Volume One, Chapter 94: "I promise you, I will get engaged to Liang Muzhi."

Before nightfall, Xu Zhi left the hotel.

She sat quietly for a long time on a bench in the downstairs greenbelt, trying to settle her chaotic thoughts.

Xu Heping would not let her go unless she came up with the money—a sum so astronomical, she could never consider using Liang Jinmo’s money. Whether his feelings were genuine or not, she already owed him far too much.

Her own problems must be faced and solved by herself.

She bought some antibiotics at a nearby pharmacy and flagged a taxi to the villa district.

By then, dusk was falling. Liang Jinmo sent a message, asking why she wasn’t at the hotel.

She stared at the screen, her vision blurred, and only after some time replied: I’m walking downstairs. Don’t worry about me, have dinner first.

These past two days, they hadn’t said much to each other. She knew he was waiting for her answer.

Everyone wanted her to make a choice, but did she truly have one?

Her right to choose had been discarded long ago, the day she stood among those people and tore up his exam papers.

Xu Zhi returned home. The main living room was pitch black. She switched on the lights and had barely taken a few steps when footsteps sounded.

Xu Heping came from the side corridor, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at her. “So you know how to come home!”

Xu Zhi saw him without surprise and asked, “Did you take my mother’s phone?”

Xu Heping didn’t answer. “I thought you didn’t care if your own parents lived or died.”

Xu Zhi clenched her fists, trembling despite herself. “Where’s my mother… Did you hit her again?”

Xu Heping pointed toward the utility room off the living room. “You two have gotten clever now. Clearly you’ve been in touch, leaving me to worry alone. Is this house not your home? Has this company not supported you? How did I raise such ungrateful daughters?”

Xu Zhi ignored his tirade and hurried to the utility room door, opening it.

Inside, among piles of clutter, Zhao Nianqiao sat slumped against the wall, head bowed as if asleep.

Xu Zhi rushed over, kneeling at her side, calling out, “Mom!”

Zhao Nianqiao was weak, her eyes unfocused. She slowly raised her head, saw her, and murmured, “Zhi…”

Xu Zhi’s heart raced in panic as she looked Zhao Nianqiao over, checking for injuries.

Xu Heping appeared behind her. “She’s fine, just a fever.”

That afternoon, Zhao Nianqiao had been burning up, about to go to the hospital when she ran into Xu Heping in the living room.

Xu Heping had tried to take her phone to contact Xu Zhi. When Zhao Nianqiao refused, he slapped her. Perhaps weakened from her injuries these past days, Zhao Nianqiao fainted.

Xu Heping was startled; surely a slap couldn’t have killed her, he thought.

Liang Muzhi arrived around then, hurriedly checked Zhao Nianqiao, found it was just a fever, and dragged her to the utility room, shut the door, then went to deal with Liang Muzhi.

After Liang Muzhi left, Xu Heping sent a message to Xu Zhi using Zhao Nianqiao’s phone.

As for Zhao Nianqiao in the utility room, a fever wouldn’t kill her immediately. He wanted to teach her a lesson and simply ignored her.

Xu Zhi touched Zhao Nianqiao’s burning forehead and tears welled up uncontrollably.

It was pure rage.

She turned and shouted at Xu Heping, “Why didn’t you take her to the hospital!”

Xu Heping was momentarily stunned—Xu Zhi had never spoken to him like this.

He was still her father, after all. He spoke harshly, “She kept in touch with you but didn’t make you hurry home. She deserved it!”

Xu Zhi wiped her tears with the back of her hand, struggling to help Zhao Nianqiao up. “Mom, come on, we’re going to the hospital. We’ll go right now…”

Zhao Nianqiao’s fever was dangerously high, her forehead hot as fire. Who knew how long she’d been locked in here alone? Xu Zhi thought Xu Heping was truly deranged—didn’t he fear he might cause a death?

She was barely able to support Zhao Nianqiao when Xu Heping blocked the door. “You think you can just walk out after coming back?”

“Are you out of your mind?” Xu Zhi gritted her teeth. “My mother has a high fever. She’s your wife!”

Xu Heping’s gaze was cold and vicious. “I don’t need a wife who drags me down. Do you know, I was ready to call the police to find you. She always knew where you were but wouldn’t tell me. You two have been playing me for a fool, and now you want to guilt-trip me? Let me tell you, if you want to take her to the hospital, you’ll have to agree to get engaged to Muzhi!”

Xu Zhi stared at Xu Heping, biting her lip, her eyes stubborn.

“Zhi…” Zhao Nianqiao’s voice was muddled, perhaps a bit clearer. “Why… You shouldn’t have come back…”

Tears threatened to spill from Xu Zhi’s eyes again.

She had never seen Zhao Nianqiao so frail; her mother’s entire weight leaned on her, and Xu Zhi was about to collapse.

But this was a burden she must carry. She couldn’t let Zhao Nianqiao suffer because of her.

She drew a deep breath and said to Xu Heping, “Fine.”

Xu Heping was taken aback.

“I’ll agree. I’ll get engaged to Liang Muzhi.” Xu Zhi’s expression was calm, tears sliding from the corners of her eyes. “Is that enough to repay your so-called kindness in raising me?”

Xu Heping seized on the key words. “You really agreed? You won’t run again?”

“If I say yes, I won’t run.” Xu Zhi said, “But you must agree to my terms. You’re not allowed to hit my mother again, do you hear me?”

Her voice was cold and hard. “If you dare hurt her again, I’ll fight you with everything I have. If you push me, who knows what I’ll do.”

Her tone no longer resembled a daughter speaking to her father—it was a threat.

Xu Heping didn’t care to argue. “As long as you two don’t cause trouble for me, I won’t use force.”

“Move aside,” Xu Zhi ordered, “I need to take my mother to the hospital.”

Xu Heping said, “I’ll go with you.”

Xu Zhi knew he didn’t care about Zhao Nianqiao, only feared she’d escape again. But getting medical help was urgent—nothing else mattered now.

Xu Heping drove them to the nearest hospital. The doctor examined Zhao Nianqiao and determined the fever was likely due to infection.

“How could you wait until her temperature reached forty-one degrees before bringing her in?” The doctor’s expression was grim. “At this level, a fever can kill.”

Neither Xu Heping nor Xu Zhi spoke.

The doctor was curt. “Give her a fever-reducing injection immediately. No more delays. Family, go buy cooling patches and ice packs for physical cooling. Start the IV. We must lower her temperature now.”

Xu Zhi quickly bought the supplies. Zhao Nianqiao was already on an IV, still semi-conscious.

Xu Zhi applied the cooling patch and ice pack, then kept vigil by her side.

Xu Heping did not leave, but sat outside the ward on a bench.

Xu Zhi stared dazedly at the exhausted Zhao Nianqiao on the hospital bed, when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

She took it out and saw a message from Liang Jinmo: Your leg shouldn’t walk too far. It’s late—shall I come pick you up?

Xu Zhi thought she had become numb, but when she saw the message, her tears welled up once more.