Chapter 43 If there really are gods, then let him...

Tang Ci put on a serious expression that said, "This is just work, don't overthink it," and pulled her suitcase past her classmates with different expressions to the bedside.

"I brought..." Her voice was so soft it sounded like she was giving information to Sheng Yu.

Sheng Yu's tone remained unchanged: "Thank you for your hard work. Shall we settle your wages now?"

“…No need to rush,” Tang Ci waved her hand hesitantly. Seeing that the glass of water on his bedside table was empty, she quickly took it and dutifully said, “You two talk first, I’ll go get you some hot water.”

Everyone watched her disappear into the ward in a flash. Zheng Shuyao went to get the fruit basket on the coffee table: "Sheng Yu, would you like some fruit? I'll go wash it for you."

Sheng Yu curled the corners of her mouth: "No need, I have helpers here."

Zheng Shuyao awkwardly withdrew her hand: "Okay..."

The water room was at the end of the corridor. As soon as Tang Ci entered, she was enveloped in a wave of heat. The humid heat spread from her ears to her neck and lasted until she finished getting water.

Thinking of the strange conversation in the ward, Tang Ci awkwardly curled her fingers, hugged her thermos, and peeked towards Sheng Yu's ward, preparing to go back after those classmates left.

Since waiting was pointless, Tang Ci took out her phone and silently started memorizing vocabulary. Just as she was engrossed in it, a gentle voice suddenly rang out from the doorway of the washroom.

"Tang Ci, is that you?"

Tang Ci looked towards the door, her fingertips suddenly pausing: "Dr. Zhang, what brings you here?"

"A relative is hospitalized, so I came to check on them." Zhang Wen placed the cup under the tap to collect water, and asked amidst the rushing water, "Why didn't you come to the hospital for your injection last week?"

Tang Ci put away her phone and swallowed hard: "Something came up at home last week."

"What could be more important than your treatment?!" Zhang Wen suddenly became anxious. The hot water in the cup was bubbling over, and he quickly reached out to move the cup.

Tang Ci silently turned on the water pipe, took out a tissue from her pocket, and handed it to him.

Zhang Wen wiped the cup casually, then spoke in a gentler tone: "Xiao Ci, you can't ignore your illness and avoid seeking medical treatment. You must follow the doctor's orders, understand?"

Tang Ci loosened her pale lips and said in a hoarse voice, "I really had something come up last week that delayed me, but I will come for a follow-up check-up on time this week."

Zhang Wen frowned and nodded: "About the overall inspection I mentioned to you last time—"

“Dr. Zhang, I’m about to take the college entrance exam…” Tang Ci interrupted him, suppressing her heaving chest, and said softly, “I’m fine right now, I’ll take good care of myself.”

She swallowed hard before continuing, "Can we check it after the exam?"

Zhang Wen silently twisted the lid of the thermos, the metallic scraping sound particularly jarring in the cramped water room, tearing at Tang Ci's nerves with each twist.

Looking at Tang Ci's stubborn eyes, Zhang Wen patted her arm reassuringly: "Xiao Ci, you have to understand that even if you do have to have the transplant surgery in the end, it's okay. The success rate of this surgery is very high, but first you have to have the confidence to face it."

Tang Ci pursed her lips into a straight line and gave a muffled "hmm".

“Call me if you have any health issues,” Zhang Wen paused and said, “Tang Ci, I suggest you discuss the follow-up treatment costs with your father again. Don’t worry about what he did in the past. Your priority now is to get better. Put other grudges aside for now.”

"If all else fails," Zhang Wen sighed heavily, "I can help out on my end too."

Having visited Zhang Wen's clinic for a long time, Tang Ci learned a bit about Zhang Wen's situation. Zhang Wen was a top student who went from the county to Nanling. He had to borrow money to go to university and only bought a house with a loan when he was over forty. Two years ago, his wife gave birth to twins. There were expenses everywhere.

Tang Ci forced a smile and said softly, "Thank you, I will discuss it with him."

Watching Zhang Wen's figure leave the washroom, Tang Ci slowly exhaled, her eyes immediately filled with tears. She raised the back of her hand and pressed her eyes hard for a while until her vision cleared before walking out.

As the elevator arrived at its destination, Zhang Wen was about to enter when he caught a glimpse of Tang Ci out of the corner of his eye. He turned back and muttered, "Take your medicine on time every day and make sure you get plenty of rest."

Tang Ci nodded, and only lowered the corners of her mouth after the elevator doors closed.

Suddenly, a snap of fingers echoed down the corridor. The crisp sound made Tang Ci's heart skip a beat. She turned around and saw Sheng Yu standing with his arms crossed in front of the ward door, looking at her from a distance.

"Who is it?" he asked.

Tang Ci approached and said in a deep voice, "Doctor."

"Is there something you need?" Sheng Yu took a few steps toward her, then frowned when he saw her slightly red eyes. "Or did I bully you?"

Tang Ci quickly shook her head: "We just chatted for a bit..."

"Then why are you crying?"

Tang Ci lowered her eyes and rubbed her eye sockets hard. "My eyes were burned by the steam when I was getting water."

"So stupid and you still want to be a gofer?" Sheng Yu took the thermos, his deep, porcelain voice carrying a lazy wickedness.

Tang Ci pretended not to hear him and looked up to ask, "Where are Zhou Yiyang and the others?"

"They're gone."

"So fast?"

"If we don't leave soon, someone will have to make the water room their home."

"..."

Tang Ci blushed from the teasing and quickly entered the ward, not noticing Sheng Yu behind her glancing towards the elevator.

/

After a week in the hospital, no abnormalities were found in Sheng Yu's body, except that her heart rate remained high.

Song Min had scheduled a consultation with the psychologist for Sunday afternoon, which happened to coincide with Sheng Yu's discharge from the hospital. He didn't have much stuff, so he didn't want Zhou Yiyang and the others to cause trouble, leaving only Tang Ci to accompany him.

When Song Min arrived, the two had already finished packing. Sheng Yu had Tang Ci's backpack on his shoulder, a phone in his left hand, and luggage in his right, with Tang Ci following behind him, her hands empty.

"We've arranged to meet at three in the afternoon," Song Min glanced at her watch, "Is there anything else you'd like to eat?"

Tang Ci shook her head. She came to the ward after her follow-up examination in the morning. Sheng Yu ordered a table full of dishes, and her stomach was still bloated from eating.

Sheng Yu opened the address of the clinic that Song Min had sent him. It was located halfway between the city and the hospital, and even without traffic, it would take nearly two hours to drive there. So he said, "Let's just go there."

Tang Ci walked over to him and tugged at his backpack strap: "Then I'll go back first? Let me know when you're done reading."

"Didn't you say you'd stay with me?" Sheng Yu lowered her eyes.

"Should I come along?" Tang Ci couldn't imagine what role she had played in the past.

Sheng Yu hummed in agreement: "You'll come in with me."

Tang Ci opened her eyes wide and subconsciously looked at Song Min.

“I can accompany him.” Song Min smiled. “Xiao Ci, you should go with him.”

Sheng Yu smiled and said jokingly, "So as not to scare me."

“Okay.” Tang Ci looked at his fearless expression and felt a strange pang in her heart. She grabbed his hand, but Sheng Yu immediately held it back and didn’t let go until they got into the car.

For half an hour after the car started moving, Sheng Yu did not say a word.

He leaned against the headrest with his arms crossed, his eyes closed, letting the wind outside the car window mess up his dark hair.

Tang Ci sat upright, occasionally chatting with Song Min.

Sensing Sheng Yu's quietness, Song Min began to steer the conversation towards him, her tone sounding somewhat tense.

Sheng Yu opened his eyes and responded naturally, occasionally smiling as he talked about his childhood anecdotes.

Tang Ci's eyes crinkled as she listened, and her smile faltered when she caught Sheng Yu's fingertips nervously rubbing his cuffs repeatedly.

The three chatted all the way and soon arrived at their destination. The car was parked in the parking lot downstairs from the clinic. Song Min got out of the car first to call the doctor.

Tang Ci stopped Sheng Yu, who was about to get out of the car, and whispered in his ear, "Don't be afraid, I'll stay with you."

After he said that, both of them were stunned for a moment.

The early summer sunlight streamed generously through the car window, bathing him in its warmth. Sheng Yu's dark pupils shone brightly, and a faint smile played on his lips.

Seeing his unruly demeanor, he showed no fear whatsoever.

Tang Cineng slowly loosened her grip on his sleeve.

Sheng Yu's thick, dark eyelashes suddenly drooped, and when she looked at her again, her eyes narrowed slightly, and her voice was hoarse with a hint of coolness: "Okay, I'm not afraid."

Dr. Jiang was a middle-aged woman around forty years old, dressed smartly with a gentle face. After exchanging a few simple pleasantries with Song Min, she looked at the tall, aloof young man and asked, "You must be Sheng Yu?"

Sheng Yu nodded and shook hands with Dr. Jiang.

"You brought your girlfriend with you?" Dr. Jiang tilted her head and glanced at Tang Ci with a smile.

Sheng Yu chuckled: "Not yet."

Tang Ci gripped the shoulder strap of her backpack and said softly, "Hello."

Dr. Jiang greeted her with a smile, then asked Sheng Yu, "The young man seems quite composed; he doesn't need any family members accompanying him, does he?"

“You overestimate me,” Sheng Yu said, pulling Tang Ci, who was huddled behind him, closer. “She’s with me.”

Dr. Jiang said seriously, "You know that our conversation will involve your privacy, right?"

Tang Ci looked up at Sheng Yu, and subconsciously took a step back, but the arm on her shoulder tightened, and Sheng Yu held her firmly in front of him: "Understood."

Upon entering the consultation room, Sheng Yu and Tang Ci sat down on the sofa opposite Dr. Jiang. Dr. Jiang poured them two glasses of warm water and began their conversation.

"Sheng Yu, you can talk about your troubles first."

“Insomnia and constant heart palpitations,” Sheng Yu said expressionlessly. “I used to get anxious when I was racing, but now that I haven’t driven for a long time, these symptoms have disappeared.”

Dr. Jiang nodded: "How long have you been experiencing insomnia?"

"It's been several years."

"Does being sleepy during the day affect your classes?"

“I’m not too sleepy,” Sheng Yu said, frowning, “but I can’t concentrate in class, the classroom is too noisy.”

"Do you feel like the people around you are talking and making louder noises?"

"right."

Tang Ci took a sip of water, recalling the scene in Beishan where Sheng Yu, surrounded by a crowd, became irritable and took off his headphones.

It turns out he really did find it noisy.

Dr. Jiang quickly typed a few words on the keyboard, turned around, and said to Sheng Yu, "Okay, let's talk about your drowning incident last week."

Sheng Yu's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said simply, "At the time, we were looking for a spot by the lake to watch the fireworks. A child was lying on the edge of the lake trying to reach a balloon that had fallen into the water. My mind went blank, and when I came to my senses, I was already in the water."

"You saved her?"

"Yes, she was very small. She didn't struggle when I held her, and her mother took her away."

"And then," Dr. Jiang asked softly, looking directly at him, "do you remember how you drowned?"

Sheng Yu held the cup, his fingertips slowly turning it, and after a long while he said, "I have a feeling there are still people underwater, and I have to go and save them."

Tang Ci gasped for breath, clenching her fists as she looked at Sheng Yu.

Dr. Jiang put down her glass, which made a slight sound on the solid wood table: "Who's in the water?"

“My mother.” Sheng Yu propped himself up on his knees with his elbows, pressing his fingers tightly against his eyes. “But she’s dead…”

Dr. Jiang didn't rush to ask further questions. She poured some hot water into their cups and then asked, "Would you like to tell me about your time on the swimming team? I heard from Song Min that you represented Nanling in national competitions before?"

Sheng Yu put his hand down, nodded and said, "Mm."

"How do you guys compete? Is your training usually tough?"

"fine."

Sheng Yu wrung his hands and briefly explained some of the rules of the swimming competition. Dr. Jiang then asked him to talk about some things between his teammates. Sheng Yu became more talkative and his tone became much more relaxed.

When the conversation reached that point, Dr. Jiang asked, "So why did you quit the swimming team in the first place? Was it for the same reason as your drowning?"

"Pretty much." Sheng Yu chuckled, a slight smirk playing on her lips. "After all this beating around the bush, shouldn't we start talking about my mom now?"

Dr. Jiang said in a deep, slow voice, "If you want to talk, you can tell me anything. Your friends are with you, and you are safe here."

Sheng Yu tapped her toes on the floor, the soft pattering sound making Tang Ci's heart pound. She reached out her right hand and placed it on Sheng Yu's knee, giving it a light squeeze.

He stopped moving, Sheng Yu glanced at Tang Ci who was silently watching him, swallowed, and opened his mouth.

“When I was in elementary school, my mom sent me to learn to swim. A coach came to select people and chose me for the city team.”

“Later, when I achieved some results in swimming, my mom was very happy and ordered a display case for me to put my medals in,” Sheng Yu paused, “and that’s when I found out my mom started smoking marijuana.”

“I would get up in the middle of the night and pass by her room. The light was always on all night, and there was a pungent smell coming from inside.”

"Back then, I didn't know anything and didn't know what to do, so I just swam as hard as I could, thinking that if I won a few more medals, my mom would be happier."

"I don't know how long this went on. One day, I trained until very late. When I got home, the house was dark, and only the backyard pool was lit. I could vaguely see someone swimming in it."

Tang Ci suddenly couldn't bear to listen anymore; her teeth chattered, making a soft gurgling sound.

Sheng Yu relaxed instead, grasped the back of her hand, and murmured, "I only realized that the person was my mother when I got closer. She had cut her wrists, and the water in the pool was stained red."

Dr. Jiang held her breath and paused for a few seconds before asking, "So that's why you stopped swimming?"

"Am I worthy?" Sheng Yu's gaze was as calm as a stagnant pool: "Every time I go into the water, I think of her floating in the pool. She died with her eyes still open."

Dr. Jiang frowned: "You think your mother's death was your fault?"

"Otherwise what?"

“Sheng Yu, have you noticed that you’ve omitted your father from your story?”

“Sheng Hong?” Sheng Yu scoffed. “He doesn’t deserve to be called a father.”

Dr. Jiang pondered for a moment: "Would you mind talking about him?"

Sheng Yu's brows furrowed suddenly, and he ran his fingers through his hair: "What do you want me to say?"

Faced with his sudden change in attitude, Dr. Jiang lowered her voice even further: "Take yourself out of the conversation and just talk about your mother and Sheng Hong."

Sheng Yu's stiff back slowly relaxed, but his brows were still furrowed. He pondered for a long time before speaking.

The Sheng family had been wealthy and powerful for generations. As the only son in the family, Sheng Hong was incredibly successful in his youth, surrounded by countless beautiful women.

At an industry summit, he fell in love at first sight with Rong Wei, who was speaking on behalf of the hospital. He showered her with sweet words and gifts for months, and Rong Wei finally accepted Sheng Hong's marriage proposal.

Not long after their marriage, they had Sheng Yu. The marriages of Sheng Hong's cousins ​​and other relatives from the collateral branches of the family created a lot of obstacles for Sheng Hong.

Only then did Sheng Hong realize that his initial choice was a huge mistake. Rong Wei was a woman who had nothing to offer except for her outstanding appearance. His arrogance, which he had hidden before marriage, gradually came to the fore, and later evolved into his one-sided denigration and insults.

When the women who were once her husband's wife returned to her side, Rong Wei wanted to divorce Sheng Yu, but Sheng Hong, for the sake of the Sheng family's reputation and his only son, refused to agree and even resorted to violence.

Rong's parents died unexpectedly at an early age, leaving only the two sisters, Rong Wei and Rong Yue, to depend on each other for survival.

Since Rong Yue went abroad to study and do business, Rong Wei has been completely trapped on an isolated island in the deep sea of ​​the Sheng family, and in the end, she can only rely on addictive substances to relieve her pain.

After Sheng Yu finished speaking, Dr. Jiang asked a while later, "You saw Sheng Hong hit your mother, right?"

Sheng Yu nodded: "If I try to stop him, he'll hit me too."

Was he like this when you were a child?

“I don’t remember.” Sheng Yu’s expression was so calm that it was as if he were talking about an outsider: “He basically never goes home, and when he does, he brings women with him.”

Dr. Jiang sighed softly, looking at Sheng Yu with the concern of an elder: "Do you still think it was your fault?"

After completing the physical examination, Dr. Jiang prescribed a diagnosis and medication to relieve sleep, and explained the dosage and usage to Sheng Yu.

Tang Ci took the diagnosis report and stood behind them, reading it silently.

Typical PTSD, accompanied by mild bipolar disorder, severe insomnia, chronic low mood, and low self-esteem.

Tang Ci blinked, folded up the diagnosis report, and her breathing became a little easier.

Sheng Yu stood with his hands in his pockets, his back slightly bent as he listened to Dr. Jiang's instructions, nodding occasionally, his face still showing an arrogant demeanor.

No one would have guessed that such a person had been suffering from mental anguish for so long.

Like a dragon trapped in a pool, it has the appearance of great power, but no freedom.

Tang Ci pursed her lips, thinking to herself that this shouldn't be the case.

Once outside, Song Min was on the phone, her expression shifting between gentle guilt and irritable anger.

"I already told you Mom has something to do today. Didn't we discuss it last night?!"

"No ice cream cones!! And of course, no Magnum ice cream either!!"

Seeing them come out, Song Min said a few more words of comfort into the phone before hanging up.

As the elevator descended, Song Min and Dr. Jiang stood by the door, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then the elevator reached the first floor.

After saying goodbye to Dr. Jiang, Song Min's phone rang again. Seeing her son's name on the screen, she clicked her tongue and hung up.

“You should go back,” Sheng Yu said helplessly. “We won’t get lost.”

Song Min hesitated for a moment, then her phone vibrated again.

She could only nod: "Then be careful on your way back, and call me if anything happens."

Sheng Yu raised his chin and casually opened the car door for her.

Song Min's car slowly drove into the bustling street. Sheng Yu turned around and asked Tang Ci, who had been quietly following behind him, "Are you very tired?"

Tang Ci shook her head.

As the sun was about to set, the once vibrant sunset faded, its light thinning and falling into Sheng Yu's eyes.

Looking into his blurry, tired eyes, Tang Ci suddenly asked, "Sheng Yu, do you want to see fireworks?"

"fireworks?"

"Um."

"Can we release it?" Sheng Yu glanced at the sky.

“If you want to see it, you can,” Tang Ci said firmly as she approached him.

/

The alley was quiet and dark under the night sky. A storefront near the exit was lit with an orange-yellow light. Upon closer inspection, a slightly worn lightbox was printed with the words "Clothes Alteration".

Tang Ci lifted the yellowed curtain and went inside, her hand still on her hand, waiting for Sheng Yu to follow.

Sheng Yu bowed and stepped inside. Looking at the clothes hanging all over the room and the fabrics piled on the sofa, he raised an eyebrow: "This place?"

Tang Ci nodded and called out towards the inner room where the sewing machine was making noise: "Aunt Miao."

The machine stopped running, and a middle-aged woman came out from the inner room. Her eyes lit up when she saw Tang Ci: "Xiao Ci? What brings you here?"

Tang Ci tiptoed and peeked into the inner room, lowering her voice: "Have all the fireworks for the New Year been sold out?"

“There are still two boxes left.” Yuan Miao waved his hand in annoyance: “If it weren’t for the fireworks regulations last year, I wouldn’t be able to stock up here.”

Tang Ci thought for a moment and said, "Can you sell me a case?"

Yuan Miao was taken aback: "What, you want to play?"

Tang Ci nodded shyly.

“Alright then.” Yuan Miao waved generously, beckoning them into the inner warehouse: “I’ll give you the purchase price.”

The box of fireworks was neither too big nor too small, but it was quite heavy. Tang Ci couldn't lift it, but Sheng Yu hooked it up with one hand and casually held it in his arms, ignoring the dust that got on his T-shirt.

After paying, Tang Ci took Sheng Yu out and said to Yuan Miao, who came to see them off, "Aunt Miao, you go ahead and do your work, don't bother seeing us off."

Yuan Miao said okay, but still followed her out the door. With a worried look on her face, she asked, "Xiao Ci, why haven't I seen you come home lately? Your dead father is nowhere to be seen either."

Tang Ci paused slightly, tilted her head and smiled, "The college entrance exam is coming up soon, so I'm going to live at school."

Yuan Miao lowered her puffed-out chest and said with a smile, "That's good. Aunt Miao wishes you success in your exams in advance!"

Emerging from the alley, Sheng Yu asked, "Neighbor?"

Tang Ci nodded: "She was also my mother's former colleague. I helped sell fireworks during the Chinese New Year before."

Sheng Yu rubbed her head: "Is it allowed to park in the city now?"

“No,” Tang Ci coughed lightly and whispered mysteriously, “The suburbs are fine, but no one cares about the old site of the affiliated hospital.” She paused, “Even if the police come, we can find a place to hide.”

Sheng Yu curled the corners of her lips slightly: "Is it worth taking such a big risk for me?"

Tang Ci's fingers twitched slightly as she placed them in her pocket, and she whispered, "If you want to see it, then it's worth it."

Sheng Yu lowered his eyes, looked at her for a while, and scoffed, "No one has ever said anything like that to me before."

The night breeze was gentle, and the white petals of the gardenias in the bushes trembled. My heart, like the surface of a lake, was constantly being ruffled by the breeze.

Sheng Yu was still looking at her, his face bright in the moonlight, his eyes flickering with a hope that even he himself could hardly perceive.

Tang Ci arrogantly guessed that he was waiting for a promise that would last forever.

She opened her mouth, but after a long while, she couldn't say anything.

On the busy road, taxis with their lights on honked their horns.

Tang Ci immediately reached out to stop her: "Let's go quickly, it's too late and we won't be able to see the road."

The former site of the affiliated hospital has long been abandoned. A few streetlights are lit in front of the hospital, while the back is a wasteland overgrown with weeds.

Tang Ci led Sheng Yushen, stumbling along, to the front of the hospital building. The lock on the door was already rusty, and she tried to pull it but couldn't budge it an inch.

"I can't open it." Tang Ci turned around and glanced at Sheng Yu, who was carrying the box, and whispered, "Wait here for me, I'll go check if the other buildings are locked."

Sheng Yu grabbed her arm: "No need to look, it's definitely locked. Let's go check the backyard."

Tang Ci brushed a strand of hair stuck to her forehead with sweat: "Okay, I forgot the backyard is an open area."

Now it was Sheng Yu's turn to walk in front. He carried the box and walked on the paved road covered with weeds as if it were flat ground. This reminded Tang Ci of how he could move around freely even when he was wearing an eye patch when he was a child.

Tang Ci's breath hitched. She suddenly realized how foolish she had made a decision. She only thought about how secluded this place was, but she didn't realize that this hospital held too many memories of Sheng Yu and her mother.

She walked quickly to Sheng Yu's side, tilted her head back, and whispered, "Does this place make you uncomfortable?"

"Afraid that I'll be reminded of my mother?"

"Um."

“Perhaps there are other people I can think of,” he chuckled softly, slowing his pace. “Take a guess.”

Tang Ci hesitated for a moment: "...It can't be me, can it?"

Sheng Yu raised an eyebrow noncommittally: "I've never seen anyone cry so much. You were always sticking to me like a tail. Now that I think about it, you're the only kid who's ever been so clingy to me."

Tang Ci's cheeks flushed red, and she lowered her head and moved her feet to the side: "I'm sorry, I didn't know my place when I was a child."

Suddenly, Tang Ci felt a slight pinch on the back of her neck from his cool fingertips. She shrank her shoulders and heard Sheng Yu say, "It's a good thing you're clingy to me, otherwise I'd be the one crying now."

Tang Ci felt a lump in her throat, pursed her lips, and looked up to meet his dark, bright pupils, which were full of a mischievous smile.

His joke dispelled the tightness in Tang Ci's chest. As she opened the box containing fireworks on the bench in the backyard, she felt a real sense of doing something wrong, and her heart pounded.

Some even have the arrogant idea that life is only lived once, so it's okay to be unrestrained once.

“Come on.” She took a deep breath and reached out to Sheng Yu for a lighter.

Sheng Yu didn't give it to her. Instead, he took the firework from her hand, carried the box, and leaped onto the grassy slope. He then arranged the firework on the ground and lit the fuse with a lighter.

Tang Ci crawled up the slope with difficulty, only to be chased down by Sheng Yu.

"Wait here."

Tang Ci whispered "Oh," watching the tiny spark of the fuse light up the night. A few seconds later, the cannon suddenly fired into the deep sky, exploding into a glittering firework against the deep blue backdrop overhead.

Too close.

The loud bang made her eardrums ring, and Tang Ci instinctively leaned back. Suddenly, everything went black. Sheng Yu, having lit all the fuses, nimbly jumped down the grassy slope. When he stood in front of her, he bent down and winked at her: "Scared?"

Tang Ci's breath caught in her throat, and every nerve in her body was taut.

Just before the next firework went off, Sheng Yu pulled her into his arms and covered her ears with his warm palms.

Tang Ci blinked, watching the dazzling fireworks light up the sky one after another, while the sound of his heartbeat, sealed in his palm, filled his ears.

One after another, so fast it felt like my heart was pounding.

As the last firework faded, Tang Ci's shoulders sank, and Sheng Yu rested his chin on her shoulder, his deep, resonant voice carried on the wind with unrestrained and flamboyant cadence.

"This is to make up for the fireworks you missed on your birthday."

Tang Ci curled her numb fingertips and said in a trembling voice, "I haven't even made a wish yet, can I still get compensation?"

"Yes," Sheng Yu assured her as before, taking a box of sparklers from the box, lighting one, and placing it in her hand: "Anytime is fine."

Tang Ci held the sparkler in her hand, watching Sheng Yu stand on the lush, damp grass, light a small firework that bloomed on the ground, and close her eyes to mutter something.

Opening her eyes, Tang Ci saw Sheng Yu standing on the grassy slope, reaching out his hand to her. She grasped his palm and jumped onto it.

Fireworks continued to burn tirelessly, and the surroundings were so quiet that you could hear the chirping of insects.

Sheng Yu asked, "What did you wish for?"

“You can’t say it out loud,” Tang Ci said earnestly, her profile illuminated by the fireworks. “If you say it out loud, the gods won’t approve.”

"Then let's hope there really are gods." Sheng Yu raised his eyebrows, as if mocking her naivety.

He bent down and lit the next firework, patiently continuing to extend this fleeting light.

"If there really are gods."

Tang Ci looked at Sheng Yu's face through the flickering firelight, and silently repeated the wish she had made: "Let him be free."