CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 60: CRUEL, YET BEAUTIFUL

Inside, there’s only one photograph.

A woman was crushed beneath the tires of a heavy truck, and the deep red bloodstains dragged off the frame.

The woman’s body was mutilated, and just looking at the photo’s tragic state, it was clear she couldn’t be saved. Her beautiful eyes strained to look at a certain point beyond the lens, filled with reluctance and longing, contrasted with the shocking bloodstains beneath her, breaking one’s heart. Lu Shifeng was stunned by the photograph, reminded of his sister two years ago, also captured in a similar dying photo, recording the deepest despair and pain of humanity. The sadness in the eyes of the woman in this photo surpassed that of his sister.

He took just one glance before he couldn’t bear to look any longer, turning, seeking answers from Su Xingyu with his eyes.

Su Xingyu took a deep breath, struggling to speak, "This is my mother, my biological mother, Mu Yun. When I was five, she had an accident. I watched as she was dragged under the tires of that big truck, pulled for a long distance, only then..."

Her voice choked, and she pressed a finger against the corner of her eye.

"This photo is?" Lu Shifeng asked.

"I took it," Su Xingyu paused briefly, then continued softly, "Originally, I didn’t want to show it to you, because my mom is the closest person to me in this world... even if she’s dead." She didn’t want to display this bloody past in front of someone not considered close, letting a man who had deeply hurt her comment on it. However, today, when he stepped forward to protect her from being humiliated, she suddenly felt that perhaps they should try to communicate again, that he... wasn’t completely worthless.

She used her pale, slender fingers to gently stroke the old photograph, the yellowed corners slightly curled, gradually smoothing out under her delicate care: "After the car stopped, I ran over, crying and begging her not to die. She weakly looked at me, tried to move her fingers to touch me, but had no strength at all. I grabbed her hand, repeatedly calling out for mom, mom...

"Perhaps it was a flash of lucidity before death; she started to utter sounds. She told me there was a cell phone in the pocket, asked me to take a photo of her in that state. She said she loved me, had too much to say that she hadn’t said, asking me to look at the photo whenever I missed her, for the unsaid words were all in the photo."

Su Xingyu’s low voice echoed in the silent air.

Lu Shifeng frowned slightly, not expecting that such a tragic death photo had such an origin. He was puzzled, "Why would someone leave such a terrifying photo for their children?"

"Terrifying?" Su Xingyu’s eyes slightly reddened, her voice low and slow, "It is terrifying. But there’s a kind of love that never fades—Lu Shifeng, even in such a terrifying moment, even at life’s end, her eyes always said she still loved this world, still loved me. Despite all the pain, the light in her eyes never extinguished."

Lu Shifeng fell silent, not expecting Su Xingyu to say such words.

What he saw was a horribly distressing photo, whereas she saw endless tenderness and longing in the dying woman’s eyes.

He took the yellowed photo from her hand, looking it over carefully again and again. Indeed, despite half the woman’s body nearly ground into pulp by the truck, her gaze was so tender, the light overshadowed all pain.

Is this maternal love?

"This photo has accompanied me through many difficult days and nights," Su Xingyu spoke again, "Whenever I’m bullied, I think of mom... even in such despair and pain, my mom still loved me, and I regained the courage to face this world. I love her and also photography, for her, I want to pass on that glimmer."

Lu Shifeng seemed to understand something, "So the photo of Shi Yin dying wasn’t your first time photographing a dying person?"

Su Xingyu nodded, looking into his eyes, "Lu Shifeng, my mom left me this photo before she died, so I think perhaps many people would want to see their loved ones at the very end. Even if that moment is distressing, their eyes must have words to say, telling those still living not to despair about this world."

Lu Shifeng fell silent again.

Even if he closed his eyes, he could recall the photo of his sister in her final moments, so vivid, every detail so clear. In his sister’s eyes, there was a yearning for life, even at the last moment she still loved this world; perhaps she was saying, though this world is dangerous and terrifying, it remains captivating...

"Lu Shifeng," Su Xingyu’s voice was very light, "Believe me, I didn’t photograph your sister out of malice. At that time, I didn’t know she was your sister. More likely, she was just an ordinary person, a negligible girl from a regular working-class family or even smaller background. Her family wouldn’t have the capability like yours to investigate the cause of death, seek justice; covered by various rumors, they might not even know how their relative died, and this photo would become the only truth. They would need this photo."

He said hoarsely, "No, I don’t need it."

The scene before Lu Shiyin’s death was like a thorn in his heart; touching it even slightly caused unbearable pain.

Su Xingyu’s clear eyes looked straight at him, "If this photo were laid in front of you, letting you choose to look or not look, would you really choose not to look?"

Lu Shifeng pressed his lips tightly; if someone died besides his relatives, but he wasn’t at the scene, how could he not look if there was a photo?

Perhaps every relative would make the same choice as him.

Su Xingyu smiled bitterly, "Look, no one can resist this final farewell."

Lu Shifeng looked at her for a long time, his originally cold expression gradually softened, "So, you didn’t photograph this picture out of callousness?"

She shook her head.

He still looked at her, "Not because sensational photos could bring fame and benefits?"

She shook her head again, then found it unbelievable, "Lu Shifeng, why would you think that way? Don’t forget who my mother is—Mu Yun. My mom was the only Chinese woman to receive the World Photography Association Lifetime Achievement Award. Just by mentioning her name, I’d effortlessly gain attention from the world; would I need to post photos online anonymously?"

Lu Shifeng was slightly dazed, realizing his vision had been obscured by hatred, neglecting this issue all along. Indeed, as the only beloved daughter of the late famous photographer Mu Yun, just this identity alone would earn her much more attention than now.

He finally listened to her explanation.

"So, Lu Shifeng," she looked up, pleadingly at him, "Let me pursue photography, okay?"