The Crematorium of the Top Omega Chasing After Alpha - Chapter 37.2

Zhan Nansheng was glaring at her with fury, her beautiful eyes burning with anger as if they could scorch right through her.

“Miss, don’t make a scene,” Wu Lan’s voice remained calm, tinged with a hint of helplessness.

“Don’t make a scene?” Zhan Nansheng let out a cold laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Wu Lan, why didn’t you tell me you were back? If I hadn’t come looking for you, would you have never sought me out on your own?”

Wu Lan sighed, a trace of weariness in her voice. “I have a mission to attend to. It wasn’t convenient for me to contact you.”

“A mission?” Zhan Nansheng sneered, her tone full of disdain. “That old man has you running around outside every day, and who even knows what you’re busy with. Tell me, what did my aunt assign you to do? Does it have something to do with Ming Yu?”

Wu Lan’s eyes flickered for a moment but quickly returned to their usual calm.

She shook her head, her tone resolute. “Miss, I cannot speak about these matters.”

Zhan Nansheng’s expression darkened instantly. She leaned in close to Wu Lan, almost whispering into her ear, her voice lowered to a near-inaudible level. “Wu Lan, don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Let me tell you, the position of principal will be mine sooner or later. You’d better not stand in my way.”

Wu Lan didn’t pull away, merely looking at her calmly. “Don’t worry, the principal’s position will be yours. It’s just that the timing isn’t right yet. You need to be patient.”

Zhan Nansheng snorted coldly, clearly unsatisfied with her response.

But she didn’t press further. Instead, she abruptly changed the subject, her tone laced with a hint of ambiguity. “Tonight at eight, Cloud Sea Hotel, room 1808. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Wu Lan frowned and refused. “I’m sorry, I have matters to attend to tonight. I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it.”

Zhan Nansheng let out another cold laugh, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes. “Wu Lan, do you think I’m giving you too much leeway? Guess what the old man would do to you if he found out you slept with his only daughter?”

Wu Lan’s face instantly turned grim, her gaze turning cold. “Miss, that’s not a joke you should make.”

“A joke?” Zhan Nansheng scoffed, her tone full of mockery. “Wu Lan, don’t forget, last time you made me suffer a great loss. Tonight, I will have my revenge.”

Wu Lan’s eyes lingered on Zhan Nansheng’s face for a long moment before she finally nodded. “Fine, I’ll be there.”

A satisfied smile spread across Zhan Nansheng’s face. She reached out and patted Wu Lan’s cheek, her tone tinged with triumph. “Make sure you’re clean. I don’t want to smell anyone else on you.”

With that, she released Wu Lan and turned to leave.

The crisp sound of her military boots tapping against the floor echoed through the corridor, as if declaring her victory.

Wu Lan stood in place, watching Zhan Nansheng’s retreating figure gradually disappear at the end of the hallway. A strange, almost predatory smile slowly curled at the corners of her lips, like a beast that had just locked onto its prey.

“What a brainless young lady.”

She muttered under her breath, a hint of mockery in her tone. “She didn’t learn her lesson after being drugged last time. If that’s the case, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

She smoothed the sleeves wrinkled by Zhan Nansheng and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

The corridor lights stretched her shadow long, making her appear exceptionally solitary and dangerous.

Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, filling the room.

Song Qingpei slowly opened her eyes, her eyelids feeling as heavy as if weighed down by two stones. She raised a hand to touch them, feeling swollen and puffy, barely able to open them into slits.

Groping her way out of bed, she walked to the mirror and gasped softly at her reflection.

The person in the mirror had eyes swollen like walnuts, skin flushed with an unnatural redness, looking utterly disheveled.

She frowned and sighed helplessly. “How am I supposed to face anyone like this.”

Just then, the door creaked open, and Songsong peeked in, blinking her big eyes at Song Qingpei.

Seeing her mother’s troubled expression, she immediately ran in and asked with concern, “Mom, do your eyes still hurt?”

Song Qingpei forced a smile and patted Songsong’s head. “It’s alright, they’re just badly swollen and a bit unsightly.”

Songsong tilted her head thoughtfully, then suddenly brightened and dashed out of the room.

A moment later, she returned, holding a delicate light-blue ribbon embroidered with intricate patterns.

“Mom, look at this!” Songsong exclaimed excitedly, holding up the ribbon. “We can use this to cover your eyes, so you won’t see how they look!”

Song Qingpei was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled. “Songsong, you’re so clever. That’s a great idea.”

Beaming with pride, Songsong ran off to find Steward Su, returning with disinfectant. She carefully cleaned and sterilized the ribbon, waited for it to dry, applied medicine to it, and then presented it to Song Qingpei like a treasure.

Song Qingpei cooperatively lowered her head. “Songsong, can you tie it for Mom?”

Standing on her tiptoes, Songsong gently tied the ribbon over her mother’s eyes, her movements as tender as if handling something precious.

“Mom, see? Doesn’t it look much prettier now?” Songsong gazed proudly at her handiwork.

Though she couldn’t see, Song Qingpei reached up to touch the ribbon, warmth flooding her heart. “Songsong, you’re such a thoughtful little darling. Mom is so touched.”

Songsong’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she giggled and threw herself into Song Qingpei’s arms. “Mommy, no more pain! Songsong will stay with you!”

All day long, Songsong stayed by her mother’s side, caring for her like a little adult.

She told stories, shared funny incidents from school, and kept asking, “Mom, does it still hurt? Are you bored?”

Though Song Qingpei couldn’t see, her heart felt warm.

Listening to Songsong’s childish voice and feeling her unwavering care, time seemed to fly by, and the pain in her eyes became a little more bearable.

After dinner, Ming Yu’s steady footsteps echoed through the house.

She entered the living room and saw Song Qingpei sitting on the sofa with the ribbon tied over her eyes. Her brow furrowed slightly.

“Are your eyes any better?” Ming Yu’s voice remained cool and businesslike.

Before Song Qingpei could respond, Songsong had already darted forward like a little rabbit, planting herself in front of Ming Yu with her hands on her hips, her expression serious. “Mommy, you need to be gentle! Mama is in pain you have to treat her nicely!”

Ming Yu was momentarily taken aback, looking down at Songsong’s earnest little face, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

She made an effort to soften her voice. “Alright, I understand.”

Songsong tugged at the hem of her clothes and made another request. “Mommy, you should smile at Mama that will make her happy!”

Ming Yu looked down at Songsong and forced a stiff smile.

Songsong shook her head disapprovingly. “Mommy, you need to smile like Mama does more gently!”

Only then did Ming Yu snap back to reality and say seriously, “Your mama can’t see it.”

“Oh, right, Mama can’t see right now,” Songsong muttered to herself, troubled, but quickly recovered with a determined look. “But even if Mama can’t see, she can feel it! So you still have to smile and be gentle.”

Song Qingpei couldn’t help but laugh softly at the mother-daughter exchange.

A faint smile touched her lips, and though her eyes were covered by a silk ribbon, the warmth of her smile was strikingly beautiful.

Seeing her smile, Ming Yu froze for a moment.

That smile was just like the one she had once longed for like a ray of sunlight piercing through her icy exterior, striking straight at her heart.

She took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound even softer. “Your eyes, do they still hurt?”

Song Qingpei shook her head, her tone light. “Much better. Songsong stayed with me all day, telling me stories and helping me tie the ribbon. With her here, I didn’t feel bored at all.”

Ming Yu’s gaze shifted to Songsong, a trace of tenderness flashing in her eyes. “Songsong, you’ve worked hard today.”

Songsong lifted her little face proudly. “Not at all! Mama is in pain, I have to take care of her!”

Ming Yu reached out and gently patted Songsong’s head, her tone filled with approval. “You did very well.”

Seeing that Ming Yu had returned to be with Songsong, Song Qingpei decided to go back to her room to rest. She slowly stood up and began feeling her way forward. With her vision obscured by the silk ribbon, everything was dark, and she had to rely on memory and instinct to navigate.

Noticing this, Songsong immediately nudged Ming Yu and whispered urgently, “Mommy, hurry and help Mama she can’t see where she’s going!”

Ming Yu paused for a moment, then quickly stepped over to Song Qingpei’s side and took her hand.

As their palms met, a subtle sensation spread from their fingertips straight to their hearts.

Song Qingpei’s fingers trembled slightly but soon steadied as she allowed Ming Yu to guide her.

Ming Yu’s hand was warm and firm, with a slight roughness from years of handling firearms.

They walked in silence, the only sound the soft echo of their footsteps in the hallway.

It wasn’t until they entered the room that Ming Yu released her hand and said quietly, “Lie down and rest. I’ll call the maid.”

Song Qingpei nodded and felt her way to the edge of the bed.

Ming Yu stood still, watching Song Qingpei’s weary expression, a complex mix of emotions suddenly welling up inside her.

She opened her mouth as if to say something but, in the end, simply turned to leave.

At that moment, Song Qingpei suddenly spoke up: “By the way, could you please ask a maid to draw a bath for me? I’d like to take a bath.”

Ming Yu paused mid-step, a hint of hesitation in her tone: “But with your eyes like this, wouldn’t bathing be dangerous?”

“It’s fine. I’m only blind, not immobile. Just have the maid draw the water and help me into the tub. I can manage the rest myself.”

After a brief silence, Ming Yu blurted out: “I can help you bathe.”

As soon as the words were spoken, both of them froze.

Song Qingpei’s fingers unconsciously tightened their grip on the bedsheet, her voice tinged with a hint of panic. “N-no, that’s not necessary. I don’t want to trouble you.”

“It’s no trouble at all.”

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