Meng Wange gently closed her eyes and adjusted her slightly ragged breathing.
‘…Yeah, I understand.’
She slowly unzipped her sleeping bag, then sat up softly, her movements as slow as a bodiless ghost, careful not to disturb the black-haired girl beside her, who was completely unaware of everything.
—This was a trial.
Before opening the tent door, Meng Wange couldn’t help but turn back, deeply and greedily gazing at Su Wanli’s peaceful sleeping face.
—A merciless trial for a greedy worm begging for a love that didn’t belong to it.
Meng Wange forced herself to close her eyes, then slowly turned around and walked out of this warm space, exposing herself once more to the cold, deep night.
At the junction of the beach and the road, beside the stone steps leading to the highway, an inconspicuous black sedan was parked.
It was like a lurking beast, quietly staying in the shadows.
As Meng Wange’s figure emerged from the tent, the car window rolled down, revealing Su Heng’s face, which looked somewhat stern in the darkness.
That moment had come much earlier than she had imagined.
‘…Hah.’
Meng Wange gently exhaled the turbid air from her chest.
The sea breeze blew her bangs, bringing a biting chill but also making her mind clearer than ever.
She calmly walked to the sedan, slightly bowed to Su Heng inside the car, and said, “—Uncle Su, good evening.”
“Good evening, Wange. Long time no see.”
Unlike what Meng Wange had imagined, Su Heng’s expression was not as cold as when she first met him. On the contrary, after turning on the warm interior light, his demeanor could even be called gentle.
“Sorry, is it too late? I’m usually too busy to get away, so I could only find time like this to chat. I hope you don’t mind.”
Meng Wange shook her head with a smile, subtly pressing her fingernail into the pad of her thumb. The slight pain was enough to maintain the composed facade on her face.
“…Not at all. It’s an honor to have you speak with me.”
“Hehe, no need to be so tense, Meng Wange. I came to thank you.”
Su Heng gave her the same smile, calmly looking into her eyes.
“I saw everything—how you acted with Wanli in Yunsheng County. Whether it was ring toss or archery, you took good care of her.”
“Before this, I rarely saw Wanli smile so happily.”
“That is precisely my duty, Uncle Su. After all, that’s why I’m here.”
“Hmm, you’ve done well. Since you came to the Su family, the change in Wanli has been obvious to everyone.”
Su Heng nodded solemnly at Meng Wange, then turned his gaze to the tent not far away, lit by a few warm lamps.
“She’s become much more positive and outgoing, willing to talk to people, willing to try things she’s never experienced before. She’s also become more motivated.”
“And most importantly, Wanli’s face now carries so many more smiles.”
“This transformation was brought about by you. You’ve done what I couldn’t do for years. That’s truly remarkable.”
“So, thank you, Meng Wange. Bringing you out of that small town in the north and to Wanli’s side was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
“…”
Meng Wange took a deep breath, shook her head at Su Heng, and her voice carried a hint of barely perceptible hoarseness. “Uncle Su, you flatter me. Even without me, Miss Su has always been a gentle and kind child. This isn’t my achievement alone.”
“Don’t be so modest, Wange. I can see that Wanli really likes you.”
Su Heng shook his head with a light laugh. “It’s not a temporary liking, like a toy. Her feelings for you are unprecedented.”
“Although you haven’t been together long, your image must have left a deep imprint on her heart.”
“So, if possible, I hope you can stay by Wanli’s side forever, become her best friend… or something more.”
“That way, even if one day I can no longer be with her, you can take my place as her support.”
After saying this, Su Heng looked up at Meng Wange’s eyes and let out a heavy sigh. “…If possible.”
Meng Wange instinctively wanted to respond, but felt that anything she said would be futile. In the end, she only increased the pressure on her fingertips.
“Uncle Su, I…”
“Meng Wange, you’re very clever. In some ways, you’re like me.”
“‘Inducement’ is a method I used to use often—to extricate yourself from an event without a trace, yet naturally achieve your goal.”
“I admire you. Given some time, you could definitely accomplish much more.”
As he spoke, Su Heng pushed open the car door beside him, calmly walked to Meng Wange, and stood before her. The night wind lifted the hem of his suit and his hair, now streaked with silver.
“So, even if Su Wanli absolutely wouldn’t want this, as a father, I have to say it.”
He slightly bowed to Meng Wange, adopting a posture of equality.
Then, in a tone that was almost a verdict, with no room for negotiation, he spoke word by word:
“—I’m begging you, Meng Wange. Leave the Su family.”
“…”
‘Yeah, I understand.’
‘This is a trial.’
‘A merciless trial for a greedy worm begging for a love that didn’t belong to it.’
‘No need to think about where I slipped up.’
‘That’s meaningless now.’
‘I have no excuse to defend myself.’
‘When Su Heng’s car appeared here, I should have realized.’
‘This is a verdict with no room for appeal.’
‘In fact, such a light sentence is already the greatest luck I could hope for.’
‘I shouldn’t beg for more.’
‘Whether it’s Su Wanli or Su Heng, they’ve made the gentlest decisions for me from their own standpoints.’
Meng Wange.
The Su family doesn’t owe you anything.
And you have no more value to the Su family.
Continuing to struggle will only increase the burden on both sides.
Ending it like this, hastily, might be the only path.
But…
—”Meng Wange, you promised to make me breakfast forever. Where did you go?”
—”Meng Wange, Su Heng said you’re a traitor, a spy. Is that true? Why didn’t you say it to my face?”
—”Meng Wange, we just hung up that wooden sign, wanting to keep our current life going. Are you going to break it now?”
—”Meng Wange, please, think of a way. Stay by my side.”
‘These are all excuses.’
‘My delusions.’
‘Gaps I’ve dug up to exonerate myself.’
‘The last shred of motive I squeezed out, desperately, to keep my body moving.’
Yet…
Maybe it really could happen.
Would Su Wanli be so heartbroken over my silent departure that she would… shed a single tear?
But even I can’t think of any way to escape now.
Since Su Heng already suspects me, with his resources, the clues he can dig up are probably more than I imagine.
This is an almost unsolvable dead end.
Yes, I’ve already failed.
If Su Heng wanted, he could completely disregard my dignity, spread this matter in public, and make sure I never recover.
Recalling that first and only wish born from within herself,
Meng Wange silently closed her eyes.
‘So, Meng Wange.’
‘Put aside your reserve, your pride, your dignity.’
‘Struggle uglily toward the last remaining gap ahead.’
‘—Now, it’s the worm’s time.’
Seeing Meng Wange silent, Su Heng stepped forward, lightly patted her shoulder, then turned around to leave the beach.
“Meng Wange, it’s getting late. I’ll find you a good place to stay. Old Jin will take you—”
Just then, a strange thud came from behind him.
“Huh?”
Su Heng’s heart jumped. He slowly turned around.
Before him was still the delicate, long-haired brown-haired girl.
But Meng Wange’s knees were now heavily planted on the stone path, covered with a thin layer of gravel.
“…Meng Wange, what… what are you doing? Get up!”
“…”
Meng Wange did not raise her head.
Instead, she pressed her forehead even closer to the ground.
The sharp pain from the gravel and stones made her mind exceptionally focused.
“Uncle Su, I beg you.”
“Before I leave, please hear my one last request.”
—Volume 2: “Halo Main Heroine Meng Wange!”, End.