When a "Sea King" is Bound to a System [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 37.1

Jiang Yan knew what Chu Qinghan’s reaction would be, but she didn’t care.

Although saying so didn’t make her happy.

Yes, even though she hurt Chu Qinghan, she was still unhappy.

The mere thought that that person didn’t like her made her heart feel suffocated. She called this feeling “masochism.”

Meng Fanyi was getting busier, leaving early and returning late every day. Although she constantly complained about being tired, she enjoyed it.

Xia Yuzhi remained completely out of contact. The students quickly forgot about her, as if this person had never existed in the 16th class of Industrial Management.

The first time Jiang Yan felt unwell was in the middle of her second year of university. During that period, she constantly felt nauseous and fatigued, and she had no appetite.

At first, she thought it was due to the hot weather, but as the weather gradually cooled, the symptoms not only failed to improve but worsened.

Once, while having a meal with Jiang Yao, she nearly fainted. If Jiang Yao hadn’t quickly held her up, she would have fallen face-first onto the ground.

Seeing her like this, Jiang Yao worried, “Why don’t we go to the hospital to check? I have a nagging feeling about this.”

Jiang Yan, seeing him so nervous, smiled. “It’s fine. I know my own body. I just haven’t been eating properly lately and have become anemic. I’ll eat more once this period is over and make up for what I missed. I’ve been healthy since I was little; nothing serious will happen.”

Jiang Yao knew his sister disliked going to the hospital and didn’t mention it again. Later, he realized how foolish he had been at the time.

Jiang Yan could still run into Chu Qinghan on campus. No matter how cold she acted, the other person would still approach her to exchange a few words.

“I’m going to a friend’s private island this weekend. Do you want to come with me?”

Jiang Yan walked on, letting her words go in one ear and out the other.

“That island is very fun. She also has a manor there. We can barbecue, fish, have a party—we can do anything we want.”

Jiang Yan patiently listened to her finish, then abruptly stopped and looked back at her. “This is probably the first time you’ve said so much to me.”

Chu Qinghan was puzzled, but thinking back, it was true. In the past, she had been too cold, and her conversations with Jiang Yan were always brief and to the point, rarely garrulous.

Seeing her silence, Jiang Yan curved her lips into a mocking smile. “So, is Senior coming to pity me now? Do you think that because I was publicly rejected by you and subsequently ridiculed and isolated by classmates, you’ve come to spread some love?”

“That’s not what I meant. I just…” Chu Qinghan couldn’t continue. She couldn’t admit her feelings for Jiang Yan.

She had thought a lot during this time, dissecting her feelings from the moment she met Jiang Yan to the moment she rejected her. She ultimately concluded that she must like her.

This realization had shocked her for days. So, during the time they didn’t meet, she was waiting for herself to calm down to see if she had been mistaken.

But the longer the time, the clearer her feelings became. That tightening sensation in her heart made her profoundly understand what emotions were.

Jiang Yan didn’t want to hear her explanation. She coldly withdrew her gaze and continued forward. As soon as she took a step, the world spun, and she immediately collapsed onto the ground.

Her knee hit the ground heavily, and her jeans were instantly stained with blood. Her palm was also scraped, stinging painfully.

Chu Qinghan was startled and rushed to help her up, but Jiang Yan ruthlessly pushed her away. She slowly got up on her own and then walked away as if nothing had happened.

The dizzy spells were becoming more frequent lately. It was time to find a moment to go to the hospital, even though she truly disliked hospitals.

The smell of disinfectant always reminded her of her mother, that gentle and beautiful woman.

So young, she had wasted away on a hospital bed due to illness, without even seeing her husband before she died.

If it were her, she would probably choose to spend her last moments with the person she loved.

Anywhere would be fine, as long as it wasn’t a hospital.

She didn’t want her final memories to be of countless medical devices and disinfectant.

Since death was already inevitable, why suffer so much?

Chu Qinghan followed behind Jiang Yan, her eyes showing worry. She had a feeling that Jiang Yan seemed much thinner than before.

Although she was always thin, it used to be well-proportioned. Now, even a form-fitting jacket felt loose on her.

Jiang Yan returned to the dorm, tended to the wounds on her hands and knees, and then started feeling dizzy and nauseous again.

When Meng Fanyi returned, Jiang Yan was dry heaving over the toilet. She hadn’t eaten much, so there was nothing to throw up, just a bit of stomach acid.

Meng Fanyi, who had been tired and sleepy, was jolted awake. She rushed in and asked what was wrong. Jiang Yan waved her hand to indicate she was fine, but Meng Fanyi didn’t believe her and insisted on dragging her to the hospital.

She was genuinely worried that there was something wrong with Jiang Yan’s health. She had watched her lose more than ten pounds recently. The flesh on her face was barely covering her bones. Jiang Yan’s own explanation was that the hot weather made her lose her appetite. But it was already late autumn, and Meng Fanyi didn’t believe that was the reason anymore.

“No, I’m taking you to the hospital today. I’ve already called a ride. Get dressed and come downstairs!”

Jiang Yan felt a little better. She held her hand and tried to act cute. “Can we not go? It’s already so late, and it’s cold outside, too. Can we go tomorrow?”

Meng Fanyi’s face was cold, and she was completely unmoved.

She could indulge Jiang Yan in anything else, but she wouldn’t let her neglect her health.

This condition wasn’t just a day or two; it had been going on for a while. Therefore, they had to go to the hospital today.

Jiang Yan was extremely resistant, but she couldn’t outlast Meng Fanyi’s firm attitude, so she slowly put on her clothes.

Meng Fanyi stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the door, watching her change clothes, exhibiting immense patience.

As soon as she finished dressing, it suddenly started to rain. Lightning flashed and thunder roared the moment the downpour began.

Jiang Yan: Even God is helping me!

“Yiyi, how about we go tomorrow? It’s better not to go out in this kind of weather.”

Meng Fanyi really wanted to grab her ear and yell, “Even if it’s raining knives today, you still have to go to the hospital!”

But seeing the raindrops outside that could practically kill a person, she dismissed the idea.

It wasn’t absolutely necessary to go today. The road would be difficult with such heavy rain, and the driver had already canceled the ride.

“Then we’ll go after the rain stops. You can’t trick me again.”

Jiang Yan nodded repeatedly like pounding garlic, cuddling into Meng Fanyi’s arm. “I knew my Yiyi was the best! Love you! Mwah”

Meng Fanyi stroked her head lovingly, thinking that she absolutely had to drag her to the hospital tomorrow.

The next morning, Meng Fanyi, who could have slept in since she had no class, woke up early, thinking about taking Jiang Yan to the hospital. However, Jiang Yan was awake even earlier, and the bed was already empty.

She called her, and the background noise was a little loud.

“Yanyan, where are you? We agreed on the hospital. Why are you gone? Hurry back, or I’ll twist your head off.”

“I’m at the hospital. I’m already getting ready to line up for the examination. I saw you sleeping so soundly, so I didn’t wake you. Wait for me in the dorm. I’ll go back after the checkup.”

Meng Fanyi was a little suspicious. Would someone so resistant to hospitals go there voluntarily?

“Send me a video of the hospital, including the name of the department and your voice.”

Jiang Yan paused, then chuckled. “Can’t you just trust me? It’s my own life; wouldn’t I cherish it? You can tell by the sound that there are many people here. I’m definitely not lying to you.”

Meng Fanyi also felt she was being too suspicious. Jiang Yan wasn’t a three-year-old child; she should know what was important.

“Alright, go ahead and get checked. Tell me when you’re almost back. Sister Meng is treating you to a feast today.”

Jiang Yan responded and hung up, looking at the fallen leaves and feeling a pang of guilt.

She hadn’t actually gone to the hospital; she was in the park. She sat on a long bench, watching the elderly people nearby practicing Tai Chi, all lively and not looking their age at all.

After sitting for a while, she turned and went to a pharmacy to buy some vitamins and blood-boosting supplements before slowly heading back to school.

Chu Qinghan waited for two full hours downstairs at Jiang Yan’s dorm before seeing her walk over, looking pale. She quickly rushed up to her and asked, “Jiang Yan, are you okay?”

Jiang Yan looked up at her, her eyes emotionless. “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

After saying that, she looked away and continued walking towards the dorm, leaving Chu Qinghan with a thin, aloof back view.

Chu Qinghan’s heart ached, and her throat felt bitter. She wanted to say something to make her stay, but nothing came out. She could only watch her fade into the distance.

From then on, she deliberately created opportunities for them to meet every day. Even though they only exchanged one or two sentences, she felt content.

The semester passed just like that. Jiang Yan felt that she hadn’t learned anything this year, except for turning a year older.

During the New Year holiday, Jiang Yao prepared a huge table of dishes. The siblings sat around the dining table, watching the Spring Festival Gala and eating their New Year’s Eve dinner.

“Dad asked me to apologize to you on his behalf. He really couldn’t get away, so he couldn’t come back to reunite with us.”

Jiang Yan continued to eat her food, not taking her brother’s words to heart.

From her mother’s death until now, in fifteen years, their so-called father had spent New Year’s Eve with them no more than three times. She had long been used to it. If he were sitting at the dinner table today, she would find it strange.

“Yanyan, we can’t blame Dad for what happened back then. He was helpless. Can you please stop hating him?”

Jiang Yao had inherited Jiang He’s personality, gentle and humble. He never argued with anyone and had an incredibly good temper.

His urging Jiang Yan to let go of her prejudice was for her own sake. A person couldn’t live with hatred forever; it would exhaust her.

“Bro, stop trying to persuade me. Aren’t you tired after fifteen years of trying? I know what I’m doing.”

“Alright then, I won’t nag. Eat your food, eat your food.”

After finishing their New Year’s Eve dinner, the siblings cleared the table and went out to light fireworks. Since fireworks were banned, they could only light small ones to satisfy their craving, which cheered Jiang Yan up a lot.

But she never expected Chu Qinghan to call her.

When the phone rang, she had an unlit firework in her hand, so she asked Jiang Yao to answer it for her. Jiang Yao answered the call directly, and his expression changed slightly.

He put the phone on speaker and told her to talk directly to Jiang Yan.

“Junior, I happened to be passing through North City and wanted to come to see you.”

Her voice was slightly unsteady, carrying anticipation and nervousness. Jiang Yan didn’t know what she was anticipating. Did she think she would meet her?

“Senior, why are you coming all the way to North City instead of staying home to have a reunion dinner with your family on New Year’s Eve?”

Chu Qinghan was speechless. She had specifically come to find Jiang Yan and wasn’t “passing through” at all.

While browsing her Moments list out of boredom, she saw a post by Jiang Yao. Several photos showed Jiang Yan making dumplings. Her face was smudged with flour, and the dumplings she made were ugly, looking completely unsuited to her persona.

At that moment, an indescribable surge of longing welled up in her heart, wishing she was the one sitting across from Jiang Yan.

Impulsively, she bought a flight to North City on New Year’s Eve. She landed at nine o’clock in the evening. The night wind sobered her up considerably.

But she still wanted to see Jiang Yan. No amount of wind could disperse that thought.

“I came to see a friend. I remembered you were also in North City, so I thought I’d drop by to see you.”

She tried her best to sound less deliberate, but she ignored the girl’s sensitive mind.

Hearing her words, Jiang Yan curved her lips and scoffed, “Then Senior must be really busy. You just saw one friend and are already impatient to see the next.”

The “friend” who could make her fly out to visit on New Year’s Eve must be very important, right?

For some reason, Jiang Yan felt a little sour.

It had been so long, yet hearing this still made her feel uncomfortable. She really was pathetic.

“I…” Chu Qinghan stood in the cold wind, feeling as though the blood in her body had turned cold.

If only she had known, she wouldn’t have acted that way. If she had been able to put aside her arrogance and admit her feelings for Jiang Yan earlier, things wouldn’t have reached this point.

“Senior, the wind is strong at night. I don’t have time to waste talking to you. Don’t bother ‘dropping by’ to see me. Our relationship isn’t that close yet.”

Jiang Yan hung up the phone, quick and decisive.

Jiang Yao looked at her face, feeling a little regretful. “Why don’t we let her come in for a visit?”

“Visit what? Doesn’t she have her own home? Why would she need to visit someone else’s house on New Year’s Eve?!”

Jiang Yao was silenced by his sister’s sharp retort, awkwardly rubbing his nose.

He just felt that Chu Qinghan’s phone call had made his sister, who was already in a bad mood, even worse.

Jiang Yan watched the firework in her hand dim, her eyes sinking.

Beautiful things are fleeting, indeed. They can’t be held onto.

Jiang Yan’s second collapse occurred on the Lantern Festival.

That day, Jiang Yao was invited out by his mentor, and she was bored alone, so she went to visit the neighboring grandparents. As she stood up to leave, her vision went black, and she immediately fainted.

The grandparents were terrified. They called an ambulance and quickly phoned Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yan woke up to the smell of disinfectant, which she hated the most. She frowned instinctively.

“Yanyan, you’re awake? Are you still uncomfortable anywhere?”

Jiang Yao’s voice was gentler than usual, but Jiang Yan felt something was wrong.

His face was solemn, and he emanated a low mood. So she asked, “Is there something wrong with my body? Why the long face?”

It’s as if I’m about to die.

Jiang Yao shook his head and offered a smile. “Nothing is wrong. Just a bit anemic. A few nutrient drips will fix it.”

Jiang Yan had depended on her brother since childhood, and he couldn’t hide any of his expressions from her. Jiang Yan could tell he was lying almost immediately.

“Is there really something going on? Tell me so I can prepare myself. It’s okay, just say it.”

Jiang Yao tucked the blanket around her and stroked her head, his voice gentle. “It’s really nothing. How could your brother lie to you?”

Jiang Yan pouted. You’ve lied to me countless times, she thought. You lied to me when I was little, and you lied to me when I applied for university. It’s impossible that you’re not lying now.

Jiang Yao’s heart was heavy. He truly couldn’t face his sister’s sincere eyes, afraid that he might accidentally let slip the truth. He didn’t stay long and left the room.

People came and went in the hallway. Doctors and patients crossed paths. He grew increasingly irritated, pulled out a cigarette, and took a deep, fierce drag.

He actually never smoked. The pack of cigarettes had been given to him by a senior while having dinner with his mentor. He had planned to return them afterward, but he received a call from the grandparents next door and rushed to the hospital. He hadn’t even notified his mentor yet.

The smoke went down his windpipe, causing his eyes to sting and turn red. He squatted on the floor for a long time, unable to recover.

How could this happen? How could this happen?

A perfectly healthy person suddenly got sick, and it was an incurable disease. Yanyan was only twenty. Her life had just begun. How could she spend the rest of it on a hospital bed?