Chapter 161 Making a Decision The thought of "ending it all" made his heart ache...
In the stillness of the night, the man, still unaware of what was happening, lovingly embraced her.
He brushed the sweat-dampened hair from her forehead with his hand, his voice hoarse and dreamy: "Wife...you seem a little different tonight."
They are indeed different.
Zhu Liushuang leaned against him, her mind reeling.
Looking back on every night they had spent together, she was always gentle, shy, and reserved.
She was like a soft, timid snail, occasionally venturing out her antennae to gently tease him when driven by courage, but quickly retreating back into her shell due to a lack of confidence.
In some areas, she had never truly delved into or explored them.
She was a dutiful follower, doing her best to keep pace with him.
But what about today?
She became like a reed by the pond, finding a new direction in the wind.
She was wild and unrestrained, as if she wanted to hold onto all the irreparable regrets in her heart.
She wanted to leave something in his memory, so she put in a lot of effort and went all out.
He Ming might naively believe that those mottled marks are merely "evidence" left behind after she lost control.
But only she knew that these burning marks were the result of deliberate manipulation. "You..." she hesitated, "Do you like them?"
"I like it...I like it very much." No man in this world can resist the sudden passion of the one he deeply loves. Recalling the endless murmurs he had just heard, his heart was still fluttering.
But amidst his joy and excitement, He Ming felt a sudden, inexplicable fear. He kissed her forehead and tentatively asked, "My mimosa plant has actually become a spirit... So bold and daring, did it receive some kind of expert guidance?"
His tone was humorous, as if it were just a casual joke.
Zhu Liushuang subconsciously tensed up. He Ming was perceptive; she needed to find a plausible reason to deceive him.
At the very least, we need to get through tonight.
"When I was checking my phone at noon, I saw a discussion on Zhihu." She paused for a moment, then continued fabricating, "Someone asked how to improve a wife who is always passive in her sex life... so I..."
He Ming picked up on her words, beaming with delight, and said, "So you're putting yourself in others' shoes and want to make some changes?"
"Hmm—I examine myself three times a day..."
He chuckled at her earnest reply, his thin lips brushing against her flushed earlobe as he spoke gently, "Wife... everything tonight... was wonderful. I love you..."
His sweet words were very pleasant to hear.
His scent made her feel exceptionally at ease.
His kisses, caresses, and rhythms also haunted her dreams.
For her, wasn't this an unforgettable night?
Unfortunately, dreams must eventually end.
The wound in her heart, which had been so tightly sealed, suddenly burst open, and waves of salty, icy lake water rushed in. Zhu Liushuang bit her lower lip desperately to keep the sobs from spilling out.
Honey, I love you too.
I will love you forever and ever.
She silently repeated it to herself over and over until tears overwhelmed her entire heart.
...
That night, nightmares kept coming one after another.
Even with He Ming's protection, Zhu Liushuang still couldn't sleep soundly.
She hadn't dreamt of her father in a long time. He was still the same as she remembered—young, tall, with fine lines at the corners of his eyes when he smiled. He knelt down in front of her, opening his arms to her.
"Shuangshuang... Daddy's here to take you home."
She ran quickly toward her father, but just as she was about to touch his arms, the scene before her changed.
Space distorted, and a cold, silent lake appeared in her vision. Night fell, and the lake water shimmered with a chilling light.
The air was filled with the smell of ice crystals, and the shore was filled with the noise of people.
Rescue workers wearing life jackets carried one after another, bloated and swollen bodies, ashore.
Her father lay there, his face disfigured and covered with a white sheet.
A crowd gathered around, pointing and whispering, their voices growing louder and louder.
Before she could recover from her immense grief, the crowd suddenly turned around. Their hateful gazes, like cold arrows, were all directed at her.
Blurred faces closed in step by step, their mouths agape, spewing curses, using her as a target for their venting anger...
"A life for a life..."
"It's your father who drives the bus, so he should be responsible for it to the end!"
"Don't let her go, she's the daughter of a murderer..."
Tears streamed down her cheeks, freezing into icicles. Zhu Liushuang squatted down helplessly, trying to explain and refute her words. But no matter how much she shouted, her throat seemed welded shut, not even a breath of air could escape.
They were getting closer and closer, their curses piercing our ears.
Amidst the chaos, she finally made out the outline of the leader. He was thin and frail, a young boy with black hair covering his eyes.
"I have no mother anymore..." He stopped in front of her, his pale face like a ghost, "Why don't you die in her place!"
Along with the harsh words came a hand that gripped her throat.
...
She suddenly opened her eyes, her fingers immediately reaching for her neck.
There was nothing there.
Instead, the heavy pressure on her chest made it hard for her to breathe.
A few seconds later, Zhu Liushuang realized that what was lying across her was He Ming's arm. He would hold her as she fell asleep every night, giving her the sense of security she lacked.
However, those warm arms have now become a self-imposed prison...
"Awake?" The man's groggy, low voice lingered in my ear.
Zhu Liushuang remained motionless, attempting to calm her heart pounding in her throat.
"It's still early... sleep a little longer." The man's large hand slowly moved down and wrapped around her waist.
Zhu Liushuang still ignored him, staring blankly at the dark wall with her eyes open.
Behind her, the man holding her mumbled something indistinctly.
Receiving no response for a long time, he drifted off to sleep again.
————
Finally, the moment the alarm rang arrived.
Zhu Liushuang pried open the large hand that was across her lower abdomen and sat up in bed. Dressing, washing up, putting on makeup, making breakfast... she did everything methodically, like a robot with a pre-programmed routine.
The only thing that could betray her feelings was probably her eyes.
Empty and lifeless, he didn't dare to glance at the sleeping figure on the bed again.
She left home on time, just like always.
Today's destination is not the company, but Nanshan Cemetery.
The car stopped halfway up the mountain. As she walked into the cemetery carrying a large bouquet of white chrysanthemums, the sun was just rising above the holly treetops. She walked past rows of dusty tombstones, finally stopping in front of an old stone tablet.
He Ming had only brought her to this place twice, once last year and once this year during the Qingming Festival.
Zhu Liushuang was incredibly impressed with her own memory, managing to navigate the correct route without a single mistake. But why… hadn't she remembered the names of those who perished back then?
It's just that she was too young at the time.
Overwhelmed with bitterness, she knelt down and stared for a long time at the smiling young woman in the black and white photograph.
"Mom...no, Aunt Xie..." she said incoherently, "I'm sorry...it's too early, almost all the flower shops are closed, and I couldn't buy your favorite larkspur. Are you...doing well over there?"
Her fingers brushed against the woman's faded white hem, and a sudden pang of pain shot through her heart: "I...I really didn't know...you were in that car too...If I had known...even if I liked A-Ming so much, I would never have gone near him! The lake water must be so cold in winter, right? How desperate you must have felt when you sank in..."
Her voice trailed off as she spoke: “I don’t think I can call you Mom anymore with a clear conscience… Aunt Xie, I just hope you can forgive my father. I know it’s hard… My father has always been a law-abiding citizen. He may be a bit stubborn, but he would never harm anyone… You were in the car at the time, so you must have realized that he was also a victim, right?”
Her lips trembled, and she said desperately, "Even if my father was a victim too, your life was definitely taken by him! Aunt Xie... what should I do? Now, every time I see A-Ming, I can't help but think of you... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... there's nothing I can do... but don't worry, I won't bother him anymore..."
She broke down in tears at the end.
The April wind was warm, but it lost its warmth when it blew through Nanshan Cemetery.
It was nearly noon when we left the cemetery.
At this time, barring any unforeseen circumstances... He Ming should be at the company.
Zhu Liushuang turned the carriage around and sped off towards Chunhua Lane without stopping.
He Ming was indeed not home.
She rushed into the storage room, took out a huge suitcase, and began packing. But there was just too much stuff, so she could only pick out seasonal clothes to take. Then came toiletries, office and school supplies... She kept stuffing until the suitcase zipper was almost impossible to close before she reluctantly stopped.
That's all for now!
As for the rest... we'll move them after they've completely settled things.
The thought of "ending it all" makes my heart clench uncontrollably.
Zhu Liushuang gritted her teeth, pushed the suitcase out of the bedroom.
Standing in the entryway, she took one last look around this home that had temporarily become hers, put down her car keys, and closed the door without looking back.
————
Once outside Chunhua Lane, Zhu Liushuang wandered the streets like a lost soul.
The green light came on at the intersection, and pedestrians hurried across the crosswalk. Only she remained, gripping her suitcase handle, unsure of where to go next.
East Lake is absolutely off-limits.
As for Tian Xingyu... she had never told that secret to her best friend, so of course she couldn't openly go to her.
The traffic lights at the intersection changed three times. Zhu Liushuang raised his head expressionlessly, waved for a taxi, and said, "Driver, go to Qingquanwan Community."
Fortunately, the house she bought has been successfully transferred to her name.
Although there was no furniture in the room, the landlord left her a mattress, which would be fine for a while.
But wherever she could think of, He Ming could naturally find it too.
If he comes to her door to confront her...
She will definitely soften her heart.
Thinking of this, Zhu Liushuang's brows furrowed. She opened the travel app and scrolled down irritably.
As if possessed, my finger clicked on the flight booking page.
Gucheng has no airport, but Hangzhou, which is dozens of kilometers away, does.
From Hangzhou to Kunming... The last flight tonight departs at 10:05 PM, with a discounted ticket price of only 300 yuan.
She accepted the guidance of fate and bought a one-way ticket to Kunming.
"Driver, could you please take me to the East City High-Speed Railway Station?"
Hearing the noise, the driver glanced at the rearview mirror and muttered impatiently, "Why didn't you say so earlier... I'm using the meter. Young lady, it's a long way to the high-speed rail station, don't try to renege on your bill later!"
"It's alright, you can turn around."
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