Offend

His voice had already grown hoarse as Jiang Chen rested his head on her shoulder. The moment they touched the biting cold wind, it was as if he had already fainted.

Ye Mian dared not waste the strength to cry; instead, she kept turning her head gently and spoke to him in the softest voice: “We’re almost there. Don’t be afraid. It’s okay now. Everything will be fine.”

The snowy path they had taken was a fifteen-minute walk.

Ye Mian took thirty minutes to return.

Passing by the wishing tree, she silently prayed with utmost sincerity.

If there truly were gods or Buddhas, she hoped they would bless the person she carried on her back with safety.

His future was bright, yet he was close to death.

This was a reality Ye Mian could not accept.

Her entire body was nearly frozen as she finally reached the pavilion.

Jiang Yuan was still waiting there.

Her throat dry and hoarse, Ye Mian whispered, “Jiang Yuan, please help me.”

Her voice was no longer clear and bright as before, only heavy with exhaustion and grogginess, her arms nearly powerless.

Startled, Jiang Yuan dropped her camera onto the stone bench and hurriedly rushed over.

“Who is this? What’s wrong with him?”

The man’s head hung low, one of the earrings on his ear half detached.

Ye Mian’s eyes were bloodshot. “Yuan Yuan, please help me carry him to the temple’s meditation room first.”

—

Inside the tranquil meditation room.

The incense burner emitted wisps of smoke, ashes scattered across the table.

Everything here was simple—wooden chairs, a wooden bed, no modern facilities. The quilt was made of tightly packed cotton, and the only sources of light were candles and oil lamps.

A brazier burned lively flames, radiating the most primal warmth.

Frozen and trembling, Ye Mian sat beside the fire in Jiang Yuan’s room, warming herself for a long time.

The monks from Banruo Temple were still tending to Jiang Chen.

The steward came over to inquire, “Lady benefactor, what happened to this gentleman?”

Ye Mian gritted her teeth. The temple was a place of purity, yet she had no choice but to lie.

“He’s my friend. He fell from the mountain.”

The monk glanced at her in surprise. The young woman’s face was pale, probably from the repeated falls. Half of her skirt was soaked and stained, and there were traces of frostbite on her forehead.

Recalling that the mountain truly had no safety facilities and was not set up as a tourist spot, it was indeed easy to get injured.

The monk continued, “Lady benefactor, this gentleman has more than ten wounds on his body, multiple old and frostbitten injuries, a leg fracture, and some stomach issues. Our medical monk has begun treatment, but given the limited conditions, if he does not wake soon, please take him to a proper medical facility.”

Seeming reluctant to cause trouble, the monk added vaguely, “He also has weapon wounds. Although treated, the injuries are deep and reopened.”

Weapon wounds.

Ye Mian was stunned, her first thought being gunshot wounds.

Otherwise, Jiang Chen wouldn’t have said he couldn’t go to the hospital.

Though uncertain, she nodded. “Alright, I understand. Thank you, Master.”

After the monk left, Ye Mian glanced anxiously toward the adjacent room, her heart pounding with fear.

What would have happened if she hadn’t hung the wishing ribbon?

She could barely bear to imagine.

Undoubtedly, a person in such an environment, dressed lightly and injured,

would have died.

She touched the cash she always carried in her bag and stepped out of the meditation room.

In the temple’s main hall, she knelt devoutly on a bright yellow cushion and bowed three times with utmost sincerity.

Then she rose and placed the money into the donation box.

A nearby monk bowed and said,

“Amitabha.”

Only then did Ye Mian leave the main hall and return to the meditation room.

—

When Jiang Chen woke up, it was already noon three days later.

He hadn’t regained consciousness that day. Ye Mian worried about delaying treatment but also feared there was something else wrong.

She couldn’t tell.

In her distress, she asked a classmate to help find Guan Yi.

Sunlight poured over the white quilt on the bed. Jiang Chen covered his eyes with the back of his hand, took two minutes to react, and the first thing he did was search for his phone.

It was gone.

Recalling the scene of being thrown into the dark boat and escaping, his lips remained straight, icy.

He pressed the call button on the bedside.

A young nurse entered with a tray. Seeing he was awake, she smiled faintly. “You’re awake. Where’s your companion?”

Jiang Chen shook his head. His voice was hoarse, as if from disuse, his throat tightly closed.

“May I borrow a phone?”

The nurse softened, thinking he couldn’t reach family, and handed him a phone.

After checking, the call bell in the next room also rang. She said, “Make your call first, I’ll check next door.”

Jiang Chen lowered his eyes and said thank you.

He dialed the number from memory.

The ring barely sounded once before someone picked up.

“Hello? Who’s this?”

Jiang Chen’s gaze darkened. “Where are you?”

After a long search for Jiang Chen, Tong Guan spoke sternly, “Boss, I’m still looking for you. Where did you go? People here can’t find you.”

Jiang Chen frowned. “I’m in Wencheng. That group from Hua Qing… they tied me up and brought me back.”

Tong Guan—the big guy who was with Jiang Chen at the airport—had a fierce look. Hearing this, his iron fist slammed heavily on the table.

“Damn it! I knew it was them. Just because we took some of their business! Boss, are you hurt?”

“Yes.”

Jiang Chen looked out the window. “I can’t go back for now.”

“I understand. This time it’s our fault.” Tong Guan bit his lip and promised, “Don’t worry. You’re a businessman. The underworld stuff… those of us who run errands for you can’t just eat for free. Your hands must stay clean. I’ll fix this and come get you.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Jiang Chen, exhausted, rubbed his temples, hung up, deleted the call record, and placed the phone aside.

When the nurse returned, she pocketed the phone and applied medicine to Jiang Chen’s wounds.

When she reached his chest, Jiang Chen looked up at her. That glance was faint but made the nurse’s hand tremble.

Yet her expression remained unchanged, as if she did not see the gunshot wound, only advising him to avoid any contact or blowing on the wound to prevent infection.

Jiang Chen was silent for a long while before asking, “May I ask, the person who brought me to the hospital—”

Before he could finish,

Coincidentally,

A cheerful voice answered from outside the door almost immediately.

“That would be me.”

Guan Yi strolled in slowly, carrying a food box, smiling broadly. “Brother Jiang, feeling better? I brought you some food.”

Jiang Chen looked at him calmly and smiled gently. “Not you. Where is Ye Mian?”

He remembered it was a girl.

If he wasn’t mistaken, a silly girl who had fallen more than ten times in the snow.

“I don’t know either.” Guan Yi scratched his nose helplessly. “To be honest, Brother Jiang, how did you offend her? I thought Ye Mian was known for her good temper.”

Jiang Chen was momentarily stunned, his tone tinged with confusion. “I offended her…?”

An unexpected encounter, urgent matters, thank you all for the support, and apologies to everyone.

(The End of this chapter)