Jiang Jiang only had two classes in the afternoon. Strictly speaking, they did not really count as classes. Their official timetable had not yet been arranged; it was just the counselor coming to talk to them about matters regarding military training, which could be considered a class meeting.
After the class meeting ended, Jiang Jiang learned from Fu Xihe that Ji Heyuan still had not returned. From what she implied, she seemed to be planning to stay overnight at the hospital.
Jiang Jiang did not show a disappointed expression. She only let out a small exclamation. "I see…"
Fu Xihe and the others watched her slowly walk away, yet for some reason they felt uneasy inside. After discussing it among the three of them, they decided to send Ji Heyuan a message after all.
They had not mentioned it in the morning because they all thought Jiang Jiang surely had Ji Heyuan's contact information, and the two of them would definitely communicate privately. But seeing that Jiang Jiang had already come to look for Ji Heyuan twice, it was obvious that she had something she wanted to say.
Perhaps what Jiang Jiang wanted to say was inconvenient to bring up on WeChat?
Yan Ke did not send a message in the large group chat, because Jiang Jiang was also in their dormitory group. She privately messaged Ji Heyuan instead.
[Yan Ke: little Yuan, Jiang Jiang came to look for you twice today. Did she message you?]
It took Ji Heyuan quite a while to reply.
[Ji Heyuan: No. I'm still at the hospital. I'll call her in a bit to ask.]
After passing on the message to Ji Heyuan, Yan Ke and the others felt relieved. Jiang Jiang was, after all, an adult with her own thoughts.
Besides, regarding matters between her and Ji Heyuan, it was not appropriate for them to interfere too much. A reminder was already fulfilling their responsibility.
The three of them, who were currently discussing which cafeteria to eat at, did not imagine that only a few short hours later, something would happen that would make them regret it immensely.
But Fu Xihe and the others did not have the ability to foresee the future, and Ji Heyuan, still at the hospital, could even less anticipate that such an accident would occur.
When Ji Heyuan lowered her head to reply to Yan Ke's message, Zheng Zhouzhou was lying on the hospital bed beside her, staring intently at her phone.
"Little Yuan, do you still have something to take care of?"
After replying, Ji Heyuan did not immediately call Jiang Jiang. Instead, she reached out to tuck Zheng Zhouzhou's blanket in. "Nothing much. My roommate just messaged me, saying Xie Xiao was looking for me."
Although Yan Ke said Xie Xiao seemed to have something she wanted to say, Ji Heyuan thought it over and felt that what Xie Xiao wanted to say was probably not something major. If it were truly urgent, why would Xie Xiao not call her?
It was not as though she did not have her contact information.
"Miss Xie is looking for you? Then it must be something important. Why don't you go check?" Zheng Zhouzhou pretended to be generous.
If she were not speaking in such a weak manner, with red veins in her eyes, Ji Heyuan might actually have believed her words.
Ji Heyuan knew Zheng Zhouzhou did not want her to leave. She could understand it. Sick people were always especially fragile and desperately longed for someone to stay by their side.
Zheng Zhouzhou's lips were pale now, her entire person haggard, completely different from her usual glamorous celebrity appearance.
Not to mention she was looking at Ji Heyuan with tear-reddened eyes, as if treating her as the last life-saving straw.
Ji Heyuan already had some fondness for her. Seeing this, her heart ached even more. Between Jiang Jiang and Zheng Zhouzhou, she easily chose Zheng Zhouzhou.
Ji Heyuan thought to herself that Zhouzhou was still running a fever; she could not leave her alone at the hospital.
On Xie Xiao's side, she had her sister to take care of her. At worst, there was Secretary Zhao, or the driver arranged by her sister. In any case, it did not necessarily have to be her who helped.
But Zhouzhou was different. She was alone. If even she left, who else would take care of Zheng Zhouzhou?
Although Ji Heyuan had already decided to stay at the hospital with Zheng Zhouzhou, she thought about how Xie Xiao had come to look for her twice. Perhaps there truly was something urgent.
"I'm not leaving, Zhouzhou, but I want to call Xie Xiao back," Ji Heyuan thought for a moment before deciding to tell Zheng Zhouzhou first.
She was not stupid. She could see that there was some conflict between Jiang Jiang and Zheng Zhouzhou. But these two—one was her future sister-in-law, the other was the person who made her heart move.
Caught between them, Ji Heyuan did not know what to do and could only pretend not to notice.
Zheng Zhouzhou still had a gentle smile on her face, but the hand hidden under the blanket was already clenched into a fist, her nails digging deeply into her palm.
She was already like this, yet Ji Heyuan was still thinking about Xie Xiao. What kind of bewitching potion had Xie Xiao fed her?
Was this the unbreakable attraction between protagonists?
Zheng Zhouzhou forced out a smile and weakly raised her hand. "Go ahead and take care of your business. Don't worry about me."
After she finished speaking, she pulled the blanket up. Ji Heyuan clearly saw tears sliding down from the corners of her eyes.
"Zhouzhou, don't cry." Ji Heyuan immediately panicked. "You're still sick. Excessive emotional fluctuations aren't good for recovery."
She tried to pull down Zheng Zhouzhou's blanket, but Zheng Zhouzhou held it tightly, refusing to let her. Her voice sounded muffled, and if one listened carefully, there was even a sob in it. "I must look awful right now. Just leave me alone, really."
Ji Heyuan let out a heavy sigh and felt her head beginning to ache as well. "I care about Xie Xiao only because she's my sister's girlfriend. If something happens to her, I won't be able to explain it to my sister."
Ji Heyuan thought she was comforting Zheng Zhouzhou, but she did not know that these words made Zheng Zhouzhou hate Jiang Jiang even more.
What right did Xie Xiao have to be Ji Heyuan's sister's girlfriend?!
"I know. Just treat it as me not feeling well. Alright, hurry and make your call." Zheng Zhouzhou covered her head with the blanket and extended one hand from under it to push Ji Heyuan.
Ji Heyuan thought she was throwing a tantrum, never imagining that Zheng Zhouzhou was only worried that the jealousy and resentment on her face would be too obvious and noticed by Ji Heyuan.
Having been pushed, Ji Heyuan could only stand up and walk out of the hospital room with her phone.
She did not take her irritation out on Jiang Jiang because of this, but after the call connected, Ji Heyuan was inevitably somewhat absent-minded. She was still worried about Zheng Zhouzhou in the hospital room.
"Xie Xiao, Yan Ke said you were looking for me?"
Jiang Jiang was already on the way to Liang Junsheng's home. Originally Liang Junsheng had suggested taking the bus, but Jiang Jiang said she had a driver and could have him drive them there.
When she said this, her expression was calm and natural, as though she did not take the matter to heart at all. Liang Junsheng's expression, however, twisted for a moment.
They had once both been pitiful students receiving national subsidies together. Now one was still agonizing over a few dollars, while the other was already using a personal driver.
How could that not provoke jealousy and resentment?
Logically speaking, Liang Junsheng was about to commit wrongdoing; he should have avoided other people. Yet not only was he not flustered in the slightest, he even openly agreed to Jiang Jiang's proposal.
No wonder in the story he could succeed. Liang Junsheng's bold personality of seeking wealth amidst danger truly made him hard to guard against.
He was probably certain that once things happened, Jiang Jiang would never dare to tell anyone. Having the driver accompany them would instead better prove his innocence.
At this moment, Liang Junsheng was sitting beside Jiang Jiang. The driver in the front seat would occasionally glance at him in appraisal through the rearview mirror. Liang Junsheng remained unmoved, even smiling and chatting with Jiang Jiang.
When Ji Heyuan's call came in, Liang Junsheng appropriately closed his mouth. The car immediately became quiet, with only Jiang Jiang's voice speaking.
In front of Liang Junsheng, Jiang Jiang did not feel comfortable saying she wanted Ji Heyuan to come accompany her. Would that not be a blatant display of distrust toward Liang Junsheng?
"Little Yuan, are you busy right now?"
Ji Heyuan glanced back at the hospital room door. "Mm, I have something going on. Why are you looking for me?"
"My friend rescued a stray cat. I want to go to his house to see the cat. I was originally going to ask if you were interested in going together." Jiang Jiang spoke rather tactfully.
Ji Heyuan did not catch the hidden meaning and thought Jiang Jiang was genuinely inviting her to see the cat together. Out of concern, she still asked, "You have friends in S City?"
"He's my former middle school classmate."
Ji Heyuan immediately recalled something. "Is it the person who paid our bill last night?"
Jiang Jiang softly hummed. "It's him."
Ji Heyuan felt much more at ease. "It's him, then."
She had been protected too well by Ji Xu'an. Before reaching adulthood, every friend Ji Heyuan made had to be approved by Ji Xu'an first.
Thus, throughout her growth, she was surrounded by flowers and praise. The most sinister thing she had encountered was nothing more than people flattering her to her face while looking down on her behind her back.
Therefore, when Ji Heyuan remembered that the hotpot restaurant staff had described Jiang Jiang's middle school classmate as honest and proper-looking, and that he had paid for their dinner, she instinctively felt that he should not be a bad person.
Besides, he was Xie Xiao's classmate. Xie Xiao surely knew his character better than she did. Since Xie Xiao had agreed to go to his home to see the cat, that meant she trusted him. So Ji Heyuan did not think further about it.
"Go by yourself. Zhouzhou is still at the hospital on an IV drip. I have to stay with her."
"Oh," Jiang Jiang responded.
Her tone seemed somewhat disappointed.
"By the way," Ji Heyuan asked again, "did you report this to my sister?"
Jiang Jiang answered her in a very soft voice, "I already told my sister."
However, for certain reasons, she did not tell Ji Xu'an the gender of this middle school classmate, nor did she mention that he lived alone. Ji Xu'an probably assumed it was a girl and did not ask further, only reminding her to bring the driver.
The drivers hired by the Ji family were all former mercenaries, sturdy and muscular, capable of fighting ten against one. They were drivers, but also bodyguards.
With him along, at least her basic safety could be guaranteed.
"If my sister agreed, then there's no problem. Remember to go home early," Ji Heyuan reminded her again before hanging up.
Jiang Jiang listened to the busy tone from the other end, her expression blank for a brief moment.
The driver in the front seat asked, "Miss Xie, was that the Second Miss calling?"
Jiang Jiang nodded. "Mm."
The driver glanced at Liang Junsheng again through the rearview mirror. Although this boy looked honest and gentle, for some reason, he felt that this person was somewhat dangerous.
"Is the Second Miss coming over?" he asked.
Jiang Jiang shook her head. "Little Yuan said she's staying at the hospital with a friend, so she's not coming."
The driver let out a small laugh, his tone relaxed, not revealing in the slightest the vigilance he felt toward Liang Junsheng.
"It's fine. I'll accompany you upstairs later."
Jiang Jiang was about to nod when Liang Junsheng suddenly shifted his posture. Jiang Jiang then remembered that Liang Junsheng had told her the kitten was very timid. If there were too many strangers in the house, it might have a stress reaction.
Jiang Jiang did not understand much about such things, only that it would be bad for the kitten.
So she rejected the driver's suggestion. "No need. Just wait for me downstairs."
The driver hesitated, wanting to persuade her further. "But…"
"It's fine. Liang Junsheng's place is only on the third floor. If anything happens, I'll call you directly. You should be able to hear it," Jiang Jiang said, sneaking a glance at Liang Junsheng beside her.
Liang Junsheng smiled and nodded. "That's right. This is an old residential building. The soundproofing isn't very good. If someone speaks loudly upstairs, it can be heard clearly downstairs."
Although the driver wanted to go up with them, Jiang Jiang had already refused. He could not disregard his employer's wishes and ultimately had no choice but to agree.
"Then I'll wait downstairs."
Jiang Jiang was satisfied. Liang Junsheng also secretly let out a breath of relief.
Just as Liang Junsheng had said, this residential complex had indeed been built many years ago. The iron gate was rusted, and when opened, it made a creaking sound.
The gatekeeper was a gray-haired old man who was also a resident of the complex. He had a very kind face. Upon seeing Liang Junsheng, he even smiled and greeted him.
The complex consisted of four units, with a tall wall at the end. The open space downstairs was not large, and cars could not drive inside, so the driver could only park outside the entrance.
Liang Junsheng exchanged a few concerned words with the old man. It was clear that the old man had a very good impression of him, his face constantly smiling.
After Jiang Jiang followed Liang Junsheng inside the complex, the driver sat down beside the old man and asked about Liang Junsheng.
"You mean little Liang? He really is a pitiful and kind child. There's no one at home to take care of him. He lives alone."
"He has a good heart. He can chat with anyone in the complex and often shows concern for us old folks."
"I also often see him feeding the stray cats nearby. He even brought one back last night. Oh dear, he's already living so hard himself and still has to take care of a cat…"
The conversation gradually faded, replaced by overlapping footsteps, one in front and one behind, echoing in the ears.
There were no lights in the stairwell. The lighting was somewhat dim. Liang Junsheng walked in front. His not particularly tall figure was stretched long by the light, suddenly giving off a sense of danger.
"Liang Junsheng, are there people living downstairs?" Jiang Jiang's voice seemed to tremble.
Liang Junsheng could sense that she was clearly somewhat afraid. But having already reached this point, how could he allow her to escape?
"Yes. On the left side of the first floor lives a family of five. On the right is a newlywed couple."
Liang Junsheng calmly described each household. In his steady tone, the fear in Jiang Jiang's heart seemed to gradually dissipate.
At the end, she remarked, "You really know a lot about your neighbors."
Liang Junsheng chuckled lightly. "After all, we live in the same complex. It's always good to know more."
Of course it was good—first, to ensure he would not be discovered while abusing cats; second, to observe whether there were suitable prey.
Look, now he had brought the prey he fancied into his home without being disturbed by anyone.
Reaching the door on the fourth floor, Liang Junsheng took out his key from his pocket.
The stairwell was too quiet. The crisp sound of several keys colliding intertwined with the sound of their breathing, inexplicably tightening the heart, as if some irreversible tragedy were about to unfold.
The door was pushed open. A low whining sound came from the gap, like a wail before the butcher's blade fell—shrill and lonely.
When the door was closed again, all sounds disappeared.
The stairwell remained silent, as if no one had ever come.
—
The buildings in this complex were closely arranged, and the lighting was not very good. As soon as Jiang Jiang stepped inside, she felt the room was cold and dim, and she could not help shivering.
Just as Jiang Jiang was searching with her eyes for the kitten's figure, she suddenly heard Liang Junsheng behind her ask faintly:
"Xie Xiao, are you cold?"
It would have been better if he had not said it. Once he did, Jiang Jiang felt the room grow even colder. "A little. Liang Junsheng, can you turn on the lights first?"
Liang Junsheng did not turn on the lights. Instead, he moved closer to Jiang Jiang, as if speaking right next to her ear, his tone drifting.
"The kitten is easily frightened. Turning on the lights might scare it. It's inside the room. Come with me."
His voice was very low. Jiang Jiang imitated him and spoke softly as well. "Why haven't I heard it meow?"
"Maybe it's asleep." Liang Junsheng urged Jiang Jiang to walk a few more steps. His room was on the right.
Because he lived alone, Liang Junsheng had rented a one-bedroom apartment. The overall space was not large. The living room was filled with things, appearing somewhat cramped and messy.
A hesitant expression appeared on Jiang Jiang's face. She seemed to be regretting it already. But because Liang Junsheng was blocking her from behind, she could not turn around and leave, so she could only brace herself and walk forward.
Still, Jiang Jiang reminded him, "Liang Junsheng, don't stand so close to me. I'm not used to it."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to. I was afraid that if I stood too far away, you wouldn't hear me clearly," Liang Junsheng said softly.
Jiang Jiang did not turn around. She did not know that Liang Junsheng was staring at her fixedly at this moment, his gaze revealing undisguised malice and evil.
The two walked one in front of the other toward the room. When they were only two steps away from the bedroom door, Liang Junsheng finally could not suppress the excitement in his heart, and his breathing deepened slightly.
"The door isn't locked. Xie Xiao, just push it open."
Jiang Jiang finally sensed something was wrong. She turned her head to glance at what Liang Junsheng was doing behind her, her voice hesitant. "You…"
The change happened in this instant!
Jiang Jiang only saw a large hand suddenly reach out from behind her, forcefully covering her mouth and nose. At the same time, his other arm crossed around her waist, viciously tightening around her body!
Jiang Jiang did not even have time to resist before Liang Junsheng firmly restrained her. In the hand covering her mouth was also a towel soaked with something unknown. After only two breaths, her head began to feel dizzy and heavy.
"Mmm!"
Jiang Jiang could not make a single sound. Even her desperate cries were as faint as a mosquito's buzz. Her resistance was so fragile, easily suppressed by Liang Junsheng.
Tears flowed from Jiang Jiang's eyes, wetting Liang Junsheng's palm. But not only did this not soften his heart, it made him even more excited.
He did not suspect that Jiang Jiang was deliberately holding back. After all, she looked so slender and thin, not at all like someone with the strength to resist.
Liang Junsheng panted heavily. Holding Jiang Jiang's increasingly limp body, he pushed her into the room.
There were no lights on in the room either. Even the curtains were tightly closed. The blackout curtains blocked the outside light completely, leaving the bedroom pitch black.
Liang Junsheng was thoroughly familiar with the layout. He pushed Jiang Jiang onto the bed and covered her head with a thick quilt so she would not have the chance to shout loudly and attract the driver downstairs.
At this time, Jiang Jiang no longer had the strength to shout. She collapsed on the bed, struggling with all her might, making muffled sounds, yet Liang Junsheng still bound her hands with electrical wire.
He tied them tightly. The wire dug deeply into Jiang Jiang's flesh, restraining her slender wrists so they could not move, her fingertips quickly congested and red, revealing a horrifying sense of cruelty.
It hurt.
Jiang Jiang's face hidden beneath the blanket was as cold as ice, but she did not struggle. Instead, she continued to pretend to be powerless, allowing her hands to be tightly bound.
Perhaps believing Jiang Jiang could not escape no matter what, Liang Junsheng did not bind her feet. Compared to prey lying motionless like a dead fish, he preferred to watch prey struggle in despair.
That was why he had only let Jiang Jiang inhale two breaths of ether before discarding the towel. If Xie Xiao completely lost consciousness, what pleasure would there be?
After tying Jiang Jiang's hands, Liang Junsheng leisurely turned on a small bedside lamp so the bedroom would not be so dark that nothing could be seen.
He took transparent tape from the cabinet at the side while lifting the thick quilt that covered Jiang Jiang's head.
Under the quilt, Jiang Jiang was already in floods of tears. Her long hair was in complete disarray; several strands, soaked by tears, clung tightly to her face, making her look as though she had just been fished out of water.
"So beautiful." Liang Junsheng gazed at her with obsession filling his eyes.
He forcefully pinched the lower half of Jiang Jiang's face with his hand, not at all in a hurry to seal her mouth with the transparent tape.
Jiang Jiang's eyes were bloodshot, tears brimming in her sockets. She glared fiercely at Liang Junsheng, her gaze filled with hatred and confusion.
"It's exactly this kind of look!" Liang Junsheng held his breath. "Xie Xiao, you have no idea how beautiful you are right now."
Jiang Jiang opened her mouth to curse him, yet because Liang Junsheng was gripping her jaw so tightly, she could not utter a single complete sentence.
She could not speak, but her eyes remained fixed on Liang Junsheng, scarlet and ferocious.
Not only did Liang Junsheng not find her frightening like this, he grew even more excited and thrilled.
"I really want other people to see you like this too. Everyone would definitely love it."
"Mmm!" Beast!
Although Jiang Jiang did not say it aloud, Liang Junsheng could guess that she was certainly cursing him.
"To keep you from making noise, I can only seal your mouth first." Liang Junsheng spoke with a trace of regret in his tone.
He loved to hear the wails and screams of prey on the brink of death. To him, that sound was more beautiful and pleasing than any music in the world.
He gripped Jiang Jiang's cheeks and, without hesitation, sealed her mouth with tape.
After finishing all this, Liang Junsheng flung his hand away harshly. Jiang Jiang's body was thrown back into the quilt. She collapsed onto the bed as if all her strength had drained away, tears streaming down continuously.
The tears blurred her vision and concealed the true emotions hidden in her eyes.
If Liang Junsheng had looked more closely, he would have discovered that beneath Jiang Jiang's expression of fear lay endless indifference and calculation.
Unfortunately, Liang Junsheng did not notice.
He stood by the bed admiring the scene. He knew that Xie Xiao must hate him right now, and at the same time she must be utterly unable to understand why he was doing this.
Liang Junsheng was not stingy about clearing up Xie Xiao's doubts.
"Actually, I didn't want to make a move on you so soon, but Xie Xiao, you're really too stupid!"
As he spoke, Liang Junsheng picked up the filming stand he had placed at the corner of the bed and adjusted its height leisurely.
Jiang Jiang breathed heavily, the hatred in her eyes sharp as blade-light, possessing a breathtaking beauty.
Liang Junsheng curled his lips. "Who told you to have no guard against me at all? You believed everything I said. Xie Xiao, it was your stupidity that harmed you!"
He moved closer to the bed, reaching out as if to wipe away the tear at the corner of Jiang Jiang's eye. Jiang Jiang turned her head to avoid his fingers; Liang Junsheng only touched her hair.
He was not annoyed and continued explaining, "If you had asked around even a little, you would have known that my old man died several years ago."
"Such a pity. You didn't even bother to ask. Is it because a small nobody like me isn't worth mentioning in your eyes?"
As he spoke, Liang Junsheng suddenly grew vicious. He forcibly turned Jiang Jiang's head, making her face him.
"But what kind of big shot are you? You're nothing more than someone who sells her beauty. Xie Xiao, what right do you have to look down on me?"
"We're both pitiful creatures living in a garbage heap. You should be struggling in the mud forever just like me, instead of wearing a pretty white dress, looking down on me from above, pitying me."
"You even have a driver now, hm? Can your driver save you?"
Liang Junsheng burst into laughter, mocking her wantonly. "No matter how much you hate me, so what? Aren't you still at the mercy of a beast like me?"
After saying that, Liang Junsheng reached out and tore open the coat Jiang Jiang was wearing, revealing the tight white camisole underneath.
Her delicate collarbones and half of her shoulder were exposed to the air. Further down was still tightly covered, not revealing much spring scenery.
Liang Junsheng was not in a hurry. He liked to torture his prey slowly.
"Don't even think about shouting. Xie Xiao, if you call someone over, I'll say you seduced me. Looking at you now, barely dressed like this, do you think anyone will believe you?"
Meeting Jiang Jiang's hate-filled gaze, Liang Junsheng's smile grew brighter. "After all, you were the one who followed me home. If you say I forced you, who would believe it?"
Jiang Jiang seemed to fall into utter despair. She lay quietly on the bed, numbly closing her eyes, letting tears surge from the corners of her eyes.
Liang Junsheng set up his phone by the bed and turned on the recording.
"Stop crying. Be happier. I'll film you beautifully."
After doing this, he took out a small bottle from the bedside cabinet, unscrewed it, and held it under Jiang Jiang's nose.
Jiang Jiang's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she did not avoid it.
Perhaps because her eyes were closed, she did not have time to hold her breath. Although she reacted quickly, she was still forced to inhale a few breaths.
"Don't be afraid. This will make you more photogenic."
Jiang Jiang felt as if her body were being roasted by fire. A flush instantly climbed onto her cheeks. Even her breathing quickened slightly. Under the glow of redness, the moisture in her eyes added a pitiful fragility to her appearance.
All of this was clearly recorded by the phone's camera.
Liang Junsheng reached out and tore the tape from Jiang Jiang's face. His movements were not gentle; two red marks immediately appeared on her skin.
Jiang Jiang panted urgently, her voice weak. "Liang Junsheng, do you think a few videos are enough to wash away the crime of kidnapping and rape?"
"Rape?" Liang Junsheng laughed. "What are you talking about, Xie Xiao? I'm just playing a game with you. I never intended to do anything to you."
"You kidnapped me just to play a game?" Jiang Jiang sneered twice. "Using your own words, do you think everyone will believe you?"
"There's no need for everyone to believe it, because they'll never have the chance to find out about this." Liang Junsheng looked at Jiang Jiang calmly, like she was a dying cat.
"I won't do anything to you. I just want to take some photos. Xie Xiao, if these photos are exposed online, will your patron believe you?"
Jiang Jiang was about to say that her sister would never doubt her, when Liang Junsheng held up a mirror in front of her.
"Look at yourself right now." Liang Junsheng admired the instant pallor of Jiang Jiang's face. "Your whole face screams unsatisfied desire. Who would believe you were forced?"
Jiang Jiang glanced sideways at the phone nearby. Liang Junsheng immediately understood her meaning.
When he had been "clearing up her doubts" earlier, he had not turned on the camera. He knew that if those words were spread, his crime would be impossible to erase.
Even now, he deliberately kept his voice low. Because he firmly believed that Xie Xiao would never dare to tell anyone the truth afterward, he was not worried that this conversation might be recorded.
"Alright, Xie Xiao, enough nonsense. Let's get down to business. After all, your driver is still waiting downstairs."
As he spoke, Liang Junsheng reached to continue removing Jiang Jiang's clothes.
Jiang Jiang suddenly asked another question, causing Liang Junsheng to pause his approach.
"Liang Junsheng, you said you rescued a cat. Was that also a lie?"
In the past, Liang Junsheng had only dared to act against cats. He actually very much wanted to share his "glorious achievements" with others, yet he knew that what he did would seem perverted and terrifying to normal people.
Now that he finally had someone who would listen, Liang Junsheng was not in a hurry to make a move on Jiang Jiang.
"Of course I wasn't lying. I really do love raising cats."
Liang Junsheng smiled. "Raising an animal with your own hands, then killing it slice by slice—don't you think that feels like an accomplishment?"
Jiang Jiang clenched her teeth. "You will go to hell!"
"Hell? Xie Xiao, why are you still so naive? If retribution really existed, why haven't those cats come back to take revenge on me?"
Liang Junsheng counted on his fingers. "Let me think. The first one that died in my hands seemed to be an orange tabby. Want to guess how it died?"
Jiang Jiang did not respond. Liang Junsheng did not expect her to answer anyway. He continued on his own.
"I poisoned the cat food it always ate. After it finished eating, it convulsed and rolled on the ground."
"I loved it so much. How could I possibly watch it die without doing anything?"
"I heard that if you let blood from a cat's tail, the poisoned blood would drain out. I tried it. Seems it was a lie."
At this point, Liang Junsheng's voice dropped suddenly. "Otherwise, how could I have cut inch by inch, almost slicing off half its body, and it still didn't come back to life?"
Jiang Jiang's tears flowed even more fiercely. Seeing this, Liang Junsheng grew more excited. He even described in detail the process of how he abused each cat.
The phone camera dutifully recorded everything. In the dim room, Liang Junsheng's shadow cast upon the wall like a ferocious and terrifying ghost.
Just as he finished sharing his "achievements" with lingering satisfaction, Jiang Jiang's phone inside her bag suddenly rang.
Liang Junsheng took it out and saw that it was the driver calling.
Perhaps because Jiang Jiang had not gone downstairs for so long, the driver had grown uneasy.
The smile on Liang Junsheng's face faded slightly. He looked up at Jiang Jiang and, sure enough, saw excitement and hope burst forth on her face.
"Want him to save you?"
Liang Junsheng sneered. He did not answer the call. Instead, he unlocked the phone with Jiang Jiang's face, found the number in the call log, and sent a text.
[It might take another half hour. The kitten is too afraid of strangers.]
He attached a photo of the kitten.
It was one Liang Junsheng had sent Jiang Jiang earlier. He knew she would have saved it.
Perhaps because he specified a time, the driver temporarily believed the message, thinking the person on the phone really was Jiang Jiang.
[Okay, Miss Xie.]
After receiving the reply, Liang Junsheng deliberately held the phone up in front of Jiang Jiang so she could see clearly.
"Give up, Xie Xiao. No one will come to save you."
Jiang Jiang seemed completely despairing. The light in her eyes extinguished bit by bit. She lost all will to survive.
"Alright. The story's over. We only have half an hour. We can't waste more time."
Liang Junsheng threw aside Jiang Jiang's phone and walked toward her step by step. He knelt at the foot of the bed and reached out to remove her camisole.
At that very moment!
Jiang Jiang, who had been motionless, suddenly lifted her leg and kicked toward Liang Junsheng. Her long leg, wrapped in black jeans, cut through the air with a fierce whistling sound.
Liang Junsheng did not even see her movement clearly. The next second, he was clutching his lower body with both hands, collapsing to the side, letting out a shrill scream.
"Ah—!"
Jiang Jiang gasped heavily. That kick seemed to have used all her strength. After several seconds, she wriggled her body and rolled to the other side of the bed.
Her tightly bound hands restricted her movement. She first planted her feet on the ground, then used her waist and abdomen to force herself upright, barely managing to sit up.
Liang Junsheng was still wailing in pain on the floor. Jiang Jiang dragged her weak, trembling legs and staggered toward the bedroom door.
Just as she was about to run out, Liang Junsheng, having recovered slightly, lunged at her and tightly grabbed her ankle.
Jiang Jiang was yanked back against the doorframe. She simply stopped, lifting her foot and kicking him viciously.
Whether intentional or not, several of her kicks struck the very hand that had gripped her jaw earlier, nearly breaking the arm.
Liang Junsheng screamed and tried to dodge, but failed each time. With the final kick, Jiang Jiang struck his face hard.
By the time she finished, Liang Junsheng was bruised and swollen, blood covering his face, his expression terrifying.
His entire body ached. He felt as if his nose were broken. Yet the pain there was nothing compared to the agony in his lower body. His eyes were blood-red as he glared at Jiang Jiang. "Xie Xiao, you bitch! You dare kick me!"
"I'll kill you!"
Jiang Jiang said nothing. Taking advantage of the camera not capturing this angle, she lowered her head, her face revealing a chilling killing intent.
Liang Junsheng froze for a moment. In that second of distraction, Jiang Jiang kicked him away and ran desperately toward the door.
At the entrance, she discovered that Liang Junsheng had locked the door when he came in. With her hands tied behind her back, she had no way to open it.
Jiang Jiang was not surprised. This development was exactly what she wanted.
With her back to Liang Junsheng, she curled her lips slightly, then put on a panicked and helpless expression, turning and running toward the living room window.
Liang Junsheng immediately realized her intention—she wanted to shout by the window to attract the driver's attention.
Unexpectedly, the window was also tightly locked. Jiang Jiang, lacking strength, could not shout very loudly.
She had only called out twice when Liang Junsheng caught up and forcefully covered her mouth.
"Trying to call someone over?" Liang Junsheng was furious. "Xie Xiao, do you want to die?"
Not only did he not drag her away from the window, he reached out and unlocked it.
The living room window was not very high, aligned with Jiang Jiang's abdomen. Her entire upper body was pressed outward into the air.
"Want to run? If you have the guts, jump from here! Maybe you're lucky enough not to die from the fall?" Liang Junsheng laughed coldly.
He leaned close to her face. "Your driver is right downstairs. Maybe he'll look up and see you. If he does, do you think he'll assume we're playing from behind?"
The evening breeze scattered Jiang Jiang's muffled sobs. Tears streamed down her face as her body shrank backward.
Liang Junsheng thought she was afraid. The severe pain in his lower body made his mind hazy. He was acting purely on instinct.
"Xie Xiao, you—"
He wanted her to behave, but before he could finish speaking, he suddenly saw Jiang Jiang turn her head and curl her lips at him in a strange smile.
In that instant, alarm bells rang wildly in his heart.
Before Liang Junsheng could react, that already heavily injured place was struck again by Jiang Jiang's ruthless kick. He screamed once more.
This scream finally caught the driver's attention. He took several steps toward the building and looked up, noticing two figures by a third-floor window.
Focusing carefully, he saw that one of them was clearly Miss Xie. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes in disarray. It was obvious she had encountered something terrible.
"Miss Xie!" The driver's eyes split with fury.
He sprinted toward the unit entrance, intending to rush upstairs as fast as possible to save his employer.
Watching his figure disappear below, Jiang Jiang turned to Liang Junsheng and said softly, "That question you asked—I also want to know the answer."
"If you fall from here, will you die?"
Liang Junsheng's eyes widened in horror. "You…!"
Are you insane!
Before he could finish the last two words, he suddenly felt their positions reverse. In the next moment, Xie Xiao slammed into him forcefully. Like leaves falling from a branch, they both tumbled lightly downward.
Bang—!
The heavy thud echoed between the two buildings, followed by screams of shock.
"What happened?! Someone jumped?!"
"There's been a death!"
Bright red blood seeped from beneath Liang Junsheng. His eyes were shut tight, his life or death unknown.
Jiang Jiang lay atop Liang Junsheng and curved her lips in satisfaction.
The last thing she saw was the driver's anxious face and his grief-stricken shout.
"Miss Xie!!"
Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. When the driver finally reached her side, she moved her lips, her voice barely audible.
"Save… save me…"
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T/N: There's a spoiler in the author's note; don't read it if you don't want to know what will happen in the next chapter.
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Author's Note:
To avoid everyone worrying, here's a spoiler.
Jiang Jiang only suffered minor injuries. Getting hurt was merely to rid herself of suspicion and, at the same time, make President Ji feel heartache for her.
Liang Junsheng has already been crippled by Jiang Jiang's kicks, but he will not die so easily. He must live to witness his complete ruin, to be despised and cursed by countless people. That will be revenge for "Xie Xiao."
In the end, Liang Junsheng's death will be suicide. He will use the same methods he once used to abuse cats to mutilate himself to death. That will be revenge for the cats who died.