Final Chapter

Jiang Chengyi remained silent as he went downstairs.

Yu Miaomiao stared at the slowly changing floor numbers and asked, "Aren't you afraid she'll really commit suicide?"

"The mortality rate of suicide by cutting one's throat is less than 5%."

“Moreover,” Jiang Chengyi’s voice was very certain, “she is not the kind of person who would commit suicide easily.”

Even so, after arriving downstairs, Jiang Chengyi still used Yu Miaomiao's phone to dial 120. Only when the siren of the ambulance sounded did Jiang Chengyi let out a deep breath, his brows and eyes filled with relief.

"it's over."

It's unclear whether he's referring to the absurd two-week confinement or the twenty-year-long mother-son relationship with Jiang Yanlan.

With the moon high in the sky, the two walked out of the residential area and into the street, wandering aimlessly on the deserted street.

They stopped under a street lamp.

Jiang Cheng asked, "Where do we go now?"

"Just wait." Yu Miaomiao exhaled a puff of white breath. "Someone will pick us up at seven o'clock tomorrow to go back to school."

"Xiaobai's parents?"

You guessed right.

"Thanks to them, otherwise relying solely on airplanes or high-speed trains, we definitely wouldn't have made it to tomorrow's defense."

This is also why Yu Miaomiao didn't call the police—calling the police would certainly make it easier for them to be dispatched, but they would definitely be detained at the police station for a long time, questioned and given statements, and unable to return to school on time.

"I almost forgot." Jiang Cheng chuckled. "So you came to see me for your FA scholarship defense."

Yu Miaomiao subconsciously replied, "Otherwise what?"

After a moment, he added, "Well... not entirely."

Jiang Chengyi quickly followed up: "And what about the remaining reasons?"

Her lower face was buried in her scarf, her nose was red, and her cat-like eyes glanced quickly at Jiang Chengyi before looking away.

"If you drop out of school, no one will cook for me."

"Is it just cooking?" Jiang Chengyi pressed on relentlessly.

"And... take care of me."

Is there anything else?

"And, and..."

"I had planned to go to you the night I was taken away."

Jiang Chengyi suddenly said, "Because I just learned something very important."

"Miaomiao, the reason you insisted on choosing to join the Demon Supervisory Committee was because you didn't want me to drink the amnesia potion, so you signed the 'Joint Liability Agreement,' right?"

Yu Miaomiao's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

Jiang Cheng didn't allow her to change the subject, "Why?"

"Why did I have to sign the 'Letter of Responsibility'? Why did you come to rescue me? Why did you do so much for me?"

He suddenly leaned down, his dark, phoenix-shaped eyes, as if painted with meticulous detail, staring intently at Yu Miaomiao, filled with determination, perseverance, fear, and above all, anticipation.

"...Miaomiao, tell me, are these really the only reasons?"

Yu Miaomiao stared into Jiang Chengyi's eyes, unable to look away. It always seemed like this; she simply couldn't resist this person's sincere and gentle gaze.

She knew what Jiang Chengyi was asking.

He was seeking a belated response to the "I like you" he had uttered when he carefully placed a kiss on the girl's lips that day.

Does Yu Miaomiao like Jiang Chengyi?

She asked herself.

But before answering that question, she needs to understand another: "What does 'like' mean?"

She had searched online and the answer it gave was: liking is a combination of desire, patience, and goodwill.

But that answer is too complicated.

Her thoughts seemed to be captured by Jiang Chengyi's gaze, turning into a jumbled mess, making it impossible for her to think too deeply.

Her breathing was rapid, her heart was pounding uncontrollably, and a strange, aching feeling welled up in her chest, but she didn't dislike it.

Yu Miaomiao suddenly remembered Li Zhi's words: "Most importantly, my heart races when I look into his eyes!"

That pounding heartbeat seems to be the most real and irrefutable example of this statement.

"Okay, okay, I admit it."

The girl closed her eyes and, in a fit of despair, shouted, "Because...because I like you."

Then, unwilling to give up, she added in a low voice, "However, only a little bit."

Jiang Chengyi's lips slowly curled up into a very pleased arc, and his gaze began to burn intensely, as if a ball of fire was burning, making cheerful, crackling sounds.

Yu Miaomiao's face also turned red as if burned by the fire, and even her earlobes were flushed.

"A little bit is fine."

Jiang Chengyi lowered his head even further, their foreheads touching, and Yu Miaomiao could almost feel the subtle tremors when he laughed.

"I will try my best to make it gradually increase."

They sat down side by side on a bench by the street.

Jiang Cheng asked, "Are we dating now?"

Yu Miaomiao gave a mumbled "hmm".

His gaze wandered, looking at the ground, then at the moon, but never at Jiang Chengyi.

Honestly, why do you always ask questions that already have answers, as if you're deliberately trying to get her to answer?

Then, Jiang Chengyi grasped her hand.

It's not the ordinary way of holding your hand, where you put one hand in the other.

Jiang Cheng placed Yu Miaomiao's hand on top of his own, carefully interlacing each of their fingers to form a clasped-fingers gesture, before finally holding it with satisfaction.

Even in the cold night, his hands remained warm. Yu Miaomiao felt that their palms, pressed together, were starting to get damp, and even the spaces between their fingers felt sticky.

It's a bit annoying, but Jiang Chengyi seems to like it quite a bit, so let him hold it a little longer.

As Yu Miaomiao thought this, she didn't realize that the corners of her mouth had curled up in a smile.

A gust of cold wind blew by, and she coughed softly.

Jiang Cheng asked, "Do demons feel cold?"

Yu Miaomiao thought for a moment and said, "I'm not too afraid. I have demonic power, which can keep me warm."

Then, she shivered.

"My demonic power is not enough."

Yu Miaomiao spoke calmly while trembling.

A rustling sound rang out, and then something warm and cozy was draped over Jiang Chengyi's coat.

The coat was so big that it covered Yu Miaomiao's entire head. As Jiang Cheng leaned closer, he folded down the collar, revealing her flushed face.

As he brushed aside the few strands of hair stuck to her forehead, he said:

“I asked Xu Zhou, and he said that clinical trials are the only way for other monsters to access this project.”

Yu Miaomiao looked at Jiang Chengyi warily, thinking that he was about to start another debate, and her mind was racing to think of how to refute him.

But Jiang Cheng's next sentence was: "But in your eyes, it's still not as important as the special recruitment qualification of the Demon Supervisory Committee, right?"

Yu Miaomiao was taken aback.

Jiang Chengyi continued, "Miaomiao, at the time I didn't understand why you thought that the qualification to enter the Demon Supervision Committee was more important than your life."

“During the time I was locked in the room, I kept replaying your words in the hospital in my mind and thought a lot about them.”

He sighed, "I think I was too arrogant."

"I once thought we had a great understanding, but no matter how well we understand each other, I can't fully understand your feelings. I've never experienced what you've been through, so what right do I have to judge what's important and what's not for you?"

Jiang Chengyi's voice was low, "Miaomiao, I'm sorry, I think my arrogance hurt you."

"But I want to tell you that I never pity you, but rather feel sorry for you."

"I know you're amazing. You always manage to get revenge on those who hurt you and achieve the results you want. But even the most amazing person isn't invincible. Miaomiao, you can get hurt too, can't you?"

"This is not sympathy for the victim, but heartache for the person I like. Just as you would not want to see me being insulted by a monster, I would also feel sad and heartbroken because of your injury."

Jiang Chengyi's tone became firm, "From now on, whatever you want to do, I will support your decisions. However, you have to allow me to feel sorry for the person I like and to do something for her, okay?"

Yu Miaomiao sensed the hidden meaning in the other person's words and looked at Jiang Chengyi, "What are you going to do?"

He smiled slightly, "I've done some research, and there's still a lot of gaps in the field of inner core regeneration. I plan to join the Demon Department and make inner core regeneration my research focus."

Yu Miaomiao felt she should be happy because her choice had been approved by Jiang Chengyi, and it seemed like a win-win solution had emerged.

But faced with that gentle yet apologetic gaze, she couldn't smile; instead, her eyelids felt heavy.

She opened her eyes wide, looked up at the round moon, thought for a long time, and said, "There's no need to go through all that trouble."

"Actually, it's fine without an inner core."

"I never intended to live that long. A hundred years old would be just right, after all..."

She paused, then said, "You won't even live to be a hundred."

Lu Ye's words echoed in my ears.

Yu Miaomiao thought that perhaps not having an inner core was the best choice.

But Jiang Cheng cupped her face in his hands and said very seriously, "But I don't want your life to be this short."

Yu Miaomiao blinked, putting those complicated worries and considerations to the back of her mind, "...Okay."

She suddenly felt a cool sensation on her cheek and reached out to touch a damp patch of water.

She looked up and saw fluffy catkins drifting down from the clear night sky.

"It's snowing," she murmured.

"Legend has it that if you kiss the person you love when the first snow falls, you will live happily ever after."

Jiang Cheng looked at Yu Miaomiao and smiled, "Want to give it a try?"

"What a stupid legend," Yu Miaomiao complained. "Besides, this isn't the first snow."

But when Jiang Cheng lowered his head, she did not avoid him. Their dry lips gently touched, and then slowly deepened, gradually wetting each other.

Their lips and tongues intertwined, their breaths mingled, their noses rubbed against each other, and they could even feel the flutter of each other's eyelashes.

"Ouch, you bit me," Yu Miaomiao mumbled a complaint between kisses.

"I'm sorry, I'll pay attention."

Jiang Cheng apologized sincerely, but his actions became even more intense.

The moonlight was bright, and catkins fluttered and drifted between heaven and earth, turning the two people's hair snow-white.

This is a rare clear, snowy night.

——End of text——