บท 3: Chapter 2 Difficult Choices_2
"Ziyu, don't hang up in haste. I need a car. I want to visit Jingcheng University. After all, it's my alma mater. I studied there for four years, but I never got my diploma. It's one of my regrets. Ziyu, consider it the last favor I'm asking from you," Nie Zhenbang pleaded in a low voice.
There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart. Back then, Nie Zhenbang's grades were not particularly good, but graduation was not a problem. However, after the Nie family's downfall, Nie Zhenbang became the scapegoat. A target for everyone's scorn. He was only one month away from receiving his diploma when Nie Zhenbang's father, in anger upon hearing of Ye Shuxian's injury, forced him to drop out. Nie Zhenbang had already prepared for death, and everything else seemed less important. Whether it was pleading or begging, he just let it be.
After a moment of silence, Nie Ziyu finally could not weaken his resolve: "A car will pick you up in ten minutes."
After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang called Yang Anna. As soon as the phone was answered, a pleasing female voice came from the other end: "Zhenbang, why did you decide to call me today?"
The joy in her tone gave Nie Zhenbang a headache. He hesitated before replying, "Anna, stop it. I'm a disabled nobody, an illegitimate child of a humble background. I don't deserve you. Is it all worth it to you?"
Yang Anna, undeterred by his words, shouted over the phone, "Zhenbang, don't say such things. I am worth it. I think it's worth it. In this life, I only recognize you. I, Yang Anna, will be yours in life and in death. Even if I have to wait until I'm old and frail, I will wait for you."
Sighing, Nie Zhenbang didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if Yang Anna's devotion was an act of gratitude or genuine affection. Nie Zhenbang had always avoided thinking about it too deeply. Whenever he saw Yang Anna, he felt a sense of guilt. A vibrant young woman, who should have a life and future of her own, shouldn't be wasted on someone like him. But she had persisted unwaveringly from young adulthood till now, for nearly twenty years.
He was the fallen blossom repressed by an impersonal world, not because he was unfeeling, but because he dared not feel. Nie Zhenbang continued: "Anna, take good care of yourself. Find a good man and marry him in the future. I would be happy for you."
Ignoring Yang Anna's cries over the phone, Nie Zhenbang hung up and put his cell phone on the bedstand, a place he considered very important.
The car with the Ministry of Education's pass smoothly drove into Jingcheng University. Looking at Weihu Lake outside the window, Nie Zhenbang said to the driver, "Please stop here. You can leave. I want to wander around by myself."
The driver nodded without a word. He was aware of the identity of the man in front of him. Even though he had fallen from grace, he was not to be trifled with by an ordinary driver. A faltering camel is larger than a horse.
Walking along the small path by Weihu Lake was strenuous for Nie Zhenbang. Truth be told, this was not a good place to commit suicide. The buildings of Jingcheng University were not skyscrapers, most of the teaching buildings were less than five stories high. This was because all buildings of Jingcheng University had to be shorter than Boya Tower, the symbol of the University. Jumping off a building would hardly result in death. As for jumping into the lake, probably before he could even sink, the students around would have already jumped in to save him. This was a place where there was no shortage of good samaritans.
Boya Tower stood majestically between Weihu Lake. Nie Zhenbang, with faltering steps, walked toward it. The Tower, located atop a small hill southeast of Weihu Lake, was initially designed as a water tower, with a spiral staircase leading up to the top.
Nowadays, the function of the water tower gradually disappeared, and Boya Tower became the symbol of Jingcheng University. Standing under the tower, Nie Zhenbang recalled the day when he first enrolled in the university twenty-four years ago. He was full of zest, pointing out countries, vigorously writing; he basically felt like an influential figure.
But twenty-four years later, he just became a crippled drunkard with a prominent status but far worse off than ordinary people. As he witnessed the vicissitudes of life, an eerie smile emerged on Nie Zhenbang's face. If he could do it all over again, would he still choose to save that woman? The woman who, for reasons unknown, was still holding on steadfastly even till this day.
The door to the tower was tightly locked. How to get up was indeed a problem. But this didn't seem to stump Nie Zhenbang. He had been up there before and for that, had been dragged down by a guard and almost reported to the university. Although he was disabled, he still managed to slip up.
Along the spiral staircase, with every step firm and steady, he reached the top floor. He could see the whole Jingcheng University in an eagle's eye view. Gazing afar, he fixated his view on Zhongnan Sea, the place he had lived in for more than five years. After his grandfather's death, his family had moved out of there.
"Goodbye, world. Goodbye, Anna. If there is an afterlife, I won't live in a pathetic way again." Nie Zhenbang muttered, as he bid his last farewell to the world.
"Hey, who are you? How did you get up here? Get down immediately!" A security guard, who was about fifty years old, rushed up from below.
Time had passed, and the young man from twenty-four years ago also became a middle-aged man. For decades he had been guarding the spiritual symbol of Jingcheng University with the same devotion. Nie Zhenbang had a measure of respect for the security guard. He then gave a small smile and said, "Mr. Qin, do you remember twenty-four years ago? Right here, you caught a new freshman."
The security guard was taken aback. Being addressed as a teacher by students was something that happened twenty years ago. Nowadays, students would just call them security guards; if they were polite, they'd call them "master". After a moment of recollection, the security guard remembered and laughed, "Oh, it's you. You've reached this age and you're still behaving this way. You're setting a bad example for the younger students."
Nie Zhenbang also smiled, looking into the distance: "Mr. Qin, bad example or not, doesn't matter. So many years have passed. My youthful recklessness is long gone. We've both stepped into middle age. Today, please allow me to indulge just once more."
At the top of the tower, there was only a low railing. Even though he was disabled, Nie Zhenbang, with the foundation of shape-intent fist still intact, had enough agility to climb over the railing. The moment the security guard was stunned, Nie Zhenbang had already leapt over, laughing loudly without looking back, and jumped down.
At the moment of hitting the ground, Nie Zhenbang felt the world spin. Nie Zhenbang was unaware that his skull had shattered, and his blood stained the dragon-shaped jade pendant on his neck.
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