Chapter 4

The nurse was growing frantic. “Move out of the way! She really is injured!”

“Zhixu, what should we do?”

“What else? Drag her over.”

Before moving, the boys glanced at Jiang Zhixu. When he made no objection, they pulled Ji Shu out of the wheelchair.

“Drop the act. You're coming to apologize to Ranran!”

Ji Shu screamed as pain tore through her lower back. She crashed to the floor, her forehead striking the wall as they manhandled her.

The nurse stared in horror. “What are you doing? Stop!”

“Don't worry, nurse. This is between us. She caused our friend's accident. She's still in surgery! Now she's pretending her back hurts because she's scared of taking responsibility and losing her boyfriend. There's nothing wrong with her. She's lying to you.”

“Exactly. Go do your job. Don't waste your time on someone this vicious.”

The nurse hesitated. “But she really does look unwell… Whatever's happened, I need to have her examined first!”

“Enough talk. Take her!”

The boys seized Ji Shu by the arms and dragged her toward the operating room.

## Chapter 6

Every jolt sent agony through her back.

When they reached a flight of steps, they kept going without hesitation, oblivious to the fact that she was on the verge of passing out.

“It hurts…”

Biting her lip, she couldn't help begging Jiang Zhixu.

“My back really is injured. You pushed me onto the road… It hurts so much… Tell them to let go. Let me see a doctor first. Then I'll come back and apologize to Wen Ran. Please?”

He looked down at her.

“Still pretending? I barely pushed you. How badly could you be hurt? Ranran's in surgery because of you. We don't even know if she'll live. What does your little bit of pain matter?”

It felt as though someone had slit her heart open and let the cold wind pour in.

It hurt.

God, it hurt.

Ji Shu stopped crying out. She let them drag her to the operating room and throw her to the floor.

“You stay here. As soon as Wen Ran comes out, you apologize!”

“Right. Never seen a woman so petty. Some friend you are!”

The pain kept spreading. Darkness crept across her vision, her thoughts blurring.

She struggled to lift her eyes to Jiang Zhixu. He never once looked at her.

Staring at the harsh light overhead, she remembered the sports meet in her last year of high school. She had twisted her ankle during a race. Jiang Zhixu had abandoned his own high-jump event, rushed over, and carried her to the infirmary on his back.

A teacher had tried to stop him.

“Jiang Zhixu, your event's still going! What are you doing here? Put Ji Shu down. I'll get someone to take her. You don't need to worry about it!”

“No. I'm taking her myself! She's in pain. I can't just leave her!”

She had cried all the way there. He had soothed her, distressed by her tears.

“Don't be scared. We're almost there.”

With her head on his shoulder, she had asked through her sobs, “Why are you so good to me?”

“Silly. I'll be good to you for the rest of my life. I can't bear seeing you hurt. I can't bear seeing you cry.”

Now he no longer saw her at all.

At last, after she knew not how long, the operating-room doors opened.

Jiang Zhixu rushed to the doctor.

“How's my girlfriend?”

“She's out of danger. A few fractures. She'll recover with rest.”

He exhaled in relief.

Everyone crowded around Wen Ran as she was wheeled out.

“Ranran, how do you feel?”

“Zhixu, I was scared I'd… never see you again.”

“Silly. I'm here. I'm right here.”

“Will you stay?”

“Yes. I won't leave you.”

At those words, the last feeling in Ji Shu's heart died.

She lay barely conscious on the floor, so wracked with pain she was close to fainting.

Someone kicked her.

“Hey. Ranran's out. Go apologize.”

She couldn't even open her eyes, let alone respond.

Then the doctor noticed her.

“What's wrong with this young woman?”

“Nothing, doctor. Says her back hurts. She's pretending.”

“Her back?”

He bent down to examine her.

“She's dislocated a lumbar facet joint! This is serious. Why hasn't anyone taken her to the emergency department? Are you her family? Why isn't anyone looking after her?”

Jiang Zhixu froze. His face changed.

“Doctor, I'm her boyfriend. Is she really hurt?”

“You're her boyfriend? Then who was that other young woman? Honestly…”

The doctor shook his head in anger and called the nurses over.

“Quickly! Get her to emergency. Any longer and she could be permanently disabled!”

## Chapter 7