Chapter 29: Cycling

Chapter 29: The Last Dance

Sang Xu knelt by his little sister’s bedside, handing her a dirty doll and softly asking, "Little sister, do you have any wishes?"

The girl reached out a pale hand, wiping a bloodstain from Sang Xu’s face, and asked, "Big brother, why did Daddy abandon me? Is it because I’m useless?"

"No," Sang Xu gently stroked her soft hair, "The useless ones are the adults."

She then asked eagerly, "Would a prince like a silly girl?"

"He would."

The girl’s clear eyes reflected Sang Xu’s calm face. She smiled at him, "Can you be my prince?"

Sang Xu knelt on one knee, taking her slender hand. "My dear princess, may I invite you to dance?"

His sister struggled to sit up. Her brother tried to help, but she shook her head. Barefoot, she stood steadily on the carpet, lifted the hem of her skirt, and curtsied gracefully, smiling sweetly, "Yes."

Her brother, tears streaming down his face, helped her into pink leather shoes, smoothed her slightly curly long hair, and fastened a bow hair clip. He placed her hand in Sang Xu’s, with the solemnity of an adult. Sang Xu led her downstairs to the brightly lit hall.

Soft music played from the speakers as Sang Xu danced with his sister. She was very weak and couldn’t move quickly, barely keeping pace with the rhythm. Yet she was overjoyed, her eyes sparkling like stars. Her graceful movements and bright spirit made her seem like a true princess.

The living watched from outside the mirror, the dead from within, all silently witnessing this final dance.

Han Rao slowly realized that the Long Dream was neither an illusion nor a game; everything felt incredibly real. Unable to bear it, he asked Zhou Xia, "I have a salary. Can I use the Heaven-Mending Pill to save that young girl?"

Zhou Xia impatiently shook his head. "Ordinary people can’t take the Heaven-Mending Pill."

Sang Xu took her hand, and she twirled under his touch. Her pink skirt billowed, fanning out like a butterfly’s wings. In that moment, she seemed to transform, her illness fading, her sorrow dissipating like clouds. From then on, she would never again be betrayed or abandoned.

As the song ended, her last breath of strength gave way. Her legs buckled, and she fell into Sang Xu’s arms. Like a butterfly with broken wings, she drifted down like a withered leaf. Sang Xu caught her, and she lay in his embrace, her eyelids growing heavy.

Her brother rushed forward, sobbing, hugging her frail shoulders. "I’m sorry, I was too cowardly. If only I had taken you to the hospital that day. I’m so sorry! So sorry!"

"It’s okay..." His sister forced her eyes open. "Brother..."

"I’m sorry," her brother cried, a tearful mess. "It’s my fault. I always scolded you, always bullied you. Even though I was the one who was afraid, I always blamed you."

With great effort, his sister raised her hand, wiped the tears from her brother’s face, and revealed a smile as radiant as the sunset.

"Brother has always been brave. Brother is my great hero."

The hall fell silent. Outside the window, mist swirled, and the setting sun pierced through the hazy fog, gilding the world in gold.

Like a wilting gardenia, the girl quietly slipped into eternal sleep in Sang Xu’s arms. As her eyes closed, night fell as if on cue, as if the world, unable to face such sorrow, had closed its own eyes.

A pale-faced, black-clad evil spirit appeared in the mirror, stepping forward slowly. A black veil covered her head, a silent symbol of mourning. Her brother sobbed as he watched her pick up the little girl, as quiet as a porcelain doll, and walk step by step toward the mirror.

Her brother stood to chase her, but she didn't wait, stepping into the endless corridor within the mirror. Each flicker of her figure carried her farther away.

"Mom—take me with you—" her brother cried out.

The evil spirit turned back in the mirror, giving the boy one last steady look. Then, she and the girl vanished without a trace.

"Mom—" the boy wailed.

Sang Xu delivered a precise chop to the back of the brother’s neck. The boy reluctantly closed his eyes, fainting in Sang Xu’s arms.

Sang Xu had guessed correctly—the way out was in the cellar in the backyard. A wooden door was hidden in the pit dug by the siblings, with the words "Mortal World" written on it. Before leaving, Sang Xu opened the iron box a crack. If he wasn't mistaken, it should contain the head of the Impermanent Immortal. He closed his eyes, reached in to feel, and the texture confirmed his suspicion. He pulled out the hair and cut a large handful.

With everything done, Sang Xu messaged Shen Zhitang:

Liu Jianguo: [We’ve tied up your brother. Do you need us to bring him out of the dream?]

Liu Jianguo: [It’ll cost six Heaven-Mending Pills. You can pay in installments.]

Shen Zhitang: [Don’t bother with him. Let him fend for himself.]

Since Shen Zhitang said so, Sang Xu didn’t interfere.

As for Zhou Xia... he might still be angry. It had been a while since he was last seen. Well, once Sang Xu left, he would leave too.

Sang Xu carried the brother on his back and, together with Han Rao, jumped into the pit.

[Sang Xu, congratulations on successfully surviving the second dream.]

[Loot: Impermanent Immortal (incomplete version) talisman*1, Impermanent Immortal (incomplete version) hair*1 large handful, Xu Zhidong’s corpse*1, Killing Immortal (incomplete version) corpse worm*1.]

[In seven days, the third dream will begin as scheduled. Dear Sang Xu, looking forward to meeting you again.]

Zhou Family Ancestral Home.

Sang Xu got up from the floor. The little boy was still unconscious, curled up at his feet, clutching the dirty doll.

Zhou Xia glanced at them and pushed the door open to leave. Sang Xu called Zhou Anjin and explained the little boy's situation. Zhou Anjin said the Zhou family would take care of him, find him an orphanage, and told Sang Xu not to worry.

"By the way, what’s the child’s name and how old is he? I need to register the information," Zhou Anjin asked over the phone.

"Sorry, I don’t know," Sang Xu said.

Zhou Anjin paused. "Didn’t you save him?"

"I didn’t ask."

"...Alright, then you can go about your business."

Sang Xu changed clothes and went out. Zhou Xia leaned against a pillar, looking at him disdainfully.

"Didn’t even bother to ask their names, Sang Xu," Zhou Xia said coldly. "You don’t care about the brother and sister at all. You helped them just to please the Impermanent Immortal, to make her let you leave the dream. Tch. Not only that, but you got the talisman and the hair too, didn’t you?"

Sang Xu’s expression remained calm. "I got what I wanted, and they got what they wanted. A win-win, isn’t that good?"

"You left him with the Zhou family. Do you know how they’ll handle him?"

"The Zhou family will send him to an orphanage."

"You’re wrong," Zhou Xia stared at his indifferent face. "He comes from the Long Dream and knows it better than anyone in this world. The Zhou family will train him and, at the right time, bring him to the brink of death to join the ranks of the outsiders."

Sang Xu: "..."

He glanced back at the sleeping boy in the room, his expression as detached as ever.

"My power is limited. I can’t take care of other people’s lives," Sang Xu said.

"You’re irresponsible," Zhou Xia frowned, examining him. "Who taught you to be so hypocritical?"

Sang Xu didn’t answer, only asking, "Are you coming home with me?"

"What for?"

"I need to go home to get my work ID and go to work."

Zhou Xia: "..."

Sang Xu had to go to work, and now he could only stay within a hundred meters of him. So did that mean he had to follow Sang Xu to work too?

"No way." Zhou Xia snorted coldly.

"Do you like staying at the Zhou family home?" Sang Xu asked.

"No."

"Then come with me to my place."

"It’s not my home," Zhou Xia muttered.

Sang Xu still wore that indifferent expression. "My home is your home."

Zhou Xia looked at him, stared for a long moment, and scoffed. "Hypocrite. You don’t really mean that."

Sang Xu took out his house key and handed it to him. "I’m being sincere."

Zhou Xia turned his head away.

Probably still upset about being silenced in the dream, Sang Xu softened his voice. "I was wrong to tell you not to speak earlier. I had no right to order you like that. I’ll do better in the future, alright?"

"You’ll do better, my ass. You’ll change on the surface, but not in your heart." Zhou Xia had already seen through him.

"Give me time. Please supervise me, test me." Sang Xu stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.

The kiss was light, like a gentle breeze brushing his face. Like Sang Xu himself—cold, detached, and never quite substantial.

"Who said you could kiss me?" Zhou Xia ordered him to get out of here.

In the end, he still went with Sang Xu, mainly because those people back at the Zhou house, who were supposed to be his descendants, were all strangers to him—old, ugly, and annoying to look at. After lying in the Sang family’s land for so many years, he didn’t even remember the Zhou family’s great-grandfather, his own brother, let alone these descendants he’d never met.

Staying at a younger relative's place felt stifling and uncomfortable. He was a respected elder; how could he live as a dependent?

Sang Xu was different. Sang Xu was his slave. Whether he ordered him around or enslaved him, it was all justified. Of course, he was self-controlled and immune to temptation, especially had no interest in men. He would absolutely not be bewitched by Sang Xu again, wouldn't even touch a single finger of his.

When they arrived at Sang Xu’s home, Zhou Xia fell silent. The guy’s place was empty—it could be described as bare-bones. Just forty or fifty square meters, a single room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. The room had a mattress, a clothing rack, a wardrobe, and a small table. The kitchen counters were empty, with no pots or utensils. The bathroom was okay, at least with a toilet and a sink.

Zhou Xia regretted it. Although the Zhou residence wasn’t exactly his home, at least it was comfortable. What kind of dump was this? Even Zhou Xia’s grave was more luxurious than this place.

Sang Xu opened the wardrobe, took out a hoodie, and said, "Have a seat. I’m going to take a shower."

Sit? Zhou Xia looked around. There wasn’t even a chair.

Where was he supposed to sit?

But Sang Xu had already gone into the bathroom to shower.

Zhou Xia placed his urn on the small table, turned around, and opened the wardrobe. It was ridiculous—every piece of Sang Xu’s clothing was the same style, just different colors. Since he hadn't showered in three days, Zhou Xia grabbed one of Sang Xu’s black hoodies, tossed it on the bed, stripped off his clothes, and walked barefoot into the bathroom.

Sang Xu was drying off. Water droplets gleamed on his arms like pearls. There were wounds on his back and shoulders, bright red scabs dotting his glistening skin like a branch of peach blossoms. It looked severe, yet weirdly vivid.

Zhou Xia couldn’t help but look a few more times.

"Want to have sex?" Sang Xu asked.

"Do what? I’m here to shower." Zhou Xia’s voice was cold. "Can you not always think about sex? I have no interest in a hypocritical trash like you."

"Sorry." Sang Xu looked at his erection, admitting he had misjudged Zhou Xia.

The several finger-shaped wounds and a blood scab on Sang Xu’s shoulder were painfully obvious. Zhou Xia frowned; the longer he looked, the more uncomfortable he felt. Although it had stopped bleeding, it still looked serious.

"Why didn’t you take the Heaven-Mending Pill? Didn’t I give you a lot last time?"

"I’m saving them," Sang Xu said.

Zhou Xia was exasperated. "How are you not only hypocritical but also stingy? You’d rather die than spend a penny."

Sang Xu finished showering, dried off, took out a medical kit to bandage his shoulder and back, then put on the hoodie and jeans, along with a hat, mask, and scarf. After Zhou Xia finished showering and changing, Sang Xu took a pink helmet from the wardrobe and led him downstairs.

"Where’s your car parked?" Zhou Xia asked.

Sang Xu led him to the parking shed and wheeled out a little black electric scooter. The scooter had a helmet hooked on it and was fitted with a black, thickened windshield blanket.

"What’s this?" Zhou Xia asked.

"My ride."

Sang Xu handed him the pink helmet and put on the white one from the scooter.

"And what’s this?" Zhou Xia mimicked him, putting on the helmet as Sang Xu fastened the strap for him.

"A helmet, for safety," Sang Xu said.

"Why is mine a different color from yours? And it has two ears."

"Yours is a nicer color, the most popular one. I specially prepared it for you," Sang Xu said.

Actually, it was a gift from the store owner when he bought the scooter—one men’s helmet and one women’s helmet.

Zhou Xia sensed something was off. "Doesn’t it look like something a woman would wear? Were you scammed? No, are you lying to me again?"

"The ones with ears cost twice as much as the ones without," Sang Xu said.

Since it was specially prepared for him and was more expensive and premium, Zhou Xia reluctantly accepted it.

"Buy me a new one. I don’t like this," Zhou Xia said.

"Okay."

Sang Xu got on the scooter and motioned for Zhou Xia to sit behind him. Zhou Xia frowned as he sat down, his long legs having nowhere to go.

"Tuck your legs in," Sang Xu patiently instructed him.

At 188 cm tall, Zhou Xia was crammed on the small scooter. His anger was on the verge of exploding. "Can’t you buy a car like Zhou Yinan’s?"

Sang Xu: "..."

As if he didn’t want to?

"He drives a Maybach. I can’t afford it," Sang Xu said, adjusting Zhou Xia’s legs to rest on the footrests on either side of the scooter. "You could ask him to give me one. I’ll drive you to work in it."

Zhou Xia could practically hear the wheels turning in his head.

"Don’t even think about it."

Cunning little liar—there was no way he was getting anything else from him.