Wang Hu was fearless because he knew the other man could not resist.
So he suppressed his urge to vomit and edited a new text message:
"I see."
Typing those four words almost exhausted him.
He longed to stay under the covers and sleep all day, no, all the time.
Wang Hu chuckled, stood up from the dirty hotel bed, pulled out a pack of cigarettes from behind his back, and started smoking.
The clouds he exhaled were just like his current mood—so happy he felt he could fly to the heavens.
He awkwardly poked at the phone screen with his fingers, which still had dirt under his fingernails:
"Aren't you staying in a hotel? I heard you had a falling out with your roommate. Your uncle will stay at your place tonight to save money."
Wang Qifan stared at his phone screen, which lit up and then went out, then lit up again, in a continuous cycle.
His face had long since lost all color, leaving only a deathly stillness.
The moment he typed that one word, it felt like someone had sucked the last breath from his heart, leaving him clutching his stomach and sitting painfully on the floor.
At that moment, Wang Qifan wished he hadn't gone up the mountain to look for his mother when he was eight years old because of his intense curiosity.
Otherwise, he would never have had the chance to meet Wang Hu, nor would he have known about the past that made him hate his parents so much, nor would he have had a relationship with Wang Hu that made him hate himself so much.
All of that originated from oneself.
Yes, he's the one who deserves to die!
Wang Qifan looked at his phone; the screen showed his conversation with Wang Hu:
"good".
Then he burst into laughter.
At first, it was just soft laughter, almost like sobbing. Gradually, the sound grew louder and louder, eventually turning into a deafening, maniacal laugh.
He slumped into the chair, his eyes lifeless.
Ye Bugui frowned. He really didn't know what had happened outside that would make Wang Qifan act so strangely.
Could it be...?
Ye Bugui thought for a moment. It seemed that the only person who could cause Wang Qifan so much pain was Wang Hu.
Thinking of this, Ye Bugui silently clenched his fist.
Surely it's not Wang Hu who's coming here?
Ye Bugui felt that he would definitely not be able to hold back and would rush up and beat Wang Hu up.
No, beating him up wasn't enough; he wanted to beat Wang Hu to death to vent his anger.
Unfortunately, there was no sound outside. Ye Bugui was a little worried. Could it be that Wang Qifan had committed suicide out of anger?
Fortunately, Wang Qifan made a sound quickly. He stood up from the chair and went into the bathroom.
He took a shower and then came out completely naked.
Ye Bugui immediately covered his eyes with his hands, but thankfully he only saw Wang Qifan's legs.
No way, Ye Bugui had a bad feeling.
Is it possible that something inappropriate for children is going to happen in his room later?
But when Ye Bugui thought of Wang Hu's face in his dream, he lost all interest and felt only disgust.
But no matter what, is this really something a straight man like him should watch?
Ye Bugui lay on the floor below the bed in despair. Why did he have to go through this?
However, he would never tell Lu Shi what happened tonight, otherwise Lu Shi would definitely laugh at him.
Soon, Ye Bugui's thoughts began to wander freely.
As the Demon Lord, Lu Shi must have lived for hundreds or even thousands of years, right? In all those years, wouldn't he have had many Daoist partners?
Of course there are. He is the Demon Lord, after all. Countless people have rushed into his arms for the power he holds.
Ye Bugui even imagined Lu Shi with two women on his left and right, and then he got a little angry.
Why is it that he has lived for more than 20 years and has zero romantic experience, while Lu Shi can have so many Daoist partners?
Lu Shi, who was still lying on the floor, suddenly covered his nose in alarm. His nose had just started to itch, and he almost sneezed.
If this were to actually happen, Gao Yang would definitely be terrified.
However, what Lu Shi was more curious about now was what Gao Yang was doing sitting in front of the mirror.
He had been sitting there for five minutes, without even changing his posture, just looking at himself in the mirror.
This made Lu Shi even wonder if Gao Yang was possessed by a ghost.
"Ah, why am I spacing out again?" Gao Yang snapped out of his reverie, looked at himself in the mirror, and couldn't help but sigh.
He reached out and poked his cheek.
He's been sleeping surprisingly well these past few days, without insomnia, and he's noticed that his face is even more hydrated than before.
Then Gao Yang put her hands behind her head and grabbed her long hair.
He gently stroked his long hair, his eyes and his movements were so tender, as if he were petting a pet.
Then Gao Yang finally picked up the scissors he had placed on the table.
Lu Shi had already rolled over to the edge of the bed and, through the gap under the bed, could clearly see Gao Yang's every move.
He actually picked up the scissors and pointed them at his long hair.
At that moment, Lu Shi knew perfectly well that Gao Yang hadn't cut off his own hair, but he still felt an unusual pain in his heart.
With a crisp "snap," how could these scissors be so sharp!
In an instant, a section of Gao Yang's long hair broke off and fell to the ground, scattering everywhere.
Gao Yang chuckled. He looked at himself in the mirror, and the missing section of hair made him look ridiculous.
Like a clown.
"Gao Yang!" That was her mother's voice.
The summer breeze blew sunlight into Gao Yang's eyes, forcing him to cover his face with his hands.
"Mom, what's wrong? I want to eat watermelon, it's so hot today!"
His mother simply picked up a palm-leaf fan and gently fanned him, saying, "Your father went to buy you a watermelon. We'll put it in the freezer for a while."
Then his mother ran her hand through Gao Yang's long hair, trying to braid it for him: "Look, your hair is so long, it could be braided!"
"Braids are so nice!" Gao Yang chuckled, grasping his mother's thick, strong braid in his hand. "Then I'll be as pretty as Mom!"
"Mmm," the mother smiled and kissed Gao Yang's nose, "Our Yangyang is the most beautiful child in the world."
Gao Yang touched her cheek, trying to wipe away her tears, but unexpectedly, she only made her face more smeared.
That was a memory from when he was five or six years old, when his mother liked to dress him up as a girl.
That summer, like the chilled watermelon sold at the alley entrance, is gone forever.
With another snap, a large section of long hair fell to the ground.
Lu Shi looked at the large clump of hair and shook his head.
"Yangyang, shall I cut your hair for you?" After placing the milk on the table, the mother asked Gao Yang in a consultative tone.
"Mom, didn't you used to like me having long hair?" Gao Yang didn't understand. He had only finished elementary school, so why did his mother change her mind so quickly?
“You’re not a child anymore, you’re a boy, so you can’t have long hair,” the mother said, her voice rising with urgency. “And do you know what Aunt Liu next door is saying about me?”
"She said I ruined you, that I didn't raise you well, and that I made you a sissy. I was wrong before, so let's change now, okay?"
Gao Yang looked in the mirror; his long hair was only half its original length now. "If only I had changed back then. I was so disobedient back then; I even threatened to kill myself to force them."
He actually knew what people outside were saying behind his back about his long hair and how he behaved like a girl.
But he didn't realize that while he could ignore the gossip, his parents couldn't.
That sense of helplessness in succumbing to worldly pressures was something Gao Yang gradually came to understand after becoming an adult.
"Click".
Strands of long hair fell to the ground, as if Gao Yang had cut up her former self as well.
He had no choice but to do it.
Gao Yang closed his eyes, recalling what had happened yesterday.
He originally thought his mother's illness was an excuse, a reason for his father to trick him into coming home.
But when he saw his extremely weak mother by the bedside, he knew that if one of them had to compromise, it would have to be him.
"The doctor said it was a breast nodule, but the specific situation will depend on the biopsy."
Lu Shi blinked hard. For the Demon Lord, neither laughter nor crying was allowed.
He just didn't expect that he would be able to see every single one of Gao Yang's memories.
He clutched his chest; the grief was so real.
"Mom," Gao Yang opened the video call, his smile so bright, "I, I cut my hair."
The mother didn't speak, but covered her mouth and wept bitterly.
"Yangyang, I'm sorry, yes, it was Mommy's fault."
Lu Shi originally thought it was a happy ending with a compromise between the two sides.
But he still didn't understand Gao Yang enough. When he saw Gao Yang raise the scissors, pointing them at his own vulnerable neck, Lu Shi rushed out...
A note from the author:
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 46