Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Chapter 77

Xiaobao was met with nothing but a sea of white upon looking up—white robes, a white cloak, and a face of stunning white beauty.

In his imagination, the scene of their reunion played out in every midnight dream, every light slumber after deep intoxication. However, when awake, he constantly suppressed his own foolishness, knowing it wasn't fear of seeing again that troubled him, but the fear of expectation, which was utterly unforgivable.

The surrounding emptiness made Xiaobao feel an unprecedented helplessness. Facing him alone took all the courage he had accumulated, and it was still not enough.

He helplessly looked around, hoping to find something or someone to lean on. He called out the names of everyone he relied on in his heart, but to no avail. He could only watch, with sore eyes, as Huai en approached him again.

The undercurrents in Huai en's heart were just as tumultuous, if not more than Xiaobao's. The moment he saw Xiaobao, he almost burst into tears.

All day long, his heart tortured by panic and longing, seemed on the verge of collapse upon seeing the emaciated Xiaobao.

Huai en, with unhealed injuries, had traveled day and night to Dali. He tirelessly braved the snow and wind, arranging to divert Su Yin and his party just to see him. He harbored a belly full of grievances and sadness, longing for Xiaobao's comfort, dreaming of the warmth of memories to soothe all his unease and pain. He looked forward to a beautiful future where they could join hands after the dust had settled. But seeing Xiaobao like this, he couldn't have imagined such a sight; the wan and dim Xiaobao nearly shattered him.

That flash of white turned into a momentary illusion. Before Xiaobao could react, he was enveloped in a cold embrace. The cheek against his neck was cold, the lips on his collarbone were cold, but the breath that burst forth was hot, as were the choking sounds.

"Xiaobao... I missed you so much..."

Xiaobao shuddered all over, freezing on the spot.

Such a poignant and moving phrase, as if nothing had happened. It was as if he had just gone on a long trip, had just slept in, and they could still embrace and share their innermost feelings.

Xiaobao's stiffness and silence wildly nurtured the unease in Huai en's heart. Although he held him, it lacked the previous feeling of "possession," which only made him tighten his arms more, his lips gently yet urgently grazing the warm skin of Xiaobao's neck. "Xiaobao, I missed you, I missed you, how could you change like this, why are you so thin, what happened... mmph!"

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his shoulder, piercing even through the fabric, as Xiaobao's teeth sunk into his flesh, truly clamping down with force.

Huai En hugged him tightly, his eyes moistening, yet he managed to keep the tears from falling with great effort. The pain in his shoulders was nothing compared to the heartache of knowing that Xiaobao was willing to hurt him.

In the moment he was forcefully pushed away, Huai En saw true hatred in Xiaobao's eyes—unadulterated, without any hope for salvation, just pure hatred.

Xiaobao really hated him. In those eyes that were always filled with adoration and tenderness, there was now only naked hatred, and the face that once carried a pleasing smile and a look of infatuation was now distant and rejecting…

Huai En had never been afraid of anything in his life. If there was one thing that could bring him down with a single blow, it would surely be Xiaobao's fading affection for him.

He clutched Xiaobao's hand through the blanket. The indifference and ruthlessness that had once frozen his face for decades were now nowhere to be seen. He looked into Xiaobao's eyes, saddened yet desperate, hoping for an answer that this was just a momentary tantrum.

Xiaobao glared at him with reddened eyes, staring at the face that once enchanted him so deeply he would have willingly died for him, his heart aching so much he could barely stand straight. Through gritted teeth, he said, “How dare you show your face to me, how dare you say you miss me, why don’t you just die!”

Huai En's deep, pond-like dark eyes instantly lost their sparkle. He pursed his lips and began with difficulty, "Xiaobao... don’t be mad at me..."

“What are you coming back for? What do you want? Hasn’t my family given you enough? If there’s anything else you see that you want from me, Jin Xiaobao, just take it, but why keep up this damn charade for anyone?!”

Stunned, Huai En replied, "Xiaobao, I... I will make it up to you."

“Make it up! Go to hell with your compensation! I may not be smart, but I’m not really stupid! You use me as much as you need, and once you’re done, you just walk away. Did you ever care whether I lived or died? Now that I have any residual value to be exploited, you really didn’t waste a second before coming back! Who are you putting on this disgusting act for? Where are my dad and my mom?!” Xiaobao yelled, clutching Huai En's collar, tears streaming down his face as he shouted.

Huai En could no longer hold back, and tears rolled down his cheeks. His vision blurred as he realized that crying was such a bitter and unbearable sensation, making his heart ache immensely.

He could only offer a dry explanation, "I won't hurt them..."

Xiaobao's eyes widened with fury, and with a shout, he pushed Huai En to the ground, pummeling him with punches as if they were raindrops, uttering a roar akin to a wild beast, "It really is you!! Really you!! Have you had enough?! What does my Jin family owe you?! You’ve ruined us, isn’t that enough?! Aren't you done?! Are you even human?! I'm like this... you beast..."

Watching Xiaobao, who seemed mad with rage, Huai En felt an urge to cry unrestrainedly. He couldn't empathize with Xiaobao's anger and hatred, which to him seemed just a loss of money. Why hate him so intensely? If it was because of his betrayal, why didn't Xiaobao care when he was treated even worse in the past? Besides, he was now lowering his head voluntarily. Why? He didn't understand why Xiaobao hated him so much, why he treated him with such furious resentment. Surrounded by tenderness and love all his life, he couldn't bear such treatment from Xiaobao; each punch felt like a direct blow to his heart.

Suddenly, he grabbed Xiaobao's wrists, and with a swift move of his long legs, he flipped Xiaobao over and pinned him down on the ground, securing Xiaobao’s waist with his legs.

Xiaobao, unable to move, could only glare at him with bloodshot eyes.

Huai En felt there was something he couldn't understand, a reason for Xiaobao's madness that he couldn't grasp. He attempted to explain in a way he thought best, "Xiaobao... don't be angry... I have my reasons. The losses of the Jin family, I will compensate, okay? What you had before, you will have it just the same in the future. I will give it all to you. This time, for the last time, I will complete this mission, and then I will always be with you, okay? Xiaobao, believe me..."

Xiaobao's look was as if he wanted to devour Huai En. He had never hated anyone so much—a person so selfish, so cruel. How could he have ever been enchanted by him?

Huai En had never bowed his head to anyone in his life; even a knife at his throat wouldn't make him show weakness. This plea was already humiliating enough, but facing Xiaobao’s merciless gaze, he felt even more powerless.

"Xiaobao, stop this, let's make up. From now on, I'll treat you well, and you... just be like before. I will give you what you want, you continue to be your Jin family's young master, I will definitely treat you well, let's make up."

Heartbroken and enraged to the extreme, Xiaobao suddenly felt like laughing. He had never known Huai En could be so naïve.

Suddenly, he couldn’t muster any strength, and although the room was warm and lying on the thick carpet was not cold, the chill that Huai En brought from outside slowly seeped into him. He wondered if the warming channel could ward off the cold, or else he might soon succumb to the poison.