The Inconceivable Flame: A Fallen Angel's Disguise

Before taking Ru out for food, Xiao Zhi-Ren placed the grocery bags in the trunk of the car and went towards the mall where they dropped off Xiao Zhi-Yuan.

"Are you done looking around?" Xiao Zhi-Ren asked his younger brother.

"Just give me a few more minutes." Xiao Zhi-Yuan said and turned to browse around for books.

Xiao Zhi-Ren nodded and turned around to find Ru. She was leaning against a bookshelf. She had rolled her sleeves up to her forearm displaying her taut muscles. Her one hand held a book while the other one was busy setting her fluffy hair down.

This sight was... strange. Only for Xiao Zhhi-Ren... But the reason was all the girls who were going crazy over Ru’s small movements. Xiao Zhi-Ren shook his head at this green-eyed monster who was oblivious to even the fact that ’he’ was creating havoc.

Xiao Zhi-Ren came close to her side and looked at the book title which she was engrossed in. It read: Falling for my Ex-wife.

Xiao Zhi-Ren’s brows knitted together as he asked, "You like reading such novels?"

Hearing his familiar voice, Ru titled her face and said, "Nope! I hate this kind of books the most."

The crease between his brows grew deeper as he asked, "Why? And if you hate it, why were you just reading it?"

"I wasn’t reading it. I was just seeing the outcome of this. As expected, she forgave him in the end. How typical!" Xiao Zhi-Ren could hear the bitterness in her words. He picked up the book and browsed through the synopsis.

It was a story about a man who divorced his wife calling her a cheater and such. But he didn’t know that his wife was pregnant at that time. He also didn’t know that his wife was being framed by his own ex-girlfriend. And after five years, when his ex-wife had moved on in her life, he suddenly realized that he had loved her all along. And went back to claim her.

Just as Ru said, a typical story but knowing Ru’s peculiar nature, Xiao Zhi-Ren knew that her reason for calling it typical must have been different.

"What’s typical? It’s just a love story." Xiao Zhi-Ren’s words made Ru look straight into his eyes.

"Is this really a love story? How?" She asked.

"This is a love story with a second chance. There is a thing called second chances, Rong!" Xiao Zhi-Ren argued.

"Is there? Is there really a thing called second chances?" Ru challenged him and added, "Zhi, we are only given one life... Look, this book doesn’t make any sense to me. First, he called her an sl*t, a cheater and then, he went back after years to snatch her back? What kind of logic is that? And how can she even consider forgiving him?"

Xiao Zhi-Ren thought for a second before he answered, "Forgiveness makes her a bigger person." He had reckoned that he had to use his words with care whenever he was around Ru. Since she was someone who could even manipulate your own words without you even realizing it.

"No. Definitely not! Forgiveness makes her the fickle person." Ru retorted with conviction.

"So, what do you want? Would the story make sense if she was to get revenge?" Xiao Zhi-Ren asked again.

"Obviously not! That would make her a weaker person!"

"Huh?" He was left dumbfounded. She didn’t want the protagonist to forgive, she didn’t want her to get revenge. What was she up to?

"Zhi, life is not all about forgiveness and revenge. Sometimes, it should be about forgetting. No matter if she says that she forgave him and perhaps takes him back but what’s the guarantee that she will be able to forget those unkind words that he used for her? Forgiveness had always been easy. It was the forgetting part that killed people inside." Now, he understood her. He was astounded at her reply.

"No matter how many times you open the book of past, the ending doesn’t always change." She added after a moment. "It’s better to decline the call of past rather than trying to make that past your present all over again."

Xiao Zhi-Ren didn’t know what to say, therefore, he picked up another novel and asked, "What about this genre?"

Ru looked at the book and figured it was also a typical story with a vampire falling in love with a human. "Do you think darkness and light can be together?" He further asked.

"Now, this is something I do believe in." Xiao Zhi-Ren definitely didn’t expect this answer from her. "Darkness will be meaningless without the light just as the light will be meaningless without the shadows of darkness. It’s a very common possibility that a demon falls for an angel."

"But do you think this love can survive?"

"Isn’t day and night still existing?" Ru retorted.

"What does that have to do with this book?" Xiao Zhi-Ren inquired.

"Aiyoh! Zhi, have you ever seen the sky right before the sunrise or sunset?" Xiao Zhi-Ren nodded his head and she went on, "That’s the moment when the darkness of night and the light of day embraces each other like those parted lovers." Xiao Zhi-Ren choked on air at her analogy. "That’s why in my opinion, the purest love exists between a demon and an angel." Saying that her eyes caught sight of something outside the bookstore.

"I’ll be right back!" She didn’t wait for Xiao Zhi-Ren’s reply as she darted out of the store leaving a baffled Xiao Zhi-Ren behind. He wasn’t actually baffled at her analogy, he was astounded to just know that she was excessively attentive. How could she always have something to say just to prove her point?

Meanwhile, outside of the store, Ru rummaged out a coin from her pocket and aimed it straight to a person’s ankle. "Ouch!" Within a second, Adia fell down on the ground. "Who dared to attack me?" She growled but didn’t realize that all other members of her squad had horrified expressions as they kept staring behind.

"I didn’t know that my Black Mist squad was a fan of shopping?" Ru’s voice wasn’t any different from her usual self but the ambiance around her seemed to have turned dangerous within a matter of seconds.

Seeing that they were in big trouble for being caught here in the hall, the boys pushed Adia ahead to explain. "Ma-Master!" Adia stuttered as she couldn’t think of any coherent words to say. Thinking of something, she pulled the newest member of the team and used her as a shield. "We brought Lilith out to have a look around. She hasn’t been to shopping in her life or at least, she can’t think of the time when she did."

This plan seemed to have worked since Ru kept staring at Lilith’s face without any expression.

Getting the courage from this reaction, even other members of the squad chimed in, "Yes, yes... Lilith is only about 20 years old. We thought we should get her some colorful clothes. It’s not nice for a young girl to always look so grim."

"Also, she needs to see the world and mingle in the normal people to learn how to interact. Right?"

Ru wasn’t listening to any of them as her attention was solely on Lilith’s face. She pulled out her credit card and placed it Lilith’s hand saying, "Buy whatever you like."

Lilith: "..."

The Black Mist Squad: "..."

When was the last time their master was this kind and giving? Never! Although they were all rescued by Ru herself at some point, none of them received this privilege to actually use their master’s credit card which didn’t even have a limit.

"And you all..." Ru looked at their confounded looks and said, "Stop using her as your protection. I wasn’t going to eat you all. I just didn’t expect to see you all here that’s why I came to say hello. Outside of work, what you do is none of my concern anyway." Throwing these words at them, Ru turned around to leave.

"Is he always this easygoing?" Lilith asked Adia with her hand signs.

Adia smiled at her as she answered, "Even if you spend a lifetime with him, I believe master will still be a mystery. He’s easygoing to his people but when you do something that gets on his nerve, don’t expect any kindness from him at all."

Lilith’s eyes followed Ru’s disappearing back as she was lost in thought. She couldn’t understand how this person was so laid back. In the lab, where she was kept with others, they were only treated as test subjects. This was perhaps the first time someone actually treated her as a human. It was a nice feeling.

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