The Villains All Fell in Love with Me After Rebirth : Chapter 85 - Confront
Chapter 85: Confront
Ji Ling stared at the man holding him, his dark eyes filled with disbelief. After a long moment, he swallowed and spoke, his voice trembling at the end. “You, you… your name is Carlos…”
Carlos looked at the fear in the boy’s eyes and let out an almost imperceptible sigh. A trace of disappointment and sadness flashed through his gaze as he spoke in a low, hoarse voice. “My name is Carlos Field. If you had paid a little attention before, you would have known that.”
He had never explicitly confessed his identity to Ji Ling, but he had never intended to hide it either. He had even harbored a small hope that the boy might recognize him. But in the end, he hadn’t… Or rather, he had refused to acknowledge his existence, never once considering getting to know him—until Jing Sui exposed the truth.
And Ji Ling's reaction was just as expected. He was still afraid of him.
I came here with love, but you do not welcome me into your world…
I should have realized that the moment you resolutely left.
Carlos lifted his gaze, his expression growing colder as he looked at the man standing before him with equally icy eyes. During his investigation into the original author of the novel, he had already detected Fu Jingshen’s presence.
He had even speculated who among them he might be.
There were no coincidences in this world. Who this person was… was actually quite easy to guess, especially now that he had appeared here today.
Ji Ling bit his lip and suddenly pushed himself out of Carlos’s embrace.
He raised his head to look at the man with deep brown eyes and an elegant yet profound face, then turned to the man standing nearby with a sharp, cold expression…
His heart pounded, again and again, with heavy beats.
Who were they?
The answer was almost obvious, but… how could this be possible?
For days, Ji Ling had asked himself this question over and over—how could this be possible?
He had used every excuse he could think of to dismiss his absurd suspicions, brushing aside his instincts as nothing more than ridiculous paranoia. But… at this moment, he had to face the truth. Could he really keep running from it? Could he simply ignore such an evident reality?
If even he could travel to their world, then why couldn’t they come to his?
The peaceful and tranquil life he had been living these past days had almost made Ji Ling forget the cautious, walking-on-thin-ice existence he had endured in that world. He had felt like a child returning home, completely letting go of all his pretense and vigilance, trying to separate those experiences from his reality.
No longer needing to worry about anyone or anything.
But now, he realized—perhaps things weren’t so simple…
Jing Sui stepped forward, casting a cold glance at Carlos before saying to Ji Ling, “You don’t truly understand this person. It would be best to keep your distance from him.”
Carlos’s lips curled into a mocking smile as he said flatly, “Is that so? At least I would never harm him. And you…” His gaze grew sharp and deep. “Can you guarantee that you wouldn’t hurt him either?”
Don’t forget who it was that killed him back then.
Jing Sui’s pupils contracted slightly, a flicker of pain flashing through his eyes as his right hand clenched into a fist.
Ji Ling: “…”
For some reason, this scene felt oddly familiar.
Even though the two of them now had completely different appearances, were speaking different words, and even the setting was entirely different… their expressions, their gazes, and the tense confrontation between them—
It was all so familiar!
Why, why were they fighting again?
Ji Ling stood there in a daze. At first, he had instinctively reacted with fear and shock due to the overwhelming surprise… But as he thought back on everything that had happened recently, and all that had happened in his previous life, he realized—perhaps… there was no need to be so afraid?
Besides, this is my world! You two are Earthlings now, too!
What’s there to be scared of?
Ji Ling furrowed his brows, lifted his chin, and his expression became calm. He turned to Carlos and said firmly, “Carlos– Mr. Field, thank you for dinner, but I should be going now.”
Carlos looked at the boy’s suddenly resolute gaze, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. After all, just moments ago, he had seemed terrified of him.
Ji Ling took a deep breath, then looked at Jing Sui and said coldly, “As for Mr. Fu, I don’t know why you came here to find me, but I don’t have time right now. Please leave.”
With that, he turned and walked straight into the dormitory.
Hmph, the dorm supervisor here is really strict! Neither of you will be able to get in!
Jing Sui watched the boy’s retreating figure, momentarily dazed. Then, he let out a self-mocking chuckle, as if laughing at his own overestimation of himself.
Carlos also watched the boy leave. Only after Ji Ling’s silhouette completely disappeared did he slowly retract his gaze. He turned to Jing Sui and shrugged, a teasing smile playing at his lips. “Seems like someone can’t accept the fact that Ji Ling doesn’t love him and is throwing a tantrum over it…”
Jing Sui’s face was icy. Carlos’s words had struck a nerve. He let out a cold laugh. “Even if he doesn’t love me, he certainly won’t love you.”
Carlos narrowed his eyes and said, “If I don’t try, how can you be so sure he won’t?”
………………
Ji Ling bolted back to his dorm in one go, slammed the door shut, kicked off his shoes, and collapsed onto his bed like a lifeless salted fish. Only then did the adrenaline drain from his body. He had been way too brave just now! His courage was completely used up!
Wang Yixin was busy playing a game and had no time to pay him any attention.
Zheng Lin slowly lifted his head and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong with you? You look completely drained.”
Ji Ling didn’t move. He stared blankly at the ceiling, watching a spider crawl across it, and muttered weakly, “I’ve racked up a debt in love, and now the debt collectors have come knocking…”
Zheng Lin’s eyes instantly lit up with gossip-fueled excitement. He trembled with enthusiasm. “What? A woman came looking for you? Damn, kid, you’re impressive! You’re already in love debt at your age!”
Ji Ling: “…”
Wang Yixin finished his game round, turned around upon hearing the conversation, and gave Ji Ling a thumbs-up. “No need to be afraid of love debts. Just repay it with your body!”
Ji Ling: “…But there’s only one of me. How do I pay back multiple people?”
Zheng Lin: “…”
Wang Yixin: “…”
A silence settled over the room. Slowly, the two of them snapped out of their shock, looking at Ji Ling with eyes full of admiration. “Multiple people?! The lighting crew is in position. Please, tell your story!”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. As expected of our department’s heartthrob. Truly extraordinary.”
“I knew it. This fresh-faced, innocent puppy-boy type is all the rage right now.”
“He looks pure and simple, but who knew he’d be such a dandy? Color me impressed.”
"So what is it? Did you sleep with them, or did you knock them up?"
“I’m thinking both?”
“Bro, I swear I won’t tell anyone. Just teach me your ways!”
“Tuition fees are negotiable. Name your price.”
“Xiao Lingling?”
Ji Ling’s face turned pitch black. He must have had a moment of complete brain failure to spill his troubles in front of these two idiots. He waved his hand impatiently. “Get lost.”
If I knew how I got involved with them, I wouldn’t have done it in the first place!
Don’t ask. I have no experience!
Fuming, Ji Ling tossed and turned all night without sleeping. He finally pulled out his phone and fired off an email to the system, this time with much harsher wording. He sternly condemned the system’s blunder—how could they let characters from the book into the real world?!
Are people not allowed to live in peace anymore?!
This is outrageous, absolutely outrageous!
………………
The next day, Ji Ling woke up with dark circles under his eyes. Thinking about yesterday’s disaster, he slumped his head weakly.
Zheng Lin, ever considerate, said, “If you didn’t sleep well, just rest a bit longer. I’ll mark you present in class.”
Wang Yixin followed up enthusiastically, “I’ll bring you food after class.”
Ji Ling: “…”
Well, that works. What if he ran into them again?
Even though he had made a dramatic exit yesterday, Ji Ling couldn’t shake off the memories of that world. It gave him a headache. So, he decided that if he could avoid them, he would. Luckily, they seemed to be keeping their distance… Probably because their identities had changed?
Or maybe…
Ji Ling suddenly recalled his final decision before leaving that world.
At the time, he had thought he would never return, that they would never meet again. So, he made what he believed was the right choice—one that would protect the most people. It seemed selfless, but in reality, it was selfish and cruel.
Because he had disregarded the feelings of those who loved him the most. He had used their love for him to push them toward the path he wanted them to take.
Maybe… they had been heartbroken.
Ji Ling raised a hand to cover his eyes. It was strange—he actually felt a little sad, too.
Even though he didn’t love them, it still hurt him to know he had hurt them…
But he truly had no way to make everyone happy.
This was a choice far too difficult for him—so difficult that he didn’t even want to make it.
And yet, he had no choice but to.
………………
Ji Ling stayed in the dormitory for two days, skipping classes and not stepping outside. He even turned off his phone. On the third morning, Wang Yixin said to him, “Our class is going on a sketching trip today. You should come along!”
Zheng Lin looked at him eagerly. “If you don’t go soon, the counselor will start getting suspicious. I can barely hold out anymore.”
Chen Ming comforted him, “It’s just a few women. No big deal. We’ll help you block them.”
Ji Ling: “…”
Oh, thanks so much.
Despite their words, Ji Ling decided to go out with them. Staying in the dorm forever wasn’t a solution, and since this was an outdoor sketching trip outside of school, the chances of running into them should be low, right?
Holding on to this hopeful thought, he left with his friends. But the moment they arrived at the bus, he saw Wen Yan standing alone at the door, while Ning Yu leaned lazily against Ning Kehan’s side, chatting amicably with a few male students.
As soon as they spotted him, both turned their gazes toward him.
Ji Ling: “…”
He had been too naive.
But now that he was already here, turning back would be difficult to explain, especially with the supervising teacher present.
Feeling a chill run down his spine, Ji Ling stiffly walked forward, keeping his eyes straight ahead and pretending not to see them. He and Wang Yixin sat in the last row of the bus. After holding it in for a while, he finally couldn’t help but ask, “Why are they here?”
Wang Yixin blinked. “Who?”
Ji Ling gritted his teeth. “Senior Yu and Brother Ning.”
Wang Yixin chuckled. “Senior Yu is probably here to chase after you, right?”
Ji Ling: “…Stop talking nonsense!”
Wang Yixin looked at Ji Ling’s slightly flushed, embarrassed face and said in surprise, “I was just joking. Why are you so nervous? Don’t tell me Senior Yu really confessed to you?! Wow, you’re popular with both men and women, huh?”
Ji Ling: “…”
He glared at him lifelessly, wishing he could strangle him on the spot. Through clenched teeth, he said, “That’s not true.”
Forget it. Talking to this guy was just asking for trouble.
Ji Ling closed his eyes to rest, but just then, his phone pinged. It was a message from Ning Yu: [You don’t look well-rested.]
Ji Ling hesitated for a moment but didn’t reply. He put down his phone and continued pretending to sleep.
The bus ride was smooth, and after more than an hour, they arrived at a forest park in the suburbs. The students disembarked in an orderly manner.
From a distance, Ning Kehan glanced at Ji Ling, but the voices of her classmates pulled her attention back. The girls beside her were eagerly asking about Ning Yu, looking at her with admiration. She chuckled and said, “No comment.”
If it weren’t for Ji Ling, these girls wouldn’t even have the chance to meet her uncle. And yet, they dared to set their sights on him?
Her uncle was not the type to show mercy.
After dismissing the girls, Ning Kehan turned her gaze toward Yu Wenyan, who was holding a DSLR camera, seemingly focused on taking landscape photos. Her brows furrowed slightly.
She had never paid much attention to Yu Wenyan before. In her eyes, he was just a ridiculous and weak illegitimate child. If he hadn’t known how to be submissive and endure, his ruthless older brother would have devoured him whole long ago. He was a cowardly, spineless puppet, a mere tool in his mother’s hands. But lately… Yu Wenyan had been acting strange.
He had even dared to publicly come out at school, declaring that he didn’t like women. What was he up to? Was he just trying to get attention, or did he have some hidden agenda?
And why was he here today?
Ning Yu walked over leisurely and raised an eyebrow. “Noticing something?”
Ning Kehan asked curiously, “Uncle, why do you think Yu Wenyan followed us? Could he be…”
Ning Yu said calmly, “Relax. He’s not here for you.”
Ning Kehan: “…”
Ning Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. “I know what you’re worried about, but don’t provoke him for no reason, got it? As long as you don’t mess with him, he won’t do anything to you.”
Ning Kehan was truly surprised this time. She actually heard a note of caution in her uncle’s voice. Did that mean he thought she needed to be wary of Yu Wenyan? That was ridiculous! There was no way she, the great Miss Ning, would ever be afraid of a pathetic illegitimate son! Who was scared of who?
Seeing her dismissive attitude, Ning Yu’s dark eyes grew a shade deeper. He said slowly, “Never underestimate anyone.”
Ning Kehan finally became serious. She looked at Yu Wenyan with newfound caution. No way… her uncle was a terrifying person. Despite his young age, no one dared to cross him. He seemed aloof, but he was calculating and ruthless. Compared to him, Yu Wenyan was nothing. The difference in their statuses was like heaven and earth. But if Yu Wenyan could make her uncle say something like that… then maybe he wasn’t as simple as she had thought. Could it be that Yu Wenyan was actually a hidden mastermind, pretending to be weak while secretly biding his time for revenge?
The more she thought about it, the more unsettling it became.
Miss Ning couldn’t stop thinking about it…
Ning Yu had only warned Ning Kehan a little. He actually didn’t dislike her and didn’t want her to get into unnecessary trouble. As for Wen Yan… Ning Yu chuckled softly. He should have learned how to behave properly by now.
After all, being cruel and ruthless wasn’t something Ji Ling would like.
Ji Ling had no idea what was going on behind the scenes.
As soon as he got off the bus, he quietly slipped away from the group and wandered into the forest alone. The fresh air helped clear his mind a little.
Kicking a stone as he walked aimlessly, Ji Ling sighed. The two of them out there… they were definitely Wen Yan and Ning Yu. He ran a hand through his hair, wondering if he was going to go bald from all this stress.
Why was he still facing such difficult problems even after coming home?!
Wait a minute. Did they know about the novel?
Since he hadn’t expected them to come, he had openly drawn many sketches related to that world and had even told others that his inspiration came from a book. Had they looked it up?
A cold sweat nearly broke out on Ji Ling’s forehead.
Not a single one of them was easy to deal with. If they found out that he had just been acting the whole time, playing them like fools before fake-dying to escape… would his past nightmares come true?
Ji Ling shivered.
Before, he had been too focused on feeling guilty, too arrogant in thinking he had nothing to fear—since this was his own world, after all. Wake up!
Think about Jing Sui, that ruthless, arrogant, and prideful Emperor of the Empire. If he found out that Ji Ling had been lying about loving him, what would he do?!
Think about Carlos, the cruel and ambitious Duke who wanted to rule the world. If he realized Ji Ling had only used him to escape from Jing Sui, what would he do?!
Think about Wen Yan, the scheming and treacherous Speaker of the Council, who would do anything to climb higher. If he discovered that Ji Ling had only helped him for the sake of following the storyline, what would he do?!
Think about Ning Yu, the SSS-ranked rebel leader Gabriel, who fought against imperial power. If he knew that his role in the novel was actually… to be the bottom of a relationship… what would he do?! Uh, that one was hard to imagine.
Calm down.
Since they were still being nice to him and seemed composed, it must mean… they hadn’t figured it out yet.
Ah, that was the only good news lately!
But he couldn’t be optimistic just yet. No one knew when the truth would come to light. He had been too careless. If he had known this would happen, he would have hidden his identity better, never letting anyone find out!
But now… it was too late.
Ji Ling started worrying again. As he walked, he suddenly met someone's gaze ahead, and his steps instantly froze in place.
A young man with delicate yet sharp features stood there, looking at him from a distance.
Ji Ling swallowed hard. He suddenly recalled how he had been seeing Wen Yan almost every day recently, eating with him at the cafeteria, even discussing the game together. And in a moment of carelessness… he had even used his appearance as a reference for a character design…
And yet, despite all that, Wen Yan hadn't shown any reaction. Truly a deep schemer!
Ji Ling just stood there staring at him.
Suddenly—
Wen Yan took a step forward, then another. His long, narrow phoenix eyes carried a deep, unreadable emotion.
Ji Ling's body tensed slightly. Just as he was about to step back, Wen Yan suddenly knelt on one knee before him and said hoarsely, “Your shoelace is untied.”
Ji Ling was startled.
Looking down, he saw Wen Yan’s straight nose bridge. The young man reached out his long, slender fingers, and with a gentle solemnity, carefully tied his shoelaces for him.
At that moment, Ji Ling felt a strange sense of déjà vu. He remembered when he had just started his second playthrough. He had no choice but to reluctantly go through the plot and complete the missions again. But Wen Yan hadn't followed the original storyline. That day, he had followed Ji Ling back and, just like now, knelt before him on one knee, slowly and solemnly taking off his shoes for him. At the time, Ji Ling had been completely unaware of his feelings. He had only felt fear and anxiety, imagining all sorts of sinister plots, even having a ridiculous nightmare about it…
Looking back now, it all felt like a lifetime ago.
When did this villain, who used to terrify him, start behaving like this?
Ji Ling pressed his lips together tightly. He suddenly had an urge to speak, to ask, ‘Is it you? When did you arrive?’ But he didn’t even know where to begin…
Wen Yan carefully finished tying Ji Ling’s shoelace, then slowly stood up, his gaze warm as he looked at the young man.
He had noticed Ji Ling avoiding him these past few days, but he hadn't asked why.
Are you avoiding me because you've realized something? Do you not want to see me?
But I no longer want to hide.
Nor can I keep hiding my feelings for you.
Wen Yan's eyes were filled with a mix of tenderness, restraint, and sadness. His thin lips parted slightly, his voice hoarse. “I—”
“Hey, Ji Ling, so you were here! I've been looking for you everywhere!” Wang Yixin’s loud voice suddenly interrupted. He ran over, then gave a surprised chuckle. “Senior Yu is here too…”
Ji Ling glanced at Wen Yan. A moment later, he turned his head away awkwardly, avoiding his gaze.
Facing Wang Yixin, he asked, “What do you need?”
Wang Yixin replied, “Oh, I need your help carrying some stuff. We're having a picnic at noon.”
Ji Ling smiled. “Why didn't you just call me?”
Wang Yixin said, “I was afraid your phone was off or something…”
Ji Ling turned and walked away with Wang Yixin, forcing himself not to look back. Soon, he was back with his classmates.
For the students, the sketching trip was just an excuse—having fun was the real priority.
Everyone was busy setting up. Some found a spacious clearing, others laid out mats and unpacked food. They had even prepared plenty of trash bags to ensure they cleaned up after themselves.
Ji Ling busied himself as well. Keeping occupied meant he wouldn’t overthink things or feel awkward. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wen Yan walk out of the forest not long after. Ji Ling let out a quiet breath and patted his own face.
He glanced to the other side, where Ning Yu was helping Ning Kehan, playing the role of a doting older brother. He hadn’t come over to Ji Ling’s side.
Everyone assumed he had come along for Ning Kehan.
Ji Ling relaxed slightly. Good—Ning Yu hadn’t come over. If he and Wen Yan ended up confronting each other here, it would put Ji Ling in a really difficult position. After all, his classmates surrounded them. Forget about the scandalous spectacle of two men fighting over him—even if it were two women, that wouldn’t be appropriate either…
Thankfully, everything remained peaceful. Wen Yan didn’t approach him again and instead helped out other classmates.
After working for a long time, Ji Ling finally got a break. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and sat down on a tree stump. Just then, a hand appeared in front of him, holding an already opened bottle of mineral water.
He was feeling thirsty, so he casually took it, saying, “Thanks—” But when he looked up, the last syllable got stuck in his throat.
Ning Yu smiled down at him and chuckled. “No need to thank me.”
Ji Ling’s face turned red. He lowered his head, took a sip of water, and gripped the bottle tightly, feeling completely uneasy.
Since there was no one else around, Ning Yu smirked slightly and, in a voice only Ji Ling could hear, teased, “Feeling troubled by being too popular?”
Ji Ling: “…” Are you a mind reader?!
Ning Yu’s tone was calm. “If that's what’s bothering you, there’s actually no need to worry… If others have feelings for you, they will still respect your wishes. They won’t hurt you. You should trust that. There’s no need to overthink it.”
Although he really liked the young man and wanted to have him all to himself, this world was different from the one before. They were all different now.
No one remains the same forever.
Time and circumstances had changed many things…
And he didn’t want Ji Ling to stay trapped in the past, constantly living in fear and trying to run away. That wasn’t what he wanted to see.
Ning Yu lowered his gaze, his expression gentle and amused. “Besides, being liked by so many people just proves how wonderful you are… Isn't that something to be happy about?”
Ji Ling froze. Wait—what are you implying?
But before he could figure out how to respond, Ning Yu had already turned and walked away…
After a long moment, Ji Ling pressed his lips together, his gaze complicated.
Although Ning Yu’s words seemed to come out of nowhere and sounded baffling, Ji Ling somehow felt like he understood what he was trying to say… and, surprisingly, he did feel a bit comforted.
If he wasn’t absolutely certain, there was no need for him to speak on behalf of a love rival, right?
Ji Ling let out a breath.
Forget it. No matter how much he struggled, worried, or feared, he couldn’t change this reality. And now, this was his world. He had no way out. He could no longer use death as an escape. Running away held no meaning anymore.
He would just take it one step at a time.
Ji Ling cheered himself up and returned to his classmates.
They had lunch together.
Wang Yixin had hit it off with a girl and was overjoyed, pulling Ji Ling over to take pictures for them. In order to impress the girl, he was exhibiting peak devotion.
Since Ji Ling had eaten so many of his meals, it would be pretty ungrateful of him to refuse. So he followed the two, trekking through hills and valleys just to find a scenic spot for their photos.
Watching the couple being all lovey-dovey, Ji Ling couldn’t help but sigh. Such a simple, beautiful love…
Meanwhile, his own love life was a bit too dramatic.
The two finally found a good spot, struck their poses, and happily said to Ji Ling, “Okay, we’re ready!”
Ji Ling crouched down first to adjust the angle. Since he was a little too close, he took a few steps back while framing the shot with his phone. Just as he was about to take the picture, his foot suddenly landed on a loose rock. His body swayed violently, and he fell backward!
Crap, I was so focused on what was in front of me that I didn’t watch my step!
It all happened in an instant—Ji Ling had no time to react. His ankle twisted against the dirt, sending a sharp pain through him, his face turning pale. His body tumbled uncontrollably down the slope, his pupils dilating in terror. The next moment, a tall figure lunged toward him like a hunting leopard! With a powerful kick off the ground, the man stretched out his arms and caught Ji Ling firmly in his embrace. They rolled a few times on the ground before the man landed heavily on his back, but his arms remained securely around Ji Ling, holding him steady and safe.
Fortunately, the slope wasn’t too high, but even so, the fall was dangerous.
Ji Ling, still in shock, slowly raised his head from the man’s chest. He saw the man’s face, tense with worry, his handsome features taut with concern. Without hesitation, he carried Ji Ling in his arms and carefully placed him on a nearby rock. His sharp gaze swept over Ji Ling’s entire body before lifting his injured ankle to inspect it. His brows furrowed, and he seemed somewhat angry at Ji Ling’s recklessness. Clenching his teeth, he spat out two words: “Idiot.”
Ji Ling stared blankly at him, at the way his jaw tightened in frustration.
Suddenly, memories from his past life surged forward. Back then, when he had first entered that world, he had been incredibly cautious, playing his role meticulously, afraid of making even the slightest mistake that might expose his true identity. If he failed, he would truly die. Not only would he never return home, but he would also lose his last chance…
He was terrified of death.
So he was extremely careful. Fortunately, the plot followed its intended course. Everything progressed as expected… Until he was ‘smoothly’ betrayed by Carlos and fell into the hands of the rebels.
Facing the rebels, who despised nobility and wished to tear him apart, he recited the sparse lines from the book in his mind. The story said he would survive and return, but he didn’t know whether that meant simply making it back alive… or being tortured, humiliated, and broken before being sent back…
Both outcomes were technically ‘survival,’ but they were very different.
Surviving was not an easy feat.
He had never thought he would reach a point where he would hesitate—was it better to live, or to simply die?
At that time, he had almost wanted to give up.
But just as he was at his lowest despair… That man in the silver mask appeared, looking at him with cold, disdainful eyes, as if he were nothing more than a fool. He had uttered two chilling words: “Idiot.”
Then he had taken him away from that place.
At the time, Ji Ling feared his unknown fate, and he feared the man who had taken him.
But later, he realized—this was the one person he never needed to fear.
No matter how terrifyingly ruthless the man tried to appear, how he wore his mask like an unfeeling bastard… No matter that he deceived him, mocked him, even did things to him that were too much, always pressing his advantage… He was truly infuriating.
Yet deep inside, Ji Ling knew one thing with absolute certainty. This man would never truly hurt him.
Even if I always act like an arrogant fool before you, throwing tantrums and running wild…
I should have realized it back then.
The plot had already begun to shift in silence…
Because in the original story, after the ‘Ji Ling’ character barely escaped the rebels, he became paranoid, ruthless, and hysterical. He grew to hate Ning Yu and everything he stood for, turning into a self-destructive villain, lashing out in irrational revenge. He must have gone through something terrible.
But I didn’t.
I was lucky. I made it back safely.
Ji Ling lifted his gaze, staring blankly at the man before him.
Even though Ning Yu looked furious now, his eyes were filled more with concern. He was exactly the person Ji Ling had always thought he was—not scary at all. Beneath the mask and pretense, he was just… like this. In that moment, the once-rising star Ning Yu, the rebel leader Gabriel, and the gentle, handsome man before him… all merged into one.
Deep inside, he already had the answer.
From the day Jing Sui exposed Carlos’s identity… to the moment Wen Yan knelt to tie his shoelaces… everything pointed to an undeniable truth.
Some things couldn’t be solved by running away.
He was just waiting for someone to say it to him outright…
Ji Ling’s lips trembled slightly, and suddenly, he spoke in a soft voice. “You said before that you have a secret… that if I asked, you would tell me.”
Ning Yu’s movements stilled. He lifted his eyes to look at him.
Ji Ling met his dark gaze, his fingers unconsciously tightening with nervousness. Clenching his teeth, as if finally making up his mind, he slowly spoke: “What… is your secret?”
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