Chapter 134: Manic Love

As soon as Qin Yu’s words fell, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the room. Qin Yu, with her back turned, asked, “When did you wake up?”

Ling stepped forward slowly, the friction of his shoes against the grass producing a soft rustling sound. He did not answer Qin Yu’s question. When he was about a meter away from her, he looked at Qin Yu’s crouched figure, his eyes darkening deeper and deeper.

“Where is she?” Ling’s voice was hoarse and cracked from long silence.

Qin Yu paused, then gently placed Little Flower on the grass, stood up, and turned to look at the man before her.

Ling was dressed in tattered clothes stained with dried blood from long ago. His hair was disheveled from neglect. His nose was sharp and prominent, his eyes deep and abyssal, and his lips thin and pale.

Seeing such a man, Qin Yu couldn’t help but think of Qing Li—a man of exceptional bearing as well.

“Where is she?” Ling asked again, seeing that Qin Yu did not reply for a long time.

“She left,” Qin Yu said.

“Where did she go?” Ling clenched his fists tightly, a hint of destruction flashing in his eyes.

Qin Yu stared at the man exuding an aura of devastation and was momentarily stunned before saying, “I don’t know.”

Upon hearing this, Ling’s figure suddenly flashed in front of Qin Yu. His right hand grasped her throat as if intending to kill her at any moment.

Feeling the oppressive force from the man and his tightening grip, Qin Yu suddenly laughed—brilliantly and brightly.

Ling saw Qin Yu’s laughter instead of fear, and madness flickered in his eyes. He tightened his grip on her neck; if he exerted just a little more force, Qin Yu would die instantly.

“Where is she?” Ling persisted stubbornly.

Qin Yu struggled to breathe under his grip. Looking at Ling’s inflexible madness, she recalled Tao’s past descriptions of him. In a moment, she felt pity for the man before her. At the same time, she understood just how deeply he must have loved Tao to be so desperate to know her whereabouts.

—

At this moment, Qin Yu admired herself—nearly strangled to death, and yet still able to think about such things.

Ling stared at Qin Yu, who seemed lost in thought, unsure of what she was contemplating. He paused briefly, then surprisingly released her.

Looking at his broad palm, he felt as if he had just seen her—the lover he wished to bind forever at his side.

She used to like to stare blankly like that, no matter what happened, always with that dazed expression. Tao’s face was usually expressionless, but now he had lost her, lost her for good.

Ling sank ever deeper into his own world, unable to extricate himself. Qin Yu watched him, noticing the increasing pressure radiating from him, and her heart tightened.

Qin Yu was no fool; on the contrary, she was very clever. From small gestures alone, she recognized the signs of his descent into madness. The only cure was not here.

The oppressive air forced a cough of blood from Qin Yu’s mouth. Though her body had recovered after being saved by Murong Yi, her strength had diminished greatly. Under Ling’s pressure, she was quickly wounded.

Blood dripped from her lips, but Qin Yu paid no heed. All she could do now was find a way to steady him.

Ling, meanwhile, was oblivious to the outside situation. His mind was consumed by the thought that “he had lost Tao,” deaf to the world around him.

Qin Yu knew that if this continued, not only would she break, but this man would surely succumb to madness and perish. She recalled what Tao had once told her about this man and about something he had left behind.

Something? Qin Yu’s eyes brightened. She remembered that the things the man had left Tao were in her own space, and Tao had left her a small pouch before she left.

Qin Yu immediately took out the pouch, suppressing the discomfort radiating from her chest, and walked to Ling’s side. She placed the pouch before him and said, “This was left by Tao before she left. She said to wait for her.”

Ling, still lost in his own world, suddenly snapped back to reality when he heard Tao’s name. Looking at the pouch, a wave of nostalgia filled his eyes. That pouch—he had made it for her himself!

Ignoring Qin Yu’s intentions, Ling snatched the pouch from her hands. He touched it repeatedly before carefully, as if treating a treasure, opening it.

Inside was a key, a small card, and an old, yellowed photograph.

Seeing the photo, Ling’s aura softened instantly, his expression becoming tender beyond measure. He gently caressed the picture with his finger, tears welling up in his eyes.

—

The photo showed a man and a woman seated facing the camera. The man was dressed in a suit, his hair meticulously combed, stern and proper. In contrast, the girl beside him wore a lace princess dress and a crown on her head. In her left hand, she held a small scepter, smiling brightly at the camera.

Their hands were tightly clasped—large hand holding the small one—exuding perfect harmony. The man didn’t look at the camera but instead gazed at the girl with overwhelming adoration. Even just from the photo, one could feel the man’s profound love for the girl.

Qin Yu watched the madman before her, who was both laughing and crying, and rubbed her forehead with disdain. This guy had been like this for over an hour—was he ever going to stop?

About an hour ago, after carefully putting away the photo, Ling finally examined the other two items.

The key seemed ordinary. But when Ling saw the contents of the card, his eyes widened in disbelief.

He kissed the card repeatedly, then, for reasons unknown, burst into tears and laughter at once—not tears of joy but a mix of profound sorrow and extreme happiness. These opposing emotions coexisted seamlessly in him, arousing Qin Yu’s curiosity about what was written on the card.

But no matter how she tried, Ling guarded the card too closely, leaving her to watch the man cry and laugh for over an hour.

Qin Yu cradled the little Red, who had fallen asleep at some unknown moment, her face deep in thought.

Just as she wondered whether to leave the space and return once he had calmed down to discuss matters, Ling suddenly leapt before her, thrusting the card into her face excitedly, saying, “Look!”

Qin Yu glanced calmly and immediately understood the reason for his tears and laughter.

On it was written:

Ling, I love you. Tao.