Chapter 165 - His Best Friend's Death Left Him Devastated

"She wouldn't have died if I didn't let the pain of losing my parents and butler cloud my sense of reasoning. She would have still been alive if not for my stubbornness. I am the reason she is no more," Yifeng said. His voice came out shaky. Yang Zi could feel every emotion in his words. She lent him her shoulders to rest on.

"Don't blame yourself. I am sure you were just searching for a way to survive. You never intended for that to happen," Yang Zi comforted. According self blame is how those who got traumatised used as an escape route to survive. Without such blames living on will be almost impossible.

"Yang Zi, I killed her, believe me. I..., "

"Shh... It's Ok, you don't have to explain anymore. What I could pinpoint from the little you have just said is that it was never your choice to get engaged to her. Although you might have lied to me, I will never leave you because of her or anyone else. I promise," Yang Zi said affectionately. She felt like crying seeing how affected Yifeng looked. She liked him that is why she hated seeing him in pain.

"I will tell you everything today. I want nothing to ever come in between us ever again. No more misunderstandings," Yifeng said, trying so hard to put his emotion in check. He began relaying the incident that took place back then.

...

NINE YEARS AGO

After he witnessed his parents die tragically in a ghastly motor accident, he became a delinquent teenager to hide his pain. His delinquent behaviours went on like this for over a year.

One day, he and his two friends, Su Jin and Mi Lu, sneaked out of the house as they normally did. They went to the club. The three of them danced and played late into the night. Yifeng who wasn't even up to the legal age smoked and even had a few sips of alcohol despite Su Jin and Mi Lu's advice.

When they came out of the club later on, Li Yifeng was tipsy and so was Mi Lu, who also took a sip of alcohol from Yifeng's glass. Instead of them calling their drivers to pick them up, they climbed onto the motorcycle which they had come with and zoomed off. Su Jin used his motorcycle while Mi Lu shared Yifeng's motorcycle. Su Jin drove slowly while Yifeng drove at top speed. Yifeng and his partner were having so much fun as they raced down the dimly lit street. As Yifeng rode, Mi Lu screamed and spread her hands in the air to enjoy the cool night breeze.

Fifteen minutes into their fun adventure, Su Jin, who was far behind, heard a crashing sound. Fear that something bad might have happened to his two friends gripped his innocent mind. He sped faster than he was driving to see what had happened. The scene he saw was one Su Jin will never forget.

Yifeng had driven into a bump on the road, causing them to be thrown in opposite directions. Yifeng was safe but unfortunately for Mi Lu, she hit her head hard against a rock causing her head to bleed severely. Su Jin threw his motorcycle away after descending from it. He helped Yifeng up. When they went to check up on Mi Lu, they saw a pool of blood. For a minute they were too shocked to react.

Yifeng sprawled to the ground in shock while Su Jin took a few steps backward. Panic washed over them as they watched their friend lying half dead in her pool of blood. Yifeng's feeble legs were too weak to support the weight of his body, so he had to crawl to where she was lying down.

"Mi Lu, wake up! Stop playing a prank on us, it's not funny," Yifeng said, trembling, as he shook her gently.

"Please wake up hmm? If you wake up, I swear. I won't make fun of you ever again," Yifeng said, touching her bloody head with his shaking hands. Su Jin was too shocked to utter a word. He suddenly became a moron overnight.

"What the hell are you waiting for? Call the ambulance now," Yifeng shouted, hugging the lifeless body of Mi Lu tightly to himself. Shivering, Su Jin searched for his cellphone frantically in his trousers pocket. After he finally found the phone. With trembling hands he tried to type the emergency number but because of his shaky hands, the phone fell from his hand. Yifeng who was momentarily out of his senses shouted on him to bring him back to his normal senses.

"Mi Lu, please open your eyes. You know I haven't got over the pain of losing mum, dad and uncle Jin. I won't be able to handle it if you abandon me too," Yifeng cried, kissing her forehead. "I love you so much. You are the only one who understands me most in this world. What will I do if you leave me? I will kill myself if you dare leave me so don't you dare die," Yifeng threatened, still sobbing. No matter how many times he threatened his best friend, she neither uttered a word nor moved a muscle. She was as still as a statue.

The ambulance came ten minutes later. After taking her pulse, they confirmed Mi Lu's death. Yifeng and Su Jin fell on the ground after their pronouncement.

"No, no, no. This can't be happening. Somebody should please wake me up from this terrible nightmare," Yifeng said, his eyes widened in shock.

"Mi Lu is not dead. I am sure they are lying just to scare us," Yifeng thought, shaking his head in denial. Despite their efforts to pull Yifeng up from the cold ground, Yifeng did not budge. He only stood up when his grandpa's assistant came a few minutes later.

The police men also arrived. They arrested both Su Jin and Yifeng for questioning. Series of events occurred within the space of two days. Yifeng went out of his mind after he realised his best friend was dead. Despite his unstable state the Police still charged Yifeng to court for murder. While all these events took place, Yifeng refused to talk or play. The only thing he did was wake up, take his bath and sit down staring into space. He only ate when his grandpa, Nanny or butler forced him to eat.

Seeing the terrible state his grandson was in breaks Chairman Li's heart. With the amount of money he had, he couldn't buy his grandson's happiness or innocence. Because of this, he aged faster than anyone had ever expected. Even with Yifeng's silence, he knew that his grandson was innocent of all the charges, but the incorruptible prosecutor in charge of Yifeng's case was so adamant in sending his grandson to prison.

It was during this dire moment that someone offered him a golden opportunity. Just to save his grandson and the reputation of his family, he had grabbed the golden opportunity with both hands without thinking twice about it.

The day he accepted the offer to get his grandson engaged to the judge's granddaughter, Yifeng was mysteriously cleared of all the allegations. Apart from Yifeng's mysterious release, another shocking event that occurred was the sudden death of the prosecutor in charge of Yifeng's case.

The only news the media released to the public concerning the prosecutor's death was that he died in a ghastly motor accident. The news of the prosecutor's death was slept under carpet within just the space of two weeks. Nobody knew what became of the prosecutor's poor wife. She just disappeared into thin airs. She only reappeared five years later with two lovely daughters.

....

PRESENT

"You mean Grandpa Li got you engaged without your knowledge? That is so unbelievable. Despite your mental state, he should have at least informed you about it. It's your life after all," Yang Zi said. If her mum did that to her, she would have hated her mum temporarily, but she would've loathed the guy's existence all her life. She would have treated him worse than an animal, so she cannot blame Yifeng for however he treats his so-called fiancee.

"I only got to know about it through the newspaper. I was furious when I learnt about this. I wanted to call off the engagement but grandpa threatened to send little Chen far away if I dared to call off my engagement with Zhao Liying so I didn't have any choice but to play along with Grandpa's plan," Yifeng explained cleaning his eyes. He sat up straight afterwards. 

"Grandpa Li threatened you? He doesn't look like one who could do such a thing, but I bet he just loves you so much that is why he did what he did. All parents are like that, I understand how Grandpa Li must have felt since I am a mother too," Yang Zi said, glancing at him. All parent's aim is to protect their children, they will go to any length to make sure their children do not suffer any harm. Her mum is like that, so she believes that is how all parents are. 

"Has your heart ever fluttered whenever you are with her?" Yang Zi asked seriously. Although it was an arranged engagement, they have been engaged for so long. There is a possibility he might have developed feelings for her so she wanted to know her stance.