Hearing Gou Wen's words, Tang Ruiyang's expression froze for a moment.
"Back then, you were covered in blood, grabbing my ankle, begging me to save you, to not give up on you," Gou Wen still remembered the very young Tang Ruiyang, severely injured during an organizational trial. If it weren't for his strong will to survive, he might not have made it: "Have you forgotten about avenging your mother?"
"How could I forget..." Tang Ruiyang clenched his fist at his side: "Even now, I still dream of my mother... she looks at me like that, telling me to run quickly, not to look back..."
He often hated himself for being that person's son, for being too weak to protect the only person who loved him.
Even with the sliver of a chance his mother had created for him at the cost of her life, he had lost completely, captured easily and sent to that dark, hopeless place.
If it weren't for Gou Wen, he would have died countless times already.
Gou Wen had shown him mercy when she stabbed him.
He knew Gou Wen had been searching for her sister, and he also knew that no one was more important to Gou Wen than her sister.
But for so many years, he was the one by Gou Wen's side.
He didn't ask to enter Gou Wen's heart, nor did he hope to replace her sister. Yet, when it came to matters of Gou Wen's life, why did Gou Wen still only think of her sister?
"Living is more important than anything else," Tang Ruiyang said to Gou Wen, "Isn't that what you told me?"
"Some people are more important than living," Gou Wen smiled meaningfully at Tang Ruiyang, "When you meet someone that important, you'll understand."
Tang Ruiyang opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but in the end, he closed it and ate his meal in silence.
After finishing the meal, Tang Ruiyang called Xia Qingtian out of the laboratory.
"What are Young Master Tang's orders? Do you want to help me answer attendance again?" Xia Qingtian said with a smile, "Too bad I don't have class this afternoon. How about another day?"
Tang Ruiyang ignored Xia Qingtian's teasing. He took a deep breath and then looked at Xia Qingtian, saying earnestly, "Persuade her."
"Young Master Tang thinks a bit too highly of me, doesn't he?" Xia Qingtian had already had a rough guess when Tang Ruiyang first called her out.
She figured Tang Ruiyang wanted to talk to her about this.
"She won't listen to me," Tang Ruiyang lowered his eyes, "She can do anything else, why won't she listen to me about this?"
"Is there a possibility that she might listen to you about other things, but not this one?" Xia Qingtian said to Tang Ruiyang.
"What do you know!" Tang Ruiyang glared at Xia Qingtian, "She said, living is more important than anything else!"
"Some people are more important than living," Xia Qingtian said seriously to Tang Ruiyang.
Based on her few previous conversations with Gou Wen, she could tell that Ling Lan had become Gou Wen's obsession.
That's why she didn't go along with Professor Tang today and didn't try to persuade Gou Wen.
Hearing Xia Qingtian's words, Tang Ruiyang was stunned. After a long moment, he let out a scoff, turned his head away resentfully, "Don't act like you understand her so well."
Xia Qingtian just spread her hands and smiled, "When Young Master Tang meets someone that important, you'll know."
At this moment, Erya returned with Xia Shang. Xia Qingtian went to greet them. She just waved goodbye to Tang Ruiyang and took the two back to the laboratory, leaving Tang Ruiyang to the wind.
"I've already met that important person," Tang Ruiyang, left alone, said in a muffled voice.
If she hadn't valued her more than his own revenge, if she hadn't valued her more than his own life.
Then how could he have betrayed the organization at such a critical moment and brought her here to escape?
But even if he had met her, what of it?
This obsession, like a moth to a flame, ultimately only caused him pain alone.
Taking a deep breath, Tang Ruiyang looked up at the sky. White clouds drifted across the clear blue sky.
He was in so much pain, so much pain.
Meanwhile, Xia Qingtian led Erya and Xia Shang towards the laboratory.
On the way, listening to Erya's incessant chatter, Xia Qingtian learned that Erya's trip hadn't gone smoothly.
"Honestly, you wouldn't believe it!" Erya said indignantly, "These villains nowadays are so shameless, daring to do kidnapping in broad daylight! If I hadn't shown up in time, Xia Shang would have been captured by them! The leader, dressed in a suit and tie, looking all proper, was just a scumbag!"
"Uncle, did you encounter a kidnapping? Do you know who they were?" Xia Qingtian looked at Xia Shang nervously. After all, Xia Shang's true identity was the next head of the Miao family, and the family heirloom was still with her!
"I know," Xia Shang thought carefully and replied, "It was Mr. Song, whom I've met before."
"Mr. Song?" Xia Qingtian was startled, and a vague idea formed in her mind, "Who?"
"He knelt before me before," Xia Shang always thought that Mr. Song's mind wasn't quite right. This time was no different. He was kidnapping Xia Shang, yet he looked fierce and begged Xia Shang to spare him.
"It's a good thing I was there!" Erya patted her chest, "I didn't indulge them at all. I used some poison to knock them all out!"
"Did they die?" Xia Qingtian asked immediately.
"No, they didn't," Erya scratched the back of her head, "But they'll likely be itchy and in pain for half a month."
Erya was afraid of causing trouble for Xia Shang, so she didn't use lethal poison. They wouldn't die, but losing their skin was a possibility.
Hearing Erya's words, Xia Qingtian nodded thoughtfully.
In the end, all she could say was, "Serves him right."
First, he was cursed by Miao Tong, and then, acting erratically, he was poisoned by Erya. He had offended both the Miao and Tang families. If he hadn't courted disaster, he wouldn't have died. So who could he blame for his current state?
When Erya brought Xia Shang to Dayah, both Xia Shang and Dayah were quite nervous. Dayah had thought of many surprises, but she never expected it to be a man! Xia Shang, seeing Dayah, who looked exactly like Erya, also found something strange. His expression was not very controllable to begin with, and when he got nervous, it made him look sinister and wicked. This made Dayah even more nervous and scared. When Dayah got nervous and scared, Xia Shang's expression became even more uncontrollable. This cycle of cause and effect led to a vicious loop.
Finally, even Professor Tang began to suspect that Xia Shang was some kind of criminal when Xia Qingtian and Li Xiaoxiao quickly stepped forward to explain and resolve the misunderstanding. Professor Miao, on the other hand, felt a sense of kinship with Xia Shang upon seeing him and chatted with him for a long time.
Gou Wen, alone in a separate room, heard the lively noise from outside. Her face turned ashen, and she curled up in pain. Every time the poison attacked, it took half her life, but she couldn't cry out in pain or make a sound. She had to carry her memories and see her sister one more time. Just once was enough.