Lady

Ju Hui arrived at the wrong time. There was no one at the front desk. The company staff hurried by, glancing furtively at Ju Hui's unfamiliar face as she passed by, before entering Bian Jiaping's office.

She didn't turn her head, but with her ears on the left and right sides, she heard the employees saying, "Who cares who she is? She's going to be laid off again, whatever..."

They could sense something was wrong, but they quickly shut it out. The office ventilation system had been replaced, and the original cedar and sea salt scent was gone, turning it into a complete IKEA showroom.

She calmed herself down, but before she could even take out her laptop, Bian Jiaping appeared.

With fine, dense scratches around his eye, blood beads were oozing out. He turned his head away, hiding the brief shock in his eyes.

What brings you here?

The meeting ended unusually quickly, or perhaps it was because someone injured the boss's eye during the meeting that it adjourned early.

Ju Hui was taken aback. "Who hit you?"

She had indeed been beaten; tiny blood vessels were appearing in the whites of her eyes, and there were clear wounds, most likely inflicted by a heavy object. If he hadn't instinctively dodged, his eyes would probably have been injured.

She immediately approached to confirm, but Bian Jiaping ignored her, walked past her with a cold face, and pulled out two tissues to wipe the blood.

Before Ju Hui could react, her secretary knocked on the door and came in, quickly handing over several contracts.

Bian Jiaping focused intently on his work, reviewing and signing documents, ignoring the stinging hot oil dripping onto his face, as if Ju Hui was the one who had almost been blinded.

She now understood where the deathly silence and restlessness that permeated the company came from. Everyone had a kind of detached, yet excited, dead feeling about the misfortunes of others. Only Ju Hui, and even Bian Jiaping himself, didn't care about himself.

"Is the person who hit you still around?"

"Did you call the police?"

Why did I hit you? Did you hit back?

Bian Jiaping kept writing, and the secretary, whose eyes were restrained, could almost hear the ink dipping into the paper. No one paid any attention to Ju Hui.

"If you won't speak, then I'll go call the police for you. You and your secretary will communicate with the police later."

After saying that, Ju Hui walked straight out the door.

"Ju Hui!"

Secretary Lü, whose chin was originally close to his collarbone, was startled by the shout and shut his mouth tightly. He didn't want to stand here, much less get involved in this mess.

But she didn't turn around. Bian Jiaping stopped writing, resting his hand on the document, pondering whether it was appropriate or not.

"President Bian, I'll go stop them."

Secretary Lü didn't care whether he agreed or not, and walked much faster than usual. Fortunately, there was still a distance between the president's office and the employees' workstations, and he managed to call out to her before Ju Hui found the person.

But she only glanced back once, then took larger strides, pulled her phone out of her pocket, and prepared to dial—

"Madam, madam... please don't call the police, I know who it is."

...

A message popped up, and Ju Hui's phone rang in her pocket when she returned to the office.

Bian Jiaping raised his eyes indifferently. He had already packed his things, one large hand gripping his clothes. He didn't say a word, but he understood that Ju Hui's eyes were asking: Why did you do this?

The secretary told Ju Hui that Bian Jiaping admitted at the emergency shareholders' meeting that he had indeed been contacting external buyers to acquire shares, and that it was true that he hadn't told them.

Several years ago, Bian Jiaping had already recovered more than 60% of his shares. Without financing or expansion, Yunque stagnated under the ever-changing circumstances, and its market value reached a low point. However, he planned to sell the company, and his partner, who had worked with him for more than ten years, wanted to give him a wake-up call.

Let's go.

Bian Jiaping sighed, "We'll talk about it outside."

The car drove towards Ju Hui's house.

Despite her strong insistence, Bian Jiaping still went to the Persimmon Courtyard.

With the driver in front, Bian Jiaping and Ju Hui sat on either side of her in the back. She rested her elbows on the window and pressed her lips flat against the back of her hand.

She quietly visited the nearest hospital and asked the doctor to lower the temperature further to prevent his sweat from seeping into his wound.

A biting cold wind rose straight up from my feet; my only hope lay in the loft's first-aid kit.

Ju Hui closed her eyes to rest for a while, and when she opened her phone again, she noticed a pop-up in the bank app that showed a new payment to her old card that she hadn't used in a long time.

Delivered 15 minutes ago.

Ju Hui clicked on it, and a roar automatically escaped her lips:

"Bian Jiaping!"

[Transfer: 5,000,000 yuan]

The number has no special meaning; it's the maximum transfer limit the bank set for him, which Ju Hui didn't have. It's unlikely that the money will be returned immediately, and she's even forgotten her withdrawal password.

This is just adding to the trouble.

Ju Hui took a deep breath. His series of confusing actions were just adding to the trouble. He was really carrying a suitcase full of stubborn, inflexible people.

"We'll be home soon. I have something to show you."

The car was driven away by the driver. The dinner that Auntie had prepared was put into the refrigerator by Bian Jiaping's mobile phone. Bian Jiaping followed Ju Hui into the house, holding the tablet he had taken from the car.

Bian Jiaping is really going to make Ju Hui furious.

She wanted to kill him with the cotton swabs she used to clean his wounds.

He showed her an insurance policy, a two-million-dollar life insurance policy with Ju Hui as the insured. This amount guaranteed that she could withdraw the cash at any time, and only she could do so.

All those apologies and promises not to offer her a car or a house were lies; he's going to say that again—

"I'll feel better if I finish these things before I leave."

He still had to leave, and he left so decisively, selling the company. Ju Hui felt a little relieved and finally let go of the two words she had never dared to say.

People only care about money when they are alive.

Her temper flared up again, and a thousand questions flooded her mind at once. She frowned, "Wouldn't it be better to hire an executive president? There are nearly a thousand employees; you're just going to abandon them like that?"

Bian Jiaping looked away. "The conditions proposed by that buyer would allow me to exit as quickly as possible. Even if there are layoffs, they will be within the normal range and it's nothing."

Ju Hui now fully understands why Bian Jiaping injured his eye. His arrogant words are hateful, but his eyes that refuse to look people in the eye make her want to punch him too.

Can't you just face her properly?

"Preparing to leave Ruobei?"

Bian Jiaping hummed in agreement.

What should we do about our uncles and aunts?

His parents still live in the building next to his house.

What will happen to her?

Not long ago, he was looking for her every day, like an elderly person in a nursing home who lacked companionship. This is too unreal.

"You don't need to worry about these things."

"What did you say?"

Ju Hui felt that he was like a mouthful of scalding water, endlessly rolling down her throat, randomly passing through her chest and abdomen, seemingly harmless, but actually hurtful.

Bian Jiaping, who had once been disrespectful, reappeared to deceive Ju Hui in order to keep her. She couldn't help but recall the afternoon when the first rash appeared on her arm.

He Shengzhen had just finished eating. The light yellow wine had a sour and astringent aftertaste, but the aroma lingered for a long time. The parking attendant called a designated driver to take them to the car. Ju Hui leaned close to the window, while Bian Jiaping was in no mood to close his eyes and rest. Faint but rhythmic scraping sounds could be heard incessantly.

"Stop grabbing it, we'll be at the hospital soon."

Ju Hui had red marks all over her body.

Ju Hui lowered her gaze calmly, staring at the blood vessels surging in all directions, and increased the pressure on her hands.

"Stop arresting me!"

Bian Jiaping suddenly grabbed her wrist and pressed it against the leather seat. The car entered the tunnel, and suddenly everything was dark. The dim yellow headlights flashed frequently. Ju Hui felt her heart turn to ashes as she felt his fingers tighten.

Ju Hui remained silent, while Bian Jiaping continued to be angry.

At the dinner party, she refused to pay for Sheng Qijing's decision to give up sculpting and devote himself to ink painting. Her original goal became the only way out. She was not ashamed or embarrassed. The rash was only caused by her delusion of becoming stronger immediately.

That day, she had only one thought in her mind: she had to leave.

The wine has been drunk, the message has been delivered, and nothing will change.

Bian Jiaping was indignant at her resoluteness, blinded by her despicable nature.

Even if they are made of gold and jade, cracks will appear over time; but time is also the best healer, fairly curing each other's mistakes.

Ju Hui and Bian Jiaping understood each other the moment they met—

"I'll always be your family, how can you not worry?"

"Let's not talk about forever, Ju Hui."

Ju Huigeng stood still, holding her breath.

Bian Jiaping raised his eyes impatiently, clenched his fist on the table, and then relaxed it.

His head drooped heavily, and he exhaled a breath, as if he didn't want to be in the same room as Ju Hui and had been forced to hold his breath for a long time.

Ju Hui gritted her teeth, "If you hate me, just say so. You don't have to leave. I'm going back to Norway right now and I'm not coming back—"

"real?"

"You'll leave just because I tell you to?"

"You really think you'd go back because of me?"

Bian Jiaping held his forehead, pressing it against the damp scab, and said, "Ju Hui, I've known you for fifteen years. You wouldn't do something you don't want to do for anyone. We're both selfish."

-

There was still some medical tape left in the first-aid kit.

To ensure it was secure, Ju Hui used the wound as the center and wrapped it around the eyelid, attaching a set of "rice + rice" to the thick gauze.

He touched it and said, "You don't need to wrap it so thickly."

“This proves I’m not selfish,” Ju Hui said, putting the box away. “I gave you half a pack of gauze.”

Bian Jiaping prides herself on being selfish, but a whopping five million is sitting in her account.

For fifteen years, he has devoted himself to helping her have a bright future, hoping that he himself is just a tiny pixel in the resolution.

Ju Hui took out an ice pack and handed it to him. "Don't you feel like I used to be like you used to be like me?"

Desperate to leave this place, abandoning all relationships, even resorting to sabotage and saying things against his conscience, he was twenty-eight nine years ago, while she hasn't even turned twenty-nine yet.

They are exactly the same, but Bian Jiaping denied it.

"It doesn't look like it."

"You are free to go anywhere, I envy you."

Bian Jiaping stared at her with bloodshot eyes. "Besides, I've been lying to you all along. You've never really considered me family, which is why you were able to make the firm decision to go to Norway for permanent residency."

This is our biggest difference.

As her palms gradually warmed up, Ju Hui didn't know what to say.

She wasn't sure if she truly didn't consider Bian Jiaping family. After all, she was always indifferent to everyone, and no one had ever taught her how deep familial bonds could be.

As someone who has been through it, Ju Hui understands the bitterness of "leaving." When you're lonely, even white noise is annoying, and his envy still seems childish.

But she also reflected on herself, wondering if she had taken the word "leave" too seriously, as if he were going to a hellish place.

I used to think Norway was the most remote country, but as long as I wanted to go home, there were always flights. Going through customs and immigration was just a matter of a blink of an eye. Driving for an hour was considered leaving. Even on the other side of the world, there was a chance to bump into someone.

It seems she should have relaxed a long time ago, and thought things through like Bian Jiaping did when he was his age, instead of acting coy like she did when she was twenty.

She convinced herself.

But her pride made her release defensive substances like a plant, and she began to justify herself: "But I did come back in the end. It only takes one plane ticket to return home from Norway, but if I sell the company, there's no going back."

“Then I won’t go back on my word,” Bian Jiaping said. “I might come back tomorrow, but I’ll be completely new to the world then.”

Do you remember when I asked you where you wanted to live after graduation?

Ju Hui frowned and hummed in agreement, "I remember."

To be honest, that's why she lives in Ruobei.

Bian Jiaping lowered her eyelashes. "At that time, I hoped you would say you were in Ruobei. Even in the first two years after you went abroad, I hoped you would come back immediately. But after actually seeing you, I felt so pathetic."

“You can choose to live in any city again, Ju Hui.”

Ju Hui paused, remembering that Sheng Qijing was going to work in Paris after winning the bet.

The future suddenly became clear. The modern exhibition was just enough to win the bet, but the results were not ideal. She would go back to Europe to hold a new series and exhibition, and get entangled with Sheng Qijing for a few more months or years, and finally become the kind of perfect match where "we knew they would be together again".

Life is as natural as going with the flow.

"That will make you feel better, won't it?"

Ju Hui lowered her eyebrows. "Of course not."

Bian Jiaping noticed her eyelashes flutter slightly, and her panic betrayed her.

At this moment, he hoped that Ju Hui would reveal her true feelings, preferably admitting that she didn't want him to leave because she hated him, and wanted to cling to him until she could no longer walk, so that she and Sheng Qijing could keep her in the bedroom next door to play with their children, since he treated her as Zeng Yue's relic.

Now that things have come to this, she should boldly vent any emotions she may have, just like a master in a martial arts novel who will pass on his secret manual before he dies. Once he leaves the company, she won't have a chance to scold him anymore.

Bian Jiaping spoke frankly, "I will be leaving next Sunday."

The moment Ju Hui heard the keyword and focused her gaze, she was like a mimosa plant whose leaves had been touched.

Where to?

Bian Jiaping didn't answer directly, but smiled with narrowed eyes, "I haven't told anyone else about leaving Ruobei except you. Help me with one last thing, Ju Hui."

She hated hearing those last two words and asked in a high-pitched, duck-like voice, "What do you want?"

“Actually, Sheng Qijing is also one of the buyers. He offered generous terms, including no layoffs for six months. But I’ve been observing and thinking that if you’re willing to be with him, Yunque could even be given to you. But I’m still not sure… You should think it over.”

Bian Jiaping ruffled her hair, brushing the stray hairs in front of her eyes, like the bangs that covered her eyebrows when she was in college.

Ju Hui vividly reappeared in his memory. He gave her his last piece of advice: "Everyone's time is precious. If you're sure you don't like it, just tell him 'Bian Jiaping is gone,' and he'll understand."