Chapter 35: Everyone’s Epilogue

【Cheng Yitan】

“Ha, interview me?”

A low voice murmured in agreement nearby. In the distance, an orderly shoved a crazy woman dancing with a toilet brush into a seclusion room. Nearby, a man in patient scrubs had his hands and feet bound to a wheelchair. He was skin and bones, with overgrown bangs nearly covering his entire face. He looked over at the words, as if he’d heard some hilarious joke.

“I’m not accepting your interview.”

“Painful? Why painful? Hahaha, being alive to watch Zhou Jinsheng suffer for the rest of his life—how is that a punishment? Me? I’m thrilled.”

A smile appeared on Cheng Yitan’s pale face. “Hate? No, no, no. I don’t hate him. Why would I hate him? He never did anything to me, did he? But there’s always a ‘but,’ right? People have to pay for their own arrogance, don’t they?”

“He just couldn’t see anyone else. Not look down on them—couldn’t see them. You know? That look was so fucking disgusting. So fucking disgusting.”

“Yeah, more disgusting than getting beaten.”

“Exactly.”

“Do you regret it?” The man, little more than skin stretched over bones, tilted his head back and murmured the question in repetition.

Sunlight streamed in but didn’t reach him. He seemed to sink into distant memories. A smiling face surfaced in them, and his heightened emotions receded like the tide.

He seemed unable to find an answer.

An irritated orderly approached and yanked the wheelchair hard. His body nearly fell apart. For his silent noncompliance, the orderly slapped him hard across the face.

Cheng Yitan’s head lolled to the side like it was broken. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He turned back and said, “Ah, I’ve gotta go. I’ll give you an answer next time?”

“I wanted to tell you more about him.”

The orderly roughly pushed him away, and they left.

【Chen Jinyang】

“The most heart-stopping surgery I’ve been through? That’s a good question.”

Chen Jinyang put on his gloves and meticulously arranged the surgical instruments. He tilted his head at the question. His eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses were a bit unfocused at first, but they quickly sharpened.

“Have you ever tried performing surgery with a gun to your head? No? Makes sense—it’s not a common experience. In my career, I’ve only been through it once.”

“No, no, no. I don’t want to go through that a second time. It was truly heart-stopping.”

“Uh, did the surgery succeed or fail? Can I choose not to answer?” The man’s hands paused while sorting the instruments. He seemed a bit helpless, maybe a little sad.

“Ha, as much as I hate to admit it, that was my one and only failed surgery. But it’s not my fault. A doctor’s job is to save the living, not the dead.”

【Chen Miaomiao】

Slender, pretty fingertips danced across the keyboard. Commands flew from her pale, delicate fingers. Her gaze shifted upward to a graceful neck adorned with a pearl necklace. Her black hair was elegantly pinned up at the back of her head, curving like a swan’s.

She let out a soft “Eh?” at the sound and turned her head. “Ah? About having a crush?”

“If I say it out loud, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.”

She blinked, a fleeting emotion flashing in her eyes like an illusion. The curve of her red lips was incredibly alluring, and even her voice carried a seductive fragrance.

“What am I busy with? Handling PR for someone. Come on, don’t pry for secrets. You know how swamped I am right now—I feel like dying from the workload. No time for romance. So please don’t disturb me~”

【He Qian】

“‘Dedicated to him with this film’—who’s this ‘him’? Do I really need to spell it out? Eh, if it’s uncertain, it’s uncertain. Not everything needs to be clear. Isn’t the moon beautiful because it’s so far away?”

Fresh from the movie premiere, the man had clearly gotten the hang of answering all sorts of questions. He smiled and gave his response effortlessly.

“Of course it’s not just my achievement. This film came together because of everyone’s hard work.”

“How many people came to the premiere? Oof, honestly, I’ve never seen so many. The night before, my heart was in my throat, pounding like crazy. Seeing that crowd, I knew it was a sure thing. I didn’t let… Little Shen CEO down.”

“Strange people?”

He Qian narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

“Not really, but there was one thing. Can I say it?”

“You absolutely can’t tell anyone. Swear it.”

After a moment, the man sighed and leaned in conspiratorially.

“You know how directors have their quirks? Like sneaking into a theater to watch your own movie and secretly observing the audience’s reactions. Hey, what kind of look is that? I’m not a pervert!”

“Anyway, that day I went to a theater. Barely anyone there, but the ticket seller said it was sold out. I was puzzled but figured I was unlucky and planned to come back the next day. But no tickets for days!”

“Right? You think it’s weird too. Later, I asked the ticket seller—turns out one person bought out every showing. How bizarre is that?”

“After that? Nothing. I went to another theater. Hey, why are you walking away so fast…”

【Song Shi】

Flower girls dressed as little angels with wings carried baskets and scattered petals along the aisle.

Chen Junyan and Zheng Keqin’s wedding had been delayed for a long time. It finally took place on a private beach at Far Island. Only close friends and family attended. Seashells, starfish, palm leaves, and tropical flowers like frangipani and orchids dotted the scene everywhere.

The ocean stretched endlessly. White wooden chairs garlanded with flowers formed a semicircle facing the ceremony area.

Under the guidance of the pastor, the couple stood beneath an arch decorated with flower wreaths, green leaves, and white gauze, exchanging vows.

Song Shi stood in a shadowed corner, secretly relaxing his posture and slacking off when no one was looking. He turned his head and grumbled, “Why do you have so many weird questions? …Why am I slacking off too? Of course I slack off. I’m not really into working! Wait, who actually likes working?”

He eyed the question suspiciously, raising one eyebrow. “You do?”

“Tch, then we’re the same.”

“Of course. Normally, I just pretend. Working under BOSS, if I don’t find ways to entertain myself, I’d explode.”

“Aren’t all jobs the same? Being worked to the bone for someone else. The difference is whether you’re a high-paid beast of burden or a low-paid one. Someone as awesome as me? Gotta pick the highest-paying gig…”

As he ranted, the vows continued in the distance.

“…Do you take this person… to live together according to God’s word in holy matrimony in the presence of God…?”

“…to love and comfort, honor and protect, as you love yourself.”

“Whether in sickness or health, wealth or poverty, remaining faithful until death do you part?”

…until death do you part.

The vows neared their end, leading to the kiss.

Cheers and blessings rose from the guests.

“Once I save enough money, I’ll retire, marry a wife, get a cat, then a dog, buy a house with a sea-view garden, and sleep in every day. Why not now? You know our line of work—if something goes wrong… Eh, odds are low, but there’s always a chance.”

“Sigh, whatever…”

He seemed to remember something, his voice turning a bit downcast.

Someone stood in the guest area. Song Shi’s chatter cut off. He straightened up, his expression turning serious. He reverted to his usual efficient, stern workaholic self—Special Assistant Song—and strode away.

“Not talking anymore. BOSS is leaving, so I gotta go.”

【Chi Xianli】

“A bet?”

“I won? No way. It wasn’t me who won. I meant getting him away from Zhou Jinsheng— not like this! And for him to do something like that for Zhou Jinsheng? How could I have won?”

“…Fine, he won.”

The air smelled of alcohol. The bartender shook a cocktail shaker expertly. At the bar, the man brushed off a woman’s advances. He raised an eyebrow and looked over. “You doubting me? I’m not some promise-breaker. If I say I’ll keep the secret, I will.”

“But honestly, is this even a secret?”

“Change the topic?”

“…”

“What? I said change the topic, not switch that fast. Fine, fine. Yeah, we broke up. If you can even call a friends-with-benefits thing dating…”

He waved it off helplessly. “We broke up.”

The bar was full of men and women pairing off. Even without knowing names, they could tangle passionately in bed. Chi Xianli pulled his gaze away and swirled his cocktail. He stared up at the rows of upside-down clear glasses above the bar, their surfaces reflecting soft lights. The jazz band played lazy, lonely blues.

At the sound, the man’s gaze grew distant, as if lost in deep memories. He murmured the question in repetition: “Envious?”

After a brief daze, he frowned and denied it immediately.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Who the hell would envy that life-or-death kind of relationship? Damn, that idiot Zhou Jinsheng is even making moves on the Chi Family now—”

【Zhou Jinsheng】

The man wore a long trench coat. His wrist, which held the cigarette, bore no watch—instead, there was a lone Black Cord Bracelet.

The ember flickered at his fingertips. The mountain of a man paced the room before suddenly stopping. He sat boldly on the deep red sofa, his dark gaze intimidating.

The man stared ahead and spoke coldly. “What is it?”

“Not talking?”

The room fell silent for a long time. He grew impatient. “Still not saying?”

“Want to ask about him?”

“Ask away. It’s been a while since anyone talked to me about him.” The man’s tone suddenly softened, less frightening, though still oppressively intense, keeping others at bay.

“How long? Two years, three? Can’t remember. Lately, I’ve been dreaming about it a lot—high school, me by the window. A pebble hits the glass. I look down, and through it, there’s him under the tree, hugging a basketball, sweaty-faced and grinning up at me, yelling for me to come play.”

The man took a fierce drag.

Grayish smoke rose slowly, blurring his face. He tilted his head back, staring at a point in the void. The pain started again.

“Ah, when did I start smoking?” His smoking paused. He blinked, trying to recall, but drew a blank. He pursed his lips with a raspy laugh, his voice terribly hoarse. “Don’t remember. One day, I just started.”

“Do I use this stuff to numb myself too?”

The man fell silent, then murmured in repetition: “If it was him, he absolutely wouldn’t let me smoke?”

“Yeah, but no choice. I can’t control it. Skip this topic.”

“Don’t say it.”

“I said don’t say it.”

His fingers holding the cigarette began to spasm uncontrollably, aching. Like he’d been burned, he suddenly flung the cigarette away. He curled into a ball like a trapped beast, hands buried deep in his hair, gripping hard. His fingers clenched, shoulders and back shuddering violently, veins bulging painfully on the backs of his hands.

“I fucking told you not to say it—”

A wretched howl tore from the man’s throat, like the wail of a trapped beast.

The room plunged into dead silence once more.

Ten minutes later, the man’s emotions calmed. He straightened his cuffs, smoothed the wrinkles on his shirt, checked the time, and calmly rose to open the door and leave—as if the near-breakdown earlier hadn’t been him.

“I’m off. That guy Zhou Yaoshu got caught. Gotta handle it properly, right?”

Click. The door opened.

The man walked out.

Click. The door closed.

Everything returned to darkness.

Half a year later.

Click—

With a heavy, rusty sound, the long-sealed room opened once more.

Light poured into the dark room again. This time, though, there was no voice.

As the light penetrated deeper, it surprisingly refracted countless sparkling golden lights. Upon closer inspection, those glowing objects were shaped like rose flowers, lifelike and exquisitely beautiful beyond words.

The man strode in, his hand gripping the doorknob.

Click. The door closed once more.

The entire room plunged back into darkness, like a swamp inked with thick shadows. One step in, and there was only emptiness, sinking ever deeper into endless tides of sorrow that swallowed everything whole.

Quiet.

Quiet.

Everything was utterly quiet.

Until a snap echoed, and a spark flashed in the darkness.

The lighter ignited with a flame.

The fire danced on his fingertip before its owner casually tossed it onto the sofa.

At first, it was just a flicker. But as the flames caught the sofa and the temperature rose, it gradually spread to all the flammable objects nearby, igniting the carpet.

The flames leaped outward, spreading from one point on the carpet to another like a flooding tide, swiftly engulfing the entire room.

Once the fire on the floor reached the edges of the room, it began crackling upward, devouring everything in its path—including the hem of the man’s clothes and his limbs amid the glow.

The next second, the blaze reached its peak. Flames shot skyward in an instant, refracting sparkling golden lights like the sun itself, abruptly illuminating the entire room in a whoosh.

Jingyang – Anonymous Forum – Off-Topic Section

“To be honest, before this, I always thought lovers’ suicide was just some ancient legend.”

1L: Not sure where to post this. Everyone’s too scared to talk about it, and it’s been eating at me, but OP just couldn’t hold it in anymore aaaaaah. After thinking it over, I decided to post in the alumni section. Hopefully no one will notice? We’re all alumni, so please don’t spread it around.

2L: You mean those two, right? Yeah, no one saw that coming.

3L: It was a huge scandal a few years back—who would’ve thought those two would end up fighting like that back then?

4L: …Wait, what happened? Did someone from school commit lovers’ suicide?? What’s everyone hiding? Some kind soul, fill me in QAQ

5L: Replying to 4L, nothing to do with your year. It’s from a few classes ago. New folks are all former seniors—if you’re really curious, go dig up the ancient posts from twelve years back.

6L: I sensed something off during the city lockdown four years ago. Thought it was a forced possession plot at first, but nope—turns out it was a tale of tragic love. Pure entertainment for a bystander like me, but even I couldn’t help sighing at the end. When I heard the news the other day, I was stunned. Thought it was fake for a sec.

7L: +1

8L: +2

…

11L: I was in the same year as those two. To be real, no one saw this coming from the start. Never imagined they’d end up together… let alone that one would commit suicide…

12L: Holy shit, wait—6L, was the city lockdown four years ago because of this???

13L: You still surfing on 2G or what?

14L: Don’t tag it with “lovers’ suicide,” careful or it’ll get banned.

…

20L: Yo, this post is still alive?

21L: Grave-digging my way back. Wasn’t it s who up and left without a word twelve years ago? Got close to z just for benefits, and now they made up?

22L: Right? Who’d believe it? And that car crash back then—z almost didn’t make it, while s walked away unscathed. You guys know why?

23L: What?

24L: No need to sell the suspense—half the circle knows. z straight-up threw himself in front to block it. Eight years later, s came back, and z went after s’s company. Guess who chickened out and didn’t touch s’s company after hearing about it?

25L: Holy shit??

26L: And guess who owns that island now?

27L: Huh???

…

45L: Damn, now everyone’s bold enough to drop the surnames directly.

…

80L: Back from archaeology. Sigh, dunno why, but my heart just hurts. Sure, lots of people say s got close to z for benefits, but to make someone like z this devoted—even to the point of suicide—how could it be that simple on the surface?

81L: s was a really, really good person. Lucky enough to be in his class back then. To each their own, I guess.

…

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