Chapter 51

Chapter 42: Giving You Another Choice

After serving her mother to bed, Jisu sat alone in the living room, lost in thought. Yesterday, after Su Rui returned, Xu Yao also left, telling her to trust Wen Liang, who would surely find a way to help. Xu Yao spoke with great confidence, as if in her mind, the seemingly ordinary teenager was capable of anything. Jisu, influenced by her determined gaze, also waited with full confidence for Wen Liang to create a miracle.

An hour passed, two hours passed, a night, a day...

Wen Liang gave no news. Jisu repeatedly told herself, "He will find a way, just wait, just wait, he will!" In this self-hypnosis, Jisu endured the entire day. As night fell, she finally lost hope.

Yes, even if Xu Yao's father is the Party Secretary, how could adults save a stranger just because of a child's words? I know, you are comforting me, I know...

Jisu walked onto the balcony, looking at the starry sky. She, who had never believed in gods, knelt for the first time. The ground in October was cold and piercing, and the young girl in a thin white dress closed her eyes, hands clasped in front of her chest, her long eyelashes trembling in the breeze. Two streams of crystal-clear tears flowed down her delicate face, reflecting the entire starry sky in an instant.

High above, is there a deity watching the world, knowing the suffering of all beings?

Wen Liang pushed open the car door and, looking up, saw this scene on the second-floor balcony. The sixteen-year-old boy stood motionless by the car, his hands hanging at his sides like a statue. Jisu opened her eyes and immediately saw Wen Liang by the car downstairs. She seemed to disbelieve, rubbed her eyes, then leaped up, leaning over the railing, waving her arms and shouting, "Wait for me!"

She turned and disappeared from the balcony.

The driver, Zuo Yuxi, couldn't help but sigh, "Seeing such a girl, I realize we seem a bit despicable..."

Wen Liang, expressionless, said, "I am despicable, and I am proud!"

Zuo Yuxi chuckled, giving him a disapproving glance.

It was just past eleven at night, and the Economic Crime Investigation Team's courtyard was silent. In a small house near the left parking area, a faint light shone through the curtains that were not fully drawn. Ji Zheng was transferred to a new detention location at five in the morning. With Mu Zechen's promise, he naturally assumed this was a prelude to his release, so he remained calm, saying nothing during the transfer, which saved Liu Tian a lot of trouble. The South Industrial District Police Chief Lian Zhong, upon receiving a call from Zhao Xinchuan, had no choice but to release him. After all, these matters would be handled by higher-ups, and he could give an account to Yuan Dazhu. Helping a friend is fine, but I can't risk my life for you. That's not friendship, that's betrayal!

Ji Zheng spent the day in a well-equipped single room, where the treatment was much better than in the South Industrial District. He could watch TV and take showers. Apart from not being able to contact the outside world or leave the room, he was treated like a normal person. This made him even more convinced that his decision last night was correct. Only Mu Zechen in Qingzhou had the power to help him so thoroughly.

The process doesn't matter, the means don't matter, the result is what's most important! From ancient times to the present, all successful people have been like this!

He had no other choice!

When he was brought to meet someone again at night, Ji Zheng already had a premonition. Opening the door, he saw Jisu's tear-streaked smile. Ji Zheng smiled, opened his arms, and embraced his daughter, gently stroking her hair. If not for last night, from now on, even the thought of hugging his daughter would be a distant dream. The heart that melted at the sight of his daughter instantly hardened.

"Su Su, how did you come here?"

Jisu, who had left home and come directly to the car, was still heart racing when she saw her father, "A classmate brought me in, Dad. Don't worry, he said he would help us!"

At this moment, Jisu had complete faith in Wen Liang. If he could bring her to see her father so quickly, what reason was there to doubt his ability? But to Ji Zheng, her words meant something else. He pondered for a long time, had Jisu sit in a chair, then knelt before her, looking into her eyes.

"Jisu, this time, Dad's situation is very serious..."

Jisu, though already in a state of panic, still held Ji Zheng's hand and comforted him, "It's okay, Dad. My classmate promised to help, he must have a way!"

Ji Zheng smiled bitterly. Of course, he had a way, but the price was almost too high for either of us to bear. But at this point, Ji Zheng finally made up his mind and said, "Your classmate certainly has a way. Minghua Group is powerful in Qingzhou, and there's almost nothing they can't do. This small matter of mine is nothing to them. Yesterday, Mu Zechen came to see me and told me your classmate's conditions. If Dad wants to be free, unless... unless..."

Jisu stood up in shock, "Minghua Group? What does this have to do with my classmate?"

Ji Zheng smiled bitterly, "Your classmate, Gu Wen yuan, is the heir to Minghua Group. He wants you to be his girlfriend to save Dad. I... I agreed to him!"

"What?" Jisu was stunned, unable to believe her ears. Her beautiful big eyes widened, looking at Ji Zheng, who was kneeling on the ground, "Dad, what did you say?"

Ji Zheng slowly stood up, as if a thousand pounds were on his back. The few seconds felt like thousands of years. He turned to face his daughter, saying calmly, "Gu Wen yuan promised to help me clear my name. The only condition is that I convince you to be his girlfriend. Su Su, Gu Wen yuan has a good family background and is a decent person. He should be a good match for you. Although you are young now, you can start by getting to know each other, and then talk about it after you go to college..."

"Stop! Please, stop!"

Jisu's last shred of hope was shattered. She never imagined that her always respected, loving, and upright father would suddenly change, saying such shameless words. Is there a father who sells his daughter for freedom? Maybe there is, maybe there isn't, but it shouldn't be this person!

Have you ever heard the soul's cry when falling from heaven to hell?

That is the sound of a broken heart!

Jisu took a step back, pointing at Ji Zheng's back, her whole body trembling, tears streaming down her face. Her voice, as if coming from the depths of her lungs, was hoarse, heavy, and filled with a deep sorrow: "Girlfriend, huh, girlfriend? Do you know what he wanted when I asked him? He wanted me to be his woman, his woman, do you understand?"

Is there anything more cruel than this?

Wen Liang, who had been waiting in the next room, rushed over, kicked open the door, and walked straight to Jisu, who was already sobbing. Without looking at Ji Zheng, he took her hand and led her out. As he passed Zuo Yuxi, she grabbed him and whispered, "Calm down, the big picture is important!"

Wen Liang's face was ashen, and after a while, he said, "You talk to him first, I'll take care of Jisu." Zuo Yuxi nodded in understanding, pointing at Jisu, who was in a daze, silently saying: Take good care of her.

Watching Wen Liang lead the dazed Jisu upstairs, Zuo Yuxi finally turned her gaze away and closed the door. She looked at Ji Zheng for a while, as if trying to seriously examine him, and said, "Mr. Ji, I am Zuo Yuxi!"

Ji Zheng knew he had made a mistake, but this person's thick skin amazed Zuo Yuxi. Being caught in such an ugly situation, he could still remain calm, sitting down and saying, "So, you are Director Zuo. What do you want to say?"

"I don't dare to give advice, but I am here to save Mr. Ji from his predicament."

Ji Zheng laughed, "Well said, then what do you want from me?"

"No, I don't want anything," Zuo Yuxi's eyes were full of mockery, "On the contrary, I want to give Mr. Ji a bright future and great wealth!"

Wen Liang helped Jisu sit on the bed, looking at her dazed state, knowing that any words of comfort would be futile. He held her hand with his thumb, index, and middle fingers, gently kneading it. His internal martial arts skills were somewhat developed, and a slight force could pass through the acupoints in her hand, easing her liver and heart congestion.

"Cry, cry it out, and you'll find that nothing is insurmountable. Gu Wen yuan may be a bit ugly, a bit short, a bit sleazy, a bit temperamental, and not very likable, but he doesn't have any major flaws. If you really don't like him, how about me? I may not be handsome, but I'm at least good-looking..."

Perhaps because of the shameless nature of his words, Jisu first wanted to laugh, but then burst into tears, turning and pounding Wen Liang's chest with her hands, "It's all your fault, it's all your fault, it's all of you, it's all of you..."

Wen Liang, almost out of breath from the beating, could only endure it, finding a moment to interact with Jisu, "Right, it's all my fault, it's all our fault... Cry, cry it out, and everything will be fine..."

After a big cry, Jisu finally calmed down, leaning against the wall on the bed. Wen Liang found a hot water bottle behind the door, poured some water into the basin, and tested the temperature with his finger, reflexively jumping up and making a funny face, pinching his earlobe. Jisu, with tear-filled eyes, watched Wen Liang's busy figure. On the rooftop, he kicked open the door to save her, and at home, he gave her the confidence to keep going. It was he who appeared downstairs when she was most desperate and devoutly praying to the gods. Do you remember that moment when your heart almost stopped? That tall, strong, and hopeful figure will never be forgotten in this life. At that moment, he was the angel who saved me!

He brought her the biggest surprise of the night, and it was he who broke through the door again when she was cruelly sent to hell. These different figures, in different times and spaces, whether laughing, serious, gentle, or rough, ultimately merged into this silly boy running around with a basin.

Looking at Wen Liang's back, she suddenly thought of her father. In the winter when she was seven, it was snowing heavily outside, and at three in the morning, she had a high fever. At that time, their home was in the suburbs, and her father, without even putting on a coat, carried her for several miles to the hospital. The doctor said that if they had been a little late, the fever could have turned into encephalitis. After so many years, Jisu still clearly remembered that night, when her father's neck was drenched in sweat, and he kept saying, "Su Su, don't be afraid, Su Su is so good..."

Saying such words, he must have been in pain too, right? Making such a decision, he must have been very sad, right? Thinking about it, the feeling of the world collapsing seemed to slowly fade away as Wen Liang moved around.

He was right, cry it out, and everything will be fine!

Wen Liang finally got the water to the right temperature, held the basin in front of Jisu, and said softly, "Wash your face, a little flower cat doesn't look good." He said this twice, but seeing Jisu still staring at him, he sighed and turned to put the basin down.

Jisu had experienced all seven emotions—joy, anger, worry, thought, sorrow, fear, and surprise—over the past few days, with extreme emotional fluctuations. Being so tenderly cared for by Wen Liang, she couldn't resist the sudden impulse that welled up in her heart. As Wen Liang turned, she suddenly hugged him, her face gently touching his back.

Hmm, it feels like Dad...

Wen Liang's body suddenly stiffened, and the basin fell to the ground with a thud, the clear water splashing over his feet, like the passing years in this youthful season.

After a long time, Jisu pushed Wen Liang away with a "ya," her face flushed, turning her head and refusing to look back. Wen Liang swore to the heavens that he had no ulterior motives toward Jisu, but in that situation, the little girl's need for a tangible support was something he couldn't refuse. The atmosphere in the room instantly became ambiguous, and Wen Liang, still in the posture of being hugged, turned to face her and said softly, "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. Just sleep, and everything will be fine when you wake up..."

The door knocked, and Wen Liang took the water cup from Liu Tian, returned to coax Jisu to drink it, and soon Jisu fell into a deep sleep. The police system's sedative was precisely dosed, ensuring deep sleep without affecting health. Wen Liang sat silently by Jisu's side for a while, sighed, helped her cover up, and left.

At this time, Zuo Yuxi's negotiations with Ji Zheng were at an impasse. Ji Zheng smiled, "Director Zuo, to be frank, in Qingzhou, regardless of whether it's Xu Fuyan or Zhou Yuanting, they have more influence than you. I am willing to believe you, but you must understand, this is Qingzhou, not Lingyang! If you were me, what would you choose?"

Zuo Yuxi was speechless, and Wen Liang, who had just pushed open the door, said loudly, "If I were you, I would choose myself!"

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