Chapter 40: Then I Guess I’ll Make a Sacrifice and Settle for Putting Up with You
The woman's voice was so loud that it burst through Mu Xiangxiang's phone speaker. Even without speakerphone turned on, Qiao Nan could hear every word clearly.
The sudden sobbing caught both of them off guard.
The caller was so emotional that her words came out jumbled, and it took Mu Xiangxiang a while to piece together what she meant.
She was a little surprised. If the woman hadn't contacted them, she would have almost forgotten about the rescue altogether—
On the day of the new semester registration, after Fang Lingli had once again locked her in the restroom with a group of girls, Mu Xiangxiang had left in a foul mood. Carrying her newly issued textbooks, she'd gone to the pavilion in West City Park to calm herself. As she was about to leave, she saw a young child who had accidentally fallen into the park pond and was struggling in the water.
That was the day she met Qiao Nan.
That was the day they both jumped in without a second thought.
That was the day they exchanged souls.
Everything strange that happened afterward had begun from that moment.
After the body swap, Mu Xiangxiang had naturally tried to figure out the cause. She searched online for every bit of information she could find about West City Park in City A. She dug through years of news reports related to the park, even going so far as to locate the exact coordinates of the pond on online maps.
But she never found any answers.
By comparison, the child they had rescued had become the least significant detail in the whole incident. When they left the park security office that day, neither of them had left any contact information. Besides being utterly flustered by the unimaginable change that had just happened to them, the more important reason was that neither of them had ever expected—or wanted—any gratitude or reward for saving someone.
So this was the very first time they had learned what happened afterward.
Perhaps because winter had been so bitterly cold, and because the child had been so young, he'd developed a severe fever as soon as he reached the hospital. One complication after another followed. His heart stopped several times. Though doctors managed to resuscitate him each time, he remained trapped in a deep coma.
His family had almost given up hope. Even the doctors had sorrowfully advised them to prepare for the worst.
Yet not long ago, the situation had suddenly taken a turn for the better. The child's vital signs became increasingly stable. Then, just last week, he finally opened his eyes.
Overjoyed beyond words, his family at last had the emotional capacity to think about something besides his survival. The most important thing, of course, was finding the two strangers who had pulled their child from the freezing pond.
Unfortunately, Qiao Nan and Mu Xiangxiang had left far too quickly that day. Other than registering their names, they hadn't left a single way to contact them. So the family turned to the media. With help from both reporters and the police, they reviewed the park's surveillance footage from that day. Identifying the two young rescuers by their school uniforms, they determined which schools they attended and then visited the schools themselves to request more information.
Yingcheng Private High School, however, had a rather special student council. Faced with a group of strangers showing up out of nowhere claiming they wanted to repay the students' kindness, the school didn't dare reveal anything.
Fortunately, No. 12 High School's administration wasn't nearly as strict. Just a few minutes earlier, the family had finally gotten what they'd been searching for. This phone call was being made from Principal Sun's office at No. 12 High School.
Amid the mother's tearful sobs, Principal Sun was grinning from ear to ear. "Excellent! Excellent! This kind of righteous, courageous act deserves to be publicly commended! We'll make sure everyone knows about it!"
****
After the call ended, silence settled over the rooftop once again. Only after a long while did Qiao Nan click his tongue irritably. "...What the hell is all this..."
He'd casually saved someone. Who would've thought there'd be a sequel?
After putting away her phone, Mu Xiangxiang glanced sideways at him and quietly asked, "...Um... are you okay now?"
The tone she used—as though he were terribly fragile—Qiao Nan frowned. "What could possibly be wrong with me?"
The next instant, a force suddenly grabbed his arm. Like a carrot being yanked out of the ground by its leaves, he felt a sudden sensation of weightlessness. Before he realized what had happened… His feet were off the ground.
He… Was hugging Mu Xiangxiang around the neck.
With both feet dangling in the air.
Qiao Nan: "..."
Mu Xiangxiang: "..."
Qiao Nan: "...What are you doing?"
Mu Xiangxiang looked a little embarrassed. "...Sorry... my waist was starting to ache..."
Qiao Nan: "..."
Only then did he become aware of their current position.
Because of the difference in their heights, Mu Xiangxiang had been forced to hunch over awkwardly so he could wrap his arms around her neck. That phone call had lasted quite a while. Holding that posture the entire time had indeed...
Their bodies were still pressed together. The moment Qiao Nan turned his head, he found himself staring at an ear only inches away, its pale skin flushed with a delicate pink.
A blush so deep that even the darkness of the night couldn't hide it.
Something heavy that had been weighing on his heart suddenly drifted away.
Mu Xiangxiang heard him chuckle. At the same time, warm breath brushed against her right ear. She became even more flustered. "What are you laughing at?"
The back of the hand resting around her waist was suddenly patted lightly. Qiao Nan's calm voice followed. "Finished hugging me yet?"
As though burned, Mu Xiangxiang instantly let go.
She hurriedly stepped back. The instant her eyes met Qiao Nan's bright gaze in the darkness, she looked away first. Her entire body seemed to be heating up.
"...I wasn't..."
Qiao Nan let out a mocking laugh as he lazily smoothed the wrinkles she'd left in his clothes. "'Wasn't' what? You were the one who admitted you had a crush on me."
"........................" Now Mu Xiangxiang truly panicked. She was so flustered she was practically sweating, unconsciously shuffling backward. "I already said that was before—"
"Enough." Before she could finish defending herself, Qiao Nan interrupted. "Quit backing away. Come keep me company for a while."
Mu Xiangxiang stopped in her tracks. She watched as he turned his back to her and looked out beyond the rooftop.
She hesitated where she stood, weighing whether to leave or stay. In the end, she slowly walked over.
"...Today..." she began, remembering how he'd suddenly hugged her without saying a word earlier, looking unusually downcast. The whole thing still felt completely unlike him. "...Did something happen that made you unhappy?"
Something that made him unhappy?
Qiao Nan's gaze unfocused. He looked toward the deep blue night sky, where scattered stars glittered faintly overhead. His feelings at that moment… It was difficult to describe them simply as unhappiness.
Swapping souls really was a strange thing. It had allowed him to witness so many secrets that he never could have seen in his own life.
His father. His older brother. His uncle.
Remembering the secret he'd accidentally witnessed while standing around the corner earlier, Qiao Nan fell silent. Instead of answering her question, he called her name. "Mu Xiangxiang."
"Hm?"
"Do you regret it?"
"Regret what?"
"Jumping into that pond to save the child." Qiao Nan turned to look at her.
Mu Xiangxiang was taken aback by the question. She turned to look at him. In the darkness, the entire star-filled sky was reflected in Qiao Nan's calm eyes.
Jumping into the water to save someone—especially a child—had simply seemed like the obvious thing to do. She realized she'd never actually thought about the question before. "Why would I regret it?"
Qiao Nan held her gaze. Something flickered in his eyes. "We swapped souls after jumping into that pond, didn't we? Ever since then... our lives have been a complete mess."
Mu Xiangxiang paused. A flood of memories suddenly flashed through her mind.
He was right. Everything had started from that day.
She turned to look out beyond the rooftop, staring blankly into the night sky as she listened to him continue in an unreadable tone. "...You were so close to your parents, but after that day, you couldn't even meet them as their daughter anymore. You had to force yourself to get used to my life... my social circle..." He paused. "Don't you regret it? If we hadn't jumped in, maybe none of this would've happened."
Stretching both arms across the railing, Mu Xiangxiang rested her chin on them as she quietly listened. The cool night breeze swept across the rooftop, brushing against her face and clearing away the lingering haze in her mind.
Without warning, the image of her father's much healthier-looking face from a few days ago surfaced in her thoughts.
She suddenly laughed. "I guess... it really is kind of like you said."
Qiao Nan lowered his eyes. Then he heard her continue. "But it doesn't seem all that terrible either."
"...What?"
"I mean what you said—about our lives becoming a mess." Resting her chin in one hand, she gazed up at the night sky, her eyes fixed on the brightest star beside the moon. "I actually think... it's been okay."
"My parents... I really do miss them. But now that you're the one staying by their side, they're all doing really well. Whenever I want to see them, I can still find a way. Watching them become happier, even if I'm only standing nearby... that's a kind of happiness too." She smiled faintly. "Swapping souls with you wasn't entirely a bad thing. At least I've truly come to understand a lot of things. And your life... your friends... they're not as bad as I thought, either." She paused before turning to look at him. "But..."
"The reason you're asking me this… Does that mean you regret it? Regret jumping into the pond?"
Her eyes were as clear and transparent as polished gemstones.
Qiao Nan stared at her. His gaze gradually deepened. He didn't answer immediately.
Only after a long silence did he slowly look away and let out a quiet laugh. "You really are..."
"Hm?"
His mood seemed noticeably lighter now. The mysterious heaviness in his tone had given way to playful teasing. "I mean you. You've never thought about it?"
"...About what?"
"We might never switch back."
Mu Xiangxiang fell silent.
"We might never find a way to return to our own bodies." He spoke calmly. "Maybe we'll spend the rest of our lives living as each other. Just like we are now."
Mu Xiangxiang: "..."
"Do you really understand what that means?" He turned toward her. "Besides taking over my job and my life… When we get older… My dad and my brother will probably start pressuring you to get married."
Mu Xiangxiang: "..."
Qiao Nan looked at her with a half-smile. "And you still don't think that's terrible? If that day really comes...What are you going to do?"
Mu Xiangxiang was speechless. The reality he described was brutally cruel. So cruel that she'd spent all this time deliberately avoiding thinking about it. Yet now, Qiao Nan had mercilessly torn away every excuse she'd been hiding behind.
She had no idea how to answer. Just imagining the possibility he described—a possibility that seemed frighteningly likely—left her genuinely shaken. The night wind picked up across the rooftop, slipping beneath the elegant but rather thin clothes she'd worn to the indoor banquet. She shivered slightly.
The smile on Qiao Nan's face faded. He turned and walked over to the coffee vending machine near the elevator lobby. After fiddling with it for a while, he expertly bought two cups of coffee.
Carrying the steaming paper cups back, he lifted one and gently pressed the warm side of the cup against Mu Xiangxiang's cheek.
She instinctively shrank her neck back from the heat. Then, blinking blankly, she accepted the cup he handed her. The warmth radiating through the paper cup seeped into her palms, making her whole body feel much more comfortable.
"Dummy." Seeing her expression, Qiao Nan snorted. He leaned casually against the railing beside her, took a sip of his coffee, and looked up at the night sky.
A long time passed. Then he reached over and rested a hand lightly on top of her head. His fingers slipped gently through her hair before softly ruffling it once.
"Don't worry." She heard him chuckle quietly amid the sound of the wind. "We'll figure something out. And besides... What you said wasn't entirely wrong."
***
What had he meant by saying it wasn't entirely a bad thing?
No matter how much Mu Xiangxiang turned it over in her mind, she couldn't figure it out.
And the possibility Qiao Nan had pointed out had genuinely frightened her. If they could never switch back… Then when they reached marriageable age, the Qiao family would inevitably urge her to marry and have children.
But how could she possibly live with a girl the way an ordinary man would?
Ahhh... what would she do when that day came?
Qiao Nan had probably thought about all of this long ago. That was why he'd never answered whether he regretted jumping into the water to save the child.
Mu Xiangxiang had always believed she had no regrets. But now… For the first time, she wasn't so sure anymore.
Ironically, Qiao Nan himself seemed completely untroubled by it.
As they stepped out of the elevator, the crowd pushing in almost knocked her off balance. Someone immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her upright. Looking up, she met Qiao Nan's frowning face. "Are you an idiot? How do you manage to space out while walking?"
Mu Xiangxiang instantly snapped out of her daze. "Sorry."
Then she noticed the large bag of fruit he was carrying. After comparing their current heights, she blushed slightly. "I'll carry it."
"Cut it out." Qiao Nan ignored her. He lifted an arm and casually guided her behind him. "So damn crowded... Stay behind me. What room number was it again?"
Protected behind him, Mu Xiangxiang immediately stopped being buffeted by the crowd. Although she was now tall enough to see over the top of his head, she somehow still felt as though she were being carefully shielded. She caught the faint scent of the lemon verbena body wash lingering on him and answered softly, "1209."
They were about to visit a little patient— A child whose life they had saved. A child whose rescue had also led them into the impossibly complicated lives they now lived.
Carrying a whirlwind of emotions too tangled to put into words, she walked toward the hospital room.
A few minutes later… Every one of those thoughts vanished the instant she saw the tiny figure lying in the hospital bed.
To be honest, when she'd rescued him, Mu Xiangxiang hadn't had the time to notice what the child looked like. Afterward, she'd been too busy worrying about herself to dwell on it. Only now did she truly realize just how fragile the life she and Qiao Nan had saved had been.
The child looked no more than five or six years old. A breathing tube was inserted into his nose as he lay curled up on the hospital bed, so thin he resembled a pitiful little bean sprout. His round little head had been completely shaved. An IV needle was taped to his hand. Monitoring wires covered his upper body. He slept heavily, looking almost devoid of life.
Standing at the window, Mu Xiangxiang scarcely dared to breathe. The sight carried her back to a distant childhood memory— Watching her father being wheeled into a hospital.
How could there be such cruel scenes in this world?
The child's mother—the middle-aged woman who had searched everywhere for them—stood behind them, wiping away tears. "My husband and I were already in our forties before we finally had Rongrong through IVF. We probably won't ever have another child. When her grandparents heard what had happened, they collapsed and had to be hospitalized themselves. They're still in the hospital now. If... if Rongrong hadn't pulled through..."
She couldn't continue. An elderly man—apparently the child's grandfather—stood nearby, supported by his family, tears streaming down his face in guilt. "It was all my fault… If I hadn't been so busy watching those people play Chinese chess… Rongrong never would've… If anything had really happened to him… This old life of mine wouldn't have been worth saving..."
The child's grandmother—a silver-haired elderly woman who looked like she'd lived a comfortable life—tried several times to kneel in gratitude, only to be stopped by Qiao Nan every time.
The child's father, a tall, well-dressed middle-aged man, simply held his wife and broke down into uncontrollable sobs.
Amid the chaos, Mu Xiangxiang suddenly understood something. What she and Qiao Nan had saved wasn't just a child. It was the entire family standing behind that child.
The weight of so many lives settled heavily on her chest, so heavy she could barely breathe.
Yet at the same time, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
She was so incredibly grateful that she'd jumped into the water without hesitation that day.
When the family invited them into the hospital room to see the child, Mu Xiangxiang turned to Qiao Nan with reddened eyes where she stood by the window. Qiao Nan let out a quiet sigh. He didn't refuse. Instead, he simply reached over and gently patted her head.
As they entered, the child's mother said apologetically, "He's been waking up every day lately, but only for a little while. He might not stay awake long enough to thank you in person."
Unexpectedly, before the group dressed in sterile gowns had even reached the bedside, a tiny voice came from the hospital bed. "...Mom..."
Joy instantly lit up her face as she hurried to kneel beside the bed, carefully taking hold of her son's thin little hand. "Sweetheart, you're awake! Does your head still hurt?"
The child's mother froze. The little bean sprout shook his head. After looking at his mother for a moment, he turned to the two strangers in the room. "Who are they?"
His mother wiped away her tears. "They're the big brother and big sister who pulled you out of the water that day. Hurry and thank them."
Looking into those large, crystal-clear eyes fixed on her, Mu Xiangxiang felt both her heart ache and soften. Unable to resist, she stepped forward and gently squeezed the child's skinny little arm. "Hello."
The little boy simply stared at her. A moment later, a shy smile spread across his face. "Thank you, big sister."
Mu Xiangxiang blinked in surprise and glanced at Qiao Nan. The boy's mother looked embarrassed and hurriedly corrected him. "This one is actually big brother."
The child frowned in confusion. He stared at Mu Xiangxiang for a long while before stubbornly insisting, "No. That's big sister. The one behind is big brother."
The middle-aged woman grew flustered and opened her mouth to correct him again. Before she could speak, Mu Xiangxiang interrupted her.
"Big sister is fine." Smiling, she gently pinched the child's cheek, so thin there was almost no flesh left. "You're welcome. Get well soon, okay?"
***
On the way home, Mu Xiangxiang walked with noticeably lighter steps. Her mind was elsewhere. Qiao Nan strolled behind her with both hands tucked into his pockets. Twice he reached out just in time to stop her from walking straight into passing bicycles. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. Grabbing her by the arm, he snapped, "Watch where you're going, will you? Are you really that happy?"
"Qiao Nan." Mu Xiangxiang turned to meet his eyes. Her usually composed expression was barely holding together. Her eyes sparkled. "Did you notice? That little boy is really pretty."
"..." If he remembered correctly… That was a boy. Qiao Nan tilted his head back and shot her an exasperated sidelong glance. "Are you seriously such a lovestruck idiot? You're fantasizing about a kid that young?"
"..." Mu Xiangxiang looked completely baffled by his train of thought. "What are you talking about? He really is good-looking."
A moment later, unable to suppress her excitement, she continued, "And we… We're the ones who helped save his life."
We.
The subtle irritation in Qiao Nan's heart eased a little. Glancing at the stream of bicycles weaving onto the sidewalk, he thought for a moment before simply pulling Mu Xiangxiang onto a narrower, safer side street. Watching her excitement—which was completely unlike her usual calm demeanor—he shook his head with amused resignation. "I never would've guessed. Your moral character is exemplary."
Mu Xiangxiang paused. Then she realized what he meant. Her expression became a little more serious.
"Qiao Nan." She thought quietly for a while before speaking solemnly. "I've been thinking about what you said yesterday. You were right. There really is a chance we'll never switch back. When you asked whether I regretted it yesterday, I told you no. Actually… I lied. This morning, after I really thought everything through... I realized I did regret it."
The smile faded from Qiao Nan's face. He simply stood there, looking steadily at her.
Mu Xiangxiang raised her head. Her unfocused gaze drifted toward the sky. It was still night. Tiny stars were scattered across the deep black heavens.
She looked at them for a long time before speaking again. "We'll keep growing older. We may spend our whole lives living as each other. We'll run into so many problems that seem impossible to solve. Just like you said… When we grow up… Your family might start urging me to find a girlfriend."
She lowered her gaze back to him. Her eyes were steady and sincere. "But… If you asked me right now… If I had another chance… Would I still jump into that pond? My answer would definitely be… Yes. What about you?"
Their eyes met. After a long silence, Qiao Nan didn't answer. He merely let out a snort and looked away. "You little girl… You've got a serious hero complex."
Mu Xiangxiang smiled awkwardly when she didn't receive an answer. "I guess… I kind of do."
Thinking about it made her feel a little embarrassed. She imagined her words probably sounded incredibly childish to Qiao Nan. So she quickly pretended nothing had happened and turned to head home.
After only two steps— "Hey."
She froze. Turning around instinctively, she saw Qiao Nan standing a short distance behind her, both hands still in his pockets, looking as relaxed as ever.
He spoke casually. "Hey. I was thinking… If that day really comes. I mean… If my dad and my brother actually force me to get married."
Mu Xiangxiang stopped and looked at him in confusion.
Then, in the same light, unhurried tone, he finished the sentence. "Then I'll make a sacrifice. I'll just settle for marrying you."
Mu Xiangxiang stiffened. She stared at him from across the street.
The glow of passing headlights and neon signs washed over him. One hand had slipped out of his pocket. He idly twirled a leaf he'd picked up from who knew where. His face still wore that same indifferent expression, as though nothing in the world really mattered.
But the eyes fixed on hers...
Held a warm, gentle smile. And countless words left unsaid.
"Hey. I'm asking you. What do you think?"
The words he never voiced were—
If time were rewound… If he were given the choice again… He would probably do exactly what this fool of a girl had done.
He would still leap into that pond without a moment's hesitation.
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Author's Note:
Sometimes I wonder… Was it Brother Nan and Sister Xiang who saved this little boy's family? Or was this little boy the one who ended up saving Brother Nan's and Sister Xiang's families?
A brilliant mind is always busy pondering brilliant questions. Can't help it.
Brother Nan [n an awkwardly stiff tone]: "I wasn't proposing, okay? Don't go making things up. I've got my pride. I've got standards!"
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