Chapter 130: She's in Danger
梁 Xiaoluo stood motionless at the crossroads, staring at the fading taillights of Ye Tianlin's car, her heart constricted with an unbearable ache. She couldn't understand what had happened to him. Why had he changed so suddenly?
She lingered in place for what felt like hours, the cold wind gnawing at her resolve, leaving her numb and emotionless. Slowly, she turned to face the looming words of the civil registry office: Civil Affairs Bureau. A place meant to witness joy and new beginnings now bore only disappointment and emptiness.
With a sigh that carried the weight of her heartbreak, she hailed a taxi to take her back to the Ye family estate. Unbeknownst to her, another taxi trailed behind, carrying Xiluo, who watched her silhouette with deep concern. Despite her words earlier, his instincts to protect her outweighed everything else.
The Ye Family Residence
By the time Liang Xiaoluo returned, night had fallen, and the estate seemed eerily quiet—quieter than usual. The absence of the typically bustling activity made the house feel hollow and abandoned, like a lifeless shell.
Her eyes scanned the grand interior, expecting to see familiar faces: Lin Butler, Ye Tianqing, or even the ever-distant Hualin. But there was no one. Even the servants seemed ghost-like, moving about as if under a spell, avoiding her gaze and ignoring her attempts to speak.
Confusion turned into a sinking unease. "Why is it so quiet?" she murmured to herself, her voice drowned out by the stillness. Retreating to her room, she shut the door behind her and collapsed onto the bed. A heavy sense of loss and futility weighed on her chest. What was she even doing here? Why had she stayed?
Staring blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts spiraled deeper into despair. Exhausted by the emotional rollercoaster, she eventually drifted off into a restless slumber, haunted by fragmented dreams of distant sounds echoing through the house.
Chaos at Midnight
The crashing of furniture and shattering of porcelain jolted the household awake. Ye Tianlin had returned.
He stormed through the estate like a tempest, venting his unrestrained fury on anything within reach. Priceless paintings were ripped from the walls, antique vases shattered against the marble floor, and the once-pristine decor was left in utter disarray.
Terrified servants cowered in corners, too afraid to intervene. A brave few bolted to inform Lin Butler, hoping he could diffuse the chaos. When Lin Butler finally arrived, he was met with the sight of Ye Tianlin standing amidst the wreckage, his right hand dripping blood from a fresh wound.
"Master Tianlin!" Lin Butler cried, rushing forward. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Ye Tianlin responded with a forceful kick, sending a chair flying across the room to crash against the wall. The deafening sound reverberated through the hall.
"Get out!" Ye Tianlin roared, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
Lin Butler hesitated, his concern outweighing his fear. "Master Tianlin, please, you're hurt. Let me—"
"I SAID, GET OUT!" Ye Tianlin's bellow shook the room, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Defeated but still deeply worried, Lin Butler retreated to the doorway, watching helplessly as Ye Tianlin rampaged through the living area. He could see that the young master was not just angry—he was unraveling.
In the kitchen, Ye Tianlin flung open the liquor cabinet and began yanking out bottles, one after another. He lined them up on the bar counter with reckless precision, then uncorked two and began drinking straight from the bottles. The alcohol flowed freely, burning his throat but dulling none of the pain that clawed at his chest.
"Master Tianlin, please stop!" Lin Butler pleaded from the doorway. "This isn't the way to—"
"Shut up and leave!" Ye Tianlin snapped, his glare silencing Lin Butler mid-sentence.
By the time Lin Butler dared to speak again, Ye Tianlin had downed several bottles, and his movements had grown unsteady. "If you continue like this, you'll harm yourself!" Lin Butler cried, finally mustering the courage to step forward and try to intervene.
But Ye Tianlin shoved him away with a strength fueled by anger and desperation. Lin Butler stumbled, narrowly avoiding a painful fall. As he steadied himself, he could only watch helplessly as the young master drowned himself in yet another bottle.
Enter Liang Xiaoluo
Awoken by the commotion, Liang Xiaoluo quickly threw on a robe and ran downstairs. The scene that greeted her in the living room left her breathless. Broken furniture and shards of glass littered the floor, and in the center of the chaos sat Ye Tianlin, slumped over the bar with a half-empty bottle in hand.
"Lin Butler, what's going on?" she asked, rushing to help the older man to his feet.
Lin Butler shook his head, his expression a mix of worry and helplessness. "Miss Xiaoluo, please, you must help the young master. He's hurting himself, and no one can get through to him."
Summoning her courage, Liang Xiaoluo approached Ye Tianlin cautiously. His bloodied hand caught her eye, and her heart twisted at the sight. "Tianlin," she said softly, stepping closer. "What's wrong? Why are you doing this to yourself?"
Her voice, though gentle, reached him through the haze. He looked up, his eyes clouded with pain and alcohol. For a moment, she thought he might lash out, but instead, he slumped further, the weight of his anguish dragging him down.
"Xiaoluo..." he mumbled, his voice hoarse. "I don't deserve you. I don't deserve anything..."
She knelt beside him, her hands covering his trembling ones. "Tianlin, please talk to me. Whatever it is, we can face it together."
But his answer was a bitter laugh, one that sent chills down her spine. "Together? Do you even know what that means for someone like me?"
"Tianlin—"
"Leave me!" he shouted, his voice breaking. "Just... leave me."
Tears welled in Liang Xiaoluo's eyes, but she refused to move. Instead, she tightened her grip on his hands, anchoring him. "No," she said firmly. "I won't leave you like this."
Her defiance cut through the storm of his emotions, leaving him staring at her in stunned silence. Slowly, his walls began to crack, and the vulnerability he'd been so desperate to hide started to show.
In that moment, Liang Xiaoluo knew she wouldn't give up on him—no matter how many walls he built around his heart.