Chapter 24
The grand hall, with its ten-meter-high ceiling, was adorned with Swarovski crystal chandeliers. Countless dazzling light spots were scattered throughout the room, as if the brilliance had been divided into innumerable radiant splendors. The shimmering lights accompanied the opulence of fine clothing, embellished the display of wealth, and enlivened the atmosphere of the gathering. But these lights were merely artificial creations that would silently fade away when confronted with darkness.
Standing beneath the radiant lights, Zhang Yang saw nothing but darkness before her eyes. Even the overly adorned and greasy face of Beijie became blurry.
Beijie continued speaking absentmindedly, “Ke Yu is quite clever. He must have put a lot of effort into Mr. Wen. After playing around with Mr. Wen for so long, it’s the first time he’s taken someone away.”
Zhang Yang felt an overwhelming surge of hatred in her chest, whether directed towards Beijie, Mr. Wen, or the absurdity of it all. She wanted to rush forward and tear Beijie’s face apart. She wanted to scream, to go mad, to destroy, to obliterate.
But a remaining shred of sanity held her back. Without saying a word, she left the scene before losing control.
She arrived at the bar counter and picked up an unnamed cocktail. She downed it in one gulp, its sweet and refreshing taste masking the alcohol. Unaccustomed to consuming alcohol, her body immediately reacted.
Mr. Wen.
That name had been mentioned by Ke Yu not long ago, ranking as the customer who had caused him the most injuries. Zhang Yang wondered what kind of perverted old man he was, bloated and indulged, with a penchant for sexual sadism. How much longer could Ke Yu survive? Even if he survived, it would be a life filled with suffering, devoid of dignity, dirty and debased.
He was the person she loved, someone pure and kind who had never harmed anyone. Why did he have to endure such torment? Why couldn’t she save him?
She had almost blurted out to Beijie, “I can offer something better in exchange,” wanting to trade Ko Yao for Ke Yu. It was the only valuable thing she possessed. But she didn’t say it. Despite her numerous grievances with Ko Yao, she still had feelings for him. If she were to trade Ko Yao for Ke Yu, she might not hesitate, but she couldn’t let Ko Yao take Ke Yu’s place in that fire pit, knowing well it was a trap.
What should she do? How could she save Ke Yu?
Save Ke Yu! Save Ke Yu! Save Ke Yu!
Unaware and oblivious, she continued drinking one glass after another. The pleasant taste of the sweet cocktail made her overlook the alcohol content. As dizziness gradually set in, she noticed something on the dessert table. The image multiplied and filled her vision.
Zhang Yang once again entered Ke Yu’s room, regardless of whether there were other customers waiting.
Ke Yu looked at her in surprise. “What’s wrong with you? I thought you couldn’t drink alcohol? Are you feeling okay?”
With half-closed eyes, Zhang Yang stared at Ke Yu without blinking, her mind still functioning but her visual senses dulled. She struggled to focus on him until his handsome face became clear.
Ke Yu took the tray from her hand and put it aside, supporting her waist with concern. “You’re drunk, aren’t you? Are you feeling uncomfortable?”
Zhang Yang smiled faintly and picked up a glass. “Have a drink with me.”
“Don’t drink anymore. You can barely stand,” Ke Yu gently said. “Let me get you some sobering medicine.”
However, Zhang Yang grabbed Ke Yu’s wrist. “No, drink with me.”
After hesitating for a moment, Ke Yu clinked his glass with hers and took a sip of the drink.
Zhang Yang also drank her glass and then chuckled. “Ke Yu, are you going to leave with that Mr. Wen?”
At the mention of this, Ke Yu fell silent.
“You still asked me to take you home, knowing that I’m nothing… I can’t do anything,” Zhang Yang lamented, “I’m completely useless.”
“It’s not your fault,” Ke Yu said softly.
Zhang Yang tightly grasped Ke Yu’s sleeve, her eyes suddenly gleaming with intensity. “Let’s run away! Run away now! I’ll take you away, far away!”
Ke Yu let out a low sigh. “We can’t escape.”
“How do you know? You haven’t tried. There are so many people here; they won’t notice…” Zhang Yang looked into Ke Yu’s desolate eyes, her voice abruptly trailing off. After a while, she whispered, “Have you tried?”
Ke Yu nodded, bitterness evident in his voice. “It’s useless.”
Zhang Yang’s eyes instantly burned with pain. “I… I’m sorry, I can’t save you, I’m sorry.”
Ke Yu embraced her. “Don’t say that, it’s not your fault.”
“What should we do? What should we do?” Zhang Yang had never experienced such despair before. Despair turned into tangible hands, grabbing her ankles and dragging her towards hell. No matter how she struggled, cried, or called for help, it was all in vain. Her fear, her pain, her helplessness were like a speck of dust brushed off a garment, inconsequential.
And she was just an observer, how much pain, suffering, and fear must the one experiencing it endure? How could she watch the person she loved go through all of this?!
“It will be okay, maybe there is still hope, I haven’t given up yet,” Ke Yu murmured in Zhang Yang’s ear. “Don’t worry.”
Alcohol numbed Zhang Yang’s ability to think, preventing her from realizing the unusual nature of Ke Yu’s words. She thought Ke Yu was offering futile comfort. She cried, restraining herself, as if afraid of destroying this fragile moment when they could still embrace each other. But she cried so much that she could hardly catch her breath.
She held Ke Yu tightly, as if afraid that he would disappear, using all her senses to feel the warmth of his chest and the strong beat of his heart. She wanted to remember, she wanted to remember for a lifetime.
Then, with tears streaming down her face, she finished her own drink and pushed the beautifully arranged small plate in front of Ke Yu. “Have some.”
Ke Yu glanced at the plate filled with plump blueberries, looking puzzled at Zhang Yang.
Zhang Yang stared straight at Ke Yu. She didn’t know if she was drunk or sober at this moment. In this farce, what difference did it make to be drunk or sober? “Eat it.”
“Fei Yang…”
“Eat, I want to see you eat.” Zhang Yang picked up a blueberry and put it in her mouth. Although it was supposed to be sweet and juicy, it tasted spicy and bitter, like poison on her lips and tongue.
Despite his confusion, Ke Yu ate one.
“Have more.” Zhang Yang picked up another one, smiling as she fed it to Ke Yu, her expression filled with tenderness and affection.
“Fei Yang, what’s wrong with you?”
“I love you.” Zhang Yang’s pupils dilated until there was almost no light left. “I really love you and want to be with you forever.”
Ke Yu revealed a sorrowful smile. “I feel the same way. If one day… if it’s possible, I also want to be with you forever.”
Ke Yu was coaxed and fed until he had eaten most of the plate of blueberries. A few minutes later, red patches began to appear on his body and face. He first scratched his itchy arms, then his neck, and began to cough. His eyes turned red, tears streaming down his cheeks, and his breathing became increasingly short.
Zhang Yang stared blankly at Ke Yu, feeling a sudden chill, her body stiff and her fingers unable to move.
Ke Yu’s face gradually turned red, and he struggled uncomfortably, grasping the chair for support. His eyes widened in pain, and he reached out to Zhang Yang, his voice filled with agony. “Fei Yang… I… feel… terrible…”
Zhang Yang rushed to hold Ke Yu, tears pouring uncontrollably. Her trembling hands, though unsteady, were gentle as she tried to soothe him. “It’ll be okay, it’ll be okay. You’ll feel better soon.” He wouldn’t feel terrible anymore, wouldn’t suffer anymore.
With a loud crash, Ke Yu fell from the chair, writhing on the ground, continuously retching. It was as if someone was strangling his windpipe, making terrifying, desperate gasps for air. The veins on his neck bulged, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. He began scratching his throat with his fingers, leaving bloody marks on his fair skin.
Zhang Yang finally let out a piercing scream. She threw herself onto Ke Yu, crying and sobbing uncontrollably.
Everything became chaotic. In Zhang Yang’s gradually failing senses, Ke Yu’s agonizing and horrifying face, the crowded figures around them, the hurried footsteps, and the clamor all blended together into a nightmare that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Zhang Yang woke up in the hospital the next day.
In the hospital room, Mina was present. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, her complexion was pale, and she seemed emotionally distressed. Her gaze towards Zhang Yang was complex, mixed with anger and a hint of concealed fear.
Zhang Yang looked at Mina blankly, as if her soul had been drained, her eyes like two black holes, unable to capture any light.
“You did it on purpose,” Mina spoke up, her voice trembling. “Zhang Yang, you’re insane. Do you know… do you know that you killed someone?” She lowered her voice for the last sentence, as if uttering it was a crime.
Zhang Yang replied expressionlessly, “I was saving him.”
“You’re sick, are you? You’re not normal, you’re really sick,” Mina took a step back.
“Beijie wanted to sell him to Mr. Wen, a sadistic pervert. He would ruin Ke Yu, he would kill Ke Yu,” Zhang Yang stared at Mina with her empty eyes. “Either Ke Yu would die at his hands, or he would be ruthlessly tormented and sold on the black market. That’s why I had to save him.” She even smiled briefly. “Now he’s free.”
“You…” Mina felt a panic rising within her, wanting to turn around and run away. The person before her was no longer the ordinary, unremarkable girl she first met. The current Zhang Yang filled her with fear.
“They forced me,” Zhang Yang looked at Mina. “It was you who forced me. None of you treated Ke Yu as a human being, only I cared about him, so only I could save him.”
“You’re insane,” Mina repeated the word, every hair on her body standing on end. “Do you know what trouble you’ve caused? Do you think Beijie will let you off? Even though she doesn’t know it was intentional, she will make you pay!”
“Fine, let her come and make me pay,” Zhang Yang coldly smirked. “If she comes after me, I’ll go to the police, expose her online, let the whole world know. Either she kills me, or since I have nothing left, let’s see who can’t bear the consequences.”
Mina coldly said, “You think too highly of yourself. Beijie is the kind of person who could easily crush you. Do you really think you can expose anything? Your idea is more dangerous than you killing someone. I advise you not to go crazy again.”
“What’s the matter? Are you scared now? As long as Beijie doesn’t bother me, I won’t seek death myself,” Zhang Yang glanced at Mina, then shifted her gaze to the window, staring at the elegant and graceful locust tree outside.
At that moment, she seemed to not care about anything anymore. Ke Yu was dead, killed by her own hands. She had taken a life, the life of the person she loved the most.
She had indeed drunk too much at the time, leading to her demonic possession and committing such a terrifying act. But even after sobering up, she hadn’t regretted it. She had accepted it calmly.
Perhaps she had resigned herself. Ever since her life started to fall apart, she had been sliding down continuously, often wondering when she would hit rock bottom. Now that she had hit rock bottom, she realized that compared to the endless fear brought by the unknown during the downward slide, she felt relieved.
She knew that the rest of her life would be spent in pain, fear, and regret, but she had accepted her fate. At least she had saved Ke Yu.
Mina didn’t know when she left. Zhang Yang’s collapse was simply due to excessive drinking and emotional agitation, without serious consequences. However, she still insisted on staying in the hospital for two days because she didn’t dare to go home and face that face.
When she returned home, Zhang Yang thought she would see a flustered Ke Yao. After all, she had disappeared for three days, but Ke Yao was still the same, or rather, he seemed gloomy and silent. His eyes were dull, and there was a stubble of unshaved beard around his lips.
“Where did you go?” Ke Yao asked Zhang Yang calmly.
“Just felt unwell and went to the hospital,” Zhang Yang glanced at Ke Yao briefly, avoiding looking at his face and not noticing anything unusual.
Walking, talking, and even thinking exhausted her. Sometimes her mind was empty, devoid of any thoughts, and other times it was filled with various negative emotions, almost driving her to explode. She couldn’t do anything now and had already taken sick leave from work.
Ke Yao didn’t reply. Zhang Yang went into the bedroom and collapsed on the bed, motionless, falling back into a deep sleep.
The waking world was filled with nightmares, while moments of tranquility were found in dreams.
