Fu Hanjiang came to check on Sheng Xiangsi, worried since she'd been in the restroom for quite a while.
To his surprise, he overheard her saying that he and Le Yi were involved in something indecent. Then, she even threw the hairband he had given her into the trash!
He stood there, hoping she would say something.
However, Sheng Xiangsi acted as if nothing had happened, shifted her gaze, and walked past him.
As they brushed past each other, he grabbed her wrist.
His voice, low and gloomy, whispered in her ear, "Pick it up."
"What?" Sheng Xiangsi chuckled. "Why pick up something that's been thrown away? The trash can is dirty."
"Pick it up!" Fu Hanjiang's tone suddenly sharpened. He lowered his gaze, staring at her intensely. "I want you to pick it up!"
"Ow!"
Her wrist hurt from his grip. Annoyed, she raised her chin defiantly, "I won't pick it up! Absolutely not!"
She looked at him, her almond-shaped eyes clear yet sharp.
"Trash should stay where it belongs!"
Trash?
She was calling the hairband he gave her trash?
A surge of anger flared in Fu Hanjiang's eyes, his lips tightly pressed together. "I gave that to you!"
"Heh."
Sheng Xiangsi laughed, full of mockery. "Don't give me such things anymore—does Brother Hanchuan know? You gave your sister-in-law and me the same thing?"
She pointed to the trash can. "I threw it away for your sake. So that Brother Hanchuan wouldn't discover your filthy thoughts and it wouldn't affect his recovery! Ah..."
Her wrist tightened.
Fu Hanjiang's grip intensified, making Sheng Xiangsi's features contort in pain. Was he trying to crush her wrist bones?
"Filthy?"
His eyes were a mix of fire and ice, conflicting emotions swirling. "Is that how you see me?"
"Is there a problem? It's a fact. It's not about how I see you. If you don't want Brother Hanchuan to be heartbroken, you should hide your dirty thoughts better..."
"Sheng Xiangsi!"
Yao Leyi couldn't stand it any longer. She stepped forward, raising her hand to slap Sheng Xiangsi. "I won't let you talk about him like that!"
"?"
Sheng Xiangsi was stunned, the sting on her cheek still fresh. She quickly retaliated, swinging her arm and striking Yao Leyi back.
"Sheng Xiangsi?"
Yao Leyi held her cheek in disbelief. "You actually hit me?"
"Ha!"
Sheng Xiangsi sneered. "Why, you can hit me, but I can't hit you? There's no such cheap thing in this world!"
"I'll fight you!"
Yao Leyi, humiliated and furious, lunged at Sheng Xiangsi. "Ah!"
Before she could strike, Sheng Xiangsi grabbed her hair—violently, as if to tear off her scalp!
"It hurts! It hurts!" Yao Leyi cried out, tears welling up.
"Xiangsi!"
Seeing this, Fu Hanjiang hurried over, grabbing Sheng Xiangsi's hand. "Stop it! Let go! Let go now!"
Grandma and Brother are still waiting at the door!
But Sheng Xiangsi wouldn't listen.
With no other choice, he squeezed her wrist bone, applying just enough pressure to make her let go.
Sheng Xiangsi hesitated, unable to suppress a mocking laugh. "You two are truly disgusting!"
"Sheng Xiangsi!"
"Disgusting?"
Before Yao Leyi could react further, Fu Hanjiang's face turned pale, his deep eyes harboring unreadable emotions.
"You find me disgusting?"
"Yes!" Sheng Xiangsi fearlessly laughed. "Why, are you angry? It's just the truth. Can't Fu Er Ye face what he's done?"
"Sheng. Xiang. Si."
He enunciated her name slowly, grasping her chin and forcing her to face him, exuding a suffocating pressure.
"I didn't know you thought of me this way. Since that's the case, why did you agree to be with me?"
He let go of her and walked away with long strides.
"Hanjiang, wait for me!" Yao Leyi hurriedly followed, clutching her hair that Sheng Xiangsi had messed up.
Sheng Xiangsi stood there, stunned. After a few seconds, she raised her hand and knocked on her forehead.
Oh no!
She had acted on impulse!
What was she doing? How could she just blurt out the truth?
Such matters should remain between them. Once the facade is broken... how could she continue this charade with Fu Hanjiang?
...
For the next two days, Fu Hanjiang didn't contact Sheng Xiangsi, and the daily flower baskets sent to her dance troupe also ceased.
Sheng Xiangsi couldn't help but wonder if this was the end for them.
She felt no attachment to him, but she had no other choice... he was her only tool!
What should she do?
Since he didn't come to her, she had to take the initiative.
Sheng Xiangsi deeply regretted her impulsive outburst. There were some arguments not worth having. She had been too disgusted to hold back that day.
After much deliberation, she opened WeChat and sent a message to Fu Hanjiang.
[Are you busy?]
Unsurprisingly, he didn't reply.
That night, her performance was the first show, ending early.
When she left the troupe, it was not even eight o'clock.
Looking at her phone, it was clean—Fu Hanjiang still hadn't replied.
"Sigh..."
She exhaled, picked up her phone, and dialed his number.
The phone rang for a long time, long enough for Sheng Xiangsi to think he wouldn't answer.
"Hello?"
Unexpectedly, he answered.
The man's voice was lazy, tinged with impatience. "What's up?"
"Fu Hanjiang," Sheng Xiangsi bit her lip, "are you busy? I... want to see you."
"Want to see me?" He chuckled coldly. "Is there something you need? Just say it over the phone."
Sheng Xiangsi was taken aback. She had nothing specific to say.
Trying not to offend him further, she coaxed, "Let's meet. There are some things that can't be explained over the phone."
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.
"We'll see. I'm out right now."
"Then I'll wait for you?" Sheng Xiangsi thought for a moment. "Are you going back to Yintan tonight? I can wait for you at Yintan."
Again, there was a long silence.
"Suit yourself."
His voice was vague. "But I don't know when I'll be back."
With that, he hung up.
Sheng Xiangsi held her phone, feeling a tightness in her chest. What to do? She had to endure. To achieve her goal, she had to pay the price.
Putting away her phone, she headed to Yintan.
...
At 1 a.m., Fu Hanjiang returned to Yintan.
Sheng Xiangsi, leaning on the sofa, immediately got up when she heard movement at the entrance and quickly walked over.
Seeing him, she spoke softly, "You're back?"
Fu Hanjiang kicked off his shoes and stepped into the living room. Her gentle, expectant eyes stirred something in his heart.
But his expression remained indifferent, his eyes cold. "Why are you here? Don't you find me disgusting?"