Chapter 19

On the way back, the cramped compartment enclosed two silent individuals.

Zhang Yang reminisced about the scenes that had just unfolded in the luxurious mansion. Her excitement had evidently startled Ke Yu, leaving him at a loss for words as he tried to console himself.

Despair was an invisible rope that bound her. She watched helplessly as Ke Yu was humiliated and abused, unable to do anything about it. If she had known beforehand, she would have preferred to remain ignorant. She even grew to resent Mina, who had brought her to face all of this, especially considering Mina’s dismissive and cold attitude.

As Zhang Yang stared at Ke Yu with eyes filled with rage, telling him, “You shouldn’t live like this,” Ke Yu responded in a bewildered tone, “Why?”

Why?!

Indeed, as a reset Ke Yu, he had never been loved or treated well. In his understanding, he was meant to live like this, and his companions as well.

This was a tragedy even more tragic than the tragedy itself.

Zhang Yang further asked Ke Yu, “Have you and the others ever thought about resisting or leaving?”

Ke Yu’s expression furrowed in deep thought, as if these words exceeded his brain’s processing capacity.

Zhang Yang couldn’t help but think of those children who had been enslaved and abused since childhood. They relied on the “adults” for survival, obediently following their every command, unable and afraid to resist.

This was the hell these customized beings lived in.

Zhang Yang clenched her fist, her nails sinking into the tender flesh of her palm. She wished for more pain, as anything less wouldn’t be enough to remind her that she was still in the human world.

She had spent over an hour with Ke Yu in the room, just sitting together and chatting. Ke Yu’s descriptions of his life were utterly heartbreaking. Insults and injuries were a regular occurrence, and if luck was not on their side, they would die without leaving a trace in this world, just as they had never truly existed in the world.

In just a short span of two to three months, Ke Yu had already been covered in wounds. If things continued like this, would Ke Yu one day be sold on the black market as Mina had mentioned? The mere thought sent shivers down Zhang Yang’s spine.

Zhang Yang also asked Ke Yu if he remembered Ke Yao and Ke Shun. Ke Yu displayed an undisguised joy and surprise, just like Ke Yao, he remembered and missed his brothers. That was the most human part of their existence as customized beings.

At that moment, Zhang Yang desperately wanted to have a voice call between the brothers, but her phone had been taken away from the beginning. She didn’t know if Qian Dai ‘s phone was a spare or if her status was so high that Miss Bei dared not confiscate her phone. In the end, she only promised to convey a few words of longing and blessings on behalf of Ke Yu.

Ke Yu asked if they were doing well, and Zhang Yang replied, “They are.”

Indeed, compared to Ke Yu, both Ke Yao, who suffered poverty alongside her, and Ke Shun, controlled by the perverted Qian Dai , were doing well. Only Ke Yu had fallen into the clutches of evil.

But originally, it should have been Ke Yu who returned home with her! If it were Ke Yu, not only would she not be in debt, but she would also have enough money to rent a decent house and live a decent life. Ke Yu wouldn’t have to experience all of this; everything had deviated from the track since the moment Ke Yu was bought by someone else.

Zhang Yang was filled with pain and hatred, but no matter how hard she thought, she didn’t know how to help Ke Yu escape from this sea of suffering.

Only the wealthy and powerful guests had the ability to buy him from Sister Bei. It was truly pathetic that those who didn’t care about Ke Yu were the ones capable of being his saviors, while she, who cared about Ke Yu, was nothing at all.

“Fei Yang, can I take Ke Yao away today?” After a long silence, Mina spoke up.

“Yes.” Zhang Yang looked out the window without turning her head. She didn’t want to see Mina’s detestable face at that moment.

As the price for Mina bringing her to see Ke Yu, she had to lend Ke Yao to Mina for ten days, the same amount of time Mina had lent Ke Yu to her.

The entire transaction made her feel genuinely disgusted.

“Don’t worry, I will teach him well for you. By the time he returns, you might not even want Ke Yu anymore,” Mina said with a meaningful and ambiguous laugh.

Zhang Yang gritted her teeth and stared out the window, letting the grotesque expression on her face be on full display since Mina was looking at the back of her head.

“Have you and Ke Yu done it?” Mina asked again.

“…He’s injured.” Zhang Yang’s voice was barely audible. “He has whip marks, cuts from sharp objects, burns from cigarette butts. He has many wounds.”

Mina sighed, “His injuries are not severe.”

“So, he’s lucky?” Zhang Yang sarcastically retorted.

“I sympathize with him too. After all, I treated him better in the three months we were together,” Mina glanced at herself in the rearview mirror. “But he’s too expensive. I don’t want to spend five million to buy his freedom.”

“I want to, but I don’t have the money.” Zhang Yang’s eyes turned icy. “How pathetic.”

Mina shrugged, remaining noncommittal.

“If Qian Dai invites you to her house, would you take me with you?” Zhang Yang had promised Ke Yu to pass on his longing and blessings to his two brothers. That was the only thing she could do.

Mina glanced at her sideways, “Do you really want to go? Aren’t you the one who hates shipper fans the most?”

“I promised Ke Yu to deliver a message to Ke Shun,” Zhang Yang replied.

“That’s possible, but you can’t let Qian Dai know that Ke Yao is at your place. Otherwise, if she asks to borrow him, you won’t be able to refuse.”

“I know.” Zhang Yang persisted, “Mina, is there… any other way to save Ke Yu?”

“Forget about it,” Mina replied.

Zhang Yang pressed her forehead against the car window, closing her eyes in pain.

When they arrived home, Mina was waiting downstairs. Zhang Yang instructed Ke Yao to listen to Mina, but Ke Yao still looked nervous.

“Don’t worry, she… is actually quite nice,” Zhang Yang’s voice was filled with bitterness. She was now sending her own boyfriend to another woman’s bed, an act she abhorred but had chosen herself.

She felt disgusted with her own uselessness.

Ke Yao obediently nodded, “I’ll listen to Nana.”

Zhang Yang touched Ke Yao’s face, “You know, today I saw Ke Yu.”

Ke Yao’s eyes widened, his expression changed, “What did you say?”

“Not only Ke Yu, but I also found out about Ke Shun’s whereabouts, although I didn’t see him.” Zhang Yang smiled faintly, “Ke Yu asked me to tell you that he misses you and hopes you take care of yourself.”

Ke Yao eagerly asked, “How is he? Where is he? What else did he say? And Ke Shun? Where is he?”

“He’s doing fine,” Zhang Yang couldn’t bear to tell Ke Yao the truth. “Ke Shun is also doing well. I saw a video of him, and maybe I’ll have a chance to see him in person in the future.”

After a moment of dazed silence, Ke Yao smiled, “That’s great! It’s so good to hear news about them! Feiyang, you’re amazing. You actually got to see them.”

But Zhang Yang couldn’t smile. “Do you have anything you want to say to them? If I have a chance to see them, I’ll pass on your message.”

“Yes, yes,” Ke Yao excitedly replied, “Let me think about it.”

After Ke Yao left with Mina, Zhang Yang felt uneasy in the shabby rented house. She used to complain that it was too small, but now that she was alone, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of emptiness.

Just as Ke Yao left, Zhang Yang’s worries began. She worried that Ke Yao would be captivated by Mina’s luxurious lifestyle, that he would find being with the beautiful and flirtatious Mina more enjoyable than being with her, and that the Ke Yao she would see after ten days would no longer be the Ke Yao she knew.

Zhang Yang curled up on the bed, thinking about the events of the day, and silently shed tears of pain that soaked her pillow.

The day after Ke Yao left, Zhang Yang received a call from the police, who politely inquired about the fundraising situation.

Zhang Yang wasn’t the first to receive such a call. She had been prepared for it, and a few fans who had contributed large amounts had already been questioned at the police station. The diehard fans had close ties to the agency and had consulted with lawyers, aligning their statements.

In general, the nature of fan fundraising was different from illegal fundraising, as it was not solely aimed at benefiting the fans but leaned more towards crowdfunding. It couldn’t be simply classified as illegal fundraising. However, the regulatory authorities decided to investigate, mainly because the social impact of this incident was significant, involving the inducement of funds from minors and illegal online lending. The regulatory authorities wanted to use this opportunity to crack down on the dark side of the entertainment industry and set an example. The investigation of fan fundraising became a pretext, but what they really wanted to uncover was any other illegal activities that could be found, such as misappropriation or embezzlement of funds.

After being briefed by her lawyer, the major fans in the group felt somewhat relieved. Although Sheng Shi had suffered heavy losses due to this incident, at least it didn’t involve criminal activities. Being dragged down by the fans, Sheng Shi would eventually be able to restore its reputation with the power of capital.

Compared to their relief, Zhang Yang felt nervous due to her guilty conscience. After all, she had actually misappropriated and embezzled money that didn’t belong to her. However, she had returned the embezzled money, and the cash transactions with the charity organization were difficult to trace. She had mentally prepared herself, knowing that her fundraising amount was just over two million, which definitely wasn’t the main target of the investigation. She told herself to stay calm and deal with it.

The phone call lasted less than ten minutes, and the police were friendly throughout. After hanging up, Zhang Yang felt that the matter should be behind her now.

During this time, they kept a low profile online, avoiding attracting negative attention to Sheng Shi. The public relations team was gradually working on whitewashing their image, taking advantage of the cooling of public opinion. They just needed a little more time and patience before they could start their gradual return. Although this process would require sufficient time and patience, and Sheng Shi’s popularity and resources had been severely damaged, they would continue to stand by Sheng Shi through thick and thin.

Zhang Yang’s emotions towards Sheng Shi are now filled with contradictions and subtleties. On one hand, she feels that the existence of replicas tarnishes the divinity of Sheng Shi, especially when Ke Yao uses an identical body to live as an ordinary person. But on the other hand, she feels a sense of injustice because despite being genetically identical clones, they live such different lives.

The only advantage of Ke Yao being away from home is that Zhang Yang no longer feels the disparity between genuine products and knockoffs in both her phone and reality.

On the day she left the mansion, Zhang Yang secretly marked the location on a map. These past few days, she often finds herself staring at her phone, fantasizing about ways to rescue Ke Yu.

For example, sneaking in secretly and taking Ke Yu away, or disguising herself as a maintenance worker to deceive everyone. She knows these ideas are too dramatic, products of watching too many movies. She has even entertained more extreme thoughts, like reporting to the police at the risk of facing the consequences. But she fears the repercussions. Those influential people in that mansion, if they weren’t confident, how could they indulge themselves so recklessly? In moments of utter despair, she entertains thoughts of extreme measures—wishing those people dead, burning them, blowing them up, or even slaughtering them, taking advantage of the chaos to escape with Ke Yu.

If she had the ability, she would definitely choose a feasible way to save Ke Yu. But she is essentially useless—no money, no power, no wisdom, and no physical strength.

What should she do? How can she save Ke Yu? She wants to save Ke Yu, who can tell her how to do it?

Ten days pass by, both fleeting and lengthy, and Mina delivers Ke Yao back as promised.

Both of them have a radiant glow on their faces, the outward expression of inner joy, completely genuine.

When Ke Yao removes his mask, Zhang Yang’s eyes light up.

He is dressed in trendy clothes, with a stylish hairstyle and smooth skin. He even seems to have lost weight, handsome enough to dazzle, just like the famous star Sheng Shi.

Clothes do make the man, indeed.

The Ke Yao in this small rental house and the one brought back by Mina are like a poodle before and after grooming at a pet store: the former is a mutt, the latter a pedigree.

What Zhang Yang finds hard to bear is the radiant expression on Ke Yao’s face, something she never saw by her side.

Mina winks at Zhang Yang and says, “I’ve brought him back for you, thanks.”

Zhang Yang forces a smile and says, “Take care.”

Mina glances back at Ke Yao, her eyes teasing. The two exchange a smile that seems to hold a secret understanding. Mina waves her hand and says, “Goodbye.”

Ke Yao says reluctantly, “Nana, goodbye.”

After Mina leaves, Zhang Yang’s face turns dark. “You don’t want to let her go?”

Ke Yao candidly says, “Nana has been good to me.”

“How has she been good to you?” Zhang Yang is shaken to her core.

It seems that Ke Yao hasn’t learned how to lie yet. Excitedly, he says, “She fed me lots of delicious food. Her house is big and beautiful. She took me on vacation, swimming, barbecuing, fishing, spa—so many fun things.”

Jealousy burns in Zhang Yang’s eyes. “So, you don’t want to come back, do you?”

“Yeah, I want to eat delicious food and have fun.” Ke Yao admits without hesitation.

Zhang Yang picks up a throw pillow from the couch and throws it at his face. “Too bad she didn’t buy you. She was just playing with you!”

Ke Yao looks at Zhang Yang, bewildered. “Fei Yang, why are you angry? Did I do something wrong?”

“You’re wrong in every way!” When Zhang Yang first saw the handsome and confident Ke Yao returning home, she felt a bit happy. But that happiness quickly turned into a slap across her face. She couldn’t control her words anymore. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be living such a miserable life. Without you, my brother would still be perfect in my heart. Without you, Ke Yu wouldn’t be in that kind of place!”

Ke Yao stares at Zhang Yang, stunned. “Ke Yu… What kind of place is he in?”

Zhang Yang sits heavily on the couch.

Ke Yao also sits down and remains silent for a moment. Then he gently lifts Zhang Yang and sits her on his lap, rubbing her face tenderly. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Zhang Yang stiffens.

Ke Yao used to be clueless about romance and lacked any sense of charm. Now, he appears to be well-trained by Mina, just like how Ke Yu was trained in the past.

But why did she feel so enamored when Ke Yu did those things, yet now, with Ke Yao, she only feels repulsed? This Ke Yao is molded by Mina, and all his skills were practiced on Mina. He has experienced Mina, who is younger, more beautiful, richer, and more interesting than Zhang Yang. If he does the same things and says the same words to her now, will it still be genuine?

Zhang Yang pushes Ke Yao away. She can’t control the resentment growing inside her. She knows it’s wrong, Ke Yao is innocent, and she chose to buy him, to lend him to Mina. But still, she can’t suppress her increasing complaints towards Ke Yao.

Zhang Yang bites her lip forcefully and turns to look at Ke Yao. She says in a low voice, “I shouldn’t have gotten angry at you.”

Ke Yao looks relieved.

“Have you… missed me these past few days?”

“Yes.” Ke Yao nods without hesitation. “I’ve missed you every day.”

Zhang Yang forces a bitter smile. Ke Yao missed her, and he has become better since returning. She should feel happy, yes, she should be happy.

 

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