Chapter 16: The Long Night
An Baili loved to cry, loved to hide, and would often space out. Lu Li had seen her like that when she was alone, her eyes cautious and timid, constantly scanning the passersby, like a young animal in the jungle, her back hunched. He would call out her name, and Baili would instantly brighten up, rushing towards him eagerly, like a child bursting out of kindergarten after school.
Lu Li took out a pack of tissues from his pocket and wiped away Baili’s tears and snot. Crying wouldn’t help, it would only hurt those who loved her.
An Baili sobbed, “How… how did you know…?”
“I’m not stupid.” Especially since he was also bearing a price. Lu Li had been worried about this, but he had never mentioned it to anyone.
An Baili burst into tears again, this time not a suppressed sob, but an outpouring of emotions. “I’m sorry… I, I didn’t want to worry you…”
Lu Li thought of the family drama that aired on Jade Channel at 8:30 p.m., where the female lead was seriously ill but refused to tell the male lead. They would always brainwash themselves with the noble spirit of self-sacrifice, claiming it was for his own good. People like that were probably the same as those who jumped off buildings. They always chose a path that fulfilled their own desires, coldly and selfishly abandoning everything, using their lives and impulses to create a golden image for themselves, as if they were so clear-headed and noble. But after their deaths, their exes would still be happily singing karaoke with their new lovers, villains would still be feasting on their blood, and their enemies would be clapping their hands in glee. Only their loving mothers would be left crying their eyes out.
Live. These two words were the most resilient words in the world. No matter what happened, one had to live on, for those who loved them, for those they loved.
He cupped An Baili’s face in his hands and kissed her forehead. “Don’t be silly, Baili. We weren’t reborn to sacrifice ourselves for anyone. If I had to choose again, I wouldn’t want to be reborn with you.”
An Baili looked up blankly, tears streaming down her face. “Why… Don’t you like me?”
“Because I don’t want you to bear the price of rebirth again.” His lips moved down to hers. “You should live freely and happily, like Chu Jingyi and Sister Yameng. One person bearing the price is enough.”
An Baili was too fragile, like a delicate porcelain doll that would shatter with the slightest touch.
An Baili responded to Lu Li’s kiss. When they parted, she whispered, “I… I don’t think I have much time left… So, so I want… I want you to be happy in this life, without any regrets…”
“I can’t bear children for you, but Jingyi can… So I hope you won’t abandon her…”
“You and Wen Hupo were supposed to have a happy family, you… I won’t stop you from being with her…”
“You called out Zou Yameng’s name countless times in your dreams… I think she’s very important to you… If possible… you should take care of her too…”
“Only me…” Her eyes dimmed. “I’m just a thief, a thief who shouldn’t even exist. It’s fine if I disappear, it’s my retribution anyway.”
Hearing this, Lu Li couldn’t help but spank the girl’s bottom. “Baili, you’re asking for a beating.”
Lu Li’s spank was quite hard. An Baili whimpered and covered her bottom. “Don’t spank me, I’m not a child anymore…”
“That’s exactly why I’m spanking you.” Not satisfied with one spank, Lu Li gave her another. “What are you talking about? Would I be happy if you disappeared? Would Jingyi be happy?”
An Baili wanted to say that Jingyi would be happy because she could have him all to herself, but then she realized that the Class Monitor wasn’t that kind of girl. Maybe Chu Jingyi would really be heartbroken. Her heart softened, and she lowered her head. “…I’m sorry… I was wrong…”
Lu Li thought to himself, it’s a good thing this is An Baili and not Chen Jianing. If it were the little tiger, she would definitely raise her head and shout defiantly, “I didn’t do anything wrong!” Oh, right, he had forgotten to reply to her messages. Wasn’t that rude?
“Turn around,” he said.
“Why…” she asked pitifully.
“Turn around.”
“Okay… Don’t be mean to me…” An Baili reluctantly turned around.
Lu Li gritted his teeth and spanked her delicate bottom again. “You’re even sillier than Jingyi. Jingyi is much more mature than you.” Silly Goose might be naive about love, but she was also sensible. Even when confessing her feelings to Lu Li, she repeatedly emphasized the importance of their studies. If it were An Baili, who knew what kind of crazy things she would do.
An Baili, who had finally stopped crying, burst into tears again. “Don’t hit me… My bottom hurts…”
Lu Li pulled her onto his lap and rubbed her bottom. “Will you still have those silly thoughts?”
“No…” An Baili said pitifully.
“Okay, now tell me what your price is. We’ll figure out a solution together.” Lu Li let out a long breath. What he feared most was this girl doing something stupid like sacrificing herself silently.
“I, I don’t really know. I just feel sleepy all the time, and I have a slight cough…” An Baili said hesitantly.
“Cough? How bad is it? Do you cough up phlegm or blood?”
“It’s usually just a dry cough, I only coughed up blood once.” An Baili didn’t dare to look at Lu Li’s expression.
Lu Li frowned. Coughing up blood was a serious symptom. An Baili’s condition was much worse than he had imagined.
“Have you gone to the hospital for a checkup?”
“No… I’m scared to go alone…”
“I’ll take you to the hospital after the New Year’s holiday.” Lu Li thought carefully. This kind of supernatural symptom might not be solvable with modern medicine. They needed to find the root cause. “Baili, do you still have any of your mother’s belongings? Or any information about her? Like where she was from, where she worked and lived?”
An Baili pondered. “I have some of my mother’s old clothes, but they were all confiscated by the court… Dad… An Gulai mentioned my grandparents when he was drunk… But he only mentioned it once, many years ago. Li, do you think my mother used that pendant before?”
“It’s very likely.” Lu Li wasn’t sure either. “We have to investigate this carefully. And Baili, about your biological father…”
An Baili shook her head. “I don’t want to know who he is. I have you, that’s enough.”
Lu Li’s heart was touched. He hugged An Baili. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine, I promise.”
An Baili nodded repeatedly and hugged Lu Li back. “I really don’t want to leave you… I don’t want to…”
They cuddled for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, Lu Li reminded her to take care of herself and then boarded the last bus. When they reached his apartment building, An Baili’s eyes were filled with reluctance. She opened her door reluctantly. “Happy New Year, Li…”
“Happy New Year.”
Lu Li watched An Baili close her door. He was about to take out his key and open his own door when he suddenly remembered something. His gaze shifted to his sister’s door on the right. Didn’t Sister Yameng say she would be back today? She must be home by now, right? The image of her beautiful, naked body and her whispered words of love flashed through Lu Li’s mind, and his heart pounded.
He knocked on his sister’s door, seven times. He heard Sister Yameng’s voice from inside. “Who is it?”
Lu Li swallowed. It seemed like tonight was just beginning.
Leave a Reply