Chapter 90: Chapter 80: Let Me Soothe You, Hmm?
Jiang Ruan’s fingertips lightly touched, and images of Fang Cui reluctantly sending her to the hospital after injuring her flooded her mind.
She cursed her as a disaster, asking why she hadn’t died.
During the half month of recovery in the hospital, Fang Cui visited only three times and essentially ignored her existence.
It was a kind nurse who couldn’t bear it, noticing she neither ate nor drank, and gave her their free staff meals every day.
Jiang Ruan will never forget that her head was wrapped in bandages, hurting so badly she thought it might fall off.
Eating while tears continuously fell into her rice, she ate them together.
It was the best meal she had in years, with meat even.
At that time, Jiang Ruan felt her life was all dark; she couldn’t even see a sliver of light.
She couldn’t help crying and asked the nurse, "Sister, why is my life so miserable? Why does nobody love me? Wouldn’t anyone care if I died?"
The nurse comforted her warmly, "Why wouldn’t anybody love you? I’m sure someone does, but they are ahead, and you need to walk towards them step by step."
"Take my advice, study hard, leave Jiang City after graduation, go to a big city, don’t be shackled by your aunt, and you’ll change your destiny."
The nurse’s voice was gentle and warm.
This sentence became Jiang Ruan’s motivation to live on at that time.
As if a glimmer of light suddenly flooded into a dark, dim basement.
It gave Jiang Ruan hope.
At that time, she was determined to leave Jiang City, leave Fang Cui, and stay far away from them.
Finally, she got into university.
She could leave Jiang City.
Recollecting her thoughts, Jiang Ruan closed her eyes, suppressing everything muddled in her mind, and propped herself up on the sink.
Her mood was not good, especially after seeing Fang Cui, a mirror reflecting her previous darkness and despair clearly.
In the doldrums, Jiang Ruan’s eyes reddened, and her lips trembled, as teardrops slid down her cheeks.
But she wiped them away quickly.
She hated seeing herself weak.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Ruan composed herself, and then opened the door, going out.
Unexpectedly, as she exited the restroom, she saw Bao Ye sitting on the sofa with a computer on his lap, seemingly working.
Hearing the movement, the man’s dark eyes glanced over, colliding with Jiang Ruan’s still uncomposed, rabbit-like red eyes.
Clearly, she had just cried.
Bao Ye’s eyes slightly changed.
Before he could speak, Jiang Ruan hurriedly made an excuse, "I’m going to wash clothes."
Then she turned back into the restroom.
Bao Ye: "..."
Such a timid little thing.
Jiang Ruan stayed in the restroom for half an hour, and Bao Ye watched the time, noticing nothing coming from there, and his brows furrowed.
Setting down the computer, he stood up, striding towards the restroom.
Just as he reached the door, it opened.
Jiang Ruan came out, saw him, and paused, quickly responding, "Do you need to use the restroom?"
Being asked, Bao Ye: "..."
Jiang Ruan moved aside, her face already composed, her eyes not red, smiling brightly at him, "I’m done washing, you can go in."
"..."
Being given way.
Bao Ye stared at her for a few seconds, his voice cold, "I don’t need to."
"Ah?" Jiang Ruan blinked, a bit puzzled at him.
Bao Ye slipped one hand in his pocket, his dark eyes devoid of emotion, his white shirt elegant yet the open collar revealing his collarbone, adding wildness.
Looking down at her, his Adam’s apple moved, his lips lightly scoffed, "Afraid you might be troubled."
"So I came to check."
Jiang Ruan pursed her lips, speaking seriously, "You’re overthinking."
"To me, this is trivial, okay? It’s not even worth mentioning; there’s no way I’d be troubled."
It’s simply a joke, okay.
Even if the sky fell, Jiang Ruan would still live well.
She cherishes life more than anyone else.
Unless disaster strikes, she would never harm herself.
"Tsk." Bao Ye saw her stubborn look, a smile flickered in his eyes as he leaned close to her, "Is that so?"
"I wonder who was just hiding and crying, their eyes all red."
"You!" Jiang Ruan gritted her teeth, the two merely inches apart, she couldn’t help reaching out and poking his strong chest.
The girl’s gentle voice followed.
Speaking word by word.
"Don’t point out people’s weaknesses like this, okay!"
In Bao Ye’s eyes, it seemed she was deliberately flirting with him, her soft fingertips endlessly touching his chest, making his Adam’s apple roll fiercely.
Holding her hand, his voice a bit hoarse with laughter, "Did I say something wrong?"
"Or did you not cry?"
"You!" Jiang Ruan angrily bit her lip, pulled his hand away, "From now on, I refuse to talk to you, thank you."
Saying that, she turned to leave.
Her angry appearance,
like a little porcupine.
After walking just a couple of steps, she was pulled back, held by the waist against the wall.
Then he leaned over.
"Hey! Bao Ye, what are you doing!" Jiang Ruan exclaimed.
"Why are you running?"
Bao Ye lowered his eyes, the scent of cologne intensely filled her nostrils due to the closeness.
His black eyes carried a faint smile, yet seemingly bottomless, "I can’t even speak about you now, huh?"
Jiang Ruan’s face puffed, she turned her head away, ignoring him.
Bao Ye chuckled, angering him.
With his fingertip, he pinched her chin, gently turning her, slowly pinching as if rolling a bead, lifting it, he casually said, "Isn’t it just a little thing, what’s there to cry about?"
"Crying in bed, crying over trivial messes, are you a little crybaby?"
"You don’t understand!"
Hearing this, Jiang Ruan’s anger surged, sharply pulling down his hand, her eyes red accusing, "You didn’t go through those things, so of course you don’t know how painful it is, I was already holding back outside, isn’t it okay to feel wronged at home?"
"Do you have to mock me!"
As she spoke, her mood, which had just calmed down, suddenly rose again.
Her eyes reddened, tears welling up inside.
Looking stubbornly at him, she was utterly pitiful.
"Not mocking you."
Bao Ye said.
He wanted to comfort her.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left the company meeting and come back directly.
He was out of province, and Chen Nan told him about her situation; he could have sent someone to handle it but seeing her face looking bad in the video.
He ended up coming back.
Watching her shoulders trembling, tears rolling down her eyes, it seemed she cried even more heartbreakingly.
All his doing.
Bao Ye’s dark eyes flickered, his fingertips hanging by his side stiffened, his mood turning sour.
But he really didn’t know how to comfort people.
Resolved to stretch his long arms, pulling her directly into his embrace, pressing her head against his chest.
With his right hand, he patted her back, like comforting a child, his slightly stiff but earnest voice sounded, "Don’t cry."
"I’ll comfort you, alright?"