My Life with Narration

Chapter 543 - 534: Shadow

No one can decide how a person’s life should be lived, except for the person themselves. Sometimes outsiders are completely powerless in this regard.

Even if he’s tried his utmost, the circumstance still dealt him a heavy blow. He couldn’t save her, unless he could fly.

The figure, set against the backdrop of fireworks, resembled a fairy, as if she was about to fly to the moon in the next instant, breathtakingly beautiful! But at that very moment, two men simultaneously fell to their knees.

Du Qiang knelt on the ground, his voice hoarse as he screamed "No," but he could only watch helplessly as that figure smashed through the thin ice surface and fell into the river.

Meanwhile, Su Qing felt his mind buzzing, a complete blank, and a sensation of powerlessness overwhelmed him.

He clearly had a chance, but in the end, there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t persuade her; his physical strength failed him, and the prompts came too late.

Of course, he also knew that with Jiang Yu’s current state, if she had seen them earlier, she might have jumped sooner.

She could make one last phone call to Du Qiang, but she didn’t want her most vulnerable self to appear before the one she liked.

This might be the best solution offered by the situation, at least allowing Du Qiang and her to have one last distant gaze on the bridge and the shore.

Nevertheless, Su Qing felt himself overwhelmed with distress. He wasn’t sure if it was the physical exhaustion or the impact of the scene that shocked him so greatly, but for a moment, he couldn’t stand up, feeling utterly drained.

"Ah!! Someone jumped into the river!"

"Somebody help!"

"Someone jumped into the river!"

At the same time, the pedestrians on the bridge also noticed what happened, screaming as they gathered around.

"I... are you okay, what should we do?" At this time, Li Zijun, being a police officer, wanted to step in and help rescue, but Su Qing’s condition reminded her of how Zhang Heng’s father died in front of him, making her quite worried.

"Don’t... don’t mind me, Qiang, hurry, don’t let him act rashly!" Su Qing propped himself up with one hand and pushed Li Zijun’s leg with the other, urging her to go ahead and help, at least to control Du Qiang, who seemed to be charging forward.

"Alright, don’t move around, I’ll be right back!" Li Zijun said, and then sprinted toward the scene.

Although Jiang City is considered in the north where it snows, it’s way less cold compared to the Northeast. The river in the southern part of the city is quite broad and even in the coldest times, only forms a thin layer of ice. Sometimes, the center doesn’t freeze at all, so skating is rare, while swimming in summer is popular.

Du Qiang just attempted to climb over the fence, but was tackled by Li Zijun.

"Let go of me, I need to save her!" Du Qiang yelled.

"Calm down, you’re here to rescue, not to die. Quickly contact for rescue, see if there are any boats nearby!"

At this moment, Li Zijun remained calm. While it’s a police officer’s duty to rescue when people’s lives are in danger, they shouldn’t throw their own lives away.

The spot where Jiang Yu jumped wasn’t near the shore, it was almost the middle of the bridge, at least several dozen meters from the bank. Considering the current temperature, the river water is unimaginably cold.

Whether one knows how to swim or not, they’d risk drowning or freezing to death. If anything unexpected happens, they’d be in serious trouble.

Then, Li Zijun gave Du Qiang a slap on the forehead to calm him down, then ran, calling 110 and 120, contacting for rescue.

Before long, they found a pedal boat on the nearby shore, specifically placed by Jiangcheng City for this very reason — to prevent drownings.

After all, people drown in Jiang City every year, so over time, preventive measures have been implemented.

As more people gathered on the shore, many took out their phones to take pictures and share on social media. Very soon, rescue personnel arrived, but it was too late for the one who drowned.

Li Zijun and Du Qiang pedaled the boat, flashing lights and calling loudly on the river surface, but found no trace at all.

Jiang Yu’s figure, leaping without a hint of hesitation, was firm and decisive. Perhaps she saw no future in herself, or was utterly disillusioned with her current life.

Maybe leaving was her release.

Because he knew Jiang Yu’s past, that’s why he agreed to her request at the last moment; because he understood the suffering in her heart, he felt so powerless. Even Li Zijun next to him couldn’t comprehend why he said what he did at the time.

Why couldn’t they just try harder to persuade her?

But didn’t he want to? Yet he was just an ordinary person, confronting such resolute determination, such experiences, he opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a sound, like he had become mute.

Time flew by, reaching twelve o’clock at night, as the temperature plummeted. Su Qing held onto the railing by the shore, his hands so cold they were turning purple, yet he seemed oblivious.

Several lifeboats patrolled the surface, and many rescuers hadn’t given up hope, even if it seemed faint.

"Are you... alright?" Just then, Li Zijun came up behind and inquired.

After the rescuers arrived, she wasn’t needed anymore, but Du Qiang still participated in the rescue.

Su Qing didn’t turn around, just shook his head and hoarsely said, "Sister Jun, I thought of so many ways, I really did.

I wanted to give her a reason to live, like how a blockbuster movie costing millions of US Dollars can be easily pirated online, and games costing millions can be played for free.

Even the highest wisdom of human civilization, accumulated over thousands of years, is written in books and freely available in libraries to explore.

This world may have ten thousand horrors, but simultaneously, it has a myriad of beauties. It’s just... I couldn’t find a single beauty reflected in her, do you think... I shouldn’t have taken that call?"

Hearing this, Li Zijun patted his shoulder and shook her head, "That’s not true, you did your best. If it were just the two of us, we might not have even found this place. Besides, wasn’t I right there with you at the time? I had no means either."

Saying so, Li Zijun sighed and leaned her arms on the railing in the same posture, continuing:

"Everyone has different thoughts, in this age, if you’re determined not to be a pawn or a beast of burden, the invisible forces won’t personally intervene and compel our obedience.

A drink costing a few bucks is also tasty, a ten-dollar meal box or roadside fried chicken and chicken legs taste great too. But that’s just what I think; we can’t measure others by our own standards.

The result was her own choice, we can only do our utmost best."

As they talked, cries of surprise came from the river surface.

"Found her, found her!"

Instantly, the rescuers on the shore leapt into action, especially the medical staff from 120, though hope seemed slim, they prepared nonetheless.

Soon, a rescue boat came ashore, and Du Qiang, wearing a life vest, hugged Jiang Yu wrapped in a wet coat, shouting as he climbed ashore:

"Doctor, doctor! Save her!"

In a flurry, a group of doctors surrounded them, but soon dispersed, with the leading doctor shaking his head.

As Su Qing looked over, he saw only a couple embracing under the lamplight.

In the light, there were two shadows: a long one belonging to Du Qiang’s future, and a short one of Jiang Yu’s life.

...