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Returning - Chapter 40

Published at 26th of September 2022 08:08:41 AM


Chapter 40

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Emotional Wounds

What Fei Heng wanted to ask Xue Ziang was about some investment matters. After putting aside his mischievous grin and getting serious, he looked decent when talking to people.

Xue Ziang also discussed the matter with him seriously, but since his mother was in charge of almost all investment matters, he didn’t know much about it, and everything he had to say was exhausted during the meal.

Zhao Yu ate quietly beside them, and Shang Lu, despite being able to contribute, didn’t participate in their topic much. But after everyone put down the dishes, he called the waiter to pay.

The four people rode the elevator down together. Shang Lu and Fei Heng came here on foot, and Xue Ziang’s car was in the outdoor parking lot, so they all got off on the first floor.

When they came out from the main entrance, Zhao Yu saw a large group of people and a few police cars parked on the side of the street. Something was not right.

Shang Lu and Xue Ziang were not nosy people so they just glanced around and walked past the scene to the other side. Fei Heng curiously listened to a few pedestrian comments and sighed, “Someone jumped off the building and committed suicide. Why do young people these days take things so hard?”

Almost at the same time as he started talking, Zhao Yu’s line of sight fell through the newly evacuated crowd and saw the pool of blood and unnamed fluids closed off with the police caution tape.

Probably because of the slope on the ground, the blood flowed quite far away, and a large area of the ground was affected. Even though it had solidified, it was still dazzling red.

Zhao Yu paused, her right hand on the cross-body bag clenched tight.

Xue Ziang’s arm slipped out from around her waist and realized that she had stopped walking. “What’s the matter?”

Zhao Yu smiled at him slightly. “I want to go to the bathroom. You can go ahead and wait for me in the car.”

Without waiting for Xue Ziang to agree, she turned around and walked back into the office building through the gate.

Xue Ziang didn’t notice the abnormality and greeted Shang Lu and Fei Heng before walking towards the parking lot.

Sweeping his gaze over the red pools on the ground, Shang Lu looked at the direction Zhao Yu left and then saw that Xue Ziang was walking away from them, hesitated, and turned back to the office building.

The first floor of the office building was rented out to a shop, their bathroom was just around the corner. Shang Lu went straight in and stood at the door of the women’s toilet. There, he saw Zhao Yu standing alone in front of the sink.

She was bent over, her hands gripped the edge of the counter tight. Even from the door, he could see she was clearly trembling and could hear her breathing deeply.

Shang Lu strode in and reached out to grab her hand, trying to pry her fingertips away from the stone surface, but despite using a lot of force, did not succeed.

And the back of her hands were cold.

“Zhao Yu.” Shang Lu wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her trembling body into his arms. “Zhao Yu, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s someone else’s blood, don’t be afraid.”

Zhao Yu was still shaking badly, even her teeth were chattering, and after listening to Shang Lu saying “Don’t be afraid” several times, she suddenly softened and leaned directly into his arms.

Her entire weight fell on him, making Shang Lu almost lose balance and forced him to take a small step back before he hugged her tight, grabbing her two cold hands and holding them in his palms.

She wasn’t crying, but there was no blood on her face, and she was still shaking, no matter how he tried to comfort her, it was useless.

Out of options, Shang Lu took out his phone and dialed. “Bring in a pack of cigarettes to the female toilet on the first floor.”

Fei Heng arrived shortly after, and he swore as he asked Shang Lu what was wrong, but when he saw Zhao Yu’s appearance, he was shocked. “Why…what’s this?”

Shang Lu stretched out his hand towards Fei Heng. “Cigarettes, fire.”

Fei Heng stopped making a fuss and obediently handed them over. Shang Lu took a cigarette, placed it into Zhao Yu’s mouth, and raised the lighter up to light it for her.

Zhao Yu struggled to raise her hand to hold the cigarette steady in her mouth, lit it with Shang Lu’s help, and inhaled shakily. The cigarette unsteadily moving due to the severity of her trembling.

Meeting Fei Heng’s curious gaze, Shang Lu said coldly. “Go out.”

Fei Heng curled his lips, but walked out obediently, standing at the door to help the two inside.

Leaning in Shang Lu’s arms, Zhao Yu smoked the remainder of the cigarette, then with difficulty, stood up steadily and slowly left his embrace. Throwing the cigarette butt into the trash can, she whispered, “Thank you.”

The voice was hoarse as if it took all her effort to choke it out of her throat.

Shang Lu didn’t say anything and held up another cigarette but she shook her head.

Xue Ziang will find out if she smoked too much.

Shang Lu didn’t say a word but fixed his gaze on her.

During the meal, she carefully protected her lipstick so she didn’t need to touch up her makeup, but just now, she smoked too desperately. Not only was the lipstick spent, but even the lips were smudged red.

He raised his hand, guided his fingertips gently along her lower lip line little by little, wiping off the excess lipstick spot by spot.

Zhao Yu also looked at him silently, letting his fingertips rub her skin slowly.

“Zhao Yu, who is your enemy? Tell me, I will avenge you.”

Zhao Yu looked at him and smiled.

He asked again, “Three years ago, who did that to you?”

She continued to smile, her voice coarse. “You can’t help me.”

His thumb was still on her lips, but the other four fingers had already clenched fists uncontrollably.

She was right, he could not help her. Not three years ago, and not now.

He needed to save himself, how could he avenge her?

In their silence, Fei Heng suddenly burst in from outside. “Xue Ziang is here, do you want to avoid him?”

Zhao Yu didn’t panic but looked behind Shang Lu.

Shang Lu understood what she meant, turned around, and walked into the empty cubicle, pulling Fei Heng in as well.

Once the compartment door was closed, only Zhao Yu was visible.

Xue Ziang didn’t look inside, stood outside the door, and whispered, “Zhao Yu, are you inside?”

After disappearing to the bathroom for so long without picking up the phone, Xue Ziang came to find her himself.

Looking in the mirror, Zhao Yu put some finishing touches on her hair and clothes, forced a smile, and slowly walked to the door. “Coming.”

Her voice was still off and paired with her pale face and shaky steps, Xue Ziang knew it couldn’t just be because of period pains.

He strode up to meet her and hugged her. “What’s the matter?”

Zhao Yu smiled. “It’s okay, I’m just…a little dizzy. I accidentally saw the scene outside.”

Hearing this answer, Fei Heng looked at Shang Lu with a sudden realization. A person who felt faint from shock had various symptoms and what happened to Zhao Yu made sense.

But Shang Lu knew that she was not feeling faint. She was afraid of seeing a lot of blood in front of her.

Back in the United States when he was sick and hospitalized, Zhao Yu went to see him and bumped into a bloody rescue scene. Her reaction to that situation was the same as the one today, she shrank into his arms and smoked five full cigarettes to finally calm down.

“Since you feel faint from the sight of blood how did you cut yourself before? You cut your arms so many times, you don’t know to be scared of pain but know to be afraid of blood?”

Shang Lu, who was still lost in his memories, was surprised when he heard what Xue Ziang said. Did she harm herself?

They were together for three years, and he never noticed.

Or did she deliberately hide it without letting him find out?





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