Rebirth of Love: Jiang Ciyou's Counterattack Legend

The morning light shone through the thin clouds, gently onto the white corridor of the hospital, but it could not dispel the oppressive solemnity that permeated the air. In the ward, the regular ticking of medical equipment was like a countdown clock, beating Jiang Ciyou's heart again and again.

Lu Jingchen lay quietly on the hospital bed. His face, which used to be filled with a doting smile, was now thin and pale. His deep eye sockets were filled with fatigue, and his lips were dry and chapped, bloodless. Jiang Ciyou sat beside the bed, her eyes never leaving him. Her hands tightly held Lu Jingchen's, as if she wanted to wake him up with her body temperature, just like he had protected her countless times in the past.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Jingchen's fingers trembled slightly, and Jiang Ciyou became alert instantly. She leaned forward, searching his face eagerly. Lu Jingchen slowly opened his eyes, which had lost their former brilliance, but when he saw Jiang Ciyou, a gentle ripple appeared in his eyes.

"Jingchen, you're awake..." Jiang Ciyou's voice was tearful, but she tried hard to suppress it, not wanting him to hear her sadness.

Lu Jingchen moved his lips as if he wanted to speak, and Jiang Ciyou quickly put his ear close to him. "Water..." His voice was as weak as a candle in the wind.

Jiang Ciyou hurriedly picked up the water cup beside him, dipped a cotton swab in water, and gently applied it to his chapped lips. Every movement was cautious, for fear of hurting him.

After drinking the water, Lu Jingchen seemed to be in better spirits. His eyes wandered around the ward, and finally stopped at Jiang Ciyou's face, his eyes full of attachment. "Youyou..." He called her nickname softly, and this familiar name made Jiang Ciyou's eyes warm and tears burst out.

"I'm here, Jingchen, I've always been here." She responded with a sob.

Lu Jingchen's hand was groping under the quilt. Seeing this, Jiang Ciyou gently lifted a corner of the quilt for him. He took out a yellowed check from under the pillow with his shaking hands. It was the check that Jiang Ciyou gave him when they broke up. Seeing this check, Jiang Ciyou's heart was shocked, and the memories of the past came flooding back.

Back then, in the midst of pain and entanglement, she thought returning to her ex-husband was the so-called "right path" and gave Lu Jingchen this check in order to completely sever the complicated relationship between them. But later she realized that it was the stupidest decision of her life. This check carried her guilt and also witnessed the twists and turns in their love.

Lu Jingchen smiled weakly, with helplessness and deep affection in his smile. "Now... it's time to give it back to you." He said with difficulty, and every word seemed to have exhausted all his strength.

Jiang Ci cried bitterly. She gently took the check and stroked the wrinkles on it with her fingers. These wrinkles seemed like the marks of time, recording their past. "You have already paid for everything with your life's love." With trembling hands, she slowly tore the check into pieces. The pieces of paper fell into Lu Jingchen's palm like snow, like a belated farewell ceremony, bidding farewell to those misunderstandings and pains.

The ward fell into a brief silence, with only the ticking sound of the instruments echoing. Lu Jingchen's eyes remained on Jiang Ciyou's face, and the love in his eyes became stronger and stronger, as if he wanted to deeply imprint her appearance in the depths of his soul.

"Youyou, in this life... I am very lucky to have met you." His voice was intermittent, but full of affection. "Do you remember the first time we quarreled? We were young and hot-tempered at that time, and neither of us was willing to give in. But in the end, I couldn't help it first, so I ran to find you. When I saw you crying, my heart was broken..."

Jiang Ciyou nodded with tears in her eyes. Those trivial and sweet memories were very clear at this moment. That quarrel was just for a little thing in life, but it made the two of them unwilling to give in to each other. But in the end, Lu Jingchen still appeared at her door in the rain late at night, soaking wet, just to take a look at her and make sure she was okay.

"And that time, you stayed up for several nights in a row to get that project. I stayed by your side, and seeing how tired yet stubborn you looked, I swore that I would protect you for the rest of my life and never let you suffer again..." Lu Jingchen's eyes were a little dazed, as if he was lost in deep memories.

Jiang Ciyou held his hand, pressed it against her cheek, and burst into tears. "Jingchen, it's my fault. I made you suffer..."

Lu Jingchen shook his head gently, his eyes becoming more gentle. "Don't say that. Every day with you is my happiest time. Even if it's hard, it's sweet..."

His breathing gradually became rapid, and Jiang Ciyou's heart tightened. She knew that time was running out.

"In the next life... I will find you again." Lu Jingchen used up his last bit of strength to make this promise. His eyes were firm and persistent, as if he had crossed the boundary between life and death.

Jiang Ciyou held his hand tightly, as if she had grabbed the last straw. "Don't look for me, I will always be here waiting for you." She moved closer to him and gently kissed him on the forehead, which was full of a lifetime of attachment and reluctance.

At this time, outside the ward, the children had already burst into tears. They looked through the crack in the door and saw the heartbreaking scene in the ward, their hearts full of admiration and emotion for their parents' love. The eldest son Lu Chenyang, with red eyes, whispered to his brothers and sisters beside him: "My parents' lives have been so difficult. Their love is an example for us to learn from in this life..."

The brothers and sisters nodded one after another, tears flashing in their eyes. Daughter Lu Yao sobbed and said, "If I can find someone who loves mom like dad does in the future, I will be satisfied..."

In the ward, Lu Jingchen's eyes began to blur. Jiang Ci was worried and anxious. She gently shook his hand. "Jingchen, please don't sleep. Please don't sleep..."

But Lu Jingchen's eyelids became heavier and heavier, and his hands gradually fell down weakly. Jiang Ciyou felt that her world collapsed in an instant. She threw herself on Lu Jingchen and burst into tears. The cry was heartbreaking, as if she wanted to vent all her sorrow.

After a long time, Jiang Ciyou slowly stood up with the help of her children. She looked at Lu Jingchen's peaceful face and raised her hand to gently tidy up his hair, just like she had done countless mornings in the past.

"Jingchen, don't worry and go. I will live well with your love..." She whispered softly, as if she was talking to him, or as if she was making a promise to herself to live.

Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun sprinkled on the earth, dyeing the whole world golden. Jiang Ciyou knew that Lu Jingchen was like this setting sun. Although it had ended, the love and warmth he left behind would always illuminate the rest of her life.

After handling Lu Jingchen's funeral, Jiang Ciyou returned to the home where they once lived together. Every corner of the home retained his scent. The sofa in the living room still had the dent marks where he often sat. In the study, the fountain pen he used lay quietly on the table, as if waiting for the owner to pick it up again. The wardrobe in the bedroom was full of his clothes. Jiang Ciyou gently stroked those clothes, and the familiar touch made her cry like rain.

At night, Jiang Ciyou lay alone in bed, habitually reaching out to the side, but only touched the cold empty space. She hugged the quilt tightly and buried her face in the pillow, which still had the scent of Lu Jingchen. In the darkness, she cried silently, and the memories drowned her like a tide.

During the nights they had spent together, Lu Jingchen would always tell her some funny stories before going to bed to make her happy; in winter, he would first get into bed, warm her with his body temperature, and then hold her in his arms; when they couldn't sleep, they would look at the starry sky outside the window together and share their thoughts...

But now, all of this can only become a memory. Jiang Ciyou struggled in pain, and countless times she felt that she was about to be swallowed by sadness, but every time she saw their photos placed at home and saw the familiar love in Lu Jingchen's eyes, she had the courage to persevere.

As the days passed, Jiang Ciyou began to try to go out again. She came to the park they used to go to often. The willow trees by the lake were still swaying. They used to stroll and talk here. She walked into the familiar coffee shop, ordered a cup of Lu Jingchen's favorite latte, sat by the window, watched the people coming and going outside the window, and recalled the warm time they spent here.

During this process, Jiang Ciyou also felt the deep respect and care from the people around her. When neighbors saw her, they would greet her warmly, with sympathy and comfort in their eyes; friends often came to visit her, chat with her, and help her get through those difficult days.

Once, Jiang Ciyou accidentally met a girl who had been helped by the Lu Family Charity Fund on the street. The girl recognized her at a glance, her eyes full of gratitude. "Hello, Grandma Jiang! I have always wanted to thank you and Grandpa Lu in person. If it weren't for your help, I might have given up my studies long ago..." The girl's voice trembled with excitement.

Jiang Ciyou looked at the girl's energetic face, and a warm current surged in her heart. She remembered that Lu Jingchen had always been keen on charity during his lifetime, using his wealth to help those in trouble. At this moment, she understood his intentions more deeply.

"Good girl, you must work hard and live a wonderful life." Jiang Ciyou encouraged the girl with a smile. Although there was sadness in that smile, there was also a hint of relief.

After returning home, Jiang Ciyou walked into Lu Jingchen's study. She decided to transform it into a memorial hall to store their lifelong memories. She carefully sorted out his books and documents, wiped their photos one by one, and placed them in the most conspicuous place on the bookshelf.

In a corner, Jiang Ciyou found a diary of Lu Jingchen. The cover of the diary was a little worn, and she opened it with trembling hands. The handwriting inside was densely packed, recording every detail of their acquaintance.

"I met a special girl today. She looked so strong, but there was sadness in her eyes. I wanted to get close to her, understand her, and protect her..." This was a diary entry after their first meeting. Seeing these words, Jiang Ciyou seemed to have returned to that night, the bar that changed their lives.

She turned the pages, tears blurring her eyes again and again. Lu Jingchen used his words to record every quarrel, every reconciliation, and every happy moment. On the last few pages of the diary, he wrote: "Youyou, if one day I leave first, don't be too sad. Remember the sunset we watched together? I will be there, always protecting you. You must live bravely, and with our love, go to see the beauty of the world..."

Jiang Ciyou closed the diary and hugged it tightly to her chest. She knew that although Lu Jingchen left, his love never disappeared. He spent his whole life teaching her what love, courage, and perseverance are.

In the years that followed, Jiang Ciyou continued to move forward with Lu Jingchen's love. She devoted herself to charity, expanded the Lu family's charity fund, and helped more people. She used her own experience to encourage those who were struggling in difficult situations, telling them that love and hope would never disappear.

Whenever the sun sets, Jiang Ciyou always sits in the yard, looking at the blood-red sunset in the sky. She knows that Lu Jingchen is there, silently guarding her in the gorgeous sunset. And she will also carry their love story through every spring, summer, autumn and winter of the rest of her life, making this love an eternal legend.