Genius Club-Chapter 263 - 75: Hug #2

Lin Xian’s vision conjured the image of that humble, polite, and gentle man.

Although his entire right face was marred with ferocious scars, he didn’t appear frightening at all—in fact, he seemed like a reliable and tender big brother.

Lin Xian speculated...

Ji Xinshui must have believed that, having endured such a tragic childhood and witnessed the death of his parents, and having been bitten by a dog while protecting his sister... Such a person must inherently be cynical about the world, full of resentment, and both despondent and irritable.

That’s why Ji Xinshui took Zheng Chenghe under his wing, raising him as a loyal retainer.

A man with a tragic life and a soft spot, this fugitive on the run would be the best tool, the most faithful lapdog, willing to do anything against ethics and the law for the sake of his sister.

Ji Xinshui must have firmly believed this.

Therefore, he gave Zheng Chenghe the title representing ruthless violence among the Seven Sins—

[Wrath].

Logically thinking.

Zheng Chenghe was indeed the most suitable person to become Wrath, for his life, his experiences, his sufferings destined him to be an embodiment of wrath.

Even...

Everyone could accept his wrath, understand his wrath, and if he really picked up a hammer in a fury to avenge his dead parents, it would have been within Lin Xian’s expectations.

Only regretfully.

Ji Xinshui ultimately underestimated human nature, and Zheng Chenghe underestimated the conscience within his own heart.

[The very person who should have been Wrath, under the tender influence of this world, became kind and peaceful.]

Perhaps, this is the power of kindness towards others.

The smiling face of Zheng Xiangyue, the usual care from Xu Yun towards him and his sister, the Rhein Cat he gave Zheng Xiangyue for her birthday... all became the holy water that cleansed Zheng Chenghe’s soul.

Lin Xian was very grateful for this outcome.

At least... in Zheng Xiangyue’s eyes, her most beloved brother remained a towering hero.

Now, thinking back to when Huang Que specifically lured him to the hospital to meet Zheng Chenghe, what exactly was her purpose?

Was she trying to tell him that Zheng Chenghe was the murderer about to kill him?

Or was it...

That Zheng Chenghe was the only good person with a conscience among the Seven Sins, hinting that if he wanted to win the game of Catch Me If You Can, he could start with Zheng Chenghe?

Lin Xian scratched his head.

From the current God’s-eye view, looking back as a Monday morning quarterback, it seems that indeed realizing this earlier could have made the game of Catch Me If You Can much easier and more gracefully won.

But!

"You always make it so riddled, who could see through it!"

Lin Xian couldn’t help but complain about Huang Que.

Big sister, can you be more straightforward when you want to do good deeds next time?

Out of the blue, it almost led me down the wrong path.

Ding-ling-ling ding-ling-ling ding-ling-ling ding-ling-ling ding-ling-ling—

At that moment, the telephone ringtone sounded.

The caller ID showed Donghai City Crematorium.

Picking up the call, the staff member informed him that he could come to collect Zheng Chenghe’s ashes; the deceased’s body had been cremated, and the ashes were ready in an urn.

Lin Xian hung up the phone, went downstairs, and took a taxi to the Donghai City Crematorium.

In this half year, Lin Xian had already made his third visit to this place, having bid farewell to too many old friends and acquaintances, to the point that he had grown accustomed and desensitized to the unique smell of crematory smoke.

The first time he had come here was for Xu Yun’s memorial service, and he had felt uneasy throughout the crematorium with its odors and wailing.

The second time, he came with Tang Xin’s parents and little brother to collect Tang Xin’s ashes, and though he was furious at the time... he no longer felt much about the smell and the crying.

And this third time.

Lin Xian got out of the taxi and confidently made his way to the ashes collection area, efficiently completed all the paperwork, and walked out holding Zheng Chenghe’s gently weighed urn...

Without feeling a thing.

With ease.

As if returning home.

"So light..."

Lin Xian was holding Zheng Chenghe’s urn in both hands, but it was indeed very light, far lighter than Lin Xian had ever imagined the weight of a life to be.

This was the first time in his life that he held an urn.

He remembered Zheng Chenghe’s robust body, the muscles built to protect his sister, his broad back, his substantial build.

And now...

It was just a gentle handful of ashes.

The weight of life, it turned out, was only this much.

Lin Xian had originally planned to bring Zheng Xiangyue along with him, thinking of letting her see her brother for the last time.

But the attending physician at Donghai University Affiliated Hospital refused, saying that Zheng Xiangyue couldn’t handle such a big shock, her heart wouldn’t be able to take it.

"So, don’t tell her all the details, she’s a child and wouldn’t understand them, just tell her that her brother died in a car accident, it’s easier to accept that way," said the doctor.

Lin Xian had intended to pay for a burial plot for Zheng Chenghe, but Zheng Xiangyue firmly disagreed, insisting that her brother’s urn be placed in her hospital room, by her bedside:

"I don’t want to be that far from my brother..."

Always strong, Zheng Xiangyue broke down in tears at that moment, looking up at Lin Xian with watery eyes and biting her lip:

"If you bury him... I’ll never be able to see him again."

The doctor eventually agreed.

After all, for a cardiac patient like Zheng Xiangyue, emotional stability was more important than anything, so they allowed Lin Xian to bring Zheng Chenghe’s urn into Zheng Xiangyue’s hospital room.

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He arrived at the inpatient department.

Pressed the elevator for the 17th floor.

Lin Xian came to Zheng Xiangyue’s hospital room and carefully placed the suddenly heavy urn on her bed.

Zheng Xiangyue didn’t say a word, she crouched down and tightly hugged the urn before her.

She didn’t cry.

Lin Xian had heard that when grief is too intense, one cannot cry, but becomes very calm instead, a kind of stress protection mechanism of the brain.

Everyone thought that a little girl of Zheng Xiangyue’s age understood nothing.

But actually...

Lin Xian didn’t think so.

He felt that Zheng Xiangyue actually understood everything.

She was very intelligent.

She understood it all.

Her pretense of not understanding, her seemingly childish and pure actions, seemed only to keep others from worrying about her.

Her good behavior stemmed from her sensibleness.

Zheng Xiangyue got off the bed and cleared the bedside cabinet next to her, emptying it of all its contents.

Then with her delicate hands, she tried to place the urn that was on the bed onto the bedside cabinet.

However...

With one effort.

The urn didn’t budge, not lifted at all.

Zheng Xiangyue looked up at Lin Xian, tears no longer held back, dripping down:

"Brother Lin Xian, it’s so heavy..."

Lin Xian was prepared to step forward and help, but Zheng Xiangyue shook her head.

She clenched her teeth, held her breath, and with one go, picked up the urn, trembling as she placed it on the bedside cabinet.

Carefully aligned it.

Only then did she turn back, wipe away her tears, and squeeze out a smile:

"Look..."

"I can hold my brother now."