Chapter 24

In the dead of night, Merrick started making a scene at home.

Tang Zefei was already receiving a blood transfusion, yet he remained leaning against the sofa with his eyes open. He was dizzy and had a slight fever, but he couldn't stop shivering despite the heat. Dr. Xu had told him that this was his body's rejection reaction to the transfused blood, which was almost unavoidable for him.

The situation was as usual. So Tang Zefei simply closed her eyes and silently endured it. When Merrick heard that her son had been inexplicably injured and was experiencing severe symptoms again, she wanted nothing more than to rush over and hug him, crying and screaming. Always unable to control her emotions, she sat beside Tang Zefei, her voice shrill, clutching Tang Zefei's sleeve, tears streaming down her face, crying out, "Xiaofei, Xiaofei, what's wrong? What happened to you?!" Her son's sudden emergency had left her frantic and at a loss for what to do.

Merrick looked just as she had when she first learned that Tang Zefei had this incurable anemia. Tang Zefei glanced at her, shook her head, and remained silent. It was because she lacked the strength, and also because she had long been accustomed to it. Dr. Xu sighed beside her and gently comforted her, "Madam, don't worry, Young Master Tang will be fine. He's already receiving a blood transfusion, just like always. He'll be alright."

"Then why are his hands shaking so much?" Merrick was holding Tang Zefei's wrist, so he only noticed that his hands were shaking, but in fact his whole body was already trembling.

“That’s because… a rejection reaction…” Dr. Xu didn’t know how to explain this to the First Madam—she realized that over the years, the Madam hadn’t really paid attention to Tang Zefei’s physical condition after the blood transfusion, and she doubted that the Madam would understand even if she explained. “It’s that certain parts of the young master’s body, um, are temporarily unable to accommodate this freshly injected blood, so it’s causing a rejection reaction…”

Merrick wasn't listening at all. "And his face, why is his face so pale?" As she spoke, her tone gradually softened, slowly turning into a soft sob.

Dr. Xu was aware of the significant changes that had occurred in the Tang family recently, and she could understand Merrick's feelings. She couldn't afford to lose her son too. A pang of sympathy arose for Mrs. Tang, but her breath caught in her throat, and she couldn't utter a sound. Tang Zefei's physical condition… Holding back a sigh, she closed her eyes and indulged in a whimsical thought: if only someone suddenly appeared whose blood type perfectly matched Tang Zefei's…

Although she was fully aware, and very clear, that the patient's illness was incurable, and that they could only take it one step at a time, Dr. Xu dared not and could not think about when it would end. But if it did, at least it would alleviate the patient's suffering after each transfusion. She had considered this for a long time and had been trying to find the answer in her own way, but unfortunately, she had not succeeded. She didn't know how to describe this thought; perhaps one day, China's medical technology would advance by leaps and bounds, accurately identifying each person's blood type… then this predicament might be resolved for her. But this idea was currently vague, unclear, almost like wishful thinking. She had never shared these thoughts with Tang Zefei or Merrick, and could only continue in disappointment and exploration. She had never encountered a patient like this in her life, one who caused her such unbearable anguish every time she saw him.

That was almost twenty years ago.

“You can’t have anything happen to you.” Merrick touched Tang Zefei’s cheek, then turned to Dr. Xu and said, “Doctor, he can’t have anything happen to him again.”

"I will." Dr. Xu looked at her and nodded.

“I want to go back to Italy,” Merrick suddenly said in a low voice in Italian, resting his forehead on Tang Zefei’s shoulder. “Wouldn’t it be better for you to go back to your hometown to get treatment?”

“You know I can’t go back now. Dad’s funeral was taken care of a while ago… there’s still a lot waiting for me to handle…” Tang Zefei still spoke in Mandarin, his voice low. Looking at the ceiling, he sighed, “I’ve gotten used to it here, I just need to spend some more time here.”

“I’m a little homesick,” Merrick murmured.

Tang Zefei opened her eyes and looked at her mother, "But I grew up here since I was little."

Merrick remained silent. Tang Zefei reached out and took her hand, shaking it gently as he had when they were children. In this dysfunctional family, the only childlike affection he still held for his mother was...

"Mom, it's so late, go and rest." Tang Zefei looked at her. His mother wasn't the kindest person in the family, but as his mother, he and Merrick shared a strange resemblance at certain times.

Just as Merrick was looking at him now, her eyes were elsewhere. She pulled her collar up, leaned back on the sofa, and shook her head. "I'm fine, not sleepy." Her expression went from unease to calmness in just a moment.

What could truly weigh on her heart? Thinking of her mother's reaction when her father died, Tang Zefei felt a sinking feeling inexplicably. Tang Zefei knew this all too well. He knew about his mother's mental health issues; perhaps only her ability to constantly distance herself from worldly matters had protected her until now. He suspected that his own current state was a result of her influence.

She sat there for a while, then Merrick told the servants to boil some milk, as she was thirsty.

The living room was heated, and her mother, wearing a cotton nightgown, sat on the sofa, hugging her legs. Tang Zefei noticed that she seemed a little cold. "Xiao Lan, go get a blanket."

Merrick pulled her skirt down a little. "I'm not cold." Tang Zefei suddenly noticed a long red mark on her knee and calf. It was a scar, already scabbed over.

"How did you do that?" Tang Zefei asked casually.

Merrick paused, stunned for a moment, then lifted her skirt and stared at the scar for a few seconds. The scar wasn't deep, but it was quite noticeable; after the scab had mostly fallen off, it left a long, dark red line on her calf.

After Tang Zefei saw it clearly, she felt inexplicably suffocated.

The next moment, Merrick's fingers suddenly grabbed his calf, and he cried out "Ah!"

Tang Zefei was startled, a chill running down his spine. He looked sharply at his mother. Merrick stood up, her emotions surging instantly, her voice becoming unusually shrill. Her actions startled everyone present. "Ahhh... I didn't want to, no, I didn't!!!"

Dr. Xu, who had been resting with her head propped up on her hand, was also shocked. She quickly stood up and pressed down on Tang Zefei's wrist and the transfusion tube to ensure the blood transfusion could proceed smoothly. "Madam, what's wrong? Please calm down."

Tang Zefei stepped aside and sighed; he understood his mother's situation very well.

“It’s me, no, it’s me…yes, it’s me,” Merrick ignored her persistent nagging, pulling at her calf and then her own long hair. Suddenly, she rushed towards Tang Zefei, hugging her son tightly, and burst into tears, “Xiao Fei…”

"Little Fei, you'll hate me, won't you?" Merrick blurted out out of the blue.

"What?" Tang Zefei looked at her, feeling a vague unease in his heart. What had his mother done? He was dizzy and weak, pressing his forehead; his temples throbbed with pain. "Dr. Xu," he said, "I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to excuse yourself for a moment. My mother's condition is really..."

Dr. Xu nodded in understanding. Tang Zefei waved his hand again, dismissing the servants. Turning to Merrick, he tried to calm her down, "Mom, it's alright, it's alright, they're all gone. You can tell me what's wrong now."

“I killed your father.” Merrick blurted out as soon as Dr. Xu left. The two servants who hadn’t left immediately wisely walked to the hall door, turned their backs and closed the door. They were used to keeping quiet all these years. Tang Zefei had only raised her eyelids and looked at them in a stern manner, so they would never say this for the rest of their lives.

Tang Zefei felt his heart racing uncontrollably. He was surprised, but remained calm. "Why?"

“Little Fei,” Merrick was already used to his son’s attitude, “because the master has someone else outside.”

Who is it?

“Not just anyone, but many people.” Merrick stared into Tang Zefei’s eyes. “All sorts of women, those bitches who want to steal your father from me.”

Tang Zefei was momentarily unaware of the exact connection between this and her father's death. "So you killed him?" he asked.

“No.” Merrick seemed to regain his composure. “It was Lu Jin who was helping me, helping me get rid of those people. The first woman was the department store accountant; Lu Jin only followed her for a week. The second woman…”

“Mom,” Tang Zefei rubbed his temples, interrupting her. He had no interest in knowing or being interested in how many lives his mother had taken, “and then?”

Do you know Yang Xiang?

"Know."

“Yang Xiang’s wife was the master’s last mistress. I investigated her; her name was Jiang Jiejie,” Merrick said quietly. “Just two months ago, this woman died at the Lin mansion, on the same day and in the same place as Li Shu. I found her things in the master’s bag. That bitch deserved to die.”

Tang Zefei slowly recalled, somewhat surprised, "The banquet with Lin Zhengxiang?"

“I’m scared. It’s this woman’s vengeful spirit that has come after our Tang family and taken Lishu’s life,” Merrick said, his hands twisting around the neckline of his nightgown. “When Lu Jin killed this woman, Lishu was still fine, before anything happened to him. I didn’t even get to see him one last time. This woman’s ghost couldn’t find me, so it went to find Lishu.”

Tang Zefei knew who killed her younger brother, so she didn't believe her mother. "Mom, do you really believe these things? These folk tales about supernatural powers are all nonsense. Even though I grew up here, I don't believe them. You're not even from here, so why are you saying these things?"

“I don’t believe it! I’m just a little scared,” Merrick suddenly raised his voice, “Then why haven’t we found the murderer who killed Tateki yet?”

Tang Zefei only knew that his mother had always been indifferent to such matters, but he didn't expect that her question would cause him some distress. "I will find someone to take care of these things, Mom. And then, what exactly happened at the church in the northern suburbs?"

"I don't know! I don't know!" Merrick stared at Tang Zefei for a few seconds, as if trying to recall something through his eyes. Then, without warning, she stood up, grabbed her hair, and screamed again, her voice a shout, "I heard gunshots, many shots. I was terrified. I had to protect myself. I saw the old man in the center of the church. His appearance suddenly changed. He turned into a ghost and stared at me sideways. I knew he was going to question me about why I killed so many of his lovers and why Li Shu died... Li Shu's death was not my fault, never. The ghost walked towards me. I was so scared. He seemed to want to kill me. I took the gun, and I, I, I killed him."

Tang Zefei closed his eyes. After Merrick finished speaking, the shrill screams stopped, and his mind was buzzing. His mother had completely gone mad. He had known for a long time how difficult it was for the truth to come from the mouth of a madman. He didn't want to think about the experience anymore, but just sighed wearily. A nameless anger suddenly welled up from the bottom of his heart. He didn't know where this emotion came from. He didn't know if he wanted to be forced to hear such a truth. However, at this moment, Merrick almost completely forgot that he was even a patient receiving a blood transfusion. He turned around and rushed to Tang Zefei, "Xiaofei, Xiaofei, do you think this is my fault? Huh? Is this my fault?"

"Now that you've said your piece, calm down." Tang Zefei felt a chill and said sternly, "You are my mother. I won't blame you, but at the same time, I can't forgive you either. These are not contradictory."

"Huh??" Merrick looked up and stared at her son. She knew that Tang Zefei rarely got angry; his usual behavior was to remain indifferent and detached.

"I told you I don't blame you." Tang Zefei looked at her, her tone not softening. "Mom, you're my only family. What can I do, right?"

“Ah, ah, yes, yes…” Merrick looked at his face, slowly reached out and touched the other’s face, which was seven or eight parts similar to her own. It was a pure Germanic face, but the hair and eyes were a darker color inherited from a certain branch of her ancestors, which was not very similar to her own lake blue eyes.

Tang Zefei's eyes were even deeper than hers, his brown pupils like a dark swamp. Merrick looked at him, feeling a little dizzy, so he turned his face away and murmured, "You are my son, and you are all I have left, but lately, I've suddenly become very afraid."

“You don’t need to be afraid.” Tang Zefei turned her gaze to the side, as if she were thinking.

After the blood transfusion, Tang Zefei called Lu Jin over. Sitting in the study, in the seat his father used to often sit in, he crossed his arms and gave a deep, resounding order, "The person you arrested by mistake at the church last time, go and kill him. There's one more person who can't be spared either, Yang Xiang from the French Concession."

Lu Jin didn't ask why, but simply stood respectfully with his hands at his sides, like a perfect killing machine. Tang Zefei raised his eyes, his deep pupils meeting his. "I know you've always been working for my mother, but you haven't treated me unfairly either," he stared intently at the other's face, "Even so, I still have to remind you, these two people this time are also for her. Do you understand?"

Lu Jin remained expressionless, nodding and uttering a single "Yes." Tang Zefei waved his hand, wearily rubbing his forehead. Lu Jin left the study, closing the door behind him. Watching his retreating figure, Tang Zefei thought to himself that it wasn't that he didn't trust him. Over the years, Lu Jin had been diligent and conscientious towards him, never neglecting or failing in his orders. Yet, even so, he still felt uneasy when he heard that Lu Jin had been killing for his mother. This man had gone a bit too far. His words today were meant to remind Lu Jin, because he understood his mother and Lu Jin; they needed to be of one mind.

Lu Jin was his right-hand man; he would do things his mother wouldn't even consider. Li Ming was someone who was present at the time and might have witnessed his mother killing his father; this man couldn't be allowed to live. Yang Xiang, having lost his wife, would inevitably investigate the murderer, threatening his mother. With his mother in such a state, what reason did he have not to protect her?

Tang Zefei stood there for a long time, lost in thought. Since Li Ming couldn't be spared, then what about Yu Congyi… He'd been there in the church too. Since he wanted to end it all for his mother's peace of mind, he had no reason to let him go. Tang Zefei stood up, walked to the bookshelf, and saw his own face through the tinted glass. Turning his face to the side, he touched the bruise on his jaw; it didn't hurt much, just a little sore. He'd really hit him hard. Tang Zefei chuckled softly, clenching his fingers, wanting to squeeze his wrist again. Putting aside all those emotions, from killing Tang Lishu to eliminating Zhan Chu for him, this man was suspicious enough; Tang Zefei simply didn't know what to do with him.

That day, Yu Congyi secretly went to Yang Xiang's residence without Jiang Fengming's knowledge. He had been pondering Jiang Fengming's previous words for days, and they seemed increasingly suspicious; he felt compelled to get to the bottom of it himself. Yang Xiang might not even recognize him, and Yu Congyi had no intention of openly knocking on the Yang family's door.

Since publicly announcing his remarriage, Yang Xiang and his son have lived separately and rarely interacted. The Beiming Mansion was Yang Ruinian's residence, which Yu Congyi visited twice. Yang Xiang's own old house was a secluded place, located on the very edge of the French Concession. It was said to be a noble mansion left over from the Qing Dynasty, a simple and elegant three-courtyard house hidden behind the bustling city center.

Yu Congyi entered through a side gate. The gatekeeper, seeing he was a stranger, lazily stopped him. Yu Congyi paused and asked if Boss Yang was inside. Judging from his tone, the gatekeeper assumed he was someone from the master's business circle and didn't stop him, casually pointing inside and saying the master wasn't there and that he could wait inside. Whether it was Boss Yang or Master Yang, Yu Congyi didn't care. As he walked through the outer courtyard's screen wall, no one followed him to ask further questions.

Yu Congyi looked up at the surrounding high walls, feeling that although they stood majestically, their decay was evident. The occasional servants sweeping by looked listless, perhaps because they weren't dressed warmly enough in the freezing cold. Yu Congyi walked into the central courtyard, stepped through the carved gate, and saw a drowsy young man standing by the long table in the main room.

"Excuse me," Yu Congyi knocked on the wooden door frame, "Where did Boss Yang Xiang go?" The young man opened his eyes, glanced at Yu Congyi, and shook his head. After a while, seeing that Yu Congyi was still standing in front of the door and showed no intention of leaving, he frowned impatiently and asked, "Who are you?"

"I have a question for you." Yu Congyi didn't answer him, but thought for a moment before speaking, "Is Jiang Jiejie's death related to Yang Xiang?"