Chapter 32: 2.4 Third Small Star – Empty Heart

Hospital. Wu Xue's former room. Left behind by Yue Wuya, Wan Lengya could only stand there in a daze. The nurses looked at him worriedly as his face turned ashen with shock. "Sir, is everything alright?" asked the nurses. Taking a deep breath as if he were extremely tired, Lengya took a second before answering. Sigh~ "Yes, there is no problem. Would it be alright for me to stay here for a moment?" replied Wan Lengya, leaving the nurses bewildered. They reluctantly nodded their heads and left the room, staring at him with confusion in their eyes. As he was left alone inside the room, Wan Lengya dragged a chair and sat by the open window, looking at the fully bloomed plum blossoms scenery. This was the scene Wu Xue wanted to see that day. Wan Lengya was in a daze, as if he were in deep thought, while unconsciously grabbing at his chest above his heart. The throbbing pain within him felt like proof that he had lost something extremely significant. He pondered what was wrong until he heard soft childish voices just outside the open door. 'Oh~ I told you the Fairy had left.' 'But the fairy said he will leave us some snacks in his room after he goes.' 'There is someone else in the room. How could we sneak inside?' 'Yea~ he looks so scary. Cold as ice. The fairy said he is a demon king.' 'What should we do now?' 'What to do?' Hearing their dialogue, Wan Lengya truly noticed a bag hidden by the corner of the bed. Clumsily hidden, the bag was filled with snacks that children enjoy. It seemed that these children were leeching sweets from Wu Xue's room when he was still around. After all, that person loves to eat sweet things. Thinking about this little cute hobby of Wu Xue, Lengya's lips unconsciously upturned. As if he thought of something, Wan Lengya took the bag of snacks and went to where the children were. He lowered himself to their height level and went down on one knee. "If you could answer a few questions, I will give all these to you guys in exchange," Wan Lengya said, showing the three children before him the snack-filled bag Wu Xue left intended for them. "Ah~ but that's what the fairy left for us~" "The demon king is bullying. You can't take what the fairy left for us." "Snacks~ sweets~" As if the children were unafraid of his cold demeanor, Lengya couldn't help but ask, "Are you not… afraid of me?" The children looked at him with cute, confused expressions on their faces. [? ? ?] [Three Bewildered Little Devils] "Why…? ~ The evil fairy said that the demon king only looks cold outside but is warm inside." "That's right, the fairy never lies. His voice is so amazing too." "Yes~ when he sings, the sound is like you're in heaven, but it feels sad~ Do you want to see? I've secretly recorded it once. You must never tell the fairy, or he'll get angry." Wan Lengya nodded his head. Then he watched the children bring out a tablet and play a single recording. Based on the angle of the video, it seemed to be recorded secretly without Wu Xue knowing. Within the screen, Wu Xue was looking out the window, watching the plum blossoms bloom. Only his side profile was seen on the tablet screen. His exquisite but pale face was recorded in the video. They could see him singing as they saw his mouth moving, and the sounds recorded on the tablet were heard. The song he sang was entitled "My Heart is Broken" [by Evanescence]. --- Lyrics of "My Heart is Broken" by Evanescence: I pull away to face the pain I close my eyes and drift away Over the fear that I will never find A way to heal my soul And I will wander 'till the end of time Torn away from you My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us from sorrow's hold Or from my hard heart I can't go on living this way But I can't go back the way I came Shamed of this fear that I will never find A way to heal my soul And I will wander 'till the end of time Half a life without you My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us, change, open your eyes to the light I denied it all so long, oh so long Say goodbye, goodbye My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us from sorrow's hold --- [A/n: Credits to the singer and composer of the song. The song is not mine.] The song is about a brokenhearted person who decided to let go of everything because someone broke his heart. The music is slow and mellow, but the core of the music is sadness and the misery of loss. Wan Lengya's tears couldn't help but fall as he listened to that familiar voice singing with such emotion, eventually melting even his ice-cold heart. That person in the video was his! The reason why his soul aches is that he lost him when he was already his, and that it was him who let him go for a mirage of someone who can never be the same as his wife. It was even during his wife's greatest sorrow. How could he not know? For someone like Wu Xue, who loves music as much as he does, how could he let go of that person's hand in his darkest moment? Even leaving this person alone in his despair. Only then did he finally realize why Wu Xue never looked at him once that day. Wu Xue was afraid. He was horrified by the fact that he might not be able to give him the freedom he wanted if he saw his face. He was anxious that he wouldn't be able to control his emotions, his love for him, and wouldn't be able to let go. Wan Lengya finally realized at this moment that what he lost wasn't only his wife but also his soul and heart, which cried out and loved only one person—Wu Xue. 'No, that was someone else. The Wu Xue he knows never moved his heart. That's why even three years had passed, he couldn't feel anything for him. Only that person… that one who disguised himself as Wu Xue but not the real one. It was someone who used Wu Xue's face, but the one inside is someone else. He knows he is right. He couldn't explain, and there is no evidence to his conjecture, but… his soul knows. That Wu Xue he saw that day is not the same Wu Xue who married him. Though in the end, it was still him who let him leave and escape from him.' As planned, on the same day, the following news about Wu Xue was released. First, his marriage with Wan Lengya, the King of Music, was officially dissolved. Second, Wu Xue was disowned from the Wu Clan's bloodline. He was no longer the Prince of the Wu Clan and cut off the remaining ties with Wu. Lastly, there was news about his real inheritance. Wu Xue is the Hei Royal Family's only remaining direct bloodline, except for the current emperor who married a male empress. The purity of his royal bloodline is even purer than those of the Wu Clan. He finally accepted his maternal family assets and will be enthroned as the crown prince of the Hei Royal Clan by next month. These three news items spread in the Wu Wan Conservatoire of Music like wildfire, and among them, one had been waiting for this, as it was something he planned. It was a young man with short obsidian hair and a pair of scarlet orbs. His appearance was the embodiment of innocence, brightness, and naivety, but at this moment, his scarlet eyes were filled with mirth and madness as he watched Wu Xue's figure on the television in front of him. Smiling evilly as if he were some kind of evil being. "Even after losing your fingers, your husband, and your identity as Wu Clan's prince, you can still block my way. Should I thoroughly destroy you then, Prince Xue~ Hahaha~" said Xing Ran as he watched the television in his room. After the announcement was made, there was chaos within the palace of the Wu and Wan Clan. They would have never expected that the unloved prince of the Wu Clan would have that kind of bloodline. Wu Xue, who is now called Hei Xue, was considered a pure-blooded royalty. His blood is so pure that even Wan Lengya's identity as the King of the Music industry cannot help but fall short behind his real background. When the Wan Clan saw the live broadcast, they couldn't help but feel extremely disappointed. They felt that they had ignored a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ascend to the peak of fame. The clan leaders and elders were all shaking their heads in shame, but among them, only Lady Wan showed a bitter but understanding smile when she saw the news. The moment she saw the news about Hei Xue, only then did she understand why she felt uncomfortable the moment her son and Wu Xue decided to divorce. That restlessness in her heart, she felt that day when the little prince ignored their presence—not only hers but also her son—made her realize that the little prince had decided to throw away his past. The past where he loved her son unconditionally. By throwing away his past identity as Wu Xue, he would now live his real life as true royalty. After all, the only things that kept him from leaving before were his love for music, which he lost when his fingers were crippled, and her son, Wan Lengya, who broke his heart when he agreed to their divorce. It was at that point in time that she realized that the moment her son and the little prince decided to get divorced on that day was the time they would lose all rights they used to think of as normal. Like calling Hei Xue by his name or even existing in his world. Being able to stay by his side or even being acquainted with this child named Xue. They had lost all rights and become nothing but mere strangers to each other. When Lady Wan saw her son, Wan Lengya, watching the news with no emotions—not even the usual coldness in his being existing at the moment—and then saw his soulless eyes, only then did she understand. That within the Wan Clan, there is only one person who lost everything. The moment the divorce between the Wu and Wan Clan was finalized. When Hei Xue left the country, Wan Lengya lost everything. He lost his emotions, his familial love, his heart, and his soul. The only thing that kept this person alive was music—music, which is the only remaining connection he could have with Hei Xue, who loves it second after him. Wan Lengya left his Clan's Mansion and headed back to the Wu Wan Conservatoire. Heading back home to the place that could only be called a house they formerly shared, and now could only be regarded as his sole manor. He walked toward the music room where the White Jade Piano was placed. Sitting in front of the white piano, Wan Lengya's fingers moved over each piano key, playing a certain etude while falling deep in his thoughts. Only the sound of the piano could be heard where he was. Wan Lengya's thoughts at the moment while playing his piano: 'Strive. Endeavors. Continue waiting. As long as I don't stop playing, You will return, right? My one and only true Muse.'