There are many things in this world that defy explanation, like sudden sadness, inexplicable grief, unwarranted heartache, and you changing your mind without warning.
Yu Nanzhi sat slumped, a half-smoked cigarette pinched between his index and middle fingers. The smoke curled upward in slender tendrils, his profound eyes filled with traces of desolation. “How is she?”
Li Chengru stood before him, hands shoved in his pockets, the same brand of cigarette dangling from his lips. He removed it, tilted his head back to gaze at the pristine ceiling, and blew out a perfect oval of smoke, as if talking to himself. “With Lu Chengnuo around, everything’s manageable.”
“I’m asking about her Madness disease—is there any cure?”
Li Chengru’s gaze dropped, eyeing him with cold sarcasm. “Before she met you, she was the most normal person. After meeting you, the world she rebuilt began to crumble again. Yu Nanzhi, if I had known the depth of the impact you’d have on her, I wouldn’t have played a part in that tragedy even if the sky were falling. Remember, no matter how estranged you become, the harm you once inflicted on her was real.”
“I was just furious that she caused Cheng Shuangshuang’s death.”
“And now? What are you trying to convey with this attitude?”
Yu Nanzhi couldn’t figure it out himself. Covering his face with his hands in agony, he muttered, “I don’t know. Ever since she started fearing me, I’ve begun to despise that version of her.”
“When have you ever liked her?” Li Chengru’s words pierced straight through Yu Nanzhi’s soul.
Indeed, when had he ever liked Ji Liao?
It seemed… never.
Li Chengru sneered at his current expression. “You know, it took you a moment to hurt her, but she’ll need a lifetime to heal from the pain you caused. And when she encountered you again, she tore open the scarred wounds for you to see. It hurts her deeply, but what hurts even more is your distrustful gaze.”
Yu Nanzhi shuddered, looking up at him in disbelief. “Are you saying I’ve been wronging Ji Liao?”
Extremely displeased, Li Chengru tossed his cigarette butt to the ground and stomped on it angrily. “Then what reason would Ji Liao have to kill Cheng Shuangshuang? Just because Cheng Shuangshuang had your affection, and she was so consumed by jealousy that she committed an atrocity that would ruin three generations?”
“Jealousy distorts people beyond recognition…”Then why are you still entangling her? The revenge you sought is done. What more do you want!” Li Chengru grabbed him by the collar, demanding angrily.
But Yu Nanzhi was baffled. “What’s she to you, that you’d risk offending me for her?”
He forcefully shook off Li Chengru’s hand, his demeanor turning arrogant. The sorrow and desolation from moments ago vanished in an instant, as if they had never existed.
Clenching his jaw, Li Chengru glared at him. “Nothing much. I just can’t stand you wronging an innocent person.”
“Hah, you think she’s good, but I don’t. In my eyes, she’s a murderer. I’ve said it before—if I’m suffering, she won’t have it easy either. Anyone who helps her is crossing me, Yu Nanzhi.”
Gritting his teeth, Li Chengru retorted, “One day, you’ll regret your ignorance.”
Yu Nanzhi narrowed his eyes slightly, a chilling haze swirling in their depths. The man before him was his old friend—someone who would always stand by his side through thick and thin. Yet, what kind of bewitching potion had Ji Liao fed him? In just one day and night, his loyalty had shifted in an instant.
It had to be admitted that Ji Liao’s abilities had grown increasingly formidable, so much so that several people were now willing to defy him just to protect her.
Indeed, the woman who had once been humble as dust had suddenly become a queen in others’ hearts. This feeling was truly unpleasant.
After Li Chengru stormed off in anger, Yu Nanzhi stood up, pulled out his phone, and began making a call as he walked. By the time he reached the elevator, he had finished saying what he needed to say.
Just as he stepped out of the hospital entrance, the old butler who had served him for decades stood by the car, holding an umbrella.
Outside, a light drizzle fell—much like that day years ago, the weather was less than ideal.
Seeing him emerge, the butler quickly fetched another umbrella from the car and jogged over. The two walked one behind the other, shielded by their umbrellas.
“Did you get the results from the investigation I asked for earlier?” Yu Nanzhi’s subordinates were typically highly efficient. His demand was that any task assigned must be completed within ten minutes; failure meant elimination.
The butler, walking behind him, naturally wore a proud expression as he replied calmly, “Their backgrounds were easy to trace. The man is Lu Chengnuo, and the woman is Lu Chengqing. Both are orphans—their parents died of cirrhosis ten years ago. They now live in Lu Family Village and run a blind massage shop. I’ve heard business is quite good.”
Yu Nanzhi sneered, “Don’t tell me Ji Liao is working at that massage parlor. After all, she’s blind now—where else could she find a decent job?”
“Yes, after Miss Ji was released from prison, the Lu siblings took her in. She’s been working there for several months. Because of her beauty, many customers specifically request her services.”
“Hah, the former Young Mistress of the Yu Family, reduced to groveling for a living, willingly becoming a technician who touches countless men.”
Extremely displeased, Yu Nanzhi felt an inexplicable fury ignite in his heart. He pondered for a long time but couldn’t understand why the butler’s words had angered him so.
His gaze turned icy, his sharp eyes fixed on the colorful neon lights, yet his mind conjured images of Ji Liao’s slender, delicate fingers kneading and pounding on another man’s back. Or perhaps, some unruly old man would take advantage of her blindness to harass her. Weak and constrained by her dependence on the siblings, she would surely endure it without protest…
Damn it, what had things come to!
He cursed under his breath, yanked the car door open, and slid inside, then issued a cold command: “Shut it down.”
The butler remained unmoved and instead advised, “This action is too rash. We should think twice before proceeding.”
Yu Nanzhi retorted defiantly, “What? Since when do I need to consider consequences?”
The butler explained, “That massage shop employs at least fifteen or sixteen blind individuals. It operates as a legitimate business without violating ethics. If we seal it recklessly, it could provoke public outrage.”
The old butler’s words were not without reason. The blind are a vulnerable group in society, and having a place where they can work to prove their value is hard-won. If he were to shut down that shop without explanation, it would indeed provoke public discontent.
However, Ji Liao was also one of the masseuses in that blind massage parlor, which made him deeply uncomfortable.
The old butler, having experienced much in life, understood what Yu Nanzhi was thinking. “If you wish to win back Miss Ji, there’s no need to rush. There will be plenty of time ahead—we have all the time in the world.”