TBWE Chapter 19

The Ring

After returning home, Chu Li began running a high fever.

Most of each day was spent in unconscious sleep. She slept very restlessly, with bizarre and surreal dreams, often hearing the blood in her body boiling and her bones being broken inch by inch, then reshaped.

In her daze, she felt someone wiping her sweat, feeding her water and food, changing her sweat-soaked pajamas.

“Mom…”

Chu Li murmured softly. A hand grasped hers – its temperature was low, like a cooling patch at just the right temperature. She turned over and pressed her face against it.

That hand stiffened for a moment, then remained still, allowing her to lean against it.

Gradually, more cool and soft things began to wrap around her from her toes, like vines enveloping her.

Chu Li sank into an ocean of cool softness.

This illness came on fiercely, and it wasn’t until three days later that her fever completely subsided.

The cool, soft sensation felt like a dream. When Chu Li woke up, her body was clean and refreshed. Though she felt somewhat weak, her spirits were good – quite different from how she usually felt after a fever.

An unexpected person sat by her bed. Seeing her wake up, their eyes brightened slightly.

“Li Bao…” Xin Tong instinctively wanted to take her hand, but just before touching it, remembering past events, she awkwardly stopped the motion.

“How did you get here?” Chu Li instinctively scanned the room. “Did he let you in?”

Xin Tong helped her sit up and handed her a glass of water. “I’ve been messaging you recently, but you never replied. I was worried something had happened, so I went to Huo Xiu’s villa to look for you. No one was there, so I found this place. He said you’d been sick for several days and let me in. Come on, drink some water.”

Chu Li drank most of the glass in one gulp, lowering her eyes to avoid Xin Tong’s gaze. “I’m fine. You should go back. Don’t come looking for me anymore.”

Her life was already a mess, and she didn’t want to drag innocent people into it.

“I’m not leaving.” Xin Tong firmly grasped her hand. “I know I did something wrong, but from beginning to end, I’ve always genuinely considered you my best friend. If you’re in trouble, I can’t just stand by and watch.”

The room’s curtains were half-open, with bright, gentle light.

Chu Li looked at her, remembering many past times.

They had known each other for so long – more than half of her past life had Xin Tong’s participation.

“Tong Tong, I don’t blame you.”

The one to blame was Huo Xiu, the instigator of everything, not Xin Tong, who had been just starting middle school and naive about the world back then.

“I just hope you’ll be well and stay away from these matters. I have no family left.” Chu Li smiled at her with curved eyes. “I don’t want to lose my friend too.”

Xin Tong took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling, trying to force back the surging tears.

Just as Chu Li was about to get tissues for her, her palm suddenly felt a bit itchy.

A finger moved secretively in her palm, slowly writing several characters.

——‘Taoist Ming Wei contacted me. Found an expert. There’s hope for a breakthrough.’

Chu Li froze like a sculpture, only able to stare at her in a daze.

That finger continued writing.

——‘Keep Him stable. Don’t let Him notice.’

“Li Li, is there anywhere on your body that still feels uncomfortable?”

A voice inserted itself without warning.

Xi Chu placed a light, delicate lunch on the nightstand and stood behind Xin Tong, a faint smile at the corners of his lips, his gaze falling calmly on their clasped hands.

A scream rose to Xin Tong’s lips, but she swallowed it down forcibly. The hair on her back stood on end, and she had the illusion she might be killed by that gaze.

Before coming, Taoist Ming Wei had already informed her through her phone about part of the truth regarding “Huo Xiu.” She also learned that the person beside her friend was no longer Huo Xiu, but a terrifying, unknown existence.

Cold sweat slid down her neck into her back. Xin Tong quickly released Chu Li’s hand, and only then did the gaze behind her slowly move away.

“I, I won’t disturb you two anymore.” She stood up, yielding the bedside position, not daring to look aside even an inch, enduring the oppressive feeling as she continued, “Tomorrow… I’ll come see you again.”

The latter half of her sentence burned through Xi Chu’s already thin patience.

He had tolerated Xin Tong’s presence today, guessing that Chu Li might feel better seeing her after waking from her long illness.

But the greedy human wanted to come again tomorrow.

“No—”

Chu Li quickly cut off his words, grasping Xin Tong’s cold, sweaty hand, smiling with curved eyes. “Good, come tomorrow.” Then she looked at Xi Chu, her tone slightly reproachful, “What are you doing? You came in without making a sound and scared Tong Tong.”

The terrifying oppressive feeling behind Xin Tong gradually withdrew, like a ferocious monster forcibly retracting its claws.

His gaze fixed on their clasped hands, the gentle expression on his face as fake and stiff as a sticker. “Li Li, you just recovered from a fever. You need to rest quietly.”

At the foot of the bed facing the vanity table was a pure white folder with the gold-embossed logo of a wedding planning studio.

Several planning proposals were tucked inside.

Chu Li’s gaze withdrew from the folder, and she smiled slightly. “Tong Tong is my best friend. Since we’re getting engaged, of course I need to discuss the decoration details with her. She’s a photographer, after all.”

“She’s coming to see me tomorrow. Is that not okay?”

She said something quite impactful in the calmest tone.

****

Xi Chu escorted the stumbling Xin Tong out and politely reminded her to watch the steps.

His attitude was completely different from before.

“Oh, oh… okay.” Xin Tong held onto the door frame as she left, forcing a stiff smile. “Then I’ll come see Li Bao tomorrow?”

Xi Chu nodded, impatiently closed the door, and without a moment’s delay, appeared at the bedroom door in an instant.

Afternoon sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The slender figure leaned against the headboard, quietly eating.

Her black hair made her profile appear as beautiful and tranquil as white jade.

Though her spirits were good after waking from illness, her body felt weak all over. She ate very slowly, taking small sips of the light, fresh chicken soup.

“Let me.” Slender fingers took over the bowl and spoon.

Xi Chu held the spoon to feed her, one spoonful after another, showing no sign of resistance from her.

His gaze unconsciously followed her soft lips as they opened and closed.

His mind was completely filled with what Chu Li had just said. His gaze grew increasingly intense, and the shadows lurking throughout the house stirred restlessly, wishing they could immediately build a nest of flesh and blood to wrap her inside.

The spoon touched the bottom of the bowl with a “ding.” His Adam’s apple rolled several times, his gaze containing bone-chilling joy.

“Li Li, you said you’re willing to get engaged to me. Is it true?”

Chu Li’s hands under the covers secretly clenched into fists. She lowered her eyes to avoid his too-burning gaze. “Mm, it’s true.”

Burning joy poured over Xi Chu’s heart.

But soon, he calmed down.

Last time, she had also deceived him like this. So this time, was it genuine?

Xi Chu cupped her face, staring intently into those beautiful eyes. “Li Li, why did you suddenly change your mind?”

“Even if I don’t change my mind, will the engagement ceremony in two weeks be canceled?”

Xi Chu was silent for a moment, then answered honestly. “No.”

He wouldn’t hurt Chu Li, but he had to keep her bound to his side.

“Since the facts can’t be changed, then I choose to accept them.” Chu Li met his gaze. “Besides, you won’t hurt me, will you?”

“Yes, I won’t hurt you.” Xi Chu slowly pressed his forehead against hers, his expression gentle, more vivid than any other moment. “Never. As long as you don’t leave again.”

Chu Li gazed at the extraordinarily handsome shell before her, realizing that this monster truly liked her.

But could monsters have hearts too?

Could they possess human emotions too?

She remembered their embrace from a few days ago, his transition from slightly clumsy to skilled comfort.

Out of some indescribable emotion – perhaps guilt, perhaps compensation – she closed her eyes and lifted her head to lightly touch his lips.

With a kiss so light it couldn’t be lighter, she gave her answer.

****

The engagement ceremony began intensive preparations.

Xin Tong would come by from time to time. The two would huddle together to discuss plans, deciding to hold the ceremony at the Chu family villa.

She served as a message relay station, responsible for passing along Taoist Ming Wei’s words to Chu Li, then reporting Chu Li’s situation back to Taoist Ming Wei.

After agreeing to the engagement, Xi Chu’s possessiveness toward Chu Li only increased.

The closer the time drew, the more intense this possessiveness became. He wished he could watch her every moment, or repeatedly review the procedures he had already confirmed countless times.

Chu Li looked it up online – he might have “pre-marital anxiety.”

Five days before the engagement, the company had an important meeting that the chairman couldn’t miss.

Xi Chu brought Chu Li to the company. They walked hand-in-hand through the office area, drawing repeated glances from employees.

She was settled in the break room. Xi Chu repeatedly instructed her not to wander around before reluctantly going to the meeting.

Following his boss’s instructions, Assistant Lin arranged an elegant afternoon tea spread and adjusted the projector before standing guard outside the door.

The break room had one wall of pure glass. Even with the blinds drawn, one could still vaguely see the office area outside.

Gossip drifted in intermittently.

“Wow, first time seeing the chairman’s girlfriend!”

“Should call her fiancée. I heard from Assistant Lin they’re getting engaged in a few days.”

“They look so close! Didn’t you notice? The boss looked so fierce just now, wouldn’t let anyone look.”

“Their relationship was always good. Recently, to take care of his fiancée, the chairman rarely comes to the company. My slacking time has increased – hope he comes even less often, hehe.”

“I’m totally on board with that!”

Chu Li listened to the gossip with complex feelings.

The boss had been replaced for over a month, yet no one noticed. Office workers only cared about whether they could slack off more.

The world really was one giant makeshift operation.

The meeting went on for a long time. Chu Li was accustomed to afternoon naps and began feeling drowsy after waiting a while. She curled up on the sofa, wanting to take a short nap.

She woke to gentle swaying.

Her vision cleared from blurry to sharp, revealing a well-defined jawline and the rise and fall of an Adam’s apple close by.

One hand encircled her waist, another pressed against the back of her head.

Behind his glasses, narrow eyes gazed down at her, his Adam’s apple moving as he spoke. “Awake?”

Outside the car window, the scenery had become blurred green wave lines – not the roads of Hai City’s urban area.

Chu Li sat sideways on Xi Chu’s lap, with flesh serving as a cushion – no wonder she had slept so soundly.

“Where are we going?”

Xi Chu’s eyes contained laughter. “On vacation.”

****

Moran Manor was built on the mountainside of a suburban green mountain, with a simple and elegant architectural style.

The mountain was lush with trees, and the wind carried the fresh fragrance of grass and wood, without summer heat.

When they arrived, the slanting western sun hung on the distant mountain peak, with large fluffy clouds piled in the low sky, as if within reach.

Chu Li hadn’t expected Xi Chu to bring her here.

This was a newly built luxury vacation hotel from the past two years. She had heard of it and planned to visit, but it was delayed due to her illness.

Their room was on the top floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an emerald artificial lake and vast lawns.

Camping area tents dotted the grass like cotton candy.

Chu Li admitted the scenery here was beautiful and the accommodation very comfortable, but still didn’t understand why Xi Chu had suddenly brought her on vacation.

After all, in this monster’s head, he wished they could stay home together all the time, being a pair of eternal shut-ins.

“Why did you suddenly think of vacationing?” she asked tentatively.

Xi Chu was uncharacteristically silent, avoiding the question. “There’s a bonfire party and outdoor barbecue this evening. Would Li Li like to go?”

Unable to guess his real intention, Chu Li felt a subtle unease.

“Let’s go.” She might as well see what he was up to.

****

The bonfire party was held by the lakeside.

Guests gathered in small groups, with dining tables full of exquisite delicacies and servers playing instruments nearby.

The barbecue ingredients were well-prepared, though most guests wouldn’t grill themselves.

Therefore, the well-dressed man with a tall silhouette at the grill was particularly conspicuous.

Chu Li was chewing grilled beef when a nearby woman raised her champagne glass toward her, chatting friendly, “That’s your boyfriend, right? So thoughtful.”

She responded politely for a few exchanges. After the woman left, she stared at the bonfire, lost in thought.

Soothing guitar music flowed with the lake water.

The bonfire crackled and burned. A figure appeared in Chu Li’s peripheral vision. The firelight cast warm light on his sculpture-like features, softening his inhuman aura.

He took away the cold food from the grill in front of Chu Li and replaced it with freshly grilled items.

His finger touched her cheek as he chuckled softly. “Why aren’t you eating?”

Chu Li suddenly felt like she was stepping into thin air, her heart plummeting rapidly.

The scene before her deserved to be described with all warm and beautiful words, but she felt a surge of panic.

This monster was learning how to be a human partner.

It was changing for the sake of humans.

This was not a good thing.

Because monsters would never become human, no matter how they imitated.

Chu Li began worrying about what would happen when the truth was exposed. Her throat tightened. “I’m a bit full. Don’t want to eat anymore.”

If Xi Chu had threatened and coerced like before, she could have no psychological burden.

But it couldn’t be like this.

“What’s wrong, Li Li?” He keenly sensed his future partner’s abnormality, gently stroking her cheek.

Chu Li shook her head with a heavy heart. “Nothing, maybe I’m just a bit tired.”

Usually, Xi Chu would immediately take her back to rest. He looked hesitant. “I want to take you somewhere. I have a gift for you.”

Chu Li’s heart tightened with an ominous premonition.

“It won’t take too long. Is that okay?”

The swaying firelight fell into his dark pupils, making her think of brilliant stars.

Chu Li ultimately didn’t refuse. “Okay.”

The place Xi Chu mentioned was Moran Manor’s stargazing platform.

Crossing the carefully maintained lawn, following the winding stone path upward, with seasonal flowers and trees planted along the way, large clusters of endless summer hydrangeas crowding together.

Xi Chu carried her all the way to the stargazing platform.

On the way, Chu Li inexplicably sensed his nervousness, because his simulated human body’s heart was beating very loudly.

Candlelight flickered on the stargazing platform.

Flowers – everywhere her eyes could see were flowers, covering the entire stargazing platform. Intense floral fragrance intertwined with the night wind.

Xi Chu bent down to set her down, then retrieved a box from the largest bouquet in the center.

The monster in beautiful, tall human skin walked toward her step by step.

His expression was more human-like than ever before.

Beyond the stargazing platform in the black night, dark shadows twisted and danced. Chu Li’s peripheral vision noticed black tentacles climbing onto the platform’s railings, bending the steel rails like waste paper.

In the gaps between the ocean of flowers on the ground, slender tentacles writhed and intertwined.

One couldn’t resist and secretly wound around Chu Li’s ankle, thinking itself hidden.

The cold touch was like a snake, like all terrible soft-bodied creatures.

Xi Chu finally stopped in front of her, his gaze so intense it could burn a person. He opened the small box in his hand, revealing a brilliant diamond ring sparkling with light.

The corners of his lips lifted, his eyes without pupil light and no need to blink, just staring unblinkingly at Chu Li. Under his pale skin, things occasionally writhed and bulged, as if ready to burst through this shell and devour her at any moment.

“Li Li, before humans get engaged, they must present a ring to their future partner. May I put this ring on for you?”