Chapter 929: That Damned Empathy

To Nanako's words, Ye Chen only smiled slightly and did not offer much explanation.

After chatting with Tanaka Koichi for a while, Nanako apologized to him: "Tanaka-san, Ye Chen-jun is returning to Jin Ling tonight. I need to accompany him to buy some things, so I must take my leave now. I will come to see you again tonight!"

Tanaka Koichi hurriedly said: "Young Lady, please go and attend to your business with Mr. Ye. Do not worry about me, and there is no need to make a special trip to visit me. It is too much trouble for you!"

Ito Nanako smiled and said: "It is no trouble. We have known each other for so many years; why must you be so polite?"

Tanaka Koichi nodded gratefully, then looked at Ye Chen and said earnestly: "Mr. Ye, since you are returning to your country tonight, I will not be able to see you off. I wish you a safe journey!"

Ye Chen smiled slightly: "Thank you, Tanaka. We shall meet again if fate allows."

"Very well, Mr. Ye. We shall meet again if fate allows!"

Leaving Tanaka Koichi's hospital room, Ito Nanako accompanied Ye Chen to Ginza, Tokyo.

Having been in Japan for several days, this was Ye Chen's first time out shopping.

Because he had already bought a set of Hermès for his wife, Xiao Churan, when he last went to Yan Jing, Ye Chen skipped the luxury luggage and bags this time.

Ye Chen browsed the jewelry section and took a liking to a heart-shaped diamond ring from Tiffany's.

The main diamond of this ring weighed three carats. Its clarity was very high; while not particularly large, it was exquisite, and the heart-shaped cut was beautiful, making him like it at first glance.

Recalling the time from their marriage until now, he had never given Xiao Churan a wedding ring in the true sense, so Ye Chen decided to buy this diamond ring to give to her.

He consulted the sales clerk and learned that the price of this ring, converted to RMB, was about 800,000, which was not expensive.

Consequently, Ye Chen prepared to buy the ring.

Ito Nanako, standing to the side, could not hide her envious expression as she asked: "Ye Chen-jun, are you buying this ring for your wife?"

"Yes." Ye Chen nodded and said: "She has been with me for so many years, and I have never given her a ring."

Ito Nanako sighed and said: "Ye Chen-jun is truly so good to his wife..."

Ye Chen smiled slightly and was about to be modest when the Tiffany sales clerk very politely asked: "Sir, may I ask what size ring your wife wears on her ring finger?"

This question stumped Ye Chen instantly.

"What size ring? I really don't know..."

The sales clerk explained: "If you don't know the size, it will be quite troublesome if you buy it too large or too small. I suggest you call your wife to confirm the size, and we can adjust it to the perfect fit for you directly."

Ye Chen hesitated slightly.

He had intended to give Xiao Churan a surprise; if he called her now to ask, wouldn't the surprise be ruined?

Just as he was thinking, Ito Nanako said softly from the side: "That... Ye Chen-jun, look at my hand. How much difference is there compared to your wife's?"

As she spoke, Ito Nanako opened her hands, spreading her ten fingers before Ye Chen.

Ye Chen looked carefully and said pleasantly: "Nanako, it feels like your fingers are about the same as my wife's! Would you mind trying it on for me?"

Ito Nanako nodded without hesitation.

The sales clerk then handed the ring to Ye Chen and said: "Sir, then please have this young lady help you try it on!"

Ye Chen did not overthink it; he picked up the ring with one hand, gently held Ito Nanako's right wrist with the other, and carefully placed the ring on her ring finger.

At this moment, Ito Nanako felt as if she were in a dream.

Although she knew very well that she was only trying on the ring for Ye Chen's wife, the thought that Ye Chen was placing a diamond ring on her own ring finger made her heart race with excitement.

She said to herself in her mind: "If this is a dream, how I wish I could sleep here forever and never wake up..."

The moment the ring passed over the knuckle of her ring finger and settled on her hand, Nanako's eyes were already brimming with tears.

She hurriedly lowered her head, not wanting Ye Chen to see her current state.

She liked Ye Chen very much, but she did not want to place too heavy a psychological burden on him.

Because she vaguely knew in her heart that the main reason Ye Chen had come to Japan and visited her in Kyoto was not because he liked her so much, but because he sympathized with her and felt sorry for her.

She could understand Ye Chen's feelings; it was a form of empathy born between fellow martial artists.

What is empathy?

It is the emotion of putting oneself in another's shoes, being able to empathize with them, and feeling what they feel.

It is like a race car driver seeing another driver suffer a car accident, being seriously injured or even dying on the track; his empathy for the injured party is certainly stronger than that of an ordinary person.

Similarly, a soldier, if they see their comrade-in-arms or another soldier injured or disabled in battle, will certainly feel this kind of empathy in their heart.

Ye Chen's feelings for her must be the same.

Seeing her ignore advice, get beaten into serious injury during the competition, and even be taken away from the arena by an ambulance, he must have felt more sympathy for her.

Coupled with the fact that he had a way to cure her, that was why he took the time to see her in Kyoto, save her, and heal her injuries.

Therefore, Ito Nanako knew very well in her heart that although Ye Chen was very good to her, most of it was likely sympathy born from empathy.

For a girl obsessed with the other person, what she actually wanted least was the other person's sympathy.

In fact, other than love, she did not want any other emotion.

At this moment, Ye Chen could not see Nanako's expression; his attention was entirely focused on her fingers. Seeing that the ring was slightly too large on Ito Nanako, he gently took it off and said to the sales clerk: "Excuse me, could you please make it a little smaller?"

"Certainly, sir." The sales clerk took the ring and began to readjust the ring size.

At this moment, Ito Nanako felt a strong sense of loss in her heart.

Although she had long known that the ring would only stay on her finger for a moment before leaving.

But when the ring was truly taken off by Ye Chen, her heart ached as if it were being cut by a knife.

However, she dared not let Ye Chen see even a hint of it, so while Ye Chen was watching the sales clerk adjust the ring, she hurriedly said: "Ye Chen-jun, I am going to the restroom!"

After saying this, without waiting for Ye Chen's response, she ran off.

The reason she ran off was that her eyes were brimming with tears, reaching the point where they could no longer be contained.

She did not want Ye Chen to see her crying at such a time.

Because she did not want to affect Ye Chen's focused mood.

She had never thought of affecting Ye Chen's life or his marriage.

After all, the kindness Ye Chen had shown her was already far too much.

Turning to leave, she whispered in her heart:

"Tonight, Ye Chen-jun will leave Japan, return to the embrace of his family, and return to his wife's side..."

"In the future, I do not know when he will ever return..."

"The next few hours are the last few hours I will spend by Ye Chen-jun's side..."

"I must control my emotions and not add any psychological burden to him..." ===== CHAPTER 930 =====