Chapter 149

Chapter 149 - 149 143 Xie Shangs Greed Changlings Origins (Second Chapter 149: 143: Xie Shang’s Greed, Changling’s Origins (Second Update) Chapter 149: 143: Xie Shang’s Greed, Changling’s Origins (Second Update) Everything was fake, the promises of love were fake, the vows of kindness were fake.

Wen Changling looked at him puzzled and said softly, “Why aren’t you talking?”

What do you want? Do you want me to help you get revenge? Or do you want me to be in so much pain that I wish I were dead?

“Xie Shang.”

He called her name, “Wen Changling.”

Why?

What does this case have to do with me? What does it have to do with the Xie Family? Besides those four people, who else do you want to take revenge on? Are you just using me?

What do you want me to do? How should I act?

Wen Changling furrowed her brows, “What’s wrong with you? If you don’t start talking, I’m going inside.”

Just as she was about to turn away, Xie Shang grabbed her.

“Don’t go.”

He had many questions but dared not ask, dared not burst the bubble.

Wen Changling didn’t love him. Once the bubble burst, it would be over.

She was too formidable, pushing him to a point where he no longer had any choice but to surrender, to only beg for her mercy.

He felt his dignity shatter as he pleaded humbly, his hands trembling as he held hers, “Wen Changling, anything is fine, just don’t abandon me.”

Xie Shang had never imagined that he would be brought to such a state by someone.

He could understand what He Dongzhou meant now, when he said he could die for his Miss Little Scar.

Wen Changling didn’t know what was bothering him, but she could feel the huge emotional fluctuations, “I’m not planning to leave you, I was just going to go inside and sleep.”

Xie Shang did not let go, unwilling to let her leave, “I’m feeling down, Changling, can you hug me?”

Wen Changling opened her arms to embrace him.

“Why are you feeling down? Don’t you want to tell me?”

Xie Shang tightened his hold, the anger, fear, and panic from uncertainty almost driving him to the edge of losing control, as if he wanted to crush her, “Mm, I don’t want to tell you.”

He couldn’t let her know, because once she knew, he’d be of no use to her, and things with no use get thrown away.

Wen Changling said, “If you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t.”

He kept tightening his grip.

Wen Changling tilted her head up and tugged at the clothes around his waist, “Xie Shang, don’t hug too tightly, I can’t breathe.”

But Wen Changling, I can’t breathe either.

Xie Shang let go.

Reason and thoughts were splitting and tearing apart. He was caught in an intense and extreme inner conflict. His brain was going mad, but his movements were careful not to startle her even a bit.

He tried hard to maintain a calm demeanor, not letting her notice, “It’s late. You should go back.”

Wen Changling hesitated for a moment, waited a while, but eventually gave up on pressing further and turned back to her own courtyard.

Xie Shang remained outside; it was already deep into the night. The streets were empty, and all was quiet, except for the rabbit lanterns batting playfully against the night breeze. A few lonely stars speckled the sky, with the half circle of pale moon overhead.

He had to do something, he needed to do something. How could he suppress the urge to bite down on Wen Changling’s neck, to forcefully enter her and possess her. He indeed was a terrible madman.

He drove to Gu Kaiyun’s medical clinic.

Gu Kaiyun hadn’t left, waiting for him at the clinic. He suggested they play chess, claiming it could bring calmness.

“I’ve lost.”

This was Xie Shang’s fifth loss, even though his chess skills were not inferior to Gu Kaiyun’s. It was now past four in the morning.

Xie Shang busied himself resetting the chessboard, not bothering with dibs, and immediately picked up the black pieces to start over.

Gu Kaiyun grabbed his wrist, took it away, and cleared the board, “Stop playing, you’re not at peace.” Gu Kaiyun knew him well and could see how much he was struggling.

“Does Miss Wen make you suffer a lot?”

Xie Shang’s heart was denying it, making excuses for his Miss Wen, he said, “I love her very much.”

His intentions hadn’t been pure at the start either.

He couldn’t blame her.

“This relationship is no longer healthy for you,” Gu Kaiyun meant that perhaps it was time to let go.

Xie Shang was stubborn and extreme, “I love her very much.” Other than this, he didn’t know what to say; no one could help him cross this river.

Gu Kaiyun sighed, stood up, and brought over water and medicine, “Take the medicine and get some sleep.”

The dosage of the medicine Gu Kaiyun gave wasn’t large, Xie Shang didn’t know when he had fallen asleep.

His dreams were filled with Wen Changling.

“Xingxing, you have fallen so low.”

She sat naked on the high steps, looking down at him coldly. He was bound hand and foot, kneeling at her feet, begging her to untie the ropes, saying he wanted to make a sacrifice.

It was an absurd, eerie dream.

It contained his greed as well as his submissive fealty.

*****

Xie Shang hadn’t returned home all night, and Wen Changling called him in the morning, but no one answered. She took a taxi to Dihong Hospital to start her day shift.

Yan Cong’s condition was worsening; he could no longer eat on his own, and was emaciated from torment. Tubes were inserted into his body, making talking very difficult.

Wen Changling wiped his hands for him, gently touching the bruises on the back of his hand caused by the needles.

“Changling.”

“Mm.”

Yan Cong was very tired, but didn’t want to sleep, “Tell me about Ah Na, I want to hear it.”

He seldom actively asked about Ah Na because whenever Wen Changling talked about Ah Na, she became very upset. But now he really wanted to know a little more, just in case he passed away; he would have to go find Ah Na, and he needed to be able to recognize him.

Wen Changling moved a chair over, sat down, and began to speak slowly.

“Ah Na was very clever, just like you, and good-looking too. There were little girls who had crushes on him and his best friend.

Even though the people from the village below the mountain didn’t like us, saying our family could cast spells, my mother was very kind and loved both me and Ah Na dearly.”

Their family lived secluded on the mountain, avoiding the world; they didn’t interact much with the people of the village, only with the Fu siblings who lived with relatives in White Peach Village did they get along well, playing together since childhood.

“Ah Na liked to read miscellaneous books; he loved every book besides textbooks. He even loved reading the thick travel brochures distributed by the village committee and could recite them. Ah Na was also very good at frying tea leaves, better than the old masters in White Peach Village.”

Yan Cong lay on his side, watching Wen Changling.

Whenever she mentioned Ah Na, she always appeared gentle.

“Ah Na was also good at sports. When he was a child and chased by a dog, even the dog couldn’t catch up with him. He was a good swimmer as well; he taught me how to swim.”

“Ah Na’s best friend was named Ming Ao. They had stuck together since they were little. Ming Ao was introverted and didn’t talk much, and Ah Na loved to tease him. They must have reunited in heaven by now.”

If Ah Na and Ming Ao had grown up well, by this age, they might both have found love.

Wen Changling paused for a long time before continuing.

“Ah Na seldom called me ‘sister,’ he always said he might not be younger than me. My mother brought us home from outside on the same day; I arrived home first, so I became the sister.”

“I was so silly when I was little; I could only study and would always get lost. Every time, it was Ah Na who came out to find me and bring me home.”

It wasn’t that she, as the sister, was biased in her own favor; Ah Na really was a very good child, and anyone who knew him would like him.

“Aside from studying, Ah Na was better than me at everything. The songs that Uncle Xie only taught a few times, he could play them using a teacup.”

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.

That was a song taught by Xie Ze, a nursery rhyme he said was very simple. Ah Na learned it, but she didn’t.

Xie Ze was Xie Qingze, who had not used his real name when he went to Wind Town. Xie Ze said he had a nephew who was quick at learning, as bright as Ah Na.

Yan Cong’s eyes were now closed, his breathing light.

Wen Changling softly sang the nursery rhyme she once played with leaves in her youth, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky...”