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What exactly was he doing?
Deep down, Qin Xiao knew the truth. Su Ling didn’t want to be with him. She had come to him for various reasons, but her heart wasn’t his. Blinded by her allure, he had spared no effort to please her.
And yet, she remained unhappy.
One day, while out on business, Qin Xiao’s so-called friends remarked, “You can’t spoil women. The more you indulge them, the more they take advantage of you. Ignore her for a few days, and she’ll come crawling back.”
Qin Xiao pondered this advice.
Soon after, Su Ling noticed that Mr. Qin had grown unusually cold toward her.
Secretly, she rejoiced, making sure not to provoke him.
Every night when Qin Xiao returned home, he would see her already fast asleep, peaceful and content. Each time, an overwhelming urge to strangle her gripped him.
With a cold expression, he stripped off her clothes. “Get up. Be with me.”
Her eyes were hazy with sleep. “Mr. Qin, I’m so tired. Can we not?”
At that moment, she tugged at his sleeve, her face full of innocence and charm.
His heart was struck hard, and before he realized it, he had tenderly pulled her into his arms. “Alright, sleep.”
Over time, he came to understand one thing—he was dealing with a high-maintenance woman. If he grew distant, she would only grow happier.
Qin Xiao began to resign himself to this reality. He thought, perhaps living like this for the rest of their lives wouldn’t be so bad.
But fate rarely aligns with human desires. Su Ling’s grandmother passed away.
He thought coldly, Now she’ll leave me, won’t she?
She refused his money, declined any gifts he offered, and prepared herself to sever all ties with him.
But did she think she could leave just like that? Over his dead body.
Qin Xiao concealed this from Su Ling. For someone like him, even if his entire family perished, he wouldn’t shed a single tear.
He judged her through this lens, never expecting that this would mark the beginning of her hatred for him.
It rained heavily those nights.
Su Ling, locked inside the villa, cried endlessly, her tears soaking the pillow.
The once soft and delicate girl now harbored deep resentment in her eyes.
For the first time, Qin Xiao felt pain—a sharp, excruciating blow to his heart, as if it were bleeding profusely.
When she finally fell asleep, he gazed at her serene features, madness flickering in his own eyes. “Don’t leave me. You’re not allowed to leave.”
Ironically, the strongest point about this girl was her resilience. She hadn’t given up on life.
She still wanted to live—to survive until the day she could leave him.
From that moment on, she stopped calling him “Mr. Qin” in her sweet, gentle voice.
“Qin Xiao, aren’t you disgusted with yourself? Isn’t this like necrophilia?”
He froze, his body trembling slightly. After a long pause, he leaned down to kiss her forehead. “You feel something. You’re alive.”
She stared at him, allowing him to deceive both her and himself.
Over time, he tried every method imaginable to win her over.
One day, he suddenly recalled something Tang Weiwei had said—that Su Ling loved acting. So he allowed her to pursue acting.
That was the first time in ages she had shown even the faintest hint of a smile.
It was like the bright sun of March, piercing through the darkness in his heart and dispelling the gloom that had lingered for so long.
Back then, his understanding of love was twisted.
Even letting her act was another form of manipulation. His heart ached as he wondered why she couldn’t love him—even just a little.
He loved her so deeply, so desperately, that it felt like his heart was shattering into pieces.
But tragedy struck—Su Ling was in an accident.
Her leg was broken.
In his twenty-seven years of life, Qin Xiao shed tears for the first time during that torrential rain.
Those slender, graceful legs that once danced now throbbed with pain even when she tried to walk.
Yet, despite the agony, she didn’t cry. Instead, she looked at him with wide, tearless eyes and asked softly, “Qin Xiao, will I ever be able to walk again? Will I be able to dance or act?”
He was in unbearable pain.
He realized then that love often leaves people with more pain than joy.
In the following six months, he dressed her feet every day, carefully slipping socks and shoes onto her. Quietly, he practiced cooking meals for her.
She sat silently, watching the man who knelt humbly before her. After a long while, she gently closed her eyes.
During that time, Qin Xiao became unhinged. No one was allowed to mention anything about Twelve Years of Dust .
Yun Bu had died.
When Su Ling found out, she insisted on attending Yun Bu’s funeral.
He accompanied her, holding an umbrella over her in the drizzling rain.
The girl in the photograph smiled radiantly, yet she had died in the prime of her life. Yun Bu’s parents had received a large sum of money and no longer pursued the matter of the accident.
Aside from Su Ling, no one else in the world would remember this young girl.
Su Ling stared at the photo for a long time. “Life is so fragile, Qin Xiao. If I die, take me home. I want to see my hometown again—the kapok flowers bloom beautifully there.”
His gaze shattered into fragments, a mix of obsession and madness. “Don’t do this to me. Please, stop saying things like that.”
She tilted her head, studying him. “Are you afraid?”
His expression remained cold.
Suddenly, he realized that her heart was the hardest thing in the world. His dignity, trampled beneath her words, left him pitiful and pathetic.
At that time, she hated him most. Having nothing left, she entertained thoughts of death. Her innocent words cut him deeply: “Qin Xiao, you’re not that useless, are you? If I die, you wouldn’t follow me in death, would you?”
He spoke icily. “No. If you die, I’ll forget you soon enough.”
She chuckled softly. “That’s good.”
Later, Ni Haoyan came to take her away.
That day, she felt warmth again and broke down in tears, crying like a fragile child.
He found it both amusing and heartbreaking. Why leave? I love you. There’s no one in this world who loves you more than I do. If he were Ni Haoyan, even if his limbs were broken and he had only his last breath left, he would still carry her away.
You see, those who retreat don’t deserve you. In this world, there’s only one person willing to sacrifice everything for you—a madman like me.
But after that day, Qin Xiao understood how to keep her alive, how to ensure she stayed with him for the rest of their lives.
The Ni family became her new weakness.
As a shrewd capitalist, he indulged the whims of the Ni mother and daughter. Whatever they demanded—money, power—he gave without hesitation.
This created a golden cage, trapping Su Ling within it, leaving her unable to take even a single step forward.
Over time, she began to see herself as nothing more than a kept woman.
She was a girl who believed in repaying kindness. No matter how much he gave her, she wanted to return it all untouched. Having accepted his favors, she felt she had no reason to treat him poorly.
Thus, she rarely refused his requests.
Blinded by her apparent compliance and the illusion of her submission, he reached the height of his emotions, almost pleading with her one day: “Ling Ling, can you say you love me?”
Her hazy eyes gazed at him, devoid of any affection.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck and closed his eyes for a long time. Fine, he thought, it doesn’t matter if you don’t love me. Just don’t fall in love with anyone else, and don’t leave me.
Qin Xiao had meticulously planned a proposal. He had spent a great deal of time preparing, envisioning countless scenarios in his mind.
During that period, even He Qin noticed that her boss seemed unusually gentle.
“Mr. Qin, is there some good news?” she asked.
The man lowered his gaze and chuckled softly. “Mm.”
In his mind, he imagined her heart was softest when he knelt before her, humbling himself to the utmost degree. Would she nod in agreement?
The night before his planned proposal was Valentine’s Day.
February 13th.
Spring was still hesitant, carrying a lingering chill. As he drove, watching couples pass by on the streets, thoughts of her softened something within him.
Even a heart as hard as steel could melt under these circumstances. Her presence in his life truly was the most beautiful gift.
However, Wen Xian entered casually, delivering the chilling news—blood relations,啧啧, how disgusting. If your little darling knew, wouldn’t she be utterly repulsed?
And the deaths of Su Ling’s parents were also connected to Wen Xian.
Wen Xian laughed arrogantly. “What do I want? I don’t want anything. Marry Zheng Xiaoya. Otherwise, if Su Ling finds out everything, would she still stay by your side?”
No. He knew better than anyone that she wouldn’t.
She didn’t love him; she hated him.
Through layers of fog, he clearly saw her heart.
She was an inexperienced actress, but she was growing day by day. One day, he would no longer see even a trace of disgust on her face. She had buried her hatred deep inside.
If she found out, she would leave him, even if it cost her everything.
She already despised him so much.
His heart turned cold. He agreed with Wen Xian, narrowing his eyes, already plotting how to quietly suppress this matter.
Wen Xian had to be eliminated.
He needed time.
At that moment, he believed that she was still in her twenties. He just needed one year to resolve everything and then spend the rest of his life with her.
She would know nothing, neither his despicable nature nor this shallow blood relation.
He wanted to be her man. In his eyes, worldly norms and ethics were nothing compared to the fleeting smile she gave when she looked up.
On Valentine’s Day, he bought flowers.
That day, he was in a particularly good mood and returned home early from work. It was afternoon, and golden sunlight filtered through, delicately covering the villa.
When he entered, he saw her flipping through a magazine.
His expression softened. “What are you reading?”
Just before she closed the magazine, his expression suddenly turned icy.
It was news about his engagement to Zheng Xiaoya. He hadn’t expected Wen Xian to act so quickly. A sudden wave of unease washed over him.
She knew.
He suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to see her reaction. Would Su Ling care?
Her cheeks were tinged with a faint blush, her eyes clear like still water. “Qin Xiao, you have a fiancée. When can I go home? Miss Zheng will be upset.”
There was not a trace of sadness in her eyes, only anticipation.
She had been waiting for an opportunity to leave him.
Qin Xiao’s heart felt as though it had plunged into a deep abyss. He gripped her chin. “Dream on. Wait until I’m dead.”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, looking somewhat wronged.
For the first time, he understood the scars left on his heart by a woman who didn’t love him.
She must never know about the family matters.
Otherwise, she would definitely leave.
Loving her to the extreme, he even began to feel a faint sense of hate and confusion. How could she be so ruthless? Even though I am bad, my feelings for you are pure without a trace of impurity.
He lost all interest in celebrating Valentine’s Day.
That night, he left several marks on her body, his eyes slightly tinged with a terrifying red. Su Ling was frightened. “What’s wrong? Don’t, it hurts.”
Who was hurting more?
Wen Xian was right. He was such a disgusting existence. Despite knowing everything, he couldn’t help but get closer to her, possess her.
Don’t leave. As long as you don’t leave, I’ll give you everything.
Everything will be fine someday.
Life is so long. Give me some time, let me become the person you like.
That year, he was thirty, and she was still as innocent and tender as a budding flower.
He hated being born too early, unable to spend more years with her.
If he aged too quickly, or if he wasn’t as young and handsome now, would she be even less likely to love him?
Later, he deliberately dressed younger, no longer in suits. Even He Qin secretly laughed.
One day, when he returned home, he found Zheng Xiaoya talking to Su Ling.
He leaned against the doorframe, listening quietly.
“I am the future Mrs. Qin. Isn’t it inappropriate for Miss Su to live here shamelessly?”
Her soft voice responded, “After Miss Zheng marries Mr. Qin, talk to him. He doesn’t listen to me. I want to go home too.”
“You don’t like him?”
After a long silence, her voice was low. “I don’t like him.”
Qin Xiao leaned against the cold wall, his lips curling into a mocking smile.
Why?
Why should his love be so humiliated.
Su Ling endured Zheng Xiaoya in many ways, he knew. He hoped she would confide in him, let him vent her frustration. He would do anything she said.
But she didn’t speak. In the long, drawn-out days, the most she did was smile serenely.
Now, he couldn’t even tell if she still hated him.
How terrifying. She had finally learned to be an actress.
Every night, as he held her, he wondered if the woman sleeping peacefully in his arms was secretly planning how to leave him.
His lips were cool as he kissed her forehead.
Stop thinking. You won’t escape this lifetime.
By then, Qin Xiao had almost completely taken over Wen Xian’s shares. He began to uncover suspicious traces.
The truth seemed not to be what Wen Xian had said.
And his wedding date with Zheng Xiaoya was approaching.
It didn’t matter. Soon, all of this would end, and Su Ling would be with him for the rest of her life.
It was summer, the last season he would lose his beloved, the last colorful memory in his life.
Someone flattered him, saying that K Sea was one of the few unpolluted, undeveloped seas in the country, inviting him to discuss business there.
Thinking of Su Ling, his heart softened momentarily. “Prepare it. I’ll bring someone.”
“Who will Mr. Qin bring? We will prepare well.”
He thought for a long time, his dark eyes softening. “The girl I love most.”
Everyone exchanged glances, the silence so profound that a pin drop could be heard.
Before going to K Sea, he had arranged to negotiate business with a foreign company. Qin’s enterprises had already developed well abroad, but an accident occurred, and he had to go overseas to handle it.
Qin Xiao never expected that this would be their last meeting in that lifetime.
On the final morning, he tied his tie, his smile gentle. “Wait for me to return from abroad, and I’ll take you to see the sea.”
She lay on her side on the bed, showing little reaction.
Her relationship with Qin Xiao had deteriorated to the point of irreconcilable animosity. Regardless of appearances, she harbored deep disdain for him in her heart.
As if oblivious, he continued speaking. “They say K Sea has just been developed, with little pollution. The beach is golden, with crabs and shells. You’ll like it.”
She blinked, revealing shoulder bearing the marks of his excitement—fingerprints and faint bite marks. He hadn’t used much force, but her delicate constitution made even light touches noticeable.
Qwen2.5-Max4:15 pm
He hadn’t forced her in a long time, but this business trip felt too long.
He would be uneasy not seeing her.
No matter how reluctant he was, he had to leave soon.
He said, “Wait for me to come back, Su Ling.”
Wait for me. After I return, Wen Xian will no longer pose any threat. We’ll be together properly. The wedding I thought about for so long last year can finally happen this year.
The last image of her he saw was in the soft morning light—her bright, clear eyes gazing at him with purity.
His heart was struck hard, three parts sweet, three parts bitter.
But she didn’t wait for him to return.
On his last day in the country, it poured rain. His heart raced anxiously: “Book a flight back immediately.”
He Qin asked, “Mr. Qin, are you abandoning this contract?”
“No more discussion. Abandon it. Go back immediately.”
He Qin frowned, finding it absurd. Mr. Qin had worked overtime for weeks on this project, and now he suddenly wanted to go back. But orders were orders.
They returned to the country.
It was nighttime in the city, and Qin Xiao sped back in his car.
Aside from his teenage years, he rarely acted this recklessly.
That summer, even before he reached the villa, tears had already soaked his shirt—he didn’t know when they started falling.
She lay in a pool of blood, those beautiful eyes forever closed.
The stars in the sky shone unusually bright, as if bidding her farewell.
Shaking, he lifted her body.
Her body still retained some warmth, but he was too late.
“Ling Ling, don’t be afraid. We’re going to the hospital.”
But at the hospital, the doctor shook his head compassionately: “This young lady has no breath left.”
Qin Xiao felt that moment stretch like an eternity. His body felt as though it were being carved apart, his heart shredded by thousands of blades.
He stepped forward, grabbing the doctor’s neck, his tone eerily calm: “What did you say? I didn’t hear clearly.”
Hospital staff rushed to pull him away, but he was completely mad, repeatedly forcing the doctor to repeat himself.
A nurse glanced at the pale, beautiful corpse and stammered: “That young lady isn’t dead. She’s just asleep.”
The man on the verge of madness suddenly calmed down, smiling faintly: “You’re right.”
He released the doctor, pushed open the door, and bent down to lift her into his arms: “Ling Ling, let’s go home. It’s too noisy here. You wouldn’t like it.”
Her body had already lost all warmth.
He didn’t drive. He carried her on his back, returning home.
Her head rested against his back, silent, no sound at all.
It was midnight, the city lit up with countless lights. He walked steadily, careful not to jostle her.
He muttered to himself: “When I first met you, you used to smile so much, so obediently. Why did you become unhappy later?”
He said: “It’s my fault. I’ll treat you much better in the future, okay? When you wake up, we’ll be home. Then you can hit me—it’s my fault, I hurt your heart. I know I was wrong.”
Finally, he whispered softly: “Ling Ling, we haven’t gone to see that sea yet.”
All was silent, save for the gentle response of the breeze.
He carried her on his back until dawn. Exhausted, he placed her on the bed. Her body no longer bled. He held her cold form: “Are you tired? Then sleep.”
Aunt Ding was sent away.
The bodyguards were dismissed. No one knew what happened inside the villa afterward.
Everyone knew Su Ling had died. During that time, no one saw Mr. Qin.
Later, one day, everyone saw Mr. Qin again.
He was unrecognizably thin. Though only thirty, many white strands appeared in his hair.
Even He Qin couldn’t help shedding tears at the sight.
This man, who once looked down on the world with arrogance, was now pitifully fragile.
Everyone couldn’t help but recall the time last year when he said, “My most beloved girl.” Back then, his eyes sparkled with tenderness, but now, his gaze was utterly lifeless.
For the first two years, no one dared mention Su Ling in front of him.
Ni Haoyan came to cause trouble, and everyone trembled with fear. But Qin Xiao remained eerily calm: “Su Ling? I forgot about her if you hadn’t mentioned her.”
Ni Haoyan punched him in the face. As the second punch descended, Qin Xiao caught it firmly, his expression icy: “Get out. Don’t provoke me.”
Afterward, everyone understood.
Lovers were lovers, after all. How quickly he had forgotten. Previously, seeing how deeply Qin Xiao loved Su Ling, everyone assumed this was an insurmountable tragedy.
After all, Mrs. Wen had been sent to an asylum, and Zheng Xiaoya had been locked up in prison.
Rumors spread that many people “took care” of Zheng Xiaoya. She would never leave prison alive; living was worse than dying for her.
Qin Xiao truly stopped concerning himself with anything related to Su Ling.
He ceased supporting anyone in the Ni family. Ni Jiannan quickly divorced her wealthy second-generation husband and was left penniless. Ni Liguo, due to gambling debts, had one of his hands chopped off, and since then, he kept quiet.
When Qin Xiao learned of all this, he merely smiled coldly.
That year, at thirty-five, he found time to visit Su Ling’s hometown. In early March, the kapok flowers outside the small wooden house bloomed vibrantly. He stood far away for a long time, smoking cigarette after cigarette. Finally, he made a call: “Send someone to cut down these trees.”
His ruthlessness chilled everyone to the bone.
He Qin even doubted whether this cold, powerful man had ever truly loved Su Ling.
Qin Xiao’s methods became increasingly ruthless. Over the years, Qin Corporation’s reputation suffered greatly.
He stopped doing charity work or making donations. The twenty-plus planned Hope Schools lost their funding.
Qing Entertainment received strict orders: no signing students from Z University’s performance department.
Everything Su Ling left behind in the villa was ordered to be burned.
A new maid, Chen Sao, arrived at the villa.
As she burned those items, Mr. Qin stood upstairs smoking. Watching them tossed into the flames, his expression remained unchanged.
Her dresses, shoes, socks, jewelry—all exquisite.
Chen Sao had never seen the original owner of these items, but just looking at them, she could tell how much the master had cherished her.
With a sigh, Chen Sao watched them turn to ashes.
Qin Xiao became a complete villain.
There was no trace of softness in his heart.
Several companies were driven to bankruptcy under his pressure. News came of an elder brother jumping off a building. Lounging with his legs crossed, Qin Xiao smirked: “Dead? Good.”
He wished the entire world would vanish.
Zuo Yin later heard news of Qin Xiao and actively sought him out.
After all, there was once a youthful bond. Seeing Qin Xiao now, Zuo Yin found him cold and terrifying.
That year, Qin Xiao was thirty-eight.
It had been five years since Su Ling’s death.
More than half of Qin Xiao’s hair had turned white, but he didn’t care, dyeing it black again.
He resumed smoking and drinking recklessly, attending social events without restraint.
Qin Corporation’s assets skyrocketed at an alarming rate.
Despite such immense wealth, Qin Xiao remained single.
The only woman who ever held the title of his fiancée, Zheng Xiaoya, was said to be barely alive in prison, kept alive artificially, unable to die.
Zuo Yin advised him: “The past is the past. The living must move forward. You can’t keep clinging to her memory. Find someone to marry and take care of you.” Looking at Qin Xiao, Zuo Yin felt he wouldn’t live much longer.
Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow and chuckled: “Clinging to whom?”
Zuo Yin gritted his teeth and forced out the two words no one dared to mention: “Su Ling.”
There was no ripple in Qin Xiao’s eyes. After a long silence, he laughed: “What are you thinking about? Just a woman. I’ve long forgotten.”
His tone was so flat that even Zuo Yin couldn’t tell if it was true or false.
Zuo Yin had conducted psychological tests on Qin Xiao. The results all pointed to abnormalities, but they couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
One day, a piece of news circulated among B City’s elite circles.
A master performed a soul-summoning ritual for the young master of the Zhao family. Originally, the young master had stopped breathing, but miraculously, after the ritual, he came back to life.
The story spread wildly, gaining mythical proportions.
When the story reached Qin Xiao’s ears, he only treated it as a joke.
How could it be? How could such a thing happen?
That night, he began coughing up blood.
He coughed so violently that tears seeped from the corners of his eyes, as if trying to expel his lungs. The scene nearly terrified Chen Sao out of her wits. His expression was twisted, and he muttered repeatedly: “I’m not that useless. If you’re dead, then so be it. I won’t follow you in death. I will live well… live well…”
But his appearance made Chen Sao think that sometimes, living was worse than dying.
Eventually, the master was summoned to the villa.
That day, the sunlight was bright, but his legs felt weak. He lounged lazily in a chair. “I want to find someone. If you can find them, name your price.”
The master sighed, lowering his gaze. “The person Mr. Qin seeks… I’m afraid I am powerless.”
Qin Xiao sneered. “No real ability, yet you still come out to swindle a living?”
The master shook his head. “She has already departed. Does Mr. Qin believe in past lives and reincarnation?”
Qin Xiao spat coldly: “I believe in your mother.”
The master wasn’t angered by the insult. “You cannot find her, but you can accumulate merit for her. Her life was not easy. Mr. Qin, do more good deeds so her next life may be peaceful.”
Qin Xiao gave a chilling laugh. “All charlatans say the same thing. Get out.”
Do good deeds? Why should he do good deeds? This world had shown him no mercy. When he sought even a shred of compassion, he didn’t know whom to turn to.
His coughing fits grew worse, with blood spilling more frequently.
Yet Qin Xiao seemed indifferent to the pain in his body. Not once did he visit a hospital.
He couldn’t find her.
She must have hated him deeply. After her death, she hadn’t appeared in his dreams even once.
Such a ruthless person—he had never loved her… never loved her at all.
Then came a December night.
He dreamed of her.
That night was exceptionally cold.
B City was blanketed in snow all night long.
In his dream, he was still Qin Xiao at twenty-seven. The sun shone brightly—it was a warm afternoon.
She lay napping on the small tea table in the villa.
Her long lashes cast faint shadows on her face.
He approached her, too afraid to reach out and touch.
He simply wept silently.
She opened her eyes, those pure, clear eyes just as they had been back then.
After a long while, she softly said: “Qin Xiao, you’ve returned?”
Mm, I’ve returned.
“Qin Xiao, why are you crying?”
Because I’m in pain, Su Ling. I’ve been in pain for years, and I can’t bear it anymore.
She reached out to wipe away his tears, giving a soft smile. “Don’t cry. I’ve already forgiven you.”
That’s good.
It’s really good.
He woke up. That year, he was only forty.
But his hair had already turned completely gray.
He sat up and donated all his industries to charity. He no longer cared how the world would react when they saw the astronomical figures.
Countless schools would be built. The homeless would have shelter. The hungry would have food.
I don’t believe in anything—neither heaven nor fate. But for this one dream, I’ll use everything to pave the way for your next life.
After finishing it all, he changed into fresh clothes.
He dressed much younger.
Qin Xiao drove out of the house.
The mountain was called Wanggui Mountain. Once, he had carried Su Ling up to watch the sunrise.
Now, climbing alone, it was already afternoon.
He parked halfway up the mountain, even though there was no flat tire this time.
He wanted to walk the rest of the way.
But his legs had no strength left. Silently, he took out the wheelchair.
No matter how difficult, he eventually made it to the mountaintop alone.
That year, his hair was already streaked with white.
But the green mountains remained unchanged from years ago.
The sun on the horizon was slowly setting.
He remembered how, many years ago, he had carried her up the mountain with tender affection: “When we grow old, I’ll bring you here to watch the sunset.”
Back then, the wind was gentle, and time was kind.
Now, the thin red glow of the sunset painted half the sky.
In the vast emptiness of heaven and earth, he was the only one.
His features were stern as he sat alone atop the mountain in his wheelchair, watching the sunset.
Ten years had passed, and the rivers and mountains mourned together.
Finally, he spoke, choking on his sobs: “I’ve forgotten you… I forgot you long ago.”
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