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Chapter 63: I Won’t Respond to Her, I Only Care About You
Wen Zhixian composed a post:
*”First, I want to thank anyone taking a few minutes to read this. When I saw the video and the baseless accusations against my husband, my heart grew heavy. I never expected to appear before the public in this way.
I’ve known Mr. Gu for 26 years. He was a childhood love, but three days before we were set to register our marriage, he slapped me over an accidental mishap with his ex’s belongings. Maybe if you had given me the cold shoulder, I wouldn’t have broken up with you. But you crossed a line I cannot tolerate. There is no middle ground when it comes to physical violence—it happens either zero times or countless times. It’s a matter of principle, and I will not compromise.
I never intended to make our past public because it’s not something I take pride in. We should remain strangers and stay out of each other’s lives.
As for my husband, Qi Yanjing, we married after meeting fewer than ten times. There was no such thing as a third party interfering. My husband is gentle and strong, a man who brings me comfort whenever I need it. Life with him is peaceful yet vibrant, and being together feels right. He lives in my house because it’s closer to my workplace—he made that compromise for me. I consider myself lucky to have found him, and I cannot stand by while anyone slanders him. He is my partner for life, the one I love.”*
After completing the post, Wen Zhixian hit send. She curled up on the sofa, drained.
Qi Yanjing didn’t answer Wen Zhixian’s call because he was unexpectedly summoned to a meeting by the university principal regarding the matter with Gu Yuchen.
He hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly, to the point of affecting the school.
The principal, upon seeing him, asked, “Xiao Qi, are the rumors true?”
“They’re false. If they hadn’t broken up, I wouldn’t have even met my wife,” Qi replied. If Wen Zhixian hadn’t run out crying that day, tripping and losing her keys, their paths might never have crossed.
The principal clasped his hands behind his back and smiled. “I believe you. If you say it’s false, the school will fully support you.”
Talented individuals like Qi Yanjing were rare. The principal had known him since his time as a student at the university—three years younger than his peers yet always outstanding and driven. He was nothing like the person the rumors described.
“Thank you, Principal.”
After a brief meeting, the principal offered a final word as Qi Yanjing was leaving: “Xiao Qi, don’t dwell on this too much. Go home and rest.”
Qi nodded and left.
On his way out, Qi Yanjing thought about returning home to check on Wen Zhixian. She might feel upset about the situation.
However, as he exited the campus, he unexpectedly ran into Shen Zhi.
“Qi Yanjing!” Shen Zhi called out.
Intent on returning home, Qi ignored her.
Shen Zhi grabbed his arm. “Qi Yanjing, I need to talk to you.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” he replied, pulling his arm free.
“I won’t touch you. Just hear me out,” Shen Zhi pleaded.
Seeing his impatience, Shen Zhi quickly explained her purpose:
“Qi Yanjing, I saw the trending topics about you. I came here straight from the office. My boss is aware of the situation and said we could help you fight back against Mr. Gu. All you have to do is collaborate with our company. Right now, you’ve got some public attention, and your name recognition is growing. My boss promised to support you. Once the narrative shifts, you’ll come out of this with a stronger reputation.”
Qi Yanjing’s gaze turned cold and sharp. “I don’t need any help. Take your schemes and leave.”
With that, he strode off.
Furious, Shen Zhi shouted after him, “Qi Yanjing! Are you out of your mind, turning down money? I hope you crash and burn against Gu Yuchen. When you hit rock bottom, I’ll be there to watch the show, laughing as you fall from grace!”
She cursed internally for a while—how could someone turn down money? She used to think Qi Yanjing was just pretending to be lofty, but now it seemed he truly had something wrong with him!
Once Qi Yanjing got into the car, he noticed a missed call on his phone—Wen Zhixian had called. He immediately called her back.
The call was answered almost instantly. Wen Zhixian’s anxious voice came through, “Are you okay?”
Hearing her concern, Qi Yanjing smiled. “What could happen to me? Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
He had faced life-and-death situations before; this was merely annoying. But seeing how it upset Zhixian, he couldn’t stand it.
Hearing that he was fine didn’t make Wen Zhixian feel any better. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”
Knowing she must be feeling guilty, he reassured her, “Wait for me. I’ll be home soon.”
After hanging up, he started the car and sped home.
When Qi Yanjing arrived, Wen Zhixian was setting the table.
He walked over and hugged her before sitting down on a chair. “I got delayed on the way back—I ran into Shen Zhi.”
He tried to shift her focus with a casual topic.
He had never mentioned Shen Zhi’s previous attempts to contact him, mostly because he didn’t take her seriously. Her propositions were so laughable that he didn’t want to burden Zhixian with them. But then again, maybe Zhixian would find it amusing to hear.
Wen Zhixian wrapped her arms around his neck, blinking at him warily. “What did she want with you?”
Seeing her cautious expression, he lowered his head and kissed her lightly on the lips. “She said she could help me resolve this issue, but really, she just wanted to use me to make money.”
“Did you agree?”
Qi Yanjing chuckled. “Zhixian, your husband can handle things like this. I don’t care about this sort of drama, but I do care if it affects your mood.”
All he cared about was her.
As long as she was happy, there was nothing he couldn’t face.
Wen Zhixian relaxed a little and nuzzled against his neck.
“The day after Shen Zhi met you, she blocked me at the school gates too. That’s why I got home late and ran into Gu Yuchen,” he said after a moment’s pause.
“She’s approached me twice, both times asking me to cooperate with her so she could profit.”
Wen Zhixian huffed softly. “Ignore her. I’ve got some money, too.”
Qi Yanjing’s smile deepened as he tightened his hold on her. “Alright, I’ll ignore her. I’ll only stick with you.”
His voice was deep and tender, each word striking her heart. She couldn’t help but lift her head to study his face, wanting to etch his features into her memory.
He squinted slightly, his eyes filled with desire. Tsk. It seemed that after having a taste of intimacy, he couldn’t resist her teasing.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself and lightly patted her hip. “Let’s eat first.”
Wen Zhixian slid off his lap and sat in the chair next to him.
Although Qi Yanjing’s reassurance cheered her up slightly, she still didn’t have much of an appetite and only ate a few bites.
Qi Yanjing repeatedly placed food on her plate and coaxed her into eating more.
He had to make sure she was well-fed.
“I wrote a blog post before you came back,” Wen Zhixian said softly, resting her chin on her hand.
Qi Yanjing paused. “To explain things for me?”
Wen Zhixian nodded. “I couldn’t stand people slandering you.”
He reached out and pinched her cheek. Her face had grown slightly fuller recently, making it even more satisfying to pinch.
He felt a wave of contentment.