In the decrepit warehouse, the sky-high flames spread rapidly, licking everything around, as if eager to swallow all life in its front.
Zhong Qing has already been forced deep into a corner by the encroaching flames. The scorching heat brought her to the brink of despair.
She had tried to break free multiple times, but all in vain. In what seemed like her final moments, Zhong Qing looked through the blazing fire at two people outside, huddled together, seemingly waiting to witness her death by the burning flames. This was too painful for her to bear, and hence, she found her voice, "Why, why are you doing this to me?"
Her words were obviously directed at Yang Qingsheng.
As soon as she finished speaking, a mouthful of thick smoke filled her throat, causing her to cough violently while clutching her throat.
"My dear sister, should I compliment your naivety or reprove your stupidity? Qingsheng and I are still madly in love, while you, on the other hand, you shamelessly persist in pursuing him. Moreover, you even rushed to this warehouse just because of one word from Qingsheng, tell me, aren't you cheap?"
The harsh words from Zhong Ya were like piercing needles to Zhong Qing's ears. She, momentarily taken aback, gawked wide-eyed at Yang Qingsheng, hoping to manifest some form of emotion on his face – but there was none. He just calmly looked at her without a shred of pity.
Over the years, Zhong Qing's business with her husband Huang Yan was booming, while her sister and brother-in-law, Yang Qingsheng, were living in dire straits. When they pleaded for her help, out of sisterly kindness, she did not bring up Zhong Ya's past fling with Yang Qingsheng that resulted in him abandoning her. She offered them jobs and treated them well.
Yang Qingsheng was her first love, somebody she had once deeply cared for. Hence, when he reappeared in her life, pouring his heart out about the past, professing his undying love for her and claiming his marriage to Zhong Ya was out of compulsion, she fell for his web of lies.
On this very day, Yang Qingsheng had frantically called her, sobbing about an accident at the warehouse. He talked at length about many things from the past. Zhong Qing, being softhearted, was worried about his wellbeing and rushed over, only to meet the calamity she was trapped in now.
The thick smoke choked her words. All she could do was glare at them, filled with resentment and regret.
"My dear sister, don't glare at us like that. In everyone's eyes, you are the one who killed her own son just to elope with Yang Qingsheng. Of course, after your death, it'll be your husband’s turn. Soon, your family will be reunited in the afterlife, and all the wealth and power you've built, will be me and Qingsheng's. Dear sister, are you happy for me?" Zhong Ya asked, almost maniacally, looking at Zhong Qing.
Seeing Zhong Qing live a prosperous life all these years had twisted her with jealousy, but seeing her in such agony now had somehow brought contentment to her heart.
"What did you say! What did you do to Xuan?!" In a hoarse and desperate voice, Zhong Qing tried to run through the circle of flames, but the scorching heat made her retreat step by step.
As the thick smoke filled her nostrils, and her consciousness began to fade, suddenly, she noticed a figure wrapped in a cloak, advancing against the fire.
Within the tangerine halo, he stood towering and handsome, reminiscent of a deity.
Zhong Qing thought it was an illusion before death until she was really held in his arms, and she realized that he had really come.
"What are you doing here, risking your life?" Zhong Qing's voice was roughened by the heavy smoke, sounding as worn out as someone in their seventies or eighties.
"Zhong Qing, I'll take you out. If we can't escape, we'll die together." Huang Yan stared at her and spoke with a particularly firm gaze, then picked her up and rushed out.
"Why save me, don't you love me? Did you marry me just because of... that time, that time..."
"No," he refuted, firm and decisive, "I married you because I love you... "
Even though you only have Yang Qing Sheng in your heart, I still love you, these remaining words, Huang Yan didn't say them.
Tears rolled down in an instant; Zhong Qing couldn't believe that she could still hear these three words from his mouth in this lifetime, but this might also be the last time.
"Watch out!" At the brink of consciousness, Zhong Qing saw the beams of the warehouse collapsing, coming right at them.
Until the final moment of the fall, Zhong Qing could still feel him protecting her, whispering into her ear, "I love you..."
And then the whole warehouse suddenly exploded...
*
Pain, intense pain was transmitted from all parts of the body, along with the sound of laughter and whistling.
"Everyone come see the drowned dog, come see! It's too hilarious, come beat the drowned dog..."
A teen's voice traveled to Zhong Qing, causing her to furrow her brows and strive to open her eyes.
Her gaze was focused, in front of her was a group of teenagers, each of them looking at her, their faces smug with mockery, derision, and apparent schadenfreude.
At this moment, she stood in the middle of the lake, having been abruptly pushed into the water, gasping violently. The bitter coldness of the river pained her to her core.
Under normal circumstances, Zhong Qing would have felt anger and disgrace in the face of such a scene, but now, she was only stunned.
She remembered everyone in front of her, her high school classmates, there was Gao Yingying, whom she once thought was her best friend, Zhong Ya, her sister in name, Jiang Tongfang, who liked Zhong Ya and kept teasing her to please Zhong Ya, and Yang Qingsheng, who ruined her life.
And...
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a figure standing against the wall, Zhong Qing shivered slightly, her eyes couldn't bear to look away.
He looked so wonderful now, handsome and unrestrained, casual but full of youthful vigor, his beauty made her eyes sting slightly.
If it wasn't for looking back now, she almost forgot how radiant young Huang Yan was.
"Yo, the waterlogged dog, what are your eyes implying? You wouldn't be into Huang Yan, right? That’s definitely a toad wanting to eat swan meat.” Jiang Tongfang's voice was shrill and annoying, even with the teenage timbre, yet it was still unpleasant to hear.
With his words, sighs seemed to come from all directions, carrying a torrent of malice, all targeting Zhong Qing.
If it were the old Zhong Qing, she would have covered her face and run away crying from such derision, but now she seemed as though she didn't hear it, still staring hard at Huang Yan, unable to take her eyes off him.
What's going on, isn't she dead? And Huang Yan, wasn't he also...
But now, she saw him so clearly, the him in his younger days, the most beautiful him...
So, is this a dream? Or...
Before Zhong Qing could figure out what was going on, she got splattered in the face with a handful of mud.
Raising her head, it was Zhong Ya. She stood tall on the bank, looking down at her condescendingly, “What are you looking at, go get my book!”
Zhong Ya glanced at the floating Chinese textbook not far from her, she quickly understood what was happening. But now, she didn't want to care about any of that, being able to see Huang Yan again, her heart was wrapped in a mix of sour, piercing pain, her eyes simply couldn't leave him for a second.