You're dumping me, huh? Fine, then I'll just pick up the school beauty and make her my wif

Looking at the handsome face so close to hers and listening to his domineering and unreasonable words, Su Qinghe's eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

He really doesn't blame her...

He even praised her.

Jiang Che always did this, stepping in to comfort her again and again when she was caught in self-doubt and fear of abandonment.

Su Qinghe felt really guilty. She felt guilty for not believing Jiang Che's determination, and she felt guilty for always being so anxious and insecure, which made Jiang Che always have to use his patience to coax her.

"It's okay, Qinghe. I know you can't change your tendency to overthink things right away. Take it slow, I won't blame you."

Jiang Che gently patted her head, comforting and encouraging her, "I know you don't want to be so sensitive, but you just can't control it yet, right?"

"Okay, don't cry anymore. Let's go. I'll take you to the cafeteria for lunch. I heard they have sweet and sour pork ribs today. They'll be all gone if we go too late."

As he spoke, Jiang Che naturally took Su Qinghe's hand, trying to cheer her up as they walked out of the ward.

His hands were large, warm, dry, and strong.

Holding his hand, Su Qinghe felt her heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally settle back down little by little.

The two walked out of the ward, through the long corridor, and toward the elevator.

Su Qinghe remained quiet throughout the journey.

She looked down at their clasped hands, and the urge to confess grew stronger and stronger within her.

Jiang Che trusted her so much and protected her so much.

She shouldn't have hidden anything from him.

She should tell him everything, even the smallest thoughts, so that he can see her most authentic self.

If he can accept all of her, whether she's obedient or gloomy, then that's true liking and love, isn't it?

That's the truth, but Su Qinghe wasn't blinded by impulse.

In the shadows where no one could see, the girl slightly curled the corners of her lips, her eyes gradually becoming sickly and cold.

Of course, her A-Che needs to understand the real her, but...

This "real" version of her is something she has to define herself.

"A-Che..."

As they approached the cafeteria, Su Qinghe seemed to have finally mustered up her courage and gently shook Jiang Che's hand.

"Hmm?" Jiang Che slowed his pace and turned to look at her. "What's wrong? Are you tired?"

"no……"

Su Qinghe shook her head, took a deep breath as if she had made a major decision, then stopped and looked up at him.

"That recording... was actually something I had planned long ago."

Jiang Che's expression didn't change much after hearing this, as if he had already expected her to confess.

He didn't interrupt her, but simply nodded to signal her to continue.

"Although I've been hospitalized these past few days, I've been keeping an eye on the school's forum."

Su Qinghe pursed her lips and said softly, "I know... Lin Wanwan has been pestering you, and I also know that Zhang Yang has been trying to link you and Lin Wanwan together on the forum."

"I am angry."

At this point, a chilling glint appeared in Su Qinghe's eyes. "Ache, you know I don't like Lin Wanwan having any relationship with you, I don't like her talking to you, and I especially don't like her having any contact with you, not even a single finger."

"Do you know how uneasy and heartbroken I felt when I was all alone at home listening to the rumors about you and Lin Wanwan circulating on the forums after you went to school?"

"I can't take it anymore, I want to teach them a lesson."

"So... so I used the pocket money you gave me to bribe one of Zhang Yang's henchmen, Monkey."

At this point, Su Qinghe paused slightly, then glanced at Jiang Che with some trepidation.

Seeing that he didn't seem displeased, he continued, "Monkey is Zhang Yang's lackey; he's very greedy."

"I gave him 20,000 yuan and asked him to tell me all of Zhang Yang's movements."

"The monkey told me that Zhang Yang owes a million yuan to loan sharks. If he can't pay it back, his hands and feet will be cut off."

"At the time, I thought... if we could use this to our advantage, Zhang Yang might suffer the consequences, and Lin Wanwan, as Zhang Yang's current girlfriend, would probably be implicated as well."

Su Qinghe's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, as if she was afraid that Jiang Che would find her too scary.

"Originally... I wanted to find an opportunity to lure Da Biao and his gang in front of Zhang Yang."

"But two nights ago, Monkey suddenly messaged me, saying that Zhang Yang and Lin Wanwan were going to do something to me at the hospital."

Su Qinghe gripped Jiang Che's hand tightly involuntarily. "I was very scared at first... but after calming down, I changed the plan."

"I had Monkey deliberately give Zhang Yang a bad idea, telling him to send someone to impersonate a doctor and forcibly take me away from the hospital."

"At the same time, I had Monkey notify Da Biao, telling him that Zhang Yang was in the hospital and that he didn't have many people with him."

"I wanted to... to use Da Biao and his gang to create chaos. Once things got chaotic, Zhang Yang wouldn't be able to take care of me."

"That way I can slip away in the chaos... Even if I can't escape, I can use this trick to buy time until you come to save me."

After pouring out all the secrets she had kept in her heart, Su Qinghe felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and her whole body felt much lighter.

But what followed was a deeper sense of unease.

She kept her head down, like a primary school student who had done something wrong and was waiting to be scolded, her toes pacing nervously on the ground.

"Do you think... I'm a bad person?"

After a long while, she asked softly.

Then, in an extremely unsettling silence, Su Qinghe nervously awaited Jiang Che's verdict.

A moment later, a soft chuckle came from above. "Bad?"

He had expected Jiang Che to show disappointment, fear, or apprehension, but Jiang Che showed no blame whatsoever. Instead, he jokingly said with a smile:

"I didn't realize you were so clever. You've even learned to use money to bribe the enemy's henchmen to protect yourself?"

There was no hint of blame in Jiang Che's tone; instead, there was a strange sense of pride.

"Is this bad? This is called outsmarting them."

"That's the right way to do it!"

Jiang Che bent down slightly, cupped her face in his hands, and forced her to look up at him. "This is how you should do things in the future when you encounter something like this."

"Never put yourself in danger if you can solve a problem with your brain or by any other means."

"but……"

Jiang Che changed the subject, his expression becoming slightly serious, "Next time something like this happens, you must tell me immediately."

"I know you want to protect yourself, and I know you're smart."

"But what if?"

"What if that Da Biao is a madman and he attacks you too?"

"What if that monkey takes the money and doesn't do the job, then turns around and blames you?"

Jiang Che looked into her eyes and said, word by word, "I can accept you doing anything, but I cannot accept you getting hurt."

"Even the slightest scratch is unacceptable, understand?"

Su Qinghe stared at him blankly.

The gloom in my heart vanished completely the moment he uttered those words.

She nodded vigorously, a smile spreading across her face. "I understand."