Орден Красного Лотоса

Глава 88

He wouldn't approach Nangong Xue in front of her, but instead waited here.

She thought she had let go long ago, but seeing him again still caused a pang of pain in her heart. Didn't he tell her to leave back then? What does this mean now? In less than a month, she'd been tossed around by two men. The most ridiculous thing is, just as the one inside was being pushed out, another was already waiting outside. Is this a blessing or an irony?

Yang Nianqing took a deep breath, trying to pretend she didn't see anything and slip away.

"Why are you leaving?" a magnetic voice asked.

Pretending not to hear... Yang Nianqing reminded herself silently and walked forward quickly.

My arm was grabbed.

He sighed softly: "Why are you leaving?"

Why are you leaving? He actually asked her why she was leaving. Yang Nianqing found it funny instead. Wasn't that what he said himself, "Go away"? He was so unwilling to see her back then.

She was already angry, so she simply looked up at him and said, "You're just getting in my way. What are you doing here?"

Li You was stunned.

Yang Nianqing struggled to break free from the grasp of that hand and fled as if she were escaping.

There was a small bird perched on the table.

Half of its wing drooped limply, its feathers still stained with blood, clearly indicating an injury. Its two black bean-like eyes were half-open and half-closed, devoid of any luster. Its small body was curled up in the corner of the table, shivering slightly.

Upon hearing that Nangong Xue had invited her, Qiu Bailu frowned and said indifferently, "I know."

Yang Nianqing couldn't help but look at the little bird: "What's wrong with it?"

"The wing is broken." A nonchalant voice.

For a bird, what could be more cruel than losing its wings? Yang Nianqing couldn't help but feel pity, but thinking that the person in front of her was a great doctor, she asked hopefully, "Then... can it be cured?"

Qiu Bailu glanced at her: "No."

Yang Nianqing was saddened.

The little creature opened its eyes weakly, as if it understood its predicament. It let out two mournful cries before its little head drooped down again. From that moment on, the sky no longer belonged to it.

silence.

Just as Yang Nianqing was about to reach out to touch it, a hand snatched it up before she could.

The hand was beautiful, each finger looking strong. Yet, it was far too big for this little creature, so big that it completely enveloped it, so big that it could control its fate.

The little head was sticking out, and perhaps because of pain, or perhaps because of curiosity, its two dark eyes were wide open, looking at him with sadness and helplessness.

His ordinary face didn't show much expression.

Before Yang Nianqing could react, the hand suddenly tightened!

She cried out, "What are you doing?!"

With fingers spread out, in the palm of my hand, the little bird still lies peacefully, but it will never move again.

Looking into those round little eyes, I suddenly felt an indescribable sadness. However, the murderer in front of me remained expressionless, as if he had just done something extremely ordinary.

"No living thing in the world should be trampled on at will. If a person does not even understand this principle, he does not deserve to live in this world."

This person, now, has no qualms about doing such a cruel thing!

Yang Nianqing glared at him.

"It can no longer fly," he said calmly, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "Even if I don't do anything, it will die sooner or later, and it will die a more gruesome death."

A bird that loses its wings loses its life.

Yang Nianqing was still indignant: "Whether it lives or dies is not for you to decide. We can raise it; it may not necessarily die."

Qiu Bailu scoffed, "It should be in the sky if it's alive, not here. Even if it lives a wretched life, what's the point?"

After a moment of stunned silence, Yang Nianqing lowered her head.

The faint voice rang out again: "Since you can no longer fly back to the sky, and you can't even control your own life and death, there's no need for you to stay in this world any longer."

Yes, they can't even control their own life or death...

Yang Nianqing stared at the small corpse, her face turning pale.

Seeing her distraught expression, Qiu Bailu was taken aback. Her gaze gradually sharpened, carrying a hint of coldness, as if she were surprised, or perhaps suspicious.

for a long time.

Yang Nianqing suddenly raised her head.

“You’re not it, how do you know its life is meaningless?” She stared intently at him. “You yourself said that everything with life should be cherished, that life is beautiful, and that it might really want to live.”

Qiu Bailu was stunned.

"Although it can no longer return to the sky because it is being kept by humans, as long as it is alive, it can understand the human world, see many new things and events, and watch other birds fly. It is much better than being dead."

She looked at him and smiled: "No matter where you are, it's good to be alive."

No matter what misfortunes may occur, just being alive is enough. Aren't all people in this world trying their best to live?

"Therefore, you have no right to make decisions for it."

After a moment of stunned silence, Qiu Bailu regained her usual aloofness. The hint of mockery faded away, replaced by a strange radiance that Yang Nianqing had never seen before.

"Let's go."

After saying that, he stood up and walked out.

The veranda was empty; the familiar figure was indeed gone.

Yang Nianqing was stunned for a moment, and a few faint disappointments still swept through her heart, as if something was lost. Wasn't it over? Why is it like this?

Just as he was about to turn and leave, a low sigh sounded behind him.

Is he there?

Yang Nianqing immediately turned to leave without looking back, but still bumped into a clean, soft white wall.

The familiar scent wafted over, and the embrace was still so warm, making one irresistibly drawn to it. Yet, it seemed no longer entirely hers, or perhaps, it had never truly belonged to anyone.

His words "Go away" broke her heart back then, so how can he still come looking for her with a clear conscience?

Yang Nianqing said coldly, "What are you doing!"

"Please don't make me sad anymore, okay?" His voice was still magnetic, but very soft, as soft as the wind under the bright sun, carrying a rare hint of sadness. In her memory, he had never spoken in such a tone before.

sad?

Trying to calm herself down, Yang Nianqing looked up at him, her face full of apology: "I know you're heartbroken. It's my fault for hurting Miss Jiang. I never expected it to turn out like that. I'm so sorry, but what's done is done. Even if I die now..."

My arms tightened around him.

Her gentle tone carried a hint of helplessness: "Why did you have to talk nonsense?"

Knowing that struggling was useless, Yang Nianqing simply turned her face away and remained silent.

He murmured, "Are you angry with me?"

Yes, she was angry.

What does all this have to do with her? She didn't kill him. She just wanted to comfort him, but he was in a hurry for her to "leave." If he truly ignored her now, maybe he wouldn't be so heartbroken. But now he's come back to her—what does he take her for?

Yang Nianqing shook her head: "It's right that you're sad. I'm not angry, but I really can't help with this case. I hope you can find the murderer soon and avenge her. Brother Nangong has woken up. I'll go see him first."

After she finished speaking, she tried to leave, but to her surprise, he still held her tightly.

Why are you leaving?

"If you don't want to see me, wouldn't it be better if you left?"

He frowned.

Yang Nianqing ignored her: "Can you let me go now?"

A sigh escaped his lips, and he didn't speak, but instead tightened his arms around himself.

Even after all that, he's still acting like this!

"What do you mean by this!" Yang Nianqing finally became angry and struggled. "What do you take me for? Someone you can dismiss with a 'go' when you're unhappy, only to recall me when you remember me?"

Before the words were even finished, there was a loud "smack"!

Li You was stunned.

After the crisp sound, Yang Nianqing was also stunned.

Looking at his slightly flushed, handsome face and feeling the pain in her hand, she felt a pang of regret. Men in ancient times seemed to be very particular about rules, and for a woman to slap him… and this man was a complete chauvinist, what should she do?

She hurriedly looked away: "I..."

He was still holding her.

"I don't want her to see you," the soft voice said. "I can't let her be sad anymore. This is the last thing I can do for her. Are you... angry with me?"

"It's my fault for not letting you see her, so why are you making such a fuss about it?"

He means...

Yang Nianqing was stunned.

"Go away, don't stay here," the voice truly held no blame, simply telling her to leave, to "not stand here," offering the last pitiful comfort to the deceased. Little did it expect her to be so sensitive. A grieving person doesn't think too much, and naturally wouldn't explain in detail, so he didn't even notice the misunderstanding his words might cause.

Sometimes the reason for misunderstandings is actually very simple; it's just that you don't ask, and he doesn't know it yet.

He wasn't lying, which is why he asked He Bi to protect her before leaving.

All the grievances she had held back for days surfaced, and Yang Nianqing finally buried her face in his chest, tears streaming down her face. Her snow-white front became the place to wipe away her tears once again.

He sighed softly, "It's my fault for ruining her life, so why would I ask you to leave?"

She looked up at him, her eyes red: "You were the one who told me to leave, why didn't you explain?"

He wasn't telling her to leave, he was just telling her not to stand there. He was only thinking about his guilt at the time, who knew she would think so much? How could a man possibly fathom a woman's thoughts?

Li You didn't argue, but smiled wryly: "Some people are always shameless, but I didn't expect them to leave so quickly this time."

"Who's shameless!"

"Of course it's me."

"That's more like it," Yang Nianqing said with satisfaction, giving him a playful punch. "If it weren't for the fact that you understand the 'three obediences and four virtues' of men, and that you're so good at admitting your mistakes, I would never have paid you any attention!"

There's no limit to how thick-skinned people can be; there's always someone who can get thicker.