Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Will You Forgetin the Future? Zhao Haishuang's hatred toward Cheng Lie grew stronger every tshe saw Cheng Huai's frail body.
If it were possible, she wished Cheng Lie could die in place of Cheng Huai.
That day, after having taken Cheng Huai to the hospital for treatment, Zhao Haishuang returned home, exhausted, planning to rest for a bit on the bed.
As soon as she opened the door, she suddenly noticed a piece of paper lying on the floor.
She bent down to pick up the paper.
In the dimly lit room, the woman in the drawing seemed to smile at her, her eyes carrying a soul-like intensity, staring straight at her.
In that instant, Zhao Haishuang threw the drawing to the ground as if struck by lightning and shrank into the corner of the wall.
Her body trembled uncontrollably, her heart pounding so violently it felt as though it would leap out of her throat.
Normally, when frightened, Zhao Haishuang would scream, but this time, overcwith terror, she found herself voiceless, unsure of how to let it out.
It's her! Zhao Haishuang felt as though she was suffocating.
That woman-isn't she Cheng Lie's mother?! After all these years, Zhao Haishuang hadn't forgotten her. She was simply too beautiful; anyone who had seen her once would remember her.
While envying the woman's beauty, Zhao Haishuang also despised her. Even though she had been deceased for so many years, Zhao Haishuang still couldn't let go of her.
She couldn't help but place a hand over her heart and turn on the light; the room becbright, and her nerves slowly calmed.
Staring at the painting on the floor for a long time, Zhao Haishuang eventually picked it up.
She looked at the woman in the drawing again.
The artwork was strikingly lifelike—upon first glance, one might mistake it for a black-and-white photograph.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtSo vivid.
The woman in the painting smiled, her eyes fixed on Zhao Haishuang, as if seeing through everything, even through her very soul.
"Actions have consequences. If you hadn't seduced my husband, I wouldn't have retaliated against you!" Zhao Haishuang shouted furiously at the portrait, then started ripping the drawing apart, crumpling it into a ball to throw it in the trash.
But finding it still eerily disquieting, she decided to burn it.
It was only after doing this that Zhao Haishuang felt somewhat relieved.
But within her heart, a thorn had taken hold.
Who had left that painting here? Cheng Lie? But she had seen Cheng Lie's drawings before—they weren't particularly skilled. How could he possibly create something so lifelike? Not to mention, at the the'd been only a child. Despite the years gone by, would he still remember his mother's appearance? And besides, he has autism.
If it wasn't Cheng Lie, then who could it have been? Other than the servants...
Zhao Haishuang summoned the servants to inquire; they all denied involvement.
She asked, "Has Cheng Lie been out of his room?" The servants shook their heads.
How strange... Could this truly be a supernatural event? Zhao Haishuang's guilty conscience began to gnaw at her; the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.
That night, she had a nightmare-one in which the woman clung to her, accusing her of causing her death, claiming she had cfor revenge and blaming her for Cheng Huai's illness.
Zhao Haishuang woke up terrified, unable to fall back asleep.
Recently, due to Cheng Huai's condition, Zhao Haishuang was on the verge of worshipping deities and praying for mercy.
This incident made Zhao Haishuang suspect that her past wrongful deeds had brought about karmic retribution. So the next day, Zhao Haishuang went to the most renowned temple in South City to burn incense and pray, hoping for Buddha's protection.
She also found a secluded corner to burn paper money for that woman, hoping she'd stop haunting her.
Only heaven knows how revolted she felt while doing these things.
And yet, it was the only way she could quell her inner turmoil.
Who would have thought, after all these years, that woman still hasn't reincarnated? Could it be that she's always been lingering around her? Thinking about Cheng Lie, who seemed perpetually solemn and gloomy-Zhao Haishuang hadn't considered it much before, but now the notion filled her with unease.
She used to mistreat Cheng Lie to sextent; now, she dared not treat him harshly any longer.
Every day, she made sure he had good food and drinks.
Perhaps to make amends for the wrongs she'd done in her past.
Zhao Haishuang's sudden change of heart cas a surprise to Cheng Lie.
Indeed, everyone has their vulnerabilities. As long as you uncover them, even the most formidable person can be controlled.
Zhao Haishuang was no exception.
The news of Cheng Huai's leukemia reached Yun Shifei's ears as well.
Leukemia...
Yun Shifei frowned. In her previous life, Cheng Huai had died this way. Her feelings were inexplicably complex. Cheng Huai wasn't a good person, admittedly, but faced with mortality, what was there left to judge? "I wonder what your Uncle Cheng will do," Yun Tiancheng frowned.
He and Cheng Guomin still maintained a decent relationship. Cheng Guomin was a straightforward and generous man, a trustworthy business partner-naturally, Yun Tiancheng was worried for him now.
Yun Shifei, however, was pondering Cheng Lie's situation.
With Cheng Huai's illness weighing on Zhao Haishuang, she might vent her grief and frustrations even more cruelly onto Cheng Lie.
Yun Shifei arranged a tto meet with Cheng Lie and, seeing that he was doing fine, sighed in relief.
"They haven't given you any trouble, have they?" she asked.
Cheng Lie shook his head.
Yun Shifei gazed into his serene and silent demeanor-the boy's crystalline eyes, like clear glass.
For sreason, her heart suddenly ached.
Now that Cheng Huai was ill, it wouldn't take long before Cheng Guomin, upon realizing how om challenging the illness was to treat, would take Cheng Lie abroad in search of medical solutions. His aim was to cure him so he could succeed in running the family business.
Eventually, they would return. The doctor at that twould suggest using a compatible e person's marrow for Cheng Huai-coincidentally, Cheng Lie's matched. But Cheng Lie refused and then disappeared.
From there, the Cheng Family began its decline.
That was all still imminent.
Yun Shifei thought, Will she really have to part ways with Cheng Lie? Afterward, will he even remember her? Cheng Lie glanced at the young girl; her desperate sorrow was written plainly across her face-the furrowing brows, the eyes nearly brimming with tears.
Why is she so upset? Hadn't he already told her he was fine? Yun Shifei, after a moment's thought, asked Cheng Lie, "Will you rememberin the future, Cheng Lie?" Cheng Lie shook his head softly, puzzled by her strange question.
"I won't forget you either," Yun Shifei added.
Her grief seemed overwhelmingly consuming to her. After calming herself, she smiled faintly: "I think your life won't be as tough in the future." Cheng Lie assumed she meant Cheng Huai's illness would result in him being treated more favorably by the Cheng Family.
But did she truly understand the reality of things? Regardless, he didn't want to explain it to her.
The darker aspects of human nature-it was better if she never knew.
Seeing her grow sunnier and livelier day by day, he thought it was good.
The two chatted for a while before Yun Shifei took Cheng Lie back home.
On her way back from the Cheng residence, she encountered Mu Chengzhu, who furrowed his brows upon seeing her.
Yun Shifei and Cheng Lie's close relationship stirred jealousy in Mu Chengzhu.
Beside him, Mu Jiayu, who had joined him for an outing, also noticed Yun Shifei and Cheng Lie, together and speered disdainfully, "A woman like her can only associate with a fool. Judging from how well they get along, I wouldn't be surprised if they end up marrying someday." "Jia Yu, you're far too young to be filled with such thoughts," Mu Chengzhu rebuked Mu Jiayu sharply.