Chapter 122: The Youth Who Died Young
In the original book, Jiang Yan went to Phoenix Mountain together with Su Wanyuan.
It wasn’t like now, with heavy rain pouring down and Jiang Yan still braving the rain to go there.
So Su Wanyuan encountered danger on Phoenix Mountain and sought help from Jiang Yan?
So when she called him the first time, Jiang Yan was on the phone with Su Wanyuan.
And the second call was busy because the conversation hadn’t ended yet?
The third call was at eleven forty at night.
The call at that time went unanswered.
It’s already eleven fifty now, almost midnight.
Jiang Ning, refusing to believe it, called again.
The phone on the other end unexpectedly shut off directly.
“Fuck!”
Jiang Ning sat up from the bed, remembering the nanny’s last words.
Paper cranes scattered all over the floor.
Folded from candy wrappers.
Jiang Ning recalled how Jiang Yan’s eyes had sparkled not long ago when he told her he would work hard to finish the candy, then give her the paper cranes to grant her a wish.
That thing about a thousand paper cranes granting a wish is all just a scam.
Thunder still rumbled outside.
Silver-white lightning flashed on the window of her room, and from inside Jiang Ning saw her own face struggling with emotion.
Jiang Yan…
The youth in this book who died young.
Hated by his mother, persecuted by his older sister, and his father helpless about what happened to him.
Jiang Yan before age eighteen seemed to always live in darkness, and until his death, he never tasted a hint of sweetness.
Jiang Yan, what will you be like after age eighteen?
Like many youths full of anticipation for the future, entering university, entering society, enjoying life, starting a business and working, finding the girl of his dreams, having one son and one daughter, living happily ever after.
Jiang Ning went to the closet to rummage for a raincoat, put on warm clothes, and stepped out of her room.
Little Honey issued an alert: [Host! Do you know what you’re doing? I’ve already made concessions on Jiang Li’s matter and won’t pursue you changing the ending, but Jiang Yan’s death is a must in the plot.]
“So what role does Jiang Yan’s death play in this book? Is it worthy of song and tears just because he dies for the female lead? Will the female lead even remember this boy who died for her? Or in an angst novel, must cannon fodder’s life be used to earn readers’ tears?” Jiang Ning’s tone was indifferent: “And after that? The male and female leads live happily, but who will remember that once there was a youth not yet eighteen who died on that lonely cold mountain? This is a meaningless death.”
“Little Honey, people should revere life.”
Little Honey was speechless, and after a long while said: [But you promised me you wouldn’t interfere.]
Jiang Ning’s tone apologetic: “Sorry, I broke my word.”
Little Honey didn’t speak again, probably knowing it couldn’t persuade Jiang Ning, so it shut up and went to the corner to sulk.
Jiang Ning didn’t have a driver’s license in this world, but she had one in the original world and knew how to drive.
She went to the garage and picked a low-key black car; this late at night, there probably wouldn’t be traffic police stopping to check her license.
After getting in the car, since she wasn’t clear on Jiang Yan’s situation, Jiang Ning feared rushing up rashly would get her killed there too, so after hesitating repeatedly, she shamelessly drove to the entrance of Xie Jingyan’s old residential building.
Of course she didn’t have to find Xie Jingyan.
But she wasn’t that close with Wei Jin either; between the two, Jiang Ning preferred to trouble Xie Jingyan more, after all she was paying him, and Xie Jingyan was nominally her servant, so he had to work for her anytime, and directing him felt natural.
His room was pitch black, so he was probably asleep.
Jiang Ning, holding an umbrella, hurried up to the fourth floor and started knocking at his door.
A few minutes later.
An indifferent voice came from inside: “Who?”
Jiang Ning cleared her throat, then lowered her voice guiltily: “It’s me…”
After all, before coming to him, Jiang Ning had ignored him for nearly a week.
The next second, warm yellow light lit up inside and seeped through the door crack, inexplicably adding a bit of warmth to this lonely late night.
In no time, the door opened.
Xie Jingyan was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, with slippers on his feet.
Sleepy-eyed, his black hair a bit messy, he looked like he had been asleep but was forcibly woken by Jiang Ning.
Xie Jingyan’s dark eyes scanned Jiang Ning’s outfit up and down, finally settling on her bright and beautiful face, his eyebrow slightly raised: “Coming to find me to sleep in the middle of the night?”
Jiang Ning’s face red: “Who wants to sleep with you? Don’t be so narcissistic, okay? I already said, you’re not worthy of this miss.”
Xie Jingyan leaned against the door frame, smiling faintly: “Sorry, I thought you had a huge curiosity about the opposite sex’s body too.” He opened the door wider: “Come in if you have something to say, it’s freezing outside.”
Jiang Ning had no time to linger and quickly pushed Xie Jingyan into the room: “Hurry and put on something thicker, come with me to a place.”
Xie Jingyan’s hand braced against the door frame, turning to look at her: “Where to? You explain nothing and just tell me to come with you quick, what if you sell me?”
Jiang Ning speechless: “To Phoenix Mountain, we’re… going to save someone.”
Xie Jingyan: “?”
……
At this time, at the foot of Phoenix Mountain.
Jiang Yan followed Su Wanyuan’s location.
The reverse route wasn’t hard to climb, just a bit far.
But Jiang Yan encountered Su Wanyuan after only half an hour.
Her face had turned pale from the cold.
While Gu Lanli, covered by the tent, was unaware of the situation.
Jiang Yan just felt a bit cold.
Why had he only thought to bring them warm things and not considered wearing some himself?
Jiang Yan was slightly panting.
He couldn’t figure it out.
He handed the backpack to Su Wanyuan: “How’s Lan Li?”
Su Wanyuan took it and hurriedly rummaged for clothes to put on.
To make it realistic, she had thrown away the cotton-padded clothes she wore close to her body.
While Gu Lanli had been wrapped by her in a thermal blanket against her body.
After all, her plan from the start wasn’t Gu Lanli’s life.
Su Wanyuan’s voice grateful: “A Yan, good thing you came, or Lanli and I would have died here.”
“Can you take us up? I just found out there’s a special rescue cable car set up on the reverse route; as long as Lanli and I go up, we’ll be safe.”
Su Wanyuan pushed Gu Lanli to Jiang Yan: “Hurry and carry him, I’m freezing all over and have no strength.”
Jiang Yan was actually cold too, his face a bit pale, lips colorless.
He just felt his mind in chaos, with only one voice telling him to listen to Su Wanyuan.
He took a gentle breath and carried Gu Lanli toward the place Su Wanyuan pointed.
Time quickly reached midnight.
Upon arriving, there was only one cable car.
Su Wanyuan helped Gu Lanli hurry aboard, quickly closed the door, and said apologetically to Jiang Yan: “A Yan, the cable car can only seat two, wait here for me a bit, I’ll take Lanli to a safe place and come back for you.”
Jiang Yan’s pupils still dilated, he nodded woodenly.
Then he squatted in place, holding that tattered tent over his head to shield from the rain.
Su Wanyuan watched the cable car getting farther from Jiang Yan; as she breathed a sigh of relief, she inexplicably felt a bit uncomfortable.
This feeling of being swayed by emotion made her inexplicably irritable.
She couldn’t help looking back once more; Jiang Yan had become a small black dot.
Like a grave.
Typo correction aw~
