Song Qingchun tried to choke back her tears but to no avail. She had just been feeling relieved and thankful that they had both survived the fall, but in the end, she was the only lucky one.
Even though her mind was not completely focused during mid-fall, she still remembered him pulling her into his embrace before they hit the ground to shield her. So, her luck was traded with his bad luck.
Su Zhinian felt his consciousness dispersing. Through their physical contact, he could fuzzily read the anxiety and distress residing at the bottom of her heart. This caused him to worry. However, there was nothing he could do but allow his eyelids to slowly close until all he could see was darkness and she was no more.
He could hear her crying intensify; there was even desperation in her sobs now as she called his name again and again. Eventually, she even started to beg him.
"Su Zhinian, didn't you say you're going to France? Then leave, why did you return? Get on your plane and leave…"Su Zhinian's eyelids fluttered lightly, but they did not flip open. His mind was consumed by empty silence.
…
The world around them became chaotic. The ambulance had arrived. Song Qingchun and Su Zhinian were surrounded by police and the medical crew. However, Song Qingchun did not seem to notice their presence. She continued to mumble, "Su Zhinian, please, I beg you… Please… Please…"
Even though I might have been sad if you left me for Paris, that sadness would have been more sufferable than you leaving me this way.
Song Qingchun lost count of the times she repeated "please". She cried until her throat was raw with pain, but there was still no reaction from Su Zhinian.
…
When Su Zhinian called, Qin Yinan had left Orchid Pagoda in search of Song Qingchun because she had disappeared for quite some time.It was lunch time, and the bathroom was crowded. Qin Yinan did not think it was appropriate for him to barge into the female bathroom, so he asked a passing young lady for help looking for Song Qingchun. The lady told him the bathroom was empty.
Qin Yinan was reminded of Song Qingchun's less than stellar expression before she excused herself to use the bathroom, and his heart twitched with worry. He immediately ran back to the booth to grab his phone. He was about to call Song Qingchun when he realized his phone had died from lack of battery.
Qin Yinan apologized to their waiter and left Golden Corner in a hurry. He first returned to the Song family residence, but when he did not find Song Qingchun there, he drove to Station TW. When he reached the office building for Station TW, Qin Yinan saw the news reporting on the giant screen that was attached to the side of the building.
"At 11:37 am today, there was an incident at Water Observatory Tower involving a male and a female.
"The female is suspected to have been pushed from the tall building while the man jumped to follow her. Below are the pictures taken from the internet shot by nearby citizens."
Then, the screen was flooded with pictures. Qin Yinan only took one glance at them before he stopped in his steps.
Due to the distance and the moving targets, the picture was not clear, but Qin Yinan still managed to recognize at first glance that the woman in the picture was wearing the same clothes as Song Qingchun.
Before Qin Yinan could get a better look, the scene returned to the news anchor.
