Chapter 7: This Is All Really Ridiculous

After Jiang Chuan left, Xiao Qingru drank her congee and fell asleep again without him returning.

Because she had no expectations, she also felt no disappointment.

Just a second before falling asleep, Xiao Qingru couldn’t help but think that this was better the more outrageous he acted, the easier it would be for her to completely let go.

She owed him nothing she would still be the upright Xiao Qingru in the future.

A tear slipped from the corner of her tightly closed eyes, mingling with her hair before disappearing without a trace.

Only a faint tear mark remained, a testament to its existence.

Xiao’s mother sighed. She had thought that the children who grew up together would be a perfect match. How did it come to this?

Are people really that fickle?

Jiang Chuan didn’t want to avoid seeing Xiao Qingru it was just that no one was there to care for Du Wanqu. Delaying it meant it was already dark outside.

Even though he was engaged to Xiao Qingru, it wasn’t appropriate to visit her hospital room late at night. He could only return home after settling Du Wanqu and her child.

With his leave coming to an end, Jiang Chuan had even less time to visit Xiao Qingru.

Before his discharge, an unexpected visitor arrived in the ward.

The pale Du Wanqu, holding her child, walked to Xiao Qingru’s side.

Her face was adorned with a gentle smile.

“Comrade Xiao, how is your health? I heard that Jiang Chuan left you downstairs at the family quarters. I’m truly sorry. We didn’t expect your condition to be so serious. I apologize on his behalf.”

Xiao Qingru’s eyes were filled with sarcasm she detested people who spoke in a roundabout way.

“What’s your relationship with Jiang Chuan that you need to apologize for him? Can’t he speak for himself?”

Du Wanqu replied with a smile, “We’re friends.”

“Since you know you’re friends, please watch your boundaries. Don’t use friendship as a cover to do things that could be misunderstood. If your behavior negatively affects Jiang Chuan’s future, can you justify that with the help he gave you?”

It wasn’t that she cared about Jiang Chuan she simply didn’t want Du Wanqu to feel too proud.

Xiao Qingru smiled, “Comrade Du, you wouldn’t repay kindness with malice, would you?”

At that moment, Du Wanqu felt a twinge of shame. Under Xiao Qingru’s cold gaze, all her thoughts were laid bare.

After feeling awkward, a hidden sense of satisfaction emerged.

So, Xiao Qingru also felt that Jiang Chuan was too good to her.

Had she ever felt jealous of her?

Holding her child in one hand and absentmindedly smoothing down nonexistent strands of hair with the other, Du Wanqu pretended not to understand Xiao Qingru’s words and quickly returned to her usual demeanor.

“Thanks to Jiang Chuan, my child and I are safe. I want to thank him, but I worry that you might mind if I interact with him too much. Since you’re engaged, it’s the same if you relay my thanks.”

Xiao Qingru admired Du Wanqu’s temperament but knew that getting entangled with her would only bring trouble.

People tend to have sympathy for the weak. If she really did something to Du Wanqu, the one who would suffer the most would be her.

After all, Du Wanqu had nothing to lose.

The more one has, the more they must cherish their own reputation. Xiao Qingru understood this principle well.

Thus, she wouldn’t fall into Du Wanqu’s trap.

The scene before her was absurd. Jiang Chuan was her rightful fiancé, yet she had to face the provocation from another woman.

Xiao Qingru couldn’t do anything to her, but she could certainly poke at Du Wanqu’s sore spot.

She couldn’t let people think that just because she had a good temper, they could take liberties with her.

“Comrade Du, now that you’ve had the baby, when do you plan to go back home?”

Du Wanqu was taken aback. Go back home?

She didn’t want to return to the countryside, much less work in the fields!

Her mother-in-law was domineering, and returning home would surely not lead to a good life!

Xiao Qingru looked at her with a half smile, “Comrade Du, you don’t want to go back, do you?”

Du Wanqu tightened her expression, forcing out a few words through clenched teeth, “Of course not! I’ll do whatever the organization arranges.”

Though she said this, the panic on her face was hard to conceal.

Xiao Qingru didn’t care about Du Wanqu’s plans she just hoped she wouldn’t be a nuisance.

“Comrade Du, if you’re unwell, focus on recuperating. If you really have nothing to do, you can go home and pack your things.”

Though she didn’t say a single curse word, Du Wanqu felt as if Xiao Qingru was scolding her.

Tears welled up, and her fragile demeanor made anyone want to protect her.

“Comrade Xiao, I came here with good intentions to bring my child to see you. Even if you dislike me, you shouldn’t speak like that!”

Xiao Qingru heard footsteps coming from the doorway.

Because she was too familiar with them, she knew who it was even before seeing the person.

Once Du Wanqu started crying, the baby in her arms began to wail as well.

The ward descended into chaos in an instant.

Jiang Chuan hurried into the room, the cold air from outside following him.

He quickly glanced at Du Wanqu and the baby before finally focusing on the person sitting by the hospital bed, his voice heavy with concern: “What’s going on?”

Xiao Qingru’s heart sank.

She had thought Jiang Chuan would side with her, but she didn’t expect him to address her in such an accusatory tone.

As if she had truly bullied Du Wanqu and her child.

A self deprecating smile surfaced in her heart. Xiao Qingru, this is the man you once liked.

How tragic.

Seeing Jiang Chuan shielding the mother and child behind him, Xiao Qingru sneered, “What do you think is going on?”

“Xiao Qingru, since when did you start bullying others?”

The more pain he felt, the brighter her smile became. “How do you know I’m bullying someone?”

Jiang Chuan paced back and forth in anger.

Was this the Xiao Qingru he knew? When did she become so sharp tongued?

Didn’t he see Comrade Du crying?

Couldn’t he just let it go?

Looking at Xiao Qingru in disappointment, he said, “I always thought you were just jealous, like the petty squabbles between young girls. Now it seems I was mistaken.”

Du Wanqu tugged at Jiang Chuan’s sleeve. “Jiang Chuan, don’t say that. I shouldn’t have come to disturb Comrade Xiao in the ward.”

The more she lowered herself, the more guilty Jiang Chuan felt.

It was because of him that Du Wanqu was being bullied by Qingru.

If that was the case, it would be better to keep some distance for now to avoid similar incidents.

They could deal with everything after Du Wanqu left.

“Qingru, I agree to your suggestion of breaking off our engagement.”

Xiao Qingru moved her hand on her lap and nodded, “I’ll inform the elders. We have already ended our engagement, and in the future, we will each pursue our own paths and have nothing to do with each other.”

Ending the engagement was something Jiang Chuan had never considered.

Panic surged in his heart.

“Qingru…”

“Waaah waaah waaah!”

The baby started crying again. “Comrade Jiang, the baby isn’t well and shouldn’t cry like this. I know Comrade Xiao doesn’t like him, so I’ll take my leave now.”

The baby’s face was flushed red from crying, and Jiang Chuan’s guilt deepened, suppressing that bit of panic.

“If this is what you want, then let it be.”

He reached out to take the baby from Du Wanqu’s arms, holding the child in one arm while supporting Du Wanqu with the other.

“Let’s go.”

“But Comrade Xiao…”

“Let her calm down on her own.”

After giving Xiao Qingru one last look, Jiang Chuan led the mother and child out.

He wanted to smile, but why did his eyes feel so sore?

His vision blurred.

This was all really ridiculous.