The people in the car obviously saw her, but something seemed to be wrong with the vehicle. It didn't slow down at all and hurtled straight toward her.
Xuejiao's eyes widened in shock. Am I about to die again?
The road had a slope on the right side, and as the car descended, its speed increased uncontrollably. Xuejiao's mind went blank.
"Ho…"
The car swerved sharply right in front of her and crashed into a tree at terrifying speed.
"Bang…"
The deafening sound of the collision snapped Xuejiao out of her daze. The taxi that had initially been heading toward her fled the scene, leaving the road completely deserted.
Panicked, she glanced around but couldn't find anyone nearby to ask for help. Desperate, she shouted toward the nearby shops: "Is anyone there? There's been an accident!"
Without waiting for a response, she fumbled to take out her phone, dialed 120 (emergency services), and rushed toward the wrecked car.
As she approached, the smell of gasoline hit her nose, and her pupils shrank in alarm.
Gasoline!
The hot summer sun, the damaged vehicle, and the overpowering smell of fuel were a dangerous combination.
In her previous life, Xuejiao had experienced a car accident just before she died, and the memory of the impact rendered her unconscious back then. Now, she couldn't help but wonder, Will the person in this car die, too?
Gritting her teeth, Xuejiao forced herself to move closer. The car's front end was completely deformed, and the windows were shattered. When she opened the driver's door, she saw a man in a suit slumped over the steering wheel, shards of glass scattered around him.
Blood dripped from his forehead onto the steering wheel, the sight utterly terrifying. Meanwhile, the smell of gasoline in the air grew thicker.
"Sir? Sir?"
She called out, but there was no response.
Clenching her teeth, Xuejiao reached in, unfastened the man's seatbelt, and began pulling him out.
"Sir… I'm sorry. Even if you're injured, I… I have to pull you out," she muttered, gasping for air as she struggled with his weight.
In her heart, she knew that moving an accident victim might cause further injury, but in this situation, there was no choice. The car could explode at any moment.
Fortunately, the man seemed semi-conscious and instinctively followed her movements.
"Sir, don't worry. I'll save you!"
Sweat soaked her as she dragged him out of the car. She slung one of his arms over her shoulder, half-supporting and half-carrying him away.
Though his feet moved with difficulty, Xuejiao felt a glimmer of hope.
"Sir, we… We need to go farther! Hang in there. I can't… leave you…" she panted heavily, her legs trembling under the strain.
Suddenly, a loud "Boom…" erupted behind them, and the man's full weight collapsed onto her.
"Ah!"
Xuejiao lost her balance and fell to the ground, unable to support him anymore.
The car was on fire.
Lying on the ground, Xuejiao felt paralyzed with a mix of fear and relief. Her face was pale, her lips trembled, and her heart pounded wildly like a drum.
The explosion finally drew the attention of nearby residents. Before long, fire trucks and ambulances arrived at the scene.
As attention turned to the man she had rescued, Xuejiao quietly slipped away from the crowd.
All the books I bought are gone now, she thought ruefully. They were in the car… and burned.
This was Xuejiao's first time going out alone in this world, and she'd encountered such a terrifying event. However, saving a life made it all worthwhile.
"Zizania? What happened to you?" Li Sitong exclaimed in shock as she stared at Xuejiao, who was drinking water.
Xuejiao was dirty, drenched in sweat, and, most alarmingly, had blood on her. Li Sitong looked ready to faint.
Even Cheng Mingze frowned, his gaze fixed on her.
Xuejiao waved her hand dismissively and continued gulping down water. It took a while for her to regain her composure.
"There was an accident," she said at last.
"What?"
"I wasn't in an accident. Someone else was. It was so hot today that their car started leaking gasoline. I helped pull the person out before the car burned." Xuejiao explained it casually, though only she knew how terrifying it had been.
"Are you okay?" Li Sitong asked as she checked Xuejiao for injuries, her hands trembling as she touched her daughter's arms and shoulders.
Looking at her anxious mother, Xuejiao felt a pang of warmth. She couldn't understand why Gu Xuejiao had thought Li Sitong didn't love her. This woman's love was real—she just didn't know how to express it.
"I'm fine. Really, Mom. Don't worry," Xuejiao reassured her gently.
Even so, Li Sitong scolded her, "That was so dangerous!"
"Okay, okay, I understand!" Xuejiao quickly agreed, trying to calm her mother.
Cheng Mingze continued to watch her suspiciously. Did she really risk her life to save someone? Is this girl actually so kind?
Xuejiao ignored his thoughts. After drinking her water, she went upstairs to take a shower and change her clothes.
When she took off her clothes, she noticed her wrist and frowned slightly.
"Strange… Where's my watch?"
After failing to find it, she didn't think much of it and continued with her bath. Later, she ate dinner and then went back to her room to prepare for school the next day.
Meanwhile, in a hospital ward…
"Zhihua! You're awake. You scared your parents to death!" An elegant middle-aged woman sat beside the bed, looking at the man lying there with worry.
Lin Zhihua stirred, and a man in a suit stepped forward respectfully to help him sit up.
"What's the diagnosis?" Lin Zhihua asked, his tone calm and composed.
The man in the suit, Chen Yan, replied immediately, "Concussion, a dislocated left shoulder due to secondary movement, and multiple lacerations."
Lin Zhihua nodded, showing no emotion. He turned to his father. "Have you investigated the incident?"
Lin's father hesitated. "We haven't had time yet…"
"No need," Lin Zhihua interrupted. "I already know. The brakes failed, and the airbag didn't deploy. This wasn't just an accident. Whether it was the crash or the fire, it was a deliberate attempt to kill me."
Lin's father and mother were shocked. Lin's mother stood up angrily. "I'll make them pay for this!"
Lin Zhihua remained expressionless. "Chen Yan, this must have been orchestrated by my second uncle and grandfather. Investigate thoroughly. Gather evidence and take action."
"Yes, sir."
"And ensure the shareholders stay calm. Dismiss anyone leaking information."
"Yes, sir."
As Chen Yan left, Lin's parents tried to persuade their son to consider having a child as an heir, but Lin Zhihua dismissed the conversation.
Left alone, Lin Zhihua rubbed his fingers over a delicate lady's watch, his mind replaying the faint voice that had reached him during the accident:
"Sir, I'll save you… Don't worry…"
The next day, school began at No. 7 Middle School.
Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong drove Cheng Mingze and Xuejiao to campus, with Cheng Shuo giving both children plenty of advice along the way.
Xuejiao, now in her second year of high school, walked into her new classroom with renewed determination. This was her second chance at life, and she was ready to climb higher than ever before.
At the classroom door, she accidentally bumped into someone.
"Ah…"
She looked up, stunned to see the boy in front of her.
"It's you!" they both exclaimed.