Chapter 06

After graduating from university, Tang Yi stayed in a newspaper company in Xi’an for an internship. In her spare time, she was also preparing to take the exam for the television station in her hometown

On the day the results were announced, the online game “The Legend” that she had played for seven years officially shut down, marking the end of a generation’s youth.

Tang Yi’s luck went from bad to worse – she scored sixth place in the written exam, and that year the recruitment quota for Pingcheng TV Station was reduced, with the cutoff only reaching the fifth place.

Tang Yi’s mother hoped she would come back soon and even mentioned on the phone that Tang Yi’s father could use his connections to get her in.

Tang Yi didn’t have any grand ambitions, but she also didn’t want to occupy someone else’s spot through such means. After firmly rejecting the idea, she began preparing for the next year’s exam.

Later, she was able to transfer back to Pingcheng TV Station, and she later learned that her father had lent a hand in helping her get the job.

Rumors spread quickly within the station, and Tang Yi didn’t want to be the subject of gossip, so she worked even harder and achieved impressive results.

During those two unremarkable years, she rarely had time to think about Jiang Qiaosheng.

If it weren’t for this blind date.

Tang Yi even thought they would never have the chance to meet again in this lifetime.

Back home, Tang Yi learned some information about Jiang Qiaosheng’s family from her mother.

His father passed away during his sophomore year, and after graduating in his senior year, he and his few classmates returned to Pingcheng to start a gaming studio, achieving some success over the past two years.

Recalling the past, Tang Yi couldn’t help but think of the female protagonist in his story.

However, in his elders’ retelling, he did not hear that familiar name.

After his mother finished the phone call with the introducer, she turned to Tang Yi and asked, “How do you feel about it?”

Her family knew about her past relationship with Li Bochuan. After they separated, she had been alone, and her mother always thought she had been hurt in her previous relationship.

Tang Yi couldn’t be bothered to explain, allowing her parents to speculate, which saved her a lot of trouble.

It’s just that as she gets older, and being an only child, her mother can’t help but worry. She was glad to see her open up and meet someone, so she was constantly concerned about it.

For any other person, Tang Yi could freely give his opinion on whether it was good or bad.

But the one who came was Jiang Qiaosheng.

It was a beautiful dream that she had longed for in her youth but could not reach.

Not knowing if it was “familiarity breeds timidity,” Tang Yi found herself unable to determine if it was good or bad.

Her mother saw her dazed and pushed her leg: “I’m talking to you, did you hear me?”

Tang Yi came to her senses: “I heard.”

Tang Yi’s mother wanted to ask something else, but Tang Yi interrupted: “Mom, I’m a little tired, I’ll go wash up and go to sleep first.”

“You, this child,” Tang Yi’s mother continued, “Give me an answer, or else if your aunt asks, I wouldn’t know what to tell her.”

Tang Yi walked from the living room to the bedroom door.

In a few steps, she suddenly had an answer and turned around saying, “It’s pretty good.”

Mother Tang beamed with joy, while Tang Yi felt like it was all a dream.

After that day, Tang Yi and Jiang Qiaosheng met formally a few times, had several meals, watched a few movies, but neither of them dared to break the ice.

And the year came to an end like this.

On New Year’s Day of 2013, Tang Yi and Jiang Qiaosheng had originally planned to celebrate the New Year together, but on the day itself, Tang Yi had a lot of work at the station and ended up working until midnight, while Jiang Qiaosheng didn’t even send a message.

The new year arrived as scheduled, but none of the people who had made the plans could keep their promise.

Tang Yi thought that was the end of her and Jiang Qiaosheng’s story, but little did she know, it was just the beginning.

On the second day of the new year, Tang Yi learned that Jiang Qiaosheng had been in a car accident the previous night.

He had suffered a mild concussion and a fractured right leg.

She hurried to the hospital, and unexpectedly met his parents.

Jiang Qiaosheng ’s mother had heard about her, but in Jiang Qiaosheng’s introduction, their relationship had remained within the boundaries of friendship.

Mother Jiang smiled, “You two chat, I’ll go downstairs to pay the bill.”

Tang Yi sat on the chair by the bedside, staring at Jiang Qiaosheng’s leg in a cast, hesitating to speak, “You…”

Jiang Qiaosheng looked at her, “Did you go to the new year’s celebration last night?”

Tang Yi shook his head: “No, it’s past midnight.”

“That’s good.” Jiang Qiaosheng smiled: “I didn’t make you wait.”

Tang Yi felt like laughing, but also a little heartbroken.

She had been waiting for him all this time.

Tang Yi didn’t dare look at him, staring at the light and shadow at the foot of the bed: “How did you get into the car accident?”

“I wasn’t paying attention when crossing the road, the other car was turning right too fast, and I accidentally bumped into it.” Jiang Qiaosheng said: “It happened near your TV station.”

Tang Yi inexplicably said: “Then maybe it can be featured in today’s news.”

Jiang Qiaosheng raised his eyebrows slightly: “Then are you going to interview the eyewitness to get the first-hand information?”

Tang Yi pretended to be serious: “It’s not a bad idea.”

Jiang Qiaosheng was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly burst out laughing, he probably really found it funny, and Tang Yi could feel the bed shaking at the edge of her knee.

Tang Yi looked at him, suddenly feeling that this accident was not an accident, but more like a surprise.

She is usually busy with work, and only has free time on fixed Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons to come to the hospital to see Jiang Qiaosheng.

The day Jiang Qiaosheng was discharged from the hospital, a heavy snowfall suddenly hit Pingcheng.

When Mother Jiang came back after completing the discharge procedures, she saw Jiang Qiaosheng standing by the window, leaning on a crutch, and said, “With such heavy snow, I’m afraid Xiao Tang won’t come.”

Jiang Qiaosheng sat down on the bed, and still had the message Tang Yi sent him last night on his phone.

He hesitated and pondered, and finally said, “Let’s wait a little longer.”

That day was the heaviest snowfall in the history of Pingcheng.

The news in the hospital ward started reporting the accidents caused by the blizzard.

Jiang Qiaosheng sent messages and called Tang Yi, and even found her home number, but no one answered.

The patience of waiting was gradually eroded by the anxiety of worry.

At 6 o’clock in the evening, the wind and snow suddenly stopped, and the entire city was a dazzling white as far as the eye could see.

Mother Jiang picked up the luggage: “Let’s go.”

Jiang Qiaosheng stood up supporting the table, and the door of the ward suddenly pushed open.

Tang Yi, covered in snow, her disheveled appearance was not hidden from Jiang Qiaosheng’s eyes.

In that moment, Tang Yi seemed to see the snow melting outside the window, and smell the fragrance of flowers in the spring breeze.

Mother Jiang exclaimed, “How did you end up like this.”

Tang Yi hastily brushed the snow and water off his body and said in a low voice: “There was an accident on the way, a traffic jam, and the roads were all blocked.”

Mother Jiang saw this and said, “I’ll go get you some hot water, don’t catch a cold.”

Jiang Qiaosheng handed Tang Yi a few tissues: “What happened to your phone?”

“It fell into a puddle and turned off.” Tang Yi wiped his hair: “Have you completed the discharge procedures?”

Jiang Qiaosheng nodded, and reached out to remove the paper scraps stuck in her hair. Tang Yi looked at his actions, and wanted to say something but didn’t say it.

The next day, Tang Yi was hospitalized due to a high fever.

In the hazy state, Tang Yi vaguely heard the voice of her mother and someone else talking, but her eyelids were heavy and she couldn’t open them.

It was a long sleep.

Tang Yi also had a long dream, in which she returned to high school, she had no car accident, no suspension, and did not meet Jiang Qiaosheng either.

She followed the routine of her study life, and married the right person at the right age.

Getting married and having children, growing old and sick, a lifetime of flat and mediocre, without a ripple.

It’s just that fate turns, always making people take detours and take the wrong path, walking alone in the thorns, not turning back until they hit the south wall.

Tang Yi woke up in the evening, but she did not open her eyes immediately, and the movement outside the corridor was intermittent.

The weakness after the high fever made her tired and uncomfortable, Tang Yi slept with her whole body aching, and it took a while before she opened her eyes.

The ward was not lit, and the dusk left only a trace of shadow.

She turned her head and saw Jiang Qiaosheng sitting by the bed.

He was resting his arm on his head, as if he had been sitting here for a long time, and the whole person also looked very tired, as soon as Tang Yi moved, he woke up.

Jiang Qiaosheng leaned over and pressed the switch by the bedside, lighting up the hospital room. He raised his hand in front of Tang Yi’s eyes, and Tang Yi saw the intricate lines on his palm.

In an instant, he withdrew his hand, supporting himself on the edge of the bed as he stood up. He poured a cup of hot water and handed it to her. “Drink some water.”

“Thank you.” Tang Yi spoke, her voice still a little hoarse, but much better after drinking the water. She asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I called you, your mother told me,” he replied.

Tang Yi held the cup: “You’ve been here the whole time, where’s my mother?”

“She went back to get some things for you.” Seeing her cup was empty, Jiang Qiaosheng asked, “Do you want more?”

“No need.” Tang Yi reached out to put down the cup, and Jiang Qiaosheng also reached out to take it, their fingertips touching, both of them feeling the warmth.

Tang Yi flinched a little, as if scalded.

Jiang Qiaosheng naturally took the cup and placed it on the table, then turned to look at her. Tang Yi also looked at him, his eyes were very beautiful.

Neither of them spoke first, just looking at each other, as if seeing through a lifetime.

It’s been a long time, and a distant whistle was heard from outside the window. As the whistle gradually faded away, Jiang Qiaosheng spoke a sentence.

He said, “Tang Yi, I’m not an outstanding person, but I’m not too bad either. Would you consider giving it a try with me?”

At that moment, snow began to fall outside the window.

Tang Yi untimely recalled a sentence she had seen online before: the fall of a city led to the marriage of Bai Liusu.^[1]Bai Liusu is the female protagonist in Eileen Chang’s novel “Love in a Fallen City.”

This snowstorm, in a way, also fulfilled her selfish desires.