Chapter 16

A while ago, she hadn’t had time to return the hair dryer to Ah Qi, so Ah Qi came upstairs to get it. She saw a bottle of Chanel perfume on her desk—light green, with an elegant and beautiful bottle.

Ah Qi exclaimed, “This is so beautiful! I’ve seen it in an advertisement on TV.”

She asked, “Can I take a look?”

Qin Tang smiled and said, “If you like it, I’ll give it to you.”

Ah Qi blushed and quietly said, “But that’s too expensive...”

She gently touched the bottle, as if she could smell the pleasant fragrance, but when she left, she put the perfume bottle down.

Qin Tang stuffed it into her hand, “Take it, I have plenty more at home.”

That was Ah Qi’s first bottle of perfume, and she cherished it deeply.

Seeing the shattered Chanel bottle, with its body missing, Ah Qi was heartbroken. Qin Tang called out to her, “Ah Qi.”

Ah Qi turned back, her eyes red, and Qin Tang smiled at her. “Next time, I’ll give you another bottle.”

Ah Qi quickly shook her head. “No need, I just feel sorry for the money. That stuff is really expensive.”

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Bai had already reached the door. Xiao Bai went in and said, “Let me help you clean up. You still need to sleep later.”

After Ah Qi cleaned up her room, Sister Gui called everyone to dinner.

After Qin Tang took a shower, she, as usual, stood by the railing on the second floor, texting. She reported to her family at least every two days to ensure her parents wouldn’t object to her frequently going out. After sending the message, she put away her phone.

After a while, she took out her phone again.

[Mom, has Zhou Qi regained consciousness?]

She waited for a while and received a reply.

[Still the same, no one knows when he will wake up. The doctor said maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after. But he will definitely wake up. An An, listen to Mom, don’t have any psychological burden. This isn’t your fault, understand?]

An An was her nickname.

Qin Tang bit her lip, uncertain.

It’s been almost five years, and how come he still hasn’t woken up?

Tonight, the sky was clear, with countless shining stars. Qin Tang gazed up at the stars.

Some people say that each star in the sky represents a soul that has passed away.

She stared at the night sky, searching for those three stars.

Almost everyone told her that it wasn’t her fault, but they were just trying to comfort her, or perhaps they were protecting her parents’ dignity, saying that out of necessity.

What about behind her back? She had heard others talk about her, scold her. In truth, they were blaming her, and they had never truly forgiven her.

Jiang Chuan walked to the staircase, just in time to see her tilting her head back, her neck slender and elegant, her eyes staring blankly at the sky. Her thick lashes didn’t even flutter, and she looked deeply downcast.

“Qin Tang.”

He called her.

She slowly turned around, her brows and eyes calm. “Is there something?”

Jiang Chuan stared at her for a while, then walked over to her side and said, “If you want to go anywhere next, let me know in advance.”

Qin Tang was puzzled and asked, “Didn’t you say that you would leave at most twice a week? If you’re with the car, each trip takes at least two days.”

Jiang Chuan hummed in acknowledgment. “But you probably won’t be here for long. If you want to go, I can make time.”

Qin Tang slowly understood. He suddenly became so accommodating, probably because of that 870,000. “I want to go to many places.”

“Can you finish them in half a month?”

“Maybe.”

“Alright.”

He didn’t mention the money, and it felt like they had reached some sort of unspoken agreement.

...

Qin Tang hadn’t had a nightmare in a long time. The fragmented images in her dream struck her head, flashing past.

The last image was of the car tumbling off a cliff. The overwhelming sense of weightlessness and fear of the unknown made her scream in panic.

Then, it seemed like she heard the sound of heavy objects crashing, and someone calling her name. Was it a dream or reality?

She couldn’t wake up.

...

Outside, the sky had changed from the clear starry night of a few hours ago to dark clouds gathering and strong winds howling.

A heavy rain was about to arrive.

The people Zhao Feng had brought not only destroyed the furniture but also ruined the doors and windows. The broken glass hadn’t been replaced, and the wooden window was blown by the wind, crashing against the wall with several loud bangs.

Downstairs, Lü An and Ah Qi both came out of their rooms. Ah Qi pulled her neck in and asked, “Lv Ge, if it rains, will the rain get into my room?”

Lü An grabbed a toolbox to secure the window and compared the width of the hallway. “It shouldn’t.”

Jiang Chuan had shallow sleep and was already awake.

He was bare-chested, quickly put on a pair of pants, and went outside to check the situation.

When passing by Qin Tang’s room, he faintly heard some soft cries, sounding very painful. His steps paused, and the sound, carried by the wind and rain, pierced his ears. Suddenly, there was a loud, wavering scream. Without hesitation, he immediately went to knock on her door: “Qin Tang.”

He knocked several times, but there was no response inside.

Jiang Chuan pressed his lips together, suddenly exerting force, kicking the door with one foot. With a loud crash, the door opened.

The room was very dark. Jiang Chuan quickly walked to the bedside, guided by the dim light from outside, and touched her wrist. To his surprise, she had also grabbed his hand tightly, as if clutching the only lifeline.

Jiang Chuan was stunned for a moment, then quickly whispered, “Qin Tang, wake up.”

He picked her up, one hand supporting her back, the other pinching her face. “Hey.”

Qin Tang suddenly woke up, her eyes wide open, gasping for air.

The surroundings were pitch black, and she couldn’t see anything. She only felt herself pressed against a warm, broad, firm chest. The man was full of strength, holding her tightly. Though not entirely familiar, it wasn’t unfamiliar either. It gave her an inexplicable sense of security.

The woman in his arms was soft and warm, and the scent of her filled his nose, pleasant. Jiang Chuan remembered when Ah Qi first used perfume, it seemed she had sprayed too much and was teased by Xiao Cheng. Ah Qi had asked him, “Jiang Ge, is it really overpowering?”

It wasn’t overpowering, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant either.

Qin Tang didn’t struggle, her head resting quietly on his palm. She felt the heat from his hand rising, and she awkwardly moved away.

His hoarse voice asked, “Are you awake?”

Qin Tang slowly closed her mouth, her throat dry, “Mm.”

“Did you have a nightmare?”

“Mm.”

She had just woken up from a dream, still feeling groggy.

The heavy rain was pouring down, and the air smelled damp and clean. The wind blew through the open door, and Qin Tang quickly became fully awake.

She pushed him away. After a few seconds of silence, she asked, “Did you kick the door?”

In the darkness, Jiang Chuan seemed to laugh, “Mm.”

Qin Tang: “...”

Jiang Chuan stood up, feeling his way to the light switch using the dim light outside, pressing it. The lights turned on.

Qin Tang sat on the bed, her fluffy head turning to look at him, her eyes slightly red and bright. She stared at the broken door behind him. “You need to fix the door.”

Jiang Chuan raised an eyebrow, “We’ll fix it in the morning.”

Qin Tang asked, “What about tonight?”

Jiang Chuan said, “It’s already five in the morning.”

She looked at him. “The wind is strong.”

Jiang Chuan seemed a little helpless, smiling lightly, “Alright, I kicked it, I’ll fix it.”

He went downstairs to get the toolbox.

Lu An had just fixed the window and came over, asking, “What happened? I heard you calling Qin Tang’s name and the sound of kicking the door. You’re not rushing to offer yourself, are you?”

Jiang Chuan remembered what Lu An and Xiao Cheng had said about “meat compensation” earlier.

He sneered coldly, “Pathetic.”

Jiang Chuan brought the toolbox upstairs. Qin Tang was still sitting on the bed, the blanket covering her, her head resting on her knees, her large eyes staring at the toolbox in his hand. “How long will it take to fix?”

“Very quick.”

He wasn’t wearing a shirt, just a pair of black pants. His waist was narrow, the waistband slightly low, and the last two lines of his abdominal muscles extended downward, looking toned.

Qin Tang’s face slightly heated up. She lowered her head and stopped looking at him.

She tried to make conversation: “Yue Yue said she has an older brother who stopped going to school after junior high because of financial problems. He’s been working in the fields for a year now.”

Jiang Chuan focused on the work in his hands and didn’t turn back. “Mm, this happens in many poor mountainous areas. After free nine-year compulsory education ends, many students can’t afford tuition. They either work in the mountains for life, or go out to work and earn money. Not many can continue their education.”

In some remote areas, it’s a source of pride to have one or two college graduates in a year.

But it’s still far from enough.

Qin Tang thought for a moment and said, “Yue Yue is recovering well, she can go home in a few days. I also want to visit Yangquan Mountain.”

Jiang Chuan adjusted the door, pushing and pulling, testing it, then picked up a nail, glanced back at her, his gaze dark and heavy. “Do you want to sponsor Yue Yue’s brother to continue his education?”

Qin Tang nodded. “Mm, not just him.”

There were other children in the same situation, unable to pay tuition and continue their studies.

Jiang Chuan: “Are you sure?”

Qin Tang: “Sure, is there a need to hesitate about it?”

Jiang Chuan smiled, “No, I just wanted to remind you that some things can’t be done just because you want to do them.”

He was referring to her going to the mountainous area alone.

Qin Tang had thought about this for a long time. She wasn’t acting impulsively, nor was she thinking of doing it all on her own. She wasn’t that great, and she couldn’t do everything. She didn’t want to explain to him.

The door wasn’t completely ruined, and it was quickly fixed. Jiang Chuan packed up the toolbox, and the sky outside was still dark. It would be a while before dawn.

He walked out, and just before closing the door, he suddenly turned around and asked, “Did you put on perfume?”

Qin Tang was a bit confused. “What?”

Jiang Chuan remembered the faint fragrance on her earlier. It wasn’t anything specific, but it was pleasant. He glanced at the skincare products lined up on her desk, but there was no perfume bottle. He smiled faintly, “Nothing.”

He turned and left, closing the door behind him.

Qin Tang sat on the bed, and after a few seconds, she realized what he meant.

Her face slowly turned red.

“Pervert.” She muttered to the air.