After My Death, I Became a Heartless Madman - Chapter 27.1

On the way back, Bai Ruowei didn’t act out again.

The absurd night at the small hotel ended with Song Shizhou’s soft chuckle. She had gone to Bai Ruowei’s room, only for Miss Bai to seize her wrist, gripping it fiercely as if refusing to let her leave.

But Song Shizhou left anyway.

Perhaps Bai Ruowei’s words weren’t madness at all perhaps that was simply how she thought, how she so naturally regarded Song Shizhou as her possession, unable to tolerate even the slightest hint of betrayal or defiance.

Even death was no exception.

They arrived in the Inner City at dawn. After disembarking, Bai Ruowei didn’t return to Snow Pavilion but went straight to the Council without pause.

Lately, she had spent most of her time searching for Song Shizhou, and Mr. Bai had long since grown displeased with her.

Besides, Song Shizhou had never been someone or something particularly important to Bai Ruowei. The Song Shizhou who had fled couldn’t be compared because that was defiance. But now that she had been caught and brought back, she no longer warranted too much of Miss Bai’s time.

Before leaving, Bai Ruowei still remembered to order someone to burn the dark green sweater Song Shizhou was wearing.

Because it was the last thing Lan Chi had left her.

Meanwhile, Song Shizhou was sent back to Snow Pavilion by Li Ningzhi, who instructed the housekeeper to arrange a room for her.

Li Ningzhi didn’t like her much, her tone laced with sarcasm.

“Make sure it’s close to Miss Bai’s quarters… but not too close!”

Such a strange request inevitably led to speculation about Song Shizhou’s identity. Some said she was Miss Bai’s sister, others claimed she was Miss Bai’s savior, that Miss Bai had been injured in the Thirteenth District and rescued by Song Shizhou. Otherwise, how could an unknown woman like her be allowed to stay in Miss Bai’s Snow Pavilion?

This was Bai Manor, Miss Bai’s Snow Pavilion, how many people in the entire Inner City could walk in here?

Li Ningzhi irritably cut off the servants’ gossip.

“Miss Bai has given orders. This Miss Song is her wife. The staff of Snow Pavilion are to treat her as the lady of the house.”

Wife… lady of the house… The servants exchanged glances, truly realizing that appearances could be deceiving.

Song Shizhou lay on the bed, struggling weakly.

“I’m not… I’m not…”

Li Ningzhi shot her a disdainful look.

“Some people just don’t know how lucky they are…”

Song Shizhou didn’t hear her. After a few feeble struggles, she stopped moving, too exhausted to resist anymore.

Because she was sick.

Sick from Bai Ruowei’s temper.

Lying in bed, Song Shizhou felt a pang of sorrow. She had thought Bai Ruowei’s search for her was just a passing whim after all, sentimental people would mourn even a lost or dead pet, let alone a living, breathing person like Song Shizhou.

But she hadn’t expected Miss Bai to take it so seriously.

Her mind buzzed, haunted by Bai Ruowei’s words:

“How dare you die?”

Bai Ruowei had actually asked her, how dare she die?

Song Shizhou’s heart trembled at the memory.

Had she wanted to die?

She had been ready to embrace a bright future, had she been the one driving a secondhand Audi into a truck?

Could Bai Ruowei not think before speaking?

Song Shizhou was both furious and amused, but soon, her amusement faded. Because she remembered Bai Ruowei had said something even crazier:

“Even if your soul returned to the underworld, wouldn’t I still cross the Naihe Bridge to find you?”

Miss Bai’s smile remained enchantingly graceful, heartbreakingly beautiful, yet Song Shizhou’s smile froze at the corners of her lips, every hair on her body standing on end. Because Bai Ruowei had uttered something insane and what was even more terrifying was the absolute seriousness in her eyes as she said it.

She wasn’t joking.

Song Shizhou hazily forced a bitter smile. She didn’t know whether to rejoice or grieve over Bai Ruowei’s sincerity. If this had happened in the past, Song Shizhou would have been overjoyed because everything had begun with her longing for a promise, a word, a commitment from Miss Bai. But back then, Miss Bai had neither wanted nor deigned to give it. Now that Miss Bai was offering it,

she no longer wanted it.

Her illness dragged on for days so long that even Song Shizhou lost track of time. During this period, Lan Chi even came to visit her twice. Song Shizhou soon realized she was delirious, because Lan Chi had already been arrested by the Surveillance Institute, how could she possibly come to see her? Yet Song Shizhou still tearfully grabbed “Sister Lan Chi’s” hand, staring at her intently.

“Sister Lan Chi” was startled by her, the hand holding the medicine trembling slightly. With an unnatural expression, she scooped a spoonful of medicine and brought it to Song Shizhou’s lips.

The bitterness nearly killed Song Shizhou, but her heart was sweet.

She clung to Lan Chi’s hand, refusing to let go. The woman stiffened noticeably before gently patting her head.

Song Shizhou could hold back no longer.

“Lan Chi, where have you been? When will you come back?”

She didn’t resent whether Lan Chi had ever deceived her. Lan Chi had truly helped her escape, had truly taken her in at Flying Bird Town. Besides, how many people in this world hadn’t lied to her?

Wasn’t Miss Bai the same?

Bai Ruowei’s hand trembled violently as she held the medicine bowl, spilling it all over Li Ningzhi.

Li Ningzhi was terrified, barely daring to breathe as she glared at Song Shizhou, hoping she’d realize the magnitude of her blasphemous mistake from her expression. But Song Shizhou was too ill, too delirious she couldn’t read Li Ningzhi’s face, nor could she recognize who stood before her.

Bai Ruowei’s heart quivered.

She decided, for now, not to take it out on a sick person.

Her gaze lowered slightly.

But the next second, Song Shizhou repeated her act, staring at Bai Ruowei with tear-filled eyes.

“Lan Chi… is it really you?”

“The Surveillance Institute is so ruthless will you die? Will Bai Ruowei make things hard for you? Don’t die. We’ve only just met again…”

Bai Ruowei was, above all else, a proud woman.

She could endure Song Shizhou’s temporary coldness, but she could not endure being someone’s substitute.

Not because she felt insulted, not because it ached her heart but because Song Shizhou had indeed known Lan Chi first, had indeed shared a past with her, during a time Bai Ruowei knew nothing about, before she had even met Song Shizhou, before she had claimed all of her.

Song Shizhou had known someone else first.

This was a reality, a past, that no amount of Bai Ruowei’s strength or perfection could undo.

With a loud crash, the porcelain bowl shattered against the floor, medicine splattering everywhere.

Slamming a bowl in front of a sick person was an act of utter gracelessness. Bai Ruowei sniffed, as if she wanted to say something but in the end, she said nothing. She turned and left, slamming the door behind her.

People tend to forget their own misdeeds remarkably quickly. Song Shizhou had long forgotten this little episode, only vaguely remembering that Lan Chi had visited her unexpectedly less gentle than usual, even smashing a bowl at one point.

Song Shizhou remained ill for several days. Even after regaining some clarity, she never doubted the identity of the person from that time. She thought it had been a dream. After all, there was no way it could’ve been Bai Ruowei, the Surveillance Institute had grown busier by the day, and Miss Bai had countless responsibilities. That she’d spared so much time to drag Song Shizhou back was already generous enough. How could Shi Zhou dare hope Miss Bai would visit her while she was sick?

Besides, if it really had been Bai Ruowei, and she’d heard Song Shizhou call out Lan Chi’s name twice, wouldn’t she have immediately hauled her up to skin her alive and tear out her sinews? Smashing a bowl would’ve been far too lenient.

Song Shizhou laughed at herself mockingly.

Li Ningzhi had been having a miserable few days. With Miss Bai occupied, Mia naturally wouldn’t leave her side, and Bai Ruowei didn’t trust anyone else to stay behind. So, the one left to keep watch at Snow Pavilion had to be Li Ningzhi.

Li Ningzhi was furious. She didn’t want to deal with Song Shizhou, she thought the woman was utterly ungrateful, daring to play with Miss Bai’s sincerity like that. But she was also terrified Song Shizhou might die from illness, leaving Miss Bai to flay her alive upon returning.

Thanks to the doctor’s attentive care, Song Shizhou’s condition gradually improved. The doctor said she’d suffered from extreme fright, and once she woke up and could speak normally, she’d be mostly recovered.

By the fifth day, Song Shizhou finally regained a sliver of awareness.

She wasn’t familiar with Snow Pavilion. The only thing she noticed was that the bed beneath her was unbelievably soft far more comfortable than the one in her own tiny home or even Lan Chi’s.

“Where is this, where am I?”

Li Ningzhi shot her an annoyed glance.

“This is Snow Pavilion.”

“Snow Pavilion?”

“…It’s Bai Manor.”

Song Shizhou weakly murmured,

“Why am I in Bai Manor… Let me leave…”

Li Ningzhi ignored her, but the next second, Song Shizhou started pulling out the tubes in her arm.

Startled, Li Ningzhi couldn’t understand how someone so sick could suddenly muster so much energy.

“Hey, what are you doing stop! Even if you want to leave, shouldn’t you recover first?”

In her past life, Li Ningzhi had always disliked Song Shizhou. She’d only learned later that it was because Li Ningzhi believed Song Shizhou wasn’t worthy of Bai Ruowei. On top of that, Bai Ruowei’s work had been affected after getting involved with her. As both a devoted fan and a career-driven supporter of Bai Ruowei, Li Ningzhi had been deeply upset.

“It’s fine…” Song Shizhou mumbled.

“Anyway… I don’t plan on liking Bai Ruowei anymore…”

Li Ningzhi frowned. Distracted, this enhanced-variant with heightened hearing actually missed what she’d said.

“What did you say?”

Miss Bai stood at the doorway, her hand pausing mid-push as she opened the door.

Her lips pressed into a tight line.

Bai Ruowei’s enhancements were far superior to Li Ningzhi’s. And while Li Ningzhi had been distracted, Bai Ruowei hadn’t missed a word.

A servant at the door asked, “Miss Bai, aren’t you going in?”

Bai Ruowei shook her head and turned away.

These past few days had been hard on Li Ningzhi and no less so for Bai Ruowei.

The moment her flight landed in the Inner City, she rushed straight to the Council without a moment’s rest.

Because the Vice Speaker of the Council, Mr. Bai her adoptive father had been increasingly dissatisfied with her recent actions.

Mia opened the door for her and whispered a reminder before she entered,

“Stay calm when you speak. Don’t argue with him.”

Bai Ruowei nodded.

She hadn’t been to this council chamber often. Usually, she met Mr. Bai at home, rarely in the Council’s meeting hall.

This usually meant she had made some mistake.

Bai Ruowei rarely made mistakes. Neither did Mr. Bai’s other adopted children because those who did were swiftly purged. Mr. Bai liked to have the faultless children purge those who erred. The method worked well, it warned the successors while disposing of the predecessors.

Bai Ruowei didn’t know how much of her own people’s blood stained her hands.

That was why she was especially reluctant to arrest Lan Chi.

The chamber was, as always, filled with the scent of fine incense. The room was vast, with layers of safety lamps glowing at its center. Everything shimmered dazzling, sweet, crystalline hues illuminating every crevice, every antique chair and table, every priceless calligraphy and painting, as if nothing could remain hidden.

Mr. Bai had been appearing less frequently lately. He was advanced in years and no longer involved himself much in Council affairs. Or perhaps he had killed too many heirs and now lacked the energy for more. That was why he valued Miss Bai so highly.

Bai Ruowei stood before the desk and addressed him.

Mr. Bai wore black silk pajamas. His features bore no resemblance to Bai Ruowei’s. Time had lent him a kindly appearance, almost indistinguishable from any ordinary elderly man.

Steaming tea released delicate wisps of vapor. Mr. Bai lifted his cup with practiced grace and poured the pre-rain Longjing tea over the dark-red tea pet.

“I’ve told you many times, you can call me Father in private. Why do you always keep it so formal?”

“Your name was my choice, Ruowei. Too common.”

Mr. Bai chuckled.

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