Chapter 39

That "witness" on the street corner was like the last huge rock that completely crushed Ankhsu and sank him into the deep sea of ​​self-isolation.

To outsiders, he was still the same top idol, Ankhsu. His schedule was packed, and he tried his best to maintain decorum and aloofness in front of the camera. However, the smile never reached his eyes, and his responses became increasingly brief, with a cold, distant air. He had become unusually obedient, silently accepting every announcement arranged by Sister Jingjing. He no longer had the same persistence and opinions as before, like a refined yet empty shell, his soul drained away.

Seeing him like this, Sister Jingjing's brows furrowed ever deeper. She'd seen him gloomy in his youth, vibrant in his love life, and domineering on stage, but she'd never seen him so... lifeless. It was as if all the light and warmth in his life had been completely drained away by something in an instant, leaving only an endless grayness.

That day, after an irresistible dinner at a major brand, there were subsequent social engagements. During the meal, someone toasted, and Ankhsu, for once, didn't refuse, even actively drinking one glass after another. The alcohol burned his throat and stomach, bringing a brief, almost self-deprecating numbness. He managed to maintain a superficial composure at the table, but as his assistant walked him back to his apartment and he stumbled alone through the empty hallway, the dual pain of physical and mental agony washed over him like a tidal wave. His stomach churned, his head split, and the hollow, numb pain in his heart was even more intense.

Almost by instinct, he groped and opened the door of the apartment.

Feng Ling came here after she had fully clarified her feelings. An Hesu's personal phone had long been turned off, and she couldn't reach him. For several days, the apartment was empty, cold and devoid of any trace of life. But this time, she was resolute. She had to wait for him to return and explain everything clearly.

That night, she curled up on the sofa in the living room, feeling tired and sleepy. She thought he still wouldn't come back today, and her consciousness gradually became blurred.

Suddenly, the subtle "click" sound of the door lock turning woke her up.

Then, the door was roughly pushed open and slammed shut. A tall figure stumbled in, seemingly using up the last bit of his strength. With a thud, he slid down the door and sat down on the floor, letting out a muffled groan.

"Anhesu!" Feng Ling's heart skipped a beat. He immediately jumped up from the sofa and ran over barefoot.

The strong smell of alcohol hit her face. She squatted down and saw in the dim light of the entrance that his face was pale, his brows were furrowed, his forehead was wet with sweat, and he looked disheveled.

"What's wrong with you? Why did you drink so much?" She reached out to help him, her voice filled with anxiety and heartache that was hard to conceal.

An Hesu raised his head dazedly, his scattered eyes focused on her face for a long time, as if he didn't recognize her. Then he suddenly waved her hand away, his voice hoarse and cold: "Go away."

"Get up first. The ground is cold." Feng Ling ignored his resistance and tried to hold his arms, trying to pull him up. But he was too tall and heavy, and he was drunk and weak. Instead of dragging him, he made her stumble and fall to the carpet.

Seeing him so completely disregarding his own decadent state, Feng Ling's accumulated worry and heartache instantly turned into anger. She took a deep breath, suddenly raised her hand, and took off the wind chime ring from her ring finger. Holding it in front of him, she asked through gritted teeth, "Do you recognize it?"

Ankhsu stared drunkenly at the ring, which still shone a faint blue light in the dim light. He paused for a moment before his fuzzy mind finally registered what it was. He reached out and, somewhat slowly, took the ring, gripping it tightly in his palm until his knuckles turned white from the pressure. Then, he looked up at her, his lips curling into an icy, almost cruel smile as he spoke in a voice devoid of warmth: "Give it back to me. You can leave."

These words pierced Feng Ling's heart like an ice spike, but she didn't back down. She reached out and twisted his head, forcing him to look into her eyes. She said bitterly, "What about my things? Give them back to me too!"

"I didn't take anything from you." He turned away, his voice muffled.

"Where is my freedom?!" Feng Ling asked.

"Ha..." An Hesu sneered, with a strong sense of self-mockery and despair, "I will withdraw from that Weibo message tomorrow."

"Anhesu, you're pretty easygoing, aren't you?" Feng Ling's chest heaved with anger. "Then why did you drink so much?!"

"It's none of your business." He closed his eyes, his thick eyelashes trembling violently, and lowered his voice, with a last hint of stubbornness, "Let's go."

If she didn't leave, he was afraid that he would really lose control of himself and would hug her desperately, using all means, even the most unbearable ones, to lock her by his side so that she could never leave again.

"Do you still love me?" Feng Ling looked at him like this, her heart felt like it was soaked in lemonade, sour and bitter. She asked softly.

These words, like a key, instantly unlocked the floodgates of Ankhsu's repressed emotions. He could no longer feign his feelings, and his eyes fluttered open, bloodshot and filled with agonizing pain. He roared, "Didn't you abandon me? Didn't you choose him? What's the point of asking me this now?!"

Feng Ling was stunned. Did he think... she'd returned to Qiqi? Did he see the embrace downstairs that day? She looked at the despair and misunderstanding in his eyes that threatened to consume him, and instantly understood that all his recent abnormal behavior, his self-exile, his current coldness and rejection, had stemmed from this ridiculous misunderstanding.

The rage in her heart was instantly replaced by a surge of heartache. She softened and stopped arguing with him. She knelt up, stretched out her arms, and gently cradled his head in her warm, soft embrace.

Anhesu's body trembled violently, and all the muscles tensed up, as if he couldn't bear this sudden tenderness.

"Because I still love you." Feng Ling's voice was very soft, but it was like the most beautiful sound of nature. It had the power to soothe people's hearts and flowed clearly into his dry and broken heart.

An Hesu sat up straight, looking at her in disbelief. A faint, flickering light finally rekindled in his lifeless eyes, and his voice trembled uncontrollably: "You... say it again."

"I say..." Feng Ling held his face, looking into his eyes that had carried so much pain but were now filled with hope. She said word by word, seriously and firmly, "I love you, only you."

Ankhsu stared at her blankly, as if he didn't understand what she was saying. Seconds later, without warning and silently, scalding tears welled up from his reddened eyes, streaming down his pale cheeks. He felt as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted, as if overwhelmed by immense happiness, his body trembling uncontrollably. He was in pain, his body aching from the alcohol and his emotions, his heart aching from the extreme joy and the loss that had been regained. But this pain was sweet.

"Kiss me." He suppressed the urge that was churning inside him, and asked in a low, hoarse voice. He needed to confirm that this wasn't just a drunken dream, that she was real, that this love was real.

Feng Ling didn't hesitate at all, leaned forward, and kissed his slightly cold and trembling lips gently, lovingly, and with endless heartache and longing.

At first, he passively endured, as if still in a dream. But soon, under her gentle yet firm kiss, fueled by the alcohol, the long-suppressed emotions within him erupted like a volcano. He began to kiss her back aggressively, with an almost predatory eagerness and a sense of ecstasy at regaining what he had lost. His tongue penetrated deeply, entwining and sucking, as if he wanted to merge her into his bones and blood.

He kissed her fiercely as he pushed her down onto the carpet, his hands eagerly, even clumsily, removing her clothes. His burning lips traced down her jaw and neck, leaving marks of his own. He did everything he had wanted to do in countless desperate nights these past few days, relieving the torment of these days in the most primitive way possible, confirming this seemingly otherworldly possession.

Feng Ling was completely lost in his love, no longer hesitating or struggling. She responded to his kisses and caresses with all her might, her fingertips tangled in his thick hair, her body faithfully following his rhythm. This was the first time she had so firmly, willingly, completely, and utterly given herself to him, to the man who loved her more than himself.

In the empty apartment, only their rapid breathing, suppressed moans, and the rustling of clothing remained. The air was filled with the entanglement of lust, the slight intoxication of alcohol, and the sticky feeling of ultimate happiness after all the hardships had finally been resolved.

Cool moonlight quietly streamed in through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, gently enveloping the tightly entwined figures on the ground. The moonlight inadvertently illuminated the small, delicate wind chime hanging from the table lamp in the corner of the living room. The night breeze seeped in through the cracks in the unclosed window, gently swaying the wind chimes and emitting a series of extremely subtle, yet incredibly crisp and melodious "ding-ding" sounds.

That sound, like a whisper of blessing, gently sounded the prelude to happiness, echoing melodiously and endlessly in this touching night.

***

One morning a few months later, sunlight shone into the bedroom through the gauze.

Feng Ling was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. The wind chime ring on her ring finger occasionally brushed against the bowl wall with her movements, making a soft sound. An Hesu hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, closing his eyes, and breathing in peace.

Outside the window, the hustle and bustle of the city has awakened. Inside the house, there is only the warm sound of porridge bubbling in the pot.

The wind chimes that once shook the world have now become the most ordinary background music in their lives. And they all know that this hard-earned ordinariness is the most beautiful echo they have finally found after going through all the storms.

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