Chapter 123 The Greatest Interest
Jiang Chuan continued attending classes and going home as usual, living a routine life. The turning point came one afternoon two months later.
He was discussing the establishment of a law firm with two senior classmates at a coffee shop near the school. Every detail, from the procedures to the selection of the office location, needed to be carefully considered.
His senior classmates, understanding his debts, voluntarily took on the initial financial burden. However, he knew in his heart that if he had more money, they would have had many more options.
Afterwards, Jiang Chuan glanced at his watch and decided to stop by a nearby supermarket to buy his grandmother the peach shortbread she always talked about. To save time, he took a shortcut, passing through two narrow streets and alleys.
Just as he was about to step out of the alley, a short and sharp scream suddenly pierced his eardrums. The sound was distorted and inhuman, yet it conveyed a heart-wrenching pain, causing him to involuntarily stop in his tracks.
Jiang Chuan frowned, not out of anger or pity, but simply because the sound was too grating, like a dull knife scraping against his eardrums, making him instinctively uncomfortable.
He looked in the direction of the sound and his gaze fell on the girl named Bai Qianhe deep in the alley.
She was still dressed in a bright red dress, leaning against the mottled wall with an innocent smile on her face, but her actions revealed an impromptu cruelty.
She was stepping on a thin, white kitten, her black Mary Jane shoes grinding against its belly, each pressure causing the tiny body to convulse in pain.
The mud had stained its originally snow-white fur, making it look like a discarded rag.
The cat was on its last breath, staring at Jiang Chuan as he passed by with its almond-shaped eyes, the blood seeping from the corner of its mouth standing out starkly against its dirty fur.
Bai Qianhe seemed to enjoy this torment, and even laughed out loud the moment the cat vomited blood.
Her two henchmen clapped and cheered, using twigs they'd picked up from somewhere to playfully poke at the cat's eyes. Unable to resist, its meows soon grew weaker and weaker.
Jiang Chuan's stomach churned violently, and that familiar feeling of nausea swept over him once again.
Suddenly, a sharp pebble flew into the alley, grazing Bai Qianhe's calf and leaving a bloody mark on her fair skin.
The girl screamed in terror, her cries more piercing and shrill than a cat's wail.
They were clearly aware that their actions were dishonorable, and they looked around guiltily, only to find that the alley entrance was deserted.
Bai Qianhe clutched her bleeding wound, the smile long gone, replaced by barely concealed panic.
The three of them didn't dare to torture the dying kitten any longer and hurriedly fled back to school along the way they had come.
On his way home, Jiang Chuan finally made up his mind. This time, he was unusually calm, after all, he was never someone bound by morality or pity.
Since discovering the truth about his father's infidelity and car accident, on the surface, his life continues as usual, no different from that of an ordinary person. But inside, it's like a house with its pillars removed, unable to find the support to live as a normal person.
He couldn't hold his father accountable, nor could he verify the truth with his mother; this unvented pain needed an outlet.
And Bai Qianhe, of all times, stumbled upon him. Her wickedness seemed to justify his actions. Taking revenge on someone who was already evil made him feel far more at ease than harming an innocent person.
This is not simply fighting evil with evil, but a meticulously planned game of strategy. He wants to transform the chaos and pain that has accumulated in his heart into a targeted and step-by-step counterattack.
Of course, retaliation was merely a means, not the end goal. What he wanted was to seize the greatest benefit through this.
Things went so smoothly it was almost absurd. Jiang Chuan was even somewhat grateful for the pebble he had thrown, which gave him the most natural excuse to get close to Bai Qianhe.
The fake number he left behind had caused them to lose contact, so he started deliberately waiting at the bus stop where they first met. Sure enough, it didn't take long for the fish to take the bait.
"Brother Jiang Chuan!" Bai Qianhe skipped out of the milk tea shop, her face beaming with her ever-present sweet smile. This time, she was unusually free of her entourage, which suited him perfectly.
"When I called you last time, a strange auntie answered the phone!"
"Really? I guess I typed it wrong." Jiang Chuan twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a mechanical smile that made Bai Qianhe unconsciously squint her eyes.
His gaze shifted downwards, landing on the scabbed wound on her calf, and he asked with feigned surprise, "What happened to your leg?"
"Huh?" Bai Qianhe was clearly surprised that he noticed this, and a hint of panic flashed across her face. "I...I accidentally tripped and fell..."
She tried to hide it with a sweeter smile, unaware that her guilty conscience had already been seen through by the other party.
"I see." Jiang Chuan's voice softened even more. "Walking must be inconvenient, right? I'll take you home." He was like a wild beast lurking in the shadows, patiently waiting for its prey to walk into his trap and throw itself into his arms.
The relationship progressed at an astonishing speed. Bai Qianhe already harbored feelings for Jiang Chuan, and under his subtle guidance, she quickly and completely succumbed to his charms.
Every chance encounter, every word of concern, was a carefully laid trap by Jiang Chuan. And she was happily walking step by step into the abyss.
The boy next door, who was like a gentle breeze and a bright moon in her childhood, is now taking the initiative to show her affection.
She abandoned all pretense of reserve and couldn't wait to post photos of the two of them on all social media platforms on the very day they confirmed their relationship, accompanied by carefully crafted sweet captions.
Jiang Chuan indulged her flamboyant behavior, which was exactly what he wanted, since he needed the relationship to reach her parents' ears as soon as possible.
This so-called "first love" was, for Jiang Chuan, an utter ordeal.
He meticulously calculated the frequency of their meetings, ensuring that her family would learn about the relationship in due time while avoiding excessive contact.
Every time they held hands, every time they hugged, it felt like being pricked by needles. But he still had to pretend to be in love, even his eyes had to show just the right amount of tenderness.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait too long for this day.
Finally, on his way to pick up Bai Qianhe from school as usual, he was bumped into by Cao Jing, who was bringing fruit to her daughter at the school.
After many years, the woman still maintained her elegant demeanor, but her once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless, as if life had worn away all their luster.
Jiang Chuan observed her changes, and his smile deepened.
He calmly took Bai Qianhe's hand and led her towards Cao Jing. He nodded slightly, his voice perfectly polite.
"Long time no see, Teacher Cao."
Just seven words sent chills down Cao Jing's spine, as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
Her pupils contracted sharply. The boy in front of her had long since shed his childishness, and the shadow of his father could still be vaguely seen between his brows, but his expression was frighteningly cold, and the way he looked at her was like the coldest weather of the year.
What's even more terrifying is that he clearly already knows all her secrets, yet he's still putting on an act in front of her while wearing a mask, and has even transformed himself into her daughter's lover.
"Long time no see, Xiao Chuan." Cao Jing's lips curled up mechanically, her nails digging deep into her palms. Watching her daughter nestled sweetly beside Jiang Chuan, a suffocating fear surged within her.
She used to call herself that, back when she was his teacher, but now she was no longer worthy. Jiang Chuan calmly observed the panic, struggle, and exhaustion that flashed in her eyes.
But these emotions bored him. He lacked empathy and, like a machine that never makes a mistake, precisely dissected Cao Jing's psychological activities.
It's like solving a math problem whose answer you already know—it's predictable and offers no surprises.
Their first encounter ended abruptly. A few days later, Cao Jing got his number and contacted him.
They met at a street-facing cafe, where the transparent glass exposed them to passersby—a safety net she kept for herself.
As soon as they sat down, Cao Jing pushed the menu toward Jiang Chuan. Her smile today seemed to have been practiced repeatedly, much softer than when they last met, like a thin glaze barely covering the cracked porcelain underneath.
"Xiao Chuan, what would you like to drink?"
Jiang Chuan didn't reach out to take it; instead, he leaned back into the sofa.
"Teacher Cao, it's just the two of us today, so let's speak frankly." Finally shedding his pretense, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Cao Jing stiffly withdrew her hand and ordered a glass of lemonade from the waiter. "I remember you used to love this. Try it and see if it suits your taste."
"Lemonade, in the end, can only taste like lemon." Jiang Chuan turned his gaze to the window. "Just like those people who are despicable at heart, no matter how they disguise themselves, they can't hide it for long."
“Xiao Chuan, we really shouldn’t have kept things from you about me and your father…” Cao Jing’s breathing became rapid, her hands clasped on her knees, her knuckles turning white from gripping them so tightly.
“No, Teacher Cao, you’ve got three key points wrong.” Jiang Chuan withdrew his gaze, his eyes fixed on her like blades.
"First of all, there was never any 'us,' only you and him."
"Secondly, the problem is not about concealment, but about how you have trampled on every bottom line as a teacher, wife, and mother."
"at last..."
He paused deliberately, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "As a murderer, you seem to be living a little too carefree."
Water droplets condensed on the outside of the glass fell onto the table, like a final blow to this miniature trial.
"I really didn't expect a phone call to lead to such a tragedy." Cao Jing began to perform her hypocritical self-blame.
"He wouldn't answer my calls, and I thought he was going to cut ties with me completely." It wasn't until the police contacted her that she learned Jiang Yunxing had been in a car accident the day he received her call.
After leaving the police station, she was plagued by a sense of unease and lived in constant fear.
This matter felt like a scorching hot stone weighing on her heart, making it hard for her to breathe. She didn't have the courage to tell anyone, and she couldn't find anyone to confide in.
"What a touching confession." Jiang Chuan watched her performance coldly. "People like you are best at exonerating yourselves, always putting your own situation first."
"What exactly do you want?" Cao Jing's facade finally cracked. She realized that the young man in front of her was far more dangerous than she had imagined.
Every move he made was like a meticulously calculated game of chess, and he was being cornered, forced to passively await his judgment.
But she couldn't understand why revenge had to wait until today. Her voice tightened, and her well-maintained hands gripped the bag strap tightly. "Qianhe is innocent, she knows nothing..."
"Qianhe?" Jiang Chuan let out a short, cold laugh, as if he had heard an absurd joke.
He looked down on Bai Qianhe's love for him from the bottom of his heart; it could only be described as blind infatuation, and even that infatuation was mixed with too many things that were not presentable.
After all, a vain and foolish person is not worthy of talking about love.
She was never infatuated with the real him, but rather with a label of a perfect boyfriend that she could flaunt. So Jiang Chuan didn't believe he had much influence over her.
He suddenly gave a chilling smile, and the sunlight from the window shone on half of his face, dividing his expression into light and shadow.
"What if I said that I truly love your daughter and want to marry her?"
"You..." Cao Jing's voice suddenly rose, and her carefully maintained elegance shattered completely at that moment.
She stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound, but stiffly sat back down amidst the strange looks from the surrounding customers.
Her gaze was earnest, her eyes almost pleading as she looked at Jiang Chuan. "Please...please, I'm begging you."
"Qianhe is still young. Let her go, considering how much she values you."
"Do you want money or an opportunity? The teacher can help you with either."
“Even if I were willing to let go, your daughter might not agree.” Jiang Chuan watched her struggle with her own efforts with a calm demeanor, his slender fingers rhythmically tapping the table.
When faced with their children's problems, mothers are often blind and confused. Don't they realize that their daughters are just third-rate, and their dedication to them is not even as strong as that of an imported piano or a limited-edition sports car?
But he didn't mind adding fuel to the fire at this critical juncture, leaning forward and slowly delivering the final blow.
“After all, as you said, she ‘values me very much’.”
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