Chapter 145 Let's Move Forward
Lin Yao looked up at the pink bird in mid-air and shook his head: "No."
Xie Dai said in a serious tone, "If Xie Xingchen hadn't picked me up back then, I might have been captured and destroyed on Rose Star. I'm really lucky to have lived for another four years, and they were four very happy years."
“Aren’t mechanical birds supposed to live to be a hundred years old? What’s four years?” Lin Yao insisted. “No, there must be another way.”
"There's no other way. If we delay any longer, someone could really die," Xie said. "Let's unbind it now."
Lin Yao moved his lips: "You haven't said goodbye to He Li yet."
“Yes, he gave me a bath.” Xie Dai raised his wing and pretended to wipe away tears. “That guy is still crying now.”
Cheng Boyan on the other end of the phone remained silent. Logically speaking, no one would have deep feelings for a mechanical pet, but over the years, it really seemed to have become a friend.
Xie Xingchen raised his hand and stroked its head, suggesting, "Formatting doesn't necessarily mean suicide, right? Could we preserve its memories so we can...?"
"Then let's see if we'll meet again in the future." Xie Dai flapped his wings and urged, "Hurry, there's really not enough time."
Lin Yao looked up at him, his voice trembling: "Xie Dai, I will miss you."
“Thank you, we’ll meet again,” Xie Xingchen said.
Xie Dai's mouth was slightly open, as if he was smiling, but he couldn't make any other expressions, so he could only make a heart shape with his wings.
Lin Yao closed his eyes briefly and said in a trembling voice, "Lin Yao, immediately, sever the relationship between you and Xie Dai's pet."
"Okay, binding removed. The pet will enter suicide mode in ten seconds," a mechanical voice announced.
"Order all pink birds to recall Cheng Boyan's laboratory and return the antidote to its original location. Act immediately." Xie circled in the air for a long time before issuing the final command.
"Thank you, I'm so happy to have met you all."
In an instant, countless pink birds flew in from all directions, like the pink sky of Rose Star, a spectacle never before seen in the capital.
They rushed towards the direction of the laboratory, then turned around and dispersed, connecting to form a magnificent rainbow.
The one in sight, with its wings still shaped like a heart, slowly closed its eyes and landed in Lin Yao's palm.
Lin Yao cradled Xie Dai in his hands, not daring to move, his eyes brimming with tears: "Xie Dai..."
"Once it's over, we'll find the best mechanic to bring it back to life." Xie Xingchen carefully placed it into Lin Yao's pocket. "Hey, it's just asleep right now."
Lin Yao hummed in agreement and patted the outside of his pocket lightly with his palm.
Goodnight, Xie Dai.
Xie Hengzhi, inside the warship, also saw the sky full of pink birds. He was stunned for a moment, then looked at Lin Yao and Xie Xingchen on the high platform not far away, and understood everything.
He had indeed underestimated them. Once the infected were rescued, he lost all initiative and bargaining power.
Now completely surrounded, without thousands of hostages to threaten for retreat, it will be very difficult to get out.
“Before I came here, I had already shot Zhao Quan dead, so I didn’t plan to leave any way out.” Xie Hengzhi had no choice but to throw another bomb into the empty area: “I’ll say it again, bring Yun Qing out, otherwise the next one will land directly in the center of the police station.”
A violent explosion roared, thick white smoke billowed, and chaos ensued.
After all, there were many suspects being held inside and they couldn't be evacuated. After discussions within the police station, they had no choice but to take Yun Qing out, escorted by two police officers, one on each side, in the hope of persuading this madman to leave.
"Hengzhi." Yun Qing looked even thinner as she stood in the wind, calling his name.
He looked at his usually calm and composed lover, who was now alone in a warship. He knew she was in the wrong, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything more to complain.
"You say I use dirty tricks and threaten people with hostages," Xie Hengzhi said coldly. "Aren't you using Yun Qing as a hostage now to trick me into showing myself? What's the difference between us?"
"Hengzhi, go." Yun Qing shook her head desperately, tears streaming down her face. "They just want to lure you here to kill you. Go!"
"I'm not leaving, I'll come and get you."
Xie Hengzhi donned full armor, brought the warship infinitely close to the gate, and reached out to pull him over.
His movements were very quick, taking only a second.
"Bang--"
Lin Yao aimed at his slightly exposed knee and fired a precise shot, piercing through his armor.
"Hit!" he replied.
Xie Hengzhi lost his balance, his fingers still gripping Yun Qing, but he fell to the side, exposing more of his body.
In an instant, all the snipers aimed at him, and countless gunshots rang out. He raised his gun to fight back, and blood suddenly stained Yun Qing's hands.
"Hengzhi!!!" Yun Qing trembled as she hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Aren't you usually the most rational person? What are you doing... knowing all this..."
“Yun Qing…” Xie Hengzhi raised his hand, took off his helmet, threw it aside, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
“When you’re not here, I’m home alone and I feel so lonely.”
“You’ve been by my side since you were fourteen, for decades. I… I can’t get used to it. I can’t get used to not having you by my side for even a second. I’ve had enough of this for the past month.”
"I'm sorry, in the end I still couldn't bring you home looking your best..."
Before he could finish speaking, his arm had already fallen to his side, blood staining his fair fingers, just like the red nail polish he had painted on his nails last time.
The guard next to her tried to step forward, but Yun Qing pushed him away abruptly.
"Hengzhi... Hengzhi..." Yun Qing held him in her arms, sobbing softly, "Weren't you the best at analyzing pros and cons? Today you did the stupidest thing you've ever done in your life, do you know that? You were so stupid..."
Xie Xingchen and Lin Yao rushed over, but when they got there, they couldn't utter a single word.
"Xingchen...I......."
Xie Hengzhi looked up at him, struggling to say another word, but was shot in the head by a sniper from who-knows-where, leaving a pool of blood.
Xie Xingchen's eyes were red-rimmed. He knelt down and grabbed his collar, saying, "Speak! Finish what you have to say!"
But Xie, the Alliance Leader who could turn the world upside down with a flick of his wrist, fell silent forever and closed his eyes.
Whether it was guilt, an apology, or something else, no one will know.
“Hengzhi… your son is here, wake up…” Yun Qing cupped his face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
Lin Yao stood there and said in a low voice, "Uncle Yun, I hit him with the first blow. It was an order from my superiors. I'm very sorry."
Yun Qing remained silent for several seconds before raising her red eyes to look at him: "We should apologize to you. We are so sorry, so very sorry for making you suffer for so many years. Hengzhi, you will not be able to leave here alive today, no matter who shoots you."
He gave a pale smile: "Yaoyao, may I call you that?"
Lin Yao nodded.
“Every time I saw you before, I always felt guilty, but I also ran away. We have done so many wrong things. I don’t ask for your forgiveness, but Xingchen is innocent. Please don’t hold a grudge against him. He loves you very much. Don’t let our past as adults create a barrier between us.”
Lin Yao said in a low voice, "No, I care about him more than anyone else."
Yun Qing nodded slightly: "That's good."
“I submitted additional evidence today, but I consulted the police officer, and it might be life imprisonment. Maybe there will be a chance for a reduced sentence in the future.” Xie Xingchen wiped the blood from his hands with the hem of his clothes. “You, you still have a chance.”
"Silly son." Yun Qing's eyes were filled with tears. "Are you still feeling guilty? You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just a little tired. I was forced onto a path of no return. If it weren't for the many things I'm tied down with, I wouldn't have been able to hold on any longer."
Xie Xingchen lowered his head, tears streaming down his face: "I know."
Yun Qing raised her hand and gently stroked the corner of his eye: "Xingxing, it's Dad's fault for making things difficult for you."
“I have a sum of money in my personal account that I deposited before I did those things, so even if there is an investigation, it will be clean.”
“I’ve always wanted a warm family, a loving husband, and two adorable babies since I was little, so I worked hard to earn money from the beginning, and I’ve achieved all of that. I feel so happy.”
"When Yunhuai got married, I gave him half, and the rest is for you as a wedding gift for you and Yaoyao."
"Why are you saying all this?" Xie Xingchen said in a hoarse voice.
"I just hope you won't dwell on the past anymore, and that you can make things right with Lin Yao and move forward."
Yun Qing turned her head and glanced at Xie Hengzhi lying on the ground, a gentle smile on her face. "Since you've all found happiness, I just want to be a little selfish and go be with Hengzhi first."
As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out and took the gun from Xie Hengzhi's hand, then pointed it at his temple.
"Bang--"
All was silent except for that sudden gunshot.
"Daddy Yun!!!"
Xie Xingchen watched him fall down in front of him, reaching out to grab him, but grasping at empty air.
Yun Qing fell onto Xie Hengzhi, her bright red fingers intertwined with his, just like when they fell asleep each night, and she murmured as she closed her eyes.
"Hengzhi, this life is too short."
"Let's be husband and wife again in our next life."
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