Free Web NovelChapter 258: Chapter 258: Liking All of You, the Real and the Unreal
The attending physician was taken aback. "Are you referring to the Marshal?"
Marshal, Miss Jiang, spiritual power, Match Value...
In that instant, a strange suspicion flashed through Secretary Chen’s mind.
He was startled, then realized he was likely one of the few people in the know.
Not a single word of this could get out.
Otherwise, his job would be on the line!
’It’s not easy to find a job these days!’
Secretary Chen cleared his throat. "What I mean is... Mr. Baili’s Match Value seems to be..."
He adopted a hesitant expression, shifting the pressure onto the doctor, then offered a plausible-sounding reason. "Therefore, the Marshal is contacting another Beast Husband."
Doctor Wang glanced at Baili Jing, who narrowed his eyes, his expression turning slightly cold.
The Baili family was in the pharmaceutical industry and had a long-term partnership with the hospital.
Although it wasn’t publicly announced, anyone who had dealings with them knew that Baili Jing managed many of the Baili family’s businesses.
Besides, the man had rushed over from his company the moment he heard Jiang Qingli was hospitalized. It would be far too awkward to send him away.
Doctor Wang quickly explained, "There’s no need to worry. Mr. Baili and Miss Jiang’s Match Value has reached the 80% required for marriage, plus an additional 5%. It’s enough to help soothe Miss Jiang."
"Besides, the last time Miss Jiang fell into the water, it was Mr. Baili who helped, and the results were very good..."
"Doctor Wang, I’m all that’s needed here." Baili Jing gave a somewhat stiff smile, interrupting her. "You can go attend to your other duties."
After the doctor left, the forced smile on Baili Jing’s face vanished. His voice turned ice-cold. "He’s in there?"
A chill ran down Chen Mi’s back. He said quickly, "Mr. Baili, Miss Jiang is quite weak right now, you—"
"Secretary Chen, rest assured, I have no intention of stopping him." Baili Jing’s lips curved, but his eyes were ice-cold. "To have such a selflessly dedicated older brother... As Qingli’s Beast Husband, I am also very gratified."
Chen Mi: "..."
’Wasn’t he just being passive-aggressive, calling their Marshal cheap, shameless, and desperate to throw himself at her?’
Normally, Chen Mi would have definitely started a fight.
But at this moment, Chen Mi actually felt a pang of guilt. He kept a straight face and said nothing.
Baili Jing showed no intention of leaving, simply standing at the door to the hospital room.
Several times, Chen Mi wanted to suggest he wait in the lounge, so he himself could also take a break, but Baili Jing remained motionless. Chen Mi had no choice but to stand guard like a sentry.
「As evening approached.」
As the evening glow faded, the clicking of high heels echoed down the hall.
Xie Guanqi approached at a leisurely pace, holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Mr. Baili, Secretary Chen, what a coincidence." Xie Guanqi greeted them, then looked toward Chen Mi, her face full of concern. "I just finished a meeting and came to visit Chi Yun, but then I heard Qingli was hospitalized? What happened? Is Brother Youchen inside?"
The sight of her immediately annoyed Chen Mi.
The Xie Family elders were eager for Jiang Youchen to acknowledge his ancestry and return to the clan, but Xie Guanqi refused to have a male placed in a position above her. Using the excuse of "persuading" him, she was always hanging around Jiang Youchen. This often attracted a bunch of troublesome pests who followed them around, trying to dig up some dirt they could use to stir up trouble.
Seeing Xie Guanqi walk straight toward the room, Chen Mi was about to move, but he heard Baili Jing say with a smile, "Guanqi, Qingli is resting. Youchen was here two hours ago, but he left after confirming things with the attending physician. If you’re not in a hurry, you can go with Chen Mi to the military headquarters to find him later."
Chen Mi looked at the Baili Actor’s flawless smile and was suddenly struck by an image. It was like watching the primary husband of an ancient matriarch, not only managing the household affairs but also protecting his wife-master’s reputation...
’Wait, what am I thinking? How could an important position like primary husband ever go to Baili Jing!’
Chen Mi snapped back to reality and said with a straight face, "That’s right. Miss Xie, would you like to go with me?"
Xie Guanqi shot them a suspicious glance, but since she couldn’t actually go to military headquarters, she just gave a dry laugh. "I still have to visit Chi Yun. Could you please give these flowers to Qingli for me?"
’So familiar, calling her "Qingli" like that. You’d never guess the two were constantly at each other’s throats.’
Chen Mi took the flowers and bid her farewell with a smile.
Irritated at having failed to see who she wanted, Xie Guanqi nonetheless decided to see the act through and paid a visit to Chi Yun.
Through the glass, Chi Yun was still lying there, devoid of life. He bore no resemblance to the arrogant person he had been just a few months ago.
Xie Guanqi had a nurse take a few photos, which she sent to the public relations department to use as material for a story about the "Student Council President’s Concern for a Fellow Alumnus," then she got up and left.
As she pushed the door open, she caught a glimpse of a black figure flashing past in a corner not far away.
’Bai Yiyi?’
Xie Guanqi raised an eyebrow and slowly followed.
...
「Night fell, and the stars twinkled in the sky.」
Jiang Qingli awoke from a whirlwind of chaotic images to see Gu Nian placing a pile of things on the coffee table, looking as if he were about to sneak away.
"Stop."
Jiang Qingli spoke, only then realizing how hoarse her voice was.
Hearing her voice, Gu Nian froze on the spot as if petrified.
After a moment, he spoke, his voice barely audible, "...Sister."
Gu Nian didn’t dare to look her in the eye. He breathed shallowly, afraid that if he made the slightest sound, she would bring up the topic of divorce again.
’It had been so hard to finally be able to stand by her side.’
’He didn’t want to be abandoned.’
Jiang Qingli watched the young man, who stood with his hands behind his back like a small child who had done something wrong. Her lips curved into a smile, and she opened her arms. "Come here."
Gu Nian suddenly looked up, his pupils trembling.
Jiang Qingli said, "A hug."
Gu Nian rushed to her side, knelt by the bed, and carefully raised his arms to pull her into an embrace. His voice trembled. "Sister, I thought you would be angry with me..."
Jiang Qingli felt a dampness in the crook of her neck and sighed. "I was very angry. But now... I can’t bear to be."
In Gu Nian’s memories, she had seen so, so much—
After they were separated, the little boy was adopted. He thought he had finally found happiness, but he was instead sold to the black market and passed through many hands. Every time he tried to escape, he was caught and brought back, and the beatings and curses seemed endless.
After being sold to the Beast Fighting Arena, he was stripped of all dignity. He was forcibly injected with drugs and thrown under the spotlights amidst the roar of the crowd, reduced to a trapped beast.
When he worked as an Assassin, his bones were broken, and he would grit his teeth and set them himself, not even daring to cry out in pain during treatment.
And yet, there was so much she hadn’t seen.
She didn’t know—
She didn’t know that he had lain on the verge of death in the Beast Fighting Arena countless times, only to miraculously survive on the thought that he still hadn’t gotten a call from her, that he still hadn’t seen her one last time.
After becoming an Assassin, he gained a sliver of freedom and some money to call his own.
He happened to find the kind of candy she liked and quickly became obsessed with its taste.
He liked to add sedatives to the candy. In the moments of calm after his violent episodes, he would endlessly recall and trace images of her in his mind, ruminating on the rare sweetness in his life.
When he had no missions, he would sneak into the manor and watch her from the shadows.
He watched her go on secret dates with that old, ugly sly fox, watched them kiss under the apple tree and share the brilliant sunlight.
He was so jealous, but he didn’t even dare to imagine being with her himself.
Later, he discovered that a new, detestable soul had taken over her body.
That soul used her body to act recklessly, and he, enduring his disgust, protected her in secret.
Later, he grew more and more greedy.
He schemed endlessly, disguising himself as the type of person she liked and imitating Baili Jing’s thoughtful and gentle demeanor, all in a desperate attempt to win her love.
"Nian."
A gentle whisper reached his ears.
Through his blurry vision, Gu Nian saw her cup his face and lean in close, just as she had on the night they first met.
The light fractured into a cascade of tiny stars that twinkled and danced around them.
Jiang Qingli looked into Gu Nian’s eyes and spoke, word by word—
"Thank you for taking so much time to come to me."
"I like you, too."
"I like all of you—the real parts and the pretend."
