Chapter 4: What Vision

Jiang Jingchu had long legs and walked quickly, leaving Gao Fei scrambling to catch up.

He finally reached the car before his boss, but Jiang Jingchu didn’t even let him in.

“I’ll drive myself.”

He slammed the door shut, then rolled down the window.

“Cancel all cooperation with Zou Corporation. Also, find a private investigator to look into his private life and give me the report.”

Gao Fei’s “Yes, sir” was still on his tongue when the car roared off like an arrow.

Jiang Jingchu steered with one hand, muttering to himself.

What kind of eyesight does he have? The men he chooses are all pathetic and tasteless!

A fire burned in his heart, and unconsciously, he drove to Qin Huan’s apartment building.

He sat in the car for a while, letting his anger subside. He scoffed, wondering what right he had to stand up for her.

He lit a cigarette, watching the general direction of Qin Huan’s apartment, puffing away.

Qin Huan had just finished work and saw the conspicuous car from afar.  Recognizing the license plate, her eyes flickered, and she walked towards it.

Jiang Jingchu had planned to leave soon and hadn’t expected to see Qin Huan. Seeing her approach, he felt a sense of unreality.

After all these years, she still seemed to love wearing sweaters. She was in a pale lilac cashmere sweater and a white pleated long skirt. Compared to her former innocence, she seemed more gentle and sophisticated.

Jiang Jingchu was captivated, only realizing his cigarette had burned down to his fingers.

“Why are you here at this hour?”

Despite her stubborn nature, Qin Huan spoke with a soft, Southern accent, soothing to the ear.

In bed, Jiang Jingchu had loved forcing her to call him older brother. The sound of “Jiang Jingchu” had been almost intoxicating.

Jiang Jingchu cursed himself for having such impure thoughts.

He flicked the cigarette butt into a nearby trash can and smirked.

“I said I was passing by. Do you believe me?”

Qin Huan wouldn’t believe him even if he swore on his life.

Back then, Jiang Jingchu had used all sorts of excuses to chase her.

Knowing she liked the buns from Longxingji, he ran half the city early in the morning, then pretended it was a casual purchase from the school gate to avoid making her feel burdened.

For Christmas, he bought gifts for all her dorm mates to avoid her refusing his gift.

The most outrageous time was when he pretended to be drunk to get her to go to a hotel room, even flushing his keys down the toilet!

There were so many such incidents that later, Jiang Jingchu didn’t even need to speak; a single glance was enough for Qin Huan to know what he was up to.

“Since you’re here, wait for me for a bit.”

Qin Huan said,

“I washed the shawl you lent me. I’ll go get it for you.”

“No need.”

Jiang Jingchu shrugged nonchalantly.

“It’s just a shawl. Keep it if you need it, throw it away if you don’t.”

Throw it away?

Master Jiang was indeed extravagant. A shawl worth tens of thousands, used only once, and he’d just throw it away.

Qin Huan rolled her eyes.

“Then consider it a purchase. How much is it? I’ll transfer the money.”

Jiang Jingchu hadn’t expected her to be so eager to draw a line between them, as if she disdained even the connection of a shawl.

He felt a surge of defiance. The more she did this, the less he wanted to comply.

“Forget about buying it. How about this: you treat me to a late-night snack, and we’ll call it even.”

A late night snack?

Qin Huan frowned, biting her lower lip.

“What? You don’t want to?”

This was the first time Jiang Jingchu had asked a woman for a meal, and to be refused! His pride wouldn’t allow it. He coldly started to roll up the window.

Probably only Qin Huan could make him, the always superior Jiang Jingchu, experience such frustration.

“I don’t… I’m not unwilling…”

In a hurry, Qin Huan’s slender fingers touched the car window. She had promised Yi Yi a video call later…

Oh well, she’d call her later and explain.

Seeing Jiang Jingchu’s impatient expression, Qin Huan compromised.

“What do you want to eat? You decide.”

Only after sitting in the passenger seat did Qin Huan realize she had been tricked into the car again.  She felt uncomfortable.

“Pull over. I’ll sit in the back.”

Jiang Jingchu glanced at her.

“Think of me as your driver?”

Qin Huan shook her head, stating directly,

“You have a fiancée. It’s not appropriate for me to sit in the passenger seat.”

Jiang Jingchu snorted.

“Do you think everyone has your strong sense of territoriality?”

There was a moment of silence.

They both thought of that cold war.

Qin Huan couldn’t quite remember the details, only vaguely recalling whose birthday it was and Song Anna getting into the passenger seat while drunk.

Qin Huan was already Jiang Jingchu’s girlfriend then, and she was unhappy, knowing Song Anna had a crush on him.

But Jiang Jingchu didn’t take it seriously, saying it was inappropriate to move her when she was drunk.

In the end, Qin Huan endured the entire ride in the back seat and blocked Jiang Jingchu’s contact information after getting out of the car.

Jiang Jingchu initially remained stubborn, but when he saw Qin Huan growing colder towards him, he panicked. He apologized and pleaded for half a month before winning her back.

Since then, no one but Qin Huan sat in the passenger seat.

Honestly, those little things were insignificant compared to their breakup. Now, they just seemed childish.

Qin Huan leaned towards the window, quietly watching the neon lights outside.

Suddenly, Jiang Jingchu said,

“Did you forget what Gao Fei said?”

It took Qin Huan two seconds to realize Gao Fei was his assistant, and another two seconds to recall the only sentence he’d said in the car.

“It’s true that no one has used it. I can testify; Mr. Jiang never lets anyone else ride in this car.”

She wasn’t sure how to feel.

A long time passed. Just when Jiang Jingchu thought she wouldn’t answer, Qin Huan softly said,

“It’s still not appropriate. It’s the minimum respect a man should show his partner.”

Qin Huan was reminding Jiang Jingchu, and herself. Times had changed, and they were no longer in the same relationship; they should maintain distance.

But Jiang Jingchu clearly thought of something else. A mocking smile touched his lips, his deep eyes casually falling on Qin Huan’s face.

“You’re suddenly so moral? How could you be so shameless as to cheat on me?”

Qin Huan never expected Jiang Jingchu to bring this up so openly and casually.

The blood drained from her face, leaving her pale.

Her thoughts were pulled back to five years ago, to the moment Jiang Jingchu kicked open the hotel room door.

Qin Huan couldn’t forget his bloodshot eyes and furious expression.

He was so angry he could barely speak, pointing at Qin Huan and sneering,

“Qin Huan, tell me, what did I do wrong? Why would you do this to me?”

What did Qin Huan say then? Oh, she said,

“Nothing. You were good to me, but I’m tired of it.”

Tired?

“Tired? Why didn’t you say so earlier? I wouldn’t have given him a chance!”

Qin Huan frowned impatiently.

“Didn’t you know how clingy you were? If I had talked to you calmly, would you have agreed to break up?”

During that time, they had frequent arguments over trivial matters, and Qin Huan had suggested breaking up more than once.

Qin Huan turned away, seeming to find it repulsive to even look at Jiang Jingchu.

“Even if I was wrong, I shouldn’t have… lost control with him before breaking up with you…”

That admission of “losing control” completely shattered Jiang Jingchu, causing him to lose his mind.

Qin Huan didn’t remember what happened after that, only that Jiang Jingchu and Wen Li inexplicably fought, and she tried to stop them. In the chaos, she was hit hard by an ashtray Jiang Jingchu had thrown…