Chapter 58: She is trying to kill him

Zhang Yuanyuan is the department beauty, after all, publicly voted for by the boys in the department; aside from being a bit cute, Bai Shuruo's appearance doesn't have any standout features in daily life.

So Zhang Yuanyuan wanted to verify whether those people were blind.

After the photos were posted, some people did look at them.

Netizens also commented on her in a seemingly impartial way: She looks quite beautiful, but she lacks approachability, and there is too much going on in her eyes; it's as if she's saying, "I am the most beautiful."

Why is her hair granny-gray? It doesn't match this natural scenery; it doesn't look very natural.

The poses have traces of being staged, and the expressions aren't natural enough.

Zhang Yuanyuan was so angry that she immediately deleted these photos.

……

That night, they checked into a homestay in the town.

The conditions were still difficult; the place they stayed in had no air conditioning and required an electric blanket for warmth.

Bai Shuruo and the others first went into the room to turn on the electric blanket, then unwrapped a heat patch from their luggage.

Having walked for most of the day, their feet were almost frozen stiff, so Bai Shuruo stuck two heat patches on her feet; only when warmth spread to her feet did she feel a bit more comfortable.

She sniffled, put on her clothes, and then went downstairs to eat.

They ate the same few things; there were no vegetables, plenty of meat, and naan, and with coal burning in the room, it was warm.

Because there were fewer and fewer people, they only needed one large table.

In such cold weather, people here in Xijiang replenish their energy by eating meat and drinking alcohol; Bai Shuruo was no exception. She, who usually had a poor appetite, ate a lot of meat that night and even drank a little bit of shochu—it was too spicy.

Zhang Yuanyuan also drank half a bowl of alcohol. After finishing it, she wiped her face, stood up, and walked over to Wang Xuekai.

Over these past few days, although everyone was in the same team, Wang Xuekai and Zhang Yuanyuan hadn't really spoken; when they ran into each other daily, it was as if they were strangers.

Tonight, perhaps because she had drunk a little alcohol, her courage had risen.

"Senior, I want to have a word with you. Could we step aside to talk?" Zhang Yuanyuan said.

Wang Xuekai, however, said sullenly, "I have nothing to talk about with you."

Everyone looked at the two of them.

Having spent so many days together, and in such difficult conditions, taking care of one another, everyone's relationship had become very good.

Although they knew that Wang Xuekai and Zhang Yuanyuan were ex-boyfriend and girlfriend, everyone tacitly understood and pretended not to know.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Yuanyuan would choose this moment to pierce through this layer of window paper.

"Senior, you really don't want to talk?" Zhang Yuanyuan asked.

Wang Xuekai just kept eating his meat, not answering.

Zhang Yuanyuan's nose turned red; she sniffled and then said with a choke, "I just want to ask, did you ever truly love me?"

When she asked this, the others didn't dare to breathe.

Zhang Yuanyuan was too reckless!

Even the waiter who came over to serve the dishes couldn't help but stand to the side, curiously listening to the gossip.

Wang Xuekai also picked up his bowl and drank half a bowl of alcohol.

After a long while, he finally stood up and looked at Zhang Yuanyuan.

Their eyes met—one shedding tears, the other with a cold expression.

Finally, Wang Xuekai spoke: "Yuanyuan, I did like you. You are a good girl. Take care of yourself in the future and don't think about me anymore; I'm not worth it."

Zhang Yuanyuan's tears slid down instantly.

"Then are you dead set on being with that old woman?"

"Yes, I like her, and she is not some old woman," Wang Xuekai said.

"But, what is wrong with me?" Zhang Yuanyuan was already sobbing uncontrollably; these past two days she had seriously doubted her life, always feeling that there was something wrong with her everywhere.

Perhaps people who have just gone through a breakup are just this lacking in confidence.

Wang Xuekai paused and said, "You are very good; it is I who am not good. Zhang Yuanyuan, if you still can't let go, or if you hate me, then you can give me a punishment. You can make me drink this whole pot of alcohol in front of me, or go out into the snow and freeze for a night. You choose, or you decide."

Zhang Yuanyuan cried even harder, and she said hatefully, "Fine, this is what you asked for. I want to punish you; I punish you to strip naked and run in the snow!"

As soon as Zhang Yuanyuan's words came out, everyone present screamed.

"Zhang Yuanyuan, you can't do that. It's already cold here, and it's a plateau; you're going to torture him to death like this."

"If you want to punish him, can we wait until we get back to the company?"

Bai Shuruo also looked at the two of them in surprise.

She didn't understand what the point of Zhang Yuanyuan venting this anger was. When Wang Xuekai cheated on her back then, she hadn't been this hateful.

But after a moment, she understood: without love, where would the hate come from?

Wang Xuekai left his seat and silently began to take off his clothes.

His windbreaker, scarf, sweater...

Every time he took something off, someone would urge him not to take off any more, saying something would really happen.

Others urged Zhang Yuanyuan to stop him quickly. But Zhang Yuanyuan only shed tears, saying nothing; she hoped he would beg her. Once he begged her, it would mean there was still a possibility of turning back.

Wang Xuekai was also a stubborn one.

He had already taken off his upper garments and began to take off his shoes and pants. As he unfastened the last line of defense on his body, he looked at Zhang Yuanyuan.

Zhang Yuanyuan did not soften her heart, so he continued to undress.

But his gaze became even colder.

After finishing, he really ran out and streaked in the snow. Everyone inside the room was terrified and urged Zhang Yuanyuan to call him back quickly, but Zhang Yuanyuan didn't; she couldn't let the grievances of so many days go to waste.

Wang Xuekai ran a circle outside and came back; his eyebrows and hair were almost frozen solid. The people inside hurriedly pulled him to the fire and covered him with clothes. His body was almost stiff, and his movements were clumsy, so others had to go up and wrap him in a quilt, and someone fed him hot soup.

The team leader, an older sister, couldn't help but scold Zhang Yuanyuan: "You are trying to kill him!"

Zhang Yuanyuan cried, and while crying, she looked hatefully at Wang Xuekai: "You would rather die than want me again. Fine, Wang Xuekai, I promise you, from today on, I will never pester you again! Even if I die, I won't pester you again!"

Zhang Yuanyuan cried and returned to her room, while Wang Xuekai was held by the group beside the bonfire to warm himself.

The lead older sister started making phone calls, saying that Wang Xuekai definitely wouldn't last until tomorrow and must be sent back to the city right now.

After this incident, everyone went to sleep very late.

The next day, Bai Shuruo heard that Wang Xuekai had indeed fallen ill, but the female leader had flown thousands of miles to take care of him, and the two's relationship had warmed up again.

In other words, Zhang Yuanyuan had pushed Wang Xuekai further and further away, ultimately fulfilling the pair.

On the 20th day in Xijiang, Bai Shuruo also gradually felt her physical strength failing.

That day, she felt weak all over, only feeling her legs as heavy as a thousand catties, and she could barely catch her breath.

She was not someone who would force herself to endure; realizing she was not doing well, she quickly asked the lead older sister for an oxygen tank, and the lead older sister then had the driver rush her to the health center to receive oxygen.

But the situation did not improve; while receiving oxygen, she felt her whole body go cold one moment and hot the next, and after less than half an hour of inhaling, the oxygen tank in her hand tipped over, and her vision went black as she fainted.