Jiang Hua, “Speak.”
Song Qingran hemmed and hawed, hesitating before finally straightening her back as if having made a firm decision, quickly blurting out to her in one breath: “Can you please not tell anyone about what happened this morning!”
“I have absolutely no relationship with the man in the car. Although I can’t tell you why, I can swear that I’m definitely not being kept by him, and it’s absolutely not what you think. I’m only receiving his financial support. That person is the gentleman who has been supporting me since high school.”
“I’m not close with him at all. I’ve only known him for less than three months.”
“My mother has uremia. Back in high school, I worked multiple part-time jobs every day just to pay for her treatment.”
“Fortunately, I met that gentleman. He gave me a sum of money, and I was able to get into Di University because of his help. Our relationship is truly just based on gratitude, nothing else at all.”
“You know, last time at the coffee shop, I was also looking for a job so I could repay his money as soon as possible.”
Jiang Hua had never examined someone so carefully before. Her eyes were very clear, like stream water in a river, utterly transparent without any impurities. Innocent, kind—all those beautiful words seemed to fit her perfectly.
Every second Jiang Hua looked at her, her heart trembled.
Because she couldn’t forget everything that had happened in her previous life.
Pei Zhan loved her, even… was willing to have two children with her.
Every glance at Song Qingran was painful for Jiang Hua.
Now she could only suppress these emotions.
Jiang Hua tentatively said, “The fact that he can support you shows he has substantial financial means. If you stay with him, you won’t have to suffer. He’s quite good-looking too.”
But Song Qingran shook her head, “So what? But I don’t love him. I have a boyfriend. In the future… I’ll only be with someone I love.”
Seeing her so determined, Jiang Hua ultimately said nothing more.
Because she knew that later, Song Qingran would also fall helplessly in love with Pei Zhan!
Song Qingran cautiously asked, “So, can you keep this secret for me? I don’t want too many people to know about this.”
Jiang Hua: “Your affairs have nothing to do with me.”
Song Qingran awkwardly lowered her hand, “How about I save your phone number? If you ever need me in the future, you can call me.”
Song Qingran… What exactly are you afraid of!
Or is this your disguise!
You say you don’t love Pei Zhan.
Then what was that wedding!
What about the children you had together!
The man she had loved for a lifetime, whom Song Qingran clearly looked down upon in her heart, could so easily obtain everything from him.
Jiang Hua could no longer bear it, her eyes reddening, “Enough! I don’t need your hypocritical gestures. Your affairs mean nothing to me. Whatever happens between you has nothing to do with me!”
Song Qingran didn’t understand why she suddenly had such strong emotions, nearly dropping her phone, “S-sorry! I just… didn’t want you to misunderstand. If you don’t want to see me, I’ll leave now.”
Song Qingran fled as if running away.
Jiang Hua had no mood to attend classes anymore and instead returned to the hotel, locking herself in her room.
In the quiet, spacious presidential suite, Song Qingran’s voice kept echoing in Jiang Hua’s mind.
Jiang Hua’s sudden surge of emotion made her body tremble as she swept everything in front of her onto the floor.
She thought she wouldn’t feel anything anymore, that she could remain as calm as if dealing with a stranger when seeing Song Qingran…
Jiang Hua felt like she was going mad!
After venting her turbulent emotions, the phone lying quietly on the desk rang with an incoming call…
Jiang Hua didn’t answer. The phone kept ringing one call after another until she finally picked up impatiently, “What is it? Who is this?”
At Jiang’s Jewelry Group headquarters.
Pei Zhan waved his hand, and Zuo Xiangnan closed the document, placing it on the desk. Pei Zhan glanced at the file, casually picked up a pen, and signed his name.
Zuo Xiangnan exited the office, closing the door behind him.
Cutting off all sound from inside.
“The school called me. You didn’t attend classes today?”
Jiang Hua looked at the calling number. Previously, her phone number and Pei Zhan’s had been couple numbers, differing by only one digit. After blocking Pei Zhan, they hadn’t been in contact.
She never expected that even after reaching the point of divorce, he could still call so calmly, pretending nothing had happened between them.
First encountering Song Qingran today, now Pei Zhan’s call—why were they all haunting her like ghosts?
Were the two of them so telepathically connected?
Jiang Hua tried hard to suppress her emotions. “Pei Zhan, from now on, stay out of my affairs. We’re in the divorce cooling-off period. Don’t call me unless it’s necessary.”
She reminded him again because Pei Zhan had rarely shown concern about anything related to her.
Even on their wedding anniversaries, the gifts were always delivered by his assistant Zuo Xiangnan. When she called to thank him, Pei Zhan didn’t even know what he had sent.
Though Pei Zhan seldom visited the Jiang Family Villa and held resentment and dissatisfaction toward her father in his heart, Jiang Hua still took precautions just in case.
After hanging up,
Not long after, the design department head personally called her.
His tone wasn’t particularly friendly. As the heiress of Jiang’s Jewelry Group, this fact… no one knew when she enrolled.
She concealed her identity to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Even the outside world didn’t know what the famous Jiang Family heiress in Di Du looked like.
Jiang Hua also disliked appearing in public or facing the media.
The department head said, “You just returned from leave and you’re already skipping classes? Jiang Hua, do you still want to graduate? If this continues, you could study for several more years and still not graduate. Regarding transferring departments, I’m giving you one last chance. If you dare skip one more class, you should prepare to withdraw from school.”
Jiang Hua: “Alright, I understand. I’ll seriously consider this matter.”
The department head added, “If you want to make up your credits, participate in more competitions. That might give you a chance to stay in school. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask classmates who know. Don’t waste your energy elsewhere. You’re still a student—in the real world, students like you get eliminated even faster.”
Before he could finish, Jiang Hua had already hung up.
Looking at the scattered design sketches on her bed, her mind filled with all the negative words directed at her. She didn’t know if she truly had any talent for jewelry design.
Everyone seemed to deny her.
Jiang Hua had not touched this for far too long.
When it came to studying, Jiang Hua was not particularly sensitive. In her previous life, she had wasted too much time on Pei Zhan.
So much so that she gave up her studies and devoted herself wholeheartedly to being his full-time wife.
Perhaps it was everything from her past life that changed her current disposition. If she had known Song Qingran earlier, she would never have let it go so easily.
If in her previous life, she had discovered Song Qingran’s existence earlier, would she and Pei Zhan not have reached the point of divorce?
Even if Pei Zhan did not have her in his heart, as long as she was this person, it would have been enough!
But now…
Song Qingran… in this life, it is I who do not want him!