One More Chance

chapter 1

                       (Yanli POV)

I couldn’t feel much anymore.
Only warmth.

Someone was holding my hand.

“…Shijie.”

A-Xian’s voice.

Unsteady.

“Stay awake,” he said. “Don’t sleep.”

On the other side, A-Cheng didn’t say anything.

But his hand was tight around mine.
—

I opened my eyes slightly.
They were both there.
That was enough.
—

“…Don’t argue,” I said.
A-Xian went quiet.
A-Cheng’s grip tightened.
—

“You have to stay together.”
Neither of them answered.
—

There were still things I wanted to say.
But I didn’t have the strength.
—

“…If there was more time…”
A-Xian shook his head. “Don’t say that.”
A-Cheng stayed silent.
—

I looked at them once more.
Then everything faded.
—
…
—

When I opened my eyes again—
the ceiling above me felt unfamiliar.
Not wrong.
Just… different.
—

I sat up slowly.
This was my room at Lotus Pier.
But not the one I remembered.
Everything looked newer. Untouched.
—

A knock sounded at the door.
Before I could respond, it opened.

“Shijie—”
Wei Wuxian rushed in.

Behind him, Jiang Cheng followed.
They looked younger.
—

“Are you okay?” Wei Wuxian asked quickly.

“You suddenly fainted—”

“You didn’t wake up for four days,” Jiang Cheng added.

—
They came closer immediately.
Wei Wuxian hugged me first.
Jiang Cheng followed without hesitation.
—

“…We thought something happened,” Jiang Cheng said quietly.
—

I didn’t move.
Just listened.
—

“…I’m fine,” I said.
—

They pulled back.
Wei Wuxian let out a small breath.
Jiang Cheng still looked concerned.
—

“Don’t do that again,” he said.
“…Alright.”
—

After a while, they left.
—

The room became quiet.
—

I looked around again.
Everything was the same.
—

Before the fire.
Before the war.
—

Four days.
They said I had been unconscious for four days.
—

Outside, I could hear disciples training.
Voices.
Normal.
—

I had seen them earlier.
A-Xian and A-Cheng practicing.
Arguing like always.
—

Nothing had changed.
—

Except me.
—

I lowered my gaze.
—
So this was what it meant.
—

A second chance.
—

I didn’t know why.
But I understood one thing.
—

This time—
I would not let things end the same way.