Chapter 35

Chapter 35

“Where is Xia Wanzhi’s luggage?” Xie Qiyan knocked on Zhou Yu’s door. Ignoring the man’s haggard face, he got straight to the point, his voice devoid of any emotion.

His aura was too overwhelming, making Zhou Yu feel a sense of dread.

Especially since he had come here for Xia Wanzhi.

Standing with Xie Qiyan was Jiang Baichuan.

Zhou Yu couldn’t afford to offend either of them.

Jiang Baichuan stared at Zhou Yu with a cold expression. “I’m here to help Wanzi move.”

Hearing such an intimate nickname, Zhou Yu’s gaze snapped toward him. Recalling Xia Wanzhi’s earlier phone call, it was hard not to associate Jiang Baichuan with Xia Wanzhi’s supposed “Second Spring.”

When did Xia Wanzhi become so close to Jiang Baichuan?

His pupils constricted as he suddenly remembered the scene at the last banquet when Jiang Baichuan had ignored his presence to toast Xia Wanzhi.

Xie Qiyan glanced sideways and suddenly tossed his car keys to Jiang Baichuan. “Take the luggage to the car.”

Jiang Baichuan understood the underlying message. He caught the keys, turned to leave, but then looked back. “Where is her luggage?”

Zhou Yu clenched his fists, not daring to let his anger show. He pointed stiffly toward a room. “First door on the left.”

He watched Jiang Baichuan leave and was about to follow when Xie Qiyan gripped his shoulder and pushed him straight back into the bedroom.

He looked at Xie Qiyan in shock. “Cousin…”

“Let’s talk inside.” Xie Qiyan forced him back step by step. Once inside, he reached behind him and locked the door with precision.

Zhou Yu looked at him in confusion. “Cousin… what do you want to talk about?”

“Which hand touched Xia Wanzhi?” Xie Qiyan’s voice was calm, but his dark eyes held a sharp, predatory glint that inspired an inexplicable fear.

During the first month Xie Qiyan returned to the country, Zhou Yu hadn’t been afraid of him. But later, Xie Tianqi ended up in a coma because of him, Hou Mengqiu was sent to a mental hospital, and even their young cousin had vanished without a trace. Meanwhile, Xie Qiyan had firmly established himself as the head of the Xie Family.

The key point was that even though the Xie Family had lost a grandson, the Old Master hadn’t said a word about searching for him. Instead, he deferred to Xie Qiyan in everything.

No one knew what secrets lay behind those events.

They only knew that Xie Qiyan was no longer the same person who could be bullied in his youth.

No one dared to offend Xie Qiyan.

In fact, they had to be on guard against him.

This was especially true after all the influence Zhou’s Mother had secretly planted in the Xie Corporation was uprooted. Zhou Yu had been warned repeatedly to stay far away from Xie Qiyan.

He was terrified that Xie Qiyan would make a move against the Zhou Family.

“Was I not direct enough?” Xie Qiyan looked at him. “Or did you use both hands? Where exactly did you touch her?”

Zhou Yu’s face turned pale instantly.

“This is a matter between me and Zhi Zhi. Isn’t Cousin overstepping a bit too-”

Zhou Yu’s muffled groan coincided with the impact of Xie Qiyan’s fist. A sharp pain flared as Zhou Yu’s head snapped to the side. The punch was so sudden that he stumbled back several steps.

“You should be glad she escaped,” Xie Qiyan said, his tone remaining eerily calm.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been as simple as a single punch.

Zhou Yu knew exactly what he was referring to. His entire body tensed up. When he looked up again, he didn’t dare meet Xie Qiyan’s eyes.

He was furious.

“Since the engagement is void, stay away from her from now on.” Xie Qiyan loosened his wrist, his downcast eyes cold and menacing.

This was a warning.

Xie Qiyan said nothing more. As soon as he left, Zhou Yu clutched his bruised face and slowly slid down the wall to the floor.

Xia Wanzhi had been surrounded by people since she was a child, and he was one of them.

No one could help but love the little princess who seemed to radiate light.

In his youth, he had kept her carefully in his heart, terrified that someone would steal her away. He had protected her and catered to her every whim. Finally, he had managed to stand out from the crowd and successfully become her fiancé.

But things didn’t go as planned. Fate had dealt him the ultimate test.

The once-exalted little princess had fallen to the bottom of the world overnight, turning into a Cinderella.

He wanted Xia Wanzhi, but he couldn’t want a Xia Wanzhi who was no longer a princess.

***

Jiang Baichuan had already moved the luggage out. He was sitting on the hood of the car waiting for Xie Qiyan. Seeing the man’s dark expression, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Did you hit him?”
Xie Qiyan took the keys from him and got into the car. “Beat up what?”

Jiang Baichuan was fuming. “The guy! You didn’t beat him up? That won’t do. I came all this way specifically to stand up for my little sister Wanzi. If you didn’t do it, I’m going back to give him a thrashing myself.”

Seeing that the man was actually about to turn back, Xie Qiyan finally tossed out a sentence: “I did. Get in.”

Jiang Baichuan arched an eyebrow, backed up a few steps, and sat in the passenger seat. He chuckled. “I knew it. You only sent me away because you wanted to get your hands dirty yourself.”

The car swung into a drift, sending Jiang Baichuan crashing into the window unexpectedly. He cursed through gritted teeth, “With a temper like yours, President Xie, no girl is ever going to like you.”

Xie Qiyan ignored that remark, asking instead, “Little sister Wanzi?”

Jiang Baichuan rubbed his nose and explained, “That’s what Yun Li calls her. I’m just following her lead.”

Xie Qiyan gave a cold snort, not bothering to entertain him further.

When they arrived at the hospital, Jiang Baichuan asked again, “Are you really not going up to see her?”

“No,” Xie Qiyan replied, still refusing.

Jiang Baichuan huffed. “Stubborn to a fault.”

Xie Qiyan offered a rare explanation: “I’m going to drop off her luggage.”

Jiang Baichuan begrudgingly accepted the reason. However, when they reached the ward, only Xia Wanzhi-who was still on an IV drip-and her assistant Zhuzi were there. There was no sign of Yun Li anywhere.

Noticing his searching gaze, Xia Wanzhi spoke up. “Liang Jing called and asked her to leave.”

Jiang Baichuan frowned slightly. “Her injuries…”

“I asked the doctor; they aren’t serious enough for her to be hospitalized.” Perhaps because she was ill, Xia Wanzhi’s voice was somewhat thin. She fell silent for a moment, looking as if she wanted to say something but was hesitating. After a brief struggle, she decided to offer a word of advice. “President Jiang…”

“You used to call me ‘Big Brother’ when you were little.” Jiang Baichuan set the fruit basket down and naturally pulled out a chair to sit. His gaze was gentle. “I really wasn’t lying to you about that.”

The words Xia Wanzhi had been about to say got stuck in her throat. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. “…”

Jiang Baichuan laughed. “It’s fine if you can’t bring yourself to say it. Just call me by my name; there’s no need to be a stranger with me.”

Although Xia Wanzhi hadn’t met Jiang Baichuan many times, she was well aware of his reputation in their social circles.

He had started involving himself in company business in his teens, held dual degrees in Management and Finance, and had begun navigating various commercial venues even before graduation. He had taken over the Jiang Corporation the moment he finished his studies.

More importantly, he had never been involved in any scandals.

People said he didn’t like women.

But now…

Xia Wanzhi looked at him with a complicated expression.

Out of thousands of women, he didn’t want any of them; he just had to set his sights on one who was already taken.

“Do you know who Liang Jing is?” Xia Wanzhi didn’t want to see him sink too deep.

Jiang Baichuan remained calm and composed. “I know.”

“Then you…”

“Yun Li has the right to love. Her life should be in her own hands, not coerced or arranged.” Jiang Baichuan’s expression was exceptionally serious.

Xia Wanzhi was left speechless.

She wanted Yun Li to find love more than anyone.

“Are you that love?” Xia Wanzhi asked softly.

“We’ll know after we try.” Jiang Baichuan handed her a peeled apple and stood up.

Since Yun Li wasn’t there, he didn’t stay long. Xia Wanzhi fell into deep thought, reflecting on many things.

Once the IV drip was finished, Xia Wanzhi packed up and left the hospital as well.

The night was cold and quiet. After taking her medicine, Xia Wanzhi went to bed early. Perhaps under the influence of the medication, she slept exceptionally soundly.

Xie Tan had called her three or four times, but her phone volume was too low, and she didn’t hear a thing.

The screen lit up and dimmed, eventually falling silent for a long time.

In the South Courtyard of the Xie Family estate, Xie Tan sat cross-legged on the sofa, holding her watch out for Xie Qiyan to see. “Look, five calls and she hasn’t picked up once.”

Xie Qiyan took a sip of his coffee and lifted his eyes. “You want to go find her?”

Xie Tan gave a little ‘tsk.’ “Are you going to take me?”

Xie Qiyan waited a moment before slowly standing up. “Then let’s go.”

Xie Tan blinked, intentionally shouting, “Actually, we don’t have to go!”

Xie Qiyan didn’t stop. As he reached the door, he threw a sentence back over his shoulder: “I’m giving you three seconds to get your ass over here.”

Xie Tan: “…”

She knew it.

The world of adults was so complicated.