CH 110

Chapter 110 Accident

“You sit down first.”

Jian Chi didn’t want to turn this meeting into a cross-examination. After sitting down, he spoke to Bai Xiyu, who was still standing, in a normal tone. At least he thought so. Bai Xiyu’s face had been particularly pale since he came in. He couldn’t see through his mental dynamics when he heard this sentence.

“Jian Chi, I really didn’t know that you would get hurt, brother… Bai Shuyun promised me at the beginning that he would not hurt you. I was also forced to help. I had no other choice but to do as he said.”

Bai Xiyu didn’t know the inside story. Others thought that Jian Chi was accidentally injured, but he had long believed that the injury was caused by Bai Shuyun. After just saying one sentence, the tears of self-blame were already showing signs of coming out. The original Jian Chi should have been at a loss, but now he just looked at Bai Xiyu until Bai Xiyu couldn’t cry.

“Are you still mad at me?” Bai Xiyu could only restrain his grief for the time being and asked cautiously.

Jian Chi asked: “If it were you, would you easily forgive a ‘friend’ who framed you behind your back?”

“That’s not my intention,” Bai Xiyu lowered his agile deer eyes, he still looked good hiding his tears. “Jian Chi, you know my awkward position in the Bai house. Dad treats me well, but he is rarely at home, and he doesn’t care about my daily life. My stepmother treats me as if I don’t exist, and my elder brother only recognizes Bai Shuyun in his eyes. Older Brother, and Bai Shuyun… hates me. I want to stay, I can only please Bai Shuyun, I dare not tell others when he bullies me. Although my father had the intention to make up for it, I know that he actually prefers Bai Shuyun, not me, the son who hasn’t been hugged for a day, who came out randomly. Jian Chi, you don’t understand that feeling, it seems as if there is no one around you you can trust, even a relative who has the same blood relationship as you. “

Jian Chi fixedly looked at Bai Xiyu. Two seconds was enough to confirm that these words did reveal a trace of sincerity apart from him being miserable, “Since the Bai family treats you so badly, why do you still stay there?”

Bai Xiyu’s hand wiping away tears paused, his extremely low voice revealed pitiful forbearance, indistinctly mixed with self-mockery, “Where can I go if I’m not at the Bai house? Jian Chi, I didn’t seem to have told you about how my mother died. That day was the same as usual. I got up early to go to school, and when I came home at night, the police car was already surrounded downstairs. The neighbor aunt told me that my mother had drunk disinfectant, and she had no heartbeat by the time she found out. I went out in the morning. I also bought her breakfast, a glass of soy milk and two sugar packets. Apart from alcohol, she likes sweet things the most. Later, the police told me that it was the last meal she ate before her death, and then it was alcohol. She was drunk and became confused and mistook the disinfectant for an alcohol bottle. If I had known all this, I would have made breakfast with my own hands that morning, but she would never come back. After my mother left, my home was gone. Now my father is my only relative, and the Bai family will also be my only home.”

Bai Xiyu’s soft, crying voice, when he said the last sentence, revealed an irrefutable firmness and determination.

In fact, Jian Chi knew everything. From that dream, he saw Bai Xiyu’s unfortunate family with his own eyes.

Bai Xiyu’s mother, Yu Litu, had a beautiful face and vigorous ambition. It was too easy for a woman who had a sharp mind to want to climb up but not having enough determination, she can easily lose herself. She became the mistress of a married man and deliberately became pregnant, trying to threaten Mrs. Bai with it, to take her place. She was a little smart, but more stupid. How could a man as powerful as Bai Shengying divorce his rightful wife and marry his courtesan from the countryside? Yu Litu, who came to the door several times, made trouble with Mrs. Bai. Mrs. Bai sympathized with the pregnant woman on the surface, and even revealed a hint of dissatisfaction with Bai Shengying. Before leaving, she took 100,000 yuan to let Yu Litu take care of the baby. Yu Litu really thought she had won, and two days later, she nearly died in an ‘accident’ car accident.

Yu Litu was just stupid, not crazy. At the moment when her life was threatened, she was afraid, so she fled to Jiangcheng with her stomach full. After giving birth to Bai Xiyu, she still couldn’t change her life style of being extravagant in Sichuan, and became a courtesan again. As soon as she got the money, she used it to buy alcohol and luxury accessories. As for Bai Xiyu, her son was often ignored by her. Occasionally when she was drunk, she would use him to vent her anger, scolding and beating Bai Xiyu. She transferred all her hatred for Bai Shengying to Bai Xiyu, but every time she woke up, she cried and apologized. Yu Litu’s mental state was as slow as her body, hollowed out by alcohol, and the final outcome, apart from sighing, can only be said to be self-inflicted.

Bai Xiyu was truly innocent and pitiful, so although he obeyed Bai Shuyun’s order and became an accomplice, Jian Chi had no hatred except for the chills. To put it further, he had never had an unforgettable hatred for Bai Shuyun. In Jian Chi’s view, love and hate were two similar emotions, the same strong and extreme, he had never even tasted the feeling of loving someone, not to mention hate. After listening to Bai Xiyu’s words, Jian Chi was silent for a long time, and only Bai Xiyu’s sobbing could be heard in the huge office.

“Can it really be considered a home if they don’t treat you as a family?” Jian Chi’s mood was also slightly suppressed by Bai Xiyu’s cries. He looked at his buried face, “I know you were forced, but no matter what kind of struggle you have gone through, you have already done it. After the result was created, it is useless to use your words to save the situation.”

Bai Xiyu raised his head, there were tears on his white face, and when the other cried, it was difficult to control his emotions, tears and snot flowed all over his face, embarrassed and flushed. But Bai Xiyu’s crying was even more pitiful than his usual appearance. It seemed that even the speed, angle, and curvature of the corners of his eyes had been carefully rehearsed, so perfect as if it would only appear on the screen.

“I’m sorry, Jian Chi,” he murmured, clasping his hands on his knees tightly, “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, I know you will hate me, and what I said on the deck that day was my truth. I’m afraid you won’t believe me at this time, Jian Chi, I really regard you as a friend.”

Jian Chi originally believed it, but now he can’t tell whether Bai Xiyu under this pitiful face was really crying or laughing, and looked away, “The school shouldn’t give you too severe a punishment, after all, they will look at Bai family’s face, and Bai Shuyun was the mastermind. If only you were punished, the Bai family will be discovered to be too biased. You don’t have to worry too much, but don’t tell me anything like this in the future.”

Bai Xiyu still had a sad face when he heard that the punishment was not serious, he didn’t show any rejoicing. It seemed that he cared more about Jian Chi’s last words. Jian Chi got up to leave, he also stepped forward and grabbed the corner of Jian Chi’s clothes. He had a lot to say, but in the end, tears flowed violently, and he only repeated: “I’m sorry…”

“Are you really sorry?” Jian Chi didn’t dodge and looked down at Bai Xiyu. To be honest, Bai Shuyun’s disgust and insult to him were far less hurtful than Bai Xiyu’s ‘sorry’ that day. Perhaps deep down, he really regarded Bai Xiyu as a friend.

“Really, I’m really sorry, I swear, no matter what Bai Shuyun asks me to do in the future, I will never agree, Jian Chi, I…”

Jian Chi interrupted his sincere assurance, “Then can you tell me, what was the secret that Bai Shuyun knows?”

Bai Xiyu seemed to pause for a moment, and all the mixed emotions were frozen on his face in an instant, showing a trace of a comedy performance. In the silence, Jian Chi sighed and didn’t ask any more questions. At the same time as he turned around, he also pulled out the hem in Bai Xiyu’s hand, pressed the handle, and a second before he was about to push it, Jian Chi heard Bai Xiyu’s suppressed, trembling voice from behind.

“I can’t say it, but in the future, I will definitely tell you myself.”

If Jian Chi turned around at this time, he would surely see the twinkling dark eyes on Bai Xiyu’s face that had faded from weakness and self-blame, that would sink into one’s heart and soul. But Jian Chi didn’t.

“Jian Chi, I swear to you, I never thought of harming you.”

Jian Chi faintly felt that there was an unfinished second half of this sentence, but Bai Xiyu didn’t speak anymore, and he didn’t ask any further. It’s enough to stop here. Sometimes knowing too much will not bring relief, but may also bring endless unease.

The final punishment was the same as Jian Chi had expected. Bai Xiyu was ordered to clean the entire Smith Building for ‘deliberately hurting a classmate’. The entire five-story teaching building, including the bathroom, lasting for three months, almost until graduation. He also had to write a reflection letter to the student union every week for a month. Jian Chi knew that this might still be due to Ji Huaisi deliberately aggravating the punishment. Bai Xiyu didn’t complain about it. There were also several posts on the HS forum expressing doubts. They didn’t know who Bai Xiyu had hurt, no one knew the answer.

After thinking about it clearly, Jian Chi didn’t avoid Ji Huaisi anymore, but he had a vague idea that he and Ji Huaisi would not go too far after all. This idea had been hard to eradicate since it appeared. Wen Chuan didn’t take the initiative to look for him since that day, but every time they met, Jian Chi could clearly feel the burning gaze falling on him. He knew that Wen Chuan was fulfilling the promise of ‘I will wait for you to understand’. 

Zhang Yang protested against this and tried to reconcile them several times, but he seemed to have discovered something later and didn’t mention a word about the matter. Wen Chuan was getting busier and busier. Others didn’t know why he was skipping classes more frequently every day. Only Jian Chi knew that every time Wen Chuan leaved anxiously and returned with a sullen face, it meant that his grandmother’s physical condition was getting worse and worse.

Jian Chi wanted to ask, but every time he saw Wen Chuan, he didn’t know how to speak so that he didn’t seem deliberate.

On the day of the official handover of the student union, all the teachers and students of the school gathered in the auditorium. On one side of the stage sat Shen Shuting and people, and on the other side were the newly appointed members of the student union. The newcomer stood up holding the flower in the middle of the music with the teacher reading out a name, and he handed it to the opposite side, then the original student council member took off his medal and pinned it on the newcomer’s chest. The two embraced and changed seats amid a round of applause. This was repeated several times. Jian Chi’s palms were all red, and he heard Zhang Yang, who had been pretending, comment in a low voice: “Formalism.”

Jian Chi originally thought it very interesting, but after repeating it a few times, it felt a little long, and chatted with Zhang Yang in a low voice. After the handover, it was still Shen Shuting, the incumbent president, who spoke. He was the only one who didn’t give the newcomer a medal and didn’t accept hugs, but no one talked about his waywardness. Jian Chi silently moved his head away, and after a while, he heard Zhang Yang’s complaint: “Why is he glaring at me again? Jian Chi, how did I offend Shen Shuting? He glared at me last time, but this time he’s still glaring at me.”

“He might…” might be glaring at me. Jian Chi didn’t finish the last half of the sentence, and instead patted Zhang Yang’s arm, and said earnestly: “If you see Shen Shuting in the future, go a little further. I heard Ji Huaisi say that he had a bad temper in private and held grudges.”

Zhang Yang was suspicious to his advice, and like Jian Chi, he lowered his head and whispered. After a while, there was a commotion around him, which was worse than Shen Shuting’s appearance just now. Before Jian Chi could look over, he heard an exclamation from the person in front: “Is that Shao Xianhua? Didn’t he only give speeches at the opening ceremony?” 

The person next to him interrupted in a low voice: “Don’t shout so loudly, don’t call his name, be careful.”

The person who spoke immediately fell silent.

Before Jian Chi could think about the name ‘Shao Xianhua’, which sounded very familiar, Zhang Yang gave the answer, full of suspicion: “Why is Shao Hang’s father here?”

Many people seem to feel it strange like Zhang Yang. After all, the student union, the handover was just an in-school ceremony. It was not necessary to invite several heavy weights and shareholders to give speeches like the freshman ceremony. There was no such precedent before.

The surrounding movement quickly subsided, and the auditorium loudspeaker transmitted Shao Xianhua’s calm voice to every corner. No one dared to make a statement at this time. This time, Jian Chi can finally look at this rumored father who had a very bad relationship with Shao Hang. In all fairness, Shao Xianhua was still dignified in his fifties, and his temperament was restrained and stable, similar to other people in high positions. Suddenly, Shao Xianhua’s finely-lined but sharp eyes skipped the rows of students in front of him, and stabbed Jian Chi directly. With a very brief glance, Jian Chi was blank for a few seconds, and his heart was filled with dense ants biting out hesitation and anxiety.

Is Shao Hang’s father watching him?

This question remained in Jian Chi’s heart until the end of the ceremony. After leaving the venue one after another, a man in a suit who came from nowhere stood in front of him, looked at Jian Chi and said, “Student Jian, is it easy to move? Our Standing Committee member had something to say to you.”

Jian Chi and Zhang Yang glanced at each other, and both read the surprise in each other’s eyes, but Jian Chi was more awake, he could now confirm that the glance just now wasn’t an illusion. He stabilized his heartbeat, and said to the man, “I’m sorry, it’s not convenient now, I have classes later.” 

The man smiled slightly, as if he had already expected this situation, “Classmate, don’t worry, we have communicated with your teachers of various subjects, so don’t worry about the attendance rate.” When Jian Chi rejected it, he made a gesture of ‘please’, with a firm attitude, as if no matter how Jian Chi refused, he would definitely bring the person back.

Jian Chi was beating a drum in his heart and passed through many chaotic thoughts. First of all, he could see that Shao Xianhua’s attitude towards him was not kind, and the so-called conversation must not be a good thing. But this was the school, and he was a student of Saintston. No matter what, Shao Xianhua should never do anything to a student, let alone do it here. It was impossible to hide, so Jian Chi turned his head to Zhang Yang and said, “I’ll be back quickly.”

Zhang Yang, who understood what he meant, nodded and answered naturally, “Okay, then I’ll go first.”

Waiting for them to finish speaking The man kept a decent smile from beginning to end, “Can you go over with me?”

Jian Chi thought to himself, this was not possible and had to be possible.

The man’s route was a path rarely traveled in Saintston, at least Jian Chi never knew there was such a path here. The quieter and quieter he walked, the rarer and rarer the surrounding scene. Just as countless dark and terrifying incidents flashed through Jian Chi’s mind, a black car appeared in his field of vision not far away. The man didn’t seem to notice Jian Chi’s unease. He opened the back door and turned around and said, “The Standing Committee member asked you to get in the car to talk.”

Of course, Jian Chi, who was already vaguely uneasy, couldn’t easily get into a stranger’s car. He expressed his resistance: “But…” The back was suddenly given a force, and the smiling man pushed him into the car mercilessly, closing the door with a ‘bang’.