#188: Reunion (2)

Qi Ying hadn’t yet fully processed what exactly had transpired when he saw his little girl clutching the blanket and sitting up, trying to edge toward the corner of the bed.

As she moved, he couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of her bare back—her porcelain-like skin marked with kisses, her beautiful lower back bruised from his fingers, already tinged with purple...

And then there was the unmistakable red stain on the bedsheet...

This...

For a moment, Qi Ying didn’t even have time to sigh.

His mind was a chaotic mess. He vaguely remembered taking the Five-Stone Powder last night, followed by hallucinations. Could those dreams have been real? Had he truly done that to her?

The evidence seemed undeniable now, as his little girl was still huddled in the corner of the bed, crying at him.

Young Master Qi had never felt so disheveled in his life. For a long while, he couldn’t think of what to say, so he hurriedly sat up and dressed himself. As he turned his head, he noticed Shen Xiling’s scattered clothes and undergarments beneath the bed, torn to shreds...

Qi Ying couldn’t help but close his eyes momentarily.

He coughed a few times and glanced back at Shen Xiling. She remained curled up in the blanket, her rounded, white shoulder peeking out, also dotted with kiss marks. Qi Ying averted his gaze slightly, pondering for a long moment, but still unsure of what to say. Finally, he managed to utter, “Wenwen... don’t cry.”

That was perhaps the easiest sentence in the world to elicit more tears.

True enough, as soon as the words left his mouth, Shen Xiling’s tears began to fall even harder. Anyone who saw her would surely feel heartbroken, let alone Qi Ying. He wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms, but hesitated, fearing she might be afraid. Fortunately, she was too absorbed in her crying to resist much, allowing him to finally embrace her.

Shen Xiling was just like when she was a child—when no one consoled her, she could remain calm and composed, but once he tried to comfort her, she would cry endlessly.

It was the same now.

She cried with increasing intensity, soaking his chest with her tears. Qi Ying couldn’t quite pinpoint why she was crying. Was it because she felt wronged after being mistreated last night? Or was it because of the hurtful words he’d said during the day?

Or perhaps neither?

He couldn’t tell. At that moment, he felt as though anything he did might only make things worse. All he could do was hold her and gently pat her back in an attempt to console her.

Fortunately, his little girl was still easy to comfort, just as she always had been. After a while, her sobs subsided, leaving only faint sniffles.

She pushed him away, retreating from his embrace and curling back into the corner of the bed, tightly wrapping herself in the blanket. Her beautiful eyes were downcast, avoiding his gaze, as she said, “Master, please find me some clothes. Before it gets light, I’ll leave.”

This was classic reverse psychology.

How could Shen Xiling possibly want to leave? She wished to stay by his side forever. Yet, she deliberately said this, knowing full well he would never let her go.

In the past, with Young Master Qi’s sharp perception, he would have easily seen through her little ploy. But at that moment, his mind was in such turmoil, and he felt so guilty toward her, that he failed to notice her hidden intentions and took her words at face value.

He truly was at a loss, even pausing briefly before asking, “…You’re leaving?”

His passive demeanor was unusual, and Shen Xiling secretly wanted to observe it longer. However, she knew it was best not to look at him now. She needed to keep her head bowed and cry—it was the surest way to tug at his heartstrings.

He couldn’t bear to see her cry.

Inside, Shen Xiling was smirking, but outwardly, she remained composed and aloof, employing the calm and practiced facade she had honed over the years while conducting business. With a detached air, she said, “Of course I’m leaving.”

She paused deliberately, then raised her eyes to meet Qi Ying’s, calmly adding, “Everything will proceed according to your wishes.”

Qi Ying was speechless again.

Yesterday, he had indeed insisted she leave, hoping she would return to Gu Juhán for protection. But who could have foreseen what happened last night? They were now... Young Master Qi’s head began to ache. He rubbed his temples, deep in thought for a long while before saying, “Wenwen, give me a moment to think.”

Give me a moment to figure out how to ensure your safety.

But Shen Xiling refused to comply, her expression indifferent, as if dismissing his concerns. She said, “Master, don’t strain yourself. What happened last night was merely an accident. I understand the situation and won’t cling to you anymore.”

She even gave a faint smile, saying, “Master doesn’t owe me anything. Now everything is settled. From now on, I’ll let go of my so-called obsession, and you won’t need to trouble yourself with me. It’s clean and simple.”

As she spoke, she pulled the blanket tighter around herself, creating even more distance between them.

It was as if she had completely severed their ties.

A dull pain began to spread in Qi Ying’s heart, growing heavier with each passing moment.

Their relationship had always been marked by his attempts to distance himself, even though his intentions were good, the result inevitably hurt her. She had been chasing after him, striving to maintain their fragile connection. Perhaps now she finally felt weary and wanted to leave.

Indeed, he had personally urged her to let go of her obsession. But now, seeing her respond with such cold indifference, a new wound seemed to tear open in his already battered heart, draining away what little warmth he had left.

Qi Ying took a deep breath, steadying himself, and looked at Shen Xiling again. He said, “We’ve come this far. Where else will you go? Will you return to Lord Gu’s residence?”

At the mention of Gu Juhán, Shen Xiling’s expression grew even colder.

She replied, “It would have been fine before, but now that I’ve been with someone else, how can I shamelessly return to tarnish his household? I’ll find another place. I can manage on my own.”

Her tone carried a hint of self-contempt, as if she were giving up on herself, which made him even more uneasy—he couldn’t stand anyone speaking ill of her, not even herself.

His brows furrowed even more, but before he could say anything, she smiled again—a seductive, unfamiliar smile, different from her usual self.

She said, “On second thought, perhaps I shouldn’t bother. Lord Gu has always known about our past. Perhaps he already suspected we weren’t entirely proper. Yet, based on what you said yesterday, it seems he still likes me. Maybe I should go ask him for clarity. What if he doesn’t mind?”

This was sarcasm, clearly mocking her own impurity.

Qi Ying couldn’t endure it any longer. He pulled her into his arms and said sternly, “Can you stop talking about yourself like that? Last night was my fault, and I will take responsibility. You…”

But she pushed him away, her strength not great but firm.

She looked up at him and said, “Fault? No, Master made no mistake. It was my error. You clearly told me to leave, yet I came back anyway. I brought this upon myself. I deserve it.”

She emphasized the word “deserve,” genuinely appearing to despise herself, which inexplicably ignited Qi Ying’s anger.

“Wenwen!”

His tone was severe, but Shen Xiling showed no fear. She continued unflinchingly.

“I don’t want you to take any responsibility,” she stubbornly held her head high, though her eyes were red again. “It was just one night’s mistake, but to burden yourself with me for life—doesn’t that feel heavy? I find it meaningless. As I said before, let’s part ways cleanly. Isn’t that better?”

Her tears fell again.

Qi Ying finally realized he had misspoken.

She, an innocent young girl, had her body taken so carelessly last night. How could she not feel afraid or wronged? Especially since he had driven her away and spoken such hurtful words during the day.

And now, he had called last night a mistake, which naturally made her even more upset, leading her to misunderstand that he only cared for her out of obligation, not love.

With her sensitive nature, hearing his thoughtless words must have caused her immense pain.

Qi Ying understood now. Seeing her tears again, his heart ached even more fiercely.

Ignoring her resistance, he pulled her tightly into his arms again and said gravely, “I misspoke. Last night wasn’t a mistake between us. I wasn’t referring to…”

But Shen Xiling interrupted him again.

She struggled in his arms, determined to push him away, her tears soaking the blanket.

She said, “You’re lying! You don’t love me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have driven me away repeatedly. You’ve always pitied me, ever since you found me ten years ago. Nothing has changed! Our past relationship was something I forced upon you. You’ve never truly loved me!”

Just as he had denied her love for him yesterday, she was now completely rejecting his love for her. And he finally understood how heartbreaking and powerless it felt to face such doubts.

You can question everything, but how can you doubt that I don’t love you?

He didn’t know how to explain his feelings to her or prove something so obvious and natural. He felt utterly helpless, while she still had much more to say.

“Master was right yesterday—I’ve been deluded,” she wiped away her tears, trying to appear strong but looking even more fragile. “I’ve been foolish and stubborn, thinking separation wasn’t our final outcome, always hoping to try one more time, to see you one more time. But what difference does it make? Meeting again only leads to another parting. You’re right—life isn’t meant to have resolutions for every matter. You’re not my resolution. We’ll never have a resolution!”

She was throwing his words from yesterday back at him, one by one.

Though the words hadn’t seemed particularly hurtful when spoken, they now felt razor-sharp to him. They were so cruel that even his usually hardened, cold heart shattered into pieces—so how must she have felt when she heard them yesterday?

Qi Ying truly regretted it. He grabbed her wrist, trying to pull her into his arms again, but her struggles were even more intense than before.

She cried, “Now I understand. Why persist in something destined to have no result? Let’s stop it all! I’ll leave today and never come back to you. I’ll never see you again in this lifetime. You won’t need to worry about how to hurt or drive me away. Let’s sever this completely, cleanly. If I’m unfortunate enough to be pregnant, you don’t need to worry—I’ll get rid of it. I won’t cause you any more trouble. I…”

She grew increasingly agitated, but eventually couldn’t continue—because Qi Ying kissed her.