Chapter 296: I Just Want to Prove

“Mom, Dad, let me show off my skills and cook you some scrambled eggs with tomatoes.”

“Mom, Dad, which do you think looks better, this long dress or this short skirt?”

“Mom, Dad, what do you have to say about me turning into a girl?”

“Mom, Dad, what do you think of Zhao Yicheng? No, I don’t have feelings for him, I just want to hear your opinion.”

“Dad, how about we go drag racing? My driving skills are damn good!!”

“Mom, I…”

“Yeah, goodbye, I’ll miss you…”

“Got it, have a great trip, take in the beautiful mountains and rivers of the Huayuan Federation, don’t worry about me…”

“Dad, Mom…”

A few scalding hot tears fell onto the phone screen, wetting that little face.

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, dyeing half the sky in golden twilight. The afterglow spilled across the land as if coated in a layer of gold. Xu Yinsheng sat on the cold steps, staring blankly in a certain direction, a bottle of vodka in hand.

She suddenly took a big swig, ignoring the razor-sharp burn in her throat, gulping it down. Her face flushed slightly, drunkenness spreading across her, as if she were experiencing a living death.

Zhao Yicheng carried a cup of sobering tea out of the villa, handed it to her, and said with concern, “Xiao Yin, get up. You’ve been sitting for three hours. If you keep at it, you’ll catch a cold.”

But Xu Yinsheng didn’t take the tea he offered. She just lowered her eyes and stared at the bottle of vodka clenched in her hand.

After a long moment, her crimson lips parted, and she uttered two words.

“They’re gone.”

“Yeah,” Zhao Yicheng responded.

Those who haven’t experienced the pain shouldn’t tell others to be magnanimous.

He knew the reason Xu Yinsheng was like this now, but what could he say to persuade her not to care, to let go?

Even though, as Uncle Xu had said, Xiao Yin… was just an accident that shouldn’t have existed.

But… they were still her biological parents…

There was no way Xu Yinsheng could not care.

“They’re gone…” Another soft sigh.

“Xiao Yin, Uncle Xu and the others will come back.”

“No, they won’t. Even if they do, there’s no place for me in their hearts. Not a single bit, not even a trace.”

“Zhao Yicheng, let’s hook up.” The depressed girl on the steps violently took another swig of vodka. Her face flushed drunkenly, crystalline liquor dripping down her rosy cheeks into her tempting collarbone, then sliding further into the sexy, alluring valley…

“Pin me down and have your way with me! The thing I fucking hate most right now is having a brain! It’s better to drown in pleasure!” “I’m tired, so fucking tired! I don’t want to think at all right now!”

Xu Yinsheng lay back, her body spread out in a big “大” shape, legs apart, expression numb. She mechanically chugged the alcohol, as if her spirit had been drained away.

She looked up at the sky, a bitter smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

“You were right before. Being a cat is happier than being a human—carefree, eating when you want, sleeping when you want. How could it be like this for me now? Might as well just be a cat. From now on, don’t call me Xu Yinsheng. Call me Xiao Yin the kitty. And you might as well cancel my household registration. After all, someone like me—if I died, no one would care.”

For some reason, seeing Xu Yinsheng acting so self-destructive stirred an uncomfortable feeling in Zhao Yicheng’s heart.

This wasn’t Xu Yinsheng. At least not the Xu Yinsheng he liked.

He liked her as the forever energetic, gossip-loving, chaos-seeker who always stirred up trouble!

Now her decadent look was almost glaring in his eyes!

A strange urge to destroy suddenly rose in the man’s heart. He wanted to tear apart this version of Xu Yinsheng that had given up on herself, and then… transform her into the shape he liked!

The carefree Xu Yinsheng, the free-spirited Xu Yinsheng, the energetic Xu Yinsheng!

After a long while, seeing the man make no move at all, the depressed girl on the steps flipped up in extreme impatience. She stepped forward, punched him in the face first, then jabbed a finger at his nose and yelled angrily, “Are you fucking acting like a gentleman now?!”

“Zhao Yicheng! You’re a fucking mental patient!! Stop pretending, will you? Get crazy and pin me down!”

Zhao Yicheng had no reaction. He sat still, lowering his head as if he didn’t want to communicate with her.

“Damn it!” Xu Yinsheng, burning with rage, straddled the man, grabbed his collar with one hand, and said through gritted teeth, “Zhao Yicheng, can’t you be more of a man?! I’m really struggling right now, and you… huh?”

Xu Yinsheng was about to curse him awake when to her surprise, Zhao Yicheng’s head tilted to the side, and right before her eyes, he passed out.

“…” Xu Yinsheng was silent for a moment, then burst into a series of “AHHHHH” crazy screams, her hair flying, her small fists pounding the ground relentlessly until she had shattered the steps into pieces, finally releasing some of her pent-up anger.

She dragged Zhao Yicheng back into the villa, tossed him onto the sofa. Xu Yinsheng’s pink, dreamlike flesh wings spread out behind her, blocking half the window. Shadow fell over the man dozing on the sofa, wrapping the two of them together.

In an instant, Xu Yinsheng entered the mental space, and effortlessly found Crimson Zhao Yicheng. He was sitting on the sofa, lost in thought.

Xu Yinsheng didn’t care what he was thinking right now. All she wanted was a hookup—a single session to get rid of her troubles! One round to relieve her sorrows!

And what about later?

Later could wait until later!!

Xu Yinsheng was in a terrible mood, and all she wanted was immediate gratification!!

“Come on, let’s get it on!” With that, she knelt gracefully and reached for the buckle of Zhao Yicheng’s belt, only to have her arms grabbed and held back, the strength so great she couldn’t break free.

“You don’t want me to take the lead?” Xu Yinsheng raised an eyebrow. “Fine, you do it. I’ll just lie back and enjoy.”

Saying that, she closed her eyes, presenting herself like a flower waiting to be plucked.

Two hands with distinct knuckles reached out, but instead of undoing her clothes, they wrapped around her waist, gently pulling her into an embrace.

“Cry.” Crimson Zhao Yicheng held her, resting his head on her shoulder, speaking softly.

“Xiao Yin, cry. You’ll feel better once you let it out.”

“What are you talking about?” Xu Yinsheng snorted, her tone defiant. “A man doesn’t cry easily! I won’t cry! Just get on with it, quick!” But as she spoke, a few scalding tears rolled onto Zhao Yicheng’s neck, burning hot, and the strong voice in his arms slowly turned into sobs.

“Whaa… whaa… whaaa…”

“Why… whaa… why… whaa…”

“Why don’t they care about me at all… whaa…”

Xu Yinsheng cried heart-wrenchingly, tears streaming down her eyes, soaking her collar and sleeves, wetting Zhao Yicheng’s shirt collar. She choked and sobbed, “I know I’m not likable. I know I’m a spoiled brat. I know I’m a useless rich kid.”

“But I didn’t know! Ever since I was little, it was always the nanny who cooked for me. No one told me what was right or wrong. The teachers and principal only wanted me to donate to the school. No one even cared when I skipped class.”

Tears dripped down her cheeks into her mouth—salty and bitter. Xu Yinsheng sniffled and continued, “I just wanted to prove that they cared about me, even just a little. But they don’t. Not even a tiny bit.”

“They only love each other. They don’t love me.”

Xu Yinsheng sniffled again, her face wet with tears. “Old Zhao, I eavesdropped on everything you and my dad talked about that day…”

A boy is trapped for life by what he could not have in youth.