Chapter 405 - 206: Shen Yuan, You Really Deserve to Die
Chapter 405: Chapter 206: Shen Yuan, You Really Deserve to Die
The stone steps beside the old tree-lined path led downward, the sunlight filtering through the leaves and branches into dappled, fragmented pieces.
The fluttering excitement and tacit understanding that had bloomed on the platform hadn’t dissipated. Instead, it settled in their clasped hands and quiet footsteps, carrying with it the cool, fragrant air of the temple.
The two descended the final step in silence, returning to the edge of the somewhat empty parking lot.
Shen Yuan habitually took out his phone to call a car.
It was earlier than they’d expected. Shen Yuan decided to be practical—he’d call a cab to the subway station, then take the subway to the East Station.
Besides, if he called a cab straight to the East Station...
...he’d probably get an earful from Li Zhi.
Shen Yuan tilted his head slightly, glancing at the girl beside him.
Li Zhi’s gaze rested casually on the lush mountain forest in the distance. The mountain breeze stirred the loose strands of hair on her forehead, and the line of her lips was much softer than when they had arrived. Only the faint blush on the tips of her ears betrayed her less-than-calm emotions.
The ride-share car arrived quickly. They opened the back doors and slid into the rear seat.
Shen Yuan and Li Zhi sat side-by-side, a small gap between them.
The playful banter from before was gone, replaced by a serene, unspoken understanding.
Shen Yuan’s gaze would drift unconsciously to Li Zhi’s profile, while Li Zhi kept her eyes fixed on the ever-changing streetscape outside the window, as if trying to commit the end of this journey to memory.
The car eventually stopped at the nearest subway entrance.
"Let’s go, time for the subway."
Li Zhi said nothing.
The Hang City subway station was a tapestry of flowing crowds, a stark contrast to the tranquil serenity of the ancient temple in the mountains.
They swiped their cards to enter the station and took the escalator down to the platform, where they were instantly swept up by the surging tide of people.
The moment the train doors opened, the crowd surged. Shen Yuan subconsciously extended an arm, protectively hovering it by Li Zhi’s side.
Her eyes swept over his gesture. Without a word, she simply moved a little closer to him naturally.
As the car swayed, she would sometimes bump into Shen Yuan unintentionally. Each slight touch made both of their hearts skip a beat.
They both watched the rapidly flashing billboards outside with Concentration, yet they were keenly aware of the subtle breath and warmth of the person beside them.
The subway car glided smoothly, weaving through the city’s underground network.
Shen Yuan and Li Zhi followed the flow of people out of the car and onto the escalator leading up to ground level.
The unique clamor of the high-speed rail station hit them in an instant.
Beneath the massive dome, a cacophony of voices and sounds intertwined—a world away from the stuffy, crowded subway station. An expansive, bustling air of departure filled the space.
Shen Yuan took Li Zhi’s hand and led her toward the escalator.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance to the upstairs waiting hall.
Wearing their backpacks, the two of them walked toward the security checkpoint.
The passageway was wide, but it was packed with people.
Shen Yuan subconsciously shielded Li Zhi.
While they were in line, Shen Yuan had Li Zhi stand in front of him.
Gazing at the back of her head, Shen Yuan’s fingers curled unconsciously.
The words he’d failed to finish at Faxi Temple, the ones she had smothered with her hand, now burned in his heart like a branding iron.
The line moved slowly. By the time the two of them passed through security, their train was already boarding.
Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi and said softly, "It’s okay, we’ll make it."
Boarding would last at least ten minutes; they definitely had enough time.
Just as Shen Yuan had said, they had enough time to get to the gate and have their tickets checked.
They even had a little time to spare.
They were in first-class seats for the return trip as well.
With a gentle lurch and a pull of inertia, the train car began to move smoothly.
Outside the window, the platform, signal lights, and station signs started to recede slowly.
Shen Yuan instinctively turned to look out the window. Li Zhi turned her head as well, her gaze fixed on the urban landscape that was now rapidly falling away.
And just like that, their trip to Hang City was over.
’The next time we come here, it’ll probably be the summer vacation after the college entrance exams.’
Just as Shen Yuan was thinking this, an image flashed into his mind.
The girl, standing on the stone platform.
"What happens between us doesn’t need any blessings from a Bodhisattva."
Her words echoed in Shen Yuan’s mind, each one reverberating, striking his heart with force.
The scenery outside the window blurred as it sped by, but Shen Yuan’s thoughts were exceptionally clear.
Just then, the system’s voice sounded in Shen Yuan’s mind.
[Mission Complete!]
[Take Li Zhi on a short trip to a nearby city! Show her some different scenery. Reward: Li Zhi’s Memory Fragment x1! (Completed)]
Shen Yuan looked at the system interface before him, then glanced at Li Zhi, whose eyes were still fixed on the view outside. He then opened the memory fragment.
As the light flashed, Shen Yuan saw a brightly lit classroom.
It was a very familiar place—still the same old spot.
Shen Yuan was sitting on a desk. Opposite him, Li Zhi sat alone at the long table in the third row by the window, moonlight replacing the slanting rays of the setting sun.
A notebook lay open in front of her, the tip of her pen hovering over it, unmoving for a long time.
The girl’s gaze wasn’t on her book, but on the blurry reflection in the windowpane.
There was no one else in the reflection, only her.
She gently pushed up the glasses on her nose. Behind the lenses, her eyes held not confusion about the distant future, but a glimmer that was almost a sigh.
Finally, she wrote a line of tiny words in a blank space in her notebook, only to quickly scratch it out. She then snapped the notebook shut, stood up, and left, leaving the empty table and chair bathed in the cold moonlight.
Shen Yuan couldn’t make out what Li Zhi had written. Through the heavy mist of time, he couldn’t see anything clearly.
But Shen Yuan could see the strokes. Among them, two were instantly recognizable.