The Night is Still Young

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

A Silent Cry Screams So Loudly

"Jiang-zongzhu! Jiang-zongzhu!"

Continuous and desperate knocks diverted Jiang Yanli's attention away from the small boys on her lap.

It must be important.

But she had to put these boys to bed before that.

She caresses his straight hair.

"A-Yuan."

She strokes his angelic countenance.

"A-Ling."

A-Yuan's drooping eyes switched from his storybook (which A-Ying personally wrote) to Jiang Yanli. "Ayi?"

A-Ling fought to stay awake, his tired eyes bore to Jiang Yanli, "Mama?"

Jiang Yanli's lips curved into a small smile. "A-Yuan and A-Ling should go to sleep."

A-Yuan was hesitant, "But..." he reasoned, fixing his gaze at the white, stainless-steel casket upfront, "Baba has been sleeping since morning. A-Yuan will wait for him to wake. A-Yuan is worried."

A-Ling chirped, an arm raised in the air, "And A-Ling will join Yuan-ge in waiting!"

Please wait no more.

Her smile turned bitter.

Hanguang-jun will not wake up anymore.

She said none of these, however.

"You two are very thoughtful, but you need to rest now. Your Baba will be worried if A-Yuan don't. A-Ling, you, too. Don't wait for Diedie to return to be scolded, hmm?"

Clack.

Jiang Yanli was half-dead with fright.

"Jiang-zongzhu! Lan-er-furen was nowhere to be found! We looked all over Cloud Recesses for her, but--!"

Hearing this, Jiang Yanli's heart beat became fast.

Her visage had turned white, in an instant.

Jiang Yanli no longer cared about her appearance or mannerisms.

One after another...

"Jiang-zongzhu! You must not--!"

...she pushed those who were in her way to the side and dashed toward Nightless City.

The sky is a deep, dripping claret.

"A-Ying!"

There is a dreadful stain on the dry, overwhelming setting.

She couldn't care less about the swords and arrows aimed at her.

Twang!

She fought her way through the frantic crowd with her sword while running as fast as she could.

Clang!

When Jiang Yanli arrives, A-Cheng is calling out to A-Ying, the latter is quietly speaking to him, bloodied fingers on his cheek, before --

"..."

-- she falls still.

Jiang Yanli looked at A-Ying, stunned.

Then, she was gripped with terror.

Terror had robbed her of her sensibility and left Jiang Yanli feeling helpless.

Hopeless.

And angry.

She sobbed, "A-Ying!" falling to her knees beside her meimei in A-Cheng's arms.