Jiang Li's breathing began to tremble. She finally said the words that had been lingering in her heart for so long but she couldn't bring herself to say: "I'm in so much pain."
What a strange feeling it was, and what a sentimental explanation, hard for others to understand.
She was in pain?
Why was she in pain?
She had just been recognized by the Sheng family. She was Sheng Shuocheng's daughter, with such an enviable identity. What was there for her to be in pain about?
She had close friends like Sister Chen, Xiaoye, and Jingyi. Her career was on the rise, and everything was moving in a positive direction. What was there for her to be in pain about?
If someone like her had the right to say she was in pain, then what about the millions of people in the world living in dire straits? How would they feel?
No one would understand her.
"I'm really in so much pain," Jiang Li's teeth chattered. Her knees were going weak from the cold, and she almost knelt into the snow. It was Xiao Yanzhi who held her tightly in his arms.
Held her tightly.
"My biological father and grandmother are very kind to me. My elder brother loves me very much. My friends treat me like family..."
She sobbed, "But I'm in more pain than before. I can't tell if all these are real or fake."
Because she was held in Xiao Yanzhi's arms, all her tears fell on his overcoat. "I'm afraid to sleep. I'm afraid to close my eyes. I'm scared that when I wake up after falling asleep, everything will be gone."
She was like the little match girl, only afraid that the match would go out.
Once the match went out, everything would be gone.
"I'm afraid I'll go back to the past, back to that rental house, back to the endless darkness..."
Her voice suddenly stopped. Her breathing became labored, and her whole face turned extremely pale.
Her eyes became even more vacant.
For someone who had been in the dark for many years, when she finally got a taste of light, the first thing she did was not to enjoy it but to worry about falling back into the darkness.
Because she had been unloved for so long, she lacked confidence when love finally came her way.
She used to be alone, and now she was only worried about losing what she had.
Hadn't she ever been in the spotlight? She had. When she won awards, when she was pursued by fans, when she received flowers and praise, she had regarded those moments as light.
But public opinion always came fast. Before she could stand on the pedestal for too long, she would be pulled down by all kinds of negative comments. The people who claimed to love her would instantly turn into devils who insulted her.
In this flashy world, she didn't know what was real.
"Xiao Yanzhi, if I had nothing, I wouldn't be afraid of losing anything," she sobbed. "But everything has a time limit. They will disappear quickly, and eventually, they will all leave me..."
"I won't," Xiao Yanzhi said in a low voice. When he touched her body, it was as cold as a block of ice that had been frozen for a long time. "I need you."
He covered her with his overcoat, trying to pass some warmth to her.
Jiang Li was shocked.
He said he needed her.
She had been the one who pushed him away first, but now he was telling her that he needed her.
"Just like you're afraid of losing all this, I'm also afraid of losing you. I'm so afraid that I can't eat well or sleep soundly."
He paused for a moment and then said, "Didn't I tell you that I had a dream before? But I didn't tell you what was in the dream."
His topic changed so abruptly that Jiang Li looked up at him from his arms.
"I dreamed that you were dead. The news was everywhere. Everyone said you had committed suicide," he said in a low voice. "But I didn't believe it. I said in the dream that I had to see your body."
"They said your body had been cremated and buried in the cemetery. I didn't believe it. I asked someone to dig up your grave and take out the urn. It was empty."
Jiang Li was stunned for a moment.
She was surprised to hear this, but at the same time, she thought it was something Xiao Yanzhi would do.
"The moment I woke up, I reached for my phone to check if you were really dead. I even called Song Yu and asked him to interpret the dream for me."
"Were you going to dig up my grave?"
"Yeah."
He answered in a low voice and hugged her tightly into his arms. "I don't want you to die. You're not allowed to die. You have to live well for me."
"You won't even let me rest in peace if I die?"
"I won't even let you rest in peace if you die."
She was silent for a few seconds and then suddenly laughed. She cursed, "Crazy."
He didn't care. He just gently kissed her lips, feeling her coldness. "Whether I'm crazy or stupid, it doesn't matter as long as I can keep you."
"... As long as you're here."
When they left, Xiao Yanzhi carried her out.
This ornamental garden was very large. Jiang Li had run deep into it, and it would take a while to get out.
Being carried in his arms, Jiang Li felt very secure.
The wind was still howling, and the snow was still falling, but she didn't seem as desperate to die as before.
It was as if hot blood had rushed into her body, and her body temperature was gradually rising.
Leaning against his chest, she could hear his steady heartbeat and feel his even steps.
With him, there didn't seem to be anything to be afraid of.
"Xiao Yanzhi, it's so dark here."
"You ran in here by yourself."
That wasn't what Jiang Li wanted to hear. "Xiao Yanzhi, it's still very cold here."
"Wait a minute. We'll be out soon," Xiao Yanzhi hugged her tighter. "Go back and take a hot bath, and then have a good sleep."
He saw lights in the distance. His people should have all arrived.
The most common thing she had heard recently was "have a good sleep."
But she hadn't had a good sleep for a long time.
"Xiao Yanzhi, you saved me," she said. "You shouldn't have saved me. I'll die sooner or later, if not this time, then next time."
"We'll talk about it when you die," he frowned and then quickly relaxed. "Since I've saved you once, you have to live well for me before you try to die next time."
"Xiao Yanzhi..."
"Talk less."
"You think I talk too much."
"Yeah."
"..."
Outside the gate, there were dozens of cars parked, and there were also medical staff waiting anxiously.
Before going in, Xiao Yanzhi had sent a message to Xue An, asking him to arrange the relevant medical staff. Now all the car lights were on, lighting up the way for them to get out.
"Someone seems to be coming out!"
"Over there, over there. Are there two people?"
"I can see..."
In the bright light, a man in a black overcoat and long pants carried a woman in a white cheongsam out slowly and steadily.
At that moment, he was like a knight guarding the princess in the dark, holding the princess he would cherish for a lifetime in his arms.
"Mr. Xiao is out!"
"Ambulance, ambulance, come quickly!"
"..."
Under everyone's gaze, Jiang Li felt extremely ashamed. She buried her face deeper into his chest. "I'm so embarrassed..."
"See if you dare to do this again," he just lowered his head, looked at her red earlobes, and gently kissed them.
Jiang Li had been to the gates of hell.
But wasn't Xiao Yanzhi the same?
The person in his arms was the fullness and joy he had regained.
She was his life.