Chapter 58 Take Me Away (Three-in-One) A chapter filled with both hope and despair…
Gu Xiaozhu looked up at her: "But in the end, everything turned to nothing."
Zhu Songyun raised an eyebrow and retorted, "But that's not your problem! It's the enemy who's too despicable, they found outside help! Besides, we can't draw conclusions yet."
"That 'fragment' in the Holy Land, is it with you?"
Gu Xiaozhu nodded and took the crystal out of her storage bag.
Zhu Songyun: "Don't you think there's anything different about this 'fragment' compared to the previous one?"
Gu Xiaozhu thought for a moment: "There seems to be some kind of power inside?"
She wasn't sure, but she hadn't even seen the first fragment before it had somehow merged into her body. If it weren't for the system's reminder, she wouldn't have even noticed.
But the second piece had a specific form, and it even helped her block the aftershocks of the battle and the pressure of the laws falling down.
“Ah He also told me to crush it and absorb it after I got to a safe place,” she added.
Zhu Songyun nodded: "Then your judgment should be correct. There must be power inside, and Jiang Zhihe's advice to you is probably because he is afraid that your condition will be unstable after absorbing it, and it is easy for something to happen if you are not in a safe environment."
"Have some confidence in yourself! After all, you're a god of this world, how could you possibly have no power at all?"
Her tone was light and playful, trying to ease the tension. Then, she squinted at the distance and exclaimed excitedly, "Oh! The teleportation array I set up earlier is right ahead!"
"By the way, how are you feeling now? Can you still run?" Zhu Songyun looked at her, his face showing concern.
Gu Xiaozhu nodded. After all, she had already taken the healing pills, and the soreness in her body had indeed been relieved quite a bit.
Seeing this, Zhu Songyun seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She put her hands on her hips, smiled, and suddenly took two steps back.
Before Gu Xiaozhu could figure out what this meant, a familiar light suddenly rose up in front of her!
On the ground, spiritual energy connected into countless fine lines, shining brightly, and in an instant, they converged to form an extremely complex array.
That's a spirit-protecting array, a type of defensive array, and also an array powerful enough to withstand Nascent Soul stage cultivators.
Once this formation is activated, no one can enter unless they can forcibly break through it, not even the one who set it up.
At the same time, a violent explosion came from inside the city, and the Bagua formation above the city was crushed to pieces by an invisible pressure!
Gu Xiaozhu's expression changed. She immediately stepped forward, but the spiritual energy shield formed by the array prevented her from escaping. She patted it with her hands, her face filled with unprecedented panic:
"What are you doing?! Why aren't you coming in?!"
Zhu Songyun looked at the panicked girl inside the protective barrier, his smile unchanged: "If I go in, who will help you block him?"
She pointed upwards.
Looking up, one could see Xie Jitong, covered in blood, floating in the air. Compared to his previous clean and tidy appearance, he now had several wounds on his body, including one extremely horrific penetrating wound that was only millimeters away from his heart.
Behind him, Jiang Zhihe and Teng Shao were bound by demonic energy. Both of them had many injuries and their faces were contorted in pain, as if an invisible hand was choking them, making it impossible for them to breathe.
Gu Xiaozhu's breath hitched, her heart pounded violently, fear, dread, sadness, anger... all sorts of emotions intertwined, ultimately forming the only word she could describe it with—despair.
She didn't want anyone to die. Everything had been going so smoothly before, so why did it turn out like this?
"Xiaozhu, take a step and run towards the teleportation array." Zhu Songyun looked at her and smiled. "Don't worry, I have already injected spiritual power into it beforehand. As long as you step on it, the array will activate immediately."
On the other side of the formation is the location of the Thousand Machines Pavilion. Go there, and the others will take you to the Boundless Sea.
"No...no..." She weakly pounded on the barrier, tears welling up again.
This time, Zhu Songyun's fingers curled slightly, and a hint of reluctance flashed across her face. Finally, she closed her eyes, turned around, her back to the still-crying girl, and walked towards Xie Jitong.
Xie Jitong raised an eyebrow at the girl in plain clothes walking towards him: "What? Finished your last words?"
The person opposite him pressed down slightly on his small round sunglasses and said with a provocative smile, "Why can't you be the one saying your last words?"
Xie Jitong chuckled: "Still being stubborn even when death is imminent." He waved his hand, and the demonic energy binding Jiang Zhihe and Teng Shao dissipated, causing the two to crash heavily to the ground.
Despite this, both of them were still alive, and even struggled to gather their spiritual power, using their last bit of strength to stop this person.
Xie Jitong sneered, stepping on Teng Shao's back. The sound of bones breaking could be clearly heard: "You, a dignified Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, are now being trampled under my feet like dogs?"
Zhu Songyun's expression instantly darkened, and a strong killing intent suddenly erupted from his body: "Put your foot down!"
Xie Jitong glanced at her, not only not putting her down, but even grinding her down. Teng Shao groaned, her body trembling, but she didn't let out any screams.
Xie Jitong frowned, his eyes showing disappointment. When he looked up again, he saw not Zhu Songyun's angry expression, but a barrage of attacking talismans coming at him!
His face was grim as he quickly waved his hand, channeling his demonic energy to try and block the attack. But that wasn't enough. Just as the talisman struck, an array suddenly appeared beneath his feet. This array acted like a switch, with one array after another lighting up, imposing one restraint after another on him.
Spirit-locking array, immobilization array, demon-suppressing array...
That woman had planned it all out long ago.
She had set up a formation here beforehand, just to trap him here and kill him completely!
but……
Xie Jitong's lips curled into a smile. His eyes sharpened, and he suddenly abandoned his defense, turning to attack forward!
There, Zhu Songyun's figure suddenly appeared. She was trying to rescue the two, but unfortunately, she was discovered.
Her expression changed abruptly, but behind her were two seriously injured people; she couldn't hide.
So she quickly made hand seals, and one defensive formation after another instantly formed in front of her!
One, two, three...
In the blink of an eye, eight defensive formations took shape!
"Crack!"
The first crack.
"Crack!"
The second rupture...
Then comes the third, the fourth... until the last one.
"Boom—!"
A violent explosion rang out, and yellow sand was swept up from the ground, obscuring the entire battlefield!
Gu Xiaozhu, who was inside the protective array, looked anxiously outside, but the yellow sand filled the air and she couldn't see anything.
"Smack!"
A hand covered in blood and wounds suddenly slammed onto the spiritual energy shield, and then a very familiar, yet wounded, red figure appeared in front of her.
"Ah He..." She heard her own voice trembling, even a little hoarse.
The boy in red coughed twice, clutching his abdomen with one hand, from which blood continued to ooze. His once jet-black hair was now matted together with thick blood. He lost his balance and knelt on the ground. Gu Xiaozhu instinctively tried to help him up, but she couldn't reach him.
She knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, her anger and sorrow overwhelming her, leaving her speechless.
"Xiaozhu... let's go..."
A hoarse voice escaped his lips, and Gu Xiaozhu, tears welling in her eyes, shook her head: "No...no..."
At the same time, the dust that had been raised gradually dissipated, allowing Gu Xiaozhu to see what she least wanted to see.
Teng Shao lay on the ground, his eyes closed, a blood-soaked longsword piercing his heart.
Zhu Songyun lay on the ground, blood from her abdomen soaking through most of her clothes. Her small round sunglasses were shattered and carelessly discarded to the side. Her dull eyes were open, but her chest was no longer rising and falling.
They are all dead.
How could this happen? How could this happen? How could this happen? How could this happen?
The boy outside the formation seemed to sigh. He leaned against the formation, one hand pressed against the spiritual energy shield: "Please, Xiaozhu. Go to the teleportation array, go to the Thousand Machines Pavilion, go to the Boundless Sea."
"Go...save us."
Gu Xiaozhu lowered her head, trembling, tears streaming down her face, her heart aching so much that her mind almost stopped.
She slowly moved one of her hands up and placed it on the spot where the boy's palm was.
"……good."
The last word was utterly broken, carrying all the girl's despair and anger.
She stood up and began running towards the teleportation array.
She tried her best to ignore everything around her, to ignore the heavy blows behind her, to ignore the sound of a sword piercing through a gun, to ignore the boy's painful yet restrained groan...
Tears blurred her vision, and she raised her hand to wipe them away, but she couldn't stop them no matter how hard she tried.
The teleportation array was only a few dozen meters away from her, and she arrived at her destination in just over ten seconds.
She wanted to turn back, but she knew she couldn't.
She feared that if she turned around and saw the scene behind her, the determination she had finally made would crumble instantly.
Without further hesitation, she stepped forward and landed on the array.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
The formation did not activate.
In that instant, Gu Xiaozhu felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
"Crack—!"
The protective array shattered, and unhurried footsteps sounded behind him, accompanied by an increasingly strong stench of blood.
"Is it no longer useful?"
Xie Jitong's sarcastic voice slowly drifted over.
"This was still my idea~" Xie Jitong's smiling voice rang out again, "Let the laws seal off this land of yellow sand, so that no teleportation arrays or spells can be used."
"It seems to have worked."
Gu Xiaozhu didn't turn around; she just stood there with her back to him. Her hands were clenched tightly, and her body was trembling slightly.
Xie Jitong continued to approach: "My Lord, why don't you turn around and take a look?"
What are you afraid of? What are you... angry about?
"What a pity~ No matter how angry you are, there's nothing you can do, isn't there?"
Xie Jitong chuckled: "Your companions who were protecting you are gone; the teleportation array is unusable; the talismans and magical artifacts on you are no match for me; even the Heavenly Dao... you can't contact it anymore, can you?"
"This is an unsolvable deadlock; there's nothing you can do."
"No……"
The girl spoke softly.
Xie Jitong stopped and frowned at her: "What?"
Gu Xiaozhu slowly turned around, her bloodshot eyes fixed on him, her grief and anger undisguised.
"I can... do one last thing."
She spoke softly, and at the same time, a faintly glowing crystal appeared in her hand.
Upon seeing this scene, Xie Jitong felt a sudden unease.
He immediately stepped forward, intending to snatch the crystal—
But it was too late.
"Crack—!"
A crisp cracking sound rang out, and in an instant—
The world has come to a standstill.
… …
All you do all day is cry, cry, cry! What am I supposed to do with you?!
"I... Waaah... Please, don't hit me..."
"You bitch! You deserve it!!!"
"Bang!!!"
"ah!!!"
In the dimly lit room, a little girl huddled in a worn-out wardrobe, her arms tightly wrapped around her knees. Her small body trembled with every scream and impact outside.
She was terrified, really terrified.
She wanted to cry, but she bit her lip tightly, tears welling up in her eyes, but she just wouldn't let them fall.
Her mother told her to stay quietly and not make any noise.
Mom said that as long as she behaves well, Dad won't come looking for her or hit her anymore.
Mom said, "Be strong...don't cry."
After an unknown amount of time, the commotion outside gradually subsided. The man's curses faded into the distance, followed by a loud slam of the door, and then silence.
A moment later, a ray of light suddenly shone on her face. She looked up in surprise and saw her mother, her long hair disheveled, with the wardrobe door wide open. There were several bruises on her face, and a trace of blood remained at the corner of her mouth.
"Xiaozhu, it's alright, come out."
The woman's voice was a little hoarse, but her tone was incredibly gentle. She reached out and took the little girl out of the wardrobe, then placed her on the ground.
Standing on the ground, Gu Xiaozhu glimpsed through the half-open door the living room floor, stained with blood, with broken glass, overturned tables and chairs, and empty wine bottles scattered everywhere...
"Squeak—"
The door closed, and Gu Xiaozhu looked up at her mother, who had just pulled her hand back. Her eyes were still red, but she didn't cry.
My mother said I must be strong.
The woman smiled at her, squatted down, and patted her hair: "Mom will tidy up the living room. What would you like to eat later? Mom will make it for you."
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiaozhu felt a surge of grievance and fear well up inside her again. She reached out her small, delicate hands, and the tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally fell. She grabbed her mother's clothes, her voice trembling with sobs, and said, "Mommy, I'm scared..."
The woman was taken aback, then reached out and hugged her daughter tightly. She patted her daughter's back and said, "Don't cry...don't cry, don't be afraid, Mommy is here."
"Do you remember what your mother said? You must be a strong child."
Little Gu Xiaozhu nodded, her eyes blurry with tears. She hugged her mother tightly, as if she were her whole world.
"Yes, I will, Mom."
… …
A gentle breeze caressed her face and brushed past the girl's hair. She looked up suddenly, glancing at the shop beside her.
Her reflection was mirrored on the glass door of the shop.
She was wearing her school uniform, and had delicate features. Her eyes, though beautiful, were always shrouded in a shadow of gloom. Yes, she was now a senior in high school, about to take the college entrance exam.
She walked forward, her thoughts continuing to wander.
"Um! Wait a minute!"
A hurried sound came from behind her. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that there was an undisguised excitement in the sound.
She turned around in confusion and saw a tall, slender boy with a high ponytail, dressed in bright red ancient costume, running towards her.
The young man had striking features, and a bright smile graced his vibrant face. His red robes billowed behind him, unable to conceal his excitement.
His attire and handsome appearance attracted the attention of passersby, and Gu Xiaozhu noticed it as well.
She felt a little uncomfortable, but the person opposite her seemed to have something to discuss with her, and it would be impolite to just walk away.
As for that outfit, it might be for filming a video or cosplay?
"What do you need me for?" she asked, clasping her hands together as she tried to appear less nervous.
The boy opposite him paused for a moment, scratched his head, and glanced around at his surroundings...
For some reason, Gu Xiaozhu felt a strong sense of unease, as if the boy in front of her shouldn't be in modern times. However, she attributed this unease to the boy's ancient costume; after all, it's normal for a modern high-rise building to have such a realistic ancient costume, creating a sense of incongruity.
"Um...actually...I'm fine..." The boy stammered for a while before finally saying this.
Gu Xiaozhu was somewhat puzzled. If it were an ordinary person, they would only think that this person was playing a trick on them. But Gu Xiaozhu breathed a sigh of relief, because if there was nothing else, she wouldn't need to talk to the strange young man in front of her and could leave immediately!
"Then...then I'll go first?" she said cautiously.
"Um...ah, okay." The boy spoke, but just as she was about to turn and leave, he seemed to remember something and hurriedly said, "Ah! Um, my name is Jiang Zhihe, what...what's your name?"
Gu Xiaozhu was somewhat puzzled, and at the same time, a sense of vigilance arose in her heart. She suspected that this person was trying to pick her up, but his nervous behavior seemed very genuine, and he didn't seem to have any malicious intent.
Seeing the wariness in Gu Xiaozhu's eyes, Jiang Zhihe quickly waved his hand, "Sorry, sorry! Was I too abrupt? It's okay! It's alright if you didn't tell me!"
"Um, I... I'll go now!"
He left with those words and then hurriedly departed again.
What a strange person.
Gu Xiaozhu thought to herself.
This was their first meeting.
… …
"Hey, is this Old Zhang's daughter? She's quite pretty."
"Tsk tsk tsk, he didn't raise it for nothing, at least we benefited, didn't we?"
Gu Xiaozhu looked warily at the two men standing in front of her; one was middle-aged and overweight, the other was robust. After overhearing their conversation, she subtly reached into her school uniform pocket.
"What do you want?" she forced herself to speak, trying to appear as unafraid as possible. She hid her trembling hands behind her back to prevent them from seeing.
The two men exchanged a glance, and one of them, a portly man, suddenly chuckled, his eyes filled with lust as he looked at the girl: "Hehehe... Old Zhang owes us money, and he can't pay it back, so we can only use you to settle it, right?"
Gu Xiaozhu's heart sank to the bottom. She bit her lip, her body trembling slightly, whether from anger or fear, she didn't know.
It was already 10 p.m., and she had just returned from evening self-study. Her home was in the old town, and at this hour, there wasn't a soul in sight.
"I'm telling you, you'd better not come any closer!" she said, while simultaneously gripping the small knife she carried in her pocket.
She has always lacked a sense of security since she was a child, and she has always carried this for self-defense. She never dreamed that she would actually be able to use it one day.
The two men opposite them exchanged a glance and suddenly burst into laughter. Undeterred, they walked towards the thin girl, their faces filled with a lewd, determined expression.
Seeing that things were going badly, Gu Xiaozhu immediately turned and ran! In order not to slow down her speed, she took off her schoolbag and threw it behind her!
If I can escape, that would be best. If I can't, I'll have to try using that knife. But I've never practiced it, so the knife will be more of a deterrent than a means of self-defense.
"You dare to run?! Stop right there!!!" The two behind were furious. After dodging the backpack that was hitting them, they became even angrier! Their faces were contorted with rage as they strode after the girl who was running away.
Gu Xiaozhu was panting, her legs never stopped moving, she used almost all her strength to escape.
She's never pushed herself this hard, not even when running 800 meters!
As she rounded a corner, a figure suddenly appeared in her field of vision. Her eyes widened, but it was too late to stop.
She practically threw herself into the man's arms, and he reacted quickly, catching her and helping her absorb the force to prevent her from falling.
Finally, a very familiar voice rang out above her:
Are you alright?
She looked up in shock, and then met the gaze of a pair of equally surprised eyes.
"It's you?!"
"It's you!"
One was shocked, the other was excited.
This person was none other than the strange-behaving boy she had met a week ago.
However, he wasn't wearing his ancient costume at the moment; instead, he was dressed casually: light blue loose jeans, a white shirt, and a light blue light jacket over them. His previously long hair had been replaced with a neat short haircut.
He exudes youthful energy.
Before she could say anything, several curses and rapidly approaching footsteps came from behind her:
"Damn it, how did she run so fast?!"
"Once we catch that little brat, we'll teach her a lesson she won't forget!"
Upon hearing this voice, Gu Xiaozhu instinctively gripped the boy's sleeve.
Jiang Zhihe noticed it naturally. He frowned, gently patted the girl's shoulder in his arms, and whispered, "Don't be afraid."
He then gestured for her to come behind him.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the two figures appeared around the corner.
The burly man glanced at the strange young man who had suddenly appeared, then at the girl hiding behind him, and sneered, "Oh, where did you find this pretty boy again?"
The overweight man chuckled and said, "You don't think you can protect yourself with just this pretty boy? There are two of us!"
Gu Xiaozhu's face paled slightly. She gently tugged at the boy's sleeve and whispered, "You..."
The boy gently patted her hand, a gesture that inexplicably calmed her down.
After calming the girl behind him, Jiang Zhihe turned to look at the two people opposite him. He suddenly smiled and charged towards them without saying a word.
Gu Xiaozhu subconsciously closed her eyes, afraid that she would see a scene she didn't want to see.
Several screams rang in my ears, but I couldn't hear the boy's voice.
She cautiously opened her eyes, then slowly widened them.
The boy stood to one side, still as neat and tidy as when they first met. He had one hand in his pocket and was twirling the fruit knife he had just snatched from one of the men in the other.
The two who were just shouting were now lying on the ground, unconscious.
Noticing the girl's gaze behind him, the boy turned to look at her, his eyes crinkling, his smile as radiant as the first time they met.
"Don't be afraid."
This was their second encounter.
They became friends after that.
… …
Hey! Good luck on your college entrance exam!
The boy was wearing the same red ancient costume he had worn when they first met. His short hair had turned into long, jet-black hair, which he tied up high and let hang down his back.
He waved, a bright smile on his face.
According to him, on such an important day as the college entrance examination, of course we should dress in a festive manner! Besides, many parents present were also wearing cheongsams.
"Xiaozhu, good luck on the college entrance exam!" A gentle smile graced her mother's face. Compared to the perpetually gloomy look in her memory, her expression was much brighter now.
She was wearing a red cheongsam and stood next to the boy in red.
At first, she hadn't even considered wearing this, after all, she was too old and it definitely wouldn't look good on her. But under the urging of Jiang Zhihe and Gu Xiaozhu, she couldn't resist their expectant gazes and changed into a cheongsam.
After she changed into the new clothes, the two men kept praising how beautiful she looked, making her a little embarrassed.
Standing in the sunlight outside the examination hall, Gu Xiaozhu looked at the two people also bathed in light, a relieved smile spreading across her face. Her eyes were clear and bright, filled with anticipation for the future.
Finally, she turned around and entered the examination room.
… …
"I got accepted..." Gu Xiaozhu sat at the table, looking at the admission notice displayed on the computer, and said in a daze.
Jiang Zhihe, standing behind her, laughed too: "I told you you could do it, see!"
Gu's mother also peeked out from the doorway, wearing an apron, and smiled as she looked at the two people in the bedroom: "Xiaozhu got into college?"
"Of course!" Jiang Zhihe straightened his back, looking even happier than Gu Xiaozhu herself. A hint of pride even lingered on his face, as if it were he, not Gu Xiaozhu, who had passed the exam.
His mother was amused by his posture and laughed out loud. Then she raised an arm and made an exaggerated gesture of rolling up her sleeves: "In that case, we must cook a big meal to celebrate! Xiao He, you must stay and eat."
Jiang Zhihe chuckled, "Great! I can have a feast today!"
Seeing the interaction between the two, Gu Xiaozhu also laughed out loud.
Over the past year, things seemed to be moving in a positive direction.
She has friends and is no longer lonely.
My mother finally got a divorce and left that scumbag.
They also moved away from the old town and to a safer place where that scumbag couldn't be found.
Because of her frequent interactions with Jiang Zhihe, her mother has also been influenced by his sunny personality and is gradually becoming more cheerful, slowly emerging from the shadows of the past.
Just like her.
Sometimes she felt that Jiang Zhihe was like an angel sent down from heaven to save her family.
He helped them with so many things, so many things.
He walked her home when she was walking alone at night; he protected her and her mother when her father was inexplicably throwing a tantrum outside; he helped her encourage her mother to get a divorce, and they actually succeeded! He also helped them find a new address, helped them move, and so on...
There are too many, far too many.
For a time, she was very anxious, always feeling that Jiang Zhihe had helped them too much and that she owed him too much. Her childhood experiences had taught her that everything comes at a price, but she had no idea what that price was.
Later, Jiang Zhihe realized what was going on, and under his persistent questioning, she finally revealed the truth. In the end, Jiang Zhihe simply chuckled lightly.
"If you really want to do something for me, then try your best to finish writing your unfinished novel."
She had lived a very repressed life, and she wanted to believe that there were beautiful things in the world, but she just hadn't encountered them yet. Since she couldn't encounter them, could she create one?
Even if it's illusory and fake, she can still find solace in it.
So she began writing a novel, a world where people could be free from constraints and where everyone had the opportunity to change their own destiny.
She created a protagonist in her novel who was the complete opposite of her, giving him things she never had: loving parents, a harmonious family, trustworthy friends...
This unfinished novel was her only solace during countless nights filled with beatings and scoldings.
Immersing herself in her creative work allows her to escape reality for a short time, making her feel as if she is in this false but beautiful world.
It's not surprising that Jiang Zhihe knew about it, after all, she had told him about it before.
Although she found the request strange, she still made the promise:
I will keep writing until it is truly finished.
After receiving the promise, she sensed that the boy opposite her breathed a sigh of relief. Although it felt a little strange, she didn't think much of it.
… …
In the past, because her classmates all knew she had an abusive father, they would deliberately avoid associating with her. After all, this scumbag was not only abusive but also a notorious scoundrel in the area, and the surrounding residents did not want to have anything to do with him. Naturally, they would also tell their children to stay away from Gu Xiaozhu.
So she never had any friends—until Jiang Zhihe appeared.
Later, she went to university and met new roommates and friends.
Later on... she and Jiang Zhihe became lovers.
She sometimes thinks that perhaps the hardships of the past ten years or so were paving the way for a better future.
Everything was so thriving.
The future is bright.
… …
"squeak--!"
"Bang!!!"
The screech of brakes pierced her eardrums, and crimson blood splattered across the ground. The constant honking of car horns pounded at her heart, while the clamor of the surrounding crowd tugged at her nerves.
Beside her feet lay a cup of milk tea spilled all over the floor. In this cold winter, that sliver of warmth was only revealed for a fleeting moment before vanishing without a trace.
"A-He...?"
Unfortunately, the boy lying in the pool of blood could no longer respond to her.
Jiang Zhihe ultimately died despite all efforts to save him, and the driver who caused the accident has disappeared without a trace and has not been found to this day.
… …
For some reason, she felt that her mother was acting strangely lately.
Her once carefree face now looked preoccupied. Sometimes she could catch glimpses of bruises that had mysteriously appeared on her mother's body, but whenever she asked, her mother would always remain silent.
But when her mother's mental state deteriorated to the point that she could no longer work, she really couldn't bear it anymore.
Since her mother was unwilling to talk about it, she decided to find out the reason herself.
At noon, her mother went out. She quickly put on her down jacket and secretly followed. It was already deep winter, and a heavy snow had fallen the night before, leaving the roads covered in a layer of white.
She followed her mother step by step, winding her way through a series of turns, until they finally entered a rather old-looking neighborhood.
She continued to follow, and finally, she met someone.
One of the people she once feared and hated the most.
Her father.
She saw her mother and father talking, and saw their conversation gradually become heated, eventually turning into an argument.
As she watched that scumbag about to raise his fist, she couldn't bear it any longer. She grabbed a piece of burning paper from the ground and threw it at the man with all her might!
The brick hit the man squarely, and he immediately started cursing, "Damn it! Who?! Which bastard dares to hit me?!"
When he saw the girl not far away, the anger on his face subsided a little, and he finally laughed out loud: "Oh? So it was you, you ingrate?"
Mother Gu's eyes widened: "Xiao Zhu?! What are you doing here?!"
Gu Xiaozhu walked quickly over to the two of them, her expression unusually grim: "Why are you here? What did you do to my mother?"
The man looked much more haggard than he appeared in my memory, but his face still held a fierce expression.
"Ha, you're all having a good time, but what about me?!" he roared, shoving Gu's mother aside.
Gu Xiaozhu quickly stepped forward to support her mother.
"Do you know how hard I've lived all these years?! I should never have agreed to the divorce in the first place! You all belong to me, to serve me and cater to me for the rest of your lives! A bunch of bastards!"
He pointed to Gu's mother, his expression softening considerably: "She's quite sensible. After I found you, she was willing to give me money in exchange for me not interfering with your life."
Gu Xiaozhu's eyes widened instantly. She looked at her mother, but received an evasive expression in return.
So is that why my mother is becoming increasingly haggard and her mental state is deteriorating?
This scumbag found them, and now that Jiang Zhihe is dead, no one can help them.
"Oh, by the way." The man opposite suddenly chuckled, a twisted sense of vengeful pleasure on his face: "You haven't found the driver who ran over that brat yet, have you?"
"Hahahaha, do you know what?" He laughed loudly, his words like the whispers of a demon, echoing in their ears and lingering for a long time: "That little brat, I killed him."
Knock knock—
Knock knock—
My heart is pounding, each beat heavier and more painful than the last.
Her thoughts seemed to freeze, and she felt as if she had fallen into an icy abyss, her body stiff and unable to move.
What is he saying?
Who did he say he killed?
It was him, it was him... who killed Jiang Zhihe?
"Little...little..."
It sounded like someone was calling her.
"Little...Little Bamboo...Little Bamboo!!!"
She snapped back to her senses, but the scene before her made her pupils shrink!
The man's face was contorted with madness. He held a knife in his hand, the blade stained with blood. Crimson liquid dripped from the tip of the knife, staining the white snow on the ground.
His legs were being held tightly by a woman covered in blood. The man twisted his body frantically, stabbing the woman's body again and again with the knife in his hand, but he could not make the woman loosen her arms even a little.
"Mom...?" Gu Xiaozhu asked, her voice trembling. She raised her hands, but then hesitated, looking somewhat timid.
"Xiaozhu... Xiaozhu... go..." Blood spilled from the woman's mouth as she clung tightly to the man's legs. More and more blood flowed beneath her, gradually staining the surrounding white fabric red, causing Gu Xiaozhu's eyes unbearable pain.
"Run...he's gone mad...run!"
With tears streaming down her face, Gu Xiaozhu wanted to do something. Whether it was to escape or to save her mother, she had to take action!
But... her body froze.
She just stared blankly ahead at the increasingly vibrant red snow, unable to move at all.
What happened? What happened? What happened?
Why, why can't I move... Move! Move!
But... my body just won't listen to me.
She watched her mother fall to the ground, and watched the madman, holding a blood-stained knife, walk towards her step by step.
Closer, closer...
Is she going to die?
Police sirens sounded in the distance.
"Yes, yes! Officer, this is it!"
"That guy looks terrifying! He's stabbing people with a knife!"
The man in front of her suddenly came to his senses. He glared fiercely at Gu Xiaozhu, then turned around without hesitation and fled into the distance.
Only after hearing voices and hurried footsteps behind her, and watching the blood-soaked man disappear into the distance, did she finally regain control of her body; her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.
Tears were still flowing, but she seemed completely cut off from the outside world. A constant buzzing sound filled her ears, the scenery in her vision gradually became doubled, and finally, her vision went black, and her consciousness faded.
… …
Within a month, she lost two of the most important people in her life.
She sat on the sofa, the unfinished novel resting on her lap. The pen in her hand hovered in the air, yet she hesitated to write it.
She looked up at the empty living room, feeling as if a piece of her heart had been torn apart.
And she knew it could never be made up for.
"Ring ring—!"
She turned off her phone alarm and glanced at the time.
Time to go to school.
She glanced at the notebook, the one containing her unfinished novel, thought for a moment, and then stuffed it into her bag.
She put on her cotton-padded coat, slung her bag over her shoulder, opened the door, and left home.
She stood by the roadside, staring blankly at the red light across the street. Ever since her mother's death, her thoughts would often wander, and she couldn't help but think about her mother's death, and Ah He's death.
Vehicles kept whizzing past, and the cold wind stung my cheeks like a knife, making it unbearable.
As she watched the approaching car in the distance, an idea suddenly popped into her mind—
Will she be able to get through this winter?
The car was getting closer and closer, and she glanced at the pale sky again.
It's so cold. I wonder if it will be warmer in spring?
Suddenly, she froze.
She saw it.
She saw Ah He, and she saw her mother.
They were standing side by side, facing each other, very close to her. It was as if she could touch them if she took just one step forward.
They were smiling and extending their hands to her.
A tear slid down her cheek, a slight smile played on her lips, and she took a step forward, finally placing her hand on theirs.
Take me with you.
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Author's Note: Here comes the 10,000-word post!
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