Chapter 175

Yacheng, two days later, in the afternoon.

Lihua District, the internet-famous dessert shop, House of Sea and Sky.

Under the bright sun, guests taking photos on the outdoor beach were endless. Under the parasols, many customers were enjoying signature desserts and afternoon tea sets, bustling and noisy.

And right there in the carefully prepared private room inside the shop, the atmosphere gradually stagnated amidst endless small talk.

Or rather, it became awkward.

"The weather is really nice."

"Yes, it is."

"Was there any traffic on the way here?"

"No, none at all."

"You've lost weight recently."

"Just a little bit."

"Your skin looks great too!"

"... Hua Hua."

Across the table, the woman in a tube skirt and blouse sighed.

Her hair was neatly pinned up at the back of her head, her makeup was light, and her expression seemed forever gentle and warm, making people feel close to her and unable to help but want to pour out their troubles.

Ye Zhi pushed her coffee aside and said seriously: "I skipped a big appointment today just to come see you, you said you had something important you wanted to consult me about in person, so go ahead and say it."

"Al... right..."

Tong Hua stammered for a long time; Ye Zhi's gaze fell unobtrusively on her hands, twisting her fingers, fingers crossed, sometimes touching tips, anxious, lost.

She was still hesitating, considering whether to tell her about this.

She said: "I have a friend..."

"Okay, you have a friend."

Ye Zhi immediately understood, pushed up her non-prescription glasses, sat up straight, and changed the way she held her spoon, as if holding a pen.

The look behind the non-prescription glasses became meaningful.

Tong Hua was immediately shocked, eyes widening: "What's with that look? Why are you starting to profile me!"

*Tsk*...

The perception of the Ether lineage is really annoying.

Ye Zhi smiled warmly: "Sorry, occupational hazard, continue, continue, this friend of yours..."

"I really do have a friend!"

Tong Hua's fists tightened, "A guy! He has absolutely nothing to do with me!"

Ye Zhi's expression changed slightly, her straight posture leaned in slightly, and the light of gossip most familiar to the Ether lineage appeared in her eyes: "Is he..."

Tong Hua was annoyed: "No!!!"

"Fine, look at you, getting impatient again. I haven't even said anything yet."

Ye Zhi waved her hand, and under Tong Hua's gaze, she finally set aside that psychological counseling posture and sighed helplessly: "Then just give a brief summary of the situation."

That's the one downside to being a Heart Pivot Chosen.

You have to keep a low profile in daily life, because if you're discovered, you'll inevitably be feared and resisted; it's hard enough to make a few good friends, and you're always expected to help solve annoying problems like 'does he/she not love me,' and you're the first person they grab after a breakup...

. ￠O

Ye Zhi sighed.

She was used to it.

Who else did she have for friends, anyway?

Her right fingernail scraped casually across the sticky note as she listened distractedly to Tong Hua's description: "Twenty-something... Tianmen University... bright academic future... artisan... weird... always mocking me just like you..."

After ignoring the specific details and occasionally answering a few of Ye Zhi's detailed questions, Tong Hua spoke for a long time before finally picking up her teacup and letting out a long breath:

"Anyway, that's about it."

"I have one more question."

Ye Zhi looked up curiously: "Have the requirements for marrying into the Tong family become this high now?"

"I already told you, they haven't!"

"Alright, alright, I have a rough idea." Ye Zhi sighed, "So what exactly do you want to ask?"

"I want to know, my friend... *cough cough*..." Tong Hua subconsciously lowered her voice and asked with some worry: "If things keep going like this, won't there be some problems with his mental state?"

Ye Zhi was stunned for a moment, not quite reacting: "I'm more curious why you would have such a thought."

Tong Hua was immediately embarrassed and hurriedly waved her hand to explain: "I know this kind of speculation isn't good, but isn't it purely out of... concern? We are friends, after all."

"No, I mean, why did you only think to look for a doctor now?"

Ye Zhi asked, puzzled, "Where is the problem? You should be asking where your friend *doesn't* have a problem!"

As she spoke, she picked up the sticky note in her hand, showing the nail scratches on it: "Severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, paranoia, hypochondria, mysophobia, post-traumatic stress disorder."

"Although some details require an in-person diagnosis, if I had to guess, there's likely also moderate-to-severe anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity... and a tendency toward self-destruction."

After finishing the long list, Ye Zhi couldn't help but gasp for air and let out a long sigh: "Although people in this world all have some issues, there really aren't many guys with such a rich variety of symptoms who haven't been sent to a hospital yet."

How should she put it...

It's like the young girl in red in a haunted house, the friendly stranger in a no-man's-land inviting you to dinner, or the kind youth wearing a mask who helps an old person across the street after coming out of a bank.

They look like everything is fine, but in reality, everything is wrong!

There's a certain beauty to it where choosing the wrong dialogue option leads to an immediate game over.

But so what?

The problems are a bit numerous, but the fact that he's living well means there's no problem; besides, every programmer knows that if the code runs, just leave it alone and don't mess with it.

Ye Zhi didn't feel there was any need for her involvement.

The first lesson every Heart Pivot Chosen must learn is not to be a busybody and not to go looking for trouble, otherwise, trouble will definitely come looking for you, and it will only get bigger.

Isn't he doing just fine?

Not being crazy is fine, and being crazy is also fine.

Many people look like they're living well, but in reality, they've been crazy for years.

For the sake of their friendship, she sincerely advised: "Give up, he won't like you... No, if it weren't for the fact that he's already connected to you, he would definitely choose to stay as far away from you as possible."

"When did I ever say I liked him!"

Tong Hua was furious, and in her anger, she got even angrier, slamming the table: "Besides, I'm the eldest daughter of the Tong family, what's wrong with me?"

Ye Zhi shook her head: "To him, probably everything is wrong."

Personality, ability, family background...

Indecisive, sentimental, loves to gossip, an Ether Eye that can't help but look around and always manages to see something, and a messy family situation that would make anyone dizzy.

"If he only treats you as a... well, a friend, you'll definitely get along famously. Perhaps he'll be a good friend, and even if he's unwilling in his heart, he won't stand idly by if something happens to you."

Ye Zhi said decisively: "But if he discovers that there's even the slightest possibility of your relationship changing, he will absolutely keep you at arm's length."

Tong Hua was shocked: "Is it that outrageous?"

Ye Zhi sighed helplessly.

"... Not to mention your relationship with the Ether."

She pointed at the naive eldest daughter before her: "The Tong family itself is a massive storm; sometimes, just by breathing a little, it can blow away everything related to it."

Do you think he would be idle enough to jump into that pit himself?

He won't risk his plans being disrupted just to get involved in meaningless things. Your wealth, power, and status are completely worthless to him."

"..."

Tong Hua's expression changed slightly; it wasn't the concealment or annoyance she had expected. As if she had remembered something, her eyes lit up, and she leaned in, lowering her voice to ask:

"What if... it's someone from the An family?"

"That's even more fatal, okay!"

Ye Zhi rolled her eyes: "Unless he took the wrong medicine, he would absolutely not respond, and he might even run away to avoid it!"

Paranoia, OCD, interpersonal sensitivity...

So many problems are merely symptoms.

The root of everything lies in a deep-seated desire for control.

Not over others, but over himself!

"You think he might have some OCD or perfectionism regarding details, but in reality, this all stems from an instinctual desire to control his own life."

"Only by living in a life of his own choosing will he feel comfortable and at peace."

She raised her coffee spoon and said bluntly: "In other words, such a person will not allow anything or anyone to wantonly arrange or influence his life and disrupt his plans. Regardless of whether the change is good or bad."

If there is, then exclude it, isolate it.

If it's a malicious intrusion, it will trigger the most direct stress response...

Understanding, assessment, probing, and finally, ruthless eradication!

"You'd better pray that he has no interest in you. If such a person wanted to pursue power, he probably would have started laying the groundwork and preparing seven or eight years ago; knowing you is just one part of the plan."

"He will definitely control the entire plan meticulously and carefully, ultimately utilizing everything he can to achieve his goal."

Ye Zhi narrowed her eyes, her smile fading: "Have you never thought that your excessive concern for him might also be a part of this induction?"

"..."

Tong Hua's expression twitched repeatedly.

Although she had lived a life of luxury and never experienced hardship, and her family was relatively peaceful under the management of her eldest uncle, there had never been any life-or-death conflicts.

But that didn't mean she was some fool to be easily used by others.

Chosen of the Heart Pivot lineage all seem to be like this; they've seen too many disgusting things, to the point that they never hesitate to speculate about others from the darkest perspective. It's just like how the Ether lineage is always obsessively convinced of what they see, firmly believing that what they see is the whole truth.

The pot shouldn't call the kettle black; who isn't the same?

But as a friend, even if she only considered herself a friend, she still had to argue: "Is it possible that he doesn't have any ulterior motives?"

"Then aren't you even more miserable?"

Ye Zhi's expression became pitying—to be rejected even after throwing yourself at someone, and possibly even being taken advantage of for free.

Tong Hua was already shrinking into the sofa, but upon hearing this, she still tried to be stubborn: "Although that guy has a ton of issues, when it comes down to it, he's still a good person, and he has principles and a bottom line."

"He's not as bad as you say... right?"

Ye Zhi was silent for a long time.

"Perhaps, that is the worst part."

If he were just a villain who only cared about himself, it would be better.

At most, he would just use an evil plan to control others and satisfy himself, and in the end, amidst indulgence and gluttony, the situation might actually improve.

If it's really as Tong Hua says, that is truly, utterly terrible.

For himself and for others.

When the situation becomes dire, mediocre people accept reality and endure their powerlessness.

Evil people find ways to integrate into it, seize benefits, and indulge their greed.

Kind people restrain themselves and resist temptation and evil.

But that kind of person won't.

If his own principles and bottom line cannot allow him to submit and become as humble as an ant, then he will completely overturn everything and make an enemy of everyone.

Unless either reality or himself completely disappears.

This is an engine with infinite power, fueled by pain and resentment, running endlessly.

Once he chooses a direction and decides to set off, he will charge forward with straight-line brutality, smashing every obstacle in his path into pieces, grinding them into mud, and burning them to ashes.

"Of course, all of the above is purely speculation."

Ye Zhi waved her hand dismissively: "No matter how powerful a Heart Pivot is, to make a diagnosis, one must see it with one's own eyes. With a layer in between, it's ultimately like looking at flowers through a fog; it's impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood."

"However, I imagine he wouldn't want to see me."

"So, please don't introduce us."

"If you cherish this friendship, don't act on your own initiative to intervene or interfere like before, unless he takes the initiative to speak."

She paused for a moment and finally reminded her: "If you are truly grateful to me, please don't call me to complain after you discover you've been taken advantage of by him. Hmm, if you find out he doesn't even bother to take advantage of you, please don't do that either."

Tong Hua was furious, enraged, and then even more enraged:

"Why am I destined to be taken advantage of!"

"..."

Ye Zhi smiled, picked up her coffee cup, and said nothing.

She simply took out her makeup mirror, opened it, and placed it in front of Tong Hua—inviting her to admire this silly face that had become increasingly naive due to her anxiety.

Tong Hua was silent.

As if her bones had been removed, she slumped onto the table, unable to get back up.

"... Sure enough, I can't understand it."

She sighed helplessly: "With his nerves pulled so tight every day, feeling like something is chasing him from behind, after a long time, there's bound to be a problem, right?"

"Why on earth..."

"Who knows?"

Ye Zhi lowered her eyes, and for a long time, she gazed at the sea waves and flickering light outside the window, "If you ask me... perhaps, maybe, it's guilt?"

It didn't stem from theory, and it was definitely not objective; it was more like a presumptive deduction, or perhaps, the intuition of a Heart Pivot.

Her finger reached out.

Toward the scratch-covered sticky note.

Easily, she poked a large hole right through the middle of the scratches, without any effort.

As if it had been there all along.

It's just that no one noticed.

This is where the root of everything lies.

Perhaps he encountered something and lost something, something more important than life and himself.

It was taken away, destroyed, and hollowed out.

Leaving behind only an irreparable void.

It's like an inescapable curse, bringing pain and torment, yet it also seems like a unique miracle, supporting him to keep moving forward.

From that day on, every day he lived had to have value.

Every day the sun rose, he opened his eyes and heard the voice echoing from the depths of his soul, telling him—you must not fail your own life.

"It's really exhausting," Ye Zhi sighed softly.

Bang!

A dull sound suddenly came from outside the window.

On the high platform not far away, a mischievous child suddenly took a deep leap, jumping into the seawater like a small bomb, splashing water everywhere.

Happily splashing, shouting, and waving, he beckoned the hesitant little girl on the platform to come down too.

"Third, hurry up! Hurry up!"

Then, another older girl was furious, ignoring her poise and demeanor, and pointed at the child with her hands on her hips: "Youngest, get up here right now!"

"Nyah nyah nyah, I won't, I won't!"

The mischievous child flicked his hand, creating a splash, and laughed out loud. Immediately, the furious sister rolled up her skirt, waded into the water to chase him, and with one punch, he became obedient and started wailing: "Mom, Lu Ling is bullying me!"

"You still dare to cry! You're asking for a beating!"

"Hey, it's fine, they've already changed into their swimsuits, isn't it nice to swim a bit?"

The mother, watching the excitement under a parasol nearby, smiled and advised: "Xiao Ling, go play for a while too."

Bang!

On the high platform, the hesitant little girl actually jumped down too, laughing with the youngest and splashing water at her sister.

"Big Brother, come quickly!"

"Coming, coming!"

A dark-skinned man took off his floral shirt in a flash, and under his sister's numb gaze, he also climbed onto the high platform: "I'll perform a deep-water bomb for everyone!"

Bang!!!

Just like that, he dove headfirst into water that was only waist-deep for him, his two legs still sticking out, and after twitching twice, he was actually fine!

Then he climbed up laughing, took a bucket, and joined the water fight.

Mostly to bully the second sister along with the other younger siblings...

Lu Ling, soaked to the bone, was furious, and when she turned back, she finally saw a savior: "Second Brother! You have to do something about them!"

"Coming, coming!"

An excited shout rang out.

A young man with terrible scars on his body waved his hand, raised a Gatling gun he had just modified with a vehicle-mounted high-pressure water cannon, and came running over with a cackling laugh:

"Everyone not wearing a swimsuit must die!!"

However, as he ran past the dessert shop, he seemed to see the person behind the window, stopped for a moment, poked his head in, and waved to signal.

Then, he jumped into the sea impatiently.

Hunting time!!!

In the private room, Ye Zhi looked blankly at the departing figure, then turned back to look at the completely numb Tong Hua.

"... You know him?"

"I know him."

Tong Hua sighed in a way that was hard to describe, "He's the one you just said was having such a hard time."

"..."

And so, Ye Zhi became numb too.

After a long time, in the silence, she suddenly heard Tong Hua's soft laughter.

She rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the beach outside the window:

"Isn't it nice, though?"

Water fights, mostly bullying the second girl, then everyone bullying Lu Feng together, and then when the water gun ran out of power, they were besieged by Lu Feng and everyone else.

Diving, competing to see whose splash was bigger; Lu Feng won thoroughly, mostly because his head was the hardest.

Playing in the sand, building a small castle for the youngest, a little swan for the third, a bust for Lu Ling, and a grave for Lu Feng—meaning everyone buried him together, leaving only his dog head exposed.

Buying milk tea, everyone taking turns drinking it, eating fruit, peaches, apples, and watermelon cut from home, snatching the youngest's grapes, which tasted exceptionally sweet.

After the children were tired of playing, Ji Jue picked them up one by one, carried them on his shoulders, and charged through the shallow sea and beach under the command of the third and youngest.

"Second Brother, I want to eat ice cream!"

"Okay, okay, let's eat ice cream!" Ji Jue followed their lead, looking at the animal-shaped ice creams in the freezer: "Shall we buy the cat ones?"

"Okay!"

"I want one too, I want one too!" The third raised her hand: "I want a little shark!"

Then, the cat ice cream battled the little shark.

The cat was decapitated, and the little shark was decapitated too.

The sea breeze echoed as it blew from afar.

I don't know how much time passed, but the dazzling sunlight gradually faded to the west, and a spreading orange-red appeared on the emerald sky, with ten thousand points of gold jumping amidst the waves, like countless fish.

The sunset was beautiful.

This is the best value.