After Her Death, They Begged for Forgiveness - Chapter 41

After sending the message, Song Guanjin stared intently at the phone screen, waiting.

Tomorrow, she would definitely reshape her sister’s impression of her as childish!

Song Guanjin held her phone and waited for a long time. After finishing bag after bag of puffed snacks, she finally received Xu Bingqi’s reply.

【Sorry, I don’t know either.】

Xu Bingqi truly had no idea how to answer that question.

She wasn’t opposed to seeing Song Guanjin again, but she was worried that Song Guanjin might say something embarrassing again.

Moreover, every time she thought of Song Guanjin, the image of her slender, fair ankles would surface in her mind.

She even thought about the sensation of holding that delicate, smooth ankle perhaps like grasping a flowing stream of moonlight.

Xu Bingqi snapped back to reality, pulling herself out of these quietly growing, improper thoughts.

Song Guanjin was her friend, how could she entertain such inappropriate and untimely ideas about a friend?

Besides, humans and demons were fundamentally different, separated by an insurmountable chasm. Without even needing to analyze it carefully, Xu Bingqi knew that Song Guanjin’s best option was to find another demon as a partner, not an ordinary human like herself.

Perhaps Song Guanjin was so fixated on her because she hadn’t encountered another demon yet?

Xu Bingqi felt that she could keep an eye out for other potential demons in the future, try to play matchmaker, and help Song Guanjin find a suitable partner.

But at this thought, Xu Bingqi felt an inexplicable sourness in her heart, accompanied by a faint sense of resistance slowly rising.

She forcibly suppressed this unsettling, churning feeling.

It was already late at night; she should stop dwelling on these meaningless thoughts and get some rest.

Tomorrow morning, she still had to go to the hospital for a psychiatric check-up.

Gu Xiazhou waited and waited but didn’t receive any message from Xu Bingqi. Instead, she was greeted by a delivery person holding a takeout bag.

Gu Xiazhou’s eyes widened slightly, a ripple of pleasant surprise spreading in her gaze.

Did Xu Bingqi order this for her after receiving the takeout?

Gu Nan patted Gu Xiazhou’s shoulder. She immediately recognized the address on the takeout packaging, it was clearly from the hotel where Xu Bingqi was staying.

She shook her head gently, a sigh rising in her heart. Her daughter really wasn’t the brightest in some ways.

“This was returned by Miss Xu.”

The dutiful delivery person kindly added, “Miss Xu asked me to tell you not to bother her anymore, or she’ll personally throw the food in your face.”

After saying this, the delivery person felt a bit embarrassed, but thinking of the 600 yuan she earned, she felt instantly emboldened. She could repeat such words ten times if needed.

“Did she really say that?”

Gu Nan noticed her daughter’s face flushing slightly and worried she was angered by the remark. She pressed her daughter’s shoulder, trying to remind her not to act impulsively.

The delivery person took a step back, carefully recalling the situation, and finally nodded. “That’s what she said.”

Would this person in front of her act rashly?

She seemed really angry.

A faint smile touched Gu Xiazhou’s lips. “She really said she’d come personally?”

If she sent something again, would Xu Bingqi personally come to throw food in her face?

That didn’t sound too bad at all.

Gu Nan looked at her daughter’s slightly dreamy smile and felt that, from any angle, her daughter wasn’t very bright.

She slowly withdrew her hand from her daughter’s shoulder and subtly shifted away, wanting to put a little more distance between herself and Gu Xiaozhou in front of others.

For now, Gu Nan had no time to dwell on her daughter’s sudden whimsical fantasies. She quickly dismissed the delivery person still standing nearby, then gave her daughter a firm pat on the shoulder.

“Snap out of it! Xu Bingqi wants nothing to do with you right now!”

She really couldn’t bear to see her daughter continue down this irrational path.

“Do you even realize the mess you caused before? The scandal about you betraying your friend was barely suppressed, and now you’re stirring up trouble again?”

Gu Xiaozhou blinked innocently. “I feel perfectly clear-headed right now.”

“Clear-headed? If you were clear-headed, you wouldn’t have done something as stupid as hacking into someone’s computer! First, you make an enemy out of them, and then you start trying to be nice. Xiaozhou, are you performing some kind of performance art?”

Gu Xiaozhou lowered her head. “I wasn’t thinking clearly before, but now I realize my mistake. I’m trying my best to make it up to her.”

Gu Nan was on the verge of fainting from frustration. “Stop with these absurd attempts at making amends! Just behave yourself and stop provoking her!”

Otherwise, she was genuinely afraid her daughter might one day end up with a bowl of hot soup thrown in her face.

Gu Nan felt her daughter and Xu Qingci were cut from the same cloth, both only realizing their mistakes after driving people away, then bouncing back with all sorts of bewildering antics.

Xu Bingqi’s state this afternoon was clearly abnormal, and Gu Nan feared a glass might end up shattering over her head.

She couldn’t control her friend, but at the very least, she could rein in her daughter.

Gu Xiaozhou nodded dismissively, as if her mother’s words had gone in one ear and out the other.

Seeing her daughter’s stubborn expression, Gu Nan nearly laughed in exasperation.

“If you ever feel like ordering takeout for her again, make sure it’s cold dishes. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Gu Xiaozhou froze for a moment before grasping her mother’s meaning.

In the end, she decided to lay low for a while, silently watching over Xu Bingqi from the shadows. She would wait until Xu had achieved success before revealing her deep affection, hoping to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Gu Xiaozhou planned to investigate Xiao Hua first, she was determined to make this person, who had spoken disrespectfully to Xu Bingqi, pay the price.

Xu Bingqi, weighed down by exhaustion, collapsed onto the soft, cloud-like bed and slowly drifted into a peculiar dream.

She found herself back in the steamy bathroom from earlier that day. The warm, yellow light filtered through the mist, casting hazy, ambiguous halos around the room. Song Guanjin’s elegant silhouette flickered in and out of view amid the vapor.

But unlike the day before, she didn’t slowly retreat, watching helplessly as the lines tracing upward from the ankles grew longer.

The jade-like skin glowed softly under the dim light, as if gently kissed by moonlight.

Xu Bingqi stood there awkwardly, hearing Song Guanjin’s lingering call of “sister” again and again.

The tender, lingering calls were like a wisp of intoxicating smoke, as enchanting as the seductive spring breeze. Xu Bingqi’s breathing gradually grew rapid and disordered.

An indescribable tingling sensation crept up from her tailbone, spreading along her spine and throughout her entire body. Xu Bingqi felt her body begin to tremble uncontrollably.

Xu Bingqi desperately wanted to escape the steam-filled bathroom, yet she seemed rooted to the spot like solidified wax, unable to retreat.

She could only stand still, watching as Song Guanjin flashed her a bewitching smile, slowly lifting her calf to hook the hem of Xu Bingqi’s pants, moving like a nimble fish.

Xu Bingqi’s breath hitched, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

She finally realized she was in a dream.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Bingqi closed her eyes.

She didn’t dare look at Song Guanjin any longer, afraid that the hidden desires buried deep within her would surge forth, devouring the last shreds of her rationality.

Even in a dream.

But with her eyes closed, Xu Bingqi’s senses of hearing and touch grew sharper.

She heard the water stop running and the soft sound of Song Guanjin’s bare feet approaching.

Each footstep seemed to land directly on her heartbeat, echoing in the confined space and stirring her heart into further turmoil.

At the same time, the air seemed to grow warmer with Song Guanjin’s approach, the faint heat brushing against her skin like a soft feather, sending shivers across every inch of her body.

Xu Bingqi felt as though she were drowning in a sea of desire, clutching her fingers so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms. She hoped the sharp pain would jolt her awake.

But soon, she felt Song Guanjin’s damp, moist fingers gently take hold of her own.

“Sister, it hurts me to see you like this.”

A tender whisper sounded by her ear, and the air around them grew thick and humid. Xu Bingqi flinched, suddenly aware that her own skin had grown damp, sending another wave of shivers across her body.

This couldn’t go on any longer.

She had to stop what was about to happen.

Keeping her eyes closed, Xu Bingqi struggled to keep her voice steady. “Guanjin, shouldn’t I be the one calling you ‘sister’?”

“It’s all the same.”

Song Guanjin’s voice was laced with lingering temptation as she intertwined her fingers with Xu Bingqi’s, slipping through the gaps until Xu Bingqi spoke again, slowly and deliberately. “Guanjin, you’re actually a demon, aren’t you?”

The steam in the air dissipated.

Xu Bingqi let out a slow breath and opened her eyes.

She saw Shi Liu, her fur damp, crouching innocently on the floor, staring at her with emerald-green eyes.

In the dream, Xu Bingqi suddenly remembered something: What was the connection between the cat from her past life and Shi Liu?

Were they from the same feline family? Or were they the very same cat?

Xu Bingqi pondered this until she was plunged back into darkness.

The dream had completely faded.

The first thing Xu Bingqi did upon waking was turn down the air conditioning, then let out a long sigh.

Why had she dreamed such a thing?

Frowning uneasily, she shook her head. She absolutely couldn’t go to see Song Guanjin tonight.

She could feel it not only was Song Guanjin’s affection for her slowly changing, but her own feelings for Song Guanjin were shifting as well.

With every encounter, their friendship was gradually veering into uncharted territory.

But if she didn’t go see Song Guanjin, wouldn’t that overly affectionate cat be terribly upset?

Sighing helplessly, Xu Bingqi rubbed her forehead, wondering how she could make it up to Song Guanjin.

After much thought, she sighed again, checked the time, and decided to make an appointment at the hospital’s psychiatry department.

After undergoing an in-depth consultation, a series of physiological tests, and a psychological measurement matrix, Xu Bingqi finally received her examination report.

Staring at the report, Xu Bingqi felt momentarily lost.

Contrary to her long-standing worries, she was not diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Instead, she met the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder and mild depression.

Looking at the list of anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications prescribed by the doctor, Xu Bingqi couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure I don’t have bipolar disorder?”

She had always thought that, based on her behavior the day before, she might be suffering from manic depression.

“Just yesterday, I lay in bed for hours and then suddenly lost my temper in the afternoon, smashing three glasses in a row.”

The doctor calmly shook his head. “Resting and having sudden emotional breakdowns are perfectly normal. Besides, you could only cite that one instance of an outburst yesterday, right?”

Xu Bingqi hesitated and shook her head. “A few days ago, someone was frantically banging on my door, and I had to call the police to handle it.”

“That just means the person knocking was the one with the problem, not you. However, you should stay away from such individuals, as there’s a risk your generalized anxiety disorder could worsen otherwise.”

Seeing that Xu Bingqi still seemed uncertain, the doctor reassured her, “Generalized anxiety disorder is highly reversible. With timely intervention, you can recover. You should rest more and practice relaxation exercises alongside your medication.”

After thanking the doctor, Xu Bingqi left the hospital with her report.

The situation was much better than she had imagined. She was simply prone to anxiety and pessimism about the future, and as long as she worked on adjusting her mindset, she would get better.

Xu Bingqi then took her report to her scheduled appointment with a psychological counselor.

She briefly explained her mental state to the counselor and handed over the examination report.

The atmosphere in the counseling clinic was different from that of the hospital’s psychiatric department. In this private setting, Xu Bingqi gradually began to relax.

However, she found herself unable to disclose everything.

“Why did you feel anxious after rejecting your friend’s confession? Ms. Xu, try to think carefully about the reason. Once you fully understand it, you’ll be able to identify the root of your anxiety.”

Xu Bingqi felt confused.

She knew the counselor’s question was reasonable, but she could only vaguely reply, “Maybe it’s because I still want to be friends with her.”

She couldn’t possibly tell the counselor that the other person was of a different species, she would surely be labeled as delusional.

“I’m sorry, but could you just tell me how to practice cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation exercises in my daily life?”

Xu Bingqi regretted coming for counseling. She had no desire to delve into the issues the counselor was probing.

She should have just gone home after her hospital appointment and taken her medication as prescribed.

“You seem to exhibit avoidant personality traits.”

The counselor smiled gently. “It’s normal to be reluctant to communicate deeply during your first counseling session, but I encourage you to reflect on the question I just asked.”

Xu Bingqi knew exactly why she was anxious.

She was afraid she wasn’t good enough at least, not good enough to warrant Song Guanjin’s intense and fervent feelings.

She was also afraid she might develop feelings in such an atmosphere and end up in a brief, messy relationship.

But it was hard for her to open up and share these thoughts with a stranger.

“I’ll think it over carefully. Thank you.”

After saying this, Xu Bingqi prepared to leave.

Even after speaking with the psychologist, she still preferred to rely on medication for regulation.

The psychologist smiled and shook her head, then handed over a business card. “Here’s my contact information. Feel free to reach out if you need anything.”

Xu Bingqi thanked her and left the clinic, then headed to the city’s most famous flower shop.

This was the only way she could think of to comfort that cat demon.

Xu Bingqi spent a long time carefully selecting flowers in the shop.

And so, on a lazy winter afternoon with the sun casting a gentle glow, Song Guanjin received a large bouquet of flowers during a break from filming.

It was a bouquet of gerbera daisies.

Their orange-red petals resembled flickering flames, with slightly curled edges like the hem of a maiden’s skirt.

Song Guanjin carefully stored the bouquet and looked up the meaning of gerbera daisies.

Fearless in the face of hardship, eternal happiness.

With a faint sigh of melancholy, Song Guanjin had a feeling her sister wouldn’t come to see her that evening after all.

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