One Life, One Incarnation, Beautiful Bones

30

"Miss Shi Yi." Behind her, Uncle Lin had already swiftly yanked open the car door. "Do not move. Remain within the car."

She was unable to react. Four vehicles had already screeched to a halt in front of the car she was in, blocking her view.

The people who stepped out one after another all stood there silently, forming a protective shield in front of Shi Yi's vehicle. The firing gunshots and running and screaming people in the distance all seemed disassociated from where she was.

Gunfire still sounded, but she no longer could see the scene.

Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, and she forceful clutched his jacket that was beside her.

She was completely incapable of thinking. She could only remember Uncle Lin's words: do not move.

Soon, the gunshots died out.

The people and the cars protecting her, however, still did not move. She did not dare even to blink. Even though she could not see anything, she still stared fixedly in that direction where she witnessed that scene. She told herself slowly, Shi Yi, you need to stay calm, stay calm...

All of a sudden, the car door was pulled open.

She immediately clutched his jacket to her chest, staring in terror at the door.

"Shi Yi."

Zhousheng Chen was calling her.

She wanted to answer. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"Shi Yi." He called her again in a soft voice as he sat into the car. "It's nothing. It's nothing at all. Don't be scared. There is absolutely no danger at all." This was the first time he had ever lost all form of order or logical flow when speaking, and he just chose things to say that would most comfort her. Sentence after sentence, he told her that she was not in any danger.

In a deliberately gentle voice, he consoled her.

Zhousheng Chen covered her hand with his own as he took his jacket from her. Then, he clasped both of her hands in his palms. "Say something to me, Shi Yi. Say my name."

"Zhousheng Chen..." She listened to him and finally said her first words.

"Keep saying my name."

"Zhousheng Chen..."

"Keep saying it."

"Zhousheng Chen."

His voice guided her and helped her forget that gun battle that had arisen so abruptly.

Through their dialogue, those stabbing, cruel sounds of bullets being fired gradually faded away from her mind. There was a thin layer of sweat covering Zhousheng Chen's palms. They were warm and strong as they gripped her hands tightly, perhaps even a little too forcefully.

But it was the ache in her hand because he was squeezing her with such strength that caused Shi Yi to slowly recover and calm.

"Any better?" he asked her in a low voice.

"Mm." She forced a smile. "I'm sorry, I've really never come across..."

This included her past life where she had also never truly seen battles of cold, unfeeling weapons or corpses.

"It's alright. Your reaction is very normal." With his right hand, he tucked the long strands of her hair behind her ear. When his fingers brushed against her cheek, he could feel perspiration on it. "There isn't anyone who is not afraid of gunfights."

Besides movies and television dramas, this was the first time she had ever encountered such a situation.

But yet, he was very calm.