Chapter 308: Ten Million Destiny Points! Susan's Abnormality!
"Susan, it's not true, tell me, it's not true..."
After crying for a long time, Lin Xiang's lips trembled as he almost begged the beloved girl in front of him. His voice was hoarse, broken by the sobs that had racked his body for what felt like hours. He looked at her like a drowning man grasping at a straw, his eyes bloodshot and swollen.
He hoped to hear that none of this was true, that it was a prank, that Susan was trying to annoy him because of his actions yesterday. He prayed that she would suddenly smile, hit his arm playfully, and say, "Gotcha!"
Susan pursed her pale pink lips, looking at Lin Xiang's pained expression. Her heart ached with a dull throb—after all, they had grown up together. But looking at the handsome, noble man beside her, her heart hardened. She knew she had to cut off his last shred of hope, for both their sakes. Continued entanglement would only bring more pain.
"Lin Xiang, my husband and I are truly in love. I've already given everything to my husband—my heart, my body, my future."
"You'll meet a better girl than me in the future, someone who suits you better. Don't..."
"No! There won't be a better girl than you!"
Lin Xiang burst into tears, shouting dejectedly. The sound was raw, filled with the despair of a first love shattered into dust. He collapsed to his knees, his hands clawing at the dirt, unable to accept this reality.
Just then, Lin Xiang seemed to think of something. His tear-filled eyes suddenly snapped open, a flash of realization—or delusion—crossing his face. He scrambled to his feet and glared at Shen Anyu, hatred burning through his tears.
"How could Susan fall in love with you in one day? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
"You must have threatened Susan because of what happened yesterday, right? Because I scratched your car!"
"Susan is with you because of me?"
As if he had found the correct answer, Lin Xiang's gaze at Shen Anyu was filled with deep-seated hatred and anger. His logic twisted, fueled by his refusal to accept his own failure.
It must have been because of his bicycle scratching the Bugatti Veyron yesterday; this rich second-generation scum found Susan, used the debt as leverage, and forced her into submission.
"Susan endured humiliation and agreed to be your girlfriend for my sake? She sacrificed herself to save me?"
"You bastard, go to hell!"
Lin Xiang roared, his face contorted with rage. He clenched his fist, gathering every ounce of strength in his body, and swung it wildly towards Shen Anyu's handsome face. He wanted to smash that calm, mocking smile into oblivion.
Shen Anyu didn't even blink. He watched the approaching fist as if watching a sloth move. His expression remained calm, even carrying a hint of pity.
Bam!
Before Lin Xiang's fist could even graze Shen Anyu's skin, Shen Anyu raised his leg. The movement was a blur, too fast for ordinary eyes to follow.
With a muffled bang, Lin Xiang felt as if he had been hit by a battering ram. He flew backward even faster than he had charged, his body arcing through the air like a broken kite.
Crash!
He smashed heavily against the wall of the courtyard, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He slid down to the ground, clutching his lower abdomen, his face turning a sickly shade of green.
"Urgh..."
He retched dryly, the pain radiating from his stomach paralyzing his entire body. He felt as if his intestines had been tied into knots.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sound of steady, calm footsteps approached. Shen Anyu walked over, his polished leather shoes stopping right in front of Lin Xiang's face. He looked down at the writhing boy from above, like a god looking at an ant.
"Lin Xiang, have you lost your mind?" Shen Anyu asked slowly, his voice cool and devoid of anger, which made it even more terrifying.
"I haven't even pursued you for scratching my car, not paying for repairs, and hit-and-run. I showed you mercy, and yet, you're hitting me back?"
Lin Xiang clutched his stomach, which Shen Anyu had kicked. He felt his insides churn violently, bile rising in his throat. Cold sweat, the size of soybeans, seeped from his forehead, soaking his hair and stinging his eyes. His face was pale, his lips trembling uncontrollably.
However, listening to Shen Anyu's words, listening to that calm, superior tone, Lin Xiang's hatred burned even brighter. He struggled to raise his head, his eyes red with broken capillaries, and hissed through gritted teeth:
"You... you threatened Susan! You used money to force her! I'm not done with you... I will never forgive you!"
Shen Anyu laughed wryly, shaking his head. He turned his head slightly to look at the girl standing nervously behind him and asked gently:
"Susan, come here. Tell him. Are you with me because of a threat?"
Lin Xiang also stared intently at Susan, his heart in his throat. He held onto this last straw of hope. If Susan admitted it, if she showed even a hint of hesitation, then he was right. He was the tragic hero, and she was the victim.
If Susan had succumbed to Shen Anyu for his sake, then he could forgive her. Even if Susan was no longer pure, even if she had been defiled by this rich scum, Lin Xiang could forgive her. He would save her!
"Of course not!"
Susan's answer, however, was resolute. It cut through the air like a blade, severing Lin Xiang's delusion instantly.
The usually gentle, soft-spoken Susan, at this moment, was full of determination. She walked forward and stood firmly beside Shen Anyu, hugging his arm possessively, her body pressing against his. She looked down at Lin Xiang, her eyes clear and cold.
"Lin Xiang, what are you talking about? Are you crazy?"
"My husband and I are together, and it's not because of you, nor because of any threat. Don't flatter yourself."
"There's no better man in this world than my husband. He is gentle, kind, powerful, and treats me like a princess. Of course, I'm with him because of love. I love him!"
At this point, Susan looked up at Shen Anyu. Her expression shifted instantly from coldness to adoration. Her eyes swam with tenderness, and she smiled sweetly, a smile filled with genuine happiness.
[Ding! Child of Destiny Lin Xiang has completely collapsed. Plundered +57,186 Destiny Value.]
[Ding! Lin Xiang's Destiny Value has been cleared. The Child of Destiny halo has shattered. He has lost his Child of Destiny status.]
The system notifications chimed pleasantly in Shen Anyu's mind. He watched as the golden aura that usually surrounded a protagonist completely dissipated from Lin Xiang's body, leaving him looking grey and ordinary.
Lin Xiang's eyes went blank. The light inside them extinguished. His world view, his self-importance, his love—everything crumbled into dust.
He didn't scream. He didn't rage anymore. He just... broke.
Like a puppet with its strings cut, he got up in a daze. Tears streamed down his face silently, mixing with the dirt and sweat. He didn't look at Susan again. He turned around and walked away, stumbling, his back hunched like an old man.
He left Susan's doorstep, disappearing into the alleyway, a shadow of his former self.
"He fell before I even exerted any effort. The easiest Child of Destiny to deal with..."
Shen Anyu watched Lin Xiang walk away tearfully, utterly pathetic, and thought to himself with a hint of boredom. This was a purely romance-genre protagonist. Without the support of a powerful system or combat ability, his mental fortitude was incredibly weak. Break his heart, and you break him entirely. It was almost too easy.
Susan sighed softly, looking at Lin Xiang's retreating figure. There was a flicker of pity in her eyes, but it was fleeting. She didn't say anything.
She couldn't say anything. She had made her choice. She had chosen the sun, so she had to leave the shadow behind.
She could only hope Lin Xiang would come to terms with it himself; she was already Shen Anyu's woman, body and soul.
After a long while, when Lin Xiang was completely gone, Susan turned her attention back to the man who now occupied her entire world. She looked up with her small face, her eyes glistening with a sudden insecurity, looking pitiful and fragile.
"Husband... I've given you everything. I hurt Lin Xiang for you. You... you can't abandon Susan, can you?"
Her voice trembled slightly. The fear of abandonment, deep-seated and primal, surfaced now that the adrenaline of the confrontation had faded.
"I won't abandon you, don't overthink it, be good."
Shen Anyu smiled gently. He reached out and stroked the girl's dark, silky hair, his touch soothing and possessive.
He knew exactly why Susan was so anxious and worried. He knew her better than she knew herself.
He had long since had people investigate Susan's background in detail. Susan's father had been a scumbag who ran off with his mistress when Susan was just a child, leaving her and her mother penniless. They had to rely on each other to survive.
Her mother had struggled for years, eventually passing away from melancholy and overwork a few years ago. Luckily, Susan was taken in by her aunt, but the trauma of abandonment was etched into her bones.
With such a background, Susan would naturally be prone to extreme anxiety in relationships, fearing the same outcome as her mother. She feared being used and discarded.
Although she was the destined heroine, her backstory was quite tragic, typical of the "painful youth literature" genre. She was a member of the protagonist's orphanage—parents dead or absent, life full of hardship.
And if Shen Anyu hadn't appeared, according to the original plot, she might have even died in an accidental car crash later in the story to further the protagonist's character development.
After all, she was just the heroine of a realistic, somewhat tragic romance novel, with no Heaven-Defying Golden Finger or cheat to save her.
But with Shen Anyu's intervention, Susan's destiny had undergone a radical change. She had leaped from a tragic heroine to the pampered canary of a powerful villain. Who wouldn't call Shen Anyu a great benevolent person?
A smile flashed in Shen Anyu's eyes. He enjoyed being the savior, the god of her world.
"Mm-hmm, Susan won't overthink it. Susan knows husband loves her."
Listening to Shen Anyu's comfort, seeing the warmth in his eyes, Susan's anxiety melted away. Her eyes immediately curved into crescents, and she became happy again. The mood swings were rapid, a sign of her extreme emotional dependence.
Suddenly, she thought of something. She hugged his waist tighter and asked sweetly:
"Husband, what wish did you make at the fireworks display last night?"
"I wished..." Shen Anyu began.
"No, no! You don't have to say it. Wishes don't come true if you say them out loud."
Susan quickly covered Shen Anyu's mouth with her small, soft hand, smiling charmingly. Her eyes sparkled with a secret joy.
She naturally wished to be with Shen Anyu forever, for him to only love her.
Shen Anyu also smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He gently pulled her hand away and kissed her palm.
"Of course, the same as you."
In reality, Shen Anyu did not believe in making wishes at fireworks. That was for children and naive protagonists.
How could fleeting fireworks have such a great effect?
If anything could be gained in this world, it was through one's own efforts, through scheming, power, and plunder. Not through wishing on burning gunpowder.
However, at this moment, Shen Anyu naturally wouldn't spoil the mood. A lie that made his woman happy was a necessary tool for a villain.
As expected, Susan was very happy to hear Shen Anyu's hint. She interpreted it as him wishing to be with her forever too. Her beautiful eyes overflowed with deep affection, looking at him as if he were her entire universe.
Next, Shen Anyu helped Susan back home. He didn't stay long. He said a few gentle words, mentioning that he had important business matters to attend to and would come to see her when he had time. Then, he kissed her forehead and left.
"Husband, you go be busy. Just come see Susan when you have time, Susan doesn't ask for much. Susan will be obedient."
Susan nodded obediently, standing at the door like a dutiful wife.
After Shen Anyu left, she didn't go inside immediately. She quickly ran to the window, watching Shen Anyu's figure walk to his car. She watched him smile and wave up at the building, and she sweetly smiled back, waving her hand enthusiastically.
However, as the engine roared and the Bugatti Veyron disappeared from view around the corner, the sweet smile on Susan's pretty face gradually faded.
The light in the room seemed to dim.
Her expression became blank, then slowly morphed into something else. Reluctance. Anxiety. And a creeping, dark obsession.
She raised her hand, gently stroking the ruby engagement ring on her right ring finger. She rubbed the cold gem against her cheek, her eyes losing focus.
"Husband, you must come find Susan..." she whispered to the empty room.
"Susan can't live without you... It's so cold without you."
"Susan has already contracted the disease of dying without her husband..."
Her voice was soft, but it carried a chilling undertone.
At the same time, a strange dark red flashed in Susan's beautiful, clear, black and white eyes. It was faint, but unmistakable. The trauma of her past, combined with the intense stimulation of Shen Anyu's love bombing, was twisting her psyche.
"Husband, if... if you're like my father, a scumbag who wants to abandon me, just wanting to play with me casually... if you leave me like he left mom..."
Her voice dropped to a hiss.
"Then I..."
She didn't finish the sentence. But her grip on the windowsill tightened until her knuckles turned white.
Boom!
It was a clear sky, but suddenly a bolt of lightning struck in the distance, directly shattering a large tree in Susan's line of sight. The thunder rolled like a warning from the heavens.
Susan didn't flinch. She just stared at the broken tree, a strange smile slowly curving her lips.
She cupped her small face in her hands, her pure and beautiful face showing a sickly blush, her eyes gleaming with a terrifying intensity.
"Husband, Susan loves you so much... you must come find me quickly... or Susan might do something bad..."
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