Chapter 28: The concert

Jiang Yan's heart raced as she saw the towering building engulfed in flames. She could feel the intense heat and smoke emanating from it, and her mind raced with thoughts of how to save her closest people inside. Today was supposed to be a day of celebration for her company, as they had finally gone international. However, the joyous occasion quickly turned into a nightmare.

As she made her way through the chaos and flames, Jiang Yan watched helplessly as her closest people died one by one, their screams echoing in her ears. The flames licked at her skin and smoke filled her lungs, making it difficult for her to breathe. She struggled to keep her wits about her as everything around her crumbled to ashes.

Within seconds, everything that Jiang Yan had worked so hard to build was destroyed. Her only family, her closest people, were all gone, leaving her alone and on the verge of death. She could feel her strength waning, her consciousness slipping away as everything turned black.

Jiang Yan's body was covered in a sheen of cold sweat as she bolted upright, gasping for air. The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon filtering through her window. But the darkness could not hide the memories that flooded her mind, memories that she had tried to forget.

It had been days since the fire, but Jiang Yan had been unable to escape the nightmare that had become her life. Every time she closed her eyes, she was transported back to that fateful day, from her past life. She could still feel the heat of the flames on her skin, see the panicked faces of her colleagues as they tried to escape the inferno.

And the worst part was the feeling of helplessness that consumed her. There was nothing she could do to save them. She had been powerless to stop the fire from spreading, to rescue her closest people. It was a crushing weight that she carried with her every moment of every day.

But today, the memories were particularly vivid. It was as if she was living through the nightmare all over again. The emotions were so intense, so raw, that it was as if she could reach out and touch them. The fear, the pain, the overwhelming sense of loss. It was all there, just as real as it had been on that terrible day.

Jiang Yan took a deep breath, reminding herself that she had been given a second chance at life. She knew she couldn't keep living in fear and had to find the people who had killed everyone in her previous life before they got to her. Failure was not an option this time, she couldn't afford to lose anyone.

She needs to start the first phase of her plan soon.

***

Zhou Xuanzhi was moving around the restaurant taking orders from the customers. "Excuse me, what would you like to order?" he asked the man sitting at table 7.

"I'll have the chicken stir-fry with vegetables and a side of steamed rice, please," the man replied.

"Sure, and for you, ma'am?" Zhou Xuanzhi asked the woman sitting next to him.

"I'll have the hot and sour soup and the fried rice," she said with a smile.

As he moved to the next table, his phone started ringing incessantly. Zhou Xuanzhi excused himself from the customers and rushed towards the back of the restaurant where he kept his phone.

"Hello, this is Zhou Xuanzhi," he answered the phone.

"Xuanzhi, your mother's illness has relapsed. You need to come to the hospital immediately," a nurse informed him.

"What? Oh no, I'll be there right away," Zhou Xuanzhi replied in a panic.

He hung up the phone and walked back to the dining area. "Excuse me, Song Peng, I need to take a leave," he said to the restaurant owner.

"Is everything okay, Xuanzhi?" Song Peng asked with concern.

"My mother's illness has relapsed and I need to go to the hospital," Zhou Xuanzhi said, his voice tense.

Song Peng looked at him with concern. "Of course, go take care of your mother. Don't worry about the restaurant, we'll manage."

Zhou Xuanzhi nodded gratefully before rushing out of the restaurant. He hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address of the hospital. As the taxi weaved through the traffic, Zhou Xuanzhi's mind raced with worry for his mother. He remembered the last time she was hospitalised, and how she had to stay for weeks to recover. He hoped it wasn't anything serious this time.

Finally, the taxi pulled up in front of the hospital and Zhou Xuanzhi rushed inside. He made his way to the reception desk, where a nurse was typing away at a computer.

"Excuse me, my name is Zhou Xuanzhi. I received a call that my mother's illness has relapsed. Can you tell me where she is?"

The nurse looked up and smiled sympathetically. "Yes, of course. Your mother is in room 302 on the third floor. Take the elevator to the right and turn left when you get out."

Zhou Xuanzhi thanked her and hurried to the elevator. As the doors closed and he pressed the button for the third floor, his mind raced with worry and fear for his mother's health.

***

As they made their way to their seats, Hua Mei and Ling Meili were chatting excitedly about Long Lei, their favourite idol. They were holding banners and posters, discussing how amazing he was, and how much they loved his music. Jiang Yan was following behind them quietly, feeling a bit left out. She wasn't a fan of Long Lei, but she was happy to be spending time with her friends.

"I can't believe we're finally going to see Long Lei in concert!" Hua Mei exclaimed.

"I know, right? There is not a single concert which I never attended," Ling Meili added.

Jiang Yan laughed at their antics, "I never knew your idol had such a charm?"

With starry eyes, Hua Mei turned to Jiang Yan and exclaimed, "You don't know how amazing my hubby is! But no worries, by the end of the night, you'll definitely become a fan!" She grinned as she spoke.

Jiang Yan couldn't help but smile at her friend's enthusiasm.

As they approached their seats, Hua Mei let out a happy squeal and pointed excitedly, "We're so close to the stage!" Jiang Yan looked up and saw that their seats were indeed in a prime location. Knowing how much this meant to her friends, she couldn't help but feel happy.

Suddenly, Hua Mei hugged Jiang Yan and exclaimed, "Miss Jiang, you're the best! You got us the best seats!" They were all filled with joy.

Ling Meili pulled out a banner she had made, with Long Lei's name emblazoned across it. "We have to hold this up during the concert!" she said, handing banners to Hua Mei and Jiang Yan.

As they waited for the concert to start, the arena filled up with more and more people, all eager to see Long Lei perform. Jiang Yan looked around, taking in the excited chatter and the sea of faces, each one hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol.

When the lights in the arena dimmed, the crowd erupted in cheers. Long Lei had taken the stage, and the energy in the room was palpable. Hua Mei and Ling Meili held up their banners, screaming Long Lei's name as he began to sing.

As the evening progressed, a man stood on the highest floor of the venue, casting his eyes over the teeming masses of people below. After a while, his gaze came to rest on Jiang Yan's seat. Suddenly, he felt a slight tug on his pants and looked down to see Yun Cheng clinging to his legs with great enthusiasm.

Yun Cheng surveyed the concert venue with a sense of wonder, marveling at the sights and sounds around him. He turned to the man and asked, "Why did we come here, Third Uncle?"

Feng Yuansheng raised an eyebrow and replied, "We came to see your pretty sister!"

Yun Cheng's eyes widened with surprise and delight. "My pretty sister is here?!" he exclaimed.

Attempting to catch a glimpse of his sister through the window, Yun Cheng found himself too small to reach. He turned towards Feng Yuansheng and pleaded, "Third Uncle, could you please lift me up so I can see her?"

Li Ming, who had been following them, stepped forward to help. "Allow me to assist you, Young Master Yun," he offered, scooping the boy up into his arms. Yun Cheng pressed his face against the window, straining to spot his beloved sister among the throngs of people below.

After a few moments, Yun Cheng's face lit up with recognition. "There she is! I see her!" he exclaimed, pointing excitedly.

Eager to meet his sister, Yun Cheng turned towards Feng Yuansheng and said, "Third Uncle, let's go and meet her!"

Feng Yuansheng, who was still gazing at Jiang Yan, responded without turning his head, "We will, don't worry."

***