Chapter 35: Pure Light and Clear Skies

Liang Jinshang had not originally been so afraid of Shang Yucheng.

That night, she dared to use Shang Yucheng’s phone to post on Weibo, convinced she could bear the consequences of his rage.

But he appeared at precisely this moment.

Now, Liang Jinshang felt like a sieve pierced through, wounded all over. These were not wounds inflicted by physical violence, but by the knives Liang Xizhou had plunged into her soul.

She was unbearably fragile, unable to withstand even a little more pain.

Of the three men in the room, only Zhao Jingyu brought her any sense of safety.

Zhao Jingyu noticed that the girl, who had been limp in his arms, suddenly raised her slender arms and wrapped them around his neck, burying her head against his shoulder—a gesture seeking protection.

Though Zhao Jingyu was carrying her, he still managed to comfort her with a gentle pat on the back. "Yucheng, what brings you here?"

Shang Yucheng withdrew his indifferent gaze from Liang Jinshang, his tone careless and irreverent. "What’s with you? Stress so high you need to play S&M in the office?"

His words were too flippant, too disrespectful. Even among friends, such jests would never be made in front of a woman.

Shang Yucheng, the most particular about status and appearance, had never lost his composure like this, even in the company of women in places of pleasure.

Zhao Jingyu frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting? What are you here for?"

Shang Yucheng said lazily, "Wasn’t it you who asked me to come? Next time, come find me yourself. I’m a public figure now—going out means paparazzi tailing me."

Liang Jinshang shrank further at the cold emphasis on "public figure."

She was certain Shang Yucheng already wished her a thousand deaths.

That Weibo post had not only exposed his humiliation for all to see, but had also branded him as a tasteless man who revealed his fiancée’s private life.

With Shang Yucheng’s pride, whether the internet pitied or mocked him, both must have been unbearable.

Zhao Jingyu realized immediately: Gong Xueyuan must have used his phone to send something to Shang Yucheng.

He had spent most of the last half-hour dealing with the Liang siblings in the clinic, forgetting about Gong Xueyuan entirely.

Zhao Jingyu set Liang Jinshang on the chair behind him and grabbed his phone from the desk.

Sure enough—[A Cheng, Xueyuan is in my office now. She wants to commit suicide. Come quickly!]

Zhao Jingyu slammed the phone down. "How can you be so indifferent? Go find her! She might really do something foolish!"

Shang Yucheng, under Zhao Jingyu’s accusatory gaze, sat down and asked calmly, "Why don’t you go?"

Zhao Jingyu stepped forward to leave, but a hand tugged at his coat. "Dr. Zhao..."

He turned to see the girl, her pale, slender neck marked by bruises, her clear dark eyes full of pleading, holding him rooted in place.

"Yucheng, you go," Zhao Jingyu decided swiftly, his voice steady. "Right now, Xueyuan needs you. The problem is between you two. As a man, you can’t just leave her hanging like this! She’ll get hurt!"

"Tsk," Shang Yucheng was unmoved. "Same tricks as always. Only you ever take them seriously."

Even Zhao Jingyu’s patience was burning thin.

If Shang Yucheng still remembered their childhood friendship, he shouldn’t be pushing Gong Xueyuan to the brink, no matter how outrageous her behavior.

That day at Shang Yucheng’s home, the three of them had woken to see the video together.

Shang Yucheng stormed out, his face dark with fury; Zhao Jingyu had wanted to do the same.

If Gong Xueyuan hadn’t begged him not to abandon her, Zhao Jingyu would have wished never to have known either of them.

How did Zhao Jingyu feel at that moment?

His anger was no less than Shang Yucheng’s.

One side was the girl he had cherished for years, the other his betrayed brother.

With Zhao Jingyu’s noble character, he never would have imagined one would cheat and the other would send the video into the world, subjecting her to public scorn!

Zhao Jingyu raised his voice, unable to restrain his anger: "Whatever you think, go find her now! Or there’ll be no brotherhood left between us!"

Zhao Jingyu was proud and accomplished, no less than Shang Yucheng.

Shang Yucheng stood as well, pointing coldly at Liang Jinshang. "If we’re still brothers, hand her over to me first."

His tone rang out like metal on jade, all pretense of indifference peeling away to reveal a flash of ferocious anger.

"Now is not the time for this!" Zhao Jingyu’s fists itched. "Shang Yucheng, you and Gong Xueyuan really are a match made in hell... That night, your car was parked at the hospital. Did you think I didn’t notice?"

Zhao Jingyu was broad-minded, his focus mostly on his unwavering career ambitions. Otherwise, he would never have achieved so much so young.

He wasn’t ignorant—he simply couldn’t be bothered.

Liang Jinshang could play the villain in front of Shang Yucheng, but hearing Zhao Jingyu say he knew what happened between her and Shang Yucheng in the car that night, she felt stripped bare, humiliated.

Ashamed, she tried to flee.

But her limbs were weak; she stumbled, accidentally colliding into Zhao Jingyu’s back.

He, locked in confrontation with Shang Yucheng, couldn’t catch her, and Liang Jinshang fell back into the chair, powerless.

Zhao Jingyu turned, not taking out his anger on her. He softened before speaking, "Don’t move. I’ll apply medicine to your wounds in a moment."

Shang Yucheng watched Zhao Jingyu’s every move coldly.

He knew his old friend’s preferences and that Liang Jinshang was not his type.

Yet Zhao Jingyu’s attentiveness to her was excessive.

Shang Yucheng sneered, "Don’t be fooled by her—she’s no gentle little rabbit."

That bite, he thought, was nothing to trifle with.

"Isn’t that perfect?" Zhao Jingyu raised an eyebrow, his presence undiminished. "You know I’ve never liked gentle little rabbits."

Whether said in anger or not, the words were abrupt.

Shang Yucheng merely narrowed his eyes, but Liang Jinshang looked up in shock.

A few strands of hair clung to her face, unnoticed by herself; Zhao Jingyu reached out to brush them aside.

He smiled gently. "Close your mouth, silly girl. Yucheng and I will go find her. Lock the door, and I promise he won’t come in before I return. Xueyuan may be wrong, but not to the point of death, right?"

Liang Xizhou was still asleep, Shang Yucheng blocked outside.

It was, indeed, the best solution for now.

Liang Jinshang meant to obey, but Zhao Jingyu’s last words made her hesitate.

She thought, If only Gong Xueyuan would die.

"Can I go with you, Dr. Zhao?" Liang Jinshang lied softly. "I’m still afraid to stay here alone."