After My Death, I Became a Heartless Madman - Chapter 34.1

Perhaps because of the party, Song Shizhou was utterly exhausted today. She lay in bed and quickly fell asleep. In the middle of the night, she stirred groggily, feeling unbearably thirsty, and struggled to get up.

She didn’t turn on the lights, groping her way to the living room in the dark. The plastic slippers slapped against the floor with a soft pat-pat. Sister Yu’s house smelled as pleasant as she did, a faint, woody fragrance, like the lingering scent of burned-out incense.

The house was too big. Song Shizhou almost got lost far larger than the tiny apartment she had lived in during her past life. On her first day here, she hadn’t figured out the confusing array of light switches and randomly flicked one, illuminating the kitchen.

She poured herself a glass of water, drank it, then leaned against the counter. Halfway through the glass, she suddenly noticed someone sitting in the living room.

Startled, she thought it might be Miss Bai.

From the second floor, she had once seen Bai Ruowei sitting alone on the small sofa downstairs, a plate of baked apples in front of her, silent until dawn.

An inexplicable pang of sympathy rose in Song Shizhou’s heart. The figure remained motionless. Only under the dim moonlight did she finally recognize who it was—

Song Fengyu.

Feng Yu’s eyes fluttered open slightly, like a wisp of mist under the moonlight. Yet she was dressed in black, nearly blending into the night.

The heavy black, symbolizing desire and chaos, didn’t match her restrained demeanor. Song Shizhou spoke softly,

“Sister Yu.”

“It’s so late, Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

She sounded concerned.

“Is your heart hurting again?”

The moment the words left her lips, Song Fengyu felt as if her fragile heart had been struck.

Thumping wildly.

“No.”

Her voice was hoarse, rougher than she expected.

Song Shizhou was taken aback.

“You didn’t… stay here the whole time, did you?”

Song Fengyu let out a quiet laugh.

“What are you thinking?”

She stretched lazily, appearing calm and relaxed.

“It’s school matters. A last-minute notice came in, so I came out to deal with it.”

“And you?”

Feng Yu glanced at her lightly.

“Can’t sleep?”

Song Shizhou nodded, then shook her head, swirling the water in her glass.

“No, I was just thirsty, so I got up for water.”

Song Fengyu hummed in acknowledgment.

“There are drinks in the cabinet. The ones you like.”

Song Shizhou bent down and opened the cabinet.

She was surprised.

“Sister Yu, didn’t this brand go out of production? Why…?”

Feng Yu simply smiled at her.

Song Shizhou froze.

Seeing her expression, Feng Yu smoothly changed the subject.

“Did you have fun tonight?”

“It was… alright.”

It had been fun. She hadn’t seen her friends from the Inner City in a long time, so catching up and reconnecting was nice.

Too bad Su Ziqing got drunk halfway through, leaving her to awkwardly sing a song to liven things up.

Song Fengyu chuckled.

“That’s good.”

“You sing beautifully. I remember at your eighteenth birthday party, you even sang in front of everyone.”

A shy girl, light makeup, Song Shizhou gripping the microphone, her nervous voice drifting into Feng Yu’s ears—

That day had also been Feng Yu’s birthday.

It was her favorite birthday gift.

She heard her own voice.

“You should spend more time with your friends in the future. Staying cooped up in your room all day can easily make you sick.”

Feng Yu’s fingers twitched slightly against the sofa. She truly didn’t know who this piece of advice was really meant for.

Song Shizhou nodded.

After exchanging a few indifferent words with Sister Yu, she began to feel her eyelids grow heavy again. After a moment of silence, Sister Yu also stood up, preparing to return to her room.

Shi Zhou suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

Though she and Sister Yu were siblings, it had been so long since they’d last talked like this.

Perhaps Feng Yu was still deeply worried about her situation.

Song Shizhou walked over and placed both hands on Feng Yu’s shoulders, intending to offer some comfort. She wanted to tell Feng Yu not to worry about her, but before she could speak, her phone rang.

It was Bai Ruowei calling.

…

The Snow Pavilion in the darkness was somewhat eerie, and Mia’s voice over the phone sounded indistinct. Qingluan drove silently from the driver’s seat, saying she didn’t know what had happened either it was classified information from the Surveillance Institute, and her rank wasn’t high enough to be privy to it.

As soon as they returned to the Ink Residence, the two wolfdogs, Allen and Claude, began barking frantically. Song Shizhou faintly sensed something amiss. An unusual scent of blood seemed to linger in the air, and the dogs’ behavior was abnormal. Normally well-behaved though their obedience was more like that of tamed beasts, they were at least docile. But now their fur stood on end, and Allen looked particularly terrifying, his wolf-like green eyes filled with hostility and bloodlust.

Song Shizhou froze, and Qingluan was equally startled. If not for Xiao Bao’s frantic “werwerwer” barking from inside the house, Shi Zhou might have thought she’d stumbled upon a murder scene.

The little creature, usually fierce as anything, was now cowering inside, too afraid to come out as if it knew that being let out now would only end in being torn apart by Allen and Claude.

The two large dogs didn’t bite. The Ink Residence was dimly lit, with shadows flickering as if lights were on.

Mia’s car was parked at the entrance.

Li Ningzhi was the first to emerge from the room.

Miss Li’s skin was pale so pale it was almost translucent, a stark contrast to Qingluan’s sun-weathered complexion. Under the dim, flickering lights, she looked almost ghostly.

“It’s quite late now, Qingluan. You may leave. Mia’s people will keep watch here.”

Li Ningzhi’s tone was calm, her voice steady, as if nothing had happened. Qingluan naturally had nothing to say and nodded before departing.

The faint scent of blood didn’t fade with Li Ningzhi’s appearance; if anything, it grew stronger. Li Ningzhi led the way, pausing at the door to bow slightly and gesture for her to enter.

“Qingluan usually stays at the Ink Residence. Why did you send her away today?”

Li Ningzhi didn’t answer. She merely quickened her pace, urging Miss Song to hurry inside.

Under the faint light, Song Shizhou finally got a clear look at Li Ningzhi’s face. It wasn’t that she was naturally pale, her pallor came from sheer anxiety.

Song Shizhou paused, inexplicably feeling a tightness in her chest.

Only after entering the room did she finally relax, because Bai Ruowei was indeed inside. She wasn’t seated on her favorite sofa but on a hard wooden chair, eyes closed as if in light sleep.

The scent of blood grew increasingly thick. Perhaps it was because of the temporary mark Miss Bai had left on her, making Song Shizhou especially sensitive to Bai Ruowei’s scent.

Those pale green eyes slowly opened, startling Song Shizhou because her expression was one of withering decay.

“You’re back.”

Bai Ruowei stood up, her movements seeming somewhat unnatural.

Mia was unusually absent from Miss Bai’s side. Instead, it was Gu Zhiyu who handed a file folder to Bai Ruowei, who then passed it to Song Shizhou.

“This is the Lu family couple’s confession.”

“Take this to Song Lanyi. With black-and-white evidence, she won’t be able to deny it.”

Shi Zhou froze.

“What do you mean?” she asked instinctively. “Wasn’t this trip of yours a Surveillance Institute mission? Why are you giving this to me? How did you even?”

How did you even get this?

Bai Ruowei smiled faintly. “Carrying everything alone is exhausting, Shi Zhou.”

A seemingly random remark, yet it sent a chill down Song Shizhou’s spine.

So sometimes, perhaps, she could share the burden?

“Besides, we should have gotten this long ago.”

“Shi Zhou,” she said, “you’re my beloved. I’ve taken so much from you, of course I should fulfill all your regrets and wishes for you.”

She was too late.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t retrieve it sooner.”

The weight of vengeance someone still remembered.

Those twelve years of abuse someone still shared her undying hatred.

Song Shizhou was stunned, but Bai Ruowei acted as though it were nothing. Perhaps her love burned as fiercely as her hatred. Yet these words struck like thunder. Through the transparent folder, she could see the handwriting of Father and Mother Lu, she could never mistake it. She had lived with them for so many years, memorized their writing habits. But…

No matter how many times she wiped it, a glaring bloodstain remained on the folder.

Song Shizhou looked up sharply. Gu Zhiyu stood before her, holding a large box.

Inside were all of Song Shizhou’s personal belongings from her time at the small art studio.

The paintings she made for Lan Chi, the little tree Lan Chi gave her, even that dark green coat of Lan Chi’s.

She hadn’t burned it.

Because Song Shizhou had worn it.

“After you left, I treasured all your belongings. How could I ever burn them?” Bai Ruowei let out a soft laugh, her slender fingers lingering over the overflowing box. These items had nearly cost her half her life.

The townspeople of Flying Bird Town held hostility toward her she knew that.

Acting alone meant not dragging Mia or Li Ningzhi into it, she knew that.

So she went by herself.

Two bloody wounds still bled, but there was no pain. The Surveillance Institute excelled in this regard no pain meant less fear as life slipped away, making it easier to serve the Institute. But the scent of blood couldn’t hide from anyone here. Gu Zhiyu bit her lip, terrified.

Why hadn’t Mia returned yet?

Bai Ruowei took out the painting.

“Shi Zhou, I’m returning this to you.”

It was the painting she had made for Lan Chi.

Truthfully, she didn’t want it back.

“The painting you gave me, it wasn’t ugly. I liked it.”

“It’s just that I wasn’t worthy.”

She said.

But every time she saw a face resembling the one in the painting, she couldn’t help but think of the painting Song Shizhou had given her. She regretted it so much, how could she have lost it? But what did it matter now? At least, if she had a similar one, she could have something to remember by.

Each glance was like stabbing herself with a knife.

Several streaks of blood trailed slowly down her calves such a beautiful, winding crimson, such a gorgeous color, so vivid, so intense, almost like the hue of her very heart’s blood. If her heart were cut open, would it look like this too? The blood soaked through Miss Bai’s trousers. No wonder she didn’t dare sit on the sofa, afraid the stains would linger, leaving traces behind.

“You’re hurt,” Song Shizhou said.

Too afraid to let anyone discover her self-inflicted wounds, the untreated injuries slowly seeped blood. She was wounded at her waist, her legs, but the deepest cut was in her heart.

“I’m sorry,” Bai Ruowei said.

“Everything you wanted before, and the things Lan Chi left for you, they’re all here now.”

“I helped you, get them all back.”

She finished with a faint smile.

Support