Chapter 2622: An Innocent Bystander
To be honest, Ning Shu viewed Shen Yichen as an innocent bystander who had unwittingly become entangled due to getting on the wrong bed. And now he wanted to devote himself entirely to Lu Junning.
He was dragged into Lu Junning’s conflicts and served as her protective shield as well as the one who would deal with all the aftermaths, which allowed her to act recklessly without facing any consequences.
Like a puppet… yes, Ning Shu felt that he seemed to simply be a puppet.
In her previous life, Lu Junning’s husband betrayed her. Thus in this life, she found herself with an incredibly loyal man.
“His Highness Prince Chen treats Second Sister very well, yet Second Sister remains cold towards him,” Lu Yujing remarked.
“The harder something is to obtain, the more valuable it becomes. The more one invests in something, the less willing they are to let go. It’s like gambling chips on a table,” Ning Shu casually commented. “Otherwise, how can His Highness Prince Chen’s kindness towards Second Sister be fully demonstrated?”
If one devalues themselves, others will treat them accordingly.
Lu Yujing nodded with some understanding. “I hope my future husband will treat me in this manner.”
Ning Shu shrugged. “Rather than relying on others to be good to you, it’s better to prioritize being good to yourself.”
Ning Shu never allowed herself to be mistreated. If someone treated her well, she reciprocated their kindness. But if someone intended harm upon her, she would undoubtedly strike first.
Who can guarantee that someone will remain kind forever? But they can ensure their own self-care throughout their lifetime.
It all comes down to how they choose to live their lives.
“Third Sister, what exactly is in that head of yours?” Lu Yujing asked with confusion. “Your thoughts are always different from ours.”
“It is a bit different. Always giving your heart and soul to others and expecting the same in return. When they fail to get reciprocation, they feel disappointed, even despair,” Ning Shu replied.
“If only they could direct even half of that affection towards themselves, things wouldn’t be like this.” One didn’t love oneself, yet still expected others to love them?
And then once their expectations were without returns, they felt resentment.
In Ning Shu’s opinion, those people were simply mentally unbalanced.
Having spent over ten years in the hospital, Ning Shu’s daily thoughts revolved around alleviating her own pain.
No one else could do it for her; neither doctors nor family members possessed the ability to ease the suffering caused by chemotherapy treatment.
Chemotherapy was when Ning Shu experienced her most intense fear – a type of pain that pierced through her bones and made life unbearable.
She tried not to dwell on chemotherapy. Each time she underwent treatment, she reminded herself: that if it hurts, it means she’s alive and could have another day in this world.
She worked hard at finding happiness within herself.
Ning Shu had gone a long time without dwelling on her past days. Through traversing numerous worlds and witnessing countless resentments…
It made Ning Shu realize that she needed to love herself more. If nobody treated her well, then treating herself well would be sufficient.
Begging for pampering was something only pets did.
If someone treated her kindly, she would be grateful; if someone treated her poorly… she would happily make them twice as uncomfortable.
Ning Shu smiled brightly as she continued embroidering flowers.
“The sky is growing dark, Third Sister. I’m going back,” Lu Yujing said.
Ning Shu nodded and watched Lu Yujing’s figure recede into the distance.
Yuan Xiang remarked, “Miss, why do I feel like Fourth Miss has changed?”
“She has indeed changed. She’s gained confidence and a sense of self-assurance.” The old Lu Yujing used to be timid and submissive.
Yuan Xiang nodded in agreement. “I have the same feeling. How could Fourth Miss undergo such a transformation?”
Ning Shu remained silent. Lu Yujing’s newfound confidence came from her jewelry, clothes, and her closeness with Lu Junning who now managed the inner courtyard.
Everyone has their own fate, so Ning Shu didn’t want to say anything more.
“By the way, how is Fifth Brother doing?” Ning Shu asked. Lu Jinghui’s courtyard had been closed off, and almost no one dared to approach it.
Yuan Xiang shook her head. “I heard he’s still not well. He keeps having recurrent fevers, and whenever he has a fever, his whole body twitches.”
“Mistress Yun has been taking care of Young Master Wu all this time.”
“Well, the situation doesn’t seem optimistic,” remarked Ning Shu, her chin resting on her hand.