Chapter 774   - Turning Point (2)

When Li Meili heard that her best friend agreed to exchange herself with Zhu Ziqian's hostages, fear shot through her entirety. Just the thought of Tang Moyu using her own life as a bargaining chip was enough for Li Meili to feel dismay. If it were in the past and she and Tang Moyu didn't have any children to worry about, she would have come with the empress to confront Zhu Ziqian.

The moment she opened the door of the master bedroom, she found her best friend seated on the bed, still in her nightdress. Li Meili then climbed up the bed and rested her head on Tang Moyu's l.a.p, shutting her eyes as she tried to calm down her erratic heartbeat.

"You scared me," she told Tang Moyu. She couldn't imagine what she would do if she also lost her best friend in Zhu Ziqian's hands.

Of all people, she knew Tang Moyu's capability when it came to fighting, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be worried, especially, if her opponent was armed with a gun. No matter how good Tang Moyu was in hand-to-hand combat, she would have no chance to win if Zhu Ziqian shot her at point blank.

Tang Moyu smiled bitterly and ran her fingers gently on Li Meili's long hair. Li Meili used to do this when they were younger. She would come to her room, lay her head on her l.a.p while she complained about her father. It had become a habit— their way to comfort each other.

"There was no other way," she answered her friend truthfully. Li Meili wasn't the only one who was displeased with her decision to exchange places with the hostages. But at that time, their options were limited, and with each second that passed, the greater the danger it was for the hostages. Tang Moyu deemed it more important to save Cheng Ning and the old woman.

It wasn't like she went there unarmed, anyway. Feng Tianyi had come with her as well, and it had somewhat eased her nervousness. Still, she understood that things didn't turn out in their favor, Tang Moyu knew that the night would end disastrously on their end.

"Still. You could have just told us what was happening. What if something bad happened? I don't want to have any regrets in the future, Moyu," Li Meili insisted. She knew it was dangerous, but she couldn't pretend and stay still, knowing Tang Moyu's life was in danger. If she were there, she would have beaten up Zhu Ziqian beyond recognition.

However, what Li Meili didn't know was that it was the sole reason why Tang Moyu didn't inform her ahead of her confrontation with Zhu Ziqian. If Li Meili had been blinded by rage because of Beixuan's death, Leyan would not only lose her father but possibly her mother as well. The mad man had a gun. Li Meili had a tendency to go berserk, and would have been shot.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry, but it's alright now." Tang Moyu brushed Li Meili's fringe away from her face. "We will get the justice we want for Beixuan, so this time, Meili, please lead a happy life. I know more than anything else that Beixuan would want you to be happy."

Li Meili opened her eyes and stared at her best friend, her eyes now shimmered in tears. As much as she was glad that Zhu Ziqian was already apprehended and would be sentenced for his crimes, Li Meili thought that those would never be enough to lessen the pain in her heart.

"I wish the pain would stop, Moyu. But every day, I still miss him so badly," she confessed to her friend. "If it isn't for Leyan, I wouldn't know what to do with my life anymore." Her hand curling into a fist as she thought about how she wakes up every morning knowing Tang Beixuan wouldn't be there for her.

Not only did Zhu Ziqian ruin their chance to be together, but he also deprived Leyan of a father growing up. It would be hard for her to explain to her daughter later that the man Leyan thought was her father wasn't. She also felt guilty that Zhang Jiren would be wasting two years of his life because of her, not knowing that for her husband, it was the best two years of his life.

"I know, Meili. I know." Tang Moyu's voice and expression revealed that she was also still grieving over her brother's death, although months had already passed. Tang Beixuan's sudden passing was the greatest blow in her life, much more painful than the humiliation she suffered because of Feng Tianhua and the Tang family.

"But it's time for us to accept the reality that he's not with us anymore," she reminded Li Meili. "You and Leyan still have a life to live. She needs you and there are still people who care about you more than you ever know."

For example, her stupid twin brother who would undoubtedly do everything in his capability to make sure Li Meili and Leyan would be fine. Actually, Tang Moyu was really worried about her brother now because she knew that he would suffer in this unrequited love in the end. But who was she to tell him to stop loving Li Meili? It wasn't her place to interfere in her brother's personal affairs.

Li Meili almost fell apart due to Beixuan's death. Although Tang Moyu didn't mind her friend ending up with her twin brother, she knew well that it wouldn't be easy for the two. Tang Beixuan's death was one of the turning points of their lives and he wasn't someone Li Meili could easily forget and allow another man to replace him in her heart.

"Okay. I will listen to you," Li Meili conceded so easily this time. They had relied on each other for a long time for her to understand what Tang Moyu wanted her to do after this. She also understood that she could not allow herself to wallow in grief anymore.