Lin Mei prepared simple home-style dishes. As the last few were completed, the two sat down together. Lin Mei stole glances at Xing Zheng, wondering about his mood. Since his arrival, he hadn't spoken a word to her, yet his gaze remained fixed on her, creating an intense sense of pressure.
After a long hesitation, Lin Mei finally spoke to Xing Zheng, "I'm sorry."
The man's gaze paused slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes, as if asking why she was apologizing. Lin Mei explained, "What I said earlier was unintentional, and I won't say it again."
His tone was flat and emotionless, "No need to apologize. You were right."
Lin Mei: "..." Accustomed to his willful and dominant nature, his current submissiveness made her exceptionally uncomfortable.
Lin Mei moved her lips, wanting to say something more, when he suddenly asked, "Did you take your medicine?"
Seeing Lin Mei frown, he assumed she didn't understand and added, "Remember to take it. Don't let anything unexpected happen."
"Oh." The medicine was hers to take. Xing Zheng reminding her gave her nothing to be angry about. After he fainted, she had been so consumed by guilt and panic that she had forgotten about it.
"You can leave after dinner," Xing Zheng said. "You don't need to worry about the diary anymore."
Lin Mei responded with a dazed "Oh." His sudden reasonableness left her unsure of what to say.
After saying what needed to be said, Xing Zheng ceased to engage with her. They ate separately, the atmosphere heavy. Aside from the sounds of chewing and breathing, no other noise could be heard. Lin Mei kept stealing glances at Xing Zheng, but he never looked at her. He seemed like a walking corpse; she couldn't see his soul.
Xing Zheng finished his meal first, put down his chopsticks, and went to the living room. Lin Mei sat alone quietly. She had lost her appetite as well. After tidying up, she habitually cleaned the kitchen. When Lin Mei came out, she saw Xing Zheng sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. Lan Lan, his pet, was rubbing against his legs, seeking his attention, and nudging up his pajama leg, revealing his left leg.
As Lin Mei approached, she saw the winding and grotesque scar on his left calf. Even from nearly three meters away, it was clearly visible. Up close, it was likely even more pronounced. Lin Mei was very sensitive to pain; just looking at the marks made her feel unbearable.
Xing Zheng seemed not to notice her. His gaze was fixed straight ahead, lost in thought, neglecting even his beloved pet.
The small, fluffy white ball rubbed against his legs, looking very pitiable. Such an intelligent rabbit was rarely seen. Lin Mei remembered that no one had fed it anything all day. It must be hungry.
Lin Mei stepped forward, picked up Lan Lan, and took it to the balcony to feed it rabbit pellets. Lan Lan buried its head in the dry grass and began to nibble as if it had survived a famine. It was plump and white, very cute. Lin Mei, mimicking Xing Zheng, stroked its ears. After eating its fill, Lan Lan hopped back to the living room. Lin Mei followed it out.
Xing Zheng finally noticed Lan Lan, picked it up, and placed it on his lap. Having received its owner's attention, Lan Lan immediately stopped hopping and lay obediently on Xing Zheng's lap.
Xing Zheng also saw Lin Mei, but did not speak to her. Lin Mei changed her shoes, put away her things, and left.
On the way, she called Xing Sha. Xing Sha didn't blame her, but dealing with Xie Qin Jia was another matter.
After Xie Qin Jia woke up, she had been demanding the diary back. Xing Sha found it difficult to tell her that the diary had been burned, so he resorted to making excuses. However, Xie Qin Jia was not easily fooled.
Thus, the next morning, the couple was still arguing about the matter. More precisely, Xie Qin Jia was arguing with Xing Sha unilaterally.
Xing Sha had always been patient with Xie Qin Jia. Even at her most unreasonable, he never raised his voice at her.
Xu Huan and Xie Jun Yao, unable to watch, reprimanded Xie Qin Jia, "Things get lost, and it takes time to find them. You've lived more than half your life, why are you acting like a child, so hasty?"
"Nothing is lost, it was never lost, that troublemaker took it," Xie Qin Jia said emotionally, pointing at Xing Sha. "I shouldn't have listened to you and given birth to this troublemaker. He's here to collect debts from me..."
With Xie Qin Jia's outburst, no one could do anything. The living room fell silent, and the servants dared not speak. Just then, the main door was suddenly pushed open, and everyone looked in that direction.
Upon seeing Xing Zheng, the household servants gasped. Xu Huan and Xie Jun Yao froze. His return now seemed like walking into a firing line. Only Xing Sha knew why Xing Zheng had returned.
He hadn't yet spoken to Xing Zheng when Xie Qin Jia stood up and rushed forward, without preamble, and slapped Xing Zheng across the face. The loud sound made the living room even more silent. The servants were so scared they barely dared to breathe.
Xing Zheng, on the other hand, remained calm and composed even after being hit. He had grown accustomed to being slapped, so it no longer mattered. Xie Qin Jia looked at him with disgust, "Return Ah Yan's diary to me."
"The diary is no longer here," he stated directly. "I burned it."
"What did you say?!" Xie Qin Jia cursed him. "You troublemaker, why don't you just die!"
Cursing wasn't enough, so she started hitting him again. Xing Zheng had opportunities to dodge; if he wanted to evade or resist, there were plenty of chances. But each time, he remained still, allowing Xie Qin Jia to hit and scold him.
Xu Huan and Xie Jun Yao, unable to bear it, pulled Xie Qin Jia back along with Xing Sha. Xie Qin Jia's hysterical assault had already caused Xing Zheng to bleed from the nose. The noble and aloof man's face, streaked with blood, looked particularly disheveled.
Xu Huan took Xing Zheng to the bathroom to clean up. As he bent down to wash his face, Xu Huan sighed behind him, "Don't argue with your mother anymore. What are you trying to achieve with this?"
Cold water splashed on his face, and Xing Zheng remained silent. It wasn't the first time he had heard such a question. What was he trying to achieve? If he explained, he would likely be called crazy. Only by provoking her could he capture her attention for a few seconds.
Every time she hit him, he felt like he was her child. It was a twisted logic that others wouldn't understand.
Lin Mei woke up and, after breakfast, returned to the Xing family villa. However, the atmosphere in the house today seemed even more somber than yesterday. Upon entering, she saw the servants standing cautiously. Xie Qin Jia was arguing with Xing Sha, while Xie Jun Yao tried to mediate.
Seeing Lin Mei, Xie Jun Yao quickly beckoned her over. Xie Qin Jia, upon seeing Lin Mei, said to her, "He destroyed everything Ah Yan left behind. Why doesn't he just die? Why isn't he the one who died!"
"Please calm down." Lin Mei had just spoken a sentence when she heard approaching footsteps. Following the sound, she saw Xing Zheng emerging from the bathroom.
His face clearly showed signs of having been hit.