Chapter 141: Joyride

Liang Jinshang turned around abruptly.

Chao Jingyu was probably the kind of person who was naturally born to wear a white coat.

With broad shoulders and a straight back, tall, slender, and handsome, walking from that end of the corridor, he looked no less impressive than a high-end male model walking down a red carpet.

He never carried an aggressive aura, but always possessed a graceful and effortless elegance.

It was unclear how long Chao Jingyu had been listening from the side, but the moment he appeared, he was able to converse directly with the police. "Officer, that necklace was purchased by myself from a specialty boutique in Europe. Platinum set with rare diamonds, with an original price of 750,000. I can provide the certificate and receipt at any time."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was stunned on the spot.

Nan Wenqian and his girlfriend were both petrified, especially Nan Wenqian, whose legs went weak upon hearing that sum of money.

Based on his understanding of Nan Yi, she had been cooped up at home for so many years she was practically growing mold; it was impossible for her to make any wealthy friends.

Had he not recently noticed that Nan Yi was not coming home and forcefully squeezed her whereabouts out of her, he would never have known she had a friend living in such a high-end residential complex.

At least it was much better than the rundown house his family lived in.

It just so happened that he had recently gotten a girlfriend, a minor nouveau riche heiress.

Nan Wenqian had originally planned to force Nan Yi to give him the keys to this place so he could bring his girlfriend over to put on airs.

But Nan Yi had refused.

So he had no choice but to secretly have a duplicate key made.

Taking advantage of the time Nan Yi went out to make money during the day, he had brought people over several times.

Never in his wildest dreams did he expect that a lousy necklace he casually pocketed would be worth so much money.

The flesh on Nan Wenqian's cheeks began to tremble imperceptibly. The things he had taken from that home... were far more than just this one necklace.

Liang Jinshang was also stunned.

She had always thought that on the day of her housewarming, aside from wine, the gift Chao Jingyu had given her was that unique set of refrigerator magnets.

This necklace was more of Shang Yucheng's style—flashy and lacking substance, substituting money for genuine thought.

Unexpectedly... even this gift, which she had thought lacked sincerity, was not given by Shang Yucheng.

Liang Jinshang moved her lips, yet she did not know what to say to Chao Jingyu.

He always arrived so timely.

On her unluckiest day, when it felt like the whole world was conspiring against her, there was someone like this standing unfalteringly by her side.

The preciousness of the "necklace" he gave her did not lie in its value of nearly a million.

Rather, it was because, long ago, he had planted the seeds of "redemption" for her today when she was utterly in despair.

After finishing his dealings with the police, Chao Jingyu turned back to look at Liang Jinshang.

"Why do you look like you're about to cry?" Chao Jingyu asked with a smile playing on his lips. "Do you have to burst into tears whenever you get bullied?"

Liang Jinshang's long eyelashes fluttered, chasing away the slight dampness gathering in the corners of her eyes. "Didn't you just arrive? Who could possibly bully me?"

Chao Jingyu saw right through her put-on toughness, but he chose not to expose it.

Nan Wenqian was just a good-for-nothing punk who had gotten by until today solely on his decent looks.

Lacking any real ability and devoid of a backbone, he had already slunk his shoulders and sheepishly confessed that he had stolen the necklace.

The stolen goods were naturally returned to their rightful owner, while the rest of the matter required taking him back to the station for further interrogation and sentencing.

After the two of them were taken away, Chao Jingyu held the necklace in his palm and asked Liang Jinshang, "Do you still want this?"

The necklace was truly gorgeous and well worth the price.

Yet precisely because it was worth that much, she hesitated.

"Do you mind that someone else has worn it?" Chao Jingyu asked with deep consideration. "I can have it sent out for cleaning and maintenance."

Liang Jinshang shook her head; she was not someone who fussed over such things.

"It's too expensive..." She had done nothing to merit such a reward; how could she accept a necklace of such high value from him?

Instead of forcing her to accept it, Chao Jingyu teased her, "You've never been this polite with me over wines that cost much more than this necklace."

Before Liang Jinshang could reply, he withdrew his smile. "When I went to Europe this time and won an award, I used the prize money to buy two necklaces. I sent the opal one to my mother. No other meaning, I just wanted to share with you another one of my small achievements in the advancement of human medicine. I hope you will kindly accept it."

His smile was clean, handsome, and utterly sincere.

Liang Jinshang was moved by his words. "Then the day I win the AMP Architecture Prize, I will also share my glory with you."

Compared to Chao Jingyu, whose reputation was already established both at home and abroad, she was currently just an ordinary architectural designer at Lehai Architecture.

Yet Chao Jingyu would never mock anyone carrying a fire within their heart, and furthermore, he believed in her.

"It will be my utmost honor."

Chao Jingyu had a junior nurse find a small sealed bag and returned the necklace to Liang Jinshang.

In truth, for a few seconds earlier, he had entertained the thought of putting it on her himself.

However, he quickly dismissed the idea.

No man would not want to personally place a necklace around the neck of the person he held dear in his heart, but right now, he was walking strictly along the boundary line of being a "friend."

He was Liang Jinshang's friend, and even more so, Shang Yucheng's friend.

Until the matters of their relationship became clear, he would not cross the line.

Ever since Nan Wenqian was taken away, Nan Yi had refused to communicate with anyone.

Her bone fracture required hospitalization, leaving Liang Jinshang with no choice but to hire a private caregiver for her.

After finishing his shift, Chao Jingyu asked her where she was going.

Sighing, Liang Jinshang replied that she was going home.

Having roughly figured out the ins and outs of the situation earlier, Chao Jingyu suggested, "How about having someone tidy up your place first? At this hour, I can take you out for a late-night snack, and then we can go for a drive?"

Which person trapped in deep melancholy would not feel their heart stir upon hearing such a thoughtful proposal?

Chao Jingyu switched to a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and drove Liang Jinshang straight out of the city.

Liang Jinshang had not expected him to bring her mountain climbing.

However, having eaten a bit too much during their late-night snack—especially for someone like her who rarely ate late at night—it was a good opportunity to digest the food.

Chao Jingyu had great stamina; presumably, immense physical endurance was one of the baseline requirements for every surgeon.

Breathing slightly faster in order to keep up with his pace, Liang Jinshang remarked, "No wonder you eat so much and still stay in such great shape."

It was only today that she discovered Chao Jingyu's appetite starkly contrasted with his scholarly appearance; the two of them had polished off a portion of spicy crayfish meant for four people.

"Am I in great shape?"

If his home didn't lack mirrors, that question wouldn't need to be asked of anyone else at all.

Hearing the faint hint of vanity and fishing for compliments in his tone, Liang Jinshang pressed her lips into a smile, feeling too shy to praise him any further.

Instead, she quickened her pace and walked ahead.

On an autumn night, the mountain summit was already quite chilly.

Yet the vast, expansive view was enough to make one's spirit soar.

In the distance, the myriad lights of Jin City twinkled below her eyes, prompting Liang Jinshang to take a few more steps forward.

She hadn't expected that on the outer side, blocked only by a soft wire mesh, lay a precipitous cliff carved by a knife.

A thousand-foot sheer drop.

Chao Jingyu drew closer, walking side by side with her. "Are you afraid of heights?"

Liang Jinshang shook her head.

"Then walk a bit further forward," he encouraged her. "Whenever I was under heavy stress in the past, I would come and stand right by the edge of this cliff. It's basically a supreme stress-relieving artifact."

Trusting him implicitly, Liang Jinshang took a big step forward without hesitation.

Truly, Chao Jingyu had not anticipated her being this daring.

There was a small section of suspended open space beneath the wire mesh, and the front half of Liang Jinshang's foot had already stepped out into the void, dislodging a number of small pebbles.

With a pattering sound, they tumbled down the cliff, the noise terrifyingly loud.

Chao Jingyu felt his heart skip a beat, and instinctively, he reached out and forcefully yanked her back.