Chapitre 26: Freedom by Falling
Disclaimer: Suicide by hanging
Gao Shunyuan didn't knock when he opened the door. Nor did he seem surprised by Zao Xing still sitting on Ye Delun's bed. He looked towards Zao Xing's figure with a blank gaze.
Without even looking at the man, Zao Xing understood what he was here for. He removed his grasp on Ye Delun's cold fingers and tucked them under the blanket. His hand brushed back his soft, newly dried hair and gave his forehead a small kiss.
He grabbed the pair of gloves he had removed and followed Gao Shunyuan out.
"The woman was getting impatient, so I had to interrupt your time." The white-haired boy said as he walked behind the Host.
Zao Xing wore a frown as he adjusted the fit on his white gloves. "That's fine." It wasn't. But if he was to get what he wanted, he had to do the work for it. "Let's not keep our guest waiting any longer." He adjusted his mood and let his trademark insincere smile make a home on his face.
Duan Li sat crossed-legged on the same sofa she saw seated at earlier. She stared out the window and gazed at the fake scenery behind the glass. Her finger impatiently tapped on her chin and narrowed her sharp eyes.
"Apologies about the wait, Dear Ms. Duan. Business was asking for my care." Host, followed by Gao Shunyuan, arrived through the entrance of the door.
Duan Li glanced at him before turning her head away. "I don't care."
"Hoho~ Are you frustrated? Apologies, I really mean it." He didn't. It was easily said by the wide smile across his face.
"You smile like that and you'll get wrinkles."
"Yes, you would know wouldn't you?"
She frowned but didn't say anything. Host gave Gao Shunyuan a look telling him to leave. The youth gave a small bow before walking out the door.
"Are you alright with this?" Host looked down at the woman and spoke to her.
"Even if I was having doubts, it's already too late. You would kill me anyway."
An artificial laugh escaped his throat, "That's true. But there's no harm in asking. If you said something, I would willingly sacrifice an ear."
The woman shifted her head towards the man and gave him a strange look for his weird wordings. But she paused before speaking, "There's nothing left for me in the real world. I'm divorced, old, cynical, and live off of the grandchildren who hate me. But I've never had the guts to really end it, so this is the perfect chance."
"And you spoke so confidently before..."
"Either playing shit or trying to convince myself. It doesn't matter."
"You surely are a troublesome woman to deal with."
"You sound like my ex-husband." A deep frown appeared on her wrinkled face. She didn't seem to like thinking of the man.
"Am I reminding you of some trama?"
"No," Her eyes glazed over as her thoughts became unrecognizable. "just nostalgia that hits different."
The Host raised an eyebrow behind the mask. Not that Duan Li would be able to tell anyways as she was still avoiding the sight of him. "What a strange way to put it."
"Are we going to get this done or not?"
"Yes, yes. You must be tired."
With the wave of his gloved hand, a rope descended from the ceiling. Host led the woman to stand underneath it.
"How did that even get there?" She asked as her neck strained to look at the swinging rope.
"You're asking useless questions you already know the answer to."
"Right, This house is messed up." Mazes for corridors, lamps that replenish themselves, carpets that suck blood. How can a random rope be surprising?
Duan Li looked up at the rope swaying at least 10 feet above her. She cranked an eyebrow, "And I'm supposed to get up there, how?" If he was expecting her to climb, then there's no way her old, wrinkled 153-centimeter frame would make it up there.
The Host only chuckled and signaled Duan Li to give it a moment. Duan Li looked down at her heeled feet and saw how the carpeted floor had wrapped itself around her shoes. Then the ground suddenly took off and shot into the air. With a sudden moment, Duan Li waved her hands around t to hold onto something, only to have her hands grab onto the hangman's knot.
She looked down at the ground below and saw the smile on the Host's face. "Come on. Put it on." He encouraged.
"Does it have to be this way? Can't you kill me like the pig before?" Even in her last moments, she would still be insulting, it helped her gain some pride to make up for the bits she lost.
The masked man gave an embarrassed laugh and scratched his neck. "No can do. The master of the house doesn't like the sight of blood. His well-being matters more to me than your opinion. So this is the best you can get. Quick and easy, no mess made."
"Right... the author of that letter. Make sure to tell them I said thanks." She was thankful that the letter arrived that day. When she first read it she almost couldn't believe it. In her dark room lit only by the lamp on her nightstand. The sunken side of the bed collecting dust. And her long fingernails she had just gotten done clinging to the edges of the paper.
A mocking chuckle escaped from his throat. "If you were an honest woman you could have done it do his face. He might already have a bad impression of you." Although he doubted it. Ye Delun wasn't the kind of man to hold grudges for long. He doesn't have the care, nor malicious intent for it.
"That's no fun."
"You say that to make up for the fact that it would hurt your pride to do so."
Duan Li looked down at the man with a judging scowl. "You read people too easily."
The Host only gave her a charming smile. "I've heard being observant was attractive as of late."
"The new generations have weird tastes."
Her neck laid itself into the loop of the rope. She was slow and steady and her hands began to tremble. She stalled herself by looking towards the ground, the height gave her a weird sense of balance. Strange being that she was standing on a long thin stick of flooring.
"I wonder if this is what my kid felt like when he was in this situation." She mumbled.
"You're stalling." Host told her.
"I can't help it." She replied.
No matter how much she wanted this, her body would stall automatically. It was a natural response. There were days that she would dream of a time like this. Times where she would stand at the ledge of the roof to that damn building. Feel the breeze flowing through her hair. The sun kiss her cheeks and the freedom of her feet.
"Do you need help moving off the carpet?" The Host's deep voice interrupted her thoughts.
She looked at him and then back to the ground. "No. I want to do this myself."
She had always thought of doing this herself. She thought it would be easier with a guiding hand. For the Host to put an end to her, get it over with. The fear inside her still considered that a better option. But as the old stubborn, prideful woman she was, that wasn't an option.
She slipped out of her heeled shoes and pushed off the carpet pedicel.
Her death was quick and easy. Just like Zao Xing told her.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone