Chapter 83: Blindness

The taxi pulled over by the roadside, and after getting out, Qiao Jiu walked toward a car parked nearby.

She bent down and knocked on the window. “What are you daydreaming about?”

Guan Wei snapped out of her daze and got out of the car. “You’re back.”

She went to open the trunk, pulling out two packs of beer. “I came to have a drink with you.”

Qiao Jiu knew she was feeling unsettled. The collapse of a relationship isn’t something one can move past in just a day or two; this mood would probably linger for a while.

She agreed, “You’ve never tried my cooking. Come to my place, I’ll cook a couple of dishes.”

The two of them took the beer upstairs. Guan Wei slouched on the sofa, chattering to Qiao Jiu, “I went home today and told my dad that Liang Xiujin and I broke up. Guess what he said? He said he’d always thought we wouldn’t last. Can you believe that old man? Now he says this, but when I first told him I was seeing Liang Xiujin, he didn’t say a single word to stop me.”

Qiao Jiu was washing vegetables in the kitchen. “As if you’d have listened if he had.”

They were too much alike. When she’d set her sights on Lu Fengzhou, her father had tried to advise her—not only because Lu Fengzhou’s background was less than ideal, but also because their personalities just didn’t mesh.

Lu Fengzhou was far too serious and stern, while she was brash and headstrong at the time.

Even if she managed to keep Lu Fengzhou bound by marriage through her family background, life was long—she couldn’t rely on that alone forever.

A loveless marriage wears down both people.

Her father had earnestly tried to talk her out of it several times, but she wouldn’t listen.

When you love someone that much, how can you bear to let go? She was always strong-willed and didn’t want to give up without a fight.

In the end, the bystander sees things more clearly.

Guan Wei sighed, “True enough.”

When the food was ready, Guan Wei wandered over, “Let’s drink. After tonight, I won’t want to anymore.”

Qiao Jiu handed her chopsticks. “You haven’t contacted Mr. Liang at all? Don’t you want to hear his explanation?”

Guan Wei gave a short, mocking laugh. “If he wanted to explain, he wouldn’t need me to reach out first. Judging by his attitude, he wants to let things cool off. After all, there are some things he’d rather not say outright.”

Qiao Jiu nodded and asked nothing more. Once they sat down, they began drinking, glass after glass.

There were some things Qiao Jiu would never mention under normal circumstances, but now, with the alcohol coursing through her veins, she became more talkative. “When I married Lu Fengzhou, I was just being stubborn to the end. My father tried so hard to dissuade me, but I wouldn’t listen. Looking back now, I regret it.”

She downed her drink in one go and set the glass down a little too hard, with a bang. “If I hadn’t married him, who knows how free and easy my life would be now? I could eat and drink as I pleased, and if I really needed a man, I’d keep a young lover like Zou Qingqing—get together when it works, break up when it doesn’t, then move on to the next. Wouldn’t life be sweet?”

Guan Wei laughed. “That’s still an option for me, it seems.”

Qiao Jiu smacked her lips and changed the topic. “Today I went out socializing with Liang Xiujin and ran into Lu Fengzhou. Liang Xiujin definitely did it on purpose—he’s crafty like that.”

Guan Wei gave a noncommittal sound. “Of course. You can’t get ahead in business without being sharp. I thought about it today: if he doesn’t truly care about me, I’ll end up just as badly off if I stay with him.”

Her voice grew quiet. “With your cautionary tale before me, I can’t take that risk.”

Qiao Jiu nodded and raised her glass. “Let’s drink.”

Neither of them was a lightweight, and the two cases of beer were nowhere near enough. Soon, empty cans littered the floor.

Guan Wei stood up. “I’m going to buy more. Wait here.”

She wandered out. Qiao Jiu thought for a moment, then sat down on the sofa and idly browsed her phone.

The entertainment industry changes fast. When Song Wan announced her temporary retirement, it caused a stir, but now, there was barely any news about her at all.

After some hesitation, Qiao Jiu exited that app and searched the local forums for news about Zhu Shengren.

There hadn’t been much about him before, but now, stories were popping up everywhere.

The gossip columns said that Zhu Shengren from Zhucheng had been taken into criminal custody. His injuries weren’t severe enough to impede the arrest process.

He was now in a detention center, and apparently, they’d uncovered other related issues—much of his property had been seized.

Qiao Jiu was still reading when Guan Wei came back in, swaying with two more cases of beer.

She headed straight for the dining table, leaving the door wide open. “Come on, let’s keep drinking.”

Qiao Jiu didn’t pay much attention and walked over. “Are you staying over tonight?”

“We’ll see,” Guan Wei replied. “Problem is, you only have one bed. I’d rather sleep in a man’s bed than with you.”

Qiao Jiu snorted. “With your boozy ways, any man would probably kick you out of bed.”

Guan Wei laughed loudly. “Don’t be so sure—especially when I’m drunk, I’m something else.”

Qiao Jiu laughed too. “You’re a piece of work.”

They kept drinking. This time, Guan Wei had chosen a stronger brand.

The drinks went down faster, maybe because they were drinking harder, or maybe because the mood was heavier. Guan Wei got tipsy quickly.

After finishing the last bottle, she couldn’t hold it anymore. “I feel like throwing up, give me a minute.”

She staggered into the bathroom. After a while, there was still no movement.

Qiao Jiu called out, then got up to check.

Guan Wei was sitting by the bathroom door, asleep against the wall.

Qiao Jiu bent down, trying to haul her up, but after a couple of attempts, she failed. “Didn’t want to sleep in my bed—so you want to sleep here instead?”

She gave a few more tugs, grumbling, “Have you gained weight? Why are you so heavy?”

As soon as she said this, a voice sounded behind her. “Drinking this much and leaving the door open—aren’t you brave.”

Qiao Jiu turned, vision fuzzy, unable to make out the figure. “Who are you? Where did you come from?”

Lu Fengzhou stepped past her and hoisted Guan Wei up with one arm. “Get up.”

Guan Wei mumbled and didn’t cooperate at all.

But Lu Fengzhou was strong; he dragged her over and dumped her onto the sofa, then came back to pull Qiao Jiu up.

This time, he was gentler, guiding her to sit at the dining table.

Qiao Jiu squinted at him. “Liang Xiujin?”

Her temper flared. She slapped the table and stood up. “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up! Let me tell you, Guan Wei doesn’t want you anymore, so there’s no point in coming.”

Lu Fengzhou sat down beside her, lit a cigarette, and took his time with it.

Qiao Jiu kept ranting. “Men are all the same—whether it’s you or Lu Fengzhou, you’re all bastards.”

Lu Fengzhou took a drag, leaned back, and stared at her.

Qiao Jiu continued, riled up. “What are you looking at? Not happy?”

She pointed at him. “I used to think you were steady and trustworthy. Now I see you’re just as deceitful as Lu Fengzhou.”

She shook her head dramatically. “Guan Wei and I—we’re both blind.”

Lu Fengzhou glanced at the woman sprawled on the sofa, fished out his phone, and dialed Liang Xiujin.