Shi Lingyan’s words were like a stick that ruthlessly lifted the last veil of Shi Mei’s rebirth.
Shi Mei was stunned for a moment, feeling his warmth by her side, and suddenly felt as if there were nothing left to hide.
She wanted to go back to the past, she wanted to become Tang Wu again, these things were bound to be known by others eventually, weren’t they?
Shi Mei hesitated for a while, then lifted her head, confronting the man before her.
Shi Lingyan had a pair of beautiful eyes that seemed to probe into her heart when he looked at her.
It was the same look now, as he watched her, it felt like thousands of stars illuminated her, reaching deep into her heart.
Shi Mei nodded earnestly, "Yes."
Shi Lingyan’s eyes softened, in them, a sense of relief.
He couldn’t help but pull her into his embrace, and softly said, "So that’s how it is."
A simple hug, the force of which wasn’t even a tenth of the previous one, yet at that moment, it profoundly touched her heartstrings.
Inexplicably, Shi Mei’s eyes welled up with tears, and she looked at him in disbelief, "Do you believe me?" ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✦𝓷𝓮𝓽
"I believe," Shi Lingyan said with unprecedented seriousness and gravity, "Why wouldn’t I believe? Whatever you say, I believe."
"This is so bizarre..." Shi Mei faltered and then fell silent.
Such a bizarre thing, she dared to speak out.
And such a bizarre thing, he actually believed.
"Only something so bizarre could explain why I could see your dead body back then, why your heart could be d to Bai Yuejie, and why you would hate me," Shi Lingyan gently embraced her, his voice very low, "Tang Wu, no matter how bizarre the facts, as long as you say it, I believe."
As long as you say it, I believe.
"What if I say that Bai Yuejie isn’t as innocent and kind as she appears," Shi Mei spoke very quickly, "Her true face behind closed doors is nothing like the kindness she shows to the world, do you believe that?"
"I believe, she actually... isn’t a kind person at all," Shi Lingyan patted her back gently, softly saying, "I’ve known her for a long time. Back when my parents had just left me, her parents came to attend my parents’ funeral and brought her along."
"At that time, she hadn’t been diagnosed with a heart condition yet, everyone just thought she was frail. I didn’t want to deal with those hypocritical adults either, so my grandfather let me take my sister to play. I didn’t want to bother with her and ended up sleeping under the table in my parents’ spirit hall."
Shi Mei was a bit astonished.
She had never heard him talk about his childhood before.
Shi Lingyan’s lips curled into a sneer, "Back then, she saved a stray kitten, kept it near the spirit hall, and even begged adults for food to feed it, so everyone thought Bai Yuejie was a kind little girl, and all kinds of compliments were heaped upon her, but the kitten didn’t survive the afternoon."
Shi Lingyan’s gaze hardened, a chill flashing in his eyes, "I saw her throw the kitten into the brazier. The cat screamed terribly, and to keep it from struggling out, she pushed it down with the stick used for stoking the fire and then walked away laughing."
"When evening came, and the adults discovered the cat had been burned to death, she cried more sorrowfully than anyone."
Shi Mei was incredulous, "How old was she at that time?"
Shi Mei covered her mouth, "How could it be, a four-year-old child..."
Shi Lingyan scoffed coldly, "I was five at the time, and I understood what went on, so I’ve always disliked her specially. If it weren’t for you, I would never have been friends with her."