Flames of the Past

My father was a firefighter. That day, he died in the flames while trying to save a colleague. At that exact moment, my mother was giving birth to me. She only learned the terrible news after I was born.

The day after she had me, she jumped from a tall building. No one saw it coming.

My father had no family. My mother came from a single-parent household and had a half-brother. They thought I was a burden and refused to take me in. So I became a homeless child.

Just when things seemed hopeless, the firefighter my father had saved showed up. After learning about my situation, he couldn't bear to see me suffer, so he adopted me.

This uncle had a son of his own, a year older than me. From the time I could remember, he told me everything that had happened.

"Uncle, that was my father's choice. I don't blame you," I said.

Uncle's surname was Jiang. His son was called Julian.

From the time Julian could remember, everyone told him he had to protect his little sister—it was a debt the Jiang family owed. Julian didn't understand when he was little, but he listened to the adults. He shielded me from everything, beating up anyone who bullied me. Every kid in kindergarten knew I had a brother named Julian, and no one dared to mess with me. Back then, I thought I was the happiest girl in the world.

Later, Uncle Jiang left the military and went into business, making a fortune. Julian started high school, but gradually he changed. He began to hate me. Even the candy I offered him, he'd throw on the ground and tell me to stay away.

That day, the high school entrance exam results came out. I was at home, nervously staring at my phone. When I saw my score, I breathed a sigh of relief. Then a message popped up on my phone—it was an acceptance notice from Jialing No. 1 High School.

I froze. A message appeared in the family group chat: "Congratulations, Claire! You got into Jialing No. 1. What do you want, sweetie? Uncle will buy it for you."

Only Julian and I were home that day. Julian saw the message and came downstairs. He pressed his hands on my shoulders and said, "Claire, how much longer are you going to torture me?"

I was stunned. Tears welled up uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, I don't know. I applied to No. 7." That night, Uncle Jiang somehow found out and gave Julian a severe beating.

Uncle Jiang slapped Julian across the face. "I changed Claire's application. If her father hadn't taken that bullet for me, do you think you'd have any of this? Julian, I'm telling you, our family owes her a debt we can never repay!"

Julian said nothing. He just stood there, not a single word.

Julian hated me, and I didn't want to force myself on him, even though I really liked him.

That day at school, Julian texted me: "Claire, don't have any contact with me at school."

I wasn't planning to seek him out anyway. I was afraid I'd only make him dislike me more.

Even though we were at the same high school, we barely crossed paths. Later, Uncle Jiang noticed I was coming home late and ordered Julian to walk with me.

So Julian waited for me after school. He walked beside me, neither too close nor too far.

I often stared at our shadows under the streetlights, making the shadows' hands touch, as if we were holding hands.

Julian was very popular in high school. He was good at his studies, great at basketball, and tons of girls chased after him. His name was always at the top of the school's confession wall. He changed girlfriends quickly, but they were all beautiful and sexy without exception.

I remember that night. Julian was at the school gate, his arm around a girl, pulling her into an embrace. He saw me.

"Scram!" He mouthed the word with a frown. I immediately lowered my head and went back to the classroom.

My classroom had a perfect view of the school gate. I saw him press the girl's head down and kiss her. When the girl left, Julian took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, patted her head, and told her to go.

He watched her back. I watched him. After a while, he texted me: "Come down."

We walked home as usual, without a word. Just before we reached the door, he suddenly stopped. "Don't tell my parents."

I nodded, and we went inside together.

The next day at school, my friend excitedly shoved her phone at me. "Claire, someone confessed to you!"

I picked up her phone and looked. It was true.

"I want to confess to Claire from the accelerated class. I've liked you for a long time."

There was a photo of me attached, clearly taken secretly. My looks could handle it, so even with a weird angle, I still looked good.

To be honest, I had no interest in dating. I just wanted to study hard and get into a good university. That was it.

"Claire, don't you want to know who it is?"

I handed the phone back to my friend and watched her excited face. Slowly, I said, "I'm going to study hard and improve every day. Also, you got the third-to-last question wrong."

She was sitting in front of me. I spotted the mistake on her test paper at a glance and pointed it out. She deflated like a balloon, turned around, and jabbed at her notebook with her pen.

That evening after school, I didn't see Julian. I waited for him at the gate.

There was only a moon in the sky, no stars. I waited for a while, then pulled out my phone and texted him: "Where are you?"

He didn't reply. I gathered my courage and went back into the school. Everyone had already left. The moonlight spilled onto the ground, making it especially eerie.

I turned on my phone's flashlight and headed toward his classroom. The light in the hallway outside Julian's classroom was broken, flickering on and off, making it even more terrifying.

I knocked on his classroom door. "Julian, are you still here?"

"Classmate, everyone's gone. Who are you looking for?" A hand grabbed my shoulder, and a low voice came from behind me.

My heart sank. Cold sweat dripped down my face. I slowly turned around. He was grinning from ear to ear, looking especially frightening under the pale full moon.

"Ah!" I screamed, closed my eyes, and slapped him.

"Ah!" Another scream. I opened my eyes. A boy was sitting on the ground, holding his left cheek, looking at me with teary eyes.

We stared at each other for a few seconds. Ten minutes later, we were both sitting in the classroom. The boy was still holding his left cheek, his eyes accusing me of my crime. Because I was so scared, I had put all my strength into that slap.

"I'm sorry, I thought you weren't human." …

"I'm not human, so I'm a ghost?" The boy was furious. I swallowed hard. It was a reflex in that situation.

"Why are you still here so late?"

"I should be asking you that. What are you doing at my classroom door this late?"

"I forgot my homework and came back for it."

"I came to find Julian."

"Julian's admirer? No way. Don't you know he asked the teacher for leave to take care of his girlfriend?"

I wanted to explain, but remembering Julian's order not to look for him at school, I said nothing. Still, his words made me uneasy. Julian had girlfriends before, but he'd never done anything like this.

"When did he leave? And do you know his girlfriend's name?"

"No way. As his admirer, you don't even know that?"

I looked at him, my eyes stinging. I raised my hand to wipe away the tears at the corners.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't cry. I'll tell you everything I know." The boy pulled a tissue from his desk and handed it to me. As he spoke, my heart began to ache.

Julian's girlfriend was Celia, a transfer student. She studied ethnic dance and had a cool, aloof face. From the moment she arrived, she caught everyone's attention. But Celia had a sharp tongue. Someone confessed to her, and she rejected him. Her reason: "You're just not my type."

Celia's proud, aloof attitude piqued Julian's interest. On her fifth day at school, Julian confessed. But Celia just looked at him, said "Player," and walked past him.

Julian had won over countless girls with his good looks, excellent grades, and athletic talent. This rejection stung his pride. Like the CEO in a novel: "Woman, you've successfully caught my attention." Julian immediately broke up with his current girlfriend and pursued Celia relentlessly—daily confessions, love letters, and fresh flowers.

Eventually, even the homeroom teacher found out. He called Julian and Celia to the office for a lecture. Celia came out furious, her face dark. She asked Julian what it would take for him to leave her alone.

"Be my girlfriend for three months, and I'll stop."

"One month, or forget it."

Julian looked at Celia and smiled shamelessly. "Three months. Otherwise, I'll keep this up every day. Tomorrow, I'll buy a truckload of roses and send them to school. Then I'll get a bunch of balloons, each with a little note tied to it, full of cheesy pickup lines. And I'll hang a banner across the street that says, 'Celia, my goddess, I love you like a mouse loves rice.'"

So they got together. After that, Julian cut off all contact with other girls and focused entirely on Celia.

Every afternoon, Celia went to practice dancing. Julian would wait until she finished and bring her water. He'd steal her hair tie and wear it on his wrist, deliberately showing it off when he played basketball. Every time he scored, he'd brag to his teammates: "My girlfriend is my lucky charm. With her hair tie, winning is a breeze."

I sat next to the boy, listening to him tell me all this. Was I sad? I asked myself. I was clearly upset, so why wasn't I crying?

"Thank you. It's late. I should go." I grabbed my backpack, said my goodbyes, and walked out quickly without looking back.

"It's so late. Wait for me! I'll walk you home!" The boy chased after me. I didn't want to lose my composure, so I refused and walked faster.

"Little girl, where are you going? Want your big brother to walk you?"

As I passed an alley, a hand grabbed my backpack and pulled me inside, covering my mouth.

I stared at them in terror.

Three men with dyed yellow hair. The leader looked like all his energy had been sucked out by a demon—gaunt and sallow.

The other two were the same. They all had knives.

Seeing this scene, I started trembling. "No, thank you. I need to go home. My family is waiting for me."

"Stay with your big brother for a while, and I'll let you go, okay?" The man grinned and reached for me. I swung my backpack at him and tried to run, but the other two grabbed me.

"Big brother likes them feisty."

When I saw him trying to pull off my clothes, I screamed with all my might: "Help! Someone, help me!"

Before I could finish, one of the men slapped me hard. "Shut up, you bitch!"

They picked up some trash from the ground and stuffed it in my mouth. I was in despair. The school wasn't in the city center but in a remote suburb. Taxis rarely came this way. We usually had to walk a bit to reach the bus stop. There were hardly any people living nearby. Julian always walked with me. Tonight, I could have left earlier, but I stayed late looking for him.

The man's hands were pulling at my skirt. Tears blurred my vision. No matter how much I struggled, the two men held me down tightly.

Julian, where are you?

"Hey, picking on a girl? What kind of man does that?" A familiar voice rang in my ears. It was the boy from earlier. I opened my eyes and saw him grappling with the three men.

"Run! What are you waiting for!" He turned and saw me standing there like an idiot, shouting at me.

I wiped my tears, grabbed my backpack, and ran.

After running a short distance, I fumbled for my phone and called the police. I gave them the address, then hid somewhere, afraid they might come after me. I didn't come out until I heard the sirens. I walked back to the alley.

The three men were gone. The boy was lying in a pool of blood, unconscious.

I covered my mouth, crying as I walked toward him. A police officer stopped me.

They were securing the scene. When they saw me, they asked if I was the one who called. I nodded numbly.

Then they took me to the station for a statement. At the police station, I told them everything that happened. The officer frowned, typing on the computer. Finally, three profiles appeared.

"It's them!" The moonlight had been bright that night, and I had clearly seen their faces. I recognized them immediately on the screen.

These three had been in trouble before, for drug use, but they hadn't hurt anyone. They were sentenced to three years in rehab. We found drugs at the scene. They must have just taken them, which is why they were so bold.

"Officer, what about the boy? How is he?"

"He was stabbed twice. The attacker probably sobered up, got scared, and ran. He didn't even take the knife. The boy will be fine. He's alive," the officer said.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Then the officer told me to call someone to pick me up. I scrolled through my contacts and finally called Julian. I didn't call Uncle Jiang because I was afraid Julian would get beaten again.

"Can you come pick me up? I'm in trouble. I'm at the police station, Julian."

"Why aren't you leaving yet?" As soon as the call connected, I blurted out. Then a girl's voice came through the phone. I froze. Then Julian's voice: "I want to spend a little more time with my girlfriend. Since you're kicking me out, fine. See you tomorrow."

"Cel, kiss—"

"Get lost!" A loud door slam.

The boy muttered something, then replied to me: "Coming!" The line went dead. I stared at my phone, dazed.

Julian arrived quickly. When he got there, he saw me sitting on a bench.

"Who are you?"

"Her brother."

"Show me your ID and fill out this form." The officer handed Julian a form. Julian asked what happened. By the time the officer finished explaining, Julian had filled out the form.

"Claire, let's go."

I followed behind Julian. For a long time, neither of us spoke.

Finally, Julian asked, his voice a little choked: "Why didn't you call me?"

"I texted you. You didn't reply."

Julian froze. He didn't say anything. He got into the car without a word. I followed and got in too.

The drive home was eerily silent. When we got back, Uncle Jiang was standing in the living room. He sighed in relief when he saw us.

"Why are you so late tonight?"

"Uncle, I lost the jade pendant my mom left me. Julian was helping me look for it, so we're late," I quickly explained.

Uncle Jiang tensed up again. "Did you find it?"

"I forgot. I left it at home today." I gave an embarrassed smile.

Uncle Jiang patted my head. "As long as you're okay. That's all that matters. Go upstairs, wash up, and get some sleep."

I nodded and went upstairs with Julian. After showering and drying my hair, I turned off the lights and got ready for bed.

A knock came at the door. I opened it. It was Julian. "Want some milk? It helps you sleep."

"Thanks." I took the milk and closed the door.

As I closed it, I saw Julian's lips move, but I didn't hear anything. After drinking the milk, I fell asleep.

The next morning, I got up, washed up, and went downstairs for breakfast. Aunt Jiang set my portion on the table.

"Where's Julian? Isn't he up yet?"

"He disappeared early this morning. No idea what he's up to. Claire, don't you ever copy him."

I finished my breakfast, nodded, grabbed a carton of milk, and headed to school.

So early. Was Julian picking up Celia? I went to school with that question in mind. I went to his classroom and asked. Julian wasn't there. Neither was Celia.

Both had taken leave. They said they went on a date. I silently returned to my classroom. After school, I quickly packed up, hoping to leave with the crowd.

At the school gate, two people blocked my way.

"Claire?" The two boys were a head taller than me. They looked down at me, and I instinctively stepped back. They glanced at their phones, then back at me.

"It's you!" One of them frowned. The other reached out toward me. The fear from yesterday came rushing back. I turned to run, but he grabbed my backpack.

"Your bag is so heavy. Let me carry it." The boy snatched my backpack.

I looked at them, confused. "Who are you?"

"Brother Jiang sent us. He told us to walk you home."

My emotions were like a roller coaster, soaring and plunging.

I looked at them with resentment. "You looked like you were about to bully me."

Both of them scratched their heads sheepishly. Then they stood on either side of me like bodyguards and walked me home.

Upstairs, I saw Julian's room. I put down my backpack and went downstairs. Uncle Jiang was reading the newspaper. "Uncle Jiang, Julian isn't back yet?"

"Yeah. No idea where he went."

I nodded, said "Goodnight," and went upstairs.

Tomorrow was Saturday. I decided to visit the boy who saved me.

Since I didn't set an alarm, I woke up at eleven. I jumped out of bed, threw myself together, bought some fruit on the way, and went to the hospital. Since I was the only one at the scene, I had come with him to the hospital. I knew which room he was in.

I pushed open the door and saw the boy who saved me first. Then I saw Julian on the bed behind him.

A girl was sitting by Julian's bed, feeding him. In contrast, the other boy looked pretty miserable.

As I walked in, three pairs of eyes turned to me. It was the first time I saw Celia. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyes like clear water. When she looked around, she had an elegant, noble air about her. She wore a white chiffon dress, her long hair flowing down her back. She looked at Julian with a hint of helplessness.

Julian hadn't expected me to show up. He stared at me in surprise. The other boy's eyes lit up when he saw me, then dimmed as if he remembered something.

"Hey, I came to thank you." I placed the fruit basket by the boy's bed without looking at Julian.

Julian stared at me, then looked away. He took Celia's hand and asked her to feed him grapes.

Hearing Julian's voice made my eyes twitch. When I looked at the boy, he seemed used to it, even a little annoyed. "I didn't catch your name."

I put the fruit basket on his bedside table. As if out of spite, I sat down next to him and picked up an apple to peel.

Seeing me sit beside him, the boy visibly brightened. He grinned happily. "I'm Patrick."

When Patrick smiled, his two canine teeth showed, and two shallow dimples appeared on his cheeks.

"I'm Claire."

Patrick blinked. Suddenly, he leaned in and looked at me.

"I know you, Claire." I was startled by his sudden closeness. I leaned back, and the half-peeled apple fell to the floor. Patrick looked at the apple on the ground, pouted, and looked disappointed.

"Hmph. You know each other, so what? Why do you have to get so close? Patrick, are you trying to be a pervert?"

Julian glared at us through gritted teeth, looking at Patrick with hostility, like he felt a cabbage he'd grown was about to be eaten by a pig. Patrick leaned back against the headboard, turned his head, and smiled at Julian. "Come on, hit me."

Julian's eyes were blazing, but he couldn't move. Just as he was about to say something, Celia slapped him on the head. "Julian, don't be so childish."

Julian obediently lay still. A pang of bitterness rose in my heart. I picked up the apple and was about to throw it in the trash.

"Wait!"

Patrick called out. I held the apple and looked at him, confused.

"It's wasteful to throw away food. Wash it! I'll eat it!"

"But it's dirty."

"It hasn't been three seconds. If you pick it up, it's not dirty!"

Under Patrick's protest, I had no choice but to go find water to wash the apple. When I came back, I handed it to Patrick. He took it and bit into it without any hesitation. "Sweet!"

"Patrick, are you alone in the hospital? Where are your parents?" I had been in the room for a while and hadn't seen any of Patrick's family. When Patrick heard my question, he deflated.

Seeing his expression, I knew I'd said something wrong. Just as I was about to try to make up for it, Patrick spoke. "My parents are both researchers. They're usually very busy and don't have time to see me."

I nodded and asked, "How are you doing?"

"The doctor said the wounds aren't deep. I just need to rest for half a month until the stitches come out."

The weight in my heart lifted. Then I remembered something and asked if he'd had lunch. He shook his head. I went downstairs to buy him some. On my way back, I ran into Celia.

Celia saw me too. She walked over. "Are you Julian's sister?"

"Yeah, I am. Why?"

"Nothing. Julian told me about you. Do you know how he ended up in the hospital?"

My hand tightened around the lunch box. I asked quietly, "How did he end up here?"

"He went looking for the three men who hurt you. When he found them, they had just taken drugs. I don't know the details. By the time I got there, Julian was sitting on the ground, telling me to call the police. He had multiple fractures. Even then, he joked with me, asking if I'd still want him if his face got scarred. Last night, he was afraid something would happen to you, so he sent people to walk you home. He didn't tell anyone what happened to him. Running into you today, honestly, we were both surprised. Claire, please don't tell Uncle and Auntie about this when you get home. I don't want Julian to get in trouble." After Celia finished speaking, there were tears in her eyes. She looked at me with a hint of pleading.

"I won't say anything," I told her.

She smiled, wiped her tears, thanked me, and went inside.

I gripped the lunch box tightly, took a deep breath, and went in. I handed the food to Patrick. "I have something to do, so I'll go first, Patrick. I'll come see you again." After saying that, I left without daring to look at Julian. I went downstairs, hailed a taxi, and went home. Not long after I got home, a friend request came through. It was Patrick. I accepted.

As soon as I accepted, Patrick messaged me: "So when are you coming to see me again?"

"I'll go tomorrow."

"Great!"

Then Patrick bombarded me with a bunch of questions. Annoyed, I tossed my phone aside.

At dinner, Uncle Jiang's face was dark. "Where has that kid Julian gone? He hasn't been home for two days."

"Uncle Jiang, he's at a friend's house. I saw him today when I went out."

Uncle Jiang trusted me completely. His expression softened when he heard that. "Tell him to come home early."

I nodded, finished dinner, and went upstairs. After showering, I checked my phone. 99+ messages. All from Patrick.

"Claire, why aren't you answering me?"

"Claire, what are you doing?"

"Claire, this food is terrible. It's not as good as the food you bought me."

I replied with an ellipsis. The next second, Patrick called. I answered.

"Claire, you finally replied—"

"I went to dinner and didn't see it. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to talk to you. And say goodnight."

"Goodnight, Claire." Patrick deliberately lowered his voice for the last sentence. It was strangely alluring.

When I went again the next day, Julian had already been moved to another room. With Patrick, he could always find something to talk about, making me laugh. When I got home that night, Julian was already there. Uncle Jiang asked about his injuries. Julian stammered, saying he fell down the stairs.

A month later, Patrick was discharged. After that, Patrick would always come find me at school. Every time he saw me, he'd smile. Slowly, our relationship got better and better. Julian and I only contacted each other when necessary. Patrick was very good to me. He'd do whatever I wanted, and wherever I went, he'd follow.

It was winter break. I suddenly wanted to climb a mountain to watch the sunrise. I texted Patrick, telling him my idea. He agreed immediately. The next morning, we packed up and met at the foot of the mountain. Halfway up, I collapsed from exhaustion. Patrick laughed, crouched down, and told me to get on his back. He carried me all the way to the top.

At the summit, we watched the sunrise together. After a while, he suddenly spoke. "Claire, I've noticed you for a long time. I like you." He looked into my eyes. There was only me in them. I was stunned.

"But I don't want to date in high school."

Patrick patted my head. "Then when we get to college, will you be my girlfriend?" I nodded. Patrick hugged me excitedly.

It turns out that when someone truly loves you, you can let go of someone you've liked for a long time. The moment Patrick hugged me, images of our time together flashed through my mind—the late-night phone calls, the gifts for every holiday, the way he was there for me when I was sad, and how he always tried to make me laugh. In that moment, I decided I didn't want to like Julian anymore. As Patrick and I were walking down the mountain, Julian saw us.

When I got home, Julian spoke to me for the first time in a while. "Are you and Patrick together? Claire, don't date so early."

"Early dating? Julian, who are you to talk? What Patrick and I do is none of your business." I cut him off before he could finish. It was the first time I had talked back to him.

Julian hadn't expected me to argue. He frowned. "Claire, Patrick is no good!"

"How is he worse than you?"

"I'm your brother. Just listen to me, okay?"

Hearing that, I let out a bitter laugh. I went to my room and locked the door. After that argument, Julian and I stopped talking.

Senior year came quickly. Julian got busy. Patrick, however, repeated a year to be in my class. He said he wanted to go to college with me.

Julian was busy, and between that and dating Celia, he didn't have time to bother Patrick and me. After the college entrance exams, Julian and Celia went to different places, far apart. Julian studied fire engineering, while Celia continued with ethnic dance at a media school.

Patrick and I were just one step away from being official, but we kept working hard for our promise. I chose to stay in Jialing for college. Both Patrick and I wanted to become journalists. After much effort, I got into my dream university, majoring in journalism. When I started college, Patrick was as happy as a three-year-old. He hugged me. "Claire, will you be my girlfriend?"

I naturally agreed.

In college, Patrick treated me so well that everyone was envious. Patrick and I became the couple everyone admired.

"Patrick, did you have a girlfriend before me? How else would you know so much?"

I pretended to be angry as a joke. Patrick laughed and pulled me into his arms.

"Because it's you. I learned what kind of romance a girl wants. And you're the only one worth learning so much for. So don't leave me, okay?" Patrick said this very seriously.

I reached up and touched his hair. "Of course I'll stay with you, Patrick. Forever and ever!"

When Patrick heard that, he looked into my eyes. We stared at each other. Suddenly, he leaned in closer and closer. His breath was on my face. I nervously closed my eyes.

But then I heard Patrick chuckle. "You have something in your hair. Let me fix it. What were you thinking, Claire?"

Embarrassed and annoyed because he had guessed what I was thinking, my face turned bright red.

"Patrick, you're overthinking!" I turned and walked away in a huff.

Patrick chased after me, coaxing me as he walked. "I was wrong. I was overthinking. Claire definitely didn't want to kiss me." I stopped, turned around, and punched Patrick. It wasn't hard.

But Patrick immediately crouched down. "You hit an old wound." He held his stomach and looked up at me with pitiful eyes.

I got nervous and crouched down too. "Is it serious? Should we go to the hospital?"

I was so worried that I missed the sly glint in Patrick's eyes.

"I want to sit on that bench over there." I followed Patrick's gaze. Across the road, in a small grove of trees, there was a stone bench and table.

I helped him carefully cross the road. When he sat down, I was still anxious.

"Does it hurt a lot? Can you walk? Should I call an ambulance?" I picked up my phone to call. Patrick grabbed my wrist, still wearing that pitiful expression.

"I want my girlfriend to kiss it better. Then it won't hurt."

My face turned red again. Seeing his expression, I immediately knew he was lying, but I still asked worriedly, "Patrick, stop joking."

Patrick pulled me onto his lap. His handsome face was tinged with a hint of grievance. "But I really want a kiss from Claire." I admit, I could never resist Patrick when he acted cute. He had one of those faces that could be either cute or fierce. When he acted cute, I could never say no. He probably figured that out, so he'd do it all the time. I thought I'd get used to it eventually, but I never did.

"Someone might see us," I said, holding onto my last shred of restraint.

Patrick coaxed me again. "No one will. Hardly anyone passes by here."

We were in a small park on campus. There really weren't many people around.

I gave in to Patrick's pleading. I couldn't resist his persistence. I quickly pecked him on the lips. Patrick didn't react at first. When he did, he licked his lips, took my face—which I was hiding—and turned it toward him.

"That's not how you do it, Claire." He held my chin and deepened the kiss slowly, then pulled me closer by the back of my head. When the kiss ended, my face was as red as a monkey's bottom.

Patrick tapped my nose. "I really like you, Claire."

He buried his head in my shoulder, nuzzling me gently like a child. "Let's get married right after graduation, okay?"

"Okay." If it weren't for what happened with Julian, I would have thought my life would go on like this, happily ever after with Patrick.

After college graduation, Patrick and I got married.

On our wedding day, it was the first time I had seen Julian in four years.

He was in the audience, wearing a suit. His face was more angular, his skin no longer pale but tanned.

He held a wine glass, watching me from below. The look in his eyes was like an older brother watching his little sister get married—a bit reluctant to let go.

Uncle Jiang's family gave me a very generous dowry. They even transferred the deed of a house in the city to my name. Uncle Jiang said most of the money came from Julian. Suddenly, I understood. All these years, I had been fooling myself. Julian had never liked me. He had always seen me as a sister.

When it was time to toss the bouquet, I held it and walked toward him, step by step, under everyone's gaze. "Brother, when will I get to drink at your and Celia's wedding?" I handed the bouquet to Celia and asked teasingly. Celia was standing next to Julian. When she heard that, she blushed.

Celia took the bouquet. Julian held her hand. "Soon. I'll marry her in a little while."

Patrick stood beside me, his arm around me, grinning brightly. "Yeah, brother. I'll be your best man."

Julian looked at Patrick, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You better treat Claire well. Otherwise, we'll have a little talk."

"I worked hard to get this wife. Of course, I'll treasure her." Patrick and Julian stared at each other. After a moment, Patrick whispered to me, "If he hits me and I can't fight back, will that be embarrassing?"

My eye twitched. I pulled Patrick along to continue with the wedding. When it was time for the bridal chamber, Julian pulled Patrick aside to drink. They kept going and going. In the end, Patrick was drunk and passed out. Julian was also completely wasted. He stood on a chair, pointing at Patrick. "Get up! Why are you lying down? Keep drinking! Come on, bottoms up!"

In the end, Celia and I each dragged one of them home.

Later, I started working while preparing for graduate school. Patrick would always look at me pitifully. "Do you really have to go to grad school? I don't want to be apart from you."

"If I can get in, I'll go. It's all about improving myself."

Later, I went undercover in a factory. The food they produced had made a lot of people sick, so they sent me to investigate.

I thought it was just a regular factory making unhealthy snacks. I didn't expect to find a small drug lab hidden inside. I gathered evidence and was about to sneak out and call the police.

But that night, I was caught. They tortured me. They whipped me. When I passed out, they splashed me with salt water to wake me up. I was beaten and kicked all night. By morning, I had no strength left.

"Patrick," I whispered his name before I passed out. When I woke up again, I was in a fire. I dragged myself, moving bit by bit toward the bathroom, relying on my memory.

By the time I reached the bathroom, I had exhausted all my strength. I took off my jacket, soaked it in water, and covered my mouth and nose. I sat on the ground, pounding the floor with my fists over and over.

"There's someone upstairs. Take him out first. I'll go check upstairs." Julian handed the person to his teammate and ran upstairs.

Battling the flames, Julian charged in. The pounding suddenly stopped. Julian went a little further inside, relying on instinct. At the corner, he saw the bathroom and went in. He found Claire unconscious on the floor. Julian picked her up and ran outside. As he reached the ground floor, he saw a light fixture hanging from the ceiling, swaying dangerously. He heard a creak. The light fixture fell. Julian sped up. There was a crash. The fixture hit him. He shielded Claire with his body. Remembering something, he pulled a box from his pocket. "Brother Jiang!"

"Take her out first. Then call for backup." The man nodded, picked up Claire, and left. Julian dragged himself, inch by inch.

"Our boss will avenge us!"

A figure staggered out of the fire, a bomb strapped to his body. Julian had just freed himself from the fallen light fixture. He saw the man about to rush back into the flames. Ignoring the pain, he tackled the man to the ground. But the man bit him, and they wrestled. The man punched Julian's injured lower back. Several other firefighters rushed in. Julian and the man were getting closer and closer to the fire.

"Go! Get everyone out!"

This was the suburbs. The only concern was the people outside. The firefighters understood. They quickly told the people outside. Everyone outside drove away without stopping.

"You go too! Hurry!"

The firefighters hesitated for a moment, then rushed out of the factory. Behind them, there was a huge explosion. Several firefighters were knocked unconscious by the blast. When Claire woke up, she saw Patrick sitting beside her. Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang were there too. Their voices were strained. "Claire, does it hurt anywhere else?"

"Where's Julian?"

Claire sensed something was wrong. She asked.

"He's out on duty." Patrick tried to smile as he answered.

Claire looked at Patrick