Chapter 22: Spreading Rumors

When will Qiao Yanxin ever realize that I am dead? How could a dead man possibly feel heartache for her?

I stood to the side, watching Qiao Yanxin’s actions with cold detachment. I wanted to see exactly how long she could endure the snow. The weather today seemed exceptionally frigid, and the snowfall was growing heavier by the moment.

Qiao Yanxin didn’t last long. Her face turned pale from the cold, and she rubbed her hands together before retreating into the house. She hadn't even lasted ten minutes; that was clearly her limit.

Yet, how could she know that the peace charm I once sought for her was obtained by kneeling and kowtowing every three steps from the foot of the mountain in the middle of a heavy snowfall? That day, the wind was howling and the snow was deep. The temperature was no different from today’s, or perhaps even colder, given the mountain terrain. Even though I was bundled up in layers of clothing, I couldn't stop shivering uncontrollably. I came down with a fever immediately after securing that charm.

But Qiao Yanxin knew none of this. She couldn't even bear being out in the snow for a dozen minutes, yet she never once considered how long I had endured back then. And now, she wanted to use a "pity ploy"? I never saw her show a shred of concern for me when I was the one suffering.

A mocking smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I watched her enter the house, where Gu Tingchu rushed over to her with a look of feigned concern. "Yanxin, why didn't you carry an umbrella? Look at all the snow on you—are you cold?"

Faced with Gu Tingchu’s solicitude, Qiao Yanxin touched her nose in awkward silence, then skirted past him to head inside. She kept her father’s warnings firmly in mind: she was to avoid having too much contact with Gu Tingchu. Seeing her reaction, Gu Tingchu stared at his empty hands, looking momentarily stunned.

The hour was growing late. The cake-cutting had been scheduled for seven o'clock, but with the heavy snow and the Qiao family estate located halfway up the mountain, it would be difficult for so many guests to leave later on. Thus, Qiao’s father suggested moving the ceremony up by an hour, and Grandmother Qiao had no objections.

Qiao’s father glanced at his watch. "Mom, it’s almost six. Let’s cut the cake."

Grandmother Qiao did not respond. Instead, she scanned the crowd, a look of disappointment crossing her face. "Let’s wait a little longer. Let’s wait for Yunzhou."

Hearing Grandmother Qiao’s words, my eyes stung with unshed tears. I never expected Grandmother to still remember me. But Grandmother, I am sorry—I can no longer return to cut the cake with you.

Observing the restless guests, Qiao’s mother wore a look of irritation. "Mom, there are so many guests here. We can't have everyone waiting on just him, can we? The weather is so bad today; it’s not impossible that his flight was delayed. Let’s just save him a slice of cake and be done with it."

But Grandmother Qiao remained stubborn. "Wait a little longer."

From the crowd, someone remarked, "Perhaps he never intended to come back at all. We’re all waiting on him—he really has some nerve." I recognized that voice; it was Qiao Ran’s.

Hearing the grumbling, Grandmother Qiao’s expression soured. "Please, everyone, bear with us a little longer. Yunzhou promised he would return to celebrate my birthday. The weather is poor today, so it’s understandable if he’s a bit late."

Hearing Grandmother put it that way, the guests fell silent. Grandmother then cast a glance at Qiao’s parents beside her. "You two are always complaining that the boy won't come home, but as his parents, have you ever actually gone to West City to look for him?"

The parents exchanged a look, neither speaking. How could they possibly come looking for me? It was enough that they could even remember my existence; actually seeking me out was entirely out of the question.

In the past, I hadn't understood the nature of my parents’ feelings toward me. I had naively believed our family was no different from any other. I had even run away once, pretending to leave home for good, but my parents hadn't been worried at all. They never came to find me, and in the end, I had to slink back home on my own.

Qiao’s mother said dismissively, "It’s not like he went missing. He’s just out having fun. That’s how kids are—they can’t stay home and just want to wander. What can we do about that?" Her tone was laced with resentment.

Hearing this, Grandmother’s anger flared even more. "You call yourselves parents, and this is how you treat your own child? No wonder Yunzhou doesn't want to stay at home!"

Suddenly, Gu Tingchu exclaimed, "I see Brother Yunzhou!"

Hearing this, the Qiao family swarmed around him. "Where? Where is he? Let me see!"

Gu Tingchu covered his mouth, looking utterly shocked. I leaned in, curious myself. "I’m already dead. How could you possibly see me there?"

Gu Tingchu turned his phone around to display it to the group. It was playing a video. The background appeared to be a bar; on a stage, a man dressed in skimpy clothing was dancing intimately with a woman dressed just as scantily. The lighting in the video was dim, and with the strobe effects, it was impossible to clearly see the man’s face.

Someone asked, puzzled, "Is that Qiao Yunzhou? There’s no clear shot of his face—how can you be sure it’s him?"

Gu Tingchu pursed his lips, looking as if he had been greatly wronged. "I’m sorry, this was sent by a friend of mine who hangs out in West City. My friend knows Brother Yunzhou, so it’s unlikely they’d be mistaken... If you don't believe it, then just pretend you never saw this video."

Someone remarked, "No wonder he prepared the gifts in advance—it turns out he never intended to come back at all!"

Grandmother Qiao stared at the video in disbelief. Unable to see clearly, she pulled her reading glasses from her pocket and put them on. The man in the video shared a three-tenths resemblance to me, but under the flickering lights, that resemblance seemed to stretch to five-tenths. And that was without mentioning that the video was supposedly filmed in West City...

I felt a sense of helplessness. Gu Tingchu truly hated me. I didn't even know what I had done to offend him, yet even after I was dead, he went to such lengths to slander me.

I wondered if the Qiao family would believe the person in the video was me. I looked at them with concern. Grandmother shook her head. "I don't think it’s Yunzhou. The lights are flashing, and the video is so blurry—you can't see the person's face at all. On what grounds do you say it’s him? Just because Yunzhou happens to be in West City?"

However, Qiao Yanxin’s face turned deathly pale when she caught sight of a mole on the man’s collarbone in the video.

Grandmother Qiao was still rambling on, "This person couldn't possibly be Yunzhou..."

"Enough! The person in this video—it is Qiao Yunzhou!"