GDYARVE # Chapter 58 Long Time No See!
# Chapter 58 Long Time No See!
Ye Feng knocked on the door for a long time, but no one answered.
Sighing, he was about to leave when he turned and saw a middle-aged man carrying groceries coming out of the stairwell.
“You... are?” The man looked at Ye Feng suspiciously, sizing him up and glancing at the fruit gift he was holding.
After a long look, he confirmed that he did not recognize this visitor.
“Uncle Xie, I’m Ye Cheng’s son, Ye Feng.” Ye Feng politely stepped aside.
“Ye Feng?” The man was initially puzzled, then quickly remembered. This was the son Ye Cheng had mentioned, the one studying at university.
“Uncle Xie, my dad told me about Jiang Jiang’s situation. I wanted to come and see her...” Ye Feng stood at the door.
Xie Bing stepped forward, took out his keys, and said, “Thank you for coming to see Jiang Jiang. Come in, she’ll be happy to know you’re here.”
Ye Feng noticed that the skin on Xie Bing’s hand holding the keys was also scarred and twisted, with uneven patches from healed burns.
Noticing Ye Feng’s gaze, Xie Bing didn’t mind. Before opening the door, he called out inside.
“Jiang Jiang, your childhood friend Ye Feng is here to see you.”
After about ten seconds, he turned the key and opened the door.
“Xiao Feng, make yourself comfortable. Jiang Jiang might not be willing to see anyone. I’ll check with her.” After settling Ye Feng on the living room sofa, he walked to a plain door.
“Jiang Jiang, it’s Dad.” He knocked lightly.
The door opened a crack, and Xie Bing slipped inside.
Ye Feng didn’t try to look through the crack. If she didn’t want to see people, she might not want to see him either.
Having left with his parents at a young age, Ye Feng wondered how much of their childhood bond she remembered.
Back then, they were too young—no cell phones, no easy way to keep in touch.
Like all long-lost childhood friends meeting again by chance, their reunion this time wasn’t joyful or pleasant.
Xie Bing didn’t stay inside long, only two or three minutes, before coming out.
“Xiao Feng, Jiang Jiang is glad you came, but she’s not in a position to see you now.” Xie Bing smiled apologetically at Ye Feng.
“Uncle Xie, can I say a few words to Jiang Jiang?” Ye Feng looked towards the door. “I know what happened to her. I can wear a blindfold, or I can stay outside her room. I just want to talk to her.”
“Well... let me ask.” After some hesitation, Xie Bing went to ask Xie Lingjiang for her opinion.
“Alright... let him in with a blindfold...” came a soft, timid voice from the room.
Perhaps she wanted to see her childhood friend too.
Xie Bing searched the room but couldn’t find a blindfold. He smiled awkwardly at Ye Feng.
“Uncle, I can use that.” Ye Feng pointed to a box containing masks.
“Sorry, we’re happy to have you here. It’s just that Jiang Jiang’s situation is special.” Xie Bing awkwardly took out a mask, tested it to ensure it blocked vision, and then handed it to Ye Feng.
“I understand, Uncle. I just want to talk to my friend.” Ye Feng shook his head, put on the mask, and was led into Xie Lingjiang’s room.
Though the mask blocked his sight, it was a translucent material. Once inside the room, the light dimmed significantly.
Ye Feng sat quietly on a chair as directed. The curtains in Xie Lingjiang’s room were drawn, making it quite dark.
“Jiang Jiang, long time no see,” Ye Feng began.
After a long pause, a gentle, soft voice responded, “Ye Feng... long time no see.”
In the darkness, Ye Feng looked in the direction of Xie Lingjiang’s bed. He could vaguely sense a girl’s outline.
“Jiang Jiang, let’s go for surgery. If once isn’t enough, we’ll do it twice, or three times, until your skin fully recovers.”
Ye Feng knew her condition couldn’t heal on its own. Large areas of her skin were damaged, including deep tissue and muscle.
“I don’t want treatment...” Xie Lingjiang shook her head, her voice despondent.
“Ye Feng, thank you for coming to see me. I’m happy to see you again, but I want to rest now.” After saying just one sentence, she began to ask him to leave.
“Why? Why not treat it?”
“Ye Feng, I’m ordinary. That fire destroyed everything. We have nothing left. I don’t want treatment; it’s too burdensome.” Her words revealed her inner turmoil.
At that moment, Ye Feng understood why she didn’t want treatment.
“I’ll pay. I’m making money now. Let’s get you treated, okay?”
“Thank you, but I can’t. Let’s keep our childhood friendship pure. I have nothing left. I can’t repay too much debt...” She walked wearily to Ye Feng.
Ye Feng said nothing. He could sense her stubbornness and helplessness.
Perhaps in his past life, she chose to leave because she didn’t want to be a burden.
“Please go.” She walked to the door, ready to open it.
“Wait.” Ye Feng quickly spoke, hearing the door being pulled open.
“I’ve started a company. I want you to join my company.”
“A company? Do you even know what I majored in at university?” Her voice carried a hint of mockery.
“I know. You majored in game engines and were always in the top three of your class.” Ye Feng quickly recited information his father had told him.
“Click.” The door closed again.
“You asked my dad?”
“Sort of. Before coming, I looked into some talented students to recruit for my company. You were one of them.” Ye Feng turned towards her voice, masked eyes covered.
“What kind of company is it?” She walked up to Ye Feng.
If possible, she didn’t want to leave this world. No one fears death, but they fear causing grief to their loved ones.
In Ye Feng’s past life, she chose to leave because the cost of treatment was too high, and she couldn’t find work with her injuries.
Though she could convince herself to ignore others’ judgments, she couldn’t ignore the burden on her family—financially and emotionally.
Over time, it became unbearable.
Now, if Ye Feng could offer her a job, she was willing to try, to continue clinging to life.
(End of this chapter)