Chapter 82: Isn't that utterly hopeless?

Zhou Zhaoning sat up straight and looked at Wen Ling; this was the second time they made eye contact after entering the restroom.

Because she recalled the previous events, a feeling of heartache appeared in her eyes.

"But it's exactly such a person, because of you, they got depression."

Wen Ling abruptly lifted her head to look at Zhou Zhaoning, stunned, and said: "What?"

"In the first month after you left, he drank alone at home; if it weren't for Ke Chengyu not being able to reach him that day and going to Chen Yue Fu to find him, he would have been gone already."

Wen Ling uncontrollably stepped back two paces, her face turned deathly pale, her whole body trembling so she could barely stand; she had to lean on the sink to barely stay upright, her breathing so rapid she couldn't catch her breath.

"After he was rescued, he was diagnosed with severe depression." Zhou Zhaoning's tone sank slightly, she tugged at the corner of her mouth: "You left for less than a month, and he already had severe depression, a suicide attempt— isn't that utterly hopeless?"

"Later there was no other way; my parents felt sorry for him and didn't want him to stay in the hospital, so we could only bring him back to Feng Qi Yuan. All four of us siblings moved back there, taking turns watching over him, yet even that almost drove him to a second suicide attempt."

"But after he was stopped the second time, he became much clearer and told us he dreamed that you were killed by someone, dying in the outskirts of M Country; he didn't want you to walk alone, so he wanted to accompany you. His words frightened my mother into nonstop crying; we had people investigate and learned you were unharmed, just going out less, so we bribed someone to take your photo and show it to him, after which he felt reassured."

"Afterward he actively cooperated with treatment; it took about a year before he could be considered recovered."

"We four siblings aren't often by his side, but Zhao Ningyan is; he told me that Xiao Wu is still not doing well."

Wen Ling understood: the reason he didn't want to show her the video was this; the reason the Zhou family and his friends were hostile toward her was this… indeed.

Wen Ling swayed, almost falling to the ground, but Zhou Zhaoning, quick-eyed and quick-handed, caught her.

Seeing that she was frightened badly, tears fell from Zhou Zhaoning's eyes unconsciously; only then did she sigh and say softly: "I'm telling you this not to make you feel guilty— no matter what your concerns are, isn't his love for you enough to let you put those aside and be together with him properly?"

Wen Ling trembled, her fingers pressed against her chest, her heart aching as if torn apart; she struggled to say: "I don't know, I don't know he would, I…"

She was so flustered she became incoherent; Zhou Zhaoning knew that telling her this would surely provoke Zhou Yinhe to turn against her, but she couldn't stay silent, for she couldn't bear to watch her brother relive the scene from three years ago.

The restroom door was knocked, and Zhou Yinhe's voice sounded from outside.

"Lingling, are you in there?" He sounded a bit anxious: "Are you feeling unwell? Shall I take you to the hospital?"

He grew increasingly flustered, his mind in chaos, even wondering whether Wen Ling would secretly leave, whether she would dump him again, whether…

He started frantically pounding on the door; upon hearing it, Zhou Zhaoning knew Zhou Yinhe was off, so after steadying Wen Ling and letting her stand, she went to open the door.

Zhou Yinhe's eyes were bloodshot; when he saw her, his gaze was blank; Zhou Zhaoning was startled by his ferocious expression and instinctively stepped aside.

Seeing Wen Ling standing there in that state, he rushed forward like a madman, embraced her, and urgently asked: "Lingling, Lingling, what's wrong?"

He lifted his head to look at Zhou Zhaoning and roared: "What did you do to her?!"

Zhou Zhaoning said nothing, only gazing at them.

Wen Ling leaned against his chest, catching the faint cold scent on him, and her whole body went limp.

Zhou Yinhe held her, hearing Wen Ling choke out: "No, no, it's not because of Sister Zhaoning, it's me, it's me…"

It hurt too much, in her heart.

It turned out he had a premonition that she would die in the wilderness, which is why he spared no effort to commit suicide.

Why isn't this in the plot? Why? Wasn't it said that Ruan MiaoMiao would rise to power after his death?

No, no, no, no.

Wen Ling painfully clutched her head, unable to control her screams; that wave of pain in her mind spread throughout her body.

Zhou Yinhe's eye sockets reddened from heartache, tears spilled uncontrollably, and he softly called her name over and over.

Many people had gathered outside the restroom, and they came over when they heard the unusual sounds.

Zhou Zhaoning stepped forward and said softly: "Let's hold Ah Ling and leave first; we can talk about anything later in the private room."

Zhou Yinhe lifted his eyes to look at her, his eyes full of anger; Wen Ling in his arms had already lapsed into unconsciousness, only clutching the front of his clothes and crying nonstop.

"Did you tell her?"

"That matter, you told her, didn't you!"

"I told you not to tell her, not to tell her— what the hell are you trying to do, sis?"

His voice choked with each question, his brow tightening with every query; Zhou Zhaoning pressed her lips, and seeing them like this now gave rise to regret.

"Xiao Wu, it's my fault as an older sister; let's not stay here, let's go out, okay? Later I'll apologize to you."

The heartache from three years ago surged again in her chest; looking at his face, Zhou Zhaoning couldn't help but redden her eye sockets.

Zhou Yinhe lowered his gaze, discovered Wen Ling had actually fainted in his arms, he widened his eyes, trembling as he embraced her, and shouted loudly: "Lingling! Wen Ling!"

He bent over, hoisted Wen Ling sideways, and strode out.

The manager, seeing Zhou Yinhe panicked and trembling, perceptively offered to drive them to the hospital.

The doctor said, excessive mental stimulation caused fainting; it's not serious, and after the patient wakes they need to maintain emotional stability.

Zhou Yinhe sat on the long bench outside the ward, head bowed, motionless.

Zhou Zhaoning walked over slowly and sat beside him.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have told her."

Zhou Yinhe remained silent.

"I only wanted her to know the hurt you suffered because of her, to let her have no reservations and be with you properly, but I didn't expect that hearing it would make her feel sorry for you to the point of fainting."

"It's my oversight; I oversimplified things."

Zhou Zhaoning twitched the corner of her mouth; seeing he still wouldn't speak, she had no choice but to fall silent.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Yinhe suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse and low: "Actually I also wanted to tell her, to test her reaction, to see whether she truly loves me and would feel sorry for me."

"But I think that's too much, like moral blackmail."

He choked once, then continued: "Don't blame you, sis, it's my own fault."

He knew Zhou Zhaoning meant well for him; he had no right to blame her, and if blame was due, it could only fall on himself— why doubt her love, even harbor a fluke mentality, hoping that if she found out, she might love him more and feel sorry for him.

He grabbed his hair hard, hearing the bell ring inside the ward, he hurriedly stood up; because it was so sudden he almost fell, he steadied himself against the wall before regaining his balance, then rushed inside.

After Wen Ling woke, there was a moment of blankness; the tip of her nose was filled with the smell of alcohol disinfectant, and she seriously pondered why she was here.

Upon realizing the cause, a dull pain surged again, and the instant she saw Zhou Yinhe she broke down in tears.

"I don't know, I don't know you have depression, I don't know."