On the way back, Chen Jinshao told Li Buyan about Peng Weiping.
Li Buyan promised to properly bury Peng Weiping's family and then take Chen Jinshao to the hospital in Fengtian before arranging subsequent matters at the military department.
Sitting in the hospital room, Chen Jinshao reflected on his experiences over the past few days, his emotions fluctuating.
Creak—
The hospital room door was pushed open by Yu Mengzhi.
Yu Mengzhi already knew that Chen Jinshao was not seriously injured. She sat quietly beside him without a word. Chen Jinshao came back to his senses and noticed Yu Mengzhi seemed to be somewhat dependent on him, unsure why.
“What’s wrong?” Chen Jinshao asked, puzzled.
“I’m fine, you should be happy,” Yu Mengzhi said dejectedly. “I know you’re fine, I just encountered something else.”
Chen Jinshao listened intently.
The next moment, Yu Mengzhi looked up at Chen Jinshao, and his heart skipped a beat as he saw tears welling up in her eyes.
“What exactly happened?” Chen Jinshao felt a pang of panic.
Yu Mengzhi had been so happy lately, how could she have encountered something so sad? Just as he was about to ask further, Yu Mengzhi suddenly threw herself into Chen Jinshao’s arms and began to sob quietly. Chen Jinshao could only comfort her.
He would ask her what happened after she finished crying.
Yu Mengzhi cried for nearly twenty minutes before stopping. Chen Jinshao gently patted her back. “Can you tell me now what happened?”
“She’s dead,” Yu Mengzhi choked out.
“Xiao Jing didn’t make it. Three days after you left, she had a sudden relapse. Later, Luo Feng personally removed her oxygen tube. A few days ago, Luo Feng and I took Xiao Jing to the crematorium. How can such a grown person turn into a small box of ashes?”
Chen Jinshao trembled slightly.
He recalled the young couple, Luo Feng and Cai Xiaojing, now separated by death, leaving only a few tears of sorrow. It was indeed a poignant reflection of life.
“We gave them hope with our own hands, only to see it quickly dashed. How desperate they must have felt then,” Yu Mengzhi murmured softly.
After hearing this, Chen Jinshao’s mood grew even heavier.
Did this foreshadow the end for him and Yu Mengzhi? One living, one dead; one yin, one yang.
Seeing Chen Jinshao lost in thought, Yu Mengzhi assumed he was also saddened by the matter.
“Jinshao, what are you thinking about?” Yu Mengzhi asked.
Chen Jinshao snapped back to attention, raised his hand to wipe Yu Mengzhi’s tears, and sighed, “It’s nothing, just remembering some past events. Their fate was truly too bitter.”
“Will we end up like this too?” Yu Mengzhi suddenly asked.
Chen Jinshao froze.
He hadn’t intended to tell Yu Mengzhi about this, but it seemed unfair not to now. He was now heading towards marriage with Yu Mengzhi and absolutely could not be selfish as before. She had the right to know.
Chen Jinshao held Yu Mengzhi in his arms. Yu Mengzhi could feel his heavy mood and quickly said, “I know you are very capable, so you will definitely be fine. If one of us has to leave first, I hope it’s me…”
“Stop it, don’t say such things,” Chen Jinshao covered Yu Mengzhi’s mouth with his hand.
“Since we’re bringing this up, I’ll tell you a secret of mine. Actually, my body is not as good as it used to be. Xu Nianqing previously took my blood for in-depth testing and found that my genes are different from ordinary people.” Chen Jinshao blurted out his secret in one breath. While Yu Mengzhi was still stunned, Chen Jinshao added, “I…”
“My remaining lifespan is at most ten or eight years, at least three to five years.”
Chen Jinshao clearly felt Yu Mengzhi’s body tremble. She was afraid.
“Why?” Yu Mengzhi asked, her voice hoarse.
Chen Jinshao opened his mouth wide. “I…”
Yu Mengzhi’s fists pounded on Chen Jinshao’s chest as she cried, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I could have borne it with you. Chen Jinshao, did you think that if you told me, I would leave you because of this? How can you be so selfish?”
“I didn’t mean that, I just feared you… couldn’t accept it,” Chen Jinshao sighed.
“If you can’t accept it, I promise I won’t bother you again.”
Yu Mengzhi suddenly pinched Chen Jinshao’s arm, making him wince in pain. Yu Mengzhi then wiped away her tears and said, “Dream on. If I let go, you’ll surely turn to Xu Nianqing. I’ve always been selfish and won’t give you away to someone else.”
Chen Jinshao was speechless.
In fact, he knew that Yu Mengzhi was never a selfish person. Perhaps only when it came to matters of the heart was she so possessive.
“I’m not afraid of anything, only afraid of burdening you,” Chen Jinshao said what had been weighing on his heart for days.
Yu Mengzhi covered Chen Jinshao’s mouth with her hand. “Don’t say any more. I just want you to be happy every day and come back to Jing to propose to the Li family. I want to have two children with you. Have you ever thought about our future?”
Chen Jinshao wanted to say more, but Yu Mengzhi clung to him like a little girl, acting spoiled. “Even if we can’t be together forever, we had our time. Please rest assured, if one day you abandon me, I will also live as a widow for you.”
Chen Jinshao shook his head and smiled, amused.
“Are you feeling a bit happier now? I heard that when people are happy, their illnesses weaken. So I hope you can be happy every day and not always wear a sad face,” Yu Mengzhi said, as if coaxing a child.
“It’s getting late, you should get some rest.”
Chen Jinshao grunted in response.
That night, having revealed his biggest secret, he slept particularly soundly.
Yu Mengzhi tiptoed out of the hospital room and then walked into the freezing cold to calm herself down. This time, she did not shed tears. Because she knew that from now on, she needed to do something for Chen Jinshao.
After standing downstairs in the inpatient building for a while, snow frost had already gathered on Yu Mengzhi’s hair. She then took out her phone and dialed Xu Nianqing’s number.
“Hello.”
“This is Yu Mengzhi. I want to understand Chen Jinshao’s physical condition. He has already told me.”
The call lasted for an hour. Yu Mengzhi didn't understand many of the terms Xu Nianqing used, but she understood one thing: Chen Jinshao still had hope, though it would be difficult.
After hanging up, Yu Mengzhi felt a little better. Having hope was much better than having none.
“You always protected me. This time, it’s my turn to protect you.”
“I will personally capture the shadows in your world, and let only light forever exist in your world.”