Chapter 168: Regret? I Never Regret
Ye Tianlin stood before Liang Xiaoluo, a sinister smile on his lips as he tugged on the whip in his hands.
In the dim, oppressive light of the room, Xiaoluo could see dust particles scatter as the whip lashed through the air. The sharp, slicing sound was enough to send a chill racing down her spine.
"I told you," Tianlin's cold, devilish voice broke the suffocating silence. "You must pay the price."
The whip cracked in the air again, its echo a promise of pain. The very atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze, its icy grip squeezing every ounce of courage out of Xiaoluo.
She didn't have to imagine how much it would hurt when the whip struck her. She knew it would be unbearable.
Yet there was no escape.
If Tianlin wanted to punish her, she could only endure.
Xiaoluo's fingers trembled as she curled them into fists, her nails digging into her palms. She lifted her chin slightly and forced herself to speak, though her voice was weak. "If this will make you feel better… then do as you wish."
Her words, though calm on the surface, carried a weight of resignation that only deepened Tianlin's scorn.
"Oh? How very noble of you." Tianlin's smile grew colder, his eyes flashing dangerously. "What a pity. I might've been lenient… but now I've changed my mind."
With a swift motion, the whip cracked down.
"Snap!"
The sound of the leather meeting flesh reverberated through the room. Xiaoluo gasped as her body jolted under the impact, her dress splitting to reveal an angry red welt across her skin.
Her lips parted, but no sound escaped them.
The pain came in waves—sharp, fiery, and merciless. Yet even in her agony, Xiaoluo held herself steady.
"You can endure this," she told herself silently. "You have to."
The whip struck again.
And again.
"Snap! Snap!"
Each time it landed, it left another stripe of raw, inflamed skin in its wake.
Tianlin's lips curled into a cruel smile as he watched her body flinch and tremble. "Not begging yet? Let's see how long you can keep this up."
But Xiaoluo's resolve did not waver. Even as her breath came in shallow gasps and her vision blurred from tears, she remained silent.
Her defiance only enraged Tianlin further.
His movements became more erratic, his strikes harder and faster. The crack of the whip filled the room until even the walls seemed to shudder under its force.
When he finally stopped, his chest heaving from exertion, Xiaoluo was unconscious, her body limp and unresponsive.
Tianlin stood over her, his whip dangling loosely in his hand. His face was a mask of fury and disdain, yet his eyes betrayed a glimmer of something else—confusion, or perhaps guilt.
"You deserve every bit of this," he muttered, though the words sounded hollow.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.
"Tianlin! What are you doing in there? What did you do to Xiaoluo?" Ye Tianqing's voice was sharp with concern.
Tianlin turned slowly, his expression darkening further.
He opened the door and stared at his elder brother with cold, unblinking eyes.
"What happens to her is none of your concern," he said flatly before retreating back into the room.
Tianqing pushed his way inside, his gaze falling on Xiaoluo's battered and bloodied form. His face paled. "Tianlin, have you completely lost your mind? She's the woman you loved! How could you do this to her?"
"Love?" Tianlin sneered, dragging a chair to sit across from Xiaoluo's motionless body. "Don't be ridiculous, Brother. Love doesn't make people weak."
"Tianlin…" Tianqing's voice faltered as he took a hesitant step closer. "This isn't you. You've always been cold, yes, but never cruel. If you keep this up, you'll regret it."
"Regret?" Tianlin laughed, the sound harsh and biting. "Regret is for fools. I've never done anything I regret, and I don't plan to start now."
Tianqing clenched his fists, his frustration mounting. "If you remember the past someday, you'll realize how much you've destroyed—for her and for yourself."
Tianlin's smile wavered for a split second, but it returned quickly, sharper than ever. "Then I'll make sure I don't remember, won't I?"
Without another word, he turned away from his brother and strode back to Xiaoluo.
His voice softened, taking on a strange, almost tender quality as he murmured, "Don't worry. You'll stay here, and you'll be safe. Safe from everything—including me."
Tianqing's heart sank as he watched his brother cradle Xiaoluo in his arms.
The door closed behind Tianlin with a finality that left no room for argument.
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then, in the dim confines of the room, Tianlin whispered, "Why do you haunt me, Liang Xiaoluo? Even now, when I've forgotten everything, why can't I let you go?"
Unbeknownst to him, Xiaoluo stirred slightly in her unconscious state, as though responding to his words.
Outside the room, Tianqing stood frozen in place, his mind racing.
He could only pray that this madness would end before it consumed them all.