RITM - 59

Chapter 59: The Nineteen-sided Mirrors – Origins (1)  

Twelve hours earlier, Luo Wei had been preparing to go to the supermarket to buy seasonings when she encountered Ni Lei downstairs. Ni Lei’s eyes were dark, her nose red from the cold, her skin as pale as the falling snowflakes. She looked pitiful. “King and I broke up.”

Luo Wei was momentarily stunned, her surprise evident as she asked, “Why?” 

“He never loved me. There are things I no longer feel the need to hide from you,” Ni Lei said, taking a deep breath before revealing the truth. “I’m not pregnant.” 

Suppressing the flicker of unspoken joy that wasn’t entirely honorable, Luo Wei nodded silently, waiting for her to continue. 

Though it was a premeditated response, Ni Lei couldn’t suppress the overwhelming bitterness welling up inside her. She would never forget the night she attended a wedding with He Yingze—the same night her deepest fears were confirmed. After deceiving Luo Wei into believing she was pregnant, Ni Lei had been more despondent than ever. Taking advantage of Luo Wei’s distraction, she secretly downed several glasses of wine. After the ceremony, emboldened by alcohol, she mustered the courage to intercept He Yingze outside the banquet hall. For the first time, she addressed him directly by name: 

“I know you don’t like me, but at the very least, I’m your girlfriend in name. We’ve been together for so long, yet you’ve never even held my hand. He Yingze, have you ever considered my feelings?” 

“If you already know it’s just a nominal relationship, why ask such a foolish question?” His words, as always, were cutting and merciless. 

“At first, I thought you prioritized your career and didn’t want to invest energy in a relationship, so I decided to wait patiently. But now, I can’t take it anymore. I can tolerate your coldness, but I can’t stand the thought of you liking someone else. And why does it have to be Luo Wei? She’s supposed to be my friend! I trusted that you two were just childhood friends, and I felt secure about her. But now, I realize she’s undermining me. Do you know how much that hurts?” 

“What nonsense are you spouting? I never promised to make you my real girlfriend.” 

“Don’t avoid the topic!” Her usual meek demeanor vanished, replaced by sharpness. “Tell me, do you like Luo Wei? No, I already know you do. I care about you so much that I remember every move you make. I’ve seen it all along. Even tonight—you’ve been watching her the entire time. Whenever you look at her, you’re completely different…” 

“That has nothing to do with you. Don’t forget your place,” he interrupted coldly. 

Though this was the answer she had expected, it still pierced her heart deeply. A hiccup escaped her lips as she forced a bitter smile. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked. After all, this was always a transaction. The benefits you’ve given me are enough to secure a lifetime of comfort… If you like her, fine. At least she’s my close friend, which is better than you liking someone else. But could you at least try to love me? I won’t ask you to take responsibility—just give it a try.” 

Seeing his impatient sigh and lack of response only deepened her sorrow. Still clinging to the last shred of hope, she tugged at the hem of his coat, her drunken gaze fixed on the ground. “Tonight… I’ve already booked a room in this hotel. I prepared your favorite wine and ordered oysters and sashimi… I’ll be waiting for you upstairs…” 

These were the boldest words she’d ever spoken, the most audacious act she’d ever committed, yet they failed to elicit even a hint of surprise from him. “If all you want is to sleep with me, fine. But I will never love you, nor will I marry you. Even if you somehow manage to conceive my child, you’ll only ever be the mother of a bastard. Weigh these pros and cons carefully.” 

If she had been teetering on the edge of an abyss before, his words—especially that final sentence—pushed her fully into the darkness. Staring blankly at his polished shoes for a moment, she suddenly burst into tears, pounding her fists against his chest. “He Yingze, I love you so much! Why are you doing this to me? Can’t you even pretend to care? Do you know how much pain I’m in? Couldn’t you lie to me, just once?!” 

He grabbed her wrists, trying to calm her down, but she lost control, struggling fiercely to break free while clinging tightly to him. He didn’t push her away cruelly, but neither did he offer comfort—instead, he stood motionless like a statue, waiting for her hysteria to subside. 

That night, she had thanked him for his final shred of consideration. But now, reflecting on it, she realized this wasn’t in He Yingze’s nature. His tolerance hadn’t stemmed from pity—it was because he sensed her irrationality and feared she might harm Luo Wei. With this realization, her lingering resentment transformed into a storm of anger, swallowing the last traces of guilt. Lowering her voice, she poured out all the grievances she’d endured under He Yingze’s treatment, amplifying them tenfold. Finally, she delivered the one line any woman would want to hear: “He’s only with me to put on a show for others. At first, I thought it was for someone in the He Cheng Group, but now I understand. That person is you, Luo Wei.” 

“Me? Why me?” Luo Wei’s emotions churned in confusion. 

“He loves you. But there are some difficult-to-explain reasons why he doesn’t want you to know.” 

“What reasons?” 

“It’s not convenient to talk here. Come with me.” 

Unbeknownst to Luo Wei, Ni Lei’s intention in asking her to follow was to escape He Yingze’s watchful eyes. By the time Luo Wei realized they had strayed too far off course, a sense of foreboding gripped her heart. Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed over her head. As her vision was obscured, the suffocating sensation grew stronger until she lost consciousness… 

---

For Zhou Jinru, this day was particularly vexing—it was the day she recalled the most memories in years. 

The clouds stretched their vast gray wings, pulling the sky of Gongzhou low, almost to the level of the buildings. Yet the falling snow remained pristine, countless flakes drifting like pieces on a chessboard, illuminating the somber backdrop. Inside a Catholic church on Nan Island, the stained-glass windows were veiled in gray due to the weather, casting only a faint, despairing light within. Hand-painted angels on the dome watched over the statues of the twelve apostles on the altar, while the expression of Jesus on the crucifix remained as serene as the deep sea. Twelve figures clad in black, their presence incongruous, stood in formation, silently awaiting Zhou Jinru, who prayed in the front pew. Beside her stood the young and beautiful Ni Lei. Aside from them and a wriggling sack in the corner, there were no other living beings in the church. Zhou Jinru came here every Sunday to pray, but today was the day she remembered the most. 

Her mind drifted back to a summer day more than twenty years ago… 

“Congratulations, Mrs. Xie—it’s a pair of twins! It’s a shame Mr. Xie isn’t here at the hospital. Just look at these two children—they’re absolutely beautiful.”

That day, the bright surgical lights pierced her eyes with their harsh glare. The nurses gently wiped the bloodstains from the newborns’ bodies, occasionally glancing at her with smiles as she lay weakly on the operating table. Even the phrase “a pair of twins” failed to ignite any spark within her. It no longer mattered whether the children were boys or girls, or whether she felt anger or resentment. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and all she wanted was to sleep deeply—perhaps even drift into death, never to return. But just as she closed her eyes, the image of that moonlit desert night resurfaced in her mind: outside her husband’s new home, she had seen a boy sitting on his lap. The child, barely a year old, wore a tiny tie, looking every bit like a little master. Her husband, who usually commanded everyone around him with an imperious tone, causing chaos over the slightest disagreement, now willingly offered the other cheek when slapped by the boy. 

Yes, she had won the Miss Gongzhou beauty pageant, shocking the city overnight and drawing the attention of every wealthy man. Clever as ice, she wasted no time securing her future by marrying into the illustrious Xie family. Though her husband continued his philandering ways with models and actresses after their marriage, she remained pragmatic: as long as her position wasn’t threatened and her luxurious lifestyle continued, she could turn a blind eye to his affairs. But what she hadn’t anticipated was that barely two years into their marriage, a cunning fox spirit would emerge—a woman both talented and beautiful—who captivated her husband so completely that he began staying out all night. Initially, she dismissed the mistress as just another fleeting plaything and carried on living like an empress. That is, until New Year’s Eve, when her husband called to say he was going abroad for business, leaving the entire Xie family exchanging uneasy glances. Only then did she realize: this was serious. They were playing for keeps. 

Summoning all her resources, she hired investigators to look into the mistress’s background. To her horror, the mistress was no ordinary woman. She was a well-bred socialite, educated abroad, well-read, opinionated yet gentle. Most terrifying of all, she was the younger sister of the vengeful ghost who haunted her dreams—she had come for revenge. And worst of all, by the time Zhou Jinru learned this, the mistress had already given birth to a son with her husband. He was busy massaging his beloved’s shoulders and cooking porridge, occasionally pinching the baby’s cheeks, while the family discussed how to get her to sign the divorce papers. Never in her life had she felt such desperation. In the four years since their marriage, her husband had only shown her passion during the first three months; afterward, he rarely shared her bed. Terrified, she turned to gods and fortune-tellers, seeking help even traveling to Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine to pray for a child. Finally, on the night her husband demanded a divorce, she wept bitterly, begging for one last moment of intimacy… 

At this memory, the final flicker of resistance in her chest dimly reignited. In a voice as faint as a whisper, she asked the nurse, “Is it a son?” Her face was as pale as wax, her voice almost indistinguishable from her breath. The nurses hesitated, turning back uncertainly. The cold light of the surgical lamps reflected off the instruments, casting geometric shadows across her face. She opened her eyes slightly, moving her neck. “My two children—are they sons?” 

“They’re two lovely girls,” the nurse replied with a smile, bringing the babies closer. 

Heaven truly wasn’t on her side. 

Later, the two girls were brought into the recovery room. She saw the unmistakable disappointment in her in-laws’ eyes. She knew they were fully aware of their son’s infidelity; her mother-in-law had even personally attended to the mistress during childbirth. Thus, when she finally held her daughters, she felt none of the joy a mother should feel. Both girls slept soundly, their narrow eyes and plump lips reminiscent of ripe fruit. The nurses assured her they would grow up to be beauties. Though nearly identical, one had arched eyebrows exuding determination and an indomitable spirit, while the other bore delicate willow-leaf brows, soft and endearing. She gazed out the window, where intoxicating red roses bloomed amidst green leaves tinged with crimson hues. Turning back to the gentler-looking daughter, she wiped away her tears and forced a smile, gently shaking the baby’s tiny hand as she prepared a new name for her in advance… 

Just then, a voice interrupted her thoughts: “Madam Zhou, the guests have arrived.” 

Zhou Jinru reined in her sorrow, waving her hand to dismiss Ni Lei. Hesitating for a moment, Ni Lei clenched her teeth and stood firm. Seeing this, Zhou Jinru didn’t press further. Instead, she turned her sharp chin upward, her gaze shifting toward the church entrance. Two figures appeared, being frisked by the guards stationed at the door. One was tall and striking, impossible to overlook wherever he went; the other, though less imposing, sported a crew cut and moved with agility. It was He Yingze and Chang Feng. She had always known He Yingze possessed limitless potential—he inherited his mother’s beauty and his father’s intelligence and ruthlessness. 

“Mr. He, please take a seat,” she said casually, gesturing to a chair as if she were hosting a gathering in her own home.