Arcanum: Chaos Path

Chapter 286 I Want to Hate You

"No." Zhou Mingrui shook his head.

"That's good." Benson said this, then suddenly fell silent. It was unclear what he was thinking. After a long moment, he looked back at Zhou Mingrui, forced a smile, and extended his hand, saying, "Let's get acquainted again. I'm Benson Moretti."

"Zhou Mingrui." Zhou Mingrui reached out and held that hand, and also forced a smile.

"I'm sorry, I can't think of you as Klein anymore, but I can't think of you as a stranger either." Benson released his hand and looked at Zhou Mingrui. "I've thought about asking you to stay away from us, but that would also hurt you... You don't deserve to be hurt by this."

Benson was a good person, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to teach Melissa and Klein. It was precisely because of this that Benson couldn't vent his anger on the young man in front of him, nor could he ignore his grief. He couldn't see him as Klein or a replacement for him, nor could he ignore the part of him that belonged to "Klein."

Benson closed his eyes, and the events of the past few months flashed through his mind. He couldn't deny it, and it was impossible for him to deny it. Even though he knew that the person in front of him was not his familiar brother, he still couldn't feel disgusted with the person in his memory.

The other person's feelings for them are real, and although their feelings for each other are misplaced, they cannot be said to be completely false.

Benson opened his eyes again. He looked at Zhou Mingrui and said, "I don't know what Melissa thinks, but I..." He paused before continuing, "Maybe I can treat you as a new friend or family member?"

Not a replacement for Klein, but a whole new family.

Having said this, Benson looked at Melissa, who had stopped sobbing at some point. Feeling his gaze, she also raised her head.

"Melissa, what do you think?" Benson asked softly.

Melissa looked at Benson with her eyes red from crying. She didn't know what she was thinking. After a few seconds, she looked away. This time, Melissa looked at Zhou Mingrui.

Zhou Mingrui let her look at him, and it was hard not to feel nervous.

"..." Melissa looked at Zhou Mingrui for a long time before lowering her eyes and saying, "You and Klein are really similar, but you are also very different. I didn't notice it before, but now..."

She curled her lips, her smile lacking any joy but instead filled with bitterness. She said, "Klein isn't as smart as you, nor as capable as you, but he works really hard. He works really hard to become better, to find a good job, and to help Benson..."

"I'm sorry." At this moment, this is all Zhou Mingrui could say.

"You don't have to apologize. This isn't your fault. I understand it isn't your fault." Melissa shook her head. She seemed a little absent-minded, not knowing what she was recalling. It took a long time for her to speak again.
"Actually, I want to hate you. You replaced my brother. Even if you didn't mean to, I should hate you."

"I'm sorry." Zhou Mingrui felt bitter in his heart.

"But I can't do it!" Melissa finally looked up at Zhou Mingrui, her amber eyes filled with tears again:

"I can't hate you. I can't hate someone who loves us... Your eyes, your expression, and all the memories of you tell me that you love us, just as Klein loves us. You're in pain, just as we are."

"You're not the murderer who killed Klein. You're just an innocent person, an innocent person who was deeply influenced by Klein. I can't hate you. I can't even dislike you..." Melissa looked at Zhou Mingrui, her eyes red.
"I know that even if the real Klein were here, he wouldn't be able to hate someone like you. He might even be happy that we still have someone like you to take care of us after he's gone."

"Why? Why do you have to be so nice? If you were one of those villains, the ones described in stories and dramas, the ones who take someone else's place and act recklessly, then I would hate you." Melissa seemed to be questioning, but also seemed to be simply venting. Her voice choked with sobs, and she looked at Zhou Mingrui and continued:
"Why do you have to suffer and feel sad about this just like us?"

Zhou Mingrui couldn't answer. He looked into Melissa's painful eyes, and his heart felt as if it was torn apart.

"Answer me, why?" Melissa seemed to be suddenly angry at his silence. She stood up and reached out to grab Zhou Mingrui's collar, questioning him. Zhou Mingrui looked at her, and finally couldn't hold back the emotions in his heart, and said:

"Because I also consider you as family, even though I'm not Klein."

An answer that had been revealed long ago made Melissa withdraw her hand as if she had been electrocuted.

Melissa finally closed her eyes as if she couldn't bear the intense emotional ups and downs, fell back onto the sofa, and seemed to faint.

"Melissa!"

The two were shocked when they saw this. Benson rushed over to check on Melissa and was about to take them to the hospital, but was stopped.

Melissa didn't actually faint. She opened her eyes, grabbed Benson's hand, and said, "No need to go to the hospital. I'm fine."

"I'd better leave first..." Seeing that Melissa was fine, Zhou Mingrui breathed a sigh of relief and spoke with difficulty.

"No!" Melissa shook her head. She did not immediately say why she did not want Zhou Mingrui to leave. She just stretched out her other hand and grabbed the hem of Zhou Mingrui's clothes who had just rushed over.

Zhou Mingrui was at a loss, but he didn't dare to break free and could only stand there.

Melissa seemed to have finally gathered some strength after a moment of silence. She looked at Zhou Mingrui and said, "...I can't possibly mistake you for Klein."

"I know." Zhou Mingrui's voice was dry.

"I'm not as mature as Benson. I can't treat you as a new family member." Melissa paused before continuing, "But I can't ignore your pain and the past..."

"So, that's it!" Melissa closed her eyes, then opened them again and said, "From today on, I will consider you a friend of Klein. Influenced by Klein's memories and emotions, you consider us family. In a sense, you're probably listening to Klein and taking care of us."

"Is it okay?" Melissa looked at Zhou Mingrui and asked.

“…Okay.” Zhou Mingrui couldn’t quite describe his feelings at the moment. He simply nodded under Melissa’s gaze, then forced a smile and said, “Then let’s get to know each other again, Melissa. I’m your brother’s friend, Zhou Mingrui, and he invited me to take care of you.”

"Hello, Mr. Zhou Mingrui, I'm Melissa Moretti." Melissa finally managed a smile and said, "Nice to meet you."

……

Zhou Mingrui attended the funeral of "Klein Moretti".

Because there was no body, Benson and Melissa chose to bury the clothes that once belonged to "Klein Moretti" instead of the body.

At the same time, Benson and Melissa also informed "Klein's" friends, but did not inform Dunn and others - these people knew Zhou Mingrui, not the real "Klein".

(End of this chapter)