Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
I had to figure out what medication Bai Qingxia was taking and what was wrong with her. I had a vague feeling that there might be some secret hidden behind those pills.
I noticed that she often took medicine during breaks or lunchtime, and after each dose, she would clutch her chest with a furrowed brow, as if enduring some kind of pain.
My confusion deepened; this seemed to explain Bai Qingxia's emaciation.
After school, I offered to walk Li Mei and Bai Qingxia home.
Li Mei readily agreed, while Bai Qingxia hesitated for a moment before gently nodding.
As we walked, Li Mei chattered away non-stop, while Bai Qingxia remained silent, occasionally responding to Li Mei with a few words, her expression appearing somewhat weary. I glanced at Bai Qingxia from time to time, trying to find clues in her demeanor.
After we parted ways, I didn’t head straight home but went to my dad’s supermarket instead.
“Dad, I want to check the surveillance footage,” I said as I approached the cash register where Lu Jianguo was organizing the shelves.
“Check the surveillance? What’s up?” Lu Jianguo looked at me curiously as he set down his work.
“I need to confirm something,” I replied vaguely.
Lu Jianguo didn’t press further and led me to the monitoring room. I pulled up the footage from the past few days.
I discovered that Bai Qingxia came to the supermarket every day after school, but not to shop; instead, she was secretly working in a corner, organizing shelves and sorting products. Only then did I notice that she was wearing the supermarket's uniform.
So she was working here! This revelation struck me hard. No wonder she always seemed so rushed.
Seeing this scene made my heart sink. Bai Qingxia came from a poor family; she needed to work to help support her household and might even be suffering from an illness. I finally understood why she always took medicine in secret, why her complexion was pale, and why she looked so exhausted.
Bai Qingxia had a strong sense of pride; she definitely didn’t want others to know about her family’s struggles or accept anyone’s sympathy. How could I help her?
Just as I pondered this, a commotion erupted at the supermarket entrance. Zhao Zhiqiang was truly relentless.
The warehouse door was suddenly pushed open, and Zhao Zhiqiang swaggered in with two lackeys. Bai Qingxia bit her lip, her eyes filled with a mix of disgust and fear. I frowned slightly and instinctively glanced at her.
She was standing behind the cash register, and as Zhao Zhiqiang's smile grew increasingly lewd, Bai Qingxia's expression darkened further.
Zhao Zhiqiang spotted Bai Qingxia immediately and strode over to her with a flirtatious grin. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her into the warehouse. She gasped and struggled to break free, but his grip was too strong for her to escape. The warehouse door slammed shut with a loud bang.
I quickly set down what I was holding and hurried toward the warehouse.
At the entrance, several employees were whispering among themselves.
"Do you think something's going to happen in there?" a young employee asked worriedly.
"Do you know who I am? Back in school, I—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the warehouse door suddenly swung open, and I stepped inside. "Qingxia, there you are! Li Mei is looking for you." I feigned nonchalance, taking a deep breath to force myself to calm down. I glanced at the corner of the warehouse where the fire sprinkler system I had checked earlier was installed.
Bai Qingxia finally reached her breaking point. She lifted her head sharply and said coldly, "Zhao Zhiqiang, please leave. Don't disturb my work."
Zhao Zhiqiang was taken aback by Bai Qingxia's sudden outburst. He paused for a moment before a sneer appeared on his face. "Oh, looks like you've got some spirit." As he spoke, he cast a meaningful glance back and forth between me and Bai Qingxia.
Bai Qingxia's face turned pale as she bit her lip in silence. She instinctively took a step back, hiding behind me.
"Lu Yuanqiu, you little brat, you've got some guts to play the hero!" Zhao Zhiqiang's voice rang out from the warehouse entrance, dripping with provocation. His tone was laced with obvious mockery as I straightened up to face him and his lackeys, all of whom wore mocking smiles.
He reached out as if to touch Bai Qingxia's face. She quickly stepped back to avoid his hand. "What's wrong? Not willing? Think it's too little?" Zhao Zhiqiang raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He pushed money toward Bai Qingxia again. "As long as you accompany me..."
"Shut up!" Bai Qingxia thought to herself that this was bad.
"Zhao Zhiqiang, stop talking nonsense!" I turned to see Zhao Zhiqiang blocking the warehouse entrance with his two lackeys, all of them looking at me with ill intent.
"Don't be so nervous; I'm just here to check on you." Zhao Zhiqiang seemed unfazed by Bai Qingxia's retreat, his tone flippant. "I heard your family isn't well off; do you want me to help you out?" He pulled out a stack of cash from his pocket. Bai Qingxia abruptly swatted the money from his hand, bills scattering across the floor. Her chest heaved with anger as she glared at him. "Who do you think you are? I won't accept your charity!"
Zhao Zhiqiang's smile vanished, replaced by a glint of malice in his eyes. He suddenly grabbed my collar and yanked me deeper into the warehouse. "Kid, what are you doing sneaking around with Bai Qingxia in here?"
"Why is the school beauty working here? If you need money, just tell me! I’ve got plenty!" he said, reaching out to put his arm around Bai Qingxia's shoulders.
Bai Qingxia's expression changed instantly as she recoiled from Zhao Zhiqiang's touch, her eyes icy.
Zhao Zhiqiang was taken aback by her reaction, his face darkening. "Don't get cocky! It's your good fortune that I even look at you!" He reached out again, trying to grab her wrist.
I couldn't stand by any longer and quickly stepped in front of Bai Qingxia.
Zhao Zhiqiang's expression turned grim as he narrowed his eyes, clenching his fists with a cracking sound.
He sneered, "Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You’re just trying to get close to Bai Qingxia because you want..." He paused deliberately, casting a suggestive glance deeper into the warehouse. "Heh, didn’t expect you to be so romantic, bringing her to the warehouse."
He reached behind him to grab Bai Qingxia's wrist. "You’re asking for trouble!"
My heart raced as I rushed forward and grappled with Zhao Zhiqiang.
Caught off guard by my sudden move, Zhao Zhiqiang looked at me and then at Bai Qingxia, a flicker of malice crossing his face.
I could no longer hold back; I swiftly seized Zhao Zhiqiang's wrist and twisted it hard. He winced in pain and instinctively released my collar. Seizing the opportunity, I dashed to the sprinkler switch and pressed it down forcefully.
Comment 0 Comment Count