Chapter 1889: Dead
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
It rained heavily all night.
After guarding the entire mountain, the air was especially fresh.
However, there were a few deep ravines on the road due to the heavy rain. There was even yellow water mixed with dead branches and leaves.
It was exceptionally quiet outside the orphanage, and the sounds of birds chirping were especially crisp.
“That’s impossible.”
!!
Chu Boyang said after a long while. He was terrifyingly calm.
Ye Jingyun pursed her lips, her hands trembling.
“… Anyway, that’s what happened. It’s up to you to believe it or not.”
Chu Boyang clenched his fists and his breathing became heavier. He felt as though his chest was being compressed and the air was being sucked away bit by bit.
Ye Jingyun was frightened by his expression. She couldn’t help but s.h.i.+ver.
“… I… I’m leaving… I’m very cold…”
Chu Boyang stood rooted to the ground. His mind seemed empty, but it seemed exceptionally clear.
It was so clear that every nerve in his body seemed to be tearing.
Ji Fengmian was dead?
How was that possible?
She was only ten.
Only people in their seventies or eighties would die, right?
She had at least sixty years to live.
How could he die?
After a long while, he suddenly looked up at the main road leading to the city. Just as he was about to run out, the director grabbed his arm and scolded in a low voice, “Student Chu!”
Chu Boyang turned his head and the dean was stunned.
She had never seen this expression on this child before.
Her eyes turned red and she felt that he was about to collapse.
But it didn’t.
“Director… they said that Ji Fengmian is dead. That’s impossible, right?”
The director pursed his lips and said sadly, “Everyone hopes that this isn’t true.”
Chu Boyan was a little disappointed.
All he wanted now was an affirmative answer.
He just wanted someone to tell him that Ji Fengmian wouldn’t die.
“That’s why I have to go and take a look. She’s just frozen. She should go to the hospital immediately. She’ll definitely be fine if she goes, right, Director?”
The dean paused and looked at his calm face. He nodded in a daze.
However, she snapped back to reality instantly. “I’ll find out what will happen. Go back first. Without permission, no one is allowed to leave the orphanage!”
Chu Boyan stood rooted to the ground.
The director said helplessly, “Student Chu, I’ve always thought that you and Ji Fengmian were the smartest children in the orphanage. I know that this incident has indeed dealt us a huge blow. I can understand your feelings if something happens to your best friend. However, look around carefully. Are you planning to walk to the city? When will you arrive? Where are you going to find her?”
Chu Boyang’s eyes trembled as he finally recognized reality.
He couldn’t do anything now.
The director pulled him back forcefully. “I’m also very concerned about Ji Fengmian, so I will definitely follow up on her situation. What you have to do now is not to cause trouble for the orphanage…”
As the saying went, one wouldn’t visit without a reason. The dean’s words followed closely.
A child in the orphanage was kidnapped and another child fell down the mountain to save someone.
In the social news section, this was indeed big news.
The next few days were the liveliest since the establishment of the welfare inst.i.tute.
The police, the media, and the entire orphanage were bombarded. There was no time for silence.
Even if the dean and teachers wanted to hide it, they had no choice.
Even the children in the orphanage knew about this.
Ji Fengmian had died. In order to save Ji Qing, whom she hated the most, she had fallen off a steep cliff.
“Ji Fengmian is so pitiful. I’ve also wronged her in the past.”
“Yes, I know. Although Ji Fengmian’s words are not likable, her thoughts are not bad. That’s because a bad child will not grow such beautiful flowers.”
“Yes, yes! Bad children won’t give us birthday cakes.”
“She’s stubborn. The last time she came, I clearly saw her running in hurriedly and falling. I heard the sound of pain, but she didn’t cry.”
“She’s really amazing. Why doesn’t she cry when she’s sad?”
Recently, Chu Boyang was not in the mood to study. Other than attending cla.s.ses, he would sit by the flower bed and take care of the lily seedlings that were growing taller day by day.
The children’s words reached his ears clearly.
He shouldn’t have reacted to these words, but after hearing their completely different comments about Ji Fengmian, the anger in his heart boiled like water on an iron stove. The thick steam almost broke through his skull.
‘Yes.’
He was angry.
But most of all, she was angry at herself.
He was furious at their att.i.tude, so he hated himself even more.
Perhaps he was even less deserving of forgiveness.
They could now innocently and honestly say that they had misunderstood Ji Fengmian and that they were sorry and had changed their views.
If they were to talk about their relations.h.i.+p, it could only be said that they were from the same orphanage.
As for him, they had been friends for nearly three years. In fact, he was the only one she had.
In the end…
If not for him, perhaps none of this would have happened.
He was clearly the closest person to her, and he was the one who had hurt her the most.
The plastic watering can in his hand was deformed by him. He looked up with a dark expression. His calm tone was filled with obvious ruthlessness.
“When did she fall?”
The child who had just spoken was shocked by Chu Boyang’s behavior. He hid behind another friend, revealing only his small head. He replied timidly,
“It was the afternoon when she came two days ago. At that time, it was almost time for cla.s.s. I came out to look for Xiao Qing to attend cla.s.s, but I only saw her running in from outside… I don’t know why, but she suddenly fell to the ground. Her expression was so ugly, as if she was very afraid… But it must have hurt a lot. I was hoping that she would cry and see her… What a joke. In the end, she only stood up and ran straight to the director’s office…”
“In that case, I remember that when she went to save that child, her knees were injured and mangled. She even had to kneel on the tree trunk to save her. This child really doesn’t leave any room for herself and others…”
The person who spoke was the police officer who had received the mission to investigate this matter.
Chu Boyang’s well-defined features stiffened and his brown eyes seemed to crack. He turned to look at the man standing behind him.
Hao Ran was the police officer who had received the mission two days ago.
The police officer nodded at him and was about to leave.
Chu Boyan put down the watering can and blocked his way.
“How’s the investigation going?”
The police officer didn’t hide it. “I don’t think such a thing will happen again. You can rest a.s.sured.”
Chu Boyang clenched his fists. “What about Ji Fengmian?”
The police officer looked at him for a long time and shrugged helplessly. “I have nothing to say about her.”
Chu Boyang frowned, but the police officer pushed him aside and walked towards the director’s office.
Now that the case was closed, he had the obligation to inform the director.
The director had been mentally and physically exhausted for the past two days. The news that the police officer brought to her was a form of comfort.
“I finally have a way to get rid of those reporters.”
The dean and the police officer walked out. Chu Boyang was about to knock on the door and enter.
The dean glanced at him and said, “Cla.s.s is starting soon, Chu Boyang.”
Chu Boyang asked, “I want to know how Ji Fengmian is now.”
The officer didn’t say a word.
The director was silent for a few seconds before shaking his head. “Just a.s.sume that she’s healthy now.”
Chu Boyang blocked the way of the director who was about to leave and asked, “What do you mean?”
The dean sighed and said, “Chu Boyang, no matter what, the outcome can’t be changed. All of you have your own lives. You’ve always worked hard. I hope you can continue to work hard in the future and live a good life…”
“…”
Chu Boyang lowered his head and did not speak. The director and the police officer looked at each other and shook their heads helplessly before leaving.
When they went out, the reporters were surrounding Ye Jingyun and asking her something.
Ye Jingyun shrank her body and avoided the camera.
“I was the first to discover her back then, but she fell badly. She even vomited blood when she spoke and her body was still cold…”
“She…”
Ye Jingyun was hesitating about what to say when she saw Chu Boyang walking over.
Biting her lips, she looked at Chu Boyang and said word by word, “She will never come here again.”
Chu Boyang froze on the spot.
The surrounding reporters were in chaos.
Out of context, it was always their instinctive reaction to catch the main topic.
They would never come here again. In their eyes, it was no different from saying that Ji Fengmian was dead.
The reporters also noticed the director and the police officer who had just entered.
Even through the door, they had to lean forward to interview her.
“Director, is what that child said true?”
“That child called Ji Fengmian is really dead?”
This matter involved a human life, and the severity had completely surpa.s.sed the kidnapping incident.
The dean hesitated. Why did she appear at this time?
This question was really…
However, she had no choice but to go forward.
“About the kidnapping incident in our courtyard…”
The reporters’ focus was not here, but they still listened to the entire story.
In the end, the topic s.h.i.+fted to Ji Fengmian.
The dean sighed and said, “This is indeed a pity. Although Ji Fengmian is only ten years old, she is very smart and opinionated. Since this is the life she has chosen, we should respect her. At the same time, I hope that everyone will stop paying attention to this matter. She has a cold personality and has never liked being overly noticed. Since things have come to this, I beg everyone to give her some peace and quiet… Thank you everyone!”
After saying that, the director bowed deeply to the media.
Although she felt a little sorry for the child behind her, she could only do this in order to protect the child.
Compared to the child’s momentary sadness, a life was more important.
The reporters sighed.
Chu Boyang stood rooted to the ground. His posture was upright, but his face was terrifyingly calm.
—
City Hospital, in a certain ward.
Ji Fengmian leaned against the bed. Other than his eyes and nose, his entire body was wrapped in white gauze. There were two soft pillows behind him as he stared quietly at the television hanging on the wall.