Jiang Xiaosi’s body gradually recovered, but she still couldn’t get out of bed. Shen Mo hadn’t come to see her, nor had he called or sent a message. She didn’t dare to bother him anymore, afraid of annoying him.
She realized she had been too greedy. Originally, she hadn’t even expected to be with him. Now, things had just returned to the starting point, nothing more. People are strange creatures—why does losing something after having it hurt so much more than never having had it at all?
But when she broke up with Zhang Qi, she only felt a little disappointed, nothing like this despair. Maybe it’s because she loved Shen Mo too much.
After taking her medicine, she drowsily fell asleep again. Jiang Liu noticed she still had a bit of a fever, so he set up an IV drip and gave her a blood transfusion. She hadn’t been able to drink the blood, and he couldn’t bear to force it down her throat anymore.
Sitting by her bedside, he listened to her mumbling in her sleep, calling out only Shen Mo’s name. He couldn’t tell whether he felt more jealousy or heartbreak. Gently stroking her face, Jiang Liu leaned down and kissed her forehead, her eyebrows, her nose, and finally, he pressed a kiss to her lips.
It was indescribable, that moment. The millennia of time seemed to stop. Jiang Liu sighed softly, unable to control himself, deepening the kiss.
In her haze, Jiang Xiaosi felt someone sucking on her lips. The sensation was both unfamiliar and familiar, sweet yet bitter. Was it Shen Mo? Had he finally changed his mind?
She parted her lips, responding passively, her breath becoming short and hurried. Her tongue entwined with the other person’s, as if they would never part.
Please don’t leave me, don’t push me away. If you think I’m too young, I’ll grow up. If you despise me for being a zombie, I’ll turn into a human. If you don’t like my stubbornness, I’ll be obedient and do whatever you say…
After a long while, when she sensed the person pulling away, Jiang Liu reluctantly let go of Jiang Xiaosi, ending the lingering kiss.
He knew his actions were childish. Was it because he had noticed Shen Mo hiding nearby, watching? Or had he always wanted to kiss Xiaosi but couldn’t find the right excuse? Either way, he had kissed her without her knowing, as if claiming ownership.
When he heard from Shen Koudan that Shen Mo had already captured Meixin, Jiang Liu realized everything. While it couldn’t be said that Shen Mo was entirely wrong, Jiang Liu didn’t like the way he had handled things. He also didn’t like how Xiaosi’s love had been turned into a tool for someone else’s purposes. She had been so worried about being rejected for being a zombie, but she didn’t realize that the truth was something entirely different. She had been kept in the dark about everything.
No matter the reason, now that Shen Mo had given up, he had better not think about taking Xiaosi back.
Shen Mo, still injured, had come to check on Jiang Xiaosi, hiding his presence to see if she was alright. But then… he witnessed that scene…
Of course, he knew Jiang Liu had done it on purpose, warning him to stay away.
Jiang Liu didn’t need to worry, though. Even though Meixin had been captured, Shen Mo had no plans to be with Jiang Xiaosi again. He had known this outcome from the moment he made his decision.
But why now? Why did his heart ache with reluctance and pain? Swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth, he forced himself not to think about Jiang Liu kissing her, and he didn’t dare imagine Jiang Liu taking her away, never to be seen again.
He had thought that his feelings for her were merely affection and fondness, just a longing for warmth and happiness. But why was he angry? Why was he jealous?
He had let her go so easily, and now he could only hope that, in the future, he wouldn’t regret it.
Jiang Xiaosi finally recovered. Though she no longer looked as lively as before, she didn’t show any other signs of abnormality. Jiang Liu knew she was pretending to be strong for his sake, so he quit his job and spent every day with her at Tuogu Xiang. Li Yueyi, Yuchen, and Difan would occasionally drop by for a meal, only knowing that she and Shen Mo had had a disagreement.
One day, Shen Koudan came by, and Jiang Xiaosi invited her to go shopping together.
“Koudan Jie, when did you find out about my dad’s true identity?”
Shen Koudan paused, understanding that Jiang Xiaosi was still upset about everything.
“I knew not long after we met. Your dad is too powerful; ordinary people can’t do what he can. Besides, he never planned to hide it from me.” Or perhaps he felt there was no need to, Shen Koudan thought. Only someone like Jiang Xiaosi, afraid of losing the other person, would keep so many things secret.
“How could you like my dad and never confess your feelings?”
“We’re friends, and that’s pretty nice too. This way, even when I grow old, right up until the day I die, I can still stay by his side without hiding. If we were in a relationship, I wouldn’t be able to stand him watching me grow old and ugly.”
Jiang Xiaosi looked at Shen Koudan’s peaceful, content smile and nodded, half understanding. So, she had been asking for too much—that’s why she was in so much pain and sadness.
That night, when Shen Mo returned home, he was surprised to see Jiang Xiaosi standing at his door.
Jiang Xiaosi wore a white cotton dress, sitting on the stone steps. When she saw him return, she slowly stood up.
Shen Mo didn’t know how to face her, so he just stood there, unable to speak. The key hanging around her neck gleamed brightly, stinging his eyes.
“I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble before” Jiang Xiaosi said softly, lowering her head as she kicked at the stones on the ground. She apologized earnestly, “I tried so hard to win you back because I didn’t want to let go without giving it my all. In my heart, you are more precious than anything.”
“Please don’t be upset. I won’t bother you anymore. I just came to see you one last time.”
Shen Mo moved his lips, but he found that his heart hurt so much he could barely make a sound. Was she about to leave with Jiang Liu?
Jiang Xiaosi gave him a gentle smile, filled with longing, reluctance, and blessings, like a flower blooming in the first ray of morning light. As she walked slowly past him, Shen Mo lowered his head and saw her light dress swaying and her pale ankles.
“Goodbye, Shen Mo. Goodbye.” Jiang Xiaosi didn’t dare look back, afraid that she wouldn’t be able to hold back her tears. She didn’t want to cry in front of him again. Otherwise, in his eyes, she would always be that child who couldn’t grow up.
Shen Mo clenched his fists, resisting the urge to reach out and pull her back. She said goodbye as if it were a final farewell—this really was the end.
Shen Mo could never have imagined that this would be the last time he would see her.
The next morning, Jiang Xiaosi woke up early and thoroughly cleaned the entire Tuogu Xiang. She sent her dad out to buy breakfast, then took the pearl from her chest, wrapped it in a cloth, and placed it in a cabinet before leaving.
In her pocket, she carried a small bottle of Tuogu Xiang medicine that Jiang Liu and the others had improved. Although it was better than the one Su Bi had taken, the success rate was still very low. And she might not have Su Bi’s luck. Perhaps she would die on the spot, or turn into a monster, or simply vanish. Whatever the outcome, she didn’t want her dad to see it and be heartbroken.
There are always people in this world who long for immortality, but there are also fools like her and Su Bi, who only want to live an ordinary life, to be loved in an ordinary way.
“Koudan, Xiaosi is missing, and she took the Tuogu Xiang with her!” When Shen Koudan received Jiang Liu’s call, she was in the car. She had never heard Jiang Liu speak in such a trembling and fearful voice.
“Jiang Liu, don’t panic. She knows the consequences of drinking Tuogu Xiang. She’ll definitely head somewhere secluded. We still have a little time. I’ll call my uncle to see if Ah Wei and Ah Yin are still following her.”
Shen Koudan quickly called Shen Mo, who stumbled back, collapsing into a chair. He should have realized something was wrong when Jiang Xiaosi came to see him last night.
“They’re not with her, but I can still find out where she is.” Not long ago, Jiang Xiaosi had drunk his blood, and with a spell, Shen Mo could determine her location. His hand trembled as he held the phone. He hated this device that always brought him bad news.
Once he had the location, he called Shen Koudan and then rushed out the door like a madman, hailing a taxi.
So, she hadn’t given up on him after all. She thought he had left her because of her identity. That fool—he never cared whether she was human or a zombie. He just wanted her to be safe!
Jiang Xiaosi was in Manyue Valley. Shen Koudan was closest to her location and called Jiang Xiaosi repeatedly, but each call was rejected. In the end, she received a text message from Jiang Xiaosi.
“Koudan Jie, if something happens to me, please take care of my dad and stay by his side.”
Jiang Liu stared at the words on his own screen: “Dad, I love you.”
They knew it was already too late.
Jiang Xiaosi looked calm as she gently swirled the fragrant, transparent liquid in the bottle. Miao Yan had once told her that unless you’ve tried your hardest, you won’t easily give up on your love. At the time, she had thought Miao Yan was too stubborn. Now she realized she was the same.
She knew she was foolish, clinging to hope until the end, believing that Shen Mo had only broken up with her because she was a zombie, never because he didn’t love her…
She sighed, laughing at her own stubbornness, but in the end, she raised the Tuogu Xiang and drank it in one gulp.
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