Weakness Trap - Chapter 7

 

“Hurry, let’s go!” Xiang Yan grabbed Yu Qingluan’s arm, trying to pull her away.

Yu Qingluan stumbled two steps forward as the smell of smoke grew heavier in the air.

This was different from the usual cooking oil smoke.

Besides being choking, it carried a suffocating spiciness.

Frowning, Yu Qingluan broke free from Xiang Yan’s grasp and staggered back toward her room.

“Qingluan, hurry up and leave. Here’s a handkerchief for you.” Her roommate, swimming out like a fish, still managed to hand Yu Qingluan a damp handkerchief.

The wet handkerchief would better protect her mouth and nose, but Yu Qingluan had no mind to think about such things at that moment.

All the gifts Yu Lingxue had given her were in her room. She couldn’t just abandon them.

Yu Qingluan felt she had gone mad.

Those gifts weren’t particularly expensive.

To Yu Lingxue, they might have been just casual presents.

It wasn’t that Yu Lingxue had never given her expensive gifts like the sapphire necklace that was clearly priceless.

But Yu Qingluan felt pressured to accept it and had refused.

She knew well enough that gifts between lovers should be reciprocal, and her family’s circumstances didn’t allow her to reciprocate such extravagance.

After that, Yu Lingxue only gave her small trinkets.

Like today’s skincare products, or the medicinal ointment from last winter.

They all seemed to be custom-made by Yu Lingxue’s family. Yu Qingluan never asked about the price, accepting them with her eyes closed.

The boxes were exquisitely designed, and Yu Qingluan remembered asking once they were styles Yu Lingxue had designed herself.

In her haste, Yu Qingluan tripped and fell to her knees with a thud.

Ignoring the pain in her knees, she mustered all her strength, yanked open the cabinet, and retrieved the special box she had bought.

Inside were all of Yu Lingxue’s gifts.

She only wanted to take this one thing.

As for the spare sewing kit she kept in the dorm, the embroidery she was halfway through.

Yu Qingluan couldn’t concern herself with those now.

Clutching the box, her knees bruised, she hurried out of the room.

Xiang Yan was still waiting at the door.

“Let’s go, quickly.” Xiang Yan glanced at the box, her brow furrowed tightly, but she said nothing more.

Perhaps she knew it was useless to argue.

Yu Qingluan wouldn’t listen.

Not even the billowing, intense smoke could snap Yu Qingluan back to her senses.

At a life-and-death moment, all she cared about were the gifts from that person.

What more could Xiang Yan say?

Call her foolish?

She had called her that before. Did Yu Qingluan ever listen?

The two of them practically crawled and scrambled their way out of the dorm.

Only after exiting did they see that the source of the fire was actually far from Yu Qingluan’s room.

It was the building next door that had caught fire, and the smoke had drifted into Yu Qingluan’s dorm.

Yu Lingxue’s room was in that adjacent building.

But Yu Lingxue didn’t live there often.

She had also mentioned that she would be out for a medical appointment today and wouldn’t be coming to campus. Yu Qingluan felt a slight relief.

“Thank goodness the fire wasn’t in your building.” Xiang Yan felt a sense of relief, as if they had narrowly escaped death, and she clutched her chest, panting.

“Right.” Yu Qingluan quietly opened the box.

Fortunately, the gifts Yu Lingxue had given her were undamaged.

Deep down, she knew even Yu Lingxue’s custom-made items were likely not cheap.

Perhaps one set of skincare products amounted to her family’s annual income.

The Yu family were all embroiderers, and with the embroidery market in decline, they lived modestly.

Young Yu Qingluan was accustomed to this and felt no discomfort.

In her family, even borrowed rice had to be repaid. She had developed the habit of reciprocating gifts.

Except when it came to Yu Lingxue.

Yu Qingluan couldn’t repay her, yet she still yearned for her love.

So she had no choice but to keep all the gifts, as if doing so could somehow honor Yu Lingxue’s kindness.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back to get my sewing supplies and such.” Yu Qingluan was still shaken.

Now that she had survived, she finally had the chance to retrieve her belongings.

And the gift she had prepared for Yu Lingxue this winter. Thankfully, it hadn’t been damaged by the fire.

“You really.” Xiang Yan didn’t know what to say to Yu Qingluan.

He was well aware of her family’s circumstances.

For over ten generations, the Yu family had been single-minded, dedicating themselves solely to the art of embroidery.

The impact of industrialization on handmade goods was immense, especially in recent years as traditional culture increasingly succumbed to the influence of globalized aesthetic trends.

Many artisans lived in poverty, and the Yu family, with their stubborn focus on the purity of their craft, were particularly resistant to commercializing their work.

“Fine, I’ll go with you.” Xiang Yan couldn’t bring himself to say that the sewing supplies were just things and could be replaced.

They were too expensive. Yu Qingluan couldn’t afford the loss.

He didn’t want to dwell on the fact that her first instinct hadn’t been to save the sewing supplies.

For the current Yu Qingluan, did Yu Lingxue’s importance outweigh the career she had dedicated her life to?

Pondering such a question was too cruel for anyone.

Xiang Yan could only accompany Yu Qingluan back upstairs to retrieve her sewing supplies.

“No need, I can manage on my own. Just keep an eye on this box for me.” Yu Qingluan didn’t want to drag her friend into her troubles. She could handle breathing in the smoke and dust alone.

“Alright.” Xiang Yan stayed downstairs.

While Yu Qingluan was upstairs, he quietly lifted the lid a crack and peeked inside.

He didn’t recognize the brand names, but everything looked exquisitely crafted and undoubtedly luxurious.

Did Yu Lingxue not know about Yu Qingluan’s family situation?

Gifting such expensive items, what was Yu Qingluan supposed to think?

Xiang Yan closed the box, growing increasingly concerned.

Yu Lingxue had lied.

She wasn’t on duty today; she simply had to deal with some troublesome people.

She didn’t want Yu Qingluan to worry or notice anything amiss, so she had claimed to be on duty.

When the fire broke out, she was in the dormitory.

Not in her own room, but a few floors away.

Even so, she could tell that the fire seemed to have started near her own dorm room.

Dormitories prohibited the use of high power appliances, and no one would be playing with open flames inside.

So, was it someone who held a grudge against her, deliberately setting the fire?

There was no time to dwell on it. Yu Lingxue quickly composed herself and took control of the chaotic situation.

“Su Lian, go downstairs and tell the students to stay away from the building.”

“You, find the advisor and security. Ask them to check for any suspicious individuals.”

“Xiao Jia, call the fire department and emergency services.”

…

With each order, the people around Yu Lingxue seemed to find their footing, calming down and carrying out her instructions methodically.

As the group made their way downstairs in an orderly and efficient manner to execute the tasks, Su Lian suddenly asked, “Where’s Lingxue? Did anyone see her come down?”

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

“I, I’ll go back to find her!” A girl at the back panicked, having assumed Yu Lingxue was ahead and had already descended.

“Finish what she asked us to do first.” Su Lian grabbed her arm.

In such a serious situation, everyone believed Yu Lingxue wouldn’t be so foolish.

Someone in poor health might just be moving slowly, or perhaps she had gone back to her room to retrieve something, or maybe she had left through another exit with her family’s bodyguards.

No one considered the possibility that Yu Lingxue might still be at the scene.

“Are you okay? Hold this wet tissue over your mouth, don’t speak, walk faster and keep low.” Yu Lingxue helped up a girl who had fallen on the ground.

Her bodyguard happened to be absent because she was supposed to meet someone particularly troublesome.

But saving people was her destiny, her duty.

Even if her health was poor, she could still do what was within her power.

Yu Lingxue took out the silver needles she always carried, forcibly revitalized herself with acupuncture, quickly stopped the girl’s bleeding, and escorted her downstairs.

The smoke was too thick; the girl never got a clear look at who had helped her until she safely reached the ground floor.

That person, however, turned and went back into the smoke.

After rescuing five or six people, Yu Lingxue applied needles to herself again, temporarily numbing the pain and minimizing the smoke’s effects on her.

For those who could walk, she only administered acupuncture and gave them wet tissues. For those who couldn’t, she personally helped them downstairs.

The fire had already spread. She could hear sirens. In a couple of minutes, she thought, the situation should be under control.

Yu Lingxue walked alone through the smoke, but her heart grew calmer.

There was nothing she couldn’t accept.

It wasn’t that she sought death; rather, she lived for saving and sacrificing.

Yu Lingxue took out a wet tissue, administered acupuncture to anyone she saw, and escorted them downstairs, repeating the process.

Finally spotting the fire department’s emblem, her eyes flickered slightly, not daring to let her guard down.

“Lingxue! You’re here.” Su Lian approached with their group of friends.

“Yeah, I’m fine. How’s the situation?” At that moment, Yu Lingxue seemed colder and more detached than usual.

Yet, in a fleeting moment, she also appeared gentler than ever.

Her eyes seemed devoid of human emotion, as if briefly possessed by a compassionate Buddha.

Warm as the morning sun, yet keeping others at a distance.

“It’s okay. As you suggested, Qiqi organized everyone to do a headcount, checked the numbers, had them identify their roommates, and sent messages to friends alone in their dorms. All the students who were in the dorm should be out now.”

Su Lian bit her tongue as she spoke.

She had no idea how Yu Lingxue was so capable, even thinking of doing a headcount.

Their 27-year-old counselor was so panicked she had burst into tears, completely at a loss.

“What about the other dorms? Is the panic under control? No stampedes, right?”

Yu Lingxue was still concerned about the scene, feeling that something was off.

“Don’t worry, the girls went to notify everyone. Although some people rushed downstairs initially, it stopped after the notifications.”

“That’s good. I’ll go check over there.” After getting the update, Yu Lingxue left.

Su Lian and her friends didn’t idle either, continuing to verify the situation with the counselor.

It was said that security guards were chasing two masked figures in black, as if pursuing suspects.

The firefighters had prepared their equipment to extinguish the fire and began searching the entire building to ensure no one was left inside.

But Yu Lingxue suddenly thought of something, her expression stiffening, and she turned and rushed back into the dorm.

No one noticed, except Yu Qingluan, who had just retrieved her sewing kit and come downstairs, saw it from a distance.

She dropped her sewing kit and ran straight after Yu Lingxue.

She was stopped by firefighters at the building’s entrance. “Little sister, there’s a fire inside. Whatever property you have, there’s nothing we can do. You’ll have to claim it from insurance.”

“Yeah, the smoke is thick, and the temperature’s rising. Lives are more important than property, you know.”

Yu Qingluan froze for a moment, then pinched the fleshy part of her hand to force herself to calm down.

“Someone just went inside the building. I saw them. They went up these stairs.”

The firefighters exchanged glances.

None of them had seen anyone. What was this about?

“It’s true. Yu Lingxue went up!” Yu Qingluan rarely raised her voice. The mention of Yu Lingxue’s name caught the attention of those nearby.

Su Lian immediately pulled out her phone and sent a message to Yu Lingxue. There was no reply.

“Maybe, maybe it’s true. My friend replied to me earlier, but now there’s nothing.” Su Lian’s legs went weak at the thought of what might have happened.

“Don’t be afraid, and don’t panic. Our team is already searching upstairs. We’ll notify everyone.”

Several firefighters comforted the two frightened girls, though inwardly they thought that anyone still upstairs after the fire had been burning for at least fifteen minutes was likely in grave danger.

They also wondered, how could a perfectly normal dormitory building suddenly catch fire for no reason?

Everyone knew this was anything but simple.

Two minutes later.

A firefighter emerged from the smoke, supporting Yu Lingxue as they rushed out.

A scream erupted from the crowd.

The people, who had remained orderly during the fire and evacuation, descended into chaos at the sight of Yu Lingxue covered in grime and utterly disheveled emerging from the billowing smoke.

Yu Qingluan tried to push forward to ask what had happened but was ultimately swept away by the crowd.

Just before she lost sight of Yu Lingxue completely, she caught her gaze a look of sheer exhaustion, mixed with numbness, weariness, anger, and a hint of reproach.

Yu Qingluan stood rooted to the spot, watching as others escorted Yu Lingxue away.

Yu Lingxue was simply too tired to suppress the hostility in her eyes, allowing her overwhelming impatience to spill out unchecked.

With a casual glance, she could still see her “little bird.”

Her poor little bird, why was she in the dormitory, forced to witness her in such a wretched state?

She must have been terrified.

But Yu Lingxue had no strength left she couldn’t speak or do anything.

She collapsed to the ground. Emergency personnel, finally seeing some action, quickly lifted her onto a stretcher.

Just then, an elderly woman nearing sixty, leaning on a cane, strode briskly over and frantically knocked on the ambulance door before it drove off, then climbed in after her.

“How did you let yourself end up like this?” she scolded without preamble.

Yu Lingxue pulled out a cat she had hidden along the way.

She had rescued more than one pet during her escape. Some daring students had kept cats or rodents in their dorm rooms, only to abandon the timid creatures to suffocate in the fire when they fled.

The one she held was the weakest.

The cats and hamsters still with some strength, she had simply released outside the dormitory they would be safe.

But this one without treatment, it would die.

“Hey, you ! You still have the nerve to worry about a cat? You’re about to kick the bucket yourself!”

The old woman was furious, brandishing her cane as if ready to strike.

Yu Lingxue closed her eyes, ready to take the hit.

She had anticipated Li Ran would come. Her own skills weren’t enough to save the kitten only Li Ran could do it.

“You, you, you!” Li Ran was beside herself with anger at her audacity.

Yu Lingxue replied lightly, “Teacher, getting angry is bad for your health.”

“Get lost! Who’s your teacher?” Li Ran retorted sharply, but she took the cat and began to work on it.

“Yu Lingxue, have you thought this through? What’s the meaning behind all these actions of yours? You might very well lose your life.”

Yu Lingxue gazed at the pale light inside the ambulance and let out a scornful laugh. “Then it’s just my life. Quite a bargain, isn’t it?”

“Say that again?” Li Ran finished giving the kitten an injection and quietly turned to look at Yu Lingxue, the fire in her eyes unexpectedly extinguished.

Yu Lingxue closed her eyes and said nothing more.

“I don’t know what you’ve been through. But I can’t teach medicine to someone who’s constantly seeking death. Give up on this idea.”

Li Ran stood up, appearing much calmer than before, looking like nothing more than a slightly stern elderly woman.

She squinted and turned her back, and Yu Lingxue didn’t try to stop her.

Inside the ambulance, the doctors and nurses who recognized this pillar of traditional Chinese medicine didn’t dare to speak.

Only the treated kitten kept mewing, calling for its mother.

9:00 PM.

Yu Qingluan lingered near First Hospital, unable to bring herself to go in.

The messages she sent Yu Lingxue remained unanswered.

Heaven knows how much courage it took, how long she had to mentally prepare herself to send that message to Yu Lingxue after already arriving at the hospital.

For the first time, she had taken the initiative.

Yu Lingxue hadn’t even replied with a simple “I’m safe.”

Yu Qingluan grew increasingly anxious.

Was she still not safe?

Or was she simply blaming her for meddling and didn’t want to see her?