TIMO - Chapter 57
Chapter 57
“Are you saying we shouldn’t see each other anymore?”
Fu Zhao didn’t drink the medicine, staring straight into Shi Nan’s eyes with a hint of stubbornness.
Shi Nan placed the spoon back in the bowl, lowering her head to avoid Fu Zhao’s gaze. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. “No.”
“I’ll come to Nanke Island to see you. You just need to be well and stay on Nanke Island.”
“Shi Nan…”
Fu Zhao’s gaze clung to the side of Shi Nan’s averted face, trying to discern any sign that she was planning to leave without a word again. But Shi Nan quickly looked back, her eyes rippling with emotion. Her tone was soft, light, and warm, like she was coaxing a child.
“I won’t give up on you, and I won’t leave without a word again. We haven’t even called off the engagement, and our parents have met. You know where my home is now. If I leave without saying goodbye, you can come find me, yell at me, it’s all fine.”
“I really won’t leave without a word again. Just stay safely on Nanke Island, and I’ll come back to see you whenever I have time.”
Shi Nan blinked. “Promise me, okay?”
Fu Zhao relaxed slightly. Shi Nan was right. She already knew where Shi Nan was and had met Shi Xinglan. She didn’t believe Shi Nan could leave without a word this time.
As for Shi Nan’s worries, she also had a faint feeling that something was off, like a premonition, a reminder that this place, this event, was a critical point in time. Or perhaps, it was a reminder of the regret and shadow from her past life, something she should avoid.
But should she really avoid it?
Just like when she had started to fall for Shi Nan again, that heart-stabbing pain had always been there to remind her. But later, when her feelings for Shi Nan became unavoidable, nothing bad had happened. In fact, the pain had vanished.
Perhaps this reaction was just a shadow from her past life.
But it had nothing to do with reality.
Or perhaps it did, and she had to be careful.
She remembered from her past life that she had died three years after reuniting with Shi Nan. Did that mean that as long as she paid attention to that specific point in time three years from now, and as long as nothing happened then, the matter would be considered over?
After all, it was just a purely accidental event.
Encountering a fugitive on the street and being stabbed to death seemed like a low-probability event no matter how you looked at it. Now that she was prepared, as long as they didn’t go to that street and passed that day peacefully…
That would be enough.
Thinking this, Fu Zhao stared at Shi Nan and said softly, “Then while you’re here, you must be careful. Especially watch out for fugitives and the like. Remember to take a few more bodyguards when you go out, just in case…”
“Alright, I know.” Shi Nan interrupted Fu Zhao, raising an eyebrow. “I know you’re worried about me, but I promise I’ll protect myself. I’ll keep a clear memory of all types of fugitives and criminals, take eight bodyguards when I go out, and definitely stay in touch so you can know my whereabouts anytime, anywhere.”
Shi Nan’s tone sounded like she was joking. Fu Zhao felt a bit helpless, thinking it would be better to station more of her own people here. She thought for a moment, lowered her lashes, and added, “I hope that on my birthday three years from now, you can return to Nanke Island.”
Shi Nan’s hand, which was scooping the medicine, paused. Her fingertips trembled abruptly before she regained her composure. Her gaze flickered as she looked over. “Why that specific day three years from now? What about next year, or the year after?”
Fu Zhao’s gaze lingered on Shi Nan’s face for a moment before she smiled. “Of course you can come back next year and the year after. I’m just afraid you’ll be busy, so I’m giving you three chances. Whether you come back before then or not, on that day three years from now, you must come back.”
“Okay.” Shi Nan agreed with almost no hesitation. Her eyes curved into a gentle smile, a watery mist gathering in them. They shimmered, as if a teardrop was about to fall, but she quickly lowered her gaze to hide the moisture.
“I will come back, and not just on that day.”
Because Nanke Island is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.
Because that day, three years from now, is not only your birthday, but also the day you died for me in our past life. I didn’t even know it was your 25th birthday then.
This is the biggest regret of my life.
Having received a reassuring answer, Fu Zhao remembered something else and added, “It’s settled. The status of our relationship can only be decided by me. You can’t make decisions on your own, and you can’t abandon me on your own.”
“Okay.”
Shi Nan brought another spoonful of medicine over, her gaze wavering slightly as she looked at Fu Zhao. “Then tell me, what is our relationship now?”
The question caught Fu Zhao off guard.
What kind of relationship should she and Shi Nan have?
Ever since she had recovered all her memories and realized she was the original Fu Zhao, she had been thinking about what state their relationship should be in to satisfy her past life’s regrets without betraying her idea of starting over this time.
She liked Shi Nan. A lot.
Her emotions would surface from time to time, even influencing her actions.
There was no doubt about that.
But after starting over, everything between them had fallen into place too easily. She didn’t even know why Shi Nan liked her. It all felt so inexplicable, as if the heavens knew of her past life’s regrets and had specifically sent Shi Nan to make it up to her.
Everything was going too smoothly, which ironically made her unsure of how to face it.
There was relief, relief that Shi Nan liked her this time too.
There was also panic. What if this was all just another dream she was having? What if the Shi Nan who liked her right now would vanish in the next instant?
She harbored this anxiety, not daring to make a decision lightly.
Perhaps it was because the person she hadn’t dared to covet in her past life was now sitting right beside her, which made her feel a little intimidated.
She couldn’t help but recall what Kong Weiyan had told her before, telling her not to have regrets and to seize the present.
But what exactly would she regret? What decision could possibly smooth over the knots that kept forming deep in her heart?
She didn’t know.
But it seemed she needed to give herself a deadline.
Otherwise, it would be a real waste of time.
As Fu Zhao was thinking this, she felt a wetness on her lips as the bitter taste seeped in. She came back to her senses, her gaze toward Shi Nan somewhat unfocused.
Shi Nan looked back at her, letting out a soft huff through her nose and raising an eyebrow.
“Since you can’t define our relationship, then let me do it.”
“It’s obvious that between us,” she paused deliberately, leaving a space in her words. When Fu Zhao’s curious gaze flickered over, she curved her lips and said softly,
“I am currently pursuing you.”
Fu Zhao was stunned for a few seconds before she understood. Meeting the shimmering light in Shi Nan’s eyes, she knew Shi Nan’s attitude was the same as before. She felt at ease and made a decision in her heart. She spoke softly,
“Regarding our relationship, this definition…”
“When you next return to Nanke Island, I will have an answer ready.”
The answer wasn’t actually a difficult choice, but she needed some time to get used to the idea before she could say it out loud.
Or rather, the knots in her heart still needed to be pressed down, one by one.
She was actually being a little selfish. Maybe this would make Shi Nan come back to see her on Nanke Island sooner.
That little bit of selfishness couldn’t help but emerge.
In the courtroom, the atmosphere was oppressive.
Sitting in the defendant’s box wearing a prison uniform, Lu Jingmo’s gaze was dark, revealing an indescribable indignation. She couldn’t accept the final verdict. It was just a small mistake, and other Alphas had done similar things. Why was she the one being made an example of?
Besides, she was someone who had made supreme contributions to the interstellar community. Why, because of such a small mistake, was she sentenced to twenty years in prison? It wasn’t fair.
She had protested countless times, only to be dissuaded by her own lawyer. The final result was always a rejection.
Was she really going to submit to this outcome?
After serving these twenty years, when she got out, she would no longer be the Lu Jingmo who was sought after wherever she went.
The gavel fell, and the dust settled.
The audience was abuzz with discussion, seemingly remarking on the connection between this case and the redrafting of interstellar laws.
“I heard this Lu Jingmo paralyzed the Nanke Island starship port, one of the largest interstellar transportation hubs, just by randomly releasing her pheromones to force an Omega into heat. And now, a famous great scientist is sentenced to twenty years. Who knows what she’ll be able to do when she gets out. Her reputation is probably ruined.”
“You know these Alphas, their brains are all addled by pheromones. Besides marking, there’s nothing else in their heads. Well, now she’s gotten her just deserts. Serves her right.”
“But it’s only because the victim was the young lady of the Shi Corporation, the location was Nanke Island, and the witness was Shen Caiwei. If it were one of us common folk, with no power or influence, we’d just have to suffer in silence even if something happened…”
“Hey, didn’t you hear? The Shi Corporation is currently preparing an Omega aid project in collaboration with the Omega Rescue Center. They plan to help Omegas in difficult situations from the legal, media, and medical sectors. I think it’s good that this case blew up. This way, the interstellar community will pay more attention to the status of Omegas.”
“Right, and isn’t it because of this incident that the interstellar gender laws are going to be redrafted?”
“I think this is a very satisfying outcome. It’ll show those Alphas who don’t take pheromone suppression seriously what the consequences of their actions are.”
Lu Jingmo listened to these voices, closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, she stared fixedly at the three people standing side by side below, exuding an air of mutual destruction.
Shen Caiwei felt a chill from the stare and rolled her eyes before turning away. Then she saw her former pursuit, Shi Nan, gently adjusting the collar for her rival, Fu Zhao.
Tender and affectionate, gentle as water.
It blinded her eyes and choked her throat.
Clutching her shattered heart and with a steely resolve, she walked up to Shi Nan, glanced at the two of them, and said dryly,
“Nan…” She had just said one word when Shi Nan’s calm, emotionless gaze fell on her. She immediately swallowed the second “nan” and properly said the full name.
“Shi Nan, after what happened to you last time, I really just wanted to get you out of there and help you with an inhibitor. You know I’m not like that disgusting creature, Lu Jingmo.”
Shi Nan finished adjusting Fu Zhao’s collar, then took Fu Zhao’s hand, lacing their fingers together, before turning to speak to Shen Caiwei. “I know, so in that regard, I should thank you.”
“In a way, if you hadn’t been in a standoff with Lu Jingmo, I might have been taken away by her.”
Shen Caiwei was stunned by the praise for three seconds, a look of joy slowly coloring her eyes. She was about to speak when Shi Nan’s words cut her off.
“But you should also be clear that it’s just gratitude. Nothing more.”
Shi Nan spoke bluntly. She knew that compared to the other two, Shen Caiwei was a good person. Because of that, she had almost agreed to be with Shen Caiwei in her past life.
But it was still just that little bit short.
What exactly was missing?
She couldn’t put her finger on it before, not until she met Fu Zhao again.
Only then did she realize that the distance between other people and Fu Zhao wasn’t just a little bit.
It was farther than the distance between the two most remote planets in the galaxy.
The joy in Shen Caiwei’s eyes slowly faded. She had been rejected by Shi Nan many times, but all the previous times had been gentle refusals. She had always felt she still had a chance, but ever since this person, Fu Zhao, appeared, Shi Nan’s rejections had become much more direct.
Her mouth opened and closed, but she couldn’t say a word to Shi Nan. Finally, her gaze landed on Fu Zhao’s face. The white shirt collar under the black suit jacket was buttoned up neatly, without a single wrinkle. Her long hair was tied back in a low ponytail, with a few strands falling to frame her prominent, three-dimensional features. Her looks should have been sharp, but they were softened by her slightly rounded eyes.
This was the first time she had seriously looked at Fu Zhao, and she was inexplicably stunned by Fu Zhao in a formal suit. She shook her head, clearing out the unreliable thought, and her voice was a little bitter as she spoke.
“According to the plot, at this point, I should be the second female lead. I should be wishing you two well, telling you to treat Nannan well.”
She ignored the look Shi Nan shot her and insisted on calling her “Nannan,” pursing her lips. “But Fu Zhao, you know I’m not willing to accept this. So, I’m going to say some harsh words.”
“If… if one day, you’re not good to her, if you make her sad, I won’t let you off.”
Listening to Shen Caiwei’s words, Fu Zhao’s feelings were inevitably complicated. This was the first time she had seen Shen Caiwei since regaining her memories. The details of Shi Nan and Shen Caiwei’s interactions in her past life were still vivid in her mind.
She didn’t know if Shen Caiwei and Shi Nan had gotten together after she died in her past life.
Because she couldn’t even be considered the second female lead; she was just cannon fodder.
But now, she had gone from cannon fodder to the female lead, which made her feel a pang of guilt, as if she were a thief who had stolen someone else’s life. Her regret had become someone else’s regret.
Should she really be accepting all of this with a clear conscience?
Just as she was thinking this, her palm was tickled. The light, itching sensation felt like a comfort.
“Don’t worry, she won’t make me sad. I believe in her.”
A soft, gentle voice interrupted Fu Zhao’s chaotic thoughts. She came back to her senses and saw Shi Nan’s gentle gaze, the light in her eyes tender and enchanting.
“We’re not in a movie, and there’s no script. No one dictates how things are supposed to be. I only know that my choice now is a choice made according to my own heart, my own thoughts.”
“No one decreed that you’re the second female lead, and no one decreed that we’re the female leads.”
“You will be your own female lead, Shen Caiwei.”
Fu Zhao was stunned. She suddenly understood what was wrong with her thinking. She wasn’t accepting someone else’s life with a clear conscience, because this was her life to begin with.
This was Shi Nan’s own choice.
She hadn’t chosen to change anything just because she had started over.
This time, Shi Nan had chosen her.
She hadn’t stolen anything, because there was never a rule that this was supposed to be Shen Caiwei’s script.
Having figured this out, Fu Zhao calmed down and met Shen Caiwei’s gaze frankly. Just as she was about to speak, she saw a look of terror on Shen Caiwei’s face. Then, a strong force hit her shoulder, and both she and Shi Nan were suddenly pushed to the side.
“Crash-”
The sound of shattering glass came from behind them. The audience, which hadn’t yet dispersed, broke into a clamor of discussion and screams.
The noise filled her ears, loud and whistling.
A foul, pungent smell filled the air, spreading around them.
“Are you two okay?”
Shen Caiwei took out a handkerchief to cover her nose, frowning as she asked. She looked behind them with a trace of lingering fear and said fiercely, “Lu Jingmo is a real lunatic. I don’t know what the hell she threw…”
Fu Zhao shielded Shi Nan and looked behind them. A transparent, viscous liquid was spread across the floor, corroding a hole in the wood and emitting a strange odor.
She quickly checked herself and Shi Nan, breathing a sigh of relief when she found they hadn’t been splashed.
But for Lu Jingmo to do this, she would only get her sentence extended for disrupting the court. Why? Was it just to vent her anger?
Fu Zhao couldn’t figure it out and looked over.
In the distance, Lu Jingmo, who was being escorted away, was still staring at them. Seeing Fu Zhao look over, she gave a provocative grin. “I curse all of you! None of you deserve a happy ending! You will all reap what you sow…”
Her voice grew more distant, but they could still hear Lu Jingmo’s increasingly vicious curses. “Curse” and “revenge” were the two words she used most frequently.
Someone quickly came to clean up the liquid and debris, and the courtroom was restored to its original state.
Fu Zhao helped Shi Nan up, looking at her with some concern. The other woman was clutching her wrist and wouldn’t let go. She squeezed back and said softly, “It’s okay.”
Shi Nan’s face was a little pale, clearly frightened by Lu Jingmo’s actions. She pursed her lips. “I’ll have someone get a sample later and test what this liquid is. I won’t be at ease otherwise.”
“Okay.”
Fu Zhao comforted her in a soft voice. “It’s fine. She’s already been locked up. She’s just making a few harsh threats. The Interstellar Prison is so strict, there’s nothing she can do in there.”
“Right.” Shen Caiwei chimed in from the side. “It’s fine. In a way, she’s just like me, only able to make a few empty threats. Don’t worry.”
“I won’t do anything, and she can’t do anything.”
“You’re right. Maybe I should go find my own female lead.” Her eyelashes fluttered, and she broke into a free and easy smile. “As for Lu Jingmo, she should spend the rest of her life in prison.”
“By the way… I heard Sheng Yun has been mining on other planets recently and won’t be back for a few years. You can rest assured.”
Hearing the name “Sheng Yun,” Shi Nan snapped back to reality and frowned, but she didn’t say anything.
Fu Zhao, on the other hand, had no reaction to hearing the name of her past life’s love rival. She just smiled gently and squeezed Shi Nan’s fingers. “It’s good to have it tested. That way, we can be more at ease.”
Shi Nan stared at Fu Zhao, seeing her own reflection perfectly mirrored in Fu Zhao’s amber eyes. She hummed a soft “en,” her grip on Fu Zhao’s wrist tightening.
After leaving Nanke Island, it felt as if danger, turmoil, and unease were everywhere.
It was as if someone was reminding her that she shouldn’t let Fu Zhao stay on RT Planet.
Since she had a second chance, she should be more cautious.
It was possible she was overthinking it, but if things were really as she thought, then the sooner Fu Zhao returned to Nanke Island, the safer she would be.
But since the culprit had already been caught, why did this sense of unease still persist? As long as Fu Zhao stayed on Nanke Island and didn’t come to RT Planet before that critical point in time, would everything be okay?
She didn’t know the answer to that question right now.
Hopefully, she was just overthinking it. That was all she could hope for.
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