Covet

Chapter 12: Ending Chapter 1

　　I slowly pushed open the door, and inside, Zhang Shuxian was facing the door. He lowered his head, clutched the blue work cap, fingers deforming it while unbuttoning his clothes. He glanced up at me, took off the work uniform, and lowered his voice, saying, "Close the door."

I shut the door, staring at the box on the floor. I whispered, "You're really a weirdo."

"Aren't you?"

I exhaled a long breath, involuntarily shook my head. I wanted to smoke but resisted the urge. I crouched down and opened the box. Zhong Li lay inside with lifeless eyes, the back of his hand was swollen, and a large section of the intravenous tube on his hand was filled with back flowing blood. I raised the IV bag and looked at his pale lips and dried tear streaks, feeling incredibly sad.

"He's like this and still willing to follow you."

Why?

Zhang Shuxian had hinted to me repeatedly: Zhong Li took something of his, and refused to return it. In their relationship, he was the disadvantaged one, and was forced to fight back. However, his actions appeared much more ruthless than Zhong Li's. Zhong Li loved him, and after being stabbed by him, he didn't retaliate. Zhang Shuxian didn't even get blood on him during the incident. Zhong Li at that time, didn't actually lose his mobility to the extent that he even attacked Xiao Ran later. According to witnesses at the hospital, he didn't come out this time because he was kidnapped; he ran away by himself. What method did Zhang Shuxian use to get him out? I guessed it was simply through love.

And he intended to kill with that love.

　　I said to Zhang Shuxian, "You have followed me or placed a listening device on me. Otherwise, you wouldn't have found me so quickly, and you wouldn't know that Zhong Li is still alive. Since you know that what you want is in my hands, why not just ask me directly? Why are you still tying Zhong Li up? Do you want him dead?"

"If I asked you, you wouldn't give it to me so easily," Zhang Shuxian chuckled. "You've asked me many questions, and you want answers to each one. I thought you might want to make a deal with me, asking me to tell you everything that happened recently. Unfortunately, those are things that Xiao Ran doesn't want you to know. I brought you here for a private exchange. As for me and Zhong Li, it's not something for you to intervene in."

I still held the IV bag, watching the red color recede back into Zhong Li's body through the IV tube. I reached into my pocket with my left hand and tossed the USB drive to Zhang Shuxian.

Zhang Shuxian caught it, opened the casing, took out a lighter, and started to burn the chip.

After getting what he wanted, he began to lay everything out for me: "A year ago, I was renovating a house in Zhongcheng Community. To check where it's suitable to install an air conditioning unit outside the bedroom, I jumped onto the adjacent balcony. There, I saw a telescope hidden behind the curtain. That telescope wasn't aimed at the sky, observing the few stars left in the polluted city's airspace. Through that telescope, I saw you. I'm sorry I didn't choose to report it... Later, I found out that the stalker, whom I had encountered, was one of the leaders in the circle where Zhongli hangs out. Zhongli was very afraid of him. I wanted to use this secret as leverage to make him help me retrieve the things, but he refused. Later, I looked for an opportunity and left his phone number with you, thinking that if you called, he would definitely want to answer, but he couldn't answer unless he came back to me and finish this drama. But I miscalculated. You probably never made that call. So, I framed you. If Xiao Ran didn't cooperate with me, you would have spent even more time in jail."

　"When did you discover I was stalking you?"

"When I realized that the person he was stalking was just someone who lacked love and was lonely, I tried all means to get close to you, to make you notice me. I was the one who followed you first. How could I not sense how you were paying attention to me?"

"Boring." It was too boring. All of us were full of lies, with malicious intentions, using any means necessary to achieve our goals.

He walked over, glanced at Zhong Li, then unnaturally turned his face away. "If Xiao Ran is just a possessive stalker regarding you, it's indeed boring. You're together, maybe I have to congratulate you. Unfortunately, he might not really like you."

"You're talking nonsense." The fire within my heart was ignited, and my head felt a bit dizzy.

"I just heard it from Zhong Li. You once stole business secrets from Mr. Xiao's company and sold them for just a few million, but almost caused the company to go bankrupt, resulting in losses of tens of millions. It led to the bank seizing the Xiao family's villa, which was auctioned off. His father had finally made a comeback, but the capital chain problem emerged again. I think it's time for you to return those few million. Those millions are owed." Zhang Shuxian covered the box again, put on his hat, and smiled at me. "Alright, the deal ends here."

"Hold on." I pressed down on the box, staring at him seriously. "I want to keep Zhong Li's alive."

"His life is mine." He pried my hand away and took the IV bag from my other hand.

"Are you going to commit another crime? What's in that USB drive is not just some privacy, right? I guess it contains evidence that could land you in jail. Zhong Li kept it because he wanted to keep you by his side."

　　"If you speak in more detail, accidentally revealing the contents inside, you might find yourself curled up in the box too."

My gaze flickered. "I won't go into details. I haven't opened it."

"That's for the best."

"Look at you, this vicious appearance, full of hostility, extreme, habitual lying, unclean background, unclear whereabouts. Besides him, who would love you? Must you destroy him?"

"He knows what's inside the USB drive. Either die, or stay by my side for the rest of his life." Zhang Shuxian spoke softly. "He chose to stay with me for the rest of his life. Do you understand?"

I withdrew my hand. "I understand."

Zhang Shuxian said, "If it's wise, first, take care of yourself."

My phone rang, and Xiao Ran said, "I'm outside the door."

Zhang Shuxian's knife pressed against my waist. I slightly opened the door, stepped out, and grabbed Xiao Ran's wrist outside the door, quickly walking down the stairs. When we reached downstairs, I let go of his hand, curling my fingers into the palm of my hand.

"Xiao Ran, you said at the hospital that you forgave me." I shook my head. "I'll give you back the money. You don't need to forgive me."

"So many years have passed, and you haven't touched that money. It has depreciated." He stroked my hair. "You must be regretful for not being able to save the person you wanted to save, right?"

　　"He knew everything yet was willing to play along with me. When I lied to him, he said he believed me. I don't want to recall the events that happened so many years ago. I subconsciously try to forget. My only relative didn't receive timely treatment and passed away. The huge sum of money came only after his death. It was just a pile of paper I dare not use.

"Shen Junyang, the journey of life is very lonely." He held my hand again. "Like the time in high school when I went alone to the mountain to watch the snow, so lonely, so long, yet I had no choice but to do it. Can you… put up with it and accompany me to walk?"

"I also remember when you insisted on going to see the snow in high school. Why didn't that person go? Did she explain it to you?"

"I didn't actually have a date with him. I just thought he would follow me, as usual. Because he always silently followed me, checking whether I went to school, where I spent my leisure time, and if I came home late. But that time, he had plans with his friend to have hotpot at home." Xiao Ran looked at me and said, "I could see that he liked his friend. Why does he always fall for people who seem honest, simple, and work manual jobs? If I worked as a restaurant waiter, would he fall for me?"

"Don't say any more." The person he was talking about was me.

Xiao Ran asked me, "When will it be my turn? When will your gaze be solely on me, like in the beginning when you took care of me? Sometimes I don't know which one of us is more pitiful. None of the people you like reciprocate your feelings. But I only like you, and I won't have another chance."