My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Pedestrians walked along the street under the purple clouds spread evenly across the sky. Streetlamps lit up one by one, illuminating their silhouette and the elongated shadows under their feet. People gave discreet glances but nevertheless continued walking as if they hadn't seen anything. After all, in this kind of era, people wouldn't care about anything if it wasn't their business.

"I don't need your help." Jiang Jinyan's low, cold voice that was forced out in between gritted teeth sung along with the wind to her ears.

Shi Nian pretended to be mute and deaf as she dexterously picked up his loitered groceries and put it out of people's way. Jiang Jinyan froze for a second, never expected that he would be ignored. His momentum weakened and his brain turned sluggish.

Sharp pain rushed from his leg up to the tip of his hair, making his scalp tingle with numbness.

He wasn't prepared at all when the plastic bag ripped and the stuff in it fell down to the ground. Jiang Jinyan avoided in reflex. He was about to jump to the side when an instant noodle cup rolled under his feet. He was forced to regain his balance and along the process, the pressure shifted to his right ankle.

If it was a real leg in flesh, then his ankle should have been sprained. But because it's not, the pressure shot up to his knee as the cold metal grazed against his skin. He badly wanted to find a place to sit but he couldn't leave his messy things alone.

Nice. What good luck he had.

Moreover, this pathetic event was witnessed by that girl again.

The pain made him unable to react in time and when he snapped out of it, the girl had zoomed back into the convenience store and returned with a new plastic bag. Ignoring his gloomy stare, she bent down and put his things inside nicely.

Jiang Jinyan pursed his lips tight, annoyed. "I told you to scram, don't you hear me? I don't need your help at all."

Shi Nian glanced fleetingly toward his leg but this one movement almost made him explode. What he despised the most was people's pity and sympathy. It made him truly feel like a waste, like a beggar who needed people's alms. It made him recall that he was truly different from other people.

At a moment like this, he felt fucking disgusted at himself.

Shi Nian tied a knot on the plastic bag to keep the things from falling again and finally gave her full attention to Jiang Jinyan.

In the next second, he was stupefied.

Because within Shi Nian's golden eyes, there contained pure, unaltered anger. No pity, but anger, concern and heartache. Her eyes were blazing against the darkened sky, exceedingly dazzling and bright. Even her cheeks were flushed. Her lips opened and closed as she exclaimed angrily, yet not a sound came out.

Jiang Jinyan could only make out a few words like 'stupid' 'idiot' and 'I am worried'.

In fact, what Shi Nian said was: "You stupid, brute and idiot General! How can you still be as stubborn as a mule even when a lifetime has passed? Wasn't it you who told me that humans shouldn't overestimate themselves? When you're in need of help, then you should ask for help! If you don't, then how can people know that you're suffering? I understand that you don't want to see me, but I can't leave you alone like this! You're almost making me worried to death!"

She took full advantage of being a mute to tell him off until she was satisfied.

The wind blew their hair along and Shi Nian's harsh breathing was the only thing that could be heard between them.

After some time passed, Jiang Jinyan asked with a frown. "Are you cursing me?"

Shi Nian harrumphed sullenly. She grabbed his stuff and shoved it into his arms. Jiang Jinyan caught it, dumbstruck at this thin girl's audacity. Then, she grabbed her own plastic bag and dashed into the distance without looking back.

Jiang Jinyan looked at her diminishing back, his feelings complicated.

There was still the stained plastic bag and the broken eggs on the ground but Jiang Jinyan decided to report it to the cleaning service as he made his way back to the apartment building. If it wasn't because he forgot the stupid fella's food was almost finished, he wouldn't have gone to the convenience store.

He walked slowly, rested occasionally as he gnashed his teeth to brace the numbing pain on his leg. It must have been bruised again, he lamented. It took almost ten minutes for him to arrive at the building that was only a mere 150 meters away.

The lobby was deserted and only the lady receptionist smiled at him. Jiang Jinyan nodded briefly and walked to the elevator. He pressed on the button and the elevator door shifted open directly, inside of it was the girl who had left him behind just now, currently hugging her plastic bag as she stared at the sole of her feet as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Jiang Jinyan: "…"

He faltered for a second before making his way in. As he pressed on the nineteenth floor and the elevator began to ascend, he gave a cursory glance toward the girl whose height was only up to his shoulder. Her shoulders stiffened slightly and her whole person gave off the aura of 'I am here first so I am not stalking you. This is just a coincidence.'

Jiang Jinyan really didn't want to have anything to do with her but judging by how the girl had helped him just now, he had a moment of softheartedness that only lasted for a mere second. "Which floor are you?" She hadn't even pressed on her floor number, had she waited to stupidity?

The sudden voice inside the silent elevator made her jolt in shock and in a fit of panic, Shi Nian pressed on a number carelessly and only five seconds later did she realize that she had pressed on the eighteenth floor.

Shi Nian: "…" faint.jpg

The elevator dinged open on the eighteenth floor amidst her silent crying.

"Why aren't you getting off?" he asked with a suspicious tone.

Shi Nian bit her gums and resolutely stepped out. Then, after waiting until Jiang Jinyan got off at one floor above, she took the emergency stairs up. Shi Nian glanced at the number nineteen in red color that glowed beside the door, hesitating.

She inadvertently recalled Jiang Jinyan's furrowed brows and his trembling legs, worry rushed to her head. His leg…he must have silently bore the pain, right? Would he be okay alone? Shi Nian knew that Jiang Jinyan loathed to see her, but she couldn't restrain herself from opening the door to the nineteenth floor.

Only to see Jiang Jinyan leaning on the hallway. Two pairs of eyes met in an instant.

Shi Nian: "…"

Jiang Jinyan sported the same cold and hard expression as always that Shi Nian didn't know what he was thinking about. Shi Nian's face paled in fright and she stood there, petrified in place. The air stagnated for a moment and it was getting harder to breathe under his oppressive stare.

In the end, Shi Nian surrendered and stepped back into the emergency stairs.

"Hold on."

She froze, her hand on the handle of the door.

Jiang Jinyan walked up to her and if one didn't see clearly, one wouldn't be able to make out his subtle limp. Shi Nian didn't dare to look up at him, scared that she would find the same contempt and ridicule.

"Which floor are you?" he asked again.

Shi Nian didn't dare to lie again, her fingers pointed up to the ceiling. The highest floor, twentieth floor.

Jiang Jinyan hummed. Seeing the girl's flustered and fearful face, he actually felt amused. Where was the one who was cursing him just a moment ago? "I…" He took a deep breath. "Thank you…for just now."

Shi Nian looked up at him in disbelief and joy but Jiang Jinyan's face remained deadpanned. He only waited here to say it, if not, his conscience wouldn't allow him to sleep soundly tonight. He directly turned around but again, the girl grasped onto the hem of his skirt.

Jiang Jinyan told himself, patience is virtue. "What?"

Invigorated, Shi Nian put down her plastic bag and fumbled around for her phone as her fingers flew across the screen. To her surprise, Jiang Jinyan actually waited until she finished typing.

[I want to tell you about that day. It's not me who's stalking you. I saw another shadow following behind you.]

His brows knitted subtly.

[You should be careful.] She peered up at him, trying to discern his mood to no avail.

"I know now." Curtly, he replied. Then, he once again turned around, ignoring Shi Nian who was still typing on the phone.

Flustered, she chased after him and reached out to tug on his shirt again, typing with only one thumb.

"What now?" He was losing patience quickly.

[I am Shi Nian.]

Jiang Jinyan looked at the distressed girl and finally relented with a sigh. "I know."

Shi Nian instantly broke out in a wide smile. She was the kind of person that when given a ladder, she would try to climb up to Heaven. [Can we be friends?] She batted her eyelashes, her golden eyes filled with hope.

Jiang Jinyan looked at her with dead fish eyes and answered. "No."

Then, before she could react, he slipped behind the door and closed it right on her face.