After My Death, I Became a Heartless Madman - Chapter 33.2

The spacious private room was filled with a faint, sweet fragrance. Su Ziqing declared Song Shizhou the guest of honor for the night, throwing this gathering to welcome her back. So, she hadn’t invited too many people, just some of Song Shizhou’s friends from the Inner City.

Fengyu saw her to the door of the private room. When Su Ziqing spotted Fengyu, she exchanged the usual pleasantries.

“Sister Yu, not joining us?”

Song Fengyu leaned against the wall, looking completely at ease.

“I’ll pass.”

The walk from the lobby to the private room wasn’t long, but Shizhou couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Halfway there, she turned around.

Fengyu’s figure soon disappeared into the chaotic lights. She seemed to have lit a cigarette, her black wavy hair cascading over her chest, making her appear both subdued and intense.

Breathtakingly beautiful.

Su Ziqing patted her shoulder and turned her face back around.

“Come on, what are you thinking about? Tonight’s all about you.”

Su Ziqing clung to Shizhou like a koala. Back in their school days, they’d always roughhoused like this. Later, after Su Ziqing presented as an Alpha, their interactions became even more uninhibited.

The private room was carpeted in plush white fur so thick that even stepping on it with shoes felt soft. Song Shizhou instinctively wanted to take her shoes off, but Su Ziqing told her not to bother, just walk on it directly.

The pristine white carpet was soon streaked with black marks, much like how even the purest relationships might one day become tainted.

Since it was a gathering of close friends, the atmosphere was relaxed.

Su Ziqing jumped onto the stage.

“Today marks exactly seventy-two days until my dear friend Miss Song Shizhou’s birthday! I’m going to sing a song to celebrate!”

Song Shizhou was so embarrassed she wanted to burrow into the couch. Qingluan, sitting beside her, looked surprised that Song Shizhou had such an eccentric friend.

Truthfully, Su Ziqing had a decent alcohol tolerance, but after three songs and half a bottle of sake, she was completely wasted. Song Shizhou wasn’t much of a drinker and had little patience for drunks. The scent of alcohol wafting toward her face carried an inexplicably disorienting effect.

“Shizhou, I’m really glad you’re back. When you told Sister Yu you weren’t planning to return to the Inner City, I was terrified.”

Someone else took the mic to sing next, and when it was passed to Song Shizhou, she shook her head in refusal, causing the volume to fluctuate abruptly.

“What are you afraid of? Don’t you always have someone by your side?”

Su Ziqing shook her head.

“It’s not the same.”

“With them, it’s just physical. With you, it’s the heart.”

Song Shizhou burst into laughter. Could a player like Su Ziqing actually have a heartfelt moment? Was she implying that with others, it was all about the body? The thought amused Shizhou, finding it rare to hear such words from a notorious flirt.

Su Ziqing draped herself over Shizhou like a drunkard.

For once, she was quiet, pausing briefly at Shizhou’s laughter before soon joining in.

With Su Ziqing too drunk to keep the mood going, Shizhou reluctantly took the mic and sang a couple of songs. She wasn’t particularly good, but the group politely applauded anyway.

Finally, as the gathering wound down, Qingluan descended from the platform and handed Shizhou her coat.

True to their arrangement, Fengyu arrived to pick her up. She stood by a black Porsche, opening the door as Shizhou approached. Qingluan followed them into the car.

Honestly, Qingluan didn’t like shadowing Shizhou like some digital shackle, but Miss Bai simply didn’t trust Shizhou enough to let her roam freely.

Fengyu asked, “Your friend?”

Shizhou gave a noncommittal hum in response.

Fengyu smiled knowingly, cigarette ash scattering in the night breeze outside the window.

Even after three or four months away from the Inner City, Shizhou remembered the way home clearly. Watching the shifting scenery outside, she suddenly spoke up.

“Sister Yu, I don’t want to go back to the Song residence.”

It might have been a bit late to bring it up now, with the car already en route.

But Song Fengyu only chuckled.

“Take a look. Does this seem like the way to the Song residence?”

“We grew up together. Did you really think I wouldn’t know what’s on your mind?”

The teasing remark left Qingluan in the back seat feeling oddly uneasy.

The car stopped in front of an apartment building, and Fengyu instructed Shizhou to go upstairs first.

“But Qingluan,”

“Go upstairs.”

Fengyu cut her off.

Sister Yu was usually aloof and detached, rarely showing this assertive side. Shizhou said nothing, took the keys, and headed straight inside.

Qingluan, a former member of the Special Operations Team, had stepped back from frontline duty due to injuries. She’d dealt with plenty of difficult people in her time, but someone as amiable as Miss Song was a rarity.

Fengyu smiled coolly.

“Since when does the Surveillance Institute have the authority to enforce personal confinement?”

Qingluan replied, “Miss Song, that’s not what I meant. I’m only concerned for Miss Shizhou’s safety, so—”

A business card was pressed against Qingluan’s chest.

“Fine. If anything happens to Song Shizhou tonight, tell Bai Ruowei to come find me.”

With that, Fengyu turned and went upstairs.

The apartment was tucked away in a quiet, unassuming location, but stepping inside revealed a spacious, open-plan layout.

The décor bore Fengyu’s signature style, monochrome and minimalist. Even with the warm glow of champagne-colored floor lamps, the space felt stark and lonely.

“What do you think of the place?”

Shizhou walked a full circle, scrutinizing every corner.

She nodded.

“It’s alright.”

“Just feels a little lonely.”

Song Fengyu smiled,

“You can decorate the room however you like in the future.”

Song Shizhou froze. “Sister Yu, what do you mean by that?”

Fengyu pushed the hand holding the keys back toward her.

“It’s yours.”

“Mine?”

“Such a big house, Sister Yu, are you joking?”

Song Fengyu chuckled softly.

“It’s Mom’s idea, not just mine. She knows she owes you a lot, so she bought this place for you. If you don’t want to go home in the future, you can stay here.”

“I don’t want it.”

Song Shizhou shook her head.

“Sister Yu, I appreciate the kindness, but this gift is too extravagant. I can’t accept it.”

Fengyu paused.

Of course. She was living in Snow Pavilion now, where in the entire Inner City could compare to its comfort and grandeur?

Could she really accept someone else’s goodwill so easily?

The atmosphere cooled, as indifferent as Fengyu’s heart. Outside the window, fireworks suddenly bloomed, one after another, drowning out their conversation. Song Fengyu forced herself to brighten up again.

“It’s fine.”

“If you don’t want it, staying for one night should be okay, right?”

Before Shizhou could respond, Song Fengyu took her hand first.

“Shizhou, don’t reject me again.”

Her voice carried a rare note of pleading, almost pitiful.

Holding Shizhou’s hand, she led her toward the bedroom.

“Your room is this way.”

The spacious apartment was unusually designed with two bedrooms, each generously sized. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of the Inner City’s dazzling nightscape. Maybe a glass of red wine would suit the moment, Shizhou’s thoughts wandered aimlessly. Fengyu guided her to sit on the bed.

“This lamp is beautiful.”

It was a bedside lamp composed of thousands of crystal tubes, each carefully wrapped. Still, Fengyu had managed to chip two on the way here, though they blended in and weren’t noticeable. She turned the lamp on, its dim glow mirrored the subdued mood.

Shizhou murmured,

“It’s a bit too dark.”

“Too dark?”

Had it been too long since she’d seen proper brightness?

To her, it felt just right.

The lamp briefly captured Shizhou’s interest. Sitting on the bed, she quietly studied the crystal’s intricate design, finding it exquisite perhaps she could even design something similar herself.

Perhaps due to exhaustion, Fengyu fell silent. When Shizhou said she was going to sleep, Fengyu nodded. “Alright, I should sleep too.”

The living room sofa faced another floor-to-ceiling window, the curtains half-drawn. After leaving Shizhou’s room, Song Fengyu sat on the couch with a glass of water in hand.

The bed in Shizhou’s bedroom, she had chosen it.

It was soft, comfortable to sleep on.

Somehow, the thought made her imagine lying there herself.

Fengyu’s gaze darkened.

The dim night soothed her restless heart, and the silence brought her comfort.

But people shouldn’t hide forever in the shadows.

Even in the quiet of night, there were sounds perhaps the beating of her own heart. Father Lu and Mother Lu had been driven out of the Inner City; Lu Qi had dropped out of school, disappeared, and cut ties with the family. She could piece together the general sequence of events.

And that woman, Lan Chi.

She was probably dead by now.

Why insist on doing such dangerous things?

Fengyu’s eyes darkened deeply.

Why must you insist on approaching dangerous people and doing dangerous things? Wouldn’t it be better to stay quietly in the Song family, by her side?

She could take care of Shizhou very, very well.

She let out a soft laugh, her ink-black curls nearly invisible in the darkness.

Fortunately, she had already found a way to rescue Shizhou.

Shizhou had always been like this since childhood.

When she first arrived at the Song family at twelve, Song Nianchu was only eight and often bullied her. Though her study was the forbidden territory of the household, didn’t she still hide under her own desk?

The dark brown desk was draped with a hazy veil. Song Shizhou cautiously peeked out, her face hidden beneath the white gauze like a bride’s veil.

Song Fengyu’s breath hitched for a moment.

An unbearable ache, numbness, and tingling spread from her heart. She didn’t know when this frail heart of hers would finally give out.

Outside the window, fireworks began to bloom again.

Brilliant fireworks exploded across the night sky, scattering flickering sparks onto the windowpanes. It looked beautiful.

But could silent fireworks still be called fireworks?

No sound, no presence.

Just boiling away quietly, alone.

Though strange, though defying logic, she had grown accustomed to these silent fireworks.

Yet, for some reason perhaps sensing Song Shizhou’s presence, Song Fengyu suddenly didn’t want to continue this habit tonight.

She opened the window, and one after another, bursting sparks struck her body.

It hurt. Firework burns didn’t bleed, the heat was so intense the wounds instantly seared shut, leaving no chance for blood.

But it was still far better than silence.

Shizhou and Fengyu didn’t talk much that night. Perhaps because she had drunk a little more, she felt unusually drowsy.

Five minutes ago, Su Ziqing had posted a drunk selfie on social media. Su Ziqing had always been a playboy, so such photos were nothing out of the ordinary.

Song Shizhou gave it a like.

She scrolled through her phone for a while when suddenly, fireworks began outside the window. Song Shizhou was startled, fireworks in the downtown area? And they were quite beautiful, bursting into brilliant silver and orange across the sky. The only pity was the lack of sound. Back at the Song family, they used to set off fireworks during New Year’s, but only during countryside getaways, burying the charges under thick snow. The explosions would send snow flying with a deafening roar, as if the heavens were collapsing.

There had also been the clear, flute-like whistles, she remembered one firework that emitted a crisp, flute-like sound before shooting skyward. But now, the sounds of both the explosions and the launches were muffled by thick glass, leaving nothing audible.

Amused, Song Shizhou took out her phone, snapped a photo, and posted it on social media.

She didn’t block anyone.

How much impact could a single post have, especially something so harmless?

Song Shizhou chuckled, turned off her phone, and went to sleep.

Bai Ruowei’s finger lightly traced the screen, leaving a glaring streak of blood like a crimson firework.

By now, she had been away from Snow Pavilion for over half a month. The long absence was partly for a Surveillance Institute mission and partly…

to retrieve something from District 14, something she had always wanted to give to Song Shizhou.

Her hands trembled as she clutched the folder. The pristine plastic sleeve was now stained with unsightly blood. Li Ningzhi wiped it clean for her, while Mia’s anxious voice came from the driver’s seat,

“Miss Bai, just hold on a little longer. We’re almost back to the Inner City.”

Fresh blood continued to flow from Bai Ruowei’s abdomen, filling the car compartment with a strong metallic scent, yet she remained oblivious. Her gaze was fixed on the photo displayed on her phone.

An unfamiliar location, such dazzling fireworks, such a beautiful nightscape. The floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the scene inside.

A soft bed, a head of neat short hair. Who was the person beside Song Shizhou? Who was sharing this beautiful night with him?

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