When Qiao Zhiyi woke up, there was no one by her side.
He was not there, and she felt a lot more relaxed as a result.
After washing up, she came out just in time to see Shi Jingzhou walking in from the balcony outside, holding a mobile phone in his hand.
When their eyes met, she quickly looked away.
"Come here," Shi Jingzhou said as he took off his bathrobe, revealing his back.
Qiao Zhiyi's feet refused to move.
For some reason, his look, his gesture, a word, even his breathing filled her with a sense of dread.
No one had ever given her such terrifying pressure.
She wanted to run away.
Resigned, she walked over to him and saw the wound on his back; she carefully helped him change the bandage.
Shi Jingzhou lay on the bed, acutely aware of her caution.
Hmph, scared of him, yet gritting her teeth to come closer—she really was in a tough spot.
"Are you really that afraid of me?"
Qiao Zhiyi's hand trembled slightly, touching his wound, and the fright left her face pale.
She was scared.
In her twenty-some years, she had never been so scared of anyone, nor had anyone ever put such immense pressure and fear on her.
She admitted that every time she saw his face, fear would naturally surge.
"Got the guts to take someone's place in marriage, but not the guts to face it?" Shi Jingzhou sneered, "Life is long, and you'd better work on that courage. I don't want to be left a young widower."
Biting her lips, Qiao Zhiyi wished the lotion in her hands were a knife so she could stab him once more in that wound.
After treating his wound, Shi Jingzhou picked up a black shirt to wear, dressing in front of Qiao Zhiyi without any sense of modesty, zipping his pants, and buckling his belt all in one go.
His appearance might have been ruined, but his physique was beyond reproach.
Qiao Zhiyi wasn't unfamiliar with the male form, and she knew what kind of build attracted attention.
She knew better; if Jingzhou's face hadn't been damaged, she certainly wouldn't have been the one marrying him.
People's initial recognition of each other is based on sensory perception.
She wasn't someone who despised the poor and loved the rich, nor was she someone who judged a book by its cover. However, in any aspect, Shi Jingzhou made it impossible for her to feel any sense of closeness towards him.
She wanted to escape, the further away from him, the better.
Shi Jingzhou handed her a dark-colored tie.
Qiao Zhiyi hesitated for a few seconds before taking it, unable to understand why he dressed so flamboyantly every day. With that face, he didn't dare to walk the streets openly. Was it necessary to be so meticulous?
Approaching him with the tie, she reached out her hand.
The man was tall, with a straight posture, and she had to tiptoe as well as maintain a distance from him. Tying his tie was a challenge and a torment for her.
"Did someone disturb your mother yesterday?" Shi Jingzhou looked down at her coerced expression, displeased.
Qiao Zhiyi paused, "No."
How did he know?
Was it surveillance, or...
"Mr. Sen Ge will visit the hospital tomorrow."
"Really?" Qiao Zhiyi's eyes lit up, and she pulled the tie a little too tightly around his neck.
She quickly let go and stepped back two paces, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
Shi Jingzhou narrowed his eyes and adjusted his tie, his tone unfriendly, "Early in the morning, you've thought about doing me in a few times, haven't you?"
Qiao Zhiyi dared not breathe heavily; he had actually noticed.
Actually, it was only when she was changing his bandage that she had those thoughts. Just now, she was truly just too excited.
"I didn't," Qiao Zhiyi said, needing something from him, she had to lower her stature and quickly went over to help him with his tie again, "I was just too excited. Thank you, Mr. Shi."
Qiao Zhiyi's eyes were shining as she looked at him now.
She had waited several days and finally had heard the definite news.
In this matter, she should be grateful to Shi Jingzhou. Without Shi Jingzhou, there was no way she could have engaged Dr. Sen Ge's services.
Even though she studied medicine herself, she would never have been able to meet such an authoritative expert, even with all the money she had.
There was hope for her mother now.
Qiao Zhiyi felt joy from the bottom of her heart, and a trace of a smile emerged on her face and in her eyes.
Shi Jingzhou noticed the change in her and was almost humming a tune.
In front of him, she really didn't hide any of her little schemes.
"Qiao Zhiyi," Shi Jingzhou called her.
Qiao Zhiyi stood up straight, looking at him.
She couldn't fathom the thoughts of this man; his face showed no expression, and she could only read emotions like happiness or anger from his eyes.
Of course, in their days together, she had never seen anything that resembled "happiness" in his eyes.
An innocent gaze that appeared particularly pure, just like a spring, so clean that it made one want to spoil it.
Her delicate lips curved up, emitting an enticing luster.
Shi Jingzhou's throat moved slightly as he lowered his head to capture her lips.
Qiao Zhiyi's pupils widened in shock; her hand was still holding his tie, making it seem as though she was the one forcing him.
Just as she was about to push him away, a sudden pain shot through her lips, and she closed her eyes tightly.
"Verbal thanks are worthless to me," Shi Jingzhou had already let her go, looking at the fresh red beads of blood on her lips with satisfaction, he hooked the corner of his mouth, "Using my resources always comes with a price. Any objections?"
Asking after the deed if there were any objections was really despicable.
Qiao Zhiyi decided to think of it as a dog bite. After all, they had already kissed before; one more time wouldn't make a difference.
She shook her head.
To cure her mother's illness, she was willing to risk everything.
Shi Jingzhou snorted coldly and left.
Qiao Zhiyi let out a heavy sigh of relief, standing in front of the mirror she saw the blood on her lips had already clotted. Gently wiping it away, she thought, 'What a pervert that man is.'
Once her mother was cured, no matter what it took, she would make sure to end this marriage.
...
Qiao Zhiyi went to a nice private gynecology and obstetrics hospital in Jiang City for an interview, which had been recommended by her teacher.
After the interview, she was in a great mood.
She sent the good news to a friend abroad and planned to buy a bouquet of flowers from the florist for Mrs. Wang.
"Qiao Zhiyi," Bai Yue walked over from the side.
Qiao Zhiyi politely said, "What a coincidence, Miss Bai."
Bai Yue sized her up; though her clothes were out-of-date, she wore them well due to her good foundations. Aside from her attractive figure, she also had a face that was beautiful even without makeup, exuding a simple elegance coupled with an air of pride that was eye-catching.
"Jingzhou does not love you," Bai Yue got straight to the point.
Qiao Zhiyi pressed her lips together and stated the fact, "I don't love him either."
When Bai Yue saw the injury on her lips, fury arose within her, "If you don't love him, why would you marry him?"
"I remember Miss Bai is also married. You have a husband, yet you're fixated on Shi Jingzhou. Your words and actions express love for Shi Jingzhou. If Miss Bai loves Jingzhou, why did you marry someone else?" Qiao Zhiyi asked her calmly.
Bai Yue was left speechless.
Qiao Zhiyi did not intend to embarrass her or make an enemy of her. She might need Bai Yue's help to get free from Jingzhou.
"I mean no offense; I was just thinking that we are in the same boat and you should understand what it means to be helpless. If you truly love Jingzhou, then be with him openly and honestly. Of course, I'm not encouraging you to have an affair within your marriage. I'm just reminding you that you only have the right to pursue him if you're single."
"Your deep love for him—I believe that you'll do everything in your power to be with him. Miss Bai, if you love him, then be with him," Qiao Zhiyi wished Bai Yue would take Jingzhou away immediately.
She would be unrighteous, on the one hand, wanting to use Jingzhou's connections to save her mother, and on the other, unwilling to waste her life on a marriage with no prospect of happiness.