Chapter 171: Fang Zhou is Blind

After the heavy rain, the sky was as clear as if the world had been washed clean, leaving no trace of dirt, only purity and beauty.

The pebbles on the riverbank were spotless, without a trace of mud.

Except for the still muddy river water, which continued to surge forward.

Someone dragged their exhausted body to the riverbank, then pulled another person from the water, finally collapsing on the stones, breathing heavily.

After a moment, the person gathered some strength and knelt beside the unconscious individual, shaking him.

“Fang Zhou! Fang Zhou! Wake up!”

This person was none other than Zhang Zhiyin, who had fallen with Fang Zhou.

Both were swept away by the river. Fang Zhou lost consciousness, but Zhang Zhiyin managed to hold his neck to keep him from sinking, though she couldn’t stop them from being carried by the current.

Fortunately, she could swim well and found a chance to drag Fang Zhou ashore. She had no idea how far they had drifted.

Zhang Zhiyin shook Fang Zhou for a long time without any response, growing increasingly anxious.

She searched for her phone, but it had been washed away. She had no communication tools.

She then checked Fang Zhou’s pockets, but his phone was also gone.

Her eyes landed on his watch.

“There’s hope!”

Zhang Zhiyin quickly removed his watch, preparing to call for help, but the screen was black and showed nothing.

The watch had been waterlogged and couldn’t make a call.

Just then, Fang Zhou coughed out some water and slowly opened his eyes.

“You’re awake!”

Zhang Zhiyin was overjoyed and immediately asked about his condition.

“How are you? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

Her enthusiasm wasn’t met with a corresponding response.

Fang Zhou slowly sat up, listening to her voice, then cautiously asked, “Zhiyin? Is that you?”

Zhang Zhiyin’s smile froze, like sugar melting in the sun.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Her voice was filled with panic, not understanding why Fang Zhou was asking such an obvious question.

“I don’t know if it’s dark or what, but all I see is black.”

“I think I’m blind.”

Fang Zhou’s voice remained steady, his expression calm, but his words left Zhang Zhiyin speechless.

“You can’t see? How is that possible?”

She waved her hand in front of Fang Zhou’s face, but his eyes didn’t focus.

Disbelieving, she got up and leaned close to him, so close that her breath touched his face. He called her name.

“Zhiyin?”

Even then, he didn’t avoid her, unable to tell where she was, only knowing she was very close.

Zhang Zhiyin saw her own face reflected in his pupils, filled with surprise, pain, and confusion.

Fang Zhou was blind!

Would he be blind for life?

Losing sight is hard for anyone to accept, especially for a streamer like Fang Zhou who relies on his vision.

It was a huge blow!

Zhang Zhiyin felt a sharp pain in her heart, like a blender churning it to pieces.

The pain made it hard to breathe. Each breath felt like torture.

He got severely injured protecting her.

She thought that eleven years after he helped her, she could help him in return.

But fate played a cruel trick, and she ended up being protected again.

She collapsed, sitting on the ground, looking at Fang Zhou in a daze.

Tears fell uncontrollably, and she kept muttering, “It’s my fault…”

Fang Zhou’s body ached everywhere, each movement pulling at countless wounds, especially the back of his head, which felt like it had been hit by something heavy, both heavy and painful.

He could see nothing but darkness.

Like a leaf floating in water, lost and directionless.

A strange unease filled his heart, but hearing Zhang Zhiyin’s voice gave him a sense of reliance.

“It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself.”

Fang Zhou gently comforted her.

He reached out, trying to touch her head but couldn’t find the direction and came up empty.

Seeing this, Zhang Zhiyin quickly grabbed his hand, crying and blaming herself, “If I hadn’t come back for you, you wouldn’t have used yourself as a cushion to protect me and gotten so hurt.”

The guilt and self-blame felt like two invisible mountains pressing down on Zhang Zhiyin, suffocating the usually confident and talented writer.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Fang Zhou…”

Zhang Zhiyin’s sincere apology made Fang Zhou feel uncomfortable.

He followed her hand, finding her head, and gently stroked her wet hair.

“It’s really not your fault. I had already fallen and hurt my leg before you came back.”

“But you shouldn’t have come back. Now you’re stuck in the wild with me.”

Her hair was still wet, and the only sounds around were birds, beasts, and the rushing river, indicating they were still not safe.

Fang Zhou smiled as he spoke.

His tone was light, not like someone who had just learned he was blind.

“Besides your eyes and leg, are you seriously hurt anywhere else?”

Zhang Zhiyin wiped her tears, wanting to check for other injuries, but Fang Zhou stopped her.

“It’s fine, just minor injuries. A few days of rest will heal. Save your strength.”

Not knowing when rescue would come, and with him blind, Zhang Zhiyin might have to take on the responsibility of caring for both of them.

Zhang Zhiyin knew he was just trying to stop her from worrying and feeling guilty.

With tears in her eyes, she stared at Fang Zhou and thought: You’re always so warm.

Even when hurt, you comfort others first.

Wherever you are, there’s always support.

Zhang Zhiyin suddenly remembered her brother’s question: “Fang Zhou has no money, no career, nothing but a face. What do you like about him?”

She thought, now she could finally answer her brother.

She liked his personality.

Personality is abstract, but with Fang Zhou, it’s so concrete.

He treats everyone and everything with warmth, passion, stability, and reliability.

Like a high mountain to look up to, a path to follow.

That’s why so many girls are willing to follow him.

“Fang Zhou, I will stay by your side, no matter what.” Zhang Zhiyin whispered, holding his hand tightly.