Chapter 31

“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”

Jiang Chan’s reply yanked Bai Shuangshuang’s wandering thoughts back to the present. As she spoke, she gave her a meaningful look. “On the other hand… it’s you I’m worried about.”

“Hm? Me? What’s wrong with me?”

Jiang Chan shook her head. “Nothing.”

Jiang Chan decided it was best to let her figure out her own feelings. As an outsider, she shouldn’t meddle in such matters.

Bai Shuangshuang shot her a puzzled glance. Seeing that she had clammed up and wouldn’t say more, she let the matter drop.

But a faint unease had already taken root in her heart. It grew until the weekend, when she went to Jiang Chan’s dorm to look for her—only to find Jiang Chan wasn’t there.

“She’s been off these past couple of days. She straight-up fainted during PE class yesterday. Don’t you know what’s going on with her?”

Fresh out of the dorm, Bai Shuangshuang pulled out her phone and dialed Jiang Chan.

She tried several times before the call finally connected.

The background noise on the other end was chaotic. Listening closely, she caught snippets like “collect the money.”

Bai Shuangshuang’s instincts flared with alarm. “Jiang Chan, what are you doing?”

Jiang Chan’s voice sounded weak, but her tone was business as usual. “I’m working a part-time gig. It’s the weekend, right? Look, I’m kinda busy here. I’ll call you back when I’m done.”

“Jiang Chan!”

She shouted her name in a panic just before the line could go dead. A dark premonition bubbled up from the pit of her stomach. No time to unpack it—she switched to a commanding tone. “Whatever you’re doing right now, stop it! Now! Immediately! Tell me where you are—I’ll come get you! Jiang Chan! I don’t know what’s happened, and I don’t have time for explanations. Whatever it is, trust me—there’s always a way out! You’re not alone. You have me. Understand? So tell me where you are!”

The background grew even noisier, a man’s low, raspy voice barking interruptions, the words cutting in and out.

“People waiting behind… don’t hold things up…”

“Jiang Chan! If you see me as a friend, then trust me! Where are you right now!”

Bai Shuangshuang was already gasping for breath as she sprinted to the school gate. A taxi pulled up just in time. The second the passenger stepped out, she dove inside.

Jiang Chan rattled off an address.

Bai Shuangshuang repeated it to the driver, oblivious to the flicker of surprise in his eyes.

Her phone beeped a low-battery warning. She’d regained some composure by then, figuring that since Jiang Chan had shared the location, she probably wouldn’t do anything rash. “My battery’s dying,” she told the phone. “Stay put and wait for me. I’m on my way, Jiang Chan. Trust me.”

Jiang Chan didn’t get a chance to respond before the phone died on its own.

Bai Shuangshuang exhaled sharply. In the rearview mirror, she caught sight of her own disheveled state.

“Excuse me, do you have a charger? My phone’s dead—could I borrow one?”

The driver unplugged his own device and passed her the power bank and cable.

Bai Shuangshuang plugged in but left the phone alone. She peered out the window and asked the driver, “How much longer?”

“It’s not close. Without traffic, about twenty minutes.”

She murmured her thanks. Her hands twisted together unconsciously, fingers digging in, her anxiety laid bare.

What if—

Jiang Chan had already done something irreversible?

Bai Shuangshuang shoved the thought away. Just entertaining it plunged her body into an icy chill, shivers wracking her frame.

The driver eyed her repeatedly in the mirror. At last, he couldn’t hold back. “Hey, kid—has your friend been going to that place for long?”

Her face went slack. “What kind of place is it?”

The middle-aged man sighed. He hated seeing her on the verge of collapse, but he laid it out anyway. “Folks who head there? They’re usually there to sell.”

“Sell?”

Sell what?

It hit her like a sledgehammer to the skull. Stars burst across her vision, the world around her falling silent.

The driver caught her misinterpretation and hurried to clarify. “Not selling themselves—selling stuff from inside their bodies.”

To Bai Shuangshuang, though, it was six of one, half a dozen of the other.

“Selling… a kidney?”

“Eggs.”

Eggs?

Bai Shuangshuang stared blankly. She’d never even realized something like that could be sold.

Her mind flashed to Jiang Chan’s increasingly bloodless face. Darkness swam before her eyes. Her nails bit deep into her palms, the sharp pain turning her eyes red in an instant.

“You shouldn’t assume the worst. Didn’t you just call her? If it was only a little off, it probably hasn’t started yet. And supposing— just supposing—your friend really did go through with it, don’t curse her out right away. She might have hit rock bottom and had no other choice. Talk to her gently, help her take care of her health, and make sure she never does anything that stupid again.”

The man’s words of comfort fell on deaf ears. Bai Shuangshuang felt weak all over, her breaths coming shallow and labored.

That was Jiang Chan! The Jiang Chan who always claimed she knew what mattered most! The Jiang Chan who lived life with such optimism, facing everything with a smile!

What had happened? Why had it come to this?

Was it desperation? But you’re not alone!

She suddenly wanted to burst into tears. Why didn’t you tell me? Aren’t we friends?

Whatever it is, you could have told me, right?

Or do you think I’m not someone you can rely on?

The man heard the soft sobs from behind him and fell silent. He reached out to turn on the music. Soon, a gentle melody filled the car, drowning out the heartbreaking whimpers.

~~~

“As long as she’s okay, everything can be faced.”

Those were the driver’s parting words to her.

She thanked him with a nod and stepped out of the car. There, standing by the roadside, was Jiang Chan waiting for her.

From a distance, she looked so frail, as if a gust of wind could sweep her away.

Bai Shuangshuang began to despise herself. She really wasn’t fit to be Jiang Chan’s friend. If only she’d noticed something was wrong sooner—would any of this have happened?

Because she hadn’t noticed a thing, Jiang Chan must have felt she couldn’t lean on her. That had to be it.

Jiang Chan spotted her and waved, her face lit up with a bright, cheerful smile.

Bai Shuangshuang’s heart ached. The more carefree Jiang Chan’s smile seemed, the worse she felt.

The light turned green, and Jiang Chan crossed the crosswalk. Her legs were long; in moments, she stood right in front of her.

Bai Shuangshuang looked at her and broke down crying.

Jiang Chan’s smile froze. She patted down her pockets but couldn’t find any tissues, so she used the back of her hand to wipe away the tears. Curious onlookers glanced their way, so she pulled her friend into a nearby shop, sat her down in a chair, and headed to the counter to order some food.

The place wasn’t crowded. She was back in no time, tissues in hand, dabbing at Bai Shuangshuang’s face.

In a hoarse voice, Bai Shuangshuang asked, “Did… did you sell them?”

Jiang Chan paused mid-motion as she unwrapped something. Seeing Bai Shuangshuang’s red, puffy eyes and the look of someone who already knew the truth, she sighed and nodded. “Yeah. You found out?”

Fresh tears streamed down Bai Shuangshuang’s cheeks. “Why would you do something so stupid? If you needed anything, you could’ve told me! Aren’t we friends? Do you have any idea how much damage this does to your body? Jiang Chan! Why would you do something so idiotic!”

For once, Jiang Chan meekly took the scolding. She handed over the unwrapped burger. “Bai Shuangshuang, I was desperate for money. I didn’t want to do it, but I had no choice. It was the fastest way I could think of to get cash.”

Sometimes, when money was involved, people had no say in what they had to do.

“You could’ve told me you needed money! I have some—I’d lend you whatever you need!”

Jiang Chan smiled and grabbed another tissue to wipe her face again.

“Money’s the thing that ruins friendships most easily. Don’t worry about me. I’m healthy; I’ll recover soon.”

Smack.

She froze, the sting on her cheek leaving her dazed for a moment. The one who’d slapped her was crying even harder, as if she’d been the one hit.

“Jiang Chan! Do you even see me as a friend? Money’s nothing! Do you think I’m the kind of person who’d value it over our friendship in hard times? How low do you think our bond is? Do you know how hurtful that was to hear?”

Even though Bai Shuangshuang was the one who’d struck first, Jiang Chan felt like she was the one in the wrong.

Bai Shuangshuang wiped her tears and apologized. “I’m sorry. I got too worked up; I shouldn’t have hit you. So, how much do you need? I don’t want to hear that kind of talk from you again, and I don’t want you doing something stupid like selling your eggs ever again!”

“Wait a second.”

Jiang Chan felt like she’d taken that slap for nothing.

“Who the hell told you I sold my eggs?”

Bai Shuangshuang blinked, her swollen eyes giving her a comically bewildered look. “You did.”

Jiang Chan rolled her eyes and touched her cheek where Bai Shuangshuang had just slapped her. Hiss—that woman really didn’t hold back.

“I wouldn’t stoop to something that stupid even if I had nowhere else to turn. I can tell what’s important, you know? I have my limits, okay? Yeah, I sold something. Just a bit of blood. What the hell were you imagining?”

No wonder she’d cried like she was at a funeral. Even Jiang Chan had been scared for a moment, but selling a little blood wasn’t that big a deal, was it? She was carrying on like someone had died.

“The driver said this is where they sell that stuff.”

“Yeah… I think I saw some in the girls’ bathroom by the teaching building. Bai Shuangshuang, you really are an idiot. You say you don’t believe me, but this reaction of yours? It proves you do.”

Fuming, Jiang Chan snatched back the burger she’d just unpacked for her and took a massive bite. “And I got slapped for nothing. Pisses me off. No way—you’re covering my meal money next week. It hurts like hell. You look all soft and fragile, but damn, you pack a punch.”

Once she knew Jiang Chan hadn’t done anything foolish, Bai Shuangshuang finally felt the tension drain from her chest. She nodded. “Fine, I’ll cover it. But isn’t selling blood banned these days? And shouldn’t it hurt your body?”

“It’s banned on the surface, but if you really want to, there are ways to find it. Hurt your body? Nah. Tons of people donate voluntarily and they’re fine. Anyway, drop it. Let’s eat. We paid good money for this—eat it while it’s hot.”

“Then promise me you won’t sell anything else from now on.”

Jiang Chan met her gaze, her expression turning serious. “Bai Shuangshuang, I really need money. And I need it now.”

She couldn’t take out a loan, so at the moment, this was the only option she could think of.

“How much do you need? I’ll lend it to you.”

Jiang Chan smiled casually. “A hundred thousand.”

“I’ll do it.”

Seeing no hint of a joke in Bai Shuangshuang’s eyes, her smile faded.