Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Zhou Xufang was completely oblivious to the subtle changes in Jiang Zhi’s emotions. After she had conveyed her message, she just turned and left.
“If you’ll excuse me.”
Zhou Xufang walked off.
For what felt like an eternity, Jiang Zhi remained still like a statue despite Ah Wan’s calls.
“Boss.”
“Boss?”
The big boss was unresponsive.
Ah Wan waved his palm in front of Jiang Zhi’s face, returning the young master’s soul into his body.
“Boss?”
Jiang Zhi’s senses finally returned. Even so, he had a disturbed look on his face.
“Boss, you’re blushing really hard right now.”
The young master’s gaze was empty. Raising one hand, he pressed it firmly against his heart. He then stumbled backward, slamming into the wall as he struggled to catch his breath.
Jiang Zhi’s reaction scared the wits out of Ah Wan.
“Boss! What’s up? You feelin’ bad somewhere!?”
His boss supported himself by leaning against the wall, coughing while panting like a dying man.
This scene was nerve-racking for Ah Wan.
“Oh crap, I’m done for. Your ears are glowing red boss! Are you feeling ill?” Whipping out his phone, Ah Wan hastily dialed for help. “Hello, Doctor Xue? Big Boss is feeling unwell!”
Xue Bingxue asked about Jiang Zhi’s symptoms over the phone.
Ah Wan hurriedly replied with great detail on Jiang Zhi’s condition.
“He’s coughing really, really hard.”
“No blood.”
“He might have a fever. His face is red… super red.”
“Looks like he’s not getting enough oxygen.”
A wave of cold sweat broke out over Ah Wan.
“Sh*t, now it looks like he’s having a heart attack!”
It was last year, around the same time when the young master started coughing up blood following winter’s arrival. Back then, Ah Wan had feared that it might have been the end for the young master. While Jiang Zhi had a fiery temper, he couldn’t bear the thought of the man dying.
Tears started welling up in Ah Wan’s eyes. “He’s stumbling around… like he’s about to pass out…”
‘My poor young master… he’s only 24… God, please don’t take him away so soon…’
Jiang Zhi dragged himself back to his resting lounge. Resisting the urge to collapse, he shook 2 relaxant pills out of its box and swallowed it. The pills didn’t work, however, and his heart was still pumping like crazy and his breathing was sporadic. Jiang Zhi had no choice but to take a seat and focus on getting enough oxygen to feed his lungs.
Ah Wan tailed Jiang Zhi with reddened eyes.
“Boss.”
Jiang Zhi paid the man no heed. Ah Wan was about to burst out crying but he stopped himself from doing so by pinching down hard on his inner thigh.
“How are you feeling, boss? Do you need some warm water?” Without waiting for an answer, he shuffled over to pour some warm water into a tall glass which he then handed over to Jiang Zhi with both hands.
“Doctor Xue is coming over soon, please hold out until then.”
The burning sensation on Jiang Zhi’s face remained there stubbornly, his lips appearing redder than usual. Though, there was something different about him now as compared to the previous instances where his illness had flared up. It felt as though something was tearing up his insides. He yanked the blanket roughly from his recliner and flung it into Ah Wan’s hands.
“Give this to Zhou Xufang.”
Ah Wan stared back at the young master with a confused expression. “Hah?”
Jiang Zhi was running out of patience. “She said she was cold. Take this to her.”
Her fingers felt like sticks of ice. She would get frostbite if this went on any longer.
Did he understand the situation he was in? Why was he even worried about someone else when he himself was already standing before the gates of hell?
Holding the blanket in one hand, Ah Wan passed the glass over to Jiang Zhi. “Won’t you feel cold?”
“I’m feeling plenty warm.”
‘Warm?’
Remembering his beet-red ears, Ah Wan started sweating bullets. “Are you having a fever?”
Jiang Zhi breathed out heavily. “What are you waiting for?”
“Oh.”
Ah Wan ran out of the room, blanket in hand.
Jiang Zhi was the only one left in the room. Leaning back against his recliner, he stared up into space. Raising his arm, he pressed the back of his hand against his forehead.
‘Damn, that’s hot. Feels like I’m burning up.’
Xue Bingxue arrived just 20 minutes later.
“Pass me your hand.”
Jiang Zhi was in a dazed state.
“Jiang Zhi,” Xue Bingxue called out.
No response.
“Jiang Zhi!”
Finally, the man looked up.
“Huh?”
Scanning his face, Xue Bingxue discovered that it didn’t seem as bad as Ah Wan had described. His complexion had a bit less color than usual but there was still a bit of life in his eyes.
“Give me your hand. I need to take your pulse reading.”
Jiang Zhi reached out and placed his arm on the recliner’s armrest.
Xue Bingxue was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and was at the top of his class at feeling his patient’s pulse. He pinched Jiang Zhi’s vein and searched up and down the vessel. “The pills that I’ve given you. How many are you taking per week?”
Jiang Zhi’s soul was somewhere else. “One,” he replied absent-mindedly.
The pill’s side-effects were a pair of weakened lungs. If you took too much, one would potentially start coughing up blood. In comparison to this, being infertile was a small matter. Preserving one’s life was the number one priority after all.
Of course, Xue Bingxue was clueless about what situation Jiang Zhi had just come out from, so he merely assumed that his condition was a result of his pills. He reminded Jiang Zhi sternly, “Your pulse feels chaotic. Try easing off the pills for a while. For the coming week, you should stop going back to the family home. I’ll find some other medication for you.”
The pill Jiang Zhi had received was still under development, so apart from infertility, there might’ve been other side-effects that they were unaware of.
Xue Bingxue wasn’t too sure whether or not Jiang Zhi could comprehend what he had just said. Throughout the time spent checking on his pulse, Jiang Zhi’s brows were furrowed, as if something was troubling his thoughts.
“I have a question for you.”
Xue Bingxue was in the middle of writing down Jiang Zhi’s prescription. “Fire away.”
“Can one’s sexual orientation change?”
Xue Bingxue looked up at Jiang Zhi.
“Can one’s sexual orientation change?” Jiang Zhi repeated. Only this time, he wore a frown on his face.
Was it because she reminded him of that dead boy? Or did her weirdness appeal to him? Was he starting to show interest in members of the opposite sex? Or perhaps… it was because of the fluttering heart pumping in his ribcage?
Jiang Zhi was unsure. The only thing he was sure of was that this woman was different from anyone else.
Xue Bingxue was taken by surprise upon hearing Jiang Zhi’s question. His mouth was agape, and it took quite a while before he was able to come up with an answer to Jiang Zhi’s question.
“I don’t know about you, but personally, I don’t think so.”
He felt slightly embarrassed while saying it but he pressed on adamantly.
“I will always love Wei’er.”
‘He’s talking about Jiang Wei’er again! Commendable courage, this man has!’
Jiang Zhi’s already chaotic thought pattern was messed up further by this man’s answer. “If that’s so, then fight for her,” he replied in an annoyed tone.
From his perspective, anything you wanted could be taken as long as you will it. There wasn’t even the need to come up with intricate plans, being bold was more than enough.
Xue Bingxue, on the other hand, had a completely different idea. He was old-fashioned in his thinking and was as naive as one could get.
“She already has a boyfriend. If I fight for her, I’d be nothing but a man-whore!”
Jiang Zhi disagreed with Xue Bingxue. “So what?”
His words sounded almost psychopathic.
It was this temper of his that allowed Jiang Zhi to do whatever he felt like doing. Don’t even think about telling him what was wrong and what was right. He was the man behind the wheel, the man who would carve out his own destiny, and no one could tell him otherwise.
It was almost solipsistic.
Xue Bingxue didn’t bother starting a debate with Jiang Zhi. The only thing he did was crumple up his face and soak in the sadness.
Jiang Zhi couldn’t bear to see Xue Bingxue’s half-dead expression. With a fire in his eyes, he continued speaking.
“Even if the person I liked-” He licked his lips. “-was married, I’d tear down their marriage.” He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.
‘Te-tear down their marriage!?’
The innocent little Xue Bingxue was wide-eyed at Jiang Zhi’s ruthlessness.
Out of nowhere, a woman’s voice broke the silence. “Hey! The hell are you guys doing!?” The door to Jiang Zhi’s lounge was busted open. Raising her skirt, Jiang Wei’er stepped into the room.
As her eyes met Jiang Zhi’s, he reminded her, “Do be more civilized when you speak.”
Xue Bingxue stood up immediately. In an instant, his entire face became as red as a tomato. Gulping nervously, he greeted her, “We-Wei’er.”
Jiang Wei’er looked over to see his glowing red ears. “Did Brother Zhi mess with you again!?”
Xue Bingxue shook his head. “N-no!”
Jiang Wei’er didn’t believe his words. Scanning his face one more time, she turned toward Jiang Zhi, squinting her eyes. Right now, she looked just like a wolf lusting for some blood. Going by this analogy, Xue Bingxue would undoubtedly be a snowy little bunny.
With added seriousness in her tone, she lectured Xue Bingxue. “You’d be better off distancing yourself from these fools, you know?” Xue Baoyi was an unruly bastard while Qiao Nanchu was a dislikeable chap and would always be up to no good. Virtually, none of them were honest men!
Xue Bingxue swallowed up every word Jiang Wei’er fed into his ears, nodding constantly like a chicken pecking food off the ground.
“That’s right.”
“Yep.”
“You’re right.”
Everything that came out of Wei’er’s mouth was the truth! He must follow her advice at all costs!
Xue Bingxue’s gleaming eyes reminded her of a harmless little creature. Out of the blue, she felt the urge to squeeze him. Back when they were still a group of young boys, he was the one who stood out—the most obedient boy of the trio.
However, his obedience only resulted in him easily falling prey to the hands of tricksters.
Jiang Wei’er’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She made sure to turn around before answering her call.
“Are you here?”
Her voice sounded sweet and gentle.
It was a call from Xiao Linshu.
She would always start speaking like that toward Xiao Linshu. Gentle and innocent, like a white blossom. “Wait for me in your car, I”ll be right with you.”
Her warlord’s voice returned as soon as she hung up. “I’ve got things to do, I’ll be leaving now. Oh, before I forget, stop pushing Bingxue around so often. Ya’ got that, Brother Zhi?”
Jiang Zhi responded with a cold look.
Jiang Wei’er waved her hand as she walked out the door, leaving. Reluctant to see her leave so soon, Xue Bingxue hurried over to the doorway with eyes full of pain.
Jiang Zhi’s brows knitted. He wanted to do something about his own situation. “Ah Wan.”
Ah Wan stepped forward.
“Get me a psychologist.”
He wanted to set things straight. Just what feeling did he harbor toward that girl? Was it because she reminded him of that young boy? Or was it something else?
Ah Wan felt that things were going a bit strange for the young master today. Curiously, he asked, “If I may ask, why are you looking for a psychologist?” Was the boss breaking down mentally due to his physical deterioration?
Jiang Zhi raised his head and threw Ah Wan a brief glance.
Ah Wan’s mouth clamped shut, indicating that he would stop speaking from now on.