JFWCM Chapter 59

Love Like Stardust

In the bustling city surrounded by interstellar rings, the lives of Jiang Wan’yuan and Yi Shang were originally like a harmonious movement, interwoven with the laughter of the campus, the exploration of scientific research, and the deep friendship between them. However, the gears of fate quietly turned, and a sudden storm was about to engulf their world.

Jiang Wan’yuan finished her morning run as usual and stepped into her home with a brisk pace, preparing to welcome a new day of campus life. However, the unusual atmosphere at home was like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the joy in her heart. Her mother was lying weakly on the sofa, her face as pale as paper, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead, groaning in pain. Jiang Wan’yuan’s heart sank, and fear instantly tightened her throat. She frantically dialed the emergency number. On the way to the hospital, she held her mother’s hand tightly, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

In the hospital, the stark white lights shone mercilessly on every corner, and the pungent smell of disinfectant filled the air. Jiang Wan’yuan paced anxiously in the corridor, her eyes full of fear and helplessness. The doctor’s solemn expression was like a heavy hammer, hitting her heart hard. “Your mother is suffering from an extremely rare terminal illness, and our current medical technology is helpless.” The doctor’s words were like a bolt from the blue, shattering Jiang Wan’yuan’s world in an instant.

Jiang Wan’yuan returned home in despair, went through the leave procedures, and then plunged into the hospital, staying by her mother’s bedside day and night. She seemed to be in an endless abyss of darkness, and everything around her became blurred and distant. The cheerful and lively girl she once was was now completely submerged in sadness and self-blame. “Why didn’t I care more about my mother’s health before? Why didn’t I find out sooner?” These thoughts swirled in her mind like demons, causing her unbearable pain.

At this time, Yi Shang in the school was completely unaware of all this. Jiang Wan’yuan’s sudden disappearance aroused an ominous premonition in Yi Shang’s heart. During the break between classes, Yi Shang saw Lin Jichuan. The usually aloof her took the initiative to speak, which was rare: “Jichuan, do you know why Jiang Wan’yuan didn’t come to school?” Jichuan scratched his head, looking blank: “I don’t know either. She was fine yesterday, but she disappeared today.” Yi Shang frowned slightly, her worries growing stronger.

Yi Shang found Zhang Yao again, her voice with a hint of urgency: “Zhang Yao, Jiang Wan’yuan asked for leave. Do you know what happened?” Zhang Yao shook her head helplessly: “I don’t know either. She didn’t tell me. But don’t worry too much, maybe she’ll be back in a few days.” Yi Shang pursed her lips. She knew that Jiang Wan’yuan was not one to be absent for no reason. Something serious must have happened.

In the days that followed, Yi Shang’s heart felt like it was weighed down by a heavy stone. In class, she couldn’t help but be absent-minded, and her usual focus on knowledge disappeared without a trace. The teacher was explaining the complex theory of interstellar energy on the podium, but Yi Shang looked out the window, her thoughts drifting to Jiang Wan’yuan, who was nowhere to be found. After class, she no longer immersed herself in the world of science and technology books as usual, but frequently inquired about Jiang Wan’yuan’s whereabouts from her classmates, but all she got were endless speculations and headshakes.

Yi Shang began to look for Jiang Wan’yuan in places where she might appear. After school, she hurried to Jiang Wan’yuan’s house and rang the doorbell, but no one answered. She also wandered around the library, park, interstellar garden, and other places they used to go together, leaving no corner unchecked, but she never saw that familiar figure. At night, Yi Shang walked home alone, the cold moonlight lengthening her lonely shadow. She looked up at the stars and silently prayed that Jiang Wan’yuan would be safe and sound.

In the hospital, Jiang Wan’yuan devoted herself wholeheartedly to taking care of her mother. Her mother’s condition was deteriorating day by day, and every painful struggle was like a sharp knife, piercing Jiang Wan’yuan’s heart deeply. Her body and mind were on the verge of collapse, but the love and reluctance for her mother supported her to grit her teeth and persevere.

One day, Yi Shang accidentally overheard a few classmates whispering in the school corridor. “I heard that Jiang Wan’yuan’s mother seems to have a serious illness, and she has been taking care of her in the hospital.” “Ah, really? That’s so pitiful.” Yi Shang’s heart clenched, and without thinking too much, she turned around and ran towards the hospital.

Yi Shang rushed to the hospital, panting. At the door of the ward, she saw the figure that made her feel so distressed. Jiang Wan’yuan was sitting by the bed, staring blankly out the window. She had lost a lot of weight, and her once-energetic double braids now looked lifeless. Yi Shang gently pushed open the door, walked to Jiang Wan’yuan’s side, and silently put her hand on her shoulder. The moment Jiang Wan’yuan turned her head and saw Yi Shang, the tears that had been suppressed for a long time poured out like a flood. She threw herself into Yi Shang’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably: “Yi Shang, Mom… Mom has a terminal illness. The doctor said there might be no cure…” Yi Shang hugged Jiang Wan’yuan tightly, gently comforting her: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. There must be a way, let’s figure it out together.”

Looking at Jiang Wan’yuan’s weak mother in the hospital bed, Yi Shang vowed in her heart that she would find a way to save her. She knew that Jiang Wan’yuan was already on the verge of collapse, and she had to be her strong support. From then on, Yi Shang would go to the hospital every day after school to accompany Jiang Wan’yuan in taking care of her mother. Although she didn’t say much, every move was full of strength. She would carefully help Jiang Wan’yuan’s mother adjust the angle of the bed, hand Jiang Wan’yuan a warm glass of water, and use her firm eyes to tell Jiang Wan’yuan that they were not facing this disaster alone.

Yi Shang used her knowledge and resources in scientific research to frantically search for a way to cure Jiang Wan’yuan’s mother. She stayed in the interstellar medical database day and night, consulting countless materials on this rare terminal illness. She didn’t let go of even the slightest clue that might lead to a cure. Those complex medical terms and difficult theories were no longer insurmountable obstacles in her eyes, but the light of hope to save her loved one’s mother.

At the same time, Jing Xiao and Zhang Yao, after learning about Jiang Wan’yuan’s mother’s condition, also anxiously joined this fight against fate. Jing Xiao used his extensive network of contacts to contact medical experts all over the galaxy. Even if they were far away on the edge of a distant galaxy, he tried his best to obtain their opinions and suggestions. He traveled around, making one phone call after another, his voice becoming hoarse with anxiety: “Please, you must help us. This is related to a life, and it is also related to Jiang Wan’yuan’s future.”

Zhang Yao used her delicate mind and excellent information-gathering skills to search for potentially effective treatments in every corner of the interstellar network. She collected various folk remedies, and even if they sounded absurd, she carefully sorted and recorded them, bringing them to Jiang Wan’yuan and Yi Shang, hoping to ignite a glimmer of hope for them: “Wan’yuan, Yi Shang, maybe these will be useful. We can’t give up any possibility.”

The days passed by in anxiety and expectation, but Jiang Wan’yuan’s mother’s condition continued to worsen. Every time she saw her mother’s painful expression, Jiang Wan’yuan’s heart felt like it was being pierced by countless needles. She often cried alone in the hospital corridor late at night, feeling like she was in a dark prison from which she could never escape. Yi Shang always silently stayed by her side, giving her strength with a warm embrace: “Don’t give up, we will definitely find a way. I will always be with you.”

The turning point came on a stormy night. Yi Shang accidentally found a medical research report from a distant planet on the interstellar medical forum, mentioning a special interstellar plant whose extract had significant therapeutic effects on similar diseases. Her hands trembled slightly with excitement, and her eyes sparkled with hope. Yi Shang immediately contacted the author of the report. After a difficult communication, she learned that this plant grew on a planet with an extremely harsh environment, which was full of deadly radiation and unpredictable geological disasters, making it extremely difficult to collect.

Without hesitation, Yi Shang decided to go and collect it herself. When she told Jiang Wan’yuan the news, a trace of worry and fear flashed in Jiang Wan’yuan’s eyes: “It’s too dangerous, Yi Shang. I don’t want anything to happen to you. If something happens to you, I…” Yi Shang gently covered Jiang Wan’yuan’s mouth and said softly: “For you, for Auntie, I have to go. Believe me, I will definitely come back safely and bring hope back.”

Yi Shang embarked on a journey full of unknowns and dangers. The sky of that planet was a strange purple, and the howling wind swept across the earth, as if to devour everything. Yi Shang wore a heavy protective suit and struggled to find the target plant in the rugged terrain. The intense radiation caused her protective suit to make a warning beep, and every step required a huge effort.

During the search, Yi Shang encountered a sudden geological disaster. The ground shook violently, the mountain began to collapse, and huge rocks fell like rain. Yi Shang ran desperately, dodging the danger. A boulder smashed towards her. She dodged sideways, but was still scratched on the arm by gravel, and blood instantly stained her protective suit red. But she ignored the pain, and there was only one firm belief in her heart: she must find that plant and save Jiang Wan’yuan’s mother.

Finally, in a hidden valley, Yi Shang found the plant emitting a mysterious light. Its leaves shimmered with strange colors, swaying gently in the wind, as if telling the miracle of life. Yi Shang carefully collected the samples, every movement filled with awe and expectation.

Yi Shang rushed back with the precious plant samples. With the help of Jing Xiao and Zhang Yao, they raced against time to develop the extract. In the laboratory, the instruments made buzzing sounds, and various flashing lights seemed to tell of their tension and expectation. After countless attempts and adjustments, overcoming one technical problem after another, they finally successfully extracted a potentially curative drug.

When the drug was slowly injected into Jiang Wan’yuan’s mother’s body, everyone held their breath, and time seemed to freeze. Jiang Wan’yuan held her mother’s hand tightly, tears streaming down her face, silently praying for a miracle to happen. Yi Shang stood aside, watching with firm eyes, her hands clenched unconsciously, her nails digging deeply into her palms.

The miracle finally came. Jiang Wan’yuan’s mother’s face, which was originally as pale as paper, gradually regained its color, and her weak body also began to show signs of improvement. She slowly opened her eyes, revealing a weak smile. Jiang Wan’yuan cried with joy. She threw herself into Yi Shang’s arms, crying like a child: “Yi Shang, thank you, you saved my mother. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what to do…” Yi Shang gently patted Jiang Wan’yuan’s back, her eyes shining with gratified tears: “It’s okay, it’s all over. We made it through together.”

Jing Xiao and Zhang Yao looked at them and said with a smile: “After experiencing so much, there will definitely be nothing that can stump you in the future.” Jiang Wan’yuan and Yi Shang looked at each other and smiled. They knew that this love and friendship that transcended life and death would accompany them through every challenge in the future, writing more beautiful chapters. In this interstellar world full of fantasy and unknowns, their story is like a bright star, illuminating each other’s lives and warming the hearts of everyone around them.