Chapter 474, His Secret
Well.
At the stroke of midnight, on the rooftop of an inn.
Down below, the myriad lights of countless homes were mostly extinguished. Only a few guiding candles remained at the doorsteps.
The moonlight shone bright and clear, casting a gentle glow on the two people up top, not making anything feel gloomy.
Next to them were a few empty wine jars, and they raised a jar for a clink before tilting their heads back and downing it.
“Refreshing!”
Young Master Sang suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Why the loud voice? It’s the middle of the night! Aren’t you worried everyone is asleep?”
Bai Ming, already tipsy, commented with sleepy, dewy eyes while cutely burping.
“Life’s pleasures must be expressed! Otherwise, what’s the point?”
Sang Zhe stretched deeply and then casually sprawled himself out on the rooftop tiles.
“Did you know?”
“At this moment, I still feel a bit unreal.”
“Tomorrow is my first real wedding,” he mumbled.
Bai Ming tilted their head, quietly listening to him speak.
“In my past life, I was just your average single person—never mind marriage, I didn’t even have a chance at dating.”
“This time, I actually found someone I love and can spend my life with. It’s quite the happiness.”
“Though the pressure of the wedding recently has been heavy, at least everything is different from my last life.”
“I have so many wise wives by my side, and a buddy like you to stand by me when the pressure is at its peak—I’m pretty lucky.”
“Thanks, bro.” Sang Zhe turned and grinned widely.
Bai Ming paused for a moment, then playfully punched him in the arm.
“Shut it. Don’t get all sentimental on me.”
“I’m being serious.”
He said, “Having you as a brother makes me really happy. There are so many things I can’t say to others, but I can open up to you; all my hidden feelings are just out in the open with you.”
“I never experienced this feeling in my last life. Having a true confidant is surprisingly delightful.”
Bai Ming remained silent. They hugged their knees, resting their head against them, hair cascading down like a waterfall beside them.
They slightly parted their lips but eventually remained quiet, glancing downward.
“Hey, suddenly curious, how did you end up in this world?”
Sang Zhe eagerly asked.
“How did I come… I just died and that was that.”
Bai Ming shrugged, “Everyone dies eventually.”
“Death can happen in many ways.”
Sang Zhe shook his head: “Painful deaths, peaceful deaths. Meaningless deaths, or grand, noble deaths.”
“Deaths that bring national mourning. Or a solitary death.”
Bai Ming looked a bit confused by Sang Zhe’s words.
“It makes no difference to me.”
“It does for me.” Sang Zhe suddenly looked down, a light smile forming.
“As a friend, I hope your past life wasn’t that painful.”
Bai Ming suddenly realized.
They seemed to know nothing about Sang Zhe’s previous life.
Perhaps because when they first met, Sang Zhe left such an ordinary impression.
Ordinary, humble, filled with the little thoughts and calculations of a regular person, yet tuned into the emotions and moods of others.
…Just like countless small office workers they had seen struggle in their previous life.
As for the essence of Sang Zhe inside, it had only been slowly discovered through their interactions later on.
His kindness and gentleness.
His optimism and introversion.
His care and prudence toward his beloved.
Like a hard shell wrapped around a fluffy cotton candy.
“You know, my family was well off.”
Bai Ming said casually: “So it wasn’t that difficult. Just an unexpected car accident.”
“Pretty standard for all those reincarnation stories in fantasy worlds, honestly rather cliché.”
“Maybe my family suffered for a while.” They took another sip of their wine, wiping their lips with their sleeve in a non-ladylike manner, “But that’s about it. I’m not the only daughter or anything.”
“What about friends?”
“Not many. And you know, in my social class, how many friends can be trusted? Just plastic sister bonds.”
After discussing these, Bai Ming indirectly brought up, “What about you? How did you end up here? Also died in a car crash?”
“Me?”
Sang Zhe thought for a moment, but ended up only smiling silently.
“Probably not as unlucky as you. Just got hit with a big illness and then… poof.”
“What kind of illness?”
“…Forgot.”
Bai Ming gazed at him in confusion.
“But this is my first time talking about my past life like this.”
Sang Zhe suddenly looked up, staring at the moon: “Maybe it’s been too long since coming here; sometimes, I almost forget about that world.”
“Chatting about the past with you is pretty enjoyable.”
“Have you never considered talking to Little Ying about this?” Bai Ming asked again, “I think she wouldn’t mind your origins.”
“Of course, she wouldn’t care.”
But Sang Zhe shook his head deeply: “…But I care.”
“Not knowing is probably better. A man having a few secrets is what gives him mystery. Mystery is a kind of charm too, you know.”
“Cheers! Drink up!” He raised the wine jar.
Bai Ming shot him an annoyed glare: “Men really are huge pigs. Didn’t you just say there’s important stuff tomorrow and we shouldn’t drink too much?”
“Drink first, think later!”
Sang Zhe’s smile had an emotion that Bai Ming couldn’t quite grasp.
—
—
In the end.
They still ended up gloriously drunk.
As Bai Ming helped the utterly wasted Sang Zhe down, the latter was already a mumbling mess.
“No… can’t be drunk… need to wake up early tomorrow…”
Watching him in his drunken state, Bai Ming felt both annoyed and amused.
After struggling to get him to the door, Bai Ming caught a whiff of the strong alcohol on her clothes and wrinkled her nose.
“…Like this, I won’t be able to get you to the wedding tomorrow.” She muttered.
After a moment of consideration, she called for a servant, and together they dragged Sang Zhe into the bath.
Once the servant left, she carefully removed Sang Zhe’s clothes, her cheeks reddening slightly as she hesitated before also shedding her own garments.
Then, she pulled him into the water.
“Little Ying…”
While Bai Ming gently scrubbed his body with a cloth, Sang Zhe leaned against the edge of the pool, mumbling something in his drunken stupor.
As she meticulously washed him, her thoughts began to drift.
She knew Sang Zhe was lying to her.
Maybe not forgetting his cause of death, just not wanting to tell her.
Just like he didn’t want to tell Little Ying.
He had always been this way. No matter how much pressure or injustice he faced, he quietly kept it to himself.
Whenever facing close friends, he was always able to put on an endearing smile.
But Bai Ming didn’t like Sang Zhe’s smiles.
It felt overly painful for her.
“Tomorrow… up early…”
“I know, I know.” Bai Ming lightly tapped his head, both exasperated and amused, “I’ll wake you up on time tomorrow.”
“Just getting married, look at you all happy.” Her fingers lingered on Sang Zhe’s chest.
Then her movement suddenly halted.
The drunk Sang Zhe leaned heavily against her, head hanging listlessly on her shoulder.
Bai Ming heard her own heartbeat quicken.
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