Chapter 106: The Late Wife's Memoirs

That evening, Ying Huai watched Father Liang's face visibly turn from red to iron-blue after Liang Shining said those words.

He argued furiously with Liang Shining for an hour, finally even wanting to call Liang Mu over.

But Liang Shining was particularly stubborn. He didn't argue with Father Liang, but he also refused to take back what he'd said.

Father Liang had no choice in the end. Fortunately, when Liang Mu arrived, her reaction wasn't as extreme, and after much persuading with Li Xiang beside her, she managed to get Father Liang to leave first.

The door of the house was slammed shut heavily by Father Liang with a 'bang.' Liang Shining stood in place with lowered eyes, and after a long while let out a heavy breath.

He slowly turned around, directly meeting Ying Huai's somewhat probing gaze.

Liang Shining's expression paused for a moment.

He glanced away somewhat unnaturally: 'What is it?'

'Nothing......... I was just admiring Mr. Liang's courage.'

Ying Huai sat on the sofa, half-propping his chin, and slowly began speaking with great interest.

'I'm also curious........ why did you come out to your father so suddenly?'

Ying Huai deliberately leaned forward, speaking as if gossiping: 'You couldn't possibly have someone you like now, little disciple? For his sake you'd do anything........'

Before he finished speaking, he heard Liang Shining suddenly turn his head: 'No!'

His face instantly darkened. Ying Huai, afraid he'd really get angry like before, quickly raised his hands in a surrendering gesture.

'Okay okay I was wrong, I was just joking—so why exactly did you........'

Liang Shining's expression paused.

He turned his eyes back, and after a long moment, said quietly: 'He'd find out sooner or later anyway.'

Ying Huai raised an eyebrow noncommittally, clearly not very satisfied with that answer.

He looked at Liang Shining quietly for a few seconds, then added: 'It wasn't sudden either, I've wanted to say it for a long time.........'

—Just never found the right moment.

This time Ying Huai was momentarily stunned.

Now he was genuinely surprised: 'You've wanted to say it for a long time? When........'

Before he finished, he saw Liang Shining raise his head and look at him with an inexplicable expression.

Ying Huai inexplicably read a hint of reproach and....... grievance? from Liang Shining's eyes.

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment, but Liang Shining didn't seem to want to say more, took a deep breath and spoke again.

'Anyway...... it's said, and I don't regret it. If my father can accept it, great. If not........ it doesn't matter either.'

Ying Huai didn't catch the slight strangeness in his tone at the end.

He seemed to think of something, and slightly curved his lips: 'It's fine, he'll come around eventually.'

—Not only will he come around, he'll be quite....... frustrated that you won't do better.

Liang Shining was momentarily stunned.

'What?'

'Nothing.'

Ying Huai had no intention of explaining.

He straightened up slightly, stretched, and spoke teasingly: 'I just mean, this really was too sudden this time. You didn't give your father any mental preparation at all—anyone would be startled, come on.'

—For example, even though he was mentally prepared, he was still startled by Liang Shining's sudden impulse.

Ying Huai cleared his throat lightly, raised his hand and patted Liang Shining's shoulder earnestly.

'So don't rush, give your father some time.'

Liang Shining was caught off balance by the pat.

He turned his head somewhat blankly, only to see Ying Huai had already turned around and was walking out slowly.

·

The concept of time in the dream became blurred over the next few days.

Ying Huai felt only an instant had passed, but when he came back to himself, the police's examination results were already out.

'Brother Liang, our lawyer just told me, the police's autopsy results are out, they're in the follow-up preparation stage. We'll be tracking it closely, don't worry.'

He looked at Liang Shining, hesitated a moment, then said quietly: 'But the other party is a minor. Yesterday the lawyer told me they might use that as an entry point........'

'A minor? Are they sixteen yet?'

Liang Shining directly interrupted Li Xiang.

Li Xiang thought for a moment, then quickly nodded: 'Yes, just three months or so short of eighteen.........'

'Being sixteen already means they can bear relevant criminal responsibility.'

Liang Shining said calmly: 'Being a minor isn't an excuse. Notify our legal team..........'

Before he finished, his gaze suddenly shifted behind Li Xiang, and his expression instantly softened.

'You're awake.'

Ying Huai, half-leaning against the doorframe, slightly raised an eyebrow.

Li Xiang was startled by Liang Shining's suddenly softened voice.

'What? Who's awake? Are you talking to me, Brother Liang?'

Li Xiang instinctively turned around, looked at the empty doorframe, then turned back somewhat blankly.

'I've been up for a long time, Brother Liang........'

Liang Shining paused, then drew his gaze back.

'No.'

He said quietly: 'I wasn't talking to anyone.'

Li Xiang inexplicably felt something was off, but looking at Liang Shining's expression, he didn't ask further.

'Oh, okay, Brother Liang, then I'll go talk to the PR department........'

Before he finished, he heard Liang Shining suddenly interrupt him.

'Arrange the rest first, we'll talk about the other things later. I have something to do right now.'

Li Xiang: ?

He didn't understand when the person who'd been so firm just now had changed.

Li Xiang looked up again, only to see Liang Shining walk straight past him, go to the doorframe, bend down slightly, and seem to say something quietly.

Immediately after, Li Xiang saw Liang Shining smile slightly at something he heard.

This time Li Xiang really felt a bit creeped out.

'Are you really okay, Brother Liang?'

Li Xiang stepped forward quickly, blocked Liang Shining, and waved his hand in front of his eyes.

'Who exactly are you talking to? You couldn't possibly.........'

Liang Shining was forced to shift his attention because of Li Xiang's sudden move.

He frowned, turned to look at the person inexplicably worried in front of him: 'What are you doing?'

'What are you doing, Brother Liang? I noticed something was off with you a long time ago.'

Li Xiang seemed to have opened a floodgate, unable to stop himself from rambling on.

'Who were you just talking to? Who were you looking at?'

Without waiting for Liang Shining to retort, he spoke first: '—Don't tell me it's no one, or that you were looking at me! You already used that line yesterday. I've observed carefully, your gaze definitely wasn't on me.'

Li Xiang gritted his teeth: 'The day before yesterday you were driving and suddenly asked if I was cold, and last night before bed you suddenly asked how I'd been sleeping these two days—Brother Liang, who exactly are you talking to?'

—Liang Shining's tone and manner were too strange. Even for someone as unobservant as Li Xiang, there was really no way to associate those words with himself.

A subtle expression appeared on Liang Shining's face.

He turned to glance at Li Xiang, didn't deny it either, and after a long moment only said quietly: '.......You observe quite carefully.'

Li Xiang modestly waved his hand, but couldn't hide the pride in his tone: 'Of course, I was the ace agent who won the company's Top Ten Agents award three years in a row. Observing an artist's every move is my basic duty........'

Before he finished, he suddenly realized something and grabbed the person in front of him who was about to walk away.

'Wait—don't try to change the subject, you haven't answered me yet!'

Li Xiang grabbed Liang Shining's arm, unusually firmly blocking his way.

'What's wrong with you, Brother Liang? Tell me the truth.' Li Xiang said through gritted teeth.

That line sounded too familiar—even the target of the words wasn't himself for once.

Ying Huai raised his eyes with great interest, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Liang Shining with a smile as he spoke.

'Right, you should tell Teacher Li Xiang the truth, little disciple.'

Liang Shining gave a complicated look at the person beside him who was enjoying the show, and once again received a horrified look from Li Xiang.

'I said I'm fine. I've been too busy lately, sometimes I can't keep track of things. Talking to myself....... helps prevent forgetting.'

Liang Shining thought for a moment, then said quietly.

Li Xiang didn't believe it at all.

'Come on, would you talk to yourself with that kind of expression?'

Li Xiang raised his head with disdain: 'You, who when busy would splash cold water on your head in winter to save time while filming—would you talk to yourself so gently?'

Li Xiang shuddered at his own words: 'There's a limit to making up lies, okay?'

A hint of unnaturalness appeared on Liang Shining's face.

He glanced at Ying Huai beside him who was nearly dying of laughter, took a deep breath, and simply turned to Li Xiang, giving up on the pretense.

'Then what do you think is wrong with me?'

Li Xiang was momentarily stunned.

His expression slowly calmed, he hesitated looking at Liang Shining, then after a long moment said quietly.

'Brother Liang, I know Teacher Ying Huai's accident has affected you greatly.'

The moment his words fell, he saw Liang Shining's brow furrow instantly, as expected.

Li Xiang gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, but still pressed on.

'It's okay if you can't accept it right away. Your father, mother, and I can all stay with you as you work through it slowly, but—'

Li Xiang glanced at Liang Shining, then said quietly: 'But if you're having hallucinations or any other bad thoughts, you must tell us.'

After saying this, Li Xiang looked at the person in front of him somewhat anxiously.

He'd originally expected Liang Shining to get angry directly, or simply coldly turn and leave.

He didn't expect Liang Shining to just pause, give him a strange look, and slowly calm down.

This made Li Xiang even more worried.

'Brother Liang, don't be angry. If you really are having hallucinations, it's okay, I can help you contact the best psychologist........'

Before Li Xiang finished, he heard Liang Shining speak quietly.

'No need.'

He paused, then said softly: 'I'm not having hallucinations, no need to find a psychologist.'

Li Xiang clearly didn't believe him: 'Then before........'

'Nothing will happen to me. If that's what you're worried about, you can rest easy.'

Liang Shining didn't get angry again, but turned his head and said calmly: 'Ying Huai's matter isn't over yet. I won't let anything happen to myself.'

'Do you understand?'

Li Xiang was momentarily stunned.

He seemed to vaguely realize something, silently opened his mouth, but the next second heard Liang Shining repeat quietly, as if to himself.

'I haven't seen him one last time....... Until I can see him, I won't let anything happen to myself.'

Li Xiang swallowed the words on his lips.

—He suddenly remembered this too.

He looked at Liang Shining, hesitated a moment, then finally nodded slightly.

'Okay, I understand, Brother Liang.'

He took a deep breath, slowly turned around with the documents in his hand, hesitated wanting to say something, but in the end just silently turned his head.

Li Xiang hurried around the corner of the corridor.

Wind blew in through the window crack, pushing open the door of the adjacent second bedroom with a muffled 'bang.'

Li Xiang instinctively turned around to close the door.

His gaze accidentally fell on the bed in the second bedroom, and he instantly realized something, his eyes suddenly widening.

After a long moment, Li Xiang's gritted-teeth voice came from the corridor: 'Damn you, Liang Shining, you lied to me!'

·

Meanwhile, Liang Shining, hearing the faint sounds from the doorway, slightly frowned.

He turned to stare at the corridor for a few seconds, but didn't see Li Xiang rushing back over.

Liang Shining didn't pay it any more attention, slowly exhaled, and looked up toward Ying Huai.

His expression suddenly froze.

The smile on the lips of the person across from him had disappeared at some point, and he was looking at him with slightly furrowed brows, silent.

'What's wrong?' Liang Shining was confused, and stepped forward hesitantly.

He thought Ying Huai was going to ask why he hadn't told Li Xiang the truth earlier, his expression no longer as certain as before, seeming somewhat anxious as he stepped forward wanting to explain something.

But the next second, he heard Ying Huai speak softly: 'What did you mean when you said you wouldn't let anything happen to yourself before that?'

Liang Shining's steps instantly stopped.

He silently opened his mouth, but the next moment saw the person in front of him step forward, a rare hint of anxiety appearing on his face.

'What will happen after that, Liang Shining?'

Ying Huai looked at him, gritted his teeth and said: 'What are you planning to do after?'

—He suddenly realized that Liang Shining had never told him how exactly he had... died in his previous life.

Ying Huai vaguely sensed something in his heart, and a flash of panic crossed his expression.

He couldn't help but speak again: 'Tell me, Liang Shining, what exactly are you planning to do after...?'

Before he could finish, he heard Liang Shining softly interrupt him: 'What I want to do is my own business.'

'What do you mean your business? If you want to hurt yourself, that's everyone's business.' Ying Huai gritted his teeth, speaking somewhat impatiently.

'Don't try to fool me the way you fool Li Xiang, don't think that just because I'm like this now I can't deal with you...'

'What about you then?'

Liang Shining suddenly raised his head.

'Have you yourself done everything you're now saying to me?'

Liang Shining looked at him, his voice heavy.

'Everything you should have told me... you've told me?'

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment.

He didn't react for a moment, frowning: 'What?'

'Why didn't you tell me when you were feeling unwell? Why didn't you tell me you were sick?' Liang Shining spoke directly.

'A few days ago in the car was one thing, that time... was also.'

Liang Shining's eyes inexplicably reddened, he looked at Ying Huai and gritted his teeth: 'If you had just told me what happened at that time, could I have saved you, could I have changed...'

Ying Huai was stunned.

—He instantly realized that Liang Shining was referring to when his accident had happened.

A trace of helplessness flashed across Ying Huai's expression, but the hand hanging at his side slowly clenched.

He stumbled back a step, his body somewhat stiffly leaning back against the doorframe behind him, before barely coming back to himself.

He raised his eyes to look at Liang Shining, seeming to want to say something, hesitating for a long while, but finally just let out a soft sigh.

'Sorry.'

Liang Shining frowned, but the next moment heard Ying Huai speak softly: 'But... I would still make that choice.'

The moment his words fell, he watched, as expected, as Liang Shining's expression suddenly turned cold.

The room fell silent, leaving only Liang Shining's somewhat heavy breathing.

'Fine.'

Ying Huai listened as Liang Shining seemed to let out a low laugh.

'Then my affairs don't need you to concern yourself with either.'

·

After that incident, Liang Shining once again returned to his previously taciturn state.

He seemed to truly have gotten busy, leaving early and returning late every day; unless Ying Huai followed him constantly, they often wouldn't see each other for a long time.

Ying Huai could only hear from Li Xiang, who occasionally came to the house, that Xin Wan, Su Xin and others had also come looking for him during this period, while Lu Jing had no idea what he was doing lately, no longer managing the Lu Family, and no longer making things difficult for Liang Shining.

Ying Huai's sense of time in the dream wasn't strong, and combined with recently becoming inexplicably drowsy, he often didn't know how long had passed when he woke up.

But he also began to find it strange, why he still hadn't woken up from this dream.

Until one day, he suddenly heard a soft meow coming from the room.

Ying Huai instinctively turned his head, his eyes instantly lighting up.

'Bouquet!'

Ying Huai suddenly stood up, running in a few steps to Liang Shining.

Liang Shining was holding a chubby Bouquet cat in his arms. He looked at Ying Huai's reaction, his expression still unchanged, only slightly crouching down to gently set the cat in his arms down.

Bouquet was clearly still a bit shy around strangers. The moment Liang Shining set him down, he instantly let out a 'meow' and ran straight under the low cabinet nearby, crouching down warily.

Ying Huai no longer cared about anything, quickly walking forward and crouching down as well.

'Bouquet, be good...'

The Bouquet cat seemed to realize something, hesitantly raising his head.

Ying Huai carefully reached out his hand while also turning to look at the person behind him.

'Why did you suddenly bring him back?'

Liang Shining stood half a step behind him, looking at the person and cat in front of him, his expression involuntarily softening.

'The preliminary evidence review at the police station has already ended, so the things unrelated to the case...'

He paused, swallowing the word 'belongings,' and spoke softly: 'So I brought him back.'

Ying Huai realized something, didn't continue to press, but slightly curved his lips, turning back to look at the Bouquet cat in front of him, softly cooing in a low voice.

The Bouquet cat seemed to sense the familiar presence, his tense body finally relaxing bit by bit, propping himself up again, and cautiously walking out from under the low table.

He couldn't see the familiar person in front of him, somewhat hesitantly tilted his head, tentatively nuzzling against him as usual.

Ying Huai couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

Liang Shining looked at the person in front of him, silently letting out a breath of relief.

He slowly moved the hand hanging at his side behind his back, his palm gradually clenching.

He seemed to be clutching something in his hand, a hint of dark red cracks faintly showing through his fingers.

Ying Huai didn't notice his action.

He sat cross-legged on the ground, teasing the cat in front of him through the void, suddenly speaking softly: 'Thank you, Liang Shining.'

Liang Shining was stunned for a moment.

The Bouquet cat in front of him also seemed to realize something, his ear tips twitching, letting out a 'meow' as he trotted over, nuzzling against Liang Shining's calf.

Liang Shining slightly crouched down.

He gently scratched the chubby Bouquet's chin, looking at the person not far away who turned around with a bright smile, the tips of his ears unconsciously reddening slightly.

After a while, he let out a low 'mm.'

The room was for a moment left with only the comfortable purring of the chubby Bouquet. Liang Shining opened his mouth to say something, but the next moment, suddenly heard someone knock at the door, neither lightly nor heavily.

Liang Shining raised his head, and immediately heard a slightly cold voice with a hint of amusement coming through.

'Oh, Teacher Liang is in quite a mood.'

Ying Huai turned his head at the sound, his brows instantly lifting in some surprise.

—It was actually... an acquaintance.

Song Si Lan half-leaned against the door, looking at Liang Shining with a slight curve of his lips.

Liang Shining, however, frowned.

The chubby Bouquet in front, seeing the cat servant who had been playing with him shift his attention away, let out an unhappy 'meow,' and tried to lift his paw to pull the person's gaze back.

Song Si Lan's gaze followed, landing on the person and cat in front of him, a hint of interest appearing in his expression.

'I heard Teacher Liang has been so busy these past few days he has no time to go home, yet now he can actually steal time from his busy schedule to... fight with a cat.'

Song Si Lan raised his hand without any sincerity, clapping a few sparse times.

'Truly admirable.'

'Why are you here?'

Liang Shining ignored his mockery, casually patting the cat's head in front of him, signaling him to go find the other person first.

'Didn't Teacher Liang contact me a few days ago, asking about all sorts of daily precautions for heart patients? Why are you giving me the cold shoulder now?'

Song Si Lan gave a light snort: 'Burning bridges after crossing the river isn't right.'

Liang Shining frowned, staring at him without speaking.

After a few seconds he seemed to realize something, his voice sinking: 'Li Xiang sent you here.'

Song Si Lan shrugged noncommittally.

Liang Shining glanced at him, slightly standing up and walking back to the chubby Bouquet: 'How come I didn't know Doctor Song also worked part-time as a Psychologist?'

Song Si Lan, not knowing what he thought of, had a momentary stiffness in his expression.

The next moment, he quickly regained his composure.

'I don't work part-time, but Li Xiang said on the phone that you seemed like you were about to collapse, so my conscience made me come take a look first, and then help you contact... a relevant Psychologist.'

Before Liang Shining could say anything, he heard Ying Huai beside him suddenly speak softly: 'He's lying, he just doesn't want to contact his ex-boyfriend for no reason, so he came over himself first.'

Liang Shining: ?

Song Si Lan beside him couldn't hear Ying Huai speaking, only stepped forward and slowly glanced at him: 'Li Xiang said you've completely fallen into hallucinations, even moved to the second bedroom and left the master bedroom for the person in your illusion. You don't look that crazy to me?'

Liang Shining: ......

A trace of helplessness crossed his expression: 'I'm not crazy, and I'm not having hallucinations. Sorry to trouble Doctor Song with a wasted trip.'

Song Si Lan completely ignored his words.

'Sick people all say they're not sick. Look up at me.'

Song Si Lan took out a flashlight and shone it at his eyes. Liang Shining was stunned for a moment, somewhat inexplicably raising his eyes: 'Can you tell from this?'

'No, I'm not a psychology professional.'

Song Si Lan spoke seriously: 'I'm just simply confirming that you don't have an eye problem.'

Liang Shining: ......

'Psychological issues need to be judged with the assistance of professional equipment. Do you have anything today? If not, come back to the Hospital with me, I'll contact my junior to help you do some routine checks first.'

Song Si Lan put away the flashlight and straightened up.

The moment his words fell, he heard Liang Shining speak without hesitation: 'No time.'

Song Si Lan glanced at him, pretending not to hear as he took out his phone: 'Fine, then let's tentatively set it for three in the afternoon.'

Liang Shining: ......

—So this person was just asking out of politeness, and had no intention of listening to his answer at all.

He took a deep breath, raising his hand to stop Song Si Lan's action: 'I said, I don't have time today...'

'Li Xiang has already rearranged your schedule for today or handled it himself, your entire afternoon is free.'

Song Si Lan unhurriedly raised his eyes.

'Why don't you tell me, what else do you have to do?'

Liang Shining gritted his teeth.

He took a deep breath, just about to say something, when he suddenly heard the chubby Bouquet beside him let out several rapid hisses.

Liang Shining instinctively turned his head.

The next moment, his face instantly changed: 'What's wrong with you?'

Song Si Lan somewhat puzzledly turned his head: 'What are you saying?'

Liang Shining, however, ignored him, quickly walking forward and crouching in front of the chubby Bouquet.

Beside him, Ying Huai sat cross-legged on the ground, at some point having lowered his head, seeming somewhat uncomfortable as he pressed a hand to his chest.

'What's wrong? Where does it hurt?' Liang Shining spoke urgently, 'Is it tightness in your chest, or your heart...'

Ying Huai seemed unable to speak for a moment, but after a while finally slightly shook his head.

'No...'

Before he could finish speaking, his voice suddenly caught, the hand pressing his chest suddenly tightened, and he let out a suppressed groan.

Ying Huai also didn't know what had happened. He had been sitting on the ground just fine, when suddenly an inexplicable wave of dizziness came over his eyes.

Before Ying Huai could react, the next moment he felt his heart beat rapidly, followed by an intense bout of heart palpitations.

Ying Huai had no time to react, his body instantly swayed, suddenly bending over and barely supporting himself on the ground with one hand.

It was at this moment that the chubby Bouquet beside him, who had been sneakily nuzzling against people, was startled.

At this moment, the broken hair on Ying Huai's forehead was already soaked with cold sweat. He barely raised his head, smiling at Liang Shining: 'I'm fine, I...'

Before he could finish speaking, a trace of pain appeared on his expression again.

Liang Shining suddenly caught the person in front of him: 'Ying Huai!'

Song Si Lan beside him frowned, finally unable to hold back: 'What exactly is wrong with you? Liang Shining, who are you talking to?'

Liang Shining, however, suddenly turned his head: 'How should an Acute Episode in a heart patient be handled?'

Song Si Lan was stunned for a moment.

He was somewhat puzzled: 'What Acute Episode? What are you talking about, Liang Shining...'

'Quickly, tell me what to do.'

Liang Shining gritted his teeth, a hint of a sob faintly entering his voice: 'Please...'

Song Si Lan paused.

The next moment he quickly spoke: 'First judge his pupil, breathing, and heart rate, have him sit half-up, place under his tongue...'

Song Si Lan's voice was calm and clear, but reaching Ying Huai's ears it seemed to pass through a barrier, he could only hear a few vague words.

His vision gradually went black, his body also seeming to weigh more than a thousand pounds.

Ying Huai's arm went limp, unable to support himself any longer, like a jade mountain collapsing, he suddenly fell weakly to the side.

His last conscious moment was Liang Shining's particularly panicked voice coming through.

'Ying Huai—'

......

'Ying Huai, wake up!'

Ying Huai suddenly opened his eyes.

He looked at Yu Wu in front of him and silently let out a breath of relief.

'I...'

Ying Huai's vision was still somewhat blurry, but he could vaguely realize that he was now lying in Yu Wu's psychological treatment room.