"He won't."
The girl's face was pale, almost colorless. Her lips were lightly pressed together. Her words lacked any aura of power. Only her pupils, clear and colorless, seemed somewhat unusual.
The girl was beautiful, the kind of inconspicuous beauty, like a small white flower in the mud after rain, invisible unless you looked closely.
Her voice was soft and gentle, and her tone, seemingly light and weightless, carried a strange sense of distance and certainty. She was answering for Jiang Sui, defending him.
Hu Ling, standing by, was stunned, partly by the girl's cold gaze and partly by Jiang Sui's nervous expression.
A seemingly weak girl, yet inherently stubborn, and a defiant, unfathomable young man.
She'd heard a lot about the world, having been in it herself. Many wealthy young men pursued romance in their youth, but once they were past their prime, they returned home obediently.
After all, the young master's dignity was all fueled by wealth.
She suddenly wanted to see what this "unique young man" in Jiangcheng looked like. She tilted her head to look at the condescending young man clutching her wrist. Displeasure was evident in his broken brow, and his thin, cold lips curled slightly.
"Get up and sit over there."
Jiang Sui pointed to the chair across from her.
That look seemed to say, "If you don't go, I'll carry you there."
Hu Ling didn't put up any further, refusing to struggle. Instead, she stood up, twisting her hips, and obediently sat down across from him.
Jiang Sui sat down next to Su Qing, his heart finally calming down a bit. His expression softened a bit, and he fixed his gaze on Su Qing.
His jaw was set tightly.
"Don't listen to her nonsense. She's Yifan's sister, her biological sister."
The words were heavy in his voice.
The young man, who had intended to grasp her hand, gently dropped his wrists to his sides, lifting them to rest on his knees. He lowered his head slightly, looking at Liu Ranran beside her. She clung tightly to Su Qing, leaning against her, practically clinging to her body.
The young man's fingertips curled slightly, and his lips pursed tighter.
Su Qing shook her head; she didn't disbelieve Jiang Sui.
When the lights in the operating room went out, everyone stood up immediately, staring intently at the door until a wheeled bed emerged, revealing the young man lying on the bed.
His face was pale, his lips dry, and his red hair was beginning to dull. Fortunately, the doctor said there was nothing wrong, which brought some relief.
Perhaps worried about Hu Ling caring for Hu Yifan alone, Su Qing and Liu Ranran left as dusk fell. However, as they were leaving, Jiang Sui insisted that Hu Ling take them home before returning to the hospital.
Anyone could see Hu Ling's reluctance, but she gritted her teeth and agreed.
She dropped Liu Ranran off first, then Su Qing.
The car was quiet; neither seemed particularly talkative.
"Su Qing? That's a rather fitting name for you."
Pursing her lips, Hu Ling pulled a thin cigarette from her bag, lit it with a lighter, and took a deep drag. Then, she rolled down the window, watching the wind whipping her hair around, and squinting at Su Qing.
Su Qing watched the smoke drifting towards her, then drifting away on the wind, momentarily lost in thought.
Only after hearing Hu Ling speak to her did she slowly turn her gaze to the girl's heavily made-up face, a hint of fatigue in her eyes.
As if sensing Su Qing's gaze, Hu Ling's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Do you look down on me?"
Hu Ling's eyes were so dark they were practically devoid of any luster. She and Su Qing, one under a dim light, the other in deep shadow, neither of them in a bright place. It was just that Hu Ling was so dark, it made people want to lift the veil.
Su Qing shook her head gently, somewhat surprised by Hu Ling's words.
"No."
Her voice vanished in the cool breeze, leaving behind only the rustling of car horns and the clatter of cars. It was unclear if Hu Ling heard it, as her expression remained weary.
Her profile sank into the shadows.
The girl at night wasn't as vibrant and bright as she was during the day; now, the thick darkness enveloped her completely.
"I simply feel that happiness looks the same to everyone, but unhappiness seems unique."
Su Qing's voice drifted slowly and ethereal into Hu Ling's ears.
It didn't sound like the words of a teenage girl. It felt a bit like comfort, but not quite. Hu Ling turned her head, looked at Su Qing, and smiled softly, so much so that tears glistened in the corners of her eyes.
"Are you saying anything bad about me?"
"I'm the eldest daughter of the Hu Real Estate family, a powerful figure, the fiancée of the Cheng family's young master, and an outstanding graduate of Peking University. What's wrong with that?"
Hu Real Estate?
Su Qing was momentarily shocked. She had assumed Hu Yifan's family was wealthy, but she had never expected him to be the young master of the recently rising Hu Real Estate family.
This momentarily left Su Qing feeling confused, so much so that she didn't hear what Hu Ling said clearly. She only whispered something as she exited the car.
"No matter what the world holds, no matter what others think, we must look forward and keep moving forward."
Her voice was soft and tender, a hint of tenderness carried in the wind.
The speeding car left Su Qing feeling somewhat disoriented. She kept thinking, if Hu Yifan's identity was so remarkable, then what about Jiang Sui...
She pinched her fingertips and returned home distraught.
She lay on bed, speechless, staring at the ceiling.
Until her phone rang.
She glanced at the familiar words on the line, then snapped back to her senses and answered the phone. Then she remembered the boy's request to text or call him when she got home.
Su Qing had actually forgotten about it for a moment.
She answered the call and glanced at the alarm clock on her desk. Almost half an hour had passed, so she figured Hu Ling must have gone home.
"Are you home yet?" Jiang Sui's voice on the other end sounded a little cold.
"I'm home. I forgot to call you back."
Su Qing bit her lip.
"Ok, don't forget next time."
She still felt that the boy's voice was a little heavier than usual, and his tone was different.
"How's Hu Yifan?"
The girl's voice was as gentle and sweet as ever, but occasionally, meeting her clear eyes would cause Jiang Sui to panic for a moment, but he was able to suppress his thoughts.
"He's awake, nothing's wrong."
Jiang Sui leaned against the wall outside the ward, his eyes dark.
The girl said she'd call Liu Ranran to let her know he was safe, then hung up.
She seemed so calm, but she didn't ask him why he didn't call the police.
This situation was clearly beyond their ability to resolve. Liu Ranran was terrified, but what about her?
He saw no fear in her eyes, only astonishment and calmness...