Published at 10th of August 2023 12:03 pm

Chapter 71: Fading Away

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Translated by IAllsIsAwe

Shen Yu stood there blankly, watching Aunt Chen and the other aunt support Tang Li to the sofa. Then, she hurriedly brought the hangover soup that had been prepared earlier on and handed it to Tang Li carefully.

He hesitated for a moment, but did not step forward.

It was until Tang Li obediently finished drinking the hangover soup that Aunt Chen had given him, he came to her and called tentatively, “Aunt Chen?”

Unfortunately, Aunt Chen didn’t even hear him speak, let alone pay attention to this big person. Her eyes were solely focused on Tang Li. Then, she seemed to suddenly think of something. She said to the other aunt, “Hey, how did Young Master Tang Li come back alone today?”

The other aunt asked while puzzled, “Is there something wrong?”

Aunt Chen frowned. She seemed to be at loss “I always feel that we are forgetting something…”

“Seems like it.” The aunt scratched her head. She had been thinking for a long time, but still couldn’t figure out the reason for her puzzlement. She couldn’t help but to sigh, “Maybe we are old now and tend to forget things.”

Having finished saying it, the aunt comforted, “Don’t mind it. It should not be a very important thing. We will remember it soon.”

Aunt Chen nodded, “I hope so.”

Shen Yu was right in front of them yet it was like he was just like an invisible man.

After having listened to this entire conversation, his face immediately went pale as paper. His fear was like a vigorous vine, crawling onto his heart closely.

As expected…

He started to become invisible.

Just like the weeds and stones on the roadside, he was clearly present yet it was difficult to find his existence.

Not only the servants of his family, but also Elder Shen and Shen family’s relatives, as well as Tang Ming began to turn a blind eye to him. Even Kang Lin constantly forgot his instructions.

For a moment, an unprecedented sense of fear swept through his heart.

Shen Yu’s intuition told him that these changes may have something to do with his willful decision to change the plot. Even if he broke Tang Li’s character as a villain or successfully killed Tang Li in his cradle, he still couldn’t resist the plot that had already been fixed, nor could he avoid the original host’s route: his approaching death.

Thus, in any case, his character/role would disappear, but in a different way.

Shen Yu’s body shuddered slightly. His heart started to beat fast, as if it would jump out of his throat in the next second.

He put his hand on his chest, only to feel dizzy. He almost couldn’t stand still.

Fortunately, a hand instantly caught his arm.

Shen Yu managed to react and quickly held the back of the sofa. After that, he looked up at the owner of the hand with cold sweat on his face, but only to see the weary Tang Li looking at him anxiously.

“Shen Yu.” Tang Li called his name softly. He walked around the sofa and could not help but to encircle Shen Yu’s waist. He stroked Shen Yu’s face and asked, “Are you alright? You look terrible.”

Shen Yu was no longer calm like before. He panickedly took Tang Li’s hand and said in a trembling voice, “Do you know who I am?”

Tang Li was stunned. He immediately felt the question was ridiculous yet it didn’t stop him from feeling anxious. He held Shen Yu’s face with both hands and tried to calm the other person down, “Of course, I know who you are. You are Shen Yu.”

However, this answer did not make Shen Yu feel content. He grasped Tang Li’s arm exertly, and could not control the strength of his fingertips that were almost embedded in Tang Li’s skin.

Soon, tiny drops of scarlet blood dripped out.

Seeing this, Aunt Chen who was on the other side exclaimed in horror, “Young Master Tang Li, your hand…”

“I’m fine.” Tang Li worried that Aunt Chen’s voice would frighten Shen Yu, so he subconsciously hugged Shen Yu into his arms. He turned his head and said sternly to Aunt Chen and the other aunt, “You all can go rest first, I will take good care of him.”

“But…”

Aunt Chen looked at Shen Yu, who appeared out of nowhere. Hesitantly, She wanted to say something but was tormented by the guilt of negligence that made her voice stuck. She nodded. “Please call us if you need anything.”

It was until Aunt Chen and the other aunt were gone that Tang Li let go of Shen Yu, who was shaking with fear.

In Tang Li’s impression, Shen Yu has always been indifferent and gentle, and he seldom showed such intense emotions. This was the first time he had seen Shen Yu like this, and he felt distressed to the point of suffocation.

“It’s alright. It’s alright.” Tang Li gently stroked Shen Yu’s back, as if he’s coaxing a child, “It’s alright now.”

Shen Yu’s mood finally improved due to Tang Li’s repeated pacification.

He withdrew from Tang Li’s arms. His foggy eyes were filled with fear and despair. He did not care about his disarrayed clothes or the embarrassment of his appearance. He looked at Tang Li’s eyes.

“You really see me?”

Tang Li chuckled. “Certainly. No matter where you go, I can immediately find you.”

Just like a moment ago, whenever Shen Yu was a little distant away, he would feel inexplicably panicked. He heard Shen Yu call Aunt Chen several times, yet Aunt Chen didn’t seem to hear Shen Yu’s voice.

However, he was different. He could even distinguish Shen Yu’s breathing sound.

“Shen Yu…” Tang Li wanted to pull Shen Yu’s hand, but Shen Yu, as if avoiding a plague, hastily turned aside to avoid him.

Tang Li was immediately stunned and his outstretched hand froze in the air.

Just as he was about to take his hand back, he suddenly saw Shen Yu turn around and stagger towards the elevator entrance.

Tang Li didn’t know what had happened. He was really frightened by Shen Yu’s peculiarity. He could only follow Shen Yu’s side without leaving. He didn’t dare breathe, for fear that he might startle the other.

Shen Yu’s leg had not yet fully recovered. He stumbled around as he walked. Tang Li, who was behind him, was terrified. He quickly reached out his hands to protect Shen Yu.

So, both of them were like this all the way to the bedroom.

Tang Li thought that Shen Yu was anxious to do something or take something. In a flash, he saw Shen Yu sitting on the bed with no movement as his pale face became more pale as the dead silence spread.

Seeming to notice Tang Li’s approach, Shen Yu’s long eyelashes moved gently.

Shortly later, he raised his eyelids and quietly looked at Tang Li standing in front of him.

Tang Li didn’t pay attention just now. When he looked carefully, he discovered that Shen Yu’s eyes were red. The teardrops in his big eyes gushed out like a string of broken pearls.

However, Shen Yu still had no expression on his face, like a lake with not even the slightest ripple. If not due to tears that had been shed recklessly, Tang Li could hardly noticed that he was crying.

Seeing this, Tang Li already felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Even the drunkenness that lingered in his mind not long ago, was scattered completely, as if there was a big intangible hand holding his heart firmly, making it ache indescribably.

Tang Li half knelt down in front of Shen Yu and put his hand on Shen Yu’s knee. His voice was as light as a feather as he spoke, “Shen Yu, can you tell me what happened? Maybe I can help.”

Tang Li raised his hand and tenderly wiped the tear stain on Shen Yu’s cheek with his fingertips.

Shen Yu seemed to be completely broken free from the panic and all that remained was despair and numbness. He looked down at Tang Li. He then held down Tang Li’s hand that stroked his cheek.

“I’m really scared,” Shen Yu confessed.

“I’m here.” Tang Li gently smiled, “I have always been here.”

Shen Yu’s expression was complicated. He stared at Tang Li for quite a while. Suddenly, he sighed and shook his head, “I’m a person who is afraid to die. Still, rather than being afraid, dying might be better than surviving in this world. I don’t know how to explain it to you, but I have to tell you that I may not be able to wait for you to graduate from high school.”

Hearing this, Tang Li’s smile gradually froze. He was now at a loss. He didn’t understand the meaning behind Shen Yu’s words.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about…”

Shen Yu didn’t know if he could reveal to Tang Li about his transmigration into a book. However, in the past six months, he had been driven crazy by the subtle changes around him. To be neglected by others was awfully unpleasant and the loneliness in his heart seemed to drown him out.

He was really afraid, afraid that one day he would die in his bedroom and no one would find out.

And Tang Li’s appearance came like the last straw for him to clutch. Tang Li was the only one who had not ignored him.

If it was before, Shen Yu would think over and over again, but at this moment, his brain had long ago become a pile of paste, he couldn’t even think of something basic.

His mind only had this one thought——To hold on to Tang Li, his only hope.

“I feel like I’m about to disappear. I don’t know if you have noticed that Aunt Chen and Tang Ming are unconsciously ignoring me. Even Aunt Chen began to forget my existence.” Shen Yu didn’t want to cry, but tears kept pouring out. He drew in Tang Li’s hand and said in a hoarse voice, “I’m afraid that in a short time, even you, will also forget that there is Shen Yu in this world.”

Tang Li remained confused as he helplessly wiped Shen Yu’s tears with his hands.

“How can that be? How could you possibly disappear?!” Tang Li’s brain was in chaos. He seemed to understand, yet he didn’t understand it. He could only see Shen Yu’s tearful eyes. He held Shen Yu’s shoulder and said solemnly, “You haven’t disappeared. You’re here. Look, I can still catch you.”

Shen Yu’s complexion was horrible. He couldn’t stop shaking his head and murmuring, “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have decided so many things on my own. I shouldn’t have acted clever and changed the fate of others. I shouldn’t have promised you…”

“Shen Yu!” Tang Li’s pupils suddenly constricted. He was no doubt infuriated by Shen Yu’s last words. He suddenly raised his voice, “What’s going on after all? Will you tell me the truth?”

After that, Tang Li’s tone could not help but soften.

Shen Yu seemed to have woken up from what felt like a dream. He stared straight at Tang Li dazely. After a good while, he moved his lips, “I’m not Shen Yu. I really don’t know where the real Shen Yu is. I was only reading a book. After waking up, I came inside this book.”

As his last words fell, Tang Li did not move for a long time.

His eyes widened in disbelief. For a moment, he felt the thunder from a clear sky striking him. He did not dare to think about it, but had to. Finally, a terrible conjecture emerged.

“Then, I am…”

“You are a character in the book.” Shen Yu held his head and said bitterly, “You are a villain, and I am the cannon fodder that will be killed by you in a few years.”

Tang Li’s eyes were full of protest. Looking at Shen Yu’s eyes, it was as if he was looking at a stranger he had never met before. He slowly exhaled a breath, “This is impossible…”

As if to confirm what Shen Yu had said, before Tang Li could finish his word, he suddenly caught a glimpse on Shen Yu’s arm that was peculiar.

He fixed his eyes.

Shen Yu’s left arm was fading at a very slow speed, extending from the fingers to the top, little by little…

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