CH 55

Chapter 55

Like a dream, deep and distant and limitless. Inside was a clear and long-lasting memory…

Blood stained the gray road with red.

A handsome young man collapsed in a pool of blood, the light in his eyes seemed like a fragile spark that was about to be extinguished, but deep in the depths of that spark, there was an unwilling obsession.

“Why…?” Lu Bai fell to his knees in the middle of the road. He held the dying young man in a daze, with his hands and clothes stained with warm blood. His eyes were wide open, filled with shock and disbelief, while tears quietly flowed down his face.

The original plot was never like this! This was his plot! He was the villainous male support, Lu Bai!

The one who was supposed to die here was him…

Lu Bai, the villainous male character in this book, dies in a car accident at the age of nineteen. Lu Bai, to sabotage the date of the protagonists Gong and Shou, goes to wreak havoc, but because of a truck that runs a red light, he dies in a flash on his way there.

The world has used the punishment mechanism and the temptation of “going home” to force him to go through the plot. It’s as if he was being forced to participate in a game, and completing the plot of the “villainous male support” seems to be the only solution. The world has created the illusion that if he completes his storyline, he will be able to return to his original world and be reborn – even if the final plotline of him being a villainous male was a car accident and death.

Fresh, bright red blood dripped from the corner of the young man’s lips again, and Lu Bai trembled violently as if awakened from a nightmare. He stretched out his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of the young man’s mouth, his hand trembling uncontrollably as if wiping the blood clean would bring the young man back to life.

“Qu Xueyu…” The blood couldn’t be completely wiped clean, Lu Bai sobbed and cried: “Why…?” Obviously, he was the one who should have been hit by the truck, but this young man appeared unexpectedly and pushed him away. He pushed him away, and he suffered all the pain on his behalf…and even, his death…

“Because… I like you, Xiao Bai.”

The young man’s weak voice was like a soft sigh, but it rang in Lu Bai’s mind as clearly as a thunderbolt.

Lu Bai’s pupils shrank. His disheveled bangs covered his eyebrows and eyes, so no matter how hard the youth who was collapsed in his arms tried to discern, he couldn’t read Lu Bai’s expression at this moment.

Qu Xueyu laughed helplessly and laboriously, more blood spilling between his teeth. This type of affectionate statement should be said at a better time, it would be best to say it when the moon is full and the flowers are beautiful… Saying it now would not be romantic at all, and it would only scare the other…

But if he doesn’t say it now – Qu Xueyu’s eyes reveal a flash of unwillingness and helplessness – if he doesn’t say it now, it’ll be too late. He’s not the kind of person who keeps his love in his heart till after he dies.

When he heard his confession, what kind of expression would he see in the young man’s eyes, obscured by his curly bangs? Qu Xueyu pondered whether he would be shocked, touched, embarrassed, or … disgusted? No, although this child always looks fierce in appearance, however, his heart is softer and kinder than anyone else, he will not be ‘disgusted’.

As Qu Xueyu was thinking, a glittering tear hit him on the cheek like a heavy pearl. His pupils shrank, and he saw the young man raise his head slightly to look at him with red eyes, and with more glittering tears in his eyes, he said loudly: “Then you, don’t die! Please, please don’t die!”

Qu Xueyu was stunned to see the teenager’s first out-of-control appearance, after a long time, the corner of his lips finally perked up with a smile. Points of black spots had already appeared in his vision, and the sound of his heartbeat was getting weaker and weaker… He used all his strength to raise his hand to touch the other’s face, and said in a hoarse voice, “Xiao Bai, come a little closer…” He wanted to add the words ‘I have something to say’ but he already didn’t have the strength.

Lu Bai bent down in a daze, and the youth took the opportunity to press on the back of his neck. Using inertia, he brought the teenager even closer, so close that he was finally able to touch the teenager’s lips.

“Mmmm…”

Lu Bai’s eyes widened, tears once again falling onto the others face, giving the illusion that the young man was crying as well. But being so close, Lu Bai could see that there was a soft and gentle smile in this youth’s eyes.

Lu Bai let the youth kiss him, with his lips stained with blood, and his mouth full of its scent. His heart was pounding through the kiss, but it was also so sour and painful that it felt like he was going to die as well.

“Remember me, Xiao Bai.” After that kiss, Qu Xueyu caressed the young man’s stunned and pained face, his eyes full of longing. But when he finally lowered his hand and closed his eyes, his lips curved into a gentle smile, and his voice was so sweet like he was afraid of scaring the other, “No… Xiao Bai, you have to forget about me. I’m only doing this because of my selfishness, you don’t need to shoulder any of this.” It was he who liked this young man, it was he who willingly went to his death for him. He liked him so so much and cherished him so deeply, how could he bear to watch him carry such a heavy burden of feelings as well as a life, it was not fair to this young man.

“No…” Lu Bai held the youth’s hand, his eyes so red that they looked like they were stained with blood, “You, you can’t die…” as he said this, the youth’s beautiful eyes dimmed completely, his heart stopped beating, and his hand slipped to the ground…

The sound of the long overdue ambulance and the clamor of the crowd buzzed in his ears. The advertisement screen not far from the wreckage was broadcasting with news: “Our station is making an urgent report that a fire broke out in the Lu’s mansion, and there are no currently reported survivors. The cause of the fire is now under investigation by the police.”

“This station is reporting that a serious car accident has occurred on Wutai Road. It is rumored that this accident may involve a famous movie star and Lu’s son, the specific details will be reported by our frontline reporter shortly.”

Lu Bai tightly clutched the youth’s body which had gradually cooled off. Countless voices fell into his ears, but it was like a distorted reality.

His palm burst with a sharp pain, so he sluggishly raised his hand to look at it. He suddenly discovered a line of small red letters on his palm, which stood out in the dreary early winter afternoon and shocked him.

“Congratulations on clearing the world. Reward: return to your original world and gain back your life.”

Return to his original… world…gain his life… and be free…

The youth’s body went completely icy, and the news of the Lu family’s fire filled his ears…

Lu Bai hugged his tightly clenched fists and suddenly started to laugh. The sound of his laughter was bitter and mad, his face covered with tears. So, this was the real solution.

At the very beginning, this was probably a trap. He was forced to follow the plot by the “world” and the desire to live had been rekindled in his heart. But in the end, he still couldn’t escape from the word “death”. It was an unsolvable knot.

So the only real solution was for someone to willingly die for him. Someone had to give his life for him. Someone… had to be shackled by the destiny of certain death for him, so that he could be free.

But this young man was so good – Lu Bai gently stroked the young man’s face. Gradually, his eyes churned with nearly demented turbulence – why should he lose his life like this?

Lu Bai jerked his head up and glared at the news on the advertising screen – his family is also so good, so why should they end in this way?

In the early winter sky, thick clouds were tumbling across the sky, and sparkling white snowflakes began to drift down gradually. Lu Bai looked up to the sky, and snowflakes fell on his eyelashes and stained the corners of his red eyes, which were cold to his core.

He vaguely saw that behind the overcast clouds was some kind of passageway. When the passage was fully opened, he should be able to return to that world in which his parents were no longer there, and which was all but empty and cold for him. This youth, and his family in this world, were going to be buried forever in this world’s cold first snow of the year, and would never open their eyes again.

No, it can’t be…

Lu Bai’s nails pierced through his palms, and his dark eyes began to burn with fire-he would not allow such an ending…

“Lu Bai.” A person suddenly smacked Lu Bai’s shoulder, and Lu Bai turned sluggishly, his face expressionless as he met Qin Gu’s eyes.

“What are you doing?! Release him!” Qin Gu was frowning, and as he took in the teenager’s appearance, a trace of heartache crossed his eyes as he said, “Stop bullying Xiao Yang. I know you’re grieving over the Lu family’s disaster, Xiao Yang and I will help you take care of your Lu family’s final affairs.” After a pause, he trailed off, “The Qu family will take care of Xue Yu’s affairs, please, let him go.” Elder Qu’s beloved grandson died because of Lu Bai’s misfortune, and Lu Bai is now holding Xue Yu and won’t let go of his body. Elder Qu is already on his way and seeing this situation, there is even less chance that he will spare Lu Bai.

Lu Bai looked down at the person in his arms in a daze, and only then did he realize that there were nurses who wanted to carry Qu Xueyu’s now cold body into their ambulance, but couldn’t because Lu Bai was holding onto him so tightly.

Lu Bai frowned slightly, and then all of a sudden, he looked fiercely at Qin Gu with a chilling glare, remembering something.

Qin Gu’s pupils shrank – this teenager had always declared his love for him before, and this was the first time he had ever used such cold eyes to look at him.

Lu Bai took off his coat and placed it on the ground, then gently placed Qu Xueyu’s body on top of it, his movements were gentle and diligent. Then, his hand groped for a while for a piece of broken glass left after the car accident, and gripped it in his fist. The sharp edges cut into his palm, and blood dripped down his fingers onto the ground, but Lu Bai acted as if he couldn’t feel the pain and squeezed the piece of glass a little tighter. He stumbled to his feet and fixed Qin Gu with a hostile and foreign glare.

“Xiao Bai…” frowned Qin Gu, stepping forward to grab the teenager’s shoulders, his heart feeling numb with pain as he looked at such an unfamiliar teenager.

Lu Bai expressionlessly brought the sharp edge of the piece of glass against Qin Gu’s vulnerable neck.

Qin Gu’s eyes dilated, and his heart felt like it had been plunged into ice-cold water.

Lu Bai, however, didn’t care about him at all at this point, as he raised his head and shouted towards that certain hidden gate, seemingly addressing empty air, “This is your favorite child, isn’t he?” Qin Gu was the world’s actual protagonist, it was as if the world had lavished him with every ounce of good fortune. He has a good family background, good luck, and will stand at the top of the business empire in the future. He also had a perfect lover like Qu Xueyu who willingly took a backseat to him in the later stages of the storyline, even enduring the fact that he kept a small corner of his heart for Xiao Yang – It is clear that Qu Xueyu was a very proud person.

“Promise me one thing! Otherwise, I’ll kill him! I’ll kill your favorite child!” Lu Bai bellowed towards the nothingness, his voice rang hoarsely.

It was a big gamble. A world that recklessly played with the fate of so many people, and he was betting that it truly cared about Qin Gu.

The people gathered around were in an uproar as they gawped at this cracked teenager like he was a lunatic.

“Xiao Bai… “Qin Gu was incredulously looking at the other person…

“Do you agree or not!” Lu Bai moved the shard with a trembling hand, and a bloody line was drawn on Qin Gu’s neck.

Woosh

With a soft sound, the entire world, including Qin Gu, stood still, as if someone had pressed the pause button on time.

The world was silent, and the snowflakes peacefully floated in midair.

Lu Bai took a big breath and finally relaxed his hand, but the glass remained at Qin Gu’s neck, immobile. Only the bright red blood from Lu Bai’s palm continued to drip down onto the gray ground.

“I want to save Qu Xueyu and my family.” Lu Bai looked at the equally still sky and with a blank face stated, “I’ll give up returning to the original world. This is the exchange.”

The world remained still, as if Lu Bai was the only one left in this pale and lonely place.

After a long wait, the palm of Lu Bai’s hand which had not been scratched suddenly felt a tingling sensation once again. Lu Bai was startled, then he lowered his head to look at it, and finally, after a long look, he burst out in a low, muffled laugh.

In the palm of his hand, the red handwriting was especially eye-catching in the pale and still world.

“Deal.”

The red handwriting wrote.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s Note: Missing Person Returns! orz

This is what happened the first time Xiao Bai walked the plot, but also the beginning of Xiao Bai who began repeating a certain part of the plot over and over.

The only way for Xiao Bai to be freed and able to live is if someone willingly dies for him, so because Xiao Qu died for him, he was free when he re-walked the plot afterward.

No spoilers for the rest of the story, it will continue to be made clear da, and it will be HE1Happy Ending alright~

Edit: Krone

Proofread: N/A