NOVGO.NET Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter 401: The Brave Child
Chapter 408: Chapter 401: The Brave Child
The ones set to leave could never be kept, and the ones determined to live always survive.
From that moment onwards, she would see a man standing on the rooftop every day. He was getting thinner, his face increasingly pale. At one point, she even wondered if he would jump.
She would always stand behind him with worry, but this man never gave up on his life.
Perhaps he had nothing left to live for, or perhaps he was at a dead-end. But he never contemplated ending his life in such a manner as he was none other than Gu Ning.
One day, her blood dripped onto the hospital bed. She understood she was close to the end, though she was not sure if it were truly the end. Now it became clear to her why Gu Ning had never jumped – he didn’t want to die. There were still many things he had not accomplished, and many people he couldn’t abandon.
However, it seemed like she wasn’t granted such a chance by fate. As her consciousness gradually faded, she vaguely felt a warm hand placed on her forehead.
“May you be treated gently by the world in your next life…”
Suddenly, she opened her eyes wide, sitting up abruptly. Her forehead was covered with cold sweat, dampening her clothes.
She grabbed her phone from the bedside table. The cold glow illuminated her face, adding a little bitter aftertaste.
It was five in the morning, one hour before she had to wake up.
She lay down again, trying to squeeze in more sleep, but restlessness kept her awake.
Eventually, she sat up, got dressed, and got ready to wash up. Since she couldn’t sleep anyway, she figured she might as well clean up. Upon her return, the others in the dorm were awake. Tang Yuxin sat down and pulled out her phone. With a few taps, she saved Gu Ning’s number.
The saved contact read –
Uncle Gu.
Time passed and several months transpired, though it only felt like three short months. Tang Yuxin’s exchange program came to an end and she had to return to Qing University to continue her studies. She gained a lot from the unanticipated friendships that blossomed during her time away. As for Wei Jiani, she gave no parting gifts nor said any farewells.
None of these things mattered to Tang Yuxin. She sincerely hoped that she would never see Wei Jiani again, finding her utterly annoying. She often felt the urge to slap Wei Jiani in the face.
She took a cab straight home to the old courtyard house she had not seen in a long while. A layer of dust had settled over the place, making the neglect evident.
She kept her luggage aside and rolled up her sleeves. Drawing a basin of water, she began cleaning the house. After a day of rest, she would have to return to class the following day. With about a month of school left, she needed to finish her report on her exchange program and her end-of-term reflection. Many found the life of a medical student rather vexing.
At this time, the farmhouse sun painted the land with warm hues of afternoon. The parasol trees in the courtyard, however, shielded most of the heat. In fact, only the sunbeams sneaking in through the tree shadows scattered specks of mottled light, giving the courtyard a lukewarm look.
The waters of Li Tang village remained clean just like old times, even though the Blue River had gotten somewhat polluted. The river behind Li Tang village, the source of the Blue River, remained clear and sweet. It flowed from the mountains, like an untainted stream, holding the test of time. The village seemed frozen in the past, away from the world’s hustle and bustle.
The Tang brothers lived at the entrance of the village. They had not only become renowned figures in the village but also in Qing’an.
Their standing in the village was unparalleled.
They funded road repairs, built schools, and installed water lines in the village. They empowered those who were jobless with employment opportunities. Whenever the villagers mentioned the Tang brothers, they praised their generosity and spirit. They appreciated how the brothers, despite acquiring fortunes, never forgot their roots – they had the village and its children at heart.
Chengcheng, yet to celebrate his fourth birthday, was plump and delightful. His chubby arms and legs full of strength and free from illness. People acclaimed Chengcheng a good luck charm – in their eyes no child could have been as healthy as him. Moreover, since Chengcheng’s birth, fortune had smiled on the Tang family. Their business thrived majestically.
The Tang brothers were now distinguished figures in Qing’an.
Naturally, everyone wanted their children to spend time with Chengcheng, hoping they could catch a bit of his luck. Not that it would bring them much fortune, but at the very least, they hoped for good health.
“Chengcheng, look!”
A friend pointed towards something, beckoning Chengcheng over.
Chengcheng waddled over with his tiny chubby legs resembling a cute, plump penguin.
“It looks the same as the one at your place,” the friend pointed cheerfully at the object.
“Yep, it’s just like ours,” Chengcheng crouched down happily. The children surrounded a red and blue snake that had rolled up in front of them. The color of its body appeared luminescent, quite appealing at first glance. However, given a second look at the snake’s cold, vertical pupils, one’s scalp would tingle with eerie discomfort.
“Chengcheng, you have a lot of them at home.”
A friend poked Chengcheng’s rosy arm, “You should catch it and put it in a jar.”
“My sister doesn’t allow me to touch them,” Chengcheng bit his little finger, feeling conflicted. “My sister has said it will bite people.”
“Your sister is not here. She will not find out.”
The friends egged him on. Chengcheng was left biting his finger. Perhaps he could catch it and give it to his sister. She would be thrilled. He stood up and slowly advanced to capture the snake…