RITM - 35

At her parents’ repeated urging, Luo Wei took leave to visit them and adjust her mood.

Sitting in a taxi, she passed through several long tunnels. The beautiful scenery outside the window obscured her swaying reflection, and sunlight streamed directly into the car. She raised her hand to shield her eyes. The northern island of Gongzhou was overwhelmingly busy, like the mermaid’s painstakingly traded-for feet—it had earned its exquisitely refined nights. This was a city carved out with care, placed gently by the hands of civilization along the coast. Zhenji Royal City stood by the sea but was now far behind as the train sped ahead. Soon, a few mountains blocked it from view. Before her stretched a vast, dazzling expanse of greenish-blue sea, causing her to close her eyes involuntarily. Cargo ships glided across the water, leaving behind an impossibly slow, shimmering trail that spread in a wedge shape to both shores. At first glance, it looked as though the sea had opened its azure robe, adorned with silver jewels by the wind. She glanced up at the name of this stop: “West Ravine.” This was one of the reasons Luo Wei loved Gongzhou. Even in the modernized northern island, there were still places that retained their traditional charm.

The taxi crossed a bridge and sped forward. The sunlight made her feel drowsy, so she closed her eyes and rested her head against the glass window. Half-asleep, her forehead bumped repeatedly against the glass, causing her pain. She shifted down slightly, intending to find a more comfortable position to continue sleeping, when she heard a dull thud on the window. Opening her eyes, she noticed a small hole in the glass, just four or five centimeters away from her forehead. Dazed, she stared at it for two seconds, ready to drift off again, but a delayed sharp pain on her cheek felt strange. She touched the sore spot and found blood on her hand. Suddenly, it hit her—she glanced outside the window and ducked down onto the seat. In a black car parallel to the taxi, a man wearing sunglasses pulled out a gun and aimed it at her!

Immediately, the dull thuds followed one after another. Countless bullets shattered the car windows, and within moments, the glass was completely destroyed, shards cutting her arms. Before she could even wipe the blood away, she saw that the taxi driver had collapsed over the steering wheel, blood pooling all over his legs. Trembling violently, she dared not move an inch.

Someone was trying to kill her! How could something that only happened in news reports and movies be happening to her?

She absolutely couldn’t step out into the line of fire, but she vaguely remembered the terrain ahead: if they continued straight for a few hundred meters, they’d reach a cliff wall. Surrounded on all sides with no escape routes, she would either be cornered or crash into the mountain. Escaping then would be nearly impossible. To the left of the road, however, there was a beach bustling with tourists during the day. If she ran in that direction, she might have a chance. Crawling forward, she opened the left-side car door, covered her head, and leapt out, landing hard enough to nearly give herself a concussion.

The sun was now obscured by thick rain clouds. The dense clouds carried dust, turning the sea into a dark navy blue, while the waves’ bells seemed ready to awaken the slumbering ocean. Luo Wei ran toward the beach, sprinting along the shore toward a restaurant. Not long after, a storm rolled in from the horizon, whipping up larger waves and frosting the surface of the sea with white foam. Suddenly, she felt something strange in her chest. A buzzing sound filled her brain, mingling with the cries of seagulls echoing along the cold coastline. Something pierced through her back and exited her chest. Sticky liquid flowed down her torso; she heard the sound of her ribs breaking, and excruciating pain tore through her body. Losing all balance, her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground. In her last moment of consciousness, she realized she had been shot in the chest. She tried to pull out her phone to call the police but was lifted up and thrown over someone’s shoulder like a sack of rice…

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Two weeks later, a heavy rain soaked Gongzhou. The fragmented islands were submerged in an endless expanse of sea. The night was deep, the ocean boundless. Even the fiercest storms could do little more than blur their faces. It was a moonless night. Su Jiannian stood on the dock of the southern island, gazing at the chaos where the sky met the sea, letting the rain soak him completely.

Since the shooting incident, he had lost all trace of Luo Wei. The police were still investigating the criminals and searching for the missing Luo Wei, but so far, there were no leads. She hadn’t returned to work, her phone remained off, and there were no signs of her returning home. He had used every resource at his disposal to track her down, even finding her parents’ address—but instead of learning anything about her, he discovered something even more horrifying: a gas explosion had occurred at her parents’ residence, killing everyone on the entire floor. By now, he knew she was involved in something dangerous and likely no longer alive. Yet here he was, unable to avenge her or even decide whether to continue the investigation. The people she had offended were powerful, and pursuing the matter further might drag him and his family into misfortune. Never before had he felt so utterly like a coward. Suddenly, a shadow enveloped him, blocking the rain. He looked up to see an umbrella held above his head. The person holding it was Xie Xinqi, her face filled with reluctant concern.

Her appearance wasn’t coincidental. Her father had been hospitalized again, and after visiting him, she returned home to hear her mother viciously berating Xie Xiuchen for a minor mistake at work. When she tried to defend him, her mother scolded her harshly. Suppressing her anger, she went to comfort her brother, only for him to coldly tell her, “From now on, don’t bother with my affairs.” Feeling wronged, she stormed out of the house, sent messages pestering Su Jiannian, and eventually found him here. She handed him the umbrella: “Are you terminally ill or bankrupt? Is it really worth getting soaked like this? Tell me what’s bothering you—it’ll make me feel better.”

“I’m not self-harming; I’m just enjoying the view,” he replied, though his eyes reflected nothing but ashes.

Xie Xinqi burst out laughing: “Enjoying the view? Who risks catching a cold just to enjoy the scenery? You’re really joking with me. Mr. Su, if you want to play the brooding type, at least grow a beard first.”

Su Jiannian gave a faint smile: “The ancients often said life is short, yet we carry worries for a thousand years. There’s truth to that.”

“Why are you saying such gloomy things today? Stop it. Come on, let me buy you a drink to drown your sorrows.”

Xie Xinqi beckoned him with a crooked finger, leading him to a nearby convenience store where they bought a lot of beer. Then, they drove to the coastline to drink. After an hour of drinking, Su Jiannian leaned on the car window, took a swig of alcohol, and muttered: “I always used to think I was the most immature person in others’ eyes. But before I even had the chance to mature, I already felt tired. Because everything that starts out perfect will eventually shatter. Look, just like Gongzhou.” He gazed at the horizon and pointed to the scattered islands in the distance: “I heard that Gongzhou used to be one complete island, and all those fragments were once part of it. Now, it’s like life—broken into pieces.”

She also looked at those islands, her words slightly slurred from the alcohol flowing through her veins: “Do you know why Gongzhou broke apart?”

“Isn’t it because of tectonic movements?”

“You’re so boring. That’s science—I’m an artist; I only care about myths and legends.”

“Myths?”

She smiled: “Yes. Legend has it that this place was once called Su Zhao, a floating city built by the Sea God under the moonlight. It hung high in the sky, surrounded by the Milky Way. Its inhabitants weren’t humans but immortal spirits who danced with mirrored sleeves. Since Su Zhao was close to the moon, every 15th day of the lunar month, stepping outside would reveal an enormous full moon. Thus, it was also known as the ‘Moon Capital.’ There was once a powerful female ruler here who could ride the wind and clouds. The people revered her deeply. Later, she fell in love with the Sea God, who sacrificed himself to save her by returning to the ocean. In response, she exhausted all her magic, causing Su Zhao to fall from the sky into the sea, where she then lay in eternal rest. This way, they would be together forever.”

Su Jiannian chuckled softly, his own mind clouded with drunkenness: “If only I could meet a girl like one of those immortal spirits.”

“You really are a pianist—still stuck in Romanticism.” Various classic romantic movie scenes flashed through her mind, such as The Legend of the White Snake , Sissi: The Young Empress , and Waterloo Bridge … Thinking of the latter’s plot, she made a disgusted face and flicked her fingers like a diva. In her world, there was no room for women who didn’t respect themselves.

“What are you thinking about? Your expressions are so vivid,” Su Jiannian asked curiously.

“I’m thinking about the first time I kissed you forcefully, and why your mother threw me out.”

Su Jiannian thought for a moment and replied: “Probably because you’re too beautiful, and she was afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle you.”

Her eyes lit up: “And can you handle me now?”

If it had been any other time, Su Jiannian might have blushed, but tonight he was drunk, his thoughts as blurred as his rain-soaked vision. He simply turned to examine her face and fell silent. Whatever she said next, he no longer heard. Even in the dim morning light, her snow-white skin was impossible to ignore, her cheeks flushed like flower petals. What kind of flower? Perhaps a rose. He cupped her neck and leaned in to kiss her. She was startled but didn’t pull away. Perhaps because he was drenched from the rain, his lips were slightly cold—not the warm softness she had imagined. She should have resisted, but remembering her brother’s cold gaze, the shame in her heart felt heavier than the gloomy weather. She traced the shape of Su Jiannian’s lips, responding to him like a gentle stream…

At 7:30 the next morning, Xie Xinqi finally returned home. She slipped off her shoes and tiptoed upstairs, only to run into Xie Xiuchen, who was descending. Surprisingly, he was already fully dressed, his cufflinks gleaming as if he were heading to the office. Startled, she nearly tumbled down the stairs: “Brother, why are you up?”

“Where did you go?”

“I… I went for a drive.”

He descended a few more steps and leaned closer, sniffing: “Did you drink?”

“Oh, just a little. You know my tolerance—it takes more than a thousand cups to knock me down.” In truth, she hadn’t fully sobered up yet. The events from an hour ago were still vivid in her mind. The places Su Jiannian had touched burned like scars, constantly reminding her of the foolish thing she had done.

“Xinqi, I’m sorry,” he said softly, patting her head. “I was too harsh with you last night.”

She stared at him blankly for a moment, suddenly feeling her eyes heat up—perhaps the alcohol was hitting her again. A wave of unprecedented shame washed over her, leaving her without the courage to even cry in her brother’s arms. She lowered her head, shaking it slightly to signal it was fine, then dragged her weary body up the stairs. But after taking a couple of steps, she heard Xie Xiuchen ask: “Is he good to you?”

She straightened her back, though she couldn’t stop it from turning icy cold. She forced a laugh, adopting her usual haughty attitude: “We’ve only just started—how would I know? But based on my observations, he’s definitely a new-age gentleman. Besides, how could I let anyone mistreat me?”

“As long as he treats you well. As long as you’re happy, I’ll support whatever you do.”

He didn’t kiss her forehead or wait until she was lying in bed to leave, as he usually did. As his footsteps faded outside the door, his gentle blessing brought tears streaming down her face. She pulled out her phone and stared at the message she’d been unsure how to respond to for hours: “Miss Xie, I apologize for my impulsive actions while drunk. I’m willing to take full responsibility. If you’re willing, I can marry you anytime. Would you like to be my girlfriend?” Biting her lip, she replied: “Alright, then we’re officially together.” As soon as she sent it, she sat on the stairs, burying her head in her knees.

Deep down, she knew her real sorrow wasn’t because her brother had been harsh or because she had done something foolish. It was because she didn’t even dare to know the reason for her pain.