24.2

"When Lin Haoqing got well, I went to see him and asked if he hated me. After all, he killed the puppy he loved so much for me. But Lin Haoqing said no. He said I did nothing wrong.

He said the one thing in this matter that still allowed him to find a little comfort was that he saved me." Ji Yunhe looked up and met Changyi's gaze.

"Changyi, back then Lin Haoqing was quite similar to you. But then later..." Later, the blame was all on her.

"Lin Haoqing and I grew very close. We did homework together, and he would help me whenever I didn't understand something. He often said I was smart. Lin Canglan also did not hold back on praising me, even taking me as an adopted daughter. In the eyes of everyone else, we had a perfect relationship."

"But I was just a tool to train Lin Haoqing, just like Flower. Flower was the dog destined to be eaten, and I was the person destined to be eaten."

Ji Yunhe's face grew cold. "Lin Canglan sent us to a cave trial. It was a cave full of snakes. Lin Haoqing was more afraid of snakes than anything and everyone knew it. So Lin Canglan made me push him in."

Ji Yunhe summarized it briefly. She did not go into the details about how Lin Canglan had fed her poison after the death of Flower, and how she had to take an antidote every month in order to stay alive.

She became Lin Canglan's puppet on a string. When Lin Canglan first asked her to push Lin Haoqing into the snake cave, she did not agree. As a result, he withheld the monthly antidote and made her suffer for days. Lin Canglan told her if she did not do it, someone else would.

So Ji Yunhe finally nodded her head. She agreed. Lin Canglan soon arranged for her to go to the snake cave with Lin Haoqing.

"Walking to the snake cave, Lin Haoqing was in the front. I blocked the road behind us so he could not get out. He did not realize what kind of a situation he was in. He thought he was protecting me by being in the front. He held back his fear and told me it was okay, that he would keep me safe, and that I should run if there was danger up ahead."

"I didn't run. I wasn't afraid of snakes like him. I blocked the way out and didn't move because I was still hesitating." Ji Yunhe looked at her palm.

"I was thinking, why don't I just jump in myself and end it once and for all. But then something struck me in the arm and made me push toward him, then he fell in."

Ji Yunhe did not push him. It was Qing Shu, who Lin Canglan had sent to spy on them. She did not want to wait any longer and struck Ji Yunhe's elbow with a stone. Neither her nor Lin Haoqing had the power to detect Qing Shu's presence at the time.

"I turned around and saw Lin Canglan's demon servant giving me a cold glare. I turned back and saw Lin Haoqing also looking at me. He had fallen into the snake cave, and I can still remember the shock and disbelief in his eyes."

"I understood then that Lin Canglan wanted a ruthless son, and things like this would happen again and again until Lin Canglan got what he wanted. So when Lin Haoqing reached out his hand to me for help, I made my choice."

"I stood at the edge of the snake cave and kicked away his hand." Ji Yunhe's eyes grew red.

"I said, why were you destined to become master of the Demon Valley as soon as you were born? You are such a coward, you do not deserve it at all. I also said, I've been so sick of you all this time. Just die here!"

Ji Yunhe looked very upset even after so many years. She was silent for a long time, and when she spoke again, her voice had become raspy.

"Later, Lin Haoqing seemed to have really died in that snake cave."

"After he was rescued, it was as if he had been possessed by a poisonous snake, and was no longer the gentle boy he used to be."

Ji Yunhe ended her story. Only the sound of dripping water could still be heard inside the dungeon. Every drop tugged at her heartstrings, making it difficult for her to calm down.

"For years, I believed I had made the right choice that day. Because Lin Haoqing was never forced to suffer again by his father. But Changyi..."

Ji Yunhe looked up at him. He hung on the wall, his body had been washed clean of the blood, and the withered fish scales that stuck to his skin like scabs were also washed away. But he was still of a pale, bloodless color.

"The choice I made back then brought you great suffering today," Ji Yunhe went on.

"I was wrong... I am so sorry… This is all my fault." The dungeon stayed quiet for a while. Finally, Ji Yunhe heard a faint and gentle reassurance.

"Not your fault." His voice, like a soft brush, swept away all the debris around them, and smoothed all of her emotional turmoil.