I suddenly remembered the reason I found Shen Huaixu three years ago.

Not because his soul was soaked in darkness, but because he had Aning's scent on him.

I've always known that Aning's death wasn't an accident.

In the moment we brushed past each other, I understood that Aning died at his hands.

And he was attracted to my "unique" face.

He went to great lengths to create chance encounters, just to be with me.

I played along with his "romantic" gestures and became Shen Huaixu's girlfriend.

Not for revenge, but simply because I longed for Aning's scent.

The more people he killed, the fainter Aning's scent became on him.

Just as I was preparing to break free, I accidentally overheard a conversation between Shen Huaixu and his friend.

"A'Xu, do you remember the woman from seven years ago?"

"How could I forget? That stupid woman dared to provoke me, she's crazy."

Shen Huaixu's voice was full of disdain.

There was a moment of silence on the friend's end, then he continued, "She did die back then, right?"

"Did you forget? I broke every bone in her body, how could she still be alive."

Shen Huaixu boasted proudly, "She was begging on the ground like a dog, wanting to be a good person. I gave her a chance, but she didn't seize it."

So, Aning was killed by Shen Huaixu because she tried to save someone.

That actually aligns with her character.

If Aning wasn't his lover, why would he have her scent on him?

Their conversation continued.

"I think I saw her a couple of days ago."

Shen Huaixu raised his voice, "That's impossible!"

"Why?"

Shen Huaixu fell silent, his hand caressing his chest, "Anyway, she couldn't possibly be alive. Don't ever mention this again, or we'll have a falling out!"

That day they parted ways unhappily, and I finally understood why Shen Huaixu had Aning's scent on him.