Green Tea Villainess Fails 98

Chapter 98

Zuo Bian remembered that 555 had repeatedly said that she and Qin Ai would live a long and happy life together. It must be because of this.

【Those who are meant to die will die, those who aren’t won’t, unless they use special methods to defy fate. But defying fate will have negative consequences for the world and alert the Heavenly Dao. If the Heavenly Dao intervenes, everything will be set right.】

Then 555 added, 【And the price of destruction and creation is never equal. It’s easy to die, but to come back to life requires a much greater sacrifice than just one life.】

Zuo Bian suddenly remembered something. When she had mentioned the pointlessness of immortality without loved ones, her master’s expression had changed instantly.

Little Frog didn’t say anything more, or rather, it couldn’t say anything more.

Late at night, Zuo Bian lay alone in bed, unable to sleep. She kept replaying the past in her mind.

Memories flashed through her mind, and she realized there were so many things that didn’t make sense. But the old Zuo Bian had never questioned them.

Because her master had appeared when she needed help the most, she had always trusted her unconditionally.

She had already known that her master wasn’t as simple as she had imagined, but she hadn’t expected even her personality to be fake.

Nothing was real. Zuo Bian thought she should be angry, but she mostly felt lost.

Her master’s gentleness was fake, her personality was fake, her memories were fake, maybe even their encounter was fake.

Even if her personality was fake, some things wouldn’t change. Zuo Bian knew that Meng Zhen was a meticulous person who never made mistakes and never did anything unnecessary.

Now that she thought about it, her memories before meeting her master were blurry, so blurry that she wasn’t even sure if they were real.

She wanted to ask her master if there was anything real about her, or if everything was a lie.

Zuo Bian’s mind was filled with worries. She didn’t know what time it was when she finally drifted off to sleep.

=================================

The next day, she woke up late. But she had already experienced most of what she needed to experience. She wasn’t a real employee at the restaurant, so she didn’t have to go to work.

She had made plans to have lunch with Qin Ai, but during their meal, she seemed distracted and listless.

Qin Ai noticed her unusual behavior and asked if something was wrong.

Zuo Bian hesitated for a moment, then briefly explained her suspicions about her master.

The elder she had always relied on wasn’t as kind as she had thought. She might even be trying to kill her.

Qin Ai placed her hand on Zuo Bian’s, her thumb gently stroking her skin. She smiled. “Don’t be too sad, we’re here for you.”

“Mm.” Zuo Bian smiled back, but her smile was weak.

How could she let go so easily? Humans weren’t machines. Deleting a memory wasn’t as simple as pressing a button.

That afternoon, Zuo Bian’s agent called, her voice brimming with excitement. She told Zuo Bian that she had been nominated for the Best Newcomer Award at the Golden Dove Awards.

Among this year’s newcomers, Zuo Bian was undoubtedly the most promising. “Ascending to Immortality” had become a phenomenal hit, and Zuo Bian had gained a considerable fanbase. Plus, with the backing of two powerful families, there was no way she would be robbed of the award.

Of course, some people were inherently prejudiced against those from wealthy families. Even though Zuo Bian’s performance in “Ascending to Immortality” was outstanding, and there was no other newcomer who could surpass her this year, they still believed that she had only gotten this far because of her family’s resources, not her talent.

However, this wouldn’t affect Zuo Bian winning the award. The award belonged to whoever deserved it.

The award ceremony was in three days, right before the filming for “Twins” began.

The day before the Golden Dove Awards, Zuo Bian helped Tao Zi prepare a surprise for her brother. Everyone except for Zuo Yuan knew about the proposal plan.

Everyone around Zuo Yuan was busy, even his usually doting sister could only spare a few words for him before rushing off to do something.

Zuo Yuan was confused. He thought they were preparing a surprise for him, but it wasn’t his birthday, and there weren’t any special occasions coming up.

That night, he received a call from his secretary, who said there was an emergency at the company and asked him to come over.

Hearing the urgency in his secretary’s voice, Zuo Yuan didn’t think much of it. He grabbed his coat and drove to the company.

However, when he arrived, the company was empty. It was eerily quiet, and the lights were off.

He called out a few times, but there was no response. He took out his phone and started calling as he walked inside.

Beep, beep, beep—

The sound echoed through the empty hallway. Zuo Yuan frowned and hung up the phone. He pushed open the door to his office.

Click! The lights suddenly turned on.

The bright light made him squint. Before he could open his eyes, he heard Tao Zi’s voice.

“Zuo Yuan, let’s get married!” Tao Zi held a bouquet of paper rabbits, a smile on her face.

Only then did Zuo Yuan notice his family and friends standing around him, their eyes filled with blessings. On the table behind Tao Zi was a large cake shaped like a house.

He had thought he would be the one proposing to Tao Zi, but she had beaten him to it.

He took the bouquet of paper rabbits, hearing Tao Zi say, “We’ll have our own little home now.”

“Okay, let’s get married.” Zuo Yuan smiled.

Everyone cheered and applauded. Qin Tian, hiding behind Qin Ai, shouted, “Kiss her, kiss her!” Then Qin Ai knocked him on the head, and he finally quieted down.

“Ring…”

“Ring.”

Tao Zi and Zuo Yuan both took out rings, then smiled at each other and exchanged them.

Zuo Bian, who had helped set up the proposal, was happy for her brother and Tao Zi, seeing their happy smiles.

The proposal was a success, and the house-shaped cake was “divided” among everyone—smeared on Zuo Yuan’s face.

Zuo Yuan was stunned for a moment, then retaliated, scooping up a handful of cream.

Perhaps they were all too happy and let loose, becoming childish and engaging in a cake fight.

The only ones who were actually interested in the cake itself were Zuo Bian and Qin Tian. They were huddled in a corner, eating cake and analyzing the “battle situation.”

“Brother only has his eyes left. Ah, he’s been ambushed again.”

Qin Tian, his mouth full of cake, said, “Delicious, but even Mom got hit.”

“Having fun hiding in the corner and eating cake?” A playful voice came from behind them.

“Mm-hmm, having fun.” The sweet taste of the cake filled Zuo Bian’s mouth. She loved it.

Qin Tian, focused on eating, mumbled a response.

But they quickly realized it was Qin Ai’s voice. Qin Tian chuckled nervously, cake crumbs clinging to his lips. “Sister, do you want some cake?”

Qin Ai sat down beside Zuo Bian. The sofa was large enough for three people, but Qin Tian still instinctively scooted over, giving them more space.

“Why are you so messy?” Qin Ai looked at the corner of Zuo Bian’s lips.

Zuo Bian didn’t react immediately. She looked at Qin Ai blankly, then Qin Ai’s face moved closer.

Qin Ai’s soft lips brushed against Zuo Bian’s, wiping away the cream. Zuo Bian’s face flushed red, her lips trembling as she struggled to speak.

“Oh my god, I can’t watch this.” Qin Tian exclaimed dramatically, pretending to cover his eyes, but the gaps between his fingers were wide open.

“You have cream on your lips.” Qin Ai pointed at her own lips.

“Oh, okay.” Zuo Bian licked her lips, savoring the lingering sensation, then scooped up a small piece of cake with her fork and offered it to Qin Ai. “Qin Ai, do you want to try some?”

Qin Ai opened her mouth and ate the cake. “It’s delicious.”

Zuo Bian smiled happily.

==============================

Tao Zi’s proposal was a success, and Zuo Yuan was in high spirits. Everything seemed perfect. Zuo Bian was going to the awards ceremony, and Zuo Yuan even helped her with her makeup.

The makeup perfectly accentuated her features, making her even more captivating. His skills were on par with professional makeup artists. Zuo Bian had never known her brother had this hidden talent.

“Brother, how are you so good at makeup?” Zuo Bian’s eyes sparkled with admiration. She had also practiced makeup before, but her skills were nowhere near as good as a professional’s.

Zuo Yuan’s expression turned awkward. He quickly changed the subject. “Xiao Bian, are you happy that you look so beautiful today? Brother already got the news, you’re going to win the Best Newcomer Award at the Golden Dove Awards, and Qin Ai is the special guest presenter.”

“Of course, I’m happy.” Zuo Bian smiled brightly at her reflection in the mirror.

Everything was ready, and it was time for her to leave for the awards ceremony. The stylist noticed the engagement ring on Zuo Bian’s left middle finger and asked if she wanted to take it off because it didn’t match her outfit for the ceremony.

Zuo Bian shook her head. She didn’t want to take off her engagement ring. She would only take it off when she married Qin Ai and replace it with a wedding ring.

Then she got into the car, the scenery outside blurring past. She rolled down the window slightly, and the cool breeze ruffled her hair, carrying a faint fragrance that quickly disappeared.

The bodyguards opened the car door for her. Zuo Bian stepped out, holding her dress. On both sides were reporters with cameras, the flashing lights blinding.

She smiled and waved at them, the engagement ring on her right middle finger sparkling.

Zuo Bian walked down the red carpet, her posture elegant, her gaze clear. Unlike other celebrities who lingered on the red carpet, stretching a one-minute walk into ten minutes, she walked briskly.

The media wanted to capture more photos of her. After all, she was a rising star with a powerful family background. If she was serious about her acting career, she would definitely become a superstar. Unfortunately, she was too quick. In less than a minute, she was gone.

Entering the venue, Zuo Bian found her seat, which was near the front. Coincidentally, Chang Wensi and Lu Letian were sitting beside her.

“Congratulations in advance, Best Newcomer of the Year.” Chang Wensi’s tone was slightly sour.

When she had debuted, she had also been popular, but the drama she starred in wasn’t as successful as “Ascending to Immortality,” so she hadn’t won the Best Newcomer Award that year.

This year, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but not winning the Best Newcomer Award still left her feeling a bit regretful.

“Thank you,” Zuo Bian said with a smile.

Chang Wensi muttered, “You’re still as annoying as ever. Forget it, I’m not talking to you anymore.”

Lu Letian gave Zuo Bian an apologetic look, as if saying, “Don’t mind her, she’s just like that, she doesn’t mean any harm.”

Zuo Bian had known Chang Wensi for a while now and understood her personality. She didn’t take it to heart.

The host on stage, with a sweet smile, read the script, trying to liven up the atmosphere. She announced the nominees for the first award.

When she reached the winner’s name, she paused for dramatic effect, the images on the big screen behind her flashing between the nominees.

After a moment of suspense, she finally announced the winner. The audience applauded as the winner walked onto the stage. As usual, the acceptance speech was boring and predictable.

Although it was Zuo Bian’s first time attending an awards ceremony, she wasn’t particularly excited about it. What she was looking forward to was receiving the award from Qin Ai.

This was her first award, and the feeling of being recognized was truly gratifying, especially since she could share this joy with Qin Ai.

She didn’t have to wait long. Shortly after Chang Wensi received the Best Supporting Actress Award, it was time for the Best Newcomer Award.

Although Zuo Bian was confident she would win, her heart still raced.

Only when the host announced her name did she finally relax. Qin Ai had said she would present the award to her, it would be awkward if someone else won.

As she walked onto the stage, Zuo Bian felt a bit dizzy. She instinctively glanced in a certain direction, her eyes meeting Qin Ai’s.

Qin Ai was wearing a dark blue dress, her long hair cascading down her shoulders. She smiled at Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian quickened her steps, eager to reach Qin Ai’s side.

“Now, let’s welcome our special guest presenter, President Qin, the CEO of Qin Group, to present the Best Newcomer Award. President Qin is also the fiancée of our Best Newcomer, Zuo Bian. Even at an awards ceremony, they’re still showing off their love. So sweet!” The host said into the microphone.

Qin Ai walked towards Zuo Bian, holding the trophy. There was a faint creaking sound, as if something was about to collapse, but Zuo Bian was too happy to notice it.

Just as Qin Ai was about to reach her, the giant chandelier above them suddenly fell, Zuo Bian’s pupils constricting, the smile freezing on her face.

The deafening crash made her ears ring. She looked down in a daze and saw blood pooling beneath the shattered chandelier.

The bright red blood bloomed like a flower on the floor. The host screamed, and the audience erupted in chaos.

Zuo Bian felt like her world was shrouded in a dark veil. The scene blurred, the sounds muffled.

Someone seemed to be comforting her, but she couldn’t hear their words. In her daze, she received a phone call. The person on the other end said,

—”Excuse me, is this Miss Zuo? Your parents and brother’s bodies are at the hospital. Please come and identify them.”

Zuo Bian gripped her phone tightly, her knuckles turning white.

The air around her thinned, and darkness slowly consumed her vision. She gasped for breath, but it was useless. The suffocating pain overwhelmed her, and she lost consciousness.

She didn’t know how much time had passed. She woke up in darkness, a hand slowly emerging from the soil. She crawled out of the damp earth, her body covered in dried blood and dirt, her skin so filthy that she was almost unrecognizable.

Her head throbbed, fragmented memories colliding in her mind, impossible to grasp.

Finally free from the dirt, she looked up at the sky. The gray sky was thick with dark clouds, the air heavy with the metallic scent of blood and the stench of rotting corpses.

She looked around, her gaze falling upon countless mangled and disfigured bodies.

Only then did she remember fragments of what had happened. She had descended the mountain to complete a mission, but something had gone wrong. She had been killed by the Demon Lord while saving a child.

Was she still alive?

She had to go back, maybe her master was still waiting for her on Mount Feimeng.

She tried to absorb the spiritual energy from the world, but her body was empty, like a sieve. The energy passed through her without leaving a trace.

Her meridians were severed, her dantian shattered, and even her spiritual platform was cracked. She was now weaker than an ordinary mortal.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t disappointed. Years of cultivation had vanished overnight, leaving her a cripple. But no matter what the future held, she wanted to see her master and fellow disciples again, at least to let them know she was still alive, so they wouldn’t worry.

Dragging her heavy body, she walked through the mass grave. She had lost track of time when she finally saw the sect’s gate. Reaching her limit, she collapsed in front of it.

When she woke up again, she was back at the sect. Her master was treating her injuries. Her body was severely damaged, and if she wanted to cultivate again, she would have to start from scratch.

Her master then presented her with a path.

“—The Path of Heartlessness.”

“Strength comes from detachment. Without desires, there are no weaknesses, and one can advance fearlessly.”

Even with her current crippled body, Zuo Bian’s cultivation in the Path of Heartlessness progressed much faster than her previous cultivation in swordsmanship.

Not long after she started cultivating the Path of Heartlessness, her master brought back a junior sister named Qin Ai.

Hearing that name, Zuo Bian frowned. She felt like she had forgotten something important.

Her master told her that this girl was the child she had saved, a child with great potential, a good seedling, which was why she had brought her back.

Time flew by for cultivators. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years had passed. Zuo Bian and Qin Ai had grown close and developed feelings for each other. They had recently become Dao companions.

Zuo Bian had also reached the peak of the Unity Realm, just a step away from breaking through and ascending to immortality.

Qin Ai was also talented and had reached the early stage of the Unity Realm. Zuo Bian had thought they would be together forever, but on the day of her ascension tribulation, she heard her master say,

—”Kill Qin Ai, and you can become immortal.”

Zuo Bian held the Soul-Extinguishing Dagger her master had given her. “Master, are you asking me to kill my wife to achieve enlightenment?”

“If you don’t kill her, you’ll be the one who dies during the ascension tribulation. Xiao Bian, you cultivate the Path of Heartlessness. If your heart has feelings, your path is destined to fail. I’m doing this for your own good. Go, Qin Ai is waiting for you outside the hall.”

Zuo Bian put away the dagger and walked out of the hall. As expected, she saw Qin Ai.

Qin Ai, standing under a tree, smiled when she saw Zuo Bian. Zuo Bian wanted to smile back, but she couldn’t.

She glanced back and saw her master standing in the hall, looking at them. She couldn’t see her master’s expression clearly, but she had a feeling that her master wasn’t looking at them, but at something beyond them.

The sky suddenly darkened, thick black clouds gathering, lightning flashing within them. A moment later, thunder roared, as if the heavens were splitting open.

Her ascension tribulation had arrived. She heard Qin Ai offering to protect her. The Soul-Extinguishing Dagger, as if it had a life of its own, tried to fly out of her storage pouch and pierce Qin Ai’s heart.

Zuo Bian pushed Qin Ai away, and the lightning bolt struck her directly. The excruciating pain felt like countless blades scraping her bones, her flesh burning.

Enduring the pain, she questioned, “Master, if cultivating the Path of Heartlessness requires me to kill my wife to achieve enlightenment, I would rather be an ordinary cultivator and never become immortal. Are you truly doing this for my own good?”

Raindrops fell like stones, accompanied by the rumbling thunder, drowning out all other sounds. But Zuo Bian could still hear Meng Zhen’s voice.

“A Pure Soul is indeed a Pure Soul, pure and innocent. You’ll never make the same choice I did.”

As Zuo Bian chose to abandon the path of killing her wife to achieve enlightenment, something invisible shattered. The voices in her head grew louder, something cracked, and she clearly heard several voices.

Meng Zhen had used illusions to shake Zuo Bian’s mind, pulling her into a deeper illusion. But Zuo Bian’s choice and her questioning of Meng Zhen had broken the illusion, creating a crack that connected to reality.

—”Zuo Bian, wake up!”

—”Xiao Bian, are you okay? Don’t scare Mom!”

—”Xiao Bian! Xiao Bian!”

—”Xiao Bian, Dad and Mom are waiting for you to wake up.”

These familiar voices shattered the illusion, and Zuo Bian’s memories came flooding back. She remembered being killed by the Demon Lord and transmigrating to another world, a world where she had been happy.

Everything around her dissipated like smoke. Thunder roared, and a giant crack appeared in the sky, a massive eye peering through it, gazing upon Meng Zhen and Zuo Bian.

A self-deprecating smile appeared on Meng Zhen’s face. “Defying fate always comes with a price, I’ve always known that. But to resurrect her, I was willing to pay any price, I only cared about the result.”

“Zuo Bian, you asked what I had lied to you about? I did lie to you. I killed your senior sister myself. The baby girl she gave birth to was you. I tampered with your memories before you turned seven, I arranged your identity, all to become your benefactor. Oh, and your mother’s name was Du Yundong, the same name as your mother in this world.”

Zuo Bian’s eyes widened. She remembered a dream she had had, a dream where she was being held by her mother, her embrace warm, her words muffled.

She looked Meng Zhen in the eye. “Master, no matter what your wish is, you shouldn’t sacrifice other people’s lives to achieve it. Was my death also part of your plan?”

“Yes, but unfortunately, your soul was taken by the Heavenly Dao and sent to this world to continue living. So I followed you here. But it seems I’ve been discovered.” Meng Zhen looked up at the giant eye in the crack, the eye of the Heavenly Dao.

Zuo Bian’s heart was heavy. Meng Zhen’s words had revealed that she had killed her wife to achieve enlightenment. If she truly loved her, how could she have let her die?

But if she didn’t love her, why would she go to such lengths to resurrect her?

“Did you love her?” Zuo Bian asked, as if speaking for someone who could no longer ask this question.

Meng Zhen chuckled. Before being completely obliterated by the Heavenly Dao, she said, “Of course, I love myself the most.”

But Zuo Bian didn’t believe her.

The crack widened, and a finger descended, as if the sky was collapsing. Meng Zhen’s body vanished under the overwhelming power, her soul scattered, erased from existence.

Wrongdoings always had consequences. This was Meng Zhen’s deserved fate.

If Zuo Bian had chosen the other path, she would have become Meng Zhen’s hundredth sacrifice. But she hadn’t. She had broken through Meng Zhen’s manipulative illusion.

Even if Zuo Bian had made the wrong choice, Meng Zhen, who had already altered the fate of so many people, had been targeted by the Heavenly Dao. It was only a matter of time before she was found.

But Zuo Bian would never have made that choice. In her heart, the people she loved were the most precious treasures in her life.

With Meng Zhen’s death, the illusion that had trapped Zuo Bian vanished.

In her daze, she opened her eyes, her vision filled with worried faces.

As soon as Zuo Bian woke up, Qin Ai hugged her tightly, as if trying to merge their bodies. Zuo Bian had been like an empty shell, unresponsive to any attempts to wake her.

“You’re finally awake.” Qin Ai’s furrowed brows relaxed.

“Mm, I’m awake. I’m sorry for worrying you.” Zuo Bian felt guilty.

Zuo Yan gently stroked her head. “Don’t apologize, it’s good that you’re awake.”

“Mom is relieved to see that you’re okay, Xiao Bian.” Du Yundong said through her tears.

“Yes, it’s good that you’re okay,” Zuo Yuan said.

He had been the first to notice something was wrong. Zuo Bian had suddenly “fallen asleep” in the car and wouldn’t wake up. They had taken her to the hospital, but the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong. Thankfully, she was awake now.

“It’s good that you’re all here. I just… dreamt that you were gone. Thankfully, it was just a dream.” The events in the illusion still chilled her to the bone. Thankfully, reality was the opposite.

The people she loved were all alive and well.

“Silly child, of course it was a dream. Mom and Dad still want to see you and your brother happily married,” Du Yundong said with a smile.

Zuo Bian suddenly remembered something. “I missed the awards ceremony, that’s a pity. I was looking forward to receiving the award from Qin Ai.”

Qin Ai squeezed her hand. “It’s not a pity, there’s always next year. Next year, the year after, and the year after that, you’ll have plenty of opportunities.”

Zuo Bian smiled brightly. “Okay, until we’re ninety-nine.”

(End of Main Story)

***

99 – “The wish for a couple to be together for long time” (Forever)

“9”means everlasting and unchanging.