Volume One, Chapter 108: Hostile Towards Me
“Save Mr. Gu first, no matter what, we must ensure his safety—”
The principal anxiously instructed the fire chief, but before he could finish, everyone saw a masked man emerge, carrying one person in his arms and another over his shoulder.
The fire chief immediately stepped forward, trying to take the woman from his arms, but the man evaded him and handed the woman on his shoulder to the chief instead. “Has the ambulance arrived?”
The principal quickly responded, “Yes, it’s here.”
The ambulance rushed over, and all the injured students were loaded onto the vehicle.
Jingmo Pei didn’t leave it to others; he personally carried Qingyu Song onto the ambulance.
Xingzhi Chu had originally left but, upon seeing the ambulance heading towards the school right after stepping outside, he heard about the fire in the library.
Remembering that Qingyu Song and the others were heading to the library, he worried something had happened to her and hurried back.
He just happened to see Yuandong Gu cautiously wiping the soot from Qingyu Song’s face. The tenderness in his movements and gaze didn’t resemble a superior toward a subordinate but that of a deeply devoted man treating the woman he loves.
A sudden foreboding filled Xingzhi Chu’s heart.
As the ambulance doors slowly closed, the man holding Qingyu Song inside glanced up.
Their eyes met for a moment. Though brief, Yuandong Gu’s look was filled with possessiveness and warning, terrifying Xingzhi Chu.
Damn it—
Could it be that Qingyu Song was Yuandong Gu’s true love?
How could this be?
At the hospital, the doctors had already been notified and everything arranged.
Qingyu Song and the other injured students were immediately taken to the emergency room upon arrival.
Fortunately, when Qingyu Song went to rescue others, she had dampened her scarf over her mouth and nose, inhaling only minimal smoke.
And it was winter; she wore many layers, so although she had several burns on her arms, they weren’t severe enough to be untreatable.
Qingyu Song had a dream.
In it, she was surrounded by the begonia blossoms she adored, wearing a white dress as she walked along a path strewn with petals, searching for something.
Suddenly, a tall, handsome figure appeared ahead, standing straight and proud like a pine.
“Jingmo—”
She ran joyfully toward him, gently tapping his back.
He turned around, wearing a mask, and his short hair had grown long.
“Mr. Gu? Why is it you?”
“Didn’t you want to see me?”
“Of course, but you’ve always worn a mask, so I couldn’t see your face.”
“Then do you want to see me?”
Before she could answer, Mr. Gu spoke, “If you want to see me, then take off my mask.”
“May I?”
“You can do anything you want to me.”
Those words sounded familiar. Her hand reached out cautiously and removed the mask.
“Beep beep beep—”
Qingyu Song’s eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
---
The first thing she saw was Jingmo Pei’s handsome face. “Qingqing, are you alright? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? I’ll call for help.”
Still disoriented from the dream, Qingyu Song instinctively pressed Jingmo’s face against the one beneath the mask.
“Why is it you?”
“What?”
She was momentarily stunned but gradually regained awareness.
How mad she must have been to connect Jingmo Pei and Yuandong Gu in her mind!
“It’s nothing, just a nightmare.”
Suddenly realizing the situation, Qingyu Song’s expression changed drastically, and she grabbed Jingmo’s hand. “How is Zhuyan Yan?”
“Don’t worry, she’s fine.”
Zhuyan Yan’s fever had subsided, and she had been moved to a general ward.
“Did you save us?”
Jingmo shook his head. “It was Mr. Gu who saved you. When I got the call, you were already at the hospital.”
So it really was Mr. Gu.
Had she been hallucinating? Otherwise, why would she have heard Jingmo call her “Qingqing”?
But how did Mr. Gu manage to rescue both of them from such a large fire?
“How is Mr. Gu? Is he hurt?”
A sharp pain shot through Jingmo’s arm, but he lied coolly, “He’s fine.”
Qingyu sighed in relief. “That’s good.”
“Do you want some water?”
“Yes.”
Jingmo helped Qingyu sit up and gently gave her some water.
Her throat still hurt a lot. “Thanks to Mr. Gu this time. Otherwise, Zhuyan Yan and I might have perished in the library.”
Jingmo wiped her mouth and frowned deeply. “Why did you go after Zhuyan Yan? If something had happened to you, what would I have done?”
Seeing Jingmo’s guilt, Qingyu hurried to soothe him. “My rescuing others has nothing to do with you, nor with Zhuyan Yan. Whoever it was today, I would have gone to save them.”
Jingmo’s worry flared up as he saw Qingyu had no sense of self-preservation.
The image of her being crushed by the burning bookshelf haunted him with fear.
If he had been even a moment later, she might have—
“Have you thought that you could have lost your life? You may have the ability to save others, but your stamina is weak, and your strength even worse. It’s possible you wouldn’t have saved anyone and instead risked your own life.”
Qingyu admitted she had been impulsive but couldn’t consider so much in the moment.
Already shaken by the fire, she felt even more aggrieved when Jingmo’s tone turned cold and his face showed anger instead of comfort.
“I’m fine, aren’t I?”
“If something happens, it’s already too late!”
Qingyu’s temper rose too, though it was more hurt than anger.
After all this time together, Jingmo had never spoken to her like this.
---
“What do you want me to do? Knowing Zhuyan Yan was upstairs, possibly trapped in the fire, should I have just run out and abandoned her?”
Seeing the redness in Qingyu’s eyes, Jingmo’s heart ached unbearably. He pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I was too anxious and shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”
Though they were arguing and Qingyu hadn’t intended to cry, Jingmo’s sudden apology and yielding made her tears uncontrollable.
“You scolded me!”
“I’m sorry, I was wrong—”
“By what right do you scold me!”
“I’m a jerk, a bastard. Don’t be mad.”
“Now you’re scolding me. Does that mean next you’ll hit me? You really want to be abusive.”
Finally, Jingmo understood that angry women made no sense and often imagined the worst.
He gently patted Qingyu’s back to soothe her. “No, from now on, only you will be allowed to ‘abuse’ me. I won’t lay a finger on you.”
Qingyu sniffled and lightly hit Jingmo’s arm.
“Ouch—”
She had hit exactly on his burned wound.
Hearing Jingmo gasp, she immediately grew anxious. “What’s wrong? Your arm?”
Jingmo smiled and shook his head. “It’s nothing.”
“Let me see.”
Knowing Qingyu wouldn’t give up until she saw it, Jingmo rolled up his sleeve to show her the bandaged injury.
“I got hit by a falling brick at the construction site today. It’s not serious.”
Qingyu frowned deeply. “Didn’t you say your boss was planning to promote you? Why are you still working at the site?”
“Now I only occasionally check the site. This time was just an accident.”
Seeing Qingyu’s concern, Jingmo smiled. “Qingqing, you’re very worried when I’m hurt, right? I feel the same way. I want you to be safe and healthy. Promise me, no matter what, always protect yourself first, okay?”
Qingyu was annoyed but not foolish; she knew Jingmo only wanted what was best for her.
“Okay.”
“Knock knock knock—”
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and a nurse called from the doorway, “Mr. Pei, Zhuyan Yan in room 17 is calling for you.”
After notifying them, the nurse left.
Seeing Jingmo’s expression darken, Qingyu spoke softly, “Zhuyan Yan must be scared. You should go see her.”
Jingmo covered Qingyu with a blanket. “I’ll be back in five minutes.”
“No need to be in such a hurry.”
“Be good and wait for me—”
Like a gust of wind, Jingmo left, and Qingyu couldn’t help but admit that despite her lingering fear, seeing Jingmo when she woke brought her great comfort.
---
When Jingmo reached room 17, Zhuyan Yan was sitting on the bed, staring out the window, lost in thought.
Hearing the movement, she slowly turned her head, a faint sardonic smile tugging at her pale lips. “Should I call you Brother Jingmo, or Prince Charming, or Mr. Gu?”