Additional Inheritance - Chap 95
Chapter 95
The voice that finally made its way through the shell and into the depths of Wen Xiaohui’s soul was his mother’s.
Like someone who had been woken from deep sleep and instantly returning to reality after his dreamlike state, all sounds, visuals, temperatures, and sensations submerged him at once like a rising tide.
With his eyes wide open, he stared at the face in front of him that was covered in tears. Just the motion of opening his eyes seemed to consume a lot of energy.
“Son…” Feng Yuehua sobbed incessantly.
Wen Xiaohui opened his mouth, out came a tiny sound like a cat. “Mum?”
Feng Yuehua’s mood fluctuated even more intensely, and she grabbed onto Wen Xiaohui’s sleeve. Her expression was both anguished and angry.
Waking abruptly from a long dream, Wen Xiaohui struggled to ask, “Mum, where’s Luo Yi?”
Feng Yuehua put her hand over her mouth and tears ran down her face.
“Where’s Luo Yi?” asked Wen Xiaohui again, his eyes bloodshot.
Feng Yuehua shook her head.
Wen Xiaohui lifted his hand which was devoid of strength and covered his eyes. He mumbled, “Where’s Luo Yi?” It was unclear if he was asking others or himself.
Feng Yuehua stroked his head, feeling so upset that she didn’t know how to respond. In her lifetime, there were only two instances when she’d felt helpless to the point of despair – firstly, when she was faced with her husband’s terminal illness and secondly, at this precise moment. However, destiny often did not align with human desires.
She hugged Wen Xiaohui gently. Her supple hand that was stroking his head became firmer, in an attempt to console his heart more effectively. Wen Xiaohui turned to his side, hugging her back. He gradually released his repressed sobs and cried bitterly. He was like a newborn after breaking through the formless shell – weak and defenceless. He had finally returned to this world: the world without Luo Yi.
He felt as though his liver and guts had been torn to shreds1.
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After Feng Yuehua showed up, Wen Xiaohui, who had been relying on an IV drip for a week, started to consume food in the form of liquids. She and Luo Rui took turns to keep him company in hospital. Wen Xiaohui looked like he was alive, but he lacked any liveliness.
Li Shuo came to visit him and sat beside the bed for an hour. It wasn’t until he was leaving that Wen Xiaohui finally noticed him and nodded slightly. His eyes were lifeless. Feeling upset, Li Shuo sighed deeply.
Cao Hai also came more than once, but Wen Xiaohui wasn’t in a suitable state to hold a conversation.
It was as if Wen Xiaohui’s soul had been stripped from his body, leaving behind just a shell.
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After a month in hospital, Wen Xiaohui was brought back home.
The moment that he stepped into his house – the house where he’d lived for over 20 years, he recalled how every aspect of the renovation was done by Luo Yi.
Luo Yi was present everywhere in his life, and he couldn’t avoid him nor stop thinking about him. Luo Yi completely filled his brain, but he could no longer touch him in real life. There was nothing more depressing. Pain was like a parasite that consumed a person’s flesh, and it had already nested in his body. Perhaps, one day, he would be hollowed out.
While he was washing his face one day, he randomly noticed himself in the mirror, his hair was so long that it nearly reached his chest. He looked gaunt and his face was so pale and wan. His eyes were grey like stagnant water. When he escaped Luo Yi and fled to Pengcheng, he had felt dejected for a period of time, but he sobered up in time, and his current mood was stable. There was nothing for him to care about, and he expected to spend the rest of his life like this.
He didn’t know how much time had passed, but Luo Rui was visiting him less frequently. Perhaps it was because he wouldn’t get any response even if he talked more, and only Feng Yuehua remained by her son’s side. The TV was on nearly 24 hours a day, otherwise the house would have been silent.
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One day, Cao Hai came to visit again.
Feng Yuehua didn’t allow him to enter, because she was worried his appearance would trigger Wen Xiaohui. Wen Xiaohui heard a noise and came out of his room, making a rare appearance. He said indifferently, “Mum, let him in.”
Feng Yuehua had no choice but to let him inside.
Cao Hai didn’t seem to be in good form. His face looked weary. As soon as he went inside, he stared at Wen Xiaohui for a few seconds and subtly sighed.
Wen Xiaohui sat on the sofa and stared at Cao Hai in silence. He did nothing but stare, which made Cao Hai feel somewhat frightened.
Cao Hai cleared his throat. “Xiaohui, are you feeling better?”
It seemed like Wen Xiaohui didn’t hear him as he mumbled, “What were you thinking when Luo Yi and I first met?” Since waking up in hospital, this was the longest sentence he’d spoken.
Cao Hai was surprised and became nervous. Even Feng Yuehua’s expression changed.
Wen Xiaohui said to Feng Yuehua, “Mum, I have a few words to say to Mr Cao alone, if that’s okay?”
Feng Yuehua drew a deep breath and replied anxiously, “Xiaohui…”
Wen Xiaohui gave her a look of determination in response.
Feng Yuehua stared at Cao Hai to warn him before standing up and walking into her room.
Wen Xiaohui turned back towards Cao Hai. “You were aware of his plans, but you still continued to work for him because he threatened and bribed you at the same time. What were you thinking when you saw me?”
Cao Hai gulped. “I-It was too long ago… I don’t remember.”
“It has been a long time. Six years.” Wen Xiaohui savoured the number. It seemed like a long time, but it also seemed like an extremely short period of time. It was so short that there was no room to manoeuvre. “I don’t believe you forgot. What were you thinking at the time? Did you pity me? Did you feel a little guilty?”
Cao Hai lowered his head, and after a long time, he seemed to have made up his mind. “No.”
“Why?”
“Neither of us thought that the inheritance from Mrs Luo belonged to you. To us, you were just an insignificant person, so it was enough to give you three million plus an apartment.” Cao Hai’s hands were clasped and his fingers overlapped with each other.
“You never expected things to turn out this way. What about now? Do you feel sorry for me? Do you feel guilty at all?”
Cao Hai mustered his resolve and glanced up at him. Wen Xiaohui’s eyes looked calm like the tranquil sea, but it was difficult to predict if it would be battered by stormy waves in the next second. He frowned and nodded. “Yes. Luo Yi wasn’t destined to lead a normal life, but you’re innocent.”
“The two of you got me involved in matters that had nothing to do with me and destroyed my life. You’re trying to use money to make me go away. Do you think it’s that easy?” His stare became more vicious and cold. The pain and resentment he was unable to vent anywhere was about to burst from its cage.
Cao Hai lowered his head in silence.
Wen Xiaohui struggled to breathe. “What about Chang Xing?”
“He’s dead.”
“That’s the end of it since they’re all dead.” Wen Xiaohui bit his lip. “What use is being alive? What did Luo Yi think the money was good for? What’s the point of asking you to run over with the money?” shouted Wen Xiaohui at Cao Hai.
Cao Hai wiped his face. “Luo Yi wanted you to have a good life…”
“Bullshit.” Wen Xiaohui’s smile was more miserable than if he were crying. “Have a good life? Luo Yi never wanted me to have a good life. Everything he did ran counter to me having a good life. Do you think I would forgive him because he died and left me a sum of money? It’s impossible. He wanted me to live in his shadow for the rest of my life. He’ll always control me, even if he’s dead.” Wen Xiaohui sobbed as he spoke. He glared at Cao Hai. “Did you think you had a good understanding of him?”
During the onset of spring, the temperature fluctuated between warm and cold, and sweat rolled down Cao Hai’s face as if it were the peak of summer. He burrowed his head further, seemingly unable to find the words to refute.
“That’s Luo Yi for you.” Wen Xiaohui said dejectedly, “Luo Yi said that as long as he still has his last breath, he can’t let me go. The truth of the matter is, even in death, he still doesn’t want to let me go…” He broke into laughter abruptly. “I believe that he did love me in his abnormal way, and maybe we could have lived until death do us part if I managed to survive Luo Yi’s games and he hadn’t caused his own death.” When he got to the end of his sentence, his voice started to quiver.
Cao Hai sighed, “You understand him better than expected.”
“I understand him, which is why I didn’t dare to believe him. He’s the kind of person who would sacrifice his own life to achieve his objective.” Wen Xiaohui subconsciously gripped part of his clothing, his voice trembled as he said, “Luo Yi has achieved all his goals.” Luo Yi had finally achieved everything – his revenge against Chang Xing, possessing Wen Xiaohui, and everything else he wanted.
He thought he could resist Luo Yi with sarcasm and took twisted pleasure in his suffering. As long as Wen Xiaohui’s heart continued to refuse Luo Yi, he would always come out on top, even if Luo Yi kept him locked up. He had only just realised that there were no winners or losers among them, and he wouldn’t be the winner even if there was one. As always, Luo Yi would be the winner, he was the sort of person who always got what he wanted. On the other hand, Wen Xiaohui didn’t know what he wanted. He had lost horribly in the end, losing everything.
He couldn’t bring himself to ponder if things would have turned out this way if he had given Luo Yi another chance. He didn’t dare to think about it. What if Luo Yi was still alive? These thoughts were extinguished as soon as they sprung up. Neither his regret for the past nor his fantasies of the future had any use, other than making him feel as though he had stabbed himself in the chest with a knife.
He had lost his desire for everything, including his career, his wealth, his appearance, and his future. He didn’t look forward to anything. It was likely he would spend the rest of his life like this, and he probably wouldn’t live very long. He felt a sense of guilt towards his mum, Luo Rui, and others who cared about him, but there was nothing he could do.
He had exhausted his life force prematurely because of love, so he could only reluctantly plod on. He could topple over at any time.
Cao Hai looked at Wen Xiaohui’s dispirited appearance, a momentary twinge of regret flickered in his eyes. He clenched his fists. “Xiaohui, your sorrow and pain will fade away.”
“Mine won’t, because it’s what Luo Yi wanted to happen. It was part of his plan, and everything will turn out as he intended.” Wen Xiaohui spoke to Cao Hai with an unsettling calmness. “Leave and don’t show up in front of me again or I might curse you. Don’t make me think of you again.”
Cao Hai sighed deeply and stood up. He picked up his briefcase and walked towards the door.
Wen Xiaohui spaced out as he stared at the dazzling sunshine outside.
When Cao Hai reached the front door, he paused and hesitated for a full three seconds, before asking: “You mentioned how Luo Yi finally got what he wanted, but do you know what he was willing to sacrifice his life for?”
Wen Xiaohui felt a bit stunned and slowly turned to look at Cao Hai.
Cao Hai opened the door and left without looking back.
Footnotes:
肝肠寸断 is a Chinese idiom which literally means that someone’s liver and guts have been cut to pieces i.e. a metaphor for immense suffering or extreme hunger. The phrase is derived from the ‘Strategies of the Warring States’ by Su Qin (475 – 220 BC).
附加遗产
Additional Inheritance (Ch 96- 100)
Author: Shui Qian Cheng (水千丞)
Translated by: Sweet Cinnamon
This translation is provided for free, in line with the author’s principles for fan translations. Please don’t repost on aggregators or Wattpad. Taking copies for personal use is fine, but please don’t share epubs/pdfs.
