Chapter 38 Farewell Kiss "Lianlian, go live the life you want. ...

The packed suitcases were placed in the middle of the bedroom.

Zhui Lian was leaning against the bed in a daze, looking listless. After glancing at the suitcase, he immediately retracted his gaze and continued to stare blankly at a certain point in the void.

After the farce in the basement yesterday, she returned to this state.

No crying, no making a fuss, no laughing, and no talking.

Of course, I don’t want to eat either.

The dark purple bed curtain was pulled aside, and the hand that stretched out was pale and slender.

Pei Zhiyu sat down beside her bed and handed her a bowl of light red date and barley porridge.

His voice was cautious, with a subtle pleading tone, "Lianlian, please eat a little, okay? You'll have health problems if you keep going like this."

The porridge was cooked to perfection, emitting a faint sweet fragrance. Zhui Lian turned her head away indifferently, saying nothing, but expressing her resistance with obvious movements.

She doesn't want to eat.

A trace of pain flashed deep in his eyes, and Pei Zhiyu's hand holding the bowl froze in mid-air.

He looked at her lifeless profile; that gesture of rejection made him more powerless than any fierce resistance.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he seemed to have made up his mind: "Lianlian, have a bite."

He paused, pointing to the packed suitcase in the middle of the bedroom. "Just one bite, and then—"

The air was silent for a long time.

He spoke the next words with great difficulty, as if he was piecing them together word by word from his throat:

"I'll let you go."

The ending tone was trembling, so much so that the dead water in Zhui Lian's eyes was slightly disturbed.

Her eyelashes finally fluttered very slowly.

The gaze that was fixed in the void was retracted and slowly fell back onto Pei Zhiyu's face.

A strong suspicion appeared on her delicate face without any concealment.

Let her go?

Is this possible?

Was this another game he was playing on her? Was she drugged in her food to make her sleepy or even more dependent on him?

This look was easy to understand, at least Pei Zhiyu understood it easily.

He showed that smile that was uglier than crying again, and his tone was filled with deep self-mockery and exhaustion: "You don't believe me, I know."

He said softly, his eyes falling on Zhui Lian's dry and pale lips: "Do you think I will drug you?"

Zhui Lian remained silent, but the vigilance in his eyes told it all.

"Lianlian, I'm tired too. That's enough."

Pei Zhiyu took a deep breath, as if saying this sentence had exhausted all his strength.

His voice was so light that it almost disappeared into the air. "This time..."

"The game is really over." He raised his eyes and looked deeply into her wary eyes. Each word he spoke was clear and slow. "From now on, I won't bother you anymore."

That look was serious, very serious.

But it carried a kind of ashes and dead silence after a complete burn, which made Zhui Lian unconsciously look away, not wanting to, or not daring to, look any longer.

She still hesitated, her eyes moving back and forth between his face and the bowl of porridge.

Ultimately, the desire for freedom overwhelmed everything.

Zhui Lian opened her mouth slightly.

Pei Zhiyu carefully fed her a small mouthful of porridge. The warm porridge slid down her throat, and her stomach felt the long-lost soothing warmth.

The porridge tasted delicious and you could tell it was made by Pei Zhiyu himself, but this only deepened Zhui Lian's nervousness and distrust.

She really doubted that he would do something in there.

but--

Nothing really happened.

The sun's shadow gradually moved, dusk fell, and time passed by minute by minute. She sat on the bed vigilantly, feeling her body and consciousness.

But there really was nothing unusual.

Pei Zhiyu also sat beside the bed, accompanying her quietly.

He sat neither too close nor too far from her, maintaining a safe distance. He didn't try to get closer, nor did he speak again.

The red bean and barley porridge was placed on a tray beside the bed and had cooled to the point of solidification.

"You really... didn't do anything?" Time passed a long time ago, and Zhui Lian still felt no discomfort. She looked straight at Pei Zhiyu and finally asked.

"No."

Pei Zhiyu couldn't help but smile bitterly. Her distrust of him had really reached this point. "If you really don't believe it..."

He picked up the bowl of red bean and barley porridge that had cooled to the point of solidification and drank it all in one gulp.

It didn't look like he was drinking porridge, but rather like he was drinking some strong liquor.

He raised his hand to wipe his mouth and repeated softly: "Look, there really isn't anything."

"That suitcase..." Zhui Lian hesitated, wanting to say that nothing had been done in the suitcase. Before she could finish her words, she saw Pei Zhiyu stand up, pull over the suitcase, and open it in front of her.

He spoke, his voice calm and composed: "I packed it for you. All your things are here."

Next, Pei Zhiyu's actions surprised her again. He actually took out the things inside one by one and spread them on the ground.

"Clothes, ID, and some of your old gadgets... You can check carefully to see if there is anything you don't recognize, whether there is a surveillance camera or a locator."

Really?

Can Pei Zhiyu really be so kind?

But the instinct for survival and the desire for freedom suddenly came over me.

Flood up.

Zhui Lian looked at him, then looked at the luggage spread out on the floor. Finally, she got out of bed and squatted beside the spread-out suitcase.

"Where is Xunli's pendant?" She squatted down, searched for a while, and immediately turned around and asked.

Pei Zhiyu's voice sounded even drier: "...It's here with me. I was going to give it to you later."

"Give it to me now." Zhui Lian immediately stood up and stretched out his hand towards Pei Zhiyu.

The air was silent for a moment.

Pei Zhiyu spread out his five fingers, revealing the amber pendant that he had been holding tightly in his palm, clear and bright.

Zhui Lian immediately took the pendant back from his hand, quickly but cautiously, as if she was holding a fragile dream, afraid of disturbing it in the slightest.

She put the pendant back on her neck and held it solemnly against her heart to warm it.

Pei Zhiyu leaned against the bed and looked at her, then closed his eyes, feeling an endless sorrow enveloping him.

It can't be driven away no matter what you do.

But Zhui Lian was completely unaware of this, because she was busy checking every item in the suitcase, every corner and crevice, even inside the pulleys... She checked everything very carefully, fearing that she might miss anything.

No.

There's really nothing.

Monitors, locators, nothing.

The suitcase was as clean as it looked, just an ordinary suitcase filled with her old things.

The huge surprise was mixed with strong uneasiness, but the desire to leave overwhelmed everything.

Zhui Lian stuffed the things back in a hurry and zipped up her pants.

She stood up suddenly, picked up the box, and didn't even look at Pei Zhiyu, as if she was avoiding the source of plague.

Turn around and rush out of the bedroom door.

Pick up the suitcase, go down the stairs, and run to the door, all in one go.

At dusk, the breeze outside brought a light coolness, blowing on Zhui Lian's cheeks that were hot due to nervousness, bringing a sense of illusion and unreality.

She never thought she had such strength, she could stagger but not stop for a moment.

Gurgle, gurgle.

The wheels of the suitcase made a sound, and she had already crossed the courtyard and stood in front of the half-open iron gate, waiting to take the last step.

"Chasing pity."

Pei Zhiyu's voice came from behind him, not loud, even a little light.

But it was like an ice-cold poisonous snake, instantly wrapping around her limbs and licking her neck, collarbone, and every inch of her body in a smooth manner.

His steps suddenly stopped and Zhui Lian's body stiffened uncontrollably.

She wanted to run a little further and get out of the villa.

But my legs just wouldn't obey me.

She knew that if he wanted to catch her back, it would be too easy, and even if she escaped to the ends of the earth, it would be like a drop in the bucket.

She should have guessed it earlier... How could this person be so kind? He just wanted to play another round of cat and mouse with her.

Turned around.

Zhui Lian still turned around.

Very slowly, little by little, he turned around.

She saw Pei Zhiyu standing quietly at the door of the villa, the golden and red afterglow of the setting sun spreading behind him, illuminating the open hallway.

His figure was very tall, and his pale face was set off by the golden red.

There was no anger, no threat, but still no trace of warmth.

Then, he walked towards Zhui Lian very slowly, step by step.

Zhui Lian subconsciously took a step back, one hand unconsciously gripping the suitcase handle, the other hand on guard at all times, ready to slap.

but--

Pei Zhiyu walked up to her.

Stop.

There was none of the coercion she had expected.

He stopped just one step away from her.

Those eyes, always filled with paranoia and madness, were filled with so many complex emotions that Zhui Lian could not understand, nor did she want to understand.

He just looked at her, very intently and stubbornly.

It seems like every time you see it, you see less.

An action occurred that completely stunned Zhui Lian.

Pei Zhiyu stretched out his hand and very gently held her in his arms.

The clouds on the horizon are boiling, and the tone of clouds and mist is boiling in large areas.

This hug was not aggressive at all, and it did not have the force that almost crushed her into her bones and blood like before.

It was light, even carrying a cautious cherishment, and an indescribable...sadness.

Can a person really be as stiff as a stone?

Zhui Lian's mind was blank, completely unable to comprehend what was happening at the moment.

Then, a cool and soft touch—

It landed gently on her forehead again.

It's a kiss.

A short, dry kiss without any passion.

Very light, very light, so light that it was just a kiss of farewell.

Bitter, but separated at the first touch.

Pei Zhiyu let go of her, took a step back, and widened the distance between them again.

His eyes swept across Zhui Lian's face, which was filled with astonishment and confusion. There was a huge pain in his eyes that she could not understand and something... almost a farewell.

"Let's go." He uttered these two words in a low and hoarse voice.

The last rays of sunlight shone thinly, and he gently pushed her out.

The final words were diffused in the evening wind——

"Lianlian, go live the life you want."

The words fell.

The Gothic spire still soars into the sky, and the dim building still lies dormant like a giant beast. The wrought iron gate in front slowly closes, and the hard lines separate the two worlds.

Pei Zhiyu stood behind the door, turned around and didn't look at her again.

The slightly cool touch on his forehead seemed to still be there, and Zhui Lian took a last look at the figure walking towards the depths of the villa.

The unspeakable sadness seemed to swallow him whole.

But Zhui Lian did not hesitate any longer. She picked up her suitcase and started running.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, she suddenly ran in the opposite direction of the villa.

She didn't look back.

Therefore, she will never see—

The tall figure who was supposed to walk straight back into the dim villa suddenly stopped halfway into the courtyard.

Everything in the courtyard was covered with a layer of gray mist; even the newly planted white daisies were swaying in the wind as if they would wither at any moment.

Pei Zhiyu lowered his head slightly and spread out his hand, which had been clenched into a fist.

The hand that had just hugged her.

In the palm of his hand, drops of blood were slowly seeping out, forming a line.

A long, deep scratch ran from the edge of the palm to the center, and then from the center to the base of the fingers.

It's the amber pendant.

He held the pendant so tightly that the sharp edge had already pierced his skin before he handed it to Zhui Lian.

Blood was still oozing out, and the amount of blood in the wound was increasing.

Gather together.

And then dripping.

It dripped onto the stone bricks in the courtyard, spreading bright red.

Pei Zhiyu seemed to feel no pain. He just stood there, staring motionlessly in the direction where Zhui Lian disappeared.

Until now.

Until he watched her back go away without any reluctance, getting smaller and smaller, more and more blurred, and finally disappearing at the end of the path.

The end of twilight, the end of dusk, and... the end in his eyes.

The pain of loss was as violent and intense as a belated tsunami, sweeping through every inch of bone and blood in the body.

Every inch, every inch, every inch hurts.

And the ignored tingling in the palm of my hand seemed to have finally penetrated the numbness and awakened belatedly.

The severe pain in my heart and chest that made it difficult to breathe also woke me up.

The pain was so severe that he could hardly stand up and fell to his knees on the stone bricks in the courtyard.

At dusk, the last bit of sunlight fell on Pei Zhiyu Qingjun's face, illuminating him.

He was like a sinner bathed in this light.

And the angels had no more mercy on him.

The overwhelming sadness that permeated the air was real, the pain of loss was real, but deep within those dark eyes, there was something—

A more paranoid, calmer, and more terrifying undercurrent is surging.

The undercurrent gathers silently.

He slowly closed his hand, which was still bleeding, and stood up and walked deeper into the villa.

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The author has something to say: Did Pei Gou really give up the no-prize guessing game? [Rainbow fart]