Sea of Fire and Sacrifice

She walked on, passing through the red-leaf forest, past flocks of pigeons on the ground, past people bustling with work. She walked on until she stopped before a small coffee shop, a place that felt so familiar...

Hesitating for a long time, she looked at her phone several times, pressing buttons then turning it off, until at the very end of her patience, she finally dared to make the call.

"Hello."

"Hello, Xiang Wei."

Linh spoke softly, her tone calm, devoid of any impurities, but this call startled Xiang Wei on the other end, her hands trembling, almost dropping the phone.

"Hello, Linh..."

Xiang Wei said gently, her voice still slightly shaky, making Linh chuckle. What had she done to make Xiang Wei so scared?

"You're really cute."

"Ha..."

"Nothing, I just have something to tell you."

Noticing that her words were a bit strange, she quickly reverted to her usual cold tone, making Xiang Wei on the other end a little awkward, unsure how to reply, so she remained silent for a long time.

"You... want to meet me?" Xiang Wei stammered.

"Don't be afraid, I won't eat you. I'll wait for you at Now coffee shop."

After that, she stepped into the shop, then treated herself to a cup of coffee, as always, little ice, no sugar, waiting for time to pass.

The atmosphere in the coffee shop was very quiet; apart from her and a few sparse customers, there was no one else. The music from the radio was very gentle, significantly improving her mood. And after a very long time, perhaps about an hour, Linh saw Xiang Wei's small, pale white figure gradually appear behind the wooden door.

Linh looked at Xiang Wei; she was always so timid and shy, always giving people a feeling of wanting to protect her. Perhaps that's why Ling only loved her, right?

"Hello."

Xiang Wei said timidly, her small lips slightly pressed together as she looked at Linh, her large, tear-filled eyes making Linh think, could her tears always flow so freely? She looked so cute, but she wondered if anyone else, like her, felt a fondness for their love rival? How ridiculous.

"Please sit."

Although she thought this in her head, Linh maintained her cold expression.

"What would you like to drink?"

Linh asked softly, because she couldn't stand the deadly silence from the girl opposite her.

"Ah... ah... I'll have a glass of orange juice."

Xiang Wei forced a smile in reply, her face bowed low, because she didn't dare to face Linh. She didn't want to break other people's happiness, didn't want to step into the luxurious life of the privileged elite. She didn't want things to happen like this, she truly didn't want to...

"The baby... is it well?"

Linh looked down at Xiang Wei's flat stomach, her voice a little stiff and unnatural.

"I..."

Xiang Wei also looked at Linh, her eyes once again shedding clear tears that seemed to never stop. Xiang Wei cried a lot, but she didn't know that her tears only made Linh feel more uncomfortable. Xiang Wei could cry freely, but she couldn't; she was afraid of others seeing her weak side, she was very afraid, no one knew how many tears she had swallowed.

"Do you love Ling?"

Linh asked again, the corners of her lips drawing another stiff smile.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you sad. I really didn't know Ling was your fiancé. I truly didn't want to break your happiness... I truly... truly didn't want to be the third party... I truly didn't want to..."

Xiang Wei choked up, her entire body trembling from crying so much, but to Linh, why did Xiang Wei's tears make her heart ache even more? She had also once wanted to be the one to replace her in Ling's heart.

"Do you love Ling?"

Linh repeated the old question, a five-word sentence that once again stiffened Xiang Wei, for she didn't know how to answer Linh. Whether yes or no, it made her heart heavy and hard to breathe.

"Do you know... I've liked him since I knew what thinking was. He was an angel in my heart, but now it's over, truly over. And it's all because of you. Why do you have everything I don't? I just wanted a little of his affection, that's all. Why won't you take pity and give me a little? Why do you monopolize his heart?"

The gentle voice, like a slow-motion film, repeated itself in Xiang Wei's head, almost making her explode. She had said it wasn't intentional, she had said she didn't want this. Why was Linh like this? Why didn't she rush over and scold her? Why didn't she use harsh words as usual? Why was she so calm? The calmer she was, the more painful and uncomfortable Xiang Wei's heart felt.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... If you want, I can leave this place, I'll disappear from your sight. I'll never come back, okay?"

Xiang Wei cried loudly, her weak hands grasping Linh's as if pulling a life raft, but no matter how hard she pulled, she couldn't reach it.

The two remained like that, one crying, the other unable to cry, looking at each other without a word.

"I'm going to the restroom."

As if unable to bear this oppressive feeling, Linh excused herself and left. But who knew that the moment her back turned, tears welled up in her eyes. Linh looked at herself in the mirror, a terrifyingly pale face. Was this still her? No, this was no longer her. No longer Mai Hui Ling.

By the time Linh came out of the restroom, smoke had infiltrated from somewhere outside, growing thicker and thicker, making her breathing increasingly difficult.

"Xiang Wei, where are you?"

Linh called out in a panic, her voice lost in the sound of the fire. The fire spread everywhere, her breathing becoming harder and harder. The red fire, like a fierce beast, devoured everything. Linh walked on and on, her steps unsteady, but she couldn't find Xiang Wei anywhere.

"Wei... *cough*... *cough*... are you here?"

Her breathing became increasingly difficult; if she was like this, what would become of Xiang Wei? If anything happened to her, Ling would surely never forgive her.

"Wei, answer me... *cough*... *cough*..."

Her heart became terrifyingly anxious, her eyes blurred by smoke and fire, but she still kept them wide open, searching for that figure.

"I'm... here..."

After a long time, from under the wooden table, Xiang Wei finally replied, her voice faint, full of pain and weakness, making Linh's body seem to stop functioning, her eyes blurring, and chaotic images intertwining in her mind. In the sea of fire, a girl, her entire body drenched in blood, looked at her.

"Sister... I'm here..."

"Don't cry... help me... pay off their debts... what... I owed them."

"Don't cry... don't cry..."

The girl's face gradually disappeared amidst the screams. Linh's face now looked blank as she stared at Xiang Wei curled up on the ground, her face showing extreme pain.

"Watch out..."

It wasn't until a crossbeam was about to fall on Xiang Wei that Linh reacted, her entire body lunging towards Xiang Wei, her lonely shoulder in a thin leather jacket almost crushed by the crossbeam and the table. It was very painful, but Linh stubbornly held onto Xiang Wei. She had promised to pay them back. She had promised...

"It hurts..."

Xiang Wei groaned softly, her voice then fading away. As for Linh, she tried to suppress the pain radiating from behind. Her slender hands struggled to crawl out, trying to pull Xiang Wei outside, while she herself remained trapped.

But just as Linh was almost desperate, a figure appeared. That person, wearing only a black shirt, still tried to cross the sea of fire and enter, their voice filled with panic and fear, calling out the girl's name. But unfortunately, that name was not hers.

"Xiang Wei, where are you?"

Ling's voice was hoarse in the sea of fire, but Linh could still clearly hear the concern and worry in it. In the end, only she could make him like this. Make him brave the difficulties and rush into the heart of the fire. This was their love, and would she die here?

"Here..."

Linh called softly, her voice filled with desolation, the corners of her lips involuntarily smiling. She laughed at her own foolishness.

"Xiang Wei..."

Hearing someone call, Ling immediately turned and ran in that direction. Immediately after, he saw the image of a weak Xiang Wei lying lifeless on the ground. He ran to embrace her, his eyes now devoid of everything else.

"I'll take you out..."

Ling embraced Xiang Wei, gently kissed her forehead, then carried her out of the sea of fire. As for Linh, from the beginning of the story, she had no part. She remained silent, watching them gradually walk away, tears welling up in her eyes. Was this the end for her? Was this the price for her life?

In her mind, images from the past reappeared. A boy smiled and told her, "I will definitely protect you..."

Protect? It seemed only she was overly sentimental. She wanted to stop breathing so badly, she was so tired, so very tired...

Outside, she wondered if anyone would remember her?

...

As Ling exited the shop, the scene outside became even more chaotic, but as his feet moved, he was startled by a voice.

"Has anyone seen the girl in the purple dress? Has anyone seen her?"

The frantic voice of the shop owner rang out, making everyone fall silent as they watched the terrifying fire burn. Then, from within, the young man quickly emerged, holding the girl who had turned pale from lack of air...

Ling still stood there, looking at Linh. She now showed no signs of life. Her eyes were tightly closed, giving his heart a terrifying feeling...

"You, I will never forgive you."

As the young man passed him, he left a chilling remark that startled Ling. That face and those jade-blue eyes... so familiar.