Chapter 8: Jasmine

Chapter 8: Jasmine

Zhang Wei sat quietly in the backseat of the taxi, watching the passing city lights, while his wife, Yu Lei, sat beside him in silence, staring blankly out of the window. After what felt like hours, she finally spoke up.

"Zhang Wei, am I ill?"

Her question was self-explanatory, as she already knew the answer.

Zhang Wei took a deep breath and nodded. "You've already heard it."

During this time, Yu Lei had searched for what psychosis is; it appeared to be a state of disconnection from reality.

"Does this mean that I always live within my own illusory world? Is everything I see nothing but an illusion?" she asked, her legs trembling in panic, while her upper body remained still.

Zhang Wei noticed her condition and extended his hands, placing them above her thighs, which instantly stopped her legs from shaking, and she looked at him.

"Why didn't you tell me already?" she asked, her voice hoarse and finding it difficult to talk.

Zhang Wei smiled and asked, "How are you feeling right now?"

"But that has nothing to do with my question!" she rebutted.

Zhang Wei replied, "It does. Just tell me, how are you feeling right now?"

This made Yu Lei fall silent, and she thought deeply. She realized that she was feeling sad.

Not only sad, but also consumed with fear.

Her old self was beginning to surface again, the one she had worked so hard to bury deep within.

Before Zhang Wei came into her life, she was merely a beautiful, quiet girl who sometimes found happiness in fleeting moments.

But now, she had transformed into a confident and composed leader, capable of managing a multinational organization with ease.

Her metamorphosis from a normal girl to a commanding figure, capable of leading thousands, was all due to him.

Yet, now someone was telling her that all of this was an illusion?

Her heart was filled with uncertainty and she didn't know how to react.

Terror consumed her when the thought crossed her mind that even Zhang Wei might be an illusion.

She clutched her head, eyes wide with terror. "No... no... no... this can't be true... it's not an illusion!" she muttered, as if possessed by some kind of ghost.

Zhang Wei sighed, then took her into his warm embrace. "It's not an illusion, I'm real, and everything you see is real too! You're not ill, so stop thinking about it."

After comforting her for a few minutes, Yu Lei slowly began to return to her normal self.

The taxi driver cast a brief glance at the couple, then let out a heavy sigh. He had grown accustomed to witnessing such dramas.

Meanwhile, Zhang Wei felt a pang of guilt for putting her through such an ordeal.

The truth was that she was not ill at all, but in fact, better than ever.

The medical report was nothing but a fabrication, which he had created with the help of his university friend, Jasmine.

Jasmine was an exotic beauty from the western side of the world, currently working as a scientist and a doctor, specializing in human anatomy.

Zhang Wei had instructed her to prepare the false report in advance, and with her extensive connections, it had been a simple task to pull off.

Even if Yu Lei questioned him further, he could always claim that they had indeed undergone a test, but she had simply forgotten about it.

If the name Jasmine were to be mentioned, Yu Lei would instantly recognize it.

Just like Hao Yue, Jasmine was also one of her rivals.

Yu Lei met Jasmine for the first time in Qingyun University.

Unlike her rivalry with Hao Yue, the animosity between Yu Lei and Jasmine was intense. Jasmine constantly sought to steal Zhang Wei away from her, and it was only thanks to Zhang Wei's intervention that the situation did not escalate into violence.

Unbeknownst to Yu Lei, Zhang Wei had cleverly turned this situation to his advantage. After they were married, Jasmine contacted him and offered him money to divorce Yu Lei. However, her true intention was to cause as much pain as possible to Yu Lei, rather than actually winning Zhang Wei for herself.

Even Zhang Wei himself was unaware of the true reasons behind Jasmine's hostility towards Yu Lei. Instead of flatly rejecting her offer, Zhang Wei agreed to gradually distance himself from Yu Lei, while making her more emotionally attached to him than ever before. Jasmine agreed to these terms, but Zhang Wei added that she would have to help him whenever he needed it.

Naturally, Jasmine agreed to these conditions, since she had already planned to assist him. This was how Zhang Wei came to have the contact of the exotic beauty who had created the fake medical report that he used to control Yu Lei.

Just as they were leaving for the police station, Zhang Wei messaged Jasmine and asked her to send him the fabricated medical report that she had created a year ago. This document became Zhang Wei's trump card to maintain control over Yu Lei. Even if she were to catch him sleeping with another woman, he could simply deny it and say that it was all her imagination.

Although Zhang Wei had wanted to tell Yu Lei about her condition for a long time, he had been waiting for the right opportunity. Today, the opportunity had presented itself, and he had seized it. As far as he was concerned, having a backup plan like the forged medical reports was crucial for any man who had thoughts of having multiple partners, as it could even protect him from the police.

Crafting fake medical reports of mental illness can be a life-saving measure, even in the face of legal troubles.

It can save your ass, even against the police.

[Note: Ahem, this is author's self made trick, he personally uses it, please don't spread among others and keep it to yourself.]

The question of whether Zhang Wei was merely a puppet of Jasmine remained.

But the truth was far more complex, for he was using her to his own end.

Why else would he stall for time?

When Yu Lei was weeping, he captured a photo and sent it to Jasmine with the message, "Work has begun..."

Zhang Wei was manipulating Jasmine.

Even if someone offered him billions of HLD, he would not abandon Yu Lei, a perfect target for his twisted desires.

Could he find another woman so exquisitely suited to his taste?

It seemed unlikely.

Yu Lei was not one to be driven by emotion.

Even when she discovered that Hao Yue was pregnant with Zhang Wei's child, she did not confront him directly.

She was shrewd and knew when and what to say.

She was not rash, but thoughtful, obedient and entirely dependent on him.

Why would he abandon someone like Yu Lei for Jasmine?

Jasmine was just another tool to improve his control over Yu Lei and fully conquer her mind.

Zhang Wei was a terrible monster lurking beneath a mask of civility...

He played not only with Yu Lei, but also with Jasmine, to achieve his twisted objectives.

The darkness within him was enough to consume the world.

Yu Lei understood that Zhang Wei was merely trying to comfort her with his words.

She didn't want to disappoint him, so she put on a brave face.

Zhang Wei could only shake his head; perhaps he was overdoing it, but he couldn't turn back now.

"Look at yourself now, how do you feel after learning about your condition? Do you know why I kept it from you? ... I don't want to see you sad, Yu Lei..."

Yu Lei's fake smile faded and tears welled up in her eyes.

Zhang Wei's words had shaken her to the core.

To think that he would go to such lengths to maintain her happiness, and she had doubted him...

She hugged him tightly, "Don't ever leave me, Zhang Wei..."

Zhang Wei smiled and patted her back, but Yu Lei looked up at him and shook her head.

"No! You can't leave me in the future just because I'm ill!"

Zhang Wei raised an eyebrow, "Are you commanding me?"

"No... I'm begging you..." Yu Lei replied without hesitation.

Her eyes implored him to stay with her.

Zhang Wei smiled and nodded. "Yes, I won't leave you."

Yu Lei felt her heart lift at his answer; she had been afraid that Zhang Wei would abandon her after what had happened today.

Zhang Wei allowed her to embrace him for a while, comforting her as he explained her condition. He assured her that it wasn't extreme, just a series of illusions that were triggered by her insecurities.

Upon hearing this, Yu Lei felt a sense of relief wash over her, but also a tinge of guilt. Was she truly this insecure, to the point of hallucinating about her beloved Zhang Wei?

Normally, she would have questioned such a phenomenon, but her mind was clouded with thoughts of him. Every word that he spoke, she absorbed and accepted without hesitation. If he claimed that her illusions were related to him, she would believe it without any further inquiry.

Yu Lei resolved never to doubt Zhang Wei again, and to follow his advice and lead in all matters, including her own desires to have children. She didn't want to risk pushing him away with her own dramas.

As their conversation came to a close, Yu Lei realized it was already 1:00 AM and they had arrived at their apartment building.