Chapter 9: Chapter Seven

Bai Bai Ziling lacked her usual sweetness and confidence; facing her three best friends, she made no pretense. Although she had always wanted to be a true president's wife, it seemed... she was not destined to be one.

Xia Zhen glanced at Chang Chang Weiwei and Sima Sima Xingchen, then fixed her gaze on Bai Bai Ziling. "Is there anything we can help with?"

"Do you perform heart transplant surgery?" Bai Bai Ziling asked with feigned coldness.

"No!"

"What about brain transplant surgery?"

"Come on!"

"Then you can't help." Bai Bai Ziling forced a helpless smile. "Jiang Jie needs a new heart and a new brain; best of all, if he suddenly lost his memory, I could then implant some beautiful, correct things into him. I wonder if there's any amnesia-inducing drug on the market."

"No!" Sima Sima Xingchen stopped her from continuing her wild fantasies. "So you'd better think of something more feasible."

"I give up."

"Give up?!" Xia Zhen felt it was a pity. "Don't! Is Jiang Jie more cold-blooded and ruthless than Lei Lei Hanyu was back then? Just look at him now."

"Xia Zhen, not every man can be like Lei Lei Hanyu."

"Bai Ziling, you are the most feminine and ambitious of the four of us. How much time is left?" Chang Chang Weiwei was already past her due date and was now living cautiously.

"One month."

"Bai Ziling, two whole months of you two, a man and a woman alone under the same roof, and absolutely nothing happened? I really can't understand it. Is there something wrong with Jiang Jie?"

"He once asked me... if we had relations, whether I wanted him to pay me more." Bai Bai Ziling sighed.

"Damn it!"

"Slap him."

"Tell him to go find someone who is 'for sale'."

"That's exactly what I mean!" Bai Bai Ziling felt the coffee in her mouth was particularly bitter and hard to swallow. "Sometimes I feel he clearly has something for me, but immediately we end up arguing over something."

"Arguing is also a form of communication," Xia Zhen said immediately.

"He even suspects I'm having an affair with his cousin." Bai Bai Ziling rested her head on her arm, listless and unenthusiastic. "What on earth does he think I am?"

"You and Jiang Jie's cousin?" Chang Chang Weiwei was startled.

"It's nothing."

"If he gets jealous..." Sima Sima Xingchen murmured.

"He's just afraid of losing face," Bai Bai Ziling sneered.

"Bai Ziling, regardless of his mindset, as long as he cares, it's a good thing. At least he isn't indifferent. Men sometimes express their feelings in strange ways. Wasn't I once swept out the door by Lei Lei Hanyu and became a deserted wife?" Xia Zhen blinked.

"That's because you actually dared to terminate his child on your own!" Sima Sima Xingchen still felt terrified thinking about it. "A living life!"

"At that time..." Xia Zhen wanted to defend herself.

"Wrong is wrong!" Chang Chang Weiwei joined the ranks of those besieging Xia Zhen.

"I thought he didn't want children. I was afraid that if the child came into the world, only the mother would love it; how pitiful that would be!" Xia Zhen had her own considerations and immense reluctance. "You are not me."

"Hey! Aren't you all getting a bit off-topic?" Bai Bai Ziling came to Xia Zhen's rescue. "Don't worry, I will never have such a problem."

"Jiang Jie is truly hard to figure out," Sima Sima Xingchen spoke up.

"Yes! He doesn't play by the rules," Chang Chang Weiwei added.

"That is the challenge!" President Jiang said excitedly.

Bai Bai Ziling said, "It's just that I'm already tired. Maybe if I use this three million to trade stocks or invest, I might not need a golden toad husband at all; I can rely on myself!"

"Bai Ziling, that's three million, not thirty million."

"It's three million New Taiwan Dollars, not three million US dollars."

"That's not even enough to buy a Ferrari."

Bai Bai Ziling knew that, of course, but at least she had three million. After spending three months... she had at least gained something.

"Bai Ziling, you know Qiu Bao too. He has saved quite a bit of money, he's very cool, and currently he has no fixed partner." Sima Sima Xingchen wanted to play matchmaker.

"Sima Xingchen, Qiu Bao is not bad, but he always wears a fierce, devilish expression; I'm scared of him. I really don't know how you managed to become buddies with him?" Bai Bai Ziling marveled.

"I have that same question," Xia Zhen said immediately.

"Me too!" Chang Chang Weiwei chimed in, not to be outdone.

"It's just what you often say: as long as you understand a person's personality and psychology, what is there that can't be reconciled?" Sima Sima Xingchen looked at Bai Bai Ziling. "You've lived together for two whole months, but have you ever deeply understood him? Do you know what's in his heart and mind?"

"I said I'm already tired..."

"Bai Ziling, any woman with a little ambition would have already 'conquered' Jiang Jie. Don't be so lame!" Xia Zhen deliberately provoked her.

"I'm dead."

"Bai Ziling, you've always been very confident in yourself."

"There are other men," Bai Bai Ziling pretended not to care.

"That's not like you at all."

"You are not me." Bai Bai Ziling still seemed like a defeated rooster, somewhat disheartened. "Yesterday I received a call from my sister, saying my mother hasn't been feeling well lately; she often has no appetite and frequently complains of stomach pain. I don't know if it's serious."

"Then go back and check on her!"

"I'm afraid if I go home, I won't return to Jiang Jie's place!"

"You... really have no hope left?" Chang Chang Weiwei confirmed again.

"There's no forcing love in this world. Jiang Jie is only marrying me for his grandfather's inheritance; he has no feelings for me. I'm just a tool he 'rented' with money. I'm about to 'miscarry,' do you know that?" Bai Zelin felt it was funny. "I don't even know what the taste of making love is, yet I'm about to taste the fate of a miscarriage."

Hearing this, the three women gave a bitter smile. Suddenly, Chang Chang Weiwei screamed, "I... I feel my water breaking..." Her voice was high-pitched, a mix of excitement and fear.

"What do we do?!" Sima Sima Xingchen and Bai Bai Ziling, having no experience, were at a loss. "Should we call an ambulance?"

"The first child won't come out this fast. First, call Han Ze and tell him his little Princess is finally coming out to meet the world. Also, grab the big bag Chang Weiwei has already prepared. I'll drive; let's take Chang Weiwei to the hospital together!" Xia Zhen was glad she hadn't brought her precious son.

"I'm going to be a mother..." Chang Chang Weiwei cried and laughed at the same time.

"Don't get happy yet; you still have a lot of pain ahead!" Xia Zhen reminded her.

Sima Sima Xingchen and Bai Bai Ziling exchanged a glance.

"I think I'll get pregnant later," Sima Sima Xingchen said in fear.

"I don't want to give birth either," Bai Bai Ziling also revealed a frightened look.

"You... you're still early for giving birth!" The three of them said to Bai Bai Ziling at once: "Get 'truly' married first, then worry after the wedding!"

Jiang Jie didn't know what had happened to Bai Bai Ziling, nor did he know if she counted as missing, or if he should call the police, because it was already past four-thirty in the morning, the sky was almost bright, yet Bai Bai Ziling's figure... was still unknown whereabouts!

He had gone to her room; her mobile phone and some designer handbags were there, the quilt wasn't folded, and on the coffee table was a pack of nutritional biscuits she had eaten half of; this didn't look like leaving without a word, and she still had 1.5 million uncollected; she couldn't possibly disappear for no reason!

So where was she?

Now the sky is almost bright, where did she go for this night?

His uncle had already transferred that 500 million into his company account today, so even if Bai Bai Ziling "ran away from home," it caused him no loss; yet why was he still so worried? What exactly happened to her?!

He originally intended to call his cousin, but if he did, it would mean he didn't trust Bai Bai Ziling; then the last thread of hope between him and her would also shatter, and he would let his cousin laugh at him; he couldn't call...

Originally, after meeting Yu Zi Si Qi, he had decided to adjust his mindset, but now... he just wanted to strangle Bai Bai Ziling, if she were standing before him right now.

After five in the morning, Jiang Jie, who hadn't slept all night, decided to call the emergency rooms of various hospitals; perhaps she had some accident? Perhaps she was now dying? Perhaps she simply couldn't make a phone call anymore... Jiang Jie thought of all the bad things.

When Jiang Jie picked up the phone, just about to ask the directory assistance for the emergency room numbers of major hospitals, the front door opened...

Bai Bai Ziling had never been so tired, nor so excited; she, Xia Zhen, and Sima Sima Xingchen accompanied Chang Chang Weiwei through labor; when Chang Chang Weiwei was in unbearable pain, they told jokes and made her laugh, fearing she would strangle Han Ze to death, because even some refined ladies wouldn't speak the Three-Character Classic, yet Chang Chang Weiwei had cursed countless times.

And after the four of them endured for over ten hours together, the little Princess was finally born, a little beauty weighing 3500 grams; not only Han Ze and Chang Chang Weiwei wept with joy, but she, Xia Zhen, and Sima Sima Xingchen also cried along.

But now, as Bai Bai Ziling looked at Jiang Jie, who had picked up the phone and was about to dial, her heart suddenly sank; he hadn't slept?! His ferocious look, as if he had seen a father's murderer, made her extremely afraid.

Should she have called back?

But thinking about this now—seemed too late.

Jiang Jie put down the phone and walked toward her step by step; his pace was slow and heavy, as if he were considering how to dispose of her.

"Jiang Jie, I..."

"It's dawn." A suffocatingly cold tone rang out.

"I was at the hospital!" She said immediately; she didn't want to die unclearly, because Jiang Jie looked as if he was about to kill her.

"Hospital?!" He looked at her carefully, from head to toe, top to bottom.

"Chang Weiwei gave birth!"

"It wasn't you who gave birth."

"I was at the hospital accompanying her through labor!" Bai Bai Ziling dared not talk back; she feared Jiang Jie would tear her apart; now it was best to speak quickly if she had anything to say. "First pregnancies... usually take longer; Sima Sima Xingchen, Xia Zhen, and I were all there; we saw the little baby with our own eyes..."

"Bai Bai Ziling, tell me..." Jiang Jie seemed to intend for her to die with peace of mind. "Did Xia Zhen call home to explain?"

"Yes."

"What about Sima Sima Xingchen?"

"Yes, her husband even came to pick her up; I rode in their car..." Bai Bai Ziling wanted to explain clearly.

"Then did you call?" Jiang Jie asked coldly.

"I..."

"Did you ever think I would worry?" He finally exploded, shouting at her. "There are many possibilities; you could have been kidnapped, killed, or had a car accident, suffered heavy injuries, or even more likely, you might be lying somewhere unknown waiting for rescue!"

"I thought you didn't care," she said softly.

"You—" He froze.

"I thought you wouldn't even notice I was gone."

"I..." He still stared at her.

"If I had known you would worry, then I would have called back," Bai Bai Ziling said like a humble wife; now she dared not act rashly.

"I am your husband; I have a responsibility..."

"It's all fake," she said lightly.

Jiang Jie, who originally wanted to beat her up, now seemed to have lost his excuse and standing; she was accompanying her good friend to give birth; she thought he didn't care, so she didn't invite trouble; could he blame her? Did he have the right to accuse her?

"I'm very tired; may I go take a shower and sleep?" Bai Bai Ziling asked somewhat pitifully: "I'm very sorry for making you worry."

"Five hundred million... I have already received it," Jiang Jie suddenly said.

"Then..." Her heart shook. "Do you want to end our marriage early? I don't mind; if you don't want to pay the final installment of 1.5 million, I don't care either."

"I will pay!" He said coldly.

"Otherwise, just give me 500,000."

"Bai Bai Ziling, I don't intend to end our marriage early," Jiang Jie said angrily: "Three months is three months; I don't want my uncle to suspect!"

"Three months... marriage, pregnancy, miscarriage, divorce," Bai Bai Ziling said, though tired, her mind was still very clear. "Jiang Jie, anyone with normal intelligence would suspect; don't treat everyone as Bai Chi; you're not the only smart person."

Jiang Jie said nothing.

"My mother's health isn't very good; I also want to return early to accompany her; so if your money has arrived, then..."

"You can go back to see your mother, but... our agreement remains unchanged," Jiang Jie still had a stubborn expression.

"Is this really necessary?" She doubted.

"I'm happy!" He said coldly.

"Building your happiness on others' pain..." Bai Bai Ziling smiled faintly. "Will you really be happy?"

Carrying a bottle of good wine, Jiang Jie appeared at Di Di Zhiwei's door without prior notice; facing his cousin who opened the door, Jiang Jie waved the wine in his hand, his expression somewhat apologetic.

"Is there a beauty inside? I didn't disturb anything, did I?" Jiang Jie said standing at the doorway.

"Inside there is only a lonely man," Di Di Zhiwei also said humorously: "He is standing right in front of you now."

"Lonely? You?" Jiang Jie sneered.

"Cousin, anyone can be lonely."

"But you're not an ordinary man; you're a playboy, a life player," Jiang Jie walked in, his mood not very good.

Di Di Zhiwei could naturally see that his cousin had lost his usual calm; Jiang Jie was now not only agitated and at a loss, but also prone to unprovoked anger.

"Di Zhiwei, have a couple of drinks with me!" Jiang Jie said domineeringly.

"Drinking hurts the liver."

"Not drinking hurts the heart."

"Cousin, do you feel hurt in the heart right now?"

Jiang Jie, of course, would not admit it; he walked over to the glass cabinet where Di Di Zhiwei kept the wine glasses, took two out, placed the bottle on the table, twisted off the cap, poured two glasses nearly full, handed one to his cousin, and held the other himself.

"Bottoms up!" Jiang Jie said generously, then drained the wine in his glass in one gulp, displaying a spirit that would not be satisfied until the cup was empty.

Di Di Zhiwei did not do the same; he set his glass down. He, who never drank "sullen wine," had no intention of making an exception now.

"Di Zhiwei, if you don't drink, you're a puppy." Jiang Jie deliberately goaded his cousin.

"Cousin, is the situation really that bad?" Di Di Zhiwei smiled triumphantly. "Do I really pose such a great threat to you?"

"Di Di Zhiwei, I'm not worried about you." Jiang Jie suddenly smiled.

"Then..."

"I'm worried about myself!"

"Yourself?!"

"I have already received the five hundred million yuan transferred by my uncle." Jiang Jie considered this the main point; by all rights, he could get rid of Bai Bai Ziling now. Even if it hadn't been three months yet, he had already obtained what he wanted, so keeping her held no meaning, but... yet he found himself wavering, unable to make a decision.

"Then Bai Bai Ziling is free?" Di Di Zhiwei also smiled.

"Di Zhiwei, are you serious, or are you just messing with me?" Jiang Jie was extremely displeased. "Do you really have your eyes on Bai Bai Ziling? I admit she is beautiful and has character, but..."

"Not just beautiful and with character." Di Di Zhiwei grinned.

"How much chance do you think you have of success?" Jiang Jie poured himself another glass of wine but did not drink immediately; holding the glass, he paced back and forth in the living room, as if unable to make up his mind. "Di Zhiwei, Bai Bai Ziling is not that easy to handle."

"Cousin, is this 'words of experience'?" Di Di Zhiwei mocked.

"She is still my wife!" Jiang Jie emphasized.

"Soon she won't be; you don't need her anymore, do you?" Di Di Zhiwei sat very leisurely, propping his feet on a chair. "Cousin, when it's time to set her free, you must set her free."

Jiang Jie drained another glass of wine in one go, then glared at him. "What if I refuse to set her free?"

"You have an agreement with her—"

"Agreements can be changed; as long as I don't sign the divorce papers, she is my wife." Jiang Jie said somewhat tyrannically.

"Cousin... have you fallen in love with Bai Bai Ziling?" Di Di Zhiwei asked tentatively.

"I don't believe in love at all." Jiang Jie snorted.

"Then what is this?!"

"I enjoy it."

"After all, you are not a god, not the Almighty; Cousin, you must also consider other people's feelings." Di Di Zhiwei's gaze also grew stern. "If you haven't fallen in love with her, then return her freedom, let those who want to love her love her; after all, she owes you nothing."

Jiang Jie knew this, but why did "divorcing" her become so painful and so unwilling for him?

"Cousin, I know you are very angry that Yu Zi Si Qi chose Cen Shi back then, because you simply cannot understand how an orphan painter could snatch the princess in everyone's heart from your hands, so you hate women and don't want to understand them, but Bai Bai Ziling is different; after two months, she has troubled you, she has entered your heart, so you have lost your bearings, you simply don't know what to do with her." Di Di Zhiwei's analysis was one hundred percent correct.

"A couple of days ago... I went to see Yu Zi Si Qi." Jiang Jie spoke out, then poured himself another full glass of wine.

"How did she look?"

"Very happy."

"Truly happy?"

"I am certain it was from the bottom of her heart."

"Cousin, doesn't this give you any hint?" Di Di Zhiwei hoped to wake him up. "Yu Zi Si Qi believed Cen Shi was more suitable for her than you, so she made her choice."

"Do you think Bai Bai Ziling is the same as Yu Zi Si Qi?"

"I don't know; I only know that Bai Bai Ziling believes she will not find happiness with you." Di Di Zhiwei said honestly.

"She told you that?!" Jiang Jie's eyes tightened.

"She gave me that feeling."

"So she has already considered you the 'successor'." Jiang Jie drank another glass; not a drop of wine remained in the cup. "She wastes no time at all!"

"She doesn't mean that."

"So what she wants to get from me now is just freedom?" Jiang Jie was slightly drunk, and his mood grew worse and worse.

"Cousin, you seem determined to misinterpret her."

"She wants freedom... then she must pay a price."

"It is you who still owe her one million five hundred thousand!" Di Di Zhiwei protested.

"Who owes whom..." Jiang Jie let out a drunken burp. "It has become very hard to calculate clearly."

Just as she was about to drift into a dream in a daze, a series of urgent knocks on the door woke Bai Bai Ziling; she first glanced at the clock by her bed, then looked at the sky outside the window; it was clearly the middle of the night; what on earth did Jiang Jie mean?! Disturbing her peaceful sleep!

Getting out of bed somewhat angrily, she then forcefully pulled open the door; he better have something important...

"Is there a fire?" Bai Bai Ziling said displeased.

Jiang Jie just squinted at her, reeking of alcohol, with a mixture of danger and wildness in his aura.

Bai Bai Ziling was a bit panicked, a bit afraid, and a bit unclear about the situation, but she still faced him calmly; after all, Jiang Jie was a gentleman; from start to finish, he had never been impolite to her; although he reeked of alcohol, she trusted him.

"What is it?" she asked calmly again.

"Something for you." His voice was hoarse.

"What is it? It's the middle of the night; can't it wait until tomorrow morning..."

Jiang Jie handed her the check, then watched her reaction.

Bai Bai Ziling looked at the check; one million five hundred thousand yuan; he had paid her the final installment; so what now? "Jiang Jie, this..."

"The final installment."

"I know. Do you want me to leave now?" she asked, a touch of sorrow in her voice. After all, she had stayed here for over two months. This man... she wanted him but could not have him. To say she could leave carefree would truly be a lie.

Jiang Jie pushed the door open slightly and stepped into her room. "You can leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow..." She bit her lip. Bai Bai Ziling remained strong and said no more.

"I have one request," Jiang Jie said, looking at her face.

"A request?"

"You can refuse."

"What do you want?" Bai Bai Ziling asked, shocked and furious.

"I want you!"

"You..." She had guessed correctly after all.

"I won't force you. I won't use force on you." Although he had drunk quite a bit of wine, the alcohol had clearly not numbed his reason or his humanity. "I want you to give yourself willingly."

"You're dreaming!" She threw the check at him. "I don't need the final payment. I'll leave right now."

But Jiang Jie merely grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look directly into his eyes. "Just one night."

"Go to hell—"

"The night you had that nightmare... I held you as you fell asleep. You slept so deeply, so sweetly. I never thought I could hold a woman's body so purely without making love to her. You seemed to trust me so much, so easily giving yourself to me." He spoke softly.

"I was just..." She found it hard to justify herself.

"You... have feelings for me." He smiled.

"I'm not stupid enough to..." She denied it. She would not give him the chance to hurt her. "Jiang Jie, you are a man without a heart. I just want to earn this three million!"

"Bai Bai Ziling, I can give you more, as long as you..." His eyes were filled with burning desire. The hands that had been gripping her shoulders now moved to her neck. His fingers massaged her throat, seemingly trying to make her relax.

"I told you I don't 'sell'!" Her voice held no anger anymore; instead, it sounded fragile.

"You don't have to 'sell'. You just have to 'give' yourself to me."

"I don't want to..." She pouted at him. "You have no feelings for me. You just want to be my first man."

"I am your husband."

"A fake husband!"

"Then let me become your real husband." He coaxed her. "Bai Bai Ziling, at least I am honest with you. I let you understand the situation."

Bai Bai Ziling wavered a little. "What about tomorrow?"

"If you give yourself to me, you can leave with the check tomorrow. Otherwise, we drag this out."

There was no breakdown, no crying. Only tears welling up in Bai Bai Ziling's eyes. This man was honest with her. He only wanted her first night. At dawn... she could leave with the check, nearly a month early. In just over two months, she had earned three million.

"Didn't you want to go home to accompany your mother?"

"Jiang Jie, you've even made up the excuse for me." Bai Bai Ziling gave a bitter smile, her eyes filled with nothing but coldness. "I don't know how many men I'll encounter in the future, but I can guarantee you are absolutely the coldest, the most ruthless, the most heartless one of them all!"

Jiang Jie offered no counterattack or reply. He simply stared at her, his expression one of certain victory. He wanted this girl.

"One night!" she suddenly asked fiercely.

"Just one night."

"Fine! I'll give it to you!" she said coldly.

"Bai Bai Ziling..." He was truly impressed by the girl's straightforwardness and directness. "Have you thought it through?"

"If not you, then another man. I can't remain a virgin for the rest of my life." She removed his hand from her neck. "Where do we start? What should I do first?"

Jiang Jie said nothing. He simply took off his suit jacket first.

"Take off clothes first?" Bai Bai Ziling, without a moment's thought or hesitation, stripped off her nightgown. Since she had no habit of wearing underwear to sleep, she was now naked except for a pair of tight briefs.

Jiang Jie's eyes went wide, but he made no further move.

"What next?" she asked, deeply humiliated.

"Lie on the bed." He commanded.

Bai Bai Ziling obeyed, but she added one sentence. "I will hate you until I die!"