CHAPTER 186: CHAPTER 43: FORGETTING EACH OTHER (PART 2)

"The air conditioner blows but dead air, and I, Hang Yishao, refuse to be confined in a gust of death," he would always say, before leaping straight from the balcony into the garden’s swimming pool, much to the chagrin of Hang’s mother.

Since the incident that night on the yacht, the garden swimming pool had been undisturbed for a long time, though the water was changed daily because Hang’s mother said, you never know when the young master might be in the mood to dive again. Hang Yishao, who leapt from the balcony, possessed a momentum that seemed to scorn everything from above.

When Fei Qing and Chang Chi entered the door, the Hang Yishao they saw no longer had any momentum. In the sweltering summer, there was not a breath of wind in his room, which was completely blocked by opaque sunshades. The room was very quiet; a figure could be seen lying on the bed.

It had been a month, and the doctors said his injuries had long since healed. Hang Yishao was young and had a strong constitution; he should have returned to normal by now. But it seemed like he never really recovered.

Fei Qing still remembered the horrific scene he saw on the deck that day: Hang Yishao was like a shark pulled out of the water, his eyes blood-red, his teeth stark white, but his expression was one of utter despair. As he lay there, the surrounding screams and Chang Chi’s cries of distress still echoed in his ears, and he didn’t even flicker an eyelid—in that moment, Fei Qing thought Hang Yishao was dead.

"Yishao," Chang Chi had specially asked the Su Family’s kitchen to prepare some delicate porridge, hoping he would eat some. The room was so stifling that even words seemed unable to reach, dead silent.

"What exactly happened that day?" Fei Qing had already asked the same question several times. Just a moment before, Hang Yishao had been drinking with them, and the next, Chang Chi said he was gone, and then, he was found lying on the deck. Hang Yishao had a limit to how much he drank, just as he had restraint with women, never overindulging, let alone getting so drunk that he would fall on the deck.

But Hang Yishao refused to explain, he wouldn’t even give an answer. All he could think about now was that man named Pello, the man who had knocked him down with a single blow and walked away without a hint of remorse. Hang Yishao was clear that he would never reveal the truth of what happened.

"Do you want to eat something, Yishao?" Chang Chi picked up the soup spoon, blew on the hot porridge, making the room even hotter.

"Yishao!" Chang Chi exclaimed in joy; she saw Hang Yishao sit up and eat the porridge she brought. He ate quickly, and at the end, even grabbed the hand that Chang Chi held the bowl with.

Seeing this, Fei Qing stepped out, closing the door behind him, making the room even more suffocating. As he reached the staircase, Fei Qing heard the sound of a soup spoon hitting the ground from the direction of the room, Chang Chi’s initial cry of shock, and then a suddenly silenced room.

Fei Qing whistled, thinking that his good brother would soon be lively and vigorous again.

By evening, Chang Chi was still sitting there dazed, after Hang Yishao kissed her, he pushed her away for some reason. The sultriness of the room had dissipated, and she looked around but could not see Hang Yishao. Her gaze shifted to the window and saw a straight figure standing on the balcony.

Hang Yishao stood on the balcony, ignoring the watchful eyes from the room behind him, spreading his arms and gazing at the shimmering water of the swimming pool below. The setting sun reflected a few drifting clouds over the water’s surface.

How could Hang Yishao remain still? The vast sky lay before him; why should he cling to an ordinary Su Ziceng? He snorted, catching a glimpse of admiring eyes from within the room. Behind him, countless women were waiting for him, the Hang Family awaited his stewardship, and every day from now on would be extraordinarily splendid. He leapt high, hearing the southern breeze whisper in his ears, like the sweet nothings of countless women.

A human form slowly appeared on the cerulean water surface, the little girl with dimples calling out "Hang Yishao" gradually grew up, turning into Su Ziceng who handed out the ring. And that majestic man who carried Su Ziceng away, walking off as if a king departing his court. All of these shattered as Hang Yishao plunged into the water.

Splashes crazily hit his face, and after a long absence, his limbs felt the satisfaction of being stretched out. Once again, splashing sounds erupted in the backyard garden.

Hearing the noise, Hang’s mother hurried out and saw the nimble figure in the water, like a flying fish. Unable to help herself, she made a phone call to Hang’s father: "Old man, our son, he has finally recovered."

During this period, Hang Yishao’s silence had Hang’s father and Hang’s mother quite worried. As Hang’s mother spoke, she looked up and saw Chang Chi, wrapped in a coat, looking down. Hang’s mother paused, covering the phone, and said, "Old man, there seems to be something wrong again, why is Chang Chi with our son, and where is Ziceng?"

Hang’s mother and Qiao Chu had also been close like sisters, and now seeing the potential daughter-in-law change, she felt somewhat uneasy.

"What is there to worry about? Aren’t they both daughters of Su Qingzhang?" Hang’s father was a businessman, adept at steering with the wind, "You ask our son later, what exactly is going on?"

When Hang Yishao emerged from the pool, he did not look up at Chang Chi who occasionally peered from the balcony; instead, he walked on his own towards the sauna on the lower floor.

As Hang’s mother handed him a towel, she pressed for answers: "Son, what happened?"

"Just a woman." Hang Yishao shook the water from his ears, responding coldly. Just a woman, from now on, whether it be Chang Chi or Su Ziceng, they would all just be that. He could let go of it all, and start anew. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)