Wang Ren told me that I hadn't won yet. This filled me with a vague sense of unease. At this pace, we were all just pawns in Teacher Wang Ren's game...
Later, Teacher Wang Ren left first, and I sat alone in the tea house, drinking tea. If Chang Dachun had truly killed someone, would I have saved him? To be honest, I hadn't considered it. No matter what, I would have saved him. I wouldn't allow someone as righteous and loyal as Chang Dachun to be ruined by a traitor.
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Just as I was having my sixth cup of tea, someone pushed open the door, their face bearing the oily smile unique to men from the northwest. Frankly, seeing him, I was perplexed and blurted out, "Ke Yingying, what are you doing here?"
Ke Yingying was also a peculiar individual. He was the one who told me that Sister Han was Teacher Wang Ren's informant. I believed his actions were undeniably linked to Li Feng's affair, but he had too little contact with me. The intelligence wasn't enough to tell me what role Ke Yingying played in Li Feng's situation.
To be honest, I didn't want Ke Yingying to show up right now. I needed to focus on rescuing Chang Dachun.
In response to my question, Ke Yingying didn't speak. He simply sat down, picked up a new teacup, and unceremoniously poured himself a cup of tea.
"The Boss, just asking for a cup of tea."
That was indeed a familiar address. However, ever since Xiao Zi'an had become An Xiaoyue, the 'Four-Color Old K' had bid farewell to this martial world, and I hadn't heard this address in a long time.
Even though Ke Yingying hadn't answered my question, I became interested in his arrival. "Your appearance reminds me of a word."
"What word?" Ke Yingying asked me back.
"Psychological labyrinth." I uttered these four words with great seriousness.
"Really? Isn't that my professional skill?" Ke Yingying replied with a smile. This answer was as good as no answer. I could only ask, "Is Chang Dachun's matter related to you?"
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"Yes!"
Ke Yingying answered frankly.
As expected...
Ke Yingying took a sip of tea and continued, "Boss, this tea is excellent. Let's be frank. If Professor Wang Ren told you that Chang Dachun might have really killed someone, then she is destined to lose."
"Why?"
"Because I can prove that Chang Dachun didn't kill anyone."
"If not Chang Dachun, then who?"
"It was me!"
"You?"
I could hardly believe my ears and looked at Ke Yingying in surprise. Ke Yingying smiled and said, "Boss, would you like to hear a story?"
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Hearing this, I smiled calmly. "It seems everyone likes to tell stories lately."
"Because we are all people living in stories, and all our desperate efforts are just to find a good ending within them."
"That's a profound statement."
"Let's hear the story first. It's not mine, it's Xiao Zi'an's, no, An Xiaoyue's."
...
An Xiaoyue abandoned her habit of disguising herself as old or ugly. After a brief rest, she transformed into a mature and beautiful woman, prettily obtaining a marriage certificate with Chang Dachun.
This was a transactional marriage. There was no love between them. They decided to live together purely for the sake of their children.
Chang Dachun had a daughter, and An Xiaoyue had a son.
After getting married, An Xiaoyue placed a photo of herself alone in a wedding dress in the bedroom. However, hidden behind this framed photo was another picture of a delicate-looking girl.
The photo had no name, but she was the person An Xiaoyue could never forget.
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Her name was Xuanxuan.
Xuanxuan and Xiao Zi'an were an unspeakable secret. Xuanxuan was a typical southern girl, with delicate features, large and expressive eyes, and she liked to wear her hair in two braids and loved anime.
Perhaps due to being hurt twice in her past relationships, Xuanxuan was particularly resistant to men.
Later, she met Xiao Zi'an. They hit it off immediately, watching movies together and decorating their room with an anime theme.
Because of Xiao Zi'an, Xuanxuan likely came out of her romantic heartbreak. She became cheerful and lively again, dressing herself up like a princess every day. Because of this, many suitors began to appear around Xuanxuan.
Once, a man holding a microphone connected to an outdoor speaker, in front of many people, confessed his love to Xuanxuan. He said, "Xuanxuan, stay away from that tomboy. I am your true love. I will love you forever, and I want you to have my children."
Xiao Zi'an was with Xuanxuan that day. Hearing the man speak, Xiao Zi'an was filled with rage and truly wanted to rush up and smash the man's face into pulp.
However, Xiao Zi'an turned to look at Xuanxuan. Xuanxuan's face was flushed red, and she was smiling shyly.
So, Xuanxuan liked this kind of man. Xiao Zi'an thought this and then let go of Xuanxuan's hand and left.
Upon returning, Xiao Zi'an felt particularly uncomfortable. She went to drink, to the point of vomiting while hugging a roadside tree. Xuanxuan walked over and helped Xiao Zi'an by patting her back.
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Xiao Zi'an pushed Xuanxuan's hand away and said loudly, "Stay away from me. I don't like you anymore."
"Did you ever like me?"
Xuanxuan asked with a smile.
At this moment, Xiao Zi'an realized she had been tricked. The man who had shouted so loudly in the street with a microphone was hired by Xuanxuan. A dignified schemer had been deceived by a kind girl. This love was something she had never spoken aloud because it was forbidden.
...
After that day, they confirmed their relationship and moved overseas. Later, they wanted a child, so they had a test-tube baby. Although this infant carried Ke Yingying's genes, because of Xuanxuan, Xiao Zi'an always treated the child as her son.
The subsequent events, I am aware of.
After enduring so much hardship, Xiao Zi'an changed her identity and, under the name An Xiaoyue, married Chang Dachun, starting a new life. An Xiaoyue had always believed she wouldn't accept a man, but for her son, she accepted this engagement with a clear conscience. No matter what, she had to protect her son as he grew up.
After getting married, An Xiaoyue abandoned her previous short haircut. She used to have short hair because she needed various wigs for her disguises. Now, things were different. She was no longer the versatile Xiao Zi'an; she was An Xiaoyue, an ordinary housewife. Thus, An Xiaoyue grew her hair long.
She cooked for the children every day and also prepared meals for Chang Dachun. Although, on some nights, An Xiaoyue and Chang Dachun would also engage in marital relations, An Xiaoyue considered it a mere formality.
She couldn't let Chang Dachun feel like he was unmarried just because of her issues.
However, neither of them noticed that their relationship had gradually changed. When the children were not around, Chang Dachun would embrace An Xiaoyue from behind while she was cooking, burying his head in her long hair and whispering meaningless words to her. She found it ticklish and would often giggle.
Slowly, An Xiaoyue seemed to truly become An Xiaoyue. She was no longer the versatile schemer and no longer transformed into other people's appearances. As a housewife, in her leisure time, she would mend and patch clothes for the children, attending to their daily needs. Occasionally, she would sit on the sofa and enjoy her free time, but she never forgot to text Chang Dachun, reminding him to take his blood pressure medication and drink less.
Unbeknownst to them, the photo in her bedroom had changed. It was now a wedding photo of her and Chang Dachun.
Every family has a different starting point, a different destiny, but in the end, they all walk the same path. The mundane, bothersome, yet inseparable daily life.
...
In recent days, An Xiaoyue noticed that Chang Dachun was acting strangely. He would often sit on the sofa in a daze, sometimes sighing.
"What's wrong, Old Chang? Something on your mind?"
"No!"
Chang Dachun denied it flusteredly. However, later that night, Chang Dachun was still lost in thought, unable to sleep, tossing and turning.
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An Xiaoyue sat up, turned on the light, and then pulled Chang Dachun's arm, lying in his embrace. "Tell me, what happened with Tang Nan again?"
Chang Dachun recounted recent events, mentioning Li Feng and the bet between me and Teacher Wang Ren.
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"I know Tang Nan. He's been deliberately avoiding me lately."
"Why?"
"There were three people in that bet, weren't there? I think I'm one of them."
An Xiaoyue was astonished. She tilted her head up, looked at Chang Dachun's chin, and asked earnestly, "Would you kill someone?"
"Under specific circumstances, yes."
An Xiaoyue still didn't quite understand and asked, bewildered, "What do you mean by 'specific circumstances'?"
"Second Brother always brags that he would go through fire and water for Tang Nan, that he could kill a professional killer in a narrow passage. That's his courage and friendship. I can do the same."
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"There aren't that many killers in this world?"
"The situation might be different, but the objective is the same. Actually, I understand Tang Nan. He only appears strong; in reality, he can't contend with Wang Ren."
"We can't contend either. Wang Ren is Senior Sister Li Jiu's disciple. The fact that she can play dumb shows she's shrewd. When such a person is low-key, we should be cautious. When they are high-profile, we should stay even further away."
"Let's take it one step at a time. Let's sleep!"
...
Chang Dachun was determined to leave his fate to chance, but An Xiaoyue had no intention of doing so. Thus, she prepared to re-enter the world.
To this end, An Xiaoyue found Ke Yingying. She persuaded him with a single sentence: "The current home is very good for our son's psychological and physical development. For our son, we must preserve this home."
A home needs a pillar of support. No matter how formidable Xiao Zi'an was as a schemer, she was now content with this home. Furthermore, her positioning was clear: the pillar of this home was Chang Dachun. To preserve this home, she had to prevent Chang Dachun from making any mistakes. Thus, An Xiaoyue asked Ke Yingying to follow Chang Dachun, and whatever Chang Dachun intended to do, Ke Yingying had to take his place.
...
Hearing this, I didn't know what to say. After thinking about it carefully, I asked, "You followed Big Brother Chang every day. Didn't he suspect anything?"
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"With Xiao Zi'an's makeup skills, I was a different person every day. How could Chang Dachun possibly discern that?"
"If that's the case, let me ask you a heartfelt question, and I want the honest answer. Did Chang Dachun kill anyone?"
"No."
"Do you have proof?"
"Yes. If there wasn't proof, wouldn't this person have been killed in vain?"
With that, Ke Yingying handed me a USB drive. I looked at him. "Proof?"
"What happened that day was all recorded on video."