In the early morning, Su Nian woke to the steady beating of A Chen's heart. He was still holding her tightly from behind, his arm around her waist, a possessive yet no longer suffocating gesture. After last night's tender and precious kiss, and their heartfelt conversation, a deeper connection seemed to have formed between them, one that transcended mere attraction or dependence.
She stirred slightly, and Ah Chen woke up. He didn't release her immediately; instead, he tightened his arms, buried his face in the back of her neck, took a deep breath, and his sleepy, hoarse voice sounded in her ear: "Good morning."
"Good morning," Su Nian replied, gently patting his hand. "It's time to go see Mr. Xie."
Mentioning Xie Chen (the main personality), A-Chen's arm stiffened for a moment before slowly relaxing. The two got up, tacitly straightened their clothes, and headed towards the guest room.
In the guest room, Xie Chen was already awake. He didn't curl up and cry or show extreme fear as usual. He just leaned quietly against the headboard, staring into the void. His face was still pale, but the heart-wrenching sense of collapse had subsided, replaced by a deep, exhausting weariness, as if everything had been drained away, and... a kind of indescribable calm?
Seeing Su Nian and A Chen enter together, his gaze lingered on them for a moment. He showed no surprise or fear, but simply nodded slightly, his voice as soft as a feather: "Good morning."
This unusual calm surprised Su Nian and A Chen.
"How...are you feeling?" Su Nian walked to the bedside and asked softly.
Xie silently lowered his head, looking at his clenched, slightly trembling fingers. After a long while, he whispered, "I remember everything... everything." His voice wasn't choked with sobs, but rather filled with a resigned desolation. "How... did Mom... pass away... what... did she do..."
He raised his head and looked at Ah Chen. His eyes no longer held the timidity of the past, but only a sorrow of shared suffering and... a faint trace of determination: "You're right... we can't... go on like this anymore."
Xie Chen's (the main personality) transformation was faster and more thorough than Su Nian had anticipated. The immense trauma acted as a cruel tempering, crushing him while seemingly shattering some of his deep-seated weaknesses, forcing him to emerge from his trembling shell and confront the bloody reality.
At breakfast, the three of them sat at the same table for the first time. The atmosphere was no longer tense or fearful, but rather filled with a heavy, unspoken sense of alliance.
Su Nian explained the general plan she had discussed with A-Chen the night before to Xie Chen in a gentler way—not to publicly destroy, but to use evidence to deter and negotiate, forcing Xie Hongyuan to let go, and to seek potential legal justice for her mother.
Xie Chen listened quietly without objecting, though he would occasionally tremble slightly when his mother and that night were mentioned. But he persisted in listening and did not try to escape the conversation.
"What... what can I do?" he asked softly, glancing at Su Nian and then timidly at A Chen, who was eating in silence.
Ah Chen put down her cutlery, glanced at him, and said in a calm but no longer barbed tone: "Play your piano well."
Xie Chen was stunned for a moment.
“At that celebration,” Ah Chen added, his eyes sharp, “you will go on stage and play ‘Candle in the Wind’.”
These words were like a thunderbolt! To make Xie Chen play that piece of music, so connected to his mother's tragic death, in that kind of setting?!
Xie Chen's face paled even more instantly, and his fingers gripped the hem of his clothes tightly.
"Why..." His voice trembled.
“That was a gift your mother left you, and it was also her resistance,” Su Nian continued, her voice gentle yet firm. “Playing it in front of everyone wasn’t surrender, but a declaration—her music, her spirit, had not been destroyed. That in itself was a power, and the most silent yet most powerful counterattack against Xie Hongyuan. And…” she paused, “it could lull him into a false sense of security, making him think you were still under his control, creating opportunities for our subsequent negotiations.”
Ah Chen snorted coldly: "That old bastard loves this kind of superficiality. Let him be smug for a while, it won't hurt."
Looking into Su Nian's encouraging eyes and feeling the awkward support in Ah Chen's words, Xie Chen felt a faint, unprecedented courage begin to grow in his heart. He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and nodded heavily: "I...I'll try."
Over the next two days, the atmosphere in the apartment was tense yet orderly. Su Nian was responsible for gathering more information about Xie's Enterprises and related laws, and secretly communicating with Dr. Chen to prepare for possible extreme scenarios. Ah Chen, on the other hand, used his vigilance towards the outside world and his understanding of Xie Hongyuan to repeatedly simulate various possible situations at the celebration, ensuring that the plan would go perfectly.
Xie Chen (the main personality) began his arduous practice. He sat at the piano, his fingers trembling as he pressed the first note of "Candle in the Wind." Each time he played, it was as if he were reliving that terrifying night, the pain washing over him like waves. He would often break down in tears halfway through, or his fingers would stiffen with fear, making it impossible for him to continue.
At such times, Ah Chen no longer responded with sarcasm as before. Sometimes he would stand silently a short distance away, and sometimes he would walk over, not to offer comfort, but to say in his characteristic, cold tone:
"continue."
"Don't stop."
"Mom is listening."
Strangely, this cold, unfeeling "encouragement" seemed to stimulate Xie Chen more than gentle words of comfort. He would grit his teeth, wipe away his tears, and start anew, his fingers trembling. Su Nian would be there, offering a glass of warm water or simply providing quiet companionship with a glance.
A strange yet effective cooperation was formed between the two personalities.
Nighttime became the only time the three of them drew warmth and strength from each other. In the guest room, Su Nian would stay with Xie Chen until he fell into a deep sleep, exhausted and comforted. Then, she would return to the master bedroom.
Ah Chen was always waiting for her. Sometimes he would sit on the bed reading (though his gaze was often not on the pages), and sometimes he would stand by the window, looking at the city lights outside, his back view appearing somewhat lonely.
Su Nian would naturally walk to his side, or be pulled into his arms. They no longer needed many words; hugs and kisses became the most direct way to confirm each other's existence and soothe their inner anxieties. Ah Chen's kisses were sometimes filled with an uneasy demand, and sometimes became extremely tender and lingering, as if he wanted to use this method to firmly engrave Su Nian into his soul.
Falling asleep in each other's arms became the most precious comfort before the storm. He would hold her tightly from behind, completely enveloping her in his breath and body heat, as if this could build a fortress against all external harm. Su Nian gradually got used to his embrace, and even found a strange sense of security in this tight, almost suffocating embrace.
The eve of the family celebration.
After several days of struggle and practice, Xie Chen (the main personality) was finally able to play "Candle in the Wind" relatively completely and steadily, although each time he played it, his face would still turn pale and he would be covered in cold sweat.
That night, after comforting him to sleep, Su Nian returned to the master bedroom. Achen didn't immediately embrace her as usual; instead, he stood in the center of the room, holding the handwritten score of "Candle in the Wind" left by his mother, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
“Tomorrow…” he began, his voice low.
Su Nian walked up to him, gently took the sheet music, put it aside, and then took the initiative to throw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek against his warm chest.
"Don't be afraid," she whispered. "We're together."
Ah Chen's body trembled slightly, then he hugged her tightly, with a force so great it seemed he wanted to meld her into his very bones. He lowered his head, found her lips, and kissed her deeply. This kiss carried the tension of impending battle, the resolute determination of a desperate gamble, and also a deep, unspeakable dependence.
When the kiss ended, both of them were a little breathless. Ah Chen pressed his forehead against hers, his dark eyes shining brightly in the darkness.
“No matter what happens tomorrow,” he swore hoarsely, with the obsession and intensity unique to yandere, “you will always be mine. Forever.”
Su Nian didn't answer, but just hugged him tightly.
That night, in the master bedroom, Ah Chen held Su Nian tightly in his arms, almost imprisoning her. Their bodies were pressed together, without a single gap. He didn't fall asleep quickly as usual, but kept his eyes open, listening to Su Nian's breathing gradually become steady in the darkness, feeling her soft body, as if he wanted to imprint this moment in his memory forever.
Su Nian wasn't sleeping soundly either. She could feel Ah Chen's tense nerves and the almost overflowing unease. Occasionally, she would pat his back in her sleep or gently rub his chin, as if unconsciously offering comfort.
In the guest room, Xie Chen (the dominant personality) slept surprisingly soundly, perhaps because of the mental exhaustion of the past few days, or perhaps because he sensed that shared determination in the depths of his being.
Three souls, in two rooms, each in their own way, are gathering their final strength for the impending final battle.
The city outside the window gradually fell silent; the darkness before dawn was so thick it seemed impenetrable.
The storm is at the door.
(End of Chapter 145)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com