Giving You Dawn And Dusk - Chapter 15

Maybe she should just get divorced.

This thought briefly appeared in Liang Shi’s mind.

She could not do this job.

The mess the original owner had left behind was too enormous. It was like a tangled ball of thread with no end to be found—impossible to cut through, impossible to sort out.

When she left Xu Qingzhu’s ward, Bai Weiwei was still persuading Xu Qingzhu to divorce her.

Xu Qingzhu did not react much. Her expression was faint. Although her complexion did not look too good, she did not mention divorce either.

But Liang Shi had never been good at handling this kind of thing.

Interacting with people was so difficult.

She had almost failed to hold herself back and started arguing with Bai Weiwei.

Even though they did not argue, her mood was still unpleasant when she came out of the ward.

That damned system. What kind of garbage mission had it given her?

The original owner was that much of a scumbag. Could it not just kill her off directly?

Let Xu Qingzhu become a young widow, wealthy and free, and let Liang Shi be an ordinary person. Would that not work?

Why insist on making her pursue Xu Qingzhu?

Liang Shi sat for a while on a bench in the hospital.

This was a small path. In summer, people often came here to enjoy the shade, but once autumn arrived, very few people came. On top of that, the weather had been bad recently, and the autumn wind grew colder by the day. The people in the hospital were mostly not in good health either, so this place was extremely quiet.

She gulped down a bellyful of ice water, finally cooling her anger a little.

Even a clay figure had a bit of temper.

In the past, someone had said that Liang Shi lived like an immortal.

Her assistant Jingjing often said, “Teacher Liang is a banished immortal from heaven. She never gets angry.”

Facing Jingjing’s teasing, Liang Shi would only smile. “It’s not that exaggerated.”

She simply felt that there was no need.

But her current situation made her feel mentally exhausted.

She could understand that the system had given her a chance at a new life, so it wanted her to do certain things. In other words, it wanted her to pay some price.

But if it did not tell her anything, how was she supposed to do it?

Was it really going to hand her a rotten wooden sword and force her to challenge an evil dragon?

This was far too challenging.

Autumn weather changed extremely quickly. The sun had just been hanging in the sky, but before long, large masses of dark clouds had drifted over, covering the sky and making it look gloomy and overcast, as if a storm were about to arrive.

The autumn wind swept up fallen leaves. Withered branches and rotting leaves were blown far away in spinning circles.

Liang Shi sneezed. After a while, she took out her phone and replied to Qiu Zimin.

[I know. I’ll be there on time.]

She would just keep living.

Take it one step at a time.

At this point, there was no better way.

Liang Shi did not plan to clean up the original owner’s mess anymore.

Wasn’t being herself more enjoyable?

In any case, she might not live for much longer.

As for the system?

Let it do whatever it wanted.

What did it have to do with her?

After thinking through this, Liang Shi’s mood smoothed out.

Even the speed at which she replied to Qiu Zimin became faster.

“That’s fine, then.” Qiu Zimin’s voice message came very quickly. “You know the Zhou family’s power too. Your father recently has his eye on a piece of land in the south of the city. Whether it can be approved or not still depends on Zhou Liye, so take advantage of this opportunity and get along properly with Yi’an.”

Liang Shi: “……?”

“Yi’an likes you. Everyone knows that.” Qiu Zimin sent another voice message, still very long. “Don’t rely on the fact that she likes you and start acting recklessly. Things are different now. You need to know that the Zhou family is no longer what it used to be. They’ve connected with the Shen family line and soared overnight. If you still want your father to finance the Xu family, then don’t be foolish. Talk properly with Yi’an.”

Liang Shi: “……”

She listened to the voice message twice and tried hard to do some reading comprehension.

Later, she converted it to text.

She more or less understood.

But the first question that came to her mind was: the original owner was already that much of a piece of trash, so why did Zhou Yi’an like her?

Was she blind?

Since it was through a screen and Liang Shi had never met Qiu Zimin, she only replied: [I know.]

A safe, standard answer.

She turned off her phone screen and sighed almost imperceptibly.

“What are you thinking about?” A clear and cold voice suddenly sounded by her ear.

It startled Liang Shi.

Even her eyelid twitched. She clutched her chest and leaned back slightly, just in time to lift her head and see who had come. It was Xu Qingzhu.

Liang Shi exhaled softly. “You scared me.” Then she complained in a low voice, “Do you make no sound when you walk?”

“I do.” Xu Qingzhu sat down on the bench, not far from her. The buttons of her white knitted cardigan were undone, and now they swayed with the wind. Her whole person looked ethereal and otherworldly, and even her voice carried a cool, airy quality. “You were just too absorbed in your thoughts to hear.”

“All right.” Liang Shi took another gulp of ice water and asked casually, “What did you need me for?”

“Can’t I look for you if there’s nothing?” Xu Qingzhu asked in return.

“…You can.” Liang Shi pressed her temples and briefly looked her over from the side.

Mm. Very pretty.

She withdrew her gaze.

After a while, Xu Qingzhu said softly, “Thank you.”

Liang Shi was stunned. “Ah?”

Thank you for what?

“For taking me back to the hospital yesterday,” Xu Qingzhu said. “And for Yaya’s matter.”

“They were all small things,” Liang Shi said. “I just did them in passing. Besides, you’re my wife.”

Liang Shi said it naturally, but the moment the words left her mouth, she sensed the awkwardness.

Would this sound like sexual harassment?!

After living in that world for so long, Liang Shi had become a little oversensitive to everything.

Fortunately, Xu Qingzhu did not react much. She only softly repeated those two words after her—wife.

Liang Shi’s ears heated, and even the gland behind her ear seemed to itch along with them.

She rubbed her ear. “Is there anything else? If not, I’ll go first.”

She also really wanted to calm down for a while.

Only after she completely calmed down could she think about how to pursue Xu Qingzhu and complete the system’s mission.

“Liang Shi,” Xu Qingzhu called after her.

“What is it?” Liang Shi asked.

Xu Qingzhu paused. “Is the Liang family facing a crisis?”

Liang Shi: “?”

“I don’t know.” Liang Shi answered with complete confidence. “I’ve never really cared about the company’s operations.”

With Liang Xinzhou and Liang Xinhe around, she did not even go to the company.

The original owner was just a useless, spoiled second-generation rich kid.

“Did you hear something?” Liang Shi asked.

Xu Qingzhu pressed her lips together and raised her head to look at her.

Their eyes met.

A moment later, she asked, “Then why are you going to meet Zhou Yi’an?”

Liang Shi had not expected Xu Qingzhu to ask so directly, and in such an open manner too.

However, after asking, Xu Qingzhu added, “It’s fine if you don’t want to say.”

For some reason, Liang Shi had the illusion of being caught cheating outside by the legal wife.

After thinking for a moment, she said, “Then I choose not to say.”

Xu Qingzhu nodded. “Okay.”

Xu Qingzhu stood up and pulled her knitted cardigan tighter around herself. “I’ll go first.”

After saying that, she walked toward the inpatient department without looking back.

Liang Shi hurried a few steps and ended up walking about a foot away from Xu Qingzhu’s shoulder.

Very close—close enough that Xu Qingzhu’s long hair could lightly brush across her face.

Even the ends of her hair carried a rich strawberry sweetness.

“I still haven’t figured things out yet,” Liang Shi added. “Everything has to wait until after I meet her. Only then will I know. So I can’t tell you anything right now. Saying anything now would be irresponsible.”

Xu Qingzhu stopped walking and turned back to look at her.

A moment later, she suddenly smiled and asked, “Liang Shi, will you always be like this from now on?”

Liang Shi was stunned. “Hm?”

She felt that she could not understand Xu Qingzhu.

It seemed that, for an instant, Xu Qingzhu’s clear eyes had illuminated her so thoroughly that she had nowhere to hide.

She had the illusion that she could be completely unrestrained and be herself in front of Xu Qingzhu.

But it was only an illusion.

For now, she absolutely would not do that.

“You’re pretty good like this,” Xu Qingzhu said.

Liang Shi: “……”

She answered perfunctorily, “It’s all right, I guess.”

“Oh, right.” Xu Qingzhu took a folded paper star from the pocket of her knitted cardigan and handed it to Liang Shi. “You left this in the ward.”

Liang Shi accepted it. “Thank you.”

Liang Shi had a habit of folding paper stars.

Whenever she was upset, she would fold one absentmindedly.

The paper star returned to her still carried a little warmth.

It seemed to remind Liang Shi that the person who had held it earlier was not cold-blooded and heartless.

//

Liang Shi arrived at Cangyue Restaurant at seven twenty.

Qiu Zimin had already booked a private room. When Liang Shi entered, Zhou Yi’an had not arrived yet.

Liang Shi found a seat and sat down. Very soon, the door was pushed open.

The only person who came was Zhou Yi’an.

She wore a custom-tailored suit. The hem of her white suit pants was rolled up slightly, and her black leather shoes were polished until they shone. A white suit paired with a black tie—purely restrained and ascetic in style.

Liang Shi stood up and nodded to her. “Hello.”

Zhou Yi’an curled the corners of her mouth, smiling in a wickedly charming way. “Hello, baby. Long time no see.”

Liang Shi: “……”

She sensed something hard to describe.

But it was only a feeling. She could not confirm it.

Liang Shi did not really like this form of address. It was rather greasy.

Especially when it came from the mouth of a stranger.

But because she currently knew nothing, she could only endure it. Still, out of instinct, she frowned.

“Baby, did you miss me?” Zhou Yi’an walked toward her, smiling with all kinds of charm. Then, catching her off guard, she hooked a finger beneath Liang Shi’s chin. “During the days we didn’t meet, I missed you so much that…”

Liang Shi immediately avoided her and cut her off. “Show some respect.”

“Ah?” Zhou Yi’an smiled. “Didn’t you come here to discuss our marriage with me?”

“I’m already married,” Liang Shi said. “No matter what my mother told you, it doesn’t count.”

“Is that so?” Zhou Yi’an raised an eyebrow. “Then does the Liang family not want that land in the south of the city anymore?”

Liang Shi: “……”

She said coldly, “Liang Zu is the one who wants the land in the south of the city. You can go discuss it with him. There’s no need to come to me.”

Liang Zu was the original owner’s father.

“But baby, what can I do? I only want you.” Zhou Yi’an approached again. Liang Shi’s temples throbbed with pain, and almost instinctively, she punched her.

She landed a punch directly on Zhou Yi’an.

“You fucking—” Liang Shi was so angry that she cursed. “Get lost.”

She picked up her phone from the table and walked outside, only for Zhou Yi’an to grab her wrist.

But Liang Shi was not someone easy to deal with either. She directly pinned Zhou Yi’an’s arm behind her.

Her phone suddenly rang. The contact note displayed: Zhuzi.

Liang Shi answered with one hand. “Hello?”

Xu Qingzhu asked, “Are you done meeting her?”

“Who’s that?” Zhou Yi’an suddenly spoke. Liang Shi used more force to twist her arm, making Zhou Yi’an groan in pain. “Fuck, I like this kind.”

Liang Shi: “……”

Was this person suffering from Stockholm syndrome?

Idiot.

She cursed in her heart.

“Check WeChat,” Xu Qingzhu said. “I sent you a message.”

Liang Shi answered, “Okay.”

“Is that your little lover?” Zhou Yi’an smiled provocatively.

Liang Shi said angrily, “Shut up.”

Her finger accidentally brushed the speaker button, and Zhou Yi’an’s words reached Xu Qingzhu’s ears.

Zhou Yi’an chuckled. “Baby, just how many little lovers do you have? But it doesn’t matter.”

“Baby.” Xu Qingzhu’s cool, even voice sounded from the other end of the phone, carrying a cold, distant ambiguity. “Why are you letting someone else call you baby again? I’m getting jealous.”

Liang Shi’s throat itched.

Her face suddenly felt a little hot.

“No.” Liang Shi explained instinctively.

“Baby wife, I miss you.” Xu Qingzhu spoke in a softened voice, hooking at one’s heart until it itched. “When are you coming home?”

Liang Shi swallowed, even her ears burning hot. “I’m coming home right away.”

“Then I’ll hang up now,” Xu Qingzhu said. “Be careful on the way back. I’ll be waiting for you. Mua~”

Liang Shi lightly pressed her lips together, her heart beating extremely fast.

After hanging up, she released Zhou Yi’an. “Get lost.”

“Baby, sooner or later, one day, you’ll come back and beg me,” Zhou Yi’an said behind her.

Liang Shi had already gone out the door.

Her ears were filled entirely with Xu Qingzhu’s voice.

She pinched her earlobe, which was so hot it felt like it had caught fire.

When she reached the outside of the restaurant, the cold wind blew over her, and only then did she regain some clarity. She took out her phone and checked the WeChat messages.

Xu Qingzhu had sent her two messages ten minutes earlier.

[Zhou Yi’an is an Alpha.]

[If you don’t mind, pretend I never said anything.]

Liang Shi finally understood what that uncomfortable feeling of hers had been.

In that instant, it was as if a basin of ice water had been dumped over her head.