---

Chapter 42: She Is Ji Xueli

“We’re about to graduate and become adults! Do you guys have any wishes for adulthood? I only have two: I want to be forever free and carefree, and for all of you to always be happy.”
A boy in a white school uniform spoke with a spirited tone.

The girl standing in the middle laughed and raised her bottle:
“Then I wish for eternal happiness and everlasting friendship.”

“What about you, Qingyu? Make a wish too.”

The boy at the far end looked at them, his gaze finally landing on the girl. He spoke softly:
“For us to last forever…”

He looked at her with restrained yet intense emotions in his eyes, as if he wanted to say more.

“Ji Xueli, if three years from now I…”

“Lili…”

“Lili!”

She wanted to lean in closer to hear what he said as he fell, but someone behind her kept calling her name, like dragging her into a vortex—the more she tried to walk away, the deeper she sank.

She was helplessly pulled into the vortex. Everything before her shattered and crumbled.

In the next second, someone grabbed her hand. Her eyes couldn’t open, but she heard a voice.

“Ji Xueli… Ji Xueli…”

Someone was calling her repeatedly.

“Remember, you are Ji Xueli. You’re not someone else.”
The girl’s voice was heavy and distant, like an old friend calling from afar.

She is Ji Xueli?

She’s not someone else?

But she wasn’t… she wasn’t Ji Xueli. She was someone who transmigrated here. Then who was she…?

The girl on the bed suddenly opened her eyes wide, grabbing the blanket with both hands, her chest heaving rapidly.

“Lili, you’re awake!”
Her parents, who had been watching over her day and night, couldn’t hide their joy when they saw her wake up despite their exhausted faces.

Ji Xueli was helped up by her mother. She vaguely remembered having a dream earlier, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall it.

“I’ll go get the doctor,” her father said and rushed out.

Her mother poured her a cup of water, eyes red:
“Lili, you’re finally awake. You almost scared your dad and me to death during this time.”

“How are you feeling? Does your body still hurt?”

“Mom, I’m fine.” Ji Xueli gently patted her mother’s hand to reassure her.

Then her tone changed and she quickly asked:
“But Mom, where’s Duan Qingyu?”

“He hasn’t woken up yet…” Her mother sighed. “If that kid Qingyu hadn’t shielded you, you wouldn’t have gotten away with just some surface injuries.”

The three of them were inseparable before high school. But after that, they lost touch…

She never expected Duan Qingyu would go so far to protect Lili.

“Then please take me to see him,” Ji Xueli said urgently.
He’s the male lead—he can’t be in trouble. What will I do if something happens to him?

“You haven’t even recovered yet. Wait until your father brings the doctor to check on you first,” her mother said firmly, shaking her head.

“By the way, Yan Zhou also came. He was very worried about you.”

Upon hearing that Ji Yanzhou came too, Ji Xueli blurted out,
“What is he doing here?”

“Why shouldn’t he come? Didn’t you visit him when he was sick?” Her mother glared at her.

Sure, she visited him, but he gave her nothing but attitude!
Ji Xueli pouted. The only person she wanted to see right now was Duan Qingyu.
She had to admit—he really was the male lead. In the car, he shielded her with everything he had.

“Lili, the doctor is here,” her father said as he came back through the door with the doctor—and Ji Yanzhou followed behind.

Seeing her awake, the deep worry on Ji Yanzhou’s face finally eased.

Ji Xueli, seeing the doctor, quickly asked,
“Doctor, the boy who was with me—he’s okay, right?”

Once again, she brought up Duan Qingyu.
Ji Yanzhou clenched his fists tightly. When he heard she was in a car accident, he was frantic—he even postponed several days of work to take care of her.

But it just had to be Duan Qingyu she was with…

And now, every word out of her mouth was about him.

“Young Master Duan is still in the ward,” the doctor said. “His injuries are much more severe than Miss Ji’s. He won’t wake up for a while.”

“What about the hand that got hurt—is it okay?” Ji Xueli asked worriedly.

“There’s no bone damage. You can relax. Actually, Miss Ji, your fingers probably hurt more than his did—you tore them quite badly while trying to save him.”

Ji Xueli looked down at her fingers, wrapped in gauze.
At the time, she hadn’t even felt the pain—just the overwhelming fear that Duan Qingyu might die in front of her.

---