After My Death, I Became a Heartless Madman - Chapter 25

Compared to the freshness and freedom of arriving in Flying Bird Town, the return journey felt somewhat oppressive. The soft leather seats of the luxury car were indeed comfortable, and the temperature inside was precisely maintained at 28 degrees, yet Song Shizhou still felt uneasy all over.

She gazed out the window, where the expensive privacy film tinted the outside world black. Perhaps night had already fallen. Along the way, she occasionally caught glimpses of scattered households with their lights on, which soon blurred into indistinct shadows.

After the “wedding” concluded, Miss Bai stopped her erratic behavior. She sat quietly in the passenger seat while Mia drove, with Li Ningzhi and Song Shizhou seated together in the back.

An eerie silence hung between the four of them.

Song Shizhou felt weary or perhaps it was exhaustion from the overwhelming impact Miss Bai had on her today. In any case, she was now somewhat numb.

Miss Bai’s profile appeared cold and stern under the azure lighting, making her seem even more unapproachable. Her lips were tightly pressed together. Could this composed and self-possessed Miss Bai really have such a wild side?

Song Shizhou laughed in frustration. Hadn’t she always been like this? Wasn’t she well aware of Miss Bai’s domineering and unrestrained ways? There was nothing in this world Miss Bai wouldn’t dare to do.

With that thought, Song Shizhou simply closed her eyes out of sight, out of mind.

The interior of the top-tier SUV wasn’t exactly cramped, but the atmosphere inside was undeniably stifling. Mia discreetly rolled down the window just a crack, enough to let in the evening breeze.

Song Shizhou lifted her hand slightly as the wind brushed against her face. Suddenly, she felt grateful, grateful that Miss Bai hadn’t impulsively handcuffed her, making her look like a prisoner being transported back to the Inner City.

She smiled faintly.

But what difference did it make? She knew exactly what awaited her upon returning to the Inner City. Miss Bai wasn’t the type to humble herself. Even if Song Shizhou had once harbored illusions hoping Miss Bai might change or apologize Bai Ruowei’s words and reactions yesterday had thoroughly shattered those illusions.

She showed not a shred of remorse.

Song Shizhou considered herself a patient person, far more emotionally stable than any capybara. Yet Bai Ruowei always managed to provoke her deepest anger from the most unexpected angles.

Perhaps when angered, one couldn’t control their emotions especially when Song Shizhou wasn’t making an effort to hold back. The scent of night-blooming cereus, laced with fury, soon filled the confined space of the car. Both Mia and Li Ningzhi were Alphas, but they were trained and unaffected by the pheromonal provocation of an Enigma.

Bai Ruowei’s throat moved slightly, her tone unnatural.

“Pull over.”

Mia switched to the slow lane.

“Understood, Miss Bai.”

Throughout the journey, Mia had received several calls, all without exception from the Senate. Mia couldn’t possibly be unaware of what this meant.

It meant that Miss Bai’s adoptive father, Vice Speaker Bai of the Senate, was deeply dissatisfied with their recent actions.

Vice Speaker Bai wasn’t a patient man. Mia had been worrying about how to properly explain things to him, and now Miss Bai’s order to stop provided the perfect opportunity.

The car came to a smooth halt in an underground parking lot. Mia turned off the engine, and the locked doors popped open instantly. Li Ningzhi stepped out first.

Bai Ruowei swung her long legs out and swiftly followed.

Perhaps it was due to the stimulation from the pheromones, but Miss Bai’s face was pale, making her appear extremely weak.

Li Ningzhi was startled and instinctively moved to support her.

Bai Ruowei shook her head.

“I’m fine.”

She glanced at Mia.

“Do you have something to say?”

Mia quickly nodded.

Miss Bai seemed somewhat unwell. Although the underground parking garage was spacious, the air was still stagnant. The two of them walked up the steps to get outside, leaving Li Ningzhi below to watch over Song Shizhou.

Once they reached the roadside, Mia chose a quiet spot and spoke up.

“Secretary Chen has called several times just now. The master is waiting for our response.”

Bai Ruowei didn’t reply, merely waving her hand to indicate she understood and signaling Mia to stop speaking further.

Mia nodded, thinking Bai Ruowei was about to say something. But the next second, Miss Bai clutched her chest and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Even someone as composed as Mia was shocked. She felt her experiences these past few days had been utterly surreal first, Miss Bai suddenly having a wife, then inexplicably going to the Lu family, capturing Lan Chi, and now accompanying Bai Ruowei as she coughed up blood near an unknown rest stop in the Thirteenth District.

Bai Ruowei trembled slightly. Mia swiftly steadied her, feeling half her body turn cold.

If anything happened to Miss Bai’s health, none of them would escape blame.

Yet Bai Ruowei calmly waved her hand.

Two fresh streaks of blood trailed from the corners of her lips. Swallowing tainted blood was unacceptable, this was the first lesson she had learned upon entering the Surveillance Institute in her youth.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

There were many vending machines near the rest stop. She bought a bottle of water, unscrewed the cap, and used most of it to rinse her mouth.

After days of nonstop travel, Miss Bai hadn’t had a proper rest in who knew how long. Coupled with being overwhelmed by Song Shizhou’s pheromones in the car earlier, vomiting blood wasn’t entirely unexpected.

With no hospital in sight and not even a decent resting area available, Mia grew anxious. Bai Ruowei told her to stop fussing and quickly hand over the phone.

Mia muttered under her breath.

“Secretary Chen called several times earlier. I really didn’t know how to respond.”

Mia had little standing in front of Master Bai, but the secretary had spoken to her politely enough, first inquiring about recent developments at the Surveillance Institute, then asking how Miss Bai was doing whether she was alright, whether she was enjoying her time in the Thirteenth District.

The implied undertones in those words were enough to send chills down Mia’s spine.

Bai Ruowei said, “Alright, I understand,” then took the phone and dialed.

“It’s me.”

“Transfer me to Master Bai.”

The Surveillance Institute had a strict hierarchy, and all communications whether calls or letters were meticulously recorded. At Mia’s clearance level, she wasn’t privy to the content of their conversation.

Bai Ruowei’s gaze rested on her, and Mia obediently blocked her hearing.

A long stretch of moonlight spilled before Bai Ruowei, casting her shadow in a soft, dreamy yellow hue. Her face remained as pale as ever, but her expression while speaking on the phone was calm.

Mia secretly clenched her fists in worry.

After about ten minutes, Bai Ruowei returned the phone to her.

“It’s settled.”

Mia blinked.

That was it?

Although Secretary Chen’s wording had been polite earlier, his tone was as if he wanted to devour someone. Mr. Bai’s people weren’t easy to fool, so how did everything get resolved in less than half an hour when it came to Bai Ruowei?

Bai Ruowei said calmly,

“Father wants us to go back and discuss it later.”

Miss Bai was very composed or rather, Miss Bai had always been this composed once freed from her obsessive emotions.

Mia suddenly felt a bit confused.

If that was the case, then why did Miss Bai become so disheveled in front of Miss Song?

Mia didn’t have much romantic experience, but she prided herself on being perceptive. Perhaps the situation between Miss Bai and Song Shizhou couldn’t be explained by an ordinary romantic relationship. She felt dizzy just thinking about it. All she knew was that someone as powerful as Miss Bai, who could solve anything, why couldn’t she solve Song Shizhou?

If someone was disobedient and hard to control, just make them obedient and easy to manage.

Was that really such a difficult thing?

The two of them walked forward one after the other. Mia didn’t like dwelling on things she couldn’t figure out. But suddenly, it seemed to click for her.

Could it be that Miss Bai truly, deeply loved Song Shizhou?

Because no matter what happened, she could always resolve it perfectly.

Yet love and affection were the one unsolvable problem.

Miss Bai and Mia weren’t gone for long, but Li Ningzhi was already growing impatient. She debated whether to call Mia but ultimately didn’t dare.

Song Shizhou sat in the back seat of the car, watching Li Ningzhi’s hands twist into nervous claws, and smirked mockingly.

About half an hour later, the two returned. Bai Ruowei had spent too much time on the earlier pursuit, so now they had to hurry back. They didn’t even have time to buy water. Mia tossed Li Ningzhi a bottle of mineral water, and Li Ningzhi batted her eyelashes exaggeratedly, cooing,

“Thank you, Mia-laoshi~ Love you~”

Mia nearly gagged.

Bai Ruowei didn’t get in the car. Li Ningzhi’s little performance was mainly to amuse Miss Bai, but seeing that Miss Bai showed no reaction, she awkwardly chuckled.

Bai Ruowei stood by the car for a moment, then opened the door and casually handed Song Shizhou a bottle of energy drink.

Song Shizhou didn’t react.

She neither took it nor pushed it away as if she couldn’t even see it, just sitting motionless in the car.

Miss Bai’s gaze flickered. She tried to shove the drink into Song Shizhou’s arms.

But forcing something in didn’t count as acceptance. The two were locked in a stalemate until the bottle finally rolled to the ground.

The atmosphere, which Li Ningzhi had just managed to lighten, froze over again. Song Shizhou remained expressionless. Miss Bai lowered her head, not daring to look at Song Shizhou or the bottle yet the bottle kept rolling farther away. The underground parking garage was eerily quiet, the sound of the bottle clattering against the ground painfully clear.

Loud and awkward.

It was like it was rolling over Bai Ruowei’s heart.

Li Ningzhi blinked.

“Don’t move, I’ll get it, I’ll get it!”

With that, she got out of the car and chased after the runaway bottle.

Song Shizhou sneered inwardly.

Sure enough, whether in her past life or this one, Miss Bai was always the center of attention, with just a slight frown drawing countless gazes. And precisely because of that, she had the confidence never to repent no matter what, there would always be someone to love her.

Perhaps it was time to let her take the stage, Song Shizhou thought mockingly to herself. She should be standing beside Miss Bai right now, dutifully taking that bottle of water, then asking with concern like Mia and Li Ningzhi if she was feeling unwell or needed to rest returning to being that obedient “lover.”

But she no longer wanted to do that.

Now was the moment.

With Li Ningzhi and Mia’s attention fully on Bai Ruowei, Song Shizhou quickly unbuckled her seatbelt. After confirming no one had noticed, she ran toward the depths without looking back.

“Song Shizhou!” Li Ningzhi shrieked.

Mia immediately gave chase.

Miss Bai froze in disbelief for two seconds before her furious voice rang out, “Let her run!”

Mia turned back in confusion.

Bai Ruowei didn’t speak, but her expression made it clear she was furious. The veins on her neck stood out, looking both sensual and dangerous. The underground parking lot at dawn was nearly empty, with no passing vehicles, making Song Shizhou’s footsteps clearly audible.

She knew she couldn’t escape. She knew Bai Ruowei would catch up to her in minutes.

Yet Song Shizhou had to run.

Wasn’t Bai Ruowei the one who loved this cat-and-mouse game? Why wasn’t she chasing now? Tired? Annoyed? Or simply unable to run? Hiding behind a car, the gap between vehicles gave her a clear view of Miss Bai. Didn’t she say not to chase her? Why was she coming after her herself? Was it only fun if she did the chasing?

Perhaps due to her heightened emotions, an unnatural flush spread across Miss Bai’s face. She looked utterly exhausted. Searching in the predawn parking lot wasn’t easy, and she regretted letting Song Shizhou run even for a moment, now she had no leads.

The surroundings were pitch black. She knew Song Shizhou had patience, could stay perfectly still just to avoid her. Could it be… could it be that she didn’t want to see her at all? Bai Ruowei’s heart trembled.

The scent of night-blooming cereus grew fainter, the fragrance of Song Shizhou’s pheromones. Miss Bai had once loved that scent, its warm sweetness like a comfort, allowing her to let down all her defenses and weary mind.

But now, the familiar scent had turned foreign, sharp like the raised spines of a beast posturing, sharpened into something Bai Ruowei no longer recognized.

Did she have to torment her like this?

Miss Bai slowly crouched down.

“Song Shizhou… must you… torment me like this?”

She felt dizzy. The dim lighting of the underground parking lot made it seem as though she were kneeling.

Back in Flying Bird Town, she had stubbornly clung to Song Shizhou’s sleeve, refusing to let go. She feared that if she loosened her grip, she’d disappear again.

In the cold emergency room, she had held onto Song Shizhou’s sleeve just like this. There was no need to resuscitate a patient already declared lifeless, yet doctors and nurses quickly filled the room not to save her, but to…

Miss Bai’s hand clutched her sleeve just as tightly then, until the funeral staff pried her fingers open one by one.

And then Song Shizhou never came back.

The motion-sensor lights in the parking lot flickered. A new car drove in, its horn blaring impatiently.

She suddenly felt a bit tired, suddenly wanted to rest for a while,

Just a little while, only needed a little while,

To let herself accept the fact that Song Shizhou was still alive, but perhaps… didn’t love her for the time being.

Mini Theater:

Xun-chan: Key point alert, key point alert! 【For the time being】, Miss Bai, are you sure Little Song just doesn’t love you temporarily?

Bai Ruowei: I’m sure.

Xun-chan: Then what does Little Song say?

Song Shizhou: I choose obtuse angle.

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