Chapter 111
Although I felt cold, it wasn't unbearable, so I didn't mind.
I just can't get along with Zhu Ning, who isn't a friend.
It would be the same if we did it all over again.
As a child, Zhu Ning was very capable, while Jiang Wenxing had a strong sense of pride and would rather go hungry than accept food offered by kind neighbors. Zhu Ning was quick-witted and would go out to collect recyclables with the old man in the tenement building after class, using the money he earned from collecting cardboard to buy him noodles. After buying him noodles twice, Jiang Wenxing started going around with Zhu Ning, looking sullen, to mooch meals from others.
Zhu Ning is pretty and has a sweet voice. She's willing to go to great lengths for food. Jiang Wenxing, on the other hand, keeps a cold face and silently takes on the physical labor. The two of them have always had a great understanding.
It seems that unlucky people attract each other. The two often played together. Zhu Ning's father was irresponsible and rarely came home. Jiang Wenxing's family often had people playing cards and drinking at home, so Jiang Wenxing would bring his homework to Zhu Ning's place to do it.
Zhu Ning once jokingly said he would take money from him, and Jiang Wenxing was stunned for a moment before taking out three hundred from his pocket and giving him three hundred.
Zhu Ning's expression changed. "What do you mean?"
Jiang Wenxing didn't even look up and said, "I know you're trying to raise tuition fees. You swore to me that we would study hard together, and that we would never come back after we got into university. You can take this."
Zhu Ning cursed at him, calling him a stupid idiot.
Jiang Wenxing couldn't remember what they talked about after that, or whether she took it or not, because it had been so long. She only remembered that when they were doing their homework together, Zhu Ning's lips would occasionally curl up. It wasn't the usual obedient smile on her face; it was more like the smile she had when she ate candy. She was very restrained, but she couldn't help it, and her eyebrows and eyes would light up.
Before entering the Guiding Academy, Zhu Ning's father became addicted to gambling and wanted Zhu Ning to drop out of school and become his henchman to pay off his debts. So Jiang Wenxing took Zhu Ning and ran away.
When they fled, they headed north along the highway to report to the school.
He had hitched rides and worked odd jobs, but he didn't feel sad at the time. When he was very poor, he slept under bridges. At night, all around him were the sounds of insects and rats crawling. His spirit was mixed in with the little rats, who probably wanted to keep him warm, but Jiang Wenxing chased them away.
Zhu Ning said that when he makes a lot of money in the future, he will demolish the tenement building and let his father sleep under a bridge. Zhu Ning drives by every day and envies him to death.
Jiang Wenxing shivered from the cold while trying not to laugh. Zhu Ning cursed at him, "Come closer, you bastard! Sleeping so far away, do you want me to freeze to death?" At that time, they hadn't considered any future uncertainties. After graduation, they decided to go to Kush together. It was the best place to get a government job and transfer back to the city. For him and Zhu Ning, who had no social connections and came from humble backgrounds, it was the easiest way to get ahead.
We agreed that we would stay for three months and then find a way to transfer together.
Unfortunately, I never imagined it would turn out like this.
The temperature in Kush dropped to around 5°C at night. As the last batch of supplies was unloaded from the carriages, the entire convoy parked at the station turned on its lights, resembling a long, winding dragon.
The convoy was heading deep into Kush, far from the station and the outposts of the sentries, where it would stay for a long time.
The car was about to start moving, and the engine began to chug and roar, filling the silent jungle with its sound.
Jiang Wenxing, clutching his bag, huddled in the corner of the convertible. Suddenly, the wind blew his hat off, and it landed at Zhu Ning's feet. Zhu Ning pretended not to see it.
Jiang Wenxing bent down to pick it up, and quickly picked it up with his other hand and handed it to him. It was Ilya. He had climbed up at some point and was holding a coat. Because the engine was very loud, his voice was also very loud, so it wasn't drowned out.
"The car...I need...you and...to go..."
"What?"
Jiang Wenxing took it but didn't put it back on, but he had a hard time suppressing his cough, and a thin layer of redness appeared on his face.
Ilya repeated himself, and Jiang Wenxing, his ears filled with the wind, looked bewildered: "What? Captain, I can't hear you."
Ilya gave up trying to communicate and handed the coat to Jiang Wenxing, but it was taken by another, whiter and more handsome hand. Arno stood up, wearing the coat, and looked at Ilya with a helpless and amused expression. He had known Ilya from the beginning. He glanced at Jiang Wenxing, stood on tiptoe, and whispered something in Ilya's ear.
Ilya handed him the coat, jumped out of the car, and headed towards the driver's seat.
Arno hugged Ilya's coat, smiled, took off his own clothes and handed them to Jiang Wenxing, then put Ilya's coat on himself.
Why was it Ilya's? That uniform was huge, almost dragging on the ground; not many sentries are that tall.
Jiang Wenxing looked at him coldly. Arno handed his clothes to Jiang Wenxing, but Jiang Wenxing didn't take them. Arno shook his head slightly in disappointment, put the clothes next to Jiang Wenxing, and his voice, amplified by the guide's mental power, accurately reached Jiang Wenxing's ears: "This was originally yours. If you don't wear it, it will freeze into an ice block when we get to the Kush base."
Zhu Ning yawned, crossed his arms, and his spiritual leopard snuggled up to its master for warmth, also using its spiritual power to say, "Arno, why are you bothering with him? It's his freedom to wear whatever he wants, it's none of your business."
Arno disagreed, saying, "You'll get sick."
Zhu Ning said, "You're overthinking it. He's not that delicate. But you, I suggest you sit down and rest if you don't want to get sick and have a fever."
In his past life, Jiang Wenxing caught a cold when he went back, but he didn't want Zhu Ning to see it. As he said, he wasn't that delicate.
He just had a fever and his voice was hoarse, but he didn't speak in order to hide the truth, which caused a lot of misunderstandings.
Now……
Jiang Wenxing glanced at Zhu Ning. He knew very well that Zhu Ning wasn't here to sulk; he was here to work, to serve in Kush. He had a mission, and later on, Zhu Ning had done even more outrageous things.
If he gets sick or injured, it won't do him any good in changing what he wants to change. He already made mistakes in his past life, so why should he repeat them in this one?
I don't want to, I don't wish for it.
Being able to live and correct one's mistakes is a great fortune.
Jiang Wenxing's pride once built a wall that wouldn't allow anyone to visit. That wall was very high, making his life very hard and tiring, but it also shielded him from a lot of bad things, allowing him to concentrate on doing one thing without being influenced or disturbed by others.
In his past life, Jiang Wenxing would have disdained this garment. He would rather freeze than be looked down upon.
But all of these things have lost their meaning now.
So Jiang Wenxing picked up the clothes and put them on, then said to Zhu Ning, "I'll pay you for the clothes when I get off the bus."
Alena asked with a hint of surprise, "Jiang... are you alright?"
Jiang Wenxing's usual pride would never allow him to do such a thing. Not only Alena, but even Arno's eyes flashed with surprise, and Zhu Ning looked at him with even more astonishment.
Jiang Wenxing told Alena that he was fine. He sat at the back of the carriage, watching the traffic flow. The night in Kush was very dark, with no lights, no people, only silent wilderness and mountains.
This place is a far cry from his original dream, but now he's back and has no intention of leaving again.
Perhaps dying here is the only way out.
Hopefully, those days won't last too long.
The cold wind whistled past his ears. Jiang Wenxing wrapped himself up tightly, taking care of his own feelings. He no longer suppressed his cough. His face was hidden under his coat; it was small and very pale.
He wasn't angry, because being reborn wasn't about becoming a hero, nor was it about becoming popular. On the contrary, being reborn made him even lonelier, because he wouldn't let anyone else know the secrets he knew or the things he was going to do.
Living and completing it became something very important, but somewhat empty.
Author's Note:
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