Chapter 4: Life and Death Are Decreed by Fate

Hearing the sound, Rong Shen lazily lifted his eyelids, his gaze as deep as a secluded pool. “Have you made contact?”

“Not yet.” Cheng Feng shook his head with frustration, but then seemed to recall something and added with a hint of excitement, “But we can confirm that the code is exactly what we’re after.”

A faint smile curved on Rong Shen’s lips as he gazed at the distant greenery and spoke in a low voice, “Settle it as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Ninth Master.”

After Cheng Feng left, Su Yiting continued to lean idly against the stone platform. Compared to the incident with the live broadcast code they discussed, he was more concerned about Rong Jiu’s attitude toward the arranged marriage.

“Ninth Brother, if the old lady is determined to set you up on a blind date, what do you plan to do?”

Rong Shen draped a silk robe over his shoulders from beside the pool, glancing at Su Yiting as he rose. “We’ll see. You should head back.”

Su Yiting, sensing he was being brushed off, laughed and cursed lightly before turning to leave the Cloud Summit Villa.

Either way, the outcome would be revealed sooner or later, and he was quite eager to witness the famous scene of Rong Jiu at a matchmaking event.

…

After the weekend, An Tong received a notification for the commencement of treatment at the Mental Health Center.

On Tuesday, the sun was bright and warm.

In the sunroom on the top floor of the health center, gentle music filled the air as An Tong and Rong Shen sat across from each other at a glass table.

The man observed the taciturn girl before him. Her state was better than it had been in the past days. Though she still wore her long hair loose and hid under a bucket hat, at least now her eyes held a touch of warmth.

Rong Shen rolled the sleeves of his white shirt up past his forearms, raising his eyes to An Tong and getting straight to the point, “When did you start feeling this aversion to the world?”

As he spoke, he picked up a purple clay teapot and poured two cups of tea. His refined and courteous movements were pleasing to watch, making it easy for others to let down their guard.

An Tong accepted the teacup. “Three years ago.”

He lowered his eyes and sipped his tea before continuing, “Why?”

An Tong bowed her head, the brim of her hat casting a shadow that concealed her expression. “Parting in life, separation by death.”

Perhaps there was something unspoken, for she paused deliberately between those few words.

As she finished, the soft music happened to stop, and the room fell into a brief silence.

Rong Shen studied her features, his voice as composed as ever. “If you don’t mind, take off your hat.”

An Tong hesitated for two seconds but complied.

Thus, the young woman finally revealed her full appearance, allowing Rong Shen to observe her state and expressions more thoroughly.

As the man looked at her, An Tong met his gaze calmly. She likely didn’t realize that, from wearing hats so often, a distinct mark circled the crown of her hair, and a few staticky strands stood up comically, making her look all the more pitiful.

Pitiful, yes, but undeniably distinctive.

Her actions were particularly straightforward, her demeanor especially somber, and her appearance strikingly beautiful.

Combined, these traits made An Tong truly unique.

Her only flaw was her youth—a certain lack of worldly experience.

Rong Shen played with a sandalwood pendant in his hand, regarding An Tong with a meaningful look. “You waited three years before seeking treatment?”

An Tong gave a slight shrug. “One still has to live, doesn’t one?”

If not for that painful parting and bereavement, if not for the torment of emotional detachment, perhaps she would not have become so lifeless.

The will to survive is instinctive. Aside from treatment, she had no other choice.

“Separation and death are the norms of life.” Rong Shen leaned casually back in his chair, guiding her with gentle persuasion. “If you refuse to let go, no amount of counseling will help.”

These words inevitably stirred something within An Tong.

She looked at Rong Shen intently for a long time before asking, “What if it was because of me?”

He slowly curved his thin lips, his voice steady and reassuring. “Self-reproach only increases your burden of guilt; it’s of no use. No matter who is lost, Miss An, we must believe… that life and death are fate.”

This logic was flawless.

Yet, on closer thought, it seemed almost to defy morality—cold and unfeeling.

The guilt An Tong had carried for more than three years was dismissed as worthless by him.

What was laughable was that she could not find a reason to refute him.

The mature man before her, clearly much older than she, did not fit the traditional image of a therapist, yet every word he spoke was incisive and profound.

An Tong turned to look out the window, remaining silent for a long time.

Perhaps she had been enveloped in negative emotions for so long that she could no longer bear the weight, so that even just a few words from Rong Shen planted a seed of hope in her heart.

“Maybe…” An Tong pressed her lips together and, after a moment, said, “You’re right.”

…

The first counseling session did not last long—barely twenty minutes before it ended hastily.

An Tong prepared to take her leave. Just as she reached the door, the man’s deep, magnetic voice sounded behind her, “Tie your hair up for the next session.”

“Does it affect the treatment if I don’t?”

Rong Shen adjusted his posture elegantly, raising his thick brows. “It does.”

The initial conversation had established some trust. Without further hesitation, An Tong nodded in understanding.

He said nothing more, only watching her departing figure, a sharp glint flashing in his deep, narrow eyes.

An ordinary girl with no background, unentangled in any powerful family’s interests, straightforward in her manner and suffering from emotional disorders—except for her age, she was in every way the most suitable candidate.

Rong Shen’s long fingers tapped the table edge before he made a call. “Send me a copy of the list the old lady selected.”