Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s Chapter 2443 - 2379: Those Whose Paths Crossed

"That's truly remarkable. I feel like a childhood like that isn't so terrible." Wang Yi let out a sigh, and then, as if a sudden thought struck him, he hurriedly clarified, "What I mean is, acquiring those skills, not the circumstances behind them."

"I understand."

Chiang Xiao remained completely unconcerned.

In her view, her current situation was rather fortunate.

Yet, the moment Zhu Shun crossed her mind, memories of her previous life flooded back unbidden.

Truth be told, the instant Zhu Shun addressed her as "sister," Chiang Xiao's heart had already stirred.

That voice rang with such striking familiarity!

Furthermore, this individual was tied directly to the fateful day of her demise in her former existence.

Why had she chosen to flee rather than allow those pursuers to seize her outright?

The villains had deliberately blocked the road she had no choice but to take, lying in wait for her arrival.

Once she approached the vehicle, they could simply fling open the door and drag her in.

But right as Chiang Xiao neared the car, a man across the street bellowed out to her, "Run, sister! Bad guys are inside that vehicle!"

Startled by the cry, Chiang Xiao froze for a second before her instincts kicked in, prompting her to whirl around and bolt.

After dashing some distance, she glanced over her shoulder and saw, as expected, several figures leaping from the car to pursue her.

In her desperate flight, she never got a glimpse of the warners' appearance, too focused on escaping. Even so, capture eventually overtook her.

Right up to her final moments, Chiang Xiao lacked the opportunity to recall the identity of her mysterious benefactor.

She had convinced herself the memory was lost forever.

That was until Zhu Shun surfaced from the river and called out to them.

Then it hit her—she retained a vivid recollection, the timbre etched deeply in her mind.

Regardless of the circumstances, that stranger had aided her once, extending a crucial warning.

In her prior life, such a gesture felt like an invaluable treasure.

Back then, she'd been stunned that the man opposite her knew of the danger in the car and urged her to flee. Now, with insight into Zhu Shun's history, it all made sense.

As a former standout in the special operations unit, he possessed sharper instincts and awareness than most.

Still, she puzzled over why he'd only shouted without rushing to her aid.

With that in mind, Chiang Xiao gave a wry shake of her head.

Was she demanding too much from a near-stranger?

Zhu Shun must have been around fifty then, an elder long retired from the team for decades. His physique likely wasn't what it once was—how could she anticipate an older man charging in to rescue her?

His mere shout of alert, despite her ultimate doom, stood as a genuine act of goodwill.

This realization explained why Chiang Xiao had so readily accepted Meng Xinian's offer to help with the fishing.

"Xiao Chiang, Xiao Chiang?"

Wang Yi's call yanked her from the grip of her recollections.

"What's wrong?"

"I was just wondering if these are safe to eat?" Wang Yi displayed two mushrooms tinged with a faint blue-green hue, gazing at her with concern. "Are you alright? Your face seems paler than before."

Chiang Xiao hesitated briefly.

Indeed, despite the years gone by, revisiting the horror of her death day from her past life always triggered throbbing headaches and a racing heart, the sensation of plummeting endlessly still fresh.

The utter hopelessness, the agony, the terror.

Under such strain, how could her color look healthy?

How might she ever absolve those foes from her bygone life?

"It's fine. I was just thinking about Brother Xinian's wound—I'm still anxious, unsure if it's wise for him to be in the water."