After Her Death, They Begged for Forgiveness - Chapter 31

The other side of the door seemed enveloped in an intangible silence.

“Pomegranate wants to see you too.”

Song Guanjin gently tapped the doorframe, her gaze toward the other side filled with unconcealed tenderness.

A moment later, the door slowly opened.

Xu Bingqi softly thanked the policewoman and silently stepped aside, making way for Song Guanjin to enter.

“Big sister, don’t be sad. I’m here to keep you company.”

Song Guanjin walked over to Xu Bingqi’s side and naturally leaned against her shoulder, her fingers unconsciously tapping a few times on Xu Bingqi’s shoulder.

Xu Bingqi didn’t notice Song Guanjin’s overly intimate gesture and shook her head lightly.

She didn’t regret anything she had done to Gu Xiaozhou, nor did she have any intention of empathizing with Gu Xiaozhou’s grief-stricken, out-of-control emotions. But everything had happened too quickly, leaving her somewhat caught off guard, and an inexplicable sense of bewilderment began to spread in her heart.

Song Guanjin pressed her palm against Xu Bingqi’s, the warmth bringing Xu Bingqi back to her senses.

“I’m fine.”

Xu Bingqi subtly moved her hand away from Song Guanjin’s, her voice as cold and slightly hoarse as bamboo leaves touched by frost and snow.

Song Guanjin’s affection was merely out of pity, and Xu Bingqi feared that immersing herself in that warmth would lead her to repeat past mistakes.

“Big sister!”

Noticing Xu Bingqi’s distant attitude, Song Guanjin felt slightly displeased. When she was in her cat form, Xu Bingqi had held her directly in her arms, her nose filled with the fragrance of her sister’s hair.

She pressed herself against Xu Bingqi as if boneless, burying her head in the crook of Xu Bingqi’s neck like an affectionate animal, murmuring in complaint, “Why are you avoiding me?”

“I remember telling you about my sexual orientation.”

“But I’ve never told you about my sexual orientation, big sister.”

The warmth-seeking cat automatically ignored the rejection in her sister’s words, her ears gently brushing against Xu Bingqi’s cheek as her hair slipped down, entwining between them.

Xu Bingqi lowered her gaze, the coldness in her eyes fading slightly. After a long moment of contemplation, she let out only a soft, helpless sigh.

“I guarantee that my sexual orientation is exactly the same as yours, big sister.”

After all, it was a conclusion drawn from personal experience, so Song Guanjin’s tone could be described as resolute, so firm it seemed as if it could carve marks into the air.

A moment later, Song Guanjin grew slightly uneasy again. The lifespan of a cat demon was so long that her concept of time was extremely vague, a human’s life was but a fleeting moment to her.

She truly felt an attachment to Xu Bingqi, but was that what humans called “love”?

Even if it were, she and Xu Bingqi could only be together for a few short decades, a span of time that, to her, would pass as quickly as a meteor streaking across the night sky.

Xu Bingqi sensed Song Guanjin’s mood also sinking and felt momentarily at a loss. Her hands instinctively lifted slightly but ultimately fell back down.

She had no way to comfort Song Guanjin.

Just as Xu Bingqi thought about standing up to completely pull away, Song Guanjin threw herself against her again, tightly wrapping her arms around Xu Bingqi’s waist.

“Big sister, I’m so afraid of losing you.”

Since taking human form, Song Guanjin found herself experiencing increasingly complex emotions. These unfamiliar feelings intertwined like tangled threads, growing more frequent and elusive each one vivid and intense in ways she had never known before.

Like now, for instance. Though Xu Bingqi stood right before her, a sudden wave of melancholy washed over her, as if separation were imminent.

Lately, she had been haunted by recurring dreams of Xu Bingqi lying frail and gravely ill. The sorrow in those dreams felt so real that even after waking, her heart continued to ache.

Humans were subject to birth, aging, sickness, and death but the thought of Xu Bingqi pale as paper, struggling for each breath, was unbearable. The very idea of Xu Bingqi dying filled her with a bone-deep resistance.

If only her sister were a cat spirit too, they could live together forever. The little cat spirit began to lose herself in wild fancies.

Unaware of the chaotic thoughts swirling in Song Guanjin’s mind, Xu Bingqi was preoccupied with a more urgent matter: she had to move again.

Videos of Gu Xiaozhou’s public outburst had been widely shared, and curious netizens had already traced them back to her current address.

This was bound to unleash a storm of disruption into a life that was already far from peaceful.

But her new home wasn’t ready yet. Xu Bingqi sighed quietly.

“Don’t worry.”

She turned slightly, maintaining a polite distance, then hesitated a moment before patting Song Guanjin’s shoulder. “I’ll tell you my new address.”

She assumed Song Guanjin was worried about losing contact after she moved away.

Song Guanjin looked up, the whirlwind of thoughts in her mind suddenly stilled. Her emerald-green eyes fixed on Xu Bingqi. “Where are you moving, sister?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I need to find a new rental as soon as possible today.”

She had a feeling that in the coming days, reporters would frequently show up under the guise of “caring for the victim,” only to publish sensational stories she could never have imagined.

Even before Song Guanjin had knocked on her door, she had already seen the absurd headline: “Rumor: Heartbroken Heiress of the Gu Family Seeks Revenge on Ex-Lover.”

If this was the Gu family’s PR strategy, she could only marvel at their bizarre logic.

“Sister, you could stay at my place.”

A spark of light returned to Song Guanjin’s eyes, her tone bright and tinged with a hint of seeking praise. “I’m very quiet, and I’ll be leaving in a few days to film, I won’t disturb you at all.”

Xu Bingqi shook her head gently.

She appreciated the offer, but ever since her rebirth, she had lost the courage to live closely with anyone.

Outwardly, she might seem no different from others, but deep down, a part of her had been left behind in that shabby, moldy rental of her past life.

“Thank you for your kindness, but I’m truly concerned about imposing on you.”

This was a genuine worry. Xu Bingqi knew she was a dull person, with nothing to offer beyond her passion for music.

She feared that if they spent too much time together, Song Guanjin would glimpse the barren, lifeless landscape of her soul.

Her spirit was like a war-torn ruin scarred, empty, with nothing worth seeing or exploring. She lacked the courage to face the potential humiliation of being seen so clearly.

Tears welled in Song Guanjin’s eyes, her voice trembling with emotion. “I understand. You just don’t want me around.”

“No, I just prefer being alone.”

Xu Bingqi awkwardly handed over a tissue, sighing softly when Song Guanjin refused to take it out of stubbornness. “How could I ever dislike you?”

“If you don’t dislike me, why won’t you move in with me? You must be avoiding me.”

The cat-like girl secretly rejoiced, though her eyes remained red and swollen. Glimmering tears pooled at the edges of her eyelids, trembling precariously as if about to fall yet holding on.

Xu Bingqi had no choice but to take the tissue and gently wipe away Song Guanjin’s tears. Song Guanjin obediently closed her eyes, feeling the slight roughness of her sister’s fingertips against her cheek, which brought a wave of warmth.

Her sister was truly soft-hearted.

“Please move in. I promise no one will disturb you.”

Seizing the moment as Xu Bingqi withdrew her hand, Song Guanjin leaned forward, resting her head against Xu Bingqi’s shoulder and deftly wrapping her arms around her neck. “Otherwise, I’ll be heartbroken.”

Xu Bingqi was still conflicted. She did see Song Guanjin as a younger sister, but the latter’s overly intimate gestures made her somewhat uneasy.

Especially after Song Guanjin revealed they shared the same sexual orientation, Xu Bingqi didn’t feel relieved. Instead, an inexplicable fear began to grow.

She didn’t want to assume that Song Guanjin harbored passionate, romantic feelings for her, but she worried that as time passed, the younger girl’s innocent friendship might gradually transform.

Someone like her, who had nearly faced public disgrace, was hardly a reliable partner.

Song Guanjin’s acting career was just beginning, and Xu Bingqi didn’t want to be the cause of any potential scandals.

Just as Song Guanjin was about to press further, a rhythmic knocking at the door shattered the tense atmosphere.

Xu Bingqi rubbed her temples, well aware that the person at the door was yet another figure from her past.

“Sister, don’t answer the door.”

Song Guanjin was filled with resentment toward whoever was interrupting her efforts to achieve her goal.

It was probably someone like Gu Xiaozhou insincere and full of ulterior motives. She detested people with no sense of boundaries.

Xu Bingqi remained still, but her fingers tightened around the tissue in her hand.

The person outside the door stood calmly, a faint smile playing on her lips. She knocked again, unhurried. “Sister, it’s Jiang Ruo.”

At the sound of that name, Song Guanjin bristled. She clutched Xu Bingqi’s sleeve. “Sister, she’s a bad person. She’s the one who blocked me from joining the cast of ‘On the Sea.'”

Outwardly, Jiang Ruo appeared warm and friendly, but she had quietly sabotaged Song Guanjin’s opportunities. Song Guanjin despised such hypocritical, two-faced people.

Jiang Ruo remained unflustered outside, raising her voice slightly. “Sister, I recently read a very interesting novel. I wonder if you’ve heard of it.”

“The title is ‘Favoritism: The Beloved of Many.’ You might find it intriguing.”

Jiang Ruo’s smile deepened, and she narrowed her eyes with satisfaction. “Or perhaps you’ve already read it.”

Xu Bingqi’s heart tightened abruptly, and her previously calm expression shifted to one of shock.

So, she wasn’t the only one who knew she was a character in a story.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Bingqi quickly pondered Jiang Ruo’s motive for visiting.

If Jiang Ruo knew the truth, her purpose in coming certainly wasn’t to reminisce about old times or rekindle their past connection.

If what Song Guanjin had just said was true, then her charming younger sister was far more complex than she had previously understood.

Jiang Ruo remained standing there calmly. The plot deviation value had already reached 55%, yet her mood wasn’t particularly bad in fact, it carried a twisted sense of delight.

This was the best day she’d had in over a month.

She was certain that her sister would eventually open the door.

Her sister always seemed to summon a surge of courage to break through everything when pushed to the brink.

Such a person was truly worth her time and effort.

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