T/N:
I fixed Chapter 34 (I think). I removed part 3 and edited the entire chapter. I don’t know what happened, but some of the chapters I had ready got corrupted—paragraphs were duplicated and stuff. I think I messed something up while half-asleep, haha. Let me know if you spot any more errors. Thanks!
Chapter 35 p1:
Xu Qing hadn’t been doing well these past few days.
The days he was taken away for questioning by the police because of the lawsuits from Xin Corp and other companies were a blur. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard countless people screaming and cursing at him. His mental state was on the verge of collapse.
When he was temporarily released, he was unshaven, with dark circles under his eyes, and his clothes reeked. At first glance, he looked like a beggar.
He didn’t care. In this dazed state, he returned to his small, rented apartment.
Sitting on the cold floor in the middle of winter, Xu Qing raised his head slightly, looking at the sunlight filtering in through the small, square window above him, his face gloomy.
After a while, he mechanically turned on his battered, almost defunct phone.
Ding ding ding ding ding.
A barrage of message notifications exploded in the room, flooding his ears and mind. It was the overwhelming sound of people cursing him.
Every word was like a sword, stabbing at his throat, leaving him bleeding.
Even now, Xu Qing couldn’t understand why everything had suddenly changed. Not long ago, Xin Wanyin had loved him so much, and they were… almost happy, weren’t they?
But now, sitting in the dirty room, looking at Xin Wanyin’s stills from a drama on the entertainment news – she was wearing a beautiful red dress, her hair styled in a cloud bun, adorned with peony hairpins, gently stroking a pipa in her hands, smiling serenely – in that instant, looking at the screen, Xu Qing suddenly felt an immense distance between them.
As if one was in heaven and the other in the depths of hell.
He didn’t know how many days passed like this.
Xu Qing was in a daze. When he was hungry, he would crawl up and find something to eat; when he was thirsty, he would gulp down a bottle of alcohol. When he finally came to his senses, he was lying in a pile of filthy garbage, like a toad in a dark corner.
Subconsciously, he turned on his phone, his cloudy eyes falling on the screen. The next moment, they widened abruptly, and he sat up.
The news was reporting something shocking, at least to Xu Qing: the Xin Corp. suicide case.
The Xin Corp. case had garnered considerable attention, sparking a wave of public opinion in just a few days, so the investigation results came out quickly. The conclusion was, without a doubt, true. Xu Qing’s father had indeed jumped to his death to defraud the company for compensation.
The moment he saw this news, Xu Qing completely broke down.
The clear, blue-and-white text shattered his beliefs of so many years, the very meaning of his life. After all, every day he had lived was for revenge for his father and mother, to make Xin Corp. pay.
Now, he was told that everything was wrong, that it was his own father who was despicable. Many people online were mercilessly criticizing and cursing his father.
Then what was the meaning of his life all these years? What had he been doing? He had ruined his own life!
It turned out that he had been wrong all along.
In that instant, Xu Qing’s spirit completely collapsed. He tore at his hair, his bloodshot eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, terrifying like a demon.
Amidst his breakdown and panic, as his entire worldview crumbled, Xu Qing suddenly thought of Xin Wanyin. The only person in the world who had once supported him unconditionally, listened to him absolutely, and doted on him without limits.
He had lost such a person.
Xu Qing grabbed his hair and banged his head against the table, his forehead bleeding. Amidst the banging sounds, he suddenly stopped, abruptly standing up.
No, he couldn’t give up like this. He had to go find Wanyin and apologize. Tell her he was wrong, tell her he regretted it, even if it meant crying and kneeling to beg her.
What if, what if Wanyin was still willing to forgive him?
With unrealistic fantasies in his mind, Xu Qing grabbed something from the table and rushed out the door in a frenzy.
After being driven away last time, he didn’t dare go to the film set. Knowing that Xin Yao wasn’t living in her old house, he went directly to the Xin family villa to lie in wait.
Afraid that Xin Wanyin wouldn’t want to see him, he hid.
In the cold, rainy weather, he huddled in the bushes by the side of the road leading to the residential area, without an umbrella, his head down.
Finally, in the late afternoon, as dusk approached, a familiar figure appeared in the distance. The person was wearing a misty blue coat, carrying a dark green umbrella. Her soft, long hair was styled in loose waves, casually draped over her shoulders. In the shifting light and shadow, her delicate chin and beautiful red lips were faintly visible.
However, it wasn’t Xin Wanyin.
Xu Qing had waited so long tonight, only to see Xin Yao returning home.
Cold rainwater dripped down his chin and into his collar, sending a chill down his spine, making him shiver uncontrollably. He squatted there, watching Xin Yao’s graceful figure, trembling more and more as he watched.
It was her.
Everything started with her.
If she hadn’t suddenly fired him, if she hadn’t opposed them being together so strongly, things wouldn’t have turned out this way!
As he thought about it, the precarious thread in Xu Qing’s mind finally snapped.
He abruptly pulled out a knife from his pocket.
Originally, this knife was meant for when he saw Xin Wanyin. He had thought that if Wanyin refused to reconcile, he would stab himself with the knife to show her his resolve.
Now, he had completely forgotten about this. Staring at Xin Yao approaching, he rushed towards her with a ferocious expression.
Xin Yao was in a relatively good mood today. Pei Yu had some unavoidable business at the company, so she went out alone to the supermarket to buy some groceries, planning to make soup for Pei Yu that night.
The supermarket wasn’t far, so Xin Yao, who had learned to drive, decided to walk.
On her way back, she held the dark green umbrella, a smile playing on her lips as she walked home.
The wind was strong today, and the rain was getting heavier. The angle of the umbrella created a blind spot. All of this combined to blur her perception, making her completely unaware of the person beside her.
It was at this moment that Xu Qing, like a mad dog, rushed out from the side. The blade of the knife flashed, coated in cold rainwater. He knocked Xin Yao’s umbrella away, the gleaming blade aimed straight at her neck.
The heavy handle of the umbrella slipped from her hand, and the supermarket bag she was carrying fell to the ground, bright red tomatoes rolling out into the rainwater.
Xin Yao looked up in terror. At that moment, she felt as if time had slowed down.
Her throat felt constricted, a burning pain spreading. Rainwater splashed into her eyes. Reflected in her beautiful eyes, behind the distorted raindrops, was Xu Qing’s face, his freezing red hands, and the blade aimed at her.
Gradually, even Xu Qing’s face blurred. The only clear thing in the world was the approaching knife, shrinking to a needlepoint, hurtling towards her.
Just as the knife was about to pierce Xin Yao’s neck, at the very last moment, a strong, steady hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her forcefully into an embrace.
Xin Yao was spun around. As rainwater splashed with the movement, she bumped into someone’s warm chest and saw dark clothing.
Gasping in fear, Xin Yao looked up, slowly, in the chaotic light, seeing Pei Yu’s delicate face. Raindrops clung to her long, white eyelashes and slid down her jawline. Her expressionless side profile was terrifyingly cold.
Xin Yao rarely saw such an expression on her face. Pei Yu was always gentle and patient with her. Even when she was dominant in bed, it was just playful.
Now, seeing her baring her fangs at such close range, seeing the ice and snow in her eyes, made Xin Yao feel that Pei Yu might really tear someone apart in the next second.
Yes, Pei Yu was a demon, and demons were never benevolent.
Xin Yao slowly turned her head, her gaze fixed. In the swirling rain, she saw Pei Yu holding her with one hand, the other raised, tightly gripping the incoming blade.
The blade sliced through her palm, blood mixing with the rain, dripping onto the ground, pooling, and quickly being washed away by the flowing water.
Xin Yao gasped and gripped Pei Yu’s arm tightly.
“Pei Yu! You’re hurt!”
At that moment, Pei Yu had been at the company when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest, making it difficult to breathe and even stand up straight. She immediately realized something had happened to Xin Yao and, without thinking, used the mark to teleport to her.
The first thing she saw was Xu Qing swinging a knife at Xin Yao.
Instantly, Pei Yu’s mind went blank, the thread of reason almost snapping. It was as if she hadn’t thought of anything, yet she had thought of everything.
She was truly on the verge of losing control.
On the edge of a breakdown, Pei Yu flashed to Xin Yao’s side, shielding her in her arms, and grabbed the blade.
At that moment, she thought her expression must have been frightening, otherwise, why would even Xin Yao look at her with such terror?
Pei Yu hugged Xin Yao tightly, then stroked her head, trying to keep her voice calm. Then she pulled Xin Yao away, shielding her behind her back.
“Yao Yao, turn around. Don’t look at this filth.”
With that, she held the knife, her blood-red eyes dark and bloodthirsty, slowly taking a step closer to Xu Qing.
What had happened in those few short seconds seemed surreal to Xu Qing.
The stunningly beautiful woman opposite him had appeared out of thin air and grabbed his knife! The woman also had strange white hair and red eyes. What was she? A demon? Or a ghost?
And now, this unknown woman was walking towards him step by step!
Only then did Xu Qing realize what he had done in his frenzy. He released the knife handle in fear, staggering back, trying to escape.
Compared to his clownish demeanor, even on the verge of a breakdown, Pei Yu remained cold and elegant. She twirled the knife in her hand, her black high heels stepping in the blood-mixed rain.
Tap, tap.
She walked towards him.
Xu Qing’s heart was pounding. Looking at the cold, merciless eyes of the person before him, he felt that she would really kill him without hesitation!
“Who, who are you! Are you a demon?”
Pei Yu’s black dress dripped with water. She didn’t answer, just looked down at him.
Xu Qing completely lost it, turning and running frantically. However, as he ran, he looked up and found himself running in place. The woman was still behind him, watching him coldly.
Terror gripped his heart, and Xu Qing almost collapsed to the ground.
Just as he was about to fall like a loach, Pei Yu reached out from the void, gripping his neck, slowly tightening her grip. Even though there was still some distance between them, Xu Qing felt as if his neck was truly being choked. He was lifted into the air, his legs kicking wildly, his face turning purple.
Pei Yu’s face was expressionless, her voice as cold as winter snow.
“You’re courting death.”
Then, like torture, she tightened her fingers one by one.
Xu Qing struggled like a dying fish, his movements becoming more frantic.
If this continued, he might really be strangled to death by Pei Yu.
Xin Yao, standing behind them, didn’t know what was happening. She only saw Pei Yu grab Xu Qing’s neck in the blink of an eye.
This was the second terrifying event of the night.
Without thinking, Xin Yao rushed forward, grabbing Pei Yu’s arm in panic.
“Pei Yu! Pei Yu, calm down!”
“I’m fine, I’m perfectly fine. Look at me, hmm?”
“It’s not worth it for someone like him.”
Pei Yu, her arm being pulled, turned her head. Looking at Xin Yao’s distressed face, she was pulled back to reality by her worried words and finally released her grip.
Xu Qing fell to the ground, gasping like a fish out of water, clutching his neck and coughing violently.
Xin Yao breathed a sigh of relief, clutching Pei Yu’s sleeve tightly.
“Pei Yu, let’s go back. Let’s call the police and hand him over to them.”
Knowing that Xin Yao was scared and worried about her, Pei Yu pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
“Just one last thing. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything reckless.”
Seeing that Pei Yu seemed calm on the surface, Xin Yao was afraid that if she refused, Pei Yu would secretly go and do something crazy, so she agreed.
In the gradually quieting rain, Pei Yu slowly walked to Xu Qing, squatted down, and said softly, her eyes cold, “I smell the scent of death on you, but that scent doesn’t exist in this world. How strange.”
“It seems you’ve done some bad things in other timelines as well. You truly are a dark, venomous insect.”
“In short, now, I will return to you the death you inflicted on others, one by one.”
It could be seen that Pei Yu’s abilities were related to time and space.
The scent of death she mentioned was her ability to perceive, across time, the harm Xu Qing had inflicted on the Xin family in the previous life.
Therefore, at this moment, Pei Yu returned to him all the evil he had caused.
The moment Pei Yu’s voice fell, from the previous life – Xin Ping’an’s pain before death, Xin Yao’s sister’s struggles as she died, Lao Xin’s collapse upon learning the truth while battling illness, and even all of Xin Wanyin’s despair – all reflected onto Xu Qing.
In just a second, he was in such agony that he convulsed, fully experiencing the fear and despair of four deaths superimposed on each other.
And from this moment on, every minute and every second of his life would be spent in this despair, with no escape from death.
Xu Qing, collapsed on the ground, began to scream, banging his head against the ground, leaving a pool of blood, and finally fainted.
Pei Yu glanced down, then stood up indifferently.
As she turned to Xin Yao, her eyes softened with emotion, filled with worry and fear. She pulled Xin Yao into a tight embrace.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
Xin Yao fell into this slightly trembling embrace, smelling the scent of cold rain on her, gradually regaining her composure. She wasn’t particularly brave, but she wasn’t cowardly either, and with Pei Yu by her side, she wasn’t so afraid anymore.
She reached out and hugged Pei Yu back.
“Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault.”
Pei Yu’s fingers trembled as she hugged her. “I shouldn’t have left today. I should have stayed by your side.”
No one could stay by another person’s side forever. Xin Yao wrapped her arms around Pei Yu’s waist, wanting to say something.
But they were still outside, and the winter rain was bone-chilling.
Pei Yu, noticing her discomfort, used her demonic power to dispel the cold, holding Xin Yao’s hand and saying gently, “Let’s go back first.”
Xin Yao nodded.
Then, ignoring Xu Qing still lying on the ground, they turned to walk home.
But just as they turned, another wave of trouble arose.
A cold voice came from behind them.
“Today’s youngsters are truly unscrupulous. At the very least – you should erase what shouldn’t be seen.”
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