Chapter 36 - 1.33

Qin Zicheng shielded both of them from the rest of Bai Mengxue's shots. Even though he was able to avoid four out of five bullets, one still ended up lodging itself on his shoulder, making him wince in pain a little.

He did not care about the pain. It wasn't his first time getting shot by a gun, but he was much more flustered by Xu Jiaqi's condition. The woman who had a lively and fiery personality was looking pale and so fragile right now.

Qin Zicheng shouted for his men to call up medical attention this instant, but nobody expected for this kind of thing to happen especially since it was a rather private event. The place they were in was quite far from the city, so getting the medics would prove to be even harder.

"Zicheng ge.. It's useless. i am not going to survive this.. Wait, no. That's not right. If I survive this, wouldn't I be known as the strongest human alive? That would be great, that would be great, I have to think positive, but.. Akh!" Xu Jiaqi coughed a mouthful of blood as she slwoly found it to be harder and harder to breathe in an out smoothly.

"Don't talk! Qiqi, please, don't talk. Wait until you heal, I will listen to you all day. You can talk to me about anything you want. But not now, my love. Not now. I beg you." Qin Zicheng hurriedly consoled the woman and supported her.

Was she going to listen? No.

"My life.. i can feel it draining away, Zicheng ge. I don't know how it turned out to be like this.. Maybe it's fate." Xu Jiaqi laughed as she felt a bitter feeling arise in her heart somehow. She premeditated this, so she shouldn't be feeling anything at all, but all of the drama must have gotten into her. Her acting was too real.

"No. I won't let fate take you away from me. Not fate. Not even the Gods, I won't let them do this to us! Jiaqi, Jiaqi. Stay strong. Help is coming. The people told me to not shake you as much, so lay on my legs without moving, okay? You shouldn't try to get up, it will only worsen your-"

Instead of listening to the man, Xu Jiaqi forcefully got up, then gently stroked his face. She leaned forward with all the strength she had in her left and left a feathery kiss on the man, further deepening said action and sealing their lips together.

However, unlike the previous times the woman kissed him, Qin Zicheng was unable to feel completely happy. The woman was not supposed to move, but she was longingly looking at him. There was an understanding between them. A painful fact shared between their minds.

She wouldn't survive. But he wanted to deny the truth.

He was still as Xu Jiaqi kept feeling him for the last time, tears forming and streaming down her cheeks as her weak hands latched on to Qin Zicheng and hugged him.

"That kiss.. we are now, husbands and wife.. A couple not separated by wealth, sickness, or.. life and death. Right.. Qin Zicheng.. My husband." Xu Jiaqi uttered as she finally felt her last breath coming up. She closed her eyes and let her life fleet away.

One second turned into a minute, and just like that, Xu Jiaqi was gone from the world. Her soul was extracted by the System and her vision turned into spectator mode. She was still able to see Qin Zicheng as she floated above the scene, but no one would be able to see her anymore. She saw her parents dumbfounded by the side.

Her mother was kneeling on the ground with a dazed face, as if she couldn't believe this entire scene. Xu Zheng was no better, he kept muttering her name as he also squatted near the woman.

Just now, he was holding his daughter's hand, ready to deliver him to her soon to be husband. The one he finally agreed to accept as his son in law. The one that he made sure truly loved his daughter to death and wouldn't fail her.

And indeed, Qin Zicheng would never fail her.

The same couldn't be said for the rest of the world, however.

Her daughter, the one he protected for so many years alongside with his wife was stolen just like that, how was he supposed to stay calm?

"Qiqi.. Jiaqi, Xu Jiaqi, stop playing around, don't play dead like this. You have to rest down, you can kiss and touch me later, but you should.." Qin Zicheng spoke with a broken voice as he removed the woman's body from the hug they shared and laid her down.

Xu Jiaqi was already 'resting', and she looked extremely peaceful with her departure.

"Jia.. qi, don't do this to me..." Qin Zicheng's whole body was trembling as he held the woman's lithe hands. They were hands that he loved, ones that he held a lot of times during their interactions, ones that he had kissed to court her, ones that used to stroke his hair gently. The woman loved his features a lot, so she would frequently ask to feel them, giving the excuse that it made her feel closer to him and get to know him better.

He let her do it, because he loved her. Even though he actually did not like to be touched around his head area.

Like all the previous times, Xu Jiaqi had caressed him before she left. Like it was a parting gift, a well needed last chance for them to be intimate.

One in a wedding dress, the other in a tuxedo suit. Ready for their union. 

What was supposed to be a blissful day turned bloody because of a sick woman who wrecked everything.

After so long, he had finally found the woman who could shake her heart.

But fate did not allow them to be together.

Hatred filled his heart.