Chapter 114: Night |
The man on the sofa furrowed his brows.
Dressed in pajamas, he held a newspaper in his hands, his eyes narrowed slightly as though he hadn’t heard An Yuanyao’s words. His gaze remained fixed on the pages.
After a moment, he turned the page and continued reading.
Seeing that her father hadn’t noticed her, An Yuanyao felt a bit of her unease dissipate. She glanced nervously at him again, then slowly turned around and stepped onto the first stair, holding her breath.
“Where are you going?”
Her movements halted instantly at the sound of her father’s voice behind her.
Her neck turned stiffly, like a rusty hinge, as she forced a sheepish smile.
“I’m going to bed…”
“In the middle of the night, carrying a bag? Does that look like going to bed to you?”
“I was just… just going to get a glass of water.”
After she said this, her father didn’t respond.
An Yuanyao’s nerves tightened as she watched him, but he remained focused on his newspaper.
As the seconds ticked by, her anxiety grew.
Finally, he folded the paper in half, then in half again, setting it down on the coffee table in front of him.
Looking up at his daughter from across the room, their eyes met. He could see the panic in hers.
Having raised her, he knew her thoughts all too well.
After a moment of thought, he let out a sigh.
“You haven’t changed a bit.”
“Dad…”
“Go back to bed. Stay home properly for now. After your brother’s child’s celebration banquet, your mother and I will take you to meet the person you’ve been talking about.”
Hearing this, An Yuanyao’s face turned pale.
She knew that if her parents came along, her lie would be exposed.
Because Liu Changqing didn’t exist.
When that happened…
Memories of her father’s sternness from childhood flashed through her mind, filling her with dread.
Her words came out before she could filter them.
“Dad! I can go back on my own. You and Mom don’t need to—”
“Nonsense!”
Her father’s abrupt interruption cut her off.
The sudden scolding made her flinch, her neck shrinking back slightly.
Standing up from the sofa, her father strode over in just a few steps, his face stern.
“I’ve never interfered with your decisions before. How many mistakes do you plan to make before you stop?”
“Dad, this time—”
“There’s no need to say more. We’ll do as I’ve said. When the time comes, we’ll go with you.”
Looking into his daughter’s eyes, he narrowed his own.
“And meet this… Liu Changqing.”
Sitting at his desk, Liu Changqing stopped typing on his keyboard, interlaced his fingers, and stretched his arms above his head with a long yawn.
He turned to look at the bed.
His son lay on his side, eyes closed, sleeping soundly.
Checking the time on his computer, he noted it was 12:24 a.m.
It’s a bit late… he thought to himself. Yet he didn’t feel very sleepy.
His gaze lingered on the screen for a while, his thoughts drifting.
After a while, he stood up quietly, careful not to let his footsteps disturb his son’s rest.
Reaching the door, he opened it silently and slipped outside, gently closing it behind him.
In the dim light of the living room, illuminated only faintly by the moonlight, Liu Changqing surveyed his surroundings.
He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and walked over to the window.
He thought back to his first cigarette in his past life, when he initially resisted smoking because he saw his college roommates doing it.
Back then, he had no interest in smoking.
It wasn’t until late nights of overtime in his senior year that he understood why people picked up the habit.
Sometimes smoking wasn’t just smoking—it was a way for a man to deal with his frustrations.
After finishing a cigarette, no matter what troubles weighed him down, he could regain his composure and face the world with a smile.
Everyone wears a mask, or perhaps… lives beneath one.
Liu Changqing’s gaze shifted to the window.
Tonight’s moon seemed brighter than usual.
Flicking off some ash, he took another drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke. Then, his eyes fell on the plastic bottle his daughter had left on the windowsill.
Inside the bottle, two tadpoles with small legs swam energetically, even at night.
He stared at the bottle, conflicted.
Why not just let them go? They were so lively…
But then, an idea crossed his mind.
Salt.
It dissolves in water, is colorless but has taste. And who would be bored enough to taste tadpole water?
A perfect plan to kill the tadpoles unnoticed.
Liu Changqing’s expression hardened with resolve. He tossed his cigarette out the window, then strode purposefully toward the kitchen.
Finding a small container of salt, he scooped out a spoonful and carried it to the windowsill in his palm.
Standing by the window, Liu Changqing extended his hand, ready to sprinkle the salt into the water.
“Click.”
The sound of a door opening broke the silence.
Startled, Liu Changqing reflexively flung the salt out the window and turned to see who had entered.
By the moonlight streaming in, he recognized Lan Yixian.
With her back to the light, she couldn’t clearly see who stood by the window.
She stepped closer until she could make out his face.
“Liu Changqing? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?” she asked in a low voice, surprised but careful not to wake anyone.
“Just… moon-gazing,” Liu Changqing replied calmly, pulling his hand back and brushing off the remaining salt.
The motion puzzled Lan Yixian.
She glanced at the moon outside, then back at Liu Changqing, who was still rubbing his hands together.
“Did you touch something dirty? You’ve been… brushing your hands like crazy,” she remarked, her tone filled with confusion.
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