The car continued along the winding mountain road. We hadn't encountered any other vehicles for about half an hour, and the cell phone signal was intermittent, which added a lot of pressure to me...
Because of my previous experience, I was filled with fear of this deserted highway... You know it's only a little over 100 kilometers long, but you can't seem to reach the end. As we went deeper into the mountains, the speed gradually dropped to 30 kilometers per hour. This was not Ye Zhi's fault for being cautious, because there was a lot of snow on the road and sharp turns everywhere. So, to ensure safety, she could only reduce the speed to the minimum.
At this point, our mindset also changed. After a long silence, we finally started talking. Ye Zhi spoke first and asked me, "There's something I don't quite understand. Why did Sisi send you Cao Jinbo's criminal evidence instead of sending it directly to the police?"
I looked at Ye Zhi and replied in a low voice, “It’s my fault. I should have had a proper talk with her on the way to Dali, so she wouldn’t have misunderstood… We both understand that we can’t go back to the way things were before, but she doesn’t know… I conveyed too much wrong information to her: that night, Nicole and I talked by Erhai Lake. I hoped Nicole could help me find evidence of Cao Jinbo’s crimes. She probably overheard our conversation… She must have thought that I was working so hard to find evidence so that I could personally kill your enemy and make you change your mind… That’s why she sent the evidence to me, and then I handed it over to the police… She thought you would be moved… But she didn’t think about herself at all. If she had considered her own feelings even a little, things wouldn’t have turned out this badly… Actually, I’m not as persistent as she thinks… I feel I’ve done my best. Whether or not I can bring Cao Jinbo to justice in the end, I have a clear conscience…”
I remained silent for a long time, then smiled bitterly and said, "I really have no other thoughts; right now, I just want to take her home for the New Year... and then enjoy the fruits of our labor over the past few years... But I haven't had a chance to tell her any of this. Along the way, I had so many opportunities to express these feelings to her... but why did I miss them all?"
The more I talked, the more frustrated I became, so I slapped my forehead hard with my hand, but the pain that was supposed to help me stay awake only made it hurt more and more!
I know why Yang Sisi wouldn't turn on her phone, and why she refused to contact me afterward—because she felt guilty towards Cao Xiaobei… Compared to the sins I committed against her, her sins against Cao Xiaobei were far greater… This time, she may have truly decided to make amends to Cao Xiaobei with her own actions.
Yes, I know everything, but there's nothing I can do... That feeling of frustration is driving me crazy!
But Ye Zhi, who was usually so good at comforting people, suddenly fell silent at this moment… I knew how she felt… She felt sorry for me, but like me, she also…
What can be salvaged?
It's a hard feeling to describe: we're clearly in the same car and can feel each other's presence, but for us, it's the worst possible outcome because we don't know what will happen next.
...
Driving in the mountains felt like an eternity. I gradually felt like our car had become a dot, crawling at a snail's pace on a black map with no end in sight. We were almost completely cut off from the outside world, and even getting a sip of hot water became an unattainable luxury in this icy and snowy landscape.
After driving for another half hour, Ye Zhi finally found a relatively flat section of road and stopped. She took out some tissues from the tissue box and then opened the car door... Unlike Yang Sisi, she didn't shout that she was scared, nor did she talk to me. In fact, to avoid suspicion, she turned on her phone's flashlight and went to a place with cover a little further away.
Yes, we've been rushing to get somewhere and haven't been to the toilet for several hours.
After she came back, I also got off the bus...
I glanced at my phone instinctively, but there was still no signal, not even a satellite signal on the navigation... I could only judge by my gut feeling that at this moment, we were at most halfway through the mountains... and we were still at least two hours away from Shangri-La by car.
Instinctively, I looked in the darkness toward where the headlights could reach... The next instant, my mind went blank. On a hilltop ahead, I saw rhododendrons in full bloom... Their roots were buried in the snow, and when the wind blew, petals fell, making them even more delicate and enchanting.
The moment I regained consciousness, I felt my heart break. I felt like I was hallucinating, and I saw all those scenes again... How I wish time could turn back. If I could choose again, I would let go of my obsessions and do everything right.
...
The sudden ringing of my cell phone jolted me awake. I never dreamed I could receive a signal here, and along with that signal came a message from Nicole.
“Michael, where are you now? If you see my message, call me immediately… Cao Xue has told me everything… I’m sorry, he did such terrible things to Ye Zhi!… I’m very confused right now, but reason tells me that turning myself in might be Cao Xue’s only way out… He said that Sisi may have already sent you the evidence of Cao Jinbo’s crimes… Sisi must be in a very dangerous situation right now. If you need my help, please tell me and give Cao Xue a chance to atone… Even if I’m insignificant in this matter, please believe me, I’m confident I can persuade Cao Xue.”
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