Chapter 45: The Submissive, Obsessive Top Student

Jiang Zhiyi had lost a leg and could barely stand to begin with. She let out a muffled grunt as she fell, and Shi Qingyi’s eyes turned completely cold. She strode over quickly and scooped the woman up from the floor.

Only upon holding her did Shi Qingyi realize just how much weight Jiang Zhiyi had lost. Her frame was even more slender than it had been three years ago, and she weighed next to nothing. Her disabled leg struggled futilely against the ground, but she couldn’t manage to get up.

Yet she was incredibly stubborn, insisting on climbing to her feet on her own. In the end, Shi Qingyi pinned her arm down and scolded, “Don’t move.”

Shi Qingyi’s tone wasn’t overly harsh, but Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes suddenly reddened, her teeth biting her lip until it turned pale. She said nothing, but when Shi Qingyi lifted her, she instinctively wrapped her arms around her neck, as if afraid of falling.

It was careful, pitiful, and heartbreaking.

Just moments ago, she had been adamant about not letting Shi Qingyi hold her, insisting she could manage on her own. Now that she was in her arms, though, she refused to let go. Shi Qingyi choked up a little and, forced into this embracing position, snapped at her menacingly.

“Is this the attitude Mr. Gu has when begging for mercy?”

Her voice was mocking and icy, as if soaked in frost. Inwardly, she couldn’t help but complain silently: Who begs for help like this? Look at yourself. This is the right way to do it.

The system chimed in inappropriately: “Yeah, begging so hard she threw herself into the deal.”

Something finally pierced Gu Chuanjing’s eyes, and he suddenly understood—Jiang Zhiyi had just been toying with him all along. She contradicted every opinion, then used Song Zhiming to provoke him, and finally—

The secretary, having heard the commotion, had followed Shi Qingyi inside. Jiang Zhiyi’s leg was an untouchable taboo. From her angle, she could only see Gu Chuanjing reaching out, so she immediately called the night-shift security guards. Moments later, three or four burly men burst onto the top floor.

With so many people around, Shi Qingyi wanted to let go, thinking it would spare Jiang Zhiyi some face.

It didn’t work. Jiang Zhiyi clutched her shirt collar, burying half her face in it.

The shirt was Shi Qingyi’s, barely worn a few times—a thin, fitted button-up with jade-inlaid gold buttons at the collar and cuffs that accentuated her slender waist.

Up close, there was a faint lemony fruit scent. Shi Qingyi didn’t usually wear perfume, so why did she smell like this? Jiang Zhiyi frowned unconsciously. If she hadn’t known since high school, she might have suspected Shi Qingyi of being intimate with someone else.

Under the desk, Shi Qingyi awkwardly poked her—There are so many people watching.

Jiang Zhiyi: “…”

The poke hit right at her waist, making her teeth clack together as she nearly lost composure.

Feeling the person in her arms suddenly go limp, Shi Qingyi knew she couldn’t count on her. She lifted her head and said coldly, “Why haven’t you thrown him out yet?”

Thanks to her delinquent days in her youth, she could look truly fierce when she wanted—intimidating without even raising her voice, her gaze like ice. Even in this awkward pose of holding someone, it sent chills down spines.

Gu Chuanjing’s eyes suddenly turned bloodshot. The young man shot to his feet, slamming his hands on the desk, and snarled, “You think you’re any better than us? You’re just another pawn in her hands! Shi Qingyi, you think she won’t let us go—so you think she’ll let you off?”

“Sir, please leave, or we’ll have to get rough,” the security guards said from behind, grabbing his shoulders.

“Get off me—I’ll go myself—”

Gu Chuanjing snatched his coat and stormed toward the door. The guards were strong, and in the tussle, he stumbled, nearly tripping and clumsily grabbing the doorframe. The once-promising young elite looked like a dog with its tail between its legs, embarrassing even Shi Qingyi by proxy.

The room fell deathly silent. The secretary stood awkwardly at the door, unsure what to do. Jiang Zhiyi could be thin-skinned at times and shameless at others. Now, her expression calm as ever, she spoke up: “You’re off the clock. Thanks for sorting things out in the morning.”

Only then did she release Shi Qingyi, saying softly, “Let’s go.”

The secretary nearly teared up. Why did Jiang always seem extra gentle and approachable today?

Shi Qingyi set Jiang Zhiyi in the wheelchair and pushed from behind, her hand on the armrest. Jiang Zhiyi awkwardly lifted her own hand to cover Shi Qingyi’s on the back.

Dozens of floors up, the elevator ride took a while. Inside, Jiang Zhiyi asked her, “How did you get here?”

She had only stepped away to change clothes and missed the message about Shi Qingyi coming, then argued with Gu Chuanjing a bit longer. She felt a twinge of regret— she shouldn’t have let him up at all. She should have made him wait all night.

“You haven’t been home all day, and it’s pouring outside, so I came to pick you up,” Shi Qingyi replied casually, oblivious to the storm her words unleashed in Jiang Zhiyi’s heart.

Jiang Zhiyi’s hand tightened over hers. Just then, the doors opened to a downpour outside, rain hammering the streets relentlessly.

Shi Qingyi wheeled her all the way to the garage. When she tried to lift her into the car, Jiang Zhiyi pushed her away. President Jiang lowered her eyes, signaling I can do it myself. I can climb in.

Shi Qingyi ignored her, hoisting her onto the passenger seat. As she pulled away, Jiang Zhiyi wouldn’t let go. She said nothing, just silently bit at the button on Shi Qingyi’s collar.

Shi Qingyi reached up to block her.

Jiang Zhiyi’s gaze turned icy, frosting the air around them, until Shi Qingyi finally sighed in exasperation.

“…Ancestress, I need to put your wheelchair in the back first.” Shi Qingyi felt her life was truly tough.

The car door wasn’t even closed yet—

Just as she wondered if the wealthy President Jiang would abandon the wheelchair altogether, the woman finally relented, her face composed as she settled back, as if nothing had happened.

Shi Qingyi knew she couldn’t match that mental fortitude. After stowing the wheelchair and driving out of the garage, she stopped after just a few steps.

Jiang Zhiyi, pretending to rest with eyes closed, felt her lashes tremble. Her heart raced as someone leaned in, but she feigned nonchalance, only her quickened breath betraying her: “What is it?”

She braced for the kiss— but instead—

A slender hand reached past her, grabbing the seatbelt behind her, utterly earnest: “You forgot to buckle up—”

Jiang Zhiyi: “…”

She ground her teeth and, just before Shi Qingyi could pull away, grabbed her, her voice urgent and sharp: “Didn’t you sell yourself to me? Your family’s fine now— where’s the compensation you promised?”

Shi Qingyi froze. The car interior was dim and cramped. She sighed suddenly, blocking the hand reaching for her collar: “What if I said I did it to save you back then?”

“You think I’d believe that?” She let out a soft, mocking laugh, her hand trembling faintly as it brushed the button. “When rehab hurt so bad I couldn’t stand, you weren’t there. When my face was ruined and I wanted to die, you weren’t there. When I was in agony, you were living it up abroad. Guess if I’d believe you?”

In the darkness, expressions were unclear, and her voice struck like a blunt weapon. After a long pause, a faint voice came: “I’m sorry.”

“Then compensate me,” Jiang Zhiyi said stubbornly, neck craned. “Words are cheap.”

Shi Qingyi gazed at her quietly: “What else do you want?”

“What do you think you have left? Don’t you know what I want?” Jiang Zhiyi’s burning fingers tapped the back of her hand.

Shi Qingyi blinked, glancing out the window at the torrential rain turning the world to mud. Her fingers twitched: “Here?”

Her hand finally loosened. Jiang Zhiyi bit her neck, voice hoarse and righteous: “Right here—”

Like a puppy, she bit hard enough to make Shi Qingyi tremble. Shi Qingyi didn’t dare look, turning her head to the rain— only to get bitten again, hissing in pain.

Jiang Zhiyi’s gaze darkened. Why won’t you look at me at a time like this? “Look anywhere else, and I’ll turn on the light—”

Shi Qingyi: “…”

After a long moment, one hand finally compromised, wrapping around her back. Jiang Zhiyi looked up to find her eyes closed.

Infuriated, just as she sought another spot to bite, a crying sound came from outside— faint, as if choking.

“I told you we have a deal with Huiteng lately— don’t come, don’t come! You wouldn’t listen, fought with your mom and came up here. If my company goes bankrupt, how does that help you?” Gu Chuanjing’s voice boomed with fury.

“I told my family I’d succeed in my business and marry you home— why can’t you just stay put?!”

Shi Qingyi started to turn her head, but Jiang Zhiyi hugged her tight, tone ominous: “Don’t look.”

How can you look at others right now?

Shi Qingyi was utterly speechless, forcing out through gritted teeth: “There’s someone…”

“Don’t worry, they can’t see inside.” Jiang Zhiyi felt a bit better, coaxing her with light pats on the back. “Don’t be scared—”

Is this about being scared?!

Shi Qingyi finally lowered her eyes, closed them, clenched her jaw, and sighed silently.

Outside, the rain poured relentlessly, the crying unending.

Jiang Zhiqing crouched on the ground; her umbrella lost in the argument somewhere. Soaked through, her clothes clung to her shockingly thin frame. The boy who, three years ago, had skipped class to take her to the hospital when she got caught in the rain now watched irritably, not bothering to shield her.

“Dad’s surgery is soon. If I can’t scrape together the money… I had to come to my sister.” She truly had no choice. If there were another way, how could she swallow her pride like this—

“Isn’t this your own fault?” Gu Chuanjing’s voice was ice-cold. “Years ago, I offered to pay for his surgery, but you refused flat-out. You wanted to work part-time to support your family, no help from me. Now you go begging her?”

Jiang Zhiqing broke down: “It’s not the same!”

She sobbed in gasps, her usual strength shattered by the rain and her lover’s attitude: “It’s not the same. Before, it was just meds and rest. Now it’s surgery…”

She could handle past care and meds on her own; she didn’t want to rely on Brother Chuanjing, wanted to stand on her own without troubling him always. But she hadn’t expected Dad’s condition to worsen so fast— liver cirrhosis without a transplant meant he wouldn’t last long. What could she do?

“My sister is different. She’s my sister. Our family raised her for decades— no merit, but plenty of hardship…”

“Hardship? The hardship of gambling away all her car accident compensation?” Gu Chuanjing had lost it, words spilling without thought. “Yeah, she should take care of your family then. You don’t know her attitude, yet you insist on going to her? Don’t you know how entangled I am with her lately?”

Jiang Zhiqing paled at his recklessness, then shrieked sharply: “Isn’t that because you cut corners and something went wrong?!”

Clutching a tree, Jiang Zhiqing staggered to her feet, tears mixing with rain: “You won’t let me see my sister— will you give me the money to save Dad?”

Gu Chuanjing’s face darkened instantly. Normally, no problem— a few hundred thousand was nothing. But now, with his company in crisis, he truly couldn’t muster it. Nearly frantic, he snapped: “What? Finally asking me for money? Dropping the act?”

“See, this is why I wouldn’t let you take money from you before.” Tears streamed from Jiang Zhiqing’s eyes. “Is this really what you think of me?”

Her legs shook against the tree as she bit her lip and turned to leave, only for the panicked Gu Chuanjing to yank her back.

“Where are you going? To Qi Mu? He saved you again today, huh? Jiang Zhiqing, get this straight— whose girlfriend are you?”

She flung his hand off, face ashen, tears and rain smeared across it: “What do you really think of me? Senior Qi Mu wants to help, but I’ve always refused because I’m your girlfriend. But now? If I don’t ask him, am I supposed to ask you?”

“Gu Chuanjing, will you give me the money?”

“Money, always money— is that all you care about?!”

“Yeah, I want money. It’s not just money— it’s my dad’s life. Can you give it? You can’t, and you won’t let me save his life—”

“Jiang Zhiqing—”

Thunder boomed as Gu Chuanjing slapped her across the face. She staggered, falling unsteady to the ground. Her skirt soaked in mud, quickly staining with a terrifying blotch of blood. Clutching her abdomen, she stared in disbelief at the enraged young man before her.

Her pale, ice-cold lips parted several times, but in the end, only scalding tears flowed down her gaunt cheek.