The next day, on the outskirts of Leinan.
"Did you think I wouldn’t find out?" An arctic voice began. Destructive eyes that could bring down a storm were directed into a piercing glare. Calloused hands, from all of his victorious battles, were holding a piece of crumpled paper.
Lying in a bloody ss on the floor was a man he once regarded as a comrade, a good friend, and maybe even a brother. One eye was swollen shut and bruised and the other could barely keep itself open from the blood dripping down his forehead.
"I told you, I was frad!" The man scread, groaning in pain when it placed too much of a strain on his injured body. He was ambushed on his way back into the city.
Jiang Zihui’s lips were curled into a scowl, his eyes deadly. "I’ve known you for three years now. You think I wouldn’t know when you’re lying?" He bent his knee and with a gloved hand, grabbed his colleague by the collar. "F*cking bastard, you watched desperately search for her when you were the damn reason she left." Without warning, he raised his hand and punched the man in the face.
"You...think you will get away with this?" Each breath of air caused his chest to heave and that, in return, brought him indescribable pain.
Jiang Zihui tossed his head back and laughed. "You’ve been my friend for the longest ti and have witnessed what I can do." His face snapped back to seriousness. "Your family’s legacy ends with you." He picked up the piece of paper and shoved it to the man’s face.
Forcibly removed from the squadron. He was forbidden entry into any of the bases and would be trialed by the military for his sexual misconduct.
"Utilizing my resources to wipe the cara recordings and using my underlings as your accomplices." Jiang Zihui disapprovingly shook his head. "You should’ve covered your tracks better."
The man’s face dropped. If his General does not kill him, his family and his father would have been using more cruel thods. It was better to die at the hands of an ex-friend than a father who valued reputation more than his own blood. "Just kill already." He ground his teeth.
"You delivered the f*cking flowers and watched my interaction with her then used it as leverage to fra . You think I’m going to simply kill you? Don’t make laugh." Jiang Zihui whistled. From the shadows ca his n.
"Once I am done with you, you will be delivered straight to the courts for a harsher sentence. And once that is done, you will never be able to live a day free in prison. My n will take their sweet ti ripping you apart."
Jiang Zihui’s eyes tilted to the ones already present. Before the man could beg and grovel for rcy, the General was gone and out of sight. He left behind a wake of horrifying screams that could awaken all of the beasts in the forest.
- - - - -
Jiang Zihui mindlessly played with the broken hair-tie with two fingers, his eyes staring into the distance. Trees whirled by him, a world of evergreen. His driver glanced at him in the mirror but kept his mouth shut after seeing the thoughtful expression on the General’s face.
"I changed my mind. Do not take back to Shenbei. Take ho." Jiang Zihui carefully placed the hair-tie into a detailed wooden box that he hand made in his free ti. He treated the broken rubber and fabric like it was the great heirloom of his family.
The driver nodded his head and turned the car around. He was perplexed by the drastic change of plans since they were brimming the outskirts of Shenbei. Nonetheless, he kept quiet and began to head in the direction of Madam Jiang’s house.
Jiang Zihui’s eyes were clear and sharp. He was thinking level headedly about his decision to finally get the Jiang family ring from her. His mother was the first candidate that Matriarch Jiang had in mind for marriage, so naturally, when the first child was a son, the family ring was passed down onto Madam Jiang without hesitation.
Jiang Zihui never told his parents about Zhao Lifei, nor did he ntion having feelings for any woman. He was rarely friendly or seen with other won and this made his parents very fearful that their son was into n and not won. At this point of their desperation, they were willing to accept any woman he introduced to them — as long as she ca from a good background.
- - - - -
Zhao Lifei waited until Yang Feng left the room to pick up a call. When he was gone, she climbed out of bed and made her way to the bouquets. They were wilting by now and she deed it would be best to place them in a vase or sothing. She doubted Yang Feng would want dying flowers around her.
She grabbed the white cards, a tiny smile appeared on her face when she saw that three of the bouquets were from Yang Ruqin.
Card One: Please get well soon, I miss you, even though it has only been like one day - Qinqin.
Card Two: Co on, sleeping beauty, I know you do not need to get any prettier! Today is also your birthday... I wanted to celebrate it with you. -Qinqin.
Card Three: Are you trying to apply to a modeling agency? Because you should wake up and stop having your beauty rest! I miss you... Please call as soon as you see this card. I know my stupid brother will not tell anything. -Qinqin
The first thing that Zhao Lifei did was call Yang Ruqin. She was briefly surprised by all of the emails and text ssages. Usually, she only got a handful of birthday ssages. Oddly enough, her relatives were beginning to send her congratulations. She ignored all of them. It was too late for them to begin bootlicking her.
Yang Ruqin’s shoulder sagged while she slouched into the comfortable chair. She placed her color pencils down to observe the new line of dresses she was making. Her face scrunched up in dissatisfaction. She picked up the paper and loudly ripped it into smaller pieces that she tossed in the trash.
Today, she looked nothing like the magazines. A mop of hair was lazily slung into a bun on top of her head. It was ssy enough for birds to lay their eggs in it. She was wearing a denim overall that had questionable stains on it. She was in distress. The deadlines for designs were approaching in two days and she had yet to draw anything satisfyingly eye-pleasing to her.
Just then, her phone buzzed and she nearly cried in relief. Finally, sothing to distract herself with! She welcod this procrastination opportunity.
Flying out of her chair, she ran to get the ringing phone on the other side of the paper-littered studio.
"Hello?" Yang Ruqin didn’t bother to look at the caller.
"Qinqin? It’s ."
Yang Ruqin gasped. The gloomy, grey clouds in her eyes scattered, making way for fluffy white clouds found on sunny days. "Feifei! You’re awake."
"Yeah, thank you for pointing out the obvious."
"Yay, your brain is working! Happy belated birthday!" Yang Ruqin squealed, wishing she could just bury herself in Feifei’s arms. She could use so hugs and words of encouragent right now. She blinked. Wait. That’s not a bad idea. ’I can just visit her at the hospital!’
"Thank you. I just saw the bouquets you’ve bought for . So flowers are dying because your brother didn’t bother to put them in vases." Zhao Lifei aimlessly hobbled around the hospital room. She didn’t know why but she always needed to be occupied with sothing when she was engaged in a phone call. Besides, minimal exercising would be good for her body to recover faster.
This morning, Bai Xingyao ca in to tell them the good news that Zhao Lifei can be discharged tomorrow or the day after tomorrow if she shows signs of improvent. Of course, Yang Feng shot the good news down and demanded she needed at least a week’s rest.
"Ugh! I specifically told him to put them in vases so that you can wake up to sothing fresh and beautiful! Of course, he never listens to . Every ti I tell him sothing, my words are empty air going through one ear and out the other." Yang Ruqin grabbed her keys and purse, then left the studio.
"But I’m glad he didn’t go through with his original idea of just tossing it in the trash. He said sothing about my flowers not being edible. He even complained about how ugly the flower arrangents were, even though he knew I was the one who handpicked everything and painstakingly crafted it together!" Yang Ruqin ranted about her frustration while hailing down a cab. She told the driver the destination.
"On the brighter side, he’s outside and can listen to you reprimand him for the next hour or so before I kick him out." Zhao Lifei plopped herself down onto the couch, one leg lazily hanging off the edge.
"What? Reprimand him? He’ll kill before I finish my sentences!" Yang Ruqin purposely used a pitiful voice. "Oh Feifei, you have to talk so sense into him for ."
"I just woke up from a coma yesterday night and you already want to yell at my adoring husband?"
"Ewww don’t call him that, I’m gonna puke. And on another note, you woke up yesterday and didn’t even bother to tell about it?!"
Zhao Lifei opened her mouth to respond but Yang Feng entered the room and when he saw she was out of bed, his face darkened. "Why are you on the couch?" He stomped to her and she gasped when he took the phone from her, his eyes growing stormy when he saw it was his obnoxious little sister.
"Stop disturbing my wife from her rest." He growled into the phone, hanging up and then chucking it to the other couch.
"I was on a call!" She groaned, sitting up straighter.
He was still wearing the suit from last night and it was creased from sleeping in it. She didn’t want to rember the incident from this morning where he accused her of groping his chest in her sleep. He tried to use that as an excuse to fondle her breast out of boredom.
"Well, now you’re not."
She was left stunned and speechless by his behavior.
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