Chapter 98 Self-Destruction
"Bai Zhenzhu, what exactly did you do to Shi Jin? Do you know that Shi Jin is in the hospital again? A while ago, because of you, he drank so much that he almost died from a stomach hemorrhage. Yesterday, he got into a fight at a bar and almost got beaten to death! Shi Jin has been learning boxing and karate since elementary school. How could he possibly lose to a small-time thug? He just wants to die! He wants to die, do you know that?!"
Bai Zhenzhu was trapped in the teaching building's restroom by Li Qianni and couldn't get out.
Frustrated, she scratched her hair and rolled her eyes.
"So what? What does his wanting to die have to do with me? I didn't tell him to die!"
"White Pearl, do you even have a heart? Shi Jin treated you so well, loved you so much, how could you be so cruel!"
Seeing Shi Jin so dejected and heartbroken, Li Qianni felt a pang of pain in her heart. She had considered taking advantage of his vulnerability, but Shi Jin was currently an alcoholic who looked like he wanted to kill anyone, so she could only watch him from a distance.
"Li Qianni, in what capacity are you speaking to me like this?"
She raised her hand and shoved Li Qianni's shoulder hard, and Li Qianni unsurprisingly fell to the ground.
"Because I love Shi Jin! Because I understand him best!"
"If you love him and understand him, go find him yourself. I won't bother you two anymore. And don't even think about disgusting me in front of me again!"
Bai Zhenzhu kicked Li Qianni's bag away and left without looking back.
...
Bai Zhenzhu went to her brother's hospital to find him.
My brother said he had something he wanted to say to her.
She knew what her brother wanted to say, but it was all things she didn't want to hear.
But the bond between her and her brother remained, and she couldn't disown him.
On the way here, she bought some bread, chocolate, and snacks for her brother so that he could have something to eat to replenish his energy when he was tired after a surgery.
"Brother, if you're trying to persuade me to go home, I suggest you don't say anything at all. Even if you do, I won't listen."
"Pearl, I didn't mean to persuade you. I know you're angry right now and won't listen to anything I say. I just want to tell you that your brother will always love you, will always be by your side, and will never betray you..."
"If you're tired or have anything that's making you sad, you can come to your brother. He'll lend you his shoulder to lean on."
"Brother, why can't he give me a shoulder to lean on like you do? Why am I always the first one to be abandoned since I was little? Why did you name me Pearl, yet never cherish me?"
It's not that Bai Zhenzhu doesn't care, or that she's not in pain; rather, she's become numb and no longer feels pain.
"Pearl, Dad was wrong... but I'm the eldest son of the Bai family, I really..."
“I know, brother. I’ve never resented you. You’ve been so outstanding since you were little. You’re the pride of the family and you’ve always been very good to me.”
Bai Zhenzhu lowered her eyes, staring unfocused at a spot on the ground, and smiled bitterly, "Perhaps I really am too annoying."
After leaving her brother's office, Bai Zhenzhu suddenly heard a familiar voice.
It seems to be Shi Mu's.
She suddenly remembered what Li Qianni had said: Shi Jin was hospitalized.
At that moment, she inexplicably went to the end of the corridor, quietly opened the ward door, leaving it a crack...
Why has Shi Jin become so thin and weak?
His face was bruised and swollen, and his body was covered in wounds.
It was hard to reconcile this with the spirited, aloof young master of the Shi family she remembered.
"Son, can you just have one bite? Mom just made you some pig's trotter soup when she got home, can you just have one sip?"
No matter how much Shi's mother tried to persuade him, Shi Jin only had one expression: staring blankly at the ceiling, as if his soul had been hollowed out.
Shi's mother turned around and began to wipe away her tears.
Muttering to herself, "How can you only think about Pearl? Don't you know that Mom is also very sad? Do you really want to see me die in front of you?"
Just when Shi's mother thought Shi Jin was still unmoved, Shi Jin suddenly spoke up.
His voice, hardened by his long silence, sounded almost comical as he said, "Mom, please find Pearl for me. I have something to say to her, please."
That's what she said again. Shi Jin has begged her countless times these days.
"Son, I'm begging you, please stop thinking about her. She's not worth it. She already has a boyfriend! Please wake up!"
"Mom, I don't mind if Pearl has a boyfriend. I can be her lover, as long as she's by my side..."
"Shi Jin! Do you even know what you're saying?! Where did your upbringing and values go?! Are you even still my son?!"
Finally, Shi's mother couldn't take it anymore and angrily turned and left the ward.
Upon opening the door, one could see Bai Zhenzhu standing there, her face indifferent.
Shi's mother glanced at Shi Jin in the ward behind her. Seeing that he hadn't noticed, she immediately closed the door and then took Bai Zhenzhu's hand and went to the fire escape.
Bai Zhenzhu rubbed her wrist, which was sore from being pulled by Shi's mother, and said indifferently, "Auntie, I thought we had made things clear between us."
"Pearl, why didn't you go in just now?"
"Does Auntie want me to go in and see Shi Jin?" Bai Zhenzhu sneered. "I thought you didn't want me to see Shi Jin, after all, you've already given me the breakup fee."
Shi's mother coughed awkwardly twice. "Pearl, I know you love painting and are very talented. You've always wanted to become Locke's apprentice. Luckily, I know Locke's wife. I can introduce you and even get him to take you on as his student..."
Since Bai Zhenzhu began learning to paint on her own, her favorite painter has been the most famous Italian oil painter, Roque, and she has copied every one of Roque's paintings.
But Locke was a recluse, a man of few desires, and never took on any disciples.
Even though she liked him a lot, she never considered getting close to him or even becoming his apprentice.
The temptation from her mother was too great; she knew she was already tempted.
But she understood that there's no such thing as a free lunch.
"Auntie, what are the conditions? What are your conditions for introducing me to Locke and even for him to take me as his apprentice?"
"Leaving China to study in Italy."
Bai Zhenzhu's heart skipped a beat; she was actually quite surprised.
I never imagined that my mother would hate me to this extent, or rather, fear me.
She was afraid of coming into contact with her son, so she wanted to get as far away from him as possible.
"Pearl, don't blame your aunt for being heartless. Xiaojin is my only son. Since you can't be with Xiaojin, it's better to leave. In a few years, time will have passed, and everything will be forgotten..."
"Auntie, I need some time to think about it."
She didn't reply immediately because she was also very confused.
Studying under the Italian master Joachim Laureus in Italy is perhaps every art student's dream, and it was once an unattainable dream for Bai Zhenzhu.
But one day, this dream suddenly appeared vividly before her, and she felt a little confused again.
“Okay, Pearl, I’ll give you a month to think it over. During this month, I will help you get your passport, book your plane ticket, find a teacher for you, and contact the school. Then you can just relax and board the plane to Italy.”
"Auntie, why do I feel like you think I'll definitely agree to your conditions?"
"Because I know you don't love Xiaojin, and you won't ruin your future for Xiaojin..."
...
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