Chapter 100: I Do
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The next day, after supervising Sun Zhuobai’s morning exercises, An Bu left the villa, strolling alone. She listened to music while jogging, enjoying the black-and-white scenery. Along the way, she also saved a pedestrian who was almost hit by a truck.
Since the upgrade of the Life and Death Book, she could foresee others’ deaths 15 days in advance. Wandering through the bustling city, she often brushed shoulders with death, sometimes able to save people, sometimes powerless. Life and death unfolded before her eyes every day. She originally thought she had become numb to it, but meeting Jian Ningxuan revived many lost feelings. Joy, discomfort, fear, pity, sympathy… every touch made her cherish them immensely.
An Bu gazed at the black-and-white city, listened to the noisy sounds, and felt as if she were the only one without any vitality, as if isolated from the world. Everything seemed so bland.
She gradually stopped jogging, standing on the busy street, suddenly feeling as if she didn’t exist. This feeling came without any warning, making her anxious.
After a moment of daze, An Bu took out her phone from her pocket and called Jian Ningxuan. Since she couldn’t reach him last night, she felt a hollow emptiness inside. She suddenly understood why her cat master always liked sticking to her, not wanting to be apart for too long. When they were together, they were like a complete wheel, unable to turn without the other half.
“Bubu.” The phone was quickly answered, and Jian Ningxuan’s sexy voice immediately brought An Bu, who was wandering elsewhere, back to this world.
“Mr. Jian.” The old corpse suddenly came back to life. “What are you doing?”
“Thinking about you.” The cat master had also learned to flirt.
An Bu smiled, “I knew you were thinking about me, so I called you. Are you happy to hear my voice?”
“Mm.” His deep voice carried a hint of laughter.
“I called you yesterday, why was your phone off?”
“Forgot to charge it.”
“I didn’t expect you to forget to charge.” An Bu teased, not suspicious. “Next time, don’t forget, or you might miss the summoning of the cat litter officer’s love.”
“Mm, I won’t forget.”
An Bu heard the noisy background on the phone and knew that Jian Ningxuan was currently outside. So, after a bit of banter, she ended the call.
After making this call, An Bu felt more at ease, but there was always a lingering sense of an ominous premonition in her heart, as if something was about to happen.
Shaking her head, An Bu put on her headphones again and continued jogging along the street.
Turning a corner at a crossroads, she saw a towering skyscraper, the iconic building of Crystal City in M Country—the Star-Picking Tower, approximately 480 meters tall, housing facilities for trade, hotels, sightseeing, conferences, and dining.
An Bu looked up for a moment, and when she lowered her gaze, it suddenly fell on a man who had just come out of the building. A strong aura of death surrounded him, and the time of death was within a day.
An Bu planned to approach him and see if she could save his life, but he got into a car and left before she could. Although she remembered the license plate, she couldn’t track his location, and in this complex city, it was hard to gain someone’s trust quickly.
After a moment of contemplation, An Bu decided to let it go and go with the flow.
Returning to the villa just before lunch, An Bu took a shower. When she came downstairs, she found a beautiful woman in the living room, and Sun Zhuobai was awkwardly being hugged by her.
Seeing An Bu, the beautiful woman released Sun Zhuobai and greeted her warmly, “Miss An, right? Hello, I’m Sun Zhuobai’s mother, Jie Yi. You can call me ‘Martha.'”
“Hello, Martha.” An Bu walked over and shook hands with her gracefully.
“These days must have been hard on you. My son isn’t easy to serve, right?” Martha laughed and patted Sun Zhuobai’s head.
“Young Master Sun is very adorable.” An Bu sincerely complimented.
Sun Zhuobai gave her a displeased look.
“Hahaha, adorable. You’re really humorous.” Sun Zhuobai’s mother laughed. “Lunch is ready, Miss An, please take a seat and taste our chef’s skills.”
“Sure, thank you.”
Martha was talkative and not too formal, creating a harmonious atmosphere during the meal. During the conversation, An Bu learned that Martha and Sun Zhuobai’s father had been separated for many years but hadn’t divorced. The complications involved were not something An Bu felt comfortable probing.
After lunch, Martha went to rest in her room, and An Bu took Sun Zhuobai for a walk in the garden.
Seeing the little guy in a bad mood, An Bu asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Sometimes I really don’t understand you adults.” Sun Zhuobai grumbled, directing his dissatisfaction at An Bu.
An Bu raised an eyebrow, “…This topic is a bit complicated. Can you analyze specific problems specifically?”
“Clearly caring about each other, what’s wrong with honestly talking about any contradictions? Why keep it inside?” Sun Zhuobai complained.
“Are you talking about your parents?”
“I didn’t say anything!” Sun Zhuobai retorted angrily. “How many years has it been? Can’t they let go of that trivial matter? Are they planning to live like this, neither hot nor cold, for a lifetime?”
“What trivial matter?” An Bu asked curiously.
Sun Zhuobai rolled his eyes, briefly explaining, “Someone was diagnosed with cancer, so they secretly wrote a will, then lied to his wife, went abroad alone for treatment, falsely claimed to have fallen in love with someone else. The surgery was successful, but when he came back to explain, his wife had already gotten involved with someone else and was prepared for divorce. Opening up about the situation, the wife, who originally thought her husband betrayed her, left abroad, now changing the situation to her becoming the heartless one.”
“Do you dislike the husband or the wife more?”
“I dislike the husband more. If he had explained everything to his wife from the beginning, there wouldn’t have been trouble later. Everyone has the right to pursue happiness, which is understandable. But happiness built on misunderstandings and lies, no one can accept that with an open heart.”
An Bu didn’t expect that Sun Zhuobai could say such serious words, which really made her look at him with new eyes.
His statement, “Happiness built on misunderstanding and lies cannot be accepted by anyone with an open heart,” deeply moved An Bu. Sun Zhuobai’s parents’ experience bore some resemblance to hers and Jian Ningxuan’s. She was like the husband who had a terminal illness but deliberately hid the truth from his partner to avoid worrying them. Perhaps it wasn’t the separation caused by death that was the saddest, but rather missing the opportunity to share hardships and overcome difficulties together.
“Little Bai, do you think if that husband had explained everything from the beginning, would his wife have continued to love him unconditionally?”
“Whether she loves him or not is not determined by that husband. You have to experience it to know. If he believes in his wife’s love for him, then what’s there to worry about? Compared to the heartache of learning about her husband’s terminal illness, I think his ’emotional affair’ is what truly caused pain to his wife.”
An Bu looked at Sun Zhuobai unexpectedly and praised, “Little Bai, I find that you have the potential to be a romantic advisor.”
Sun Zhuobai sneered, “You just realized? I can give you a chance to pursue me. It’s hard to find someone like me. I don’t mind if you’re older than me, as long as you obediently listen to me in the future.”
An Bu: Hehe, give a little sunshine and you’re dazzling.
“How about it? Do you want to make a move quickly? Let me tell you, you only have one chance, and once it’s gone, there’s no turning back.”
“Wait until you grow to 1.8 meters, then we can discuss this issue.”
“…You’re still so annoying.”
In the evening, when An Bu returned to her room, contemplating Sun Zhuobai’s words, her phone suddenly rang. The caller was the cat master.
“Hello, Mr. Cat, are you looking for your litter-scooping official?” An Bu answered the phone with a smile.
“Yes, is she there?”
“Meow once, and she’ll appear.”
“Meow~”
An Bu couldn’t help but laugh, “Haha, Mr. Jian, where’s your dignity? Completely let go?”
Jian Ningxuan laughed, “Bubu, are you free at 8 p.m. tonight?”
“Huh?” An Bu looked at the clock; it was already past 6 p.m. “Are you asking about local time or your home country’s time?”
“I’m in M Country.”
“What? You’re also in M Country?” An Bu was surprised. “When did you arrive?”
“When you called me today.”
So, she had just arrived in M Country, and he followed suit by boarding a plane.
“Where are you? I’ll come find you.”
“I’m at the Star-Picking Tower in Crystal City, the Starry Sky Restaurant.”
The Star-Picking Tower? What a coincidence. She had passed by it during the day.
“Okay, I’ll come find you right away.” An Bu agreed without hesitation.
After hanging up, she had a vague feeling that the cat master might propose to her at the Starry Sky Restaurant.
An Bu stood in front of the dressing mirror, looking at herself. Her indifferent expression gradually became clear, revealing a relaxed smile in the end.
If he really proposed, she would accept. She would reveal her identity, trust him, love him, and spend her life with him. Even if she had to spend endless time missing him in the future, she had no regrets.
Feeling connected, An Bu exuded vitality, dressing herself beautifully. After informing the housekeeper, she called a car, eagerly heading towards the agreed-upon location.
The Starry Sky Restaurant was located on the top floor of the Star-Picking Tower. The ceiling and three walls were made of full glass design, allowing one to see the sky by looking up. Outside, there was a garden surrounded by plants and flowers, resembling being in the midst of nature.
Jian Ningxuan, dressed in formal attire, sat elegantly by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the colorful and vibrant city outside. The light in his eyes sparkled like a starry sky.
His fingers caressed the gift box in his pocket, and in his mind, he rehearsed the steps of the proposal, striving for perfection.
Soft music played in the restaurant, and gentle lights scattered like veils. Around twenty customers conversed quietly, creating a warm and serene atmosphere.
However, at this moment, a stealthy figure appeared in the corridor entrance outside the restaurant. He sneered, raised a small controller, pressed it abruptly, and heard several muffled sounds. Several clouds of smoke burst open in the corridor, quickly engulfing the entire area.
After completing all this, the figure turned and disappeared into the emergency exit.
Thin strands of white smoke drifted in through the door crack. The customers closest to the door immediately sensed that something was wrong. They rushed towards the door, attempting to open it and check the situation, but were met with the scorching heat of the doorknob, causing them to scream.
“Something’s wrong! It seems like a fire outside!” someone exclaimed in panic, warning the other customers in the restaurant.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and noticed the billowing smoke and the faint glow of fire outside.
“Oh my god, what’s happening?” People started to panic, getting up and gathering near the door.
Someone used a napkin to cover their hand, gripping the doorknob, attempting to open the door, only to hear the clinking sound of chains.
Everyone’s faces turned pale, realizing they might be facing a premeditated arson attack.
“Don’t panic, each floor of the Star-Picking Tower has an automatic fire extinguishing system. As soon as the fire alarm rings, the corridor will start sprinkling water.”
“Look at the fire outside; the fire alarm should have rung already!”
“D*mn it, where are the security guards? How come they don’t know when someone is setting a fire?”
“Quick, call the police!”
“It’s already been reported; I hope they come quickly.”
Amidst the panic, the lights in the restaurant suddenly went out, leaving only a few emergency lights. The surroundings plunged into darkness, and screams echoed, creating chaotic scenes.
Jian Ningxuan remained calm, trying to stay composed. He quickly walked into the restroom, touched the faucet, but there was no response—apparently, the water pipes had been damaged. If there was no water, using dry tablecloths to block the door gap and ventilation openings would only fuel the flames. The restaurant’s glass was made of thick composite materials, impossible to break with human strength.
At this moment, the restaurant had turned into a sealed aerial furnace.
“Huh? Isn’t that the Star-Picking Tower? It seems to be on fire?” the driver exclaimed in surprise.
An Bu was startled, looked in the direction of the Star-Picking Tower, and indeed, saw billowing smoke rising from the top. Her pupils contracted, and she quickly took out her phone to call Jian Ningxuan.
The phone rang only four or five times before someone answered.
“Bubu.” Jian Ningxuan’s voice showed no signs of fluctuation.
“Are you in the Starry Sky Restaurant?”
“Sorry, Bubu, the Starry Sky Restaurant was fully booked. I changed the location last minute. Go to the Qingfeng Building and wait for me.”
“Mr. Jian, even when you lie, you’re so calm.” An Bu was even calmer than him. “Wait for me, I’ll come find you immediately.”
“Bubu!” Jian Ningxuan finally sounded a bit nervous. “Don’t come over!”
An Bu could risk her life to save a stranger, let alone him?
“Bubu, I’ll be fine. Don’t act impulsively!”
An Bu quickly hung up the phone, seeing the car stuck halfway. She pushed open the car door, jumped out, and ran towards the Star-Picking Tower.
Mr. Jian, wait for me! I won’t let anything happen to you!
At this time, the fire brigade had not arrived yet. Under the command of security personnel, thousands of people were gradually evacuating from the Star-Picking Tower.
The top-level Starry Sky Restaurant had already been engulfed by thick black smoke, and the fire was out of control. A dense sense of death spread in the surroundings.
The automatic fire extinguishing system and firefighting facilities on the top floor were damaged. The fire blocked the way, and security couldn’t carry out emergency rescues; they had to wait for the fire brigade.
With the current intensity of the fire, it was likely that people in the restaurant would find it difficult to survive until rescue arrived.
An Bu’s phone kept ringing, but she ignored it. Against the flow of people, she went straight to the rooftop.
“Stop! It’s dangerous over there, don’t go!” A security guard caught sight of An Bu’s figure and loudly shouted to stop her. However, she paid no attention, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
“D*mn, she’s really reckless!” The security guard was busy and couldn’t spare the effort to chase her.
In the restaurant, Jian Ningxuan melted a few ice cubes with his hands, wet a napkin, covered his nose and mouth to avoid inhaling too much smoke, and kept calling An Bu, telling her not to come. But she didn’t answer.
Bubu, I beg you, don’t come!
If Bubu died trying to save him, he would never forgive himself. He had wanted to give her a surprise, but it turned into a disaster.
Jian Ningxuan, at this moment, felt both regret and self-blame. However, he hadn’t given up hope yet, covering his nose and mouth while searching for an exit in the restaurant.
The thick smoke made it hard to keep his eyes open. The increasing temperature made his brain feel heavy, and breathing became difficult.
He couldn’t die; he still had to spend his life with An Bu.
Jian Ningxuan felt dizzy for a moment, sat down against the wall, enduring the unbearable heat, and his body seemed to be on the verge of burning up. Sweat poured like a waterfall, soaking his clothes. His eyelids became heavier, consciousness blurrier, but he forced himself not to faint.
An Bu climbed to the top floor and rushed into the raging fire without hesitation. When she arrived at the door of the restaurant, she found the door locked with chains, and the firefighting facilities in the corridor were also damaged.
She gritted her teeth, turned back to the first floor, and found a firefighting axe.
Returning to the top floor, An Bu raised the axe and swung it forcefully at the door handle.
Mr. Jian, hold on a little longer!
The fire burned An Bu’s skin black, cracking, her long hair curling into a mass, flames igniting on her dress. She looked terrifying.
Chopping one after another, it felt like an eternity. Suddenly, a clattering sound, and the door handle with the chains fell to the ground.
An Bu threw away the axe, forcefully pushed open the door, and rushed into the smoke-filled restaurant like a ghost. At this time, everyone in the restaurant was in a semi-conscious state, and no one noticed her arrival.
Searching around, An Bu quickly found Jian Ningxuan against the wall.
She ran over, checked his condition, and found that he had stopped breathing.
An Bu’s fingers trembled. She laid him flat on the floor and started performing CPR. One, two, three… Jian Ningxuan, don’t die!
Before going abroad, he clearly didn’t have any signs of death! How could such a sudden change happen?
She knew she would face the pain of losing him sooner or later, but she never thought farewell would come so quickly. She had just decided to accept his proposal, spend her life with him, but why wouldn’t fate even give her a few decades?
An Bu continued with chest compressions, and then she sadly realized that he needed fresh air the most, and the one thing she couldn’t do was artificial respiration.
“Mr. Jian, Mr. Jian…” An Bu’s eyes were sore, but no tears flowed.
He still had a chance, but she couldn’t save him…
What should she do? What could she do?
Suddenly, she paused. The Book of Life and Death suddenly appeared in her mind. Life energy… she still had life energy! Although life energy couldn’t bring someone back to life, it could activate a person’s vitality!
Without hesitation, An Bu immediately bent down, kissed Jian Ningxuan’s lips, and transferred her life energy into him. Ordinary life energy had no effect, so she generously used up her hard-earned destiny life energy.
5 points, 10 points, 20 points…
People continued to die in the restaurant—one, two, three… none of them could hold on until the rescue arrived.
With each death, a large amount of death energy gathered around An Bu.
Her destiny life energy kept depleting, and the ghostly energy kept increasing.
Her eyes were shrouded in black, death energy surrounded her, her skin began to shrink and wither, memories gradually consumed.
Hmm… a faint breath brushed over An Bu’s nose, and the death energy on Jian Ningxuan gradually dimmed, revitalizing him.
Success!
An Bu’s head rested weakly on his chest, filled with joy.
Glancing at the half-exposed gift box in her pocket, An Bu awkwardly picked it up, took out the ring inside, and tremblingly placed one on Jian Ningxuan’s finger, the other on her own. Then, she whispered in his ear, “Mr. Jian, I do…”
As the words fell, a tumultuous sound of footsteps outside came. The rescue team had arrived.
An Bu slowly closed her eyes, completely engulfed by death energy, falling beside Jian Ningxuan.
“Oh my god, what is this…?” a firefighter exclaimed, pointing to the ground not far away.
Others followed the direction of his finger and saw two people lying on the ground. Next to the man, whose clothes were still intact, laid a curled-up, charred corpse…
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I caught up and I’m scared for her. I wish they can complete there lives together.
Bruh, whyyyyyyy ????????