Chapter 41 Relying on him a little longer

As the traffic lights changed, Jiang Zhiyan stepped on the gas, his expression slightly cold; anyone could tell he was unhappy.

After she uttered the phrase "water overcomes fire," Jiang Zhiyan merely glanced at her coldly without replying. However, the atmosphere in the car returned to normal, like that of any couple who had just broken up and might appear in the same place—awkward and subtly distant.

Xia Zhiyu didn't bother with him. She was busy reviewing memorials. On Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Bilibili, and Weibo, there were hundreds of concubines waiting for her favor on every video platform. Which one of them wasn't much prettier than Jiang Zhiyan's cold face?

And to be honest, seeing Jiang Zhiyan's displeasure made Xia Zhiyu feel a bit vengeful and her mood improved; this was a side effect of going to work.

Xia Zhiyu was very satisfied with the atmosphere. In a good mood, she couldn't help but take pity on Fang Xinle and forwarded the video of the man whose zipper was undone to his thigh to Fang Xinle.

Even though she knew perfectly well that Fang Xinle was still asleep, Xia Zhiyu still bombarded her with a long string of meaningless nonsense.

If her hands and eyes are moving, her brain won't be. That way, she won't keep pondering why Jiang Zhiyan waited for her downstairs all night, nor will she think about why Jiang Zhiyan stayed up all night liking and saving all her posts on Xiaohongshu.

From 1:58 a.m. to 3:22 a.m. last night, Jiang Zhiyan watched all of her videos again from beginning to end.

A new message updated last night popped up in their shared phone notes.

Xia Zhiyu used to write down in her notes what new shops she wanted to try, what new games she wanted to play, and what new Lego sets she wanted to buy.

She's very playful and has a ton of places she wants to go. She often writes down her thoughts and then forgets them, only to start lamenting why she didn't go sooner when her shop goes out of business.

Jiang Zhiyan would occasionally look through the places Xia Zhiyu wanted to go, and on a sunny day, perfect for a date, he would secretly book the itinerary to surprise Xia Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyan and the shared memo will always remember the little wish she forgot.

What a beautiful relationship.

But the love story in this shared address book came to a complete end the moment Jiang Zhiyan flew to the United States.

The second-to-last line in the memo was Xia Zhiyu's wish from two years ago.

April 5, 2023

Xia, feeling wronged: "I'll forgive you if you book me a plane ticket to New York (angry face)."

The last line of the memo was Jiang Zhiyan's reply after two and a half years.

Early morning of December 7, 2025

Jiang Zhiyan: "I'm sorry, it was my fault. I finally understand how heartbroken you were back then."

...

Xia Zhiyu did mention wanting to go to America with him, but Jiang Zhiyan had too many concerns at the time. He just wanted Xia Zhiyu to live a safe and secure life in the greenhouse he had prepared, like the little red carp he kept on his desk, who could just wag its tail and blow bubbles every day.

He never actually considered whether Xia Zhiyu wanted to or not; he simply followed his own thoughts and concerns, foolishly and arrogantly interfering in Xia Zhiyu's life.

It turns out that Xia Zhiyu was always the brave, determined, and fearless one, possessing boundless courage and determination, willing to accompany him to a completely unfamiliar country to start all over again. The only cowardly and weak one was Jiang Zhiyan; he didn't even have the courage to be honest and true to himself in front of the person he loved.

In the early hours of the morning, Jiang Zhiyan sat in the smoke-filled Cullinan, savoring every word of Xia Zhiyu's unreserved love for him.

It was only then that he realized with particular clarity that during the period before the breakup, his anger and anxiety due to his own incompetence were essentially no different from Jiang Jing's. He stubbornly tried to intercept Xia Zhiyu's flight path, as if he could hold her firmly in his hands in this way.

What is tragic is not being unloved, but relentlessly seeking proof of being loved even after being unloved—this is a kind of bittersweet torture.

Looking at the photos of the two of them embracing in the album, looking at the unspoken glances exchanged in old photos of gatherings on social media...

Jiang Zhiyan became increasingly aware that she truly no longer wanted to love him, and it pained him deeply.

During this time, Jiang Zhiyan read many works that deeply analyzed intimate relationships, exploring who has the ability to control their lover and who is the one in control in love.

Jiang Zhiyan once believed that he had guided Xia Zhiyu onto the most suitable path in life. He taught Xia Zhiyu many skills, took her to opera, to see beautiful scenery, to play golf, and to learn a foreign language...

But any wealthy person could do these things.

Isn't it cute?

Not everyone has the ability to love, nor can everyone possess the capacity to love with the utmost sincerity and passion like Xia Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyan was fortunate to be chosen by her and to experience this most intense and blissful emotion.

Unfortunately, he couldn't protect her.

"There was once a sincere love placed before me, but I did not cherish it..."

Xia Zhiyu loves watching Stephen Chow's movies, and she has watched A Chinese Odyssey at least four or five times. Jiang Zhiyan doesn't understand why she always gets moved to tears when she sees it, crying with her nose red and her eyes swollen while clinging to his arm.

Only now, having personally experienced what it means to lose a loved one, does he understand the profound despair and helplessness contained in Supreme Treasure's lines.

Unfortunately, he realized it too late.

Xia Zhiyu's phone suddenly rang. The shopkeeper's aunt said anxiously that her mother had slipped and fallen down the steps while getting spare seasonings on the second floor and had now fainted.

When Xia Zhiyu hung up the phone, she was completely stunned. Her brain seemed to be frozen. She instinctively told the aunt in the store not to touch her mother and that she would rush to the store right away.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhiyan turned his car around and headed straight for her shop, while simultaneously calling an ambulance.

For the first time, Xia Zhiyu felt that the short ten-minute journey from her home to the store was incredibly long. Her mind was buzzing, and her heart was clenching. Jiang Zhiyan, who was next to her, glanced at her anxiously, said something rapidly, and floored the accelerator.

Xia Zhiyu couldn't listen to a word she said; her nerves were like taut strings, and she couldn't handle anything except her mother.

Xia Zhiyu's legs were trembling as she got out of the car. Jiang Zhiyan supported her arm, holding her palm gently but firmly, "Don't be afraid, I'm here, the ambulance will be here soon."

Every minute waiting for the ambulance was incredibly anxious. Song Yue lay half-reclined on the high and steep steps of the shop, her gentle and kind eyes tightly closed, her face pale.

Xia Zhiyu listened as she asked the aunt about the circumstances of her mother's fall with an unusually calm tone.

Jiang Zhiyan made one phone call after another, contacting the hospital director to find the attending physician in the department, inquiring about precautions, and mobilizing resources.

At the same time, he tightly gripped Xia Zhiyu's cold, stiff palm.

The ambulance and doctors arrived quickly. The nurses skillfully examined her mother's condition and quickly lifted her onto a stretcher, heading straight to the hospital.

After getting on the bus, the nurse said that her mother's condition was relatively stable and that the doctors had already arrived at the operating room, and the surgery could begin immediately once they arrived.

The ambulance siren blared. Xia Zhiyu stared blankly at the electrocardiogram machine connected to her mother, her taut nerves foreshadowing her unease, and fear and anxiety growing stronger in her heart.

Why didn't she go with her mother this morning? Why didn't she notice yesterday that the seasonings were all used up? Why didn't she realize that the steps were always wet and slippery lately because of the cold and rainy weather?

Was she unaware of it, or did she subconsciously overlook these things?

A wave of intense self-reproach surged through Xia Zhiyu's heart, her eyes were terribly dry, and she was filled with regret.

Anxiety and pain caused Xia Zhiyu to fall into a cycle of self-blame, like someone who had wandered into a maze and could not find a way out, so she could only wander around helplessly in circles.

A sudden warmth came from her shoulder. Xia Zhiyu turned to look at him. Jiang Zhiyan's features seemed to be covered with a hazy filter, making the edges appear unusually blurry.

"Don't worry," Jiang Zhiyan said in a deep voice, squeezing her hand tightly. His dark eyes looked at her intently, radiating a reassuring sense of security.

"You heard what the nurse just said; Auntie's condition isn't too serious. I've already contacted the best orthopedic and neurosurgeons in Chuancheng, and they're waiting in the operating room right now. Several top experts in the field from Beicheng are also joining the consultation, and they'll be there immediately if needed."

"Auntie will be fine, you can trust me."

When people are extremely vulnerable, what they need most is real and strong support. Jiang Zhiyan's few words were like a shot in the arm for Xia Zhiyu, quickly relieving her anxiety.

Jiang Zhiyan looked at her calmly with his dark eyes. He then raised his hand to brush away the stray hairs that had fallen on her neck, and pressed his slightly warm palm against her cheek, gently wiping away the tears that had unknowingly welled up in the corners of her eyes with his thumb.

Xia Zhiyu then realized that her face was covered in tears, and large teardrops splattered onto her jeans, forming round water stains.

She was suddenly momentarily stunned. She and Jiang Zhiyan had been together for five years, and Xia Zhiyu knew better than anyone that Jiang Zhiyan was a trustworthy person. Jiang Zhiyan was an absolutely reliable colleague and lover; whatever he asked of someone, he would do. It was the same in their personal lives; he always silently arranged everything behind the scenes.

A familiar sense of security welled up inside Xia Zhiyu, and she unconsciously recalled the things Chen Yue had told her on the phone.

This is indeed very much in line with Jiang Zhiyan's personality. On one hand, she harshly and coldly scolds herself for not paying attention, while on the other hand, she quietly prepares alternative plans behind the scenes.

So when Chen Yue revealed those things, Xia Zhiyu wasn't particularly surprised. She knew Jiang Zhiyan better than anyone else what kind of person he was, and therefore was more easily hurt by his harsh, arrogant, and condescending attitude.

How could she not be heartbroken? She offered her heart with joy, only to be pricked by a honey-coated poison. Jiang Zhiyan's kindness was real, but so was his wickedness.

A sudden pang of sadness welled up in Xia Zhiyu's heart, but she quickly suppressed it with worry for her mother. She nodded politely to Jiang Zhiyan, her voice choked with emotion, unable to utter a single word.

As the red light outside the operating room turned green, the nurse's face, hidden beneath her mask, radiated undisguised joy.

"The rescue was successful. As long as you rest and recuperate properly, there shouldn't be any major problems."

Like a hydrogen balloon punctured by a needle, Xia Zhiyu's legs suddenly went weak, and she couldn't even stand up for a moment. A wave of fear and worry washed over her.

Jiang Zhiyan supported her shoulders firmly with both hands, and comforted her in a slightly deep voice, "It's okay, don't be afraid, Auntie is fine now. I found the best rehabilitation team to come directly to Chuancheng, so don't worry."

Xia Zhiyu choked up as she said thank you, her tone filled with a distant sense of gratitude.

Before Jiang Zhiyan could say anything, the operating room door opened again, and this time the attending physician came out. Xia Zhiyu immediately used some strength to break free from Jiang Zhiyan's hands and hurriedly went to ask the doctor questions.

My palm suddenly felt empty.

Jiang Zhiyan lowered his eyes, clearly aware of the barely perceptible hint of rejection in Xia Zhiyu's actions and words.

The moment Xia Zhiyu strode away from him, it was as if Jiang Zhiyan's soul was also pulled away, and the world before her eyes turned deathly white.

Rationally, Jiang Zhiyan knew that Xia Zhiyu no longer loved him. The warmth he felt just now was a sense of belonging that he had stolen from her by taking advantage of her vulnerability. But he still couldn't help but yearn for Xia Zhiyu to rely on him a little longer.

It will be ready in a moment.