SY - 61

Song Zhi flinched as if she had been electrocuted, recoiling from Jiang Yanzhou’s embrace.

He stirred, slowly opening his eyes with a calm demeanor.

She remembered she was only wearing a thin nightgown, and no bra, so it was possible he had already taken advantage of her.

She frowned and kicked him, “Pervert!”

Her strength was small; even with all her might, it didn’t hurt him at all.

Jiang Yanzhou gripped her ankle, gently kneading it, “Does it ache?”

She struggled to pull her foot away, “When did you get in here?”

He replied calmly, “Yesterday, you held my hand and asked me to stay with you.”

Song Zhi clearly didn’t believe him, “How could I possibly...”

As she spoke, her voice gradually trailed off, lacking conviction.

Jiang Yanzhou threw off the covers, got out of bed, and opened the wardrobe, taking off his loungewear.

Song Zhi happened to catch sight of his naked upper body, with his strong waist and well-defined, sexy muscles.

She quickly covered her eyes with her hands, “Why are you taking off your clothes?”

Jiang Yanzhou took a shirt from the wardrobe and slowly put it on, “Changing clothes.”

“...Of course I know you’re changing, I’m asking why you’re changing here?”

Jiang Yanzhou looked up, “This is my room.”

Okay, she was defeated.

Anyway, she wasn’t the one at a disadvantage, so Song Zhi simply leaned against the headboard and watched at ease.

Jiang Yanzhou had a great physique, even better than those male models who relied solely on their bodies for a living.

All in all, she still profited; at most, it was like getting a male escort for free.

“Get me some clothes.”

She hadn’t planned on staying the night, so she hadn’t brought a change of clothes.

Fortunately, there were plenty here.

She didn’t need to bring any at all.

Jiang Yanzhou buttoned the last button and nodded, then left.

Soon, he came back with clothes.

Song Zhi frowned and glanced at them, “What is this?”

“Clothes,” he said. “Yours.”

Song Zhi disdainfully pulled at them. They were probably clothes she bought when she first started university: long-sleeved, long-legged, covering her from head to toe, and still showing the naivety of a schoolgirl.

Song Zhi, who had transitioned to an “older sister” style, naturally wouldn’t wear such clothes again. “I have so many dresses in my walk-in closet, just pick any one.”

He frowned almost imperceptibly, “Too revealing.”

Song Zhi didn’t hear clearly, “Huh?”

Jiang Yanzhou remained silent for a moment, then dutifully went to get a dress for her.

Although the hem was a bit long, it was still better than the previous outfit.

Song Zhi shooed Jiang Yanzhou out and changed her clothes to get ready.

In the living room, Xiao Lian had already prepared breakfast.

They needed something light in the morning, so she cooked porridge.

Song Zhi ate a bit casually and called Xiao Xu to pick her up.

Today, there was an opening ceremony for a cosmetic counter to attend, expected to be busy until the afternoon.

Jiang Yanzhou glanced at the time on his wristwatch, “Take my car, it’s on the way.”

Song Zhi was half-skeptical, “You’re not just making it seem like it’s on the way just to give me a ride, are you?”

Jiang Yanzhou: “...”

He calmly drank his porridge, “The mall you’re going to is under my name.”

Ermmm, after breaking up, she only just realized Jiang Yanzhou was an even bigger catch than she’d imagined.

“Fine,” she said, maintaining her princess-like demeanor, reluctantly agreeing.

After breakfast, she reluctantly got into his Cayenne.

This event was arranged by Xia Wanyue for her. Since she had just been announced as the brand ambassador, she was attending this opening as the spokesperson.

The venue was already packed with fans.

As an idol who debuted, her male fans still made up the majority.

The entire first floor of the mall was completely surrounded, and even the upper floors were filled with people leaning over the railings to look down.

Xiao Xu had never seen such a large crowd before; usually, it was other artists’ fans.

At her peak, Song Zhi’s fanbase was only a fraction of what it was now.

The movie’s success brought Song Zhi not only popularity but also various business collaborations.

After resting for a few days, Xia Wanyue had already given her a heads-up that the upcoming work would be high-intensity and high-load, preparing her mentally.

Song Zhi had a strong career drive and wanted to climb higher. Although she had been spoiled a bit, she was never afraid of hardship or exhaustion when it came to work.

The host had already started upfront. Xiao Xu brought her a cup of hot water and sighed, “I never thought I’d see such a lively scene at Sister Song Zhi’s event.”

All the fans were holding up lightboards with Song Zhi’s name.

Song Zhi sipped her water, waiting for the makeup artist to style her hair and makeup, while flipping through a fashion magazine in her hand.

She reminded her, “Watch your words.”

What do you mean, “never thought”?

Xiao Xu, like a fawning dog, leaned closer, “I’m praising you.”

Song Zhi felt parched and drank a few sips of water to moisten her throat.

Her makeup and hair were simple, done quickly.

After waiting backstage for a while, she looked at the bustling crowd and took out her phone to take a picture and send it to Jiang Yanzhou.

[Song Zhi: See? You should thank me, big sister. If it weren’t for me, would your mall have so many people?]

About five minutes later, there was a reply.

[Jiang Yanzhou: Thank you, big sister.]

Damn, no sincerity at all.

Song Zhi didn’t know what was wrong with her; maybe her competitive spirit had kicked in, but she felt inexplicably annoyed by Jiang Yanzhou’s sudden cold attitude.

She had to show him how amazing she was.

She even specifically found an angle to take a selfie and posted it on Weibo.

[Song Zhi: Today’s selfie~]

In ten minutes, comments were almost over ten thousand.

Of course, there was also the pre-arranged “like, comment, and retweet” package Xia Wanyue had bought for her beforehand.

She screenshotted that Weibo post, including the number of comments below it, and sent it to Jiang Yanzhou.

A very childish way of showing off.

[Song Zhi: Isn’t big sister amazing?]

Still, it took five minutes to reply, as if he was deliberately timing it.

[Jiang Yanzhou: Wow, big sister is so amazing.]

Song Zhi could even imagine him typing that sentence with a poker face.

She was completely infuriated by his perfunctory attitude.

That bastard, dog-man, how could a normal person change so much in just half a month?

Before, he was still whining and saying he wanted to be her exclusive free escort.

She hadn’t updated her Weibo much in two months; it was all agency-posted ads or promotions.

Today, she actually posted a rare selfie. Xia Wanyue reposted it.

@XiaWanyue: Good job on the post! But next time, can we find a better angle for your selfie? It’s too “manly.” /doge

Song Zhi put down her phone and sipped her water.

This event also invited several beauty bloggers who were currently swatching several new lipsticks.

Song Zhi would be the finale and appear later.

The staff, fearing she might get bored waiting, specially brought her some fruit.

They even acted as companions for conversation.

However, Song Zhi clearly wasn’t in the mood to chat. She yawned and slumped into her chair, casually scrolling through Weibo comments, occasionally replying to a few that caught her eye.

Xiao Xu, on the other hand, was chatting quite animatedly with him.

They talked about various things for a while.

The staff, seemingly wanting to butter up Song Zhi, laughed and said, “Originally, this place didn’t allow businesses to hold such large-scale events without permission. We applied to the management once and were rejected, but then we heard the artist invited was Sister Song Zhi, and the higher-ups approved it directly.”

Song Zhi had zoned out and didn’t hear.

She stared at Jiang Yanzhou’s chat interface for a while. The last message in the conversation was the question mark she had sent.

Twenty-five minutes passed, and he hadn’t even replied with a peep.

[Song Zhi: You’re rude!]

[Jiang Yanzhou: Hmm?]

Song Zhi didn’t know what she was angry about, she just felt...very angry.

So annoying.

She tossed her phone aside and curled up in the pillow.

After those internet celebrities finished their swatches, the host coyly asked if they were looking forward to the next person to appear.

A deep male voice mixed with some slightly high-pitched female voices shouted “expectations” in unison.

Amidst these expectant cheers, she took the microphone and went on stage.

It wasn’t her first time participating in such an event; she was well-acquainted with it.

She didn’t need to do much or say much. She just needed to stand beside the host with a bright smile, acting as a vibrant vase.

Occasionally, she would answer a few questions when the host brought up a topic.

It was originally an event that didn’t require much time or effort, but it stopped at an egg that was thrown onto the stage.

Song Zhi’s smile froze. The egg hit her forehead perfectly and ran down her face.

The sticky feeling was nauseating.

________________________________________

She never thought she would be trending again in such a way.

#SongZhiEncounteredAntiFanAtEvent #SongZhiHitByEgg #FansInjuredProtectingSongZhi

There were at least seven or eight related trending topics.

Song Zhi, however, wasn’t in the mood to scroll through the comment section to see how many people were scolding her and how many were feeling sorry for her.

The hospital corridor lights were glaringly bright. She sat on the waiting chair, so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes.

She always knew she had anti-fans, that many people disliked her. Those people wouldn’t stop disliking her just because her acting was good in a certain drama.

Song Zhi knew all of this. She had always ignored these people, even if they Photoshopped her obituary or cursed her whole family to die. She always turned a blind eye.

But she never expected these people’s hatred for her to be so deep.

They were strangers who had never even spoken a word to her, yet they harbored a hatred that wanted her dead.

If Jiang Yanzhou hadn’t rushed onto the stage to protect her at that moment, the knife might have stabbed her instead.

Jiang Yanzhou, covered in blood, was rushed into the operating room. Song Zhi just sat outside and waited.

She didn’t know what she was thinking, her eyes dull and lifeless.

Xia Wanyue was still at the company at that time. After receiving Xiao Xu’s call, she immediately rushed over. “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Song Zhi didn’t speak, her eyes staring blankly, as if seeing nothing at all.

Xiao Xu shook her head, “She’s been like this since just now, not saying a word.”

The scene at the time was too chaotic, and she had directly witnessed it, so the shock she experienced must have been considerable.

Xia Wanyue comforted her for a while, then went to register for another appointment.

Psychology department.

She needed psychological counseling now.

The lights in the operating room quickly dimmed, and the doctor came out, taking off his mask. “Nothing serious, just some superficial wounds, but the cuts are a bit deep. He’ll need to stay in the hospital for a while to observe the wound’s recovery.”

Song Zhi still sat there, motionless, as if she hadn’t heard anything.

The doctor asked, “Excuse me, which one is the family member? Please sign here.”

Xia Wanyue stood up and went over. “His girlfriend is not in a good mental state right now, she was scared. I’ll do it.”

The doctor expressed understanding.

The young girl looked delicate and fragile, and it must have been her first time seeing such a bloody scene.

Her phone in her bag kept ringing, likely calls from people who had seen the trending topic.

Xia Wanyue took her phone out.

Over a hundred missed calls, three hundred unread messages.

“Song Zhi, it’s your brother’s call, should I answer?”

She didn’t react, still maintaining her previous posture.

Xia Wanyue sighed, walked to the side, and pressed answer.

On the other end of the phone, Song Luo’s breathing was heavy; he must have run all the way. His voice also trembled with fear. “Song Zhi, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Where are you? I’ll come find you.”

Xia Wanyue hesitated, glancing at Song Zhi behind her. “Song Zhi, she...”

Her tone was hesitant; she didn’t know how to explain the current situation, which was misinterpreted by Song Luo.

If he had been able to hold on with the last bit of rationality when he first saw the trending topic, he was now completely broken.

This feeling was too familiar—the feeling of losing a loved one.

He couldn’t lose Song Zhi again, he couldn’t.

He screamed brokenly, “I’m asking you what the hell happened to Song Zhi!!!!”

He shouldn’t have paused so much while speaking.

Xia Wanyue began to regret needlessly worrying him.

“Jiang Yanzhou blocked those few blows for her. She’s completely fine, just not in a good mental state.”

People are selfish; they will be excessively biased towards those they love.

Upon hearing this, Song Luo felt like he had taken a huge gulp of air before suffocating.

His first reaction was: “Thank goodness Song Zhi is okay.”

Then he remembered, “Is Jiang Yanzhou okay?”

“He’s fine, just some superficial wounds.”

“Which hospital? Send me the address. I’m coming now.”

After hanging up the phone, she sent the hospital address.

Immediately afterwards, He Hanyang’s call came in.

Xia Wanyue quickly checked and saw that out of those hundreds of missed calls, fifty or sixty were from him.

Thinking about their rumored relationship, Xia Wanyue decided it was better not to cause trouble at this time.

She muted the phone and ignored the call.

Song Luo arrived quickly. Jiang Yanzhou also came out of the ward. He had undergone local anesthesia and could now walk.

The wounds were on his right arm and back, not involving any vital organs.

Seeing his calm demeanor, Xia Wanyue couldn’t help but sigh, thinking, “He’s truly the man Song Zhi fancies, handsome and masculine.”

The doctor had advised him not to get out of bed, but he couldn’t rest assured.

It was Song Zhi’s first time seeing blood, so she must be scared.

When he came out of the ward, he saw Song Zhi with vacant eyes.

She was lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking.

Jiang Yanzhou avoided his injuries, squatted in front of her, and said softly, “What are you thinking about?”

She didn’t speak, just blinked, and tears started to flow.

Jiang Yanzhou’s heart ached. He reached out to wipe them away. “Your eyes won’t look good if you cry them swollen.”

She still didn’t speak, but her tears fell even harder.

Jiang Yanzhou gently wiped her face with the back of his hand. “I’m kidding, my Zhizhi looks beautiful no matter what.”

He was still haunted by fear. If he had been a moment slower, would Song Zhi have been the one injured?

Her skin was delicate; she would cry for a long time even if she accidentally cut her finger while chopping vegetables.

If all those wounds were on her, how much pain would she be in?

Fortunately, he protected her well and didn’t let her get a single scratch.

Before this incident, Jiang Yanzhou had always thought he had time and didn’t need to rush.

Song Zhi was a simple-minded person; if he just played a few tricks, she wouldn’t be able to escape.

He had indeed considered using those tactics on her.

If he ignored her for a while, she would naturally come closer obediently.

But now, he didn’t want to do that anymore.

He didn’t want to wait; he wanted to hold her now.

Jiang Yanzhou coaxed her gently, “Zhizhi, look at me, okay? I’m perfectly fine, don’t cry anymore, be a good girl.”

Song Zhi tightly pursed her lips, feelings of discomfort, grievance, and self-blame all building up inside her.

Unable to release her emotions, she felt like she was about to explode.

She didn’t know why someone she had no contact with would dislike her to such an extent.

She hadn’t done anything to harm others; she was just doing what she wanted to do in her own way.

She was very hardworking and dedicated. Although she was a bit spoiled, she never complained about hardship or exhaustion when it came to work.

The elevator stopped on the 26th floor. Song Luo had climbed the stairs, 20 floors, just ran up.

He ran breathlessly to Song Zhi, and only after making sure she didn’t have a single wound on her did he finally relax.

The psychiatrist arrived. Xia Wanyue informed them and then helped Song Zhi over.

Song Luo looked at her receding back with concern. He had originally intended to go with them, but after glancing at Jiang Yanzhou, who was wearing a hospital gown next to him, he hesitated for a moment and then thanked him.

“Thank you for this.”

Jiang Yanzhou shook his head, “She must be really scared, seeing blood for the first time.”

Song Luo bit his cheek fiercely. “Where’s that bastard?”

Jiang Yanzhou knew who he was asking about. “Police station.”

Song Luo turned to leave.

Jiang Yanzhou pulled him back. “That’s enough. My people will handle it.”

“How will they handle it?”

Jiang Yanzhou was silent for a moment. “Let the law handle it.”

“Damn it,” Song Luo cursed irritably. “My sister was messed up like this by him. If I don’t kill him, I won’t be able to let this go!”

“Kill him, then what?” Jiang Yanzhou’s lips were a little pale due to blood loss. “Do you want Song Zhi to wait for you for another seven years?”

Song Luo stopped in his tracks.

His arm was bandaged with sterile gauze, and his back was also bandaged, making movement slightly difficult.

If he moved too much, it would tear the wound. “Don’t worry, I won’t let this matter pass so quickly.”

His voice was calm, and his words held no emotional波动.

Only he himself knew the turmoil of his emotions at that moment.

He wanted to kill that person with his own hands even more than Song Luo did, but rationality always overshadowed emotion.

Jiang Yanzhou was someone who understood how to weigh pros and cons.

“Sit for a while, wait for Song Zhi to come out.”

The nurse quickly came over to urge Jiang Yanzhou back to his room to rest.

“What’s wrong with you, patient? You just had stitches and you’re running around everywhere. What if it tears open?”

Jiang Yanzhou softly apologized, looked worriedly at the closed door of the psychological counseling room, and then turned to go back to his room.

The consultation took some time. Song Zhi was clearly very shaken. When she came out of the consultation room and saw Song Luo, she finally couldn’t hold back and burst into tears, throwing herself into his arms.

Song Luo held her tenderly, comforting her softly, “Don’t be afraid, brother’s here.”

Song Zhi shook her head, not speaking, just crying in his arms.

After she cried enough, her eyes were swollen like walnuts.

He laughed at her, “Such a big girl, still crying in her brother’s arms?”

She kept sobbing, biting her lip tightly.

“Oh, you poor thing, your eyes are all swollen from crying. If Jiang Yanzhou sees you like this, he might go like someone else.”

Hearing Jiang Yanzhou’s name, Song Zhi looked up slightly, stammering with fear, “Is he... is he okay?”

“He’s fine. He was just standing here full of life, but then the nurse scolded him and sent him back.”

Song Luo bent his knees slightly, squatting to meet her gaze, pinching her face and then stroking her head. “Do you still want to cry?”

She shook her head.

“Then how about we go home, brother? You should get some good sleep first.”

She hesitated, “But Jiang Yanzhou...”

“I’ll come back after I’ve taken you home.”

“Mm.”

After telling Xia Wanyue, Song Luo took her away.

Xia Wanyue used Song Zhi’s phone to post a Weibo update to report her safety.

[Song Zhi: I’m fine, don’t worry.]

Almost at the same time, He Hanyang liked this Weibo post.

It seemed he had been holding his phone, waiting.