Chapter 22

For a simple birthday banquet, quite a number of famous people had come. Everyone knew that the Song family’s eldest young lady had a mental illness. After delivering their gifts, they all returned to the banquet, flowing into social circles to chat.

Before the luncheon began, everyone freely enjoyed champagne, fruit platters, and small desserts.

Song Chisui and Song Chiqiu were together, surrounded by people. Jian Qiuyu, Qingshui, Du Jinyue, and others were there too. Since several of them knew one another, they chatted about recent matters.

Deng Li leaned back on a red cedar chair, observing every single person: guests, relatives, relatives’ friends, service staff, drivers, security.

If that incident had to happen today, then before it happened, someone would tamper with something near Song Chisui and privately take her to the lakeside…

She took a sip of champagne. From the current look of things, the bad person had not yet revealed any flaws.

Or perhaps because she was here, someone was secretly observing her too? Those from the same line of work had very sharp senses. If she kept guarding Song Chisui like this, the other party would not come out.

Watching over Song Chisui so rigidly was not the best strategy.

Across the crowd, Song Chisui was lifting her head and chatting with the others. She held a portion of baked cheese and, from time to time, used a spoon the size of a pinky finger to scoop a little into her mouth.

She chewed each bite dozens of times before slowly swallowing, unhurried and calm. She was just like the little milk cat Deng Li had raised.

Deng Li swirled her wine glass, staring in fascination. Coincidentally, Song Chisui looked in her direction, and their gazes met by accident. She froze for a moment.

Fortunately, people were coming and going through the crowd. ​bailiantales.com​She hurriedly shifted her eyes away and turned to get some dessert.

Just then, a hand patted her shoulder, and a voice came from behind.

“Deng Li, so you’re here.”

She turned around and saw a woman standing beside Duan Tiantian. The woman wore red clothes and had red hair. Her outfit was sexy, her figure full and graceful, and she had a head of big waves.

Her fiery red lips curved into a smile at Deng Li, like a large chili pepper.

“Let me introduce you. This is Producer Pei Yun.”

Last time, she had asked Duan Tiantian to introduce her to people in the industry, and now she had already found one!

Deng Li was grateful for her speed and greeted Pei Yun at the same time.

“Hello, Producer Pei.”

“Hello.” Her voice was very mature. “Very pleased to meet you.”

After a simple handshake and exchange of greetings, Deng Li hurriedly exchanged WeChat contacts with her for the sake of her future career.

Not far away, Song Chisui was still watching her. Seeing the scene before her, the corners of her mouth lowered slightly, and her finger hooked gently around Song Chiqiu beside her.

They would still proceed according to the original plan.

Song Chiqiu, who had been smiling foolishly, held a wine glass and suddenly raised the champagne to drink. Before she could drink any, all of it spilled onto her skirt.

“It’s wet.”

Song Chiqiu tugged at her collar, her expression whining and aggrieved, as if she were about to cry.

“Sister, it’s okay.”

Song Chisui quickly called Chunmei and had her take Song Chiqiu to change clothes.

When the people around them noticed something unusual, they hurriedly looked over, very curious, but they only dared to discuss it in low voices.

Very soon, Chunmei supported Song Chiqiu upstairs.

After adding the WeChat contact, Deng Li saw the crowd moving in the distance. Among them, several people were standing behind Song Chisui. They gathered around the wheelchair, seemingly watching the commotion.

Looking closely, she saw a pair of hands touch the wheelchair several times. A waiter in a black-and-white uniform, seen only from the back, hurriedly twisted something on the wheelchair before leaving.

Deng Li quickly put down her wine glass and followed.

“Hey, hey, Deng Li, where are you going?”

Duan Tiantian called after her from behind and followed too.

That person quickly slipped into the villa corridor. He seemed very familiar with the environment and walked quickly.

Deng Li sped forward, but there were always people holding champagne and cake blocking her path.

“Sorry.”

“Careful.”

In the dim, oppressive space, she moved forward quickly. At the corner, she saw that person turn his head slightly.

Under the dark light, his nose had a slight hook.

Deng Li pressed her back against the wall and held her breath, afraid of alerting him.

After a while, she heard the sound of fabric rubbing from that side. Deng Li quickly turned around, only to see Chunmei walk out from a side room.

“Madam, it’s good that you came.”

There were other small passages. That person had escaped.

“What is it?”

Deng Li looked at her.

“The eldest young lady needs someone to watch her for a bit. I have to go find the clothes she likes. Can you help?”

“You just watch her. I’ll go get the clothes.”

“How could that be allowed? How could I trouble you with something like that? I’ll go instead. Please help watch the door. I’m worried she’ll run around.”

“Fine.”

After saying that, Chunmei led Deng Li to the second floor.

Although Deng Li had missed that suspect, at least she had one clue: a hooked nose. That kind of nose shape was not common, so she should be able to screen him out quickly.

She guarded the door, arms folded as she thought. Wait, if this time was different from last time again, what then?

She sighed. Coincidentally, Duan Tiantian came up through the hallway from earlier, panting.

“Deng Li, why did you suddenly run off?”

“You came at just the right time.”

Deng Li grabbed her hand and pointed to the room in front of them.

“Tiantian, help me out. Qiuqiu is inside alone, waiting for Housekeeper Chunmei to bring clothes. Help watch her and don’t let her run around.”

After saying that, she pulled open the door and pushed Duan Tiantian inside.

“Thanks, sister. I really have something urgent. A life is at stake!”

Duan Tiantian stretched out an Erkang hand.

“Deng Li, don’t leave! Hey!”

On the first floor.

Du Jinyue was chatting with Song Chisui. Jian Qiuyu sat quietly at the side, guarding Song Chisui, while Qingshui sat beside Jian Qiuyu, picking out little tea snacks for her.

“Teacher Jian, I still haven’t properly thanked you for what happened last time.”

Qingshui held her dress with both hands and stared at Jian Qiuyu full of gratitude.

Jian Qiuyu pushed up her glasses.

“You and Chisui are both my students. Saving you is my duty.”

After saying that, Jian Qiuyu looked at Song Chisui and smiled.

Song Chisui’s gaze was calm. She did not seem to care about their conversation.

“Chisui, no one has been troubling you recently, right?” Jian Qiuyu took the initiative to bring up a topic.

Song Chisui raised her head and happened to meet her eyes. Light reflected off the lenses, making Jian Qiuyu appear refined and elegant.

She shook her head.

“No. Thank you for your concern, Teacher.”

Before long, Chunmei arrived beside her, bent down, and pressed close to her ear.

“Everything is ready.”

Song Chisui took a deep breath.

“Did she go?”

“Mm.”

Chunmei nodded while taking something from her waist pouch. After a long while, she took out the pills Song Chisui usually ate.

She slowly spread them out. Her hands trembled with unbearable reluctance.

“Miss, you still haven’t taken your medicine today.”

Song Chisui looked at the colorful pills and instantly felt bitterness rise in her mouth and sourness surge in her stomach. Her brows furrowed.

“I don’t want to take them.”

Chunmei’s hands shook.

“If you don’t want to take them, then don’t.”

Du Jinyue said from the side, “How can that be? Medicine must be taken on time.”

She looked sternly at Song Chisui.

“I won’t indulge you. Take them now.”

She poured warm water and brought it in front of Song Chisui.

“Look at you. You’re still this thin. After taking the medicine, hurry and eat.”

One had to know, only an attending doctor like Du Jinyue had such a temper. Whether patients wanted treatment or not was up to them. Even money could not buy her good temper.

This was exactly why Song Chisui trusted her.

“Okay.”

She accepted the cup and began taking the pills one by one.

Perhaps because of the medicine’s effects, every time she took it, she grew sleepy. This time, the drowsiness was even more obvious.

Barely ten minutes after taking the medicine, Song Chisui felt her mind grow heavy and her vision blur.

She still did not know what was happening on the second floor. She propped her cheek in her hand and blinked rapidly.

“So sleepy.”

Jian Qiuyu stood up and carefully supported her shoulder, leaning close gently.

“Chisui, do you want to go rest?”

“Mm.”

Seeing this, Qingshui also stood up.

“I’ll push her up.”

She walked closer and reached out to touch the wheelchair, just happening to brush against the back of Jian Qiuyu’s hand.

Jian Qiuyu shrank back slightly.

Qingshui’s breath paused, and she turned her head to glance at her.

Chunmei walked over from the side and quickly invited the two of them to sit down.

“You are guests, and the meal is about to begin. Please sit and rest. I’ll take care of Miss.”

Chunmei very naturally took the wheelchair from their hands and pushed Song Chisui inside.

Sleepy. So sleepy.

Song Chisui felt as if she were dreaming. Her body seemed to be held down tightly, and no matter what, she could not wake up. It was also as if she had been given a shot of anesthetic, losing consciousness all at once.

By her ears, there was only the sound of the wheels.

She imagined that her drowsy body was already beneath the quilt, enjoying the warmth and fragrance of the bedding.

After an unknown amount of time, even the sound completely disappeared. Her five senses gradually faded, and she thoroughly fell asleep.

Chunmei pushed her around to Mirror Lake and chose a relatively flat spot, placing her there.

Then, without anyone noticing, she circled back into the house.

“Miss.”

She tightly clenched her fists, her emotions complicated.

“Life and death are determined by fate. Living is so painful. It would be better to end it once and for all.”

After an unknown amount of time.

The birthday banquet began. Everyone toasted and exchanged cups, paying no attention at all to the main and secondary honorees of this banquet.

Whether the Song sisters were present did not matter.

Song Suiying was surrounded in the middle. He found a waiter and asked, “Where are the eldest and second young ladies?”

“Chairman, the eldest young lady went to change clothes. The second young lady was sleepy and is resting upstairs.”

Song Suiying was about to continue questioning, but Song Shunjun, Xia Mingyi, and others pulled him away to introduce business partners.

He was busy for the moment and had no time to look after Song Chisui and Song Chiqiu.

After an unknown amount of time.

Beside Mirror Lake, the clear wind lifted ink-black long hair. The sunlight was gentle, spilling over the young girl’s palm-sized little face. From afar, the woman in the wheelchair looked as if she had stepped out of a comic—beautiful and miserable.

The young girl’s hand rested on the wheelchair. Her fingertips were like newly sprouted bamboo shoots, white and delicate. They curled faintly and gripped the silver handrail, making an ear-piercing Read on BaiLianTalessound. Because of her force, the blue-green veins bulged, making her slender wrist appear sickly and bewitching.

“Where am I?”

Song Chisui’s mind was muddled. She slowly opened her eyes. Her vision went from blurry to clear. Before her was an emerald-green lake, white egrets picking up food by the shore. A faint breeze brushed her ears, and the sun was warm. Everything seemed so beautiful.

“Why am I here?”

She lifted her tender, bamboo-shoot-like hand and pressed it against her temple. Swelling and pain came from her head. Her lashes lowered slightly, like a pair of little fans.

She could not be exposed to the wind. Her head would hurt.

Song Chisui pressed the switch on the wheelchair handle, trying to turn. But after starting, the wheelchair did not turn. Instead, it rushed straight ahead.

The wheels rolled from the flat road over the jeweled railing by the lake, sending out a tremor that jolted Song Chisui awake.

Sensing that something was wrong, Song Chisui forcefully slapped the brake button. After several struggles, the brake showed not the slightest movement.

“The brakes aren’t working?”

Beneath the wheelchair was a slope.

At the end of the slope was Mirror Lake, where someone had once drowned.

Song Chisui’s breathing tightened, and her entire back went cold.

She frantically struck the brake button, murmuring, “No, no, stop.”

Her palm turned red from hitting it, but she still could not stop the wheelchair from sliding downward.

Its speed grew faster and faster, like a roller coaster plunging from above, rushing down in one swift sweep.

The next second, her entire body flew into the air. A brief buzzing sounded by her ears. After she plunged headfirst into the lake, endless water poured over her, and everything became utterly silent and soundless.

Author’s Note:

Deng Li: Baby, wait a moment. In the next chapter, someone will kiss you underwater to save you!