Su Jinle’s struggling slowed for half a beat. Gu Jingxiu let out a soft laugh. “After Mu Qing leaves, I should be promoted to professor. Wouldn’t it be nice for you to become the professor’s wife?”
“More like the mute wife,” Su Jinle replied slowly, a trace of self-mockery in her voice. “You like her. Why not just be with her? Why come and provoke me? Gu Jingxiu, I don’t owe you anything. We should part on good terms…”
Whether in her previous life or this one, she owed him nothing.
“Part on good terms?” His tone darkened. He gripped her wrist and forced her closer. “My wife—past life or this one—has always been you!”
Su Jinle asked quietly, “Do you… love me?”
Gu Jingxiu paused, then quickly recovered. “Does that matter? I’ll provide for you. You just need to stay home and behave. Lele, you won’t find a better man than me. No one will protect you like I do.”
He would give her money. He wasn’t the kind of man who came home drunk and hit his wife. Outside, he was a refined, elegant professor. Everyone said she was lucky to marry someone like him. What more could she want?
But he never let her into his study. Never shared his work or thoughts. When they argued, he gave her the cold shoulder. The longest time—an entire month—he hadn’t spoken a single word to her.
In the end, she had stuttered through an apology before he condescended to look at her.
He didn’t love her. He simply saw her as something he owned.
“I don’t… want you,” she said, each word deliberate. “And I don’t love you anymore.”
His grip tightened abruptly, slamming her back against the wall. “Su Jinle, think about your father’s job before you say such insincere things!”
She bit her lip hard, unable to wrench her wrist free. Anger burned behind her eyes.
Suddenly, the pressure vanished.
The man pinning her was thrown aside. Song Shixu’s cold face appeared in front of her.
“A university lecturer bullying a woman again and again—are you trying to go to prison?”
Gu Jingxiu clutched his abdomen and looked up. “You again.”
Song Shixu stood tall, looking down at him. “Get lost.”
Having lost face in front of a woman, Gu Jingxiu instead laughed quietly. “Lele, is this the man you want to rely on? You probably don’t know what kind of person he is. He doesn’t even fancy Mu Qing—would he look twice at you?”
He had heard about Song Shixu from Yang Muqing before—strong military background, powerful family. Most likely helping Su Jinle only because of Su Yian.
Wiping the corner of his mouth, he rose awkwardly. “No matter. I’ll have you.”
After he left, Song Shixu frowned and looked Su Jinle up and down. “Is he your boyfriend?”
If he was, he wouldn’t interfere again. Even if she was Yian’s sister, he had no interest in meddling in sentimental nonsense.
She shook her head quickly, intimidated by this mountain-like man. Her stutter worsened. “N-no… he… we’re not…”
“You don’t need to explain.” He cut her off.
She was a full head shorter than him, wearing a white short-sleeved top. Her skirt hugged a waist so slender it seemed graspable in one hand. Tears still clung to her lashes.
Too weak.
He frowned. “Your brother said you’re not working. That means you have plenty of time. Starting tomorrow, you’ll run five kilometers every morning with weight. Another five in the afternoon.”
Su Jinle stared at him, thinking she misheard. “W-what?”
Why should she run? She was quiet by nature and hated exercise. More importantly—why was he ordering her around? She wasn’t his soldier!
His tone left no room for argument. He even felt he had lowered the standard because she was so frail. “Yian can’t move easily. If you’re this weak, you’ll only distract him. If I hadn’t happened to pass by today, could you have fought that man off?”
She wanted to say—even if she ran every day, she still couldn’t beat Gu Jingxiu! Scholar or not, he was still a man.
And she had never fought anyone in her life. Not even argued properly.
“B-but…” she stammered, and even her protest sounded timid.
“You need training,” he said decisively. “I’ve never seen anyone more delicate. Crying solves nothing. No one softens just because you cry.”
Humiliating!
Her eyes turned red from anger. “You—you…”
She couldn’t even form a proper retort. Frustration at her stutter mixed with embarrassment and anger. Yet he had helped her twice. In the end, she forced out two words. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. Even if you weren’t Yian’s sister, I wouldn’t stand by.” His tone was far from gentle, yet strangely reassuring. “I’ve already reported the matter to the union. The issue with the cannery will be investigated.”
“The union?”
She lifted her head. “You… helped me?”
“Not you. Yian wrote a letter asking me to look into it. I’m helping him.”
Whether for her or her brother, it still helped their family. The union handled workers’ disputes. With Song Shixu’s status, they would certainly take it seriously.
The heavy stone pressing on her heart for two days suddenly lifted. In a rush of relief, she grabbed his arm with both hands. “Th-thank you! Brother Song… you’re a good person!”
His skin was wheat-colored, his muscles firm. Her small hand was soft and pale against him—a stark contrast.
His eyes darkened. He immediately brushed her hand away and scolded coldly, “You’re a young girl. Don’t touch people like that. What would it look like if someone saw? And even if you’re a woman, speak and act with firmness. Don’t be so delicate.”
Su Jinle: “…”
She tucked her hands behind her back. Just because she stuttered and felt insecure didn’t mean she was delicate. She did housework better than anyone.
“I-I’m going home,” she said awkwardly, then earnestly added again, “Thank you… Brother Song.”
Since he was her brother’s friend, calling him that wasn’t improper.
When she returned home, Lin Yun had already come back from helping at the small restaurant. “How was it today?” she asked eagerly.
Su Jinle beamed and pulled out the remaining twenty-five yuan. “I earned… this much!”
Lin Yun let out a long breath, tears shining in her eyes. This time, she didn’t take the money. “Tomorrow I’ll open a bank account for you. Save it yourself—spend it slowly or keep it for when you marry.”
Su Jinle thought it was meant to be saved for her brother’s treatment anyway, so nodding made sense.
“Did anyone order clothes?” Lin Yun asked.
This time, Su Jinle shook her head, slightly dejected. “No… none.”