Chapter 66 I am a Transmigrator

“Shen’ai, please don’t joke like this…”

Xie Shenhong knocked on the door, forcing a calm demeanor as he spoke.

“Brother, go back. Don’t worry about me anymore!”

Never before, Xie Shenhong realized, had he seen Shen’ai act with such uncharacteristic petulance.

Perhaps this was her true nature, he mused.

Suppressing the fear coiling within him, Xie Shenhong knocked again, his voice trembling slightly.

“What are you saying? How could a brother ever abandon his sister!”

“Stop pretending to be my brother… I’m not your sister!”

A voice thick with tears echoed from behind the door.

Xie Shenhong’s body instantly stiffened.

His hand remained frozen, utterly unable to move.

By the time he regained his senses, a nurse, alerted by the commotion, had already escorted him to the waiting area.

Sebastian and his retinue of bodyguards hesitated for a prolonged moment before approaching him, awaiting instructions on their next course of action.

“Help me look after Shen’ai… I’m leaving first.”

Xie Shenhong departed, utterly dejected and lost.

He had already learned of Shen’ai’s condition from the nurse; she hadn’t sustained any injuries.

Her presence at the hospital was merely a precaution, to ensure she hadn’t been too traumatized, and to conduct a follow-up examination on her cursed legs.

Therefore, his presence was no longer required.

Rather, Shen’ai’s anger stemmed from his unnecessary intervention.

Rushing over so impulsively.

He had used the genuine body of ‘Xie Hai Zhu,’ yet had performed so poorly, even stirring up negative public opinion.

Most importantly—

“Master Shenhong, there’s no need to worry. We will handle everything for you.”

Along the way, Li Tianming, as always, awaited him.

As always, he knelt on one knee.

As always, he uttered words that turned Xie Shenhong’s stomach.

This time, however, Xie Shenhong felt no anger whatsoever.

More precisely, he lacked the right to be angry.

It was the same principle as his unworthiness to be Shen’ai’s brother.

****

Xie Shenhong couldn’t recall how that day had passed.

Even when it was time to transform into Xie Hai Zhu, she found a secluded spot and remained there until the transformation period ended before returning home.

The next day, he mechanically prepared breakfast and went to school.

He moved like a zombie, as if he had truly reverted to a mere puppet.

Yet, he knew full well this was merely a facade.

But he had no choice but to maintain it.

He continued to suppress his own will, striving to embody the ‘Xie Shenhong’ everyone knew and remembered.

He no longer harbored the hope of returning to the Xie Shenhong of everyone’s memories.

All he could do was play the part of the amnesiac Xie Shenhong.

He tried to do as little as possible, dedicating his energy to summoning his other self.

To allow that other self to emerge, protect the kingdom, and fulfill the people’s expectations.

“Shenhong, what’s wrong?”

Naturally, his abnormality would be noticed by the golden-haired, blue-eyed youth.

“I’m fine.”

Thus, when in Lyte’s presence at school, he would momentarily revert to normalcy, briefly forgetting all his troubles.

Ultimately, however, this forgetfulness was nothing more than an escape.

Lyte couldn’t always be by his side, and moreover—

“Please, Your Highness Shenhong!”

During the break, a girl from the adjacent class called Xie Shenhong out.

Her purpose was to ask him to pass a love letter to Lyte.

He knew a little about this girl.

She was beautiful, cheerful, and generous, hailing from a viscount’s family.

As a partner for Lyte, one could say they were perfectly matched, a couple made in heaven.

“No problem.”

Xie Shenhong agreed.

While it was true that if things progressed between them, Lyte would have less time to keep an eye on him, this was undoubtedly a good thing.

Lyte’s life should not be constrained by someone like him.

“Lyte, take this, and remember to go to the appointment… Wait, don’t be so quick to refuse. Do you know how much courage and effort she poured into writing this letter? Even if you plan to refuse, you should at least meet her once, shouldn’t you?”

Lyte was persuaded.

Though he looked reluctant, Xie Shenhong had already instructed the girl that even if rejected, she could propose starting as friends, subtly display a hint of sadness, and then, under Lyte’s comforting words, naturally propose going home or shopping together as friends.

In short, persistent coaxing would surely do the trick.

The upright, cheerful, and gentle Lyte could never stand by and ignore a ‘weaker party’.

[I have something to do; I’m going back first. Don’t worry about me.]

To avoid the dissonance between his words and emotions, which might betray an inappropriate expression, Xie Shenhong skipped the class before lunch break.

He fled the school.

Logically, hiding in an unfamiliar place would be safer, but after wandering aimlessly, he instinctively found himself back home.

Gazing at the house, which had felt hollow since yesterday, he silently took out his phone and sent a message to his sister.

[Shen’ai, when are you coming home?]

But after a long wait, there was no reply.

The last reply he had received was last night when he asked a similar question: [I’m not coming back].

He offered a desolate smile.

‘In the end, I am still merely a puppet…’

Even though he was not ‘Xie Shenhong.’

He could only impersonate him, usurping all of his resources.

Bereft of everything belonging to Xie Shenhong, he was utterly powerless.

Without the recognition of his friends and family, he was nothing.

Indeed, he was no longer a puppet without a heart.

But this was only because he had become a marionette.

Without a puppeteer, without an audience, he couldn’t even claim to be alive.

Lost in thought, Xie Shenhong felt his eyelids grow heavy, and he slumped onto the sofa.

Everything within his sight began to dim.

Just as it had been shortly after his rebirth.

That time, he had plunged into darkness, fueled by unwillingness, only to emerge as Hai Zhu.

This time, however… he felt an utter indifference.

Ahead of him lay only desolation and solitude.

So be it—

Ding-dong.

The sudden chime of the doorbell jolted Xie Shenhong partially awake from his drowsy stupor.

Who…

No, at a time like this, only one person would be ringing the doorbell.

Xie Shenhong did not want to go.

But the doorbell rang more insistently.

It was as though an audience was urging a puppet to perform.

Xie Shenhong reluctantly walked to the entryway and opened the door.

Gazing at the person he had anticipated, he feigned nonchalance and spoke.

“Lyte, why are you here? I told you I had things to do… What is it?”

Without a word, Lyte pulled him out.

However, this turn of events did not surprise him.

No matter how he tried to adjust his expression, his despondency and weariness were likely impossible to conceal, and it was quite normal for Lyte to notice and worry.

Lyte had, on more than one occasion, shone like a lighthouse, guiding his way forward when he was lost.

Yet, no matter how brightly the lighthouse shone, the sea remained shrouded in dense fog, and the world between heaven and earth remained blanketed in darkness; nothing had changed.

And what he had to do was just as it had always been.

“I understand, skipping class is indeed wrong… Let’s go back to school.”

He was lifted into an embrace, yet they weren’t heading towards the Four Directions Academy, but north.

“Where are we going?”

“By the way, I think I forgot to close the door when I left. How about we go back first?”

“Stop!”

No matter how he called out, Lyte did not stop.

Finally, he was led to the train station.

“Wait, where are we going?” He grew a little anxious.

Lyte, however, calmly stated a place name.

It was a distant region in the central kingdom.

“Why are you suddenly thinking of going to such a place? What about school? What about your lunch appointment? And your work with the Knights? What about the mission…”

After he rattled off a list of concerns that affected them both, as if reciting a menu.

Lyte smiled faintly, gently stroking his head.

“You must be very tired… Don’t worry, I’ll run away with you.”