Sheng Ning arrived at a basketball court with Shen Jianguo, where people were playing basketball at that time. Sheng Ning stood by the court, watching indifferently while trying to organize her thoughts.
"Ningning!" Shen Jianguo called out gently.
Shaken back to reality, Sheng Ning looked at him seriously and declared, "Shen Jianguo, can we be friends?"
"Be friends?" Shen Jianguo echoed, feeling as if a huge hole had been punched in his heart, the cold wind whistling through it.
"Yes, be friends! We can only be friends." Sheng Ning looked at him earnestly, her gaze clear.
Shen Jianguo forced a bitter smile and persisted, "Can we really only be friends?"
"That’s right, we can only be friends, or do you not even want to be that?" She actually still didn’t want to see him, but thinking about how he had taken on the fate, her heart softened.
In her previous life, it was actually she who owed him, but he ended up marrying Qin Cuifen, so they were even.
If they were even, why should she cling to the past?
"It’s good to be friends too. Ningning, I’m very happy to hear you say that before I leave."
Sheng Ning shook her head, "I looked for you, to ask if you could not go on the mission?"
"You know?" Shen Jianguo asked in surprise. Their mission was highly confidential; each person had signed a non-disclosure agreement, and he was sure the Living Yama would never speak about it.
"Yes! Can you not go?" She softened her expression, pleading.
"Ningning, if you had told me earlier, I definitely wouldn’t have gone." He had chosen to join the mission after her rejection left him disheartened.
"What about now?" Sheng Ning felt a sting in her eyes. "Is it too late now?"
"I’m sorry Ningning, we’re leaving the day after tomorrow, I can’t be a deserter," Shen Jianguo turned away, answering with difficulty.
"But it’s really dangerous!" She didn’t want the tragedy of her past life to be repeated.
"There’s no turning back now, even if it means death, the mission must be carried out." He had already prepared for death on this mission, but because of Sheng Ning, he reignited a new fighting spirit.
"..." Sheng Ning remained silent for a long time, as people gradually left the basketball court. The cold wind reddened her cheeks.
In the end, Sheng Ning rubbed her eyes, struggling to say, "Then take care of yourself and come back unharmed. Otherwise, we won’t even be able to be friends!"
"Yes, comrade!" Shen Jianguo greeted her with a smile brightening his face.
Sheng Ning forced a wry smile, wanting to laugh, but unable to. After parting with Shen Jianguo, she didn’t return to her dorm but went to the grove where she had been the day before.
Sitting on the wooden bench, Sheng Ning held her knees, pondering bitterly on how to prevent the tragedy.
One hundred human lives, it was no small matter.
Xu Qigang, who had been smoking, showed a flicker of surprise upon seeing Sheng Ning approach. He extinguished his cigarette and walked over to her, looking down at her from above.
Feeling a shadow cast over her, Sheng Ning looked up blankly, just in time to see Xu Qigang suddenly jump into his arms.
"What’s wrong?" Xu Qigang’s voice was hoarse as he asked, "Did Shen Jianguo say something unpleasant?"
"Then you don’t want me anymore?"
This time Xu Qigang didn’t answer quickly, nor did he say ’yes’. Instead, he chose to affirm his feelings with a kiss as fierce as a storm.
He held her tightly in his arms, wishing he could meld her into his very being.
"Xiao Ning... I love you..." From the moment he first saw her, he knew he had fallen for her, and he would only love her for the rest of his life.
If he couldn’t have her, he would rather live alone forever.