Chapter 68 Go to the mudslide, she's inside.
A common physics problem from middle school was solved in practice tonight: because the speed of light is much greater than the speed of sound, lightning is often seen before thunder is heard during thunderstorms.
Lightning cleaved the sky in two, and bright light streamed out, falling on Jia Yang's slightly flushed face.
Then a deafening clap of thunder followed, completely drowning out the sound of the pouring rain, but it couldn't drown out Jia Yang's calm and gentle voice.
Zhou Jinqin stood there, stunned. She wanted to leave but couldn't move her feet. She knew that some things and some words couldn't be ignored just because they hadn't happened. Perhaps the best way to resolve things was to lay everything out in the open.
She exhaled, looked up at Jia Yang's misty face, and silently allowed him to continue speaking.
Jia Yang took the photo out of his pocket again, looked at it carefully, and then placed it on the counter closer to Zhou Jinqin.
Zhou Jinqin looked up and saw a group photo of the three adults and two children at the amusement park, only now it had been cropped to show only the two of them.
Jia Yang chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "I'm not good at keeping secrets. Someone as perceptive as you must have seen through my thoughts long ago."
"If I still want to be by your side as a friend, I should keep these words to myself. But sometimes I want to be willful and take advantage of the impulse ignited by alcohol to tell you clearly my hidden, shameful inner thoughts. Maybe it's also to put an end to my aspirations of the past ten years."
"I've liked you for ten years, ever since that campus card that had 231.7 yuan in it."
My feelings for you do indeed stem from gratitude, but it is precisely because of this gratitude that I unconsciously want to get to know you, understand you, pursue you, and give back to you.
I love the powerful and resonant words you utter on the podium, I love the compassion overflowing in your eyes on a cold winter night, and I love the gentle and peaceful smile you give when you're victorious.
I tried to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, to speak earnestly on the podium, to drive away the chill from the night owls shivering in the cold wind, and to have my name appear in the bulletin board where you once defended your title.
You made me a better person, and I think that gratitude has gradually transformed into affection. My initial feelings of gratitude have changed, and I've become extravagant and unreasonable, thinking that I not only want to thank you, but also want to cross the line and fall in love with you.
Zhou Jinqin shook her head, her gentle tone masking a firm resolve: "It's not that I made you better, but that you are already good enough. I don't think I have the ability to inspire others, nor do I think I can change anyone. The reason you've come this far from this small mountain village is simply because of your tireless efforts, your unwavering persistence, and your mother's wholehearted support, not because of my brief appearance."
“I feel like you are a light that suddenly appears tonight, adept at finding the openings in the darkness where lightning strikes and pours out. You acknowledge me, but you are happy to peel away the effective points of light from my complexities, thereby urging yourself to improve. I think it’s not just me, you can see the positive aspects in anyone in the world.”
Zhou Jinqin paused suddenly: "For example, Liang Minghe."
Jia Yang smiled, his eyes misty, and agreed, "Yes, I have to admit he's a very good man, and I understand why you chose him as your partner."
He sighed softly and continued, "To be honest, I envy him. I've also fantasized about whether I could win your favor if I had a smooth-sailing life like his."
In the midst of a painful and frustrating life, it's perfectly normal for everyone to fantasize about a completely different life.
Zhou Jinqin wondered, on that stormy night, if it had been Jia Yang instead of Liang Minghe who came over, would she have proposed to him?
The answer is no.
Zhou Jinqin said, "No two leaves in the world are the same. Even flowers that grow on the same land are always different in shape. I like Liang Minghe because he is Liang Minghe, not because he has that kind of life."
"Besides, you, or rather we, have only seen his glamorous side. He also has his own torments and pains. Life is not always smooth sailing."
Her refusal may seem tactful, but it is actually firm and ruthless; Zhou Jinqin is always like this.
Jia Yang smiled and said, "Yes, so I try to accept myself."
He approached, picked up the photo from the table, and held it close to the flickering flame of the scented candle. Soon, the photo in his hand turned to ashes.
"The answer is actually quite clear. I know I just need an outlet. Thank you for wasting so much time listening to me talk about some trivial things."
"Perhaps when dawn breaks, I will regret why I made such a mess of our remaining relationship, and why I made it so difficult for you to treat me in the future. Perhaps, just as Liang Minghe feared, you should completely distance yourself from me and make us strangers. But now, under the pretext of alcohol, I beg you to forgive my mistakes."
Zhou Jinqin remained silent for a long time before looking up at him again: "You were just expressing your feelings. There's nothing wrong with that. It's my own choice to listen, and I should bear the consequences myself."
“Liang Minghe was indeed annoyed by your appearance, but he never thought that I should ignore you. He would not interfere in my life because he believed that I would not overstep my bounds. The same reason he agreed to keep you here is that he believed that you would not do anything out of line.”
Jia Yang said with some bitterness, "But now, I have gone against his wishes."
Zhou Jinqin thought she would feel uneasy, anxious, and lost tonight, but she never expected to be so composed.
She spoke calmly, her gentle tone having a powerful soothing effect: "Really? I think he must have anticipated this outcome; he always has such wild imaginations."
Giving your rival a chance to explain their feelings might actually kill any restless heart, and it certainly seems that way right now.
Jia Yang thought he would be heartbroken after being rejected, but at this moment he was in a rare state of peace.
He took a deep breath and smiled with relief: "In any case, thank you for giving me your time. If you feel it's necessary, please give my thanks to Liang Minghe as well."
With that, he said goodnight and walked briskly towards the study.
Finally, after circling in the air for thirty minutes, Liang Minghe landed safely and entered the studio the next day.
Zhou Jinqin carefully observed the full-body photo sent by Liang Minghe. The makeup artist created a battle-damaged look for him based on the theme of the event, fully bringing out his unruly and flamboyant personal characteristics.
As industry peers unanimously agree, Liang Minghe possesses an exceptionally outstanding appearance and is the last person who should be relegated to the background.
Without a doubt, everyone will agree with this statement when the show airs.
At that time, there will definitely be a lot of praise for Liang Minghe, some joking possession, and perhaps some irrational abuse.
Thinking about all this, Zhou Jinqin felt inexplicably heartbroken.
"Bang bang bang—"
Suddenly, there was urgent knocking on the door. Zhou Jinqin was startled and had a bad feeling. She hurriedly got out of bed to open the door.
Standing at the door was Jia Yang, soaking wet. He had come down the mountain early this morning, probably because of what happened last night, so that the two of them didn't have a chance to meet awkwardly.
But why this sudden urgency?
Zhou Jinqin looked at him blankly: "What's wrong?"
Jia Yang quickly explained, "There was a mudslide on the west side of the village. Many houses were destroyed, and people were buried..."
The rain outside continued incessantly. Zhou Jinqin's heart leaped into her throat, and she hurriedly interrupted him, "Is there anything I can do?"
“The road to the west connects to the city, and rescuers can’t get in anytime soon. There aren’t many doctors at the village clinic. I thought you were a professional, so I wanted to ask if you could go down and help,” Jia Yang said with difficulty.
“Of course.” Zhou Jinqin agreed without hesitation.
Jia Yang knew she would agree, which is why he resolutely climbed the mountain despite the signal being interrupted.
Zhou Jinqin grabbed a coat casually, picked up Tuantuan, and woke up Feiyue, who was still taking a nap next door, asking her to look after Tuantuan.
The aunt shook her head, her dialect slipping out as she said she wanted to go down the mountain to help with the rescue: "I may not be good at saving people, but I can at least cook a hot meal."
In this situation, everyone wanted to do their part, so the three people and the cat all went down the mountain.
The western villages had more households, and many of them were elderly people with mobility issues, so most of them were unable to escape in time.
Many tourists who came to visit did their part in the rescue work without complaint, braving the torrential rain.
Zhou Jinqin was busy treating the wounded at the health center. She was so busy all day that the doctors at the center had to urge her to eat before she could barely manage to eat a couple of bites to fill her stomach.
Because of Liang Minghe's outstanding appearance, the doctor also had a deep impression of Zhou Jinqin.
Watching Zhou Jinqin's deft bandaging movements, she suddenly recalled how Liang Minghe had begged his wife to give him an IV when she was administering it to him, and exclaimed, "So you really are a professional."
Zhou Jinqin smiled and said, "I'm not a doctor anymore, but at least I haven't forgotten my knowledge, so I can still help out."
The doctor didn't ask why she gave up treatment; he just praised her for being conscientious and kind.
With the military's involvement and the torrential rain finally ending, the blocked roads were quickly cleared, and rescue teams arrived to take over the follow-up work.
Around 3 a.m., Zhou Jinqin was finally able to rest.
Jia Yang wiped the black mud off his face and said to her, "It's too late, let's go to my house and rest for a while."
Zhou Jinqin's eyelids were already drooping, and she couldn't bring herself to refuse: "Okay, thank you."
Jia Yang gave up his bedroom, and Zhou Jinqin looked at the clean, newly made bed and said embarrassedly, "I'm too dirty..."
Almost every injured person we rescued today was covered in blood and mud. Even after a simple cleaning, she was still covered in grime.
"It's okay." Jia Yang showed her his clothes. "Everyone's the same."
"And what about you?" Zhou Jinqin asked him, forcing herself to stay calm.
Jia Yang said, "I'm going to sleep at a friend's house."
When Liang Minghe rushed back, Jia Yang was curled up on a wooden chair by his room door, dozing off with a tattered blanket wrapped around him.
Hearing the noise, Jia Yang struggled to open his eyes and forced a smile at him: "You've finally come."
He stood up and moved aside to make way for the door, saying, "Go ahead, she's inside."
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