She sensed the man’s nonchalance over the phone. Never had she expected that her best friend was this negligible to him. When he was busy, Tang Xiaoyu took care of him wholeheartedly, yet now, he was telling her that he did not have the time at all.
“Aren’t you worried at all? She is a woman,” hissed Pei Ge as she tried to control her emotions. Sitting beside her, Ji Ziming sensed the change in her emotions and held her hand more tightly.
“If you called just to tell me this, then I know about it now.”
Gu Zhengrong could not understand why the woman on the other end seemed about to go crazy just because his girlfriend left.
“In your eyes, what is my best friend?!” Hatred colored her eyes as the woman continued. “Can you give her a call now? Can you just do me this one favor?”
“Call her? I have already called her.”
“When did you call her?”
She could not believe him. She had only just found out from her mother that her best friend was missing. When did he find out, then?
“It’s true; I’m not lying to you. I called her today, but no one answered. I don’t know why, but she does this all the time, so I did not pay it much heed.”
“Didn’t answer?”
She seemed to be able to see some hope. “You mean that your call got through, but she just did not pick up?”
“Yes. She does this often, so I don’t think it’s anything to worry about.’
He felt that Pei Ge was making a fuss over nothing. His girlfriend did this often; hence, there was nothing to it that warranted a ‘missing person’ report.
“Can you call her again? Can you call her until she answers the phone?”
The woman knew that the only one who could find her best friend was this guy. After all, for his sake, she could give up everything she had, including her life.
“Why are you this concerned about her?”
He felt a little upset inside. In this spacious and silent office, he heard the special ringtone he had set for her, yet she only called to ask him about another woman.
The most miserable thing was that she was begging him to look for her best friend, but the woman he loved had always been her.
“She is my best friend. Who am I supposed to be concerned about if not her?”
She found it laughable. Was he dumb? What should she do to make him give up entirely? She had already gone somewhere far from the guy and vowed never to have any contact with him again. She even needed to get his number through her contacts. If this was not enough, then she could not find another cleaner way to end this.
“Have you never thought of me after going back for so long?”
Gu Zhengrong refused to give up. Even if his rationality was telling him that she had already found her true love, and the three children were also getting along well with their father, he still wanted to try. Even if it was just asking, as long as he could get an affirmative answer, it would be enough for him to continue living in this foreign country.
“What situation is this now? You still have the mind to think of such stuff?”
The car turned a corner and the hospital under the Ji Group came into view.
“I just want an answer.” He refused to budge, merely wanting that one answer from her.
“Fine, you want an answer? Then, listen properly: I do not feel anything for you. All I want to do is find my best friend quickly. If you are unwilling to help me, then treat it as me having said nothing. Also, I am now living very blissfully. I have a man who loves me and children who have a father to dote on them. It is impossible between you and me. You need to drop the idea forever.”
Ji Ziming’s lips curled up as he drove the moment he heard her retort. He had thought that some of her and Gu Zhengrong’s past would be brought up when she had made the call but had not expected the ending to be this satisfying.
“Pei Ge, you—”
The guy on the other end felt as though a huge boulder had pressed on his heart after hearing her answer. He was such a stubborn person, refusing to let go until the very last moment. It was clearly something that had been decided long ago; both of them were not fated, yet in the middle of silent nights, the only one he could think of was her.
“I apologize for troubling you today. Treat this call as though it never happened.” The woman cut the call decisively. She originally wanted to use him in finding her best friend, but instead of achieving her goal, all she got was more troubles for herself.
“You hung up so quickly?”
With his dark eyes still on the road, Ji Ziming’s white and large hand tightly held her slender and thin one. He spoke again in his low voice. “Is Gu Zhengrong unwilling to help?”
“Yes. Xiaoyu is missing.”
Her beautiful eyes were filled with sorrow as they turned moist.
While she was having a happy life here, her best friend was missing overseas. She had been too selfish by forgetting to mend her relationship with her best friend. If she had called her earlier or even did a video-call, perhaps it would not be like this today.
“Don’t worry; I will look for her together with you.” He comforted her. “It has been some time since we came out. Let’s go back to the hospital to redress your wound. We cannot let it be infected.”
“How is Huang Zhian now?”
She had been at the hospital with the children the past few days and had nearly forgotten about that criminal.
“He got a sentence in accordance with his crimes.”
“Then, isn’t he…”
“Yes, he has been locked up. Today is his first day.”
His eyes were cold and sharp. That guy had harmed his woman, and the highest benevolence he could give was not to spare him from getting the capital punishment. As for what he would meet with in prison, that was something he could not promise.
“You didn’t…”
Pei Ge was a little suspicious. Based on his style and methods, anyone who dared to harm her would receive it back ten- or hundred-folds.
“I only left him with his life. As for the others, don’t ask about them.”
She remained silent. She knew that he would not tell her the truth even if she asked.
“Were the children with the nurse when we left earlier.”
“Mom is at the hospital; rest assured.”
After parking the car, the man stepped out of it and slung his arm around her, saying, “You only need to remember that, no matter what happens to you, you must tell me about it. You still have me.”
