Fu Yuan glared at Yi Ze coldly. Flames looked like they were about to be shot out from his eyes! This scoundrel had treated the hospital like it was his own home. He had even locked all information within tightly. He couldn’t see Xie He even though he wanted to! It was only from the news conference that he got any information on Xie He!
The people next to him weren’t able to stop him. Fu Yuan directly walked until he stood before Yi Ze and Xie He.
Yi Ze returned his gaze with an ice-cold one of his own. If it wasn’t for Fu Yuan’s meddling, how would he have misunderstood the relationship between Xie He and Jian Zihan then? Now, he wanted to tear them apart again! Uncontrollable brutality emerged within Yi Ze’s eyes. With a chilly voice, he said, “I don’t think I invited you.”
Fu Yuan sneered. “You didn’t dare to send me an invite, ba. You were afraid that if I were to come, you wouldn’t be able to force him like you wished!”
After saying this, the guests broke out in an uproar. Those sitting were all friends Yi Ze and Xie He were familiar with. They all understood their relationship. To them, this was a case of true love being born from their previous relationship of one keeping the other, ah. What was this about forcing him?!
These people didn’t know about Yi Ze imprisoning Xie He. However… Jian Zihan knew about this. He promptly went up to stop Fu Yuan. He gave him a look and said in a low voice, “He’s not forcing him. Don’t utter nonsense.”
Today was Yi Ze and Xie He’s big day. Although his heart was incredibly hurt, he still forced himself to come give them his blessings. How could he let Fu Yuan remind Xie He of his hurt and sadness? Jian Zihan reached out, intending to pull Fu Yuan away.
Fu Yuan threw him off forcefully. With a cold voice, he said, “Jian Zihan, at that time, I wanted you to save him. What are you doing now? Didn’t you say that you loved him? You love him, so you’re giving him to someone like Yi Ze?!”
Jian Zihan’s face paled. For a moment, he could not respond.
The spectators broke out into a commotion again! Wasn’t Jian Zihan the one Yi Ze had courted for a long time? Yi Ze had wanted Xie He because he looked like Jian Zihan. When did Jian Zihan also fall in love with this substitute?! This was a love-square?!
Today’s news was even more explosive than what had been revealed at the news conference!
Originally, Yi Ze didn’t want things to get ugly today. However, he couldn’t bear to endure any longer. He reached out and grabbed hold of Fu Yuan’s collar! He looked like he would explode into uncontrollable rage soon! It was at this moment that Xie He, who had been silent this whole time, spoke, “Yi ge.”
Although Xie He’s voice was very quiet, it was like a power switch. It instantly quelled Yi Ze’s rage. Yi Ze turned around and spoke with guilt and caution, “Don’t worry. I won’t let him obstruct us!”
Xie He slowly shook his head and said, “Let me have a few words with President Fu.”
Fu Yuan originally had a face full of rage. But when he saw Xie He stop Yi Ze, he couldn’t help but look happy. His voice trembled with emotion, “He’s forcing you, isn’t he?”
He could still remember how Xie He had looked like his heart had been turned to ashes when he went to the Yi residence that time, how deathly still and full of despair his eyes were… even now, he couldn’t forget.
Xie He’s gaze was soft. His voice was low and unhurried, “President Fu, let’s go over there to speak?”
Fu Yuan really didn’t want Xie He to be seen as a joke so he immediately nodded upon hearing this, “OK!”
Yi Ze felt rage boiling up again. He wanted to follow!
Xie He pressed against Yi Ze’s arm and looked up at him. “I want to have a word to President Fu, alone. I’ll be back in a bit. Yi ge, wait for me here, OK?”
Yi Ze didn’t want to agree, but he couldn’t bear to go against Xie He. He looked hesitant.
He didn’t feel at ease letting Xie He leave with Fu Yuan…. Although they all said that Xie He loved him, he had made so many mistakes…how could he guarantee that Xie He won’t want to leave him? No, he had already wanted to leave him once before.
And it was then that Yi Ze realized just how much he cared for this person. But because of his jealousy, he had committed an unforgivable mistake.
Therefore, what Fu Yuan said wasn’t wrong…. He didn’t dare to let Fu Yuan see Xie He. He didn’t want to take even the smallest risk. He could not bear it if Xie He tried to leave him again.
He had been so careful and had done his utmost to keep things like this. He was like a selfish child, holding a treasure that was being coveted by others….
The spectator sees more clearly than the player. Jian Zihan didn’t think that Xie He would leave with Fu Yuan, so he pulled Yi Ze back and said with a quiet voice, “Don’t worry. Let them have a few words.”
Yi Ze’s lips parted. But in the end, he couldn’t bear to make things difficult for Xie He. He stood there in place, face taut, but didn’t follow. The hand by his side clenched extremely tightly.
…………………………
Fu Yuan pushed Xie He’s wheelchair over to the side. His heart hurt dearly when looking at Xie He’s thin body. Originally, he had much to say. But all that was left in his mouth now was: “You’re thinner now.”
Xie He smiled, relaxed, as if he didn’t mind it all. He looked at Fu Yuan sincerely. “Thank you for coming today.”
Fu Yuan said at once, “He’s forcing you, isn’t he? If you’re not willing to stay with him, I’ll definitely take you away today!”
Xie He shook his head. He met Fu Yuan’s eyes, “President Fu, I’ve always loved him. You know this, don’t you? And he isn’t forcing me. I’m willing.”
“But he treated you like that… didn’t you decide to leave him? It couldn’t be that because he’s turned around and begun to regret it you decided to forgive him? Someone like him doesn’t understand what it means to repent!” Fu Yuan’s voice was agitated, “Don’t be tricked by his facade!”
Xie He’s expression was very calm, “I know.”
Fu Yuan’s expression changed slightly, “Then why are you still….”
Xie He coughed. “I’m going to die soon. Did you know?”
Fu Yuan’s lips quivered. He had heard that Xie He had been diagnosed with cancer, but he didn’t think it was that severe&#k2026;.
“So how he will be in the future, how long he’ll be able to persist &#k2014; none of that has anything to do with you. He’s willing to give me what I want. Even if it’s just sympathy, it’s fine, because I don’t want to bicker over this anymore. In one’s life, one must understand how to be content with what one has.”
Xie He’s eyelashes trembled. He smiled at Fu Yuan. “However, I’m very happy that you came. I know that you only want the best for me.”
“Thank you for letting me know that in this world, there are actually some people who care about me… It’s just a pity that I can’t repay you. Actually, I feel ashamed to face your kind intentions,” Xie He said earnestly.
Fu Yuan looked at this kind of Xie He and suddenly felt choked up.
Repay… yes, he had always thought about repayment. Today, did he really come for Xie He with purely unselfish motives? No… actually, he was thinking of himself. He wasn’t resigned to watching the person he loved be claimed by someone else. Fury and jealousy brought him here…. If he really loved him, he shouldn’t bicker about repayment.
At this moment, he suddenly understood what Jian Zihan felt, standing down there, as well as how tormented and pained he must feel.
Since he loved this person, how could he bear to let him feel unhappy or sad? How could he bear to make things hard for him because of his own selfishness? If this was what Xie He really wanted, then he could only help him attain what he wanted. Who let Yi Ze be the person Xie He had always been in love with…?
【Ding, Fu Yuan’s Favorability Value +5. The current Favorability Value is 100.】
Disappointment and powerlessness emerged in Fu Yuan’s eyes. He stood there in place for a long time. Then, he reached out to gently caress Xie He’s cheek. He lowered his head and came in close. “It’s fine if you don’t repay me. My love for you needs no repayment.”
He suddenly felt that he was no better than Yi Ze. Yi Ze didn’t know how to love someone, and his love… there was always a price on his love.
Fortunately, he now understood that there shouldn’t be a price on his love. It was just that the cost incurred was too steep.
A love that asks for no repayment—it meant that he would never have this person. It meant that he would have to learn to let go.
Fu Yuan paused. Then, he said, “Since it’s like this, I will leave.”
Xie He smiled. “OK.”
Fu Yuan didn’t say anything more. He left with big strides. Although he understood that this was reasonable, he still couldn’t watch this happen in front of him. He wasn’t open-minded enough for that.
Xie He came back out. Yi Ze hurried over nervously. He lowered his head to look at Xie He, “W-what did he say to you?”
Xie He smiled faintly, “Nothing. He’s left.”
Yi Ze carefully asked, “Then should we continue?”
Xie He nodded.
………………………………
After the ceremony, Yi Ze didn’t take Xie He directly back to the hospital. He brought him home. Their home had already been redecorated. A lot had changed. Xie He could tell with one glance that Yi Ze had brought a lot of his stuff over.
Yi Ze carried Xie He around and smiled while they walked. “I brought all your clothes over. That room is your walk-in closet. From now on, this room will be our bedroom. Everything you usually use is here. Here is… and this is….”
When Xie He saw the bathroom, he realized that there were two cups and two toothbrushes. Yi Ze had even prepared this…. Suddenly, his eyes stung.
Yi Ze smiled. “When you get better, you can move in at any time.”
Xie He went ‘mn’ quietly, voice choked with emotion.
“Are you dissatisfied with anything? From now on, you’re the master here. Of course you can change anything according to your heart’s desire,” Yi Ze said softly.
Xie He shook his head.
Yi Ze smiled helplessly. “OK.”
After saying this, he carried Xie He out. Right now, Xie He’s condition meant that he couldn’t be away from the hospital for long.
However, they had just left the bedroom when Xie He suddenly grabbed his arm and looked up at him. He said, “Wait.”
Yi Ze promptly asked, “What’s wrong?”
Xie He suddenly smiled. “I want to stay here tonight.”
Yi Ze looked hesitant.
Xie He could see this. He gazed at him with his dark eyes and said with a smile, “Yi ge… today is our wedding night. I want to stay here with you… will you agree?”
He didn’t want to go back to the cold hospital. He wanted to stay here, with the person he loved.
He wanted to stay here, not as a plaything, but as his lover.
Yi Ze looked into Xie He’s eyes and slowly said, “OK.”
That night, the two of them embraced on top of the bed. Yi Ze had his arms around Xie He and gently pressed his face into his chest. The person in his arms breathed weakly. If it wasn’t because he could feel his faint heartbeat, he would have thought that he had already left.
Xie He leaned against him and softly called out, “Yi ge.”
Yi Ze lowered his head and kissed him on the forehead and said, “I’m here.”
Xie He looked up. Although he had thinned to the point that his appearance changed, his black eyes were still dazzling, like the most precious treasure on this earth. His lips parted and he said, “Yi ge, do you really love me?”
Without any hesitation, Yi Ze answered, “Yes.”
Xie He laughed. This time, he didn’t say ‘thank you’, he didn’t say that he didn’t believe him… he only looked at him with shining, fiery eyes and said, “I also love you.”
Yi Ze’s heart nearly stopped in that moment. He then slowly but solemnly said, “I’ve always loved you.”
I’ve always loved you. It was just that I didn’t know. However, it does not negate the fact that I’ve always loved you.
【Ding, the target Yi Ze’s Favourability Value +2. The current Favourability Value is 100.】
【Ding, the target of this world, Yi Ze, was successfully captured. 10,000 experience points obtained. The important character Jian Zihan was successfully captured. 8,000 experience points obtained. The important character Fu Yuan was successfully captured. 8,000 experience points obtained. The total experience points obtained is 26,000.】
【Xie He:Baby, my body can’t hold on any longer.】
【444:( ⊙ o ⊙ ) So it seems.】
【Xie He:Let’s leave this world now. Smile.JPG】
【444:Yi? In such a hurry? You want to leave right now? Why not wait until tomorrow?】
【Xie He:Yes. There’s no difference between letting this body die a day sooner or day later. There’s no need to drag it out.】
【444:I thought that you would want to say something to President Yi before leaving, ne…._(:зゝ∠)_】
【Xie He:Didn’t I already speak to him? Moreover, it doesn’t matter. Although I will be leaving, I’m leaving him a very precious spiritual legacy, ah. He will not be lonely. ???? 】
【444:……】
……………………………………
When Yi Ze woke up the next day, he discovered that the person in his arms had ceased breathing. The originally feeble heart beat had already come to a complete stop. The ice-cold body mercilessly made reality clear…. He used his thumb to gently trace the features of the person in his arms.
Probably because he had prepared for this a long time ago, now that he was really faced with this, he didn’t feel all that surprised.
Because he had been in constant pain, watching his own heart gradually die… when it really happened, it felt like he could no longer feel any pain. Just ice-cold stillness.
Yi Ze personally arranged Si Minghui’s funeral. From beginning to end, he looked extremely calm. On the day of the funeral, after everyone left, he stayed there, reluctant to leave. He reached out to caress the gravestone, his voice low and soft, “Are you lonely all by yourself, ah…?”
Yi Ze had someone help him buy all of Si Minghui’s works. When Si Minghui was alive, he didn’t ever think of watching his works. Now that he left, he discovered that even if it was just the image he left behind, it was still extremely precious to him.
Fortunately, he left behind a lot.
Now, he could see him at any time. Time could take his life away, but it could not wipe him from his memory.
Not long after, Si Minghui’s last film premiered. Because of the previous scandal, reversal, and the news of his death, the attention on Si Minghui was at an unprecedented high. That meant that this film had also received a lot of attention.
Yi Ze grabbed a ticket to the movie’s premiere. Before he went, he very carefully and nervously changed into formal attire. He then stood in front of the mirror for a long time. When he thought that he looked presentable, he drove to the movie theatre. Regardless of time and place, he always wanted to look his best for Si Minghui. They all said that what people appreciated in women was their looks. However, it was the same for men as well.
The light in the movie theatre went out. Yi Ze turned to the empty seat next to him and quietly said, “Your film will definitely be good.”
Yi Ze had specifically bought two seats because he thought that Si Minghui would have also wanted to come with him to see the film he starred in. Before, he hadn’t gone to Si Minghui’s awards ceremony. Now, he could only face an empty seat and watch the Si Minghui on the screen. Regret was useless.
Yi Ze hadn’t watched these kinds of romantic films in the past. However, this time, he could not take his eyes off the screen. It turned out that Minghui also had this side to him. His brilliance was blinding. The whole world had been able to see this. It was only he who hadn’t.
This pearl had been willing to cover itself in dirt to stay by his side. However, he hadn’t been cherished because Yi Ze had treated him as a stone. Yi Ze had been blind as a bat.
At the end of the movie, he heard Minghui’s clear, melodious and decisive voice ring: You’ll regret it. You’ll never find another person who will love you as I loved you. However, I will never regret having loved you. I will forever hold onto this love until the day that I die.
That moment, it felt like that young man was standing in front of him again. He was still handsome and gentle, red lips slightly parted as he gazed at him with affection.
Yi Ze raised his head slightly, as if wanting to kiss the person in front of him. In the end, he only met with empty air.
When the theatre lights turned back on, the viewers passing him by shot him strange looks.
Yi Ze rubbed his face. He didn’t know when, but tears had begun to stream down his face. He smiled calmly. “The movie was too good. I was moved to tears.”
The other viewers looked like they suddenly understood. They still looked a bit awkward. They smiled and left. Inwardly, they thought, you really can’t judge a person by their cover. Such a stern-looking and big, steady man was actually so sensitive. Although the movie was pretty moving, it wasn’t enough to make you cry like that, ba?
………………………………
A few months later, Yi Ze participated in a party. His friend, President Zhang, whispered to him, “I prepared a surprise for you.”
After saying this, he waved his hand and a handsome youth came over. When the youth looked up, Yi Ze froze. The cup of water in his hand almost fell.
President Zhang saw how stirred up Yi Ze was. Inwardly he thought, this was indeed not a bad move. Wasn’t he just a little star that was being kept? Why was he acting like his wife had died? He knew why Yi Ze had kept Si Minghui all those years, so he had gone to find a similar-looking child and had him undergo some plastic surgery. Now, he looked just like Si Minghui. He was sure Yi Ze would be moved.
“How is he? Good?” President Zhang saw Yi Ze’s shocked expression and laughed mischievously, pleased with himself.
A long time later, Yi Ze gave him a profound glance and dropped his cup. The contents splatter in all four directions. With a rather cold voice, he said, “Don’t do this kind of thing from now on.”
President Zhang was dumbfounded. “What? You don’t like him?”
“Seeing that we’ve been acquainted for many years, I won’t bicker with you today,” Yi Ze said indifferently and then left.
From beginning to end, he didn’t give the youth another glance.
The boy had thought that he could hug a big thigh like this and live a life of luxury. Therefore, he was willing to fix his face to curry favour with Yi Ze. Who would have expected that Yi Ze wouldn’t even spare him a glance. He stood there, frightened and helpless. Didn’t they say that Yi Ze only fancied Si Minghui then because he looked like Jian Zihan? Why didn’t he care now?
Yi Ze left with large strides and a dark expression. Suddenly, he couldn’t help but smash his fist against the wall!
He was angry, furious! What did they take Si Minghui for? Someone that could be substituted with anything?! No, it wasn’t like this! When he really cared for a person, how could he be willing to use a substitute? Even just seeing this made him unable to put up with it! He felt that it was blasphemy against Si Minghui!
No one could replace the person he loved deeply!
Fury and darkness made Yi Ze almost unable to control himself. Only, he calmed down in the end. He gave his secretary a call. “Investigate the person President Zhang just sent over.”
Yi Ze waited for half an hour. His secretary sent the information over. He was a boy from an ordinary family. Although his parents were not rich, he was not poverty-stricken. It was just that he was greedy, vain, and didn’t want to work hard. When President Zhang took a fancy to him, he was willing to do this. That was why he fixed his face and sent himself to Yi Ze.
Yi Ze clenched his phone tightly, knuckles turning white. A sneer slowly emerged on his face. If he was really a pitiful person who was at the end of his rope, he wouldn’t have minded giving him a hand. He would treat it as doing good on behalf of Minghui. After all, he would no longer look at people like he did before. There are people who really deserved to have him help them. However, this didn’t include people like this. This kind of fellow…was not worthy of taking the place of his Minghui!
There was also President Zhang. They’ve known each other for so many years, how come he couldn’t tell what he was thinking? The other had taken a fancy to some good thing of his.
It was just a pity that he would have to disappoint him. Yi Ze sneered.
Two days later, the agreement of cooperation between President Zhang and the Yi Family was cancelled. Although Yi Ze did not attack him further, this cancellation inflicted serious injuries on the other. Other people also followed his lead, one by one. The business world was merciless. President Zhang was very quickly forced into completely putting out(?). Furthermore, the youth that had plastic surgery offended a local tyrant and received a slash to the face in a club.
After this, no one dared to send anyone to Yi Ze for a long time.
Two years passed like this. From beginning to end, Yi Ze stayed single. Some people couldn’t help but begin scheming again and started to send people to Yi Ze. Yi Ze didn’t accept a single one. Occasionally, someone would take a risk and send someone that looked like Si Minghui. This kind of person would very quickly suffer Yi Ze’s merciless attack. Slowly, no one dared to send people to him again.
From then on, everyone knew just how deeply Yi Ze loved Si Minghui. Everyone knew how irreplaceable Si Minghui was.
Many years later, on the anniversary of Si Minghui’s death, Yi Ze went to sweep his grave. He looked many years older. His hair was already completely white. He reached out to caress the photo on the gravestone. He mumbled on, as an old man would, “Recently, I watched all of your works again. Everyone said that you were really hard-working and filmed a lot but I still feel like I haven’t watched enough….”
“Right… I established a charitable fund under your name. Every year, it will go to helping people with difficult family situations… many people are really grateful to you, ne….”
“You’ll always be so good-looking but I’ve already grown old… when we meet again, will you dislike me?”
Yi Ze stammered on for a while. Suddenly, his eyes dimmed and he said, “So much time has passed but I haven’t forgotten you in the least. Have you forgotten me?”
His voice was low, as if the wind could carry it away, “I miss you quite a bit….”
The author has something to say:
This world has ended, la~ The next world announcement: The Empire’s Captive, Interstellar, Strong x Strong~~
Eve: …My heart. I was still resentful towards Yi Ze, and I still think what he did was unforgivable but the imagery of his standing before Si Minghui’s grave with white hair and wrinkled skin, speaking to a grave just…..·´¯`(>▂<)´¯`·.
Also, If you like this kind of setting, I recommend the short Korean drama: the Most Beautiful Goodbye in the World. It was so good I watched it twice and cried like a baby both times. It’s only 4 ~1 hour episodes. Instead of love, it deals with family. Highly recommended for sad boi hour.
sere: ( ⊙ o ⊙ ) end of this arc… honestly compared to the previous arc this scum suffered more… it was like a long, slow burn of several months. The scum general (forgot his name) commit suicide… which cut short his suffering… that man should’ve lived the rest of his life suffering for killing his beloved… goddam…..
Side note: *short rant* don’t use “on a cognitive level” or “in (his) cognition” to talk about understanding or comprehension … that’s not what it means… if you are gonna use it you better be able to explain to me Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive domain. This is almost as bad as using “quick wear” for QT… which is just purely terrible MTL.