Chapter 83: Unable to Die

Cheng Yanchi pulled a phone from his pocket and pressed it into Jiang Yao’s hand. “Ever since I couldn’t reach you yesterday, I suspected as much. Luckily, I have a spare phone—use it for now, and we’ll sort out the rest once we’re back home.”

Jiang Yao nodded. “There’s something else…”

“What is it?” Cheng Yanchi asked.

Jiang Yao cleared her throat. “He Yunqing is here too. He got hurt yesterday saving me.”

“I know,” Cheng Yanchi said.

“You know?” Jiang Yao was surprised.

Cheng Yanchi’s face was stern as he looked past her. “Because he’s right behind you.”

Jiang Yao turned, and sure enough, He Yunqing was standing not far behind, looking at her with a faint weakness in his gaze. His shoulder was wrapped in a bandage fashioned from Jiang Yao’s clothing.

A sea breeze swept through, stirring Cheng Yanchi’s hair and fluttering He Yunqing’s shirt. The two men stared quietly at each other, as if something intangible had crashed between them.

“You really are everywhere,” Cheng Yanchi said, half amused, half annoyed.

“Likewise,” He Yunqing replied, calm despite his weakness, refusing to yield even a fraction in demeanor.

“Are you two going to fight again?” Jiang Yao hurriedly stepped between them. “Now really isn’t the time. Cheng Yanchi, He Yunqing is injured.”

She winked at Cheng Yanchi.

Cheng Yanchi took a deep breath. “Do you think I’d take advantage of someone’s weakness?”

He Yunqing glanced at him coolly. “Do you think I’m afraid of you?”

Jiang Yao clutched her head, inhaled deeply, and walked to Cheng Yanchi’s side. “Of course you wouldn’t.”

Then she turned to He Yunqing. “I know you’re not afraid, but I’m starving. Can we go get something to eat first?”

“Yes,” both men replied in unison.

Jiang Yao let out a long sigh of relief.

There was still some food in the cabin. Jiang Yao grabbed a loaf of bread and tore into it with little concern for appearances. She was truly famished, having barely eaten while dealing with everything since yesterday. If she didn’t eat soon, she felt she might faint from hunger.

On the deck—

He Yunqing stood facing the sea breeze, gazing at the island that was growing ever more indistinct in the distance. Cheng Yanchi appeared beside him at some point, clearing his throat in a way that seemed casual.

He Yunqing’s peripheral vision caught him, and he said, “If you’re here to pick a fight, I suggest you find a more suitable place. If you’re here to ask whether I did anything inappropriate to Yao, I can tell you I did not.”

Cheng Yanchi pressed his lips together, his eyes lingering on He Yunqing’s wounded shoulder. “Hey, your injury… Is it alright?”

“I won’t die,” He Yunqing replied mildly.

Cheng Yanchi snorted. “Nonsense! If you could die from a wound like that, you’d be far too fragile, Miss He.”

“Fragile?” He Yunqing’s brow furrowed slightly, and he teased Cheng Yanchi, “At least, I didn’t cry when I got shot.”

“Hey, hey!” Cheng Yanchi turned. “He, you’re enough, alright? I was just a kid then! What child hasn’t cried getting a shot? Are you going to talk about this for a lifetime?”

“If I had to talk about it for a lifetime, it’d be unfortunate,” He Yunqing said, deploying his talent for infuriating others with a calm air.

“You…” Cheng Yanchi scowled, glanced at He Yunqing’s injury, then relented. “Forget it, I won’t quibble with you.”

He stepped away, distancing himself from He Yunqing. After a moment, he cleared his throat again.

“Something else you want to say?” He Yunqing asked, eyes still on the horizon.

Cheng Yanchi hesitated, lowering his voice, “Thank you.”

“What?” He Yunqing squinted, pretending not to hear.

Cheng Yanchi shot him a sidelong look and spoke louder. “I said, thank you! If not for you, I might never have seen Yao again.”

He Yunqing gave a slight smile.

“Don’t get ideas. I still dislike you,” Cheng Yanchi hurried to clarify, “But Yao was indeed saved by you, so… Take care of your injury.”

Afterward, he scratched his head awkwardly. As a grown man, saying such words to his archrival felt almost unbearable.

He Yunqing raised his eyebrows, replying candidly, “Though it’s not your place to thank me, I’ll accept it.”

“What do you mean, not my place?” Cheng Yanchi protested. “I know what you’re thinking, and I know what Yao thinks, but I’ve been friends with her for so many years. Why shouldn’t I thank you?”

“Oh, I met her before you did,” He Yunqing said, as if by accident.

“Heh, you should be ashamed to mention that…” Cheng Yanchi rolled his eyes, nearly starting an argument again.

This man—how could he be so infuriating?

The two glared at each other for about ten seconds before breaking into simultaneous laughter.

“Hey, you’re not the only one willing to take a bullet for Yao,” Cheng Yanchi said, still a bit defiant. “If I’d been there, I wouldn’t have hesitated to step in front of her, too.”

Though he didn’t know why such a thing was worth contesting, he felt compelled to compete.

“I know.” He Yunqing looked at Cheng Yanchi as he spoke, his tone earnest.

In the cabin, Jiang Yao was munching on bread and had just taken a sip of water when she heard someone say He Yunqing and Cheng Yanchi were on the deck together. She choked on the water, coughing as she ran out.

She nearly collided with Cheng Yanchi, who was returning to the cabin.

“Why are you running so fast?” Cheng Yanchi steadied her, gently patting her back. “Why are you coughing?”

Jiang Yao coughed a few more times, settled herself, and looked toward the deck.

He Yunqing was still standing there.

Cheng Yanchi glanced back at He Yunqing, understanding dawning in his mind. “What, so worried about that He fellow, afraid I’ll start a fight with him?”

Jiang Yao took a few breaths. “No, no, you know right from wrong better than anyone. You wouldn’t fight him now.”

Cheng Yanchi cast another look at He Yunqing. “I really do want to hit him.”

“Huh?” Jiang Yao stared at him in confusion.

Cheng Yanchi waved her off, placing a broad hand on her shoulder. “Let’s go, the wind’s strong on deck. We can talk inside.”

Before they could re-enter the cabin, He Yunqing walked over, brushing past Jiang Yao and, in passing, touched her hand.

They all entered the cabin.

Jiang Yao ate a bit more and then sat aside to rest, quietly opening her palm.

Nestled there was a slip of paper, slipped to her by He Yunqing as he passed.

Jiang Yao slowly unfolded it.

“Tomorrow night at eight, meet me at Century Plaza on Paradise Street.”