Chapter 136: Grievance Spirit

Chapter 136: Grievance Spirit

Half of Lu Yan's body dangled outside, perilously close to falling, as he stared into Tang Rufeng's bloodshot eyes that seemed ready to spill crimson tears. A chill ran down his spine; this system had to malfunction now, of all times!

Lu Yan collected himself and tried to soothe Tang Rufeng. "I've never lied to you, nor have I married Duan Jiayang..."

Before he could finish, the sensation of weightlessness intensified, threatening to send him plummeting at any moment. He clutched the rooftop's edge in panic to steady himself. Tang Rufeng's voice, chilling in the night, was fierce yet fragile: "You're still lying!"

Now, Lu Yan was below, and Tang Rufeng above, with the former's life hanging by a thread.

Lu Yan heard the fury in his voice and exhaled slightly, relieved. Anger was good; it meant there was hope, better than the alternative of utter despair.

"What reason do I have to lie?"

Lu Yan took a shallow breath, feeling the cold wind cut like knives against his face. With one hand, he fished out his phone from his pocket and laboriously handed it to Tang Rufeng. The screen lit up, revealing their intertwined fingers as the wallpaper. "Check the news yourself; Duan Jiayang and I have long called off our engagement. There's a record online."

Tang Rufeng gazed at the phone screen, stunned.

He had no recollection of ever being so intimate with Lu Yan, to the point where a photo of their clasped hands could be used as a screensaver. To the other party, he was merely a pet, seen when remembered, otherwise gathering dust in a corner.

Tang Rufeng reached out hesitantly, his grip on Lu Yan loosening slightly.

"Bang—!"

In a split second, Lu Yan seized the opportunity, flipping Tang Rufeng over and grabbing the rooftop's edge to pull himself up. Realizing he'd been tricked, Tang Rufeng lunged with a vicious glare, aiming to kick Lu Yan off the rooftop, but was dodged. An elbow strike landed on his right shoulder, causing him to stumble back and fall to the ground.

Lu Yan's blow was only a third of his strength, yet it shattered the last vestige of hope in Tang Rufeng's heart. Clutching his throbbing shoulder, his entire body trembled with rage, his pallid face framed by bloodshot eyes brimming with anguish and hatred: "Lu Yan... you're lying to me again..."

Tears rolled down in large drops, ordinary words that tore through the heart: "You're lying to me again..."

Tang Rufeng clenched his fists in agony. Sometime during this ordeal, a drizzle began, cool droplets landing on his face. He attempted to rise from the ground, but it felt as if all his strength had been drained, collapsing back down repeatedly in humiliation.

The rain carried the karma and resentment from a past life, drenching Lu Yan completely. As he looked at Tang Rufeng not far away, a sharp pain pierced his heart. It felt as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping his throat, making breathing difficult.

Lu Yan shifted his feet, eventually moving closer. He lifted Tang Rufeng into his arms, holding his trembling body tightly, unable to restrain the tightening of his embrace. In a low voice, he whispered: "I'm sorry..."

"I'm sorry..."

He didn't know why he said those words, only feeling a profound sense of guilt. Kisses rained down on Tang Rufeng's cheek, wiping away the salty tears.

Tang Rufeng kept his eyes closed, motionless, his eyelashes casting shadows on his pale cheeks as if in a coma. His entire body curled up, maintaining a posture devoid of security, even Lu Yan couldn't warm him in the slightest.

A dark red heart silently appeared in the air, its form shuddering slightly, perhaps from lingering fear:

"That was close. Fortunately, you weren't pushed down."

Without a word, Lu Yan took off his jacket and wrapped it around Tang Rufeng, his brows furrowed deeply. "Why did he become like this?"

The system circled above his head, its cold, mechanical voice echoing emptily in the night:

"The program running in this world isn't comprehensive. It originally wouldn't affect your survival mission, but what you said on the rooftop inadvertently triggered a flaw mechanism. This caused Tang Rufeng's grievance spirit from his past life to return to his body, attempting to drag you both down. Although the bug has been fixed, please be more careful with your words next time."

In other words, don't recklessly set flags with your mouth next time.

Lu Yan wasn't in the mood for argument: "Will Tang Rufeng come back?"

The system replied: "He should be fine once he wakes up from his unconscious state."

Only then did Lu Yan breathe a silent sigh of relief. He lifted Tang Rufeng horizontally and returned to his usual private resting room. Bending down, he laid him on the bed and wiped his face with a warm towel before stopping.

Outside, the rain grew heavier, pounding against the glass windows with a distant, muffled sound. Wutong leaves rustled and fell, branches growing askew, enduring the chill while awaiting the warmth of the next spring.

Lu Yan sat on the sofa, sleepless throughout the night. Occasionally, he glanced at Tang Rufeng lying on the bed. He saw the other's brows knitted, cold sweat dripping, restless even in slumber, repeatedly mumbling those few phrases:

"You lied to me..."

"Lu Yan... you lied to me..."

This was the utterly defeated Tang Rufeng from his past life.

Lu Yan's deceit was the final straw that broke him, leading him to death with unwavering resolve.

Silently, Lu Yan rose and walked to the balcony to smoke. Before he knew it, cigarette butts littered the floor at his feet, his eyes bloodshot from staying up late. Not until the sky turned a faint white did he realize something, turning back to see that Tang Rufeng had somehow woken up. He sat alone on the edge of the bed, head lowered, his expression unclear.

"Rufeng!"

Lu Yan immediately opened the balcony door and hurried to the bedside. He grasped Tang Rufeng's shoulders, his deep voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of joy: "You're awake?"

Tang Rufeng slowly looked at Lu Yan, the redness in his eyes unrelenting. He spoke uncertainly, "Lu Yan?"

Lu Yan paused, sensing something amiss with his emotions. "What's wrong?"

Tang Rufeng shook his head blankly, appearing as if his soul had been sapped. "I don't know... I... I think I had a dream..."

Lu Yan asked instinctively: "What dream?"

But Tang Rufeng fell silent. He cupped Lu Yan's face, his fingertips tracing the other's handsome, chiseled features, scrutinizing them closely as if confirming something. The slight flush at the corners of his eyes seemed unhealthy. Finally, he spoke hoarsely: "Lu Yan, hug me."

He slowly extended his arms. "Hug me."

Without hesitation, Lu Yan pulled him into his embrace. Tang Rufeng buried his face in his collar, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. The faint scent of mint smoke lingered at his nose, familiar to the bone: "You smoked."

Lu Yan kissed his icy cheek. "Just a little. Is it too strong?"

Tang Rufeng closed his eyes and shook his head, tightly wrapping his arms around his waist, refusing to let go. The force was so great that Lu Yan momentarily felt unable to breathe, even experiencing some pain: "Are you hungry? Should I take you downstairs for breakfast?"

Tang Rufeng asked: "When are we getting married?"

"..."

Due to these two unrelated sentences, there was a brief silence in the air, even somewhat eerie.

Lu Yan looked down at Tang Rufeng with an expression that couldn't hide his confusion. "I was asking you if you wanted breakfast, why did you suddenly bring up marriage?"

Tang Rufeng's lips curled slightly. "Didn't you say you loved me? When are we getting married?"

He looked up at Lu Yan from his embrace, his eyes filled with longing, hiding a deeper, inscrutable threat. It was as if something terrible would happen if Lu Yan didn't agree.

Lu Yan suddenly laughed, out of frustration.

He reached out and pinched the little flesh on Tang Rufeng's face, gently tugging. "Was it me who didn't want to marry you? Didn't you say that before you inherit the Duan family, our relationship should remain under wraps for now?"

Tang Rufeng: "…"

Oh, almost forgot.

Tang Rufeng slowly released Lu Yan's waist, lowering his eyes. For some reason, his expression seemed somewhat gloomy and irritable. Seeing this, Lu Yan kissed his eyes. "If you want to get married, take out your household registration book soon. Whenever you do, we'll get married then, okay?"

Tang Rufeng seemed somewhat doubtful. "Really?"

Lu Yan had originally wanted to swear an oath, but remembering what happened last night, he swallowed back the words. "Why would I lie to you? Hurry up and wash your face, I'm taking you out to eat."

But Tang Rufeng directly pounced onto his back from behind, tightly circling his neck. "Carry me there."

He suddenly became very clingy, for no apparent reason.

Lu Yan didn't ask any more questions, simply carrying him to the bathroom to wash up. After they brushed their teeth and washed their faces, just as they were about to leave, they were stopped by a ringing phone. It was a call from the police station. They said they had found the culprit responsible for Duan Jianfeng's pollen allergy and asked him to come over.

Upon hearing the situation, Lu Yan frowned in thought. "Could it be Duan Jiyang?"

Tang Rufeng said meaningfully. "I'll go check the situation first, I'll contact you if anything happens."

After saying this, he put on his coat and hurriedly left. But remembering something, he took a few steps and then turned around again, looking at Lu Yan seriously. "When this matter is resolved, will we get married then?"

Lu Yan also looked at him seriously, finally smiling. "Yes, go ahead."

Tang Rufeng was like an insecure stray animal, desperately seeking a fixed nest. As if this way, he wouldn't be abandoned anymore, wouldn't continue to wander. Lu Yan realized that the other party was so panicked because he hadn't done enough.

After Tang Rufeng left, Lu Yan didn't go for breakfast but returned home directly to rummage through things, digging out his household registration book.

Yang Qin was lying on the sofa with a facial mask on. Hearing the noise, she couldn't help but ask, "What are you looking for? Making such a racket early in the morning, it's giving me a headache."

Lu Yan replied, "Nothing, I'm looking for my household registration book."

Yang Qin sat up suspiciously. "What are you looking for your household registration book for?"

Lu Yan peeked out from behind the door, saying in a somewhat manic manner. "Mom, I want to get married."

Hearing this, Yang Qin was startled and tore off the mask on her face. "Get married? Who are you marrying? It can't be that bastard Duan Jiyang, right?"

Lu Yan was speechless. "What are you thinking? Of course not him."

Hearing this, Yang Qin's heart finally settled. "As long as it's not Duan Jiyang, anyone else is fine. He's a grasshopper after autumn, won't be jumping for long. Now that he has a capable younger brother, the family business probably won't fall into his hands."

Lu Yan asked subtly. "How do you know Duan Jiyang has a younger brother?"

Yang Qin didn't think much of it. "I saw him a few times when I was with Mrs. Chen. He's quite a handsome young man, polite, clean-cut, and played several rounds of mahjong with us. He secretly let us win, thinking I didn't notice."

Yang Qin couldn't help but chuckle as she spoke, seemingly having a good impression of Tang Rufeng.

Hearing this, Lu Yan's eyelids twitched. "You played mahjong with him, when was that?"

Yang Qin replied, "A long time ago, why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Lu Yan coughed. "Nothing, continue with your facial mask."

He didn't expect Tang Rufeng to privately try to curry favor behind his back.

Lu Yan was about to leave after finding the household registration book, but before leaving, he asked again as if confirming. "As long as it's not Duan Jiyang, anyone else is fine, right?"

Yang Qin didn't expect Lu Yan to be serious and subconsciously asked, "Brat, who are you marrying then? You have to introduce them to me, right?!"

But Lu Yan had already closed the door and left, only leaving a sentence behind. "You've already met them, it's the one who played mahjong with you. I'm going to propose now, I'll bring him to see you if it's successful!"

It wasn't until the sun was setting that Tang Rufeng came out of the police station. Duan Jianfeng's sudden pollen allergy was indeed not an accident, but intentional. The police investigation revealed that the Duan family's nanny had recently bought lily pollen at the flower market. On the day of the incident, while everyone was away from home, she deliberately sprinkled a lot of lily pollen on the second floor stairs, causing Duan Jianfeng to trip and fall down the stairs.

When the nanny was arrested, she confessed to everything. She said that Duan Jianfeng usually liked to throw tantrums and treated her with abuse, and in a fit of anger, she did something foolish.

Here, the matter seemed to have come to an end, but Tang Rufeng refused to believe it. That nanny had worked for the Duan family for over twenty years. If she wanted revenge, she would have acted long ago, why wait until today? Moreover, Duan Jiyang was raised by her, their relationship was deep, she could be considered half a mother. Her son was studying abroad, and all these years, Duan Jiyang had been sponsoring his tuition fees without charge.

With too many clues pieced together, the answer was actually already clear. Even the secretary knew that this matter must have something to do with Duan Jiyang, let alone the cunning Duan Jianfeng. In the hospital, upon hearing the news, he threw everything within reach to the ground, glaring with rage. "This… beast! Beast!!!"

His fall injured his spine, leaving him in a state of partial paralysis. He couldn't leave the nurse's care for 24 hours, unable to even curse coherently, his mouth skewed, his eyes askew, no different from a cripple.

The secretary hurried forward to comfort him. "Chairman, calm down, maybe it's just a misunderstanding…"

Duan Jianfeng grabbed his hand, panting heavily. "Where's that beast Duan Jiyang?! Bring him here!! Quickly!"

The secretary hesitated. "I called, but I couldn't reach him. However, President Duan is still waiting outside the ward. Do you want to see him?"

Hearing this, Duan Jianfeng's mind, clouded by anger, suddenly quieted down. He fell back onto the pillow weakly, his cloudy eyes turning, unsure what he was thinking. After a long while, he said in an old voice. "Let him in…"

When Tang Rufeng walked into the ward, he saw Duan Jianfeng lying in bed, his face gaunt, his hair gray, aged beyond recognition, more than ten years older in an instant.

In his youth, Duan Jianfeng was very handsome, otherwise, he wouldn't have deceived a rich heiress into having a child out of wedlock for him. But in his old age, he was left with only a crippled body. He couldn't even crawl out of bed to settle accounts with Duan Jiyang.

Duan Jianfeng grunted, his emotions complex. "You're still willing to see me…"

Tang Rufeng smiled, bending down close to him. The words he whispered softly were like a snake coiling around his heart, making one's hair stand on end. "Of course, you're my father."

Unfortunately, Duan Jianfeng didn't perceive the danger in his tone: "What about that beast Duan Jiayang?"

Tang Rufeng shook his head gently: "I don't know. I heard he's been aggressively buying shares from the other shareholders recently."

In other words, he was gearing up for a showdown.

Duan Jianfeng's eyes burned with even greater fury: "Even if I die, I will never hand over the family business to him! That beast, I raised him for so many years only for him to collude with the nanny to harm me!"

Tang Rufeng let him vent his curses. After a moment, he felt his sleeve tighten as Duan Jianfeng clutched his wrist desperately, his eyes bloodshot and terrifying: "What do you want today?! Are you here to harm me too?!"

At these words, Tang Rufeng stared at him expressionlessly. Three seconds later, he suddenly burst out laughing: "The sun outside is nice. Let me push you out to bask in it."

Duan Jianfeng wanted to refuse, but the nurse inside ignored his shouting and moved him onto the wheelchair directly. Tang Rufeng pushed him into the garden. Although it was late autumn, there were vast areas of ginkgo trees planted outside, their leaves a brilliant gold from afar, creating an especially soothing and pleasant scene.

Tang Rufeng, recalling something, whispered: "Dad, you're truly fortunate. Even after being paralyzed by a fall, you can still recuperate in such a comfortable place. Unlike my mother, who couldn't even afford medicine back then. Every night, she lay on a hard bed, writhing in pain unable to sleep. While I was studying, I worked part-time in a bar, yet I couldn't save her life."

Duan Jianfeng, hearing him mention Tang Wanying, visibly flashed a look of panic: "Stop talking, shut up! Did you hear me? Shut up?!"

Tang Rufeng continued unperturbed: "I thought about it. Perhaps those surnamed Duan are born to torment me. You ruined my mother's life, and your son tries to steal the person I like. How can such a thing exist in this world?"

As he spoke, he had already pushed Duan Jianfeng to a slope. With just a gentle push, the wheelchair would rush down like an out-of-control vehicle.

Duan Jianfeng clearly sensed the danger and tried to maneuver the wheelchair backward, but with Tang Rufeng blocking him from behind, all his efforts were futile.

Tang Rufeng lit a cigarette unhurriedly, exhaled slowly, the smoke swirling around his eyes: "Do you know how my mother died?"

Without waiting for Duan Jianfeng's answer, he calmly uttered three words: "She fell to her death."

Duan Jianfeng was drenched in cold sweat: "There are surveillance cameras here. Don't act rashly!"

Tang Rufeng smiled, leaning close to him: "How could this be considered rash? I went looking for a trash bin because I was smoking, and your wheelchair happened to be on a slope. It accidentally rolled down. Isn't that reasonable?"

Duan Jianfeng had never felt so powerless: "What do you really want?! I'll transfer the shares to you, I'll transfer the company to you, I'll give you all my money!"

Tang Rufeng's voice was icy: "Do you think you're invincible, believing that with these things, everyone has to listen to you?"

The wheelchair began to lose balance, sliding down crazily due to inertia. Duan Jianfeng frantically shouted for help, pressing hard on the wheels trying to stop everything. However, with half his body paralyzed, his strength was insufficient to halt the wheelchair. Just as the wheelchair was about to topple over, he closed his eyes in terror. All sensations of weightlessness ceased abruptly—

Tang Rufeng had grabbed hold of the wheelchair.

Duan Jianfeng opened his eyes in panic and saw Tang Rufeng extinguish his cigarette, his tone unreadable: "You're better suited to spend the rest of your life in this wheelchair."

Death would be too easy for him.

Duan Jianfeng should have realized long ago that Tang Rufeng was a wolf in sheep's clothing. His recent obedience was merely an illusion. He was both shocked and furious: "Aren't you going to want the inheritance rights of the company anymore?"

Tang Rufeng laughed derisively: "If you want to hand it over to Duan Jiayang, I have no objections. If you want to donate it all, I have even fewer objections."

Duan Jianfeng was unwilling to entrust his assets to a son who wanted to kill him, nor was he willing to donate his life's work. Apart from Tang Rufeng, he had no choice.

When leaving the nursing home, the sky had already turned dark. Tang Rufeng slowly walked to the roadside, his tall and slender figure almost swallowed by the darkness, appearing like a wandering spirit. His gaze swept over the parked cars on the side of the road, trying to identify his own car. But at that moment, a honking sound suddenly sounded from behind—

"Beep beep!"

Tang Rufeng subconsciously turned around and saw a ghostly black car parked under the tree shade. The roof was covered with golden ginkgo leaves. Looking through the windshield, Lu Yan was sitting inside, watching him. The light was dim, but it couldn't conceal the clear smile in his eyes.