King of the Wilderness

Chapter 472: Chapter 265: Secrets After Drinking (4.6K)

She playfully blinked.

"You go first."

Lin Yu’an’s fingertips gently caressed the cold surface of the glass, his eyes deep. Max’s question was like a key, plunging into the deepest and most complex door in his heart.

It wasn’t that he had no secrets; it was just that his secrets were so overwhelming that he didn’t know where to begin.

He looked at the curious sparkle in her eyes and felt reassured. He knew that she wouldn’t judge him by conventional moral standards.

He exhaled softly, as if that breath carried away the last bit of hesitation.

"Alright, I’ll go first then. You must help me keep this secret," he said calmly, looking into her eyes, word by word, "I live with two wives."

Max, who was just about to take a sip of her drink, froze in mid-air. Her eyes widened as if she had heard something utterly unbelievable.

"Aliya and Emily." A gentle smile appeared on the corner of Lin Yu’an’s lips.

"One is like the summer sun in Texas, lively and passionate, with a hint of mischief at times."

"The other is calm and wise, but sometimes as simple as a child."

Max was completely stunned; she never expected Lin Yu’an to throw such a heavy secret at her.

This was far more explosive than any business secret or celebrity gossip! But after a brief shock, her natural curiosity about unusual things took over since she was Max.

She leaned in with eyes bright as if discovering a new species: "Wait... Two? At the same time? How do you manage? Do they... get along harmoniously?"

The fire of gossip burned brightly, "Are you part of some kind of secret society? Is it because of some absolute control?"

Lin Yu’an was at a loss whether to laugh or cry at her whimsical thoughts: "No, none of that. It’s purely because of... love and responsibility."

"Wow." Max elongated the word, knowing well that behind those three words lay a story more complex than any scientific experiment, and restrained herself from probing further.

"Alright," Lin Yu’an looked at her, "My secret is big enough; now it’s your turn. And for fairness, you must also share one of your most important secrets."

It was Max’s turn.

The excitement that just looked like she had discovered a New Continent faded visibly from her face.

She didn’t speak immediately, but poured herself another half glass of whiskey, then lowered her head to watch the liquid swirl in the glass, as if a complex scientific model lay within.

The usual cool demeanor plastered on her face, indifferent to everything, melted completely under the influence of alcohol and this topic, leaving only a rare vulnerability.

"Fairness..." she repeated softly, a self-mocking curve at her lips, "Lin, your secret is about choices and building. But my secret... is about flaws."

Finally, she lifted her head, eyes no longer sharp but instead calm: "Do you know Buridan’s Ass paradox?" she suddenly asked an unrelated question.

Lin Yu’an was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "Yes. A fully rational donkey, stuck between two identical heaps of hay, would starve to death because it couldn’t make a choice."

"Right." Max nodded, a trace of bitterness in her eyes, "I am that donkey."

"Sometimes, I even suspect that two personalities reside within me, one feeling attracted to outstanding men while the other is more interested in women."

"I can neither decisively go towards one pile of hay like heterosexuals, nor willingly accept both piles like homosexuals or bisexuals."

"The result is," she laughed self-deprecatingly, "I’ve spent all my time conducting research because I simply don’t know how to start a relationship."

"I get caught in a deadlock, unable to find the optimal solution, invariably choosing—stasis."

She downed her glass in one go, the spicy liquid seemingly granting her some courage to speak what was hardest to admit.

"The result of stasis is, I’m 26, Lin," her voice carried a tremor she hadn’t noticed herself, "My romantic history is a blank slate. Never held hands, never dated, never kissed. Not once."

"In the United States, this almost counts as a social disability, you know? It’s quite a shameful thing!"

She looked at Lin Yu’an, her eyes a mix of confusion and embarrassment as a young woman.

A momentary silence enveloped the room, broken only by the faint crackling of ice in the glass.