Chapter 31: Another Present that She Had to Accept
Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

She took a deep breath to give herself some strength. It was only 10 meters away. Xia Ling, you can do this. Just walk over.

As she was giving herself a pep talk, Wei Shaoyin was getting increasingly impatient. “Are you coming or not? Hurry up, I need to arrange a new song for tomorrow.”

Pei Ziheng was still staring at her, the edge of his trench coat silently fluttering in the wind and snow.

She saw that he did not make a move and consoled herself that he could not have recognized her in her new face and body. Finally, she steeled her mind and slowly walked towards the car.

She walked right past him.

The bitter smell of cigarette smoke lingered on his body, not blown away even in the blustering weather.

Close enough to touch, he said in a low voice, “You….”

She stumbled a little and started to shake uncontrollably. At this moment, all kinds of thoughts ran through her mind and she barely controlled her tears from falling.

Yet, all she did was to quicken her steps and walk away, as if she was escaping from him.

When she got onto Wei Shaoyin’s car, she was still in a state of confusion. Her hands were shaking and it took her a few tries to buckle her seatbelt. She lifted her head and looked up ahead, where she saw Pei Ziheng still standing with one hand on the car door, seemingly unaware of the blistering snow beating down on his body.

Wei Shaoyin started his car.

He drove a distance before suddenly asking, “You know Pei Ziheng?”

Xia Ling did not respond.

The warmth in the car made it seem like spring, and soft music was playing in the background. Her cold and stiff body was regaining its sensations. As she relaxed, all she felt was a sense of fatigue.

Wei Shaoyin’s clean, white hands holding onto the steering wheel and his gaze still resolutely on the road, he said, “The look that he gave you just now looked like you owe him a few hundred million dollars.”

She gave a bitter laugh and finally found the strength to retort. “Do you think I can afford to owe him that much?”

Wei Shaoyin laughed as well, saying, “That’s true, you are already in the tenterhooks for owing our company just a few million dollars. If you really owed Pei Ziheng a few hundred million, you should just jump off a building.”

She wished that she simply owed Pei Ziheng several hundred million dollars. That would have been easier, and there would be an end to her misery. But what was this situation now? Even death could not banish that man from her world. What did she have to do to forget him completely?

Wei Shaoyin lowered the music volume but pressed on astutely. “So, do you or do you not know him?”

“Mr. Wei,” She closed her eyes and said softly, “Ye Xingling is but a small, insignificant trainee in Skyart Entertainment. How would I know the big boss of Imperial Entertainment?”

“I told you to just call me Ah Wei, why won’t you listen?” Wei Shaoyin complained. Seeing that she did not react, he said, “That was what I thought as well. But that look he gave you… it does not look that simple.”

“Bosses are all crazy.” She coldly said. “Who knows what they are thinking?”

Wei Shaoyin glanced at her, sensitive to the tone of her voice. “Which boss in our company offended you?”

She had to admit that his instincts were impeccably accurate.

She turned to stare out of the car window and unhappily said, “No one.”

She could not possibly tell him that Li Lei wanted to pay for her to sleep with him.

She felt a slight headache coming on. What was all this rubbish? As she recalled Li Lei telling her that he would wait for her to change her mind, her mood became even worse. In this life, she just wanted some peace and quiet. She wanted nothing to do with and could not afford to take care of these important people.

In the following days, Xia Ling was in a depressed state.

Wei Shaoyin’s recording studio was incredibly busy, but Xia Ling’s mind was preoccupied and she made several mistakes. Wei Shaoyin gave her a piece of his mind and she almost had to pack her bags and return to the training camp.

On this day, she managed to end work early with great difficulty and was walking back home alone.

It was a sunny, winter day with few pedestrians. The small shops along the streets were playing the most popular songs of the season.

As she turned the corner at the end of the street, a grand-looking Audi came to a stop in front of her. Xia Ling raised her head and saw someone wearing a black, long trench coat step out from the car and remove his sunglasses — Hurhur, a familiar face. It was Chu Chen.

She stopped and silently looked at him.

He passed his name card to her and asked, “Miss Ye, do you remember me?”

“Yes, I know you. Chu Chen from Imperial Entertainment. We met that day at the end-of-year music show.” She said lightly and did not accept his name card.

He did not get angry and naturally retracted his outstretched hand like it was not awkward at all. He looked down at her, and put on the voice he used in business negotiations, “Shall we look for a place to have a chat? Imperial Entertainment has prepared a little gift for you.”

Oh, so the bribe that Wei Shaoyin had blackmailed them into giving her had arrived.

She turned and took a quick look around. Pointing at a random cafe along the street, she said, “Let’s just talk there.”

Chu Chen nodded and followed her into the cafe.

There were very few people in the cafe. Xia Ling picked a seat near the window and sat down. A waiter came up to ask if they needed anything. Chu Chen ordered a Blue Mountain coffee and Xia Ling said, “Warm water, thanks.”

Chu Chen looked at her closely.

“You are very similar to someone I once knew.” He suddenly said.

Xia Ling gave a start but did not show it outwardly. “Oh?” She responded.

“She had the same air of disregard for others, liked sitting near the window at cafes, and had the habit of drinking warm water.” Chu Chen’s voice actually contained a little yearning and sorrow.

She gave a cold laugh, saying, “I believe the powerful Manager Chu did not look for me today to recount old memories?”

He looked like he had been pricked by her acrimonious words, and his face darkened as he looked at her for a few more seconds. He laughed coldly and said, “Look for you to recount old memories? Ye Xingling, you think too highly of yourself. Someone like you cannot even dream of being compared to a fraction of her.”

It was truly her good manners that prevented her from splashing the glass of water at him.

In this life, she was much more tolerant. If it was Xia Ling from before, to hear a person that had betrayed her and pushed her into the realms of despair say this, she would definitely make sure that he lost everything —

It was he who had betrayed her first. What right did he have to recount old memories? The hypocrite.

Xia Ling gripped tightly onto the glass in her hands before releasing it again. She controlled her flaring temper and said, “Get to the point.”

Chu Chen pushed a paper over to her and said, “You have a sister called Ye Xingfei who has been staying in the hospital for a long time, right? I’ve contacted your parents to transfer her to the best hospital in this state. The special care ward. All expenses will be borne by Imperial Entertainment.”

She was stunned and looked down at the paper.

That was a notice informing of the transfer of hospitals. Her parents’ signatures were on the paper in black-and-white.

Xia Ling said, “No one told me about this.”

Chu Chen crossed his fingers on the table. “I told them to keep it a secret. It was meant to be a surprise for you today.” He explained.

Surprise? Shock was a better word for it.

She was completely in the know about Feifei’s condition and doctors had told her that it was possible that she could never wake up again. This meant that she would be staying in the hospital for life in a vegetative state. Feifei was still young, thus there were still several decades for her to live. The hospital expenses were long-term and the cash burn would not stop after a few days… This was a black hole.

This was a huge outlay and a problematic one that would last for a long time.

Would Imperial Entertainment be so generous just to keep Wei Shaoyin quiet for their publicity stunt?

And handle everything first, without her knowledge at all?

Xia Ling’s first thought was to transfer Feifei back to the original hospital she was at. Even though the conditions were not as good, but she was using the money she had borrowed from Skyart Entertainment to maintain the expenses, giving her a free conscience. However, Feifei and her were step-sisters — they shared the same father but a different mother. Her stepmom did not like her and only loved her own daughter, Feifei. There was no way her stepmom would agree to transfer Feifei back to the original hospital after this significant upgrade.

She felt uneasiness creep into her heart. She took a sip of water and slowly asked, “Is this all you wanted to tell me?”

Chu Chen laughed. “You are very intelligent.”

As he spoke, he pushed another item across the table. It was a nicely-wrapped, long rectangular box that looked like it costed a fortune.

Chapter 32: The Crystal Rose
Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Xia Ling opened the box. On the luxurious black silk base lay a rose made of Viennese crystal. The beautiful petals spread out in layers, the color exceedingly pretty and the workmanship exquisite. Every cut was perfectly executed. The sunlight shone in from the large glass window, reflecting off this elegantly cut red rose, making the rose look like there was water flowing through it — exceedingly beautiful and untouchable.

“This is a personal gift from Chairman Pei,” said Chu Chen.

She knew exactly what giving her a rose meant.

An emptiness and dread filled her heart. She had just been killed for a few months, her body was still warm, and he was already looking for a new lover to take her place? Ha, what was her unchanging love for him for over a decade worth to him at all? And all the pain, unwillingness and quarrels when he had announced his engagement to Wang Jingwan, what did that count for?

Without Wang Jingwan, there would still be a Li Jingwan or Ye Jingwan.

Pei Ziheng would never have a lack of women to choose from as long as he wanted them.

Only she had naively believed the fairy tale of just the two of them being together for the rest of their lives.

Time was cruel. The human heart was even crueler.

The bright red crystal rose lay in the black silk box, its beauty almost blinding. Xia Ling closed the box and pushed it back to Chu Chen, saying, “Mr. Chu, my apologies. I cannot accept this gift.”

Chu Chen was not surprised. “Is it because of Wei Shaoyin? Don’t worry, that can be settled easily.” He said.

She was slightly taken aback and saw the meaningful look in his eyes. She realized that he had misunderstood. This was probably because of how Wei Shaoyin had taken care of her during the end-of-year music show, giving Chu Chen the wrong idea.

Xia Ling’s tone of voice turned cold as she said, “This has nothing to do with Wei Shaoyin. Not everyone is this dirty.”

“You find this dirty?” Chu Chen laughed as he continued, “Miss Ye, no, little girl… you are completely unfathomable. You are but 16 this year, or 17 perhaps? What do you know about the ugliness of the world? Let me tell you, being noticed by Chairman Pei is something that many people can only dream about. It would boost you right to the top, don’t you understand?”

Of course, she understood. She understood more clearly than anyone else.

She had been a lowly orphan, as insignificant as a speck of dust. How did she become the big star that the whole world worshipped? That little Xia Ling who had to tolerate the looks of disdain from others just to enjoy a sweet. How did she become that person that everyone pandered to?

Every incident was clearly etched in Xia Ling’s mind.

However, what she was even more clear about was the price she had to pay for this treatment.

She looked straight into Chu Chen’s eyes and slowly said, “Mr. Chu, please don’t waste your time. This offer… I will politely reject.”

Coldness entered Chu Chen’s eyes as well as he looked at her for a moment. “Ye Xingling, you might want to reconsider while I am still being friendly.” He had many methods to get his way. This was also the reason Pei Ziheng had chosen him to be Xia Ling’s manager. Regardless of the problem she was met with, he would always have a way to resolve it and ensure that things panned out like he would like it to.

Xia Ling used to be in awe of this ability of his, but now she only felt unsafe.

She unknowingly clenched her fingers together, her hands holding the glass on the table more tightly. She said, “Chu Chen, what are you trying to do? Don’t forget, Skyart Entertainment’s Big Boss is Li Lei. He won’t allow you to have your way.” She subconsciously used Li Lei’s title, hoping that this would scare Chu Chen away. However, she didn’t harbor high hopes that this would work. If Chu Chen was so easily scared, how could he possibly have obtained the status he had in the entertainment industry?

As expected, Chu Chen just smiled.

“Don’t be silly, Ye Xingling.” He said. “If you are really Wei Shaoyin’s person, Li Lei would perhaps help you out, giving face to his favorite general. But you said so yourself that you have no relation with Wei Shaoyin. Then, why would Big Boss Li help you? Even if he has all the money and power in the world, he would not be so free as to care about the personal business of a small trainee, would he?”

She wanted to tell Chu Chen that Li Lei was so free that he wanted to pay for her services. Why wouldn’t he care about this?

However, she realized in resignation that Chu Chen was right. Why would Big Boss Li help her? She had not agreed to his request, and if she was thick-skinned enough to go beg him for help, would that not be looking for an insult.

Yet, she could not back down on this issue. “Manager Chu,” Xia Ling looked at him and said, “no matter how many times you ask me, my answer is going to be the same. I reject this offer.”

Chu Chen did not try to persuade her anymore.

He pulled out some money to settle the bill. Slapping it on the table, he got up and said, “Good luck to you, Ye Xingling.”

Outside the large glass windows, the sun was setting bit by bit. She watched as he walked away and finished her water, which had long turned cold, slowly and quietly. She left without touching the crystal rose that Chu Chen had left behind.

She returned to the training camp. The next day was a normal day.

She got up and washed up, changing into a clean set of dancewear. She went for her practice as per normal. In the dance studio, the scene was still the same familiar one — strict coaches holding classes, trainees perspiring hard and putting in their all… everything was wondrously simple. In that instant, it made her feel like her encounter with Pei Ziheng and Chu Chen was but her hallucination.

She returned to her dormitory after a day of training.

As she pushed the door open, she saw that there was something on her bed. It was an exquisite, long rectangular box that was half open, revealing the black silk base and the blood red, sparkling Viennese crystal rose.

A chill ran over her body as she looked at it.

Her roommate, Lan Lan, walked in from behind her, wrapped in a bath towel. As she toweled her dripping hair, she asked, “Xingling, aren’t you going to take a shower?” Seeing that she did not move, Lan Lan followed her gaze to the rose. “You’re looking at that? I don’t know which of your admirers sent this. I was in the dormitory the entire day and only left in the afternoon to grab lunch, and this just appeared on your bed.” Lan Lan looked at the crystal rose again, her eyes filled with envy and jealousy.

The other two roommates also crowded over, saying, “Yeah yeah, I even asked the supervisor and people in the neighboring dorms. None of them saw anyone come in. It’s really weird.”

The rose silently emitted a cold, inorganic shimmer.

Xia Ling’s roommates continued to exclaim. “Such a beautiful rose. This crystal looks really expensive. I wonder who had so much money to spend to pay through the nose in here… and didn’t even leave a name.”

Xia Ling did not have time to care about them, simply staring at the rose without a word, like she was staring at a scary demon. When she left the cafe yesterday, she had unmistakably abandoned it on the table. How did it appear on her bed today without anyone knowing what had happened?!

This was Skyart Entertainment. Even though it was just a small training camp, but the security was still very tight.

Chu Chen, no, she should say Pei Ziheng… if he wanted to do anything here, it was like entering no man’s land.

At this moment, Xia Ling understood one thing. Pei Ziheng would not easily give up. This beautiful, cold crystal rose was his way of indicating that he would not take no for an answer, and also a silent warning.

Chapter 33: The Hypocritical Ye Parents
Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Xia Ling looked paler than usual as she picked up the box of roses.

To the horror of her roommates, she hurled it to the ground with immense force. A shrill sound echoed across the room as the crystal fragments scattered on the ground.

“Xingling, you…” Lan Lan was too shocked to speak.

Xia Ling could not be bothered with her. With a blank, look she mechanically got a broom, swept the fragments up and transferred them into a black trash bag. She then left the room, walked three streets out, and dumped the trash bag into the largest and dirtiest bin she saw.

The night was dead silent.

She dragged herself back to the dorm, exhausted, and tucked herself in.

The nightmares kept coming.

A huge prison cell stood deep in the boundless fog. She did not know when she walked into the cell, all she knew was that every time she desperately looked for an escape route, and no matter which direction she ran in, she would end up in front of a stretch of cold, steel barricades right in the way of the escape… And something would be looming from behind her, masked by the woods…

She started to have a cold sweat.

She wrapped her arms around her knees as she sat up on her bed, too afraid to shut her eyes. She held it out the whole night.

In the morning, Lan Lan looked at her as if she was seeing a ghost. “Xingling, were you out robbing a house last night or did you just fall out of love? Why were you sitting up the whole night instead of sleeping? Also, you don’t look very well today with your dark eye circles.”

Xia Ling acted like she did not hear anything and went ahead to wash up for practice.

At a dance, she almost twisted an ankle. And while singing, she went off pitch several times.

She gave Wei Shaoyin a call, informing him that she wouldn’t be going over for a while. Wei Shaoyin mockingly answered, “Yeah, you’d better reflect on yourself. For the previous song you were more a hindrance than a help, you’re thinking of cutting a debut in this state?”

She was in no mood to bicker with him, and instead weakly said, “If that’s all, I’m hanging up.”

Wei Shaoyin paused for a moment. “Xiaoling, is there something on your mind? What problems have you run into?”

She replied, “No.”

Wei Shaoyin continued lecturing her, “It’s best if that’s the case. If there’s anything, just let Tan Ying know. He’s in charge of you trainees anyway, you don’t have to go easy on him.”

“Got it.” She said.

Her head hurt as she hung up.

How was she supposed to tell Tan Ying something like that? She couldn’t possibly go: Chairman Tan, Director Pei of Imperial Entertainment wants me to be his woman, please help me get rid of him?

… It was not as if Tan Ying could get rid of him.

One nightmare after another, the boundless fog encapsulated her the moment she closed her eyes.

Over consecutive days without proper rest, she was all haggard and tired out. She had been waiting in trepidation for Pei Ziheng’s and Chu Chen’s next move, but it was as if they had disappeared, making no moves at all.

Just like that, it went on till the New Year when the training camp called for a two-week break.

The life of a trainee was a tough one. They hardly got to take breaks throughout the year, and the two-week leave for the New Year was the only chance they had to go home. So the moment the break commenced, most of them left the camp as soon as they could. Lan Lan and the other two roommates set off for home almost instantly, and the only person left in the empty and lifeless room was Xia Ling.

Tan Ying asked why she had not left.

Xia Ling was a little disoriented. In her memories, there was a lot of information regarding her parents, but none of that seemed anything but foreign to her — be it the term “parents” or the two very much alive people involved.

She did not know how to face them.

“Father” called several times to hurry her.

Tan Ying said, “Go back for a visit, Ye Xingling. You’ve been out here alone for so long, your parents must miss you a lot. Returning for reunions during celebrations and festivals is a child’s duty.”

That’s right… duty.

She calmly thought about it. Since she had taken over Ye Xingling’s body, she should take over the responsibilities that came with it as well. Very well, visiting Ye Xingling’s family on her behalf shall be her way of thanking her for loaning out that shell of a body.

The Ye family was in that city. Xia Ling followed the muscle memory that the body possessed, journeyed across half the city, and arrived at a door.

It was the stepmother who opened the door — she was cold and curt towards her. Yet, Xia Ling felt relieved by that. After all, she had no idea how to get along with her so-called parents but was more than immune to cold glares and enmity.

Father Ye felt extremely guilty and looked at her apologetically. Even so, all he said was, “Xingling, I know it’s not fair to you, but be a little more tolerant of your Aunt Liu, alright? She hasn’t had it easy all these years.”

Xia Ling nodded her head indifferently.

But on the inside, she found it a mockery. If she remembered correctly, this Aunt Liu was actually a mistress who chased her rightful mother out of the house. It’s no wonder there was a resistance to calling her “Mother”.

Whatever love that people talked about wasn’t real. The only reality was the fleeting nature of people.

She still did not sleep well at night, the same nightmare repeating over and over. The next day when she saw the way Father Ye and Aunt Liu interacted, she was reminded of Pei Ziheng — the way he eased her into her coat, the way he fed her… all the little things in the past surged back into her head.

The stepmother was extremely sarcastic to her, “Wow, is a celebrity not used to living in a small, commoner’s house like ours or something, she’s been pulling a long face since she came back. If there’s so much unhappiness, just pack up and return to the training camp sooner instead of being a jinx at home!”

On the account of Father Ye, she pretended not to hear it.

A few days past before Father Ye approached her. “Xingling, you’ve been back for a while and haven’t seen Feifei yet. Shall we go together as a family to visit her tomorrow?”

Xia Ling had no comment.

She and this sister of hers were basically strangers. In her memories, the original occupant of her body seemed to like her little sister Ye Xingfei a lot. Ye Xingfei’s smile was always filled with pure happiness, seemingly able to eradicate all the troubles in the world.

But that wasn’t how Xia Ling felt.

All that Xia Ling knew about kinship was in her past life, and it was spent on Xia Yu. In this life, she didn’t need any more attachment, she just needed to treat this so-called sister fairly and nothing more.

She, Father Ye, and Aunt Liu headed for the hospital in a packed public bus. This family was not all that well-to-do — they were just middle-class at best — and had to meticulously budget even for the smallest of things, so the routes they chose to take were always the cheapest but also the most congested. They spent a good two to three hours on the bus, and after they alighted, Xia Ling had a giddy spell that made even walking feel strangely effortless.

With every step, she felt like she was walking on the clouds. She followed Father Ye and Aunt Liu into the hospital building and then arrived at the VIP area in the top level.

Aunt Liu suddenly grabbed Father Ye. “Dear, I’m feeling giddy and nauseous, I think it must’ve been the ride earlier. I feel like I might puke, follow me to the toilet, quick…”

Father Ye frantically assisted her, as he shot Xia Ling a look of helplessness. A second later he finally said, “Xingling, how about this, could you go into the ward first? It’s not far from here, just walk to the end of the corridor, 2206. It’s easy to spot.”

She replied, “Okay.”

She turned around and went to look for the ward herself.

It was easy to spot alright. At the end of the corridor was a wood textured door to the ward; it was gorgeous and exuded an air of magnificence, looking way more presentable than the one at home. She looked up to check the ward number again. 2206, this was it.

She pushed the door open and walked in.

Chapter 34: Blank Cheque
Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The ward was very spacious, with intricately patterned parquet flooring, full-length windows and a ceiling with a design that resembled fog.

On the side of Ye Xingfei’s hospital bed was a set of expensive leather couches, and a man was sitting on it. His fur coat was casually hung over his forearm, while he, dressed in a figure-hugging black shirt, sat quietly at the window smoking a cigarette.

Xia Ling came to a sudden stop. In the next few seconds, her mind was a blank.

He turned his head around and examined her without batting an eyelid — high and mighty, just like an emperor.

She took a few steps back, abruptly turned herself around and reached for the door. It was as if the thick, sturdy door had planted roots in the ground, it didn’t budge a bit no matter how hard she pulled. She knocked herself against it a few times, and then Pei Ziheng’s voice came from behind —

“Don’t waste your efforts. The moment you walked in the door was locked from outside.”

Xia Ling turned around, terrified, as she faced his dark, solemn eyes that looked too deep to decipher even in the light. She involuntarily tried to shrink herself; her back was glued against the smooth wooden door, badly wanting to integrate into it.

“You’re very afraid of me.” He looked at her and very slowly asked, “Why is that?”

She stiffened up, unable to say a word.

He took his time to quench his cigarette in the ashtray. “Chu Chen is a little rough when he handles things sometimes. If that frightened you, I’m sorry. Right, I haven’t introduced myself, I am…”

“Pei Ziheng.” Xia Ling tried to suppress the tremble in her voice. “Get your men to open the door. Let me out.”

“So you know who I am.” He smiled gently as he spoke. “Few have dared use that tone with me. I admire your courage.”

In fact, she had no courage at all, her legs were giving way and all she wanted was to run out of the door.

Hiding her hands behind her back, she discreetly tried to pull the door handle. But no matter how she tried, the door stood strong like a mountain. Xia Ling broke out in cold sweat and was losing control of her senses, at the same time she was worried about how the parents had not arrived yet. How nice it would be if they could arrive now and open the door for her…

Pei Ziheng seemed to read her mind. “Give it up, there’s no use in pinning hopes on your parents — I got Chu Chen to contact them, which is why they brought you here today.”

She was shaking, her heart sank.

So, they were all in cahoots to deceive her, this trip had nothing to do with visiting Feifei.

In this life, she had been extremely careful, consciously distancing herself from everybody around her. Still, it was impossible to guard against everyone; she got utterly betrayed by the people around her anyway.

“What… benefits did you offer them?” she asked, hurt.

“Just a little money was enough to get them overwhelmed with gratitude.” Pei Ziheng smiled, as usual. “Rather than bother about others, let’s talk about us instead. Come sit over here, I’m not used to looking up when I talk.”

He pointed to the couch opposite him.

Xia Ling did not move, she only said, “There is nothing to talk about between us.”

He collectedly replied, “There’s a limit to my patience, Ye Xingling. Do you want to come over here on your own, or do you need me to help you with that?”

Xia Ling sensed the danger that lurked in his voice. More than ten years of knowing this man taught her that the softer his voice and the gentler his disposition, the more horrific his ways of handling someone.

In this instant, the trauma that was buried deep in her soul took over like a curse inside her. She instinctively shuffled her feet, and before she snapped back to herself, she was already standing right before him and heading for the seat he assigned her.

He grinned in satisfaction. “That’s a good girl.”

She was startled, horrified by what just happened. What was going on? How was it that even after experiencing life and death, she still meekly responded to his every command?

She looked at him, flustered. Across the glass coffee table, his features were clearer than they were in the winter night. He was imposingly handsome, practically divine… Just as he always would exist in her memory, as her father, her teacher, her lover.

She felt a stab in her heart and decided to look away.

Pei Ziheng was still sizing her up, she knew it even with her head turned away. She could feel his line of sight like it was a scorching ray, peeling her clothes inch by inch, evaluating her body and broiling her soul.

With him, she never seemed to need even a thread of silk.

Xia Ling was frowning hard, she scrunched herself up in the couch in unbearable awkwardness and embarrassment.

He laughed condescendingly. “Up till this moment, you’ve been satisfactory to me.” As he spoke, he reached for something in his pocket and tossed it on the table. “Maybe Chu Chen hasn’t made it very clear to you but, if you come with me, you can get so much more than you could even imagine.”

She looked down at the table. It was a blank cheque.

“As long as you’re agreeable, you can fill the cheque with any amount you like.”

She felt like she was in a trance in a moment of deja vu — that year, in a bid to pay for her sister’s medical fees, twelve-year-old little Xia Ling followed Pei Ziheng home. And now, this man was offering money once again to tempt her to go with him?

Too bad, right now she was no longer the little Xia Ling that she was then. She would not make the same mistake.

Her voice was dry and hoarse. “I don’t need such a thing.”

Pei Ziheng patiently asked her, “What do you need then? Tell me.”

She bit her lip instead, thinking to herself: Pei Ziheng, you can’t give me what I want.

As such, she chose to remain silent.

He lit another cigarette. “Seems like Chu Chen wasn’t wrong when he said that you’re an insensible child.” He puffed a ball of smoke, his eyes seemingly distant. “But you need to know this. There’s no harm in throwing a tantrum once in a while, but if it gets overboard, there will be punishment…”

His voice deepened as he spoke, he seemed to be speaking to both her and himself.

Xia Ling’s eyes were experiencing some discomfort, probably due to the smoke. She shut her eyes a little. The scenes of the past appeared before her eyes, the days of imprisonment, the terrifying memories…

She couldn’t help but shiver a little, before garnering her guts., “D- Director Pei,” She begged softly. “I’m just an insignificant nobody, I don’t deserve this much attention on your part. Let me off, will you? So many others are waiting to be picked by you…”

“You’re in no position to interfere with who I pick, Ye Xingling.” He cut her off, his gaze now clear and alert. “What you need to do is simply to accept this check, or…”

He looked at her coldly. “Or maybe you’d like to watch what happens when your sister is taken off her IV tube.”

Everyone used to speak of how cold and heartless the world was, except her — she was completely oblivious to the troubles that existed, because he was so incredibly nice to her, always showing the kind, gentle side of himself. And now, as she stood before him as a nobody and no longer as the Xia Ling who was the apple of everyone’s eye, she truly felt the cold strength of solidarity.

In his eyes, crushing the Ye sisters to death was akin to crushing an ant.

But Xia Ling could not waver, the only outcome of it was doom. Either Ye Xingfei was doomed or she was — if her only option was to return to her past life of being treated like a pawn, she’d rather die once more.

Chapter 35: Nowhere to Run
Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Xia Ling calmed herself down and tried to sound more composed. “It’s up to you, Director Pei.”

She dully said, “Actually, if you want to hear from me, it’s just as well that Feifei’s IV is removed. Being a living corpse with no way of thinking for herself and no way of making decisions, it’s no better than being completely dead.”

At this point, she paused and thought about herself in her past life.

Till now, she never regretted that decision.

When Pei Ziheng’s fiancé passed on, he initially just kept Xia Ling locked in a secret villa and sent bodyguards to watch her, but that was all. She kicked a fuss about wanting to leave, wanting to break up with him, hysterically screaming and trying to escape time and time again.

Once, her escapade was almost successful.

She had been hiding in a small forest near the villa and got found by the search team he sent. The team had brought along a herd of mastiffs to encircle her and left her glued helpless against a tree, trembling in fear.

Pei Ziheng then strolled from outside the circle.

His look was overcast and incredibly intimidating. He grabbed her messy hair and dragged her by it, her knees on the ground.

“Xia Ling,” he said menacingly. “try escaping again and I’ll let you know what it means to have a life more miserable than death itself.”

He dragged her in that manner across the uneven terrain, all the way back to the villa. The fallen twigs and branches had ripped her dress, scraping her fair and tender skin, leaving them bloody and wounded. There was no end to the blood trail she left. By the time she was back in the bedroom, she was panting weakly, and there was no skin on her left unscathed.

The family doctor took an entire day to remove the sediment bits etched in her back.

And then took a few more days to cleanse, medicate and dress her wounds.

Pei Ziheng stood beside her and watched coldly the whole time.

Her body was hurting, but her heart was hurting even more. It felt like her heart had been crushed into a ball and hurled to the ground, only to be stepped on repeatedly and recklessly. Yet, she was too naive then and underestimated his cruelness. She continued the reckless tantrums, the resistance, smashing and shattering whatever she found in the room, went on a hunger strike, and engaged in self-harm.

But he was unwavering. He got people to create a full set of chains and locks, chained her arms and legs, and had everything in the room replaced with safe, non-harming items.

She cursed and swore, agitating him. “Pei Ziheng, I must’ve been blind to have agreed to be with you. I don’t love you anymore, I never did!”

He flew into a rage, beating her up and leaving her with blood at the corner of her mouth and momentarily impaired senses. When she still did not stop her rant, he tortured her brutally, until both of them were completely exhausted. She lost consciousness in his arms.

Day after day passed.

He was looking increasingly gloomy, while she repetitively claimed that she no longer loved him. The more ferocious he got, the more satisfaction she gained, even if it meant more scars and lashes on her body.

Until one day, he stared at her for a long while and caressed her face with a gentleness he had not displayed in a long time as if he was handling a treasure.

“Xiao Ling,” he said gently. “you still love me. You will always love me.” The sun rays entered his eyes and reached into a bottomless abyss, and not a single bit of light was reflected.

She was scared of the look he had now, a premonition rising in her chest.

He ripped her clothes off, tied her arms and legs up in black leather rope, and wrapped her in a windbreaker. Then, he carried her to the car and gave the chauffeur a location she had never heard of.

It was an isolated but luxurious building.

Shrouded in thick fauna, great precaution was taken with concealing this place. Pei Ziheng’s Rolls-Royce drove over and the many gates, carved in a beautiful floral pattern, opened slowly to receive him. Behind every gate was an armed guard post.

Pei Ziheng carried her inside.

A man who appeared like a doctor came forward and led Pei Ziheng to a pre-allocated room where he put her down.

“It takes about 20 days,” said the man somewhat solemnly. “Mr. Pei, the specialist team will hand you a complete report. You can then take her home.”

“I would like to witness the entire process,” said Pei Ziheng.

The man’s tone was formal and professional. “If you insist, there is a VIP suite in zone B where you can watch a live stream of what is happening. But I have to remind you, the process isn’t very pleasant to watch.”

Xia Ling did not understand the conversation and naturally felt scared.

“Pei Ziheng, what are you doing!” She shouted at him furiously. “Let go of me! I want to leave!”

Pei Ziheng did not take another look at her. He turned his back and followed the man out of the room.

In the following days, she was given a full body check by several women she did not know. They wore white coats, covered their hands in thin rubber gloves and used all sorts of equipment and apparatuses on her while recording a string of measurements.

Xia Ling felt ashamed and resentful but had no way to escape it with her arms and legs still tied up. They replaced the rope Pei Ziheng tied her with metal handcuffs. The inner surface was lined with soft fur so she wouldn’t get hurt in it, and it allowed for more thorough checks. Yet, it also made her more embarrassed.

She had no idea how she pulled through those few days. After her full body check was a never-ending interrogation. All sorts of ruthless questions were laid out, but she was not in the right state to deal with them and rejected to answer, all the while incoherently cursing at them and Pei Ziheng. The women in the white coats remained expressionless and made recordings while exchanging jargons she could not comprehend.

Finally, Pei Ziheng came for her.

That day, Xia Ling was chained onto a chair. Covered in a thin white blanket, she breathed feebly watching as he came closer. In the same way, as he did when they first arrived, he removed his windbreaker and picked her up in it carefully.

“Xiao Ling, we’re going home,” he gently said, stroking her eyes and the corner of her lips.

Xia Ling gathered all the strength she had to bite him in the palm.

The cold-looking man who led them in previously stood silently and watched what happened. He then said, “Mr. Pei, you should trust our expert’s opinion, she’s not suitable for this procedure. It’s too dangerous.”

Pei Ziheng carefully removed his hurt hand from Xia Ling’s clenched teeth and even gently helped her wipe the blood off the corner of her lips. “I just want the procedure plan and the tools, please send them over as soon as possible.”

The man kept silent for a while, revealing a trace of sympathy in the way he looked at her.

“As you wish, Mr. Pei.”

Back at Pei Ziheng’s villa, he locked her in a small enclosed space. Her limbs, neck, and torso were fixated to the ground, with not an inch of room to move. Beneath her was an incredibly soft blanket, and her mouth was stuffed with a hollow metal ball so she could not make a sound.

Absolute silence; boundless darkness.

Xia Ling panicked as she heard her heartbeat increasingly clearly. Hallucinations were forming in her mind and breathing was getting laborious — she was practically losing her mind. Just as she was on the verge of breaking down, a ray of light appeared. The door was pushed open, and Pei Ziheng’s imposing figure loomed over her as he walked in with a whip.