Campus Alliance-Never Fall North Star

Lu Yan was silent for a long time, as if he was trying to search for the right words in his mind. Then he shook his head, then nodded and said slowly: "Yes, things have changed a little... Jiaqi, you don't love to laugh as much as before! In my memory, the old Shen Jiaqi might have smiled more! Now you've grown up..." As he said that, he raised his hand and patted Shen Jiaqi's head gently with some doting. The action was as natural as when they were a group of carefree people in the past.

He paused and continued, "However, after going through so many things, everyone will change! In my opinion, you have become stronger! Do you still remember that time when we went to the countryside for a picnic together, you and Haichen ran on the grass like little children, your laughter could be heard from far away, and your eyes were full of light at that time!"

As Lu Yan spoke, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted up, revealing a faint smile, but that smile concealed a deep loneliness, as if the beautiful memories he recalled only made the present moment even more desolate.

A faint smile appeared on the corner of Shen Jiaqi's mouth. The smile was fleeting, like a wisp of smoke blown away by the night wind. She said softly: "Brother Hui! You too! You have changed a little..."

"You are not as chatterbox as before! The Lu Yan in my memory was always chattering and quarreling with Hai Chen! Now you are much quieter... In fact, I know that you are suffering just as much as I am. I really don't blame you. On the contrary, I am somewhat fortunate that you are still alive... That is what Hai Chen wants most... Brother Yan, you have to live well...!"

At the end of her speech, her voice trembled slightly, as if something was choking her throat. Her eyes were instantly filled with tears, and the crystal tears sparkled in the moonlight.

Hearing Shen Jiaqi's words, Lu Yan seemed to have triggered the most vulnerable switch in his heart, and the emotions that had been suppressed for a long time instantly burst out.

He cried out with some grievance, and the cry sounded particularly sad in the silent night. He hugged Shen Jiaqi in his arms, his body trembling slightly, and he sobbed: "...I really...I couldn't hold on any longer! I couldn't sleep every day, even if I forced myself to sleep...When I closed my eyes, I would see Haichen being swept away by the flood..."

His voice was tearful and intermittent. "I saw Qi Feng holding up his body for you before, and I knew he might not be able to hold on... But I couldn't do anything..., I couldn't do anything... Achen, he was the same... I didn't accompany him... In the end, they all left us..."

He kept speaking one sentence after another, and the pain, self-blame and regret that had been suppressed in his heart for so long burst out like a flood.

He hugged Shen Jiaqi tightly, as if only in this way could he grasp a glimmer of comfort, until his tears wet Shen Jiaqi's shoulders.

Shen Jiaqi let Lu Yan hold her in his arms and listened to him quietly, tears streaming down her face.

She raised her hand and gently patted Lu Xun's back, as if comforting a wounded child.

At this moment, there was silence all around, with only their cries echoing in the air.

……

The night wind blew, bringing a slight coolness, blowing their hair, but it could not blow away the deep sadness in their hearts.

At this moment, they relied on each other and released the pain deep in their hearts together.

But there are some pains that only one can truly let go of. No matter how much others comfort them, they cannot touch the pain in the deepest part of their hearts. They can only slowly find the strength to heal themselves in each other's comfort and wait for time to slowly heal those broken heart scars.

The moonlight was like water, gently sprinkling on the steps outside the Huguo Temple, giving the figures of Shen Jiaqi and Lu Yan a layer of silver.

……

The sunlight was like fine gold foil, shining through the window of the ward and gently falling on the ground, casting a warm glow on the entire room.

Shen Jiaqi moved gently and slowly, and cleaned Ren Qifeng's ward carefully inside and out.

Ren Qifeng had been transferred to the general ward. After waking up intermittently a few times, he soon fell asleep again.

Shen Jiaqi arranged the items in the ward neatly, leaving no corner unattended, as if in this way he was creating a warm and comfortable environment for the sleeping Ren Qifeng.

After cleaning up, she picked up a large bunch of hyacinths from the side and carefully placed it in a prominent place in the room.

The lavender petals of the hyacinth looked even more delicate and beautiful under the sunlight, and the faint fragrance of the flower filled the air, adding a bit of vitality to the ward.

After finishing the cleaning, Shen Jiaqi walked to the sofa beside him and sat down slowly.

She took out an exquisite diary from her bag, opened the slightly yellowed paper, picked up a pen, and began to carefully write down the stories that had happened to her during this period.

She would stop writing from time to time, her eyes full of memories, and she would foolishly read over and over what she had written before.

Her mind kept repeating what everyone had said, the stories that had happened and the vows they had made together. Every scene and every word was like a gentle knife, gently cutting her heart.

"Qi Feng... have you rested enough? If you have, remember to wake up early!" Shen Jiaqi whispered softly, his voice as gentle as the breeze, as if he was afraid to disturb Ren Qifeng who was sleeping.

After saying that, she just sat quietly on the sofa, staring blankly at the person on the hospital bed without blinking, and remained motionless for a long time. Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and she was lost in her own thoughts, sometimes even sitting there for an entire afternoon.

As she thought about it, her eyes gradually became moist and tears slid down her cheeks uncontrollably.

My aunt Ren Shuqing gently pushed open the door of the ward and walked in, holding a bag of fresh fruit in her hand.

When she saw Shen Jiaqi's tear-stained face, her heart tightened. She hurried forward, put down the fruit in her hand, patted Shen Jiaqi anxiously and asked, "Jiaqi, why are you crying again?"

Shen Jiaqi finally came back to her senses. She wiped her tears in panic, shook her head and said, "It's okay, auntie. I just remembered some things from the past."

Aunt Ren Shuqing sighed softly, sat down next to her, put her arm around Shen Jiaqi's shoulders, and said, "When I was young, I was the same. I was afraid, and it wasted a lot of time for both of us. I was afraid that every time I saw your uncle I would feel like it was the last time. But in the end I figured it out. If one day the country needs him and he's gone, I will live my whole life guarding the memories of him. Just thinking about the way he was in my memory is enough!" As the aunt spoke, a gleam of nostalgia flashed in her eyes, a fond look back at the past years.

After saying that, the aunt patted Shen Jiaqi's hand and said earnestly: "Some days, they just pass by. I'm used to it. If God takes him away one day, I will pack up all my things and go find him again."

Shen Jiaqi wiped his eyes, forced a smile, and said to his aunt: "God has been very good to me. Look, I am still here, right?"

She turned her head to look at the hospital bed, and looking at the flashing lines on the electrocardiogram, her heart felt more at ease. As long as his heart did not stop beating, there was still a possibility of waking up alive.

Then, Shen Jiaqi smiled and fetched a basin of warm water. He took a towel and gently wiped the sleeping Ren Qifeng's body. At the same time, he carefully helped him stretch his muscles and bones, and whispered softly, "Qifeng, you have to get better soon."

The aunt sat aside, watching Shen Jiaqi's actions, and occasionally told some small stories that happened recently: "In the early years... I also encountered such things. I was worried every day with him, afraid that one day he would not come back."

The aunt paused, looked into Shen Jiaqi's eyes, then looked at Qi Feng, and continued: "But, although I am afraid, I don't regret choosing this path with him. He wants to protect this country, and I will protect him well. Your uncle and I have no children in our lives. Watching the two children of the Xu family grow up and walk the same path, we are proud and distressed in our hearts..."

While listening to his aunt's story, Shen Jiaqi gently wiped Ren Qifeng's hand, his eyes always gently falling on his face, as if saying to Ren Qifeng: "Qifeng, look, there are so many interesting things happening around us! Are you sure you don't want to wake up early and take a look for yourself?"

However, the bed remained quiet and Ren Qifeng did not respond at all.