Chapter Thirty-Seven

  It's unclear when the sky turned dark, and when she opened her computer, it was clearly after noon. Xīuè hadn't even taken off her shoes before leaning against the bed frame, her mind in a state of numbness after being overloaded, as if she had fainted. It wasn't until the knock on the door startled her that she sat up with a start and realized the room was pitch black, except for the faint blue glow from the monitor in standby mode.

  The knocking sound became more urgent and heavy, like the drumbeat before a battle. Situ Xuan subconsciously went to open the door, outside was Yao Auntie, with one hand still suspended in mid-air. Although Yao Auntie's relationship with Situ Xuan hadn't become closer, after being taught a lesson several times, she knew to be more polite, and even if she was urging him to eat, she wouldn't knock on the door so rudely, which made Situ Xuan somewhat surprised.

  "Didn't you hear it after knocking for so long?" said Aunt Yao. "Your parents are back, hurry down."

  Xīng Tuò's heart suddenly shrank, and at this time, she saw her hot-tempered father appear at the staircase entrance. Before she could even see his face clearly, she felt a flash in her eyes, and instantly, her entire body lost its balance. Half of her head and face were numb, while the other half of her brain was spinning as it fell heavily onto the door frame's corner. At that moment, she didn't feel much pain, just dizziness. When she opened her eyes, she couldn't see clearly. The old wooden floor, which was barely supporting the door frame, and the feet of others standing nearby were all rotating at a strange angle.

  Situ Jiu's family background was in the military, and it is said that he had practiced a solid fist and footwork, which made him deeply proud. His family and friends often watched his one-handed brick-chopping performance after dinner, which always won applause. After passing the age of 40, such performances gradually decreased. One reason was that Xue Shaoping was tired of watching him torture himself, and another reason was that Situ Yuan suspected that he couldn't chop as well as before. She had discovered that he secretly applied medicinal wine to his hand after a particularly vigorous performance. Situ Yuan didn't think much of her father's showy display of brute force, but she never thought that the hand that chopped down so fiercely would one day be used on her. He was no longer as strong as in his youth, but he could still rush over and scold his own daughter with a single swift step. That slap to the ear was more like a "smash" than a gentle tap.

  Xīng Xī suddenly recalled the bricks that had shattered in her father's hands, perhaps it wouldn't be surprising if she were to die from this blow. She heard her mother's sharp wails, "What are you doing with your hands? You promised me we'd talk things through!"

  "I'm just too indulgent towards you, everything is said nicely, can't bear to lay a finger on her, and that's how I raised such a good daughter. Now I only regret not educating her sooner!"

  Even if she couldn't see her father's face, Situ Xuan could imagine the pair of eyes that had widened in anger, as if they could spit out fire. There is no wall that doesn't leak wind, bad news travels a thousand miles, she knew this moment would come sooner or later, didn't expect it to be so soon, without even leaving room for a sigh. It's better this way, it saves the fear of waiting.

  She lifted her head, just in time to see the hand raised again, her mother's hurried footsteps still some distance away, she herself had no way of getting up immediately, and another wave of physical pain was unavoidable, she was stunned, and even forgot to close her eyes, this last bit of self-protection.

  This time, the expected "education" did not materialize. Just as Jiǔ'ān's hand was about to come down, it was suddenly stopped by someone. A few seconds later, Xue Shaoping had already rushed over and flung herself beside her daughter, letting out a cry of surprise as she half-embraced, half-supported Jiǔyè in getting up.

  "Isn't she your own flesh and blood? Even if she committed murder and arson, you wouldn't have to resort to such drastic measures. How could you bring yourself to do it?! You've killed her and now the matter is settled?" Xue Shaoping's voice was no longer calm and elegant as before.

  "It would be better if she were dead. Otherwise, she really thinks that now that she's grown up and has her own ideas, she can do whatever she wants and get away with it."

  Xī Tuò Jìn only then saw clearly that the person dragging along with a flustered and exasperated Sī Tù Jiǔ ān was none other than Yáo Qǐ Yún. In this way, suddenly meeting his gaze could not be described as anything but a complex mix of emotions. However, her gratitude and relief were quickly replaced by an even deeper alarm, because from his expression, she could read a meaning: Don't mention hitting, he didn't even want to touch her.

  Xue Shaoping wiped her daughter's face with the back of her hand, shouting for Yao Auntie to fetch a piece of gauze. In her mother's hand, Situ Yue saw bloodstains and randomly wiped his own face, wet and shocking red.

  She must look very ugly now, and even her first words are unclear and ambiguous.

  "You didn't even ask me a single question before sentencing me to death?" She responded with the same anger to Sutu Jiu'an, despite still swaying unsteadily on her feet. In some ways, they were so similar, father and daughter.

  "How dare you say anything? Are you going to make excuses or repeat those ugly things again to infuriate me? You've completely lost face for me, and if I hadn't coincidentally made an appointment with Professor Gao today, I wouldn't have known that I had raised a beast like you!"

  Xī Tū Jié suddenly enlightened and nodded her head. She said, "How did things come so suddenly?" It turned out to be Professor Gāo, no wonder it was such a "coincidence".

  "He says you believe? I am your daughter, what I say you don't believe?"

  "Professor Gao didn't say anything, just advised me to be more open-minded. I'm as foolish as your mother, still smiling and thinking you've made progress, giving the Situ family a good face. But outside, thousands of people are laughing at us, others are pointing at my back. The photos have been sent to the company, the victim wants to file a complaint, this matter is far from over! I say how could you stoop so low, what did our family owe you in these twenty years? You want to follow that...that scoundrel who's about the same age as me, and he's even an expert professor, I can hardly speak! I wish your mother and I had never given birth to you!"

  Situ Jiu'an said excitedly and couldn't help but rush forward again, but Yao Qiyun stopped him without saying a word.

  "You tell me, why did you have to do that?" Xue Shaoping also looked at Sutu Jin with tears streaming down her face.

  "You all can't understand why I did this, and I even more can't understand." Situ Xin suddenly grabbed her mother's hand and burst into tears. "I didn't do it, mom, believe me, I didn't do anything to shame you guys. I did go to Zou Jin's house, but it was for a classmate's matter, I went to plead for them, and I didn't even enter the house. Those photos were just intentionally misleading. He never told me about switching grades from start to finish, and I only heard about it later!"

  Xue Shaoping shook her head and said, "You... you and him have nothing to do with each other. He's a professor and a leader, why would he take such a huge risk for your sake without any reason? Why would he harm innocent people and frame you? You tell me!"

  "The whole thing was planned by Liu Zhisu, a student of Tan Shaochen and Zou Jin. They had already conspired together, and Gao Heyan must also be involved! These kinds of people will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Especially Tan Shaochen, I know she has always hated me, she's been waiting for an opportunity like this..."

  As soon as this was said, Situ Xuan realized the weakness and isolation of his argument, even Yao Qiyun frowned and looked away, and Mother's expression showed no approval.

  "You said that the girl with the surname Tan hated you, and all of this was someone else's intentional frame-up. Her father died without enough money for a funeral, she intentionally lost her scholarship, and intentionally had her grades switched to harm you? If Professor Gao hadn't taken pity on her and given her a hand, this girl probably would have even lost the opportunity to stay in school for graduate studies. Do you think I should believe that she was willing to do all of this just to frame you?" Xue Shaoping said incredulously.

  "Whether she did it on purpose, I don't dare to judge now. There are also contradictions between Liu Zisu and Zou Jin, and there must be problems between Gao Heyan and Zou Jin. The thing about swapping grades was done by Zou Jin, he had ulterior motives towards me, but I have nothing to do with him, Tan Shaochen and others just grasped the handle of the grades and made a big deal out of it..."

  Xue Shaoping didn't wait for Situ Xuan to finish, and let out a deep sigh. "You don't have any connection with him? Situ Xuan, a fly doesn't land on an uncracked egg. I've always asked myself if my education of you since childhood has been lax in any way. How could you forget what I taught you? What's most important for a person is not being rich or poor, but not losing one's dignity! When did I ever teach you to use improper means to get something that doesn't belong to you? Looking at it this way, you're not even as good as a girl from a poor mountain village. At least she lives with more dignity than you do. You've really disappointed me!"

  "This is all because of your overindulgence!" Si Tu Jiu An coldly snorted.

  "What's the point of arguing about this now? The most important thing is to handle things properly, we can't let that girl continue to make trouble. We're in the wrong from the start, if we don't think of a solution, it will only get harder to control..."

  "If others were willing to give up for a little bit of benefit, there wouldn't be what's happening now!"

  ……

  They started arguing.

  Situ Xuan's heart also began to cool down slowly.

  She finally realized a fact that no one believed her and no one was willing to listen to her words. Even the people closest to her were like this.

  Thinking of the dearest person, Si Tu Xin had a sudden realization.

  She walked towards her father, who was eager to give her a few more slaps, took a few steps forward, and looked at Yao Qiyun, who was hiding his presence like a sculpture in the twilight. She looked at him with expectation, as if grasping the last straw.

  "You say you believe me, you know I wouldn't do something like that!"

  She doesn't care how awkward her actions look to her parents, others may not believe it, but he should see everything. She might be arrogant or willful, yet in all these years, has she ever had anyone else in her heart besides him?

  Yao Qiyun was stunned for a moment, and slowly lowered her eyelids.

  He said: "I don't know."

  "Situ Xuan burst out, 'You give me a reason, just one reason, to explain why I should do that, what for?!' She seized Yao Qiyun's eyes, going crazy with anxiety."

  A faint, bitter smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

  "I said I don't know. Ah Yue, maybe you're just too proud, you can't accept that you lost to someone who is inferior to you in every way. Or perhaps you're just used to being reckless, never fearing that the people who love you will get hurt."

  "Who loves me?" Situ Xin murmured to herself, "Love me like this?"

  She walked past them, heading downstairs, and was almost knocked over by Yao Gugu, who had finally managed to find the disinfectant gauze with great difficulty. Yao Qiyun caught up with her at the door.

  "Don't be like a child, if you have the ability to go out, then don't come back?"

  "I'd die outside and it's none of your business, I really don't know how I ended up with someone like you. What can you give me besides a cold shoulder? Get out of my sight." Si Tu Jue was furious.

  Yao Qiyun said: "You're right, I have nothing to offer you. If I had known this would happen, why bother in the first place?"

  Situ Xuan sat on the long bench under the Wu family building. She couldn't go too far, even if it was getting dark now, with this appearance, her face covered in wounds and blood, and possibly tear stains, like a freak being paraded through the streets.

  Wu Jiang hastily arrived and saw her appearance, he couldn't even believe his own eyes.

  "Who hit you?" She wouldn't answer, and he could probably guess anyway. "Your dad? Did they find out?"

  He didn't say another word and dragged Situ Xuan to the nearest community hospital for treatment. When the wound was washed with antiseptic water, Situ Xuan only realized how painful it was, but he hadn't felt it before, perhaps because a stronger feeling had covered it up. Without looking in the mirror, he knew what his swollen face looked like, his head was heavy, and the part of his forehead that hit the door couldn't be touched, and every time he touched it, he involuntarily let out a "hiss" sound, like an injured snake.

  The doctor on duty at the community hospital suggested that she go to a larger hospital for a head examination after briefly inquiring about her injuries and examining her, to determine if there was a possibility of concussion. Szeto Man refused, saying to Ng: "If I really got a concussion, wouldn't it be great if I lost my memory?"

  "It's more likely that he has become stupid."

  Xīng Xī laughed. "Do you know why I called you? I'm starving, haven't eaten anything, and don't even have half a cent on me."

  What she said is true. No matter how painful it is, it can't conquer the feeling of hunger, the sorrow of being alive.

  Wu Jiang led her out of the hospital with a sense of helplessness, thought for a moment, and then said: "I have an appointment, it just so happens that I need to rush over, you come along too, and we can grab something to eat on the way."

  Situ Xuan pressed the ice pack from the hospital against his face with one hand, "Who did you make an appointment with?"

  Wu Jiang walked with his head down, without making a sound.

  "Oh..." Situ Xuan seemed to be thinking of something, "You should have said so earlier, give me some spare change and I won't disturb you guys."

  Wu Jiang stopped, his hands in his pockets, and kicked a dry leaf at his feet into the shrubs beside the pedestrian path.

  "I wasn't planning to go, but since I'm out now, I thought about it and avoiding her isn't a solution either. Sze-to, come with me, it'll be a help. My mind is a mess right now, I don't know how to face her alone."

  "Are you really confused or just pretending to be, I'm also involved in those things she's been dragged into. Don't beat around the bush, whatever you think of me is fine." Si Tu Jue said listlessly.

  "You're different."

  Situ Xuan said that Wu Jiang's "difference" is unclear, whether it was because she at least did not show her full face in the indecent photos, and the degree of vulgarity was slightly lighter, or because she was not his lover, so he didn't care that much.

  "She asked: 'If I tell you that I have never had a relationship with Zou Jin, nor have I ever let him do anything for me, would you believe it?'"

  Wu Jiang hesitated for a moment and then nodded, "I believe."

  As a friend, Wu Jiang would choose to say something pleasant so that she wouldn't be too disappointed. This was within Si Tu Jue's expectations, but when she heard his response, she still felt a slight flutter in her heart.

  "Even if you're just saying it with your mouth, I'm still grateful, really. Apart from you, probably no one else would say that."

  "Of course I believe you, Situ, I know what kind of person you are, just like I know what kind of person Xiao Wan is."

  Why do people always demand more from those they love and find it harder to understand them? Is it because they care, so they are cruel? Si Tu Jue thought of the moment when Yao Qi Yun turned around, his heart was cut like a knife.

  "I'm not making excuses for her, but she and Zou Jin are things of the past, now..."

  "I know." Wu Jiang's reaction surprised Situ Jin.

  "It's different to guess and see it with your own eyes!" Wu Jiang walked a few steps, and Si Tu Jue had never seen him so anxious and uneasy. "After I saw those photos, I called her and asked if Zhōu Jìn forced her to take them. She said no, that no one had ever forced her, and she did it voluntarily. Why can't she just help me deceive myself? I keep telling myself that she loves me now, only me, but when I close my eyes, those photos appear before my eyes, and I remember the position of his hands...I couldn't bear it...Moreover, if this matter gets out, how can I take her home? Convincing my parents to accept that I want to marry a woman older than me, I have confidence in that, but how can I make them accept our future daughter-in-law and their own teacher, who has been having an affair with someone for so long and even took photos for the whole world to see?"

  "Do you want to break up with her?"

  Wu Jiang shook his head vaguely, "I don't know, so I think I should think carefully, at least for now I couldn't get past that hurdle in my heart."

  Qu Xiao Wan sat by the window in a Western-style fast food restaurant in the downtown area, it was already past dinner time, there were not many people in the restaurant, and the bright lights made her look very thin.

  She had been browsing through the magazines in the store until Wu Jiang appeared in her line of sight, then glanced at her watch and said: "You're here, I've waited for you exactly three hours." She said this without any resentment, just smiling to inform him of a fact.

  "Sorry, I have something on," Wu Jiang said in a low voice.

  "What's the big deal, I'm willing to wait myself. What does it have to do with you? Anyway, I don't even know where I'm going." She took a closer look at Situ Xuan and asked: "What's wrong with your face? Is the swollen nose and bruised face look in style recently?"

  Situ Xuan hummed twice in response, she had already gotten used to Qu Xiaowen's blunt and sharp words that didn't please people. Before this, she almost thought the other side treated her as air.

  She quickly ordered some filling food for herself, and was about to ask the other two if they wanted to eat something, but looking at their appearance, it seemed that none of them had the heart to do so, so she didn't bother to make a fuss. She eagerly waited for the food to arrive, then buried her head in eating, swallowing and chewing, even though it pulled on her wound, she didn't care.

  Wu Jiang and Qu Xiaojuan's conversation was mostly bland, as if they were both afraid that if they weren't careful, they would inadvertently reveal their true feelings, even though the last shred of disguise had long been worn out. Qu Xiaojuan's enthusiasm was clearly more intense, her words far exceeding what Situ Yue had expected, and she excitedly told him about the interesting things she had seen through the glass window during the three hours she waited for him, laughing for a long time at even the slightest bit of humor from passersby.

  Just after eating, Situ Jing heard Wu Jiang say to Qu Xiaowen: "Let's go back, you've been sitting for so long, you must be tired."

  "No, I don't feel tired at all." Qu Xiaowen smiled. But even Situ Xuan couldn't bear to look closely at the bloodshot eyes. She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then proposed excitedly like a child, "How about we go watch a movie? You said you liked that one last time!"

  "Next time."

  "Go, just for today." She stretched out her hand as naturally as can be, with a hint of coquetry, wanting to grab Wu Jiang's hand that was placed on the table. However, at the moment she was about to touch it, Wu Jiang's hand withdrew without leaving any trace.

  He then called the waiter to pay the bill and stood up.

  "Why don't you go back and get a good sleep? I've been quite busy lately, maybe when things settle down...I'll give you a call then."

  The smile of the moment before was still frozen on Qu Xiaowen's mouth, she smiled and smiled, gradually turning into a kind of understanding. The empty hand also slowly withdrew, hidden under the table.

  "Good." She said to Wu Jiang.