Little Miss Witch: Revenge of the Tainted Angel

"Chuntao, are you still mad at me?" Shen Zichen asked out of the blue. 

It was a good thing that Li Chuntao was already done with her meal and was lazily sipping her tea. She eyed him for a moment, considering his question before shaking her head. Was he ready to give up on his chase? 

Looking at him like this, Li Chuntao felt like she was some kind of moth encircling the lamp, being attracted to its light, but hadn't paid attention to its burning intensity. She got burned whenever she was with him. The fierce love she kept to herself for a long time had hurt her more. 

She couldn't deny that she loved him still and with even a sliver of hope, Li Chuntao fooled herself that he might come to love her too. However, she knew that she was just deluding herself. Wasn't this the reason why she ran away? 

She wasn't blind to see that Shen Zichen was trying to win her back. He wanted to be with her, but Li Chuntao couldn't muster the courage to believe him, to trust him this time. 

How could she? For so many years, she had waited for him to turn his attention to her. She was afraid to be left alone again and to suffer in silence. 

"I'm not mad at you, Shen Zichen," she admitted in a low voice. 

For the first time after two weeks of waiting, Shen Zichen finally heard her speak to him in a normal voice. He whipped his head to look at her and saw her gaze fixated on her teacup. 

The sky was already dark and the streets were being lit by lamp posts on the trail. The soft yellow glow cast on half of her face from the outside, but Shen Zichen thought it didn't affect her beauty even one bit. 

Her silence pained him. Shen Zichen once heard that silence was the greatest pain a woman can give. It was their loudest cry and when a woman ignores you, it means that she'd been hurt deeply. And when she did, it only meant that the game had changed. 

"I'm not mad at you," she repeated. "It's just this time… I want to love myself before anyone else," 

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Shen Zichen was stunned into silence. 

"So please don't waste your time anymore and leave me be. After this charade with Mu Jianyu, I intend to leave as soon as possible. I hope this time… you can find the one who can truly make you happy, even if it isn't me," 

Li Chuntao spoke in a gentle tone, without her usual coldness on it. She looked really serious this time. 

Shen Zichen could see that she was telling the truth this time and she was seriously giving up on him. 

"You don't love me anymore?" He asked incredulously. Just the thought of it made him aware of the pain that was spreading in his chest. 

"Yes, I do love you, Shen Zichen. Would you believe that I managed to contain all of it for the past decade?" Li Chuntao chuckled to herself. "But this time, I want to love myself because I know no one would love me and care for me as much as I would."

'I only had you and Ying and that was enough for me before. Now that she is gone, and the illusion I cast on myself to believe that you love me has faded into nothing. There's nothing left for me anymore but myself. 

To let go of myself from the love that was hurting me… to free myself, to treat myself better. If you're happy even if it isn't because of me then I'll be happy for you. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. 

Maybe someday when the pain finally subsides, I'll be able to learn to love another person again.' She thought in silence.

Shen Zichen couldn't believe what he was hearing right then. What did she say? She said she was leaving him again? What would he do if she left him again? 

He remained seated across her in shock, not knowing how to react to her words. Li Chuntao hadn't expected him to react like this, but at least she'd already made it clear to him. She stood up from her seat and gave him a slight bow. 

"Goodbye, Brother Zichen. Till we meet again." Before leaving the restaurant leaving Shen Zichen frozen on the spot. 

It took some time for Shen Zichen to recover. He jolted up from his seat and left some cash on the table before running after her. 

Did she just tell him goodbye? Was she bidding him goodbye for good?

No! Shen Zichen wouldn't allow it! He refused to believe that he could continue to live happily without her. Not when he knew that it had always been her. 

When he stepped out of Oriental Bliss, the influx of people coming his way confused him. He looked around but he couldn't see where Li Chuntao went. The right path would lead to the night market and knowing Li Chuntao who hated going to crowded places led him to believe that she had taken the left path that led to the nearest train station. 

Shen Zichen ran fast as he could, frantically looking everywhere for her form. He stopped once in a while to look around for her, in case he missed her. 

"Chuntao, please…" 

'Don't leave me alone. 

Don't give up on me. 

Let me show you how much I love you.

At least let me tell how much I love you.' 

Regardless if she rejects his feelings right now, Shen Zichen just wanted his feelings to reach her. After running around in circles, he finally got a glimpse of her form. She looked exceptionally lonely as she rubbed her arm with one hand as she made her way towards the train station. 

Li Chuntao had forgotten to take her bag with her when Shen Zichen dragged her for dinner. She wanted to cry and was ready to break down but she held her tears. For the first time in forever, she felt like she had made the right decision for herself. 

What she said to Shen Zichen were the words from her heart. It wasn't easy for her but she was able to tell him what she really wanted to say. 

Shen Zichen rushed towards her and engulfed her in an embrace from behind, catching Li Chuntao off guard. He didn't care about the people who stopped in their tracks to look at them. Damn it all! He only cared for his woman! 

Li Chuntao could feel his whole body trembling against her own as he held unto her tightly with his arms around her. What had come to him? 

"Li Chuntao… you are really cruel… really cruel." Shen Zichen pressed his face against her neck and wept in silence. 

Li Chuntao was shocked to feel his warm tears against her skin. Was he… Was he really crying? 

"Shen Zichen... Stop this already!" Li Chuntao held his arm that was wound around her torso. Her eyes now clouded with tears as she tried to break free from his hold. 

"I've already lost Zirui without seeing him and now you want to leave me too? Why wouldn't you share your burden with me? Li Chuntao, if I told you how much I love you, would you still dare to leave me alone?" 

Li Chuntao froze when she heard him.. Although the place was crowded with noisy people and cars, she heard him loud and clear.