Chapter 27: Fleeing the Moment Before, Surrendering the Moment After
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Wei Xifeng said nothing. He merely gazed down at her in silence, his eyes cold and imperious. Yet Qiao Yiran felt an almost tangible pressure, and even her speech grew sluggish.
“I know my father did wrong. He went to prison to atone for his crimes, but it’s been three years. He knows he was wrong now. He’s suffered so much in there, endured so many hardships. I’m his daughter—how could I bear to watch him remain in prison for the rest of his life? Wei Xifeng, please, I’m begging you. Couldn’t you do it for my sake...?”
Qiao Yiran’s pleading gaze was filled with hope and fragility. Her soft hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and she stretched out her slender arm as though she wanted to take Wei Xifeng’s hand. There was nothing about her that did not appear pitiful.
Wei Xifeng avoided her hand and refused without mercy. “Get out.”
Qiao Yiran immediately grew frantic, flustered and helpless. “If you won’t help me, I’ll never truly be reunited with my father. He’ll die in prison.”
Wei Xifeng replied with detached cruelty, “Then go die with him.”
Qiao Yiran stood rooted to the spot, stunned.
She could not understand why Wei Xifeng had been willing to help her mother, why he had shown compassion upon learning that her mother was gravely ill, yet refused to help her father.
No. She had to make Wei Xifeng help her, even if it meant giving up everything she had.
Qiao Yiran tugged down the shoulder strap of her dress. Tears of grievance filled her eyes. She bit her lip, her chin tightening as her entire body assumed a stubborn yet fragile posture—an image of someone forced into sacrifice.
Over the past three years, no matter what Wei Xifeng had forced her to do, she had never sold her body. She had once been the eldest daughter of the Qiao family and possessed pride of her own. She was not like those women who willingly threw themselves away at the slightest opportunity. But now, even the last remnants of her loftiness and self-respect had to be cast aside.
The two shoulder straps were the dress’s only support. Once they slipped from her shoulders, the garment fell at once like a butterfly with broken wings, pure and tragic as it descended.
Before long, Qiao Yiran’s screams and cries of pain rang through the villa.
Very soon, the entire villa blazed with light.
Thinking that something had happened, the servants and bodyguards hurried over.
When they arrived, they saw Qiao Yiran being thrown out in a state of utter disarray. Though she was still wearing her underwear and clutching the fabric of her dress over her front, she was nevertheless almost completely exposed at first glance, leaving everyone unable to look directly at her. The crowd stared in shock, their eyes widening.
Then they saw Wei Xifeng standing there, his features dark and deep, his whole presence ominous. They immediately realized that this was a matter between the two of them. Since they had witnessed something they should not have seen, they quickly looked away—or simply turned their backs.
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Except for Xue Ling.
He stared at Qiao Yiran in disbelief, his fist tightening at his side.
Feeling the presence of so many people around her, Qiao Yiran broke down, crying and screaming hysterically. “Go away! Go away! All of you, go away!”
When Jiang Liwu arrived and saw the scene, she immediately removed her long outer garment and draped it over Qiao Yiran’s trembling body.
The moment the fabric touched her skin, Qiao Yiran clung to it like a drowning person grasping a lifeline, quickly wrapping herself up so thoroughly that not an inch of her remained exposed.
“Nothing happened here. You may all go back,” Jiang Liwu said, sweeping her gaze over the others.
With Uncle Wang leading the way, the servants and bodyguards quickly departed. Xue Ling was the last to leave, looking back three times before finally going.
The space soon became empty, and Qiao Yiran’s breakdown gradually subsided into aggrieved, humiliated sobs.
She had never expected Jiang Liwu to help her. Anyone who saw her appearing before Wei Xifeng in such a state of undress would know what was about to happen, as long as they possessed even the slightest common sense. Yet Jiang Liwu had not shown the slightest trace of jealousy.
Qiao Yiran could not understand Jiang Liwu. Could it be that the relationship between Jiang Liwu and Wei Xifeng truly was not what she had imagined? Could it be that Jiang Liwu had no romantic feelings for Wei Xifeng and was merely treating him properly for his illness? Jiang Liwu had indeed taken Wei Xifeng to the hospital before as part of her professional duty as a therapist.
No. That could not be right. Jiang Liwu had clearly said, with her own lips, that she loved Wei Xifeng. What else could love mean besides romantic love?
Jiang Liwu must have come to watch her make a fool of herself, deliberately putting on a kind and virtuous appearance in front of Wei Xifeng.
Only a moment ago, Qiao Yiran had told Jiang Liwu that she wanted to escape from Wei Xifeng. The next moment, she had run to Wei Xifeng and offered herself to him. Who knew how Jiang Liwu would mock her for it?
The more Qiao Yiran thought about it, the redder her eyes became. Humiliation, disgrace, resentment, and every other negative emotion flooded her entire being. When Jiang Liwu helped her to her feet, she viciously shoved her.
Unexpectedly, though Jiang Liwu looked slender, she possessed remarkable core strength. Qiao Yiran could not push her down at all.
Grinding her teeth, Qiao Yiran could only throw out one bitter remark: “I don’t need your fake kindness.”
Then she fled in disgrace.
“Qiao Yiran.”
Wei Xifeng had not missed the shove. His voice immediately darkened with a violent, irritable edge, and he moved to pursue her.
Jiang Liwu stopped him. “Xiaofeng, stand right there.”
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Wei Xifeng instantly straightened, standing as rigidly as a soldier at attention.
“Why did you do that?” Jiang Liwu asked, exasperated. She looked at Wei Xifeng as though he were a troublesome student.
Faced with her questioning, Wei Xifeng seemed somewhat innocent and at a loss. He answered truthfully, “Qiao Yiran forced herself on me. I didn’t want her to.”
Jiang Liwu stared at him in astonishment. This was somewhat different from what she had imagined. “Really?”
Wei Xifeng nodded. “I told her to leave. She refused, so I could only throw her out.”
Jiang Liwu breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness it had not been some kind of humiliating test.
Remembering how that scoundrel Wei Xifeng’s father often put his mother through all kinds of tests, Jiang Liwu furrowed her brows. Wei Xifeng absolutely could not learn from his father.
“Even so, you can’t just throw a girl out like that. That was completely unacceptable.” Jiang Liwu planted her hands on her hips, breathing somewhat heavily.
“I’m sorry, Teacher. Please don’t be angry.” Wei Xifeng grew even more flustered. He reached out and smoothed the furrow between Jiang Liwu’s brows.
Jiang Liwu pushed his hand away with two fingers and continued lecturing him. “Besides, that girl is someone you like. Is this how you treat someone you like? By bullying her?”
Wei Xifeng pressed his thin lips into a straight line. “I don’t like her.”
Jiang Liwu hesitated, then pointed at Wei Xifeng with the helplessness of someone trying to educate an incorrigible child. She paced two steps to either side.
“You don’t like her, is that it? Fine, then. What if I told you to let her go right now?”
Wei Xifeng fell silent. He frowned and said nothing. Looking closely, one could even see the faintest pout of wounded grievance at the corners of his mouth. He could not understand why he should let Qiao Yiran go. She was his possession to begin with.
Jiang Liwu saw his hesitation and reluctance and immediately said, “See? That proves you care what happens to her. Only when you like someone do you want to keep her by your side. Since you want to keep her, you should treat her better.”
“Hmm? Do you understand now?” Jiang Liwu crossed her arms and tilted her head as she looked at him.
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