Chapter 16 Never Forgive
The Bentley turned on its hazard lights and pulled over to the side of the road in the temporary waiting area in front of the bus stop. The driver got out of the car and quietly closed the door.
It started to drizzle, the raindrops carrying the warmth of the sun. Xiao Jun hastily wiped the rain off his face, walked to a large tree not far away, and called Ye Zhu back.
The car door jolted slightly, and the window rolled down four or five centimeters, from which came a woman's scolding voice:
"open!!"
"Qin Qiao!"
Hearing Chen Jiashu's angry voice, Xiao Jun glanced towards that window.
He had been working with Chen Jiashu for three years and had never seen Chairman Chen yell or shout. In his memory, Chen Jiashu had always been someone who never showed his emotions.
At the end of last year, the deputy director of the sales department was reported to the police by Chen Jiashu for accepting bribes. Before the police took him away, the deputy director pointed at Chen Jiashu in front of everyone in the office area and called him a "blind man," saying that "the group will be finished sooner or later under the leadership of this blind man." Chairman Chen not only did not get angry, but also showed a smile that did not mean anything, and said to the police calmly: "Take him away."
Rainwater was blown into the crevice by the wind and fell on Qin Qiao's cheeks. She herself couldn't tell whether the warm, moist stain was tears or rainwater.
The window rolled down because Qin Qiao refused to listen to Chen Jiashu and even pushed him, which angered Chen Jiashu. When he grabbed her hand to open the door, she instinctively flinched, causing her back to hit the car door hard and press the button to raise or lower the window.
In the dimly lit car, Chen Jiashu's eyes were filled with pain and a hint of anger. His voice was hoarse and strained: "You know I didn't mean it that way, it's just that the doctor said your injury requires you to rest for a couple of days..."
Here we go again, here we go again, claiming it's "for my own good."
Qin Qiao chuckled, a layer of frost instantly forming in her eyes. She struggled to free the hand he had gripped and pressed against the car window, but the man didn't need to use much force for her to break free of his hold.
She exclaimed angrily, "This was the case during the divorce, and it's happening again now! When are you going to understand that I don't need your arrangements?!"
"Chen Jiashu!" His soft whisper was ruthlessly interrupted by Qin Qiao.
A surge of emotion welled up in her eyes, and she said in a low voice, "You will never realize your mistakes, and I will never forgive you. I didn't want to argue with you the other day because you weren't feeling well, but that's no reason for you to keep pushing your luck." She emphasized the words "pushing your luck" very heavily.
Even in the dim light, the man's face, which had suddenly lost all color, was still clearly visible, turning as pale as snow.
The hand that was holding her wrist loosened its grip by half, and Qin Qiao took the opportunity to pull it back and hide it behind her back.
Unexpectedly, Chen Jiashu moved even closer to her, pressing his hands against her heaving shoulders. Like a frightened bird, she shuddered violently, forced to let out a hoarse scream:
"If you didn't hear me clearly, I'll say it again: I, Qin Qiao, will never forgive Chen Jiashu, never!" But tears still fell uncontrollably.
The man's body stiffened as if struck by lightning, but the next second, he desperately hugged her, pleading in a hoarse voice:
"Qiaoqiao, I apologize to you. I know I was wrong. Please don't do this... please don't beg me like this."
Chen Jiashu had never hated his useless eyes as much as he did at this moment. They couldn't read whether her face was pale or full of fear, nor could they see if there was even a trace of affection left for him in her eyes.
Her pale fingers landed on his arms, and she pinched him hard.
But Chen Jiashu felt no pain at all, and his arms wrapped around her tighter and tighter like vines.
Chen Jiashu lowered his neck, forcing her to press her forehead against his.
Their hearts were pressed close together, their breaths mingling.
He swallowed hard twice, his voice low: "Qiaoqiao, you still love me. Otherwise, how would you have known I might have been tricked into listening in? How could it be such a coincidence that you were also there when I was in Dongting and even gave me a heads-up? And how could you have stepped in to help me play a round of golf when I couldn't find anyone I could use and was almost defeated?"
“I’m almost blind, but my heart isn’t. From the time we met until now, I know everything you’ve done for me and how much you love me…”
Qin Qiao maintained the position of grabbing his arm, but this time she put all her strength into it, her finger bones sinking into his flesh through the thin fabric of his shirt.
This was her resentment for six years... She had no reason to hate him, but she resented him, and had resented him for a full six years.
Why should she forgive him with just a casual "I was wrong"? Why should she forgive him?!
But suddenly.
Chen Jiashu cupped her cheeks, his thumb caressing her lips, and then decisively lowered his head to kiss her lips.
This action caused Qin Qiao to completely lose control. She bit him first, the taste of blood filling her mouth, and then reached out with both hands to push him hard on the shoulder.
The man, who had been frozen in place by the bite, was pushed backward by the force and fell into his seat.
"Chen Jiashu! You're too arrogant. I stopped loving you the day we divorced six years ago!" Qin Qiao wiped the blood from his lips and stared coldly at Chen Jiashu, who had sat up. "Attending the hearing, going to Dongting Town, and even today's events were all for work. As for what you said about playing golf, just like I told that Chairman Zhong, it was just a favor."
Debts of gratitude...
Chen Jiashu's eyes lost their light, and his body swayed unsteadily, as if he were nothing but an empty shell.
Qin Qiao bit her lip hard, her mouth filled with the salty taste of her blood. But she was numb, unable to feel the pain. She had only one thought: she had to escape from here, escape from Chen Jiashu, so that her life could return to peace.
Since we reunited, every argument has been incredibly painful. If we never want to see each other again, it will never happen again.
Chen Jiashu clenched his fists. The temperature inside the car was comfortable, but he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his whole body was cold and he was shivering.
He doesn't believe it... he doesn't believe it.
Chen Jiashu leaned over, pleading earnestly, "Qiaoqiao, I'll change, I really will... please give me another chance..."
However, she had already pushed open the car door and climbed out.
A heatwave arrived, accompanied by raindrops, and Qin Qiao smiled as she breathed in the scent of human life.
Cars passed by her, and the drivers and assistants standing under the tree looked at her with the same astonished expressions.
Qin Qiao's gaze fell on the intersection ten meters away. She turned around and walked away, intending to hail a taxi there.
Suddenly, hurried, powerful footsteps rushed towards her, and instinctively felt that a hand was about to grab her arm, so she quickly stepped aside.
"Chairman Chen!"
The two male voices exclaimed in unison.
Chen Jiashu's figure swept past her, leaping forward and crashing straight onto the wet ground.
At the bus stop, on the distant zebra crossing, on the sidewalk, countless eyes instantly fell on him.
Qin Qiao was shocked, but she still instinctively walked quickly toward him. However, just as she was about to reach him, she was pushed aside by two men who rushed over.
"Chairman Chen!"
The two men helped Chen Jiashu up. His usually impeccably dressed white shirt was soaked through by the dirty rainwater on the ground, leaving large dark stains on his abdomen and chest. His trousers were less noticeable because they were black.
He was in a very sorry state.
Fine raindrops drifted between them. Qin Qiao stared fixedly at Chen Jiashu, her expression as cold as ice.
Seeing him wave his right hand, the two men immediately understood and took a half step back.
Dark red scabs clung to his pale, thin lips. He forced a faint smile: "Was what you said in the car just now true?"
Qin Qiao was somewhat afraid to look at him, but just one step, one word, and from then on, there would be no more irritation, heartache, or lingering stagnation...
Thinking of this, Qin Qiao met his probing gaze and said in an extremely cold tone, "Everything I said is true."
Chen Jiashu chuckled softly, as if he was no longer bothered by it: "...I understand. Get in the car. I didn't even see you off that year when I turned around and left."
He paused, then said earnestly, "Qiaoqiao, let me take you there once."
Afterwards, they returned to the car together. Chen Jiashu sat in the passenger seat, put on his coat, and the two didn't exchange another word for the rest of the journey.
Back in the city, the weather was nice again.
As the sun set, Qin Qiao got out of the car, closed the door, and walked straight to the open-air parking lot without looking back.
Her car was parked there.
The car window slowly rolled down, and she could no longer be seen in the blurry world.
Chen Jiashu leaned back in his leather chair, and as he closed his eyes, tears that had been welling up in his eyes for a long time silently streamed down, seeping into the fabric of his suit.
*
Yang Shuhua was watching TV with her three children in the living room when she heard the "ding" of the smart lock opening the door. She got up and went to the door.
Qin Qiao entered the room, bent down, and silently changed her shoes.
Yang Shuhua sensed something was off about her daughter: "Why is she back so early today?" She hadn't told her she was coming home for dinner, and hadn't cooked much food, but luckily her daughter had a small appetite, so it was enough for her.
Qin Qiao suddenly straightened up, his eyes cold and deep as he stared intently at her.
"What's wrong?" Yang Shuhua's eyelids twitched.
"Chen Jiashu has never wronged you, so why did you lie to him?"
Yang Shuhua glanced at the living room and pulled her into her room.
He pulled the door open with his backhand.
"Qiaoqiao... what's wrong with you?" Yang Shuhua was very worried because her daughter looked terrible. "Jiashu... what happened to him?"
The two stood at the doorway and did not go inside.
Qin Qiao forced a bitter, pale smile: "Mom, do you know? You are the least qualified to criticize Chen Jiashu. He pawned over 500 grams of gold that his grandmother had saved up all her life to raise enough money for your daughter to study for a master's degree abroad; even when he was short of money in his business, he still transferred living expenses to your daughter every month; he treated you like his own mother when he married your daughter, and he was more anxious than anyone else about anything that happened to you. Once, you had an upset stomach and were in pain in the middle of the night. I couldn't carry you, but Chen Jiashu carried you to the hospital. Your daughter... enjoyed the favors he gave you, while you enjoyed the life of being indirectly supported by him."
Yang Shuhua's face grew increasingly grim with each statement of fact, and the last sentence sent her staggering back several steps, crashing into the door: "What are you saying? I was just upset that you were being bullied by him, weren't I? You almost died giving birth to these two children, have you forgotten? I'm your mother, my daughter... How much my heart ached when you almost died..."
“Jia Shu didn’t say anything when he divorced you. Even after you found out he had encountered a major problem, I still felt angry every time I thought about how you lay in bed for more than five months to protect your pregnancy and cried when you missed him. How could I not be angry?”
Their fingertips intertwined, and after a long while, Qin Qiao moved her lips, but the long speech had exhausted her, and she couldn't continue.
Yang Shuhua was heartbroken by her words and said through tears, "Yes, Jia Shu has helped our family a lot. He even helped with your father's funeral arrangements. How could I forget? But... Qiao Qiao, didn't you do anything? Didn't your mother do anything? Jia Shu's eyesight is bad. Did your father and mother never stop you? When I moved in with you, didn't your mother prepare two meals a day for you and Jia Shu? Did I ever say a bad word about him outside?"
"Later, Jia Shu had eye surgery. During that time, did Mom go to the hospital three times a day? After he was discharged, he was in a bad mood, but Mom still cooked for him as usual. Did I ever complain? Qiao Qiao, if you're talking about money, I admit that our whole family has benefited from his kindness, but emotionally, we have never wronged him... He treats me like his own mother, and I treat him like my own son."
Amidst Yang Shuhua's series of tearful questions, Qin Qiao turned around blankly, dragged his leaden legs to the bedside, sat down, and felt a sharp pain in his tailbone.
Was I wrong?
Was Yang Shuhua wrong to love her son so much?
She received a favor from Chen Jiashu, yet she still blames him for being wrong?
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
