Atlas Studios

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  Xia Yanran’s heart thumped.

  Could the injured man be Xiao Yi?

  Xia Yanran hurriedly got off the bed. However, she sucked in a breath from pain the moment her feet touched the ground.

  “Don’t move around yet! You sprained your ankle when you fell down the mountain. Although I already patched you up, you won’t heal that quickly and still have to rest for a few days.”


  Xia Yanran already could not wait to see that injured man.

  “I’m alright. Can you bring me to meet that injured person?”


  The boy shook his head. “My older sister said that that person’s temper is not good and he will injure people.”


  Xia Yanran bit on her lips. She remained silent for a while before she said, “Can we just take a look at him without approaching him?” She took out the necklace she was wearing and passed it to the boy. “If you bring me there, I’ll give this to you.”


  The boy was not willing to accept it, as Xia Yanran continued to force it onto him. “You saved me, this is something you deserve.”


  Under Xia Yanran’s insistence, the boy eventually agreed to bring Xia Yanran to see that injured man.

  It was only when they left the house that Xia Yanran noticed that this was an older and simpler village.

  The boy helped Xia Yanran as they navigated around the village before they arrived by the side of the mountain which was at the end of the village.

  “He wasn’t willing to stay at our house, so he’s living in a cave.”


  With the boy’s help, Xia Yanran arrived at a cave that was only big enough for one person to stay in.

  The cave was a little deep and dark. Xia Yanran could not see anything from outside.

  “I’ll go in to take a look.”


  The boy immediately pulled Xia Yanran back. “He can eat a person when his temper acts up.”


  Xia Yanran waved her hand around. “I’m not afraid.”


  Xia Yanran got a boy to find a thick branch for her, which she used as a walking stick to support her. She then limped into the cave.

  An oil lamp was lit in the cave, and there was a wooden bed in it.

  A man’s tattered black shirt was thrown on the bed.

  Xia Yanran walked towards the bed, her hand reaching out to take that shirt.

  When Xia Yanran saw the exquisite but simple cuff-links on the shirt, Xia Yanran buried her face into the shirt, crying and smiling at the same time.

  The boy outside heard someone approaching and he jumped in surprise before he hurriedly shouted into the cave at Xia Yanran. “Someone is coming, come out quick!”


  “I’m alright, you can go back first!”


  Xia Yanran sat on the bed for a while, before she heard footsteps.

  A man holding onto a bottle of white spirit walked in.

  He was wearing an extremely unfitting white shirt, and she could vaguely see the bandage wrapped around his chest under the shirt.

  He walked into the cave as he drank the alcohol.

  His eyes were empty and dazed.

  He seemed to freeze for a second when he saw the woman sitting on the bed, before he smirked with his face full of stubble. “Xia Yanran, you even came to my dreams?”


  He leaned against the cave wall, staring at her in exhaustion. “You always appear when I’m at my worst.”


  Xia Yanran stared at the man who had lost quite a bit of weight and had red eyes. She sniffled.

  The way he looked now was completely unimaginable from his usually high-up boss that disregarded everyone.

  Xia Yanran suppressed her emotions, as she stood up from the bed and walked towards him.

  However, he avoided her and fell head first on the bed. “Xia Yanran, piss off. Don’t appear in front of me again!”


  He fell asleep, and the alcohol bottle in his hands fell to the floor.

  With his height, a simple wooden bed was not enough to support him. His long legs were bent as his feet rested on the floor.

  Xia Yanran walked to the bed, noticing that some blood had seeped into his bandage.

  With his miserable appearance now, she should really take his belt and whip him ruthlessly so that she can take revenge for the same thing he did to her in the last.

  However, it was a thought that passed as quickly as it came.

  He would probably die faster if she dared to whip him even once.

  Xia Yanran did not leave. She merely found a clean spot and sat down.

  He slept for a very long time.

  It was a full four hours before there was any response from him.

  He opened his eyes and sat up on the bed. His eyes cleared a little, as he looked around the cave before he saw the woman curled up by the corner with her arms hugging her knees as she buried her face into her arms.

  Was he hallucinating?

  “Xia Yanran?”


  Xia Yanran immediately looked up, and her eyes met his.

  His dark eyes were completely red, as his gaze on her felt like he wanted to swallow her.

  “Xia Yanran, it’s really you.”


  The cave was exceptionally humid, especially at night when it was terribly cold.

  Xia Yanran rubbed the goosebumps on her arms as she supported her ankle that still hurt and stood up.

  She limped in front of him.

  She did not say anything, before a loud slap sounded as she slapped his cheek once.

  “Why didn’t you go back if you didn’t die?” She widened her eyes on purpose to make herself look extremely fierce.

  The man clearly did not expect her to be so daring to hit him. He narrowed his eyes as he immediately exuded a dangerous aura.

  “Your adoptive daughter thought that you were dead. After she found your leather shoes, she went back and settled your memorial tablet. She cried so much that she almost stopped breathing.”


  The man stared at her coldly for a few seconds. He clearly wanted to kick her to death, but he did not. He leaned backwards towards the wall, as his lips curled up in scorn. “Were you extremely happy when she almost stopped breathing from crying? I, Xiao Yi, has nine lives like a cat, no one can kill me. Why? Did I disappoint you?”


  Xia Yanran looked up as she laughed out loud, though tears fell from her eyes. “Yes, I’m really disappointed! Why can I never hide from a devil like you no matter where I go?”


  Xiao Yi’s chest heaved up and down as he stared at the sharp-tongued Xia Yanran. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the bed, before he leaned over her. His hands gripped onto her chin as he smiled devilishly. “Why are you so stubborn? You came to the unmarked common grave to look for me specifically, didn’t you? It’s such a coincidence that you also fell off the cliff and happened to be found by someone. Say, Xia Yanran, don’t you think we’re really fated?”


  He was very close to her, as the strong scent of alcohol on him made Xia Yanran furrow her eyebrows tightly. She pushed him with her hands, only to touch his chest injury accidentally.

  However, he did not cry in pain. Instead, he continued to smile devilishly. “Did you miss sleeping with me because you haven’t in a while? Xia Yanran, you had always said one thing but meant another. Although you said you hated me, don’t you love me a lot in your heart? When everyone thought I was dead, you still came to look for me. How much do you want to stay with me?”


  Xia Yanran was indeed extremely angry from his words. However, her rationality was still present, knowing that he was extremely chauvinistic and would never let her accompany through his downs despite being able to share his ups.

  He was chasing her away!

  Xia Yanran stared at his red eyes, as she smirked, “Xiao Yi, how many days has it been since you brushed your teeth for your mouth to be so foul? You’re right, I like you. I’m so happy to see you become like this now. You want me to leave? I won’t leave!”


  Xiao Yi was slightly speechless, “You……”


  He panted angrily, his eyes fierce as if he wanted to blow up at her. However, she moved her arms around his neck and leaned up to kiss him.