Chapter 80: Two Sides
Wang Gege’s heart nearly stopped. This was the second time he had asked something like this.
She still remembered the first day they met. Back then, after she had boldly proposed a marriage arrangement to him, the very first question that came out of his mouth had simply been... "Who are you?"
At that time, she had not thought much of it. She merely assumed that Xie Rong found her sudden change in attitude unusual.
But now, hearing him ask such a similar question once again... Wang Gege could no longer dismiss it as mere coincidence. She quietly swallowed.
’Am I really that obvious?’
The more she thought about it, the less confident she became.
She had never met the real Shen Taotao. Everything she knew about the original owner of this body came from the words of others.
Unfortunately, the person everyone described and the person she was could not have been more different.
Looking back now, she realized she had never really hidden it.
From the very beginning till now, she had simply been Wang Gege. Lowering her gaze, she took a few seconds of silence.
After a long moment of silence, she finally let out a quiet laugh.
"I suppose..." She gently pursed her lips. "Husband isn’t wrong to think that way."
Xie Rong remained silent, patiently waiting for her to continue.
Wang Gege looked down at her own hands before speaking again.
"After nearly losing my life... I suddenly realized many things." Her voice was calm, carrying none of the usual playfulness, "I realized that I had spent so much of my life living according to other people’s expectations."
She smiled bitterly, "I kept yielding, thinking that if I endured a little more... if I sacrificed a little more... everyone would eventually be happy."
She slowly shook her head, "But when I woke up, I suddenly wondered... What was the point of living like that?"
Her eyes gradually met Xie Rong’s once more, "I had almost died. If I had truly died that day..." She laughed softly, though there was little amusement in it. "No one would have remembered how much I had sacrificed. No one would have cared how many times I gave up my own happiness."
She pressed her lips hard for a second, "The only thing that would have remained... was regret."
She took a slow breath, "So, I decided... If Heaven was willing to give me another chance... then I wanted to live differently. I wanted to speak when I had something to say. I wanted to laugh when I felt happy. I wanted to stop worrying about whether everyone approved of me."
She smiled gently, "Perhaps... That is why Husband feels I have become another person."
The room became quiet.
Xie Rong quietly looked at her for a long while. His expression remained unreadable.
"I see."
Only three simple words. Yet they immediately loosened the knot that had been tightening inside Wang Gege’s chest.
She secretly let out a breath of relief. Maybe he had accepted her explanation.
Xie Rong slowly withdrew the hand resting against her cheek.
"There are still official matters awaiting this husband." He paused briefly before adding, "Furen should get some rest."
Without asking another question, he bowed down, taking his blindfold on the floor, turned and walked toward the door.
Wang Gege stood where she was, watching his departing figure until he disappeared beyond the doorway.
Only then did she place a hand over her chest, "That was close."
The moment Xie Rong stepped out of the courtyard, a dark figure silently descended from the rooftop.
Mo Yan appeared a single step behind him as though he had been waiting all along.
"Young Master."
Xie Rong did not stop walking.
The two of them proceeded along the stone pathway in silence. Only after they had put a considerable distance between themselves and Wang Gege’s courtyard did Xie Rong finally break the silence.
"Mo Yan."
"This subordinate is here," Mo Yan immediately responded.
"You have been watching over Shen Taotao for the past year." Xie Rong’s pace gradually slowed, his thoughts still occupied with Shen Taotao.
"Tell this Young Master..." He paused briefly. "Has she always been like this?"
Mo Yan lowered his head, carefully considering the question before answering.
"Young Master... if this subordinate may ask, do you mean Young Madam’s personality?"
Xie Rong gave a faint nod.
Mo Yan thought for another moment before speaking, "In front of others... Young Madam was indeed timid. She rarely spoke unless someone addressed her first and if the Eldest Miss asked for something, she would quietly hand it over or if she was wronged, she would endure it in silence. This subordinate had never once seen her argue with anyone."
Xie Rong quietly listened without interrupting.
"However..." Mo Yan’s tone changed ever so slightly, "This subordinate did notice something rather unusual."
Xie Rong turned his head slightly.
"When Young Madam believed no one was around... She would occasionally smile to herself. Sometimes she even laughed." Mo Yan paused for a second, "On several occasions, this subordinate also saw her talking to herself."
Xie Rong’s footsteps came to an abrupt stop, "Talking to herself?"
"Yes." Mo Yan lowered his head.
"At first, this subordinate believed Young Madam had simply developed the habit of thinking aloud. However, it happened more than once."
"She would suddenly smile, nod her head, and carry on a conversation as though someone was standing beside her."
"Yet... " He raised his head slightly, "This subordinate never saw another person."
Xie Rong’s brows gradually knitted together.
"Are you certain?" he asked calmly. "Perhaps someone was hiding nearby."
"This subordinate had considered that possibility before, Young Master." Mo Yan immediately shook his head, "On every occasion, this subordinate searched the surrounding area afterward. The rooftops, the trees, even the servants passing through the courtyards... no one was there."
Xie Rong fell silent.
Mo Yan continued, "There were even times when Young Madam would suddenly stop walking in the middle of the garden, smile toward an empty space, and begin speaking as though someone had answered her."
"However..." He lowered his head once more. "This subordinate never heard another voice. At times, this subordinate even wondered if Young Madam was talking to a bee."
Xie Rong’s gaze gradually deepened, "Interesting."
He resumed walking, his pace neither hurried nor slow. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke again, "Has anyone else witnessed this?"
"No, Young Master. This subordinate was careful not to let anyone notice. The few times it happened, Young Madam believed she was alone."
Xie Rong gave a faint nod, "Then keep this matter to yourself."