Chapter 326: Chapter 324 He’s Badly Injured
Jian Xi’s lip twitched. "President Song, you certainly have an overactive imagination. If I possessed so many exceptional skills, I wouldn’t have been bullied to the point of being chased to Q Country right after my postpartum confinement, only to be lectured by you here and now, apparently, to be taught some manners."
Song Xicheng, feeling the sting of her sarcasm and slightly embarrassed, touched his nose.
"I’m the victim; I was hit first."
"So, your threats? I’ll take them all."
Jian Xi looked at him. "If you’re only here to gossip, then I’m afraid I’m not in the mood to entertain you."
For the first time in his life, Song Xicheng was being shown the door.
He walked to the door, then turned back. "Jian Xi, Si Yuhuan is actually quite pitiful. You should try to truly understand him."
"Pitiful people often have detestable aspects."
Jian Xi enunciated each word clearly.
Song Xicheng clenched his fists and strode out.
As the door closed, Song Xicheng muttered, Could Si Yuhuan have masochistic tendencies? Liking women who keep him at arm’s length? It’s truly baffling.
Song Xicheng, his attempt at gathering gossip a failure, fled in disarray.
Jian Xi stumbled back onto the sofa, her eyes bloodshot.
Hadn’t she understood him enough!
Si Yuhuan was nothing but a cold-blooded, unfeeling, heartless betrayer!
「Soon after, Wan Yu returned.」
She brought Jian Xi the most comprehensive news.
After hearing it, Jian Xi nodded, her composure deepening.
Wan Yu chattered, "What’s going on? Si Yuhuan really seems to be helping look for the child, first in Qingyuan Town and then at the docks. I heard he desperately ran onto the cruise ship and came back covered in injuries. Even Master Five is..."
Seeing Jian Xi’s expression turn exceedingly grim, Wan Yu fell silent.
She was a bit perplexed. What game was Si Yuhuan playing?
Was he trying to cover something up? Trying to make a futile attempt to conceal a conspicuous mistake?
With his current status and position, did he really need to go to such lengths to make Jian Xi submit?
Wasn’t this a bit too much?
Jian Xi looked up at Wan Yu. "Do you also sense something fishy about this?"
Wan Yu nodded.
She was naturally intelligent; some things became clear to her with just a hint.
"You mentioned putting on an act for outsiders. Does that mean you’ve guessed something too?" Wan Yu gazed at Jian Xi.
Jian Xi sighed. "The reason I’ve been acting in public as if I can’t wait to kill Si Yuhuan, spewing hateful words, is to see if someone is truly scheming behind the scenes. If so, they must be quite pleased seeing me like this."
"Si Yuhuan claims Si Junyan isn’t dead and that he kidnapped my child. This needs to be investigated."
Wan Yu said, "If Si Junyan isn’t dead, then this whole thing becomes incredibly complicated."
"I won’t fully trust the words of a heartless bastard! If I discover later that he orchestrated this whole charade, I’ll make him pay in blood!" Jian Xi’s eyes blazed with ruthless fury.
Wan Yu shuddered.
She admired her best friend for remaining so calm at a time like this.
"It’s true I hate him, but I also understand him well. Si Yuhuan is an incredibly proud man. If he wanted to kill me and Brother Five, he wouldn’t need to reduce himself to such a sorry state. We would have been dead the moment Brother Five and I set foot in Q Country."
"There are too many suspicious aspects. I don’t want to jump to conclusions and become someone else’s pawn," Jian Xi said, her gaze sharp.
"Xixi, you’re amazing."
Even in a crisis involving her closest family, she could maintain such clarity of mind. This alone filled Wan Yu with immense admiration.
Jian Xi gave a bitter smile. "Someone who has died once is naturally clear-headed."
Wan Yu didn’t grasp the deeper meaning behind Jian Xi’s words, assuming she meant a figurative death from extreme heartache.
"Don’t say such inauspicious things. Once we figure this out, we just need to wait to bring Mingming back. As for Master Five, good people are always blessed. I’ve already contacted Doctor Jian to come over. With him here, we don’t need to worry."
"No."
If someone was really targeting her and Si Yuhuan, her brothers would also be in danger.
If Fourth Brother came over so openly, disrupting their plans, he might be eliminated first.
Until Jian Xi was sure, she didn’t want to put anyone else at risk.
"Contact Fourth Brother secretly. Ask him to instruct the doctors here to keep Brother Five stable. Once things settle down, we’ll find a chance to bring Fourth Brother over."
"That makes sense. I’ll do it right away."
After arranging everything, Jian Xi cleared her mind.
She carefully recalled everything that had transpired over the past six months.
It had been more tumultuous than her entire life combined.
Partings through life and death, hatred and resentment, unfulfilled desires, the pain of separation from loved ones—she had experienced the full spectrum of human suffering. She could almost write a book about it.
"Si Yuhuan," she whispered, "I truly wish we could part amicably."
Jian Xi closed her eyes, and two streams of tears trickled down her cheeks.
「...」
Si Yuhuan’s surgery was successful. The bullet was removed from his leg smoothly, but he would need some time to recover.
Song Xicheng stationed heavy guards.
Without his orders, no one could enter or leave freely.
As Wan Yu brought food for Jian Xi, she couldn’t help but complain, "Anyone who didn’t know better would think he’s secretly in love with Si Yuhuan! He’s being so good to him. He’s just a business partner, not his lover. Is all this really necessary?"
They had investigated; the two men had no significant prior interactions. Si Yuhuan hadn’t met Song Xicheng upon arriving in Q Country either. Their first formal meeting had only been a few days ago.
This made Wan Yu even more certain that Song Xicheng "liked" Si Yuhuan!
With the precedent of Zhang Yaxuan, nothing seemed strange to her anymore.
"Whatever the reason, I must see Si Yuhuan today."
Jian Xi resolved.
Jian Xi stood outside the hospital room, watching Song Xicheng fuss over Si Yuhuan. Si Yuhuan maintained a cold expression, unwilling to engage with him.
She had witnessed a similar scene back at Saint Seymour.
She was now seventy to eighty percent sure Wan Yu was right.
She silently cursed Si Yuhuan’s damnable charm—not only were women willing to die for him, but men, it seemed, were also willing to risk their lives.
"Si Yuhuan, I need to see you!"
Blocked from entering, Jian Xi simply stood at the door and shouted.
Finally, there was a stir from inside the room.
Song Xicheng emerged, looking impatient, and tried to shoo her away. "Seriously? He hasn’t even recovered yet, and you’re here stirring up trouble. Are you trying to kill him?"
After seeing the surveillance footage, Jian Xi had looked like she wanted to kill Si Yuhuan, so Song Xicheng had to be wary of her.
This was his only good brother; he couldn’t let him actually be tormented to death.
"Either let me in to see him, or he comes out to see me."
Jian Xi’s gaze was firm, unflinching and resolute.
Song Xicheng’s temper flared. "What could possibly be so important that it can’t wait until he’s out of the critical period?"
Before Song Xicheng could finish his outburst, Si Yuhuan’s voice came from inside.
"Let her in."
Jian Xi pushed past Song Xicheng.
Song Xicheng fumed silently.
"I know you like him. Just deal with it. Who asked him to only like women!" Jian Xi retorted.
No wonder he’d suddenly approached her, spouting all that nonsense about controlling hearts and using drugs...
He should have just asked how to make Si Yuhuan fall for him.
A grown man, mincing words like that—so lame!
Song Xicheng’s eyes widened.
"What? Are you crazy, spouting such nonsense! Who likes Si Yuhuan?!"
Jian Xi heard him but pretended she hadn’t.
He didn’t even dare to admit it. She despised him even more.
Entering the hospital room, she saw Si Yuhuan on the bed, bandaged up like a rice dumpling.
His injuries were indeed severe.