagined that on this seemingly ordinary day, he would suddenly have a premonition that she might be at this school.

Lin Yanqing's expression turned serious, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Seeing that Lin Yanqing remained silent, Jiang He grew increasingly worried and gently shook his arm: "Yanqing, don't scare me, what happened?"

Lin Yanqing snapped out of her daze, looked at Jiang He's concerned eyes, and felt a pang of guilt.

He forced a smile and said, "It's nothing, Hehe, I was just a little surprised to see a car belonging to an acquaintance."

Jiang He was skeptical, but didn't press the matter further. Lin Yanqing outwardly continued shopping with Jiang He, but his mind was already elsewhere. He glanced frequently in the direction of Tsinghua and Peking Universities, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

He desperately wanted to go to the school to confirm if Jiang Man was really there, but he was also afraid of the possible outcome. He knew that if it was confirmed that Jiang Man was at the school, his life might be thrown into turmoil once again.

Jiang He noticed Lin Yanqing's absent-mindedness and felt a little uneasy.

But she didn't say anything, she just held Lin Yanqing's arm tightly, as if that would allow her to hold onto their relationship.

As time went on, Lin Yanqing's inner struggle intensified.

He knew he couldn't keep running away like this; sooner or later he would have to face this potential reality.

But at this moment, he didn't have enough courage to uncover the mystery, and could only let the worry and speculation continue to spread in his heart.

As the sun began to set, Lin Yanqing and Jiang He set off on their way home. But the car outside Tsinghua and Peking University, and the speculation about Jiang Man, weighed heavily on Lin Yanqing's heart, making it impossible for him to let go.

If he had married Jiang Man instead, would everything have been different?