Chapter 66: A Glimmer of Pity

Thunder rumbled across the city of B, and lightning tore through the night sky. Qin Xiao’s expression was grim. The moment the doorbell rang, Guo Mingyan, who had been sitting on the couch, nearly leaped to his feet to open the door.

Zuo Yin stepped in, closing his umbrella, and gave Guo Mingyan a gentle smile.

Guo Mingyan felt an overwhelming urge to call him “Brother.”

Good heavens, if he had to face Qin Xiao alone any longer, he would surely suffocate.

Zuo Yin adjusted his collar and sat down across from Qin Xiao. “Still haven’t found her?”

Qin Xiao let out a cold laugh. “You already know the answer.”

Zuo Yin shrugged. “There are some silver linings. She’s a clever girl—I once thought she was naïve to the point of foolishness, but it turns out she knows how to deceive you too. If there’s no issue with her health, that’s the best possible outcome.”

Qin Xiao remained silent, acknowledging this point.

Zuo Yin smoothed out the wrinkles on his lapel and glanced at Qin Xiao, recalling their conversation from the other day. Zuo Yin had given Qin Xiao a choice—to let her go.

At that time, as the smoke cleared, Qin Xiao’s eyes were almost blood-red.

His voice was hoarse. “You once said I was sick, and I scoffed at the idea. But love manifests in countless ways, and I happen to be the most despicable kind. I don’t believe she could ever love me, nor can I risk letting her go, only for her to never return.”

Qin Xiao continued, “But I want to see her live well. You don’t know—her smile is so beautiful.” His eyes reddened. “Yet after she remembered everything, she never smiled at me again.” When he first met her, even her tears seemed beautiful, but somewhere along the way, her tears only shattered his heart.

Qin Xiao curved his lips into a faint smile. “I’ll let her leave, but I won’t let her go. If you want me to truly let go, wait until I’m dead. Preferably… I die before her.”

With that, Qin Xiao made his decision. It was fine that Su Ling had left. She was unwell and needed to recover. As for the dark secrets and manipulations, he would destroy them all himself.

Qin Xiao said, “She once told me, ‘Don’t scare me, don’t force me, just be a good person, and I’ll try to like you.’” He chuckled bitterly. “Zuo Yin, tell me—when I was full of sincerity back then, did she ever love me, even for a single second?”

Zuo Yin couldn’t answer.

By the time Su Ling had truly left, it had rained all night.

Qin Xiao lay in the spot where she used to sleep, murmuring softly after a long silence, “Two lifetimes… have you ever truly loved me?”

If you did, could you pity me just a little?

Though it was July, the air carried a chilling cold. The empty room offered no answers.

But Su Ling’s actions spoke volumes—she showed him no pity.

She had left cleanly and decisively, her trail vanishing after multiple transfers. By the time he tried to track her, her whereabouts were already lost. Guo Mingyan, despite his usual knack for finding people—he had spent his life mingling and cultivating dubious connections—had also grown desperate.

Damn it, they really couldn’t find her!

Everyone had underestimated that seemingly gentle and obedient girl.

So tonight, Guo Mingyan came to discuss matters with Qin Xiao, feeling both defeated and terrified. Thankfully, Qin Xiao had called Zuo Yin over, though Guo Mingyan wasn’t sure what help Zuo Yin could offer…

Guo Mingyan sighed. “I traced her to Country E, but her trail went cold. Abroad… there are ticket scalpers too. For enough money, hiding one’s tracks isn’t difficult.”

Zuo Yin frowned, listening intently.

Qin Xiao, however, remained calm. After a long pause, he said to Zuo Yin, “First, resolve the crisis. If we can’t find her, neither can those with ill intentions. She’s safe for now. Those behind the scenes won’t stay patient forever, so for now, complete the original plan.”

“Alright,” Zuo Yin smiled. “People are driven by purpose and desire. Someone will grow restless.”

Qin Xiao, when calm, was a terrifying man. His fingers intertwined as he lowered his gaze and smirked. “Go ask Wen Xian. If we can uncover a new lead, perhaps…” He trailed off, but over the past three months of tracking this matter, he had always felt something was amiss.

From Wen Xian, they learned that she had wronged Yu Qiao, prompting Yu Qiao’s relatives to seek revenge against her family.

But Su Ling’s grandmother and father—if they truly cared about Yu Qiao, shouldn’t they have shown some pity for Su Ling, Yu Qiao’s only bloodline? Yet in Su Ling’s memories from her past life, these people showed her no compassion.

First, they pushed her into his bed. Then came the rumors, the exorbitant cost of her grandmother’s surgery, the gambling debts of Su Ling’s uncle… Each step forced her closer to him, interconnected and merciless. Every time she sought freedom, something new arose to make her yield.

But this plan carried risks. What if he hadn’t initially taken an interest in Su Ling? Or what if he hadn’t possessed such an extreme personality? If Su Ling had fallen in love with him, all their efforts would have been in vain.

Such a high-risk gamble—they must not have valued Su Ling much. Success was ideal, but failure was acceptable. And yet, the outcome was unexpectedly perfect: he fell deeply, obsessively in love with Su Ling.

All these factors made even Qin Xiao, someone with a tenuous sense of familial bonds, begin to suspect—did they hate Su Ling?

Qin Xiao spoke calmly. “Perhaps Su Ling has no connection to Yu Qiao at all.”

Zuo Yin was stunned. “Then everything we knew before…”

Qin Xiao’s lips curled coldly. “Most of it was likely wrong.”

Guo Mingyan listened to the entire exchange. Since he was tasked with running around to find people, he had a general understanding of the situation. But now, he realized with despair—

Damn it, he didn’t understand a thing!

Had the government confiscated his intelligence tax? Was he being penalized for lacking IQ?

After being dumbfounded for a while, he proudly concluded, “Boss Qin, I suddenly get it. So… maybe you’re not Su Ling’s cousin Qin after all.”

Zuo Yin nearly burst out laughing.

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.

Qin Xiao’s glare was like a blade. Guo Mingyan shivered and quickly changed the subject. “Should I keep looking for Su Ling?”

“Yes.”

A single, decisive word. Guo Mingyan nodded hurriedly. “And if I find her, should I bring her back?”

Qin Xiao fell silent for a long while, then shook his head.

If he found her, he wanted to see—could she truly be happy and content without him? Was his presence in her life originally a mistake?

Had she never loved him?

Not even for a minute, not even for a second?