"Sister, it's an honor for you that Third Young Master has taken a fancy to you. Accompany him nicely, and your body can seal a business deal worth hundreds of millions for your husband's company. Your body can be so valuable; you should be happy," Wanqian said sweetly, her hands seizing Wanyou's chin. Her eyes, once pure, were now full of resentment.
"Wanqian, why?"
"Why? Why? How can you still ask? You wretched woman, do you know how much I hate you? Why should you be Heaven's favored daughter, hogging all the glory, while I can only stand silently behind you? Why?"
"Do you know why Shen Cheng married you? HAHAHA! Let me tell you, Shen Cheng was originally my boyfriend. It was I who had him approach you, made you willingly fall in love with him, and then marry him, so you'd fall into his tender trap, ultimately doomed beyond redemption."
"While you two were lovingly together, I stood by, smiling sweetly, fawning over you. But do you know how much I hated it? Do you?"
"You could be openly together with him, while I could only sneak around with him. Now, you have nothing. Do you know why you feel so weak, not even having the strength to walk? HAHAHA! The man you loved most poisoned you—a slow-acting poison. He even treated you like a prostitute, forcing you to be a social escort. No matter how skilled you were, what's the use now? You're still like a pile of mud, sprawled on the ground, unable to even crawl. HAHAHA!"
Each word Wanqian spat out was like a knife, cutting Wanyou's heart, piece by piece. The man she loved had been using her all along. She had thought she was the one at fault, never imagining that everything was a lie. That man was right; they were a despicable pair.
"Why? Why? You're my dearest sister. Why would you do this to me?" Tears streamed down Wanyou's face as she shook her head frantically. Why had it come to this?
"Because I want you to have nothing."
"Why, Wanqian? I'm your sister, your own sister! Why would you do this to me?"
"Own sister? Hmph." Wanqian's face twisted into a savage sneer as she kicked Wanyou fiercely in the chest.
"Didn't the old man tell you? I was just someone picked up from outside. The company's shares, the company's heir—why should it all be yours? Why should you sit on high while I can only watch from the shadows? I refuse to accept it! So, I want you dead! I want you to have nothing!"
Wanqian shrieked, her feet never idle, relentlessly kicking Wanyou.
"Wanqian, that's enough," Shen Cheng appeared in the room at some point, pulling the frenzied Wanqian into his arms.
"Cheng, you're still the best to me. This wretched woman! Why don't you just die?"
"Shen Cheng, why?" Wanyou coughed up a mouthful of blood, suppressing the searing pain in her chest. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her hand. Why would the man she loved so dearly be so ruthless to her? Why? Even if she was dying, she had to know the reason.
"You wretched creature! Don't you dare look at me with those eyes!" Shen Cheng backhanded her across the face. He loathed Wanyou's haughty gaze.
"Why? Did you ever love me?" Wanyou asked stubbornly. She had to know the answer. More and more blood spilled from the corners of her mouth, and the pain in her chest intensified. It hurts so much... Why? Why?
"Love? The one I've always loved most is Wanqian. Without Wanqian, I wouldn't be where I am today. You are my enemy. Would you fall in love with your enemy?" Shen Cheng said coldly, a flash of hatred in his eyes.
"Enemy? HAHAHA! Enemy! You shared a bed with your enemy for two years just to get the shares in my hands?" Wanyou laughed wildly, blood flowing more and more profusely from her mouth, her body growing weaker and weaker.
Hypocrite. Villain. Insidious snake.
"You wretched thing, stop laughing! Right now, you're worse than a prostitute!"
Wanqian slapped her hard, and Wanyou's body crumpled to the ground like a fallen leaf. Large mouthfuls of blood gushed out.
"I won't let you off! Even in death, I'll make sure you never rest in peace! If I go to hell, I'll drag you down with me!"
"Shangguan You, wake up! Don't you dare pretend to faint! That act won't work on me."
"Youyou, what's wrong? Wake up, quickly!"
Wanyou felt someone repeatedly slapping her face, voices ringing in her ears. So noisy, so loud... I haven't slept enough, I don't want to wake up. My heart is already broken, my love has drowned; can't I even be granted the dignity of sleep?
Suddenly, her face stung. Her nose felt warm, and a stream of warm liquid flowed out. This feeling is familiar... damn it, I'm having a nosebleed!
At this thought, she snapped her eyes open. A dazzling light flashed through her pitch-black pupils. Who the hell dares to hit me?!
"I told you she was faking it. Believe me now?"
A voice tinged with mockery rang in her ears. Wanyou's eyes narrowed. Wasn't I dead? How can I be here? Where is this place? And this speaker... no, not a man, just a boy, a teenager of seventeen or eighteen... Who is he?
"Youyou, it's so good that you're okay!" Then another voice, filled with joyous relief, cried out as someone swept Wanyou into a fierce hug. The two of them collapsed to their knees, embracing tightly.
Wanyou stared in bewilderment at Zhu Li, who was clutching her, a mess of tears and laughter, utterly puzzled. Zhu Li? Her mind clearly registered the name: this crying, laughing woman was Zhu Li, her only friend from Number One Middle School.
And another stream of memories, not my own, are echoing in my mind.
"You scared me to death! BOO HOO HOO!" Zhu Li wiped away her tears, still clutching Wanyou, half crying, half laughing.
"If you're not dead, then get up! Don't block the way; we still have to play ball," Feng Shao'an, the impatient-looking boy, spoke again. He wore blue three-quarter-length basketball shorts and a white T-shirt, holding a basketball. He was the very picture of youth, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.
They were on a basketball court? And she was lying on the ground, fresh blood streaming from her nose.