Chapter 66: Missing
In the dark and gloomy seawater, there was only a faint light. Time in the entire world seemed to have hit the pause button. Ruan Zhimian sank unconsciously. His eyes were tightly closed, and his skin color was white to the point of being almost transparent due to blood loss.
A school of fish swam past him.
Ruan Zhimian continued to sink without any reaction. He fell into his own consciousness, sealing himself off, ready to shatter at any moment.
—Shi He, Gege, A-Yu, Mom and Dad… goodbye. I am very happy to have been able to come to this world and meet you.
—I was no longer that lonely, and I lived very happily.
—And also, I’m sorry.
For so many years, Ruan Zhimian actually hadn’t lived very well. The only things he possessed were the will left by his parents and the regular visits from the lawyer.
What he lost, was much more.
Ruan Zhimian, who had received good teachings from his parents since childhood, was never greedy. He only wanted to have a quiet, normal life, studying hard every day, taking his medicine on time, and never crying during any medical checkups. He was the most obedient child.
However, a normal person’s life was too far away from him.
When his peers were playing and causing a ruckus, he was staying in the nursing home. His eyes were filled with white, his breaths were filled with the smell of disinfectant, and he constantly had to face the torment brought by illness.
When his peers were advancing in their studies normally, Ruan Zhimian gave up going to school again and again, sometimes because of classmates, sometimes because of his body.
Passion and hope disappeared bit by bit. Life was only left with numb waiting.
For more than half of his life, he was waiting for the day death would arrive. Happy days were very, very few.
It wasn’t until he jumped into the sea that Ruan Zhimian sluggishly realized: so, he had actually started liking Shi He from a very long time ago. Since then, every glance he cast at Shi He had been expressing his affection.
When making this decision, Ruan Zhimian didn’t have any hesitation. He clearly understood what kind of outcome he had to face, just like when he gave up treatment and transferred to the hospice care ward back then.
Even if it was painful, it had to be experienced.
Ruan Zhimian was very good at dispelling pain, but he only wanted this pain to fall upon himself.
[System: Detection complete. The host has lost the will to live.]
[System: Danger! Location locked. Please implement rescue operations immediately.]
Qiuqiu, the little system that was searching for Ruan Zhimian, rapidly appeared. It transformed into a transparent protective shield, wrapping Ruan Zhimian up and bringing him toward the shore.
[System: System, the host’s reward has been distributed. Please check and receive.]
[System: Host, congratulations on completing the breakup task.]
Three days later, in a pitch-black room, the heavy curtains were closed. One could barely sense the existence of any warmth.
Shi He sat alone on the carpet by the sofa. The table was piled full of alcohol. A pair of black eyes was chillingly terrifying, like an evil spirit walking out of hell.
Not far away, the door to the cat room housing the kittens was pushed open. The special assistant finished feeding them water and food and walked out, clearly hearing Shi He ask him, “Is he safe?”
“I don’t know. The Ruan family hasn’t sent any news.”
The special assistant reported for the umpteenth time, “Su Ning was salvaged and is comatose in the intensive care unit. Han He’an is severely injured and is also in a coma.”
“Young Master Ruan, is missing.”
Only Ruan Zhimian had no traces, and only Ruan Zhimian disappeared.
“Why don’t you go look for him yourself?”
The Alpha’s finger pad pressed against the mouth of the wine bottle. He tilted his head back and took a sip. “I cannot go.” He lowered his head, his voice very soft, speaking to himself, “If I go now, everything might… go to waste.”
The special assistant left. The lunch he brought was placed on the dining table, the packaging not even opened.
Shi He cast a sidelong glance, looking at the bedroom with its open door. There were many of Ruan Zhimian’s things inside, yet Shi He sat in the living room. Ever since he said that sentence about breaking up to Ruan Zhimian, he hadn’t stepped inside once.
“Mianmian, are you doing well right now?”
Shi He possessed absolute attention towards Ruan Zhimian, and having undergone absolute high-intensity training, he could detect anything suspicious or abnormal.
Not to mention, this person was Ruan Zhimian.
He had already noticed that Ruan Zhimian’s reactions were abnormal a few days ago—from the faintly discernible sorrowful gazes, to the scalding hot tears falling onto the back of his hand after putting on the ring.
It was as if it was all telling him.
Shi He, I am going to leave you.
Every late night, Ruan Zhimian would get out of bed to write things.
Shi He watched Ruan Zhimian’s back, watched him take a tissue to wipe his tears, and waited until the lights were turned off before holding Ruan Zhimian tightly as if nothing had happened.
Five days ago, Shi He issued a command: “Assistant Chu, investigate what Mianmian has been doing recently. Do not alert him.”
Shi He cooperated with Ruan Zhimian. From encountering Su Ning at the bar to Han He’an getting bailed out, every step, he quietly cooperated.
Until the morning three days ago, Shi He sat in his office, looking at the footage on the surveillance monitor.
Ruan Zhimian came out of the changing room after changing his clothes. He lingered at the bedroom door for two minutes, and then petted the two black and white kittens that had gradually grown close to him, sticking to him all day acting spoiled.
“I am leaving.”
“You two grow up well, and keep him good company.”
Ruan Zhimian raised his head and looked at the surveillance camera by the door.
He didn’t say anything.
For three whole days, this video replayed continuously before his eyes.
It was the first time Shi He wanted to tightly grasp onto a person, and also the first time he wanted to let someone go.
An empty wine bottle fell onto the carpet. He closed his eyes, his finger pad stroking the ring on his ring finger, and dialed the phone again. “Find a way to make Su Ning wake up. I want him to spit out everything he is hiding.”
The Alpha supported himself on the sofa and stood up. His black eyes were as thick as ink. On the inner side of his cold white wrists, there were rows of fresh scars cut by a knife, having just scabbed over.
“Mianmian, I will figure everything out.”
“And then find you.”
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