27: Conscience

Lan Xi Chen tightly squeezed the trigger of his pistol. He had aimed it well, precisely where his enemy's heart is. He felt a sense of power, of justice, the end of his years of yearning for vengeance coming into his desired end.

His expression was dark, his handsome face contorted in rage.

The loud bang of the gunshot brought him back to the past.

He was just a young freshman intern in a small hospital in that very same side of the city. He had planned to do well, excel if he could. The young Xi Chen had always loved helping other people, thus he had aspired to be a doctor and save lives.

But at one point, he had questioned his purpose and deviated from his dream.

Early Friday evening and the sirens of the hospital's ambulance blared. Incoming casualties were brought in. Three to be exact. One of them a heir to a very wealthy family they should move mountains to save, the resident surgeon had said with no hints of funny business in mind.

The emergency doctor and surgeon went straight to revive the heir and Xi Chen's body froze when the two other victims where wheeled in.

"This can't be." He murmured, face paling realising his two most beloved persons bleeding to death.

"D-Dad?" He almost gave way when he couldn't find any signs of life in his father's body.

"Mom?!" He shuffled forwards to the other patient, grasping the bloodied wrist of his mom. 'There's still a pulse!' Faint and thready yet it is still there.

"Help!" He called but everyone was busy ushering the young victim into the operating room. It was such a small hospital with inadequate manpower and resources. Xi Chen blamed the responders why they brought all three casualties in such an indigent facility!

"My mom! Help her please!" Xi Chen pleaded. He was just a junior, with a pair of inexperienced hands that can only offer basic skills. He felt so powerless, useless and incapable. Tears blurred his vision but he wiped them quickly and started working to save his mother. Two of the nurses saw his dilemma, pitied him and came to his side. They gave her fluids and blood, tried to stop the bleeding pouring from her cuts. But they knew they were just patching up the obvious wounds but not the internal damages she had received. She arrested not long after and the three medics definitely cannot do the exhausting work of resuscitation by themselves. They did as much as they could do, Xi Chen kept compressing his mom's chest tirelessly but the heart line remained flat. Soon, the older nurse grabbed his arm and told him it was time to stop.

"N-No..!" Xi Chen defiantly shook his head. "Mom!" He slumped on the ground clutching his lovely mother's hand. "Don't leave me Mom!" He screamed and turn to his father's unmoving body. "Wake up, Dad!" He pleaded but both two was no more.

He was indenial for a while. He couldn't even call his brother Wangji to tell him their parents had both left them at the same time.

Anger bloomed afterwards. He hated why the young heir was prioritised before his parents!

This anger grew more when the police told him that the spoiled brat heir was unlicensed and was test driving his father's luxurious sports car on a whim.

"He should've died instead!" Xi Chen bitterly barked and bore the young man's face and name in his mind to avenge.

Years passed and this wild fire of vengeance became out of control.

While he and Wangji were in pain of their loss and missed the chance to be with their loving parents again, the Wei's Young Master remained breathing, healthy, capricious and has the world at his disposal.

Stealthily, Xi Chen worked in his little ways until the right time comes when all the hatred that had pilled up can finally be ended by the heir's misery and death. Xi Chen excelled in his work, befriended Wuxian's family, and finally was able to take the role of their trusted family medical practitioner. He was among them, with them, joining them in woes and celebration. They wouldn't have guessed Xi Chen was aiming to kill one of their own kin.

'Argh!' Xi Chen's face twitched as he remembered Wangji telling him about his lover. The one who had seemed to break the walls Wangji had surrounded himself from the time their parents died. "Wei Ying." His brother smiled angelically uttering the sinner's name while Xi Chen's stomach curl in anger.

His innocent brother had been lulled by the devil!

The fact prodded him on with his plan of revenge. The seed of his hatred stretches itself more and begin consuming the littlest remaining sanity in Xi Chen. Wangji's love and care for the murderer Wuxian only fuel the cause of Xi Chen's hatred. He had to rescue his little brother from the wild tales of Wuxian's unrealistic love and falsehood. That devil deserves no love especially not from his younger brother!

Lan Xi Chen want Wuxian dead. By his hands. Heartbroken and alone.

It was amusement to his eyes to witness his brother Wangji breaking all ties with the man. Wuxian's hurtful tear was a bonus. Xi Chen quietly sneered behind the shadows.

As the bullet pierced Wuxian's chest, Xi Chen's eyes kept glued at him. His eyes were dead watching Wuxian fell off the balcony.

"At last." He wanted to savour the moment, yet he was stunned instead.

The man he had shot smiled as if relieved, as if he had been waiting for that moment to occur all his life.

Lan Xi Chen for once asked himself if he had done rightly? Was it really necessary for him to dirty his hands to avenge his long dead parents?

'What has he done?' He questioned himself, his sense of moral and empathy carving its way up to the surface.

His hand that were used to save lives, were then tainted by blood. His fingers which were trained to heal had just committed a murder! He had shot a man! Wuxian is a despicable murderer! And Xi Chen's deed made him the same, didn't it? He is now a murderer too!

How about his oath to save lives?

Xi Chen looked at his hands. They were trembling. He can't believe it is all done! He had finally ended things! The man he hated to the bones was now gone!

But why does his hands shake? He thought his hurt, revenge, and anger will end with Wuxian's death. But why was he not satisfied? Why does his heart weighed more? Why does the pain in his heart does not settle?

It seemed to him the years of his entire endeavour became pointless!

Restlessness grew in him. His conscience eating him alive.

A piercing cry instantly snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Young Master!" He heard Wuxian's assitant's voice reverberate and Xi Chen felt his adrenaline pumping through his veins. He shuffled back still with unresolved feelings. He retreated a little, slipping to the door, avoiding attention.

Clumsily, he fled. But as muddled as his mind was, he had made mistakes too numerous to count. He was sure the CCTV's had captured a sight of him in more than one count and he hadn't had the time to erase the prints and traces of his presence behind.

"F*ck!" He cursed as he made his way to the forest at the back of the estate. "It doesn't matter! The deed is done! My long overdue revenge had finally taken place!" He convinced himself like a mad man.

He was passing swiftly to the back door when he heard the voice he knew could only be distant and nonchalant, yet now seemed as if his world has collapsed.

"Wei Ying!" He knew exactly that it was his brother's voice.

Xi Chen caught a glimpse of his little brother once and saw the devastation in his usually impassive face.

The line of Xi Chen's shoulder instantly slumped. "I'm sorry, Wangji."

---------A/N:

Does Xi Chen's hatred justifies his deed?

What would happen to Xi Chen now? Would he rot in jail? (Another story-twist for this!)

Was it really all Wuxian's fault?

And why did Wangji came back? Did he not left Wuxian for good?

THIS CHAPTER IS STILL FOR EDITING

15-Aug-2021

I would really appreciate if you could VOTE this chapter and the chapters beforehand 💚

Lots of love!