Pearl in the Palm

Forty minutes later, Mingzhu's door was pushed open.

Such an obvious noise naturally wouldn't escape Fang Xiao's ears. He slightly raised his head, put down the small wooden box in his hand, and glanced out through the window that wasn't closed tightly.

His brother no longer wore a trench coat, but instead folded it in half and draped it over his arm. His shirt was much more casual than before, and you could see the indelible wrinkles and ripped marks on it.

His slightly disheveled black hair seemed to be damp with sweat, lacking its previous softness. His face showed a satisfied expression, and he walked with a much more languid gait than before. Whether it was due to fatigue or not, he seemed to have lost his vigilance towards the Fang Mansion.

The younger brother looked up and met Fang Xiao's gaze through the window.

The gold-rimmed glasses were properly perched on his nose, but this time they failed to make him look more refined. Instead, they clashed with his overall demeanor, giving off an inexplicable sense of danger.

Fang Xiao raised the corners of her mouth.

Fang Xing now looks even more like him; anyone could tell they're brothers at a glance.

"Brother." Yu Xing quickened his pace towards Fang Xiao. Fang Xiao opened the door to welcome him in, showing no suspicion about his condition. Instead, he took the trench coat, hung it on the coat rack, and asked with a smile—

How are you feeling?

Yu Xing coughed lightly, as if remembering her earlier statement that she didn't need it, and felt a little embarrassed that she had been seen through. "It's alright."

"My sister-in-law... is very charming."

"Since it's not bad, why don't you stay inside a little longer? I thought you wouldn't remember me for at least two hours," Fang Xiao teased him.

Yu Xing rubbed her throbbing temples and licked her lips. "What I did was a bit exhausting. My sister-in-law must have been tired last night, right? I... didn't want her to be exhausted for too long. Besides, I just got back, and I can't scare her. I'll stop here."

"... Scared?" Fang Xiao raised an eyebrow in surprise, then seemed intrigued. "Could it be that your little brother has even more tricks up his sleeve than I do? Did he learn them from the outside world? That's really interesting."

"... Brother, isn't it a bit inappropriate for the two of us to talk about this?" Yu Xing blushed slightly, seemingly unaccustomed to discussing such topics directly with his brother, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, regardless of how he acted in front of women.

His persona as a painter in this world wasn't exactly that of a pervert, and Fang Xiao probably noticed that in their previous correspondence.

Being too outspoken will cross the line and arouse suspicion.

Fang Xiao knowingly stopped talking, only asking one more question, "Is Mingzhu alright?"

"My sister-in-law is fine, just a little tired and asleep in her room. Don't worry, brother, I'm very careful. At most, it will only leave a few marks on her skin; it won't actually hurt her."

Yu Xing let out a long sigh, stretched her wrists, then lifted her collar and fanned herself. "Sweating makes me uncomfortable, I want to take a shower."

"Okay, I knew you'd still be so clean. I've already prepared bathwater for you in another room, it's on your right, just go there." Fang Xiao paused, "By the way, where's that cylindrical container you always carry around?"

He was referring to the painting tube.

Because he returned as a traveler, Yu Xing carried his travel bag when he came to the Fang Mansion, and his painting tube was almost always with him at his waist. He had taken off the travel bag when Fang Xiao first pulled him into this room and placed it on the storage cabinet.

As for the painting tube, since it wasn't in much of a hindrance, Fang Xiao hadn't bothered with him before and had him carry it on his back, but now it's gone.

"Ah, I forgot." Yu Xing sighed, rubbing her forehead. "It's still in my sister-in-law's room. I'll go get it after I shower..."

After muttering to himself, he realized he hadn't asked Fang Xiao's opinion yet, "Brother, can I come and go from my sister-in-law's room by myself?"

Usually.

Fang Xiao had no resistance to words that implied staying, and he almost wished his younger brother could express this meaning more, so he replied without hesitation, "Of course, I've already shared Mingzhu with you, so now she's yours too."

"Go take a shower. Mom just came to urge you again. After you're done, go chat with her for a bit."

"..." When his mother was mentioned, Yu Xing was clearly not as easily persuaded as he was in front of Fang Xiao, because when he was a child, Fang Xiao at least did what was best for him and always shielded him from those unseen things, but this so-called mother only hurt him.

The gentle expression on his face faded, and he simply said in a low voice, "I understand."

Fang Xiao watched his retreating figure as he went to take a shower, Tong Ren's dark expression remaining deep and thoughtful.

It's such a pity that their dear mother, Xu Wan, can't die now; her being alive is far more useful than killing her to vent their anger.

But sooner or later... sooner or later only the two brothers and Mingzhu will remain here. Oh, and perhaps more valuable outsiders will be left behind by him. But everyone who has hurt them will disappear from his world forever.

Fang Xiao had prepared a wooden tub for bathing, which was already filled with hot water.

In this chilly weather, soaking in hot water after strenuous exercise to relieve fatigue is such a comforting thing.

After entering the room, which was probably specifically for bathing, Yu Xing relaxed her expression and used a subtle curse to search the room.

Good, at least there's nothing unusual here.

A new set of clothes was already laid out beside the steaming wooden tub, Yu Xing simply lay down in it and soaked for a while. At times like this, the system would definitely have to block it.

After sitting down, the water level reached above his chest. He tilted his head back and rested it on the edge of the tub, staring blankly at the wooden beams on the ceiling.

The townspeople living in those apartment buildings all follow the timeline of this world. Their homes have kitchens and bathrooms, and they have showers or bathtubs if they want to take a bath. In contrast, Fang Xiao, the controller, has a more inconvenient life than everyone else because he stays in the Fang Mansion.

However, everything in the town was actually created by Fang Xiao. When he was creating these things, didn't he feel a little unhappy about being confined to his past standard of living?

During the forty minutes he spent in Mingzhu's room, he didn't waste any time, but instead had Mingzhu tell him everything she had experienced from her perspective.

Chronologically speaking, Mingzhu should be considered a true "modern person," living in the same era as the townspeople, because she appeared after the world had already taken shape, just like Yu Xing.

They are all people who are used to modern life.

But whenever Yu Xing thought of the image of Never Forget Dwelling, she could feel the incongruity in it.

In the afterimage he saw in the private room, Mingzhu was still a charming young girl. Although she was in a bad mood while sitting in the private room, her fashionable hair and smart and stylish dress still revealed her true personality to some extent.

However, those little Western-style dresses resembled the styles of big cities during the Republic of China era, a century removed from modern fashion.

When Mingzhu's family talked about Fang Deming beating and killing a waiter at Never Forget Dwelling, it didn't sound like the thinking of a modern society governed by the rule of law, which was very strange.

Although Yu Xing had already guessed what the complete worldview was like, she still couldn't piece together this small puzzle piece.

Until Mingzhu told me herself.

She said that her family was in the transportation business, mainly developing river transport routes. They were quite wealthy, but not a prominent family. They were the kind of family that made their fortune purely through business, but lacked a strong foundation.

Therefore, she has always been a pampered girl since childhood, enjoying a very high standard of material life, but she does not have the cunning of the young masters and ladies in the higher-level wealthy circles.

To put it simply, she might be a bit naive and innocent.

Mingzhu was the name her father gave her. It's a bit common, but the meaning is quite straightforward—she is the Mingzhu of her parents' eye.

Because of this name, Yu Xing initially couldn't figure out which era she belonged to.

During the summer after Mingzhu graduated from high school, she was so bored that she insisted on going with her uncle when she heard that he was going to discuss a transportation business with a tourist town that he had never cooperated with before.

Their family business is not large and has lasted for three generations. Now, Mingzhu's father is the leader of the business, while her uncle's side assists him.

That's what they say, but it's just a difference in their official positions. They always work together as a family and have a very harmonious relationship.

Mingzhu asked her uncle to take her out. Her father was completely at ease, so she, her uncle, and several cousins who were already involved in business traveled by boat to Nanshui Town.

At this time, the port of Nanshui Town was normal, only a little desolate. The number of ships coming and going was far below the port's capacity, and there were even fewer people walking around the port area.

As they disembarked, the people who were supposed to discuss business with them were already waiting. Mingzhu didn't want to go to the restaurant with them to discuss business while eating, so she suggested that she explore on her own.

In this era, communication via mobile phones is extremely convenient, and the old rule of not letting girls go out alone is long gone.

Mingzhu left the port and arrived in the town.

The town was much more lively.

This town may not be very developed yet; many buildings are quite old, with dark and somber colors, clearly old houses that have been built for a long time.

Fortunately, the people here are very warm and welcoming, with a kind of simplicity that Mingzhu has never seen in big cities. She strolled around and bought things on the go. After asking for directions, she headed towards Baibao Street in Nanshui Town.

Even the most naive and innocent girl has learned many rules from her upbringing. In her opinion, this run-down town doesn't deserve to be called a tourist town at all. It's not that she looks down on anything, but it clearly doesn't meet the hard standards. The fact that it has such a reputation based on just one street can only be attributed to marketing.

The department responsible for managing this matter probably turned a blind eye, since Nanshui Town couldn't find any other way to develop.

She had known this all along, so she didn't come to Nanshui Town for tourism; she simply treated this trip as a way to relax and unwind after the college entrance examination.

There were many tourists on the street who seemed to be from out of town, just like her. Strangely, all of them seemed to be in high spirits and did not express any dissatisfaction with this ordinary scene.

Mingzhu didn't think much of it and paid someone to take her to Baibao Street by tricycle.

There were no taxis in the town; instead, pedicabs took their place in the city, becoming the primary mode of transportation.

While sitting in the tricycle, Mingzhu chatted curiously with the driver the whole way. She had seen this kind of vehicle when she was a child, but it disappeared without her realizing it after she turned ten. The world is developing too fast. The pedicab evolved from the rickshaw drivers of the past, replacing the drivers running on their legs with drivers riding on their bicycles to carry passengers. But when taxis became popular, these slow-paced vehicles were almost inevitably replaced at lightning speed.

Perhaps only towns like this can retain some traces of bygone years.

While riding in the tricycle, Mingzhu listened to the driver, who was in his forties, tell her stories of the past of Nanshui Town. He mentioned that a general had once lived there, and that the town had been protected by bandits for generations. During the most turbulent period in modern times, it was thanks to the presence of this general's mansion that Nanshui Town was not disturbed by mountain bandits.

Mingzhu asked curiously, "What was that general's surname? Does his mansion still exist?"

The coachman regretfully told her that the general had no name and his mansion was long gone because people had let him down. The general was disheartened and left his homeland. The house was soon abandoned and demolished by short-sighted people when the new era was just beginning.

"That's a real shame," Mingzhu agreed verbally, but inwardly she thought, "If there really was such a general's mansion guarding the town for so many years, how could they not even leave behind their name once they left?"

It was probably fabricated to create a tourism gimmick.

The tricycle wasn't fast, it was slow and leisurely. The advantage was that you didn't have to walk, which was quite tiring. It took Mingzhu a whole morning to get from the port in the east of the town to Baibao Street. After getting off the tricycle, her buttocks were sore from sitting.

She looked up at the entrance of Baibao Street and vaguely saw the eaves of the ancient buildings inside. She thought to herself, "Finally, there's something interesting to see." Since there was no need to buy a ticket, she walked in without any suspicion.

Mingzhu never imagined that the moment she stepped into Baibao Street would mark the beginning of a nightmare that would take her away from everything she owned, and that her loved ones who cared for her would die because of her.

Baibao Street is indeed a very well-preserved ancient street, and it is very long. In addition to the main street, there are many branch streets extending outwards, and you can find many different surprises as you wander around.

This place also attracts the most tourists. Just like other scenic spots that Mingzhu has visited, travelers with different accents brush past each other on the street, and may never have the chance to meet again in their lifetime. This is the unique carefree feeling of a passerby in a foreign land.

As she wandered around, she came to a deserted alley. Because the alley was somewhat hidden, and unlike other places where even a narrow side street was exquisitely decorated, this alley was too dark, and probably no one would pay any special attention to it.

Mingzhu was just one of the passersby who brushed past the alley.

But just as she passed the alleyway entrance, someone walked out from inside.

She then discovered that there was a shop with a signboard hidden in the alley. Before she could see what it sold, her attention was drawn to the young man who was getting closer and closer to her.

In the dark and deep alley, the tall young man in the suit seemed like a mysterious figure who had emerged from the underworld. His face was more handsome than Mingzhu had ever seen before, so forgive her for using such a cheesy adjective in her mind. Almost all the romance and fantasy novels on the market for girls her age describe it like this.

Mingzhu was amazed inwardly, but she didn't have any other thoughts. She was a bit slow on the uptake when it came to romance and didn't have any desire to be in a relationship. At this moment, she simply regarded the young man as an unexpected and stunning sight during her journey.

She had no idea what to do, but the young man stopped in his tracks when he got closer and saw her, staring at her intently as if he had seen something unbelievable.

Mingzhu felt a little embarrassed and wanted to hurry up and leave first, but the young man caught up with her, using his long legs to get past her, and then turned around to block her way. "Miss, please wait a moment."

Mingzhu then noticed that the young man's figure under the suit was even more robust than he appeared at first glance, and he was also quite tall, a stark contrast to her own physique. However, there was no expression on his face that made her uncomfortable; instead, he had the air of a seasoned business veteran that she was familiar with, just like the aura that her father and uncle exuded when negotiating with others.

He's a businessman in a suit and tie.

This idea lessened Mingzhu's vigilance considerably, and she even began to ponder—

This young man looks so young, maybe he's a new junior employee at some company? That's probably why he was sent to do something in such a remote alley. Poor guy.

The young man in front of her asked with a smile, "Miss, are you a tourist who just arrived in town today?"

"How did you know I just arrived today?" Mingzhu asked in surprise. It was easy to identify a tourist, but how did you know the time?

The young man's smile deepened, "If you had come earlier, I wouldn't have only noticed you today."

Mingzhu didn't quite understand what he was saying, but since the young man seemed interested in chatting with her, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "What kind of shops are in this alley? Are they fun?"

"Hmm?" The young man tilted his head and looked around, then smiled and said, "It's not a shop, it's an inn. The innkeeper is old and doesn't like to go out. I'm fairly familiar with him, so I occasionally bring him some books to read, so he won't be so bored."

"Oh..." Mingzhu vaguely felt that it was a bit strange for the young man to say so much to a stranger like her, so she came back to her senses and asked him, "By the way, what did you want to say when you stopped me?"

The young man stared at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, and performed a very gentlemanly, old-fashioned greeting. "I stopped you, Miss, to ask your name. I am Fang Xiao, from the Fang family of Nanshui Town. I would like to get to know you, because I seem to have... fallen in love with you at first sight."

Love at first sight? How could someone confess their feelings so seriously, so earnestly, yet so casually?

Mingzhu probably found it absurd, or perhaps too sudden, and was startled. She hurriedly waved her hand, leaving behind a "Don't joke around" message, before turning and running away.

When Mingzhu recounted the story to Yu Xing after a short period of time, she said that she felt only vaguely aware of what had happened and had no recollection of it at all.

When she woke up again, she was sitting on the second floor of a teahouse, wearing a Western-style uniform and a small, crooked hat.

Just a window away, downstairs, lies the main street of Baibao Street. Most of the women are dressed in cheongsams, while most of the men are dressed in suits. Only the street vendors wear relatively inexpensive clothes, clearly demonstrating the class distinctions.

Sitting opposite her was her pen pal, whom she had known for a long time. He was also impeccably dressed in a suit, and his handsome face was almost unbelievable.

The two met through a debate they had on a commentary published in the same newspaper, and have maintained correspondence ever since.

The more Mingzhu exchanged letters, the more Mingzhu realized that her pen pal was no less knowledgeable or articulate than she was. He was clear-headed, had unique insights into everything, and was a very cultured person.

She had long harbored curiosity and admiration for this pen pal, but she wouldn't fall for him until she met him in person. Now that she had some free time, she arranged to meet him in Nanshui Town, his hometown and where he was currently working.

She never expected that the man who had captivated her with just his conversation would also be so exceptionally handsome.

They had just chatted face-to-face, and since they usually addressed each other by pseudonyms, they had only just remembered to exchange names. Mingzhu blinked. "So... your real name is Fang Xiao?"

That's right, on the very first day Mingzhu arrived in Nanshui Town, she entered Baibao Street and met a young man named Fang Xiao.

Because she rejected the other party's love at first sight confession, Mingzhu hadn't even left the Baibao Street area before she forgot who she really was, and was instead confined to a new identity as Fang Xiao.

The "people" on the whole street have changed. They are no longer tourists from all over the world, but passersby from the same era as Baibao Street, who serve as background figures for Mingzhu and Fang Xiao's romance.

Mingzhu was confined to Baibao Street, but she was unaware of it.

Over the next few days, she and Fang Xiao, one a freelance writer and the other the youngest and most powerful manager at the port, happily began their romance. Mingzhu increasingly felt that Fang Xiao was the most perfect man in the world.

When the time was right, she was invited to visit the Fang family. Although Fang Xiao's father had a stern face and was a rigid, old-fashioned patriarch who didn't quite fit her modern woman's mindset, he didn't interfere too much with Fang Xiao's choice.

Mingzhu, who had been living in a hotel, moved to the Fang family home. The two, deeply in love, naturally slept together. Fang Xiao was very restrained at first, but in the latter half, he vaguely revealed some of his forceful style. Mingzhu was used to his gentle side, and when she first encountered this other side of him, she was not angry at all. Instead, she found his out-of-control appearance very sexy.

Actually, this little bit of fun didn't hurt her at all; Mingzhu actually quite liked it.

Soon, they decided they wanted to get married.

Mingzhu wrote to her family to inform them. Although her family respected her freedom, they were still not entirely at ease about her marriage and decided to send some people to investigate on Mingzhu behalf.

At that time, Mingzhu didn't know that she thought she had spent more than half a year with Fang Xiao, but in her uncle's eyes, it had only been a little over half a month.

Their Mingzhu ran away on her first day in Nanshui Town, and they couldn't reach her by phone. She's been missing for half a month.

For the past two weeks, Mingzhu's uncle, cousins, and other relatives have been extremely worried. Business negotiations have naturally stalled, and they have been searching for her in the town and surrounding areas every day. They have also reported her missing to the town's police station.

Unfortunately, the town is a complete charade; there are very few genuine tourists.

The report was ignored, or even...

They couldn't even make phone calls.

The port was completely silent. Even the bustling passenger flow of the first day was no longer pretended. The entire port was like an empty airport. Being unable to contact the outside world meant that they could not book another ship. They were trapped in Nanshui Town, and at least the waterway was a dead end.

It seemed they only had two choices: either stay in Nanshui Town, or leave through the roads surrounding the town and try to reach other towns.

By this time, her family members had realized that something was wrong. Once they noticed one opening, more flaws would follow.

The townspeople's unchanging smiles, once warm and simple, now seemed eerie to them. Baibao Street, which had announced its temporary closure from day one and refused to accept any tourists, was shrouded in mystery.

They had initially believed the town police's claim that they had searched Baibao Street but found no one; now, even that conclusion seemed completely unbelievable.

The uncle, a worldly man, reassured his younger cousins, dissuading them from running directly to the surrounding towns. Firstly, they didn't know if they would encounter anything worse on the way, and secondly, Mingzhu was definitely still in town; if they were to leave, they should find Mingzhu and go together.

"I have an old classmate I'm on good terms with. He does shady things, but he's encountered a lot of strange things and has mentioned some of them to me."

My uncle, puffing on a cigarette, exhaled a smoke ring with a weary air. "He told me that those things in the story actually exist. He encounters one or two every time he goes down there; it's not unusual. When you encounter these things, the worst thing you can do is panic. If you find the key, you can get away with it without serious trouble."

My cousin asked in shock, "You know tomb raiders?!"

Another cousin shuddered. "No, you mean, this place we're in is actually a huge tomb?!"

The uncle punched the latter on the head.

"You big idiot, have you lost your mind? I'm telling you, don't panic, encountering this kind of thing isn't unusual. Let's find a way out, maybe we can get out safely."

The group lived a quiet and unassuming life in Nanshui Town, sleeping in a hotel next to the port at night, and searching for the key and the Mingzhu every day.

They haven't even found either of them yet, but the invitations have already arrived.

This is actually a wedding invitation. The groom is Fang Xiao, and the bride is Mingzhu.

Fang Xiao was simply playing them for fools. He knew their plans all along, blocked all their escape routes, watched them secretly investigate the town every day without finding anything, and then suddenly presented them with the answer.

Having had their fun, and considering that they were the family of the girl he liked, Fang Xiao didn't do anything to them. Instead, he let them into Baibao Street to reunite with Mingzhu.

Their memories naturally became false as well.

"What happened next... I don't want to talk about it, but..." Mingzhu sat on the bed, hugging her knees, her eyes red, her voice low and hoarse, her gaze towards Yu Xing filled with exhaustion, "They all thought they were here to test my husband, and that nothing would happen, but they found out that Fang Deming killed the Never Forget Dwelling."

"The memory is fake, but their concern for me won't change. Because of this, they started advising me not to marry Fang Xiao, fearing that I would suffer mistreatment or even face life-threatening danger after marrying him."

Fang Xiao originally wanted to give me a fake but happy wedding, but they angered me, and then... then...

A tyrant's mercy is merely a fleeting whim; his true nature is to disregard human life.

Those memories of being in love, starting with a false identity, are all fake from the outset. How much of the process was real?

Mingzhu, a freelance writer, had no idea why her relatives had suddenly left for other reasons, not even attending her wedding. But since she had always been a free spirit and stayed outside the family, she didn't really need to attend.

With the blessings of the friends she had made over the past six months, she and Fang Xiao completed their wedding and officially became husband and wife. Mingzhu thought this was the beginning of happiness. Who would have thought that when she returned to the Fang Mansion on the night of the wedding, all the forgotten memories broke through the fog and rushed towards her all at once.

A young stranger who confesses his feelings upon their first meeting in the alley.

Pen pals who met without any prior cause, only the consequence.

Her haggard uncle and cousins had dark circles under their eyes, but she didn't realize it. After telling her they were going to have a meal at Never Forget Dwelling, they suddenly disappeared, leaving only a letter saying that they had an urgent matter and couldn't stay to attend her wedding, wishing her and Fang Xiao a long and happy marriage.

On the back of the letter were five bloody finger marks.

When Mingzhu remembered all of this, she was devastated. Her anger and sorrow made her forget even the fear of her memories being arbitrarily altered. The moment Fang Xiao, she smashed a hard jade ornament at him.

Fang Xiao did not dodge; the ornament slammed heavily onto his forehead, and blood immediately gushed out.

"I'm sorry." Fang Xiao stood there, looking at her terrified and devastated expression. "... Don't be like this, it breaks my heart."

Is there anything more devastating than this?

Nausea, anger, despair—all sorts of negative emotions filled Mingzhu's heart, and she painfully turned around and vomited.

Actually, if her family hadn't had that accident...

Mingzhu might accept all of this in a daze.

Because Fang Xiao was truly good to her, and he was exceptionally outstanding in every way. Given her qualities and standards, she would find it extremely difficult to find a man who could compare to him, even with a lantern.

Although the so-called pen pal's memories were false, Fang Xiao's speech and preferences were genuine.

Given this power that she couldn't understand or resist, marrying Fang Xiao wasn't such a bad choice after all.

But why? Why did they kill her uncle? And her cousins... they just... cared about her and told the truth!

Mingzhu asked Fang Xiao this question resentfully, and Fang Xiao lowered his head almost imperceptibly. "I didn't do it."

He closed the door behind him and walked towards Mingzhu step by step. Seeing Mingzhu retreating in a panic, he grabbed Mingzhu hand. His grip was so strong, like an iron clamp, that Mingzhu could no longer escape from this disgusting man.

"I didn't mean to treat your family badly. Your marriage to me has nothing to do with them. As long as you're married to me and recognized as my wife, it doesn't matter whether you want your family to stay in town with you or they can go home as they please."

Ignoring Mingzhu's struggles, Fang Xing held her tightly in his arms. "It wasn't me, it was Fang Deming. That selfish and arrogant man can't stand hearing people talk about him wrong. He didn't even consult me—"

Mingzhu was going crazy, kicking and punching as she tried to get away from him. "That's your dad! You're all in cahoots, you're all disgusting! Especially you! Let me go!"

At that time, she was just a high school graduate.

"I'm disgusted?" Fang Xiao's posture remained forceful as he held her, but his voice carried a hint of sinister intent. "It was all Fang Deming's doing. You can only hate him, you should hate him, just like I do."

"Mingzhu, I didn't like what you just said. Don't let me hear that word again, okay? I won't allow you to hate me."

Mingzhu trembled in his arms; at this moment, fear finally outweighed anger.

She married a monster.

She was stunned, and somehow managed to ask this question, "If I continue to insult you, will you kill me too?"

"No, you can curse me." Fang Xiao immediately released her hold and cupped her hands. "As long as you feel better, you can curse me however you want, but you can't hate me."

"You can't... look at me like I'm trash, you can't avoid me like I'm a wild beast, you can't find me disgusting, you can't try to run away, do you understand?"

"If I find out again, I'll break your legs so you can't walk a single step, and I'll take your eyeballs so you can't look at me with those eyes anymore. Then you'll be mine alone, and you'll never leave."

Fang Xiao looked at Mingzhu with gentle eyes, but what came out of her mouth were such terrifying words.

Mingzhu should have looked at him with fear, but then she remembered what he had said—that hopeless future was more terrifying than death. The eighteen-year-old girl opened her mouth, not daring to show any extra emotion, not even daring to show that she was "afraid."

Her mind was extremely excited, like fireworks exploding one after another, until her brain matter and everything else were blown away, leaving her head completely empty.

So, she became like a puppet, revealing a stiff and exaggerated smile, her eyes vacant, clearly looking at Fang Xiao, but as if staring at a point in the void.

At one point, she even felt as if she were truly a puppet, unable to move or speak, simply standing there eternally, doing nothing at all—how wonderful that would be.

"... Mingzhu?" Fang Xiao revealed his darkest thoughts to Mingzhu, letting her know what his Achilles' heel was. He only wanted Mingzhu to be obedient and not try to leave him. As long as she didn't leave, he would have a chance to explain to her that Fang Deming was not the same kind of person as him.

He could also show Mingzhu through his actions that marrying him was a very happy thing. Once he found a way to kill Fang Deming, their lives would be fine again, and there would be no more accidents that would upset Mingzhu.

But Mingzhu suddenly became like this.

He frantically shook Mingzhu's shoulders, but Mingzhu remained unresponsive. When he stopped, Mingzhu turned her face towards him again, revealing the same exaggerated smile as before.

Fang Xiao suddenly realized that he was seeing those pre-programmed townspeople.

This is how the townspeople viewed outsiders.

But this is his Mingzhu, a living Mingzhu, a real person he has met, not one of those monsters created by Fang Deming!

"Mingzhu, did I scare you? I... I apologize." Fang Xiao gripped Mingzhu's hand tightly. "I was just joking. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I won't hurt you, I won't break your legs, and I won't take your eyeballs away. Wake up, don't go, don't go—"

As she spoke, Fang Xiao began to sob, "Why does everyone I want to be good to have to leave...?"

"Mingzhu, wake up, I won't scare you anymore..."

Mingzhu's mind was completely blank at that moment.

She could hear Fang Xiao's voice, but the language module in her brain seemed to have stopped working; his words were meaningless noise to her, and she couldn't understand them.

If I stop thinking about anything, I won't be hurt by Fang Xiao, right?

I don't want to think about it anymore.

I don't want to think about it anymore.

[Not wanting to think about it anymore? Hmm? What's this increasingly indescribable human being doing here?]

[Let me see what's going on? Oh, it seems there's something wrong with your brain. I happen to be a Doctor; you're lucky.]

[I see you. Your fear is delicious, but unfortunately, it's not on my menu. Hmm... I'll treat you for free. Come back for a follow-up appointment every three days. You're the first patient I've found here; you're very lucky.]

The unfamiliar voice in her mind gradually became clearer from the garbled text, and Mingzhu's eyes refocused as she blinked blankly.

Her fear and anger seemed to have vanished.

Did the Doctor cure her?

Fang Xiao saw the light in her eyes, her face filled with lingering fear and relief. "You're back. You didn't leave."

"I won't scare you anymore, Mingzhu, don't be afraid."

Mingzhu calmly replied, "Yes, I'm not afraid anymore."

When she said she wasn't afraid anymore with that eerie calm, Fang Xiao began to feel afraid.

He had already begun to gain control over cognitive distortion, which was why he was able to alter memories before. However, this forced alteration of memories was like child's play compared to cognitive distortion; it was full of loopholes, and he could easily escape the state of altered memories once something was discovered to be wrong.

The reason Mingzhu didn't realize it for so long was because she was naive, and she had genuinely fallen in love with him during their time together.

As for Mingzhu's uncle and his group, their memories had just been altered, and before any loopholes could be found, they were killed by Fang Deming.

In short, Fang Xiao had already gained some control, took the initiative to stop the Fang Mansion from distorting its perception of Mingzhu because of the fright he experienced that night. He was terrified that Mingzhu might one day become like those empty shells that had been created.

"That's why I've stayed lucid for so long," Mingzhu told Yu Xing. "He used to love and respect me so much, until... one day, he suddenly seemed like a completely different person."

"He went crazy, saying his insistence was pointless."

The way they looked at me changed; I could only sense their prejudice, and there was no respect left.

"He told me that he had complete control of the town, and that Fang Deming could die, but not so easily."

Mingzhu gave a bitter smile.

"From that day on, he stopped helping me block the forces of cognitive distortion. I think it's because... even if I became a puppet, I was a puppet under his control, not one created by Fang Deming, so he didn't care anymore."

But he didn't know that another voice had once entered your mind.

When Yu Xing heard it, it sounded so familiar; wasn't that the Doctor?

It turned out that the Doctor treated Mingzhu every three days to keep her conscious.