Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
She had been exceptionally happy that day. Despite his words having been heartless, she had felt that she still had a place in his heart, but now she was sure that she had overthought everything. As she stared at Wu Hao, she realized she had now forgotten to cry. After some time, she finally asked, “You were the one who sent me home when I was drunk that night, weren’t you?”
Jiang Qianqian deeply wished that Wu Hao would shake his head. Even if he had been behind all those things, as long as he refuted it before her, she was willing to play the fool and believe him until the end, but now he was proving colder and more heartless than she had imagined. He blinked resolutely at her without bothering to hide and said, “Yes.”
Yes… How could he reply so unabashedly? I’ve been with him for a long time, and I am his woman…
As Jiang Qianqian felt the blood drain from her face, she also felt that Wu Hao was a sudden stranger, completely different from the man whom she had loved so deeply. She was suddenly reminded of the time when she had been arguing with Xu Wennuan and had lost her balance and fell, causing her own miscarriage. Right after that incident, Wu Hao, whom she had not seen in a long time, had visited her in the hospital with some seltzers he’d brought for her. He had said to her that she had been aggrieved and told her to let matters tide over. Because she had loved him, she had done as he had asked. Now that she thought about it, though, he had not come for the loss of their child but for Xu Wennuan. He had wanted to ensure that Jiang Qianqian remained calm and didn’t blow up things to a degree that might have affected Xu Wennuan.
Tears trickled down from the corners of Jiang Qianqian’s eyes. She obviously knew the answer but, as if she wanted to be tormented, she still asked, “Back then… Back then, did you even feel an ounce of grief when I miscarried?”
“Do you want an honest reply?” Wu Hao asked calmly.
Jiang Qianqian nodded her head.
“No.” Wu Hao gave a clear-cut response. “Not the slightest bit. To put it another way, even if you hadn’t miscarried, I would have found the chance to kill the fetus in your womb, because I’ve never wanted you much less your child.”
Suddenly, Jiang Qianqian charged up to Wu Hao as if she had gone mad. Lifting her fists up, she began to thrash his chest. “SHUT UP! I DON’T BELIEVE YOU! YOU’RE LYING TO ME, AREN’T YOU? WU HAO, YOU LIKE ME. YOU LIKED ME, DIDN’T YOU? IF YOU’VE NEVER LIKED ME, THEN WHY DID YOU TOUCH ME?”
Wu Hao stood firmly rooted to the ground and allowed her to hit him hysterically without avoiding or stopping her. His nonreaction caused Jiang Qianqian only to realize at that very moment how foolishly sentimental she had been and how unrequited her feelings were. They had never been together. All along, she had been the one who had been so full of herself and so indulgent in a fanciful illusion.
She had loved him so deeply, so wholeheartedly, and so sincerely that she had gone all out to help him attract customers, introduce him to investors, and even hook him up with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. She had given him all her reserves without hesitation, but he had only turned his back on her and set her up in such a deep trap that it was impossible for her to give a convincing explanation for her actions. She was destined to be punished by the law.
Not knowing whether her strength had given out or her heart was now cold, Jiang Qianqian, tired of fighting, squatted down on the ground awkwardly and began to wail. She wailed and wailed and then slowly began to giggle.
After a long time, she looked up at Wu Hao and asked, “Wu Hao, can you face me without guilt?”
