Chapter 35: Pity
“Thank you for your help during this time, manager. I’m so sorry to have to resign so suddenly. I’ll come and see you when I have a chance in the future.”
Xia Qiange bowed slightly. She had finished her last day of work and was packing up her personal belongings, preparing to leave the convenience store where she had been working part-time for almost half a year.
“Okay, your salary should be in your account by the end of this month. Don’t forget to withdraw it.” The manager nodded repeatedly and walked Xia Qiange to the door, his eyes full of reluctance. He was very satisfied with this quick-witted and efficient little girl. She was leaving in the blink of an eye, and he was not used to it.
“You said… you’re going to intern at a law firm. But you’re only a freshman, right? You’re already going to intern?”
Xia Qiange smiled and explained softly, “Yes, a teacher at school has taken a liking to me and has asked me to go and get some experience when I have time. Actually, it’s just serving tea and water. I can only do this. It’s also a part-time job.”
“Oh, I see. Oh my… you’ve really met a benefactor.” The manager clapped his hands and suddenly understood, sighing repeatedly. “I told you, no matter how hard a person’s life is, it can’t be hard forever. There will always be a time when you’re lucky. You should cherish it. When you become a great lawyer in the future, you’ll be very successful.”
“Thank you, manager. I hope so… I hope so…”
Xia Qiange smiled noncommittally, and a little bit of color finally appeared on her sickly pale face. She was certainly beautiful, but she was like a delicate and thin gardenia, as if she would be scattered with the flower stem with a gust of wind, and then she would die.
After a few goodbyes, Xia Qiange completely left the convenience store and hailed a taxi on the side of the road. After she got in and gave the address, the yellow and green taxi quickly disappeared into the surging traffic at the intersection.
After school started, she had a lot more money in her hand. Even if she didn’t have to work part-time whenever she had free time, it was enough to support herself in Qingchuan.
Xia Changhe was very generous. The money he gave her every month was almost equivalent to more than two months of her expenses. When he sent her to Qingchuan, he had even promised to support her through her four years of college, to make up for the guilt of not having time to spend with her because of work.
This man, who was so good at calculating, knew very well the principle of casting a long line to catch a big fish. He would often call her, almost once every one or two weeks. Every time, he would pretend to be concerned, but the topic would always revolve around the house that was about to be demolished.
Xia Qiange put on a submissive attitude and endured the urge to vomit, making some excuses to delay. She had privately asked, and that old house was now worth a little over a million. But she would rather destroy it all than let that bastard get a single penny.
She knew very well the cruelty of this world. What was the point of destroying something that she couldn’t hold in her own hands?
…
The destination was the Meiman Law Firm in the city center. It was said to be a branch of a famous law firm in the capital, which the owner had opened in Qingchuan in his spare time.
Not long after it opened, it had handled several major cases in a row and had quickly made a name for itself in Qingchuan. Although the standard was very high… the service was more geared towards the upper class, but no matter whether it was a small case or a big case, it was handled without ambiguity. The salary and benefits were also the conscience of the industry. Several senior sisters who had not been successful in their interviews were almost envious when they knew that she could get an internship at this firm so easily.
Xia Qiange got out of the taxi. The firm was located in the largest office building in the city center, which was almost a prime location. It was rare for a private firm to be able to afford to rent a place here as an office.
She showed her work badge at the entrance, and the guard let her in after a glance. She took the elevator straight up to the forty-second floor. After a brief feeling of weightlessness, the elevator door slowly opened. As soon as the door opened, she could see the plaque of the Meiman Law Firm. It was a very simple and neat square, without any frills. The sharpness was all hidden in the brushstrokes, just like the personality of the boss here.
The style of the firm here was quite casual. When Xia Qiange pushed open the door and went in, many of the lawyers who were familiar with her smiled and greeted her. Some of the more lively ones even joked with her, telling her to be careful not to get scolded by Sister Man.
Xia Qiange did not have the slightest bit of a timid intern’s demeanor. She smiled and responded one by one, her words generous but not overstepping. She walked to the back of the office and stood in front of the last frosted glass door. She looked down at the time. It was one minute before the appointed time. She tidied up her clothes and knocked on the door on time.
“Come in.”
A faint female voice came from behind the door. The voice was a little rough, leaning towards a neutral and low tone.
“Teacher, I’m here.”
Xia Qiange pushed open the door and went in, greeting the woman who was working at her desk. The woman was dressed very neatly, in a white shirt and black wide-leg suit pants, which showed the intellectual maturity that a woman of her age should have. Her unique temperament was captivating.
“Yeah, you’re here. Sit down.”
The woman looked up and glanced at Xia Qiange. Her short, ear-length hair swayed by her ear, and then she looked down and finished typing the last few words on the lesson plan. Her fingers finally left the keyboard. She stretched her back, her expression relaxed and comfortable. The faint sense of pressure that she had when she was working had faded a lot.
“Your school is really troublesome. It’s just a class, but they have to have a lesson plan. If it wasn’t for your principal begging me for a long time, I wouldn’t have bothered to come to Qingchuan. I’m almost tired of the flowers and plants here. After I finish teaching this year, I think I’ll go back.”
Yun Meiman propped up her chin and complained a little. She looked up at the girl in front of her with her dark-rimmed eyes, and her heart was very satisfied. “But if I hadn’t come here, I wouldn’t have met such a good seedling like you. Everyone has been praising you in front of me these past few days. They say you’re so sweet. I feel like… my position is not secure.”
“You’re joking again, teacher. It’s just that I was lucky to have met you.” Xia Qiange smiled and picked up the empty cup on the table. She filled it with water from the water dispenser and handed it to Yun Meiman’s desk. She had a frail and soft face, and her clear black and white eyes were innocent. She also had a well-behaved and obedient appearance, so it was no wonder that many people in the firm had a good impression of her.
“Is this really a coincidence?”
Yun Meiman held the cup to her lips, her light pink lips pursed against the rim. Her eyes suddenly became a little sharp and shrewd. She stared at the girl’s pure and harmless face without a trace of fear. A moment later, she took a sip of water, and the corners of her eyes were slightly upturned, dispelling the scrutiny in her eyes.
“Forget it. I think I probably just like this about you. You have to fight for your own opportunities. I don’t care what you were like before, and I can’t control that much. Just follow me and learn well in the future. You’ve worked hard serving tea and water these past few days.”
“Thank you for giving me this opportunity, teacher. I know.”
“By the way, we’re going to the scene this afternoon. Speaking of which, you haven’t experienced this kind of thing before, right? Why don’t you come with me this afternoon?”
Yun Meiman flipped through her schedule and suddenly had a whim and said.
“Thank you, teacher.” Xia Qiange reacted quickly and nodded. Even though she pretended to be calm, this opportunity still made her heart beat faster.
“There’s one more thing. Don’t blame me for being too suspicious. After all, there was a suicide case in your family recently. Is your relationship with your father… I can’t say too much about your family matters.”
Yun Meiman’s words came to an abrupt end. She shrugged. “But after all, I’m half your teacher. If you need help, just say so. You also know that I don’t like to deal with people who are indecisive. Your father has been involved in business on the streets these past few years, and his hands are probably not clean. It’s an easy thing to investigate if you want.”
Xia Qiange’s expression remained unchanged. She lowered her long, dark eyelashes, and her dark eyes were deep and gloomy, with a hint of an imperceptible scarlet.
A wolf always lurks in the darkness with forbearance. Its sharp fangs gleam with a silver light. The moment it bares its fangs, it is often a fatal blow.
She shook her head calmly. “Thank you for your concern, teacher. I’ll handle my family matters… myself.”
“Haha…”
Yun Meiman smiled and didn’t say anything more. This little girl she had picked up on a whim seemed to be much more ruthless than she had imagined. It was a pity for this beautiful and delicate face. She didn’t know which man would be so lucky in the future to see the girl’s soft and fragrant, charming appearance in his arms.
“Qian Ge, someone is looking for you outside. They say their name is Gu Chuan.”
Someone knocked on the office door and called out Xia Qiange’s name.
“Oh, it’s my university classmate. I’m sorry, teacher. I’ll go and talk to him first. It might be something urgent.”
“Go ahead.” Yun Meiman waved her hand. “Come back before one-thirty in the afternoon. Call me a meal from downstairs on your way back. It’s the same as last time. Also, inform the people outside to prepare for a small meeting. They’ve been so lazy all day. This month’s performance is simply terrible.”
…
“Two hot coffees will be fine.” Gu Chuan ordered from the waiter and then turned to ask Xia Qiange, “Are you used to drinking it? You can have something else.”
“Yeah, I’m fine with anything.”
Xia Qiange shook her head, her lips pursed calmly, her face expressionless. They had just found a coffee shop downstairs. Neither of them had mentioned the reason for this abrupt meeting.
“That day… are you okay? They didn’t find you. You don’t have to worry.”
Gu Chuan swallowed, and his prominent Adam’s apple rolled. His pale complexion made the dark circles under his eyes particularly conspicuous. It was clear that he had not been doing well these past few days, and he was even a little pathetic.
“Oh, thank you.”
Xia Qiange took the coffee from the waiter. It was hard for Gu Chuan to tell who this “thank you” was for. He stared at the ripples in the coffee in front of him for a while, and the words that were stuck in his throat were finally squeezed out.
“Although I’m not qualified, about Su Yu’s matter… I’m sorry. I don’t know why you were nearby that day, but you should be the only one who knows he’s not dead.”
“I did see you guys take Su Yu away with my own eyes. So what?”
Xia Qiange lowered her head and threw sugar cubes into her cup, one by one. Her tone was light, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her.
“How could you…” Gu Chuan was stunned. He thought he had misheard. That day, he had found Xia Qiange hiding in a corner and had witnessed everything. He couldn’t do much. He had attracted the attention of his accomplice, allowing the girl to escape the danger of being discovered.
“I came to find you today to save Su Yu… we should do something.”
“You were the one who caught him. I’m just an ordinary student. What do you think I can do?”
Xia Qiange glanced at Gu Chuan, and her calm and rhetorical question made him speechless.
“But you’re interning under Yun Meiman now, right? Her law firm is even considered… in the capital. With her name, we might have a chance.”
“Haha… is this your conscience speaking?” Xia Qiange stirred the spoon in the fragrant coffee, watching as the sugar cubes slowly dissolved in the dark coffee and disappeared into the darkness. “I’m sorry… I’m not interested.”
“Aren’t you and Su Yu…”
“What? Are we high school classmates for three years, or very good friends? Why should I risk my future for him? I’m not as hypocritical as you.”
Xia Qiange looked at Gu Chuan’s anxious and troubled appearance. She pitied him so much that she almost laughed. She took a sip of coffee and frowned. She had put too much sugar, and it was a little too sweet.
It seemed that compared to saving a life that had been brutally taken, she was more concerned about the good coffee that she had accidentally ruined.
“Thank you for the coffee. I should go back now.”
Xia Qiange didn’t drink much. She looked at the time and stood up to leave.
“Xia Qiange, you… you weren’t like this before…”
Gu Chuan stood up and blocked Xia Qiange’s way. He could hardly believe that the ruthless and cold girl in front of him was the same Xia Qiange he had once known.
“Gu Chuan… you, you’re like a dog that can’t find its master, wagging its tail and begging everywhere. Indecisiveness is your most hopeless flaw.”
Xia Qiange raised her eyes and stared at the man’s painful and self-blaming, foolish appearance. Her usually pure and harmless features now showed a sharp and aggressive look. She bared her sharp and bloody teeth and took a step forward. The man shrank back until his heel hit a chair and he had nowhere to go.
“Of course I’ll save him. But, it shouldn’t be now…”
Xia Qiange chuckled. She suddenly put away her sharpness and showed her frail and sickly, endearing appearance. Her clear black and white eyes were full of an innocent and romantic color, and her thin, pale lips were almost bloodless. She pursed her faint pink lips, and the corners of her lips were curved up.
She used beautiful poetry and songs to cover up the cruelty in her words, and the innocence of her expression to whitewash the sin of her actions.
“Do you know? A person’s faith is something he has to pursue for his entire life. But cheap pity will never be cherished. Only the grace received when a person is at his most desperate will be regarded as the pity of the gods, and will be pursued for the rest of his life as a miracle.”
She whispered, her words as if they had penetrated deep into her bones and blood.
“Whipping and caressing are equally alluring. I want to be his faith and reliance for the rest of his life. At his most desperate, I will give him all my love.”
