Chapter 100: Loss and Revelation
Xiaoluo's tears soaked the pillow beneath her, each droplet carrying the weight of her shattered dreams and lost hope. Her child—the one thing she had fiercely clung to amidst the storm—was gone, and the ache in her heart was unbearable.
In the dimly lit room, Xi Luo leaned against the doorframe, his usually poised demeanor tinged with unease. His sharp intuition told him that Liang Xiaoluo's pain ran deeper than the loss of her child.
The Heavy Silence
"Your tears will drown this entire room if you keep going," Xi Luo teased lightly, though his voice lacked its usual playful lilt.
Liang Xiaoluo didn't respond. Her sobs softened, but her face remained buried in the pillow.
"I've met people like you before," Xi Luo began, his tone more serious. "You think losing everything means you're nothing. But you're wrong."
Slowly, Liang Xiaoluo sat up, her swollen eyes narrowing at him. "What do you know about losing everything? You—you're just a stranger in a mansion with servants and luxury!"
Xi Luo chuckled bitterly. "Oh, I know more about loss than you can imagine, Liang Xiaoluo."
Xi Luo's Past
He sat across from her, his usually composed face betraying a flicker of vulnerability. "You think I live in luxury? This place is nothing but a cage, far from the world I once knew. I've been disowned, cast aside, and told my very existence was a mistake."
Liang Xiaoluo blinked, her tears momentarily forgotten. "Disowned? Why?"
"My birth," Xi Luo said simply, his lips curving into a humorless smile. "A royal bloodline tainted by illegitimacy. That's all it takes to become someone else's shame."
Liang Xiaoluo frowned, her empathy overcoming her grief for a moment. "I'm...sorry."
"Don't be." He stood and poured a glass of water, handing it to her. "What matters isn't the past. It's what you do next. So, what's your next step, Liang Xiaoluo?"
The Broadcast
Before she could answer, the television blared an announcement. Xi Luo instinctively reached for the remote to lower the volume, but Liang Xiaoluo's gasp stopped him.
On the screen was Ye Tianlin, his face a mix of desperation and resolve as he appealed to the public for any information about Liang Xiaoluo.
"Liang Xiaoluo," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "If you see this...please come back. I—"
The broadcast ended abruptly, leaving only the soft hum of static.
Liang Xiaoluo trembled, clutching the blanket around her. "Why is he looking for me? After everything he's done—why does he care now?"
Xi Luo frowned, his own memories of Ye Tianlin flashing through his mind. Their shared history was complicated, marred by betrayal and pride.
A Choice to Make
"You don't have to go back," Xi Luo said firmly.
Liang Xiaoluo shook her head. "But—"
"Listen to me." He crouched in front of her, his amber eyes locking onto hers. "You're not obligated to return to someone who broke you. You owe him nothing."
Tears streamed down her face, but her expression hardened with a determination she hadn't felt in weeks. "You're right. I owe him nothing. But I need answers. I need closure."
Xi Luo nodded. "If that's what you want, I'll help you."
"Why?" Liang Xiaoluo asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Xi Luo smiled, but his eyes betrayed a storm of emotion. "Because no one helped me when I needed it most. And because you remind me of what I've lost."
A Storm Brewing
Unbeknownst to them, forces were already in motion. Ye Tianlin's desperation to find Liang Xiaoluo was more than just guilt—it was fear. He knew the enemies closing in on him would use her as leverage.
And in the shadows, a familiar figure watched the mansion.
"She's here," the figure muttered into a phone. "It's only a matter of time."
As the storm brewed outside, Liang Xiaoluo and Xi Luo prepared for a confrontation neither of them could avoid.