novellhall Chapter 54 I only regret that I am not strong enough
Chapter 54 I only regret that I am not strong enough
"Why did you only come back now? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Lee Jae-hyun looked at the necklace that belonged to Lee Woo-bin and asked a question.
Li Zhengyi fell silent.
He lowered his head and rubbed his face vigorously.
Then he raised his head.
"Because I'm afraid."
"My eldest brother has many informants in the company. What would he do if he knew that my second brother told me about what happened two years ago before he died?"
He didn't wait for Lee Jae-hyun's reply and continued speaking on his own.
"Two years ago, he ruined my reputation, kicked me out of the house, and made me work the night shift at a convenience store. That's because you spared my life, Father."
"This time... if he really intends to kill me, how long can I, a convenience store night shift clerk, hide?"
Lee Jae-hyun did not answer.
"Where is Woo-bin's body?"
"The sea."
Li Zhengyi didn't blink when he said those two words.
"The waves were huge that day. The place where I landed was a barren beach with many rocks. Father, do you know what hypothermia means in the sea?"
"But I didn't see his body. Perhaps he was rescued by a kind fisherman. Or perhaps he was pushed ashore by the waves and survived."
"Maybe he'll suddenly come back in a few days."
Another silence.
Then, an even more pointed question came from the darkness.
Do you hate him?
Lee Jae-hyun's voice suddenly became very soft, but every word was like a nail driven into the air.
Do you hate Woo-bin, or do you hate Sung-ho?
Li Zhengyi did not answer immediately.
He leaned against the wall, looking down at his feet.
He didn't speak for a long time.
"I hate myself."
"Why was I so stupid two years ago, falling into such a clumsy trap? Why did I take my second brother with me when he was just trying to make me admit defeat on the plane? Why do I always have to rely on others to save me when something happens?"
He looked up and gazed in that direction in the darkness.
"Father, you ask me who I hate."
"I only hate that I'm not strong enough."
in the dark.
The cigarette butt's embers burned out in the darkness.
Then it was destroyed.
Then, amidst a violent coughing fit, Lee Jae-hyun slowly stood up.
His figure appeared in the dim light.
He looked a bit older than Li Zhengyi remembered, but the oppressive feeling hadn't diminished at all.
Tall and thin, yet with broad shoulders, he stood there like a rock growing out of the ground.
He walked past Li Zhengyi.
My steps stopped.
"The family will handle Woo-bin's matter."
"Since you're not dead, just keep living."
"Go back to your convenience store."
Then he continued walking forward.
The sound of leather shoes tapping on the floor, one tap, two taps, three steps...
It stopped again.
"This woman..."
He paused.
"Take it with you."
The door opened, then closed again.
Lee Jae-hyun disappeared at the end of the corridor.
The sound of leather shoes in the corridor grew fainter and fainter until it disappeared completely into the darkness.
Everything fell silent.
Li Zhengyi stood still, without moving.
A while later.
He slowly bent down, supporting himself on his knees.
Then he smiled silently at the floor.
Fortunately.
Bet right.
This old man still loves setting exam questions and still enjoys watching others struggle with them.
But this time, my passing grade should be enough.
Whether he believes his version of the "truth" or not, if he can't find Lee Woo-bin for a while, he can only assume he's dead and then hold a funeral.
That will be the moment when the scheme truly explodes.
After a long while, he straightened up and let out a long breath.
Then he turned his head and looked at the sleeping figure on the bed.
Bae Joo-hyun.
He never imagined that this woman would be lying in his former bed.
Her brows were slightly furrowed; it was unclear what she was dreaming about.
There was a trace of drool at the corner of her mouth, and a small clump of soft flesh was squeezed out of her cheek where she was pressed against the pillow.
It looks pretty silly.
She doesn't quite look like the stunning beauty that's been hyped up online.
It's more like a cat that's asleep but still has a furrowed brow.
He chuckled for no apparent reason, then turned and scanned the room.
His childhood belongings are still on his desk.
An old baseball glove, a few faded CDs, and a picture frame, but the photos were gone.
There used to be a family photo inside.
His gaze fell on an old coat draped over the back of the chair.
I wore this in high school; it's navy blue, and the cuffs are frayed.
He forgot to take it with him and doesn't know why it's still here.
It's probably because no one would touch this room except for the photos.
He rummaged through the closet and found a scarf.
Gray, wool, with slightly pilling edges.
Before going skiing with Kim Soo-ho in high school, Kim Ji-soo bought him a birthday present, which he only used once.
His birthday is January 1st.
Every winter, I receive a lot of gifts.
No one would pass up the opportunity to curry favor with a tycoon's son.
Most of the gifts were left aside.
But he couldn't remember why the scarf was still there.
He took the scarf and walked back to the bedside, gently helping Bae Joo-hyun sit up.
Her head rested on his shoulder, her breathing remaining steady.
Li Zhengyi first draped his old coat over her shoulders and buttoned up the top button.
The coat was too big; it looked like she was wrapped in a blanket when she wore it.
Then he wrapped the scarf around her head, around her chin, and tied a knot under her chin.
It was wrapped up very tightly.
Only one face was visible.
It looks a bit like lettuce wrapped in plastic wrap in a supermarket.
Li Zhengyi took a step back, admired his work for a moment, and then took out his phone to take a picture.
What if we need to laugh at her later?
He put his phone back in his pocket, turned around, squatted down, and carried Bae Joo-hyun on his back.
Her hand rested on his shoulder, her warm palm pressed against his neck.
Her breath blew behind his ear.
It's a little itchy.
Her body was so light that it didn't seem like a living person; it was more like a skeleton wrapped in a thin layer of flesh.
The idol's weight.
He walked out of the room step by step, down the stairs, and through the lobby on the first floor.
The servants stood in the corner; no one came forward to help, and no one stopped him.
They just watched in silence.
It's like watching someone who doesn't belong here leave a place that doesn't belong to them.
Li Zhengyi didn't look at them.
He pushed open the door and stepped into the night air.
Keep walking and walking until you leave this luxury residential area and finally see normal traffic.
He hailed a taxi.
The driver, a man in his sixties, glanced in the rearview mirror at the woman in the back seat, wrapped in a coat and scarf, fast asleep, and his expression became subtle.
Li Zheng glanced at him.
"Uncle, it's not what you think."
The driver nodded.
"Young man, take care of yourself."
Li Zhengyi closed his eyes and gave up.
The car started and drove the two people into Seoul on a winter afternoon.
Behind him, on the third floor of the mansion that had fallen into the night, in that pitch-black room, Lee Jae-hyun had not left.
He stood by the window, watching through the gap in the curtains as the young man carried the woman away downstairs.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object.
A silver chain with a small nameplate hanging at the end.
There is a single character engraved on it.
彬。
He turned the nameplate over in the dark.
There is a very fine, tiny scratch on the back.
It's the English alphabet.
L.
He clutched the necklace in his hand and closed his eyes.
After a long while, he opened his eyes, walked to the table, and picked up the phone.
I dialed a number.
"Go to Donghai City and search the entire sea area. We need to find them alive or dead."