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The wooden beauty of Young Master Sheng(181-185)
🕑 Added 2024-01-30 00:44:00 +0000 UTCChapter 181: Demands
Bian Zhicheng, standing nearby, looked shocked. The two places where he was shot were bleeding profusely, and his emotional agitation caused the blood to flow even faster.
This was something he hadn't anticipated!
However, Zhan Chen was never a benevolent person. This was indeed his style of doing things, something he was capable of.
In the midst of such panic, he hadn't had a chance to take other counteractions and was pressed down, with his mouth also taped shut.
He couldn't help but be secretly alarmed. Did Zhan Chen intentionally give him an opportunity to return to seek revenge, or had he planned everything in advance? Was he just using him as a pawn?
Or, as he claimed, did the plan change, and Zhan Chen was ready to abandon him like a useless chess piece at any moment?
Regardless of which scenario, he had underestimated this person, despite growing up together.
Zhan Chen didn't even look at him but shifted his gaze to Madam Sheng.
Enduring her headache, Madam Shen sat down, looking at him coldly, "Do you think you have the qualifications to negotiate? I can kill this man in your hands at any time!"
"I do, Madam. You shouldn't endure it if you're feeling unwell. It's already been two minutes."
Zhan Chen glanced at the time on his watch. "Even if things are going to escalate here and take more than ten minutes, can Madam endure until then?"
He added, "The request I'm about to make is not unreasonable. Would you like to hear it?"
Madam Sheng didn't dare to underestimate this person. If things escalated and turned violent, it wouldn't be good for anyone. At least for now, avoiding this risk was preferable.
"What is it exactly?"
"I heard that Young Master Sheng has a beauty hidden in his family. That beauty originally belonged to me. I don't want to engage in a big fight with Young Master Sheng. If you let him completely let go, we can still cooperate in the future."
Madam Sheng had investigated the relationship between Jiang Chenchen and him. She never trusted Jiang Chenchen but couldn't convince her son, Ming Si, who was determined. However, now there was no need to let her son get involved for the sake of a woman filled with mysteries, potentially adding another potential enemy.
"I can agree, but you need to explain the matter of poisoning to me!"
Seeing this, Zhan Chen smiled gently and took out a handkerchief from his suit pocket, handing it over like a true gentleman, "Madam, don't worry. There's no poison in the wine. You are vigilant, but I don't have the skill for such things. It's just that the perfume on me is too strong."
Madam Sheng sniffed the handkerchief he handed her, immediately wrinkling her brow. She held her breath, slapped the handkerchief on the table, and suppressed her breath, "You're indeed not simple."
Zhan Chen nodded lightly, maintaining an elegant demeanor. "You're too kind."
Bian Zhicheng was left behind. As for how Madam Sheng would handle him, Zhan Chen didn't think much about it.
From the moment he failed, he had lost his life.
Zhan Chen left with his people.
The door to the private room was locked. Madam Sheng looked at the kneeling figure before her. This person's facial features resembled that woman, making her hate him.
She tore off the tape on Bian Zhicheng's mouth.
But just as he was about to speak, she slapped him across the face.
Blood oozed from the corner of Bian Zhicheng's mouth. This time, he only stared at her angrily, not saying a word.
Humiliation and the taste of failure.
Even if he were to die, although unwilling, he wasn't afraid!
Madam Sheng stared at him, anger surging. Someone came over and used a cloth to cover his eyes. Every time she saw those eyes, she was reminded of that woman, and the emotions surged within her.
The nose, mouth, contours—all resembled her husband who had betrayed her.
So much alike.
She reached out to touch, extremely rough.
"So alike."
"This thorn, finally, I can pull it out. But suddenly, I feel reluctant. How can I let you die so easily? Right, those two wretched people betrayed me. You should be the one to pay for it, shouldn't you?"
...
...
Jiang Chenchen and Bai Junwen took a train and then a car to her hometown. They also invited Xia Changli to join them. She openly informed them that she would handle some matters in country A and be back in three days.
After tonight, she would have to leave this place.
Although her friends were worried, Jiang Chenchen had made up her mind, and there was nothing they could do to change it. They could only remind her to stay safe.
The three of them stayed in a small hotel in the town, sharing a room and chatting on a large bed.
Xia Changli kept receiving phone calls, but she declined them.
Seeing this, Jiang Chenchen said, "If it's an important call, you should answer it."
Xia Changli hesitated before going to the small bathroom to take the call. Zhao Han's voice came through.
"What?"
Hearing the voice from the other end, she subconsciously raised her volume.
Jiang Chenchen and Bai Junwen, concerned, looked over.
"What's wrong?"
Jiang Chenchen asked.
Xia Changli whispered, "I won't meet you."
Then she hung up.
She opened the bathroom door and, seeing the worried expressions of the two, shook her head, showing an appearance of nothing wrong. "It's nothing."
Jiang Chenchen and Bai Junwen didn't ask further.
They turned off the lights and went to sleep.
Early the next morning, Jiang Chenchen was about to set off. Zhan Chen came to pick her up.
As for Bai Junwen and Xia Changli, they left the town and decided to go to other places for sightseeing, considering it a tour.
After the three of them woke up and finished washing up, when they opened the door, Jiang Chenchen froze.
There was a person squatting at the door.
Hearing the door opening, he stood up. It was Zhao Han!
Through his long bangs, Zhao Han glanced coldly at her and then shifted his gaze to Xia Changli behind her.
"Changli..."
Xia Changli's face turned pale, feeling somewhat flustered. "Why are you here? How did you know I was here?!"
"I followed you all the way."
Zhao Han stood at the door, looking exhausted. It seemed like he hadn't even opened a room and had been waiting here all night.
Xia Changli frowned, her heart in disarray. "Are you sick?!"
Zhao Han laughed coldly at her words. "Yes, I am sick. If it weren't for you, why would I come all the way here? And you won't even see me? Are you this heartless?"
Xia Changli's eyes turned slightly red, angered and at a loss for words.
Blocking in the middle, Jiang Chenchen pushed Zhao Han away. "She doesn't want to see you. Can't you hear?"
They walked out of the room, and Zhao Han, with a changed expression, forcefully shook off her hand, scolding her harshly, "What's it to you?!"
"What if it is?!"
A sudden voice appeared, gentle yet carrying an unforgivable anger.
Zhan Chen appeared with his entourage.
Chapter 182: Departure
Zhao Han wanted to retort, but before he could say a word, a sudden kick flew towards him, cutting off the rest of his words.
His six-foot stature was immediately kicked to the ground.
His abdomen took a hit, making it painful to stand up.
Seeing this, Xia Changli quickly rushed over and supported him. "Are you okay?"
Zhao Han, observing her sudden concern despite the pain, smiled at her. "You care about me. There's still a place for me in your heart, right?"
"At a time like this, you're still in the mood for such talk?" Xia Changli helped him up, glancing at the person who intervened.
It was a big guy in black.
And the one giving orders was an extremely slender man, pale and weak-looking. Despite his appearance, he had outstanding features and exuded a lazy and enchanting aura. He had already walked up to Jiang Chenchen, speaking to her with a softness reminiscent of lovers whispering.
She suddenly realized. This was the reason Jiang Chenchen wanted to go to country A, all because of this person?!
Zhan Chen still wanted to have his men teach Zhao Han a lesson, but Jiang Chenchen stopped him.
"Don't resort to violence anymore."
Zhan Chen looked down at her, his eyes gentle, but his words always sent chills down people's spines. "This guy is so insolent; I really want to pull out his teeth."
Jiang Chenchen quickly stood in front of him. When he said he wanted to pull teeth, he meant it literally. No matter how infuriating Zhao Han was, she couldn't let him do that.
He didn't have the right to arbitrarily take action.
Moreover, Xia Changli seemed to care a lot about Zhao Han. Although she didn't know what was going on between them, she couldn't let him do as he pleased.
"Tsk tsk, quite fierce!" Seeing this, Zhao Han, leaning against the wall, although in pain, still sneered. "Jiang Chenchen, your skill in finding men is getting better. Just broke up with one and found another?"
Although Jiang Chenchen had explained the circumstances of his father's death, he couldn't let go of that matter. He vented his anger on Jiang Chenchen, feeling that she was a troublemaker and a demon.
Before Jiang Chenchen could respond, Xia Changli had already slapped him.
A crisp and loud slap.
"Shut up! You're not allowed to speak ill of my friend like that!"
She glared at Zhao Han, a mix of anger and sadness on her face. "I didn't expect you to be so childish and irredeemable. Even if you come from so far away, I still don't want to see you! You can't even learn the most basic respect. You're not the person I want to see. Please leave!"
The word "leave" echoed loudly in the dim and narrow corridor.
Zhao Han's face turned green in front of so many people, his self-esteem hurt. He bent over slightly, looking at the person in front of him with such ruthlessness and hatred. He hammered the wall hard with his fist and, gritting his teeth, turned and left.
He left the group of black-clothed men.
Zhan Chen could let him leave or not. Later, he could have someone deal with his teeth effortlessly.
However, Jiang Chenchen seemed to plead with her eyes, and those beautiful eyes softened his heart a little. He could spare that person.
Seeing Xia Changli trying hard not to cry, Jiang Chenchen walked over. She didn't know how to comfort her, and Bai Junwen was also stunned by the scene, hiding at the door and not daring to come out.
Xia Changli lowered her head to calm her emotions, wiping away her tears. "Chenchen, I'm sorry. Zhao Han's words were too much just now."
Jiang Chenchen held her hand. "I'm fine. Are you okay?"
Xia Changli shook her head, looking at her. "Your ride is here. Are you leaving now?"
For some reason, she felt the man's gaze over there falling on their hands, giving her an uncomfortable sense of panic.
Jiang Chenchen nodded. "Lili, both you and Wenwen, take care of yourselves. We'll contact you if anything happens."
After bidding farewell to them, Jiang Chenchen followed Zhan Chen.
The landlady of the small inn came out from behind the counter and stood at the door to see them off. It was rare to see such a handsome and extraordinary man in these small places.
Jiang Chenchen got into the car, and Zhan Chen sat beside her. The car started moving.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows, Zhao Han took a photo with his phone. It was time to let that man know about Jiang Chenchen's cunning and deceptive nature.
Although he had only seen Sheng Mingsi in the news and had no way to contact him directly, he had managed to find Sheng Mingsi's assistant through various means. He sent the photo to Sheng Mingsi through the assistant.
However, he sent the photo two days later.
Jiang Chenchen had already arrived in country A, staying in another castle arranged for her.
Zhan Chen's health wasn't great, so he couldn't take her around to jog her memory, hoping that she would stay because of some memories. However, Jiang Chenchen was focused on her mission, asking only about his mother's whereabouts.
"Do you just want to leave like this?"
"I promised to come back. I'm not here to play."
"Accompany me for this meal, and I'll let you move freely at night."
Zhan Chen sat patiently at the dining table.
All his tenderness was reserved for her.
The row of maids kept their heads down, not daring to speak. The owner of the house had a gentle temperament, was cruel and ruthless, but generous. Everyone working here earned more than the senior employees outside.
As long as no mistakes were made, there would be no punishment.
Jiang Chenchen remained silent. She sat down to eat before talking to Sheng Mingsi on the phone before coming downstairs. She pretended that everything was fine, and Sheng Mingsi, busy with his work, expressed concern for her.
"Do you need Wu Bi to come over?"
"No need. We girls following a man is not convenient."
Sheng Mingsi had no choice but to give up. He couldn't monitor her every move. She needed her own life and space.
He heard that Zhan Chen had already returned to country A and Jiang Chenchen was staying in a remote place in another city. He didn't need to worry about this aspect.
He was busy with laboratory matters and taking care of his mother, who seemed to be more seriously ill than before, and he couldn't leave her.
He stayed by her side at all times.
He asked Jiang Chenchen to be safe and come back early, and he would pick her up when she returned.
Jiang Chenchen felt a bit guilty for deceiving him, but this matter needed an understanding. After returning, she would explain everything to him.
For now, after this dinner, she would meet Zhan Chen's mother.
To take action for him.
Could she really do it?
Her thoughts were in turmoil. In the past, she could act without hesitation, without any guilt. Anyone in front of her was the same.
But now, she had constraints and an understanding of the law.
No one had the right to easily take another person's life.
Yet today, she had to make a decision.
Zhan Chen seemed to sense her worry. He cut a piece of half-cooked beef, took a bite, and looked at her.
"Chenchen, if you can't bring yourself to kill her, then stay."
He wanted her to stay. The current her, full of human warmth, probably couldn't do it.
Once back here, there was no escape.
He was so sure.
Jiang Chenchen held the fork and knife tightly and looked at him. "Can you tell me about her? Tell me her despicable deeds, and I will avenge you."
Chapter 183: Tears
Zhan Chen paused with his fork and knife and looked at her. "Do you want to hear it?"
He had never mentioned such unbearable childhood memories, as they weren't worth seeking anyone's sympathy.
But if she wanted to hear, he was willing to share.
Jiang Chenchen nodded. Opening up was a moment of vulnerability, much like the time she had received guidance at the psychological research institute. However, at that time, she couldn't hear anything and had no desire to share.
Now, with someone willing to talk about the past, she might try to help him find solace.
Zhan Chen had all the maids leave the room. In this luxurious and vintage dining room, only the two of them remained. They sat facing each other, their eyes meeting.
He spoke as if narrating a story unrelated to himself. His expression showed minimal reactions.
Starting from his father's death and his mother abandoning him.
"She sold me to an organization for some money, quickly found a new family, and even had another child. One day, I saw her on the street. She was sitting in an upscale restaurant, having dinner with her husband and child. They were celebrating, and it happened to be my birthday that day.
But they were the happy family, and I watched them for a long time from outside the glass wall. Anger at being abandoned churned in my chest, and I picked up a stone and threw it at the glass..."
He laughed, a gentle and mist-like smile, laced with endless irony.
"In the end, of course, I was beaten up by the restaurant staff. Those adults held me down and hit me. I saw my mother staring at me, but she didn't try to stop them, and her eyes even showed fear.
Of course, I escaped. That was the fastest I've ever run in my life. My heart felt like it was going to jump out. Since then, I haven't seen her again, and all that remains in my heart is hatred."
"As I climbed up step by step, every day spent in darkness, facing death and fear at any moment. Others' teenage years and my teenage years were different.
When I became fearless and reached my current position, wanting to settle scores with her, I heard that her husband was abusive. He sent her to the hospital several times, and her life was miserable. She got a terminal illness, and now she won't live much longer."
He suddenly thrust the knife into the half-cooked beef on his plate. "But Chenchen, do you know? Actually, living is more painful than dying. I hired doctors to treat her, but there was no hope. I let her live in pain, lying on a sickbed, experiencing the agony of death with no way out, every minute in suffering."
As for her abusive husband, who had fallen into his trap due to gambling debts, Zhan Chen resolved him step by step.
Their child?
At his feet, working for him, a teenager tasting the endless darkness.
This was a road trampling on self-esteem.
As Jiang Chenchen listened to his story, she suddenly thought of her uncle, the opportunist. Although he had died, his actions were still despicable from her current perspective.
He had treated her as a bargaining chip, a means to gain profits.
If it weren't for meeting Sheng Mingsi, she might have continued to be an lifeless object.
But Zhan Chen, he had walked alone in the dark, with no one to save him, pulling him out from the darkness.
She suddenly felt that no words could comfort him. Lowering her brows, she seemed to make a decision.
Seeing her reaction, Zhan Chen chuckled softly, the smile not reaching his eyes. "Chenchen, do you think I'm terrifying?"
He had always been terrifying.
Jiang Chenchen knew that, but in this matter, letting his mother live was the real torment for him.
A torment of not wanting to reconcile with the past.
Jiang Chenchen understood, but in this matter, letting his mother continue to live was a torment for him.
A torment of unwillingness to reconcile with the past.
She raised the knife in her hand, looked at him with determination, and said, "Let's put an end to this with this knife."
Zhan Chen's silver-gray eyes flickered with light but quickly extinguished, becoming silent.
"You want to leave, so you're decisive like this."
Jiang Chenchen shook her head. "No, I sincerely appreciate your care for the past two years. I want to make it easier for you. Even without parents, we can have people we can trust. That should be considered as a form of family. So, if you're willing, consider me your family."
Zhan Chen put down what he held and leaned back in his chair lazily. "Chenchen, I don't believe in things people say."
Hearing this, Jiang Chenchen walked towards him, reached his side, and gave him a hug.
"I can do very little. I hope you can feel a bit of warmth."
The whole world seemed to quiet down at this moment.
Zhan Chen could clearly hear her heartbeat, steady and rhythmic, along with his own heartbeat, a bit faster but feeling serene.
Her embrace was indeed warm.
Just like her father from the past, the tall figure of her father hugging him. His thoughts drifted away, and memories that had been sealed away suddenly opened, flooding his mind.
Grievances, sadness, joy, yearning...
It turned out that he still had these emotions. Unconsciously, tears fell.
He realized it, pushed away the person in front of him, and lowered his head to wipe away the tears without a trace.
It had been a long, long time since he last shed tears. In this vulnerable state, he was completely exposed before her.
His silver-gray eyes concealed a misty layer, distant and hazy. He stood up and lowered his gaze. "See you tonight."
Then, he returned to his room.
If possible, he wanted to keep holding her, yearning for that bit of warmth.
But that version of himself was fragile and vulnerable to a blow. He couldn't allow himself to be like that. A hard heart was needed to be fearless.
Jiang Chenchen watched his figure and pondered with a lowered head.
She couldn't see through others' thoughts, but the tearful him just now, she saw it.
She had never seen Zhan Chen like this, the ruthless Zhan Chen who wielded a knife without mercy, the Zhan Chen who showed no hesitation in stabbing someone, and the Zhan Chen with blood splattered on his pale face, unrelenting.
But he just shed tears.
People were contradictory and complex.
She didn't understand much, but he must have recalled something sad just now.
Returning to her room, she finished the remaining food. Strength needed to be maintained.
Tonight, not only did she have to take action on one matter, but there were others.
Waiting for nightfall.
She slept in her room until it got dark outside. Someone knocked on the door.
A maid held a exquisitely packaged gift box. Jiang Chenchen curiously asked, "Do I have to change clothes?"
Chapter 184: Resolution
The maid handed over the gift box, bowing to indicate its significance.
It was something she must put on.
Jiang Chenchen hesitated for a moment but ultimately took it from her and went back to her room to change. Perhaps it was some kind of ceremony.
Inside the gift box was a set of light gray gauze dress, like a small evening dress worn for banquets. The craftsmanship and fabric were top-notch, and it fit her perfectly.
The neckline had a small round design with hollow embellishments, making the light gray color less dull. The necklace was also placed inside.
Jiang Chenchen touched the necklace, thinking of Sheng Mingsi. She hadn't seen him for a few days and missed him a bit.
However, as expected, she could catch a flight back tomorrow afternoon.
There was also a pair of shoes, thin high heels that matched well with the dress. She put everything on and then went downstairs.
She was not used to wearing high heels, but now she could walk in them with ease.
Downstairs, Zhan Chen wore a light gray suit. He was tall but quite slender, with pale skin and eyes like the moon, revealing a slightly sickly frailty.
He looked at her as she descended the stairs and walked towards her.
His gaze fell on her face, carefully assessing.
"Chenchen, you look very beautiful."
Jiang Chenchen looked at him. "Thank you, but why did you specifically ask me to change clothes?"
Zhan Chen reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear, his gaze and tone equally gentle. "Tonight, I'll take you to meet that woman. Naturally, we need to be dressed up. I will tell her that I have a family now."
After saying that, he took her hand and walked to the dining table to have dinner.
An elaborate feast.
"Are you really prepared?" Zhan Chen asked her again.
Jiang Chenchen raised the knife. "I'll use this one."
"Do you want to drink?"
"No."
Neither of them drank. After eating, they left the castle to go to Zhan Chen's mother.
His mother, Xie Ya, resided in a standalone residential area with professional doctors taking care of her.
She lived each day gasping for breath, unable to close her eyes. Even the breathing machine couldn't be removed. Every day of living in such agony was a costly endeavor.
But her mind remained, her brain could perceive the pain, hear people speak, and see everything.
Zhan Chen arrived.
He brought a girl with him.
He had only come once before, the time he asked her to live well, and then he never came again.
Xie Ya knew that this was her son's revenge, a punishment for abandoning him in the past.
But living day after day without an end was truly too painful.
She lay on the bed, looking at him, letting out a howl. Due to the virus erosion in her throat, she couldn't produce complete words, only sounds.
Zhan Chen stood by the bed, seemingly looking at her, yet seemingly not looking at her.
His eyes were like the moonlight of tonight, misty and mysterious, half-hidden by the clouds.
Xie Ya didn't know why he came this time.
Chapter 185: Conclusion
She hoped he came to let go of his hatred, to help her find relief.
Although what she saw in his eyes was resentment and cruelty.
"Do you see her? It's her. How do you plan to use the knife in your hand? Where will you start?" Zhan Chen glanced at the person beside him, "Or do you want to start directly from her throat."
Jiang Chenchen's gaze fell on the person on the sickbed. It was a room where even moonlight couldn't penetrate. The windows were boarded up, covered with thick curtains. The room had nothing but medical equipment, a lifeless place.
Being trapped here for a day would make anyone uncomfortable, and she had been lying here for three years.
Withered and waxy yellow face, hands, and body. Every exposed part bore the marks of living in agony.
She held the knife in her hand, looking at the person on the sickbed. "Why did you abandon your child back then? If you didn't like him, why did you give birth to him? In your world, is a child just a chip for gaining money? So you hurt him wantonly, forget everything afterward, and start a new life?"
She spoke each word with suppressed emotions. Just saying it made people feel sad. Why was she so heartless?
The person on the sickbed, upon hearing her questioning, could only struggle on the bed, making strange sounds but unable to do anything.
Zhan Chen stood on the side, his gaze becoming even more misty, like fog. He remained silent, but a cruel smile curved on his lips.
Jiang Chenchen walked to the bedside, sat down, and held the hand with an inserted infusion tube.
"Do you see? You once abandoned him, making him an orphan, living alone in a dark world. But today, he is not alone; he has a family. So, I came to tell you that you don't need to watch yourself live in pain anymore because you have no meaning in anyone's heart, not worth mentioning."
She raised the knife and cut her palm, a bloodstain appearing quickly.
Zhan Chen, still lost in thought due to her words, didn't notice that she had cut her hand.
He quickly stepped forward, holding her wrist tightly, and scolded loudly, "What are you doing?"
He had almost never raised his voice to her, but this time, he was genuinely shocked.
Jiang Chenchen looked at him and said, "I heard that to completely sever unwanted blood ties, feeding her the blood from my hand to hers is the way. So, since we are family, I'll do these things for you. It's only right."
Zhan Chen's grip on her wrist tightened.
She put down the knife, watching the blood drip down. She couldn't afford to waste it.
"Brother."
Zhan Chen's pupils contracted slightly, and subconsciously, he loosened his grip.
Jiang Chenchen withdrew her hand from his.
Zhan Chen watched as she moved away and saw her open the mother's ventilator, feeding her own blood into her mouth.
At the same time, she said, "From now on, severing all ties. No more blood relations."
It seemed like some kind of ritual. Afterward, she put the ventilator back in place, completing the act.
Xie Ya on the sickbed opened her withered eyes, her wrinkled face showing various emotions. She wanted to say something but couldn't utter a word.
Tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes.
No one knew what she was thinking. After tonight, she would no longer live in such agony.
Zhan Chen held Jiang Chenchen's wrist, taking out a handkerchief from his suit pocket to wrap her wound. His hands were trembling. Such a simple thing, yet he found it hard to do.
Jiang Chenchen pressed his hand. "It's okay; I can handle it myself."
Zhan Chen steadied himself and bandaged her wound. "I didn't know you could be so ruthless to yourself."
Jiang Chenchen looked up at him. "Have you let go now?"
Chapter 185: Remorse
Zhan Chen loosened the knot of the handkerchief, holding her hand and looking at her. His eyes showed complex emotions. "Do you know that you, like this, make it even harder for me to let go?"
Jiang Chenchen pulled her hand back. "Are you having second thoughts?"
Zhan Chen reached for her chin, bending down to meet her gaze. "Go take a walk; maybe I'll change my mind."
He let go of her, glanced once more at the person on the bed behind her, and with a last look, that withered figure seemed to be caught in painful struggle. Zhan Chen's lips drooped, and without hesitation, he shifted his gaze away, turning to leave.
The windowless and suffocating room.
Jiang Chenchen looked at his departing figure, then turned to look at the person on the bed. The withered eyes were looking back at her, trying to convey something.
After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Chenchen leaned closer.
Closer to the parched lips.
The mouth opened, emitting strange and muffled sounds.
Jiang Chenchen listened carefully and discerned a repeated date.
"August 6th?"
The date kept repeating, but Jiang Chenchen didn't understand its significance.
Today was August 5th. Was there any special meaning for tomorrow?
A birthday, or something else?
She asked the person on the bed, but couldn't get any other information. All she heard were the same unclear words repeated.
When she didn't come closer, Zhan Chen called her from the door.
"Chenchen."
So, she didn't stay any longer.
Perhaps this was the last time they would meet.
She walked out of the room, and Zhan Chen looked at her. "No one will listen to what she says."
Loneliness, illness, no one to listen, until death.
Three years of illness had eroded her throat, and no one could understand what she was saying.
Jiang Chenchen said, "She keeps repeating the date, August 6th."
Zhan Chen smiled at her words. His smile was gentle, like an anesthetic for the nerves, but behind the smile was a knife stained with blood.
He quickly concealed that kind of smile.
"Do you understand what she's saying?"
Jiang Chenchen didn't notice his abnormality and asked, "Do you know the significance of it?"
"Just tomorrow."
Zhan Chen didn't elaborate, walked out of the room, and outside, there were Ning Yi and others, along with doctors and nurses.
He said to the doctor, "Tonight, before midnight, play the recording for her."
The doctor complied, and after they left.
They didn't know why they had to play the recording.
Only the person on the sickbed had the strongest reaction, unwillingly gasping her last breath in that countdown.
August 6th was the anniversary of Zhan Chen's father's death, and Xie Ya, his mother, didn't deserve to die on the same day.
Zhan Chen drove the car swiftly through the night, with Jiang Chenchen sitting beside him, looking at the night scenery outside the window.
No one spoke in the car; it was very quiet.
He drove the car to the seaside.
The sea breeze was strong. In the dark night, only the silent sea could be seen, like a monster swallowing everything.
Zhan Chen took out prepared red wine and glasses from the car.
The sea breeze was strong, and in the night, only the dark and silent sea was visible, as if devouring everything like a monstrous creature.
Zhan Chen took out the prepared red wine and glasses from the car.
"Have a drink," he suggested.
Jiang Chenchen took the glass. "Sure."
The two of them sat down on the rocks by the seaside. The sea breeze tousled their hair as they clinked glasses and drank silently.
Only the sound of the waves rolling in echoed in their ears.
Zhan Chen finished his glass of red wine. As the clock struck midnight, he poured some red wine into another glass and sprinkled it on the ground.
"Turning thirty. My father's thirtieth year marked the end of his life. Today is the anniversary of his death. I've almost forgotten what he looks like. Chenchen, it's only been a little over ten years, and I've almost forgotten."
"It's not your fault; everyone's memory has limits," Jiang Chenchen replied. She vividly remembered her parents' faces, the important events at every significant stage, including her mother's cries in the midst of that big fire. They were only thirty at that time. To this day, she didn't understand why those people killed her parents. They were already dead, and the truth could never be known.
"Will you forget me too?" Zhan Chen's voice came, and in the dark night, only some faint light from distant headlights could be seen. His voice sounded indifferent, and it was hard to see his expression in the light behind him.
Jiang Chenchen snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh?"
"The meaning of living is unknown. At first, it was just for revenge. When I gradually rose to power and could easily accomplish many things, everything felt like magic. There was no one trustworthy, and living was only because life persisted. After meeting you, I felt that living was alright. Being able to act recklessly, having someone to listen to, without saying much."
Zhan Chen's voice was like a soft whisper in her ears, and the rhythm of the waves became slower.
"At that time, you were the best listener. When I was making cocktails, doing anything, seeing you was like seeing myself. Those two years were probably the most relaxed for me. But now, you're no longer the me from the past; you're yourself. Yet, you still have a fatal attraction for me. Suddenly, I feel that living is quite good. I want to desperately continue living. Do you understand the meaning behind this?"
He looked at her with silver-gray eyes, and behind the lunar-like brightness of his eyes, there was a thick desire for control.
Jiang Chenchen heard him say so much and thought seriously. "If you feel that living is good because of me, I'm happy because I've been lost before. But someone made me understand that I should live for myself, grow, and find meaningful things to persist in."
She recalled the image of Sheng Mingsi. If it weren't for him, she might still be living in confusion, not knowing about the joyful and beautiful things in the world.
"It seems you still don't understand." Zhan Chen put down the wine glass in his hand, stood up, and looked towards the deep sea. Facing the sea breeze, his voice raised slightly, "Do you know? Everything I wanted from a young age has slipped away from me. Later, I realized that what I wanted required giving my all to obtain. Once obtained, I won't let go, even if it means death."
"So, do you understand?"
He lowered his head to look down, and his tone and gaze remained gentle.
But the meaning in his words was forceful.
He would never let her go.
Because he spoke too much, he started coughing violently. Despite that, he still maintained his posture, looking at her. In his eyes, there was attachment and reluctance, a desire to possess her alone.
Jiang Chenchen stood up, questioning him under his gaze. "Why? Didn't we agree on this? The plane tickets are already booked, right?"
Zhan Chen patted his chest, laughing. "There is no return ticket. From the moment you came here, I didn't plan on letting you go back, you know?"
"You!" Jiang Chenchen felt her head spinning, her footing unsteady. Zhan Chen reached out, supporting her waist, and looked down at her. "Chenchen, even if you hate me, I don't want to let you go."
