He hates her!
She, his wife, a woman who speaks her mind, who meddles,
who threatens to sell his software company’s DVDs,
who laughs brightly no matter how much she is scolded,
and who is good because she is quiet when watching comedies and doesn’t bother him.
He hates her…
He only agreed to this marriage temporarily, but he has never acknowledged her.
Sooner or later, she will not be able to stand his scarred face, his leg in rehabilitation,
his moodiness, and his nasty tongue that only knows how to find fault with her.
Besides, she is so strong and loves to laugh, so it doesn’t matter if she has him or not.
He hates her…
No wonder, she is so quiet and doesn’t laugh when watching comedies…
Her hand covering her mouth is trembling, tears rolling down her cheeks, but she is afraid of making a sound.
He remembers, today he scolded her again and left her alone in the mountains.
It turns out that she is also very vulnerable, and he, too, is worried about her…
Chapter 1
‘Wow! This guy is really not ordinary scary!’
Li Can, 16 years old, has a student’s haircut with a plain face, and big glasses that cover half of her pretty face. She keeps her eyes fixed on the employee bulletin board of Li Feng Enterprise, and her small mouth can’t even be closed in surprise.
In this imposing building, everyone is busy working, and no one has noticed this student-like girl. Why can she strut into Li Feng Enterprise with just one face? And she also goes to her father’s office, Li Datong, the chairman of Li Feng Enterprise, very low-keyly.
If it wasn’t for the shocking data on the bulletin board that caught her attention, she wouldn’t have let out an exclamation of surprise.
It was just too terrifying! Li Feng’s performance had grown by 30% in the past six months, and the straight line on the analysis chart was about to break through the paper.
Ji Lingyang, the leader of the first sales team.
Even though Li Can was just a high school student, she knew that her father was always talking about business, and her late mother had also helped out at the company. She more or less knew that Li Feng’s sales department was divided into several teams, and the first team was the busiest and had the most responsibility.
It was not easy for that guy surnamed Ji to be the team leader, and he was able to refresh his performance every month. No wonder she felt that recently her father looked at the official documents as if he was counting banknotes, and his mouth was almost split in two from smiling.
After reconfirming the terrifying data on the announcement board, she put away her silly appearance and continued towards her destination, but when she passed by the sales department ‘on the way’, she couldn’t help but take a peek inside.
“Ji Lingyang! Do you know who you are talking to?’
The roar of anger from the sales manager’s office made her stop again. She looked left and right, and while everyone was busy pretending to be dead, she quietly lowered her slender petite body and crept up to the glass of the manager’s office, curious to see if the man being yelled at was really the sales miracle on the bulletin board.
‘Manager Cai, I’m telling the truth,’ the tall man, with his back to the glass, replied without haste.
The man called Manager Cai faced Li Can, and he pounded the table heavily, turning red with anger.
‘You’re just a team leader, so why do you have a problem with the list I handed in?’
‘Because it’s not true,’ said Ji Lingyang, taking out another list. ‘The Jingxing Enterprise electronic parts procurement case was won by our team one, and this one is the list that should really be rewarded.’
‘Anyway, I’ve already handed in my list, and you’re on it anyway, so what more do you want?‘ Manager Cai was furious and blushed in anger.
’All I want is fairness. The list you handed in includes many people who weren’t even involved in the case, which makes it hard for me as team leader to explain. I don’t care if I’m on the list or not, but if you want to promote your people, you don’t have to take mine.’ This basically makes it clear that he is being selfish. Although Ji Lingyang is a subordinate, his imposing presence does not lose out to his boss in the slightest.
Just from listening to this short passage, she already has a general idea of what kind of drama is being played out in the office, but it is yet again the same old story of competing for credit and blaming others. She has seen it a lot since she was young. She believes that her father should not be too incompetent, and that one day he will solve it.
Therefore, she didn’t care at all about the chatter in the manager’s office. What interested her was the man who kept turning his back on her. Why couldn’t he turn 45 degrees to the left when answering his boss’s questions? Or why didn’t he dramatically flip over the desk, turn around and storm off, shouting that he was quitting?
That way, she would be able to see his face!
As she curiously surveyed his back, Manager Cai suddenly stood up in the middle of his sentence, causing her to squat even lower and look away from the window.
‘…Ji Lingyang, don’t think that just because you have good results, you can speak to your superiors like that!’
‘I’m just stating the facts. Anyway, you need to give us a reason today.’
Awesome! He’s really got some nerve! Li Can secretly stretched her neck again to look inside, but to her chagrin, she discovered that the man had just turned around and was facing away from her again.
‘What’s the big deal, I just want to take a peek…’ the cherubic little mouth muttered, her mind only on the peeping tom. She simply changed her angle and slowly moved towards the door, carefully pushing the door, which was not completely closed, a little bit further inwards. Still couldn’t see anything, so she pushed a little more…
‘Anyway, I hope the list the manager has resubmitted is true to the facts!‘ With those last words, Ji Lingyang turned around and pulled open the door to the manager’s office. Unexpectedly, a petite figure fell in, knocking him to the ground.
’Ouch!’ Her head hit his hard chest, making her dizzy. She didn’t care that she was sitting on someone else’s lap, and her hand was still pressing against the other person’s chest. ’That hurts…’
‘Ji Lingyang! Don’t think that you… Whoa! Who are you?‘ Manager Cai, who had been scolding non-stop, was also stunned by this sudden scene.
The only victim in the audience who remained awake looked at the skinny girl sitting on top of her. The girl’s small face was covered in pain, and her big glasses had been knocked askew. She sat up silently and helped her straighten her glasses.
’Are you okay?’
Hearing this low voice, Li Can disappeared all the stars in the sky, and seized this opportunity to pull the man in front of her closer. When she looked at him more closely,
what cool features!
A domineering thick eyebrow was slightly narrowed, and a wise and sharp light shone from his dark eyes. His nose was very straight, with a hint of an aquiline nose, and his tightly pursed lips were thin and stylish. He definitely couldn’t be called handsome, but he definitely had character.
When she was stared at tightly by him, the young girl’s heart fluttered, and her cheeks blushed quietly…
‘Get up if you’re fine, my feet are sore.’ With a raise of his bushy eyebrows, he reminded her that she was still sitting on his lap.
Li Can let out a low cry and hurriedly stood up, and Ji Lingyang followed suit. After hastily nodding and apologising, she lifted her face but saw Manager Cai’s ashen expression.
‘Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?‘
’I…‘ What could she say? Admitting that she was the chairman’s daughter in this embarrassing situation, where she was on the floor, would probably make her father lose face.
She looked helplessly at the tall man next to her, only to see that his sharp eyes were locked on her, waiting for an answer as well.
’I’m a… part-time student.’ She had to make up her mind.
‘Work-study student? What are you doing sneaking around outside?‘ Manager Cai pressed.
’I’m… delivering tea.‘ She pushed her glasses up, feeling very guilty.
’Tea?‘ The suspicious look scanned her. “Where’s your tea?”
’Tea?’ Right, where is it? ’Oh! Sorry, I forgot! I’ll go get it right away!’
After saying this, she reluctantly took one last look at Ji Lingyang, who had remained silent the whole time, and quickly fled on foot, leaving behind a stunned Manager Cai and a thoughtful Ji Lingyang.
‘My goodness! That was really thrilling.’ Running all the way into the pantry of the sales department, Li Can patted her small breasts and leaned against the wall, panting. Thinking back to the warm chest she had just had, her heart, which had finally eased up a little, started beating rapidly again.
‘Why do I act like a crazy girl whenever I see him…’ She ran her hands over her cheeks, feeling so ashamed of herself for making such a fool of herself in front of him.
When the hero and heroine meet for the first time in a novel, it’s not a case of the hero saving the day, but at least there’s a smile and a glance that makes the heroine’s heart flutter. But in her story with him, it started with the evil tiger… no, the evil goat attacking the tiger.
If she knew which author had arranged such a poorly written plot, she would kill her.
But he was even more outstanding and capable than she had imagined. She always felt that such a man was only suited to be a small team leader, and was simply a dragon trapped in shallow water.
She had never had many idols growing up, and had never been in love before. Ji Lingyang was the first man in her life to whom she had felt a good impression, and she really wanted to get to know him better.
Her watery eyes behind her glasses darted about, and she poked her little head out, just in time to see a certain female staff member walking by. She held out her small, white hand.
‘Excuse me, sister! Could you come here for a moment?’ She waved her small hand.
‘Me?’ The female staff member pointed at herself and noncommittally walked into the pantry.
After catching her prey, Li Can first gave a toady smile and praised the other person’s clothes and hair before asking with innocent eyes, ‘Are you from the sales department?’
‘Yes, aren’t you in our department’s pantry right now?’ After just a few words, the female staff member was completely won over by this unremarkable little girl.
“Wow! Everyone in the sales department is an elite! Which team are you on, sister?’
‘Team 1.‘ The female staff member was quite proud when she talked about her team.
Team 1! Li Can’s eyes lit up, and she could start to get to the point.
’Team 1 is great! I just saw on the bulletin board that Team 1 has the best performance. It must not be easy to have someone as outstanding as you as your supervisor, right?’
‘My dear, you’re wrong. The real talent is our team leader, Ji, from Team 1.‘
’Really?’
‘Of course.’ The female employee, who hadn’t realised that she had fallen into a trap, said with a look of admiration, “When Team Leader Ji first arrived, none of us respected him. But his performance in the first month shut everyone up. And he always manages to land big cases that we never even dreamed of. No matter what he does, he puts in more effort than anyone else in the team, but he shares all the performance bonuses with us…”
Li Can nodded frequently as he listened, and she was not wrong to admire this man.
‘Team Leader Ji is so capable, he must be quite old, right?‘ She pretended that she had never seen him before.
’He is only 24 years old, which is considered young and promising.‘ The female staff member became more and more enthusiastic as she spoke.
’So young? I guess he must be a Leo.‘ Having got the age, she switched to the zodiac sign. “Leos are very charismatic.”
’You’re wrong, he’s a Scorpio.’ Wagging her finger, the female clerk narrowed her eyes with some longing. ‘The same zodiac sign as Leo, with a strong sense of self-esteem.’
‘So he was born in November?’ Li Can lowered his voice with the same longing, now switching to the birthday.
‘November 20th.’ Of course she knew the birthday of the man she admired.
“But Scorpios are very popular with women! Hasn’t he ever been rumoured to have an affair with the older women in the company?’ It’s hard to find a good man, and you don’t want him to be a womaniser.
‘Of course not. Team Leader Ji works very hard and would never mess around with women.’ To be honest, the female staff member felt a bit sorry for her boss, who was so meticulous.
‘Oh? So he doesn’t have a girlfriend?’
‘I don’t think so,’ the female staff member wasn’t sure.
‘Someone he used to date?’
The female staff member shook her head.
‘What’s his type?‘
She shook her head even harder.
Li Can’s fake smile on his face was about to fall, how could she not know anything?
’Then he…‘
’I don’t have a girlfriend. The person I used to date is a university classmate. My type…’ The towering figure of Ji Lingyang suddenly appeared at the door of the pantry. ’Anyway, it’s not a bratty little girl.’
He stood with his hands crossed in front of his chest, leaning against the doorframe, leaving the two women inside the room embarrassed and at a loss for words.
‘Team Leader Ji, that…’ The female staff member anxiously tried to explain, but didn’t know what to say.
‘Have you finished with your work?’ He asked indifferently.
‘Not yet, then I’ll go back first.’ The officer gave him an excuse, and of course he took it, rushing out of the pantry at a speed like someone jumping off a cliff.
Li Can, who had been caught red-handed, was at a loss for words and could only stare at him.
The two of them in the pantry, one standing there with a guilty conscience, and the other blocking the doorway with complete composure, looked at each other for a while in silence.
Li Can gave a dry laugh and simply borrowed the female staff member’s excuse to get out of the situation. ‘I’ll get back to work too…’
‘Wait a minute,‘ Ji Lingyang stopped her. “Are you really a student worker?”
’Yes!‘ She really came to help her father during the holidays.
’I don’t remember any student workers in the sales department,’ he had doubted the girl from the very beginning.
Li Can pouted her lips, this man really was not to be fooled.
She slowly produced a temporary staff card. This was the magnetic card that her father had given her to allow her to enter and exit the office, so not only did it not have a photo, the name field was also blank.
After taking the card and examining it for a moment, Ji Lingyang tentatively believed her and handed the card back.
‘Can I go now?’ she asked.
‘One more thing.’ This was related to him. ‘Why were you asking about me?’
He had heard the whole thing. The little girl had innocently asked his subordinate questions, and the subordinate had stupidly told her everything.
She lowered her head slightly, feeling guilty. ‘I was just curious.’
‘Curious?’
‘And a little selfish…’
“Selfish?’
Li Can pursed her lips as she was being forced to ask such an embarrassing question. ‘Why are you asking so many questions? Haven’t you heard that a young girl’s feelings are always poetic?’
‘A young girl’s feelings are always poetic?’ Why did it suddenly go there? The more he listened, the more confused he became.
‘Yes, so if you keep asking, I’ll get embarrassed, so stop asking!’ She simply turned her head away from him.
Ji Lingyang frowned. ‘You’re not going to do something to me…’
‘Don’t think too much!’ She hurriedly waved her hands as her little secret was about to be revealed. ‘I was just curious when I saw your name on the bulletin board. How could anyone have such a horrible sales record? So I wanted to find out more. Although I think you’re very charismatic and full of drive, and I really want to get to know you, I don’t have any improper thoughts about you, so don’t get any ideas…’
‘I’m not thinking nonsense.‘ He suddenly felt like laughing and crying at the same time. “Because you’ve said it all.”
’What did I say?‘ She stopped abruptly, her mind in a panic.
’You like me.’ Like a sales pitch, he pointed out her girlish feelings without any tact.
Struck at a vulnerable point, Li Can’s little face turned red and white. In the end, she bit her lower lip and said unconvincingly, ‘Like you… so what? It’s just a little bit of like you. I’ll tell you, it’s your blessing to be appreciated by me, I don’t just fancy anyone!’
What most girls would deny for the sake of face, she freely admitted. Seeing her stubbornness as she blushed to the extreme but refused to bow her head, he began to take a little interest in her. ‘What do you see in me?’
She glanced at him awkwardly, then answered honestly, ‘I think you’re awesome, actually arguing with Manager Tsai! Didn’t you see how angry he was that his toupee almost flew off? He’s your boss, aren’t you afraid he’ll retaliate? You’ll be in big trouble!’
‘I don’t care,‘ he said with a mocking smile. Without him in the sales department, the sales performance would definitely plummet, and Manager Cai, a kind of parasite, would probably lose his job. He believed that his position was very difficult to shake.
’Don’t worry, I guarantee that someone like Manager Cai won’t last long in the company.‘ Seeing that he seemed to be going all out, she couldn’t help but cheer for him.
’How can you guarantee that?’ He was increasingly finding her very interesting.
‘Because I’m going to…’ She swallowed the rest of her words, almost letting the cat out of the bag. “Because people like him who abuse their power for personal gain and love to take credit for other people’s work will definitely be punished by heaven!”
He didn’t miss the slip of the tongue she almost made. He, who was usually indifferent, was worried about what kind of stupid thing she would do and changed the subject accordingly. ’Which department do you work in?’
‘Top floor.‘ She pointed to the ceiling. Dad’s office.
So it’s either the chairman’s office or the general manager’s office. “Why did you come here?”
’Actually,’ she suddenly lowered her voice and spoke mysteriously, ’I’m an undercover agent sent from above to investigate the incompetent ruler and ferret out the treacherous ministers. So when I report the information to the heavens, Manager Cai will be in trouble. Do you understand?’
‘Do you need an imperial sword?’ He didn’t believe her at all and couldn’t help shaking his head. “Just do your work as a student intern and don’t get any ideas about Manager Cai, got it?”
Li Can didn’t say anything, and what she answered him with was a confident and radiant smile. The sweet youthful aura made him momentarily lost in thought, staring blankly at the rosy face beneath the big glasses.
This dried-up girl seemed quite cute when looked at for a long time.
‘Hey, why are you looking at me?’ Being stared at by a man’s focused gaze, the young girl’s coy demeanour came out in full force. “You’re not secretly in love with me, are you?”
It really was a shy and adorable look, and Ji Lingyang laughed silently. ’I said, I’m not interested in bratty little girls.’
‘Who’s smelly?‘ Stepping on her landmine again, Li Can was about to jump up.
’The answer is obvious,’ Ji Lingyang couldn’t help but raise the corners of his mouth. Fighting with her actually made him feel a lot better about the anger he had just experienced with Manager Cai. It seemed that this girl had a delightful magic power.
‘It’s obvious that you’re just too tall! Watch out, the sky is going to collapse and you’ll be the first to be crushed!’ Unwilling to be outdone, she puffed out her chest, but then suddenly remembered her strength as a poached egg and quickly pulled it back in. “I’m only ten…eight years old, and I still have room to grow! How do you know I won’t become a busty beauty?” She almost said the wrong thing again. She added two years to her age to prevent him from thinking that the company was illegally employing underage labour.
Seeing her fuming made him want to tease her even more. ‘Eighteen years old, I’m afraid it’s already too late.’
‘No way! The men who chase me will line up from Yehliu to Kenting. By then you’ll regret not chasing me first.’ In order to win, she vowed to drink so much green papaya stewed pork ribs that she would throw up, and let her headlights dazzle his eyes!
A smile appeared in Ji Lingyang’s eyes, ‘Very good. If you are this confident, I plan to consider starting a family after I turn 30, which is still six years from now. You…come back to me after you turn 24 and become a beautiful woman.‘
’What if I’m only a little beauty when I turn 24?‘ She had to leave herself a way out. It seemed that she had been struck by his smile. “Can I enter as an outsider?”
’With your sincerity, I can save a special seat for you,’ he joked.
‘You promised! If you forget, God will punish you by turning you into an ugly monster!‘
’Hahaha…’ Ji Lingyang finally couldn’t help but burst out laughing. He realised that today had truly been the happiest and most relaxing day of his life since joining the company.
He was of course not taking these jokes seriously, talking nonsense with a little girl. However, what he didn’t expect was that the heart of a young girl had already been quietly placed on him.
After that day, Ji Lingyang often ‘happened to run into’ Li Can.
He couldn’t understand how she managed to sneak down to the sales department during work hours all the time, and always managed to find out some company gossip. The two got along well, and their friendship gradually changed from just meeting to chat to becoming friends who could have lunch together. During this time, he also thoroughly understood all kinds of gossip about the company, from the chairman to the cleaning granny.
He doesn’t deny that he enjoys the ease of being with her, and he likes even more the satisfied look on her face when she gets carried away in conversation. But when it comes to falling in love…it’s still a little lacking.
Therefore, every now and then, she would let slip in front of him that she would woo him when she turned 24, which always caused him to laugh dismissively. Sometimes the staff in the company would be startled by his laughter. God knows why the cold-faced team leader, who they were so afraid of, would lose his cool in front of a little girl.
But… he looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was already half past one, lunchtime was over, and the little girl had not come to pester him for lunch as usual. Ji Lingyang had to admit that he was a little disappointed.
In the afternoon, there was a meeting on work performance. Their team had once again achieved the best results for the month. Just thinking about Manager Cai, the brownnoser, flattering the general manager and taking the credit, made him not want to participate at all. It was much more fun to argue with the little girl.
Little girl… He realised that he didn’t know her full name, and that he had only called her ‘little girl’ or ‘little miss’. He must ask her about it the next time he saw her.
Otherwise, how could he reserve a place for her on his marriage list? Thinking about this joke, a faint smile could not help but appear at the corner of his indifferent mouth.
‘Team leader…’ The subordinate who had come to call him was a little startled. Was the cold-faced team leader smirking?
“What is it?’ He immediately returned to his stoic expression.
‘The meeting has started.’ What he had just seen must have been an illusion. Yes, it must have been!
Without paying any more attention to his stunned subordinate, Ji Lingyang gathered his things and went into the meeting room on his own. Ten minutes later, everyone was seated, and when the general manager called the meeting to order and the lights went out, Manager Cai walked to the conference table and played the slides for the business report. Before long, the door to the meeting room was quietly pushed open again.
Entering was a young girl who poured water. She also tried her best to walk lightly around the table edge without disturbing the meeting. However, when Ji Lingyang accidentally saw her face in the light and shadow of the slides, he almost didn’t reach out to grab her.
This little girl who disappeared all day long made him wait for her to pester him with an empty stomach, and now she actually had the nerve to pop up in the meeting room? After the meeting was over, he would definitely teach her a lesson.
As if sensing his gaze, Li Can, who had forcibly taken on the task of pouring water, winked mischievously at him, made a face when no one was looking, and pointed at the person in front of the table who was ranting and spewing out words.
Manager Cai? Ji Lingyang suddenly felt something was wrong.
After pouring the water, Li Can also retreated. Five minutes later, Manager Cai’s business report also came to an end.
The lights brightened, and the general manager nodded in satisfaction. ‘Very good, this month’s performance is also very good.’
‘Thank you, general manager. Last week I won the case for the mainframe chassis from the giant, and their manager was very satisfied with my efficiency, recommending us to the Songxing Group in South Korea. I plan to contact them personally next week…’
As he bragged, everyone in the office, except the general manager, secretly revealed a face of disdain. Manager Cai was talking about all the things that Ji Lingyang had done, and while everyone else was out there fighting the battle, the only thing Manager Cai did was take advantage of the situation to take time off to see his mistress.
‘The sales department is the arm of the company, and with such outstanding performance, the company will not treat you all unfairly,’ the general manager still had a smile on his face, ‘but I heard that the sales department’s more prominent performance in the past six months was all due to one Team Leader Ji?’
‘Haha, yes, Team Leader Ji is a very talented person in our department. I often hand over important cases to him, teach him what to do, and let him learn more. Sure enough, he has not let me down.’ What Manager Cai meant was that, after all is said and done, it is still his own merit!
Hearing this, the other colleagues in the sales department almost threw up. How could there be such a shameless boss? It is clear that Manager Cai has made many wrong decisions, but Team Leader Ji has shouldered the responsibility and turned the tide. Otherwise, how could there be such brilliant results today?
The general manager meaningfully glanced at the silent Lingyang Ji with the corner of his eye, appreciating his composure, and then turned back, seemingly casually asking Manager Cai, ‘How many orders from Baicheng Enterprise are you preparing for this quarter?’
‘Er, well…’ Manager Cai stammered. He spent all day kissing up to people and sleeping with women, and when it came to official documents, he just stamped his seal. The manager position had only been his after Li Feng had been there for twenty years, and because Ji Lingyang had brought in such good results, he had been promoted from deputy to full manager. How would he pay attention to what was written in the official documents?
‘Two hundred computer servers, 30 printers, routers…‘ Ji Lingyang read out Baicheng’s next quarter’s orders clearly and calmly. He had only confirmed this case half a month ago and still had a deep impression of it.
’What about the procurement case for the railway company? When is the bidding?‘ the general manager continued, still looking at Manager Cai.
’The railway company…’ Manager Cai wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
‘The bidding will open at 10am on the 15th of next month. Our company’s quotation will be delivered to the general manager before next week.‘ Ji Lingyang spoke again to save his nervous and dehydrated boss.
’Manager Cai, I think Team Leader Ji knows the operations of the entire business department better than you do?’ The general manager still had a warm smile on his face, but there was a cold gleam in his eyes. ‘I heard that Manager Cai often takes credit for his subordinates and is not very dedicated to work. I think this matter may not be unfounded and needs to be properly investigated.‘
’This… I…’ The guilty Manager Cai could not even utter a word in rebuttal.
Ji Lingyang watched the general manager’s act of settling accounts today with a cold eye, and suddenly a flash of inspiration came to him—petitioning the heavens? That little girl…
‘Meeting adjourned.’ Without giving Manager Cai any chance, the general manager made a decision with a single sentence and got up to leave.
After he left, the colleagues in the sales department also prepared to disperse, tidied up the things on the table, and turned off the power of the slide projector. At this time, Manager Cai was still standing in front of the conference table, stunned, and didn’t even feel the projection screen behind him rising upwards. Before everyone left, he suddenly slammed his hand on the table.
‘Who is it! Who was it that snitched on me? Who slandered me in front of the general manager?‘ He indiscriminately questioned all his subordinates.
Every colleague who had not yet left shook their head. Although secretly happy that he had finally got his comeuppance, they were still his superiors for the time being, so they had to be patient.
’It must be one of you! Otherwise, why would the general manager suddenly fire at me? I tell you, as long as I am the manager… What kind of expression is that?
A burst of uncontrollable snorting suddenly interjected between Manager Cai’s harsh words. Every colleague in the sales department looking at him was very tempted to laugh, but didn’t quite dare.
‘What’s so funny?’ he yelled again.
This yell seemed to trigger something, and after an uncontrollable burst of laughter, the situation turned into a loud laugh. The only one who remained calm, Ji Lingyang, also had a strange look on his face.
‘Manager Cai, ahem,‘ he cleared his throat and pointed above Manager Cai’s back. “Your wig is being ”caught’.”
Manager Cai turned in the direction he was pointing, and was shocked to find that his proud “charming hair” had been attached to the projection screen with a string at some unknown time. When the meeting ended, the screen rose upward and retracted, incidentally catching his wig as well.
His secret was now exposed.
Embarrassed, Manager Cai quickly tried to grab the wig hanging above him, but his short stature made it impossible. No matter how he jumped and reached, he couldn’t get it.
This scene attracted another burst of laughter, and even Ji Lingyang couldn’t hold back his smile. At that moment, he finally understood what the mischievous glance from the little girl pretending to pour water meant before she left.
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‘You’re really naughty!‘
Ji Lingyang caught the little deserter who had caused the hit-and-run in the business department pantry and unexpectedly gave her a pop on the head.
’Oh! You’re bullying me!‘ Although it didn’t hurt, Li Can still rubbed the top of his head, looking pitiful.
’I’m bullying you? It’s good that you don’t bully others.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘You messed with Manager Cai like that, if he finds out, you’re finished at the company. Do you understand?’
‘I’m not afraid!’ After all, she has her father to protect her.
‘You…’ It’s true, she’s just a work-study student, and she’ll probably leave the company at the end of the vacation, so of course she’s not afraid. ‘Yijun, don’t do that again. Although Manager Cai was in the wrong, you went too far by messing with him like that in public.’
‘Fine.‘ Hmph! He’s ungrateful for standing up for him, stupid man!
’And there’s more.‘ There’s more than just one thing he wants to question him about. “Did you rat on Manager Cai?”
’I don’t know.‘ Her watery eyes looked up at the ceiling through her glasses, glancing left and right but not at him.
’Going straight to the top, huh?’ He reminded her of what she had said.
‘Ouch! Manager Cai doesn’t even bother to wipe his mouth after eating, he’s lazy and likes to take credit for other people’s work, the higher-ups have been keeping an eye on him for a long time.‘ She was just a small part of the problem.
’I forgot that you’re well-informed.’ Otherwise, where would all the gossip he hears come from? It’s all from her little radio station.
‘By the way,‘ she leaned towards him suddenly, slyly. “If Manager Cai is demoted, would you like to take his place? I think you have a good chance.”
’Are you going to tell the heavens again?‘ He stared at her with amusement.
’Mm-hm!’ She made a proud sound from her nose. She really could do it!
‘Idiot!‘ He couldn’t help but laugh at her smug look. “Unfortunately, even if you could really reach the heavens, I would refuse this opportunity.”
’Why?’ She widened her eyes in surprise. ’You are so capable, and being a team leader is a waste.
I know that the people above are also very concerned about your outstanding performance. Even though you have a short seniority, your strength speaks for itself…’
‘Thank you for the compliment,‘ he said, raising an eyebrow. “You don’t need to tell me that I don’t want to stay at the position of team leader. That’s why I gave myself two years to hone my skills in the large group of Lifeng. In the future, I will definitely build my own kingdom with my own strength.”
’So that means you will leave Lifeng Group soon?’ she asked hurriedly.
He smiled without answering, but his expression clearly said it all.
‘Please don’t go!’ Whether it was for her own sake or for her father’s company, she wanted to keep him as a talent. “Otherwise, I’ll tell Lao… no, I’ll go to the heavens again and ask once more, and your position might be promoted in the near future…”
He held up a hand to stop her. ’Little girl, I don’t want to be subservient for the rest of my life, and I won’t let myself be subservient for the rest of my life.’
How handsome… At this moment, he is determined and resolute, and a confident light shines on his face, causing Li Can’s heart, which was already captivated by him, to throb fiercely.
‘If that’s the case, then I can’t say anything more.’ The look in her eyes for him is a mixture of regret and admiration.
‘I believe you have the ability to do it!’
‘Thank you.’ She sincerely wished him well, and he received it.
‘If you need help, don’t hesitate to come to me. I’ll support you no matter what!‘ She made a promise.
’That’s enough for me.’ He didn’t believe she could really help him, but her sincere concern warmed his heart.
She thought for a moment, then suddenly pulled a necklace out of her chest and put it around his neck.
‘This is the necklace my grandmother gave me before she died. Whenever I feel sad, I think of the encouragement she gave me, and I gain courage. That’s why I call it the ‘courage necklace’.‘
’I can’t accept such an important thing.’ As soon as he heard that it was a relic from his grandmother, he wanted to take it back to her.
‘You must accept it,’ she insisted, because it not only represented her feelings, but also…affection. “After you leave Li Feng, you may not see me for a long time. So I want to give you courage. When you encounter setbacks, this necklace will remind you that there are still people silently supporting you!”
Ji Lingyang’s heart melted…it seemed that he had really been moved by this little girl.
‘Thank you.‘ He hugged her thin little body, wanting to feel for himself why this little body radiated such warmth.
Hugged in his arms, she should have been secretly happy, but thinking about the impending separation, she felt like crying a little.
’To be fair, you have to give me something of yours too!’ Even if she wouldn’t see him for a long time in the future, she wanted at least a memento.
After thinking about it, he let go of her hand and took off his watch to give it to her.
‘It’s not a famous watch, but I’ve worn it since high school and bought it with the money I earned from my first part-time job. It’s been with me for many years and should be representative enough.’
She smiled and hid the watery light in her eyes. She put his watch on her thin wrist. ‘Ha! We’re exchanging tokens now! In the future, you’ll be responsible for me and marry me!’
‘So you’re that calculating?‘ He was truly at a loss for words. “Don’t worry, I said I’d let you take my place. If I don’t have a girlfriend after I turn 30 and accidentally let you take the first place, what’s the harm in marrying you?”
’You have to remember what you said.’ She looked at him steadily, knowing that the company could not keep his talent after all, and she could not keep him now either. ’You also have to remember that I’m waiting to see you succeed.’
‘Don’t worry, I will definitely succeed!’ This was a man’s promise, not only to her, but also to himself.
Chapter 2
As it turned out, at the age of 24, had Li Can become a big beautiful woman with big breasts?
All that can be said is that God is fair. She had a nimble mind, first-class eloquence, and after taking off her big glasses, her watery eyes were full of spirit. Her short hair complemented her small face, making her pretty and charming. Unfortunately, she is skinny as a green papaya and her ribs are showing. She is almost turning into a fruit wholesaler, but her breasts have only progressed from poached eggs to the level of xiaolongbao.
She is not a fiery beauty, but she is more than pretty enough to be called a pretty little beauty.
She lied about her age at the beginning, so now she has to work for two more years. When she is really 24 years old, fortunately, 32-year-old Ji Lingyang is still not married. In this way, she should be able to get a special seat from him, right?
Back then, Ji Lingyang only stayed at Li Feng Enterprises for an extra month. After declining the company manager’s promotion order, he left and partnered with his good friend Qi Yixing to establish a software company: Zuo Shi. Later, the studio expanded to become a small and medium-sized enterprise, developing various types of software that attracted attention from all walks of life and were even marketed abroad. It attracted the appreciation of the American Feike Consortium, which invested a large amount of capital and became a shareholder.
Over the past eight years, Yi Yang Technology has relied on the abilities and drive of these two young men, plus the help of domestic and foreign investment, to become an example of a successful Taiwanese software company that has successfully marketed itself worldwide.
The talented manager Ji Lingyang serves as CEO, while the computer expert Qi Yixing is the titular chairman and is actually responsible for software development. The two men each do their own jobs and are regarded as two dark horses in the information industry.
Li Can is probably the person who knows the most about the interests and prospects of Yiyang Technology. Since she started helping out at her family’s Lifeng Enterprise in high school, she has paid special attention to his news. After waiting for eight years, the infatuation of her youth has long since turned into a deeper love.
But every time she read about Ji Lingyang, her already serious expression became even more solemn. She regretted to think that perhaps he had already forgotten her, the mischievous girl with big black-framed glasses who had placed her hopes on the courage necklace.
Alas, she had been thinking about that man more and more recently, and she had also reached the ‘designated age’, so she should be able to strut over to him and ask him to honour his promise, right?
She took out the watch she had kept by her side, which Ji Lingyang had given her before he left. She had taken good care of this watch, and the hour and minute hands moved diligently. She habitually touched the watch, then carefully put it back in the drawer. This was how she had always missed him.
Li Can is currently the special assistant to the chairman of Li Feng Enterprises. As her father is away on business, she has been reviewing paperwork for the past morning, missing lunch, and her hands are sore from stamping. So it shouldn’t be too much to steal a moment to rest in the chairman’s office, right?
She picks up the remote control with her delicate hands and turns on the TV, habitually switching to the financial news channel. Of course, apart from absorbing information, the most important thing is to see if there is any news about that man. Her mind is still thinking about it when suddenly the sound coming from the TV takes all her attention.
‘…Yiyang Technology CEO Ji Lingyang was involved in a major car accident. At 11:05 this morning, Ji Lingyang was driving on the highway in his car when he was hit from behind by a drunk driver in a container truck. Ji Lingyang was seriously injured and was rushed to Sheng’ai Hospital for emergency treatment…”
What? Hearing this sudden bad news, Li Can was dumbfounded. She shook her hand to turn up the TV volume and continued to watch the news report.
‘… St. Love Hospital stated that Ji Lingyang suffered serious fractures to both legs, multiple cuts and lacerations to his face and body extremities, and only a minor concussion due to the protection of the car’s airbag. However, due to excessive blood loss, he has undergone a large blood transfusion and is currently in critical condition…”
The news hadn’t even finished broadcasting when the little person in front of the TV was already in tears. She couldn’t believe that just yesterday he had announced the cooperation plan with confidence, and today this had happened.
He said he would wait for her, how could he go back on his word?
’…As Yiyang Technology is expected to sign a contract with American Cosen Computer next month, the accident involving Ji Lingyang has caused Yiyang’s stock price to close at the floor today. The signing plan may be temporarily suspended. A spokesperson for Yiyang Group said that everything is under control and investors can rest assured. However, it is reported that Cosen Computer’s response is becoming more conservative, and it is not ruled out that the partner will be replaced. It is estimated that Yiyang Technology will lose millions of dollars in this battle…’
Taking a few deep breaths, Li Can slowly calmed herself down. She believed in his perseverance, and there were still too many things he had yet to accomplish, so he would not let go of it all. Now it was obvious that he needed assistance. Even though she guessed that, given his personality, he would never want her to see his weak side and would disdain her help, she did not want to continue waiting.
He was already over thirty years old and there was no other person around him. It was time for him to keep his promise.
She picked up the phone on the coffee table and dialed a few numbers.
‘I’m sorry, Dad. I was being selfish. I think I should go find him…’
She opened her eyes dazedly and saw nothing but white. She could still hear the faint sound of a computer instrument, and then the sharp pain in her body made her let out a moan.
‘Ji Lingyang, are you awake?‘ A soft, delicate voice entered his ears, and he felt a sense of déjà vu.
Some wet stuff touched his lips, and he instinctively wanted to suck it in, but the feeling disappeared in an instant.
’You can’t drink water yet, just moisten your lips. I’ve already called the doctor. Are you in pain? Just bear with it…’
This soft voice seemed to really soothe some of his discomfort. In his daze, he seemed to remember the appearance of the owner of this voice—a thin figure, petite in height, with a small face hidden under big glasses… This memory seemed to be a long time ago, and he unconsciously connected some trivial fragments, revealing a picture of a little girl’s every expression and a silver bell-like laugh.
Who was she? In the end, what floated through his consciousness was a blank.
One month later – Ji Lingyang sat on the bed with a stern face, coldly looking at his unconscious feet, thinking about the cruel truth.
The first half month. He always spent it in a daze. He could feel a pair of gentle hands massaging him when he was uncomfortable, wiping his body and shaving his face, and also heard someone whispering softly in his ear. When he finally woke up, he realised that this might just be his dream, his subconscious mind preparing him for the blow he was about to receive.
The doctor said that his feet would be severely compressed in the future, so he would have difficulty walking, and even with rehabilitation, he would not be able to return to his previous state.
His face, cut by the glass, was only considered minor. The most serious injury was the left cheek, which was torn by the twisted car body, and would leave several hideous scars, which even plastic surgery could not completely repair.
In short, he was disabled and disfigured.
How could the arrogant and proud him possibly accept this fact? How much he wanted to yell out all his anger and resentment, how much he wanted to smash everything in sight, and how much more he wanted to punch the mediocre doctor who said he would never recover and would be disfigured for life.
But he couldn’t.
After seeing his mother’s tearful and reluctant gaze and his father’s ageing face in an instant, he found that he didn’t have the right to cry. After reading all the unfavourable reports about Yiyang Enterprises in the newspaper, he could not afford to fall apart.
To vent is just a sign of weakness. He woke up. He had not lost yet.
‘Did Yixing call?‘ he asked coldly, just wanting to know the situation at the company. Ji’s mother forced a smile, “He said he’d come over this afternoon.” “Sun, do you want to take a break?”
’Haven’t I rested enough?’ he laughed to himself. In the future, perhaps he would spend countless years in a wheelchair, and he would still be afraid that he wouldn’t have enough rest? “Tell Yixing to come over early.”
Seeing this, Ji’s mother’s heart was so sad that it almost shed tears. She knew the depression in her son’s heart, and so did she. If she shed tears in front of him, he would only hide his thoughts even deeper. So, she could only helplessly accept his increasingly cold and eccentric temper.
‘Yixing is looking at you feeling a little better, and hopes that you don’t worry too much about the company,’ Ji’s father patted his shoulder, ‘You don’t have to worry. Although the American Fike Group has begun to buy up shares of Yiyang, we have already come up with a solution…’
‘Fike is buying up shares in Yiyang?‘ This is taking advantage of a weak position? Taking advantage of the situation when he is unable to work and the stock price has dropped to a low point to buy up shares en masse. What is their intention? “What is the solution you have come up with? Buying up more shares to resist?”
’Well, that’s right…’
‘The problem is, I don’t think Yixing has enough money to do this.’ He glanced at his father indifferently, intuiting that he was hiding something. “Most of his assets are invested elsewhere, and the money he has on hand, even if I add all the liquid cash I have, is not enough to compete with the Feike Group.”
Stared coldly by his son, the uncle was completely overwhelmed by his son’s aura and could only stammer, ’Actually…actually, the Lifeng Group is willing to fund us…’
‘Li Feng Group?‘ His old employer?
’Yes, as soon as you had the accident, there was immediately a lot of bad news about Yiyang on the market.
In the first instance, Li Datong, the chairman of Li Feng, called me and said that he could give us any assistance…‘
’So you just accepted?’ The right half of his face, which was not injured, raised his eyebrows in displeasure.
‘Because the stock price really dropped too fast, and you were unconscious at the time. And since we saw that Yixing was busy running around, we took the liberty of agreeing to it first.‘ Ji’s father sounded a little guilty as he spoke.
’What conditions did he set?’ Ji Lingyang sneered in his heart. There is no free lunch in the world. “He said…” Ji’s father swallowed, as if he had something difficult to say, frequently exchanging glances with his wife. ’He hopes that you will marry his daughter.’
‘What?‘ He almost jumped out of bed. “You’ve obviously agreed to this?”
’We had no choice…”
Damn it! Damn it! He should have strictly forbidden his parents from meddling in the company’s affairs and just let them enjoy their retirement. Now they’ve caused this kind of trouble? His second half of life is already doomed to be spent crippled, and now even his wife doesn’t have the right to choose?
‘Lai Datong’s daughter agreed to this?’ He didn’t think that woman was stupid enough to marry a man she had never met.
His parents-in-law saw their son’s face, which looked like it was about to explode, and were prepared for him to make a scene.
Perhaps they had agreed too hastily, but they would rather take this chance than see Yiyang Technology, which their son had worked so hard to establish, fall into foreign hands. As for the marriage, there might still be a way to turn things around.
‘In fact… In fact, while you were in a coma, Li Can, the daughter of the Li family, came to visit you. For several days, she took care of you tirelessly until you recovered, and then she went home.
I think she really likes you.’ Ji’s mother had a very good impression of Li Can.
So, the person who kept calling out to him and speaking softly to him in his dreams was that stupid woman? And every day, she is the one who tirelessly massages him and gently wipes his body?
She is willing to put aside her airs of a rich young lady to serve him? And she doesn’t care that her husband is disfigured and disabled?
Ji Lingyang’s clenched fist under the quilt suddenly loosened. Although he was still unhappy about the arranged marriage, his resentment had somewhat subsided. He suppressed his temper and calmly said, ‘Ask Yixing to come over.’
‘But he’s not due until this afternoon…‘
’Ask him to come over ‘right away’!’ Closing his eyes, he tried hard not to lose his temper.
The Ji couple exchanged glances and reluctantly left the ward.
Upon receiving a call from Ji’s mother, Qi Yixing hurriedly rushed to the hospital.
Walking quickly down the hospital corridor, the nurses couldn’t help but take another look at him.
Compared to Ji Lingyang’s serious and cold face, Qi Yixing is undoubtedly handsome. He looks like a typical playboy, but God knows that there is only one woman in his heart, but no one believes it.
Even when he deliberately revealed the news that he was married, only Ji Lingyang took him seriously. Everyone else just laughed it off, thinking that it was just a smoke bomb he let off. …So when he faced this close friend who was closer than a brother, he knew that he would be in danger of being bombarded if he was called here, but he still came, rubbing his nose.
Opening the door to the hospital room, he met those cold eyes and appeared to be completely unaffected.
‘Man, you’re recovering really well!’ Qi Yixing shrugged as he entered the room. ‘Sorry I was in such a hurry that I forgot to buy flowers, but we’re such good friends, you shouldn’t mind, right?’
‘Daisies and gladioli?‘ The man with the indifferent expression was just as cold even when joking, “You know what I’m here for.”
’You want to know about the Feike Group?’ He played dumb and walked over to the sofa in the ward and sat down. ’Their hostile takeover is partly because they’re jealous of our revenue this year, and with their original 15% stake, the profits they get are limited. On the other hand, they also want to absorb Yiyang as their subsidiary, which will greatly increase the Feike Group’s strength in the information industry.’
‘I discovered their little scheme last year, but I never expected this accident to accelerate their actions.’ Ji Lingyang narrowed his eyes. “They have already recovered their investment in us many times over, but apparently they are still not satisfied.”
Qi Yixing agreed with him. ’At present, their shareholding is estimated to be just over 20%, and they are still continuing their actions. So I am also carrying out a counter-takeover and trying to stabilise the share price…’
‘I know you’ll do a good job.‘ The topic was slowly getting to the point, and Ji Lingyang gave an uncharacteristically creepy smile. “But you can’t fight a war without bullets. Yixing, where did you get the money to carry out the counter-takeover and invest in the stock market?”
’Alas, you don’t even know that I almost lost my home. I had to mortgage all my real estate, and you lost all your money too…and…and…’ He suddenly couldn’t continue.
‘And the sponsorship from Li Feng Group.‘ Ji Lingyang gritted his teeth and continued for him.
’I swear, I only found out about this later.’ Qi Yixing was about to raise his hands, “When Dad Ji told me, I really thought it was just a compliment from Li Feng Group. But when I used it, I realised that it was…” the money you earned by selling your body – but of course he didn’t have the courage to say that.
Ji Lingyang suddenly fell silent. After a while, he asked, ‘Have you met her? Li… Li Can?’
‘I’ve met her a few times.’ Whenever Ji Lingyang was unconscious, all he saw when he came to the hospital room was definitely her.
‘Is she stupid?’ Ji Lingyang couldn’t help sneering at the thought that she was willing to entrust herself to a patient who couldn’t even get out of bed. ’Is she so ugly and fat that she can’t get married, or so old that she can’t get married and has to buy a husband with money?’
‘Lingyang, that’s not very kind of you,‘ Qi Yixing frowned. “Strictly speaking, she’s quite pretty, pretty and cute, only twenty-four years old, on the thin side, but petite and delicate, and she takes very good care of you, almost to the point of being overbearing. I, with this kind of brain, can’t be considered stupid.”
’So what do you think her goal is?’ After thinking hard, he just couldn’t figure out what benefit he could get.
‘Is it possible,‘ in fact, Qi Yixing has long suspected. “That she’s in love with you?”
’How could that be! I’ve never even met her!’ As he said this, a vague figure suddenly flashed through Ji Lingyang’s mind. A slender figure, petite and pretty, twenty-four years old… Like decoding a code, he seemed to be able to grasp a clue, but something was missing, preventing him from piecing together a picture of “her”.
‘But I saw her take care of you tirelessly, and she seemed quite capable of it. ‘If the woman in his heart could do the same for him, he wouldn’t mind getting hit by a car.
’With this ghostly appearance, even I find it terrifying to look at, how could she like me?‘ He snorted.
’Hey! You’re not serious, are you?’ Qi Yixing couldn’t bear to listen to his self-deprecating remarks.
Closing his eyes, Ji Lingyang decided to banish all the chaotic thoughts in his mind. That damned woman, Li Can, had already upset him before he even met her. ‘Anyway, next time I see her, I’ll make her back down.’
‘Er…’ Speaking of which, Qi Yixing paused, as if he wanted to say something. ‘I think if you insist on doing this, you’d better be more tactful in what you say.’
“Why?’ He just wants to coldly reject her, is that not allowed?
‘Because…’ Qi Yixing smiled bitterly, ‘the funds provided by Li Feng Group have been spent to the last penny. If you can still squeeze out a few million US dollars now, it doesn’t matter if you just throw it back at her with all your might.’
‘…Qi Yixing! You damned guy!’
Just as the two men were still glaring at each other, the door to the ward suddenly opened quietly.
They looked over together, and Qi Yixing’s eyes lit up first. ‘It’s you!’
Very well, the heroine of the story has finally appeared, and he can also survive for a while under the gun.
Li Can gave him a smile first, but when she faced Ji Lingyang’s sober up-and-down look, she suddenly felt uncomfortable and pulled her clothes, smoothing her hair, trying to present her best side to him.
‘Are you Li Can?‘ He looked at her pretty face and felt like he had seen her before, and his suspicions grew.
’Yes, I’m Li Can, as in dawn and as in splendid.’ She walked over to his bed, smiled at him, and gazed at him as if she wanted to take in all the time they had been apart in one go.
It’s true that he looks pretty bad right now. His feet are bound like a mummy’s, his left half-face, which has just had the bandages removed, is covered in scars, his beard hasn’t been shaved in the few days since she’s been gone, his hair is messy, and his complexion is extremely ugly. But in her heart, even with the perfect comparison version of Qi Yixing next to him, he is still the most handsome.
Instead, the man in bed, who was being watched so defencelessly, cleared his throat in an unnatural manner. ‘Miss Li, I don’t know what the reason is for your father suddenly making a deal with my father, but I find it very unacceptable…’
‘Don’t call me Miss Li, call me by my name!’ As if she hadn’t heard his rejection, she suddenly pointed at her own face. ‘Do you think I’m beautiful?’
Facing this inexplicable question, Ji Lingyang froze for a moment. Did she interrupt him just to ask this weird question?
‘Not bad.’ He really wanted to say that she was so ugly that it made the gods cry, but when he looked at her expectant little face, he found that he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
Is she just so-so? She pouts, then suddenly straightens up, trying to look more imposing. ‘So, do you think I have a good figure?’
Not only is he stunned, but a dark line has appeared between his eyebrows. ‘So-so.’
So-so? She’s clearly got everything in the right place, even if she is small! She prompts him again, more forcefully. ‘I’m twenty-four years old.’
‘I know,‘ he began to feel that perhaps this little woman had a problem with her head, which was why she wanted to marry him.
’You said you wanted to let me take the lead!‘ She pouted, angrily stomping at his dazed expression.
’Take the lead for what?’ Ji Lingyang was at a loss for words. The impassioned speech he had intended to give her to enlighten her was all washed away by her series of incoherent questions.
‘You really have forgotten,‘ she stamped her foot, acting as if he were a heartless man. “Forget it, there will definitely be a way to make you remember in the future!”
’Li…’ he reluctantly changed his words under her wide almond-shaped eyes. ’Li Can, I don’t want to say any more nonsense. What is the purpose of Li Feng Group’s wanting to form an alliance with me?’
His round eyes immediately narrowed in displeasure as he glanced over, ‘First, it’s not Li Feng Group that wants to marry you, it’s me; second, my goal is very simple, as I told you long ago, I want to woo you!’
Qi Yixing, who was watching the show and drinking tea nearby, almost spat out a mouthful of water. This lady’s remarks were too explosive, and he just didn’t know if his brother, who was born like a block of ice, could handle it.
His dark eyes turned away to spy on the situation—and he was right. Ji Lingyang heard her declaration, and his expression was pale and embarrassed, with slight twitching in the corners of his eyes.
‘I don’t remember you telling me that,’ he said in a cold voice. ‘Oh—’ she trailed off, as if she had caught him doing something wrong. ‘Just as I said, you have a bad memory!
See, now you’re admitting it yourself?’
Ji Lingyang resisted the urge to roll his eyes, secretly warning Qi Yixing with his eyes, who was laughing so hard he almost fell over, and then gave Li Can a frosty expression that said ‘keep away’. ‘This matter seems not worth discussing. If your purpose for coming today is to bring up this marriage, let me tell you…’
His impassioned and impassioned speech was interrupted by her unexpected comment.
‘Ah! Right, I almost forgot why I came.‘ She took out a medical certificate and a rehabilitation slip. “The doctor said you’ll start doing some weightless rehabilitation in a few days, and the rehabilitation therapist will first give you some simple tests…”
’Since when do you decide my rehabilitation?’ He was furious when he saw the rehabilitation slip. He couldn’t accept that his most miserable and vulnerable side was so blatantly laid out in front of her.
‘It’s not my decision,‘ she shook her head at him with a sense of entitlement, “it’s the doctor’s decision!”
’Nonsense!’ He glared at her angrily, but found that she was meeting his gaze without fear, making his pent-up anger even more roused. However, he still resisted the urge to lose his temper, gritting his teeth and saying, ’It’s none of your business what happens to me! Even if I don’t do rehabilitation and remain disabled for the rest of my life, it’s none of your business!’
She stared at him quietly for a while, and then suddenly nodded as if she had understood something.
‘How is it not my business?’ Her small hand suddenly touched the injured area at the end of his left cheek. ‘You know you’re an ugly monster now, right?’
‘Don’t touch me!’ She had hit a sore spot with her words, and Qiji Yang was furious.
“I’m probably the only caring person left who would want to marry you, so why don’t you cherish it?’ Ignoring his threat, she continued to fondle him, touching his stubble and tickling his chin… ‘And I’m marrying you for sure. If you’re going to be disabled for life, it’s fine with me, and I’ll take care of your Yiyang Technology. After all, you can’t do anything about me…’
‘Damn it!’ As she spoke, he suddenly reached out a large hand to grab her, but she deftly avoided it.
‘See! This is what happens when you don’t do rehabilitation. Even if I toy with you and abuse you to my heart’s content, you won’t be able to defend yourself. And since it’s already been decided that Li Feng will fund your company, I’m afraid you’re stuck marrying me. In the future, while you’re lying in bed, I’ll let your company produce porn games and adult DVDs, and make it the number one company in the Taiwanese porn industry…’
‘You idiot woman, that’s enough!‘ He couldn’t listen to it anymore, and shouted, “You damned well aren’t touching my company!”
’That’s not enough,’ she said, shaking her finger like she was adding fuel to the fire. ’And I think you’re lying in bed like a worm right now, and you probably won’t be able to satisfy me after marriage. I might as well keep him a few little husbands on the side. Since you’re so ugly, other people will definitely understand my plight…’
Ji Lingyang glared at her viciously. At that moment, he really hated his own weakness, and could only turtle up in this sickbed and let her humiliate him. He was so angry that he pounded the sickbed with his hands.
“My ugliness is my family’s business, and the fact that I’m like a worm is also my business. Do you think I like it? Do you know what it feels like when I wake up every day and see that face in the mirror looking like a ghost? When the doctor said that I would never be able to walk normally for the rest of my life, how fucking much did I want to die?
Did you come here just to humiliate me? I tell you, I won’t do what you want, and I won’t marry you, you vicious woman!‘
Li Can let him rant for a while in silence, and when she saw him gasping for breath from weakness, she said calmly, “It feels better to let it out, doesn’t it?”
’What feels better?’ He couldn’t respond again right away, and the excitement in his heart had not even subsided.
‘Don’t you think you were too calm before? What most people would cry and scream about, you accepted coldly, as if it were someone else’s business. I felt so bad for you, holding it all in. It’s only natural to scream and let it out, and now you should feel better, right?”
She knew he had a high self-esteem and would never allow himself to lose control. Never mind, she would give him a helping hand.
‘Are you provoking me?‘ Now that he had calmed down, he realised that he had unconsciously danced along with her.
And, miraculously, after screaming like that, he really felt like the gloom in his heart had dispersed a little.
’I don’t want my future husband to become psychotic,’ she said shamelessly.
‘I’m not that fragile,‘ he replied, only to realise that he had fallen into her trap. He quickly changed his words, “And, I’m not…”
’Oh oh oh! I heard you admit it! Admit that you are my future husband.’ She smiled and took his hand again, ’Then it’s decided, the one who regrets it is Piggy. By the way, the physiotherapist is waiting for you in the rehabilitation room! I know you are shy, so I will let your good friend Mr Qi take you there.”
As if afraid that he would say something to deny it again, she hurriedly shook her hand, “Goodbye! I will come and see you again some other day!”
Then she disappeared in a flash, leaving the two men in the ward dumbfounded.
‘Ling Yang, are you willing to go for rehabilitation now?‘ Qi Yixing broke the silence, his expression half-smiling. “I don’t want our Yiyang to become the kingdom of erotica.”
’…‘ He gave him a knowing look.
’Okay, I’ll go get you a wheelchair first.’ With a turn of his head, Qi Yixing also left the ward.
As expected, once he left the ward, Qi Yixing saw the little head poking out in the corner.
He walked straight towards her, stopping in front of her, and was about to say something when she spoke first.
‘Is he willing to go to rehabilitation?’ Li Can was a little nervous when she saw only one person come out.
‘What do you think? I came out to find a wheelchair.’ To be honest, he quite admired this little woman. While they were unable to make Ji Lingyang ‘humane’ a little, she easily did it. ‘That’s good.’
He patted his chest and let out a breath, really afraid that he had made a mistake.
‘I knew you would be waiting outside.’ He was increasingly impressed with his own insight. ‘You spent so much effort provoking him, you must want to know if he actually went for rehabilitation, right?’
“What do you think, I like being scolded by him for fun? To personally make the object of your secret love hostile towards you, when he scolded her, even she couldn’t help but doubt her own foolishness.
But she was stubborn, and no one had supported her in this marriage from beginning to end. Her brother Li Lan, who had the best relationship with her, even called her an idiot over the phone from overseas, so she had to swallow her bitterness.
‘But your approach won’t make him grateful to you, and he might even hate you more,’ he reminded her.
‘I know,‘ she said with a bitter smile. “Ji’s parents had already told me how he would react, so I can imagine how much he dislikes me. But rather than seeing him give up on himself in his sickbed, I’d rather him hate me. If it makes him pull himself together, then I’m willing.”
’You really… like him a lot?’ Rather than speculate, he wanted to hear it from her directly.
‘I love him, I have for eight years,‘ she answered frankly, not feeling that there was anything to be ashamed of.
’But Ling Yang said he had never met you?‘
’He has, but he’s forgotten, which shows how unimportant I am.’ Because of her, he hadn’t found the courage necklace on him, and she had foolishly treasured the watch he had given her.
She shrugged nonchalantly, but her eyes betrayed her loss. ‘But it’s okay, I’ll find a way to make him love me too. I’m not that easy to get along with!’
‘Since you know him, you should know that he’s not very approachable to begin with. Especially since the car accident has hurt his pride, he may become even more unpredictable in the future. Do you still insist on marrying him?’ He had to find out for his friend first, and he also hoped that Ling Yang could have a good woman to take care of him.
‘I think the biggest problem in the future is not whether I can stand him, but whether he can stand me.‘ She winked mischievously at him, knowing what she was doing.
Qi Yixing looked at her deeply, as if trying to discern the truth in her words. At the end, the corner of his mouth curled up slightly.
’I think I can call you sister-in-law first.”
Chapter 3
Another month passed, and Ji Lingyang was discharged from the hospital as he had wished. At the same time, he dragged his still-ailing body to the Li family and personally explained to Li Datong that he did not want to marry Li Can. However, Li Datong saw that he had come despite his illness and did not immediately talk about the wedding. Instead, he talked about his outstanding performance in the Li Feng Group in the past and now at Yiyang Technology, leaving almost no room for anyone to interrupt. Just as he was about to bring up the subject, Datong Li suddenly talked about the million-dollar funding there, leaving him unable to utter a word of rejection.
Thus, under the half-threat, half-inducement of the old fox, he helplessly set the wedding date.
Now that it had come to this, especially since he had agreed himself, he could no longer back out. But if he couldn’t convince Datong Li, he could at least start with Can Li. He was sure he could find a way to force her to divorce him.
He was furious at being completely passive in this matter, and the woman was the culprit.
Moreover, he had already threatened her more than once, telling her that she would not have a good life if she married him, but she still insisted on doing so, so he could not help but be ruthless.
So the two had a low-key wedding with only their families in attendance, with the only outsider being the priest who married them. This was undoubtedly his way of intimidating her, but he never imagined that she, a spoiled rich girl, would still insist on marrying him despite being so humiliated.
A wedding with no banquet, no wedding dress, and no blessings from the guests. He couldn’t tell if the smile on her face was genuine or forced.
‘I thought we could only get married in a civil ceremony! I didn’t realise there were also priests who could marry us. That’s great.”
When he slipped the ring on her finger, she smiled and teared up, which also aroused a sense of guilt in him.
She was wearing a simple white dress, and she had even picked out the ring herself.
‘I told my father that because of your physical limitations, we didn’t want a big wedding, so he won’t blame you,’ she said as he perfunctorily kissed the side of her lips.
So she knew his intentions, but still covered for him in front of her father. What was she thinking? Did she really feel no grievance at all?
A slight wavering in her heart upset him, and his face turned extremely ugly. The temperature of the wedding dropped to below zero after the groom kissed the bride. At this moment, even Ji’s parents could not cover for their son in front of Li Datong.
‘What’s going on? Ling Yang doesn’t seem very happy?’ Li Datong frowned. He had originally been unable to persuade his daughter, and had reluctantly accepted this son-in-law. Now, before his daughter had even married over there, she was already frowning?
The atmosphere was a little stiff, but at this moment, Li Can spoke up.
‘Dad, mom, Ling Yang doesn’t seem to be feeling well, let’s go back first, shall we?’
Her small hand followed the flow and covered his large hand on the wheelchair. Ji Ling Yang subconsciously wanted to push her away, but found that she was holding on quite tightly. Looking into his eyes, she was also quite persistent.
Why does she have to defend him like this? Ji Lingyang didn’t want to think deeply about the reason, but when he tried to push her hand away, he couldn’t help but relax.
Li Can smiled with relief, said goodbye to her parents, and took the limousine back to the Ji residence. Before she could visit her new home, she first pushed Ji Lingyang’s wheelchair, sending the silent groom to the bridal chamber, and then the servants also carried her luggage into the room one after the other.
This will be the place where she lives from now on, and she is looking forward to it.
Seeing him with a straight face the whole way, Li Can doesn’t take it personally. She unpacks her luggage while touring her future room.
‘Wow! The wardrobe is so spacious, I should bring more clothes!’
“I’ll move your things to the top drawers, so you can get them more easily in the future, and I’ll use the bottom drawers.’
‘This bed mattress is too soft, it’s not good for your spine, I’ll replace it some time, what do you think?‘
Coldly watching her contented figure come and go, Ji Lingyang felt annoyed that she was being ignored. “You’re going to sleep in the same room as me from now on?”
’Of course.’ The pretty girl who was tidying her clothes gave him a dirty look. ’We’re husband and wife!’
‘I don’t want to sleep with you!‘ He warned her coldly, “You’d better move your things out quickly.”
’Hey, mister, I’m also very nervous about sleeping with you, okay? Who knows if you’ll snore and grind your teeth at night? Maybe you’ll also grab the quilt, sleepwalk, and so on…‘ She muttered defiantly, completely ignoring his warning.
’Then get the hell out!’ He slammed the handlebars of his wheelchair.
After hanging up the last piece of clothing, she walked over to him. Her face suddenly came close to his, and her slender fingers gave his shoulder a sharp poke. Out of the blue, she said, ‘Hey, did you notice how you got into the room?’
When did the topic jump to this? Ji Lingyang’s face flinched back, rejecting her closeness. ‘I’m still in a wheelchair, so how do you think I got into the room?’ What a stupid question!
‘Don’t laugh at me in your heart for being stupid.’ She narrowed her eyes and looked through him with a calculating air, “You were pushed in by me, not flown in by yourself.”
She pushed him demonstratively to the door of the toilet, “You see, in the future, if I don’t help you, how will you shower and go to the toilet alone?” Then she pushed the wheelchair to the window, “I can also push you outside for a walk.” Finally, she came to the dressing table, ’In the future, when you brush your hair and shave, it will all be my job…’
‘The carer can do all the things you’ve mentioned,‘ he snorted.
’But the carer can’t sleep with you, can they? What if your leg hurts in the middle of the night or you suddenly fall over? It’ll be hard work helping you up!‘ So it’ll be hard work for her to sleep with him too!
’…’ Ji Lingyang found that he couldn’t argue with her. Watching her turn around again to tidy up the things in the cupboard, it looked like she was determined to spend the rest of her life with him, which made him feel uncomfortable.
‘Aren’t you afraid that you’ll wake up in the middle of the night scared by my scary face?’ Perhaps this was his last resort to get her to leave, because he never believed that she didn’t care about his scary face, a face that even he himself dislikes.
The person with her back to him remained silent as she kept her head bowed and busy with her work, causing his already self-deprecating heart to sink even further.
Just as he was sadly and gleefully thinking that he could finally get her to leave with this excuse, she suddenly turned her head around— ’Surprise! You…‘ He gasped as he suddenly saw her face. If he wasn’t in a wheelchair and if he wasn’t so calm, he believed he would have fallen back three feet.
’Hey, hey, hey, surprised, aren’t you? This is a Hannya demon mask I bought in Japan!’ She took off the mask on her face and giggled at him. ’You don’t have to be afraid of scaring me, but I’m the one with all the strange things, so I’m afraid of scaring you!’
With all her pent-up frustration and anger, her scare had somehow made him feel better. He looked helplessly at her as she took out a bunch of strange things from her bag that he had never seen before, and was suddenly speechless.
On the first night of their marriage, Li Can successfully captured Ji Lingyang’s bedroom because of a ghost mask.
When he woke up in the morning, looking at the woman who was wrapped around him like an octopus, Ji Lingyang felt like crying but had no tears.
The saying ‘thief cries thief’ really describes the situation well. This woman, Li Can, seems to have forgotten that the person lying next to her is a patient, and spent the whole night rubbing and groping all over him. He only hurt his feet, but his manhood is still intact. In particular, her pajamas are so conservative that they can be opened with one button, and as long as he bows his head slightly, he can get a full view of the too-good-to-be-true spring scenery.
No! He will not feel any desire for this hateful woman! He suppressed the burning sensation in his lower abdomen, and a sense of self-loathing and self-pity arose in him. He pushed the female body that was lying on his chest away with all his strength, and told her to turn over. With his other hand, he tried to hook the wheelchair that was parked not far away.
Li Candong suddenly lost his source of warmth in the middle of a beautiful dream, and subconsciously rolled over again. With a loud bang, he fell off the bed. Ji Lingyang, who had suddenly turned around, only had time to stare dumbfoundedly at her as she fell.
Sitting on the floor with sleepy eyes, Li Can rubbed her eyes with both hands.
‘Is it morning?’ Her mind was not yet fully awake, and she instinctively stood up and walked towards the wall, knocking into it with a thud.
Ji Lingyang was confused by her inexplicable actions, and said that she was afraid that his sleepwalking and sleepwalking habits were not good, but she herself had a lot of strange habits.
After hitting the wall, Li Can did not become any more alert. She groped her way to the bathroom, where after banging around for a while, she came out with a basin in her hand, still half-asleep, and staggered over to Ji Lingyang.
He could not help but shrink back in alarm towards the bed. This crazy woman probably has the habit of splashing water to wake people up, right?
Just as he was thinking about how to avoid the blow, suddenly she gently set the basin down, wrung out a towel from it, and began to wipe his face.
Ji Lingyang’s entire body suddenly relaxed from the tense muscles. He stiffened his expression as she let him finish washing his face, but suddenly she began unbuttoning his pajama top again, intent on stripping him naked.
“Li Can! What are you trying to do, you slut!’ He pushed her hand away unhappily, causing her to swing at the basin without any defence. With a loud sound, most of the water in the basin splashed onto her.
Her dark eyes blinked, and instinctively he wanted to reach out and wipe the water stains on her arm. However, as soon as he touched her delicate skin, he flinched back like he had been electrocuted.
She had only herself to blame. No one had asked her to wash his face, and she deserved to get splashed!
While he was busy with his own internal monologue, Li Can woke up from the splash.
She looked confusedly at the wet patch between her breasts and stomach, let out a low cry, and then turned her head to see that she had half-stripped him of his clothes. She felt a little embarrassed and explained to the man, who looked displeased, ‘Sorry, I seem to have slept through it and thought I was still in the hospital! Wait for me a moment, I’ll be done in a minute.’
She seemed to be unconcerned by his rude behaviour, and proceeded to take a shirt from the closet and quickly went into the bathroom to wash up.
It wasn’t until her slender figure, drenched in water, disappeared from view that Ji Lingyang let go of his stern expression. Her actions today showed that she had been taking care of him like this since he had been injured and laid up in the hospital. Her mother had said that there was no nurse during that period, and that she had taken care of him most of the time.
He still remembered that when he was conscious, he didn’t feel dirty or uncomfortable, but rather that his body and clothes were very fresh. So it was possible that she had not only washed his face and shaved him, but had also wiped all over his body… He didn’t know whether it was embarrassment or shame that made his expression even more unpleasant, and his original intention to resist her to the end was also slightly withdrawn.
A meddlesome, nosy woman, did she have to disrupt his thinking like this?
Since she was so servile, he would not hold back. After all, she had volunteered for this, and he did not need to feel ashamed or embarrassed!
After a while, Li Can appeared before him fresh and pretty in a light blue shirt and white cropped pants. As if it were only natural, she had also taken care of everything for him, and finally helped him put on the suit he insisted on wearing before pushing him to the dining room.
‘Good morning, Dad and Mom!‘ She greeted them with full energy, pushed him to the meal, and sat down next to him.
’Good morning.‘ Ji’s mother saw that the two seemed to get along quite well, and her worries from the night before were relieved.
’Did you sleep well last night?‘
’Very well, thanks, Mom.’ Li Can nodded with a smile, and suddenly took away Ji Lingyang’s cup when he reached for his coffee.
‘What are you doing? Bring me my coffee!‘ He glared at her unhappily.
’People with broken bones should avoid drinks with caffeine. Milk is rich in calcium, so you’d better drink that.‘ She poured a large glass of milk in front of him.
’Don’t think you can boss me around just because you’re married to me!’ He extended his hand towards her with a pale face. ’Give it to me!’
Unexpectedly, she was not at all afraid of his threat. She slowly lifted the coffee that he had robbed from him, took a big sip with relish, and then handed it to him. ‘There’s my spit in it, do you want to drink it?’
‘You…huh!’ Ji Lingyang was so angry that he could not say anything, and angrily ate his breakfast.
‘Xiao Can is really attentive, I didn’t even notice this,’ Ji’s mother was extremely satisfied with her daughter-in-law.
‘No! I just asked the doctor, and I was told that I should avoid foods like bananas, bamboo shoots, sour foods, and cold foods. I’ll give the cook a list of what to prepare. Also, I’ve already discussed the rehabilitation schedule with the therapist. And since his foot injury has affected the nerves, he may experience cramps or numbness. The doctor also taught me a massage technique…’ She wanted to add more to reassure her mother-in-law.
‘You’ve said enough!‘ Ji Lingyang put the cup down heavily. He didn’t want to hear anymore about how much effort this woman had put in for him.
’Lingyang! Xiao Can is also concerned about you, what kind of attitude is that?‘ Ji’s father couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up for fairness.
’Oops! Dad, he’s just shy,’ Li Can said, as if she hadn’t seen his face, which was about to explode with anger, and she was still smiling. ’Because I told him that I want to woo him, he’s embarrassed.’
‘Li Can!‘ Ji Lingyang growled, unable to believe that she had even told her parents such a thing in front of them.
’Look, it’s this ice-cold face that has scared off countless girls. Now that there is such a cute little beauty like me who likes him and is willing to marry him, it’s only natural that he should be shy…‘
’Who’s shy!’ She quickly interrupted him. Does this woman know how to spell the word “shame”?
‘Oh? You’re not shy anymore?‘ She widened her eyes in surprise. “So you’ve accepted the fact that I’m going to chase after you! You’re still acting so cool, I never thought you were that shy.”
’I…’ Ji Lingyang suddenly felt a headache coming on. It had only been breakfast, and already he was both shy and shy, not knowing how much more of a mess she was going to make of his image.
‘I’m full.‘ With a stern face, he pushed his wheelchair towards the door by himself, but was stopped by Li Can.
’Where are you going?‘
’To work.‘ He glared at her angrily as he turned around. “You’re not allowed to come with me!”
’You’re going to work so soon? Aren’t you going to rest for a few more days? You’re still not very mobile…’ She persuaded him.
‘If I don’t go to work soon, I’m afraid the harem will take over the government.‘ This remark was obviously a mockery of what she had said when she provoked him at the hospital.
’You’re so petty, taking it so seriously.‘
’Hmph!‘ He continued to move forward, determined to go to work.
’Ling Yang, if Xiaocan goes with you, someone will take care of you…’ Ji’s mother also joined the ranks of the persuaders.
‘No need! Lao Wang is enough.‘ The wheelchair left the house with a loud bang.
Looking at the closed door, Ji’s mother was still a little worried.
’Xiao Can, aren’t you coming?‘
Li Can comfortingly patted her mother-in-law’s hand, “It’s good to let him relax by himself for a while. I’ll only upset him if I’m around.” Looking through the window, she saw the driver, Lao Wang, helping Ji Lingyang into the car.
’But…’
‘He insisted on wearing a suit this morning, so I knew he wanted to go to work. I’ve taken care of the driver and the company, so someone will take care of him. You can rest assured, Mom.‘
’That’s good.‘ Ji’s mother patted her little hand. “You’ve really been through a lot lately.”
’No, I’m doing this of my own free will.’ Although she occasionally gets hurt by his sarcastic words, she is still happy to be able to get along with him so closely.
‘Xiao Can, you were deliberately arguing with Ling Yang just now, weren’t you?‘ Ji’s father suddenly spoke up. He had been observing the interaction between the young couple, and the little girl really had a way with his cold-natured son.
’Yes. When he first woke up, he was so lifeless and kept everything inside. I think it’s good to give him a way to vent.’ She shrugged and smiled a little slyly, ’Don’t you think he looks much cuter when he’s angry?’
‘Yes, it’s true. It’s rare to see him so angry,‘ she nodded frequently, smiling gratefully.
’But that’s going to be tough on you. You’re going to be the target of his anger.’ ’That’s okay, I’ll deal with it as it comes. I believe that he and I will only get better and better in the future.’
Staring out the window at the car that was carrying him away, she sincerely hoped so. ‘Why are you here by yourself today? I thought your loving wife would be by your side!’
Hearing the news that the CEO had gone to work, Qi Yixing immediately put down the work at hand and went to Ji Lingyang’s office.
Ji Lingyang just gave him a blank stare, continued to approve the official documents with his head bowed, and was too lazy to respond to this question.
“Okay. But I really think you should take a few more days off before coming back to work.’ Half his face was still covered in red and black ointment, and he was still in a wheelchair. Qi Yixing didn’t like the way it looked.
‘The company needs me,’ he said, as if to mirror the piles of paperwork on his desk.
‘You say that like I’m a useless person. At least I worked my butt off to save the chestnut of the American Cosson computer,’ he said. He was so busy that he almost lost his wife!
‘So Li Feng Group had an opportunity to take advantage.‘ He sneered, not at all grateful.
’You say it like everyone betrayed you. But you can’t deny that Li Feng’s financial support helped a lot. Even if you’re not grateful, you shouldn’t put it that harshly.‘
’So I agreed to marry that woman, didn’t I?’ He was furious when he thought about how she had the audacity to interfere in everything.
It was rare to see his best friend, who was usually impervious to external influences, get angry just by mentioning a woman. Qi Yixing always felt that the atmosphere between Ji Lingyang and Li Can was very subtle.
‘Lingyang, to be honest, do you really hate Li Can?’ He believed that the future of this couple depended on the attitude of their best friend. As long as he was willing to abandon his prejudices, he would be able to see the good in Li Can.
Li Can is not such a domineering person. She forced herself to marry Ling Yang, and she must have had her reasons. Even if Ling Yang really can’t fall in love with her, he believes that they can at least be friends, and part ways amicably.
The ‘yes’ that was about to come out of Ji Ling Yang’s mouth stopped short. His feelings for her were by no means hatred, but rather…he couldn’t find a precise word to describe how he felt about her.
‘I can’t accept a woman manipulating everything about me.‘ Yes, that’s it. His dislike for Li Can was well-founded.
’I think she’s just concerned about you.‘ At least, as far as he could observe, everything Li Can did was for Lingyang’s good.
’Then why didn’t she marry someone else and choose me?’ This was what Ji Lingyang hated the most. He was so incompetent that he didn’t even have the chance to choose his own wife.
‘That’s for you to answer,’ Qi Yixing said with a smile, implying something. ’Don’t you think she’s straightforward and cute?
She actually announced to you in front of everyone that she wants to woo you?’
‘That’s her infatuation, I’m not obliged to accept it.‘ He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “You really don’t feel anything at all? You’ve been a monk for so many years, and now you have a beautiful young woman as your rightful wife, it would be a shame not to get close to her…”
’I won’t touch her.’ Thinking about the soft, fragrant body that had lain on top of him this morning, he didn’t deny that he had desires, but if he touched her, there would be no turning back, and he would never be able to please her.
‘I loathe everything about her, Yixing. I will never touch her, never!‘
He emphasised this so many times, as if reminding himself. Qi Yixing saw it in his eyes and smiled meaningfully, “That being said, you really didn’t know her before?”
’No.’ He spoke decisively, but vaguely felt that there seemed to be something fishy going on.
Is that so? Qi Yixing wanted to tell him the truth that Li Can had told him, but in the end he chose to keep quiet. After all, this was a matter between the two of them. Li Can must have her reasons for not saying anything, so he just had to wait and see what happened.
‘Forget it, don’t mention that woman again.’ The mere thought of Li Can made him feel annoyed. Ji Lingyang picked up a document and handed it to Qi Yixing.
“This is the statement for the press conference this afternoon. See if there are any problems.’
Qi Yixing frowned and took it. ‘Are you really going to attend? Actually, I’ll go instead…’
‘I’m the CEO, not you. At least if I show up, investors won’t think I’m dying, and it’ll have a stabilising effect on the company’s share price.’ If they don’t quickly pull the share price up, they’ll soon become a foreign-owned enterprise.
‘But you haven’t fully recovered from your injuries.’ Qi Yixing knows how strong his best friend’s pride is.
With a face half-destroyed and unable to walk, if all this is presented to the public through the media, it will definitely hurt him deeply.
‘Yixing, I don’t think my condition will improve much in the next six months or even a year. So the sooner the press conference is held, the less the company will lose.’ After hearing the doctor’s explanation of his injuries, he had long since given up hope. If it weren’t for that woman Li Can, who kept provoking him, he wouldn’t even want to do rehabilitation.
That woman seemed to care more about his injuries than he did. He racked his brain trying to figure out what she wanted, and her behaviour proved that she really wasn’t afraid of his disfigured face.
No one would be nice to another person for no reason. He didn’t want to admit that she really did like him as she said, but her intentions would eventually be revealed over time.
Qi Yixing heard his somewhat self-deprecating remarks and knew that it was useless to persuade him at this point. However, he believed that Li Can would play an important role in helping him get through this difficult time.
‘Since you insist on attending,’ he said with a smile, holding up the press release about Ji Lingyang, ‘then attend!’
“CEO Ji, given your current physical condition, how can you be sure that you can continue to manage Yiyang Technology?’
‘Are your legs really disabled? I heard that you will never be able to stand again?‘
’What is your opinion on the disfigurement of half your face? Do you think your employees will be afraid of you because of it…”
Li Can picked up the remote control and turned off the TV. She couldn’t bear to watch the news broadcast of today’s press conference anymore.
The footage of the press conference was repeatedly replayed in every news segment. She knew that the sharp and hurtful questions from the reporters must have cut into Ji Lingyang’s heart like a sharp blade. From his calm and confident replies, she could see his endurance and suffering.
Could she just stand by and watch him get hurt? No, that wasn’t the way Li Can would act.
The ultimate goal of marrying him in the first place was to be able to accompany him through this low point. Maybe he couldn’t accept it this way, but at least she would do her best to help him get back on his feet. Besides, marrying her was his own promise, even if he didn’t seem to care.
Even if he would hate her and detest her, she was fine with that.
Therefore, she asked her in-laws to call him after the press conference to inform him of her decision. She knew that Ji Lingyang was a filial son. Without family money, he had worked hard with his own hands to get to where he was now, allowing his parents to retire from the civil service early and spend their later years without worries. Therefore, he would definitely listen to his parents.
Li Can did not deny that this was her scheme, so she leisurely sat in her room, waiting for him to come home and rebuke him.
Bang! While she was still thinking, the door was viciously pushed open, hitting the wall and bouncing back. Sure enough, it was Ji Lingyang’s pale face that appeared outside the door.
‘What gives you the right to make decisions on your own?’
‘Which incident are you referring to?’ According to her understanding, up to now, every incident has been her making decisions on her own.
‘Why did you tell my parents to call me and say that you want to join Yiyang?‘ Ji Lingyang’s dark eyes glared at her coldly, “A freeloader like you will just sit around and collect a salary if you join the company, so what makes you qualified to work at Yiyang?”
’Wow! You really look down on people, don’t you?’ She puffed up her cheeks. ’I used to be the special assistant to the boss at Lifeng! I’m very capable at work.’
‘I can’t see it,‘ he sneered coldly, “I can’t see any ability in you, except for using human connections and financial pressure to force me.”
’That’s why you should use me even more! Then you’ll know how capable your wife is.’ She smiled, as if she didn’t care about his bad attitude. ’A fortune teller once said that I have the luck to help my husband! It’s definitely the right decision to let me join Yiyang! Besides, I don’t need that salary to make a living, so it’s fine if I don’t get paid.’
‘You’re amazing.‘ Squinting his eyes, he was more convinced than ever that he was right to hate this woman. “You knew I couldn’t refuse my parents” request, so you asked the old folks to call. Since you’re so confident, I’ll do as you wish.’
‘Really?’ Her eyes lit up. She couldn’t believe she’d gotten away with it so easily this time.
‘I always keep my word.’ He would just let her see his methods and make her back down meekly.
Really? Li Can gave him a doubtful glance. He had clearly forgotten his promise to marry her.
‘However, if you want to join my company, there are two things you must do, otherwise this deal is off.’ He first laid down the ground rules.
‘Yes!’ If it would help him, she would agree to a hundred things.
“The first thing is: you must not disobey my orders, and you are not allowed to tell your parents or cry and complain.’
‘I’m not that kind of person,‘ she was about to protest, but she held back when she met his scornful gaze waiting for her to refuse. “Okay!”
’The second thing is the most important, and I hope you will definitely comply, because I don’t want anyone to make trouble at the company under any pretext, so…”
He paused and gave a cold smile. ’You are not allowed to reveal your identity as my wife!’
Chapter 4
Liu Jingjing had been the secretary of Ji Lingyang for two years. She never imagined that the CEO, who had always been fair, would actually bring an outsider to the office today.
Looking at the petite and pretty girl in front of her, she guessed that either the other party had offended the CEO in some way, or that she must be a difficult person to get along with, and that was why her boss had instructed her to ‘take good care of’ the newcomer.
So there was now an additional assistant secretary in the office.
‘Your name is Li Can?‘ With her boss’s instructions, Liu Jingjing’s attitude naturally wasn’t very good.
’Yes, you are Secretary Liu, right? I hope we can work together in the future!‘ Li Can greeted her with a smile, and she was mentally prepared for the other person’s rudeness.
’What can you do? Type? Accounting? Do you know English?’ In fact, Liu Jingjing looked down on this assistant who had come in through the back door. ‘If you can’t do anything, at least you can serve tea and fetch water, right? In the future, making tea and fetching errands will be your job.‘
’I used to work at Li Feng Enterprise, so I should know a little about what you’re talking about,’ she cleverly concealed her identity. ’As for those tasks of serving tea and fetching water, I think they shouldn’t be difficult for someone with hands and feet.’
With her experience of working in the company with her father since high school, Secretary Liu may not have seen more of the world than she has, but the current situation obviously does not allow her to explain more. Anyway, the facts will speak for themselves.
‘You can do it all?’ If that’s the case, she won’t hold back, and she’ll see how far this woman can go.
She first pointed at the office filing cabinet. ‘You memorise the files inside, and in the future, when the CEO needs information, you must get it right away and take it to him immediately.’ Then she turned around and picked up a stack of papers from her desk. ‘Translate these letters in English and Japanese by noon and bring them to me.’
Li Can raised an eyebrow. It seems like this is not going to be an easy hurdle to overcome.
Then Liu Jingjing looked at the several file folders behind her that were thicker than the dictionary. ‘These are the company’s balance sheets for the past five years and some accounting data. You can take a look at them this afternoon, and then I have the accounts for the past six months here, so you can reconcile them today.’
Wow! Li Can exclaimed inwardly, this is clearly bullying her as a cheap labourer! To say she is cheap is an insult, she is basically an invaluable labourer – one who doesn’t even get a penny in wages.
‘Secretary Liu, we probably won’t be able to finish all this in one day…‘
’If you can’t finish it, you can do it tomorrow.’ Liu Jingjing gave a sinister smile, “but there will be new work tomorrow.”
The two of them looked at each other for a long time. Liu Jingjing had expected Li Can to get angry or play the fool, but to her surprise, Li Can just shrugged his shoulders and smiled indifferently.
‘Okay, the workload today is just terrifying, it seems I have to work hard.’ After all, her purpose for coming to the company was to help Ji Lingyang, and the more work she was assigned, the more she could share his workload!
Thinking about this, the huge workload seemed unimportant. She wished there was more work so that her husband could rest more.
Li Can walked generously to an empty seat with her expectant watery eyes wide open. ’Can I choose my own seat?’
‘Well, as long as it doesn’t take up the aisle, but you have to carry the desk and chair yourself.‘ Liu Jingjing frowned, unable to believe that she bullied people so obviously, and the other party accepted it without saying a word.
’Then get to work!’ Without further ado, Li Can exerted all her strength and dragged the desk to the door of Ji Lingyang’s office, an action that made Liu Jingjing a little dumbfounded. Basically, the mentality of employees is to stay as far away from the boss as possible, but this woman is actually doing the opposite?
Liu Jingjing returned to her seat in surprise, working while also secretly observing Li Can’s situation. She watched Li Can walk over to the filing cabinet and, in just three minutes, understand how the files were organised. She then moved the files with the most recent dates to the desktop.
What’s more, she seemed to know how to read quickly, going through the files at a rapid pace, and even had the time to translate some letters when she got tired.
As if she had sensed her gaze, Li Can, who had been buried in the documents, suddenly looked up and gave an unprepared Liu Jingjing a big smile.
“Secretary Liu, in the future, please give me as much notice as possible, and I will do my best,’
Hearing this, Liu Jingjing nodded hesitantly and slowly withdrew her sharp gaze.
After observing Li Can’s work attitude and hearing what she said, Liu Jingjing began to question her supervisor’s intentions and reflect on whether she had formed a premature opinion… She looked up, touched her sore neck, and realised it was already 9 o’clock in the evening.
Ji Lingyang wheeled himself to the window and recalled what his secretary had reported to him before leaving work.
‘CEO, Li Can’s work efficiency has exceeded my expectations. I have given her a lot of work to do, and she has generally completed it within the time limit, and she has done it perfectly. She has even taken on a lot more work than I have assigned her.‘ So today was the first day after the accident that she was able to leave work on time.
’She hasn’t complained?’ He cursed in his heart. If he let that woman get used to the office, wouldn’t he be shooting himself in the foot?
‘No, she even seems to be enjoying herself and has even asked me to give her more work.‘ Liu Jingpu had never seen anyone like her before.
’Has she finished her work?‘ He rubbed his temples and felt a vague headache coming on.
’Not yet.‘ After all, the amount of work she had given him was extraordinary.
’Then just leave her alone.‘
’Leave her alone’ was the end of Li Can’s work report for the day. Ji Lingyang’s thoughts returned to the present. It was already so late, and even if the work was not finished, she should have gone home already… Knock, knock – he heard a faint knock on the door, and he quickly turned around. He felt inexplicably nervous, but still managed to appear calm on the surface as he said, ‘Come in.’
Sure enough, it was Zhang’s sweet smiling face that came through the door. Li Can, who had been busy all day, came to his side without showing any signs of fatigue.
“Honey, you’re working too hard, aren’t you? Why aren’t you off work yet?’
Hearing the sweet words ‘husband’, Ji Lingyang felt something wrong with his body, so he had to lower his face to suppress the restless emotions.
‘I said, you can’t reveal…’
‘I can’t reveal that you’re my wife! But now everyone in the company has left, and it’s just you and me, so there’s no need to worry so much.’ As he spoke, Li Can continued, ‘You shouldn’t be such a nitpicking person, even arguing about this.’
Once again, Ji Lingyang was silenced by her. No matter how much she complained and blamed, she was speechless because she didn’t want to be a nitpicking person.
‘Let me tell you, I’ve been waiting outside your office for a long time, but you haven’t taken a single step. You’re the CEO, but you’re also too much of a homebody, aren’t you?’ She shook her head half-scolding and half-concerned, ‘This won’t do! Look, you’ve only returned to work for a few days, and you’re already getting dark circles under your eyes. I don’t want my husband to become unattractive.‘
’Do you think I’m handsome?‘ He asked incredulously.
’Of course, otherwise why would I marry you?‘ She rolled her eyes. “But you’ve made my originally handsome husband look like this, which is really bad.”
’I remember that not long ago you pointed at my face and said I was an ugly ogre,’ he sneered, not believing her.
‘You knew that was meant to provoke you, because you were acting weird,’ she muttered, wrinkling her nose.
Ji Lingyang almost believed her, but that still didn’t outweigh his dislike for his appearance. ’I don’t believe anyone would find this face good-looking.’
‘Who cares what other people think? You should care about the people around you, shouldn’t you?’ She counted on her fingers. ’Your closest relatives, your father and mother, no matter how you change, they will definitely think you are handsome; and your best friend, Qi Yixing, unless he is gay, whether you are handsome or not is not the point; as for your wife, me…’
She looked at his face intently for a long time, ‘I even wish there were more scars on your face, so that no one will try to steal my husband from me!’
Ji Lingyang pondered the truthfulness of her words, and suddenly felt that the inferiority complex he had felt since the press conference, when he was humiliated by the media, had eased considerably.
He gave a faint smile that was barely discernible as a smile. ‘Maybe you’re right.’
‘I was right all along, you’re just being stubborn.’ She walked over to him and put her hands on his wheelchair. ‘I also noticed that you haven’t eaten all night, and you desperately need to replenish your nutrients. How can you not eat properly? Let’s go home and eat!’
‘I still have work to do.’ He frowned and grabbed the wheels to prevent her from moving.
‘You’ll never finish all that work in a hundred years! But eating is a priority. I just knew you wouldn’t take care of yourself, which is why I volunteered to come to the company and help you.”
This remark suddenly raised Ji Lingyang’s guard, and his face became unsympathetic. ’So you really did come to spy on me?’
‘Why put it so bluntly? I’m here to help, okay? I’ve done a lot today, don’t you think the workload is a little light today?’ She pointed out the facts unconvincingly.
Even if he sensed it slightly, his pride wouldn’t allow him to admit it, not to mention that he was convinced that she was deep-minded, so he didn’t believe she would be that kind. ’Since you want to enter the company, it’s only right to do your part.’
She pursed her lips and didn’t want to argue with him. ‘Then can we go home?’
‘I told you, I have work to do.’ He didn’t want to go in and out of the same place with this woman.
After staring at him for a long time, Li Can let out a sigh, released his wheelchair and walked to the side.
‘Fine, if you don’t go, I won’t go either.’
‘What are you staying for?’ He was extremely unhappy with her repeatedly invading his living space, and even his spiritual space.
‘Waiting for you,‘ she said matter-of-factly. “You don’t eat, you don’t drink, and you work like crazy. Do you really think you’re an iron man? Besides, you’re not even well yet, and you’re not doing your rehabilitation properly. I’m afraid you’ll pass out in the office, and at least then someone can come up here in time to carry you to the hospital…”
’That’s enough!’ he interrupted, taking a deep breath. The more she cared about him, the more it annoyed him. At this point, he just wanted to get rid of these uncontrollable emotions, and completely ignored her good intentions.
‘Are you done? Can you let me catch my breath and stop making me see you 24/7? Maybe you think you’re so skilled at manipulating me, but I always have the right to say no, don’t I? Do you know that it’s torture to constantly see someone you hate? Just get out of my sight!’ He almost growled at the end.
Li Can’s smile suddenly disappeared, and she muttered, ‘Do you really hate me that much?’
‘Yes! So can you go away?’ He knew he had spoken without thinking, but the hurtful words poured out of him uncontrollably.
No matter how optimistic and brave she was, Li Can was really hurt this time. The always crystal clear eyes floated with a faint haze, and she stared at him with a tight mouth, as if she was enduring something.
As soon as the words came out, Ji Lingyang regretted it. He was not used to receiving such direct care, especially from her, who he had always held a prejudice against. However, now that he had really cruelly hurt her, he was not as pleased as he thought he would be.
Especially when he saw her expression, which looked like she was about to cry but didn’t, he realised that hurting her had also inexplicably tortured him.
‘You…’ He wanted to say something, but couldn’t. Wouldn’t it be best if he could make her angry enough to leave? Why did he not want to see tears really fall from her eyes?
Where was her sharp tongue? Where was her quick wit? Why did he really want her to use her wits this time, when she had shut up?
This time, Li Can did not respond, but instead bowed his head and left as he wished.
Li Can really left, and Ji Lingyang felt as if a piece of his heart had been left empty.
That woman who could make people so angry and yet never get her own way had given up so easily. He should be happy, he should set off firecrackers to celebrate, and then drive her away to the ends of the earth so that he would never have to think about this nightmare of a woman again.
But he couldn’t do anything. He just stood there, dazed, not knowing what to do with the chaos in his heart.
Why was it that in front of her, he could say with a straight face that he really hated her, but when Qi Yixing asked the same question, he hesitated?
For a while, he had blindly resisted this marriage and blindly excluded her, and now the conflict of emotions that had arisen had left him a little overwhelmed.
Yes, he still feels guilty about her injury. It must be because he still has a conscience, not because he has any special feelings for that woman. Their marriage was built on money and coercion, so it is only right that he should rebel.
He is not wrong! Yes, he is not wrong!
His gaze followed the door as she left, with its complex expression. The clock had already made an unknown number of steps, but he could not move for a moment. He could only continue to denigrate her to strengthen his resolve.
She should be home by now, crying to her parents. Or maybe she’s gone to stir up trouble with Li Datong. Either way, he knew it wouldn’t end well for him. So he should prepare his heart for the coming rebuke… Bang! The door was pushed open rudely. Just as he expected, she had brought back some kind of reinforcements and was here to give him a good scolding. Turning in his wheelchair with a sneer, he slowly turned his head to look, but the person who came made him destroy all his psychological construction and self-hypnosis.
He didn’t know what his mood was right now, but this feeling of breaking through the thick gloom and seeing the dawn was one of his most profound experiences in recent days.
‘Hey! Scared you again, didn’t I?’ Li Can, who had just entered the door, acted as if nothing had happened and walked in with a lunchbox.
‘I haven’t caught up to you yet, so how could I be so easily fooled?‘
This time, without asking his opinion, she pushed him in front of the table, took out the lunch box and put it down, then stuck the chopsticks into his hands. “Hey! This is a lunch box that Lao Wang went to the trouble to buy. I told him what foods to pay attention to, so it must be very suitable for you.”
After a while, Ji Lingyang was able to speak again.
’You didn’t go?’
His eyebrows rose high, as if the person standing in front of him was a ghost. ‘If I really feared you, I would have left the first day. You think I would give up so easily after all the trouble I went through to marry you?’
His strong declaration soothed his conflicted heart. He no longer had to worry about the line between guilt and pride, nor did he have to make an effort to resolve what he had thought would be a difficult problem.
Because she is still her, not changed at all.
When he thought of this, his appetite came back. Ji Lingyang ate his lunch slowly and methodically, and for the first time, he felt that the lunch outside also had an indescribably good taste.
Seeing the way he devoured his food, Li Can smiled lightly, but there was an emotion beneath the smile that he didn’t know.
After a long while, Ji Lingyang finished most of the lunch box, and only then did he look up and see her staring at him intently as he ate. It was then that he slowly realised—with a half-second delay—‘Have you eaten yet?’
‘Huh? Me…?’ She was a little surprised by his sudden concern, and she touched her stomach, smiling brightly. ‘Of course I’ve eaten. I’m not as stupid as you are!’
She is stupider than him, which is why she has not drunk a drop of water until now. After being severely ridiculed by him, she still foolishly went to help him prepare food.
But seeing him enjoying his meal, she suddenly felt that this little hardship was nothing. He, who has to sit in a wheelchair and still support the livelihood of a large company, is suffering a thousand times more than her.
‘You said Lao Wang bought the lunchbox, so where were you? It’s so late.‘ He didn’t realise that he sounded like a jealous husband interrogating his wife about where she’s been.
’I went to rent DVDs!‘ she said, pointing to the big bag on her shoulder. “I heard that there are some good comedies out recently, so I quickly went to rent them to watch at home.”
’You like watching comedies?‘
’Mm.’ Maybe…it’s since I married him that I started to like it?
Ji Lingyang gave a look of polite refusal, as if questioning her taste. It was getting late, so he tidied up the mess on the table and said to her, ‘We can go back now. Don’t even think about me going with you to watch that boring movie.’
With those words, he pushed his wheelchair out of the office without looking back. Li Can, who was watching his back, saw his smile fade away.
‘I rented this movie for myself to watch… Don’t you know that I need to laugh more than you right now?”
This little episode gradually faded away as time passed.
Li Can went to work and came home just like before, arguing with Ji Lingyang, and when it was time, she would stubbornly take him to rehabilitation.
Gradually, the wounds on Ji Lingyang’s face healed, and with the colorful medicine gone, only two or three red scars remained. Perhaps the pressure she exerted on him was also effective, and he could even hold onto the handles and stand for a few seconds.
It was just that his progress seemed to have reached a standstill. Every time he endured the pain of rehabilitation, there was no significant improvement as there had been a while ago. So his temper became more and more irritable. However, Ji Lingyang was a self-controlled person who never vented his temper on others, except for her, the only exception. When he realised that she was like a cockroach that wouldn’t die and just kept coming back, and often even managed to provoke him, he would vent all his pent-up anger on her, as if challenging her limits.
He had to admit that when he was arguing with her, he was at his most energetic.
‘Put all this information together into one document, and I want to see it by noon today.’ He wickedly tossed a thick stack of documents at Li Can, and then went into his office.
Liu Jingjing quietly threw a pitying glance over. After working together for a while, she had discovered that Li Can’s work ability was really not to be underestimated. Sometimes, she, the secretary, even had to lower her head and ask her for advice.
And those errands and water deliveries that the junior staff do, Li Can also does with great joy. She even intervenes in the CEO’s morning, lunch and dinner, and she doesn’t know how she does it. Her boss, who always hates people interfering in his private affairs, actually obediently eats the honey points she prepares.
The more she watched, the more she felt that Li Can had a secret!
Ring ring – the mobile phone on Li Can’s desk rang. Liu Jingjing couldn’t help but pricked up her ears to eavesdrop as she saw her face light up with surprise after she answered the phone.
‘Xiao Lan!’ Li Can exclaimed in surprise. She hadn’t seen her younger brother, who had studied in the US, for a long time, except on their wedding day. ‘When did you get back?’
‘I flew in last night.‘ Li Lan chuckled softly. Since their father had disappeared when he went abroad and their mother had died young, he and his sister had always been very close.
’Why did you come back so soon?‘ She had expected him to get his master’s degree in management in another three months. “Are you going back again?”
’No, I’m going to join Li Feng when I get back.‘ He was the talent that their father had been cultivating.
’What about your studies?’
‘I’ve already earned enough credits, I just need to wait for my diploma to be sent to me.‘ Lan suddenly changed the subject and spoke in a strange tone, “Besides, I’m not at ease with you marrying that man.”
’Are you back for me?‘ Can was very touched, “Don’t worry, I’m doing well here.”
’Why? You mean you’re doing well, not that the man is treating you well?’ Lan could easily hear her sister’s mistake in logic, as they had grown up together.
She pondered for a while, still subconsciously defending her husband. ‘I’m the one who wanted to marry him, and he was completely passive in this matter. It may take a little more time to get used to it.’
‘Sister, it’s obvious that you’re the only one who still remembers the jokes from our youth, but the truth is now clear, he’s already forgotten all about it.’ He knew all about his sister’s infatuation with Ji Lingyang. ‘His behaviour on the day of the wedding showed that he was clearly not giving us face, and I’m sure he definitely didn’t treat you well.’
‘I didn’t make it easy for him either,‘ she said with a light laugh, but her watery eyes revealed complex emotions. In the past, her younger brother was her only outlet, but when she chose to marry Ji Lingyang, she suffered in silence for fear of causing trouble between her brother and her husband.
’Don’t try to be brave. Do you think I can’t tell?’ Li Lan couldn’t help but frown. ‘I support your decision in principle, but have you ever considered what if he never falls in love with you? How long will you suffer like this?’
After a long silence, she forced a smile and said, ‘Don’t you believe in your sister’s charm?’
‘Of course I believe in your charm, but I believe even more in that man’s stubbornness!’ Li Lan muttered unhappily, ‘Only one-sided feelings won’t lead to happiness.’
His words were also the truth that Li Can was most worried about, but she was prepared for it. She lowered her voice, ‘You know that I married into the Ji family because I love him very much and I hope to be of help to him. Now it’s a transitional period, and if one day he doesn’t need me anymore and can’t fall in love with me, I naturally won’t continue to waste my youth. After all, I want to see him happy, not cling to him and make him sad.’
‘If only you were that clever.‘ The more Li Lan heard, the more she felt that her clever sister had become a fool in love.
’If I weren’t clever, the person who has had worse grades than me since childhood would be so stupid…”
The conversation turned to the bickering between siblings, which was a rare moment of relaxation for Li Can in recent times. After the phone call ended, she looked up and saw Liu Jingjing staring at her, as if she had something to say.
‘The CEO wants you to go downstairs to the R&D department to pick up some information,’ Liu Jingjing relayed the words of her immediate supervisor two minutes ago with an expressionless face.
Li Can nodded and left the office without suspecting anything. She didn’t know that after she left, Ji Lingyang pushed the wheelchair out of the office, his dark eyes never blinking as he watched the direction she left in, his expression gradually becoming thoughtful.
‘CEO…‘ Liu Jingjing watched her supervisor with a frightened heart as she saw his face turn from pale to green. Although she couldn’t hear the second half of the phone call because the volume was lowered, Li Can was standing right by the CEO’s office door, and it seemed like the door was only ajar. Could it be that she had offended the CEO?
’How long has she been on the phone?’
‘Just a moment. But she’s pretty efficient, so I don’t think this phone call will delay work.’ Liu Jingjing instinctively wanted to explain for her.
She had originally thought that her boss would seize this opportunity to lash out at her. After all, in the past, whenever Li Can made a small mistake, he would make her look bad. Unexpectedly, he just stared in the direction Li Can left, nodded with a complex expression, and then returned to his office without saying anything.
Chapter 5
‘Come on…stretch your leg a little more, hold on, try to lift it as high as you can.’
Ji Lingyang lay on the bed, his face pale, doing the home rehabilitation that the doctor had instructed Li Can to watch him do. At the moment, he was stretching his leg straight out, trying to lift it higher. However, despite his best efforts, the pain in his groin was almost unbearable. Just this one small movement made him sweat with pain.
‘Okay,‘ she helped him lower his foot and gave him a proper massage, saying, “Later, when you sit up, let’s try some foot and ankle exercises…”
’I’m not doing it anymore! Is it useful to do these rehabilitation exercises every day? I just feel like a loser, and I still can’t even stand steadily!’ Every day, he was subjected to these tortures, but he could not see any room for improvement. Ji Lingyang was like a lion trapped in a cage, irritable and restless.
Li Can smiled slightly, not paying any attention to his bad temper.
His childish and defenseless side was only shown to her. Usually in front of the crowd, and even in front of his parents, he is cold and self-controlled. Perhaps he thinks that if he vents all his bad emotions on her, she will know when to quit. But she would rather believe that this is an emotional progress.
Because she doesn’t want him to suppress his emotions, and he should express them when appropriate. Otherwise, according to his personality of carrying everything on his own, sooner or later he will get sick from being depressed.
‘As long as you continue with rehabilitation, you may be able to stand with crutches soon.’
‘No matter what, I’ll still be a cripple,’ he mocked himself fiercely. Because he knew that he would not be able to recover completely, the hardship he was experiencing now was just to make a defective product less shabby.
And just thinking about walking with a limp in the future, he would rather be in a wheelchair, as it would feel more dignified.
‘At least if you complete your rehabilitation, you can stand up and won’t have to be in a wheelchair everywhere. But if you don’t do rehabilitation…’ Li Can suddenly pounced on him like a tiger on a sheep, sitting on his waist with her buttocks.
‘What are you doing?’ He moved, but she pressed even tighter.
‘What am I doing? I’m sexually harassing you!‘ She suddenly looked like a sex-starved woman, laughing as she ran her hand over his chest. “Didn’t I say you were handsome? I’ve obviously been lusting after you for a long time…”
’Slut!’ He pushed her hand away, but her other hand followed and she was still sitting firmly on top of him.
‘See! You can stop doing rehab, and even when I force myself on you, you can’t say no. Do you want to be this useless?‘ She pretended to rub his chest twice more. Hmm, it’s quite firm.
’…’ He pursed his lips in annoyance and suddenly asked, ’I’ve always wanted to ask, are you doing rehab on me because you feel sorry for me?’
‘Do you need pity? You’re even more fierce than me!’ she said, wrinkling her nose. “You really have an extraordinary bad memory. I told you that I like you, didn’t I? So of course I want you to do rehabilitation for this reason. If I had so much compassion, wouldn’t it be quicker to volunteer at the hospital?”
Even though he had heard her confession many times, he was still not used to such direct expressions of emotion. He could only listen without paying attention, as if she were singing.
‘But you must get bored sometimes, right? Do you really like it when I scold you?’ After spending so much time together recently, he knows that she is a person who will definitely get her revenge. If someone offends her, she will definitely fight back like an armadillo. He has seen a few times when company executives who caused her trouble or used their official authority to bully her were inexplicably messed up by her.
The only person she has been almost infinitely tolerant towards is him. He can’t figure out at all what attracts her to this disabled self of his.
‘Mister, you’re the CEO, and you can’t figure out such a simple truth,’ she mischievously sat hard on his stomach a few times, ‘I’m making a long-term investment! If I take good care of you, when we’re old and decrepit, maybe I’ll be in a wheelchair, and you’ll be pushing me.’
‘I don’t think we’ll ever get to that day,’ he said reflexively. But as soon as the words came out, he regretted them, because he was sure he saw a flash of despondency in her eyes.
It was rare for the two of them to chat so peacefully, and it seemed that it was ruined by his comment.
Li Can lowered her little face and glared at him. Suddenly, she leaned forward and pressed his hands to the sides.
‘What are you doing?‘ His upper body wasn’t injured, and it would be easy for him to break free from her, but for some reason, he let her have her way with him. Perhaps it was because he was afraid that if he pushed her, she would fall off the bed.
’I’m going to eat you!’ She viciously bit him on the shoulder, ’After we’ve had sex, you won’t be able to deny it…’
‘You crazy woman!’ He cried out in pain, and all his guilt vanished. He should have just pushed her off the bed, and not wasted any sympathy on her.
She easily broke free, but he grabbed her hand instead. Li Can, however, seemed to have bitten the habit, leaving marks all over his body. The two of them were inexplicably entangled together… ’Can, has Lingyang finished his rehabilitation? Do you want to go out for a late-night snack…’
Ji’s mother pushed open the door and saw her daughter-in-law riding her son, both of them in bed with their clothes in disarray, having obviously been rolling around. She couldn’t help but stand dumbfounded in the doorway.
‘Mom?’ Ji Lingyang came back to his senses first and quickly patted Li Can’s thigh straddling his waist, giving her a stern look and telling her to get off.
Li Can didn’t dare to act rashly in front of her elders either, and awkwardly rolled off his body.
‘Er, you were busy with that… Well, I won’t disturb you then…‘ Ji Lingyang’s mother laughed nervously, determined that she had interrupted the young couple, and hurriedly tried to withdraw from the room.
’Mom! It’s not what you think!’ Looking at her mother’s ambiguous expression, Ji Lingyang knew with his hair that she had misunderstood something. ’We weren’t…busy doing what you think we were doing.’
‘Then what were you doing?‘ His mother’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Could it be that the passionate scene she just witnessed was just her failing eyesight?
’We were…rehabilitating.‘ He forced a lame excuse, which wasn’t strictly speaking a lie.
’Rehabilitating?’ His mother’s expression showed that she didn’t believe him, but she just took it as her son being shy.
‘Don’t bother hiding it, Mum has been there before. I would be even happier if you could give me a grandchild as soon as possible.”
Ji Lingyang rolled his eyes, and felt an urge to hit the wall. At this moment, he really felt the sadness of having his reputation ruined by Li Can, and the instigator was just sitting innocently by, as if it had nothing to do with her.
‘Li Can!‘ He was not so kind as to let her off the hook. “Explain to Mom!”
’Huh?‘ She glanced at her mother-in-law and only then reacted. “Yes, rehabilitation. We’re doing rehabilitation.”
’Rehabilitation involves sitting on him?’ The more nervous the couple became, the more suspicious her mother-in-law became.
‘Yes, I’m testing his… there to see if it was affected by the car accident.‘ As she spoke, her little hand pointed to his groin… the sensitive spot.
’Li Can!‘ Ji Lingyang almost screamed. “What are you talking about?”
’I’m not talking nonsense!’ She pouted her lips and simply vented all her grievances in front of her mother-in-law.
‘With a beautiful and attractive wife like me sleeping next to you every day, you can still stop for so long. I naturally suspect that you are no longer virile!‘
’Me, there, a little, no, problem, at all!’ He declared almost with gritted teeth.
‘But I just sat on top of you, and you didn’t even flinch. I’m really starting to worry that you’re ‘hopelessly impotent’.‘ Given his competitive nature, it’s very possible.
’Don’t you dare say that again—‘ He glared at her viciously, completely forgetting that their mother was still there, “Fine, I’ll make you so tired that you won’t be able to get up tomorrow, and then you’ll know just how ”good’ I am!‘
’All talk and no action is useless,’ she teased him.
‘You want to try?‘
Hearing the topic moving towards the restricted level, Ji’s mother was embarrassed and amused. She gently knocked on the door to remind the couple, who were about to argue about sex.
The sound from the other side was like the Monkey King’s magic band, and the two were suddenly shocked. They immediately shut up and looked awkwardly at Ji’s mother.
’Mom?’ Ji Lingyang was still trying to salvage his reputation.
‘Okay, okay, don’t eat any late-night snacks tonight. I think it’s more important that you continue…well, your rehabilitation. Tomorrow, if you can’t get up in the morning, I’ll warm up your breakfast in the electric pot.‘ After suppressing a smile, she quickly left the room without giving them a chance to respond, and kindly locked the door behind her.
’Are you satisfied now?’ Ji Lingyang stared at Li Can half-helplessly and half-unhappily.
‘Not at all!‘ She really took a good look at that part of his body. “Hey, what you just said, you weren’t just trying to comfort Mom, were you?”
’I told you, I’m fine down there!’ Could she please stop looking at him with lustful eyes? He was a very, very normal man, and if she kept looking at him like that, he was afraid he would forget all about being gentle and pounce on her.
‘Really?‘ She leaned close to him and breathed in his ear, “But I haven’t seen you ”use’ it through normal channels!”
Her soft body was pressed against his, twisting and turning, her small, round breasts pressing against his chest and rubbing against him with his breath… “Damn woman!” Even a saint couldn’t stand it! Ji Lingyang rolled over and pinned her down, and a suffocating kiss was aggressively pressed onto her.
Li Can was stunned, and finally knew how to write the words ‘playing with fire and getting burned’. She had never experienced such passionate feelings before. The feeling described in novels, like floating on a cloud, was fundamentally very different from her current experience. She felt like she had fallen into endless darkness, where fear and excitement became mixed together, almost blurring her direction, and she could only follow and fall.
The gentle pleasure beneath her, coupled with the faint fragrance from her delicate body, made Ji Lingyang, who had abstained from sex for a long time, unable to control his urge any longer. He felt this ecstatic pleasure with every cell in his body. He never imagined that his wife, who had been forced upon him, would taste so good when kissed.
Instinctively, his large hands removed her shirt and slid it freely over her enchanting body. Li Can, who was always so dominant in front of him, could only shrink under his strong body and shiver. Her fair, flawless skin was tinged with a light pink from the lingering passion.
The visual stimulation made Ji Lingyang unable to stop. He viciously branded her fragrant shoulders, beautiful back, and tender breasts with glaring red marks. This painful and itchy feeling almost made Li Can scream out loud.
‘Lingyang…’ she murmured, writhing her extremely sensitive body.
However, this cry was like a basin of ice water poured over Ji Lingyang’s head. He growled, and with all his willpower, he rolled off her, closed his eyes, frowned, and desperately endured the torment of lust.
He was such a fool and idiot! He should never have touched her. Now he was suffering, and he could only say that he had only himself to blame.
‘You…’ Li Can, who had slightly regained her senses from the passion, stared at him with dazed, watery eyes, not understanding.
‘You sleep.‘ After taking a few deep breaths, he ordered her gruffly.
’Why…‘
’Just go to sleep, don’t ask so many questions!’ He turned his back to her, refusing to look at the tempting body that invited sin.
Li Can seemed to understand what he was thinking and did not pursue the matter further. Dressed, she looked at his back in silence and stayed up all night.
When the sun shone into the bedroom, Li Can, who had tossed and turned, woke up before Ji Lingyang.
During the night, he had changed from sleeping with his back to her to sleeping on his back facing upwards. Before he woke up, she quietly sat up and gazed deeply at the face that had occupied her thoughts for eight years.
His injuries had almost healed, and the scars had not diminished his character, but rather added to his majesty. In his sleep, the deep furrow between his brows remained unfurled, and she thought that the reason for this trouble was definitely related to her.
Last night, it was clear that the two of them had already fired their guns, but he was still able to apply the brakes at the critical moment. Perhaps his disgust for her had reached the point of loathing.
She chose to approach him in this way, and she also decided to motivate him in this way, so no matter how bad his attitude is, she has no regrets, just…just regrets.
Regrets why he can’t fall in love with her.
The small face leaned close and gave his hideous scar a gentle kiss.
‘I love you,’ she said.
He did not respond. Still in his dream, he of course had no idea of the struggles in her heart. She had to use self-hypnosis again and again to gather the courage to face him in the next encounter.
She pressed her face against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. Only then could she pretend that he loved her, because he did not push her away. The emotions she had suppressed for so long could not help but leak out a little.
After a few minutes, Li Can got up, rubbed her face with her small hands, clenched her fists and whispered to herself, ‘Come on!’ She couldn’t lose confidence faster than he did. She had finally made it this far, and she must persevere!
The goal today was to abduct this man, who lived only at home and at work, and take him outside to breathe in some fresh air. Otherwise, if he continued to work day and night like this, the next time he ended up in a hospital ward, it would not be because of a relapse of his old illness from the car accident.
She got out of bed lightly and walked to the bathroom to wash up. She closed the door behind her, and the man in bed opened his eyes.
He looked at the bathroom door with a complex expression in his eyes. He stroked the left side of his face, where she had kissed him, and then reached up to his chest and wiped the shirt at his collar.
It was wet.
Had she finally reached her limit and so could not help showing her weakness? He had pushed her away so hard last night, which was definitely a serious humiliation for a woman. He should be extremely pleased about it, but why did it feel like something was stuck in his throat, making his chest feel extremely uncomfortable?
As he pondered, Li Can came out of the bathroom. He sat up with his hands supporting himself, expecting to see a face about to burst into tears, but instead he met her smiling face.
She was smiling? So the wet feeling between his fingers… was an illusion, wasn’t it?
The suffocating feeling in his chest suddenly and inexplicably dispersed.
‘You’ve been sleeping in too long! I just found out today that you can sleep so much. Just now, I was eating your豆腐 while you were sleeping and you didn’t even know.’
He knew, but Ji Lingyang remained silent, just looking at her as usual in a bad mood.
‘Quick, quick, quick, let me help you into the wheelchair, and you can freshen up quickly. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us!‘
Sitting in the wheelchair with her assistance, he asked lightly, “What’s the rush? Isn’t today a holiday?”
’It’s precisely because it’s a holiday that we have to be busy.’ She walked over to the wall and opened the window to let in the sunshine and breeze from outside. ’Look, the weather is so nice today, shall we go for a walk?’
‘I’m not interested.‘ He didn’t want to sit in a wheelchair and have people look at him like a monkey.
’Hey! You’re too much of a homebody! I used to be a beautiful girl who loved nature and the sunshine, but after I married into this family, you’ve never once taken me out to play! Don’t you think it’s cruel to let a beautiful flower wither at home?’ She lifted her chin arrogantly.
‘You can go by yourself.‘ He didn’t lock her up, so there was no need to sound so pathetic.
’No way! I must use my outgoing personality to convert you, a nerd. You either stay at home or at the office all day, aren’t you afraid that you’ll go mouldy from lack of sunlight? So I’m being kind to take you out, to disinfect you!’
Ji Lingyang didn’t say anything, and slowly pushed the wheelchair towards the bathroom. ‘Hey! You have to promise! Otherwise, I’ll just drug you and take you away…’ She rattled off a bunch of threats and enticements.
It wasn’t until she came out of the bathroom that Ji Lingyang raised an eyebrow and asked nonchalantly, ‘Aren’t we going out? We haven’t even changed our clothes yet, so you think you can go out just by talking?’
‘You mean…’ A surprised light shone in her eyes. “Great! I’ll go change right away, and after I’m done, I’ll help you change. You can’t be a scalper!”
So she excitedly went back into the bathroom with the clothes, while a flash of deep thought crossed his eyes, and his fingers subconsciously stroked the barely noticeable water stains on his chest.
‘Look, this place is pretty good, isn’t it? When I was in university, an older student once brought me here. After that day, I fell in love with this place!‘
The place she brought Ji Lingyang to was a forest trail in a nature park at the top of a mountain. Considering that he was still in a wheelchair, she chose trails that were almost all flat ground, so that she could easily push him along.
’Boyfriend?’ He narrowed his eyes, trying his best to ignore the small thorn in his heart.
‘No, he’s just a suitor. Back in college, I was considered the campus beauty queen, and I had more suitors than you can imagine.’ She suddenly stopped walking, took a blanket out of the bag she had placed on his feet, carefully covered his feet with it, and then put on her own jacket.
As they walked deeper into the forest, he just started to feel the coolness, and she immediately thoughtfully covered him with a blanket.
Ji Lingyang watched what she did, and a slight tickling feeling came from the bottom of his heart.
‘So there really are people with no sense of style?’ With a beautiful scene and a good time, he also let his guard down and teased her.
“Do you think everyone is like you? The men who chase me are lined up from Yehliu to Kenting! You are lucky to have married me, otherwise you will definitely regret not chasing me first.’ She took out the thermos from her bag again, poured a cup of hot drink for him, and then continued pushing him forward.
He took the cup and took a sip, and his whole body warmed up as a result. ‘Don’t forget that you didn’t marry me according to the “normal procedure”.’
‘Because I was an outsider, and I’m still stuck in the first place!’
‘Why do your words sound familiar?’ He seemed to have heard them somewhere before?
‘You remember?‘ She raised her eyebrows, a little nervous.
’It was on TV, wasn’t it? Those princesses are all delusional.‘ A bucket of cold water, pouring out her hopes mercilessly.
’You’re the one with the prince complex! I’m so beautiful and generous, of course I have a lot of suitors. It’s guys like you, with your ice-cold face and difficult personality, who can’t get a girlfriend!’ She pushed harder and faster, unconvinced.
Is she racing? He glanced at her indifferently. ‘Who says I can’t get a girlfriend?’
‘You have a girlfriend?’ She almost screamed. Over the past few years, all the information she had about him came from newspapers and magazines. Sometimes she would ask people in the same industry about him, whether on purpose or not. She even handled the business between Li Feng and Yi Yang. How come she had never seen or heard that he had a girlfriend?
‘I’m a normal man, is it strange to have a girlfriend?‘ Even if he is not the kind of popular lover like Qi Yixing, he has at least a few admirers. She looks just like she used to live in a temple.
’How many have you had?‘ She lowered her face.
’Several.‘ Seeing that she was not happy about this, he could not help but feel pleased.
’The one before I married you, how old were you?’
‘Hmmm…’ He frowned and thought hard for a moment. He rarely remembered anything about women. “Around twenty-eight or twenty-nine, I think?”
Thank goodness! She secretly let out a sigh of relief in her heart. After the age of thirty, he had no more relationships, and she was still stuck at number one, so it wasn’t a broken vow, and it was entirely his fault for being such a bad man with a bad memory!
‘Among your admirers, is there anyone who made a particularly deep impression on you?‘ she asked again, hoping to get a hint. Could it be that he really had no recollection of her at all? But it had only been eight years, and she still remembered the names of her junior high school classmates!
’Yes,‘ he answered without hesitation.
’Who?’ She was both looking forward to it and afraid of being hurt.
Looking back up at her expression, he suddenly felt a little amused, and the malicious factor under the cold mask sneaked out a little.
“She was quite cute, with long black hair, big eyes as bright as jewels, not very tall but full of spirit. And she was quite eloquent and clever…’
The more he listened, the more Li Can’s heart sank. His description did not resemble her at all, let alone the past her. The long, black hair alone completely dashed her hopes.
‘…She is currently the woman I love most…’ Seeing that her whole face had turned black, in the end, Ji Lingyang wickedly held out a palm, ‘My cousin’s daughter, five years old.’
‘Hey…you’re being really mean!’ She pounded his thick shoulder in protest.
Ji Lingyang’s mouth curled up a little, and he felt that just messing around with her like this seemed to have relieved a lot of the accumulated pressure these days. Perhaps if she didn’t think about all her past actions, she would be a good person to chat with.
Because he was no longer so sharp, the two of them had a pleasant morning as they walked and talked, avoiding touchy subjects. After walking around the forest trail for a while, they returned to the starting point and had a leisurely lunch before deciding to leave.
Back at the parking lot, Lao Wang’s car was already waiting. At this time, Ji Lingyang’s phone suddenly rang, breaking the peaceful atmosphere.
‘Ji Lingyang.‘ He announced his name.
’Dude, I’ve been looking for you for a long time.’ It was Qi Yixing, and his voice sounded a little helpless. “Which mountain did you go to hide in and practice?”
Although it was a joke, he didn’t expect to be right. “You said I was in the mountains, don’t you know that you can’t get a signal in the mountains?”
Although Ji Lingyang couldn’t see it, Qi Yixing still rolled his eyes. ‘Okay, Master Ji, do you know that your company is about to be taken over?‘
’What’s going on?‘ Putting away the potato chips, Ji Lingyang’s expression immediately became solemn, and even Li Can, who was by his side, sensed that something was wrong.
’The representative of the Feike Group wants to hold an extraordinary shareholders‘ meeting to re-elect the directors. What do you think of this motion?’
“On what basis do they have this right? Since I’ve been back, the stock price has stabilized quite a bit, and I haven’t seen them make any big moves.’ Ji Lingyang frowned.
“They used the names of several domestic companies to acquire our shares in a decentralised manner, and then swallowed those companies again. In addition, the news of your serious injury caused the stock price to plummet. Several major shareholders were afraid and sold their shares to them. Now their stake has probably exceeded 30%, and they are still acquiring shares. As long as they entice or win over other shareholders, they will naturally be able to reshuffle the board of directors!’
It is true that money talks. Compared to the arrogant American consortium, these two young people who started from scratch lack the most important thing: money.
When they first wanted to expand the scale of Yiyang, they gathered domestic investors from all over the place. Given that the funds were still insufficient, and considering various reasons such as the expansion of international marketing, they accepted the investment from the Feike Group, but they also tried to keep their shareholding ratio as low as possible. Little did they expect that they would still be taken advantage of.
Thinking about the harsh reality, Ji Lingyang sneered, ‘How prepared are we for a fight?’
“We need to have at least more than 50% of the shares to be on the safe side. If we add our two shares together, plus our counter-takeover a while ago, we may have 40% or so. For the rest, we’ll have to rely on the support of the other shareholders.’
‘We should still have time to visit Director Chen tonight. I’ll go find you later, so wait for me.‘ He made a snap decision and then hung up the phone, letting Lao Wang help him into the car and sit down.
’What’s going on?‘ Li Can asked anxiously from outside the car.
’It’s nothing you need to worry about.’ He, as CEO, was to blame for the crisis facing the company, and it was his responsibility. She didn’t need to get involved.
‘Is it about the hostile takeover by the Fick Group?‘ After all, she also worked at Yiyang, and a large part of Li Feng’s financial support was used to deal with this matter, so she knew very well.
’That’s right. They want to call an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders and remove me and Yixing.’ Since she would have found out sooner or later, he might as well tell her first. ’Maybe after next week I’ll have nothing left, and you’ll regret marrying me now, right?’
There was a hint of mockery in his words, and he returned to the Ji Lingyang who was on full guard.
However, Li Can had long since stopped taking this level of mockery seriously. Even after he had been seriously injured in a car accident, she had insisted on staying by his side. Even if Yiyang fell today, she would not leave him.
‘Actually, I can help you.’ She ignored his sharp words and cut straight to the chase.
Unexpectedly, this sentence just stepped on Ji Lingyang’s landmine. In the beginning, he repeatedly rejected her approach and refused her goodwill because he felt that Li Feng Group’s financial support bought his dignity. Is she going to repeat the same trick today?
‘You want to bribe me again?’ His attitude changed drastically, and he stared at her disdainfully.
“No…’
‘Why not? Isn’t this your trump card? You think that if you shower someone with money, you can settle everything and that other people will obediently do what you want, even choosing who to marry. ‘Ji Lingyang’s face turned frosty, and the peace she had just felt vanished in an instant.
’Don’t act on impulse, I really can help you,’ she frowned, trying to communicate with him properly.
‘You say I’m acting on impulse? Now I can’t even refuse to accept other people’s charity?’ His temper flared, and since this was his biggest weakness, he vented all his dissatisfaction on her recklessly.
Li Can interrupted him sternly. She had never been so serious in front of Ji Lingyang. ’That’s not charity. What you’re doing is insulting me, and you’re insulting yourself.’
‘Insult? You know that word too?’ At this moment, he completely forgot about the previous rapport between the two of them, and was willing to hurt her to protect his pride. ’You want to buy a man, I’m not going to play along anymore, okay? I’m telling you, even if Yiyang is acquired by the Feike Group, I won’t take a single dime from the Lifeng Group, do you hear me?’
‘I just want to help you purely, it’s not as bad as you say, and I won’t use Li Feng’s funds to intervene in this matter again.’ Her eyes gradually reddened, but the mist was forced back by her.
However, the rejection and disgust in his dark eyes, and the words that regarded her as a shameless woman, made her hidden sorrow about to break out. She could only hold her head high, not letting him discover her vulnerability.
‘I don’t want to hear any more of your nonsense. If you understand what I’m saying, get in the car quickly, I don’t have much time to waste here with you.‘ His tone was extremely bad.
’I’m not…‘ She took a breath, “…not in the mood to be with you right now.”
’Are you looking for trouble?’ He was in a hurry to meet Yi Xing and go find Director Chen, what was she doing here? ’Get in the car quickly.’
‘Unless you apologise to me and retract the hurtful things you said earlier.’ No matter how much she loved him, she still insisted on maintaining her own little bit of backbone, because even if she survived this time, the hurt would already be deeply etched in her heart.
Ji Lingyang just snorted and slammed the car door shut. ’If you think you can threaten me, you’re dead wrong! Lao Wang, drive!’
‘Mr Ji…‘ Even Lao Wang couldn’t bear to watch anymore.
’Drive!’ He slammed the window shut, cutting off the space between the inside and outside of the car. Somehow he convinced Lao Wang, and the car sped off.
Li Can, finally unable to hold back any longer, let his weakness soak up the pain in his heart.
Chapter 6
It was 10 o’clock in the evening when Lingyang Ji finished his meeting with Director Chen.
The whole process had gone exceptionally smoothly. Perhaps it was also because of his usual good management that Director Chen was willing to fully support him. But even so, he still needed to seek support from the other shareholders. However, the anger he had felt in the afternoon had subsided a lot.
It wasn’t until he was sitting in the car, looking at the bustling night scene, that he had time to think about Li Can, whom he had left behind on the mountain.
It’s so late now, she should have already gone home, right?
He knew that what he said today was a bit excessive, but that was because she had hit the nail on the head about his biggest taboo. Coupled with the fact that he was already very upset by the content of Yixing’s phone call, she innocently became the victim of his anger.
This time, he really felt guilty.
He thought about the happy outing this morning, which she had planned entirely by herself. She pushed him along for kilometres on forest trails, hoping to help him relax; she prepared a blanket and hot tea before he could say anything, for fear he might get cold; and she packed his lunch with all his favourite things, for fear he might get hungry.
She really…really cared about him! No matter how hard-hearted someone is, they will be moved by her unyielding perseverance.
Today was the first time she had directly expressed her negative emotions in front of him, and it had made him feel uneasy all night. Even Yixing could see how he felt.
Forget it, there’s no point in thinking about it anymore. Maybe when we get home later, she’ll have already returned to her usual mischievous, headstrong, and somewhat spoiled self.
The car pulled into the Ji residence. Ji Lingyang, with the assistance of Lao Wang, got into the wheelchair. He could hardly wait to go inside, but all he saw was his mother sitting in the living room with a puzzled expression.
‘Huh? Why are you the only one back? Where’s Xiaocan?’
‘She’s not back yet?’ Ji Lingyang drew in a breath, and a cold feeling ran down his spine and up to the top of his head.
He then thought, if that stupid woman had been foolishly standing on the mountain, not to mention whether she would encounter any unscrupulous elements, could she withstand the low temperature at night on the mountain?
‘What do you mean?’ Ji’s mother felt strange at the moment when she saw her son’s ashen expression. ‘Why isn’t Xiaocan with you?’
‘We got separated along the way because I had something to take care of.’ He suppressed his nervousness and gave his mother a brief explanation, but couldn’t help but turn back to look for her. “I think she got held up. Lao Wang should still be here, I’ll go get her.”
The wheelchair turned around, and he hurriedly opened the door again, but before the wheels even turned out, he was shocked to see the little woman who had made him worry so much standing outside with an innocent expression.
‘Where the hell have you been?‘ he yelled, losing his cool.
’Haven’t you shouted enough this afternoon? If you don’t go deaf, my ears will ache.’ She had been building up the courage to talk to him for a long time, and now she was finally able to control her emotions and speak to him. But she felt terrible when she saw his furious face as soon as she entered the door.
‘What’s wrong with you? Why did you come back so late?‘ He grabbed her wrist and pulled her in, closing the door behind them.
’Rude! How dare you ask after leaving me on the mountain?‘ She pouted, shaking his hand off her wrist and walking over to the TV cabinet to put away the DVD she had just rented.
’Don’t you know people will worry?’ He wheeled himself over to her and asked.
‘Would you?‘ she asked in return.
’I… Mum has been waiting for you all night!’ He avoided the main point, but as soon as he turned around, he saw that his mother was no longer on the sofa. He had to hide his embarrassment with a stern expression. ’Where have you been so late?’
‘Because I was deeply traumatised, I rented some comedy DVDs to make myself laugh until I had a stomach ache. Is that a satisfactory report?‘ She felt a little helpless, as these days the perpetrators are often more vicious than the victims.
’What took you so long to rent a few DVDs?’ His heart, which had been hanging high, finally dropped, but so did his displeasure.
‘I don’t want to see your ugly face! It will kill my appetite, so can’t I just take a taxi and go have a big meal by myself?‘ She gave him a fake smile and leaned in close, “It’s rare for you to care about me so much, is it because you feel guilty?”
’You…’ He was a little embarrassed by what she said, “I’d be damned if I cared about you!”
So Ji Lingyang angrily returned to his room.
‘Damn it! Damn woman!’ After entering the room, he angrily pounded the handlebars of the wheelchair, tightly closing his eyes as he tried to calm himself down.
He wanted to scold her severely, and he also wanted to hug her tightly. The sudden conflict in his heart made him panic, so this time he could only flee in defeat. He realised that it wasn’t because he felt guilty or ashamed, but that he really worried about her, and was really afraid that she would disappear from his life this evening.
Just the thought of her suffering an accident because of his temper tantrum made his soul tremble.
When did she become so important that he almost gave up his own convictions and accepted everything about her on instinct? Now, just one word from her could sway his will, and one movement could confuse his judgment. He didn’t want her to have the power to influence him, but he was still falling into it despite his constant resistance.
Her strategy of gradual erosion and gradual absorption has certainly worked. She should be very pleased, right? But he is definitely not in love with her, he just started to care about her. He definitely will not admit that he will like that woman, absolutely, absolutely will not admit it… His thoughts are in a mess at this point, and he suddenly feels self-loathing. Why is it that while he is suffering in his room, that woman is watching a comedy in the living room and laughing out loud?
Giving himself a good reason, he opened the door and prepared to go back to the living room and have a good fight with her. From his point of view, he really saw that the comedy on TV was reaching a climax, and she should be laughing her head off right now, shouldn’t she?
He slowly approached from her left rear, and just as he wanted to speak, he was speechless after seeing the expression on her face.
There were still a few steps between them, but he could see her tears—in front of a comedy movie. The protagonist on the TV screen was laughing hysterically as he made all kinds of funny actions, which instead looked like he was laughing at her.
She was crying silently and oppressively, and was afraid that the sound she made would disturb others. She held her fist in her mouth and clenched her teeth, her shoulders twitching not from laughter but from choking back sobs.
Ji Lingyang was silent, staring at her tearful eyes, which made his heart ache so much that he could hardly breathe.
Is this the truth about watching comedies? In the past, whenever he mocked her, she would rent a bunch of comedies to watch at home. He thought she really liked them and that they were a tool for her to cheer herself up, but now even that tool had failed. How sad must that be?
This time, he really hurt her deeply.
The wheelchair silently retreated into the room, leaving her alone to vent. He didn’t want to pierce her false strength, and even less did he want her tears to burn his heart.
Before the temporary shareholders’ meeting, Ji Lingyang and Qi Yixing spent all their energy visiting major shareholders to seek support, but some shareholders had already sold their shares to the Feike Group, and the rest might have received benefits and adopted an ambiguous attitude. In short, their actions were not going well.
Ji Lingyang’s car accident had indeed caused a major confidence crisis. Some shareholders actually felt that the financial strength of the Feike Group was a great guarantee for Yiyang at this time. The shareholders‘ meeting was tomorrow. However, they were still trapped in a city of worries.
’What about Chairman Li?‘ Ji Lingyang asked, rubbing his forehead as he sat in his office.
’He sold his shares a long time ago. Right now, we probably have a 50-50 chance against the Feike Group. The rest depends on God’s blessing,’ Qi Yixing sighed.
‘Forget it, worrying is useless. These days, nothing is more powerful than money. If we luckily get through this, then the Feike Group is likely to maliciously sell Yi Yang’s stocks again. We can take advantage of the low point to consolidate our holdings properly, so that this doesn’t happen again.’
‘What if we can’t get through this?’ Qi Yixing raised an eyebrow, not nervous, but interested.
‘It’s not a bad idea to be a director who sits on the payroll.‘ Ji Lingyang also looked at it in a relaxed manner.
’When the time comes, we’ll set up another Yiyang.”
It was already quite rare for two young people with no background to be able to fight against a domineering consortium spanning five continents. Faced with this crisis, the two of them have learned to be open-minded, and Qi Yixing is even in the mood to joke around.
Although it is a pity that eight years of hard work has gone up in smoke, if the two of them really just walk away from Yiyang Technology, they believe that it won’t be long before this dark horse of the information industry will become a black horse of the medical industry.
Unfortunately, some shareholders who are money-minded just can’t see that.
‘By then, the company should be called ‘Yangyi’ Technology, right? I don’t want to be behind you every time.’ Ji Lingyang also wanted to smile like him, but he couldn’t. The reason for this might not just be the Feike Group incident.
The image of Li Can in tears in his mind seemed to bother him even more.
‘Forget it, I’m going into battle tomorrow, there’s no point in talking about it now.’ He waved his hand, and Qi Yixing’s expression suddenly became puzzled. “Hey, why haven’t I seen your wife assistant this week?”
He knew everything about what his best friend had asked of Li Can at the company, and of course he would not reveal it in front of anyone else at the company. However, after seeing how good she was to Ji Lingyang, he gradually sympathised with her, and even wanted to help win over the couple.
It’s just that this stubborn friend of his, who is as stubborn as an ox, doesn’t know when she will come to her senses.
‘She’s just being a brat. Just ignore her,’ Ji Lingyang said nonchalantly.
Secretary Liu also came to ask him about this, and he simply said that she was on a long vacation.
Maybe she just couldn’t calm down this time and didn’t want to be in the same office as him? In the past, he would have taken this opportunity to get rid of her, but this time, since he was in the wrong and understood that his feelings for her were different, he silently allowed her to skip work every day.
Every time he closed his eyes, the image of her watching a comedy and suppressing her tears would come to mind. After that night, although she still helped him with all the chores at home, she never spoke to him again and always slept with her back to him.
This is a cold war, right? He then realised that he had previously thought that she had a bad sleeping habit and always had to cling to him like an octopus in order to sleep, but in fact it was her deliberate attempt to get close to him. Now he may have lost this attachment.
Qi Yixing watched his friend sitting in a city of worries and could not help but persuade him, ‘Ling Yang, I don’t think you are such a heartless person. If you really can’t fall in love with Li Can, at least be a little nicer to her. You should be able to tell that she is genuinely nice to you.’
‘I just…well, I just can’t accept that my marriage was bought by her with a huge sum of financial aid. As for my feelings towards her…I can’t put it into words.’ This matter has always been a thorn in his heart, and the reason he can’t accept Li Can. He can only talk about it freely in front of his best friend. If Li Can touches on his weak points even slightly, he will definitely lose his temper.
Now he understands that he cares, and because he cares about her, he doesn’t want to look small in front of her.
Qi Yixing shook his head and offered some advice, ‘After this storm passes, Yiyang can repay Li Feng that money in installments. If we win this battle, we can even let Li Feng take a stake in the company and replace the Fike Group. Then you can talk to her without any worries.’
‘I know,‘ he said, fidgeting and running his hand through his hair. He didn’t want to upset the delicate balance he had with Li Can.
There would come a time when the cold war would end, but he knew his own temper, and if he ever fell out with her, he didn’t want to think about what decision she would make.
’If you are willing to accept her, then maintain your marriage well. If you really can’t accept it, I think she is a woman who understands, and she won’t push you to the end.’
As he spoke, Qi Yixing let out a bitter smile. ‘Just think about my situation! Even with these scars on your face, and now even in a wheelchair, there is still a woman who loves you so much, but even if I get run over by a truck, I may not be able to win back my beloved wife. Ling Yang, you have to learn to cherish.’
The final battle finally began.
In the large conference room of Yiyang, several major shareholders were sitting around the table. Chris, the representative of the Feike Group, wore a smile on his face and seemed confident. Ji Lingyang and Qi Yixing, on the other hand, looked like they were taking things as they came.
The most conspicuous person in the conference room was none other than Li Can, who had disappeared for a week and then suddenly reappeared. She was a young woman sitting low-keyed in the corner, and it was almost only Ji Lingyang who noticed her.
She, after all, cared about him.
When he thought about it, it seemed that no crisis was important. His mood relaxed considerably, and he was more confident of winning the battle.
‘This extraordinary general meeting has been called today to discuss the proposal by the Feike Group to hold a board of directors election.’ Qi Yixing, the presiding officer, read out the proposal with reluctance. ‘Please let Mr Chris, the legal representative shareholder who proposed the motion, explain.’
Chris pushed his glasses up his nose and spoke in perfect Mandarin: ‘On behalf of the Feike Consortium, I would like to explain that the board of directors has automatically lost its qualifications due to the release of the shares of many directors, and therefore requests the convening of an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting to propose this agenda for the re-election of directors.”
Ji Qi and the other two just listened expressionlessly. After all, the real test was still to come.
After listening to his rambling speech for half a day and going through the legal procedures again, Chris finally got to the point without any preamble. ‘Chairman, can we start voting now?’
Qi Yixing nodded, so Chris sat down, looked at the two men proudly, and the meeting began voting for the new directors.
Finally facing the two of them, Chris of course would not let go of this opportunity. He said proudly, ‘The Feike Consortium has a 30% stake, plus the support of several other shareholders, and 13 seats on the board of directors. We estimate that we can get 7 to 8 seats. If the chairman of the board changes at that time, we can only say sorry to you first.’
‘Your confidence is commendable,’ Ji Lingyang sneered.
‘That’s fine. After all, we weren’t sure either, but thanks to Director Chen’s strong support, our chances of winning have increased considerably.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Lingyang and Qi Yixing’s faces changed, and they couldn’t help but look over towards Director Chen. They didn’t expect that guy to just play dumb and not even dare to look in that direction.
The first person they went to see on the day of the extraordinary shareholders’ meeting was Director Chen. At the time, he even promised with his chest out that he would definitely help them to the end. They never expected that he would now turncoat.
With things having come to this, Ji Lingyang and Qi Yixing exchanged glances, each prepared for the worst.
Chris laughed with satisfaction, ’We at Fike already have a new CEO candidate, someone who will come from the United States to take up the position in Taiwan. However, CEO Ji, the company will not treat you unfairly when it comes to severance pay…’
‘Wait a minute, Mr. Chris.’ Li Can, who had been quietly listening, came up to the three of them without warning and spoke up.
‘Do you have a question?‘ Chris was displeased to be interrupted.
’You American seem to have a poor grasp of arithmetic?’ She slowly took out a share certificate from her folder. ’I personally own 5% of the shares of Yiyang Group. Unfortunately, I support Executive Director Ji. If you include the shares held by myself, Chairman Qi and Executive Director Ji, the proportion will exceed 50%. Therefore, even if you have the help of Director Chen, you will never exceed 6 seats.’
Chris David was shocked and couldn’t react at once. He thought that the takeover, which he thought was within his grasp, had been dramatically overturned.
Qi Yixing and Ji Lingyang looked at Li Can with disbelief. The former slowly revealed a smile and gave her a thumbs-up; the latter, however, did not have the joy she should have had, and her expression gradually became solemn instead.
Li Can knew what Ji Lingyang was thinking, but she couldn’t care less. She knew that after today, everything would change, and the result of that change might be the price she paid for her own wilfulness.
‘I’m really sorry, I should go vote too,’ she continued, sweeping her watery eyes over everyone and taking a step to leave.
‘You…‘ Ji Lingyang frowned.
Unexpectedly, she didn’t even look at him, but instead patted Qi Yixing. “Chairman, could you please tell me who your people are? I’m afraid if I vote wrong, I’ll be killed by the CEO, who doesn’t have the best temperament.”
’Of course.’ Qi Yixing deliberately glanced at his friend, whose face was not looking good. This guy’s bullheadedness had really returned, and he had actually begun to make no distinction between friend and foe.
‘Li Can!‘ Before she could walk away, Ji Lingyang spoke in a bad tone again, “I want to talk to you.”
This time, Li Can interrupted him.
’I know you have a lot of complaints to vent, but please not now. I finally got to be cool for once, so please let my good mood last a little longer. After the shareholders’ meeting, I will take the initiative to find you.’
After the shareholders’ meeting, Ji Lingyang’s side won eight seats, while the Feike Group unexpectedly lost and only won five seats, losing face.
Seeing the few people who came to congratulate him after the meeting, some of whom even defected from the Feike Group, he learned after talking to them that Li Datong had secretly helped.
It was Li Can again…Ji Lingyang should be grateful to hear this news, but the anger in his heart overwhelmed everything.
This time, he had won face, but he had completely lost the inside. This victory seemed to highlight his uselessness, and he had to rely on a woman’s support behind the scenes to keep the company.
Back in the CEO’s office, he clenched his fists to suppress his anger. Fortunately, the person was still in a wheelchair, or he was afraid that he would get so angry that he would smash the office to pieces.
Li Can knocked on the door and came in. He was met with this expression of his, ready to reprimand him.
She walked expressionlessly to his desk, but her eyes were a little sad. ‘If you have something to say, just say it.’
Her angry eyes narrowed, with contempt and resentment. ‘You’re very pleased with yourself, aren’t you? Your Li Feng Group has once again successfully demonstrated your financial power, even defeating the large American conglomerate. I didn’t realise that you were really not afraid to spend money, and I really didn’t know that I was worth this much, that you, the young lady, would keep spending money to “redeem” me? There is a limit to how much you can insult someone!’
Li Can gave a faint smile, as if she no longer cared about his attacks.
‘Why can’t you simply think that I just want to help?‘ She didn’t understand why he always had to think the worst.
’Because you’re not the one being humiliated! I told you I don’t want any financial support from Li Feng Group!’ Ji Lingyang slammed the table hard.
If he had been determined to dislike her from the start, then he probably wouldn’t be so agitated today, but he knew the change in his state of mind, so the blow was doubly painful.
The word anger cannot fully describe his current feelings. Perhaps disappointment and regret are also involved, because he already had a place for her in his heart and had begun to consider getting along with her and trying to accept her. He never expected that in this crisis, she would repeat her old trick and trample on his pride.
Yiyang Technology has come this far because of his hard work, but she casually inserted herself into the situation, as if erasing his years of hard work, making him a man who relies on his wife and lives off her.
‘Don’t think that just because you’ve spent money, you’re a big shot. I don’t buy that! I, Ji Lingyang, originally had no background and no financial resources, but I still have this proud bone. I will pay back what I owe Li Feng, and when that time comes, don’t blame me for throwing money at you, and you’ll know how humiliating that is!’
‘Suit yourself,‘ she sighed. “I didn’t want to argue with you today. I knew that if I did, you would definitely confront me, but I didn’t realise that the pain would be so unbearable when it actually happened.”
She gently touched her chest, closed her eyes as if enduring something, and when she opened them again, tears were in her eyes.
’If I wanted to humiliate you, I could have done it every day we spent together, but I didn’t, didn’t I? Perhaps in your heart, I am already such a despicable person, and today I have come to terms with this fact even more, so even before I stepped into the shareholders‘ meeting, I had already prepared for the worst.’
‘What is the worst you can prepare for?’ Ji Lingyang frowned, finding that her mood sank as she listened to her words.
‘You will find out,’ she said bitterly. ‘But what I want to tell you first is that you don’t want to use a single penny from Li Feng Group, and I have also said that I will not use Li Feng’s funds.’
She took out her stock trading passbook and opened it for him to see. ‘I have subscribed to Yiyang’s stock since before it was listed. Think about it, over the years, all my pocket money and salary after I started working have been invested in it, so it is my personal asset, not Li Feng’s. Do you understand?’
‘How come you…’ So she had been paying attention to him for many years?
‘I’ve told you many times that I love you for many years, right? Obviously you never listened.’ In the mist of the water, she gave a sad smile. ’Why don’t you think about it from another perspective? I’m your wife, and it’s only natural for a wife to help her husband. Is that more acceptable to you?’
Ji Lingyang looked at her as she forced back her pain, and suddenly felt that he had been a bit too harsh. He had never believed in her good intentions, nor appreciated her efforts. Even now, at this point, in the face of his harsh words, she still hadn’t complained once.
His anger gradually subsided, and he began to reflect on himself. Had he gone too far? He had only just promised Yixing that he would talk to her, but now he was behaving like an enraged bear, lashing out indiscriminately.
Perhaps he could take a step back, but what needed to be done still had to be done.
‘If you really mean it, sell me the shares you have. But don’t worry, I’ll pay you more than the market price.’ He made this cruel request because he needed capital to deal with the Feike Group, and because he didn’t want to involve her in such complicated power struggles.
It was like slapping her in the face in front of her, treating her goodwill with contempt, and incidentally destroying the affection and love she had placed in these stocks for him over the past few years.
The tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally fell.
“No matter how hard I try, you will never be moved, will you? No matter what, you will never fall in love with me?’
The tears fell like an accusation of his heartlessness. ‘I have done everything I can, but you don’t appreciate it. If I can’t even keep this, then I have lost all the leverage I have to get your attention and even make you fall in love with me.’
‘I didn’t mean it like that.’ Her tears really burned his heart, but this time he had no room to escape. Sitting in a wheelchair, he didn’t even have the ability to wipe her tears away. ‘I just didn’t want you to get involved too much.’
‘Because you don’t want me to interfere in your affairs at all, and you don’t want to get too involved with me, right? But that doesn’t matter anymore.’ She sniffed and wiped away the water marks on her face. “You have overcome your difficulties, and it’s time for me to retire. Perhaps my last gift to you will be just as you wish.”
After saying this, she no longer looked at him and turned away, leaving the immobile Ji Lingyang unable to catch up.
What did she mean by ‘the last’? Her words sounded desperate, and they immediately dissipated his arrogance.
He then remembered that this was the first time she had actually shed tears in front of him, and he couldn’t even recall her smile from before.
Chapter 7
Ji Lingyang returned home near midnight.
As soon as he entered the house, the living room was empty, so he assumed his parents had already gone to bed. Without thinking, he moved his wheelchair into the room, but the little woman he thought should be in the room was nowhere to be seen.
The wheelchair turned away again, and he went to the kitchen, living room, study, and even the bathroom, but he didn’t see the person he wanted to see.
He suppressed his unease and thought that today’s encounter had ended on a sour note, and perhaps she had gone to rent a bunch of comedy DVDs again.
This time, he wanted to watch them with her.
He slowly went to the living room and waited for her to return. Without Li Can around to nag him, it seemed that even the air was much thinner. He turned on the TV to let some sound come from the surroundings, trying to dull his restless feelings.
How many nights had she also tasted heartache that was ten times more bitter than the present, watching so-called comedies that could make people happy? As far as he could remember, whenever he had angrily scolded her, she would hold these ‘healing balms’ and watch them secretly when he wasn’t looking.
If it hadn’t been for the night he discovered her tears, he would still not have known that the outwardly strong her was actually so weak and impressionable inside.
On second thought, he understood. It wasn’t that she couldn’t feel sad, but for his sake, she had time and again pushed back the limits of her tolerance, putting up with his rude remarks and bad temper.
As a result of their conversation today, he was finally willing to face his true feelings. Putting aside the two of them and their problems, Li Can was originally a woman who could easily win people over. She was both talented and beautiful, generous and talkative. If she were the princess of the Li Feng Group, then he would definitely be the ugly bell tower monster.
But in the end, the princess chose him, and he gradually fell in love with the princess.
When she returns, he will definitely control his temper and give their love a chance. Qi Yixing was right, she was rare. Looking around, there was no other woman who could love him as much as she did and go to great lengths to capture his heart.
In fact, he himself had long been smitten, hadn’t he? Ji Lingyang asked himself, otherwise he would not have once lost control and almost possessed her.
The ecstatic feeling of kissing her still deeply shook him. If not for his stubbornness, they would have been a happy and compatible couple.
Yes, after tonight, he would start a different married life!
After twelve o’clock, after one o’clock… Ji Lingyang began to feel something was wrong, and his unease slowly grew. Resolutely, he turned off the TV and picked up the phone on the coffee table, ready to call the woman who wasn’t coming home in the middle of the night… Damn it! What’s her mobile number?
Unhappy, he hung up the phone, only to realise that he never remembered her number because she was always there when he needed her, whether at home or at the office.
It seemed that he really had neglected her too much, and it was rare for her to be able to put up with it until today… Could she really put up with it? Then why hadn’t she come back yet?
An inexplicable fear quickly engulfed him, making his hands and feet cold and his body stiff. He hurriedly wheeled the wheelchair into the room and searched with his eyes. All the skincare products she had left on the dressing table were gone.
Opening the cupboard – half of it was empty – he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
Wow! The wardrobe is so spacious, I should have brought more clothes.
He remembered what she had said on the first day they moved in together. In fact, she had been too busy to buy any new clothes, but had instead bought him a lot more clothes for his convenience and comfort.
Her thoughts had been focused entirely on him, so why had he been so blind at the time?
Turning to the bedside table, he bent down slightly with difficulty and opened the drawer that belonged to her. It was still empty.
I’ve moved your things to the top drawer, so you can get them more easily in the future, and I can use the bottom drawer.
His words still ringing in her ears, she realised that he had only just now noticed her intentions, because the simple act of bending over had taken a lot of effort. Normally, he didn’t notice because she had arranged his things at the right height so that he could get what he needed easily.
A wry smile of sadness appeared on her face, and she accidentally glanced at the bed sheets, letting out a long sigh.
The mattress on this bed is too soft, which is not good for your spine. I’ll replace it sometime. What do you think?
As it turned out, she not only replaced the mattress, but also the bed sheets, and even now even his rejection of her heart, along with it, was replaced.
But the irony is that she never got to know.
Finally, he reluctantly faced the fact that she had left, leaving nothing behind.
His disappointed eyes glanced at a large envelope on the table, which should be what she left behind. A glimmer of hope arose in him, and he hurriedly slid over to it and pulled out the documents inside.
Seeing what he held in his hands, his heart sank.
It was a share transfer document and a divorce agreement.
Playing with the courage necklace in his hands, Li Can regretted having to take it back in this way.
When she decided to use the shares in her hands to help Ji Lingyang, she had already made up her mind to leave him.
Therefore, during that period of cold war, she packed up her things little by little every day and moved them back to Li’s house. The man who didn’t care about her at all of course didn’t notice anything missing in the house at all. In the end, he really didn’t let her down, and used cruel words to end her delusions of love.
On the day of their separation, which was also the day of the shareholders’ meeting, she only had a small suitcase left. While packing, she accidentally let slip a necklace that had fallen between a cupboard and a drawer. She reached in and took it out, and the sadness in her heart deepened.
It was the courage necklace she had given him, and it had been carelessly discarded, the silver even blackened.
If she still had the slightest hope that he would remember her, at that moment she was completely desperate.
Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking came from the door. She put down the necklace, quickly blinked away the moisture in her eyes, and forced a smile.
‘Come in.’ The family was very considerate and didn’t press her about her return, so she couldn’t let them worry.
The one who came in was Li Lan. After returning to the country, he took over Li Can’s position. He had a calmness that was out of keeping with his young and handsome appearance.
Sometimes Li Can would think that his parents had made a mistake and that Li Lan should actually be his older brother.
‘What’s the matter?‘ she asked, tilting her head and looking at him in silence.
Li Lan looked at her intently for a long time before coming up to her and rubbing her head. “You look ugly like this.”
’How dare you call me, the universe’s super-awesome, invincible, beautiful woman, ugly?‘ She puffed up her cheeks and gave him a slap.
’You’re getting worse and worse at judging people.’
Without commenting, he hid from her and suddenly asked, ‘Do you know why Dad named me Li Lan in the first place?’
‘Why?’ She leaned over curiously, ‘Did you ask Dad?’
‘Yes, I asked him why he gave me a girl’s name.’ When he was young, because of this name, he was often mistaken for a girl because of his delicate appearance; when he grew up, because of this name, he got into many fights with men who didn’t have eyes in their heads.
‘Dad said that when he named you Li Can, he hoped that you would live a bright life, so after I was born, it was only natural that I should be called Li Lan. But he was lectured by Mum, with tears in her eyes, and had to settle for calling me Li Lan instead.‘
’I didn’t know there was such an anecdote?’ Fortunately, she was born earlier, and she began to feel sympathy for her younger brother.
‘So obviously, Dad loves you more, and even I am a subordinate of yours, so you should do your best to meet Dad’s expectations.‘ He was hinting at something.
’Yes! I grew up with good grades and good character, and I’ve grown into a beautiful woman, isn’t that enough?”
In fact, she also feels that her father is quite partial, and has high expectations of her younger brother, while doting on her.
Li Lan looked at her chin raised high and shook her head slightly. ‘Dad wants you to smile brightly, not reluctantly. Do you understand?’
Because of these words, Li Can’s long-held smile collapsed, and her nose became sour. ‘Is it that obvious?’
‘Very obvious.’ He lightly tapped her eyelids, which were still red.
She held her breath, suppressed the sorrowful emotions that were about to overwhelm her, and smiled bitterly, ‘Lan Li, have I become stupid? I can’t even handle a man?’
‘It’s that man who doesn’t know how to cherish,’ he sighed deeply. ‘But for the two of us in the Li family, it’s actually better that you’re back, so that we don’t have to worry about you being bullied at the Ji family all the time.’
She said with a dejected voice, ‘I’m really stupid! The heroines in TV dramas or novels can still trick the hero into fathering a child with them as a memento, but I’ve really been stupid this time, and I’ve got nothing.’
Yes, he dislikes her and never touches her, so how could there be a child?
‘That’s even better. I’ll introduce you to other good men, who will definitely be many times better than Ji Lingyang.’
“What if other men don’t want me either?’
On hearing this, Li Lan almost hated Ji Lingyang for making her optimistic sister lose confidence.
‘When did you become so self-deprecating? You just said you were a beautiful woman!’ He didn’t want to see her fake smile anymore, so he simply tore off her mask. ‘This time you have no reason to suddenly move back. Dad doesn’t ask you because he is considerate of your sadness, but seeing you being strong makes him feel even worse.
If you continue to feel sorry for yourself, you will let Dad down and you will let me down.”
He put his arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. “You can lean on the shoulders of the universe’s super cool, invincible, handsome guy for a little while. Just this once, no exceptions.”
With the support of her family, the tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally burst out, soaking his shoulder. ‘You know, because I chose that path myself, I’ve always told myself that no matter what situation I encounter, I have to face it with a smile. The result of holding on to that smile is that I don’t even have the energy to cry… I don’t think I know how to cry out loud anymore.‘
’I can allow you to use high decibel volume.’ He patted her back comfortingly, “Cry.”
This sentence seemed to activate some switch, and Li Can silently buried her face in her brother’s shoulder, letting the tears flow freely. Just as she had said, she cried in a very subtle and suppressed manner.
A scene after another of her time with Ji Lingyang flashed through her mind, including him being angry, helpless, and even smiling without any energy. These would all be buried deep in her heart from now on. As soon as she thought of this, the silent tears turned into low sobs. The last thing to flash through her memory was the scene of her shaking her hand as she signed the marriage agreement.
‘Oww… I’ll never be that stupid again… oww…”
All the grievances were cried out. At this moment, she finally remembered how to cry out loud.
It was the start of a new day. Ji Lingyang frowned and opened her sore eyes. She raised her head, rubbed her sore neck, waved her numb hands, and then realised that she had fallen asleep on the dressing table at some point.
‘Li Can, push me to the bathroom…’ The hoarse voice stopped abruptly halfway through, and he rubbed his temples in annoyance to calm the throbbing headache.
The woman had long since left him, so who else was he going to call?
Moving to the bathroom, he washed himself casually. Sitting in a wheelchair, he couldn’t get close to the mirror, and he wasn’t sure if he had shaved cleanly. He touched his chin and felt the vague stubble, suddenly remembering the gentle hands that helped him shave every morning.
Looking at the indifferent man in the mirror, he noticed several scars on his left face. He raised the corner of his lips in scorn.
‘You’re so fucking ugly, why would anyone love you?‘
He angrily threw the razor away and went to the cupboard to change into the suit he would wear to work. Putting on the shirt was easy, but it took him 20 minutes just to get his pants on properly while in his wheelchair.
’Li Can, my tie…’ The extended hand suddenly stopped in mid-air.
Damn it! Damn woman! Even after she had left, she still lingered in his consciousness.
Of course, what really made him angry was his own uselessness. He had such a hard time even putting on a pair of pants, and he couldn’t even keep a woman!
A feeling of remorse and anger welled up in him. He angrily pulled down a tie, regardless of whether the colour matched, and casually tied it before leaving the room to go to work.
When he arrived in the living room, his parents were already sitting on the sofa, waiting with a heavy expression. Perhaps they already knew what had happened.
Therefore, Ji Lingyang didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly: ‘Dad, Mom, did you see Li Can last night?’
‘You drove her away yourself, and you’re still asking us?’ Ji’s father could only sigh.
‘I didn’t drive her away.’ Who started this rumor? Her?
‘Xiao Can said goodbye to us yesterday with her luggage in hand. She didn’t say a word against you, so you don’t have to look like that.’ Ji’s mother also regretted losing such a good daughter-in-law. “Just looking at her puffy eyes, she was still forcing a smile in front of us. I knew it was because you did something to make her sad again. Is that any different from directly driving her away?”
She cried? Ji Lingyang’s eyebrows tightened, and the gloom in his eyes deepened.
After suffering so much, it is only right that she cries. He just didn’t expect that even at this point, she is still protecting his face and not mentioning a word about his excessive behaviour.
What a silly woman, even he feels heartbroken for her.
“Alas, perhaps this is a good outcome. You have never been able to accept Xiao Can, and at least now that she is gone, she no longer has to put up with your temper, and you will no longer be forced to accept this marriage.’
The Ji couple looked at each other and thought, without realising it, whether they had made a mistake by taking the decision to approve the marriage for their son.
‘No…’ It wasn’t like that! He wanted to refute this out loud, but had he not behaved just as his parents had said, like an extremely reluctant husband?
If he admitted now that he had feelings for Li Can, who would believe him?
“Forget it. Dad, Mum, I’m going to work now.’ He didn’t want to see his parents‘ expressions of regret and self-blame any longer, and couldn’t stand the tension in the air. He wheeled himself out the door.
When he arrived at the car, Lao Wang had already been waiting there for a long time.
After helping him sit in the back seat, Lao Wang suddenly said, “Boss, you have to go to the hospital for rehabilitation today. I’ll pick you up in front of the company at 3:00 p.m.”
’How did you know?’ Ji Lingyang, who had been trying to rest his eyes, suddenly brightened up. ’Did your wife tell you?’
‘Your wife gave me your rehabilitation schedule yesterday and asked me to remind you on time in the future, so you don’t have to ask her again.’ Lao Wang didn’t know what happened between the couple, so he honestly described the situation.
So she doesn’t still care about him, but she handed the matter over to Lao Wang and she won’t care about it anymore in the future. Ji Lingyang closed his eyes again, concealing the regret in his eyes. “I know, just drive.”
A low pressure fell in the CEO’s office of Yiyang Technology.
It all started with the strange man sitting inside. He didn’t yell at his subordinates endlessly, nor did he nitpick their work. He just kept a stern face, with piercing eyes that made everyone tremble with fear. They dared not make the slightest mistake with the things he had assigned them to do.
The unluckiest person is probably Liu Jingjing. Assistant Li Can inexplicably hasn’t been coming to work for a while, which has made her workload increase a lot all of a sudden. Now she has to survive under the gloomy face of her boss. She can only scream in her heart, ‘Money is really hard to make!’
If this continues, she will have internal bleeding even if she doesn’t have an ulcer. Finally, she mustered her courage and knocked on the door to come before her boss.
‘What is it?‘ Ji Lingyang’s cold face looked like the judge holding the book of life and death.
Liu Jingjing was sweating. “Chief Executive Officer, when will Li Can return to work?”
’Why, can’t you do her job?’ He had always thought that the secretary was just passing on trivial matters to Li Can, so now that she wasn’t there, Liu Jingjing’s work was just back to normal.
‘No,’ she answered firmly. ’Because of Assistant Li’s abilities, documents from many departments are sent to her first, and she is asked to check and sort them before submitting them to the CEO. Doesn’t the CEO feel that since she has arrived, there have been no mistakes in the documents from various departments, and the numbers and formats are much clearer?’
Upon hearing her words, Ji Lingyang realised that ever since Li Can had arrived, he had been reading documents much faster. And when she wasn’t around, not only was his desk piled high with documents, but he didn’t even have a glass of water when he was thirsty. So it was her who had done so much again… ‘In fact, in addition to the tasks I have assigned her, Assistant Li will also take the initiative to support other tasks. That’s why when she’s not around, people from all departments are anxious to find her. On behalf of everyone, I’d like to ask…’
‘She won’t be coming back,’ Ji Lingyang interjected a little abruptly. ’Just think of it as if she has already left.’
‘Why?’ Hearing that the person would not be coming, Liu Jingjing’s immediate instinct was that Li Can might have offended her boss, and she quickly interceded on her behalf, ’May I ask if she has done anything wrong? CEO, you must forgive her, because she is really very capable and meticulous and responsible in her work. She even carefully calculates the calories in the meals you eat every day, and she doesn’t let anyone else make coffee that might affect you. In fact, we all feel that you are being too harsh on her…’
‘Stop!‘ He realised that the secretary he usually relied on was actually so noisy. “It’s not that I don’t forgive her, it’s that she doesn’t forgive me.”
’Huh?‘ Liu Jingjing was dumbfounded and couldn’t understand what he meant at all.
’I know everyone is guessing about Li Can’s identity.‘ At this moment, he had the idea to go all out.
’In fact, she is my wife. If you think back and see how I usually treat her, you’ll know why she doesn’t forgive me.’
Liu Jingjing was shocked by the news and remained stunned for at least 30 seconds before she came back to her senses. However, this time, she no longer looked at her boss with awe, but with a slight sense of condemnation.
‘I understand.’ No matter how much she felt sorry for Li Can, she would not be stupid enough to go against her boss, so she decided to retreat and go out to spread the gossip. ‘I’ll leave first, CEO.’
It wasn’t until the secretary had left that Ji Lingyang lightly drew a bitter smile. He admitted that he had done it on purpose, letting everyone know that Li Can belonged to him. Although the announcement came late, at least the whispers of the crowd would constantly remind him that Li Can was his wife, so that he would forget the divorce agreement signed by her.
He used to threaten her to keep it a secret forever, but now he wanted everyone to know. How much of this was out of pique, he couldn’t say.
Knock, knock! Before he could answer the door, Qi Yixing had already let himself in.
‘I’m in,’ he said, tossing his friend a lunchbox before striding across the room and sitting down opposite him.
‘Hm?’ Ji Lingyang frowned suspiciously, gesturing with his chin towards the lunchbox on the table.
‘Li Can didn’t come, so no one must have prepared a lunch for you, right?’ Look how kind he was, even bringing him supplies.
Touching his stomach subconsciously, Ji Lingyang realised that he was really hungry. In the past, Li Can took care of all three meals, and he only needed to be responsible for eating. When was he ever hungry?
Opening the lunchbox contributed by his best friend, he smelled the greasy smell. He resisted the urge to frown, and then put the lunchbox back on top. ‘I’ll eat it later.’
“Don’t pretend. I know it’s definitely not as delicious as what Li Can prepares, but you should eat at least a little.’
Qi Yixing changed the subject back to the big news he had just heard. ‘Hey, I heard that you renamed your wife?’
‘I didn’t expect Secretary Liu to be so efficient at spreading gossip.’ How long had it been? Ten minutes?
‘That’s not the point,’ Qi Yixing went straight to the point. ‘What did you talk about at the shareholders’ meeting?
I saw her leave sad, and today I heard from Secretary Liu that Li Can will never come again. Could it be…’
‘She left,‘ Ji Lingyang said, roughly running a hand through his hair. “And then she gave me her shares…”
’She really understands your needs!‘ Qi Yixing felt that Li Can was truly a strange woman!
’…and she signed the divorce papers.”
Seeing how calm he sounded, Qi Yixing was at a loss for words. Slowly, he put on a joking expression. ’What happened between you?’
With a large hand, he touched his forehead and Ji Lingyang briefly repeated the conversation the two had had on the day of the shareholders‘ meeting. He never hid anything from his best friend.
’You really are an asshole,’ Qi Yixing commented after listening. “Are you going to go find her?”
After a moment of thought, Ji Lingyang let out a breath. ’Maybe she’ll come back if she thinks about it.’
He hadn’t yet figured out how to lower his pride, so he was still holding out hope.
‘If you keep deceiving yourself like this, be careful you don’t really lose your wife.’ Qi Yixing, who had spent time with Li Can, knew that if she hadn’t been desperate, she wouldn’t have given up so easily.
Ji Lingyang was about to argue back when Liu Jingjing’s voice suddenly came over the intercom.
‘CEO! Assistant Li… no, it’s your wife calling. She says she wants to hand over the work. I told her I was looking for some information and asked her to hold on the line. Do you want to speak to her? I’m afraid she’ll hang up soon.‘
’Put her through,‘ he said, his tone slightly hurried. As soon as the phone rang, before the first sound had finished, he quickly picked up the receiver.
’Li Can!’
There was silence on the other end of the line. He wasn’t sure if she was shocked by his words or if she just didn’t want to talk to him.
‘How could you just leave without signing the divorce papers? That’s so irresponsible! You need to come back here right now. Mom and Dad know you’ve left and they’ve been so upset all day. And let me tell you, if you keep disappearing like this, I’m not going to go to rehab anymore…’
Before he could finish, he heard her let out a long sigh and then hang up.
Ji Lingyang stared at the phone in disbelief. How dare that woman hang up on him?
‘That… I mean, man…’ Qi Yixing really couldn’t stand it anymore. ‘You’re the one who did wrong today, and you have such a bad attitude. I would hang up on you too!’
Ji Lingyang angrily put down the phone. ‘What else was I supposed to say? I can’t grovel.’
‘No one is asking you to be a coward, but at least show some sincerity?”
So, that evening, he returned home with a gloomy face. The Ji couple, who had been waiting in the living room, were disappointed to see that their son had returned home alone. However, they could not bear to scold their son again, so they went back to their room silently to avoid getting angry.
Ji Lingyang, who was both mentally and physically exhausted, couldn’t even bother to have dinner. He went into his room, threw his suit jacket on the floor casually, and threw himself on the big bed.
This was the first time he had been so angry, angry with himself for missing her so much, angry with himself for not telling her about his change of heart sooner, and even more angry with himself for not being able to keep her.
Did he really behave so badly? Otherwise, why didn’t she even want to say a word to him?
The big bed beneath him was the one he slept in before the wedding, but tonight it felt especially big, and the bone-chilling loneliness almost made him shiver. There was also the dark light, as if it were swallowing up all the sounds, and the night was so quiet that it felt oppressively heavy.
She messed everything up and then walked away with style, but she left him unable to bear the emptiness of being alone anymore.
In fact, he wasn’t just moved, was he? Was it because he had already fallen in love with her long ago that her image kept invading his mind over and over again, preventing him from doing anything all day long, and making him think of her, think of her, think of her! Damn him, damn her! Everything was wrong. Should he love her or hate her?
Shaking his head vigorously, Ji Lingyang angrily got up, thinking about going to the bathroom to wash his face and wash away his annoyance.
When he moved to get into the wheelchair, he accidentally lost his grip and fell onto the floor. The pain spread throughout his body immediately.
Even though the pain was so intense that he wanted to curl up, he felt a sense of relief. Why didn’t he fall harder and pass out, so that he wouldn’t have to face everything after she left?
Lying flat on the ground, he didn’t even have the strength to get up. If she were here, she would never let this happen to him.
Helplessly looking at the ceiling, he knew that he was very sad.
‘Ling Yang? What’s wrong with you? Mum and Dad are coming in.’ Hearing the loud noise coming from their son’s room, the very worried Ji couple hurriedly came to check. As soon as they opened the door, they saw the wheelchair leaning to one side, and their son collapsed on the ground, looking in considerable pain.
‘How could you fall?’ The couple came to his side and tried to help him up, but he stopped them.
‘Don’t help me,‘ he gently pushed away his parents’ hands, ‘I want to get up on my own.’
If he didn’t try to do it himself, who else would help him? Could he expect her to help him again? Having rejected his parents’ good intentions, he grabbed the edge of the bed with one hand, held the wheelchair handle with the other, and exerted all his strength, trying desperately to put himself in the chair. However, he misjudged the balance of the wheelchair, and just as he got up halfway, the wheelchair overturned and he fell again, bruised and battered.
‘Lingyang…’ The Ji couple could no longer bear to watch, and Ji’s mother even began to cry softly. Watching their son try again and again, only to fall again and again, they knew only too well that he was punishing himself.
After he fell for the third time, Ji’s father ignored his protests and helped him into the wheelchair, shouting in a rare display of severity, ’Look at your mother! Do you know what you’re doing?’
When he met his tearful mother, this scene almost choked Ji Lingyang and made him suffocate.
His stiff expression suddenly became confused, like a traveller who had lost his goal. He didn’t know what else he could do for this out-of-control situation.
Ji’s father sighed again and patted him on the shoulder.
‘Go find her.’
Chapter 8
Li Can stepped into the long-lost office and once again felt that her father really spoiled his daughter beyond reason.
She returned to work at Li Feng’s office and found that her father had driven Li Lan, who should be working in this office, to another one, reserving a space exclusively for her.
Although it was currently empty, the office furniture such as the desk and chair, which she had personally arranged, were still in their original state, as if they were waiting for their owner to come back and use them at any time.
Feeling the high-quality wood of the cabinet, she was very moved. Suddenly, a voice came from behind her, and she turned around sharply—a half-person-tall potted plant was being carried in by an employee.
‘What is this…?’ she asked the male employee, whose face was mostly covered by the leaves.
‘It’s a monstera!‘ The man smiled as he stuck his head out. “We all know that Li Tezhu likes to have greenery in the office, but he’s not very good at taking care of plants, so we chose a monstera for you to put here. You don’t have to water it for ten thousand years!”
’It would have withered long before ten thousand years if you didn’t have to water it,’ she said with a faint smile in her eyes.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll water it for you.’ Li Can’s former secretary came in with a drink in her hand. “Your favourite Ceylon black tea with one spoon of sugar and two spoons of milk, I still remember.”
She placed the drink on the table and looked at Li Can with a face that looked like it was about to cry. ’Li Tezhu, I’ve missed you so much! So as soon as I heard that you were coming back, I immediately asked to be your secretary again!’
Li Can moved emotionally and went over to hug her. ‘I missed you too!’
As a result, the male staff member, who was still holding the potted plant, was greatly offended and exclaimed, ‘She can get a hug from Li Tezhu just for pouring a cup of tea, and I carried in such a big potted plant of evergreen, Li Tezhu should at least give me a kiss, right?’
‘You wish!‘ Before Li Can’s former secretary could say anything, another person walked in and gave Li Can a bear hug, saying, “I want her first.”
’Manager Li, it’s been a long time.‘ She also affectionately hugged back the department manager, who was her father’s generation. He was usually serious and unsmiling, not to mention that it should be a busy time for him, so he must have come especially to see her.
’Then can I go next?’
‘Hey! I said it first, at least let Li Te help me first tell me where to put this potted evergreen…‘
’I’m next!”
Li Can, with her cute appearance and straightforward personality, had also accumulated quite a fan base before. Now they were all gathered at the door, each one wanting to get a glimpse of her, but the look they gave her was not one of impatience, but of welcome.
None of them asked where she had been, but simply gave her their most heartfelt support and friendship when she returned. She had so much, and if she spent all day feeling sorry for herself over a man, she would not only be doing herself a disservice, but also all the people around her who loved her.
‘Anyone who wants to hug Li Can, how about registering with me?’ Li Lan, who was walking last, suddenly spoke up. ‘I have connections, and there are discounts for registering with me.’
The group of people turned around to see the Prince arrive, and the most terrifying thing was that the chairman was following behind him. The two of them stared leisurely at the employees who were messing around during work hours.
The crowd hurriedly touched their noses and slipped back to their seats to work.
‘Li Te Assistant, this potted evergreen…’ The only employee who had not yet left had something unspeakable on his mind, but his words were still interrupted.
‘You’re so full of yourself, aren’t you?‘ Li Can looked at his well-dressed younger brother, whose composed and reserved appearance really did look the part.
’You’re the one who looks like a princess in the presence of your adoring public, and you want your little brother with style to protect you from being overwhelmed by your supporters.‘
’Yes, yes, the king has arrived!’ She wrinkled her nose at her brother and pouted coquettishly into the arms of her father behind him.
Li Lan was speechless as he watched the father and daughter bond, with the sister still acting defiant. This was the sorrow of being a son. Could he learn from Li Can and throw himself into his father’s arms, looking all cute and cuddly? His father might have a heart attack from the shock!
Li Datong stroked his daughter’s hair, not noticing his son’s struggle at all.
‘I know. Dad, I’m feeling much better now.’ Although her heart still ached a little and her mind was still empty, she believed that she would soon adjust to the situation once she returned to her familiar surroundings. “I’m not that depressed, so you don’t have to worry. How many eight-year periods does a woman get in her lifetime?”
Feeling the care and love of her father and everyone else, she smiled sincerely. ’Fortunately, I got out of it early, didn’t I?’
‘That’s my daughter, Li Datong.‘ He let go of his daughter and suddenly looked surprised and looked over to the side. “What are you still doing here?”
The employee who was named was about to cry. He, too, was unwilling to stay and watch their family bliss!
’I, I just… Li Tezhu… where exactly do you want to put the evergreen…’
Seeing the aggrieved look on the face of a grown man, Li Can couldn’t hold back his laughter. Li Lan also had a strange expression on his face, while Li Datong said with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, ‘Just put it in the corner.’
It wasn’t until the relieved employee had put the plant away and slipped away that Li Can couldn’t hold back her laughter.
It had been a long time since she had laughed so heartily, and she had almost forgotten what it felt like to laugh so much. She wanted to keep this feeling going, until she couldn’t stop even if she laughed until she cried.
Father and son Li looked at each other knowingly. Some things still needed time to settle.
The Li family had not had a meal together as a family for a long time, so they gathered together in the evening to enjoy a warm dinner.
Li Can knew very well that her father was a busy man who rarely ate at home, and her younger brother also had his own social circle. In the past, the family would each eat on their own. Today’s reunion was just for her.
During the meal, Li Can was full of witty remarks, as if she had really shaken off the shadow of her wedding to Ji Lingyang. The Li family father and son were also very cooperative, talking about nothing but things other than Ji Lingyang.
‘Dad, is it delicious?’ Li Can took care of the dinner today. On the one hand, it had been a long time since she had had the opportunity to cook a big meal for the whole family; on the other hand, she hoped to keep herself busy so as to avoid the constant rambling thoughts in her head.
‘Delicious! It’s even better than your mother’s!‘ Li Datong emotionally savoured the taste of his late wife in his daughter’s cooking. “Back in the day, you were so naughty and tomboyish, I was worried that you wouldn’t get married…”
’Ahem!’ Li Lan coughed twice, pretended to sip her soup, and gave her father a kick under the table.
‘It’s okay, I ended up getting married after all. It’s just that Ji Lingyang didn’t get to eat any of my cooking before I returned him, so he’s out of luck!‘ She laughed to herself. How could she not notice such an obvious little move on Li Lan’s part? Besides… “And, little brother, you kicked my foot.”
’Ahem…’ At this point, Li Lan really coughed, choking on a mouthful of soup and coughing until she turned red in the face.
It was only then that Li Datong realised that his daughter had gone through a relationship breakup and seemed to have grown up in an instant. She was no longer the little girl who always cried for her father, but knew how to adjust her mood and bury her pain.
He didn’t know whether to be happy or lament, and at this moment, he really resented Ji Lingyang for making his optimistic and outgoing daughter wear a strong mask.
The meal came to an end, and the doorbell suddenly rang. Li Can tidied the table and went to the back to wash the dishes, so Li Lan went to the living room to answer the door.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw the guest standing outside, not far away. His face, which had just been full of smiles and laughter at the dinner table, immediately changed.
‘What are you doing here?’ Li Lan asked the wheelchair-bound Ji Lingyang, who was sitting in front of him, not very politely.
‘I’ve come to take back my wife.’ Seeing that the person who opened the door was a young man, Ji Lingyang was not happy either. ‘Who are you? Why are you in the Li family?’
‘Who am I? How dare you ask who I am?’ Li Lan found this ridiculous. Although he had just returned to the country to take up the position of special assistant to Chairman Li Feng and was not yet famous in the business world, he had at least attended the wedding of this man and his sister. Now this son of a bitch actually had the nerve to ask him who he was?
It can be seen how careless this idiot was at that wedding, and how little he valued everything about Li Can!
‘What if I said I’m Li Can’s new boyfriend?’ Li Lan asked deliberately.
Ji Lingyang’s face changed. Usually calm and composed, he impulsively swung a fist without saying a word. “Damn you! She’s my wife!”
Li Lan, who was standing, was naturally more agile than the person sitting down. He dodged awkwardly, but he was also infuriated.
‘How dare you say she’s your wife? Have you ever treated her like your wife? Just because you don’t know me, I should teach you a lesson!’ Since the other party had started it, Li Lan was not polite, and he had been unhappy with this guy for a long time anyway, so he immediately returned the punch.
If he wasn’t in a wheelchair, Ji Lingyang would definitely have been knocked flying by this punch. He glared viciously at the young man in front of him, and before he could curse out a sound, another punch greeted him on the left cheek.
Bang! This time the wheelchair was forced back a metre by the blow, knocking over the flowerpot by the door with a loud crash.
‘What’s going on?’ Li Datong came out to investigate at the sound. He had just wondered what his son seemed to be arguing with the person outside the door about, and why they had started fighting as soon as they had a disagreement.
‘Father-in-law,’ Ji Lingyang sat up, stroking his face, and suppressed his displeasure in front of his elders.
‘It’s you?‘ As soon as he saw him, Li Datong understood what his son was angry about. Although he was also very dissatisfied with Ji Lingyang, he did not show it. He said to his son indifferently, “Li Lan, how can you hit someone?”
’Are you Li Lan?’ Ji Lingyang exclaimed in surprise before the other person answered, “When did you return to the country?”
It was his brother-in-law who was just recognised who was even more unhappy, and a sneer appeared on his handsome face. ‘Dad, listen, I remember that I seemed to have attended his wedding to my sister, right? Now you know why I punched him.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Lingyang revealed an embarrassed expression. That wedding was actually a great insult to the Li family. Compared to Li Can’s intentions towards him, even he himself felt that Li Lan had done well to punch him. Moving the muscles on his face, which were still tingling, these two punches were the price he had to pay for entering the door.
‘Forget it, you can all come in.’ Li Datong’s dissatisfaction with Ji Lingyang had indeed deepened.
However, at the beginning of this marriage, it was considered that their family had forced him, and he could only passively accept it from beginning to end. And leaving him was also his daughter’s own choice, and he had no room to speak. To say that he really mistreated Li Can, in this matter, how was the Li family not also at fault? Therefore, Li Datong could only try to remain neutral. It was a matter for young people to resolve themselves.
After the three entered the house, Ji Lingyang, not seeing the beautiful figure he had been concerned about, hurriedly asked, ‘Father-in-law, where is Li Can?’
‘She’s in the back washing the dishes,’ Li Datong said expressionlessly, glaring at him. ‘Before she comes out, I want to ask you something. What reason did you come here today to see her?’
‘I…‘ Unexpectedly asked this way, Lingyang was stunned. “I want to talk to her properly. I feel very uncomfortable without her by my side…”
’So you came to see her today because you are not used to it?‘ Datong Li’s voice was a little stern.
’No…’ He was sure that it was not just about not being used to it. His feelings for Li Can went beyond that by far, but it was really a bit awkward to confess his feelings to his father-in-law and younger brother-in-law. He just couldn’t say it.
Seeing that he was about to speak but then stopped, Li Datong understood a little, but he was also sure that if the boy continued to be stubborn, his task today might be difficult.
‘Ling Yang, if you can’t even answer such a simple question, do you think that Xiaocan will go back with you?’
‘I…’ Of course not. Even Ji Lingyang himself felt this way, but Li Can loved him so much, so perhaps he could use this as a bargaining chip. ‘I must take her back today.‘
Li Datong frowned, then suddenly relaxed. “Li Lan, go and ask your sister to come out.”
’Dad…‘ Li Lan disagreed strongly. Someone like Ji Lingyang should just be thrown out.
’Don’t worry, Dad guarantees there won’t be any problems,’ Li Datong said inscrutably.
Upon hearing his father’s words, Li Lan thought suspiciously for a moment, and then suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and gave Ji Lingyang a sneering smile.
‘Okay, I’ll go get her.’
Li Can was momentarily surprised to see Ji Lingyang come knocking on her door. However, no matter the reason for his visit, she knew that they would have to meet sooner or later, so she had long been mentally prepared for this moment, she just didn’t expect him to come so soon.
She took him to her room, because there were some things that could only be discussed in private.
‘What do you want from me?’ she asked, repeating the exact same question that Li’s father had asked.
‘I’ve come to ask you to come back,’ was Ji Lingyang’s consistent reply.
She was not sure whether she felt relieved or sad. She had expected him to come for a thousand different reasons, and of course she had thought about this one as well, but she had always felt that it was just wishful thinking.
Unexpectedly, he made her delusion come true, but at the moment, she was not as happy as she had imagined, but rather a little sad.
‘I thought you would come to find me, and you want to go to the household registration office together to register for a divorce.’ Her tone was very relaxed, but it contained a lot of self-deprecation. ‘But even if your reason is that you want me to go back, it may just be because you are not used to it all of a sudden.’
‘I’m not!’ He retorted unhappily.
‘Then what is it? Because you’re in love with me?”
Ji Lingyang was suddenly speechless. He wasn’t the type to talk about love, and when it came to her, he was used to being on high ground. Now he had to say the words of love himself, which was even more difficult than asking him to stand up from his wheelchair.
Li Can gave a smile that was even more pitiful than crying. It turned out that no matter how high the wall of the heart was built, as long as there was still room for him in her heart, he would have the power to make her suffer, to penetrate the cracks like water, until the wall collapsed overnight.
Her smile made Ji Lingyang feel suffocated. The smile on her face in front of him was forced.
In the past, she had laughed so happily and brightly, but he had paid her no mind. Now he missed her genuine smile, but she was unwilling to give it anymore.
‘Lingyang, do you remember what happened when you were working at Li Feng?’ she suddenly asked.
‘What happened?’ He had done too much at that time, but since it was only short-term, temporary work, he didn’t know many people, and he also refused the opportunity to be promoted.
‘Do you remember someone who often bothered you during lunch and confessed his love to you in front of you?
Ji Lingyang frowned and thought carefully. It seemed that he remembered some fragments. There was a little girl who said something like that… ‘Do you remember this?’ She took out a shiny necklace from the drawer.
‘This is…’ He squinted and looked at it carefully. The more he looked, the more familiar it became.
‘It was my grandmother’s heirloom, which I found in the corner of your closet.’ Her watery eyes darkened as she finally remembered that he had forgotten his promise. “Even if you don’t remember the necklace, you should remember this, right?” She took the watch he had given her in exchange.
This really left a deep impression on Ji Junyang. “This is the watch I used to wear! You are… you are the girl who worked as a student intern!” The two things connected in his mind, and he remembered them completely.
‘Yes.’ A slight sadness welled up in her nose, but she had promised her brother and father that she would never make them sad again, so she forced back the sadness. ’So I married you, and you agreed a long time ago, you just forgot, you took it as a joke, but it was something that I had been thinking about for eight years.’
It turned out that he thought it was just a joke, but she took it seriously and spent eight years waiting for him. It’s fine that he didn’t take it seriously, but he even casually threw away the necklace she gave him, which had great significance. How heartless is he?
“But I remember that little girl was almost twenty at the time, and you are only twenty-four years old…’
‘Because I lied about my age! I wanted to seem more mature in your eyes, but I was actually only sixteen. You said you wanted me to register for the lottery when I turned twenty-four, and that if I got the first number, you’d marry me. I came, but you forgot.’
Because she had sown the seeds of this pain, she would not force the issue. ‘But I was stupid, unable to distinguish between a joke and a promise. Or maybe it was selfishness, using this past to persuade myself to approach you, forcing you to accept this marriage.’
‘You…have changed so much that I didn’t recognise you,’ he confessed.
‘You said you liked beautiful women, so I had to try hard to look good. I learned all the proper posture and grooming techniques, and I usually don’t dare to eat too much for fear of getting too fat, and I dare not eat too little because I don’t look good when I’m too thin. I also regularly read fashion and beauty magazines, just worried that I can’t keep up with the trends of fashionable women…”
After a pause, she said hoarsely, ’But none of this matters anymore. Obviously you don’t like it either, so I’ve just wasted all this effort.’
All the hard work over the years had become a symbol of stupidity. She blinked hard to tell herself that she couldn’t cry, but her eyes were just hot and her throat was sore.
Ji Lingyang was shocked. He never imagined that she had done so much to cater to his demands. She really loved him, not infatuated or adoring. In contrast, what he had given was almost too small to be seen. What right did he have to think that if he moved his heart, she should obediently come back?
Now he understood why his father-in-law and brother-in-law were so confident that he could persuade Li Can to come back, because they knew that he could not take her away with him. He was still clinging to his ego as a man, and was completely lacking in sincerity.
It was enough to just say everything now. Li Can lowered her eyes to hide her sadness. ‘I think what I left you should be enough to compensate you. After all, you haven’t lost anything. At most, you’ve just experienced a difficult marriage, but now you can end it as you wish…’
‘Li Can, I don’t want to divorce you.’ He grabbed her shoulders. “And I won’t take your shares. I was too impulsive back then. Actually, I…”
She shook her head and smiled bitterly. “No need to explain. You’re just not used to suddenly not having a bedside nurse and all-around assistant, and I don’t want to take on that role anymore.” She put the watch he had given her back in his hands.
‘Let’s just end it here, to end your nightmare and also end mine.’
Qi Yixing was right. It really is only a close group of friends who can understand what a guy is thinking like this.
After a long conversation with Li Can, Ji Lingyang really regretted everything he had done to her. As a result, no one believed him when he wanted to seriously love her and even more so wanted to seriously manage this marriage.
Sitting outside Li Can’s house and blowing in the wind all night, she must have known that he hadn’t left, but she no longer cared about him. Thinking back to the past, when they were together, whenever the temperature changed slightly, she would carefully add blankets for him. It turned out that despair in love was so disheartening.
A glimmer of dawn appeared, and it was the start of a new day. Ji Lingyang looked absentmindedly at her window, suddenly wondering why he was still here, and what meaning the next few days would have for him.
A car stopped in front of him and Lao Wang got out. He had accompanied his boss to the Li family last night, but was sent back by the boss. This morning, he went to the Ji family to pick up the boss for work, but the head maid came out and told him that the boss had not returned home all night. She also strangely asked him if he had stayed at the Li family overnight. At that moment, the more he thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. He hurried back to the Li family to find someone, and sure enough, he saw his boss, who looked dazed.
‘Boss, have you been sitting here all night?’ Lao Wang found it incredible. The boss had been in the same position almost since he left last night, and was still only wearing a thin shirt.
Ji Lingyang looked up at him in shock, and tried to speak but found that his throat was so sore that he could not speak.
‘Boss?’ Realising his unusual behaviour, Lao Wang felt his forehead but found that his temperature was alarmingly high. “Boss, you have a fever. Shall I take you to the doctor?”
Feeling weak all over, Ji Lingyang shook his head. He just felt so tired, especially physically, which was nothing compared to the mental fatigue, making him completely unwilling to move.
This can’t go on! At the risk of being scolded, Lao Wang took matters into his own hands and carried his boss into the car. He drove to the hospital and went to the emergency room, then called to inform the boss’s mother.
An hour later, Ji’s father and mother hurriedly arrived at the hospital. They quickly grabbed Lao Wang and asked, ‘Lingyang went to find Xiaocan, didn’t he? How did he end up in the hospital?’
‘I don’t know either,’ said Lao Wang, relating what he had seen. ’Last night, only the boss came out of the Li’s house alone. He told me to go home first, so I left. In fact, his face didn’t look too good at the time. Then this morning, I heard from the matriarch that the boss hadn’t gone home. So I hurried over to the Li’s house, and sure enough, the boss was still there.’
‘So he stayed outside all night?‘ Oh my, they didn’t see their son come home last night, and they thought he was sleeping at his in-laws’ house. They never imagined that he was out in the cold all night.
‘I think so, that’s why he caught a cold and developed a high fever,’ Lao Wang sighed.
Ji’s father and mother exchanged glances, speculating that their son must have suffered a great blow at Li Can’s place. They really couldn’t understand young people’s love. Could it be that Li Can had really given up on Ling Yang completely?
Both children have suffered. Perhaps they should persuade their son to let go and accept that he is just not used to being without the other person for a while. Besides, they are not sure what their son really thinks. Even if they want to help, if he doesn’t love Li Can, then her return will not change anything. She will just continue to suffer, and it will hurt the daughter of the other person.
The couple worried helplessly. Lao Wang asked in puzzlement, ‘Didn’t your wife love the boss very much? Why did things turn out like this between the two of them? I know that the boss’s attitude wasn’t very good in the past, but he has changed a lot, and I think he still has feelings for your wife…’
‘Lao Wang, do you really think so?’ Ji’s father asked in return. Perhaps sometimes the observations of others can reveal blind spots that one has not noticed.
‘Yes. Just now when I was taking the boss to the hospital, he was already not in his right mind. He kept raving all the way, and I heard him calling out his wife’s name!‘
At this point in the conversation, Ji Lingyang suddenly made a sound from the hospital bed. The Ji couple hurriedly came to the bed and saw their son slowly open his eyes.
’You’re awake?’ Ji’s mother fondly stroked her son’s face, which had recently lost a lot of weight. ’Why can’t you take care of yourself?’
Ji Lingyang seemed to have not heard, his eyes dazed as he asked, ‘Where is Li Can?’
‘She’s not here,’ Ji’s mother answered honestly.
After a long silence, he suddenly said, ‘I want Li Can.’
Ji’s mother could not bear to see him sitting there in a state of worry, but she could not bear to lie to him even more. ‘Lingyang, you didn’t bring Can back yesterday, so it can be seen that she no longer wants to continue your marriage. If you don’t love her, I don’t think you should bother her anymore…‘
’Dad, mom, I’ve fallen in love with Li Can, I’ve fallen in love with her.’ After thinking about it all night, Ji Lingyang was now very sure of his feelings and didn’t want to hold back anymore.
The couple just looked at him with difficulty. Ji’s mother even went up to feel his forehead to see if he still had a fever.
‘I know you don’t believe me either, no one will believe me, this is my own doing.‘
He closed his eyes, feeling so tired.
’Son, it’s not that we don’t believe you, but…‘
’You don’t need to say anything. Dad, mum, can you help me notify Li Can that I’m in the hospital?”
If she still had the slightest attachment to him, and a little sympathy, and given her soft-hearted personality, she would definitely come to visit him, right?
He just…wanted to see her one more time, that was all.
In the end, Li Can did not come.
Ji Lingyang, who heard Ji Mu relay Li Can’s meaning, stared expressionlessly at the ceiling. His pale face almost blended in with the hospital bed. Perhaps it was the weakness of his body, or perhaps it was the tiredness of his mind, but he had never felt so vulnerable.
He finally believed that Li Can had completely given up on her love for him.
‘Xiao Can said she won’t come. She also said that you can’t go on like this, relying on her to take care of you, and that you have to get used to living without her… She’s even willing to introduce you to a caregiver.”
God knows that what he wants is not a caregiver, but her! How much he wants to tightly embrace her, kiss her fiercely, and question her why she left him after loving him, letting all his emotions burst out uncontrollably, almost making him throw away all his pride and just beg her to come back and love him again.
But she coldly destroyed his hopes. Could this be his retribution for mistreating her? What must he do to return to the time when he had her company?
“You have Yiyang Technology to manage and you also have to take care of the two of us, so Xiaocan believes that you simply don’t have the conditions to be depressed. She also believes that you are strong enough. You survived the car accident, and this is just a minor blow. You will soon forget it and get on with your life.’
No! She is dead wrong. After the car accident, it was her company and encouragement that helped him get back to work in no time. But this time, the blow of losing her is even more heartbreaking than the car accident. He doesn’t know what he can rely on to get back on his feet.
He suddenly resents her calm attitude. He resents himself for having so much responsibility, for not even having the space to escape. She is right, Yiyang still depends on him, and his parents need his support. He is not even allowed to be weak.
But even if he takes on all the responsibilities, what then? She will still not turn back, so what’s the point of him trying so hard? He doesn’t want any damned shares. He can even give up the CEO position. He wants her, her!
‘You should learn to live on your own and take care of everything yourself. Xiaocan said that from the beginning, you never wanted her by your side. Now that she has really left, you should prove to yourself that you will be fine without her and go to regular rehabilitation sessions. Otherwise, you won’t be the Ji Lingyang that she admires.’
While listening to his mother’s words, he remained silent. Underneath the quilt, he squeezed his own feet hard, venting his grievances on these crippled feet. But when he heard her say that she hoped he would regularly go for rehabilitation, the hand that had maimed his legs let go in frustration.
At first, he could not even feel these feet. Now, he can feel the pain. It is all because of her positive encouragement, coupled with the negative stimulus to go for rehabilitation, that he has achieved this small success today. In that case, it seems that he is not even qualified to abuse his own feet.
Why did he end up in this situation? His wife left him, his parents did not support him, his father-in-law and brother-in-law were hostile towards him, and in the end, he even ended up lying on the sickbed like a useless person, feeling sorry for himself. If he had just done what she said, would there still have been a small chance?
At the beginning, how much effort did she put in, how much trouble did she go through, just to help him get through the difficult time of his illness and let him experience the benefits of rehabilitation. In contrast, he only sought her out once, and when he was rejected, he wanted to give up and go home. Is this what he, Ji Lingyang, should have done?
She said that she still appreciates him in her heart, as long as he can prove that he is still as strong as she said.
Very well, she wants him to pull himself together, so he will. He will show her his sincerity, he will break everyone’s expectations and make her come back to him!
Chapter 9
Li Can has been waiting outside the chairman’s office for half an hour, walking around so much that she has worn a hole in the carpet.
The documents in her hands need to be discussed with her father personally, but a sudden guest has taken her father’s office before her, so she is tired and has to wait outside.
‘Secretary Lin,‘ she said, her patience exhausted, and she couldn’t help but ask her father’s secretary, “Do you know who the chairman is talking to?”
’I’m sorry, Assistant Li, I don’t know that guest,’ Secretary Lin smiled apologetically. ’But I saw that the guest came in a wheelchair…’
‘A wheelchair?‘ Li Can almost screamed out. She concealed her excitement and confirmed once again, “Was the gentleman wearing a serious expression with a few scars on his left cheek, bushy eyebrows and his hair parted on the right side…”
’Er, I didn’t see that clearly.’ And parted on the right side! Secretary Lin increasingly felt that these days it was really hard to be a subordinate, and one’s memory and powers of observation had to be truly amazing. ’But it seems that gentleman really did have a few scars on his face, didn’t he?’
Then she was right. Li Can patted her chest to calm her racing heart, which had been set off by the man’s arrival. Hadn’t she already made things clear with him? Why was he still here?
Maybe it was business? She told herself that, but when she really thought about it, she couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.
Standing outside the door, her mind kept racing with all kinds of thoughts, so much so that she didn’t even notice the person inside come out.
Ji Lingyang wheeled the wheelchair up to her side and called out to her absent-mindedly, ‘Li Can!’
‘Ah!’ She was still thinking about him when his voice appeared beside her. Li Can took a step back in fear and accidentally kicked the footrest of his wheelchair, causing him to lose his balance and fall onto his lap.
‘Umm…’ Ji Lingyang endured the pain in his thigh and did not want to let go of this opportunity. He clasped her waist with one hand, making her sit on top of him, and with the other hand, pushed the wheelchair towards the unoccupied meeting room next to the office. Secretary Lin was dumbfounded, not knowing whether to step in and save her ‘hostage-taken’ special assistant.
‘Let go of me! This is embarrassing…where are you going!’ Li Can struggled on top of him, desperately trying to push his hands away. Unexpectedly, she stopped moving at his words – ‘Don’t move! The more you move, the more it hurts my thigh.’
She could only see her stiffly sitting on his lap entering the reception room. It was only at this moment that he let go, except that his hand lingered a little longer on her slender waist. This was the first time he realised that a woman’s waist was actually so soft and curvy.
Feeling his levity, Li Can took the opportunity to get up, her face blushing. ‘What… what do you want to do?’
‘I just realised today that you have a good figure.’ He raised his hand and looked at it fiercely, as if he was nostalgic for the feel of it just now.
‘Nonsense! It’s not like I haven’t been beautiful since birth! It’s just…what does that have to do with you?‘ She answered uncomfortably, still feeling a faint warmth in the small of her back where he had touched her.
’You’re my wife, and your figure has a lot to do with my well-being.’
‘You…‘ Her suspicious gaze slid over him. What had he taken today that made him speak so ambiguously, as if…as if she were back to when she first met him, so confident and full of humour.
’I was just looking for your father-in-law to explain to him the repayment method and deadline for the debt that Li Feng has given to support Yiyang.’ Before she could ask a question, he made clear the reason for coming to see Li Datong today.
Li Can’s heart sank at hearing this, but she forced herself to be open-minded and said, ‘That’s good, so you can sign the divorce agreement without any worries.’
‘I told you, I won’t sign it.’ Li Mu carefully observed her expression, wanting to know how much influence he still had and what his chances of winning her back were. ‘Also, I told my father-in-law that I want to let Li Feng become a shareholder of Yiyang.’
‘Why?’ This really took her by surprise.
‘Because I want to prove that you misunderstood me. The reason I wanted to buy back the shares of Yiyang from you was because I knew that after Feike Group lost the board seat, they would definitely want to sell our shares again maliciously, as they had no hope of entering the information industry through Yiyang. ‘After all, they bought them at a low price in the first place, so now they can sell them when the stock price is high, and they can even make a profit, before going after the next information company.
He carefully explained the key to why she had left him in the first place. ‘So by the time it’s all over, the value of your shares will have plummeted. I don’t want to see all your investments over the past few years go down the drain. On the other hand, I need to consolidate Yi Yang’s shareholding. But you were so distraught that you didn’t give me time to explain, and you unilaterally said you wanted a divorce and left me.‘
’What does this have to do with Li Feng buying shares in Yi Yang?’ In fact, her heart had already wavered a little, but she had told herself not to look back. Even if it was a misunderstanding, it could not affect her decision.
‘You thought that by buying the shares from you, I didn’t want to be too involved with you, so now I’m removing all the obstacles between us. Yi Yang no longer owes Li Feng anything, so our marriage is no longer based on money, but on our love. If Li Feng becomes a shareholder in Yi Yang, we’ll be even more entangled, and I’ll be stuck with you forever.”
Love? Did he really say love? Li Can covered her mouth, her nose tingling slightly from his words.
Why did he say it so late? She had already decided to withdraw all feelings, and now he was teasing her with a lifetime commitment, which was downright cheating.
‘I know you can’t let go of this, and it’s not just this one thing. The biggest reason is the grievances you’ve accumulated over a long period of time because of me. After all, I was the one who agreed to this marriage, and I shouldn’t put the blame on you and be hostile towards you. I sincerely apologise for everything I did wrong to you; and it’s also my fault for forgetting the memories of the past with you. I hope you can forgive me.’
‘…I don’t blame you.‘ It took a few seconds before she found her voice again. “It’s just that I’ve lost faith in our relationship.”
’I’ve been thinking about this ever since you left me.’ He pushed the wheelchair forward a little and took her hand. “So I want us to start again, Li Can. I’ll pursue you.”
Her heart throbbed fiercely. She was at a loss for words in response to his declaration, and could only shake his hand and take a step back.
‘You’re not joking…‘
Ji Lingyang didn’t say anything more, because actions spoke louder than words. He just waved at her and whispered a few words.
’What?‘ She didn’t hear clearly and leaned over.
Ji Lingyang had been waiting for this moment. He clasped her neck and pressed his hot lips to hers. After a light kiss, he immediately stepped back.
’I will show you my true heart.’
Then, after the man made his vow, he disappeared for a whole month.
Li Can kept convincing herself that it was nothing, that she went to and from work the same as always, ate and drank, played and had fun just as much as before. It was just that when she watched TV or read the newspaper, she would subconsciously look for news about him, even if it was just a small corner of the financial news. Or when she ate delicious food, she would instinctively wonder if such food was suitable for Ji Lingyang, who is in rehabilitation? For example, at the moment, she is sitting on the bed, lost in her book. Her slender, white fingers instinctively stroke her lips, where the mark he left that day seems to remain, full of his scent.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She put her hand down slightly annoyed, adding another entry to the man’s ledger. Damn it! If you’re going to break up, do it cleanly, why keep provoking her and making her restless all day?
‘Come in.’
After she answered, Li Lan carried a large box into the room.
‘There was a delivery for you this afternoon. The guard just brought it.‘ The box was heavy, so he set it on the ground and pointed to the delivery address on top with interest, “It’s from your husband’s family.”
Li Can gave him a glare. “You can go now that you’ve finished delivering the package.”
’I just carried your box, and my arms and legs are sore.’ After saying that, he leisurely sat down in the chair at her dressing table and stared at the box with interest.
He had heard from his father about Ji Lingyang’s arrival at Li Feng’s house, and was surprised that such a stubborn and proud man would stoop so low. So he leisurely stood in his sister’s room, wondering what the man was up to.
Knowing that he probably couldn’t get rid of his brother at this point, Li Can put down the book in his hands, got out of bed, and was about to open the box with his bare hands when a box cutter was handed to him.
‘It will be easier to open with this,’ he seemed more eager than she was.
She pursed her lips, took the box cutter in one hand, and still stubbornly said, “They must have sent back the things I left behind at the Ji’s.”
God knows she didn’t leave anything behind when she left. In the first place, the luggage she took to the Ji’s was minimal. Perhaps she knew from the rejection from Ji Lingyang at the time, so she had left herself a way out in advance.
An easy way out.
The box was opened, and inside were a medium-sized box, two small boxes, and a file folder.
The siblings looked at each other in puzzlement, especially Li Can, who instinctively put the file at the end to read last. She was afraid that if she opened it, it would be the divorce agreement that he had already signed.
The box cutter carefully opened the beautifully packaged medium-sized box first. Just as she caught a glimpse of the contents, Li Can let out a gasp, and the feeling that she wanted to cry rushed back.
She said that Ji Lingyang was basically cheating! He sent this at this time, basically making her unable to let go!
Inside the box was a wedding dress. When the marriage between Li and Ji was first arranged, Ji Lingyang had insisted on keeping it simple. In fact, he had been extremely reluctant to get married, so Li Can had never even worn a wedding dress. She had never thought she would ever have a wedding dress of her own.
Pulling the dress up with her bare hands, she saw that it was simple and elegant in style, but the embroidery was detailed and the cut exquisite, showing that it was the work of a famous hand.
Li Can almost cried holding the dress, while Li Lan was so surprised that he couldn’t speak. He didn’t expect Ji Lingyang to pull this trick.
‘Hey, there’s a piece of paper.’ He was quick-eyed and spotted the piece of paper falling from the dress, so he picked it up for her.
Li Can quickly snatched it from him, and when she saw the words he had written on the note, her heart sank.
Dress me in white again. If only he had said that in the first place. She had barely opened one box when her emotions were greatly affected, and she didn’t dare open the others to see what surprises they held.
Li Lan could see her sister’s hesitation, so he took the initiative to pick up the other small box and hand it to her, saying, ‘Go ahead and open it! See how sincere he is.’
After a moment of hesitation, she undid the ribbon on the small box and gently opened it. As soon as she saw the light, her whole body trembled with joy. She couldn’t believe how thoughtful he was. It was a set of diamond jewellery. In the centre of the box was a chic and elegant diamond ring, and of course there was another piece of paper.
Please marry me.
Was this a second marriage proposal? The sparkling diamond ring almost made her tear up. She snapped the box shut and looked at her younger brother with tears in her eyes.
‘He still remembers that he owes you a marriage proposal!’ Seeing Ji Lingyang’s intentions, Li Lan’s dislike for him eased quite a bit, and it just depended on whether this stupid sister would accept it.
As if she couldn’t bear any more, Li Can hesitated to open the third box when she picked it up. In the end, Li Lan couldn’t stand by any longer and directly took the box and flashed it in front of her. Li Can picked up the contents of the box with a slightly trembling hand. This time, there were no paper notes, but there were a few stamps. She knew what he meant.
‘What is this? Compared to the diamond jewellery and wedding dress, this seems to be much less impressive?’ Li Lan stared at the old men’s watch in her sister’s hand in puzzlement. ‘What is the stamp for?’
‘It’s a secret between him and me, and I’m not going to tell you.’ Her heart, which had been deeply moved, gradually cooled down when she saw the watch. This represented the beginning of her meeting with him. The stamp represented his desire to reclaim the sincerity she had initially given him—the necklace of courage.
Finally, Li Can opened the file that should not be a divorce agreement. Inside were a medical examination form for Ji Lingyang, the financial information for the most recent quarter of Yiyang Technology, and a piece of paper.
Give me three months, and I will stand to welcome you back and give you a carefree life.
Given his situation, could he possibly stand up again in three months? Yet Yiyang, who had recently been busy dealing with the malicious selling of shares by the Fike Group, was promised a life free from worry.
It seems that he is really desperate. This box of gifts has really deeply touched her, each item hitting the most vulnerable place in her heart. If she still loves him and still misses him, she should immediately surrender and return to his embrace.
Does she want to start over with him? If she accepts these things, then what is the suffering she has endured? Is her determination so easily called into question and dismissed?
And how did she know that he wasn’t just trying to win her back in the name of fake love because he was temporarily unable to get used to being without her?
In that moment, her heart was conflicted and fighting, and her helpless gaze fell on her younger brother.
‘Ask your own heart! Dad and I will support whatever decision you make.’
“Dude, do you want to consider taking a vacation?’
Qi Yixing arrived at Ji Lingyang’s office and looked helplessly at his friend, who had lost a lot of weight in just one month.
His boss was working too hard. A while ago, the Feike Group sold its shares, and Li Feng Group’s investment and the funds they raised successfully consolidated their future equity at a low price. However, he actually managed to stabilize the stock price in a short period of time, which made many stock market commentators look foolish.
“I still have a lot to do,’ Ji Lingyang kept on approving the paperwork in his hands without looking away, his eyes bloodshot and his voice hoarse.
‘This is a bit much. Do you know how many hours you work a day? You enter the office at 7am and you’re not sure if you’ll be home by midnight. Ji’s parents are going to come looking for you at the company!’
The pen in his hand paused slightly before he continued to write. ‘I know what I’m doing.’
‘You have no idea!’ Qi Yixing couldn’t bear to watch anymore and took the pen from his hand. “Secretary Liu told me that you haven’t eaten lunch yet, and you have to go to physical therapy at 3:00. You’ll be back at 5:00 and then have a meeting immediately afterwards. I guess you’ll miss dinner again after the meeting. Buddy, do you really think you’re made of iron?” Rubbing his forehead, Ji Lingyang let out a light sigh and said with deep meaning, ’You know what? I didn’t take Li Can’s 5% of the shares.’
‘What does that have to do with you almost dying?‘ Qi Yixing rolled his eyes.
’Since I confiscated it, I won’t let her assets be short a dime.’ Pulling out another pen from the pen holder, he began working again. ’This is just a transitional period. Within a month, I will let her earn back everything she should.’
‘Are you stupid? She doesn’t care about money!‘ Qi Yixing really wanted to shake him awake. “She cares about you! Who do you think would indiscriminately buy the stock of a company for several years when its shares are not yet listed?”
’I know,’ a shadow appeared in his tired eyes. ’But this is the only thing I can do. In fact, she is a rich girl who married me, so I am considered to have married up, so I have to prove that the Li family can give her the life I can afford. She hopes that I will pull myself together, so I won’t let her down.‘
’You are simply overcompensating. Li Can wants you to pull yourself together, not to get yourself killed. I understand that you want to shorten the time it takes to win her back, so you are working hard and rehabbing hard, but do you want to shorten your life in the process? You haven’t even fully recovered from your last cold!’
Qi Yixing prescribed a strong medicine. ‘And when you had a fever and were on an IV drip, she didn’t even come to see you; you went to Li Feng to show your sincerity, and she hasn’t taken the initiative to look for you once so far. Wake up! Even if you work hard, what if she doesn’t appreciate it at all?’
The man, who had buried his head in his work, suddenly stiffened, raised his head, and let out a deep sigh.
“That’s what I asked for.’
He couldn’t persuade him, and Qi Yixing was also at a loss for words. Perhaps this is how people are: they don’t know how to cherish what they have got, and only realise the beauty when they lose it. He himself also has a deep understanding of this, but unfortunately, once something is lost, it is difficult to find it again. He and Ji Lingyang both fell for the word ‘love’.
‘CEO!’ Liu Jingjing outside was knocking urgently on the office door, and there was a hint of excitement in her tone. ‘There’s a parcel for you, it’s from your wife.’
‘Bring it in!’ In contrast to his previous despondent appearance, Ji Lingyang’s bright eyes were like a lit lamp.
Liu Jingjing brought in a not-so-small package. She placed the contents on the table without thinking, forgetting the proper etiquette. Nervously, she kept saying, ’CEO, open it and take a look!’
Seeing the box, Ji Lingyang had a bad feeling. After quietly opening the box, he knew what was inside.
‘What did Li Can send you?’ Seeing that his friend was no longer moving, Qi Yixing took out the largest box inside and turned his head to ask, ‘Can I help you open it?’
Ji Lingyang nodded sadly and absently watched him open the box. He knew very well what was inside, and since she didn’t care, neither did he.
‘Huh? It’s a dress? A wedding dress?’ Qi Yixing looked suspiciously at the contents of the box, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He looked at his best friend awkwardly. ’Could it be…’
‘I gave it to her.’ He no longer had the courage to look at the rest of the box. ’I gave her a wedding dress because I wanted to give her a grand wedding and make her no longer an undisclosed wife; I also gave her a diamond ring as compensation for not proposing to her; and I also gave her the object of our initial love affair, and I want to exchange it with her again…’
Liu Jingjing, who was listening on the side, almost had tears in her eyes. She had never known that her usually serious and cold boss was such a devoted person. As he spoke in that hoarse and tired voice, it seemed that even the background became desolate. How could Li Can have the heart to return all the gifts he had given her?
Qi Yixing felt the same sympathy for him, but he also picked up on something. ‘The object of the betrothal?
So you really did know Li Can before?‘
’Yes,’ he said lightly, explaining the situation back then. ’I admit that was a joke, but she took it seriously for eight years. But I showed my extreme disgust for this marriage and for her, so now she just wants me to go back to the way things were, but unfortunately I can’t go back.’
These somewhat desperate words caused a silence to fall in the office. Liu Jingjing and Qi Yixing both didn’t know how to comfort him. Just as the heavy atmosphere in the room was suffocating, Ji Lingyang spoke again.
‘You two go out first, I still have work to do.’ He picked up his pen and buried his head in his work again.
The two of them glanced at each other and left wisely. But just as they walked out the door of the CEO’s office, Liu Jingjing suddenly let out a low cry.
‘Oops! I forgot to take out the document that the CEO approved.”
She turned around and walked back in. In less than 20 seconds, Qi Yixing, who had not yet left, heard her scream that nearly knocked over the ceiling — “Ah…someone come quickly! The CEO has fainted!”
After seeing off the two guests, Li Can felt very heavy-hearted.
She got up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows in her office, looking out at the street view in the distance.
The visitors who had just arrived were Ji’s father and mother. They talked about Ji Lingyang’s current situation. Although they did not force her to reconcile with him, their tone was full of their reluctance to let their son go.
‘I have never seen him so depressed. Even before, when he was hit by a car and couldn’t walk, he didn’t seem like this, as if he was just living to live,’ Ji’s father sighed deeply.
‘He works very hard, spending more than 16 hours at the office every day. He doesn’t eat regularly, often skipping meals, and has become very thin. ‘His mother is very reluctant to see her son work himself to the bone, but he is used to being independent and stubborn, and simply won’t listen to others’ advice.
‘Also, his rehabilitation is too intense, and even the doctor has warned him. The doctor said that he has already made rapid progress, and that pushing too hard would be counterproductive,‘ added his father.
As they spoke, Li Can, who had been silent, suddenly asked, “No one has tried to persuade him?”
’Of course they have!’ His mother was really sad that her son had ended up like this. ’But you know his personality. Once he makes up his mind, there’s no way anyone can talk him out of it.’
‘Then why did you ask me here today?‘
’Xiao Can, will you talk to him for us? If he goes on like this, his body won’t be able to take it.‘ Ji’s mother finally explained her reason for being there.
’But it’s useless for you to say anything. Do you think it will work if I say something?”
Ji’s father looked at her and said, ’You should know that Ling Yang is doing this because he wants to show you that he can do it.
There is no one better than you to persuade him.’
‘I understand. Let me think about it, okay?‘
Sending off her in-laws with a heavy heart, her mood was no longer calm. Last time, when he was sent to the emergency room with a cold, she had hardened her heart and stopped caring about him, but the situation was different now, and she seriously considered the possibility of taking the initiative to see him… While she was still hesitating, her secretary suddenly turned in a phone call. If her in-laws’ words made her start to hesitate, then this phone call was definitely the key to making her act.
‘Li Can! It’s Liu Jingjing, Secretary Liu! The CEO fainted in his office and was taken to the hospital. Can you please come and see him? The doctor said that he is overworked and has an irregular diet. He is already very weak, and he subconsciously rejects food. It’s really pitiful…”
Before Liu Jingjing could finish her sentence, Qi Yixing had already grabbed the phone and said in a flustered voice, ’Li Can! Even if you don’t love him anymore, can you at least feel sympathy for him? I know you still have feelings for him, you’re just afraid of a repeat of the past. Can I vouch for him? I can prove that he really loves you. We’ve worked together for eight years, and I’ve never seen him work so recklessly. If you don’t come to see him, he won’t stop. Maybe the next time you come, you’ll see him for the last time!”
After listening to his rapid-fire tirade, Li Can closed her eyes and let out a long breath.
‘I’ll go over there.‘
Chapter 10
Since Ji Lingyang insisted on being discharged from the hospital and returning to the Ji family to recuperate, Li Can’s destination was changed from the hospital to the Ji residence. When she arrived, it was past dinner time. Ji’s parents and Qi Yixing were all sitting in the living room, and when they saw her enter the door, they all stood up as if to greet some distinguished guest.
’You’ve finally come,’ Qi Yixing let out a sigh of relief.
‘I came here today to help you two scold him.‘ Li Can broke into a smile, as if all the gloom had passed.
’Xiao Can…‘ But Ji’s father and mother were still worried that she would break their son’s heart again.
’Don’t worry, do you think I’ll make him cry?’ She took Ji’s mother Yun’s hand and said, ’I promise, after today, Lingyang will never work like a robot again.’
‘It seems you’ve come to your senses?‘ Qi Yixing finally let go of his worries of the past few days.
’He’s the one who’s never been able to come to his senses, okay?’ She wrinkled her nose at him and, after reassuring her in-laws once more, entered the room where she used to live with Ji Lingyang.
The room felt a little empty without her, and with the heavy curtains drawn and the windows closed, the air was terrible with Ji Lingyang’s smelly clothes and socks strewn all over the place.
She glared at the unconscious man in the bed. She walked over to the window and opened it a crack to let in some air, then tidied up the mess he had made. Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of the crutches leaning against the wall, and her heart gave a sudden thump.
Had he already started using the crutches as an aid? From what she knew, he shouldn’t have started so soon.
Holding her doubts in check, she sat down by the bed and looked at his emaciated face. She could see the unsolvable sorrow between his tightly shut eyes, and her heart ached.
‘You idiot…’ she murmured, stroking his scarred left cheek with her delicate hands. Feeling the prickling and itching on her hands, she went into the bathroom and poured a basin of water, as she had done in the past when she spent time with him. First, she washed his face, then carefully shaved him.
This gentle touch and familiar feeling was like heaven. Ji Lingyang’s eyelids twitched and he slowly woke up.
‘Li Can?’ The hoarse voice called out to the person in front of him. He was dreaming, right?
“Don’t move, I’m shaving for you.’
Her hand was so gentle, and he could see that the room was tidier and cleaner than before. Ji Lingyang wondered why he had previously taken her kindness as ill will, almost missing this beautiful moment.
Stared at by him, Li Can also felt slightly embarrassed. After shaving, she took a towel and carefully wiped off the remaining shaving cream and stubble, then tried to move the basin away.
‘Don’t go!‘ He grabbed her hand with an urgent look in his eyes.
’I just…‘
’Don’t go.‘ No matter what she said, he just knew that he couldn’t let her disappear from his sight again, otherwise he didn’t know when he would see her again.
She helplessly put down the basin, sat down by the bed, and began the purpose of her visit today.
’Why did you get yourself into this state?’
‘Because I want to stand up in the shortest time possible and bring you back.‘ He looked at her with a gaze that could be described as obsessed. The more he looked, the more he regretted not having noticed before how pretty she was.
’So the crutches are…‘
’I bought them. The physiotherapist doesn’t let me use them, so I bought my own to practise with,’ he said seriously. But she gave him a little pinch.
‘You’re playing with your life!‘ she scolded, giving him a disgusted look.
’I’m just tired,‘ he said, his red-rimmed eyes and tired expression proving his words. “After you left, I didn’t sleep well for a single day. But I knew that the busier I got, the sooner you could come back, so I got busier and busier…” He gave her a weak smile.
’See, and here you are, back with me,’
‘You’re just trying to get me back!‘ His voice was so weak that it almost sounded like a concession, which made her heart ache a little. “Don’t you ever do that again! You have to work and rehabilitate yourself with moderation, okay?”
’Unless you promise not to leave me again.’ He grabbed her hand and squeezed it, as if he was afraid she would slip away from him.
Li Can didn’t answer, but just looked at him with her eyes, as if they were competing to see whose patience was better.
In the end, Ji Lingyang couldn’t hold back any longer and said anxiously, ‘Don’t reject me, Li Can, will you love me again?’ It was practically a plea. Li Can, who still had feelings for him, couldn’t bear to see him so downhearted, as he had always been so proud.
He let out a long sigh and said vaguely, ‘I think I’ve fallen for your scheme to make me suffer…’ The long-standing torment was finally lifted at that moment. Ji Lingyang felt like a deflated balloon, his whole body relaxing. The spirit he had just forced up gradually dissipated.
‘Li Can, will you sleep with me?’ He used the last of his strength to lift the quilt, indicating for her to lie in.
Without thinking, she dove into his bed and was embraced in his arms. Their bodies fit together perfectly, and Ji Lingyang regretted that this was actually the first time he had taken the initiative to hold her while sleeping, but was also glad that he still had this opportunity.
Tonight, he should have sweet dreams, right?
He slept for a whole twelve hours, as if he was trying to sleep away all the fatigue he had accumulated. He didn’t wake up until after noon.
The chirping of birds outside the window and the fresh air in the room made him realise that he hadn’t slept in such a comfortable environment for a long time. He rolled slightly on the bed, and his big hand went to the side of the bed.
It was empty.
Half-awake, he immediately woke up, his eyes wide open as he looked at the half of the bed where her shadow had disappeared. First, his face fell, and he clutched the quilt tightly with both hands. Fear shone in his eyes, and he muttered in pain, ‘Li Can…’
Has she left again? Didn’t she promise him that she would never leave again?
No! Recalling last night’s conversation, he realised that she had not promised him anything, and that she had probably only agreed to stay with him out of sympathy, or perhaps because she felt pressured by her parents.
‘Li Can! Li Can!’ He finally couldn’t hold back any longer and shouted, pounding the bed as hard as he could. He couldn’t bear the sudden onslaught of despair any longer, and this was the only way he could let it out.
‘What’s wrong?‘ Unexpectedly, the protagonist of his shouting suddenly rushed in, panicked, and pounced onto the bed, looking up and down at him. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that he seemed to be fine.
’Did you have a nightmare? Why were you yelling as soon as you got up?’ Li Can first felt his forehead, which was not hot, but was covered in cold sweat.
Ji Lingyang suddenly hugged her tightly, causing her to fall headlong into his arms. ‘I thought you had left! I thought you had left me again…’
Li Can then understood the reason for his out-of-control rage earlier, and a feeling of pity for him filled his heart. He could only pat his shoulder reassuringly. ‘You slept for a long time, because I couldn’t sleep anymore, so I got up first to prepare some things…’
‘Prepare what?’ he asked warily, now very sensitive to everything she did.
‘Preparing your food!‘ She struggled for a moment, but she couldn’t push her way out of his embrace.
Staring at her blankly for a while, he made sure she wasn’t going to leave before the frown between his brows eased.
’Don’t scare me like that again,‘ he said. He never wanted to experience that pain of falling into hell again.
’You…’ Since she couldn’t break free of him, she simply laid her head on his chest and listened to his pounding heartbeat.
‘Didn’t you get the cardboard box I sent back to you?‘
’I got it,‘ he said with a bitter smile. “You didn’t want it, did you?”
’Sigh,‘ she sighed, patting him on the chest, “You must not have looked closely, right?”
’I only saw the dress and couldn’t bear to look any longer.’ Perhaps he would faint. Apart from being exhausted to the limit, the sudden shock was also a contributing factor.
‘So you didn’t really look at it,’ she said, wrapping her arms around him. The man really had been through a lot. ’I returned your things, but I replaced the paper inside. I sent back the wedding dress because you made me lose weight, and the dress was too big. You owe me a few big meals to make up for the weight. As for the diamond jewellery, it’s not as simple as proposing successfully with a piece of paper, and you should have put the ring on my finger yourself! As for your watch…’
She held up her thin arm, and the watch was loosely wrapped around her wrist. ‘I reluctantly accepted it, and I put the necklace in the box for you, and asked you to keep it safe, but you never even saw it.’
‘I thought…’ Because of preconceived ideas, she had needlessly caused herself so much suffering. Ji Lingyang was at a loss for words for a moment, and finally laughed softly. ‘I really am stupid…’
‘I’m glad you know.‘ At this point, she finally broke free from his grip and sat up in his arms.
’You must be tired after sleeping for so long. I’ll go get you something to eat…‘
’Don’t go!’ Seeing that she was about to disappear again, he quickly grabbed her again.
‘I’m just going to get you something to eat,‘ she said, tapping him impatiently, but he remained unmoved. “You don’t want to starve to death, do you? I’ll turn your Yiyang Technology into an erotic kingdom if you do!”
’Go ahead then,’ he said, not caring at all, still holding her tightly in his grasp. ’Whether you want to release adult DVDs, porn games, or even sex toys, I don’t care as long as you’re happy.’
‘You really are…‘ It seemed that he was really scared, and he was determined to cling to her, which made her angry and amused at the same time.
’Just ten minutes, okay?‘
As if he was making a major decision, he considered it for a long time before letting go. “Five minutes.”
’Five minutes it is.’ She helped him out of bed and let him push the wheelchair to the bathroom to wash up.
But before entering the bathroom, he suddenly took her hand again.
‘I want to kiss you,‘ he said without blushing, “every morning, I want a good morning kiss from you.”
’No way,’ she said, shaking her finger in front of him playfully, until his face turned red with anger, but he didn’t dare to react. She said with a slight blush, “You can kiss me after I’ve brushed my teeth.” This time, Ji Lingyang no longer stopped her, because as soon as he turned his wheelchair, he was busy going to the bathroom to wash up!
No one would have thought that Ji Lingyang, who was in love, would be so… clingy.
Except during work hours, the two had to go to different companies to work separately. At other times, he clung to Li Can tightly. Of course, he had also mentioned asking her to return to work at Yiyang, but she had rejected him flatly.
‘The crisis at Yiyang is over, you don’t need me anymore,’ she said.
Since she did not move back to the Ji family, he went to the Li family every day to try to win her back, enduring the scornful glances of his father-in-law and brother-in-law.
Everyone was amazed by his change. At night, he would not eat without seeing his wife, and he could not sleep without holding her. In particular, when Li Can watched DVDs, he insisted that they watch them together, even if they were comedies that made him drowsy.
In particular, the daily good morning kiss, sometimes Li Can forgot to push him out of the room when he forgot, so he kissed her breathlessly in the living room, often teaching the grandparents who happened to see them accidentally to blush and feel their hearts racing, wanting to have a second honeymoon with their spouse!
But as fate would have it, after the car accident, Ji Lingyang, who had always rejected appearing in public, finally encountered a major problem – Li Can had to attend a banquet hosted by Li Feng Enterprises, and he was completely out of the question as her date.
‘Are you sure you want to go?’ Li Can, already dressed up and looking beautiful as an angel, very doubtfully asked him again.
‘Yes.’ Even if he didn’t go, her date would just be Li Lan, and he didn’t want his beloved wife to attend with another man, not to mention that he knew the situation at the banquet was different today.
After all, the more terrifying times had already been in the media, and everyone knew about his situation. If there were any strange whispers or stares, he just had to ignore them. In any case, he had to keep an eye on his beautiful wife.
In fact, Li Can’s little dress today only revealed half of his beautiful legs and his pale, slender arms. Everything else was tightly covered, but he still didn’t want any man to share her beauty.
‘Okay, but you have to promise me one condition,’ she said helplessly, afraid that he would cause trouble at the party.
‘What condition?’ he asked warily.
‘I won’t make you strip in public! I just want you to keep quiet in front of the media. You know that Yiyang is much more popular than Lifeng these days, and I don’t want you to ruin my father’s party and steal the limelight.‘
’No problem.’ Of course he could handle something so simple, not to mention that he basically wanted the less chance of being on camera the better.
Many celebrities and members of the media were already waiting at the banquet venue. Today, Li Datong was going to introduce his children from his second marriage to everyone. Li Lan and his father had already arrived first. Everyone was wide-eyed, trying to see who the talented young man would be that Princess Li Feng would be accompanying.
The flashes of the cameras started as soon as Lao Wang’s car arrived. Li Can got out of the car first, and then, to the anticipation and curiosity of everyone, Ji Lingyang got out of the car next and got into the wheelchair.
Everyone was so surprised that they couldn’t stop smiling, except for the two people involved, who held hands as usual and entered the venue.
With the host and guests all present, the banquet officially began. After introducing his children to everyone, Li Datong told them to start dancing first, while Ji Lingyang, who was left out in the cold, could only stare blankly. He knew that Li Datong still somewhat resented him, and the only thing he could do now was to show his love for his wife with actions. After the dance was over, he wanted to go over to Li Can, but some inconsiderate young entrepreneur snatched her away and asked her to dance. So, to the sound of the next song, she danced with someone else.
On the third dance, it was the young boss of Meihua Company. It seemed that they didn’t want to build an information security system.
On the fourth dance, it was the young boss of Shangju Electronics. Maybe Yiyang could try someone else as a parts supplier next season. On the fifth dance… Enough! Without caring that his wife was still dealing with an endless stream of male invitations, he wheeled himself over to her and said with a forced smile, ‘Everyone, can you please give my date back to me for a while?’
The people present had more or less done business with Yiyang, or they would have known the strength of this dark horse of information. Based on the consideration of their own interests, they decided to be sensible and leave.
Finally, it was just him and her.
Li Can could tell from his expression that the guy was probably sulking again, so she couldn’t help but ask, with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, ‘Are you hungry? Do you want me to get something?’
‘No need,‘ he said, furious at seeing her so popular.
’Really? But I’m so hungry!‘ She knew exactly what he was thinking, so she had to use herself as an excuse.
’You’ll be too busy dancing with all those men to find time to eat.‘
’I didn’t mean to leave you alone. As you know, those people are all the sons of my father’s friends, so I had to entertain them.’ She smirked inwardly as she detected the jealousy in his words. ‘Look, the person hasn’t eaten anything since they entered the venue, and their stomach is already empty. How pitiful.’ Although she was dissatisfied, she didn’t want to see her starve, so he intercepted the passing waiter, gave him a few instructions, and then took her to a table and sat her down.
‘I can just go and get it myself,’ she couldn’t understand his intentions.
‘Do you think I’m going to let those crazy bees and swarming flies have another chance to pester you?‘ he asked, raising his eyebrows in return. Seeing his sour expression, she finally couldn’t hold back her giggles.
Ji Lingyang of course knew what she was laughing at, but he could only glare at her unhappily, waiting for her to laugh her fill.
’Uh, Miss Li, can we have an interview?’ Seeing that the princess finally had some free time, the media quickly leaned over.
After receiving her permission, the first question that came out was the one that everyone was waiting for. ‘May I ask, Miss Li, what is your relationship with Mr. Ji?’
‘We are…’ She looked at him instinctively and suddenly gave a sweet smile with a mischievous intent.
‘We are very good friends.’ Very good friends? Ji Lingyang almost vomited blood, but he still kept his promise in mind and remained silent in front of the media.
‘How good of friends? Are you boyfriend?’ The reporter asked again.
This time, Li Can’s smile retained a sense of mystery. ‘It depends on his sincerity.’
The attention of all the media immediately turned to Ji Lingyang, but seeing him twitch his eye corner, he still didn’t say anything. Keep silent…keep silent…his wife doesn’t recognise him anymore, what the hell is there to keep silent about!
‘I…’ He was about to say a word when he was immediately interrupted by Li Can.
‘Sorry, ladies and gentlemen reporters, we haven’t eaten yet, can you let us eat first?’ She pointed innocently at the tray of food served by the waiter.
The host said so, and the media reporters who knew how to adapt to circumstances all rushed to chase after the news of other corporate celebrities.
Li Can on this end let go of his heart and feasted, but Ji Lingyang became more and more gloomy.
‘Why didn’t you say you were my wife?‘ he asked with a dark face.
’You’re so fierce, how dare I answer?‘ He looked pitiful, but it looked like he was just pretending.
But Ji Lingyang fell for it. He tried his best to ease his stern expression and asked again.
’Does being my wife make you ashamed? Why don’t you admit it?’
Li Can, who had finished eating, wiped his mouth with a paper towel, put down the knife and fork in his hands, and then looked him square in the eye and gave him an answer that was like a thunderbolt.
‘Because you once said that I must not reveal that I am your wife!’
Ji Lingyang finally deeply understood what it meant to be self-defeating.
Sitting on the bed, listening to the sound of the shower, and occasionally a few off-key singing voices, she was in a good mood, but he was in a bad mood.
What can’t reveal her identity as his wife? This is simply nonsense he said when he was confused, but she took it as the ultimate truth. He could see that she did it on purpose, but he… he actually… actually had no way to deal with her, so he could only continue to sit on the bed sulking.
The beautiful woman with fresh-faced skin in the bathroom finally came out. Her skin was white and rosy from washing, and a few drops of water hung sensually from the ends of her hair. Since she had been taken back to the Ji family by him, she could only wear his bathrobe, which made her look even more provocative.
The originally hidden dark eyes became even darker, but this time they were veiled in lust. He suddenly thought of a very good way to clear his name… ‘Li Can,’ He called out to her in a low, seductive voice. ‘Come here for a moment.’
The young woman, not knowing what was going on, turned her head when she heard him call. She couldn’t help but notice his half-naked, muscular chest leaning against the bed. The flames in his starry eyes burned wildly, as if he wanted to eat her with his eyes. She felt inexplicably flushed.
‘What is it?’ After only hesitating for a moment, she obediently walked over.
As soon as she reached the edge of the bed, she was immediately captured in the arms of the man on the bed, and she was flipped over and pinned underneath. ‘I want to complete the ritual we left unfinished.’
‘You’re not thinking of…’ She shyly pushed his chest, but was startled by the heat she felt in her hands.
‘I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.’ He didn’t hide his desire at all, and his large hands began to wander around her waist.
‘You used to dislike it so much, and suddenly pushed me away…‘ She suppressed his wandering hands with some inferiority complex.
He looked at her steadily, and the obvious reaction from his body was undeniable: “You forgot, I used to be a fool.”
’But you said you liked big-breasted beauties.’ Unable to resist his hand reaching under her robe, she simply put her arms around her breasts.
‘I only like you, no matter what size.’ Without further ado, he kissed her to silence her and slowly stripped off the small beauty’s bathrobe.
The time was right, the place was right, and the stars were in alignment. There was no better time to ravish her… no, it was the time for two hearts to become one.
Ji Lingyang used all his strength to please her, making her tremble with excitement beneath him. Her fair and flawless body was tinged with a light pink from the passion, outlining her sexy body to the fullest.
It was time. He must make her his woman for good tonight!
‘Wait… wait a minute!‘ Just as he was about to explore her body more deeply, she used the little willpower she had left to call a halt. “Why on earth do you… why do you suddenly want me?
Is it just because you were stimulated at the banquet today? I…”
’Because I love you, Li Can.’ With downcast eyes, he suppressed his explosive desire and placed a light kiss on her lips. With each kiss, he said, ’I really love you, I love you…’
Finally, Li Can shed tears in the heat of passion. This was once a luxury she had asked for, but he had conveyed it to her heart in a way she could not resist.
Because of love, the two became even more passionate. It was as if they had longed for it for too long and just wanted to become one with each other. Every encounter was so heart-stopping, and they wished to stop time at this moment, unwilling to awaken from the lingering passion.
When the storm had passed, Ji Lingyang stroked her lazy, delicate body with satisfaction, thinking that she was finally his woman.
‘Tomorrow, I’ll announce our marriage in the newspaper.’
The exhausted little woman gave him a haughty glance. ‘No.’
‘Why?’ With a big hand, he drew her close to him again, letting her feel his ‘anger’.
She let out a low cry and shyly slapped him. ‘Because I’m not balanced! You made me keep my name a secret for so long, and now I want you to feel what I felt.’
Since he was in the wrong and she was really aggrieved, Ji Lingyang dared not speak angrily. ‘Then may I ask when you want to keep your name a secret, my lady?’
She tilted her head and thought for a moment. ‘Isn’t Qi Yixing your good friend? I heard that he is courting his wife, so you and your good friend can tide over the hard times together and wait for him to “clear his name” together! I think that by then you will at least be able to lean on a cane and hold my hand as we walk down the aisle, right?’
‘What?’ She suddenly raised her voice, glaring at him, and he stared back defiantly.
Finally, the man who had turned his grief and anger into strength once again took advantage of her, intent on using the power of passion to push back her demands.
Who ultimately won this battle of lust? Just look at Ji Lingyang’s still-uncomfortable feet, and you should know who ‘had the upper hand.’
Heh heh, it was still very late at night, and the lovers’ whispers continued.