Chapter 78
The sky had already darkened.
After more than ten minutes, her arm aching from holding up her phone, WeChat was still loading.
Her sigh echoed in the silence.
Jiang Siyi lowered her arms, her heart pounding with anxiety. After a moment, she stood up, no longer waiting passively, and started walking through the bamboo grove, trying to find a way out.
Without the maintained path, the mountain trail was treacherous. Annoying branches kept snagging on her clothes, and soon, her coat was torn.
Hearing the ripping sound, she frowned and looked down, then, after a quick glance, she continued walking.
She was following her memory of the way up, but her surroundings were becoming increasingly unfamiliar. After passing through one bamboo grove, another appeared before her.
Endless, like an infinite loop.
Most of the leaves were withered and yellow, only a few still green. The cold wind made the atmosphere even more eerie.
A cold sweat broke out on Jiang Siyi’s forehead.
Tired from walking, she squatted down to rest and took out her phone again, hoping for a signal.
After countless attempts, a few messages suddenly popped up. Automatically filtering out the others, Jiang Siyi instinctively clicked on Shen Shiwu’s chat.
Voice messages and missed calls.
Her notifications were flooded.
Remembering last night, Jiang Siyi’s heart ached. Seeing these messages, she couldn’t quite decipher her emotions.
But,
Now wasn’t the time for sadness.
If she continued like this, she might not survive.
Jiang Siyi forced herself to calm down, her words rapid. “Shen Shiwu, I’m lost on An Mountain in Yunxi Water Town, I barely have any signal, I’ll send you my location…”
But just as she was about to send the message, the signal dropped.
Like a taut string snapping, the connection was lost.
She felt a wave of despair wash over her.
As the sun began to set, the sky darkening, Jiang Siyi could no longer control her emotions and started sobbing softly.
What was the point of crying?
She wiped away her tears, mentally scolding herself.
Would crying help her find her way?
Thinking this, Jiang Siyi stood up again. She took a deep breath, suppressing her sadness, looked around, and continued walking.
Half an hour later, she sat down on a rock, exhausted. She was not only tired, but also scared, even the sound of a bird flying overhead making her jump.
So useless, Jiang Siyi.
Getting lost while hiking.
After all these years, you haven’t changed at all, still the same useless person.
She hugged herself, trying to find some warmth, but it was futile. After a while, she turned on her phone, seeing that there was still no signal, and opened a new note.
She started writing her will, her expression serious.
Three letters.
One for Shen Shiwu, one for Xu Yuan, and one for Lin Yusheng.
Writers were naturally empathetic, and now, finding herself in this situation, her eyes stung, tears blurring her vision.
Shen Shiwu.
She typed the name.
By the time you read this, I’ll probably be dead.
Jiang Siyi bit her lip, unable to hold back anymore, and threw her phone down, sobbing loudly. After releasing her emotions, she picked up her phone and continued writing.
I’m a selfish person.
If you find a new love interest after I die, I’ll haunt you forever.
The mountain was empty, and her cries echoed through the silence.
When Shen Shiwu finally found her, Jiang Siyi was sitting with her back to her, curled up in a ball, her head down.
Shen Shiwu’s heart, which had been pounding with anxiety since receiving Jiang Siyi’s message, finally calmed down.
She could finally breathe again.
Jiang Siyi was still crying as she wrote her will.
Shen Shiwu, you’re so hard to pursue. If I become a ghost and haunt you, can you give me some special treatment?
Suddenly, she heard the sound of dry leaves and twigs being crushed underfoot.
Jiang Siyi froze, her fingers stilling on the keyboard.
Was it a bear?
Or a ghost, about to become her companion?
She turned off her phone screen and quietly tried to move away.
One step, two steps.
Then she started running—
“Jiang Siyi.”
A hand gently wrapped around the back of her neck.
The next second, a familiar, comforting scent enveloped her.
Cedarwood.
Another hand on her waist.
Shen Shiwu stood behind her, the anxiety she had felt since receiving Jiang Siyi’s message finally dissipating.
“I told you to stay put, but you had to run off.”
Despite her words, her tone was gentle, without a hint of blame.
“Aren’t you tired?”
Jiang Siyi turned around and threw herself into Shen Shiwu’s arms.
“I had no signal, I couldn’t listen to your voice messages,” she said, clinging to her, burying her face in her chest, “I’m tired, so tired, I walked for so long, but I couldn’t find my way…”
The past few hours had been terrifying. Just thinking about it made her shiver.
Shen Shiwu didn’t push her away this time.
Instead, she held her tighter, as if wanting to merge with her.
“It’s okay now.”
She gently patted Jiang Siyi’s back, her movements slow and soothing, like comforting a frightened rabbit.
“I’ll take you home.”
***
Shen Shiwu was like a reassuring presence.
With her around, any problem could be easily solved.
Sitting in the car, wrapped in a blanket, Jiang Siyi still couldn’t help but curl up. Seeing several police cars outside, even the deputy mayor had been alerted, she swallowed nervously.
The police cars drove away, and the producer of the show was still talking to Shen Shiwu, bowing and apologizing repeatedly.
Shen Shiwu, her expression indifferent, barely acknowledged him.
A few minutes later, Shen Shiwu returned to the car, seeing Jiang Siyi curled up in a ball, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.
But the frown quickly disappeared, and she turned up the heat, then asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”
Jiang Siyi sniffed and shook her head. “No, just…”
Just… shaken.
Still a little scared.
Looking at her pale face, remembering her illness, Shen Shiwu’s expression was complex, a mix of worry and…
…anger.
She had only let her out of her sight for a day, and she had returned like this. And the production team was still trying to shift the blame.
This show had to be stopped.
They couldn’t continue filming.
She could always find other resources for Jiang Siyi later.
The guesthouse was in a remote location, difficult even to order takeout, so Shen Shiwu took Jiang Siyi back to the hotel.
Seeing that the room the production team had booked for Jiang Siyi was just a regular single room, Shen Shiwu clicked her tongue and went downstairs to book a suite.
Someone who had just been through a traumatic experience needed to feel safe.
Seeing Shen Shiwu leave, Jiang Siyi’s heart sank. But remembering Shen Shiwu’s cold attitude, she held back her questions.
Was she really leaving again?
Time passed slowly, and Jiang Siyi sat on the edge of the bed, fidgeting with her clothes, her mood gloomy. Ten minutes later, it started raining again, the sound annoying, and she went to close the window.
Shen Shiwu had her room key.
A beep, and as she opened the door, she heard the sound of the window closing next door.
Seeing the rabbit’s slightly annoyed figure, Shen Shiwu raised an eyebrow.
Jiang Siyi turned around, her face expressionless.
But seeing Shen Shiwu, her eyes widened, round like two grapes.
Shen Shiwu, seeing her change in expression, wanted to smile, but she held back.
“You… you’re still here,” Jiang Siyi said, walking over to her, “I thought you had left again.”
Again?
Shen Shiwu thought for a moment, her mind flashing back to that stormy night.
She rarely regretted her actions. But now, looking at the girl’s aggrieved expression, she wished she could go back in time.
She shouldn’t have left.
Although they weren’t back together yet, she shouldn’t have hurt Jiang Siyi like that.
After all, she cared about her.
Seeing that Shen Shiwu didn’t respond, Jiang Siyi pouted, thinking she was talking to a brick wall again. She turned and lay down on the bed, exhausted, wanting to rest.
Then she saw the new room key in Shen Shiwu’s hand.
Black, with a gold border.
“Let’s go.”
Jiang Siyi, puzzled, sat up and tilted her head. “What?”
Shen Shiwu looked around the room, a hint of disdain in her eyes. Then she tapped Jiang Siyi’s head with the key card. “Take your things, we’re going to the top floor.”
Jiang Siyi’s eyes lit up instantly.
Her suitcase hadn’t even been opened, so she was ready to leave immediately. Shen Shiwu, seeing her eager expression, remembering her bad memory, reminded her, “Didn’t forget anything, right?”
“Nope,” Jiang Siyi shook her head, drawing out the word.
Shen Shiwu’s lips curved into a smile, and she pretended to cough. “Okay, let’s go.”
Inside the elevator, Jiang Siyi nudged Shen Shiwu.
“How did you find me so quickly on the mountain?” she asked.
Shen Shiwu replied calmly, “Because I’m awesome.”
Remembering that even the deputy mayor had been involved, Jiang Siyi simply responded with an “oh” and didn’t ask any further questions.
Reaching their floor, Shen Shiwu effortlessly lifted her suitcase, and Jiang Siyi quickly followed.
“Which room do you want?” Shen Shiwu asked, turning around after they entered the suite. As if anticipating her answer, she added, “Separate beds.”
Her unspoken request immediately rejected, Jiang Siyi hummed softly and pointed at the smaller bedroom.
But Shen Shiwu walked towards the master bedroom with her suitcase.
“Not that one.”
“You’re sleeping here.” The master bedroom was larger, and Shen Shiwu didn’t stop walking.
Hearing her firm tone, Jiang Siyi was silent for a few seconds—Then why did you even ask?
The suite was indeed comfortable.
Watching Shen Shiwu work on her laptop, Jiang Siyi, curled up on the sofa, couldn’t help but move closer.
After the terrifying experience on the mountain, she still felt insecure.
So, gradually, she ended up leaning against Shen Shiwu.
“Shen Shiwu,” she whispered.
The woman didn’t look away from her laptop, just hummed in response, waiting for her to continue.
“Was I very embarrassing today?”
Shen Shiwu paused, sensing her dejected mood, she took off her glasses and turned to look at her. “No, you weren’t.”
Then she asked, “Why would you think that?”
Remembering the scene in the car, the chaos outside—the sirens of the police cars, the deputy mayor and his assistant asking questions, the producer apologizing profusely,
She had felt incredibly uncomfortable.
They hadn’t had to rush over, they could have enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing afternoon.
But because of her stupidity, getting lost on the mountain, she had ruined everyone’s day.
Jiang Siyi felt a heavy weight on her chest.
“I’m in my twenties, and I still managed to get lost while hiking,” she said, her head down, as if afraid of being judged, creating some distance between them.
Hugging her knees, her voice was muffled. “Even the deputy mayor came… it was so embarrassing.”
Hearing her rambling, Shen Shiwu tossed her laptop aside and tilted Jiang Siyi’s chin up, forcing her to look at her.
The movement was forceful.
Jiang Siyi closed her eyes, not daring to look at her.
Then she felt a gentle touch on her cheek, Shen Shiwu wiping away a tear.
Jiang Siyi slowly opened her eyes.
Shen Shiwu sighed softly. “It wasn’t embarrassing.”
“Jiang Siyi,” she said, her voice filled with helplessness and a hint of heartache, “why can’t you value yourself more?”
“What’s so special about the deputy mayor?”
“Even if the mayor came, it would be normal.”
Her chin hurt from being pinched.
Tears welled up in Jiang Siyi’s eyes, a few escaping and landing on the back of Shen Shiwu’s hand.
Her voice trembled. “I just feel that, after four years, I’m still so useless, such a failure…”
“Who said you’re a failure, great author?” Shen Shiwu wiped the tears from her hand and smeared them on Jiang Siyi’s face. “Besides,”
She seemed to have given up on subtlety, her words blunt and straightforward.
“You don’t have to worry about these things when you’re with me. We might have broken up,”
“But did I ever abandon you?”
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