Returning - Chapter 174

Chapter 174: The Truth

The phone continued to ring relentlessly. With trembling hands, Ji Sui pulled out his mobile; the caller ID displayed Zhuang Ye's psychologist.

He knew it was highly likely that Zhuang Ye's psychological state had deteriorated again, but looking at that familiar name on the screen, he simply lacked the strength to answer.

In just a single day, one shocking revelation after another had assaulted him relentlessly, leaving him riddled with wounds. How could he possibly have the capacity to deal with Zhuang Ye's problems now?

His gaze fixed unwaveringly on Zhao Yu lying in the bed. He tried to speak, but no sound would come out. Instead, it was Xu Chengyan who voiced the confusion in his heart: "What did Zhuang Yiqing do to you? What about three family members? What… womb?"

The moment he spoke these words, Xu Chengyan realized his own voice was trembling.

He had too many questions that needed answers, and his fury had not yet fully subsided. But that single sentence from Xue Zi'ang had suddenly hooked into something deep in his heart with brutal precision, bringing certain foggy memories into sharp, horrifying clarity in an instant.

"Even if one day you begged me to have a child for you, I wouldn't grant your wish."

"As expected, the higher you stand, the more the people below look like mere ants."

"Have you really killed someone?"

"It's not just fear, I find it disgusting."

"Money really is a wonderful thing, opening the eyes of lowlifes like us from the slums."

"My mom died in an accident right in front of me, there was blood everywhere…"

"Of course you dare. And what status do you hold? Noble, high-born elite, with power and influence. Taking a life must be as easy as flipping your hand over for you."

"You two are so well-matched, a perfect couple in looks and status, equally powerful and influential, equally capable of blotting out the sky with one hand. And you both make me feel utterly disgusted."

"You and Zhuang Yiqing are birds of a feather, believing money can solve everything, both of you lofty upper-class elites. The cheap lives of us lowly people mean absolutely nothing in your eyes."

Every single word she had ever spoken, those he had never taken seriously, whether as jokes or self-deprecating remarks… now, upon careful reflection, he realized that clues had been there all along.

Xu Chengyan looked at her in utter disbelief: "What you said… your mother died in an accident right before your eyes, your fear of blood, and… was it Zhuang Yiqing?"

Ji Sui's body trembled uncontrollably once more: "Four years ago, besides forcing you to abort Zhuang Ye's child, Zhuang Yiqing… what else did she do to you?"

Zhao Yu, however, only looked at the phone still ringing in Ji Sui's hand and smiled faintly: "It's Zhuang Ye, isn't it? Let him… come over. He needs to know the truth the most."

She also needed him to know the truth. Only then could she, selfishly and cruelly, force him to become another sharp blade against the Zhuang family.

Zhuang Ye burst out of the elevator, panting heavily. Just hearing Ji Sui's sentence, "Tell him Tang Xi is here," was enough to make a withered tree burst back into spring life. Recklessly, he ordered his driver to race, reaching the hospital in just over ten minutes.

But arriving at the door of the hospital room, having confirmed the location repeatedly, he stared at the tightly shut door and suddenly lost the courage to push it open.

A trembling hand reached for the lock, twisted it slightly, and then released it abruptly. Not only was the hand hovering in mid-air shaking, but his entire body was trembling uncontrollably.

He had yearned for so long, searched for so long. Now, with just a single door separating them, he was suddenly terrified.

Would it be like last time at the mall, when he rushed forward recklessly, only to find just a figure resembling her?

Would it be like those times in America, rushing over full of hope, only to face a lonely, empty house?

Song Xuan said she had been pregnant with his child, but his own sister forced her to abort it. The situation with her and Ling Jianwei was a forced desperation. His resentment and hatred towards her had been wrong. How could he face her now? What right did he have to see her face?

"Xi Xi…" His trembling hand clenched into a fist again. After hesitating for a long moment, it slowly rested on the door handle. Summoning almost all the strength he possessed at this moment, he gradually pushed the door open.

There were many people by the bedside, but he had no energy to care. His eyes, unblinking, were fixed on that hospital bed. Step by step, he moved closer, his gaze gradually piercing through the several figures standing shoulder-to-shoulder.

It was indeed that familiar face, so familiar he thought he was still in a dream.

Perhaps, it was just a dream…

Zhuang Ye halted abruptly, staring intently at the figure on the bed. His eyes slowly closed, then cautiously opened again.

It was still that achingly familiar face, so close to him now, so very close.

Suddenly, he looked at her, his mouth stretching into a grin, tears streaming down his face at the same moment.

"Xi Xi…"

He had called this name countless times in his dreams, countless times while awake. But now, truly facing her, his throat felt strangled, his voice hoarse and ugly. Just like the him from four years ago, who had never doubted anything, he exuded ugliness and wretchedness from every pore.

Under the blanket, her hand clenched unconsciously. Zhao Yu also spread her lips into a smile: "Long time no see."

Long time no see.

The last time we parted, we had just gone from being the sweetest lovers to strangers about to go our separate ways.

The last time we parted, I even said to you, "I hate you."

"Long… time no see…" Tears streamed down his face like rain. "Xi Xi, I'm sorry…"

Because of my inferiority complex and cowardice, I didn't even have the courage to seek you out and demand an explanation. I just clung to the belief that I had been abandoned once again, pathetically hiding in the darkness to lick my wounds alone, using overwhelming hatred and resentment to mask my own incompetence.

Her lips trembled almost imperceptibly. Zhao Yu smiled and shook her head: "I never blamed you, it's just…"

"You're hurt?" His sharp eyes caught the red marks on her shoulder, and only then did Zhuang Ye fully register they were in a hospital.

Instinctively, he stepped forward to check her injuries, but his path was suddenly blocked by a tall, imposing figure.

Seeing the familiar face of Xue Zi'ang, he finally snapped back from his earlier daze. Shifting his gaze, he looked around one by one. Besides Ji Sui, whom he knew would be here waiting for him, there was unexpectedly Xu Chengyan, and Ling Jianwei, and Xue Zhan.

Every single person seemed like they shouldn't be here. Everything here was also very unfamiliar.

"Xi Xi…" His gaze moved past Xue Zi'ang, continuing to look at her, trembling. But exactly what he wanted to ask, even he wasn't sure himself.

Finally, Zhao Yu spoke: "He won't hurt me."

These words were directed at Xue Zi'ang. Xue Zi'ang, filled with hostility, glared at the culprit standing before him and reluctantly stepped aside.

But these words also felt like a brutal knife stabbing into Zhuang Ye's heart.

He wouldn't hurt her? Hadn't he ever hurt her? In the past, he had firmly believed this without a doubt. But now?

The courage to take that step towards her was shattered once more. He just stood there, far from the bed, looking at her: "Song Xuan said we… had a child…"

Zhao Yu smiled faintly: "Yes, we did once. But… it's gone now."

The veins on the back of his clenched fist bulged, his nails digging deep into the flesh of his palm. He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and tears once again streamed down in large drops: "It's my fault… I was wrong, Xi Xi, I'm so sorry… so sorry…"

Not only was the child gone, but at this moment he knew with absolute clarity that their past, all those beautiful memories, were gone too. And between them, a future was now impossible.

He hadn't protected her. He hadn't had enough faith in their love. He had personally buried everything between them.

"It's my fault… I'm sorry…" His entire body shook uncontrollably with his wretched sobs. He clenched his fists tightly, shaking his head desperately. Then, as if trying to comfort himself, he started murmuring lowly, "No… we won't… we… we'll start over… we can still… still have children…"

But the next moment, Xue Zhan's cold, stern voice cut through mercilessly: "She doesn't even have a womb anymore. How could she possibly have children?"

Zhuang Ye felt as if something had cleaved his head open. His skull throbbed with a dull, heavy pain, his internal organs felt as if they were being torn apart, and a persistent buzzing filled his ears. His eyes, full of confusion, looked towards Xue Zhan. He wanted to speak, but his entire body was paralyzed, unable to move.

Xue Zhan looked at him coldly: "Your child, her mother, and Yu Jin. All dead. Courtesy of your dear older sister."

His body suddenly swayed violently. Zhuang Ye turned his head with immense difficulty, wanting to confirm the answer from Zhao Yu's face. But then, everything went black, and his entire body collapsed heavily to the floor.

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