Finally, all that remained on him was a pair of boxer briefs.
Tang Wanxing’s hand reached out, then stopped. “Do you want to continue?” she asked, though she knew the answer.
As if searching for a final sliver of hope, she felt she could accept it even if it was forced upon him.
“What do you think?”
Qiao Ziqian’s attitude was open. “Do you know that if I were to truly help you get rid of Mengmeng, I might very well pay with my life?”
His words were not without reason.
Tang Wanxing also understood the gravity of the situation.
Her hands clenched and unclenched, then clenched again. Finally, her hands settled on either side of his waist. Her slender fingers hooked the edge of his boxer briefs, and she continued with her eyes closed.
Just then, Qiao Ziqian grabbed her hand. “Do you know what the next step is?”
The sudden question caught Tang Wanxing off guard. She looked at him, astonished, and pursed her lips, saying nothing.
“Since you’ve chosen to be the one taking the initiative, you must continue to be ‘proactive’ throughout.”
His meaning was as clear as it could be.
After he spoke, he deliberately drew out his tone. “You’d better think carefully. It’s not too late to back out now.”
Tang Wanxing lowered her gaze, her long, curled lashes fluttering like butterfly wings. Her mind was a battlefield, weighing the pros and cons.
Finally, she nodded. “Mm.”
With things having reached this point, Tang Wanxing had no room to retreat. Her only option was to grit her teeth and continue.
However, just as she mustered her courage to proceed with the next action, the man suddenly grabbed her hand and pushed her aside.
The suddenness of it all left Tang Wanxing defenseless as she stumbled onto the bed. She looked at the man in front of her, bewildered. “What are you doing?”
Qiao Ziqian sat up on the bed, his eyelids lifting. His clear, cold eyes fixed on her. He raised a hand, cupping her cheeks, and said, word by word, “Xingxing, look in the mirror. Do you see any trace of your former self?”
Tang Wanxing: “What… what do you mean?”
The hand on her cheek tightened its grip. “I just wanted to test you. I didn’t expect that in order to be with my elder brother, you would resort to any means necessary, willing to sacrifice your most precious possession just to get rid of Mengmeng. Is it worth it?”
“Ah?!” he questioned, gritting his teeth.
In Qiao Ziqian’s heart, Tang Wanxing’s goddess-like image was gradually being eroded, weathered, and finally collapsed, losing all semblance of its original form.
All that remained was her true self, exposed after shedding her outer skin, a sight that evoked pity, sorrow, and shame!
Qiao Ziqian’s actions were completely unexpected by Tang Wanxing. She numbly pulled the duvet to cover herself, speechless for a long time, only able to watch as Qiao Ziqian stood up, turned his back to her, and quickly put on his clothes.
Once his white shirt was on, he turned back. His fingers, like jade, fastened the buttons at his waist. He looked down at her from above, his gaze becoming cold and devoid of emotion. “Turn back now. It’s still not too late to stop.”
“No!”
Tang Wanxing’s emotions flared. With a retort, she moved closer to Qiao Ziqian. “Why should I ‘stop’? I want to get rid of Meng Jingwei! I, Tang Wanxing, have never feared anyone in my life. I kill gods when I meet gods, and slaughter Buddhas when I meet Buddhas. I have only one life anyway, and I’m not afraid of death!”
When love reaches a point of near madness, it indicates a problem with the person.
Qiao Ziqian inexplicably had no desire to waste more words on her. He pulled on his sweater, glanced at her coldly, his indifferent gaze as if he were looking at a stranger.
He turned and left, his departure resolute.
Tang Wanxing watched his retreating back, resentment churning within her. “You don’t love me anymore either, do you? Why, why must everyone abandon me, why?”