Giving You Dawn and Dusk - Chapter 6

The hospital room was quiet. Xu Qingzhu was sipping water in small, elegant sips.

Her posture while drinking was very graceful, clearly indicating proper etiquette training. Her beautiful swan neck was elongated, revealing an exquisite line, and sunlight danced on her skin.

It was a very beautiful scene.

Liang Shi unconsciously stared in a daze until Xu Qingzhu finished the water, screwed the cap back on, and placed the bottle on the cabinet. Her eyes flicked over, coolly asking, “What are you looking at?”

Liang Shi: “…”

She sheepishly withdrew her gaze.

Liang Shi was not an articulate person. Even after years in the entertainment industry, she maintained a solitary disposition.

If it weren’t for her good acting skills, she genuinely wouldn’t have been able to survive in showbiz.

She had always believed that interacting with people meant exchanging sincerity for sincerity.

So, when Sun Chengcheng showed her goodwill back then, she wasn’t overly cautious, yet she was still set up.

Thinking of these things, Liang Shi’s mood dropped.

For a long time, neither of them spoke.

Finally, it was Xu Qingzhu who broke the silence. “After I’m discharged, I will have my lawyer prepare the relevant documents. I won’t take a penny of your assets. Before, you…”

She paused, her voice colder, though it sounded like she was forcing herself to be calm. “The Liang family’s assistance to the Xu family…”

A rapid, loud musical ringtone suddenly sounded, interrupting Xu Qingzhu’s words.

Liang Shi looked at her first, then belatedly realized it was her own phone ringing.

Liang Shi: “…”

This ringtone is truly awful.

She took out her phone, covered the receiver, and bowed slightly to Xu Qingzhu. “Excuse me.”

Then she looked at the screen; it was Cheng Ran.

“Hello.” Liang Shi answered, deliberately lowering her voice. “What do you want?”

It was noisy on Cheng Ran’s end, but her voice carried clearly, being very loud. “Where are you?”

“The hospital,” Liang Shi said.

Cheng Ran frowned. “I’m at the hospital too. Why haven’t I seen you? Or are you…”

She paused, quickly guessing, “You’re not in your own room, you’re with Xu Qingzhu?”

Liang Shi felt a little guilty and glanced at Xu Qingzhu, then immediately said with an air of righteousness, “Yes.”

“What are you doing? Going to plead guilty?” Cheng Ran teased carelessly when she heard this. “Well, I’m coming over to Xu Qingzhu’s room right now to take a look.”

“Don’t come,” Liang Shi refused.

“What’s wrong? I’m Xu Qingzhu’s friend too, right? She’s sick, and I can’t even visit?” Cheng Ran’s tone allowed no room for negotiation. “I’ve already come all this way, I can’t just leave without doing anything. Why are you so resistant? Could it be… you actually want to be a good partner?”

She then chuckled to herself. “Come on, who doesn’t know who? You’re not fooling anyone.”

“Cheng Ran.” The warning was implicit in Liang Shi’s tone as she addressed her.

But Cheng Ran didn’t care. “I’ll be there in a moment. Come out and meet me.”

Then the call was disconnected.

Liang Shi frowned at the phone screen, then looked at Xu Qingzhu, realizing she had turned away and was no longer looking at her.

Worried that Cheng Ran might come to Xu Qingzhu’s room and say things that would provoke her, she immediately told Xu Qingzhu, “A friend is coming to see me. I’m leaving first.”

Xu Qingzhu did not respond.

“If you need anything, press the emergency bell,” Liang Shi said. “Or call me. Your phone is by the bed. I’ve charged it for you. Also…”

Liang Shi glanced at the phone, which had a matching couple’s case with hers, and said with lowered eyes, “I’ve recovered all your data. There’s no password set; you can set it yourself. Also, I’ve deleted all the copied data, including the USB drive that stored your information. I’ve destroyed it. I won’t touch your phone or invade your privacy again.”

After the original host took Xu Qingzhu’s phone, she copied all the data to a USB drive. While waiting outside earlier, Liang Shi remembered this, found a phone shop, and rushed to complete the task. She also bought Xu Qingzhu a new phone, concerned that she might feel disgusted using the old one.

“There’s also a brand new, unopened phone. If you don’t want to use the old one, you can insert the SIM card and use the new one.” As Liang Shi spoke, she heard the clack-clack-clack of high heels in the corridor. She guessed it was Cheng Ran.

She was probably the only person who would walk around the hospital in stilettos.

Liang Shi immediately cut her words short. “Take good care of yourself. I have to go now, but I’ll visit you later.”

With that, she quickly walked out of the room.

The moment she left, Xu Qingzhu, who was lying on the bed, opened her eyes.

She hadn’t been asleep.

She had heard everything Liang Shi said.

Moreover, she had excellent hearing since childhood, and she had also heard what Cheng Ran said on the phone.

Not only that, she had heard all the shallow and dismissive things Liang Shi had said about her to others in the past.

She just hadn’t said anything.

Because the Xu family was on the verge of bankruptcy, it was Liang Shi who married her and injected a significant amount of capital into the Xu family, saving the company. Therefore, she felt indebted and endured everything in silence.

Besides, she had feelings for Liang Shi.

In her memory, Liang Shi was always the girl who was brave enough to seek a way out when they were kidnapped, the one who encouraged her to escape together—not the present Liang Shi, who was cynical, spoiled, willful, and promiscuous.

But while memory doesn’t change, people do.

Liang Shi was no longer the person she remembered.

Lying in bed, tormented by her heat, she finally came to terms with that fact.

Even if Liang Shi was now saying she wouldn’t hurt her and giving her repeated assurances, and even if her behavior had improved, she would no longer trust Liang Shi.

All she wanted was a divorce from Liang Shi.

Then she planned to join the company to help her father. She had an MBA, but her father had always worried about her health and hadn’t let her get involved in company affairs.

As Xu Qingzhu was thinking, her phone vibrated.

【Mom: My dear Bamboo, has your sister contacted you?】

Xu Qingzhu frowned. 【No.】

Xu Qingzhu had a sister named Xu Qingya, who was 15 years old, had just started high school, and was going through a rebellious phase.

Before her marriage, Xu Qingya often fought with their parents at home, and Xu Qingzhu was caught in the middle as the mediator.

When she got married, Xu Qingya cried buckets and promised her that she would always listen to their parents after that.

That promise lasted four months.

At least, this was the first time her mother had contacted her about Xu Qingya since her marriage.

She replied: 【No.】

【Mom: Ya Ya and your dad fought again. Your dad threw out all of Chen Zhengxuan’s merchandise and tore down all the posters in her room. She ran away from home in anger. Your dad’s stubborn temper flared up too, and he suspended her card. She’ll probably contact you. When she does, please look after her and try to talk some sense into her.】

Xu Qingzhu: 【Okay.】

She was mentally and physically exhausted right now, but she still forced herself to call Xu Qingya.

No one answered.

She called again, and it went straight to a busy signal.

Switching back to the screen, her mother sent a message: 【How are you and A-Shi getting along?】

Xu Qingzhu’s hand hovered over the screen, unsure how to reply.

A tear fell onto the pillow.

She typed: Mom, I plan to divorce Liang Shi.

Before she finished typing, a new message appeared at the top of the screen: 【The Liang family is powerful and helped us out. Be good to A-Shi. She might have been spoiled since childhood and has a temper, but she’s not a bad kid.】

Xu Qingzhu: …

That’s because you haven’t seen her vicious side.

【Mom: The company situation doesn’t seem very good lately. Your dad looks exhausted every time he comes back. Just make sure you two are doing well.】

Xu Qingzhu deleted all her words. A thousand words condensed into one: 【Okay.】

Meanwhile, Liang Shi saw Cheng Ran.

Cheng Ran had long, brown, wavy hair, wore a hip-hugging miniskirt, and her makeup was heavy—very similar to the makeup the original host wore when Liang Shi transmigrated.

Liang Shi could smell the pungent perfume from a distance. She fanned her nose with her hand, feeling thankful that she hadn’t let Cheng Ran into Xu Qingzhu’s room.

“Let’s go,” Cheng Ran said. “Let’s go see Xu Qingzhu.”

“No need.” Liang Shi kept some distance between them as she refused. “She’s asleep.”

Cheng Ran turned back, looking suspicious. “Liang Shi, when did you become so considerate?”

Liang Shi: “…”

“Fine, I won’t touch her, okay?” Cheng Ran said. “Do you have to be like this? Guarding against me like a thief.”

Liang Shi pursed her lips and called her name seriously. “Cheng Ran.”

She felt it was necessary to make things clear with Cheng Ran.

If she continued to associate with someone like Cheng Ran, Xu Qingzhu would inevitably misunderstand her.

But just as she finished speaking, her phone rang again. It was an unknown number.

She turned her back and answered, “Hello?”

A wronged voice came through the phone. “Sister Liang Shi.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Who is this now?

The original host’s habit of not saving contacts is truly awful.

“Is my sister near you?” Xu Qingya asked. “If she is, try to avoid her first.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Who is her sister?

“Sister Liang Shi?” Xu Qingya tentatively called out. “Is my sister with you? Are you at the villa?”

Liang Shi realized this must be Xu Qingzhu’s sister.

Liang Shi cleared her throat. “We’re not together. What’s wrong?”

Xu Qingya huffed in annoyance. “It’s fine if you’re not, or else I’ll get tattled on again. Sister Liang Shi, can you lend me fifty thousand yuan? Don’t let my sister know about this. My dad suspended my card, and I don’t have anywhere to stay right now.”

Liang Shi had seen too many rebellious teenage girls running away from home when she was working on set, so she remained very calm. She only asked, “Where are you right now?”

“Yunding Mansion.” Xu Qingya warned her, “Don’t you dare tell my sister about this.”

Liang Shi didn’t immediately agree. “I’m coming over to find you now. Find somewhere to wait.”

Xu Qingya was clearly very familiar with her. “Okay.”

After hanging up, Liang Shi was contemplating how to handle this matter when Xu Qingzhu’s voice came from behind her.

She called out coldly, “Liang Shi.”

Liang Shi turned around and saw her standing in the doorway, her face pale.

She asked, “Did Ya Ya contact you?”

Liang Shi: “…”

After a moment, she answered without hesitation, “Yes, she did.”