Chapter 80 – Zhao Ziyu

translator: xiin
editors: Butter & XavierForest

“Because you don’t deserve it.”

He also recalled that his own eyes were red. In that cramped and dark room, he’d grabbed the man across from him by the collar and used all his strength to punch him.

The madman across from him had taken a step back, then covered his face and burst out laughing. His face had been all blue and purple, his mouth was covered in blood, but his voice had been as cold as a viper’s, “The Song Family won’t let me go. They’ll find their way here very soon. But I don’t care anymore. In any case, I already have nothing left. Hahahahahahaha, let’s die together, Song Yu. No one is going to be okay. I’m not okay, you’re not okay, and Xie Sui shouldn’t even think of being okay.”

“You madman.”

He had a splitting headache and his vision was gradually becoming blurry.

He took a step back and stepped on the syringe that had been used to inject alcohol.

There was a thunderstorm outside.

He stumbled out of the warehouse without knowing where he was.

They were beside a highway, and car after car sped past, the screech of displaced air loud in the rainy night.

His phone rang.

He gritted his teeth and used trembling fingers to press the connect button.

“Song Yu, where are you now?”

It was an anxious inquiry from the man on the phone. He had completely lost his previous calm and self-confidence, his cold voice wavering.

His heart abruptly clenched and he crouched down in pain, unable to say a word.

Words and sentences broke apart in his throat, leaving only the sounds of gasping and panting mixed in with the rain. His mind was sluggish; he wanted to say something, but in the end, he couldn’t even hold onto his phone and everything fell into darkness.

He didn’t dream for very long and was awakened by the sound of crying.

“Yuyu, Yuyu.” It was his mother’s choked sobs.

There was also his sister, who scolded him through her tears, “Why did my little brother have to get involved with you? Why did it have to be you! As expected, nothing good comes out of the Xie Family! If anything happens to my little brother, I’ll never let you off!” All kinds of noises mixed together loudly, from the doctors, the police, and other people talking.

Finally, he heard a familiar voice, sounding like all of his pride had been shattered. It said, very softly, “I’m sorry.”

His sister finally burst out crying.

That crying sound echoed in his ears, causing every nerve to ache and hurt.

But he was in a black box that sealed him off from the rest of the world. He couldn’t comfort anyone.

“Host, host.”

008 finally realized something was wrong and suddenly emerged from his consciousness.

It shouted loudly and anxiously.

“Host! Host!”

Song Yu’s black hair was damp with sweat, yet his body felt as uncomfortable as a dehydrated fish as he lifted his head from between his arms. His face was so pale it was almost translucent and his light-colored eyes were dazed. Around him was the darkened auditorium and the cold winter chill that had seeped indoors. Despite this, he felt as though his entire body was on fire, his head dizzy and his throat dry.

008 finally breathed a long sigh of relief when it saw him wake up.

It wanted to repeat its old trick, intending to infuse a faint blue light into Song Yu’s forehead to erase his memory.

However, he was stopped by Song Yu’s cold voice, “It’s useless to constantly erase my memories. I’ll remember sooner or later. You doing this will just make me more and more interested in what happened in the previous life.”

The hand that 008 had stretched out froze in mid-air. There was a complex expression on the system’s face that seemed both sad and on the verge of collapse, “But what’s the use of you remembering?”

Song Yu was becoming a bit delirious with the fever, but his heart was ice cold. Ice and fire clashed and tormented his soul, and he spoke hoarsely, “The entire plot of <Gentle Control> is fake, right? Even in the previous life, things didn’t completely go according to the plot.”

008: “……” It didn’t know what to say anymore and could only mutter glumly, “Wasn’t both times because of you?”

008 continued, “<Gentle Control>’s plot is the direction this world should originally have followed. Xie Sui and Zhao Ziyu are both key figures in this world. They were meant to have missed each other, had misunderstandings, then fallen in love, before finally reaching a happy ending. Who could’ve known that you would show up halfway… Alas.”

Song Yu clenched his fingers around the edge of the table and laughed “You guys are really ridiculous.”

008 had probably given up on saving itself and quietly sat down beside him, “This isn’t something I decided.” 008 tilted its head, “Did you not finish reading <Gentle Control>? You only read up to the point where Xie Sui was imprisoned on the island?”

Song Yu fixed his gaze on the system, “Yes.”

008 began telling him about the plot that unfolded after that point, saying, “Xie Sui was imprisoned on that isolated island, but Zhao Ziyu didn’t do anything to him. He spent his days chatting with him, talking to himself, and even secretly helped him deal with the Xie Family’s affairs.”

“Zhao Ziyu can’t be considered a scumbag. He and Xie Sui used to be sworn enemies in business, but it was just that his personality was arrogant, his words a bit too sharp. He was gentle and affectionate deep down in his bones, and even if he started off working with Qin and Sun to imprison Xie Sui on the island because he couldn’t obtain him, he also directly used some means to put the two of them in prison. In fact, he never hurt Xie Sui.”

“The breakthrough point of their relationship was during a thunderstorm. The Xie Family had been forced into a corner and found their way to the island, wanting to kill Xie Sui, and Zhao Ziyu took a bullet meant for him. Zhao Ziyu hovered on the line between life and death and ended up lying in the hospital ward. Xie Sui went back to A City and received news of your death. You were his old friend from childhood, so he came to your tombstone and recalled the words you’d spoken to him while you were alive. He meditated for a long time and finally decided to let go of the past and cherish the present. He went back to Zhao Ziyu’s hospital bed, and that was how they started falling in love.”

Song Yu couldn’t stop laughing, his tone was sarcastic and mocking, “You guys must be dreaming.”

008 took a deep breath and found it difficult to explain, “Yes, we are dreaming. Do you know what happened at the end of the last life?”

It didn’t wait for a response and continued to itself, “From the time when you returned to A City for Song Wanying’s wedding, the plot began to collapse crazily. The Lord God used their power to force the plot back on track, putting you in the hospital and Xie Sui on the island, but it still collapsed in a mess…”

008’s tone seemed to be both trembling in anger and unable to continue from shock, “Finally––Xie Sui shot Zhao Ziyu!”

When he heard this sentence––

Song Yu wanted to laugh, but he felt too miserable. His chest felt sore and cramped.

008 took another deep breath, “I don’t want to talk about the rest, either.”

The Lord God erased everyone’s memories, and the world entered a new cycle.

Originally, the Lord God had wanted to directly erase Song Yu from the cast of characters, but the rules wouldn’t allow it, and Xie Sui’s consciousness also wouldn’t allow it.

Since he couldn’t be erased, then they could only change the trajectory of his life. The years they spent as childhood friends was the basis for Xie Sui’s turning point and couldn’t be removed, so the only thing that could change was Song Wanying’s wedding. The wedding arrangements in this life had originally been arranged to take place abroad, so that Song Yu wouldn’t return home.

But they hadn’t even needed to go that far.

When Song Yu was six years old, the crazy rainstorm that took place on the same island caused him to remember what had happened in the previous life.

The Lord God was afraid of causing even greater changes and sent Song Yu’s soul to another world, while the system entered Song Yu’s body and took his place to complete the rest of the story.

It even blocked itself away from everyone, closing up and remaining silent in order not to arouse suspicion from others.

But no one could’ve known that Song Yu would come back again.

Towards the end, Song Yu couldn’t even laugh anymore. He was feverish and lying on the table, muttering, “So in the previous life, what exactly was my relationship with Xie Sui.”

He recalled snippets from his dreams. Childhood sweethearts, glimpses at a banquet, a reunion in a hospital ward abroad, and the dream he had today of making a call on a rainy night.

There seemed to be a long section missing in the middle.

Had he forgotten that night on his own?

How would 008 dare to talk about what their relationship was in their previous life? It could only say vaguely, “As far as he’s concerned, you should be a friend he never forgets.”

“A friend?” Song Yu was a little confused as he repeated these two words.

008 bit the bullet and said, “Yes, childhood friends are always precious. Xie Sui really cared about you.”

Song Yu: “Oh.”

008 couldn’t help himself, “In fact, everything inside and outside the book is part of the real world. Who knows what world they’re in? In another world, it may not be a book, but there may also be the same love and hate. Song Yu, think carefully. For you, this world is just a memory from the previous life. You only came over by accident.”

“Your previous life is over, and there’s no need to be so persistent about it. In this life, you have no roots here. Do you remember Song Lan? That’s your real home in this life.”

Song Yu pursed his lips.

008 steeled itself and tried to brainwash him, “You’ll have to leave sooner or later.”

Song Yu: “Is that so?”

008: “We’ll be sending you away soon. There’s no need for you any more no matter how the plot develops. As long as Xie Sui and Zhao Ziyu fall in love, it will be fine. Since you have to leave sooner or later, you should be careful. Besides, Xie Sui is destined to fall in love with Zhao Ziyu. They were born with the power to attract each other, just like how Qin Mo will involuntarily fell in love with Xie Sui. When Zhao Ziyu appears, Xie Sui will fall in love with him. They are both proud sons of heaven, equally outstanding, and equally intelligent. They are fierce rivals, yet also a pair who will love each other deeply for the rest of their lives.”

Song Yu’s entire being was in too much pain, causing his voice to be very low as he sneered, “They love each other so deeply that they shoot at each other first?”

008: “……” Song Yu was always able to make it so angry it wanted to close itself up.

008 refuted anxiously, “In the previous life, that happened because of an accident. Xie Sui is someone who will only fall for someone after he’s spent a lot of time with them, and there hadn’t been enough time for them to get to know each other, that’s all. However, it can’t be denied that they are destined soul mates.”

The words ‘soul mates’ were extremely harsh to Song Yu’s ears.

He was so feverish that his entire self was confused, but he still managed to sneer lazily, “Enough now, if their love is so unstoppable, then why are you constantly stressing that I can’t get together with Xie Sui?”

008: “……”

008 stubbornly said, “That’s because I’m afraid you’ll be too sad when you have to leave. It’s for your own good.”

How could Song Yu possibly believe him? He curled his lips weakly and lay there on the table, his face pale. He muttered, “In that case, I beg your pardon.” That ‘I’m sorry’ that Xie Sui had said to him in his dreams felt like a thorny vine wrapping around his heart. It was painful and saddening.

His light brown eyes were half open and his entire body was sweating from pain. 

He felt confused, yet calm as he enunciated word by word, “I seem to have fallen in love with him already.”

008: “???!!!”

Aaaahhhh! 008 was going to expire from anger!

The system’s eyes grew as big as saucers, and it almost lost its mind.

The faint blue glow that surrounded its virtual body suddenly flared bright, illuminating the entire auditorium for an instant and causing Song Yu to wearily close his eyes.

008’s voice in his ear was shocked, angry, and on the verge of collapse, “You’ve fallen for him?!”

“Do you know what you’re doing?! ––” It was so anxious it was going around in circles, “Ahhhhhh I have to go find the Lord God!”

After Song Yu closed his eyes, his eyelids felt so heavy he was unable to open them up again. All of his strength felt like it had been stripped down to nothing.

.

Xie Sui went home to help Grandmother Chen handle a group of people who had appeared.

The youth’s cold eyebrows and eyes showed no sign of panic when faced with the lawyer and a crowd of bodyguards. He said calmly, “There’s no need to go to so much trouble. Tell Xie Sinian to come and see me directly.”

The lawyer paused for a moment, then bowed. He held onto the documents in his arms and said some things before finally leaving.

Grandmother Chen sat quietly on the sofa. The dim yellow light shone on her silver hair and gave it a gentle glow. She looked at Xie Sui for a long time, sighed silently, then said softly, “Ah-Sui, grandma will support you no matter what you decide.”

Xie Sui was calm as he smiled, “Grandma, go to bed first. I still have to go back to school later.”

Grandmother Chen rubbed her eyes and nodded. Her feet were a bit shaky.

Xie Sui walked over, wanting to help her, then found that Grandmother Chen had gently held down his hand. Her old eyes looked at him quietly, her expression clear and compassionate as she shook her head and said in a low voice, “When your mother first came here, I also gave her advice. Only, she didn’t listen and refused to come out of a dead end. As for you, you absolutely mustn’t follow her path.”

Xie Sui was a bit stunned, but then his eyes, which were shadowed by his long lashes, showed traces of a smile, “I won’t.”

Grandmother Chen sighed again and there was pity in the sound, “Once a person dies, dust returns to dust. She left you behind, and you should not miss her anymore. Separation occurs in the blink of an eye where there’s no fate; everything in the world is thus.”

Separation occurs in the blink of an eye where there’s no fate, come and go freely without fetters.

He walked out of the old and dilapidated building, carrying an umbrella as he stepped onto the street. The sky was coated in dark rain, and the air was damp and cold.

All of a sudden, he really wanted to see Song Yu.

He pulled out his phone and typed in that string of familiar numbers.

Only, for the first time, the phone didn’t connect when he called.

Xie Sui stood there in the rain, his expression gradually growing cold.

Song Yu had already called them on Friday to tell them he wouldn’t be going back.

Xie Sui rushed back to the school apartments. He’d always had the key to Song Yu’s place; Song Yu had felt guilty and given it to him after sleeping in his bed that one time.

But after opening the door, he found that it was dark and quiet inside. 

He had always hated rainy days. Loathed them from the bottom of his heart––especially when it came to this kind of stormy weather.

He contacted everyone who’d been with him that afternoon, including their teacher, piecing together the clues bit by bit.

Xie Sui’s eyes grew deep and cold, and the violent and oppressive emotions that had been suppressed in his heart since his rebirth began to grow wildly.

“He hasn’t been home? I’m the one who called student Song Yu last. Ah, then he might have gotten locked in the auditorium. Don’t the students who close the doors take a look inside first? I’m not at school now, but the security office has a spare key.”

“Thank you, teacher.”

Xie Sui had never even bothered to glance at Qin Mo in his previous life. Even when he finally knelt on the ground at his feet and begged as humbly as a speck of dust, to him, Qin Mo was merely a clown performing a boring comedy.

In this life… Qin Mo had made progress.

He’d finally managed to catch his attention.

Stepping into the auditorium––As expected, cell phone reception had been blocked off.

After pushing open the heavy door, Xie Sui found the youth sleeping in the first row with a glance.

The air was cold and damp, and darkness permeated the world.

Xie Sui walked over slowly, and his gloomy and cold mood calmed evened out slightly.

He crouched down and touched the side of the youth’s face with his hand. The skin under his palm felt scorching hot, like the blood in his veins were burning.

The subtle panic he’d felt finally subsided.

Xie Sui lowered his gaze and leaned in close against his ear, whispering softly, “Yuyu, wake up.”

The author has something to say:
Genius Director Song, do you still not get it?

Butter has something to say:
After taking a break, this chapter hits like a bolt from the blue

xiin: we are back! it’s been a long time. sorry about last year – RL ate me up. 
i’m going to try and finish TLing the novels that i dropped & maybe pick up a few that stayed in my mind over the past year~ i know TIHC did get picked up by another TLer while i was gone, but i really want to complete this gem for myself. in any case, i’m glad to be back & show you guys how Yuyu & Xie Sui finally get together!