He Falcon Extra 4
Lin Jiang got on the bus without saying a word, looking out the window.
He Gu was not feeling well, but he kept it to himself and asked, "How did you feel about today's match?"
In today's final, Alike underestimated their opponent, resulting in a two-game deficit. It was Lin Jiang who stepped up and brought the match to a decisive final game, just a hair's breadth away from securing another championship for KUG.
He played so well, but when it came to him, all he said was, "I lost."
He slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a stop at the edge of the road. He didn't know what had happened that would cause their improving relationship to instantly return to its freezing point.
He asked him eagerly, "What do you want, Lin Jiang?"
Lin Jiang didn't want anything. "I just want my contract."
Trapping Lin Jiang in KUG was not his original intention, but at this moment, he suddenly felt that Manager Chen was absolutely right to do the right thing.
He drove Lin Jiang back to his apartment, opened the door, and pulled him forcefully to the wardrobe. "Get ready."
Lin Jiang was somewhat taken aback. "Pack what?"
"Pack your things and come stay at my place. Didn't you want the contract? If you live with me, I'll give it back to you right away..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was slapped. "Get out."
He Hu admitted that he had become somewhat desperate.
With all other paths blocked, he couldn't think of a more respectable solution.
"Think it over before you come back to me."
He got up to leave, afraid that he would regret it if he was a step too slow. Behind him, he heard Lin Jiang smashing things. Such a calm person had finally been driven crazy by him.
After that day, he didn't see Lin Jiang for three whole months.
Lin Jiang didn't contact him proactively. The summer season ended quickly, and KUG secured a spot in the world championship. Lin Jiang didn't stop for a moment, and it was already evident in the playoffs that his wrist was frequently having problems.
He Gu contacted the team leader and obtained the contact information of Lin Jiang's attending physician. Only then did he learn that Lin Jiang had been practicing day and night to compete for the job, and his wrist had entered a vulnerable period.
In other words, if Lin Jiang doesn't stop training, his injuries will stay with him for the rest of his life.
He Gu took the initiative to find Lin Jiang. The two remained relatively calm, and he calmly told Lin Jiang, "Take a six-month break and let your hand recover."
Lin Jiang opened his eyes wide, as if he were seeing him for the first time. "I finally made it to the World Championship this year, and now you want me to rest?"
He Gu explained, "It's not that I'm suspending your matches, it's that I'm letting you rest for six months. Wouldn't it be better if you could recover from your hand injury and play again next spring?"
This was the first time he had seen such a cold expression on Lin Jiang's face. He asked him, "He Hu, do you even know what I want? Right now, you make me feel like I'm your enemy."
He Gu didn't know; he really didn't know what Lin Jiang wanted.
He genuinely couldn't empathize with what Lin Jiang wanted.
This estrangement made him feel desperate.
He pulled him in front of him with a hint of dejection and hugged him gently. "Lin Jiang, please listen to me. Your hand really can't continue like this. I'll get you the best doctor. We'll go back next year once your hand injury has healed."
Lin Jiang seemed to chuckle. He sidestepped his hand, coldly pulled up his hood, and left their secret hideout without looking back.
For the first time, He Gu felt frustrated. He finally realized that he and Lin Jiang could never go back. Once the rift appeared, no matter how he tried to repair it, it would reappear when he touched it someday.
With the World Championships drawing ever closer, He Gu is getting busier and busier.
He was so busy that he didn't have time to check Lin Jiang's daily routine. By the time he realized it, Lin Jiang had already been hospitalized again due to a hand injury.
He drove to the hospital, and the first thing he heard when he opened the door was, "Doctor, if it's really not possible, can I get a painkiller injection and play?"
He pushed the door open forcefully, perhaps never having been so angry before, startling the team leader and manager inside, who turned pale.
He grabbed Lin Jiang's hand and said, "Come back with me."
Lin Jiang refused, and that was the first time they had ever argued. They argued from the car to the office, and he was so angry that he said, "I'll tell the manager right now to stop all your matches!"
Lin Jiang smashed his computer with all his might, shouting hoarsely, "You have no idea what I want!"
Then came the Cold War, an overwhelming Cold War.
From the World Championship to the end of the Spring Split, they didn't exchange a single word with each other for a full six months.
He Gu did not compromise on this matter in the slightest. When he said he would stop his matches, he meant he would stop them completely.
After three years without a competition, Lin Jiang once again fell into a state of depression, smoking, drinking, staying up all night, sometimes spending the whole day in an internet cafe, or wandering aimlessly on the street like a lost soul.
The quick-witted guy couldn't help but call him: "Young Master He, I know I shouldn't be bothering you, but Lin Jiang has been acting really strange lately. He's been taking medication every day, I don't know what kind. Yesterday he told us he's terrified of the big windows in his house, he keeps feeling like he'll jump if he looks at them for too long... I don't know what happened between you two, but I think you should help him out..."
He Gu didn't quite understand why, even though he had people watching Lin Jiang's every move every day, Lin Jiang still managed to cause unexpected incidents within his control.
He arrived at Lin Jiang's apartment and entered his birthday as the password. A cold, mechanical voice replied, "Incorrect password."
Undeterred, he lost three more times in a row, still making the same mistake. Suddenly, the blood in his body froze.
It felt like a monster was about to burst out of his body. He pounded on the door with all his might, shouting, "Lin Jiang, open the door!"
There was no response from the room; it was deathly silent.
He took out his phone, his outward appearance calm but his inner turmoil was palpable. When the call connected, he tried his best to remain calm: "Where are you right now?"
Lin Jiang hung up immediately upon hearing his voice.
He kept calling and calling until the other party blacklisted his number and could no longer get through. He finally realized that as long as Lin Jiang wanted to leave, there was nothing he could do about it.
The paparazzi planted around Lin Jiang sent back photos showing that Lin Jiang participated in a camping trip organized privately by the contestants. There were his friends, people who liked him, and familiar surroundings, but he wasn't there.
The last photo shows Yu Ming whispering in Lin Jiang's ear, his gaze towards Lin Jiang undisguised, as if he were about to tell him something.
He didn't know what Yu Ming had said to him, nor did he know what Lin Jiang's answer was.
Overwhelmed by fear, he drank a great deal of alcohol.
Thunder and lightning flashed outside; this night was destined to be anything but peaceful.
Reason could no longer suppress the monster within him. When Lin Jiang returned home and opened the door, he climbed up from the corner and hugged him tightly.
"Lin Jiang, I miss you. Why aren't you answering my calls..."
Alcohol numbed his senses, and the stakes became unimportant. He exposed his weaknesses to him, begging him to look back at him.
"Can we still be like before? I'll agree to anything you want to do. I'll cancel my work to be with you. Didn't you say you wanted to go to the amusement park last time? I can go with you there..."
He took out flowers and a custom-made watch, but the other person didn't even glance at them. He reached out to touch the other person's face, but was forcefully slapped away. "You're drunk. Go home."
Lin Jiang's voice was so cold that it made him shiver all over.
He suddenly realized that if Lin Jiang really wanted to leave, he would be completely helpless against him.
He had no choice but Lin Jiang, while Lin Jiang had far too many choices.
The person holding the knife was never himself.
It has always been Lin Jiang.
He Gu looked at the rejected white rose in his hand and suddenly asked him, "Who do you want to leave, KUG or me?"
She was so afraid that Lin Jiang would leave her that her reason and self-control were on the verge of collapse, and she could easily step into the abyss.
He tried hard to see Lin Jiang's expression clearly, but all he saw was indifference. "What do you think?"
His blood suddenly stopped flowing in his body, and he looked at him in despair: "Will you never like me again?"
Lin Jiang did not reply. The long silence could stifle all reason. In fact, it was already quite obvious when Lin Jiang changed the password.
He was just deceiving himself and refused to believe it.
He closed the door crack with his hand.
I don't know where the strength came from, but I pushed the door open.
Ignoring all attempts to stop him, he barged into his house, gently cupped his face, and pinned him against the door. In his pupils, he saw his own terrifying reflection, truly resembling a monster unleashed from its cage.
Yes, from beginning to end, the one holding the knife was Lin Jiang.
If Lin Jiang wanted, he could slit his throat and kill him instantly.
He Gu smiled, his eyes stinging. He coaxed him in a terrifying tone, "Didn't you want the contract? You could have just told me. Was it really necessary to beat your hand until it relapsed? I like you so much, if you had just told me, you would have had everything, right? Lin Jiang, congratulations, you've got me under your control in this relationship. From now on, you can hurt me without any restraint..."
He pinned him against the entryway and kissed him like a madman.
Lin Jiang's blows really hurt, but in the face of absolute power, no matter how hard he hits, it's useless.
The cabinet tilted, and the cup Lin Jiang bought fell and shattered, leaving fragments all over the room.
This was the first time he had realized that getting Lin Jiang was so simple; all he had to do was turn himself into a monster and disregard Lin Jiang's feelings.
He craved his love, but Lin Jiang no longer loved him.
He always has to get something from him, otherwise, in this endless hell, who knows when he will be completely swallowed up?
He Hu subdued his opponent with overwhelming force, while Lin Jiang scratched his face. Neither of them gained an advantage, and both exhausted their strength in the struggle.
He held Lin Jiang tightly, and although the other's body was cold, he could still feel a brief warmth on him.
He nestled against his shoulder with a touch of longing, "Lin Jiang, is it really impossible to start over? I don't think it's over between us yet."
Lin Jiang's voice was weary: "What do you think is the end? Can my death end it all? Give me the contract, that's all I have left."
He Gu was a respectable man, but with Lin Jiang, he would rather give up his respectability.
Without a word, he got up and picked Lin Jiang up from the ground.
Lin Jian reacted strongly, as if he had finally realized something. "What are you trying to do?"
He pushed Lin Jiang, who had gotten up, back onto the bed. He could easily subdue him and kiss him deeply. In the past, when he was most passionate, he only dared to touch Lin Jiang's face, but now he could completely possess him.
Everyone goes crazy sometimes.
It's just that we haven't reached a dead end yet.
He heard his own voice, colder than an executioner's: "You want a contract? You have to give me some leverage. Choose one or the other. If you don't answer, I'll choose for you."
He loosened his tie and threw off his coat.
She leaned down and continued kissing him, her fingers forcefully unbuttoning his shirt.
Just when he thought Lin Jiang would no longer resist, Lin Jiang grabbed a vase from the bedside table and smashed it hard on his forehead.
In that instant, He Gu felt that Lin Jiang really wanted him dead.
He had never seen Lin Jiang so ruthless before. His thin body stood by the bed, trembling all over, his chest heaving, and his eyes were colder than he had ever seen before.
"Get out of my house!"
Blood streamed down his forehead. The alcohol had numbed his nerves, and he thought it would hurt a lot, but it didn't hurt at all, not even a tenth as bad as the suffocation in his chest.
He Gu smiled nonchalantly, stood up and picked up his coat from the ground. "I'm not drunk. I know what I'm doing, so I won't apologize to you."
He walked to the door, then suddenly turned back to look at him: "Lin Jiang, have you forgotten? You were the one who invited me here in the first place. You said the password was my birthday, and the decor was what I liked, but now you're telling me to get out. Actually, you've always known that I'm a monster who can't love. You were the one who wanted to come in, and now you're the one leaving. Did I have a choice?"
The room was deathly silent without the lights on.
Lin Jiang sat barefoot in the corner, burying his face in the shadows.
He heard Lin Jiang reply in a desperate voice, "He Hu, I've done my best, please let me go."
Behind the Rose Manor lies no romance, no beauty, only ruins and rotting corpses...
Lin Jiang saw his full appearance clearly.
So they were scared off by him.
He Gu opened the door, and the light from the corridor fell on his stiff figure, half in light and half in darkness.
He suddenly realized that he was caught in a wrong vortex. The more he tried to prove it, the more exhausted he became. The more exhausted he became, the more he wanted to prove it. It was an unsolvable problem.
Lin Jiang entered his world, but could only be swallowed up in the end.
He closed the door, severing all contact between them. He knew that from now on, there would never be another Lin Jiang, and no one would ever have the courage to step into his world again.
He Gu set aside his arrogance and pride, sat outside his door, and suddenly burst into tears, his voice hoarse and strained...
When his friend saw the bandage on his forehead, he joked, "I didn't expect Lin Jiang to look so gentle, but he has such a fiery temper."
After saying that, seeing that He Gu's expression was not good, she sighed, "I'm not trying to criticize you, but Lin Jiang gave you so many chances and you didn't seize them even once. You really can't blame him. Blame yourself."
"If you still want to leave a good impression on each other, let him go. You've kept him trapped for four years. Do you know what that means for a professional player..."
Has it been four years already?
He Gu then realized what was happening.
He went abroad for two years and returned to China for three years. Lin Jiang has been trapped by KUG's contract for four years. How many four-year periods can a peak player have?
Three months had passed since that incident, and He Gu came to KUG with the intention of taking the initiative to seek reconciliation.
As soon as he arrived at the training room, he was immediately overwhelmed by Alike's enthusiasm. He glanced at Lin Jiang uncomfortably and then heard the coach say that tomorrow would be the last game of the bubble tournament.
He watched Lin Jiang's retreating figure, knowing he wouldn't turn back to look at him again, and could only say, "Good luck in your competition tomorrow."
Alike thought he was being talked about, "Bro, I definitely won't lose! KUG will definitely make it to the World Championship this time!"
He regretted saying that as soon as he finished speaking, because he suddenly realized that the public opinion was very intense recently, Alike was very popular, and Lin Jiang simply couldn't get on the field.
He got up and went back to his office, asking his assistant to get him a front-row ticket.
He thought a lot that night. He intended to return the contract to Lin Jiang. His hand injury had stabilized, so he decided to tell him the news after the competition.
The next day, he canceled all his schedules and went to the scene to pick him up, only to find Lin Jiang covered in blood and being carried into an ambulance by a nurse.
What's going on?
What happened?
He rushed to the hospital and, after hearing the person in charge recount the incident, his mind went blank. "Lead poured into the water glass?"
"Yes, because it was a water cup, all the checks were overlooked. We've already called the police and had him arrested. He said he's a fan of Alike, that Lin Jiang stole his spot, and that he wants to avenge Alike..."
But this position should have been his all along.
He insisted on going ahead and testing the waters.
It was as if a string in his mind had snapped. At first, he seemed very rational: "Sue him, sue him immediately. I don't want him to pay compensation, I want him to go to jail."
Suddenly the emergency room lights went out, and the doctor came out, shaking his head. "The intracranial hemorrhage has been treated, but the patient's will to live is very weak. He is in a vegetative state and brain dead. It's uncertain when he will wake up."
He Gu firmly believes: "He can wake up, he definitely can wake up."
He hasn't even been on the field yet, he hasn't played a game, he has so many things to do, he hasn't even received his apology yet, how could he not wake up...
Everyone was filled with regret. Zeng Yuan couldn't accept this outcome. He looked at He Hu in anguish, "You killed him! You killed him!"
Seeing that he was still so calm, he couldn't hold back anymore. He rushed over and grabbed He Gu's collar. "Are you satisfied now? You signed him to a five-year contract, you caused him to develop depression, you ruined him, are you satisfied now?!"
"Are you crazy?!"
"Let go! What does this have to do with Young Master He!"
He Gu laughed. Of course they're related! How could they not be? Lin Jiang was driven to this state by him, bit by bit...
He got up feeling dizzy, missed a step and fell down the stairs. He woke up in a hospital bed.
Lin Jiang's family rushed to the scene. They saw his older brother and sister crying until they fainted by his bedside, and his parents filled with remorse. Every word they uttered felt like a knife, cutting into him.
After ten days in a coma, the online criticism finally subsided, and people began to pray for him.
Lin Jiang's past competitions were also dug up, and seeing his brilliant achievements, everyone suddenly realized that the industry had lost a genius.
After being in a coma for a month, the person involved was arrested, sentenced in court, and countless netizens who were dedicated to Alike were also exposed, revealing how viciously they had been targeting Lin Jiang behind the scenes. Thousands of netizens finally witnessed the terrifying nature of these creatures and turned around to pressure them with public opinion.
Alike was summoned by the official authorities for allegedly engaging in activities such as instigating trouble, playing the victim, and maliciously misleading fans due to inadequate supervision. After the investigation confirmed these allegations, Alike was terminated from its contract with KUG and banned from all competitions.
After being in a coma for two months, the world finally gave him some peace and quiet. As always, He Gu came to his hospital room to peel an apple for him and bring him good news.
"Do you know? Everyone is praying for you right now, hoping you'll wake up."
"Lin Jiang, I don't want anything anymore, I ask for nothing. I just want you to wake up and live a healthy and happy life, even if you're not by my side..."
On that sunny afternoon, the machine suddenly disconnected, and life ended at that moment.
The unfinished apple suddenly fell to the ground. He Gu stood up, his pupils dilated, and fear overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.
Lin Jiang passed away without warning.
He Gu felt as if half of his life had been taken away with him.
While his family was sorting through his belongings, they found a large pile of unidentified pills. Looking at his messy notes, they realized that his depression had become so severe.
He Gu stayed in the apartment, masochistically reading through all of Lin Jiang's notes, his gaze lingering on the first page: "I asked him what would happen if I had depression, and he said, 'There aren't that many cases of depression.' Yes, there aren't that many cases of depression, but I did get it, and it's getting worse and worse. I often feel like I'm falling into an abyss and I won't be able to climb out..."
He Gu clutched his notebook and wept uncontrollably by the window.
He suddenly understood where that feeling of unease came from; when a person is in despair and stares into an abyss, they really want to jump down...
Many people from the entertainment circle attended Lin Jiang's funeral, including He Gu.
He overheard Lin Jiang's mother asking Zeng Yuan, "Do you know who A Jiang liked before? I've only heard him talk about it, I haven't met him yet. He said he was a very outstanding and good person, although he had many flaws, but he felt he could spend his whole life with him. Do you know who he is? I want to meet him, I want to know what kind of person A Jiang likes."
He Gu turned around abruptly, his pupils trembling.
He stared incredulously at the black-and-white photo on the tombstone, his eyes dry and painful.
turn out to be.
It turns out that Lin Jiang once loved him so much.
But he refused to believe it, repeatedly torturing him with a knife until he was slowly sliced to death, while still asking him why he couldn't treat him the same way as before...
Zeng Yuan looked at him with some difficulty.
He Gu knelt trembling before his grave. His soul had died with him, but his body was still alive, living such a wretched life.
“Auntie, you wouldn’t want to see him. Because he’s a terrible person…”
Leaving the funeral, everything became lifeless.
His family, whom he once most wanted to get rid of, no longer mattered, nor did the project. It turned out that once Lin Jiang left, nothing else mattered.
Contrary to what those around him might have imagined, he did not drink excessively or become despondent. He went to work and came home every day like a normal person, and everything was arranged in an orderly manner, showing no signs of anything unusual.
His mother also praised him, saying, "My son has grown up and won't cause me any more worry."
He smiled and said, "Yes, I've grown up."
His friend advised him, "Something's not right with you. It sounds like you have depression. Why don't you see a psychologist?"
He said, "There aren't that many cases of depression."
Then, on an ordinary, sunny afternoon, he stood perfectly normal in front of Lin Jiang's apartment window, when suddenly something occurred to him, and he got up and stepped off...
A white light exploded in his mind. He opened his eyes and saw the familiar ceiling. He got up, ate, and went to work as usual.
Then, when I saw the calendar, I suddenly stopped.
March 16, 2024.
Countless memories exploded in my mind: Lin Jiang leaving KUG, Lin Jiang winning the championship, Lin Jiang and Shen Ju officially announcing their relationship, the wishing well, and that coin I picked up...
He finally realized something. He grabbed his clothes, ran to the square, took out a wad of cash and exchanged it at a shop. He frantically threw coins into the wishing well, begging to go back to the past.
But no miracle happened.
He threw coins from morning till dawn, leaving countless scattered coins at his feet, but not one of them could get him back.
He Gu seemed to understand that he was not returning to the past, but to the events he had already experienced. He would lose all his memories of this time and space in that time and space, and even if he went back, he could not change what happened there.
He could only skim the surface, watching himself continuously hurt Lin Jiang.
So, Lin Jiang has actually already experienced it, right? He retained his memories of his past life?
That's why he made a different choice and told him, "I've tried, and we're really not a good match."
He Gu only ever believed what he saw with his own eyes, so he was unwilling and resentful until he retraced his steps and finally understood why Lin Jiang had left so decisively.
Lin Jiang wanted to pull himself out of hell, but he wanted to pull Lin Jiang into hell instead.
Only by leaving himself can he return to his peak and escape the shadows of the past.
So this time, let him leave gracefully.
He Gu secretly went to see Lin Jiang. He hid in the pavilion under the apartment and saw Shen Ju walking close to his shoulder. "Are you really going to buy those two cups back? Actually, I don't mind."
Lin Jiang laughed, a gentle yet helpless laugh, "Haven't you been hinting to me every day that you don't even enjoy drinking water anymore?"
"I didn't, Lin Jiang...you're making me sound so petty..."
"You're so petty. A netizen just said a few words, and you insist on having those two cups."
"It's all because netizens were messing around with it. I bought the cup to take pictures and post them online." After saying that, he observed Lin Jiang's expression warily: "You can't be angry, can you?"
"Post it if you want, I'm also annoyed by people who randomly ship people online."
"Really?" Shen Ju kissed him on the cheek, smiling brightly. "I knew you were on my side..."
The weather was beautiful that day, sunny and bright, just like the day Lin Jiang passed away.
The difference was that Lin Jiang was very happy, completely different from his previous life.
He felt as if something was blocking his vision. He looked up at the sky, tears streaming down his face.
Yes, all you have to do is let go.
If Lin Jiang lets go, he will find his own way back to life.
He Gu didn't tell anyone about his past life. He went up on the podium, apologized to Lin Jiang, and gave him and himself a final moment of dignity.
He had figured it out: he and Lin Jiang didn't meet the right person at the wrong time, but rather the wrong person at the right time. There were no regrets from beginning to end.
So from now on...
Let each of us pursue what we love in our own field.
I promised to write this extra chapter, but after finishing it, I felt it wasn't very kind to Lin Jiang, so I added a sweet extra chapter. Please see the next page~
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