"My little ancestor, what do you want? Just say it if you're unhappy. If you really don't want it, I'll give this seat to you. Do you know that country Z is in chaos right now?"
When Gong Yuechen called, Bai Cha was spacing out on the balcony. She didn't care about anything anymore, having changed her phone, replaced the chip, and even her shadow's people couldn't find her. Only a very few people could reach her phone.
"Mm."
Bai Cha responded with a low hum, taking a drag from her Monte No. 1 to relax a bit. She leaned forward, and a pink flower dangling from the hanging chair momentarily dazed her.
"No, Bai Cha, don't be moody. Come out quickly and explain. Also, what's with your resignation? Do you even know what you're doing?" Gong Yuechen was genuinely infuriated. Bai Cha had always been steady and skilled in her work, so why was she so impulsive this time? "You're a guardian. By doing this, you've thrown country Z into chaos. Do you realize how irresponsible that is?"
"I've already resigned. A notification doesn't require approval," Bai Cha coughed lightly, seeming to have finally come to her senses. She tossed the half-smoked Montre No. 1, priced at nineteen thousand a box, onto the table. "Besides, why should I be responsible?"
Gong Yuechen: "Ah?"
Bai Cha: "What? Do you want to leech off me forever?"
Gong Yuechen: "...We don't..."
Before he could finish speaking, a busy tone came from the other end of the phone. Bai Cha had directly hung up on him. Gong Yuechen felt like he was about to faint; he had been so busy lately, he was running ragged.
He truly couldn't understand how Bai Cha, who had always been well-behaved and honest, could suddenly show such a rebellious streak at this particular moment. This rebellion was happening at such an inconvenient time.
Returning to the conference room, most people had already dispersed. Seeing Gong Yuechen's expression, the boss frowned, "Did you call her?"
"Ah, don't mention it. I finally managed to find her chip communication, and I finally made contact, but she just hung up on me. Is she going through a rebellious phase?" Gong Yuechen ran a hand through his hair, feeling like he was about to lose it. Looking at the calm and composed boss, he genuinely didn't understand.
"Why did you disturb her when she finally had a chance to rest?" The boss shot Gong Yuechen an displeased look. "Bai Cha always has her reasons for doing things. Can't you use your brain a little?"
Gong Yuechen: "?"
Wait, how had he not used his brain? Boss, did you know something else that you could share!
The world began to stir, but the Bai family mansion welcomed a guest unexpected by Lucifer.
As Lucifer was pushing the serving cart to find Bai Cha, he saw the young man suddenly appear in the living room. A murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but he managed to suppress it just in time.
"Mr. Mo, arriving unannounced as a guest is, to some extent, trespassing," Lucifer's tone remained gentle. "Please wait a moment while I inform her..."
"No need to inform. Lucifer, I'm here to see you," Mo Ziye stood up, crossing his arms. His gaze was surprisingly calm and profound. "When Xiao Bai is tired, from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM is usually her nap time. You'd best let her rest for a while."
These words made it sound as if he knew Bai Cha very well.
Lucifer narrowed his eyes, his doubts growing. He felt there was something different about the person before him. At least, the Mo Ziye he remembered would never be like this.
"Don't worry, I haven't brought Michael with me today. I've booked a private room at a nearby tea restaurant. Let's talk there," Mo Ziye said as he walked towards the door, with Lucifer following behind him.
The moment Mo Ziye stepped out the door, his expression changed. He suddenly turned, his steps steady, and with a raised hand, a golden holy sword firmly caught the pair of black twin scythes behind him. His six wings vibrated, repelling Lucifer's chains perfectly.
"As expected, it seems you have secrets too, Mr. Mo... No, perhaps I should call you... Mr. Mo."
The weapon dissolved into black mist. In that single strike, although Lucifer had only used fifty percent of his strength, the former Mo Ziye would not have been able to withstand it.
Mo Ziye frowned and straightened himself. He could only admit that his disposition and talent never seemed to be enough in the eyes of Bai Cha and the others. Otherwise, even after a thousand years of training, Lucifer would not have easily seen through him.
In the private room, Lucifer and Mo Ziye sat facing each other. Since his memories had awakened, Mo Ziye felt a sense of familiarity and strangeness about everything.
"How did you figure it out?" Mo Ziye pursed his lips, looking at the coffee in his cup, and couldn't help but ask first.
"Mr. Mo's attire is never appropriate or steady," Lucifer said with a smile, distant and polite. "And he wouldn't order black coffee."
Being able to drink plain water would only indicate extreme thirst.
"Just because of this?" Mo Ziye scratched his head, not quite understanding.
"I just pay close attention to details. Mr. Mo, you shouldn't have come here just to discuss this, should you?" Lucifer interrupted Mo Ziye's off-topic remark. "My master's black tea is still by the fireplace. If it gets cold, she will blame me."
"She won't blame you," Mo Ziye took a deep breath and closed his eyes, finally seeming to make up his mind as he said to Lucifer, "Lucifer, Xiao Bai is going to die."
Lucifer: "..."
"Cang Liu and I are both people reborn a thousand years later. This is Cang Liu's punishment for me," Mo Ziye explained calmly. "So, we need to..."
"I know," Lucifer interrupted Mo Ziye again. He was finally getting impatient.
Mo Ziye was stunned. "What?"
"Character determines destiny. Although I don't understand astrology, I have a general idea of my master's fate. I will still support all of her decisions," Lucifer said. "Frankly, Mr. Mo, just making you realize that you and she are impossible and making her not love you is too light a punishment. You've only lost love."
Just lost love?
Mo Ziye was so angry he almost couldn't breathe. He slammed the table and stood up. "Just lost love? I was with her before, she loved me, and I loved her. But now, I've lost a beautiful life, lost her and her love, carrying a thousand years of painful memories and still having to continue the suffering. And you dismiss it so lightly?"
"Love is just a small branch of life. If you can't realize this, then you've probably wasted these thousand years again," Lucifer leaned back in his chair, looking indifferently at the still flustered Mo Ziye. "She lost her family and her life, lost her lover and her disciple, lost her honor. Compared to these, your so-called love is almost insignificant."
"You! I..." Mo Ziye wanted to retort, but he couldn't say a word. He even felt that what Lucifer said made some sense. "Lucifer! You... Forget it, let's not dwell on those things. Lucifer, she's going to die. And you're telling me you support all her decisions!? You'll die too after she dies. You wouldn't dare admit that you..."
"Mr. Mo!" Lucifer frowned and roughly interrupted Mo Ziye. "If I had known that you called me here just for this meaningless conversation, I wouldn't have come."
This meaningless conversation was less significant than him pushing the serving cart to bring Bai Cha a pot of black tea. Even if Bai Cha had already fallen asleep, he could cover her with a blanket or carry her to bed.
Everything, even the most trivial matters, was more meaningful than these useless discussions here.
"Mr. Mo, perhaps you need to understand that people don't live according to your wishes," Lucifer said coldly. "This is why so many people sacrificed themselves for her to live, yet I still support her decision to die."
"She has never lived for her own happiness or capriciousness. Must she still live according to your demands even at the very end? Must she consider your feelings?" Lucifer stood up, no longer having the patience to argue with Mo Ziye. "As long as it is her request, I will obey. This is the only thing I can do for her."
The private room was quiet.
Mo Ziye stood there stunned, not realizing that Lucifer had already disappeared.
On the stage of the World Competition, the moment Bai Cha pierced his heart, he suddenly remembered everything from his past life a thousand years ago. This was Cang Liu's curse upon him.
Cang Liu had driven Bai Cha and his relationship to become increasingly strained and had imposed a seal. When Bai Cha truly lost all feelings for him and severely injured him, his love and memories from a thousand years ago would awaken within him.
In the past few days, Mo Ziye had suffered torment. His intimacy and sweetness with her a thousand years ago had led to her death. In this life, their estrangement and Bai Cha's eventual loss of all feelings for him had nearly driven Mo Ziye insane.
He had rushed here to save Bai Cha, but Lucifer's words had overturned his worldview. He had thought everything through, yet it seemed someone always managed to leave him speechless.
When Lucifer returned to the Bai residence and opened the door, he found Bai Cha drinking tea in the living room. The black tea had gone cold, and Bai Cha hadn't drunk much of it, leaning back on the sofa, making her already slender figure appear even thinner.
"Master, since the tea is cold, please don't drink it anymore. I'll brew a new pot," Lucifer quickly stepped forward, took Bai Cha's wrist, and felt her pulse. Sensing that Bai Cha was stable, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"No one gave you any trouble, did they?" Bai Cha sighed lightly. "Many people were dissatisfied after I severely injured Mo Ziye. Weren't you afraid that going out with him alone was a trap set by Mo Yuntian for revenge?"
As soon as Bai Cha said this, Lucifer was startled. He didn't expect Bai Cha to already know.
"I didn't intend to eavesdrop, I just put a tracker on Mo Ziye to receive messages," Bai Cha spread her hands, expressing her innocence. After a moment's thought, she added, "I wasn't monitoring you."
Although it was the truth, Bai Cha felt something was wrong, as if she was protesting too much.
"I mean, I don't not trust you," Bai Cha thought for a moment and changed her wording. "Yes, I don't trust him, and coincidentally heard you meeting him."
"Pfft."
Bai Cha, who was trying to cover up her words, looked a bit cute. Lucifer couldn't help but chuckle. He knelt down, held Bai Cha's hand, and his voice was as gentle as a feather falling on water.
"Of course I know what you mean, my Master," Lucifer gently kissed the back of Bai Cha's hand, almost piously. "You don't need to explain. I will understand anything."
"It's just that Mo Ziye seems different from before, at least he should be thinking about you now," Lucifer added after a moment's thought. "Please rest assured, I will absolutely not die."
Looking at Lucifer's radiant and gentle gaze, Bai Cha knew what he meant.
The person she wanted to protect died saving her, which would cause her tenfold the pain. She couldn't clearly perceive emotions like joy or sorrow, but the grief of loss was clearer than any emotion, leaving her sleepless.
So he said he wouldn't die, to reassure her.
"Thank you for understanding me, Lucifer," subconsciously, Bai Cha clutched Lucifer's hand tightly, as if gripping a last lifeline. "Let no one else sacrifice themselves anymore."
Otherwise, it would only confirm her failure and accomplish nothing. If she wasn't a good leader, then she wished to use her death to prove her resolve and follow in the footsteps of her predecessors, rather than standing like a failure on a throne built by sacrifices.