Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen

The office building of the law firm is located in the so-called prime location of the CBD, with a corridor of full glass curtains, an open office area, and large clusters of green plants.Xu Shifeng's office has floor-to-ceiling windows with 270-degree glass curtains. The winter sun just shines in through the glass, making people feel warm.And under the window is the street with traffic like flowing water, and you can see the bustling city scene in a sweeping view, the so-called world of mortals. Every time Jiaqi came here, she was jealous: "Your office can be used as a greenhouse."

Xu Shifeng didn't take it seriously: "It's too cold at the heights." In fact, he only puts a pot of prickly pear on his desk. Jiaqi knows that it is his treasure, and that prickly prickly pear is also called "Ruru Fudo".Jiaqi felt that the name was really suitable, because after so many years of raising it, the prickly pear was still the same, and it hadn't grown more than half a circle.It's really hard for him to keep this thorn head for so many years, during which he moved the office twice, and every time he moved the office, he had to carry this thorn head himself first, so that he could live and work.Everyone from Xu Shifeng's partners, previous secretaries, assistants, and subordinates to Obasan, who is in charge of cleaning the office, knows that the pot of prickly pear on Lawyer Xu's desk must never be touched. , Lawyer Xu can kill you with his condensed gaze.As a result, colleagues in the industry have rumored that a mysterious feng shui master instructed him to place such a pot of prickly pear on the table to drive away evil and avoid evil, and turn evil into good fortune.That's why Xu Shifeng was able to capture it with his hands like this, and he was proud of all the big and small lawsuits.

Only Jiaqi knew that the cactus was actually given to Xu Shifeng by An Qi back then, so he regarded it as a treasure. Only Jiaqi dared to reach out to pinch the long spikes of Lawyer Xu's sweetheart, and he still muttered: "The thorns will bloom soon, and when they bloom, I will marry you and go home." Xu Shifeng felt depressed: "How many times have I told you that it is called Ruru Momo." Jiaqi sighed: "If you don't move, won't it mean that you won't be able to bloom for the rest of your life?" Xu Shifeng glanced at her: "What's the matter?"

Jiaqi thought for a while, and said, "Do you know Ruan Zhengdong?" Xu Shifeng said: "Can you not know him? Speaking of which, he and I both came out of No. 4 Middle School, but he was a year younger than me. His father was still released at that time, and he was the secretary of the provincial party committee. There was no one at home. Never mind. He was also a figure in school back then. Good things and bad things made him stand out. I heard that there were girls in their class who devoted themselves to Tsinghua University for him. Unexpectedly, after finishing high school, he went to join the army. It makes people sad, It's a pity that there were no female soldiers that year, otherwise they might have caught up with the army."

Jiaqi was discouraged: "Why is history so unclear?" Only then did Xu Shifeng become vigilant: "What are you asking him for? You'd better not mess with those high-ranking boys, because there is no good person." Jia Qi couldn't find it funny: "I've been messing with you for so many years, and I didn't realize that you are a bad guy." Xu Shifeng retorted casually: "Don't talk nonsense here, whoever messed with you, I am innocent." Jiaqi suddenly sighed. Xu Shifeng criticized her again: "You are so young, why are you so preoccupied?"

Jiaqi called him: "Brother?" Xu Shifeng raised his eyebrows, he always made this small gesture when expressing doubts. Jiaqi finally asked: "Why don't you go to An Qi? After all these years, if you really want to find her, you will definitely be able to find her." The winter sun in the afternoon, like a thin layer of veil, enveloped the man's body, half of his face was in the bright sunshine, and the other half was in the shadow, no expression could be seen.After a long time, he leaned back on the back of the chair, so that his whole face was in the backlight, as if mocking himself: "I dare not."

Jiaqi carefully held the coffee cup, lowered her head and sipped the bitter and astringent coffee, without further questioning. But he let out a long breath: "Unexpectedly, I didn't dare, I didn't dare to know her news, even a little bit. I was afraid that I would not be able to bear it if I found out, and I was really afraid that I would go crazy. I just I'd rather be an ostrich, bury my head in the sand, day after day, and believe that she just left me, doesn't remember me anymore, and I will forget her someday." Jiaqi raised her eyes and looked at him. "I know that in my life, I will never love others like I love her again, and once you miss something, you will never be able to get it back. That's how it is. I know it clearly, so I don't want to face it. I did many things wrong to lose her. I didn’t believe in fate before. I thought everything could be grasped and fought for. My arrogance was almost ridiculous. Later I realized that some things are very fragile, irreparable, and irreversible.”

His face was calm, as was his voice, but Jiaqi felt very sad. "So there are a lot of times to learn to cherish," he said. Jiaqi just said: "Brother, let's go have afternoon tea." She will feel better when she is full. There is a cafe with a good environment near the office. Jiaqi loves to eat his mango pudding. After eating two servings, he drank a cup of fruit tea. When he saw someone eating ice cream at the next table, he was greedy, so he ordered another A double shot of maraschino and rum ended up with a stomach ache. Xu Shifeng felt helpless against her: "How come you can eat like this, and you're not afraid that you won't get married?"

She joked with him feebly: "If you really have no choice, then you can do it, big brother, and marry me." He thanked Bumin: "Thank you, I prefer to do things like marriage proposals by myself." Jia Qi laughed, Xu Shifeng thought about it, and asked her: "What's going on between you and Ruan Zhengdong?" Jiaqi's smile faded away, and she whispered, "He's very sick." Xu Shifeng said: "No way, didn't you hear that he was hospitalized with hepatitis?" Jia Qi didn't know where to start, she was confused, and she didn't know if she had explained the matter clearly in the end, anyway, she finally finished her words, holding a cup of warm tea, took a sip, and took another sip.

Xu Shifeng was silent. She didn't make a sound either. The sound of the music is very low, it is the song "In love again", the female voice is pure, as if singing to herself: "Take me to far away, away to your secret place, take my tears my fears, take all my pain for which, I'll repay someday, with a kiss and say, can't believe that I'm in love in love again..." The singing is thin and low, like a whisper.The heat in the teacup curled up, and Jiaqi looked out of the window. Through the large glass window, there was a winding street outside, and the car river flowed silently. In such an afternoon, the winter was a little sunny and warm.

Finally Xu Shifeng said: "Then what are you going to do? Pity him? Or do you think you are comforting him?" Her lips were pale, and she was sweating a little. Because of the stomach pain, it always seemed to be in her heart. Xu Shifeng said: "If you do this, you are harming others and yourself. Who is Ruan Zhengdong? Do you know how proud he is? Back then, he got angry with his father and even applied for a full scholarship from Caltech to go to the United States. Such a person, if he knows that you think he is pitiful, it will make him more sad than killing him." Jiaqi was upset and covered her face with her hands. Xu Shifeng sighed: "Don't mistake yourself and others." Jiaqi put down her hands and said: "I don't pity him, I really like him—I like him as a person. Yes, I don't love him at the moment, but I want to help him, let him be sick when he is sick." I can live a happier life. I haven't thought about anything else, I'm just trying hard, maybe I can't love others in this life, maybe I'm hurting others, but I just want to make him happy. You It doesn't matter if you call me stupid or stupid, but he has done a lot for me in the past, which makes me feel very touched, and makes me feel that I will do my best." Xu Shifeng shook his head again and again: "Why do you think so simply? What future do you have with him like this? Even if he recovers in the future, you have no hope of being together. What is the background of the Ruan family? You know his Whose son is it?" Jiaqi said quietly: "I know." She said: "Once I went to the hospital, I happened to meet his mother. I saw the news a few times, and then I recognized her." Xu Shifeng was speechless for a moment: "Yujiaqi, Youjiaqi, sometimes you are really helpless. You know that there is a fire pit in front of you, but you still jump into it." Jiaqi lowered her head: "Brother, you can call me whatever you want, I'm such a stickler. I hope he can be happy, even if it's just one hour and one second a day, I'll be with him. If he can get better, let him be happy in the future. I'm happy to leave him. If it happens... then I should stay with him. " Xu Shifeng glanced at her fiercely: "Don't you think for yourself, you are not young anymore, you still have a few years to delay, do you still want to marry in the future?" Jiaqi smiled: "Brother, let me be self-willed for a while. I haven't thought about the future. Anyway, I'm used to it by myself. I just need to be good to myself." Xu Shifeng finally asked: "What about Meng Heping, did you really let him go?" Jiaqi still smiled: "Yes, I have already forgotten." She took a taxi to the hospital, but she still suffered from stomach pains along the way, and the pain was unbearable, so when she arrived at the hospital, she went to the outpatient clinic to make a registration. She was waiting in line, when she suddenly saw the person in front of her, who looked like she was from college days Roommate Silk. Jiaqi thought she had misunderstood someone, because Juanzi returned to Shanghai with her boyfriend Chang Jianbo after graduation, and then went abroad again, and gradually lost contact.So although she felt like it, she didn't even dare to say hello first after looking at it for a few times.In the end, Juanzi turned around and saw her, blurted out in surprise and joy: "Little slingshot!" Unexpectedly, it was really silk, and the two of them just hugged and kissed passionately in the outpatient department where there were many people coming and going. Juanzi was holding a little girl in her arms, about two or three years old, with two small braids, looking at people with big black eyes, seeing her, and being happy for her. Jiaqi even forgot about the stomachache, she couldn't put it down: "Janzi, how can you give birth to such a cute little guy, I'm so envious." He asked, "When will you return to China, you won't even say hello." Juanzi smiled: "I just came back in August, it's not been three months yet. I just settled the house, it's a mess, how can I care about contacting my old classmates." Then asked, "What about you? Is your family peaceful?" Jiaqi was taken aback for a moment, and then said casually: "We broke up for many years." Juanzi was also stunned for a moment: "I really didn't expect..." Jiaqi lowered her head to tease the little girl: "What's your name?" "My name is Wu Dingding. I'm not a nail for a nail, but a ding for admonishment." The baby's voice is childish, but her expression is extremely cute, and her big black eyes are only looking at Jiaqi.Jiaqi was very surprised, Juanzi said: "I divorced Chang Jianbo, I brought my child back to China, my daughter and my surname are Wu." Everything is right and wrong, and Jiaqi feels a sense of loss. Back then, Juanzi and Chang Jianbo were also a good couple, a golden boy and a jade girl, and everyone envied them. Unexpectedly, in just a few short years, it has already been separated. After finishing the outpatient clinic, Jiaqi insisted on treating Juanzi to a meal: "I should treat you to a meal when I come back." Juanzi also smiled, eyes crooked: "Okay, I won't let you go." There was no way to stop a taxi at the entrance of the hospital during the peak hours of get off work. Ding Ding probably felt hungry, and wriggled on her mother with her mouth flattened.Jiaqi couldn't help being a little anxious, seeing a car coming out of the underground garage of the hospital, she suddenly remembered, and said, "I have a friend whose car has been parked here for the past two days, and I'll ask him to borrow the car." Ruan Zhengdong made a phone call, and he readily agreed, saying, "I'll take the key for you." Jiaqi said: "You are a patient, so don't run around, I'll just go up and get it." Panting and running to the ward, Ruan Zhengdong handed her the car keys and asked, "Is the old classmate male or female?" Jia Qi teased him: "Of course it's a man, otherwise why would we be in such a hurry? He was our school girl back then. He's handsome. He's still amazingly handsome after so many years." Ruan Zhengdong sneered, and said, "Then you go, my car will definitely deter him." Jia Qi chuckled: "You're quite confident, I won't tell you more, he's still holding the baby." Ruan Zhengdong hurriedly turned around and walked out, Ruan Zhengdong suddenly remembered: "Wait a minute." She thought he had forgotten something important, so she stopped. He had already caught up and bent over. Gentle lips brushed against hers, and he said, "I haven't kissed you yet." She stood on tiptoe, kissed him on the cheek, and said comfortingly, "I'll come to see you at night." He felt aggrieved: "Why didn't you say you would come to accompany me at night?" Instead, Jiaqi couldn't help but laugh: "You are still a patient, can you be mentally healthy?" When seeing that Maybach, Juanzi was really shocked: "Little Slingshot, your friend is rich enough." Jiaqi was very careful, because her skills were average, and it took courage to drive such a car on the street, so she arranged for both Juanzi and Dingding to sit in the back row. Juanzi was thinking of the small restaurant outside the west gate of his alma mater, so Jiaqi first drove to a bakery to buy a cake for Ding Ding to satisfy his hunger.Ding Ding really liked it, and finished eating in one bite, Juanzi smiled: "I didn't expect you to be more careful about children than I am. Hurry up and get married and have one." It's a good time but smiles without saying a word. The traffic jam was severe at dusk, and it was moving forward step by step.In the car, the two of them talked about the old things in the school, and they both sighed.Juanzi said: "At that time, I really thought that my future life would be epic, but I didn't expect that this journey would be so ordinary." Birth, old age, sickness, death...everyone was high-spirited when they were young, thinking that there was nothing to do, and gradually lost their edges and corners in the years. Juanzi laughed at herself: "Look at me, even your eyes are dull. It's still you, Jiaqi, you haven't changed." Jiaqi smiles, in fact, everyone's heart is full of vicissitudes. Waiting for the red light, the bustling stream of people passed by. Suddenly someone came out of the car queue, reached out and knocked on the window glass on the right side of the rear seat, and gestured to Jiaqi and Juanzi inside the car. Jiaqi only saw the man gesticulating and pointing at the tires, as if to say that there was something wrong with their tires.Juanzi couldn't hear what he was yelling, so Jiaqi pushed down the window, but when the window opened, the man suddenly reached in and picked up the car that Jiaqi put on the passenger seat with lightning speed. Backpack, run away. Before Juanzi could react at all, Jiaqi yelled, "Snatch the bag!" He opened the car door and went to chase after him.Juanzi was so anxious that she kept yelling and wanted to chase and get out of the car, but she was holding the child.The signal light has changed again, and the cars behind are all honking their horns. She yelled loudly: "Jiaqi! Come back! Don't chase after me! Jiaqi..." Get out of the car in a panic with the child in her arms, and watch helplessly in the loud car horn, The good times are getting farther and farther away. Jiaqi chased after him in a hurry, crossed the street, and chased after him for a full 300 meters. When the man saw the entrance of the alley, he swiped and rushed in. Jiaqi didn't think too much, and chased after him. After chasing another three or four hundred meters in one go, she was so tired that she gasped for breath. The alley became narrower and narrower, and the person who snatched the bag was probably a dead end. stared at her hard. Only then did Jiaqi feel scared, and the man said viciously: "Smelly woman, I will teach you today!" He pulled out the sharp knife, twisted her wrist, and kicked her stomach, she only felt the pain His head was drenched in cold sweat, his eyes darkened, and the knife had already passed by his ear, causing burning pain.I was just thinking, it's over.She just instinctively raised her hand to protect her head, the man had already slashed at her wrist, this time it happened to be on her wrist, blood flowed out, the string of Bodhi seeds and Buddha beads in her hand broke, and immediately rolled to the ground.The man kicked her up again, kicking her to the ground. Jiaqi fell on the ground and gasped for breath, the man approached a few steps and forced him forward, Jiaqi was anxious and afraid.The man was stepping on a Buddhist bead, moved his foot away, looked down at the scattered beads on the ground, but stopped suddenly.Jiaqi was terrified to the extreme, not knowing what he wanted to do, but the man stared at her with a very strange look, as if he was surprised and scared at the same time.Jiaqi was just panting heavily.The fear in the man's eyes was getting deeper and deeper. Jiaqi's eyes were sharp, and when he saw a figure behind him, it must be someone coming, and immediately yelled: "Help!" The man trembled all over, threw the backpack and sharp knife in his hand, turned around and ran away. Only then did Jiaqi feel pain in her arms and ears, and when she touched it with her hands, it was full of blood. The old lady who walked into the alley was also terrified by the scene before her, and after a while she yelled: "Come on, come on!" Hurry up and save people! Girl! Girl! How are you doing?"