Chapter 148 Chapter 148 The Original Ending
Chapter 148 The Original Ending
She cleaned herself, tidied her appearance.
Chi Xiaocheng again covered her scarred face, carrying a mix of nervousness, anticipation, and resentment towards Ye Liang, as she arrived before Su Tao's hospital room.
Ye Liang stood beside her, stooping and threatening, "You know what to say and what not to say. Because you hurt her, her treatment isn't looking good."
"Once she gets angry, agitated, it could lead to the worst possible outcome!"
"And I, I can even choose not to save her. If you cooperate this time, I might just let you go."
In the dream, Chi Xiaocheng pursed her lips, looked at Ye Liang, and nodded forcefully.
But it caused Su Tao, the mere observer, an unbearable heartache.
"No, Xiaocheng, Ye Liang is lying, don't agree to him!"
Yet no matter how much she cried out, a dream was just a dream. And she was merely a spectator.
The Chi Xiaocheng within the dream simply couldn't hear her words.
No matter how she reached out, Chi Xiaocheng had already walked into the hospital room.
After a long separation, she encountered the dream-version of Su Tao once more.
Seeing the haggard expression of the person on the hospital bed, Chi Xiaocheng panicked, her mind became a tangled mess, and she no longer knew how to begin what she had planned to say.
She stammered and stuttered, like a child who had done something wrong.
Just as she was about to speak, she saw Su Tao turn away in a fluster, seemingly ashamed of her scarred face, unwilling to let anyone see it.
A detached voice slowly spoke, "Why are you still here?"
All the myriad words she wished to speak were choked back at that moment.
Chi Xiaocheng looked up, and beneath the hood that covered her face, the light in her eyes seemed to be slowly diminishing.
She took a step forward, speaking incoherently, "Taotao, it's not like that... I didn't mean to hurt you, I just... I just wanted to protect you, I..."
Su Tao kept her back to Chi Xiaocheng, not showing her full face, her voice still flat, "You should go."
It sounded like a rejection. It didn't even allow for an explanation.
Chi Xiaocheng stretched out her hand, wanting to try her best to grasp the figure with its back to her.
But Taotao, she doesn't even want to see me anymore... What's the use of holding onto her?
It would only make her sadder, only hurt her more.
Perhaps my leaving is what's best for Taotao?
The hand she had stretched out ultimately dropped powerlessly.
Chi Xiaocheng lowered her head, pulling at her hood with her index finger and thumb.
The brim of her hood completely obscured her broken face, and hid her heart as well.
"I'm sorry."
A myriad of emotions swelled within her, finally condensing into just those three words.
She turned, dragging her heavy steps towards the door.
Among those present, Chi Xiaocheng departed in disappointment, Ye Liang was sneering, while the dream-version of Su Tao, with her back to Chi Xiaocheng, had her gaze fixed on the small mirror by the counter.
The mirror reflected Chi Xiaocheng's lonely retreating figure.
Only Su Tao, only she, the observer, understood that this was all a misunderstanding.
She wanted to reach out and pull the little girl, but her transparent hand passed directly through Chi Xiaocheng.
Tears streamed down her face, and her lips murmured.
"It's not like this, it's not like this."
"Xiaocheng, turn around and look, look at my face, I don't hate you, how could I possibly hate you!"
"Please, turn back and say a few more words, won't you?"
"I just... I just didn't want you to see my scarred face, didn't want you to feel guilty, didn't want you to be sad, and after seeing you safe and sound, that's why I let you go!"
"This 'me' in the dream was just afraid that if I looked at you for even a moment longer, I wouldn't be able to resist wanting to hug you, afraid you would see my weak side!"
Yet no matter how loudly she cried out, Chi Xiaocheng could not hear her.
She had already reached the door, and looked back one last time at the figure by the bed.
"That 'me' in the dream, that 'me' by the bed, turn around... please turn around!"
"Xiaocheng is looking at us, she needs us!"
Tears blurred her vision, and her voice gradually grew hoarse.
Chi Xiaocheng's last hope transformed into true despair.
After that final glance, came eternal separation.
Su Tao could not interfere with the dream's progression; Chi Xiaocheng had already left with Ye Liang.
Then, just outside the door, a scream echoed.
Su Tao hurried to the doorway, only to see Chi Xiaocheng, who had somehow produced a small knife, stab Ye Liang in the waist with a savage expression, as if intent on dying together with Ye Liang.
However, Ye Liang was an adult man, strong and healthy, while she was merely a frail girl, severely malnourished and lacking proper rest.
Like an enraged lion, Ye Liang clutched his waist and swept his leg, sending Chi Xiaocheng sprawling to the side.
By the time the dream-version of Su Tao reached the doorway because of the sound, Ye Liang was painfully clutching his stomach.
And Chi Xiaocheng, like a successful culprit, fled in disarray.
"I knew her stubborn nature hadn't changed, and her obedience was all an act. She actually tried to kill me just now!"
Ye Liang, using his injury, continuously manipulated the dream-version of Su Tao's thoughts, "Su Tao, is this your so-called good friend? I've been so good to you, and even to her, even forgiving her all this time, giving her food, clothes, and shelter, and she still tried to kill me!"
Every word was like a nail, driven into the dream-version of Su Tao's heart.
The nails vibrated, telling her that this was no longer the Xiaocheng she knew.
Memories of months of mutual hostility born from misunderstanding continuously assailed her, finally settling on the dark room.
The knife slicing her cheek, piercing her chest. Pain etched into her soul.
A look of disappointment, guided little by little by Ye Liang, gradually crept onto the dream-version of Su Tao's face.
No matter how much the real Su Tao, the observer, shouted beside her, she could not awaken this version of herself, whose eyes had already been blinded.
Ultimately, she could only glare at Ye Liang with hatred.
She looked at this hypocrite whom she had once thought rather decent.
The dream continued, and Cheng Tao had completely become two parallel lines that would never intersect again.
The injured Ye Liang, no longer bothering to conceal himself, began a full-scale manhunt for Chi Xiaocheng.
The events in the dream unfolded completely opposite to reality.
Dongfang Yang, who had a good relationship with Chi Xiaocheng in reality, was one of those who disliked her in the dream.
Si Chen, who occasionally spoke up for Chi Xiaocheng, was even less likely to interfere in this "farce."
Chen Qian and Xiao Wei, who leaned towards her, knew nothing as ordinary people.
Xiaocheng herself had few friends.
Without Su Tao, it was as if the entire world had abandoned her.
She barely clung to life, finally caught by Ye Liang.
Abuse, mistreatment. Ye Liang forced Chi Xiaocheng to write a suicide note for Su Tao, but Chi Xiaocheng knew Ye Liang merely wanted to exploit her.
No matter how much pain she endured, she never begged for mercy.
She was beaten until she was on her last breath, beyond recognition.
The dream-version of Su Tao, belatedly realizing, began to search for the missing Chi Xiaocheng.
Clues gradually led to Ye Liang's subordinates.
Chi Xiaocheng could no longer be hidden, so he simply threw her into the sea, letting her drown alive.
After all, she was just a stray cat hiding in the trash, unwanted by anyone.
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