005 The Arrogant Redhead
Half of the face under the hood revealed a straight nose bridge and full lips with a pale pink gloss. Even with such coverage, she was clearly a standard beauty.
Jiang Shiyu turned his wrist, counter-grabbing hers, and asked in a low voice, "Why are you running?"
Zeng Keqin was forced to stop and quickly pulled her hand back. First, she looked around warily, then tightened the drawstring on her hoodie and said softly, "What do you want with me?"
Seeing her cautious demeanor, Jiang Shiyu let out a light snort. Did she think he was some kind of monster? Clearly, she was the one who had done something wrong. Then, a complex emotion flashed in his dark eyes. "My buddy is hospitalized."
Zeng Keqin froze.
Buddy?
That poor sucker who got scammed in an online relationship?
She pressed her lips together and spoke flatly, "What's that got to do with me?"
Jiang Shiyu's features were naturally intense, and when he frowned, it carried an invisible pressure. "My buddy ended up in the hospital because of you."
"Because of me?"
Zeng Keqin couldn't believe her ears. "Someone else scammed him. I'm a victim too!"
"Evidence?"
"Call the police and let them find it."
Jiang Shiyu sneered. "Rely on them? I'd rather do it myself."
Zeng Keqin really didn't understand why he refused to seek police help when it was the most direct and effective method.
Unless…
He had a reason not to call the police?
Her gaze shifted from confusion to wariness.
Jiang Shiyu was silent for a few seconds, then commanded, "Go see him. Make him give up."
Zeng Keqin realized that when you hate someone to the extreme, it's not anger but speechlessness. Seeing the growing crowd around them, she said, "I can go, but on one condition."
"Name it."
"Don't show up in front of me in any way until the interview is over."
Anyway, he had no interest in her. As long as he could make Ke Rui give up, whether he saw her or not didn't matter.
Jiang Shiyu answered curtly, "Fine."
"Which hospital?"
"City First."
They walked out of the school gate one after another. Zeng Keqin was about to hail a passing taxi when Jiang Shiyu said from behind, "I drove."
She assumed a flashy guy like him would drive a flashy car, until a domestic car with a cool white sheen pulled up beside her.
"What are you standing there for? Get in."
Jiang Shiyu rolled down the window impatiently.
Zeng Keqin pressed her lips together and opened the back door.
"Sit in front. I'm not your chauffeur."
Zeng Keqin stood her ground stubbornly. "I'll pay you double the fare."
Jiang Shiyu glanced at her in the rearview mirror, decided not to bother, and unlocked the back door.
Zeng Keqin bent down and got in.
Neither spoke during the ride. The car was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Jiang Shiyu looked at her in the rearview mirror. She stared out the window, gripping the seatbelt, back tense, but pretending to be indifferent.
He looked away and didn't look again.
The hospital corridor smelled of disinfectant. Nurses and patients passed by, all attracted by Jiang Shiyu's appearance.
He stopped in front of a VIP suite, hand on the doorknob. After a brief silence, he said in a low voice, "No matter what you say, make sure my buddy gives up."
"Okay." Zeng Keqin took a deep breath, comforting herself that this was just like meeting a client in advance to understand the situation.
She pushed open the door.
A young man lay on the bed, his face as pale as paper, so thin he was just skin and bones, his chin frighteningly sharp. An IV hung from his right hand, and he stared blankly at the ceiling.
"Ahem…"
Jiang Shiyu coughed lightly, successfully drawing the attention of the man in bed.
Ke Rui turned his head. When his hollow eyes saw Zeng Keqin, they lit up. He looked her up and down as if in a final burst of energy. "Xiaoyu! You came to see me! I knew you wouldn't abandon me!"
Zeng Keqin was startled by his excitement and stepped back repeatedly, steeling herself to say, "You've got the wrong person. My name is Zeng Keqin. I'm a student at J University. Like you, I'm a victim in this incident…"
Ke Rui interrupted eagerly, "So Qi Yu is your screen name? Zeng Keqin is your real name? What a pretty name!" He sat up, growing more excited. "So you're from J University. You told me before you went to Pu University—you must have been testing me!"
Was he even listening?