She vaguely heard someone say, "Thank goodness, thank goodness he didn't die for real."
*
The next day, Jiang Xiao woke up with Shen Yue by her side. Seeing her open her eyes, Shen Yue took her hand. "Xiao Xiao, you're finally awake! You scared me to death."
The memories from last night came back. Jiang Xiao asked, "Where's Cheng Yuan?"
Shen Yue stopped peeling an orange and tossed it into the fruit bowl. "This is a miracle. Wait, let me get it straight."
She chugged some water and started rambling.
Basically, a construction crew on the eighteenth floor was fixing the air conditioner, and Cheng Yuan landed right on the scaffolding. He didn't die, just broke his leg.
Also, mild concussion.
Shen Yue finished dramatically. "Isn't that a miracle?"
"He's really okay?"
"Not entirely okay—concussion, broken leg. He'll need to recover for a while."
"But I heard someone say blood..."
"Besides the fracture, a steel rod went into his leg. The blood dripped down the scaffolding."
Afraid Jiang Xiao would get emotional and faint again, Shen Yue soothed her. "He's really fine. He looks better than you do."
"Does the Cheng family know?"
"Of course." Shen Yue clicked her tongue. "Not just the Cheng family—the whole Jingbei knows. The hospital entrance is swarming with reporters, all wanting the scoop."
"Where is he?"
"Oh, in the ward downstairs."
"Help me see him."
The look in Jiang Xiao's eyes wasn't that of someone visiting a patient—it was more like she was going to kill him.
Cheng Yuan knew he had gone too far. When he saw Jiang Xiao, he kept smiling and saying nice things.
"I was out of my mind last night. Don't be mad."
"If you're really mad, hit me. Hit me hard."
"I'll kneel if I have to."
It wasn't the first time he'd knelt, so he had no shame and actually tried to kneel.
Shen Yue coughed lightly. "Your leg is still injured. Stop messing around."
Cheng Yuan stood up. "Right, my leg is hurt. I'll kneel when it's better."
Jiang Xiao waited for him to finish his act before speaking slowly. "You prepared a dowry for me?"
"Thirty percent of the Cheng Group shares and all your assets—those are my dowry?"
"You want me to be with Song Xuan?"
"No, I don't." The shares and assets were real, but the marriage part was fake. He couldn't bear it. He tugged at Jiang Xiao's hem. "Forget everything I said last night. Pretend you didn't hear it, okay?"
"No—way." Jiang Xiao shook off his hand. "President Cheng has prepared so thoroughly. It would be unreasonable of me to refuse."
"I'll accept everything you gave me. I hope you'll attend my wedding."
"Wedding? Who are you marrying?"
"Anyone. Just not you."
Jiang Xiao knew exactly how to twist the knife. "President Cheng said it himself: Song Xuan and I are a good match. I think so too."
Cheng Yuan suppressed the pain in his heart and coaxed her. "I was talking nonsense last night. He's not good enough for you."
Shen Yue interjected, "Then who, in President Cheng's opinion, is good enough for our Xiao Xiao?"
Cheng Yuan took Jiang Xiao's hand and started his heartfelt act again. "Xiao Xiao, I love you the most."
He was constantly showing his love. Jiang Xiao was numb to it. She pushed him away. "Jump again, and I'll believe you."
"..." After a long while, he finally spoke. "I have to jump again?"
"Yes," Jiang Xiao said. "I saw you enjoyed jumping yesterday. Too bad you didn't die. How about doing it again today? Don't worry, I've already arranged with the hospital: no construction crews anywhere. I guarantee that if you jump from the nineteenth floor, you'll definitely die."
"..." Shen Yue's mouth twitched at that.
Cheng Yuan's smile faded. "You want me dead that badly?"
"Yes, I want you dead very badly," Jiang Xiao said. "Go die."
Before Cheng Yuan could move, Shen Yue cut in with a smile. "Come on, we're all friends here. Let's not talk about such hurtful things. Let's change the subject."
She winked at Jiang Xiao, tugged her hem, and whispered in her ear, "The doctor said Cheng Yuan has depression. If you provoke him and he actually jumps, it'll be bad."
"He won't really jump," Jiang Xiao said. "He's just acting."
But Cheng Yuan was truly addicted to risking his life. As they were talking, he limped to the window and opened it.
"Want me to jump?"
Jiang Xiao didn't stop him. She raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, jump."
The person involved was having fun, but the bystanders weren't. Shen Yue couldn't stop him, so Jiang Yu had to step in. "President Cheng, you can't joke about that. The old man was hospitalized last night because of what happened. If you do it again, he might never recover."
"Boss, think about the old man. You really can't jump."
Compared to last night's impulsiveness, today he was calmer. Cheng Yuan stared at Jiang Xiao. "I'll do whatever Xiao Xiao says."
"So, do you want me to jump?"
Sunlight fell on Jiang Xiao's face, casting halos of light. She blinked very slowly.
"Yes, jump."
...
The farce only ended when the old man arrived.
As Jiang Xiao was leaving, Cheng Yuan hugged her from behind, his thin lips trailing along the back of her neck.
"Xiao Xiao, please. Have pity on me."