Chen Hede's voice was filled with uncontrollable grief, each word striking the air: "According to custom, the body will be kept in state for three days, and tomorrow... Miss Xu will be buried."
The word "burial" was like an ice-cold awl, piercing Cheng Muyun's heart.
He should have realized it sooner, from the moment he became aware that Xu Zhuohua was gone, he should have known that this day would eventually come. But when the truth was laid out so clearly in front of him, he still felt as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out. The pain made him clench his back teeth tightly, his jawline taut.
A sudden stinging sensation ran through my nose, and warm tears welled up uncontrollably in my eyes, swirling around the corners but stubbornly refusing to fall.
He barely had the strength to cry, and could only let the wetness blur the ceiling in his vision.
Looking at him like this, Chen Hede pursed his lips again and again, but the words that were about to come out of his mouth seemed to be blocked by something, and he couldn't say a single word.
Guilt, like a rising tide, instantly overwhelmed him.
He had long known that Cheng Muyun cared about Xu Zhuohua, and he had anticipated that Cheng Muyun would be heartbroken and break down, but he never imagined it would be like this.
Cheng Muyun lay there, his entire being exuding an aura of deathly stillness, like that of a "living dead".
It wasn't a hysterical cry or an angry question, but a complete surrender that seeped from the very marrow of one's bones.
He seemed to have quietly accepted the fact that Xu Zhuohua had left, and then buried himself in it as well.
Silence fell again in the ward, with only the ticking of the medical equipment echoing in the empty space, making one's heart race with unease.
Chen Hede unconsciously rubbed his fingers together, the calluses on his fingertips rubbing against each other, making a soft, crackling sound.
He stared at Cheng Muyun, who lay lifeless on the hospital bed, hesitated for a long time, and then slowly said, "I've locked up Li Qirui. What do you want to do with him? Just say the word."
He was calculating in his mind—of all the things, only the part involving Xu Zhuohua could make Cheng Muyun's heart flutter for a moment.
Li Qirui was the instigator of that fire, the one who personally pushed open the gates of hell. This name always managed to pry open Cheng Muyun's dead shell, even if it was just for the sake of hatred, it was enough to keep him on his feet.
Sure enough, Cheng Muyun reacted.
His eyes, fixed on the ceiling, slowly turned, like rusty gears, heavy and sluggish, as they moved toward Chen Hede.
The moment their eyes met, Chen Hede's heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively clenched his fist.
What kind of look was that?
Thick hatred surged in his dark pupils, as if he wanted to tear everything in front of him apart and devour it. A raging fire almost burst from the depths of his eyes, making the air scorching hot.
There was no sign of life in it, only a destructive and malevolent aura that sent chills down one's spine.
"Kill him."
When Cheng Muyun spoke, his voice was like a piece of charcoal burned by a fire, rough and hoarse, with a scorching heat. Each syllable seemed to be squeezed out from a torn throat, causing a sharp pain in his own throat.
His throat was badly injured and would take at least several months to recover, but he didn't care at the moment. The pain was nothing compared to the hatred surging in his heart.
Chen Hede's tone turned cold: "Will you kill me? Or will I?"
Cheng Muyun looked up at him, the fire in her eyes still burning, her lips pressed tightly together without speaking, but the stubbornness in her eyes said it all.
Chen Hede looked at him, and finally gave in, helplessly relaxing his brows: "Fine, you can kill him."
Cheng Muyun slowly closed his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a faint shadow beneath his eyelids. His hoarse voice rang out again, softer than before, yet carrying an undeniable firmness: "Where...is her body laid to rest?"
He desperately tried to avoid the word "death," but every word seemed to remind him of the bloody reality.
He knew perfectly well that if he didn't take one last look, they would be truly separated forever, and he would miss even the last image of her in this world.
God knows how much his throat hurt when he asked that question—it felt like countless tiny shards of glass were rolling around in his throat, and every sound he uttered was accompanied by a tearing pain.
How much pain was in his heart—a dull ache a thousand times worse than the burns all over his body, pounding against his chest, almost shattering his internal organs.
A faint metallic taste of blood rose in his throat, carrying a rusty flavor, cruelly reminding him:
Xu Zhuohua is truly gone.
The ward was so quiet that you could hear his own heavy breathing, each breath sounding like it was being squeezed out of his shattered lungs, mixed with pain and an overwhelming despair.
Chen Hede raised his hand and pressed the wound on his forehead, which was wrapped in thick gauze. It throbbed with a dull pain, but the pain was nothing compared to the bitterness churning in his heart.
The thought that the person lying in the coffin wasn't Xu Zhuohua, but Hu Moli, made his throat tighten—this convincing charade had to go on.
"The Cheng Mansion burned down, and the place where the body is laid to rest is the Cheng Family Ancestral Hall." He repeated softly, his voice tinged with barely perceptible weariness.
She bit her lower lip hard, trying to use the pain to suppress the helplessness in her heart.
The thought that Hu Moli should be buried in the Cheng family ancestral tomb as Xu Zhuohua was like a thorn, making him restless.
He had considered revealing the truth, but every time the words were on the tip of his tongue, he would recall Xu Zhuohua's eyes that day—the despair and determination hidden in them were etched into his mind like a brand.
He suddenly felt that perhaps this was for the best.
He didn't want Xu Zhuohua to go back to Cheng Muyun's side.
We escaped this fire by sheer luck, but who can guarantee we'll be so lucky next time?
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
