"Ladies and gentlemen, due to the air currents affecting our flight path, we are experiencing significant turbulence. Please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened, and refrain from using the restrooms at this time. Thank you for your cooperation...." A sweet, mechanical female voice suddenly filled the broadcast, shattering the silence in the cabin. It was closely followed by a standard English announcement, much the same as the one before. Encountering turbulence on a flight is nothing out of the ordinary; many frequent fliers probably have come to this realization. After the initial panic, and with the reassurance from the flight attendants, passengers gradually settled down. In first class, Ning Zijin closed her eyes, ignoring everything around her as if she was disconnected from the outside world. Suddenly, the turbulence worsened, and as passengers screamed, the plane began to plummet, giving the sensation of falling into a bottomless abyss, amplifying the fear in everyone’s hearts. The air was filled with the intermittent crying of women, the loud wails of two seven or eight-year-old children scared into tears, and men’s heavy sighs. In an instant, the scent of death enveloped the entire cabin. Ning Zijin’s hands clenched the armrests, her veins standing out on the back of her hands, as she slowly opened her eyes. "Wuu... I don’t want to die... I haven’t even had a boyfriend yet, what a loss if I die now...." A young girl in the seat in front of her cried out between sobs. "I’m getting married soon. How’s my fiancé going to cope if I die...." The catastrophe came so swiftly, leaving no time for anyone to prepare mentally. As death approaches, people find there’s too much to let go—family, love, friendships. There are always those people who cannot face death calmly. She was the only quiet one, not crying or fussing, sitting calmly amidst the crowd, which made her seem somewhat out of place. If she died, it would be a kind of relief. There would be no more tangled problems to face, but what about Ye Feng? How was he going to deal with her departure? No one is incapable of living without another; at most he would grieve for a while, and then he would start a new life. Without her, he wouldn’t have to be so conflicted and could peacefully accept the arrangements of Lady Ye. His life without her would undoubtedly be smoother. Just thinking about it made her heart ache uncontrollably. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel~fire~net "In the last moments of life, who is the person you’d most like to see, and what would you say to them?" The man in the next seat suddenly spoke up. Ning Zijin turned to glance at him—a man in his thirties, dressed in a manner that screamed success. He, too, looked calm and composed, showing no sign of the fear one might expect from someone on the brink of death. "Thinking about that now is meaningless," Ning Zijin said quietly. "I treated my wife poorly in the past, causing her grief. It’s only at this moment that I finally understand. Life... there’s no obstacle that can’t be overcome. As long as you’re alive, there’s always a chance. Once you die, it’s all gone...." Ning Zijin pursed her lips and slowly closed her eyes. The plane’s descent became more violent, obviously caught in a powerful air current. Whether they could survive was a matter of luck. Indeed, he was right. Life extinguishes like a candle; the things that need to be forgiven, rectified, regretted, and the sorrowful, happy memories—all would turn to smoke. What’s the point of dwelling on them? She suddenly thought of Ye Feng. Perhaps at times , people become especially sensitive and vulnerable. If he knew she was dying, he would surely be heartbroken. Just the thought brought tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. She had survived many storms before. Why couldn’t she hold on now? Claiming it was for his best, she left him under the pretense of good intentions. But was that truly for the best? Actually, she just didn’t want to admit that she was a coward, a deserter. Perhaps people always become more rational in moments of danger, like now, facing the threat of death, she began to understand many things. A figure walked slowly towards them, reached out and patted the man’s shoulder, and the man turned his head... An arm wrapped around her shoulder, as if carrying an infinite warmth and strength. She stared blankly, turning her head. Through her tear-blurred eyes, she saw a handsome face, familiar and heart-wrenchingly painful. Was she hallucinating? It seemed she really was about to die. The tears flowed even more fiercely. "Jinjin, don’t be afraid. Even if it’s death, I’ll be with you," that voice, unbelievably gentle. It was also unbelievably familiar. She forced her eyes wide, trying to see his face clearly.