RITM - 49

Chapter 49: The Sixteen-Sided Mirror - Autumn Rain (2)

The elevator bell rang, and without even exchanging farewells with her friends, Luo Wei dragged her heavy feet inside, unwilling to look back. It felt as though she was plummeting into an endless abyss—the elevator descended at a heart-racing speed. On one side lay the opulent, glittering world of the hotel; on the other, the rain-soaked, pitch-black expanse of Gongzhou. The beach, drenched in rain, was deserted, the droplets resembling a galaxy of fish scales cascading into the dark, desolate sea. As the hotel was ultra-luxurious, most wedding guests had their own cars and had driven into the underground parking garage, leaving few stranded outside in the downpour. Luo Wei opened a taxi app on her phone, adding a thirty-yuan tip, yet no drivers accepted her request. After nearly twenty minutes of waiting, she considered increasing the tip by another ten yuan when her phone screen lit up with an incoming call—”Xiao Ying.” After it rang for about ten seconds, He Yingze predictably hung up, not calling back. Those ten seconds felt excruciatingly long, as if her emotions had gone through a tsunami only to settle into deathly silence. She edited the name in the missed call log, changing it to “King,” and continued trying to hail a taxi.

“Luo Wei, how could you run off alone like that?”

Hearing a familiar voice, Luo Wei turned in surprise to see Su Jianian approaching. Quickly making up an excuse, she said, “I still have work to do, so I left early. I meant to message you guys... Oh, by the way, where’s Xiao Lajiao?”

“She drove off herself, saying she had more deliveries to make. Have you ever heard of someone delivering packages in an SUV?” Su Jianian chuckled, opening his umbrella and holding it over her head. “Let me take you home. My car’s parked outside.”

Considering it was already dark and Su Jianian wasn’t single, Luo Wei waved her hand dismissively: “No, no need. I’ve already called a car—it’ll be here soon.”

“Cancel the order then. I’ll take you.”

“Really, it’s fine. I don’t like standing up the driver.”

“If it’s inconvenient, I’ll handle it for you. Give me the driver’s number, and I’ll tip them to cancel.”

Unsure why he was being so insistent, Luo Wei grew even more flustered, racking her brain for ways to politely decline. Suddenly, he extended his arm and pulled her close, wrapping her shoulder in an embrace. Startled, she reflexively tried to push him away, but he held her tighter. In that moment, all sounds seemed to fade except for the rain and the erratic rhythm of his heartbeat. Realizing the situation was spiraling out of control, she forced a smile: “Jianian, we may have a great bond, but if your girlfriend sees this, it’ll be hard to explain. Let go, please. We can talk properly.”

His bangs covered his eyes, and his voice deepened: “For as long as he’s liked you, I’ve liked you just as long.”

“...What? What are you talking about?”

“He Yingze.” His speech slowed, his tone growing firmer. “For as long as he’s liked you, I’ve liked you just as much. My feelings aren’t any less than his. Why have you never considered me?”

What nonsense was he spouting? Such illogical words! He Yingze liking her? Even if there was some semblance of affection, it was minimal at best. Sorting through her chaotic thoughts, she sighed and patted Su Jianian’s back: “Let go first. We can talk properly.”

He tensed up, tightening his grip until her bones ached, his voice nasal and hoarse: “No, I won’t let you go again. I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I’m still with Xinqi, but it’s not by choice. Just wait a little longer for me…”

Before he could finish, a large hand grabbed Luo Wei’s wrist, and a powerful force yanked her out of Su Jianian’s arms! Before she could react, she found herself hidden behind someone—a tall figure shielding her. Without a second glance at Su Jianian, the man strode away, dragging her along forcefully. She stumbled after him, nearly tripping twice, finally realizing who it was. Her emotions shattered like stone sinking into water. Desperately struggling to break free, she pushed at his wrist and pulled back with all her might, far more defensive than she had been with Su Jianian: “Let go! Release me!”

Su Jianian rushed forward, blocking their path, his face flushed with anger: “He Yingze, let her go! Can’t you see she doesn’t want to go with you?!”

“Whether she wants to go with me or not is none of your business.” The voice ahead of her remained calm but carried an undeniable air of authority.

“It’s also none of your business!” Luo Wei twisted until her face turned red, yet she couldn’t budge an inch.

Su Jianian took two steps closer, his expression darkening as he spoke slowly: “Did you hear that? She hates you.”

“Even if she hates me, she’s still my wife. Matters between us are none of anyone else’s concern. Move aside.” He Yingze shoved the astonished Su Jianian aside and, ignoring Luo Wei’s anguish, continued toward another door in the lobby.

“Luo Wei, is what he said true? Are you married to him?!”

No matter how many times Su Jianian asked from behind, Luo Wei couldn’t answer. She feigned deafness, evading reality while mustering every ounce of strength to resist He Yingze. But fighting a man’s strength as a woman was unwise—she was dragged to a dim corner near the stairwell like a helpless chick, with no room for resistance. Hands in his pockets, his expression cold, he scolded her: “Are you out of your mind? Su Jianian has a girlfriend—don’t you know that?”

She turned her head away, unwilling to look at him or offer any explanation: “There’s something I want to discuss with you.”

“What is it?” His attitude remained as arrogant as ever. Though she should have been used to his demeanor by now, at this moment, she felt an overwhelming distance between them. For a brief moment, she felt afraid, but she pressed on: “Let’s go and finalize the divorce procedures.”

“You’re not safe yet.”

She recited the reasoning she had prepared earlier: “I don’t mind. If we delay any longer, it’ll be harder for me to get married in the future. Look, because of this marriage certificate, I couldn’t even go up to catch the bouquet today.”

“Is that why you didn’t go up to catch the bouquet?”

“What else could it be?”

He smirked: “I thought you’d grown up, but you’re still just as childish. Tell me, what’s more important—marriage or your safety?”

So he still remembered. Even though he already had Ni Lei, and they were expecting a child together, why did he still care about her life or death? Allowing her to continue misunderstanding him brought him no benefit. She furrowed her brow and firmly said: “You understand better than I do how precious a woman’s youth is. I only want to marry the right person.”

He showed no sympathy, instead growing colder: “I always thought you were a woman with sense, but now you’re as foolish as the rest, letting the urge to marry override your survival instincts. How old are you? What’s there to worry about?”

“The right person isn’t someone you can find immediately.”

But if you’re the wrong person, then even if I meet the right one, I won’t love again.

“With the mindset you have now, you’ll never meet the right person. And maintaining this ambiguous relationship with a man who has a girlfriend is unwise.”

The sound of the rain was lonelier than a piano, drenching the air with countless notes, composing a sorrowful melody for the towering buildings. Luo Wei’s heart was in chaos, and thinking of how painfully she had loved He Yingze, hot tears welled up in her eyes. She nearly bit through her lip and dug her nails into her palms, but still couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. She heard him mock her emotionlessly: “Luo Wei, are you trying to be the other woman?”

His words had always been sharp and merciless, piercing her heart until it was riddled with holes. She forced a bitter smile: “Who is this ‘man with a girlfriend’ you’re referring to?”

“No need to play dumb—I saw everything just now.”

“Oh, so you mean Su Jianian? I thought you were talking about yourself.” She looked up, her face streaked with tears, her gaze sharper than a blade. “It’s strange, am I not the other woman when I’m with you?”

He Yingze’s eyes widened abruptly.

She smiled faintly, the large teardrops rolling down her cheeks as if they belonged to someone else: “He Yingze, you really think I’m a stupid woman who doesn’t understand anything, don’t you? You’ve been pretending unconsciously to grow closer to me recently—did you spare even a single thought for Ni Lei? Do you really think keeping my high school photo in your wallet can whitewash the fact that you’re playing with me? Do you really think I’m that naive…?” At this point, she could no longer maintain her composure and broke down sobbing, choking out: “No, I’m talking nonsense. What kind of relationship could we possibly have? We’re nothing to each other…”

Suddenly, her trembling body was pulled into He Yingze’s embrace. Startled, she looked up, but a pair of soft lips descended, lightly brushing against hers in a kiss. On this torrential rainy night, her body felt as if struck by lightning. She stiffened and instinctively pulled away from his kiss.

“I really like you…” Her voice broke, unable to feign strength any longer. “Please, let me go.”

For a long time, all she could hear was the sound of rain beating against the buildings. He paused, then smiled faintly, his eyes like stars burned to ash, dimming in the waterlogged light. In an instant, the sounds of the city seemed amplified, every sensory experience becoming clearer than ever before. Through blurred vision, the streetlights on the elevated roads strung together like a deep yellow necklace winding into the darkness. The world’s passion had been extinguished by the rain, leaving only a bone-chilling sadness. Her eyes burned, and her hoarse voice whispered softly: “I don’t ask for anything else. I just want to graduate from you and marry someone I deserve.” As she finished speaking, countless nerves in her brain felt as if gripped by invisible wires, pulling her scalp taut and making her ears ring.

The sound of the rain drowned out the noise of the cars. After a long, long while, he finally spoke softly: “Alright. I’ll let you go.”

This answer was both expected and unexpected.

In the moment he kissed her, she had allowed herself a fleeting hope—that his feelings for her were perhaps deeper than she had anticipated.

But she was wrong.

Lowering her head, she noticed her vision growing increasingly blurry: “After I leave, take care of yourself. Eat well, and stop staying up late.”

She truly loved He Yingze—so much so that his happiness alone was enough for her. To love someone this deeply in a lifetime was an immense fortune. If there was any imperfection in this fortune, it was only one thing: this happiness belonged to him and Ni Lei, and had nothing to do with her.