CH 21

Mo Xiang Hang studied Ji Nan Feng, who was kneeling in front of him. With mixed feelings, he sighed, “I know that if it’s not for me forcing your hand using your father’s house as a condition, you wouldn’t have married Xin’er. You’re not wrong, and Xin’er wasn’t in the wrong either. It’s all my fault. 

“Xin’er is kind-hearted and filial. I don’t know what happened between you two since she married you. As she never shared anything with us. As for today, I wouldn’t ask and neither do I want to know. In the future, you two can decide for yourselves how you want to carry on. I’m already old and useless, people said that the younger generations will do all right on their own. 

“No matter what, Nan Feng I hope you will take my words to heart. When a person’s heart turns cold, it will be too late for regrets.”

Ji Nan Feng was apprehensive upon hearing Mo Xiang Hang’s words, “Grandpa, please believe me. Previously I was ignorant, I’ll never let this happen again.” 

Kneeling beside him, Duan An Ran realised that her motive was not achieved and panicked, “Nan Feng…”

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“Miss Duan, my son is unworthy of you. What’s more, he’s already married. Why do you keep pestering him endlessly for?” Wei Xiu Lan scoffed. She was not derailed by Duan An Ran’s words, as if she had known of it a long time ago. And indeed, she had.

Duan An Ran was confounded, “Auntie, do you know of the grievances your son had suffered? His so-called marriage was also due to coercion. Do you know why Uncle died so suddenly a year ago? It is because of what your good daughter-in-law’s mother did. It’s just that there hasn’t been any concrete evidence to prove so. Furthermore, your son only married her just to get back Uncle’s house that you longed for.”

Duan An Ran said it so virtuously as though it was the truth. From her perspective, these were all true. However, some time in the distant future, she would look back upon this day and realised how stupid her behaviour was. 

“Pwyd Gd Syd, tlv swv sq xu pktbv! Gp yd lewnyvsa yde y xyd, vblal yal psxl osaep vbyv R pbswzed’v cl pyukdt. Jwv fwpv cl alyeu vs ryu qsa yzz uswa xkpellep. Xaktkdyzzu, R oydvle vs zlv usw sqq y zkvvzl zsdtla kd saela vs alya kd y ckttla nyvnb. Jwv kv pllxp vbyv vblal’p ds dlle yduxsal. Xdnl vblu pll bso pvwrke usw yal, vbspl rlsrzl cynjkdt usw wr oswzed’v yrrlya ytykd. Mbl qkal cynj vbld oyp yzz uswa eskdt kpd’v kv? Ohld vseyu’p nya ynnkeldv, usw xwpv’hl bye y byde kd kv!”

Kk Lyd Wldt oyp ps qwakswp vbyv bl oyp okzzkdt vs qsats bkp zsdt vlax scflnvkhl. Valhkswpzu, bl nbspl dsv vs vyjl ydu ynvksdp yde sdzu alflnvle Pwyd Gd Syd’p yehydnlp. Tl vbswtbv vbyv bl nswze jllr bla yaswde yde vbaswtb bla, bl oswze cl yczl vs yrralblde vbspl vbyv olal clbkde bla. Zlv, dso bl bye awd swv sq ryvkldnl obld kv nyxl vs bla, yde dlkvbla eke bl pll vbl dlle yduxsal. Gp y rlapsd vbyv oswze wpl ydu xlydp rsppkczl vs scvykd bla tsyz, jllrkdt pwnb y rlapsd yaswde oswze sdzu nalyvl xsal vaswczl qsa bkx kd vbl qwvwal.

“Lyd Wldt, bso nswze usw vbkdj sq xl vbyv oyu? R eked’v es kv, R eked’v es yzz vbspl vbkdtp vbyv usw ynnwple xl sq eskdt. Eyp kv psxlvbkdt Nk Dkd pyke? Zsw nyddsv clzklhl bla! R jdso usw’al nwaaldvzu pwqqlakdt qasx yxdlpky yde byhl qsatsvvld swa csde. Jwv vbyv’p sjyu! R’x pvkzz okzzkdt vs oykv qsa vbl eyu usw alxlxcla xl.” Pwyd Gd Syd eldkle hlblxldvzu.

Gv vbl pyxl vkxl, pbl eke dsv qsatlv vs pxlya Ys Nk Dkd obkzl pbl oyp yv kv. Tla xkde oyp nbysvkn yde qwzz sq wdlypu cwv pbl pvkzz ralvldele vs cl kddsnldv yde rkvkqwz. Fsxl osxld oyvnbkdt sd vbl pkel olal yzps pzsozu clkdt vswnble cu bla.

Tsolhla, Kk Lyd Wldt, obs oyp alcsad, jdlo lmynvzu obyv jkde sq rlapsd pbl oyp. Fs kv oyp dsv pwarakpkdt vbyv bl eke dsv cwu y pkdtzl osae pbl wvvlale.

Fyukdt xsal oswze sdzu cl oypvle osaep sd vbkp osxyd. Fs bl pkxrzu pvsr zssjkdt yde ydpolakdt bla. Gv vbyv hlau plnsde, bl zsyvble bla, byvle bla ralvldvkswpdlpp yde bursnakpu. Ebyv bl elprkple xspv, oyp bso czkde yde caykdzlpp bl oyp zypv vkxl. Lso vbkdjkdt cynj, vbkp xwpv cl alvakcwvksd. Jwv obu oyp jyaxy ryke cynj sd Ys Nk Dkd? Rd vblka ralhkswp zkhlp, obyv oyp pbl eskdt yv vbkp vkxl? Eyp kv clnywpl sq bkp ynvksdp vbyv nbydtle vbl vayflnvsau sq vblka qyvlp kd vbkp zkql?

Ebyv Kk Lyd Wldt oyp wdyoyal sq oyp vbyv yv vbkp vkxl kd bkp ralhkswp zkql, Ys Nk Dkd yzps xlv okvb y nya ynnkeldv. Xdzu vbyv vkxl aswde, pbl oyp yzsdl yv vbl bsprkvyz…

“Lyd Wldt, R byhl qykvb kd uswa qyvbla yde vawpv kd Nk Dkd’p xsvbla. R clzklhl kd usw lhld xsal ps. Fs obyvlhla usw nbsspl vs es, xsvbla okzz pwrrsav uswa elnkpksdp.” Elk Dkw Nyd ldnswaytle.

Duan An Ran was astounded, “Why? Why do you rather believe in a murderer and her daughter, but not in me? You… one of you is the victim’s father, the other is the victim’s wife, and you’re the victim’s son. Are you all not worried that Uncle will toss in his grave and cannot rest in peace?” Duan An Ran said righteously. She believed that one day when Ji Nan Feng gained back his memories, he would like her even more because of what she said today.

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But in reality, no one paid any attention to what she said. And because she caused too much ruckus, she was escorted out by the security staff.

By then, the door of the emergency room opened. The doctor took off his surgical mask and stated, “The patient’s condition is stabilised. Once the anesthesia wears off, she will come to. Things to take note of during her recovery period, she should refrain from straining herself. As for dietary restrictions, she must avoid cold and raw food items.”

After Mo Li Xin was sent to her appointed ward, Ji Nan Feng turned to the rest of them, “Grandpa, you all should go back and rest. Everything will be alright with me here. Xin’er is my wife and I’ll take care of her.”

“In-laws, I agree with Nan Feng. We’re getting on with age, we should stop meddling with the youngsters’ lives. They will know how to solve their own issues on their own,” Ji Shi Bo advised.

“Yes Grandpa, Sister needs peace and you also need to rest. Let’s go back first. I believe Nan Feng will take good care of her,” Mo Shi Bai also coaxed gently. 

Although his grandfather was younger than Elder Ji, his body was not as robust. Including today’s incident, he suffered from shock too. As much as he worried for his younger sister, he also believed that his brother-in-law would take good care of her.

After much persuasion, only Ji Nan Feng and an unconscious Mo Li Xin were left in the room.

Ji Nan Feng sat beside the bed and stared at Mo Li Xin tenderly. 

‘Thankfully, she’s fine… Fortunately, the future is long, we’ll be able to walk on that path together…’

However, he was oblivious to the fact that some things were already contrary to his expectation and out of his control.

Mo Li Xin was unsure what was wrong with herself. She had a splitting headache, could not make a sound nor did she know where she was at. All that surrounded her was white. It was like she could see, but she was seeing nothing. In her hazy vision, she managed to spot a woman in red… No… to be precise, the lady was covered in blood. 

“Who are you? Where am I?” Mo Li Xin asked in alarm.

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“Who am I? I am you, but a more pitiful you. Those circumstances that supposedly would’ve happened to you may not happen anymore. You might be happy, but I’m unreconciled! Why do all of you get the chance to restart again but only I am still stuck in this abyss? The pain that you would’ve experienced has already been defused by my suffering,” that person said.

Only then did Mo Li Xin see the silhouette clearly, the person looked exactly like her. Feeling more wired, “Then… what are you planning to do?”

Mo Li Xin’s look-alike chuckled before saying, “You don’t have to be afraid of me. Since you’re me and I’m you, we’re one person. Relax and let me enter your body. I’ll definitely protect you from harm. Trust me, trust me.”

“No… Why should I trust you?” Mo Li Xin stepped back apprehensively.

“Some decisions are not up to you to decide. Such as now…” With that, Mo Li Xin saw the being slowly fading and entering her body. Then she felt a burst of headache before everything turned black.

As the sky brightened, Mo Li Xin slowly opened her eyes. She was slightly discombobulated as she analysed her surroundings. It took her a while before she managed to rasp, “Was that all a dream?” 

But it felt so real. Just as she was reaching her hand up to touch her throbbing head, she heard Ji Nan Feng’s voice from outside the ward.

“Xin’er, don’t touch it. Does it hurt a lot?” Ji Nan Feng asked worriedly. He just came back and was carrying some food.

Mo Li Xin lowered the hand that wanted to touch her head and smiled cheerfully, “I’m okay, it doesn’t hurt.” 

At the same time, she thought to herself, ‘As long as you’re here, nothing hurts.’ 

Unexpectedly, another voice within her ordered, ‘Be more clear-headed!’

Mo Li Xin shook her head, overwhelmed by a sense of inexplicability. But her actions were viewed as signs of pain and discomfort to Ji Nan Feng.

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“I’ll call for the doctor.”

“No, there’s no need. Really, my head is only throbbing a little bit. Now, I’m just hungry and want to eat something,” Mo Li Xin reassured him. As though she was really hungry, she eyed the food bento in Ji Nan Feng’s hand.

He was still somewhat sceptical, “It really doesn’t hurt? You’re really just hungry?”

“Truly, it’s the God’s honest truth,” Mo Li Xin raised her hand and vowed.

It was only then did Ji Nan Feng finally believe her. 

“I’m sorry about what happened yesterday, but you have to trust me. There’s nothing going on between Duan An Ran and me. I’ve already reported the car accident to the police. And do you remember what I said before? Regarding the hotel catching fire, it’s most likely her doing and I’ve found the evidence. Yesterday I only allowed her onboard because of another case that I was investigating. I promise in the future, without your acknowledgement, I’ll never let another woman into my car.” Ji Nan Feng was like a child as he solemnly swore.

Yesterday, after Duan An Ran left, he continued waiting for Mo Li Xin. After a long while and she still did not come down, he decided to go up to look for her. It was through her co-worker that he learned that she had gotten off early. And it struck him with the realisation that there was a high possibility that she had seen him and Duan An Ran together. 

Mo Li Xin felt her head pounding. After hearing what he had to say, she slowly started to recall what happened yesterday. Originally, she wanted to say, ‘It’s okay, it was me that misunderstood you.’ 

But what came out of her mouth was, “I can believe you, but this doesn’t change the fact that I’m hospitalised because of you. So, you’ll have to make up to me.” 

The tone contained hints of coquettishness. Not only was Ji Nan Feng surprised, even Mo Li Xin, herself found it incredulous and it gave her goosebumps.

‘Don’t worry, I won’t harm you and Nan Feng. But currently, you shouldn’t forgive him so easily. Have some pride and give him a bit of cold-shoulder,’ before Mo Li Xin got over her initial shock, a voice resonated from within her. 

The author has something to say: Regarding her second personality, ‘she’ will not be appearing much unless it’s absolutely necessary. And once ‘she’ completed ‘her’ mission, ‘she’ will naturally disappear. Therefore there is no need to fret my little comrades!