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Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Qiao Nuo's abdomen. Her gaze shifted slowly from Yan Beiting on the hospital bed to Jin Chengyan, who stood beside it. Leaning against the bed for support, she managed to keep herself from collapsing onto the floor.
However, upon turning her head, her pale face startled Jin Chengyan.
Without hesitation, Jin Chengyan rushed to support Qiao Nuo.
“Qiao Nuo!” he called softly, immediately lifting her into his arms.
As Qiao Nuo held onto Yan Beiting's hand, she felt the grip loosening as Jin Chengyan carried her away. She sensed Yan Beiting's hand gradually slipping from hers, the strength fading away.
He couldn't utter a word; he could only watch as Qiao Nuo fell into Jin Chengyan's embrace. He noticed the blood staining her pants after she was lifted.
Then, Jin Chengyan hurriedly carried Qiao Nuo out of the room, leaving Yan Beiting without a chance to say anything to her as he watched her disappear from view.
Wearing an oxygen mask, he felt breathless at that moment. He seemed to hear the erratic beeping of the machines beside his bed, followed by the panicked calls of nurses summoning a doctor from outside.
Yan Beiting watched as they performed emergency measures at his bedside, but those scenes grew increasingly blurry and felt surreal.
The doctor announced that they needed to use a cardiac pacemaker; the patient had lost consciousness.
With each jolt of electricity delivered to his chest, it became clear that nothing was working. The doctor climbed onto Yan Beiting's bed and straddled him to perform cardiac resuscitation.
It seemed like nothing would help...
The doctor, drenched in sweat from the frantic efforts, ultimately could not revive Yan Beiting, who had just regained consciousness moments before. Every method had been tried, and finally, all the indicators on the machines flatlined into a straight line.
“Time of death: April 17, 2014, 9:57 PM,” the nurse noted as she looked at her watch.
Taking a deep breath, the doctor removed his mask and gazed at the patient on the bed whose chest was still slightly red from the electric shocks. His body was gradually cooling down.
With a grave expression, the doctor approached and buttoned up Yan Beiting's shirt, tidying his appearance before placing a white sheet over his face.
"Notify the family." Watching a vibrant life fade away before her eyes left a heavy feeling in her heart, even though this person had no connection to her.
If his survival until now was a miracle, then perhaps he had finally found release. Dragging a body plagued by illness, he had to undergo numerous tests every month, with his bodily functions largely sustained by medication.
Maybe death was the only true liberation.
…
In the cold operating room, Qiao Nuo lay on the surgical table, feeling something flowing out of her body. She desperately wanted to hold on to it, but… she felt weak.
The blinding surgical lights shone down on her, forcing her to close her eyes. Perhaps it was due to the pain, or perhaps she simply wanted to sleep.
She drifted into unconsciousness.
It seemed she found herself in an empty corridor, all white and desolate. She disliked that feeling and wanted to hurry toward the light ahead.
But it felt like she didn’t have much strength; even taking a step forward made breathing difficult.
"Qiao Nuo..." Someone was calling her name, but she couldn’t see anyone ahead.
Turning around, she spotted Yan Beiting standing not far behind her. He was wearing the same suit he had worn four years ago when they met in the restaurant. He looked just as he always had.
They were all still the same.
Seeing him felt wonderful.
Qiao Nuo ran towards him, suddenly realizing that moving toward Yan Beiting felt much easier.
She embraced him tightly, terrified of losing him again. It was a feeling that even if she were to die, she still wanted him to live.
"Great! You're not dead, you're alive! Do you know how guilty I've felt for the past four years? How much I regret letting you take me away that day and making you deal with everything afterward? It's all because of my stubbornness that you've had to endure so much over these four years! I'm sorry, a thousand apologies can't make up for what you've been through!" Those were the words she had wanted to say when she first saw Yan Beiting.
But she held back, because Jin Chengyan was there.
What happened between her and Yan Beiting was their own affair; she didn't want a third person involved, not even Jin Chengyan.
Now, it was just the two of them, and she could speak freely.
"You being alive is enough. From now on, you have to live well. You will become the happiest person in this world. You'll find someone who loves you and whom you love in return, and then you'll live happily together. We are the best of friends; you will always be my most important friend! Irreplaceable!" She hugged Yan Beiting, but felt no warmth at all.
Slowly, she released him. He merely smiled gently at her and then placed his hand on her face, cold as ice.
Qiao Nuo gasped in shock. "Why... why is your hand so cold?" She grasped his hand, rubbing it vigorously, but there was no sign of warmth returning.
"Qiao Nuo," he called her name softly, "don't worry."
How could Qiao Nuo not worry? Why did he feel completely devoid of warmth? Was this a dream? Would everything return to normal once she woke up?
"Qiao Nuo, listen to me. Turn around and walk away; don't look back. No matter what happens, don't look back. From the beginning, we have been two parallel lines with no chance of intersecting. It took me a long time to understand this. However, I have never regretted anything I've done for you; I did it willingly. Don't blame yourself; everyone has their own place. Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth, hell returns to hell."
"Why are you saying this? Are you trying to send me away? Aren't you coming with me? Jin Chengyan is waiting for me; he's waiting for you too." Qiao Nuo couldn't comprehend Yan Beiting's words, but she didn't want to walk away alone.
He shook his head with a smile. "We can't go together as three people. You need to be happy with A Yan. In the next life, I will still meet you first and confess my feelings first. You must wait for me; until I find you again, you can't be with anyone else."
"Okay! Until you find me again, I absolutely won't be with anyone else!" She nodded vigorously.
"Goodbye then." He pushed Qiao Nuo's hand away as if trying to distance her from him. "Alright, you should go!"
"No... I won't go..." Qiao Nuo's heart trembled completely. She had a feeling that if she left now, she would never see Yan Beiting again!
Qiao Nuo's stubbornness caused the smile on Yan Beiting's face to vanish in an instant. He became somewhat fierce and unapproachable, forcefully pushing Qiao Nuo away.
"Leave! Don't follow me! I hate the way you are right now!" He was angry, shoving Qiao Nuo away again before stepping back, his fierce expression making her too afraid to take a step closer.
But she didn't want him to leave; she didn't want it to end like this!
Yet, everything in front of her grew increasingly blurry, as if some force was pulling her away.
...
"Sir, your wife is showing signs of a miscarriage. Given her previous history, please sign this consent form. You need to decide whether to save her or proceed with the surgery to terminate the pregnancy." The doctor placed the choice in Jin Chengyan's hands.
Jin Chengyan stared at the surgery consent form before him, his hands trembling. Normally, he signed off on projects worth hundreds of billions without a hint of hesitation, yet now, holding the pen, he found himself unable to write.
If they terminated the pregnancy, Qiao Nuo would be safe.
But if they did that, when Qiao Nuo woke up, she would never forgive herself.
"Save her. If the baby can be saved, then let it stay. If not... terminate it." Jin Chengyan signed his name on the form, those three words weighing heavily as the most burdensome he had ever written in his life.
This was the best he could do to protect Qiao Nuo to the fullest extent possible.
Forgive his selfishness; he just wanted to keep Qiao Nuo by his side.
Jin Chengyan watched as the doctor entered the operating room, the surgical lights still shining brightly.
He anxiously waited outside.
Before long, a doctor from Yan Beiting's side approached him with a grave expression.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Yan has just passed away despite our efforts to save him."
Jin Chengyan had never felt that there was anything he couldn't solve. With money and power, he could resolve a multitude of issues in mere moments.
But in the face of life and death, for the first time, Jin Chengyan felt utterly insignificant.
He couldn't keep his child, couldn't hold onto his brother, and perhaps even Qiao Nuo in the operating room was beyond his reach.
"Sir, are you alright?" The doctor asked with concern. The man before him exuded an air of wealth and authority, someone who could easily command the world. Yet, before the separation of life and death, he was just an ordinary person.
Jin Chengyan shook his head, unable to utter a single word. All the pain he felt was something he could only bear alone.
"I understand," he said in a low voice tinged with sorrow.
The doctor refrained from offering excessive words of comfort. After delivering the news, he quietly left.
In the hospital corridor late at night, there wasn't even a nurse in sight; only the lights outside the operating room remained on.
Jin Chengyan sat on a bench outside the operating room, his hands supporting his head. In a place where no one could see him, a tear slipped down from his eye.
Yan Beiting, you ultimately refuse to let go of him and Qiao Nuo.
...
Time passed without him noticing how long it had been when Qiao Nuo slowly opened her eyes. She felt utterly weak, unable to move even slightly without pain.
Her mouth was dry, and she could only cough softly to alert those in the ward that she was awake.
Jin Chengyan, who had been resting with his eyes closed on the bench, immediately rushed to Qiao Nuo's bedside upon hearing her voice.
“Are you feeling okay? Is it uncomfortable? I’ll go call the doctor,” Jin Chengyan said softly, gently stroking Qiao Nuo's forehead. She felt so fragile, like a piece of white paper that could crumple with the slightest pressure.
She shook her head. “Water…” she wanted to drink.
There was a thermos on the bedside table. Jin Chengyan poured out a cup of water, alternating between two cups to let it cool down quickly for Qiao Nuo to drink.
He grabbed a straw to make it easier for her.
She drank quietly, the water soothing her throat and making her mouth feel a bit better.
She could feel the cool drip from the IV in her hand, an uncomfortable sensation.
Her mind wandered back to the strange dream she had while unconscious, the conversation with Yan Beiting where he pushed her away and told her to leave.
She remembered seeing Yan Beiting’s altered appearance before she entered the operating room.
Most importantly, she thought about the baby inside her.
“A Yan…” Qiao Nuo lifted her hand slightly, wanting to grasp Jin Chengyan's hand, curious if it was warm.
Jin Chengyan turned his hand to hold hers.
“I’m here.”
His eyes were bloodshot, whether from staying up all night watching over Qiao Nuo or from having cried, she couldn’t tell.
“The baby is still here, right?” Even though her abdomen was flat, and even if the baby were gone, Qiao Nuo wouldn’t be able to feel it. “Yan Beiting is still here too, right?”
He tightened his grip slightly. Qiao Nuo couldn’t tell if he was squeezing harder because of the mention of the baby or Yan Beiting.
“It's still here, and it's doing well. You did great by keeping it.” Jin Chengyan gently rubbed Qiao Nuo's forehead, needing to confirm that his lifelong love was still with him.
Qiao Nuo let out a long sigh of relief; as long as the child was safe, everything was fine. He felt proud of himself for not making the decision to remove the child without consulting anyone.
“Thank you.” The slight smile on his lips reflected the emotions of having kept the child and the depth of Jin Chengyan's feelings.
However, Jin Chengyan struggled with how to tell Qiao Nuo about Yan Beiting. Should he say something now, or wait?
Fortunately, the arrival of Qiao Chen and Jin Mengxi provided Jin Chengyan an escape from this dilemma.
“Brother, Qiao Chen and I will take care of Sister-in-law. You should go back and rest,” Jin Mengxi said as she and Qiao Chen arrived early in the morning.
In truth, he didn't need rest; he just wanted to be by Qiao Nuo's side. But he couldn't continue facing her like this, fearing that he might accidentally reveal the truth. She would surely be unable to handle the news of Yan Beiting's death all at once.
“Alright.” His voice was hoarse. After tucking Qiao Nuo in, he quietly exited the room.
Instead of returning to the hotel, he took on the role of a family member to handle Yan Beiting's affairs.
When Ye Yun arrived, he cast a cold glance at Jin Chengyan but said nothing.
The two men silently took care of Yan Beiting's matters, tacitly agreeing not to inform the Yan family. Since it was a lie, they decided to let it continue as such.
Over the course of two days, Jin Chengyan and Ye Yun managed to settle everything regarding Yan Beiting. With no burial site available, they scattered Yan Beiting's ashes over the East China Sea.
He had loved freedom; let the sea carry him to distant places.
That day in Shanghai, light rain fell from a gloomy sky, perfectly suiting the somber farewell.
Jin Chengyan had been smoking heavily these past two days. After scattering Yan Beiting's ashes, he stood on the deck, pulled out a cigarette, and found himself unable to light it despite several attempts—whether due to distraction or some other reason, he couldn't tell.
Finally, Ye Yun came over and lit his cigarette.
The two of them silently finished the first cigarette, then lit a second one.
"I'm sorry for what I said on the phone a couple of days ago. It was a bit harsh," Ye Yun said, dressed in a black suit, his demeanor gloomy.
"What did you say that was wrong?" Jin Chengyan took a deep drag, feeling the weight of personally sending his friend off.
"This is something Yan Beiting entrusted me with before the incident. He insisted that I help you all," Ye Yun handed Jin Chengyan an envelope.
Jin Chengyan opened it and felt a lump in his throat.
...
A little over half a month later.
Qiao Nuo was discharged from the hospital and discovered that everyone—Qiao Chen, Jin Mengxi, Ji Xining, Ji Nuan Yang, Jin Mengli, Chu Tiankuo, Xiao Yuanshan, and A Shan—had come to see her.
It felt rather serious.
But there was one person missing: Yan Beiting.
Qiao Nuo thought maybe he was still in the intensive care unit and couldn't come out yet.
However, she needed to return to Qin Cheng and take good care of her pregnancy there.
Their cars, all black Mercedes, headed straight to the hotel.
But at the last moment, Ji Xining, Jin Mengxi, and Jin Mengli took Qiao Nuo to her room first.
After entering the room, Qiao Nuo was taken aback.
In the luxurious presidential suite, a pristine white wedding dress was displayed on a mannequin, illuminated by a beam of light from above, creating a breathtaking scene that left Qiao Nuo speechless.
"This..." She gazed at the wedding dress, unable to find her voice.
Once, she had longed to wear a wedding dress and have a perfect wedding with Jin Chengyan.
Yet, half a year had passed, then a year, and now four years, and she still hadn’t had the chance to wear one. Now, with this dream wedding dress before her, everything felt surreal.
"Put it on! Your brother is waiting for you in the church!" Jin Mengxi said, her eyes slightly red. Ever since Jin Chengyan announced he wanted to prepare this wedding, each of them had been doing their utmost to make it happen.
They all hoped that Qiao Nuo would happily wear the wedding dress and become the most blissful bride.
"Why... didn’t anyone tell me? I just got out of the hospital; I look so terrible..." She covered her face, knowing she looked pale and colorless. She needed to recover fully to look like a beautiful bride!
"Qiao Nuo, as long as you wear the wedding dress, you will be the most beautiful bride! The most beautiful in the world!" Ji Xining said sweetly.
"Trust me, A Yan has great taste. He chose this wedding dress," Jin Mengli comforted Qiao Nuo. As someone who had been through it herself, she understood how Qiao Nuo felt at that moment.
Qiao Nuo smiled through her tears; it was truly unexpected. She never imagined that after being discharged from the hospital, she would go straight to the church after changing into a wedding dress.
The process of changing into the dress and getting her makeup done was quick—perhaps due to the top-notch team—within just an hour, Qiao Nuo transformed into someone entirely different in her wedding dress and makeup.
Jin Mengxi, Jin Mengli, and Ji Xining also donned their gowns and wished they could teleport Qiao Nuo right to Jin Chengyan's side.
They took a Lincoln limousine to the church located at 158 Puxi Road in Xujiahui. The path had already been cleared by bodyguards, keeping the crowd at bay.
As Qiao Nuo stepped out of the car, warm sunlight bathed her in its glow. She felt healthy and happy—happier than she had ever been.
Dressed in a white little dress, Qiao Kawai stood at the door with a flower basket, and upon seeing Qiao Nuo, she immediately ran over, happily standing behind her. On the other side was Jin Mengli's son.
Two flower girls, one big and one small.
As they slowly walked into the church, step by step, Qiao Nuo could hear the sound of her own heartbeat.
Fragments of her memories with Jin Chengyan flickered in her mind.
She had ended up in Jin Chengyan's room by accident, inexplicably finding herself about to marry him. Falling in love with him seemed to happen in an instant, and even knowing he had someone he deeply loved didn’t stop her from throwing herself into the fire.
Eventually, she managed to touch his heart, but fate had decided they would never be together again.
After all the twists and turns, here she was, wearing a wedding dress, ready to marry this man!
So, for those who love each other, no matter how convoluted the journey is, it ultimately leads them back to reliving old dreams.
Qiao Nuo saw Jin Chengyan standing on the steps of the church. He was dressed in a white tailcoat, gazing at her with deep affection. This moment was something she had waited for as long as he had hoped for it.
The wedding process was cliché, but without experiencing it, there would always be regrets. They exchanged rings and shared a passionate kiss. She tossed her bouquet, they took photos together, creating joyful memories.
Wedding photos adorned Jin Mansion—there were some in the living room, some in the side hall, and others in the bedroom study.
Jin Chengyan looked at the wedding photos for a long time before finally saying, “Thank you, Yan Beiting.”
Everything culminated in him even preparing for his wedding with Qiao Nuo; otherwise, who would have had the heart to plan a wedding under such circumstances?
That day on the deck when Jin Chengyan saw the information Ye Yun had prepared for him, he was utterly shocked! Then came an overwhelming sense of emotion.
Now, nine months had passed. Qiao Nuo's belly grew day by day. Currently, she was in the hospital, ready to give birth.
He did not go to the hospital, nor did he want to see Qiao Nuo.
In the quiet Jin Mansion, every corner held memories of him and Qiao Nuo. If he could, he would want to create even more memories.
But...
At four fifty in the afternoon, the hospital called.
"Mr. Jin, Young Madam has given birth to a son, but... Young Madam is experiencing severe bleeding. We did our best."
The phone slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. Jin Chengyan sank into his chair, feeling as if the bright daylight of Qin Cheng had suddenly lost all its luster.
He thought that Qiao Nuo must have known that Yan Beiting had already passed away that day.
She was punishing herself in this way.
In 2015, during the Qingming Festival, Jin Chengyan went alone to the cemetery to visit Qiao Nuo.
On the tombstone, it was engraved: My Wife, Qiao Nuo.
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