Chapter 152 The Dust Settles Down: The Ending
Sang Li suddenly felt that kissing was a very sacred thing.
Although she couldn't tell that this was sacred because it was done by Bai Heng.
Or rather, this posture is devoid of any desire.
Vulgar desires.
Bai Heng's lips landed on her lower back through her clothes.
Sang Li was as stiff as a frozen statue, her breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding.
She dared not move at all; the heat climbed up her spine until it was burning.
Bai Heng raised his head, his gaze devout: "I have always been the same, haven't I?"
Sang Li's throat was dry, and she could barely speak: "The medicine hasn't... taken effect yet..."
His laughter was like the wind blowing through a burning candle flame: "Don't lie to yourself."
She was speechless, feeling as if a needle had pierced her heart, her blood churning, and she wanted to flee in panic.
Bai Heng's eyes softened, like a gentle tide engulfing her defenses: "You don't need to blame yourself. I was the one who crossed the line first."
Sang Li felt her skin being invaded inch by inch by the breath.
Bai Heng's breathing, like the tide in a spring night, threw her thoughts into disarray, as if the whole world had been compressed into this moment.
"I don't believe it." Sang Li felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on her chest, and her breathing became stiff.
Bai Heng's arms gently encircled her waist, his lips moving along her skin, a wave of heat washing over him.
Sang Li remained standing in the same spot.
He lifted a corner of her shirt.
The cold air brought a slight shiver, and the next second, his lips covered hers directly.
It was a kiss without any attempt to conceal it, burning and thorough, as if it had left a mark on her skin.
It was as if it were the mark made by Sanli at that time.
A barely audible murmur escaped her throat.
"Don't...don't do this." She almost choked up, her voice trembling like ashes scattered by the wind. "No, I have to go back."
Sang Li pushed Bai Heng's shoulder, but actually pushed him away.
He left with a final sentence and hurriedly ran off.
It's about escaping.
Fortunately, they were not stopped.
Sang Li stumbled back to her room, the door clicking shut behind her, cutting off the outside world.
She leaned against the door, her chest heaving violently, as if she had just struggled out of drowning.
Bai Heng's breath still lingered on her skin, and the lip print seemed to burn her whole body.
That feeling of excitement was both unfamiliar and dangerous.
She kept telling herself to keep her distance from him, but her body was trembling, as if it would betray her reason at any moment.
She clutched her lower back; it was so hot she dared not touch it.
Fortunately, Bai Heng did not chase after them.
There was silence outside the door, as if nothing had happened.
However, I'm not going to sleep well tonight.
In the days that followed, Bai Heng and Sang Li tacitly agreed not to mention what happened that night.
Life seemed to have returned to a seemingly calm track.
The seaside cottage is enveloped by the sea breeze and the sound of the tide. The wooden planks on the terrace creak occasionally, and the lights at night are dim and quiet.
Sang Li chose to treat the chaotic heartbeat and the burning sensation on her skin as an illusion that had never happened.
Since no one has brought it up again, let it be buried in silence.
Chi Du and Fei Ling rarely had such a leisurely day.
Peaceful and stable.
I made all sorts of delicious dishes for Sang Li.
Amber would send beautiful pearls every day—white, pale yellow, gray, pink—they were all very pretty.
They would also ask Sang Li if she wanted to go out to sea.
And he would often secretly think about how to take down the other three people.
Bai Heng appears to be in a video conference.
It should be with Lu Jin.
But Sang Li didn't ask why.
Instead of trying to please Sang Li herself, Chi Du and Fei Ling constantly tried to please He Chen.
This made He Chen a little embarrassed.
Five days later, Lu Jin arrived.
They arrived by helicopter.
Lu Jin stood at the door, his brows and eyes still bearing his usual coldness, but his expression was exceptionally solemn.
He spoke, his voice low: "It's time to go back."
Sang Li tilted her head and looked at him, while Bai Heng slowly raised his eyes, already having guessed it.
Lu Jin handed Sang Li her favorite blueberry yogurt, and then brought her the clothes she had pre-ordered two months ago. He then sat calmly on the sofa in the living room.
Lu Jin: "BEAM has already investigated. This was all a plan conspired by Qian Rujun, Bloomberg, and several other high-ranking officials. Their real intention was to overthrow the federal government and create even greater chaos."
“BEAM is currently sealing off all experimental areas,” he continued. “The chain of evidence has been established, and the follow-up investigation is nearing completion.”
Lu Jin's voice echoed in the living room, like a stone falling, bringing a brief silence.
He looked at Sang Li and said in a softer tone, "Go home, it's all over. And," he paused, his expression serious, "BEAM needs you to testify in court."
Chi Du leaned against the wall, his eyes cold, and almost immediately interrupted, "She can't go back with you."
Fei Ling sat on the other side of the sofa, wringing out a towel in her hand: "Who knows if we'll get locked up? Do we have to start all over again?"
Lu Jin did not refute them, but looked directly at them: "The federal government has established a special task force. Qian Rujun and his cronies have been completely taken into custody, and all projects they handled are being investigated. You are now under key protection. The federal government will not sit idly by in such a serious matter. BEAM is also conducting an internal investigation, and all operations have been slowed down. Moreover, Qian Rujun's involvement is not only in human experimentation, but also in smuggling and espionage. You are all victims."
Sang Li listened, feeling a sense of relief, but that wasn't what she was thinking about.
She looked at Lu Jin, thought for a moment, and then asked seriously, "Are you alright?"
Lu Jin was clearly stunned for a moment, his lips slightly tightening.
He had just noticed that Sang Li seemed a little distracted; it turned out she was concerned about him.
Indeed, it's been very cold these past few days.
Hearings, inspections, tests...
He hadn't slept for a long time.
Once they were able to come and find Sang Li, they set off immediately.
I can't wait.
"Reinstated to your original position," he said calmly. "And don't worry about your bank balance."
Sang Li chuckled.
There are some things you have to understand, and you'll end where you begin.
Sang Li lowered her eyes and after a few seconds said softly, "I'm going back."
The words fell.
“Then we’ll go too,” Chi Du was the first to speak.
“Count me in.” Amber’s expression was indifferent, but her eyes were firm.
We can't let Sang Li go back alone.
Fei Ling tossed the towel into the basin and said simply, "I want to go too."
Lu Jin frowned and said coldly, "It's better for you to stay here. There's not enough space at home, so stop making trouble."
“Who’s going to stay at your house? She’ll be staying with me.” Chi Du clearly wasn’t going to leave Sang Li with Lu Jin.
“No.” Lu Jin immediately rejected the idea, his voice firm. “I am still her guardian.”
Tensions were high.
However, Sang Li was used to it.
She rubbed her temples and tried to smooth things over: "Can you two stop arguing?"
Lu Jin looked away, like a wealthy but unwilling boss who really wanted to get rid of his poor relatives, and said: "I'll let you open a hotel, that should be fine, right?"
“No,” Chi Du refused.
Bai Heng, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up: "I have a villa with enough rooms."
Sang Li breathed a sigh of relief, looked at Bai Heng, and clasped her hands together: "Thank you for saving my life."
For a moment, Sang suddenly felt as if she had a huge family.
This feeling of being "surrounded" is both unfamiliar and warm.
Finally, they returned to Shangjing City on a chartered plane.
The cabin was so quiet you could hear breathing, broken only by the occasional seatbelt reminder.
After all, nobody wants to talk to anyone else.
Taking advantage of this moment, Fei Ling snuggled up to Sang Li and started chattering, asking her if she would like to go to a bar with her that night.
Sang Li: "Are you trying to get me drunk?"
Fei Ling, hehe.
Sang Li: "I could, but do you think you can beat the others?"
Fei Ling shivered.
As we landed, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and the morning light streamed through the portholes like a thin veil, falling on everyone's faces.
Just as Lu Jin had promised, the people from BEAM did not come to disturb them immediately.
The whole process was incredibly smooth, to the point that Sang Li felt as if she had just taken a long trip.
Bai Heng's villa indeed became a place to house other people.
Although the atmosphere was tense.
The villa also has a swimming pool, which Amber likes to soak in.
However, Lu Jin still legitimately "detained" him in his home under the pretext of "assisting in the investigation."
Of course, it can also be considered a home for two people.
Sang Li followed Lu Jin home and pushed open the door.
A familiar scent wafted over me; the room had a faint smell of wood and the aroma of sunshine.
She stood at the doorway, a vague sense of disorientation welling up inside her.
She had only been gone a short time, but it felt as if she had lived through an entire century and endured unspeakable calamities. When she returned here, she had a strange feeling of being in another world.
The room was extremely quiet, except for a few cardboard boxes piled up in the corner, all of which contained clothes that had been pre-ordered.
A basket of fresh fruit was placed on the table, which Lu Jin had prepared in advance.
The milk in the refrigerator is all fresh.
It seemed like everything was back on track.
"Take off your clothes."
Lu Jin spoke.
Sang Li exclaimed, her ears burning, almost thinking she had misheard.
ah?
No way, bro?
"Go home and change into your pajamas." Lu Jin said casually, pointing towards the bedroom. "Put your clothes in the washing machine, I'll wash them for you."
"Oh...oh," Sang Li responded softly, only then realizing that she hadn't been home for far too long.
She walked in on the familiar floor, and when she came out after changing her clothes, she saw that Lu Jin had already rolled up his sleeves and was rummaging through the kitchen for seasonings.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" He asked without looking up, as if discussing something trivial. "Anything is fine."
Sang Li sat on the sofa, looking up at him with a soft light in her eyes.
"I want to eat braised pork ribs," she said.
She hadn't eaten a meal cooked by him in a long time.
That taste wasn't just homey; it was more like a long-lost sense of peace.
Besides, Lu Jin is a really good cook.
It's the best-tasting, but I can't say that.
Lu Jin paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay."
The water in the pot began to boil, and steam rose up, carrying the familiar scent of home.
That night, Sang Li slept very soundly.
Still in Lu Jin's bedroom.
It seems my bedroom will never be tidy.
Even without external threats, I wouldn't allow myself to live alone.
Because of that horrific human experimentation, the federal government was ultimately forced to take a stand.
Although the files of the anomalous entities remain top secret and cannot be disclosed to the public, BEAM has for the first time officially apologized to the victims and offered an astonishingly large amount of compensation.
When Sang Li received the notification, she was completely stunned.
She had never seen so many numbers in her life, enough for her to buy a villa in a prime location in Beijing, or even a large penthouse with a garden and a swimming pool, and live a life she had never dared to dream of.
But in reality, she knew that she would rather have a normal life.
Meanwhile, BEAM also issued a statement at its highest internal level, promising that all contained anomalous entities that pose a threat to society would be properly housed and subject to strict oversight procedures. Some "humanoid" anomalous entities, after passing ethical and moral assessments, will be allowed to gradually reintegrate into society.
As for all the data from human experiments, the Federal Parliament decided to permanently seal them away.
Those files are no longer to be casually accessed by anyone.
Sang Li's name also appeared on another list.
To protect her safety and privacy, all files related to [BEAM-071] have been marked as "permanently banned".
Her story became a secret, and no one knew who 071 was anymore.
As for He Chen, she did not choose to return to BEAM. The wounds from that past were too deep for her, and she preferred to rekindle her unfulfilled dream from her university days, enter the laboratory she had once longed for, and continue to do pure scientific research.
Everything was settled before the Spring Festival.
By the end of January, the streets were already decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.
On New Year's Eve, Sang Li summoned everyone to Bai Heng's villa.
After all, this is the biggest.
Snowflakes fell softly outside the glass windows of Baiheng Villa, but inside, the atmosphere was bustling with activity.
Sang Li noticed that, apart from herself, everyone else was acting like they were on stimulants, constantly moving in and out of the kitchen.
The kitchen was large, but it was packed with people.
Wearing an apron like a professional chef, Amber flipped the grilled fish in the oven while preparing fresh sashimi with ice.
Lu Jin's Western food has always been quite good; this time, he even bought lobster.
Although Amber felt that it wasn't as fresh as the ones she had caught from the sea.
Bai Heng was serving crab roe lion's head meatballs and stir-fried vegetables.
He knew that Sang Li didn't like vegetables, but he still insisted on cooking vegetarian dishes.
Lian Feiling, with an indifferent expression, picked up a rolling pin, kneaded and rubbed the dough, and finally arranged it into a plate of rose petal cakes, which were filled with a sweet fragrance.
Only Sang Li, like a leisurely guest, could only hug a cushion and curl up on the sofa to watch the excitement.
She turned to look at Chi Du, who was also sitting next to her, and couldn't help but ask, "Why don't you show me what you've got?"
Chi Du leaned back on the sofa, slightly raising his eyelids, and said in a very calm tone: "I can't cook."
"So what can you do?" Sang Li blinked and asked jokingly.
Chi Du raised an eyebrow, a cryptic smile curving his lips, as if the answer was simply not appropriate to be uttered in this setting.
Sang Li's heart tightened, and she immediately waved her hand: "Stop."
She instinctively raised her hand to cover her neck, where red marks from not long ago still remained.
Chi Du didn't press further, but simply chuckled, the smile barely perceptible.
This warmth seemed to fill the void left by all the suffering they had endured.
Because of Sang Li, all tensions had to be suppressed, and everyone had to obediently pretend that they were all a harmonious family.
Firecrackers went off outside the window, and red sparks shot into the sky.
Sang Li raised her glass, narrowed her eyes, and announced with a smile, "Today, we're not leaving until we're drunk!"
"Okay, Lili."
"You only call me Lili when you're happy."
"I drink red wine."
"The wine doesn't taste good."
"What do you know, you piece of trash?"
"What kind of wine would Lili like to drink?"
"It's baijiu (Chinese liquor) too! I'm so happy today, I haven't been this happy in a long time!"
Looking at how well everyone cooperated, Sang Li felt a warm sense of satisfaction welling up inside her.
As the wine glasses were passed around in round after round, Sang Li felt that she had managed the party quite well.
She started to feel dizzy and hot all over, and the alcohol made her mind feel lightheaded.
He glanced at the crowd's gazes and noticed a growing sense of pressure in their atmosphere.
"..."
No way?
Everyone was watching her intently, as if she were about to do something bad.
Sang Li shuddered.
Something feels off.
Something seems off.
Really?
Surely they're not all hypocrites.
Sang Li quickly got up, wanting to escape, since her body couldn't take too much right now, and she couldn't keep indulging in revelry every night.
Chi Du's voice came from behind: "At a time like this, don't lock yourself in the toilet."
Sang Li's heart tightened instantly: "I want to have a proper New Year!"
Lu Jin: "We should have a proper New Year and come home with me."
Sang Li gritted her teeth, turned to the bedroom next door, and locked herself inside: "No! I can't take it anymore!"
"Hey, come out and watch the fireworks, I'm not bothering you."
"I don't believe it!"
"real."
At the moment the door closed.
Fireworks exploded outside the window, their red glow reflecting on my face.
Sang Li looked out the window and stopped what she was doing.
Happy New Year!
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