His fingers paused, and a drop of water fell straight down, splashing onto the clean marble tiles and spreading into a small damp stain, as if trying to cover up those obscure, unspeakable thoughts, yet it only stirred up a stormy turbulence.
But Zhou Wan, with her head lowered, saw nothing.
Lu Xixiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he said calmly, "It was too sudden. I didn’t have time to think about anything else."
It was only because it was too sudden.
In that answer, Zhou Wan found air to breathe again. She let out a soft sigh and finally dared to lift her eyes to look at him.
Lu Xixiao tugged at the corner of his lips, revealing a self-mocking smile. "After all, I truly loved you back then."
Her heart, which had just found freedom, tightened again at his words.
"I’m sorry."
Lu Xixiao had never lacked her useless apologies. Without another word, he stepped past her shoulder and walked out of the kitchen.
...
At the stroke of midnight, as the old year gave way to the new, the streets were unusually lively. The air was filled with the sound of firecrackers, and fireworks lit up the sky as bright as day. Yet, this was the best sleep Lu Xixiao had had in years.
The next day, the moment Zhou Wan opened her eyes, she was met with Lu Xixiao’s face, magnified and close.
She was startled, almost letting out a soft gasp.
The man was sleeping on his side—a rare sight. Even in sleep, the lines of his face remained sharp. His eyelashes were lowered, his nose bridge high and straight, his lips thin, and an aura of cold detachment surrounded him.
When he wasn’t smiling, the overwhelming rebelliousness in him almost vanished, leaving only the chill.
Zhou Wan’s gaze drifted downward, settling on the left side of his chest.
She felt a sudden urge to see the scar there, wondering how deep it had been.
She stole a cautious glance at Lu Xixiao. He seemed still asleep. Suppressing her curiosity, she slowly reached out, intending to push aside the collar of his pajamas.
But the moment her fingertips touched his skin, Lu Xixiao’s eyes snapped open. He grabbed her hand and forcefully pinned it to the side.
Zhou Wan felt the world spin. Her wrist was pressed firmly against the pillow as Lu Xixiao propped himself up on his elbows, his dark eyes filled with a fierce, menacing glare as he stared at her.
After a moment, the hostility around him faded, and his eyes returned to their usual calm.
"What are you doing?" he asked hoarsely.
He clearly hadn’t been fully awake, but the moment Zhou Wan touched him, he had jolted to alertness.
Lu Xixiao had never felt a sense of belonging, and thus, he had no sense of security. Even in sleep, he remained vigilant—no wonder he struggled with insomnia.
Zhou Wan met his gaze. "I just wanted to see your scar."
"Nothing worth seeing," he said indifferently before lying back down, one arm draped over her across the blanket.
The sleeve of his pajamas was rolled up, revealing a section of firm, well-defined forearm. He carried a faint scent of tobacco, his features deep and intense, every part of him exuding a powerful, unmistakable aura that was uniquely his.
Her entire body stiffened, every muscle tensing involuntarily. Even her calves felt cramped, and warmth spread through her.
She struggled slightly, the blanket covering half her mouth as she mumbled, "Lu Xixiao, I want to get up."
"What for?" he asked without opening his eyes.
"..."
"It’s the first day of the new year. Do you have something to do?"
"...No."
"Then stay."
"..."
With him holding her like this, how could Zhou Wan possibly fall back asleep?
She lay there, staring up at the ceiling and the chandelier. To distract herself, she silently counted the patterns on the crystal pieces of the chandelier.
By the time she reached the third count, Lu Xixiao finally opened his eyes. He pressed a hand against her cheek, turning her face to the side.Zhou Wan blinked in confusion as she gazed into his dark, intense eyes.
"Can't sleep, just daydreaming?"
"I can't fall asleep..." Zhou Wan said. "I haven't been working these past few days, so I've been sleeping more."
He responded indifferently, "Oh."
Then, he suddenly leaned in and captured her lips with his.
Without any warning.
Zhou Wan's eyes widened.
Since their reunion, they had shared two kisses.
The first was on her first day here—a confrontational kiss tinged with the taste of blood.
And now, this one—a baffling yet tender and lingering kiss.
Lu Xixiao had always been like this, doing whatever he wanted without questioning why.
His fingers threaded through her hair, pressing against the back of her head as he propped himself up, almost half-pinning her beneath him with an overwhelming presence. His body heat and scent enveloped her tightly, forcing her to tilt her head back and passively accept the kiss.
Her mind felt heavy and dizzy, unsure whether it was from lack of oxygen or simply because of the kiss.
But suddenly, a chill swept across her waist.
Lu Xixiao lifted the hem of her clothes, his fingertips scorching as they moved upward.
Zhou Wan froze for a full three seconds. Only when his broad palm covered her did she snap back to reality, pushing against Lu Xixiao in a panic. She tried to hunch her back and curl inward, but the movement only accentuated the alluring curve of her form.
"Lu Xixiao..." she protested weakly, legs flailing uselessly, "Don't..."
He gritted his teeth, his Adam's apple bobbing as deep desire flickered in his eyes. But in the end, he pushed himself up and straightened.
Without a word, he got out of bed and walked into the bathroom.
Zhou Wan hurriedly pulled her clothes back down. After a moment's hesitation, she changed out of her pajamas and put on her bra and sweater.
Every spot his touch had grazed still burned with heat, and her face was so flushed she couldn't even bring herself to touch it.
The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom for a long time. Though Zhou Wan hadn't been in a relationship all these years, she wasn't entirely ignorant about such matters—she had witnessed enough from her friends' romantic experiences.
She forced herself not to listen to the water, not to let her thoughts wander.
...
When Lu Xixiao emerged, she was sitting by the window. The curtains were drawn open, and bright sunlight streamed into the room. She sat upright, immediately turning her head when she heard him come out.
Zhou Wan's face was still flushed. She pressed her lips together and asked, "Are you hungry? I'll go make something to eat."
There was a saying: once you've tasted the marrow, you'll always crave it.
Early morning was always a time when impulses ran high. Lu Xixiao hadn't held back before, but now, having truly touched and felt her, knowing how smooth and tender her skin was, even looking at her had become a form of torment.
This feeling was unbearable.
Lu Xixiao didn't want it to be like this.
Bringing Zhou Wan back here wasn't for this purpose.
He averted his gaze and said calmly, "No, I'm going to the office."
Zhou Wan was taken aback. "You're going to the office on the first day of the Lunar New Year?"
"There are some matters to attend to."
Lu Xixiao pulled open the door and walked out of the bedroom. He took a suit from the coat rack and paused at the entrance, glancing back to ask, "Do you still have money?"
Zhou Wan didn't quite catch his meaning. "Huh?"
He pulled a card from his wallet and placed it on the table. "Don't bother cooking. Order something for yourself."
"I have money," Zhou Wan said quickly. "There's no need—I have enough."
"Then keep it there," Lu Xixiao said, leaving the card behind.
...
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Xixiao didn't actually have any urgent matters to attend to. But managing such a large company meant there was always work to be done, so he ended up spending some time alone at the office, catching up on tasks.On the way, he received a phone call from a contact saved as "Huang Hui."
Lu Xixiao took a moment to recall who this was. Some of his company's promotional activities were handled by Huang Hui's new media department, so they had some work-related interactions.
Recently, he had heard that Huang Hui encountered some trouble and was dismissed from his position.
But Lu Xixiao had never been interested in such gossip and hadn't bothered to look into it. He only knew it likely had to do with romantic entanglements.
Rubbing his temples, he felt somewhat irritated by these trivial interpersonal matters and answered the call, "Director Huang."
As expected, Huang Hui was calling about the recent trouble.
Though Lu Xixiao wasn't particularly close to him, a project previously contracted to Huang Hui's team had been executed exceptionally well, earning Huang Hui significant favor with his father-in-law.
Having anyone else plead on his behalf would be awkward.
Only someone like Lu Xixiao, with a neutral relationship, was most suitable.
Moreover, with Lu Xixiao's own company thriving and backed by his grandfather's influence, his father-in-law would likely be willing to listen to him.
Huang Hui promised that if Lu Xixiao agreed to help, he would take on all future activities for free.
Unfortunately, Lu Xixiao had no interest in such trivial benefits.
Huang Hui was shortsighted—willing to offend his father-in-law over personal indiscretions and now trying to leverage such insignificant bargaining chips to seek help.
Lu Xixiao politely declined and hung up before Huang Hui could say anything else.
...
Although Lu Xixiao had told her not to cook, Zhou Wan had grown accustomed to preparing her own meals since living alone—it was healthier and more affordable.
With his permission the day before, she had gone to the market in the afternoon and bought plenty of groceries, filling the refrigerator to the brim.
Zhou Wan wasn't sure if he would be home for dinner. She wanted to contact him but realized she didn't even have his contact information.
After her phone was stolen, she had changed her WeChat account and lost touch with almost all her old friends.
Leaning against the kitchen counter, Zhou Wan held her phone and paused for a moment before tapping "Add Friend" and entering Lu Xixiao's phone number.
Though six years had passed, she had never forgotten that string of digits.
—"Search."
The page loaded.
Zhou Wan's eyelashes fluttered slightly.
It was just like before: a black profile picture, with the WeChat name "Lu Xixiao."
But she wasn't sure if he still used this account.
She sent a friend request and received no immediate response.
Too awkward to call, she simply waited to see if her request would be accepted.
About fifteen minutes later, a red dot appeared in the WeChat contacts list, indicating the request had been approved.
Lu Xixiao was still using this account.
Immediately, he sent a message: [?]
A single question mark.
Zhou Wan paused, inexplicably nervous, as if she were adding him for the first time.
She replied: [It's Zhou Wan.]
[Lu Xixiao: I know.]
[Lu Xixiao: What's up?]
[Zhou Wan: Are you coming back for dinner?]
[Lu Xixiao: I'll be back late. Don't wait for me.]
Their conversation was casual, neither particularly warm nor distant, yet the content was mundane, adding a touch of everyday life.
The following days continued like this.
Lu Xixiao was rarely home, often going to the office. As the holiday drew to a close, he received more work-related calls.
Zhou Wan found it hard to imagine how the carefree, playful young man from six years ago had transformed into the person he was now.
When Lu Xixiao wasn't around, she cooked only for herself.If her solo meal looked appealing, she would take a photo and send it to Lu Xixiao. He would occasionally reply, but not always.
The eighth day of the lunar new year marked the end of the holiday.
Throughout the Spring Festival, none of the resumes Zhou Wan had submitted before the new year received any responses. Fortunately, companies began hiring again after the holiday. She browsed job listings online and decided to try attending offline recruitment events, believing she would have a better chance of being noticed there.
Early on the eighth, Lu Xixiao received an internal call informing him that Huang Hui had come to see him.
Lu Xixiao couldn’t be bothered to meet him and had someone relay that he wasn’t in.
But Huang Hui, likely desperate, said he would wait downstairs until Lu Xixiao returned.
Lu Xixiao scoffed lightly. If he wanted to wait, so be it. He paid no further attention.
In the afternoon, Lu Xixiao attended a meeting. By the time he arrived, a group had already gathered in the conference room, chatting casually and unaware of his presence.
“Why did I see Director Huang downstairs earlier?”
“He’s not ‘Director Huang’ anymore. He only climbed that high because of his wife, and I heard they’re preparing for a divorce now.”
“Really? Why?”
“What else? The usual rumors. They say Huang Hui got involved with some young, pretty department head at his company. When his wife found out, she kicked both of them out and issued a strict order to blacklist them in the industry.”
“A department head? Which one? Did we ever work with her?”
“No, I heard she’s very young—just graduated last year. At that age, becoming a department head? You can imagine what methods she used.”
“That’s not what I heard. A friend who resigned from their company told me a different story. Apparently, Huang Hui has always been shady, and that new department head never gave in to him. Instead, she quietly gathered evidence of his sexual harassment and sent it to headquarters. But given Huang Hui’s special status, exposing him would also embarrass his wife, so she dragged the young woman down with him.”
“Seriously? That’s just tragic.”
“It’s true. I think the young woman’s surname is Zhou, a graduate of B University, and very capable.”
…
Lu Xixiao’s steps faltered.
Surname Zhou.
He inexplicably recalled that rainy night when he saw Zhou Wan under the bus stop shelter.
At the time, he found it strange. Given Zhou Wan’s personality, even if she wasn’t particularly slick in her work and might miss out on some advantages, she was diligent, responsible, highly capable, and young—there was no reason for her to be fired.
But he never looked into it.
He’d been holding onto his pride.
Later, seeing Zhou Wan act as if nothing was wrong, he didn’t dwell on it further.
He took out his phone and sent her a message.
[Lu Xixiao: What was the name of your previous company?]
Twenty minutes later, after a brief meeting, Zhou Wan replied.
[Zhou Wan: Shengxing Media.]
Lu Xixiao stared at the message for a long time, his mind filled with the conversation he had overheard.
He remembered Zhou Wan that night, curled up in the cold wind like a drenched kitten; he remembered her choked, aggrieved words: “Why do even you have to bully me?”
…
Lu Xixiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes darkening.
He turned to his secretary and ordered, “Bring Huang Hui upstairs.”
No one ever found out what Lu Xixiao discussed with Huang Hui that day. All they knew was that Huang Hui left with a smile, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
Some in the company speculated that Huang Hui might actually turn the situation around and reclaim his position as “Director Huang.”But that very night, a bombshell dropped abruptly.
Out of nowhere, evidence of Huang Hui's verbal sexual harassment toward female employees over the years surfaced online, along with some audio recordings and surveillance footage. The evidence was irrefutable, involving more than a dozen women.
Yet before the dust could settle, another wave hit.
Xingsheng Media's tax issues were investigated, revealing multiple major discrepancies.
Everything happened overnight.
The impact wasn’t limited to just the subsidiary where Zhou Wan had once worked—it engulfed the entire Xingsheng Group.
The methods were ruthless and vicious, leaving no room for recovery. In a single night, the once-industry giant was plunged into crisis, dealt a heavy blow with little chance of reversal.
Such a forceful approach undoubtedly pointed to someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.
But no one knew who possessed such power or who was so determined to bring Xingsheng to its knees. Everything happened too quickly, leaving people overwhelmed.
…
Zhou Wan had just finished showering and drying her hair when the news broke. As she stepped out of the bathroom and picked up her phone, she saw a message from Sister Li.
Sister Li had forwarded a news article to her.
Zhou Wan clicked on it and froze.
—Xingsheng Group’s Son-in-Law Huang Hui Embroiled in Sexual Harassment Scandal; Group’s Taxes Under Investigation!
Sister Li remarked that karma had come around.
But Zhou Wan knew it wasn’t that simple.
Huang Hui’s scandal was no surprise, but the fact that the entire vast, intricately connected Xingsheng Group was implicated—that was anything but ordinary.
Suddenly, Zhou Wan recalled Lu Xixiao’s question from earlier that day: "What was the name of the company you used to work for?"
Her fingers stilled. She didn’t dare believe her own suspicion, yet she couldn’t find any other explanation.
Just then, the sound of the door opening echoed from outside. Lu Xixiao had returned.
Zhou Wan walked out to greet him. "You’re back. Have you had dinner?"
"Yeah." His tone was as indifferent as ever.
Zhou Wan hesitated, unsure how to broach the subject. She feared she might be reading too much into it, but she couldn’t let it go without clarification.
He tossed his suit jacket aside, and Zhou Wan picked it up, planning to take it to the dry cleaner the next day.
Noticing her trailing behind him, Lu Xixiao turned his head and raised an eyebrow. "What’s wrong?"
Zhou Wan bit her lip. "The situation with Xingsheng Group… Do you know what happened?"
Lu Xixiao smirked faintly, letting out a soft scoff. "Exactly what the news says."
His disdainful, almost contemptuous tone reminded her of his arrogant, unrestrained younger self.
In that moment, Zhou Wan understood—it was indeed his doing.
But…
"Lu Xixiao," she called softly, "you didn’t have to do this for me."
His current status was far from simple. Reaching where he was today hadn’t been easy. With great prominence came great scrutiny—countless eyes were watching him. He shouldn’t have recklessly made enemies on her behalf.
Lu Xixiao looked at her, his voice turning cold. "Zhou Wan, I may resent you for what happened back then, but you’re still mine. No one but me gets to bully you."
Even after going to such lengths for her, he refused to soften his words, delivering what should have been affection like a threat.
"You never spoke up when you were bullied in school, and you still stay silent now."
Lu Xixiao looked down at her, his gaze dark and inscrutable, like the depths of a black sea, sinking deeper, almost suffocating. "Zhou Wan, do you really seem that easy to push around?"Zhou Wan lowered her head and whispered, "He just sent me some messages and said some things, but he didn't actually do anything to me."
Lu Xixiao couldn't stand hearing such words, almost able to imagine what Huang Hui had said to Zhou Wan.
Using those frivolous and filthy words to insult her.
In the past, he wouldn't even allow his friends to speak nonsense in front of her. Back then, he had protected Zhou Wan so fiercely, but now?
She had left so decisively back then, but if that was the case, she should at least live well. Yet here she was, still trapped in the mire.
His brows furrowed tightly, feeling utterly frustrated.
"Does it only count as bullying if he actually forces himself on you?" Lu Xixiao sneered sarcastically, his anger leaving no room for mercy. "Zhou Wan, are you stupid or just cheap? If you're framed or bullied, fucking fight back. Who wouldn't want to take advantage of you when you look so submissive?"
No matter how harsh his words were, Zhou Wan kept her head lowered throughout, listening to his reprimands and letting Lu Xixiao vent his anger.
Yet her very submissiveness failed to calm Lu Xixiao's rage, instead fueling it further.
Lu Xixiao gazed at her coldly before finally turning away with weariness and disappointment.
"Forget it." He turned and walked into the bedroom.
Zhou Wan remained standing with her head down for a long time before finally sniffing and raising her head to follow him into the bedroom.
She wasn't someone who let others bully her—she never had been. Otherwise, she wouldn't have sought revenge against Guo Xiangling, nor would she have stabbed Luo He on that rainy day.
She had tried to resist. She gathered all the evidence, wanting to make Huang Hui pay for his actions, but in the end, it backfired. She had lifted a stone only to drop it on her own foot.
Zhou Wan understood why Lu Xixiao was angry.
She had suffered such great injustice, being framed and misunderstood and mocked by so many people, yet she hadn't uttered a single word about it to him all these days.
Back when they were students, he had gotten angry because she tried to hide her sprained ankle from him.
But Zhou Wan had been forced to become independent from a young age. She was long accustomed to solving everything on her own. She didn't want to trouble others, feeling she could never repay such kindness.
To put it bluntly, she simply couldn't accept others' goodwill without reason.
...
Lu Xixiao came out after showering and sat silently on the edge of the bed.
"Lu Xixiao." Zhou Wan didn't want him to be angry.
He didn't completely ignore her, turning his head to look at her.
Zhou Wan sat on the other side of the bed, her profile facing him. She lowered her head, her index fingers twisting together. "Huang Hui started harassing me at the end of December. I archived every message he sent me and every call he made, and I tried my best to protect myself. I just never expected that when I submitted this evidence to headquarters, it would be twisted into evidence of an improper relationship between us."
"When he first started harassing you, did you tell anyone? Not including me—did you tell any of your other friends?" Lu Xixiao asked.
Zhou Wan shook her head silently.
"Zhou Wan, you're always like this, keeping everything to yourself. Back then, you came into my life without my permission, and you left without my consent either," Lu Xixiao said calmly. "You're always alone. If you can handle things, fine, but even when you can't, you never want to accept help from others."
"I just thought..." Zhou Wan said softly, her tone carrying a helpless sigh, "it's just verbal harassment. I didn't want to trouble anyone.""But," Lu Xixiao sneered, "what would you consider serious in your eyes?"
"I thought I could handle it myself."
Zhou Wan sniffled, her brows involuntarily furrowing as if she had fallen into some unpleasant memories. She lowered her eyelashes and said, "It's not like it's the first time anyway."
Lu Xixiao abruptly froze.
A nerve in his brain seemed to be sharply pricked by a needle, sending a stinging pain through him, and his heart tightened.
"Who else?" he asked hoarsely.
"It was a long time ago, not here." Zhou Wan shook her head. "It happened shortly after I left Pingchuan."
"What did he do to you?"
Lu Xixiao felt as though he had a masochistic tendency—every question he asked made his heart tighten further.
...
When Zhou Wan first left Pingchuan City, she bought a bus ticket to a small county town nearby. The infrastructure there was far worse than in Pingchuan, but the cost of living was low.
However, she couldn't bear to spend several hundred yuan a month on rent.
So she found a job as a live-in tutor, teaching a young girl who had just started middle school. The job came with room and board.
The girl was very obedient, though she was a bit slow to grasp concepts and took longer to learn. For Zhou Wan, it wasn't a difficult job.
The girl also liked her very much. Zhou Wan was patient and meticulous in her teaching, and within a month, the girl's exam results showed significant improvement. The girl's mother was overjoyed and even gave Zhou Wan an extra month's pay as a reward.
Zhou Wan transferred this money, along with what remained in her bank card from before, to Lu Xixiao.
This was the first time she had contacted Lu Xixiao since leaving Pingchuan.
Zhou Wan had originally thought that after three more months of tutoring, she would use the money to enroll in school and continue her education.
But things never go as smoothly as one hopes.
Zhou Wan seemed destined to encounter all sorts of bad luck in her life.
The young girl wore the simplest clothes every day. It was summer then—just a T-shirt and jeans, plain and unadorned. Yet, it was this very simplicity that made her appear even more pure and clean.
There was a fragility about her, yet also an unyielding resilience. She herself was unaware of how captivating this contradiction was.
One time, when the girl's mother was working overtime and wasn't home, Zhou Wan finished tutoring the girl and returned to the small bedroom assigned to her to sleep.
It wasn't large—only six square meters—originally used as a storage room.
She had just finished showering when the man suddenly knocked and entered.
Zhou Wan's hair was still wet, and she was wearing a nightgown without a bra, her fair, slender legs exposed beneath.
Feeling uncomfortable, she immediately grabbed a shirt and put it on, pulling it tightly across her chest to cover herself. "Uncle, is there something you need?" she asked.
The man smiled and sat down on her bed. "Wanwan, sit down first."
Zhou Wan sat down at the edge of the bed, her entire body tense.
"Xiao Cheng's grades have improved a lot recently. I came to thank you," the man said with a gentle smile. "You must have been a good student yourself back then. Why did you stop going to school?"
"I'll go back to school once I've saved up a bit more money," Zhou Wan replied. "At that time, I might not be able to tutor Xiao Cheng full-time, but if you don't mind, I can come over after school. I'll make sure to teach her well."
"Education is something that shouldn't be delayed. You should be about to start your final year of high school, right?"
The man suddenly placed his hand on Zhou Wan's leg. Startled, she jumped to her feet and took several steps back.
"Uncle just can't bear to see a young girl like you struggling to make a living," the man said, still maintaining his calm and composed demeanor. "How about this—come sit here. Uncle will pay for your tuition from now on, support your education. You won't have to work so hard anymore."
...
That was the first time Zhou Wan had ever faced such overwhelming malice from another person.She fought desperately to protect herself, biting the man and then hitting him with a heavy textbook, the sharp edge of the paper leaving a cut on his face.
When the lady of the house returned, the man claimed he had only scolded her a little before she suddenly flew into a rage and attacked him with objects, calling her moody, unreasonable, and unfit to teach Xiao Cheng.
The little girl, who had grown increasingly attached to her these past few days, couldn’t believe what her father said and tugged at Zhou Wan’s hand, asking what had really happened.
But she was only 17 at the time.
At 17, Zhou Wan couldn’t bring herself to speak of what she had just endured under the bright fluorescent lights.
She felt wronged, humiliated, ashamed, and degraded.
The lady of the house told her to stay one more night and leave in the morning after settling her payment.
Alone in the cramped bedroom, the small window seemed to turn the room into a cage. The cold moonlight streamed in but couldn’t reach her no matter what.
She was falling into an abyss, descending into Hell.
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Lu Xixiao calling.
And it was at that moment that Zhou Wan shed her first tear of the night.
She didn’t dare answer.
She was afraid that if she heard Lu Xixiao’s voice, she wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer.
She hung up once, and then again.
Lu Xixiao called again and again.
Finally, Zhou Wan wiped her tears forcefully, stifled her sobs, and answered the call.
After a long silence, her boy spoke—
“Zhou Wan, just say you love me, and I’ll forgive you for everything.” His voice was low and hoarse, thick with nasal congestion, as if he had a cold, carrying an unspeakable pain.
Amid the anguish in his voice, Zhou Wan recalled the pool of blood and the boy drenched in it.
She didn’t deserve Lu Xixiao.
Not before, and even less so now.
When she closed her eyes, the screams from earlier in that room echoed in her ears.
“Lu Xixiao.”
Zhou Wan whispered, “I don’t love you. I’ve been deceiving you all along.”
From now on, she would bear everything alone.
Just as she had once told Lu Xixiao, he ought to see the vastness of the world, walk the broad and bright path, find joy in each day, and live in peace year after year.
And as she had promised before, she would leave his world from this moment on.
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