Oblivion

The dark clouds piled atop one another like jagged mountains, pressing down on the city until it could barely breathe.

Ye Mian had already taken off her trench coat and draped it over her front. She glanced at Jiang Chen, who was leaning against the car, resting. Quietly, she refrained from disturbing him.

Turning her head, she gazed at the traffic outside the city. The car’s interior was tranquil, and as she leaned back in her seat, her chin tilted upwards, her palms grew warm.

It was probably the way Jiang Chen had just eaten that candy that left her heart unsettled.

Feelings from her past and present lives mingled in confusion.

Now, she could clearly discern what this emotion was.

She liked Jiang Chen.

So, she often wondered involuntarily whether Jiang Chen might also like her.

There was no evidence to support her speculation.

But people have instincts, and she trusted her own.

At the very least, Jiang Chen didn’t feel nothing for her.

The one she liked was right in front of her, while his future, bright as a meteor, would draw every gaze before burning itself out.

She remembered how, in her previous life, a colleague had once sighed beside her ear, lamenting that someone so brilliant would willingly throw away his own future.

At first, she merely wanted to try—to see if she could help Jiang Chen avoid that mistake. If she couldn’t, so be it.

But now, things had changed. Her affection had deepened, fermenting in her heart.

She had to ensure Jiang Chen lived well.

She knew she couldn’t catch up to Jiang Chen’s pace, but she still wanted to try.

So she grew anxious.

She couldn’t just stand by, battered and defeated, waiting for a prince to carry her to the castle like Cinderella.

And then, when the tragedy struck, be left helpless and lost.

Heaven wouldn’t grant her endless chances to start over.

...

Twenty minutes later.

The car stopped at the gates of Wen University.

The campus, too, was shrouded in gray. The branches were drenched by wind and rain, leaves clinging to the ground in tattered heaps. Only the twenty-four-hour security office glowed with early light.

Jiang Chen opened his eyes after a short rest; they were clear and alert.

He opened the car door, raised his umbrella, and walked over to shelter Ye Mian.

Ye Mian stared, momentarily dazed, at his tall figure before opening the door and stepping out.

Beneath the narrow umbrella, she stood close to him, close enough to catch the woody scent he wore—a fragrance now tinged with a faint trace of tobacco, different from before.

He held the umbrella, tilting it toward Ye Mian. His deep voice sounded in her ear, “Will you come with me to find the car service?”

Ye Mian nodded without hesitation. “Okay.”

There was only one umbrella; she couldn’t let Jiang Chen get wet again.

The rain fell quietly and ceaselessly.

They walked to the black Mercedes. Jiang Chen opened the driver’s door. Ye Mian, watching her own nose and keeping her thoughts in check, reached out for the umbrella, but he made no move to hand it to her.

She paused, then looked up at him. “…Jiang Chen?”

Jiang Chen dropped his gaze to her, those eyes serious and helpless, rippling and captivating.

After a long moment,

His voice finally sounded, cooler than the rain, yet the words were warmer than anything. “Ye Mian, don’t ever do anything so foolish again. The rain is heavy today—it’s dangerous, you know that, right? No matter what, you must protect yourself.”

Ye Mian’s heart tightened, and her nose stung.

She wanted to ask if Jiang Chen knew that he, too, could be protected by someone else.

Her voice was soft but stubborn, “I will take care of myself, but I want you to be happy.”

A light flashed in Jiang Chen’s eyes. After a pause, he smiled. “If you can protect yourself, I’ll be very happy.”

In the small space carved out by the rain, Ye Mian listened to his words, her heart beating faster and faster.

Sir, if you say such things, I’m bound to misunderstand.

And those words reminded Ye Mian of memories that had surfaced during hypnosis.

She bit her lip, testing the waters, “If—just if—one day I couldn’t protect myself, would you save me?”

She knew it was a sudden question.

But chances to see Jiang Chen were rare; the opportunity to ask such things even rarer.

Now was the best time.

There was a silence from the other side.

Jiang Chen’s fingers tapped the car door out of habit. He didn’t know why the girl would ask such a thing, or perhaps he was starting to piece together the tiny clues from that day.

He was always sensitive to emotions.

Ye Mian waited for his answer, her heartbeat wild and chaotic, her breathing so light she barely noticed it, afraid to miss a single word.

But she waited and waited, and still heard nothing.

A feeling called disappointment bloomed in her heart.

She could only pretend not to care, to keep their relationship from becoming awkward, “I was just asking. You don’t have to answer.”

“I’ll answer you.” Jiang Chen’s cool eyes swept across her face, and at last his gentle voice sounded, tinged with a smile. “Ye Mian, I’ll save you.”

In that instant,

Ye Mian’s breath caught. The words perfectly overlapped with a voice from her memory—the tone, even the cadence, was identical.

She was certain.

This was the first time she’d heard these words in reality.

It couldn’t be fake.

That memory must be something she’d forgotten from her past life.

Jiang Chen had saved her, but she had utterly and unfairly forgotten about him.

At that thought, her eyes suddenly reddened, her breath coming short.

She dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to stop, to think no more, but the mixed feelings of sorrow and gratitude still welled up and spilled from her eyes as tears.

Jiang Chen hadn’t looked away the whole time. Seeing the girl suddenly in tears, realizing something was wrong, his body moved before his mind could.

“Why are you crying?” He bent slightly, his voice soft as could be. One hand held the umbrella, the long fingers gently wiped a tear from her eye. “What’s wrong? Tell me.”

Ye Mian’s heart trembled at his touch. Jiang Chen now had shed the youthfulness of last summer—he was gentle yet intimidating, his air distant and unapproachable.

In front of him, Ye Mian felt a great weight pressing down.

But at least, his gaze hadn’t changed.

Ye Mian unconsciously gripped her trench coat tighter, suppressing her panic. Her eyes were clear as rain-washed skies. “Jiang Chen, there’s something I want to tell you.”

The wind brushed over both their hair.

Jiang Chen’s strange suspicion surfaced again, and he looked away. “Yes?”

Ye Mian clenched her fists, slowly drew in a deep breath, as if summoning all her courage, and softly asked, “Jiang Chen, do you have a girl you like?”

Jiang Chen was briefly startled, his brows knitting slightly. “What?”

It was her first time asking someone such a question. Ye Mian found it difficult and awkward, almost wanting to shrink back.

But she always believed in doing her best and leaving the rest to fate.

She bit her lip, decided to speak just once more, looked up at Jiang Chen, and raised her voice a bit, “Is there someone you like?”

Thank you to Xiao Zhizhi, Peipei, .Meow, Yi Qi Weishu°, Minlan, Yihou., ., Zhenxi & Possess, Nan Shi, DX .Meow, Kaka, Shiyi, I Want to Love This World So Much, The Loner, bds, Book Friend 20201011224633131, Jian Bingozi, ELLA, and everyone who voted with their monthly tickets. Thank you all so much, a deep bow and a shower of flowers!

Thank you bds

Go With the Flow

Yi Qi Weishu

Thank you all for your generous rewards, a deep bow and a shower of flowers.

Once more, thank you, Yi Qi Weishu, for the full set—thank you, thank you, thank you!

Today is still the PK round. Please, everyone, vote and comment more. I’ll add extra chapters every day to repay you!

(End of this chapter)