You all chase after the innocent school beauty, then I'll choose the rebellious female school b

The sudden turn of events startled Lu Yuan and those around him, with some even letting out gasps of surprise.

Jiang Yiqing sat down heavily on the ground, clutching her right ankle tightly with both hands. Her face was deathly pale, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead. Her appearance was extremely unpleasant.

There was an inconspicuous indentation on the edge of the steps. She hadn't been paying attention and had stepped into it, twisting her right ankle.

"How are you?"

Lu Yuan quickly squatted down, carefully grasped Jiang Yiqing's ankle, and gently pressed it.

"Ouch!" Jiang Yiqing gasped, tears welling up in her eyes.

At this moment, the monks from the temple also rushed over upon hearing the noise, chanting "Amitabha" repeatedly and saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" repeatedly, and asking if they needed any help.

Jiang Yiqing bit her lip and shook her head: "It's nothing, just a twisted ankle, nothing serious. I'll be fine after a while."

Lu Yuan also felt there was no need to make a big deal out of it, but he simply suggested, "It would be best to improve the steps here, or put up a warning sign, to prevent anyone else from falling."

The monk nodded repeatedly in agreement, his attitude very sincere.

Lu Yuan helped Jiang Yiqing up and let her put one hand on his arm. "Let's go back first and find a clinic to take a look at you. Don't delay."

"Alright."

Jiang Yiqing nodded and, supported by Lu Yuan, limped out of the temple gate. With each step, her brow furrowed, clearly in considerable pain.

Lu Yuan muttered, "That step isn't exactly hidden, is it? You should watch your step when you walk in the future, or you might fall again."

That step was indeed quite conspicuous; Jiang Yiqing was probably the only person who had ever tripped and fallen there.

"I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time."

Jiang Yiqing nodded awkwardly, her voice low, as if admitting her mistake.

"I'm not blaming you, I'm just reminding you."

Lu Yuan was worried that Jiang Yiqing was feeling depressed. After all, it was the New Year, and she had to worry about her mother who was about to have surgery. Now she had twisted her ankle, which was really a double whammy.

Because the queue had taken so long, it was already evening, and the sky was getting dark. The hawking outside the temple had quieted down considerably, and the world was no longer as crowded as it had been earlier. Only a few lanterns and streetlights remained lit, swaying in the twilight.

Leaving the temple, there was still a long flight of stairs to descend. Jiang Yiqing twisted her ankle, making it particularly difficult to go down the stairs. She had to grit her teeth with each step, and her forehead was covered in even more cold sweat.

Lu Yuan simply walked up to her, bent down, and said, "I'll carry you down."

Jiang Yiqing was a little surprised and paused for a moment, but she still nodded happily and leaned directly onto Lu Yuan's back.

Jiang Yiqing also has a good figure, quite slender, probably weighing less than 90 pounds, very light. Lu Yuan felt no pressure carrying her, and even felt she was a bit too thin.

Lu Yuan was quite grateful to Jiang Yiqing.

In his past life, he only had eyes for Xu Lingjing and was blind to Jiang Yiqing's kindness. If he had thought carefully about what Jiang Yiqing had said back then, he might have been able to see Xu Lingjing's true colors more quickly and thus avoid the fate of his family being destroyed.

Of course, in that case, there might not have been a rebirth, and there would have been no way to meet Ye Yixian.

Therefore, every matter has its advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the lesser of two evils is the best policy.

Jiang Yiqing lay on Lu Yuan's back, her breathing slightly rapid, her warm breath brushing against Lu Yuan's neck.

Lu Yuan could feel the warmth of her breath and the faint fragrance emanating from her body, which smelled like gardenias. He couldn't tell if she was using that scented shampoo or if it was just her natural body fragrance.

"Yiqing, we are all your friends. If you encounter any difficulties, you can tell us. Friends should help each other." Lu Yuan carefully considered his words before continuing, "Give me your bank account number, and I'll transfer some money to you. You can use it if you need it, or keep it for emergencies if you don't."

Lu Yuan felt that he should still help Jiang Yiqing, as a way of thanking her for her concern in his previous life.

Although she had always been by Xu Lingjing's side in her past life, she had never spoken ill of her, and had even secretly reminded her at certain crucial moments. It's just that she was too slow to realize it back then.

"No, it's not necessary."

Jiang Yiqing quickly refused, her voice sounding somewhat flustered.

Lu Yuan didn't give her a chance to refuse and continued, "Now that things have come to this, you don't need to be polite. Everyone's family may encounter difficulties. You should be grateful that a friend lent a helping hand when you were in trouble. Don't worry about the money. I have enough cash flow and won't have any financial pressure just because I transferred some money to you."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yiqing fell into a long silence.

She could feel the warmth emanating from Lu Yuan's back, and the vibration of his chest as he spoke, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

After a long while, she seemed to have figured it out and said softly, "Okay, I understand. Thank you, Lu Yuan."

"You are welcome."

Soon, the two arrived at the parking area.

Lu Yuan opened the passenger door and put Jiang Yiqing inside. Just as he was about to get out, he found himself being hugged.

"What's wrong?" Lu Yuan asked, puzzled, thinking that Jiang Yiqing was feeling unwell.

Jiang Yiqing didn't rush to speak, but instead held Lu Yuan tightly, burying her face in his chest, her voice muffled.

This made Lu Yuan very uncomfortable. His body stiffened for a moment, but he did not push her away immediately.

After a long while, Jiang Yiqing finally raised her head, her eyes slightly red, and asked softly, "Um... Lu Yuan, what... do you think of me?"

When she said this, her voice was very soft, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, as if she were testing the waters, or as if she were waiting for a crucial answer.