At this moment, Jiang Sui half-crouched on the ground, his neck slightly raised, his jawline tense. In his deep pupils, only Su Qing was reflected.
He spoke with a firm and resolute tone.
"Qing Qing, all the grandeur and brightness you desire exist and will be yours. Don't be afraid, I'll always be here."
She sat on the sofa, the two of them close, but not intimately.
Jiang Sui's hair was completely soaked by the rain, the fine strands on his forehead reduced to a wisp, pooling on the ground.
His clothes were almost completely soaked, leaving some water stains on the floor.
But the young man didn't care at all. He simply rubbed Su Qing's fingers lightly with his hands, wiped her hair, and told her not to be afraid.
Su Qing's heart fluttered slightly, her eyes gradually clearing a little, and she pulled her fingers away.
"Go change your clothes first."
Su Qing pointed at Jiang Sui's damp clothes. "You'll catch a cold."
Her eyes were slightly red, tears welling in them, and her voice trembled slightly under her breath.
Jiang Sui's empty palms felt a moment of disappointment. He twitched his lips and uttered a "Okay."
She watched the young man turn around, his figure erect and resolute.
He entered the room, changing his clothes with remarkable speed. However, when he opened the door, he discovered the person sitting on the sofa was gone.
He felt empty, as if a piece of his heart had been hollowed out.
"Qing Qing!"
"Nannan!"
His voice was loud and nervous, and he turned around, searching.
She left, to find that person?!
In the small house of a few dozen square meters, Su Qing, who was washing the kettle in the kitchen, was startled by Jiang Sui's voice. She was washing the kettle in the sink, and her hand slipped in shock.
It fell with a thud.
The noise drew Jiang Sui over.
Seeing the frail figure, he stepped forward and pulled Su Qing into a hug.
Her frame was so small, so light, she seemed weightless.
Su Qing, who had been about to pick up the kettle from the sink and leave the kitchen, was suddenly embraced.
The boy's chin rested on the top of her head. Through the thin fabric, she instantly felt the warmth of his embrace, the trembling of his body, as if he were afraid.
Su Qing's hands, unsure of what to do, rested on the edge of the sink. She felt a certain craving for warmth, her eyes half-lidded, blinking, and pursing her lips.
A faint warmth lingered, and even amidst the intense tension, the boy remained motionless, making no movement, simply holding her in his embrace.
Time flowed through the silence, revealing subtle emotions.
Jiang Sui's hands clasped Su Qing's waist, motionless. It seemed as if only this sense of reality could calm his previously terrified heart.
He even wanted to go a little wilder, the mad thoughts tearing him apart, but rasional told him not to.
A long pause.
"Nannan."
The boy's voice was deep, hoarse, and dry. Because they were so close, Su Qing could feel his breath on her neck, and her body instinctively flinched.
In her memory, he rarely addressed her like that, only when he was extremely affectionate, as if he couldn't help himself.
Su Qing pursed her lips, feeling the gentle pressure of her chin against his head, yet it felt as if it weighed a million pounds.
"I was so scared just now. I've never been so scared before."
He was frozen cold. For a moment, his thoughts and rasional vanished. He didn't know what to do. Seeing the girl in the kitchen, he didn't just want to hold her in his arms.
It was restraint that made him realize he couldn't do that.
Jiang Sui's thick, raven-black eyelashes half-hid his gaze, masking all the emotion within.
He'd even prepared for the worst. Even at that moment, if his Nannan made any mistakes, he would bear the consequences for her. Those sins and sufferings shouldn't have to be endured by her.
But his Nannan didn't deserve to live like this for so long, and he wouldn't allow it. He risked everything, wanting to give her a future, a bright and honest one.
That was all.
Hearing Jiang Sui's words, Su Qing tightened her grip on the basin. She could feel the young man's surging emotions, his uncontrollable trembling and shaking.
"Are you afraid that I doing something wrong?"
She seemed to sense his fear. Su Qing bit her lower lip, her voice tinged with sadness.
Su Qing was torn between rationality and madness. One voice told her that great glory always requires sacrifice, and that sacrifice should be made by her. The other voice told her, Su Qing, there are other ways, you can't do this.
One is fearless madness, the other is knowing helplessness.
For a moment, she really wanted to grab the fruit knife and rush out.
But she held back.
Su Qing hung her head, a little embarrassed, not sure if it was out of disgust at her own weakness and incompetence.
He must have seen it.
As attentive as he was, he must have noticed that the object was no longer where it belonged. The moment the boy's slender fingertips appeared, he not only embraced her but also knocked the dangerous object into the trash can on the ground.
The boy reached out and gently comforted her, wiping the tears from her eyes, his movements slow and gentle.
"No, Qing Qing, I never worry about you doing anything wrong."
It couldn't tell if it was pride or something else, but his voice imbued Su Qing with boundless tolerance and a deep-seated sense of doting.
Su Qing didn't quite understand. What was he afraid of... Her eyes were a little confused.
The boy's eyes were deep and clear, forever reflecting a figure and a deep feeling.
"Nannan, I never worry or fear you'll do anything wrong, because I'm here."
"But I'm afraid, I'm afraid. What you did wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth it."
The boy's voice trembled, his voice unsteady, and he even tightened his grip around Su Qing.
"Not worth it?"
Su Qing didn't believe that. She felt nothing was worth it. Everyone in this world has their own suffering. She just wanted those bad guys to be punished. What was worth it?
"You want a one exchange with another one, right?"
The boy's voice was soft and tinged with pain, almost too much to speak.
"Nannan, my nannan, how is this worth it? Shouldn't escape unscathed and they receive the punishment they deserve?"
Su Qing suddenly turned to look at Jiang Sui, twisting away from the boy's embrace.
They were face to face.
"Jiang Sui..."
Her eyes were clear.