Chapter 1595: Leaving

A long time later, I patted Murong Mingyue on the shoulder again and said, “Alright, that’s enough… Sister Yi is still waiting for us to deliver her medicine, you know. The doctor said that she has to receive her treatment in 5 hours, and 3 hours have already passed…”[1]

One hand on the handbrake, a red-eyed Murong Mingyue pulled away from me and said, “Mn!”

When the Lamborghini’s engine roared, I suddenly noticed that the windshield was cracked here and there. I couldn’t help but blurt out, “Sis, you were driving over from Suzhou, right? Did you ram through the traffic barrier[2] to get to this lane? You’re crazy…”

Murong Mingyue shot me a look. “What could I do? Your call had cut short without warning, and I’d heard enough unnatural noises to know that something must’ve happened to you on the road. My only choice was to ram through the traffic barrier once I found you. Thank goodness there weren’t many cars on the road, or I would’ve been in a really bad spot. I had a few close brushes just now, and it was really scary to say the least…”

I curled my lips. “Well, prepare to say goodbye to your driver’s license!”

“It’ll be fine, I know people in the traffic department…”

“What the hell…”

……

We returned to the workshop looking as wet as fish. Beiming Xue ran up to us immediately and asked, “Are you okay, big bro? Why are you so drenched? There’s also a bruise on your forehead…”

I shook my head and shot her a reassuring smile. “It’s nothing. It was just a minor car accident…”

“What about your X12?”

“It’s totaled. It’s fine, I’ll just get a Ferrari now…”

“…”

I returned to He Yi’s room and took out the medicine in my pockets. Thank goodness it hadn’t been damaged during the car accident. The rest of the prescription had already been delivered to the doctors’ hands, so they immediately began the treatment process after I had given them the Nordfran powder.

He Yi couldn’t see that we were drenched. She asked, “Is Lu Chen okay, Mingyue?”

Murong Mingyue didn’t want her to worry, so she answered, “Yes, he was just delayed by the rain. He’s right here with me, isn’t he?”

“That’s good. My heartbeat was racing for no reason just now. I thought it was a bad premonition…”

“Clearly, it’s just your overactive imagination playing tricks on you!”

“Yes, it is…”

……

At some point during the night, the downpour finally stopped and revealed a bright, round moon in the sky. It looked so white and pure it was as if it had been cleansed by the rain.

I was sitting next to He Yi and keeping her company.

“Take your shoes off and climb into the bed with me, will you?” He Yi asked suddenly.

I did as she asked and slipped my legs under the blanket. She immediately hugged me and pressed her face against my neck. Her warm breath was both ticklish and comfortable at the same time.

My emotions were a jumbled mess. I didn’t know how much longer I could enjoy this moment of tranquility.

“I need to tell you something, Sister Yi,” I said after a very long time.

She looked up. “Yes? What is it?”

“I’m going to head overseas to treat my sickness. I won’t be coming back until I’m fully healed.” My arms were shaking a little when I lied to her face. I had promised that I would never lie to her for as long as I lived, but in the end, I wasn’t able to keep that oath.

Surprise colored He Yi’s features before she replied softly, “Is that so? I’ll come with you. I want to stay by your side…”

I caressed her soft, long hair and said, “No. You need to rest until your eyes are fully healed. Just stay in Suzhou and wait for me to return.”

She stayed silent for a moment before looking at me. “I know you’re lying, but I’m still going to believe you because I love you…”

I trembled all over and nearly broke into tears.

I hugged her tightly and kissed her on the lips. He Yi returned my affections just as strongly. Two hours later, I finally gathered enough resolve to take my leave.

……

Standing beside He Yi’s bed, I bent down to kiss her once more in the lips before saying with a smile, “Be a good girl and wait for me to come home, okay? I promise you I will come back no matter what. I will definitely keep this promise…”

He Yi bit her lower lip as she stared at me. Maybe it was because she couldn’t see me clearly, but she said quietly, “I will. If you don’t, I will still wait for you to return home.”

“Mn. Don’t worry. I won’t disappoint you!”

I gave her a pat on the shoulder to feign casualness and walked out of the room. The second I was out of the door though, a tear slid down my cheeks almost immediately. I leaned against the wall for a moment to muster myself. This may be the last time I saw He Yi. This may very well be our last day together. Do I really want to leave like this?

I turned around and stared at He Yi’s unfocused eyes. Tears poured down my cheeks like an unending waterfall.

It was time to leave. No matter how much I hated to leave her side, my desire to stay could only be satiated if I overcame my tribulation.

……

I turned around and walked out of the workshop. Murong Mingyue, Lian Xin, Beiming Xue and Xinran were already waiting at the gate. We had agreed that I would be leaving because He Yi could never truly rest as long as my presence reminded her of my condition. The fact that I was deteriorating faster than expected was a major reason I had chosen to leave as well. She might never recover from her eye disease if she had to deal with me getting ever so closer to death by her side.

“Big bro…”

Beiming Xue suddenly burst into tears. “You must come home, big bro…”

I gave her a hug and said, “Mn. I will do everything in my power to live for your and everyone else’s sake…”

“We all love you, big bro!”

“I know…”

I let go of Beiming Xue and went to hug Xinran next. She asked me with her eyes widened, “Where are you going, big brother?”

I answered, “A place far, far away from here.”

“When will you be coming home?” Xinran asked again.

I replied, “Soon. Maybe a month, maybe sooner than that…”

Xinran broke into tears immediately. “Don’t leave, big brother! What will I do without you?”

I held her tighter. “You’ll be good. Sorry, it’s all my fault. While I am gone, sis will take care of you in my stead. I promise you I will do everything in my power to come home because I too wish to stay with you, watch you grow up, see you marry a good man and so on…”

She continued to cry in my arms.

“Little Xin?”

I turned around and went to hug Lian Xin next. “Cry if you want. You’ll feel better that way…”

Her shoulders shook as she sobbed against my chest, “I’ve just come home a year ago or so, and you’re leaving me already? You said you would stay with us forever. Why are you breaking your promise?”

“I will come home. This, I promise!” I said with resolve before letting go of Lian Xin as well. Finally, I wrapped an arm around Murong Mingyue’s waist and shot her a smile. “I’m leaving, sis. You want a goodbye kiss?”

Without a word, she wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her lips against mine. After teasing me a little with her soft tongue, she let me go and said with rosy cheeks, “That’s another one ticked off the checklist. Now I have no regrets…”

I smiled. “Alright, now that the hugs and French kisses are over, I’m going. Be safe and wait for me to come home, all of you…”

“Mn!”

……

I got inside a brand new Buick—it was a company car Lin Yujia had assigned me—stepped on the gas pedal and left[3]. I dared not look back because I was afraid that I would lose all my resolve the second I did so.

After driving for about a kilometer or so, I stopped the car by the roadside and gave Lin Yixin a call—

“Yiyi…”

“Mn. Why haven’t you logged into the game?”

I exhaled once before replying, “Yiyi, my condition has worsened once more. The suppressant lost effect much sooner than expected.”

“What? Come back as quickly as you can!”

“Sorry, but not this time…”

Lin Yixin asked, “What are you planning?”

I said quietly, “The suppressants have always been nothing more but a stop-gap. They slow down the deterioration, but don’t change the fact that I’m going to die. According to Professor Liu, I will gradually lose my senses. I won’t be able to see, hear, or even feel pain by the time virus is done ravaging my body. I don’t want you to see me like this. That is why I’m going to find a safe place and wait for… well… don’t worry though. I’m still going to send Uncle Ning a blood sample everyday. I’m not going to give up until the end. Yiyi, I love you. I don’t want you to see me ugly and weakened. I’m glad I have met you during the best moments of my life, and I don’t have any regrets…”

Lin Yixin finally could hold back her emotions and wept on the other side of the phone.

I hung up the call and took out the SIM card. I snapped it in half and tossed it into the rubbish bin.

I restarted the engine and drove to the gaming base next. It wasn’t long before I saw Gui Guzi standing on the pavement with a solemn expression on his face.

He climbed into the front passenger seat after I stopped the car.

“Did you get everything?” I asked.

The man nodded. “Yeah. I promise I won’t tell anyone about your location. Not even Brother Thirteen, Mamate or Beiming will get me to talk. Where do you want to go, Boss Broken Halberd?”

I thought for a moment before answering, “Let’s go to Hangzhou, Zhejiang…”

“Okay.”

“Can you drive? I’m afraid I will suddenly lose strength.”

“Yeah, sure!”

After we swapped seats, the car engine roared, disappearing into the darkness of the night. We entered the highway and left Suzhou in almost no time at all. I took a moment to check out my bag. My bank cards, gaming helmet, suppressants[4] and a batch of vials were all there. I should have everything I needed to survive until the final moment, no matter where I went.

We arrived at Hangzhou at almost midnight. We continued to travel north from there.

“Take a right turn and get off the highway, Little Gui. It’s time to find a town somewhere…”

“Yeah…”

Few cars were driving so late into the night. I read the road signs as we traveled along a moderately wide road—

Right Turn—Gucheng Lin’an

Left Turn—Yang Guo Cun

Straight Ahead—Little Cabbage Memorial Hall, Yuhang Old Town

……

I pointed to the front and said, “Let’s go to Yuhang Old Town, Little Gui.”

He nodded. “Right away!”

At midnight sharp, we parked our car in front of a house in Yuhang Old Town. It had a small courtyard with a fir tree in it. My bag on my back, I stepped out of the car and knocked on the door.

A minute or two later, a middle-aged man who looked to be around 50 years old opened the door and asked me with a puzzled expression, “Do you need anything, young man?”

I replied humbly, “Uncle, I’m a traveler from Suzhou, and I would like to rent a room and stay in your house for a bit. Is that okay? Don’t mind my companion, he won’t be staying with me. All I ask is that you feed me everyday. I’ll pay you 5,000 RMB to stay in your house for a month.”

He looked puzzled. “But why would you…?”

I smiled. “I just want a change of air.”

“Well… okay. My son is working in another state, and he won’t be returning for at least another year. You can stay in his room!”

“Thank you so much, uncle…”

……

At midnight, I sat in an unfamiliar environment and stared at the many stars above my head. I let out a shuddering breath.

Outside the window, Gui Guzi said, “I’m going now, Boss Broken Halberd. T-take care… I’ll come visit you every afternoon…”

I nodded. “Yeah. Book a room in the urban area and stay there for the night. It’s not safe to drive so late[5].”

“I know…”

The Buick vanished, and I continued to sit there feeling as if I had lost something.

Suddenly, my body heated up, and the tearing pain that I had grown all too familiar with assaulted my senses once more.

1. T/N: on a related note, did you guys know how fucking dangerous it is to park your car on the highway? You didn’t even park it in front of wreckage so the crazy drivers will hit it first ☜

2. T/N: it can also be the road-block that prevents the cars from entering the highway because of heavy rain as mentioned in the previous chapter, but Lu Chen specifically mentioned that she drove over from the opposite side so it can only mean one thing ☜

3. T/N: then he crashed 3 seconds into the drive and died because WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU STILL DRIVING? YOU CRASHED LITERALLY HOURS AGO BECAUSE YOUR ILLNESS KICKED IN AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME! ☜

4. T/N: thank fuck, for a moment I thought he was so stupid that he didn’t even take the suppressants ☜

5. T/N: if only you’ll take your own advice, or any common sense at all really ☜