The next day.
At eight in the morning, Yao Zixuan arrived.
She brought homemade millet porridge.
Hu Qijie and Chen Yating sat outside the ward, not going in.
Chen Jiuyang ate the porridge and said, "Do you know, I'm actually very afraid of death, but after you came, I feel like death isn't so scary anymore."
"I'm sorry," Yao Zixuan said.
"Old Hu told me you haven't married all these years, so I should be the one saying sorry," Chen Jiuyang said.
"I'm sorry," Yao Zixuan said for the second time.
"You don't need to say sorry. Sometimes I feel like this is all a dream, and some things you can't catch no matter how hard you try. It's my problem," Chen Jiuyang said.
Yao Zixuan turned her head away so Chen Jiuyang couldn't see her, put down the porridge, and walked out.
When it was time, the doctor came in for treatment. Chen Jiuyang was in so much pain on the hospital bed that he seemed to have only half his life left.
Yao Zixuan walked in and sat by Chen Jiuyang's side. Chen Jiuyang weakly held Yao Zixuan's hand and said feebly, "I know you have me in your heart, and I'm already very content. But, I'm sorry, I might not be able to accompany you any longer. I'm going to another world."
Yao Zixuan shook her head and held Chen Jiuyang's hand.
"I don't want you to grow old alone in this life. I hope you can get married, find someone who loves you, and live a happy and fulfilling life."
Yao Zixuan shook her head and remained silent, just holding Chen Jiuyang's hand, refusing to let go.
Chen Jiuyang smiled weakly, "Before you came, I thought death was terrifying. After you came, I thought death wasn't terrifying. But now, I don't want to die."
...
...
The third day.
After the treatment, Chen Jiuyang's condition seemed to improve. His appetite was much better, his spirits were higher, and his complexion was as ruddy as a normal person's.
The weather was exceptionally good today, and Chen Jiuyang didn't want to stay in the ward.
He didn't dare to go anywhere else. The three of them couldn't persuade Chen Jiuyang, so they put him in a wheelchair and pushed him to the rooftop.
In Chen Jiuyang's eyes, one-third was the bright sun, and the remaining two-thirds were Yao Zixuan.
"I'm feeling good today, I want to sing a song for you," Chen Jiuyang said to her.
Yao Zixuan shook her head.
"I'm afraid if I don't sing today, I won't have another chance," Chen Jiuyang said.
Yao Zixuan's mouth opened, and the word "don't" was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't say it.
"Then I'll start singing," Chen Jiuyang cleared his throat:
"I want to see you smile."
Yao Zixuan smiled charmingly.
"I want to mess around with you."
Yao Zixuan lightly hit Chen Jiuyang's arm and gave him a playful glare.
"I want to hold you in my arms."
Yao Zixuan smiled and threw herself into Chen Jiuyang's embrace.
"One second we're arguing with blushing faces, the next we're making up.
I'm not afraid of you crying,
I'm not afraid of you shouting,
Because you are my pride.
My eyes chase you everywhere,
My heart is already ready.
Just once, let me take you to the end of time,
Laughing heartily on a sunny day,
Chasing and playing in the free air.
Do you know what I desire most?
The world is still small, I'll accompany you to the ends of the earth.
In a corner free from worries, we'll stop searching,
Growing old slowly in carefree times.
Do you know my every heartbeat?
Beats for you."
From behind the rooftop door, Hu Qijie and Chen Yating listened to Chen Jiuyang sing "Just Once" to Yao Zixuan. As they listened, their noses began to sting.
Yao Zixuan buried her face in Chen Jiuyang's chest, holding him tightly.
Chen Jiuyang gently stroked Yao Zixuan's hair, gazing at the sky, and said with a smile, "I used to work hard to earn money because I wanted to elope with you. If your family found us, we'd go to the next place. This world is so big, there's always somewhere we can go."
"...I wanted to travel the world with you, but I can only go this far," Chen Jiuyang's voice grew weaker.
Yao Zixuan sat up from his embrace, her long hair covering her face and expression. "I'll take you back to the ward to rest."
Back in the ward, Chen Jiuyang fell asleep, his breathing stable.
Chen Jiuyang woke up in the evening.
"Is there anywhere you want to go?" Chen Jiuyang asked.
Yao Zixuan thought for a moment, then said, "I'm afraid of the dark, so I don't like staying in dark places. I want to go wherever there is light. If I have to say, it would be Tokyo. Tokyo is a city that never sleeps, always lit up. I also want to see the cherry blossoms there."
"Okay, when I'm feeling better, I'll take you to Tokyo to see the cherry blossoms," Chen Jiuyang said.
"Okay," Yao Zixuan nodded vigorously.
"See you tomorrow," Chen Jiuyang had only been awake for a while before he felt sleepy again.
"See you tomorrow," Yao Zixuan said.
Chen Jiuyang seized the opportunity to kiss Yao Zixuan on the cheek, a look of triumph on his face.
A blush spread across Yao Zixuan's cheeks. She then watched Chen Jiuyang fall asleep and left the ward.
...
...
At 3:48 AM Beijing time, Chen Yating tearfully called Yao Zixuan.
Twenty minutes later, Yao Zixuan rushed to the hospital.
Hu Qijie sat slumped on the floor, his eyes vacant.
Chen Yating was crying uncontrollably, her tears and snot unstoppable no matter how much she wiped them. "Sister Yao, my brother, my brother he..."
Yao Zixuan, her eyes red, looked at Chen Jiuyang who had left with a smile on the hospital bed, her voice trembling as she asked, "Did he leave anything for me?"
"...My brother seemed to know he was going, he called me for a long time early this morning and asked me to give you something."
Chen Yating took a letter from Chen Jiuyang's body.
Yao Zixuan's hands trembled as she took the letter. After just one glance, even with her cold heart, tears gushed out, falling publicly.
"...You... you liar."
A moment later, she was sobbing uncontrollably.
"You haven't proposed to me yet, you haven't taken me to see the cherry blossoms, you haven't taken me to travel the world."
"You said 'see you tomorrow'."
Goodbye, never to see each other again.
...
In a daze, Chen Jiuyang slowly woke up.
"Please answer the question: what is the connection between this story and 'Regret'?"
The voice of the second city's artifact spirit sounded.
It felt like a lifetime had passed, as if he had lived another life.
A large amount of information flooded into Chen Jiuyang's mind.
There was no divine doctor inheritance, no martial arts, no great era revival.
In the illusion deduced by the artifact spirit, Chen Jiuyang hadn't even encountered a martial artist.
Familiar faces appeared before him.
This was the most realistic illusion Chen Jiuyang had ever experienced.
It was as if this was his real life, without the divine doctor inheritance.
The emotions of the characters made it even harder for him to let go.
For a moment, Chen Jiuyang found it difficult to answer.
What was real and what was illusion, he was lost in confusion.
He pondered for a long time.
"No regrets."
"No regrets."
"I was just trapped in time."