“Your words are as believable as pigs climbing trees,” Ou Xueman said, then stomped out in her high heels, leaving the man groaning.
At this moment, a pair of sinister eyes locked onto her figure, vanishing around the corridor’s corner after she left the office.
In a daze, she felt like a small boat drifting on an endless sea, uncertain of where the next wave would push her. Surrounded by boundless darkness, loneliness and fear engulfed her. In panic, she cried out towards the deep indigo, desperately seeking a harbor to anchor her life. Looking far ahead, she saw only sea water blending with the sky. In comparison, she felt so tiny.
Her desperate cries seemed blocked by an invisible wall. No matter how hard she tried, they were drowned out by the sound of waves. In despair, she had given up hope, letting the small boat drift aimlessly, waiting for the storm to consume her. Suddenly, a gentle call from the distance pulled her back from the abyss of despair. Who was calling her? Why? That voice felt so familiar.
Suddenly, a thick fog rose on the sea surface, making everything blurry. However, the voice calling her grew closer, and through the haze, a tall, heroic figure became vaguely visible.
“Who?” she asked softly, with a hint of hope.
“Xueman.” The gentle voice was like a valley wind parting the fog. He appeared before her, slowly extending his hand.
She stared at the man reaching for her, “Di… Xihuang?”
He smiled softly, “Let’s go together. I’ll always be by your side, never letting you feel lonely or afraid again.”
His voice seemed magical, making her stop resisting and slowly extend her hand to his, as if entrusting her entire life to him.
But suddenly, a fierce wind blew, pushing her away from him, leaving only their calls to each other.
In panic, she tried to grab him but felt pain on her wrist. As light filled her vision, she realized it was all a dream, leaving her with a touch of disappointment.
Yet, the loneliness and fear from the dream remained. Her breathing was rapid, her heart confused. When she touched her face, the pain from the dream returned, making her more alert. Struggling to sit up, she discovered she was completely bound, with a severe pain at the back of her neck almost preventing her from turning her head.
What was happening? Why were there always unexpected events these past two days?
She remembered punching Di Xihuang and planning to make coffee, but then something hit her, and she lost consciousness.
Looking around, she found herself in a small, entirely white room with only a double bed and a small cabinet. It felt as if the room was moving, like a small boat drifting on the sea, with the faint sound of waves still audible.
She realized she was on a ship, but how she had ended up there was unclear.
Was she kidnapped? She wasn’t from a wealthy family, so why her? Suddenly, a chilling thought struck her: could it be the Yamaguchi-gumi?!
Chaotic footsteps sounded outside the cabin, signaling someone was coming. She struggled to sit up against the bedhead, determined not to show fear, even if just to remain calm.
The door swung open, and she gasped in surprise. It was Zeng Min, the pitiful figure who always stood behind Di Xihuang, begging for his mercy.
“It’s you?” Ou Xueman said in disbelief.
Zeng Min, with eyes red from hatred, appeared like a vengeful spirit that had wandered the human world for centuries, causing a chill to run down one’s spine.
“Didn’t expect this, did you?”
“Zeng Min said with a grievance-filled smile, sitting in front of her. ‘Senior.’
‘Why?’ Ou Xueman was still in disbelief. Zeng Min, who once appeared pure and gentle, now looked grotesque.
‘Why?’ Zeng Min’s voice was a painful cry, sharp and piercing. ‘Didn’t you say you would have no connection with Xihuang except for cooperation? You say one thing and do another, even moving into his villa. You’re so hypocritical. Women like you who seduce men for a living, how could you let go of a rich and powerful man like Xihuang?’
Ou Xueman thought, I’m not the one not letting go; he’s the one not letting go. But she remained calm, observing Zeng Min.
Seeing Ou Xueman silent, Zeng Min grew more aggressive. ‘Cat got your tongue? You used to lecture me about self-respect and being misguided. But aren’t you the same, shamelessly throwing yourself at him? You’re trying to make him abandon all other women so you can have him all to yourself.’
With a slap, Ou Xueman felt burning pain on her face. Although her hands were tied and she couldn’t wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, she knew it was blood.
Even though restrained, her dignity could not be lost.”
She looked up fiercely at Zeng Min, intimidating her and causing her to tremble. “I’m starting to pity you. Besides thinking about how to gain his attention, you know nothing else. You want all women to be like you, using any means to get him to look at you. Now you’ve brought me here, but what can you do? Without me, will he love you? No, he’ll just find another woman.”
“Shut up and take back your hypocritical words,” Zeng Min said hatefully, almost wanting to drink Ou Xueman’s blood. “I may be pitiful, but I’m not like you, shamelessly clinging to him. I won’t let a bad woman like you stay by Xihuang’s side.”
A cold, hysterical laugh escaped Ou Xueman’s mouth. “Stop making excuses. Me, clinging to him? As long as he doesn’t divorce, I’m the most qualified person to be by his side. My words are hypocritical? I understood this after losing my family and loved ones. No one is more qualified to say this than me.”
Her words stunned Zeng Min, quickly replaced by a look of contempt.
[From: Not Wanting to Say I Love You, Chapter 58: A Harbor That Can Be Moored]
The sound of waves hitting the shore grew softer. Ou Xueman knew the boat had left port, and that feeling of loneliness accompanied her. Though she didn’t know what Zeng Min planned to do to her, she knew she wouldn’t be let go.
She wondered if she would see tomorrow, feeling truly unwilling to disappear silently from the world. She regretted that her well-behaved past had led to this result and that every encounter with him had ended in tragedy. She hadn’t thoroughly hated him and felt she had wasted eight years on an inexplicable feeling, wallowing in self-pity while clinging to memories of his unreal, dreamlike gentleness.
Beneath her seemingly calm heart lay many grievances and regrets. Despair, like the calm before a storm, invaded her heart.
Her hands tied behind her back had gone numb, and the pain at her neck felt like it could break. Waves of dizziness clouded her consciousness, but she did not want to succumb to darkness.
As her awareness faded, she heard police sirens and someone speaking through a megaphone. Although she could not understand the words, she recognized this was her only chance of escape.
Ignoring the pain, she moved towards the cabin door, determined to try despite the possibility of falling. When she did fall to the ground, the impact nearly caused her to lose consciousness.
Ou Xueman felt her dizziness lessen as she heard his voice calling her name, filled with anxiety.
“I’m… here,” she managed to respond, though her voice was hoarse and weak.
“Xueman.” The calling voice grew more anxious, with a hint of fear.
“I’m… here,” she repeated, using the last of her strength, but against the noise outside, her voice seemed insignificant.
As footsteps walked away from the cabin door, panic rose within her. Desperate, she bumped her head against the cold, hard door, the sound muffled by its thickness.
Powerless, she lay against the door, the cold creeping up her body, extinguishing the hope ignited by his voice. Tears streamed down her face as she felt unable to struggle or call out.
In despair, she screamed his name in her heart: Huang…
