There has never been a winner decided.

Yet as long as the Heart Demon inside him remains, he cannot approach Nangong Ruyue.

Her safety is more important than anything else, and he doesn’t dare to risk anything.

To prevent her from getting hurt, he can only choose to leave silently.

But after leaving, he misses her desperately—

Thankfully, he took those nine voice recorders with him when he left.

Not seeing her, just hearing her voice can temporarily ease his longing.

Xiao Zexin presses the recorder against his chest and closes his eyes to listen quietly to her voice.

Yet in his mind, that bloody imagery still uncontrollably appears.

His hands itch, trembling uncontrollably.

He is so afraid that he will actually grab a knife and do something he would regret for the rest of his life...

Xiao Zexin grits his teeth, bitterly suppressing the Heart Demon.

He has to conquer the hallucinations, or he will never get better.

However, his thoughts remain beyond his control.

Such images just can’t be shaken off...

Suddenly, beautiful piano music drifts in the air.

Xiao Zexin is slightly stunned, who is playing the piano?

The music is melodious, soft, not at all grating, but rather gives a very peaceful and beautiful feeling.

Mysteriously, listening to this piano music, Xiao Zexin’s thoughts become less out of control.

The music is coming from across the street.

He gets up, pulls open the curtains, and sees that the lights in the house opposite are still on.

The music should be coming from the second floor.

But the other side has their curtains drawn, so he can’t see anyone.

The music feels somewhat familiar to him...

It feels as if it’s being played by Ruyue.

Thinking of this possibility, Xiao Zexin is somewhat excited.

Then he shakes his head, it can’t be her.

Ruan Tianling promised him not to reveal his whereabouts, she shouldn’t be able to find him.

If she could find him, she would have hurried over to see him.

So the one playing the piano across the street isn’t her.

Still, the music is really beautiful, and he can’t help but be a bit captivated.

The hallucinations that have troubled him every day seem to get some relief.

Xiao Zexin feels so comfortable, really wanting to listen to this piano music forever.

He lies back on the bed, closes his eyes, and focuses solely on listening to the piano’s sound.

In the end, he unknowingly falls asleep.

...

This time, Xiao Zexin sleeps quite comfortably, and without the aid of medication.

When he wakes up in the morning, his mood is quite good.

Since Nangong Ruyue isn’t here, he’s not afraid of losing control.

After having breakfast, holding a long umbrella, he goes out for a walk again.

He uses the umbrella as a cane—

Its purpose is to constrain his hands, keeping them holding onto something to prevent them from losing control.

As he steps out of the gate, a bodyguard respectfully asks, "Mr. Xiao, do you need someone to follow you?"

Xiao Zexin shakes his head, "No need, I’m just taking a stroll."

"Please be careful."

Xiao Zexin doesn’t say anything, leaves the little courtyard, and steps onto the road.

He can’t help but glance at the house across the street, seeing its gate tightly shut.

The house across the street is a bit far from where he is staying, about twenty meters away.

Separated by a wide road and a flowerbed.

The flowerbed belongs to the house across the street, but that house has always been empty.

When he first came here, he planned to choose the house across the street, but eventually opted for this smaller one.

There has been no one across the street these days.

But yesterday, someone was there, maybe the house owner has returned.

*

The internet at home is down, I (┬＿┬)