Mrs Fox Heinous Revenge: Can You Love A Villainess like Me?
Chapter 206: A Moment To Take

Chapter 206: A Moment To Take

It was impossible for Li ZiChen to ignore Bai HaiZe during their high school years. Bai HaiZe was the kind of person who seemed untouchable, loved by everyone. Teachers admired his diligence, classmates flocked to him, and even strangers smiled when he greeted them each morning. He carried a kind of light that naturally drew people toward him.

But despite being a beacon of warmth and charm, Bai HaiZe wasn’t spared from the cruelty that came with always being by AiLin’s side. The bullying he faced wasn’t because of anything he’d done wrong, it was because he chose to stand beside her.

No matter what, Bai HaiZe could always be found near AiLin. Whether in the classroom, the cafeteria where she was often shunned, or during the moments when Jiang NianNian and her group cornered her, Bai HaiZe stayed. He wasn’t just her friend; he was her protector in a world that seemed hell-bent on breaking her.

AiLin respected Bai HaiZe deeply. To her, he was the embodiment of kindness, warmth, and selflessness, everything she had been denied and everything Li ZiChen was not.

Li ZiChen’s first encounter with AiLin had been a clash, a meeting born out of conflict. Over time, though, they’d bonded over the scars they both carried, drawn to each other by the shared weight of their wounds. Yet, no matter how close they became, doubt lingered in his heart.

Unlike Bai HaiZe, Li ZiChen was not a man of light. He had a reputation for being cold and ruthless, someone who didn’t hesitate to use force if provoked. Where Bai HaiZe inspired admiration, Li ZiChen incited fear.

He had cherished every moment he spent with AiLin, but deep down, a gnawing insecurity haunted him. What if she didn’t feel the same way? What if his presence, rather than comforting her, suffocated her?

And now, with Bai HaiZe back in her life, Li ZiChen couldn’t stop the spiral of doubt. Could she be swayed? What if she found in Bai HaiZe the kind of love that could heal her in ways he couldn’t?

"I hate coldness," AiLin’s voice broke through his thoughts, soft but filled with a weight that made him tense. He glanced at her, questions swirling in his gaze. She closed her eyes, exhaling shakily as if bracing herself to continue.

"When I think of it, I remember that rainy day. Mrs. Jiang was so kind to me," she began, her tone trembling. "She hated cooking, you know. But that night, she made all my favorite foods. She gave me the sweet drinks I could never have as a child so I wouldn’t embarrass her at the table. And she whispered to me how thankful she was that I was born."

AiLin sucked in a sharp breath, her shoulders quivering. "But then, the next thing I remember... I lost consciousness. I was trying to grab onto everything around me, but I felt like I was drowning. The air was heavy, and my movements were stiff. I couldn’t see properly. There were these blinding lights above me, and then..."

Her voice broke, shivering as she continued. "There was this horrifying noise. A loud, mechanical sound. And then... squelching. Wet, awful, squelching sounds."

Li ZiChen’s hands tightened on the wheel as her words sank in. He felt his stomach churn as the realization dawned on him. She wasn’t just remembering... it was that memory. The one he had tried so hard to help her bury. The night when Mrs. and Mr. Jiang had forced her to abort the baby.

He pulled the car to the side of the road abruptly, the screech of the tires cutting through the thick silence. Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned to her, gripping her trembling shoulders.

"You don’t have to keep going," he said firmly, his voice laced with urgency. "AiLin, you’re not in the right state for this. Please, stop."

But AiLin shook her head, tears blurring her vision as she stared into his worried eyes. "I begged them to stop," she whispered, her words cutting through the air like shards of glass. "I think I did. I was so weak, but I know I was begging. And then... I woke up. Just like that."

Her voice cracked as tears spilled over. "When I woke up, every nerve in my body was on fire. My legs wouldn’t stop shaking, my eyes couldn’t focus. It felt like someone had clouded my vision with glass." Her trembling hand moved to her stomach, clutching it tightly.

"I tried to stand, but I couldn’t. I begged for help. And when I touched my stomach..." Her voice faltered, her lips quivering as the weight of the memory crushed her. "It wasn’t beating. I couldn’t hear the baby’s heartbeat anymore."

Li ZiChen’s heart clenched painfully. He felt helpless, useless, as he watched her break in front of him.

"AiLin!" He hugged her, pushing her deep into his embrace as her lips kept moving, kept speaking, like a broken robot whose engine had been fired.

"I was horrified, Zi Chen," she choked out, her tears streaming freely now. "What should I have done? What could I have done?!"

Her words hit him like a tidal wave, her anguish crashing over him with relentless force. He wanted to say something, to reassure her, but nothing felt adequate. Instead, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if he could somehow shield her from the pain she carried.

"You didn’t deserve any of this," he murmured into her hair, his voice thick with emotion. "None of it."

AiLin clung to him, sobbing against his chest as the storm of her memories consumed her. And for a moment, all he could do was hold her, silently vowing to stay by her side, no matter how broken the pieces of her past might be.

"I can’t protect the baby... it’s my fault."

"It’s not," he whispered and she could hear him repeating, his voice blurring into her head, "...not... you’re not. It has never been your fault. If there is anyone to blame... blame me. Blame me AiLin. Not you, if you can’t blame anyone else, just blame me. Please."

AiLin broke into more tears as she hugged him, her arms wrapped tight around his shoulders as she closed her eyes, sobbing and letting all her tears free. She wailed, like a child. She had clutched to Li ZiChen so tightly that she had given him scratches on his back but he never once voiced his discomfort. Instead, he remained quiet as he caressed her back, the strokes gentle and loving while she let all the tears inside her to leave her, until it would leave no more marks, until she couldn’t let those tears fall from her eyes anymore.

After the crying, they had turned to the restaurant.

After three hours of tears streaming down her face, AiLin sat in the warm glow of the small restaurant. Li ZiChen had held her through every sob, gently wiping her tears with a tenderness that felt almost fragile. Now, her swollen eyes were puffy like steamed buns, but her smile was finally beginning to peek through the cracks of her sadness.

He slid a piece of roasted duck toward her with his chopsticks, his expression soft but watchful. "Here, try this," he said.

She took it eagerly, chewing with a joy that felt almost childlike. "Mmm, so good. Very good!" she said, her voice muffled by food but filled with sincerity.

Li ZiChen couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Good. Eat more. You’ve barely touched anything all day."

As she reached for another bite, her expression dimmed slightly, and her voice took on a quieter, more contemplative tone. "ZiChen..."

His heart skipped at the way her voice softened. "Yes?"

"I ran into someone from my past today." She didn’t look up, her lashes casting shadows over her cheeks. "It triggered a lot of bad memories... but once, he was a good person to me."

Li ZiChen froze. The chopsticks in his hand trembled slightly, but he quickly slipped his fist under the table, squeezing tightly to steady himself. He masked his unease with a calm question. "Did you talk to him?"

Bai Haize. Bai Haize. There had never been a moment Li ZiChen wished to be someone else but if it was to be AiLin’s first and only love, he would. Hell, he would even become a snake.

"I did," AiLin replied, her voice steady but quiet. Her gaze flickered to him, testing the waters of his reaction. "I told him that we can’t be together."

His breath caught, and for a moment, the tension in his chest felt unbearable. He wanted to grin, to let the relief flood his entire being, but he forced himself to remain calm. He leaned forward slightly, his voice gentle yet laced with carefully disguised joy.

"Are you... okay with that decision?" he asked, his concern genuine even as his heart danced at her words.

She nodded, her expression wistful. "It wasn’t easy. But I’ve already moved forward. Some things are better left in the past, don’t you think?"

Li ZiChen studied her face, searching for any lingering doubt. But all he saw was resolve, a bittersweet determination that made his chest ache. "You’re right," he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of his own unspoken emotions. "Sometimes, letting go is the bravest thing we can do."

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, AiLin smiled, small but genuine. And Li ZiChen, watching her from across the table, silently promised himself that he would never give her a reason to look back.

"But hey," she added, "It wasn’t as if I loved him. More than love, all I carried was guilt. He took care of me, protected me. There was a time when I was accused of stealing a purse you know, I tried so hard to find that wallet and to get clues on who the real perpetrator is. He helped me, it turns out he had stayed in the garbage disposal for hours, to find the receipt of someone who had used the card inside the wallet which proved my innocence."

"He gave that to you?"

"Yes, he did. How can someone ever handle the smell of the garbage disposal? Yet this was only one example of his kindness."

Of course. Of course he remembered about that receipt.

After all he was the one who stayed for seven hours in it to find the receipt.

Yes. It wasn’t Bai HaiZe.

It was him.