A sigh escaped Ting Hao's lips as he closed his eyes and stretched his arms as if he is waiting for someone to come hug him. His mind was made up to jump as he stood at the edge of the building. At that moment, he was ready to take his own life.

As long as dying means being with you, Bai Cao... as long as dying means walking with you, then I am more than happy to die. The fact that I am with you in this body or as a spirit does not matter to me. I just want to be with you.

Ting Hao was about to jump but that's when he heard, "Ting Hao!!!"

He turned back to see who it was, and that person was no one else but Chang An.

"Ting Hao, what on earth are you doing?!" exclaimed Chang An.

"Chang An, please let me die. I have no reason to live. So, go from here. I don't want to live anymore," said Ting Hao and turned his back on Chang An.

"Do you think being with Bai Cao is enough to make you want to live?"

"I want to die so that I can be with Bai Cao... so that I can be with Bai Cao in that paradise... in that afterworld."

"How will you be there with Bai Cao when she is still alive?"

As soon as he heard that, Ting Hao's movements were halted for a second. A tear rolled down his eyes and he turned back towards Chang An and said, "My Bai Cao is alive?"

"Yes, Ting Hao, your Bai Cao is alive. She is just unconscious at this moment."

Ting Hao was extremely happy upon hearing that. He was about to get down off the wall but before he could, he slipped.

He was about to fall but Chang An held his hand at the right moment.

"Wow, Chang An. You held my hand at the right time," said Ting Hao.

"Ting Hao, I didn't know that you were stupid too," said Chang An.

"Chang An, I know that you held my hand at the right time, but I don't think it's the right time for you to scold me."

"I guess you are right," said Chang An and started pulling Ting Hao up.

After a couple of minutes, Chang An successfully pulled Ting Hao up.

Both of them sat on the ground and Chang An was breathing heavily.

"Ting Hao, I think you should lose some weight. You are too heavy," said Chang An as he tried to catch his breath

"I know I am heavy, but I am sure that I am not as heavy as Ting Yi is," said Ting Hao.

Both of them turned their faces toward each other and gave each other a serious glare for a few seconds.

Then suddenly, both of them started laughing.

"You know what will happen to you when Ting Yi gets to know about what you said, right?" said Chang An.

"I sure do," said Ting Hao.

They both kept laughing but their eyes were filled with tears.

In a sense, it felt as if they were laughing because they didn't want to show each other their tears.

Chang An got up and went near Ting Hao.

"Get up. We should go now," said Chang An as he stretched his hand toward Ting Hao.

Ting Hao held Chang An's hand and tried to stand up but fell to the ground and burst into tears. Tears were streaming down his cheeks uncontrollably.

When Chang An saw Ting Hao like that, a tear rolled down his cheeks which he had been trying to stop from falling.

"I was really scared, Chang An," said Ting Hao, and hearing that, Chang An hugged him.

"I know, Ting Hao. I was scared too but everything is ok now. Our Bai Cao is fine," said Chang An as he burst into tears.

"Yeah. Our Bai Cao is fine."

"But you are an idiot. You really don't have any brain. What if I was late for even a second? Do you think I would have been able to forgive myself?" said Chang An as he pushed Ting Hao away.

"I am sorry, Chang An, but even if I would have jumped off this building, I would have had no regrets. At least, Bai Cao is still breathing."

"You think Bai Cao will be ok if she gets to know that you killed yourself thinking that she is dead?! God Damned, she lov..." before Chang An could even finish saying it Ting Hao covered his ears while yelling, "Ah!!! Don't say it! Don't say it! I want to hear it from her mouth! Don't say it."

Seeing Ting Hao's reaction, Chang An laughed and said, "Why are you acting like this? You aren't a teenager who fell in love for the first time."

"I know I am not a teenager, but love makes a person turn into a kid. Plus, what is there so wrong with acting like this? You know how much I have waited to hear those words from her mouth. I am so excited. Weren't you excited to hear those words from Ting Yi's mouth?"

"You mean I lo..." again before Chang An could finish Ting Hao started yelling, "Ah!! I told you. Don't say it. Just answer with Yes or no."

Chang An laughed again and said, "Yeah. Isn't it obvious for anyone to be excited to hear those words from the person they love?"

"Exactly. That's why I don't want you to say those words right now."

"But she has already said that she lo..." again before Chang An could finish saying, Ting Hao pushed him.

"Chang An, stop teasing me," cried Ting Hao.

"Okay, fine. Let's go now, Teenager," said Chang An as he kept his hand on Ting Hao's shoulder.

Both of them went downstairs. As they reached there, they saw that the ward boys were taking Bai Cao out of the operation theater to a ward.

As Ting Hao saw Bai Cao's face, a tear rolled down his cheeks. Seeing that, Chang An pat Ting Hao on his shoulder and said, "She is ok."

Hearing that, Ting Hao smiled as he nodded.

That's when they saw the doctor coming out of the operating theater and both of them went toward the doctor.

"There is no need to worry. She is totally out of danger now," said the doctor.

"When will she be awake?" asked Xiao Ying.

"She should be awake within a couple of hours but even if she is unconscious for a couple of days, it's fine as the operation was very risky and her heart even stopped. But she is totally fine. And I am sure she will be fine soon because she is a fighter, and she wants to live maybe for someone or with someone. Well, who is Ting Hao here?"

"That is me...," said Ting Hao.

"You are a damn lucky man. When her heart stopped, and we were giving her electric shocks, the first word that came from her mouth as her heartbeat started, was Senior Ting Hao. I am sure that she lov..." before the doctor could even finish saying, both Chang An and Ting Hao yelled as Ting Hao covered his ears and Chang An covered Ting Hao's ears too making everyone there shocked.

"What happened?!" exclaimed Ting Yi.

"Did I say something wrong?" asked the doctor.

"No, doctor. You said nothing wrong. It's just that this guy Ting Hao is mad. He just doesn't want to hear those words from anyone. He just wants to hear those words from Bai Cao first."

Hearing that, the doctor giggled and said, "Very well done." And then he left.

Ting Hao didn't raise his head as he was too embarrassed.

"Brother, I didn't know that you could be so cute," said Ting Yi.

"Yeah, Senior Ting Hao. This is so cute," said Xiao Ying.

"Stop it, guys," said Ting Hao and ran towards the ward where Bai Cao is in.

As he reached there, he just kept looking at Bai Cao from the outside.

His eyes were again teary, but he still had a smile. That's when everyone else came there.

"Ting Hao, I guess you don't know but this door can be opened, and we can go inside," said Chang An while opening the door.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Very Funny," said Ting Hao as he went inside.

Everyone sat next to Bai Cao hoping that she will wake up now, but an hour passed but Bai Cao didn't wake up.

Everyone was really sleepy, and Ting Hao could notice it.

"Guys, it is already too late. I think you all should go home now," said Ting Hao.

"Yeah, I think the same. You all should go home," said Chang An.

"Chang An, in that you all, you are included too. I think you should go home," said Ting Hao.

"No. I am not going home. I am staying here."

"Only one person can stay with Bai Cao, Chang An."

"So? You go. I am not leaving my sister."

"Chang An, you have to go because none of us wake up on our own. You and Bai Cao are the ones who used to wake us up early in the morning. If you will go home, then you can wake them up and come here."

"Yeah... Technically, you are right."

"I know that. Well, I want you guys to bring food with you guys when you come."

"Okay, fine. Let's go, guys," said Chang An and they all went home while Ting Hao stayed with Bai Cao.

After saying everyone bye from the window, he again sat next to Bai Cao and kept looking at her lovingly. His love for her was pouring from his eyes.

The way he was looking at Bai Cao, it was obvious that she would have got butterflies in her stomach if she was awake.

Ting Hao then leaned toward Bai Cao's face to see her face closely.

That's when he noticed a mole near Bai Cao's eyebrows.

"How come I never noticed that you had a mole near your eyebrows!" said Ting Hao in shock but then a smile appeared on his face and said, "Well, I guess it means that there are still a lot of things I don't know about you, but it's ok. I will know everything very soon," said Ting Hao.

On the other side, Yin Xiu was in a hospital ward after getting the bullet out of her leg.

She was sitting while holding her knees. It felt as if she is thinking something.

I must run away, but what will I get? Someday, I will get caught and will be put back inside the prison. And even if I don't get caught, I won't be able to live being who I am. I won't be able to use my actual name ever. What have I done to myself? Is there any use in living a life like this?

That's when an officer came over there.

"Are you ok now? Is there any pain in your leg?" asked the officer.

"Can you tell me something very honestly? Am I not a very bad person?" asked Yin Xiu.

"To be honest, there is a bad person and a good person within one person. It's that person's choice if he or she wants to be a good person or a bad person."

"And I chose a bad person, right?"

"Yeah, you did. But you can't do anything about what you have already done. The choices you have already made will stay unchanged forever. But you can still make your choices. You can still choose if you want to be a good or a bad person."

"But what is the use of it if I become a good person now? I am going to die in the prison only."

"Well, first of all, I think you should apologize to the person you shot. If they forgive you, then I will ask them to request the court to reduce your punishment."

"I want to apologize to her, but I don't want anyone to ask them to reduce my punishment. I know them very well. They are too good people."

"Okay, fine. I think you should sleep now. The doors will be locked for security reasons."

"Yeah."

Then the officer went out of the room and locked it from the outside.

The next day, Ting Hao was sleeping while holding Bai Cao's hand.

Then slowly, he opened his eyes and kept looking at Bai Cao's face.

The first thing I want to see every morning as I open my eyes is your face. Please wake up, Bai Cao so that we can be together forever.

Ting Hao kept looking at Bai Cao's face that's when the door opened, and Ting Hao sat straight.

"She didn't wake up yet?" asked Chang An.

"No, she didn't but she will soon," replied Ting Hao.

"Well, brother, did you even sleep, or did you stay up all night?" asked Ting Yi.

"No, I did sleep. I just woke up," replied.

"I am sure that you must have slept on chair holding Bai Cao's hand, right?" said Guang Ya.

"Yeah...," said Ting Hao.

"Why don't you lie down on the couch for some time? Get your back straight a bit," said Yi Feng.

"Yeah, Senior Ting Hao," said Xiao Ying.

"No, I am ok," said Ting Hao.

"Even if you are ok, I want you to sit on the couch because I want to sit beside my sister," said Chang An.

"Fine," said Ting Hao as he got up and laid down on the couch.

As soon as he closed his eyes, he slept.

"He must be too tired. Xiao Ying, put this blanket on him," said Chang An.

Seeing that, Ting Yi smiled and went near Chang An.

She kept looking at him for a few seconds which was making Chang An a bit awkward.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Chang An.

"You care about my brother so much. But you still act as if you care the least about him. Why?" said Ting Hao.

"I don't care about your brother."

"Oh, really?! Well, by what I can see, I can only understand that you care about him a lot."

"I don't care about him. I am just scared of Bai Cao. If Ting Hao is sick when she wakes up, I am sure she will scold me because I am the oldest."

"Fine. I know you care about him."

"No, I don't."

"Okay, Fine," said Ting Yi. She quickly leaned towards Chang An and kissed him on the cheek.

Chang An was surprised by this. He turned his face here and there to see if someone saw that or not, but everyone was busy talking with each other.

Chang An said nothing and started using his phone.

"Chang An, aren't you going to say anything!" exclaimed Ting Yi.

"Well, thank you," said Chang An.

"Seriously, Chang An! Thank You! I want to hear those three words."

"Three words?" asked Chang An

Ting Yi nodded to say yes.

"Okay. You are dumb. I said the three words."

"Fine. If you will not say it, then I will. I love you."

Hearing that, Chang An was over the moon. But he didn't want to show it, so he calmly said, "Okay."

But his cheeks were totally red, and Ting Yi could notice it.

"Chang An, you are blushing!" said Ting Yi.

"No, I am not. It's your lipstick," said Chang An.

"Okay. Then how did my lipstick go to your other side?"

"Do you want to talk alone?"

"I don't think you will talk."

"What has happened to you, Ting Yi?"

"Nothing."

On the other side, Guang Ya was standing alone near the window, and she was feeling lonely. She was feeling lonely because everyone near her is a couple and she is the only one who was left alone.

Why Chen Zhou? Why did you make me fall in love with you? Why did you had to be a bad person in the end? Why did I had to end up being heartbroken? Why? Why did you do this to me? Guang Ya, stop thinking about him. He isn't worth of being in your thoughts. Take him out of your mind. Now, no matter what, before I fall in love with another guy, I need to love myself first or else, I will never understand the worth of myself. When I love myself, I will know what kind of I guys I should fall in love with. I will fall in love with a guy who will love me the way I love myself. Yeah, Guang Ya, start loving yourself because you can't endure another heartbreak.

An hour passed. Ting Hao was still sleeping, and Bai Cao didn't wake up either.

"I am really hungry. Shouldn't we eat our breakfast now?" asked Xiao Ying.

"Yeah. Let's wake brother up and then we will eat," said Ting Hao.

Then they woke Ting Hao up and they all started eating their breakfast.

They all were cracking jokes and laughing to keep the environment cheerful to help Bai Cao get out of that trauma and so, that she will wake up.

On the other side, Yin Xiu was still in the hospital. She was also having her breakfast while the officer was sitting on a chair.

"Did she wake up?" asked Yin Xiu.

"Who? The person you shot?" asked the officer.

"No. She hasn't yet but I will tell you when she wakes up and then you can go to her to apologize."

"Okay."

And like that, the day passed but Bai Cao didn't wake up.

Everyone went back home, and Ting Hao stayed.

He again sat next Bai Cao holding her hand and said, "Bai Cao, why are you not waking up? Don't you know that everyone wants to hear your voice? Why did you not wake up today? Don't you know that everyone went back home with disappointment? Don't you know that I am still waiting to hear those words from you? Wake up, Bai Cao. Are you dreaming something? Is the dream so good that you are still sleeping?"

Ting Hao brushed Bai Cao's hand with his fingers.

After some time, Ting Hao dozed off and slept with his head on Bai Cao's hand.

In the morning.

Ting Hao was still sleeping. The curtains were open, and a ray of sunlight started hitting Bai Cao's closed eyes. Bai Cao's eyes narrowed slightly as the sunlight was too bright.

It was obvious that she wanted someone pull the curtain, but no one was there.

She the slowly opened her eyes and was shocked to see herself in the hospital.

"I survived?!" she exclaimed in low voice.

Then she felt that someone was holding her hand. She turned to the side and saw Ting Hao holding her hand.

Seeing him, a smile appeared on her face.

She slowly got up without letting the hand Ting Hao was holding, move so that Ting Hao could sleep a little while longer.

She kept looking at Ting Hao with her eyes filled with love. She brushed Ting Hao's hair with her fingers while saying, "How come you still look so good? I hope that every day of my life, I see your face before mine."

That's when Ting Hao opened his eyes and their eyes met.

Both of them kept looking at each other as if they were in a different world where there is no one except them.

"So, your dream is over?" asked Ting Hao.

"Yeah. It was a beautiful dream," replied Bai Cao.

"Okay. Do tell me what the dream was. I will make that dream come true."

Both of them smiled and again they were lost in each other's eyes.

After a few minutes of their eye contract, Ting Hao sat straight and said, "I knew you will be ok. I knew you won't die without answering my questions."

"And what if I died?"

Ting Hao sat on the bed and said, "Then I would have come where you are and then I would have asked you that question."

Hearing that, Bai Cao started laughing and seeing her laugh, Ting Hao could do nothing but laugh with her.

Then suddenly, a tear rolled down Bai Cao's eyes.

"Why are you crying, Bai Cao?" asked Ting Hao while wiping her tear.

"I am sorry, Senior Ting Hao. I have hurt you a lot. Haven't I?" said Bai Cao.

"Not at all, Bai Cao. What are you even saying? You are the one who got shot for me. You never hurt me."

"I know I have hurt you a lot, but you still stayed beside me, and I always pushed you away. It's because I was scared that something will happen to you because of me."

"What do you mean?"

Then Bai Cao started telling Ting Hao why she never confessed her feelings for him before and what happened when she thought to confess.

Hearing that, Ting Hao was a bit shocked but then he smiled and said, "Bai Cao, you are a total dumb. How can you even think that anything can happen just because that?"

"I don't know," said Bai Cao.

She pulled Ting Hao's hand closer to her and said, "But what I know is that I love you a lot."

Hearing that, Ting Hao was a bit surprised.

He held both Bai Cao's hand and said, "And I love you the most."

Both of them smiled. Ting Hao held Bai Cao's face and kissed her forehead.

He keeps his forehead against her forehead and said, "You don't know how much I waited for this day. You don't know how much I waited to hear these words from you."

"And you don't know how much I waited to say this to you."

Both of them kept looking into each other's eyes.

(*Something like this 👇*)

They both were so lost in each other's eyes that they didn't even realize that they are in a hospital.

That's when the door opened. It was no one else but Chang An, Ting Yi, Xiao Ying, Yi Feng, and Guang Ya.

Seeing them like that, everyone started yelling, "Ah!! We saw nothing! We saw nothing!"

"I think we should go out," said Ting Yi.

They all were about to leave but Bai Cao, "No, guys. Stay."

"Why? Let them go," said Ting Hao.

"Shut up, Senior Ting Hao."

Everyone came inside the room and started hugging Bai Cao. They all were talking with Bai Cao.

And while talking and laughing a couple of hours passed.

"Brother, Bai Cao, when are you both getting married?"

Hearing that, both Ting Hao and Bai Cao were shocked.

"Why this sudden question, Ting Yi?" asked Bai Cao.

"Because now that everything is finished no more fighting and stuff. So, I'll get bored. So, you both get married."

"We should get married just because you are bored?!" exclaimed Ting Hao.

"Yeah, Ting Yi. If you are getting bored then we should get married not Ting Hao and Bai Cao," said Chang An.

"What? No, I can't get married first. I am younger than my brother," said Ting Yi.

"And Bai Cao is younger than you and Ting Hao is younger than me. So, technically, we should get married first," said Chang An sarcastically but Ting Yi took it seriously and said, "Yeah. You are right, Chang An. Let's get married next month."

Hearing that, Chang An choked and started coughing. Ting Yi immediately gave Chang An a glass of water.

After drinking, Chang An said, "Ting Yi, I was kidding."

"I know, Chang An, but you yourself think that what you said has point."

"Ting Hao, your sister has gone mad. Save me."

"I can do nothing, Chang An. You dug a pit for yourself to fall into," said Ting Hao.

"Ting Yi, I was kidding. Please leave me... No, don't leave me. Leave this topic," said Chang An.

That's when the door opened.

Everyone was shocked to see who the person was and some were angry.

TO BE CONTINUED