Chapter 113

Chapter 113 - 113 107 Changling lit a Daydream Fragrance incense Chapter 113: 107: Changling lit a Daydream Fragrance incense stick, saw... (first update) Chapter 113: 107: Changling lit a Daydream Fragrance incense stick, saw... (first update) Xie Shang put out his cigarette and threw it into the trash can.

He Dongzhou approached, “Something on your mind?”

He touched the gem on the hedgehog’s belly, “Miss Wen hurt her hand, and I’m a bit worried.”

“Is the injury serious?”

He shook his head, “We just had a little argument at that time.”

He Dongzhou couldn’t help but laugh, “You got into an argument with someone?”

Among the people they knew, Gu Kaiyun and Xie Shang were the most emotionally stable, capable of getting physical but not of arguing with others. If you were to compare the two men to bodies of water, Gu Kaiyun would be the pool that’s too clear, and Xie Shang the one that’s too deep, both unlikely to be easily disturbed.

Outside, Xie Shang was known as an elegant madman, elegance first, madness second. He was adept in handling matters, coming from a family of lawyers, composed under pressure as it was ingrained in his bones. Apart from being extremely crazy under certain circumstances and having wild fun, he rarely ever lost his composure.

“Dongzhou,” Xie Shang said self-mockingly, “I’m just an ordinary person.” Prone to jealousy, often failing to find the right measure, timid and insecure.

He Dongzhou was at a loss for words.

“I’ll leave the rest to you, I’m heading back first.”

Xie Shang took the hedgehog perfume bottle with him.

At the entrance of the art gallery.

A man wearing a mask, accompanied by a woman, was stopped by the staff of the art gallery.

The man also wore a hat, and underneath it, his forehead was covered with medical tape, “Why can’t we go in?” The woman by his side was making a fuss in a coquettish manner.

The staff member replied, “It’s the organizer’s decision.”

The man, irritable and impatient, raised his voice, “This invitation was issued by the organizer.”

The staff continued in a routine tone, “It’s a last-minute decision by the organizer.”

The invitation had been issued a month ago, but this gentleman’s name was unexpectedly struck off the list at the last moment.

The man, now infuriated, demanded, “Which organizer? Let him come out.”

Unmoved like Mount Tai, the staff member calmly responded, “Sir, if you keep making a scene, I’ll have to call security.”

This scene was captured in its entirety by a reporter who did not have an invitation.

The threshold for Noon Ferry was very high, being the most luxurious domestic perfume, and generally inaccessible to the media. The reporter worked for a small media company that couldn’t secure an invitation, but his trip wasn’t in vain now.

As the estranged wife lay in her coffin, the scum of a man accompanied his mistress on a night out at an exhibition, completely lacking morals and conscience!

This topic was sure to explode.

The reporter was excited. As he turned around, he almost failed to grip his camera securely, “Xie, Mr. Xie.”

Having experienced the ways of the world, the reporter recognized the son of the KE Lawyer Xie family. He’d been fortunate to capture him on film when tailing Best Actress Su, although he dared not to expose him directly.

“Did you get it?”

The reporter’s heart skipped a beat, and he promptly assured, “Rest assured, I won’t publish recklessly. Tonight’s perfume exhibition at Noon Ferry is the only star.” He still possessed that bit of foresight, “I wouldn’t dare to overshadow it.”

Xie Shang was succinct, “Publish it.”

“What?”

The reporter was bewildered.

Xie Shang toyed with the perfume bottle in his hand, “Spread it far and wide, and if the Zheng family comes looking for you, tell them it was my order.” He couldn’t help it, he held grudges.

The reporter’s brain froze for a moment, “...Alright.”

*****

Two hours earlier.

Granny Zhu was knocking on the door outside.

“Changling.”

Wen Changling flipped a paper full of reminders over and tucked it into a book, “The door’s unlocked.”

Granny Zhu pushed the door open, holding two bottles of medicine in her hands.

She placed the medicine on Wen Changling’s desk, “These were sent by Zhouzhou.”

Zhouzhou was the errand runner for her boss.

Granny Zhu asked with concern, “Where were you injured? Is it serious?”

Wen Changling rolled up her sleeve to show Granny Zhu, “It’s not serious, just a small knock on the wrist, it’s a little bruised.”

Granny Zhu, who had seen many years, saw things more clearly than the young, “Did you have an argument with Boss Xie?”

Otherwise, Zhouzhou wouldn’t be the one delivering medicine.

Wen Changling felt a bit regretful and rubbed the ointment on her wrist quietly, “Not exactly an argument.”

It was her who couldn’t control her emotions.

Granny Zhu had watched the two grow closer and couldn’t stand to see them at odds, advising earnestly, “You haven’t been together long, you’re still in the adjustment phase. Whatever disputes you have, don’t drag them out and don’t keep everything bottled up. Sit down together, talk it out, or even the best of relationships can grow cold.”

Wen Changling obediently replied, “Yes, I know.”

After Granny Zhu left, Wen Changling went to Xie Shang’s place. She had the key to Xie Shang’s room; she could touch anything in Xie Shang’s house, and he had said she could take away anything she wanted.

Xie Shang hadn’t returned yet, so she sat down to wait. It was the same courtyard, but it seemed quieter on his side, and the air was different, always filled with a faint scent in his room.

The spices in the cabinet were well preserved, their aromas contained, so the fragrance in the room must have come from Xie Shang.

There was a piece of agarwood on the table, covered by a glass dome. The agarwood had an odd shape, its surface full of small, uneven holes, resembling a honeycomb.

Wen Changling knew how to light incense, having learned from Xie Shang in the past few days.

She opened the incense burner and, following the steps Xie Shang had taught her, she lit the incense step by step. There was also a bottle of alcohol on the table, golden-colored foreign liquor. Xie Shang didn’t drink, and she hadn’t seen alcohol at his place before.

Wen Changling poured herself a cup, drank it all, then felt a bit drowsy. She lay her head on the table, wanting to doze off for a while. The fragrance from the incense burner slowly wafted out, gradually filling the whole room.

Wen Changling didn’t know when she had fallen asleep.

She was woken by the ringing of her cell phone. As she opened her eyes and brought her vision into focus, she stared at a spot in the room.

She reached out to touch it but grasped at nothing.

The phone was still ringing.

It took her a long time to answer the call.

It was Yan Boyong, “Changling, can you come over?”

Xie Shang returned and first went to see Wen Changling.

Granny Zhu and Huahua were enjoying the cool air in the courtyard.

“Granny, where’s Changling?”

Granny Zhu held an old and tattered palm-leaf fan: “She rushed out just a moment ago. Wasn’t she going to look for you?”

Wen Changling went to Dihong Hospital.

Forty minutes ago, Yan Cong’s heartbeat had stopped.

The palliative care ward is for terminally ill patients. Before transferring to the palliative care ward, relatives must sign a consent form since resuscitation would only extend life temporarily and without quality, causing the patient even more pain. Thus, the palliative care ward is by default a place where traumatic resuscitation is forgone.

But Yan Cong’s grandfather had changed his mind. He pleaded with the doctors to save his child.

He said Wen Changling hadn’t arrived yet, and they at least had to wait for Wen Changling. He kept calling out in front of the hospital bed, urging Yan Cong to hold on a little longer.

Then, Yan Cong came back from the brink of death.

“Changling.”

Yan Cong was not intubated and could speak.

“Yeah.”

Wen Changling was very calm, extremely calm, as if she had no soul.

Yan Cong tugged at her fingers: “Those people, just say the word, and I can help you kill them.”

He could hire a hitman, he could poison them. As long as he wanted to, he could surely kill them.

“Don’t,” Wen Changling looked at Yan Cong’s hand, “Your hands are meant for playing hockey.”

Hands that have held so much glory should not be dirtied.

This wasn’t the first time Yan Cong had made such a suggestion. When his pancreatic cancer recurred and the doctors gave the diagnosis that it was inoperable and had metastasized, he had asked Wen Changling the same thing.

“Do you want me to kill them for you? I won’t live much longer anyway, going to prison doesn’t matter to me.”

He knew everything about Wen Changling.

The first time Wen Changling got drunk and called him Ah Na, she told him everything. That was also when he found out why she had prepared sugar for him at first.

Because Ah Na liked sweets, because he looked very much like Ah Na.

Wen Changling always said she owed Ah Na, but never specified what for.

“Ah Na.”

She suddenly called him Ah Na.

Like Grandpa Yan outside the ward, she seemed to have lost her soul, perhaps because she had drunk alcohol, or maybe because she had lit incense, or perhaps because the hand holding hers seemed to be slipping away.

Yan Cong corrected her: “I’m not Ah Na.”

But she still calmly called out, “Ah Na.”

Yan Cong poked the back of her hand: “Changling, I’m not Ah Na.”

He didn’t want to be Ah Na.

“Ah Na.”

He was silent for a moment, then finally agreed: “Yeah, sis.”

Wen Changling held onto him: “Don’t go, I’m not ready yet.”

“Okay, I won’t go.”

Yan Cong had the doctors intubate him because he couldn’t bear to leave, even if it meant being tortured by illness and becoming ugly.

Grandpa Yan had the driver take Wen Changling back. He was also in the car, as Yan Cong insisted on him personally taking her home.

The old man’s white hair seemed to suddenly grow more overnight, a lot more.

“I’m sorry, Changling, for always troubling you.” Grandpa Yan also knew it wasn’t right, but he really had nothing left he could do for Yan Cong.

“It’s okay,” Wen Changling looked very calm, but her eyes were empty, somewhat dazed. Before getting out of the car, she said, “Grandpa Yan, please take good care of yourself.”

She got out of the car.

Xie Shang was standing not far away, waiting for her.