Chapter 78: Su Qin

Jiang Pingsheng awakened in the hospital, greeted by the sight of that darkened cranium. As he reached out to touch the cool expanse of her soft hair beneath his palm, Liang Shu stirred from slumber, tears silently tracing her cheeks like pearls slipping from a broken strand.

He sighed, "Stop taking your aunt's money. From now on, I will provide for you, alright?"

Her response was simple: "Alright."

Thus, in the subsequent days, Jiang Pingsheng balanced multiple jobs alongside his studies, while Ni Xiuli acquiesced, turning a blind eye. Liang Shu, unsure if she followed his directive or her aunt Mei's, adhered to discipline.

In her senior year, at the age of twenty-one, Liang Shu found herself a year younger than Jiang Pingsheng, who was graduating from his postgraduate studies.

On the day of Jiang Pingsheng's graduation, Liang Shu accompanied him to their dormitory reunion dinner, where his postgraduate mentor, Professor Li, and several classmates were present.

Most of the attendees, meeting Liang Shu for the first time, were older than Jiang Pingsheng, affectionately referring to her as his younger sister.

The gathering took place in an all-encompassing private room, equipped with dining tables, mahjong, and karaoke.

During dinner, someone offered Liang Shu a toast, all of which Jiang Pingsheng intercepted and drank himself. His tolerance was lacking, and he soon excused himself to the restroom, retching.

A roommate approached, offering Liang Shu his drink. She smiled softly, declining, "I promised Ah Sheng I wouldn't drink."

He chuckled, downing the drink himself, "You really do listen to him. Does he listen to you?"

"He does," she replied.

He continued, "Among us, Ah Sheng has the sharpest mind. He's naturally inclined towards academia, and Professor Li highly regards him, hoping he'll pursue a Ph.D. Ah Sheng shouldn't limit himself to postgraduate studies."

Liang Shu glanced at her fair, delicate hands, recalling Jiang Pingsheng's elegant fingers, calloused palms notwithstanding.

She murmured, "Ah Sheng says he doesn't want to study anymore. I can't force him."

"Sister, sometimes men have their own constraints. He compromises for one thing over another. Though we've just met you, we all understand why he's been toiling these years," the roommate remarked.

Looking at her, he continued, "He loves you, willing to undertake all this. But you shouldn't hinder his progress."

Another roommate added, "You should persuade him. Caring for you and pursuing further studies aren't mutually exclusive. Besides, you're graduating soon, aren't you?"

Liang Shu fell silent.

On their way back, hand in hand through the late-night streets of Yucheng, she traced the calluses on his palm, sighing softly, "These hands are meant for holding a pen, yet they've developed calluses."

He comforted her, tightening his grasp, allowing the hardened skin to graze her palm, "These hands have changed for you. You mustn't disdain them in the future."

Liang Shu held his hand against her cheek, whispering, "

"I won't despise you," she whispered.

Jiang Pingsheng embraced her, his voice carrying the most heartwarming of tones as he said, "Soon, I'll be earning to support you wholeheartedly. We'll buy a spacious house with a garden, plant your favorite flowers there, and fill it with all the plants you love."

She remained silent, cradled in his arms.

Until they reached the end of the road, Liang Shu looked up at him, "Ah Sheng, in the future, I'll earn to support you, alright? I'll graduate soon and find a job, then you can continue your doctoral studies."

Of course, Jiang Pingsheng refused.

It was the expected outcome for Liang Shu, merely the beginning, which she didn't dwell on.

Later.

At the end of October.

She eventually persuaded him.

After Jiang Pingsheng's death, Liang Shu finally began to believe in her fate, which seemed to target those closest to her.

Mainly because fate dictated it, leaving her with no choice but to believe.

At the crematorium, she watched as Jiang Pingsheng's body turned to ashes.

Madam Ni didn't dare to look, covering her face in tears.

Ni Xiuli's face seemed to age ten years in an instant, angrily pointing at Liang Shu, his eyes clouded with tears, "I begged you on my knees back then, why wouldn't you let him go?"

Madam Ni sat beside, pounding her chest, struggling for breath. She grabbed Liang Shu's hand, "Such a good person, why did you have to harm him? Though he had been looking for you for five years, at least he lived well. Look at him now, see what life has done to him?"

Ni Xiuli, angered by Liang Shu's actions, neglected Jiang Pingsheng and never provided him with support.

So Jiang Pingsheng worked multiple jobs, even carrying cement at construction sites for quick cash.

"It's all your fault, you killed Pingsheng!"

Above the funeral parlor, the person in the black-and-white photograph smiled with utmost warmth.

Liang Shu looked up, ignoring all the voices around her. The person in the photo, Jiang Pingsheng, was smiling at her. So Liang Shu smiled too, softly asking the face in the photo, "Ah Sheng, do you also think it's my fault?"

At the age of five, she was blamed by her first family when their company went bankrupt.

Later, with her second family, her brother nearly died from a dog bite, and again, she was blamed.

Did she have any connection to the management of those companies?

That day, she merely heard Jiang Pingsheng calling, and when she went out to look, her brother had been bitten by nearby dogs. Did that have anything to do with her?

At the age of thirteen, she returned her most beloved ring to Lu Jinsheng's mother, who then jumped off a tall building and died. Did that have anything to do with her?

And now, when she advised Jiang Pingsheng to continue his doctoral studies, was she wrong?

She wanted to say she wasn't wrong.

But Jiang Pingsheng died.

Just because she persistently urged him to pursue a Ph.D., he agreed, and then died on his way to see his supervisor.

Incidentally, because of Jiang Pingsheng, Lu Jinsheng's sister also perished in that explosion, her remains lost.

Seeing Liang Shu still smiling, Madam Ni pushed through the crowd, slapped her hard, and though Madam Ni wasn't strong, Liang Shu, who hadn't eaten properly for a long time, fell to the ground immediately.

She watched as Madam Ni pointed at her and scolded, "You're heartless! How can you still laugh at a time like this? I don't ask you to shed a tear for Pingsheng, but how can you still laugh? What right do you have to laugh?!"

Madam Ni's words were accompanied by tears rolling down her cheeks. Overwhelmed by pain, she fainted.

Liang Shu stared blankly at the photo, as if feeling no physical pain.

Ah Sheng, didn't you smile at me first today?

On the day of Jiang Pingsheng's funeral, the Ni couple was nowhere to be found.

On the day of Jiang Pingsheng's burial, the Ni couple was nowhere to be found.

It was drizzling lightly, and the suburban cemetery was eerily quiet.

His funeral was bustling, with many people from Yuda attending, and the scene was adorned with mountains of flowers.

But during his burial, there were only a few university roommates by his side.

Liang Shu hadn't eaten for several days and could barely walk. So, she held Jiang Pingsheng's ashes, carrying the urn with trembling hands.

That day, an unexpected incident occurred at the suburban cemetery.

Liang Shu accidentally knocked over Jiang Pingsheng's urn.

The urn shattered into pieces, and the pure white powder inside scattered in the wind. Much of it was stuck in the grass and soil, dampened by the rain.

Initially, those behind her felt heartache, but when they saw the powder, they were shocked.

The urn didn't contain Jiang Pingsheng's ashes.

It was merely ordinary lime powder ground from limestone.

Clearly, Liang Shu realized it too.

At first, she frantically tried to dig up the grass, pulling up the grass tainted with powder. In just a minute, her fingertips were already worn out, with soil embedded in her nails, a sight both disturbing and distressing.

Soon, she noticed something unusual.

The so-called ashes were nothing but a heap of lime powder.

She slumped to the ground, staring blankly ahead as the rain soaked her clothes and hair.

One of Jiang Pingsheng's roommates stepped forward, holding a black umbrella over Liang Shu's head, his face filled with anguish and reluctance.

Liang Shu lowered her gaze, silently watching the white powder dampened by the rain, mingling with the grass to form tiny rivulets, meandering past her knees.

At that moment, she didn't know whether to feel relieved or saddened.

Thankfully, it wasn't Jiang Pingsheng's ashes. How much would he have hated her if he knew she had spilled his ashes?

Liang Shu slowly closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her voice had shifted from calm to almost indifferent as she addressed the people behind her, "After we leave the cemetery, forget about me too. What they say is true. I bring death. This is no joke."

Rainwater trickled down her forehead, streaming into her eyes. She self-mockingly tugged at her lips, "Once, I didn't believe it. But now that Ah Sheng is gone, I dare not disbelieve it anymore. If someone mentions me in the future, just say you don't know me."

She couldn't control what had happened in the past, but Jiang Pingsheng would be the end point of her ominous fate.

In the future, everyone would live happily and safely.

She would never have anyone close to her again.

That was her goal for the coming years.

Liang Shu knew she couldn't retrieve Jiang Pingsheng's ashes anymore, especially since the Ni couple had taken them away. In the short term, she wouldn't be able to find them.

But the dead must find peace in the earth.

So later, Liang Shu cut off a strand of her own hair and placed it in the urn.

Her roommates stared in shock at the dark strand of hair inside the dark wooden box, lips parting in astonishment. "Do you... know what you're doing?"

"In due time, when I find his ashes, I'll remove this hair. For now, let it represent him buried deep underground."

"Think it through. You're still alive, yet you're imprisoning your own hair in this..."

Her male roommate didn't finish his sentence.

Liang Shu simply smiled indifferently, "I have nothing to hide. At most, I'm just a widow now."

She referred to herself as a widow at that time.

Suddenly, the roommates, who had previously sympathized with Jiang Pingsheng's plight, fell silent. They bowed their heads, sighing softly.

The Ni couple later took Jiang Pingsheng's ashes to Wencheng.

In their fifties, the couple bought a two-story house with a yard in a small town in Nanchuan.

When Liang Shu arrived there, there were two dried radishes hanging on the low gate, covered with a layer of white snow.

She knocked on the door, waiting for someone inside to open it. While waiting, Liang Shu picked up a twig and squatted down to draw a big smiley face on the ground.

Before long, footsteps sounded from inside, followed by the voice of an old woman, "Who's outside the door?"

Years had passed, and even this voice sounded weathered.

Liang Shu stood straight, lips pursed as she stared at the crack in the door, but she didn't answer.

Two minutes later, the courtyard door was opened from the inside.

Mrs. Ni's hunched figure was enveloped in a heavy black-gray down jacket as she stood in the doorway, her hands still in the motion of opening the door. "Who is it?"

Liang Shu stared fixedly at Mrs. Ni.

In the next moment, she knelt heavily at the entrance of the courtyard.

Her knees hit the threshold, and a piercing pain shot through her.

Mrs. Ni wouldn't forget this face. Her wrinkled face changed drastically, as if she had seen a ghost. She wanted to close the door immediately, but to her surprise, a hand reached out and directly grabbed the edge of the door.

Mrs. Ni's strength couldn't match Liang Shu's, so she couldn't close the door.

She looked down at the person kneeling on the ground, gritting her teeth, "How did you find your way here?! What do you want? We don't want to see you. Get out of here, now!"

Mrs. Ni was trembling with anger, but also seemed afraid.

Someone who hadn't been seen for many years suddenly appeared, which, for her, was a nightmare.

Liang Shu remained silent, merely using her right hand to keep the door from closing.

Unable to resist Liang Shu's strength, Mrs. Ni withdrew her hands, and the two doors slammed against the wall with a loud bang, startling Liang Shu.

Pointing outside, Mrs. Ni's gaze was fierce, "I told you to get out. Can't you hear? We don't want to see you at all!"

At that moment, Liang Shu suddenly looked up at her and flashed a smile, speaking softly, "And Ah Sheng?"

"How dare you mention him?! How dare you..." Mrs. Ni pounded her chest, looking at her, "What face do you have to mention that name to me? Get out."

Liang Shu shook her head, suddenly reaching out and grabbing Mrs. Ni's clothes, her voice choked, "I want to take his ashes back to Yucheng. May I?"

"You're not qualified!" Mrs. Ni stepped back.

Liang Shu leaned against the door frame and slowly stood up. She said, "Back then, he was willing to break with Mr. Ni just to be with me. You've kept his ashes here for years. Have you ever heard his plea to return to me while you sleep at night?"

"You didn't hear it, but I did. He asked me to bring him home."

Mrs. Ni felt sure that Liang Shu must be mad.

She closed the door.

Then she went inside to call Mr. Ni.

The afternoon weather was gloomy, and snow could fall at any moment.

When Mr. Ni came back, Liang Shu was still there.

She stood under the bare jujube tree, her gaze fixed on the ground.

As Mr. Ni approached, he noticed a smiley face drawn on the ground with a stick.

As a teacher, he was not as aggressive as Mrs. Ni. Also, with the phone call from his wife just now, he felt calmer seeing Liang Shu at the moment.

"My wife is afraid of you. Can you stay away from her a bit?" Mr. Ni said.

Liang Shu pursed her lips and smiled, "I didn't step into your courtyard."

"You've been standing at our door all afternoon. If the neighbors see you, there will be gossip. Whatever it is, let's find a place to talk." Mr. Ni suggested.

Liang Shu continued to smile, her tone unchanged, "That's their problem. I only have one thing to say: I want Jiang Pingsheng's ashes."

Some accumulated snow fell from the jujube tree, brushing against Mr. Ni's shoulder and landing on the briefcase he was carrying.

Following the sound, Liang Shu saw his briefcase. It seemed to have been used for many years, and the surface of the genuine leather had long since peeled off.

Suddenly, her expression softened.

Mr. Ni was sentimental. This briefcase was bought for him by Jiang Pingsheng years ago.

Liang Shu had accompanied him to buy it, though she had been a little unhappy at the time, but only a little.

In the mall, she watched Jiang Pingsheng, who was seriously choosing things, and couldn't help but complain, "Your teacher Ni hates me, and you're still openly buying things for him in front of me. Aren't you afraid I'll get angry?"

But Jiang Pingsheng had a smile on his lips as he picked up an item and brought it to her, asking, "Do you think this suits Uncle Ni?"

What he was holding in his hand was the same briefcase that Mr. Ni had now.

At that time, Liang Shu had given a very fair evaluation: "Not good-looking, but very suitable for him."

It was indeed not particularly attractive, and there were even more stylish options nearby. But in the end, Jiang Pingsheng still bought this one.

Liang Shu asked him why.

Jiang Pingsheng said, "I bought him a slightly ugly one so that you'd feel better."

Unexpectedly, Mr. Ni had been using this briefcase for many years.

As for the watch Jiang Pingsheng had given her, she hadn't repaired it and had even lost it.

Apart from the ashes, it was the only thing she had to remember Jiang Pingsheng by.

She had lived with Jiang Pingsheng for so long. Didn't she leave behind anything else of his?

She did.

Liang Shu kept the pens Jiang Pingsheng had used, the books he had read, the ruler he had used, and even the coat he had worn under the quilt.

But later, all of it was burned to ashes by Lu Jinsheng.

As Liang Shu watched the flames rise and reflected on Lu Jinsheng's cold and stern face, he sneered, "He killed Lu Yao, why should you be allowed to keep anything of his?"

At that time, she simply kept her left hand behind her, not letting Lu Jinsheng see the watch.

She shook her head calmly, "You're right, I don't deserve to keep anything of his."

It was said that seeing objects would evoke memories of people, but now everything was gone in a fire, clean.

...

Thinking of some happy memories that could bring a smile to her lips, when she spoke again, Liang Shu seemed much calmer. She looked sincerely at Mr. Ni, "Uncle Ni, could you let me take Ah Sheng's ashes back?"

Mr. Ni said, "He's dead, and yet you won't even let go of his ashes?"

Liang Shu understood what he meant. They wouldn't give her Ah Sheng's ashes.

Liang Shu nodded and bowed to Mr. Ni, "Sorry for the disturbance."

As the sky grew darker, she left the street.

Before the snow came, Liang Shu bought a roasted sweet potato from the roadside. On the way back to the hotel, she gnawed on the sweet potato and called Gu Hansheng.

It took a long time for him to answer, and the surroundings were not particularly quiet.

But Liang Shu still heard clearly what Gu Hansheng said.

Gu Hansheng asked what she was doing.

Liang Shu replied, "I'm eating roasted sweet potatoes."

"Was it roasted by the chef at home?"

"No, I bought it by the roadside." Liang Shu glanced at the sky, quickened her pace, and continued, "I'm going to see my aunt. Don't worry about me being alone at home, it's boring."

She couldn't hide the fact that she had left Zero Mansion, so Liang Shu chose to take the initiative.

Gu Hansheng was a little unhappy, "It's boring, I'll send someone to take you to the Gu residence, why won't you go?"

"Okay, I'll tell you the truth. I can't handle Mrs. Gu when you're not around, and it's been a long time since I've seen my aunt. I'll just go see her."

Gu Hansheng didn't say anything. He was busy. Liang Shu kindly reminded him, "Mr. Gu, your stomach isn't good. Drink less alcohol and smoke less. I'm hanging up."

"Can you call me twice a day? Can you do that?" His voice was faint.

Liang Shu nodded and suddenly remembered that he couldn't see, so she said, "Sure."

After she returned to the hotel, it started to snow outside.

The large snowflakes fell from the sky, creating a scene of silver-clad beauty everywhere.

...

Gu Hansheng's schedule for the day was packed.

When Liang Shu called him, he was indeed busy.

In a quaint tavern.

Upon the bar counter, a woman adorned in opulent wild sable fur coat lifted her glass towards a man who just finished his call. She took a sip of her colorful cocktail, leaving a faint lipstick mark on the clear rim of the glass.

Seated on a high stool, towering over others, Mr. Gu leaned back. He accepted the drink offered by the bartender, casting a sidelong glance at the woman beside him, who also took a sip before he spoke, "What did Miss Su just say?"

Referring to him as "Mr. Gu," Miss Su elegantly ran her fingers through her long hair, a subtle fragrance wafting towards Mr. Gu's senses, causing him to squint slightly.

She smiled enchantingly, "Mr. Gu, you indeed have many things on your mind. Just a few days ago, I called you. Have you already forgotten?"

Mr. Gu's dark eyebrows furrowed slightly as he listened to her continue with a smile, "Oh, I forgot. But then again, you didn't answer that call, did you?"

"I didn't expect you to call me first. Since you've returned, why linger in Wen City?"

Miss Su, with her heavily made-up eyes, raised them ever so slightly, a hint of allure mixed with a touch of detachment in her gaze. She chuckled, "I'm waiting for you to find me." After a brief pause, she continued, "I was in Shengdun City at the time. When I called, it was late here, and your call was answered by a woman..."

Mr. Gu calmly held his glass, waiting for her to proceed.

"Taking a risk to meet you in Yucheng, if someone from your entourage had caught us, it would have been embarrassing."

A trace of coldness flickered in the corners of the man's eyes as he smirked, "So, what is your purpose?"

"I want to see my sister," Su Qin smiled slowly. "I want you to personally take me back."

"Personally take you back? Aren't you afraid of being seen by anyone in my circle?"

Su Qin shrugged, taking another sip of her drink, "That's your concern."

"Where is Su Yan's diary?" he asked again.

Su Qin looked at him, "Let me see her first."

As soon as the words fell, the man sneered, "Su Qin, are you trying to threaten me?"

"How could I dare? I just want to see how far a man who pursued my sister relentlessly, risking his own life, can go for her."

...

The next day, Liang Shu went to the Ni family's doorstep as usual. Unable to stand the cold outside, she went to sit in the dilapidated antique shop across from the Ni residence for the whole day.

When she saw Ni Xiuli leave, she went out. Despite his firm attitude, Liang Shu wasn't upset. She continued to wait in the antique shop.

When Ni Xiuli returned, Liang Shu went out to intercept him.

And when the evening fell, she returned to her hotel.

This routine continued for three days.

On the fourth day, as Ni Xiuli was about to avoid her again, Liang Shu called out to him from behind, her arms crossed, "Mr. Ni."

Ni Xiuli turned around. The woman's exquisite beauty and clear eyes caught his attention.

She smiled, "I'm calling you Mr. Ni on behalf of Ah Sheng. Today, I am taking his ashes away," Liang Shu walked up to Ni Xiuli, "I wouldn't have come without full certainty. I know you've been sponsoring another child these past few years. While not comparable to Ah Sheng, he is undoubtedly outstanding. I suppose I don't need to elaborate on who I am. I just want to ask Mr. Ni one question—"

Ni Xiuli clenched his teeth, his cheeks bulging, as his murky eyes stared coldly at her.

Liang Shu smiled gracefully, "I want to ask you, Mr. Ni, which is lighter, the dead or the living?"