Madman's Thought (Bai Ye's Memory)

Bai Ye forgot how long he had sat there that day. She lay quietly in his arms as if deep in slumber, and it reminded him of all the nights when he woke up in the middle of the dark, finding her sound asleep next to him like this. Sometimes she would tighten her arms around him when he shifted in bed. Sometimes she would stir a little, mumbling his name. Most of the time, she would simply lie still like this in his embrace, and he would admire her peaceful beauty until he slowly drifted back to sleep.

But this time, her beauty was no longer peaceful. It was stained with blood, charred with hatred. She would never open her eyes again, and even if she did, she would no longer smile at him. Because she said she would never forgive him.

Bai Ye felt something inside him slowly ripping open. He felt cold. With trembling fingers, he tried to brush away a strand of loose hair off her face. But the moment he touched her, he felt something change.