Just then, Teacher Zhao received a phone call. From the sound of the conversation, someone was looking for her.
Jian Zhi didn’t want to delay Teacher Zhao’s important matters and really had to leave.
Wen Tingyan suggested, “Mr. Wu, Teacher Zhao, where are you staying? Let me give you a ride.”
They were staying at the hotel next door and didn’t need a ride. Teacher Zhao, concerned about Jian Zhi, asked where she was staying.
Jian Zhi glanced at Wen Tingyan and told them the name of the street and residential complex.
“Old Wu, I’ll take a taxi myself. You see Jian Zhi home,” Teacher Zhao said.
Wen Tingyan seized the moment to speak up, “We live in the complex next to Miss Jian’s. We can give her a ride.”
“This…” Teacher Zhao hesitated slightly.
But Jian Zhi readily agreed, “Alright then, I’ll trouble Mr. Wen for that.”
She deliberately emphasized the words “Mr. Wen.”
Hearing this, Wen Tingyan frowned.
Jian Zhi pretended not to notice.
It was settled. Wen Tingyan, Jian Zhi, and Luo Yucheng took the elevator down to the underground parking garage.
When they reached the garage, Luo Yucheng didn’t continue walking forward. She stood at the entrance with a sweet, smiling demeanor, her tone coquettish, “Alright, A Yan, you two go home. I’ll take a taxi myself. Jian Zhi, I’m returning Mrs. Wen to you now.”
What did she mean by “returning” her to Jian Zhi?
When had Jian Zhi ever agreed to lend her out?
Luo Yucheng even clung to Jian Zhi’s arm, shaking it with a delicate, pleading manner, “Jian Zhi, don’t be angry. Today’s misunderstanding wasn’t intentional. Because A Yan values this cooperation very much, and since Mr. and Mrs. Wu have such a good relationship—partners having a strong marital bond is a plus for the project—so we just went along with the misunderstanding and didn’t explain. After all, you…”
She instinctively glanced at Jian Zhi’s leg, then pressed closer, “Jian Zhi, you won’t be angry with us, right?”
“Us?” Jian Zhi sneered coldly. “Who’s ‘us’? Who exactly are you referring to as ‘us’?”
Luo Yucheng’s expression changed immediately.
Jian Zhi disliked strangers clinging to her like this, especially when that person was Luo Yucheng. After speaking, she pulled her arm free.
She swore she only withdrew her arm, not using much force, and absolutely, definitely did not push Luo Yucheng. Yet, Luo Yucheng fell to the ground just like that.
“Jian Zhi!” Wen Tingyan spoke up now, calling her name loudly.
Luo Yucheng, more agitated than anyone, scrambled up and blocked Wen Tingyan—using her whole body to shield him, pressing herself tightly against him, then pleading with him pitifully, “A Yan, don’t be angry, don’t blame Jian Zhi. It was my own carelessness just now. Jian Zhi only gave me a slight push, and I lost my balance, that’s all. A Yan, please don’t argue because of me. I’d be so upset…”
Luo Yucheng’s acting—only Wen Tingyan would believe it, right? Especially since, while blocking him, she deliberately showed him the scraped skin on her wrist.
Oh, and that same wrist was wearing the newly bought watch, the same model Jian Zhi had ten of.
Wen Tingyan saw the scraped skin on Luo Yucheng’s wrist, frowned, his eyes filled with pain and concern, “Jian Zhi! What’s the matter with you? Usually, you’re so gentle and understanding. Why do you have such a strong prejudice against Cheng Cheng?”
“I have a prejudice against her?” Jian Zhi chuckled lightly. “What prejudice could I possibly have against her? After all, she’s already Mrs. Wen. What prejudice could I possibly hold?”
“You…” Wen Tingyan was left speechless by her retort. He lowered his head and asked Luo Yucheng, “Does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t…” Luo Yucheng cooed in a delicate voice, claiming it didn’t hurt, yet she brought her wrist close to Wen Tingyan’s chin.
Surprisingly, Wen Tingyan lowered his head and gently blew on it. “Go apply some medicine later to avoid scarring.”
Jian Zhi had never seen such an expression in Wen Tingyan’s eyes before.
Even when she had been in a car accident, suffering multiple injuries, losing the use of one leg, and covered in scars, Wen Tingyan had never shown such a naturally revealed, bone-deep look of pain.
He had once gently asked her, “Does it hurt? If it does, cry it out.”
But that wasn’t out of heartache—it was guilt.
He would never carefully tend to her wounds, cradling them with care. Faced with her scar-ridden body, he chose to escape, avoid, and look away.
“It’s fine, I really don’t hurt!” Luo Yucheng’s voice grew even more coquettish.
“Jian Zhi,” Wen Tingyan looked up and called to her, “Look how sensible Cheng Cheng is. You should apologize to her.”
“Why should I apologize to her?” Unbeknownst to her, pain surged into Jian Zhi’s eyes, blurring her vision. At this moment, she could no longer clearly see Wen Tingyan’s face. “Because she claims to be my husband’s wife, and I’m supposed to say sorry to her?”
“Jian Zhi! When did your words become so sharp and bitter? Didn’t Cheng Cheng already explain this to you? It was Mr. Wu’s misunderstanding, and for the sake of the collaboration project, we just went along with it! Why are you so fixated on this?”
Wen Tingyan was angry again.
Whenever she “offended” his Cheng Cheng, he would inevitably get angry.
She shook her head with a bitter smile. “No, Wen Tingyan, you’re wrong. I don’t want to hold onto this at all. I didn’t even expose you two on the spot. Whoever wants to be Mrs. Wen can have the title. Wen Tingyan, I’ve mentioned divorce before. Just agree to it quickly, and everything will be legitimate.”
She hadn’t exposed them on the spot because it was unnecessary.
After all, they were going to divorce anyway—why create more trouble for herself? If she ever met their teacher again, she would have to explain the tangled relationships between the three of them. It really wasn’t worth it.
“Jian Zhi! Your temper is becoming more and more unreasonable!” Wen Tingyan grew even angrier. “There’s a limit to throwing tantrums. You, apologize to Cheng Cheng now!”
“I won’t!” Jian Zhi turned around, intending to leave.
“Stop!” Wen Tingyan rushed over and grabbed her. “Where do you think you’re going? You pushed Cheng Cheng, and her arm is scratched. If you won’t apologize, where do you think you’re going?”
Jian Zhi stared at the hand gripping her wrist, feeling despair spread through her like a tide.
She met his eyes and replied word by word, “That’s right. I only lost the use of one leg, but she has a scratch on her hand…”
She saw a flash of intense pain in Wen Tingyan’s eyes, and at the same time, his grip loosened as he stumbled back two steps.
The moment she regained her freedom, she turned and ran toward the elevator.
She ran—no matter how awkward she looked, she didn’t care.
She absolutely, absolutely could not let Wen Tingyan see the tears streaming down her face.
From the moment she was injured, to their marriage, and throughout their five years of marriage, this was the first time she had used her leg injury to attack him.
Once, she had been so careful to protect his feelings, to consider his thoughts, afraid he would feel guilty, worried, or blame himself. So she never mentioned her legs, let alone the car accident from five years ago. Even when she endured endless gossip and cold stares, she kept it all hidden, silently bearing it alone.
She only wished to give him a cozy, warm, and relaxed home.
She only hoped that her love for him would, over the flow of time, blossom into a brilliant flower.
Yet…