The small flame in Yue Linze’s eyes died out, but he still tried to finish his words: “Isn’t it said that love breeds hate…” He had thought that if she was still willing to hate him, she might still have some feelings left. But he miscalculated one thing – even if she hated him, it could be because of that gunshot, unrelated to love.
“I really…” Yue Linze choked up, unable to continue speaking.
A hint of tenderness appeared in Tao Yu’s eyes, and she reached out to touch the back of his hand. However, Yue Linze was lost in despair and didn’t notice her gesture. Before she could say anything, he pushed her out the door and slammed it shut: “Sorry, let me calm down.”
Tao Yu stood outside in a daze for a while before realizing she had been pushed out. She immediately became angry and amused, turning to knock on the door: “Yue Linze, open the door!”
“I won’t! If you want me to pay with my life, I’ll give it to you. Why torture me like this!” Yue Linze’s voice came out with a sob, clearly on the verge of breaking down.
Tao Yu glared: “Who wants you to pay with your life? Let’s clarify this!”
“Every moment, day and night, I’ve never stopped thinking about you, suffering torment. Do you think I want to kill you? If not for believing you would threaten the people of Wuhuan City at the time, even if I were to be cut into a thousand pieces, I couldn’t bear to harm you. That gunshot back then, it wasn’t just you who died!
Several thousand nights, I never slept, afraid of forgetting you, yet also afraid of missing you too much, so I could only scatter and pick up copper coins to pass the time, only daring to rest when my body could no longer hold up. I thought I would be like this for the rest of my life, but I never expected you would return, you still came back…
Yue Linze’s voice came from inside the room. Although the door panel weakened the emotion in his voice, Tao Yu could still hear the heartbreaking pain, and her heart instantly felt uncomfortable.
As soon as his words fell, sounds of moving furniture came from inside the room, and after a moment of noise, his voice continued.
“Initially, I wanted to die with you, but I was afraid that Wuhai City would be destroyed because of my death. Now, after hearing your explanation, I understand that my personal life has nothing to do with this city. Since that’s the case, I’m at peace.”
Tao Yu was startled, and hurriedly knocked on the door forcefully: “Come out! I said I don’t hate you, I was just a bit angry. Now that I’ve calmed down, let’s consider this matter over. Can’t we still be husband and wife and live our life together?!”
“…Don’t try to deceive me. This is what I owe you, and I should have repaid it years ago,” Yue Linze said calmly.
Tao Yu frowned and kicked the door open. The moment her vision cleared, the stool under Yue Linze’s feet fell, and he closed his eyes, preparing to welcome death. Tao Yu took a sharp breath—
“Yue Linze, you dare to hang yourself?!”
Tao Yu rushed to grab his legs. Yue Linze struggled twice but couldn’t break free, and afraid of kicking her, he could only hold the rope, looking down at her with teary eyes: “A Yu, let me go. I don’t deserve your forgiveness. If you were an ordinary person, your bones would have decayed long ago, with no chance to see me, this murderer. Being able to see you now, I should be content.”
“Bullshit! If I were an ordinary person, would you dare to kill me?” Holding a grown man was no light task. Even with Yue Linze supporting her from above, Tao Yu was exhausted, her forehead covered in veins.
Yue Linze lowered his eyes, tears dropping onto Tao Yu’s forehead, seemingly unaware: “Actually, I’m not asking you to continue living with me. I’ve lived for so many years; how could I not understand? I don’t have the face to ask you to pretend nothing happened.”
“…What are you doing now?!” Tao Yu was on the verge of collapse, almost wanting to let go and let him die.
Yue Linze looked at her sadly: “I want to be released. A Yu, I’m so tired. Let me be released, okay? If you truly have divine power, after my death, take my soul and let me be an ox or a horse in the next life to repay my sins.”
“You want to cling to me in the next life too? Have I been unlucky for eight lifetimes?!” Tao Yu was furious.
Yue Linze was stunned for a moment, murmuring: “Right, then so be it. A Yu, let go of me, consider it a favor.”
“Bullshit! You haven’t even finished paying my debt, and you want to die? Get down and be my ox and horse in this life!” Tao Yu let go and took a step back, coldly looking at the “salted fish” hanging from the rope.
Yue Linze was momentarily stunned when she let go, then resignedly closed his eyes, enduring the intense pain at his neck, waiting for release.
“Go ahead and die. After you’re dead, I’ll kill everyone in Wuhai City to keep you company on the road to the underworld,” Tao Yu’s cold voice came from below.
Tao Yu glanced at him, pinching his chin to tilt his head back, and began applying medicine to his neck: “What’s wrong? Feeling guilty?”
After asking, she didn’t pay further attention and focused on bandaging his wound. When she finished treating the injury, she realized he had been silent for a long time. Tao Yu looked up curiously, just in time to see a tear slowly falling from the corner of his eye, while he remained completely calm, as if the tears weren’t his own.
Tao Yu looked at him with curiosity, and after a while, she reached out to wipe away the tear from his eye, pinching his cheek: “Are you this sorry?”
“…I’m so afraid of spending decades without you, afraid that I’ll have no soul after death, and won’t be able to meet you in the next life,” Yue Linze said in a trembling voice.
Tao Yu smiled slightly, and after a long pause, she slowly said, “Alright. Since I’ve come back, it’s because of you. Now that I’ve vented my anger and taken my revenge, this matter is over… Yue Linze, if I come back, will you dare to lie to me again?”
“…You’re coming back?” Yue Linze had a vague feeling earlier, but hearing it directly still seemed unbelievable. He had done such a disgusting thing…
“Enough, stop thinking nonsense,” Tao Yu rolled her eyes at him. “Since you feel sorry, treat me well from now on. Best to listen to me obediently and pamper me, understand?”
“I-I know, if you’re willing to give me a chance, then I’ll… I’ll…” Yue Linze started stammering, unable to complete his sentence, only looking at Tao Yu timidly, afraid she would despise him.
Tao Yu patted his head and sat down by the table, pouring herself a cup of tea: “First, restore my room. What’s the point of building a pool there to gross people out?”
“Okay, I’ll go right away.” Yue Linze jumped up and walked a few steps out, then turned back, looking hesitant.
Tao Yu raised an eyebrow: “What’s wrong?”
“This is for you.” Yue Linze covered something in his hand, nervously placing it on the ground. Tao Yu first noticed the dense needle marks on his hand.
Her brow immediately furrowed, and just as she was about to ask what happened, he had already run away, his back looking hurried. Tao Yu chuckled softly, then looked down at the table and froze.
There was a small cloth bag, sewn somewhat roughly, but clearly made with care. Tao Yu picked it up in a daze, and the yellow beans inside trembled. Looking closer, she saw multiple needle holes, suggesting he had sewn and unsewn it many times to achieve this result.
Tao Yu remembered the incident of sewing a cloth bag with the scholar and meeting Yue Linze, and couldn’t help but smile slightly.
That evening, Tao Yu walked to Niannian and handed her the cloth bag: “Here, the cloth bag you wanted.”
Niannian cheered, playing with it for a long time before happily looking up: “Madam, this is the prettiest! My prettiest!”
“This wasn’t sewn by me, I bought it,” Tao Yu winked at her.
