Chapter 16
Why is it so cold?
He asked in a low voice, his tone as deep and resonant as a cello in the dim light. Wen Chuqing's heart pounded like a drum, and she dared not look at him. He did not go any further, but simply held her hand, his thumb unconsciously stroking the back of her hand.
“Don’t be nervous,” he leaned closer, “I just can’t help wanting to be near you.”
He paused, a hint of melancholy in his voice:
"Chu Qing, you are different from her. She is like a fire, hot and intense. When you are close to her, you are always worried about getting burned. But you are different. You are like water. It is very comfortable to be with you."
His words stirred up a storm in Wen Chuqing's heart. She thought of what Jiang Minghua had said to her, but when she met Fu Yanzhi's gaze again, Wen Chuqing thought that perhaps what Jiang Minghua said was not entirely true.
After the movie ended, Fu Yanzhi handed her an exquisite paper bag containing the latest top-of-the-line laptop and a luxury brand fountain pen.
“You can’t refuse,” he said gently but firmly. “This is just a friend’s sentiment.”
Standing downstairs in the dormitory with the gift in her hand, Wen Chuqing was still dizzy. She stretched out her icy hands and put them on her cheeks, trying to cool down: He really did notice her old-fashioned phone. Really, why is a boy so thoughtful!
Another week passed, and when Wen Chuqing stood at the entrance of the magnificent concert hall, wearing the light pink dress Fu Yanzhi had given her, a strong sense of unreality still enveloped her. The elegant dress and the surroundings served as a stark reminder of the distance between them.
This anxiety reached its peak the moment Fu Yanzhi appeared. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored dark suit, composed and elegant. However, when he walked up to her, he said nothing, simply and naturally bent his arm, waiting for her response.
Wen Chuqing hesitated before taking his arm. The moment her hand touched his, the steady strength of his arm seemed to silently declare, dispelling all her unease. She suddenly felt that as long as he was by her side, everything would be alright.
The symphony was magnificent and grand. Fu Yanzhi sat next to Wen Chuqing, his expression focused and solemn. During the intermission, he gave a brief comment on the expressiveness of a certain movement, which immediately drew nods of agreement from the ladies next to him.
Looking at his profile as he spoke eloquently, Wen Chuqing felt a complex mix of emotions—admiration, but also a sense of distance that was hard to describe.
After the concert, Fu Yanzhi drove her back to school. Near the artificial lake on campus, they ran into several wealthy girls who were usually friends with Qin Shuyi. When they saw Wen Chuqing and then Fu Yanzhi beside her, they exchanged a mocking glance and whispered among themselves.
"Tsk, what a lucky guy. With a pretty face, he can really rise to the top."
Wen Chuqing's face turned pale instantly. Just then, Fu Yanzhi stretched out his long arm, put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her closer to him.
His gaze swept coldly over the girls:
“Wen Chuqing is my friend. I don’t want to hear any more impolite remarks about her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind talking to your father about his upbringing.”
The girls' expressions changed, and they immediately fell silent and left.
The warmth and strength of his hand came from her shoulder, and his protective words were in her ear. Wen Chuqing's embarrassment and grievance were instantly replaced by a huge sense of security.
Walking along the tree-lined path, the night was gentle. Fu Yanzhi slowed his pace.
"See?" He looked down at her. "With me here, no one can bully you."
Wen Chuqing gave a soft "Mmm".
He stopped, faced her, and spoke in a low, earnest voice:
"Chu Qing, I don't know how to describe this feeling. But when I'm with you, watching you study quietly and listening to you talk, I feel very relaxed and happy. This is something I've never felt with anyone else."
He didn't say "I like you," but these suggestive words were more powerful than any direct confession. Wen Chuqing looked up at him, the moonlight illuminating his face, making him breathtakingly handsome. All her previous defenses crumbled completely at that moment.
"It seems I've arrived at the wrong time?"
A clear, slightly languid female voice broke the stillness of the night.
Wen Chuqing sprang away from Fu Yanzhi like a startled deer, her face still flushed, and looked in the direction of the sound. She saw Jiang Minghua leaning against a sleek matte black supercar, arms crossed, watching them with an air of nonchalance.
Fu Yanzhi frowned slightly, clearly displeased at being disturbed, but he maintained a polite facade when facing Jiang Minghua.
"Jiang, what a coincidence."
"unfortunately."
Jiang Minghua curled her lips into a smile, her gaze falling directly on Wen Chuqing.
"I just came out of the library and noticed that Wen Chuqing didn't attend evening self-study when I passed by the tutoring center, so I came over to check if my innocent and virtuous friend had been bothered by any unnecessary trouble."
Her gaze swept meaningfully over Fu Yanzhi.
Wen Chuqing's face instantly turned from red to white, and she lowered her head in embarrassment, not daring to look Jiang Minghua in the eye.
“Minghua, I…”
Jiang Minghua didn't say anything more, but simply opened the car door and said calmly to Wen Chuqing:
"It's late. Get in the car, I'll take you to the hospital to see your grandma."
Her tone left no room for refusal. Wen Chuqing bit her lip and whispered to Fu Yanzhi:
"Fu, I'll head back now."
Fu Yanzhi nodded, and watched as Wen Chuqing got into Jiang Minghua's car like a child who had done something wrong, his eyes darkening.
The supercar engine roared and sped away.
The atmosphere inside the car was somewhat tense.
"Chu Qing, you should know that you look a lot like Fu Yan's ex-girlfriend."
Jiang Minghua stared straight ahead, her voice calm and even.
“Minghua, Yanzhi… he’s very good to me. He said I’m different from his ex-girlfriend, and he feels very comfortable with me.”
Wen Chuqing tried to explain, but her voice grew softer and softer.
"Comfortable?" Jiang Minghua scoffed. "You've only known each other for a few days, and your relationship can already surpass that of childhood sweethearts?"
She parked her car downstairs at the hospital, turned to look at Wen Chuqing, her eyes sharp.
"Wen Chuqing, do you even have a brain? Have you forgotten how he hurt you before?"
Watching Wen Chuqing run into the inpatient department in a flustered manner, Jiang Minghua leaned against the steering wheel and sighed softly.
[Plus sign, could you transfer your brain to Wen Chuqing's body?]
Plus sign: [Huh?]
Just then, her phone screen lit up, and a text message from an unknown number popped up:
Sister, please save my brother!
Spam? Scam? Jiang Minghua raised an eyebrow, preparing to delete it immediately. She'd seen this kind of low-level tactic of exploiting sympathy far too many times.
Just as her fingertip was about to touch the delete key, an image suddenly flashed into her mind: the pale, thin boy with rare gray-pink soft hair she had seen in the park earlier.
Yes, the little mute's brother. I haven't collected his rare hair color yet, it would be such a pity if it were gone.
Once the thought arose, Jiang Minghua didn't hesitate any longer. Her fingertips rapidly tapped on the screen, replying crisply and decisively:
【address】
The text message came back almost instantly; it was from the Xie family's main residence.
Half an hour later, Jiang Minghua's iconic matte black supercar executed a clean drift and stopped in front of the Xie family's grand villa. After announcing her name, she specifically asked to see Xie Yan.
The current head of the Xie family, a slightly overweight, shrewd-eyed middle-aged man, quickly came out to greet them. Facing Jiang Minghua, the daughter of the richest man, his face was full of polite and cautious smiles.
"Miss Jiang, it's an honor to have you here! I'm so sorry for not welcoming you sooner! But what is there to thank me for? Is it too much to ask?"
He showed just the right amount of confusion, and shrugged.
"Are you mistaken? There is no child with that name among the younger generation of the Xie family."
Jiang Minghua was too lazy to play along with him. She glanced at his shifty eyes and cut straight to the point, her voice as cold as shattered jade:
"Mr. Xie, I know you've been really keen to secure the project in the biotechnology park in the east of the city, and my father happens to be the biggest investor."
She leaned forward slightly, exuding an aura of pressure: "Let me see Xie Yan. As long as I see him, I can make the decision about that project right now and give it to you."
Sect Leader Xie's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, and a hint of struggle flashed across his face.
The Jiang family's wealth is unfathomable; a single project might be a drop in the ocean for them, but for the increasingly declining Xie family, it's a lifeline. He quickly weighed the pros and cons: exchanging an insignificant experimental subject for a project that could revive the Xie family was far too worthwhile.
Then a warm smile returned to his face, tinged with obsequiousness: "Miss Jiang, look at you, why didn't you say so sooner! This way, please, this way..."
He waved for his trusted subordinates to lead the way. Passing through a luxurious yet empty living room and winding corridors, his subordinates led her towards the basement. The further down they went, the colder and damper the air became, filled with a strange odor of disinfectant and mildew—a stark contrast to the opulent living room upstairs.
The iron door to the basement was opened, and a stronger smell of medicine and a chill rushed out.
The scene under the dim light was unsettling.
The little mute boy knelt on the cold cement floor, clinging tightly to the side of a makeshift cot. His small shoulders trembled incessantly from suppressed sobs, and his eyes were swollen like walnuts.
On the cot, Xie Yan lay quietly, like a lifeless jade sculpture. He was even thinner than when they last met, his cheekbones high and prominent, his eyes sunken, his face a deathly pale ashen, his lips cracked and bloodless. His distinctive pink hair was now withered and scattered on the soiled pillow. His eyes were closed, his breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.
Jiang Minghua's gaze fell on Xie Yan's bloodless face. For some reason, she suddenly thought of the tragic state of Jiang Mingjia before her death in her previous life, when she was arbitrarily harmed.
A surge of inexplicable anger welled up inside her. She took a deep breath, suppressed her turbulent emotions, and coldly addressed the Xie family members beside her:
"I'm taking this person with me now."
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