Chapter 2: The 25-year-old birthday boy makes a wish?
The tall man looked at her, his face shrouded in the shadows of the light, but did not agree.
Qin Shuzhi's heart, which had finally relaxed, tightened again.
She understands that others don't want to get into trouble because of strangers, but her hands are in a lot of pain right now, and she's very tired and really can't run anymore.
If those two catch her again, she'll be in big trouble.
"Please, I'll only stay for a little while, I'll leave right away, okay?"
The woman's pleading voice was trembling with sobs.
Shi Yuanxing snapped out of his daze, and his gaze finally fell carefully on her.
Her hair was disheveled, the collar of her dress was torn, revealing a patch of snow-white skin, and her bare, delicate feet were barefoot.
Out of the corner of his eye, Shi Yuanxing glanced at her left hand, which she was covering, and his eyes darkened. "Your hand is injured?"
Qin Shuzhi followed his gaze and only then did she see that there was a deep, long gash on her left arm, and blood was gushing out.
It would have been better if I hadn't looked at it; once I did, it hurt even more.
"Come in with me."
Shi Yuanxing led her into the house and took out his first-aid kit to give her emergency treatment for her wounds.
"Sir, could I borrow your phone for a moment? I want to call the police."
While treating his wound, Shi Yuanxing took out his phone from his pocket and handed it to her.
Qin Shuzhi immediately dialed the police and explained the situation.
“Your wound was probably pierced by a sharp, rusty iron. It’s quite deep, and if it’s not treated professionally, it could get infected,” Shi Yuanxing said, looking at her. “I’ll take you to the hospital first.”
Qin Shuzhi was surprised and grateful that he was willing to help.
"...Okay, thank you."
Shi Yuanxing glanced at her, then quickly looked away. "Wait a moment."
Qin Shuzhi saw him go into the inner room, and when he came out, he had an elderly shawl and men's slippers in his hands.
"This is all we have. You... will you make do with this?"
Qin Shuzhi glanced down at her torn dress and bare feet, then looked up at him with a grateful smile, "It's already very good, thank you."
——
Just after his wounds were treated at the hospital, Shi Yuanxing received a call from the police station, saying that the two men involved had been brought back to the station and that Qin Shuzhi needed to come over to give a statement.
So Shi Yuanxing took Qin Shuzhi to the police station.
The police recovered her bag and phone, but only one of her high heels was found.
As for those two men...
The incident occurred on a road with surveillance cameras, which captured the process of Qin Shuzhi being harassed and pushed down the slope, leaving the two with no way to deny it.
They were drunk, and seeing a pretty girl alone in that kind of environment late at night, they had evil intentions and acted on impulse.
Now at the police station, he's sobered up and keeps apologizing, begging Qin Shuzhi for forgiveness and reconciliation.
Qin Shuzhi had no tolerance for such humiliation of women. She refused to settle and requested the police to punish the two men to the fullest extent of the law.
After leaving the police station, Qin Shuzhi stood by the roadside and suddenly looked up silently at the stars in the night sky.
"What time is it now?"
She asked softly.
Shi Yuanxing glanced at his phone. "It's almost midnight."
Qin Shuzhi's long eyelashes fluttered, and she looked down at herself.
She dressed up especially for the evening, but now—
She was wearing a gray, dark-patterned shawl, large men's slippers, and her left arm was bandaged.
He looked completely out of place, utterly pathetic.
At this moment, she finally couldn't hold back anymore.
Seeing her suddenly squat down, cover her face, and cry, Shi Yuanxing was taken aback for a moment, then quickly leaned down and asked, "Does your wound hurt?"
Qin Shuzhi buried her face in her arms, shaking her head as she cried.
Shi Yuanxing: "Then... what's wrong with you?"
"Today is my 25th birthday, but I'm having such a miserable one..."
A voice, trembling with sobs, came from between her arms:
"I was dumped by my boyfriend on my birthday, we broke up, I encountered thugs, I ended up in the police station, and I even injured my hand. Can anyone else in the world have a more miserable birthday than me... Waaah..."
Qin Shuzhi cried for a long time. Only after she had vented her emotions did she wipe away her tears and raise her head.
Looking around, he found himself all alone.
It's over.
She cried away all the good people.
Qin Shuzhi's emotions, which she had finally managed to compose, collapsed again.
She couldn't help but cover her face and cry again...
After a while.
"Okay, stop crying."
Qin Shuzhi paused when she heard the man's voice, then looked up and saw Shi Yuanxing holding a cake and looking down at her.
"That cake shop just happened to extend its closing time tonight."
He pointed to the cake shop across the street, "and they just happened to have a strawberry cake left."
He knelt down and handed her the triangular cake he was holding. "Happy birthday."
Qin Shuzhi's moist eyelashes trembled slightly as she stared at him in a daze.
"The bad things that happened to you tonight are not your fault. Why ruin your birthday for those people and things?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Shuzhi's heart skipped a beat, realizing that what he said made perfect sense.
Shi Yuanxing pulled her to sit on a nearby bench, then put a candle on the cake and lit it with a lighter.
He then glanced at his watch and presented the cake to Qin Shuzhi with both hands.
"Nine minutes left, 25-year-old birthday boy/girl, make a wish?"
Qin Shuzhi looked at the cake with lit candles, then glanced at the man. Feeling a warmth in her heart, she smiled, nodded, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish.
After making her wish, she opened her eyes, looked up at the man, and said, "Thank you for giving me a birthday cake."
Shi Yuanxing looked at her. The surroundings were slightly dim. In the candlelight, her features were delicate and beautiful. Because she had just cried, the tip of her nose was red, and her peach blossom eyes were watery as if they had been washed.
Unlike the radiant beauty he saw her two years ago, her face now carried a broken, poignant beauty.
He suppressed the pity in his eyes, glanced at the candle, and gently reminded her, "You haven't blown out the candle yet."
Oh, right.
After making a wish, you have to blow out the candles.
Qin Shuzhi lowered his head and blew out the candle.
The man removed the candle and handed her a fork. "Eat."
"Thanks."
Qin Shuzhi took the cake, scooped out a bite, and put it in her mouth.
The sweetness of cream and cake filled her mouth, and she instantly felt much better.
She never imagined that after experiencing such a terrible ordeal, she would still be able to eat a piece of her own birthday cake.
Seeing a small white fork on the cake base, she took the fork, scooped out a spoonful of cake, and handed it to the man next to her.
He invited, "You should eat too."
Shi Yuanxing was somewhat surprised, but he immediately reached out and took the fork, a gentle smile on his face. "Thank you."
Qin Shuzhi looked at him, slightly taken aback.
She was in a terrible state just now, her mind preoccupied with the troubles of the evening. It seemed that only now was she truly noticing the man's appearance.
Under the gentle light of the streetlights, she could clearly see his well-defined and handsome features.
With deep-set eyes, a straight and handsome nose, and prominent brow bones, his features are undeniably handsome.
He looks even better when he smiles.
Seeing him look over, Qin Shuzhi smiled and said, "I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me."
At that moment, she felt that the night wasn't all bad; there was a little bit of... good luck.
At least--
When she was at her most helpless, she met a kind person and received a birthday cake.
In the last ten minutes of her 25th birthday, there was someone who spent the time happily with her.
The cake wasn't very big, so Shi Yuanxing didn't eat much of the girl's.
But there was a strawberry cut in half on top, and Qin Shuzhi gave him a piece.
The two shared a strawberry.
After finishing the cake, Shi Yuanxing took Qin Shuzhi back to her residence.
He watched her safely enter the residential area from the car before turning his gaze away, but a hint of anger rose in his eyes.
What kind of scumbag is her boyfriend?
He actually abandoned her on her birthday, leaving her alone in such a remote place late at night without caring about her.
He looked up again in the direction she had left, his eyes filled with deep emotion.
The phone rang in the carriage. He glanced down at the caller ID on his phone and then answered it.
"Mr. Shi, that batch of goods has already entered the underground market in Country T."
A sinister glint flashed in Shi Yuanxing's eyes as he said in a deep voice, "Keep a close eye on them. I'll be here tonight."
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