The dark shadow flitted past at an astonishing speed. Yu Nian's complexion darkened. It seemed to be a creature that had been dead for years. Her body was yet to fully recover, and a confrontation with it would surely spell a fierce battle.
Curiously, the shadow vanished after leading Yu Nian onto the deserted highway.
It was the dead of night, and the road stretched out, desolate and empty.
Yu Nian scanned the area and noticed a long drag mark on the ground, as if something had been violently slammed.
Beyond the road lay a sheer cliff that seemed to plunge into infinity.
Yu Nian peered down, her eyes suddenly lighting up.
Such a rich and potent aura!
Acting on impulse, Yu Nian leaped off the cliff, floating downward as if weightless.
There was a soft tearing sound, and Yu Nian felt a chill on her calf...
Just then, a long - distance bus rumbled by. The drowsy driver caught sight of the whole scene and his eyes popped out in disbelief.
"Am I seeing things?"
But when he saw the white fabric fluttering on the railing, his hands trembled as he dialed the police. "Hello, officer? There's someone who just jumped off the cliff..."
At the bottom of the cliff, the air was thick with the metallic scent of blood.
Two mangled cars were piled on top of each other, billowing thick smoke.
Amid the wreckage, Yu Nian spotted a faint glow.
This was the aura she had sensed earlier, but for some reason, it had grown much weaker.
With a wave of her hand, Yu Nian effortlessly cleared the debris weighing down on the source of the aura.
A tall and lanky man lay there motionless.
Blood obscured his face, and a shard of glass jutted out from his chest.
A pale green glow seeped from his wounds, fading with each passing moment.
Yu Nian frowned and beckoned with her finger. The glows fluttered towards her like fireflies, then softened upon contact and merged into her body.
The color returned to her pale face instantly.
Yu Nian's expression turned intrigued. This man was born with a cauldron constitution. In simpler terms, he was a walking reservoir of spiritual energy, an endless wellspring as long as he lived.
At this thought, Yu Nian's eyes glinted with a greenish light.
"After all these years of doing good deeds, I've finally caught a break."
She approached the man and gently wiped the blood from his face. When she saw his features, she nodded in approval.
The next moment, she leaned in. As their lips met, the falling leaves stilled in mid - air, and an invisible aura was slowly transferred into his mouth.
Feng Chengyuan was in excruciating pain, as if every bone in his body had been broken and then roughly pieced back together.
But his mind was gradually clearing. Was he still alive?
Hadn't he been in a car accident, crashing into an empty vehicle and plummeting into the valley?
Just as he was lost in confusion, he felt a weight on his chest. A sweet fragrance filled his nostrils, and a soft head nestled against his chest.
Before he could push her away, a cold voice drifted into his ears.
"You've drunk my blood. We are now bound by a contract. Those who break it shall be struck by lightning. Don't worry, I'll protect you from now on."
The voice was strange. It had the timbre of a young girl, yet carried an air of maturity and control.
Feng Chengyuan was stunned. A fleeting memory of the soft and cool touch of her lips flashed through his mind.
Somehow, he didn't push her away.
After a brief moment of consciousness, Feng Chengyuan fainted again. The last thing he saw was the girl's eyes.
Clear as a mountain pool, they seemed to span the River of Forgetfulness.
"Jumped from such a height? Are you sure you weren't hallucinating from driving all night?"
The police officer frowned at the sweating truck driver. It wasn't that he didn't believe the man, but the cliff was so steep. Who in their right mind would jump off? The body would probably be impossible to find.
"I'm certain, officer! Look, the fabric from the girl's clothes is still here!"
Just as they were searching, a young police officer suddenly shouted, "I found them! They're here!"
"Them? I thought there was only one person?"
The group rushed to the scene. In the wreckage, a beautiful young man and woman were lying in each other's arms, their clothes stained with blood, but their expressions serene. As the first rays of dawn illuminated them, it looked more like a photoshoot than an accident site.
"Has the ambulance arrived? Hurry and get them out! Xiao Wu, cordon off the area!" The lead police officer reacted quickly and began the rescue operation.
The reporters nearby were stunned. Staring at Feng Chengyuan for a moment, their jaws nearly dropped. "Isn't this Mr. Feng from the Feng Group...?"
"Wait, that girl. Why does she look so familiar? Yu Nian? Why was she with Feng Chengyuan and how did they end up falling off the cliff?"
What was supposed to be a simple report on a scenic area accident had turned into a bombshell.
Despite the police's repeated attempts to stop them, the reporters continued to snap pictures of the ambulance.
Feng Chengyuan's influence was immense. In less than half an hour, the topic #Feng Chengyuan Falls off the Cliff# crashed the Weibo server.
And Yu Nian, riding on his coattails, made it onto the hot - search list for the eighth time this month with #Yu Nian Attempts Suicide#.
When He Zhiping rushed to the hospital, Yu Nian was sitting by the window, lost in thought.
He hesitated for a moment, feeling a pang of sympathy for his artist's slender back.
The company bore a great deal of responsibility for Yu Nian's situation. At first, the department head had chased her for three blocks to sign her.
But what had they done to her later? They had withheld resources and engaged in malicious publicity, slowly eroding the once - hopeful girl's spirit.
Now, when something went wrong, the first thing the company thought of was to terminate the contract.
He Zhiping resented the company's cold - heartedness and his own powerlessness as a mere agent.
He sighed softly. "Yu Nian, I apologize on behalf of the company. I've tried to negotiate, but it seems the contract termination is inevitable."
He closed his eyes, unable to bear the thought of seeing the girl's tears.
But for a long time, there was complete silence.
He Zhiping opened his eyes in confusion. The window seat was empty. Where was Yu Nian?
Outside the ward, the girl's voice drifted over. "Braised shark fin, stewed deer tendons, imperial Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, and cherry - flavored pork."
The nurse in front of her had a black look on her face. She glanced at the department sign to confirm it was the surgical ward, not the psychiatric one, and forced a smile. "Ma'am, we only have boxed meals here."
"Boxed meals?" Yu Nian was taken aback. She had died in 1913, and her memories of food were still of sumptuous feasts.
Seeing the nurse's growing irritation, He Zhiping quickly pulled Yu Nian away. "I'm sorry. She just woke up and is still a bit disoriented. A boxed meal will do."
"Let go." A cold voice came. He Zhiping was startled.
Yu Nian had somehow shaken off his hand and was glaring at him coldly.