books44 Chapter 294 [Empire] Make the Best of a Mistake
Chapter 294 [Empire] Make the Best of a Mistake
I watched him slowly finish his water, his expression still dazed, as if he himself hadn't fully recovered from the heavy weight of his emotions. Even the concern in my words failed to truly touch the hardened core of his heart. His eyes always flickered with a certain distance, a hollow void of deep loneliness and resignation that seemed to consume everything.
The effects of the alcohol slowly wore off, but the confusion and loss in his eyes remained. It was clear that he didn't truly "know" anything. He sobered up, but his heart was still shrouded in that indelible shadow, trapping all his reason and emotions.
I stood there for a long time, feeling a surge of helplessness. It was like standing on the beach, watching the waves crash, knowing there was nothing I could do, yet unable to turn away.
I don't know how long it took, but finally, he put down the bottle and struggled to stand. His eyes were a little dazed, as if he had suddenly lost the strength to support himself. I saw him stumble towards the kitchen, casually pull out a bottle of wine from the refrigerator, unscrew the cap, and take a deep sip. His movements were still very familiar, as if this was already part of his daily routine.
"Are you going to keep drinking like this?" I finally couldn't help but ask, with a hint of helplessness and a little anger in my tone.
He looked up at me, his eyes still a little blurry, but also revealing a bit of indifference: "What else do you think I can do? Wait for Shan Qi? Wait until how long?" He chuckled softly, a little bitterly, "You don't understand, I've waited too long, and I'm no longer the person he loves."
"Then why are you still torturing yourself like this?" I asked almost losing my voice.
He didn't respond, picked up the bottle, and poured another large glass, as if he was using the wine as a placebo, as if it could really soothe the pain in his heart. Then, he slowly sat back on the sofa, leaning forward slightly, as if he was suffocating under the pressure of something heavy.
I stood there, looking at him, and suddenly everything seemed so pale. I didn't know what to say, or if I even needed to say anything. Even as I stood here, beside him, his heart remained icy cold. The endless wait for Shan Qi had already driven him to this point.
I understand that it's not that he doesn't want to give up, but that he simply doesn't know how to let go. That past relationship, like shackles, binds him tightly. He keeps repeating that self-torture, as if only in this way can he feel alive.
I sighed softly and turned away. No matter how he struggled, no matter how lost he was, I couldn't make any decisions for him. This was his own path, and I could only choose not to interfere, even though I still felt a pity.
For the sake of one's own obsessions, one lives like a trapped animal, repeating past mistakes and waiting for redemption that may never come. To some extent, perhaps, this is life.
My heart suddenly pounded, and I was almost breathless from the pressure. The cold touch from behind barely registered. His arms wrapped around me tightly, as if trying to merge me into his body, the strength so great that I could hardly break free. I heard his deep voice, a tone filled with bitterness and pleading, without realizing what I had said: "Don't go. Don't leave me. I know I was wrong."
In that instant, my mind went blank. It felt like I'd been swept up in a sudden storm. That warm breath approached, and every whisper ripped a fragile corner of my heart. I knew with absolute clarity that the man before me, at that moment, had completely lost control of himself.
However, he seemed completely unaware that the person he was hugging was not Shan Qi, but me.
His figure was almost so close, his back against mine, his fingertips gently touching my skin, leaving waves of indescribable heat. I froze in place, feeling his body tremble slightly, the heaviness of the emotions released from him, pressing me so hard that I could hardly breathe.
I knew that there was only Shan Qi in his eyes, but at that moment he mistook me for him. All my emotions and requests poured out, carrying with them a feeling of loss, helplessness and regret.
I didn't dare move, and I didn't know how to react. I felt my heartbeat quicken, and the world before me began to blur. Only that man's voice pierced my eardrums like a needle. "If you're by my side, can you give me some warmth?" he pleaded softly, a hint of tears in his voice.
At that moment, I almost wanted to give up, to push him away, to tell him I wasn't the one he wanted, never had been. But seeing his expression, I softened. Those soft words, those helpless pleas, almost made me forget who I was, where I stood. It burned like a bright flame, unable to extricate myself, yet suffocating me.
I didn't dare move, much less speak. In that instant, I felt trapped in an unsolvable vortex. The gentle plea from the person behind me felt like an inescapable nightmare, and I couldn't resist.
After a long time, I finally pursed my lips and tried to break free from the arms that were holding me tightly, but no matter how I struggled, his arms were like an iron wall that would not allow anyone to escape.
"Let me go," I whispered, my tone much colder than I intended.
However, the man behind him did not let go, but tightened his arms even more.
"You don't understand. I was really wrong. I know I've been waiting for him, but..." He paused for a moment, as if thinking about how to express himself. Then he suddenly laughed softly, as if mocking himself. "I actually knew a long time ago that I would never be able to wait for him."
I didn't say anything, but my heart was slightly shaken. A deep sense of self-mockery and despair emanated from his words.
"I was wrong," he repeated, his voice trembling. "I shouldn't have lived in the past all the time. I shouldn't have always thought about him." He seemed to have finally understood something, and seemed to have let go of everything. His whole mood seemed to be a little relaxed, but that relaxation was also filled with a sense of powerlessness.
I couldn't help but frown, a complex wave of emotions welling up inside me. For some reason, this man's fragility and confusion at this moment left me feeling a bit lost, as if I were standing at a fork in the road. Yet, I had a vague feeling that there wasn't a path he was truly meant to take.
I took a deep breath and prepared to push him away again. But at this moment, the man behind me suddenly loosened his grip and sighed softly, his eyes looking confused and helpless.
His tone became calm, yet with a sense of loss that could not be ignored: "You are my only salvation. I know this sounds like a joke, but you have to know that at this moment, I have nothing left to hold on to."
I turned around and looked into his somewhat blurry eyes, and something in my heart seemed to be touched.
"What do you think I can give you?" I finally spoke, my voice somehow becoming heavier. "You're just lost, a lost sheep who can't find the way home."
He lowered his head, clasped his hands together, and was silent for a long time. After a long while, he said softly, "Yes, I have lost my way and lost myself."
"I don't know your name, but do you think I'm stupid? Are you doing this to disgust Shan Qi or to disgust me?" My words were a little sharp.