The Golden Cane and the Wild Rose - Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Jiang Musheng said, “There are quite a few students in free relationships now. Women are actually gentler and more considerate than men. If you don’t consider other practical factors, a woman is the number one choice for romantic love.”

Yun Ran was astonished. “Is that what you really think, Mr. Jiang?”

Jiang Musheng asked, “Have you never had the thought that a woman would be a better choice for a partner than a man, Ah Ran?”

Yun Ran shook her head. She had never thought that way. Although she had seen some female classmates in same-sex relationships, she had never imagined it for herself. She was an insecure person. For the past decade, she had been earnestly seeking someone to rely on first her father, and then she had placed her hopes in Gu Hongfei. They were all men who were stronger than her. Now, being with Jiang Musheng, her only shift in thinking was that she no longer held the idea of complete dependence and entrusting her life to him. She wanted to use Jiang Musheng’s resources to make herself stronger so that one day, even if she left him, she could continue to live a safe and prosperous life on her own.

Jiang Musheng asked again, “Then do you think it’s possible for you to be in a relationship with a woman?”

Yun Ran shook her head again. She felt it was very strange for Jiang Musheng to ask her such a question, especially with the hint of sorrow in his eyes. Wasn’t her answer exactly what he should have wanted to hear? She had never considered a relationship with a woman, so that meant no other woman could threaten their relationship.

Yun Ran couldn’t figure it out. Jiang Musheng’s eyes, which had been subtly showing a hint of sorrow since last night, made her remember the suspicions she had temporarily forgotten. Jiang Musheng had no Adam’s apple. This image returned to her mind, but she didn’t dare to think about it and didn’t want to. If it were true, everything she had would face the danger of a mansion on the brink of collapse. Her current stability and prosperity would be temporary once again. She wasn’t strong enough yet. She still needed time.

She looked at Jiang Musheng with a sense of urgency. He seemed to have understood something from her eyes. “Don’t be afraid, Ah Ran.”

That’s right, don’t be afraid. With Jiang Musheng here, what do I have to be afraid of? Her baseless suspicions must be nothing but a fantasy. People are especially good at believing only what they want to believe, and Yun Ran, as a regular human, was no different.

“Mr. Jiang,” Yun Ran said, looking at him seriously. “No matter how good others are, I don’t want them not men or women.”

Jiang Musheng’s hand reached across the small round table, getting a bit of white cream on his sleeve, but he didn’t pay any attention to it. He only focused on holding her hand. “My true self might be completely different from what you imagine. Will you still choose me then?”

Yun Ran held his hand tightly and smiled brightly. “Among so many beauties in Hong Kong, didn’t you, Mr. Jiang, choose only me?”

The jealousy incident was over, and Yun Ran couldn’t help but be amazed when she thought about it later. Love truly was the most mysterious thing in this world. Even a powerful figure like Jiang Musheng was willingly trapped in the net. She couldn’t help but wonder what quality she had that attracted him. She couldn’t figure it out, and she didn’t dare to ask him. During the break at school, she asked her new Irish friends.

Lily said, “Yun Ran, you’re so beautiful. Don’t even mention Mr. Jiang, I like you very much too.”

So, in the end, it’s just this pretty face?

Caroline said in a mysterious tone, “You love who you love. Love often doesn’t need a reason. I locked eyes with a handsome guy once and went to a hotel with him that same day.”

Only Gloria’s answer was a little more serious. She said, “It must be a combination of your beautiful looks and your excellent qualities.”

“Such as?” Yun Ran continued to ask.

Gloria didn’t give her a perfunctory answer. She really thought about it. “For example, you’re very serious about studying and everything you do. Your focus is very charming.”

Am I usually so serious? Yun Ran thought back, trying to recall.

Lily and Caroline both looked at Gloria. Gloria turned her head and said, “For example, the way you’re thinking right now is very charming.”

Lily and Caroline looked at Yun Ran again and both agreed, “Gloria is right.”

“Yun Ran, since you want to know the reason, why don’t you just ask Mr. Jiang?”

Yun Ran said, “I’m too embarrassed.”

Lily winked. “I’m not. The next time I run into Mr. Jiang, I’ll ask him for you.”

“No!” Yun Ran shook her head. “I’m scared of that mouth of yours.”

“What’s wrong with my mouth?” Lily licked her thick lips.

Caroline laughed loudly. Lily laughed along with her, carefree. Only Gloria couldn’t laugh, but she managed to force a smile.

With a tacit understanding, Yun Ran and the three Irish girls got the highest score on their next class presentation. When she was on her way home, Yun Ran excitedly shared the good news with Jiang Musheng in the car.

Jiang Musheng said, “Ah Ran, I also have some good news to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve asked the governor to convince Cecilia. She’s invited you to a cruise ship party with me this weekend. She’ll probably tell you herself then.”

Yun Ran wasn’t surprised at all. She knew that Cecilia had been trying to see Jiang Musheng but had no way to. Jiang Musheng had been unwilling to see her recently, clearly wanting to distance himself. To see him, Cecilia had to invite her, showing that she was willing to give Yun Ran face, so that Jiang Musheng would be willing to give her face.

“Hey, I just remembered something,” Yun Ran said with a smile.

“What is it?”

“I thought you kept me around to pretend to be your girlfriend so you could get rid of the governor’s daughter, Cecilia, who was so persistent. But it seems that wasn’t entirely the case.”

The car stopped in front of a French restaurant. They held hands and walked in, found a seat, and ordered. The French food was served very slowly. For now, there was only a plate of French bread balls on the table.

Jiang Musheng handed a bread ball to her, smiled, and continued their conversation. “Ah Ran, you’re very smart, but also a little slow.”

Yun Ran took a small piece of the bread ball and put it in her mouth. After she finished eating, she said with a hint of dissatisfaction, “I can’t just narcissistically believe that Mr. Jiang fell in love with me at first sight, can I?”

“Why not?”

Is that possible? Yun Ran took a sip of water to calm her nerves. “I just think Mr. Jiang is different from those people.”

“People like beautiful things.”

Yun Ran said, “But as far as I know, Mr. Jiang, you knew me before I knew you. Did you fall in love with me at first sight back then?”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t think Mr. Jiang would be that superficial.”

Jiang Musheng only smiled and didn’t give her a clear answer. Yun Ran didn’t pry further. In any case, their relationship didn’t start in a conventional way, so there was no point in investigating. For her, the only important thing was how to live a safe and high-quality life for a long time.

The weekend came quickly, and Yun Ran went with Jiang Musheng to a cruise ship party hosted by the governor’s family. Before they left, Jiang Musheng told her, “Stay by my side tonight. Don’t leave my sight, especially don’t be alone with Cecilia.”

“I know,” Yun Ran said. “But I don’t think Cecilia would do anything to me.”

“It’s better to be careful. Some things can be done subtly, not necessarily in the open.”

“I understand. I’ll listen to you.”

She agreed with her mouth, but in her heart, Yun Ran was already planning how to confront Cecilia. She had to find out if Cecilia had anything to do with her father’s death.

The cruise ship was docked at the shore. They drove to the designated location, got out of the car, and boarded the ship. Yun Ran had seen cruise ships from a distance before. They looked small, and she didn’t think they were that luxurious. But now, up close, the ship was massive and incredibly opulent. The interior layout and furnishings seemed to rival a luxury hotel on land.

The people attending the party were all prominent figures in Hong Kong. Most were couples, and there were many husbands and wives. Those like Jiang Musheng, who were not yet married, also brought their public girlfriends. Jiang Musheng and Yun Ran appearing together was a signal to everyone in Hong Kong. Not only were he and Yun Ran still together, but he also considered her his only official girlfriend.

Cecilia was on the second deck of the cruise ship, leaning against the railing and feeling the sea breeze. When she saw Yun Ran and Jiang Musheng walking in hand in hand, she could almost hear her teeth grinding. But she was the one who had invited them. She had to do it. Recently, Jiang Musheng’s attitude toward her had been cold. She knew it was because she had been delaying getting her father’s approval for Yun Ran’s gun license. She had to take the initiative to break the ice. It was a small price to pay for Yun Ran to gain an advantage in exchange for her being able to mend her relationship with Jiang Musheng. It was a fair trade.

Even though she had a clear understanding in her mind, seeing Jiang Musheng holding Yun Ran’s hand, whispering in her ear, and showing such care, she still found it unbearable. Her blue eyes were so red they looked as if they were bleeding. She wished she could switch places with Yun Ran she would become the Yun Ran that Jiang Musheng loved, and Yun Ran would become the governor’s daughter who had everything but Jiang Musheng’s love.

“Cecilia?” Zheng Hangyi also appeared on the second deck, leaning against the railing as if to follow the custom. “Still looking at Jiang Musheng? Haven’t you given up?”

“What business is it of yours, Mr. Zheng? Are you in love with me?” Cecilia asked, annoyed.

Zheng Hangyi laughed and said brazenly, “I’ve never been shy about expressing my appreciation and affection for beautiful girls.”

“Of course not. Mr. Zheng even overdoes it. He takes in all kinds of people, making his home look less like a home and more like a brothel.” Cecilia said viciously.

Zheng Hangyi held his hand to his heart, making a pained expression. “Are you for real, Cecilia? Your words are so venomous today.”

“They are. I hope they poison you. Who told you to bother me when I’m in a bad mood?”

“You’re ungrateful.”

“Don’t tell me your Chinese sayings. I don’t understand them.”

“I’m saying you don’t know a good thing when you see it. I saw you were unhappy, so I came to comfort you. There are plenty of other fish in the sea. With your status and connections as the governor’s daughter, you can have any man in Hong Kong. Why are you so hung up on Jiang Musheng?”

“That’s easy for you to say. Jiang Musheng isn’t available for me to choose, and neither are you, Mr. Zheng.”

“Even if I were, you wouldn’t be interested.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t.” Cecilia turned her face away, her mood having already improved a bit from the verbal sparring with Zheng Hangyi.

She refocused on Jiang Musheng but couldn’t find him. “Don’t bother looking. Jiang Musheng and Miss Yun have already boarded. We can see them if we go downstairs together.”

Cecilia lifted her dress and ran downstairs in her ten-centimeter heels. Zheng Hangyi followed, thinking that the governor’s daughter was truly not easy to please.

On the first deck, Yun Ran had already been introduced to several of Jiang Musheng’s business partners. She couldn’t remember so many names and faces all at once, so she just kept smiling and saying, “Hello, nice to meet you.”

Every so often, someone would praise her, saying, “Miss Yun is so beautiful. Mr. Jiang is very lucky.” When she heard that, she would struggle with how to reply, but Jiang Musheng would usually reply thoughtfully, saying that the other person’s wife or female companion was also beautiful and that they were also very lucky. She would then keep quiet, wondering inwardly why a woman’s value was ultimately only measured by how she benefits a man. This realistic thought made Yun Ran feel very uncomfortable. She was almost unable to smile anymore.

Just then, Cecilia and Zheng Hangyi appeared one after the other. Cecilia walked over. “Miss Yun, welcome to the party with Jiang Musheng.”

Yun Ran replied politely, “Thank you for inviting me.”

Zheng Hangyi watched the two women perform this harmonious scene, raised his hand, and greeted Jiang Musheng. Jiang Musheng gave Zheng Hangyi a meaningful look. Zheng Hangyi shook his head and shrugged, signaling to him not to worry. Jiang Musheng nodded.

The cruise ship party wasn’t very different from the other banquets, the biggest difference being the location. Yun Ran could handle it for the most part. For most of the time, she only needed to quietly stand by Jiang Musheng’s side. Although Jiang Musheng didn’t say much, he could handle any conversation with a few words. He was a businessman, indeed. Yun Ran mentally analyzed every word of his that she thought might be useful in the future and could help her. She felt it would be good to use during business negotiations. It seemed she would be taking a professional course on that in a few years. By following Jiang Musheng, she was getting a head start on a real-world lesson.

Throughout the entire process, Cecilia didn’t cause any trouble for Yun Ran, which Yun Ran found a little strange. After staying by Jiang Musheng’s side for about an hour, she excused herself to go to the restroom. A moment later, Cecilia followed her, just as she had expected.

“Cecilia, I knew you’d come.”

“I have something to say to you,” Cecilia said with a smile, her arms crossed.

Yun Ran said, “I have something to say to you as well.”

“That works out perfectly. It seems we need to have a long talk. Let’s go to the second-floor deck. Do you dare?”

“What’s there to be afraid of?” Yun Ran walked up the stairs first. Cecilia followed right behind her.

On the deck, there were no buildings to block the wind. The sea breeze blew, dampening their clothes. The sound of the waves hitting the hull of the ship was also exceptionally clear. The sky was completely dark, but tonight’s moon was very bright, and the moonlight illuminated the sea, making it look so dark blue it was almost black—like an abyss that would mercilessly swallow anyone who fell in.

Cecilia smiled and asked, “Now, are you scared?”

“If you’re not scared, why should I be? Stop with the nonsense. We’re not friends who can have a casual chat. I agreed to come up here with you because I have a question to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“My father’s death is related to you, right?”

“Who is your father? Not every ant and cricket is worthy of knowing me!”

Yun Ran controlled the anger welling up inside her. “I just found out today that the governor’s daughter is someone who can do something but won’t take responsibility for it. Someone who isn’t forthright.”

Cecilia was fearless. “Say what you want. Go ahead and sue me if you have a case.”

“For my father, I will naturally do everything that needs to be done.”

“Are you questioning the fairness of the police investigation?”

Yun Ran seized the flaw in her argument. “You’re still not admitting it. If you weren’t involved, how would you know about my father? The governor’s daughter is still in school, just like me. You wouldn’t be involved in prison matters at all.”

“Don’t you dare slander me!”

“My father mentioned in his suicide note that a British lady had visited him. That British lady must have been you, Cecilia.” Yun Ran stated the facts.

Cecilia smoothed her hair in the direction of the wind, feigning composure. “What if it was me?”

“Cecilia, what exactly did you say and do to my father that led to his tragic death in prison?”

“Miss Yun! Are you being too naive? Do you really think just because my father is the governor, I have the power to decide a prisoner’s life or death?”

“I think you do,” Yun Ran said with certainty. “Hurting someone doesn’t always involve some extreme measure. Sometimes, all it takes is a few words to take a person’s life.”

Cecilia’s blue eyes wavered slightly. “Why would I harm your father for no reason?”

“Because of me.”

“Then I should have harmed you directly.”

Cecilia suddenly turned, facing the sea with her hands on the railing. “You know, Yun Ran,” she said in a condescending tone, “now I think you’re truly pathetic.”

Yun Ran moved closer to Cecilia, unconsciously clenching her fists. “Explain yourself.”

Cecilia feigned innocence. “I’m British, and I’m still not very proficient in Chinese. You’ll have to bear with me.”

Yun Ran suddenly couldn’t bear it anymore. All her previous patience had built up into a great anger. She shoved Cecilia, pressing her firmly against the railing. “What exactly did you do to cause my father’s death?”

“He died from an illness!” Cecilia was in pain from being pushed so suddenly, her waist hitting the railing hard, and she instantly got angry. “Jiang Musheng must have already explained it to you. Don’t you believe me and Jiang Musheng?”

Yun Ran didn’t speak. She silently looked at the sea below the cruise ship, then released Cecilia. Cecilia straightened up and patted her black evening dress. “I won’t hold this against you this time, because I think you’re a pathetic person—a pathetic person who doesn’t know the truth and can therefore shamelessly cling to Jiang Musheng.”

“What truth?” Yun Ran ignored the hurtful words and keenly focused on the key point.

Cecilia said, “You’ll be even more pathetic when you know the truth. Are you sure you want me to tell you?”

Yun Ran was pushed to her limit. “If you don’t tell me, it won’t just be a matter of being pressed against the railing.”

Cecilia said, “There’s no need to threaten me like that. Are you really going to push me in?”

Yun Ran gave a sinister smile. “You can try me.” She could endure a lot, but that didn’t mean she had no bottom line. When her bottom line was being trampled on by someone she hated, even the weakest person would fight with their life on the line.

“Alright, since you want to know so badly, I’ll tell you against my better judgment,” Cecilia said.

Yun Ran stared at her with resentment.

Cecilia slowly began. “This story has a lot of history. Do you know why your father was personally sent to prison by Jiang Musheng?”

“Because my father didn’t do something right and offended him.”

Cecilia frowned. “I thought you were so smart. You believe that?”

Yun Ran gritted her teeth. “Get to the point.”

“The point is, your father, not knowing what was good for him, helped an outsider kidnap Xueyu. At the time, it was a big scandal that shook all of Hong Kong. Jiang Musheng only throwing your father in prison was a great mercy.”

Yun Ran’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re lying!”

“What benefit would I get from lying?” Cecilia said. “Jiang Musheng must be so good to you. He didn’t even tell you the truth, let you throw a fit, and then he humbled himself to coax you back after you ran away. He truly doesn’t want you to suffer even the slightest bit of hurt or feel any guilt. What have you brought Jiang Musheng?”

Yun Ran said, “I…”

“What ‘I’? If I were you, I wouldn’t have the face to stay by Jiang Musheng’s side. I don’t know how Xueyu can even tolerate you!” Cecilia continued to twist the knife in Yun Ran’s heart.

Though Yun Ran felt terrible inside, she didn’t want to show weakness in front of Cecilia. No matter what, she had officially declared war on Cecilia today. She said, “I would never do that. Since Jiang Musheng chose to keep me, he naturally has his reasons. He can’t leave me, and I don’t want to leave him.”

“You… you!!!” Cecilia was instantly lit up like a firecracker. “How can you be so shameless?”

Yun Ran smiled. “I can be.” After saying this, for some reason, Yun Ran felt a sense of pride. She turned around triumphantly, preparing to go back to the first deck. “Cecilia, Jiang Musheng is waiting for me. I’ll be leaving now.”

Cecilia would never tolerate things not going according to her plan. In her original plan, Yun Ran would be full of remorse and self-blame after learning the truth. She would cry in front of her and confess that she would never appear in front of Jiang Musheng again because she didn’t have the face to see him. But the reality was the complete opposite! Yun Ran not only didn’t show any vulnerability in front of her, but she even showed off and acted so arrogantly. How could she stand it? Since she was a child, no one had ever dared to behave like this in front of her!

Cecilia was enraged. She hadn’t wanted to harm Yun Ran, but now she was out of options. She might as well take care of Yun Ran right here. As long as she insisted that she didn’t know where Yun Ran went and hadn’t seen her, no one could do anything to her. Under her father’s protection, the governor’s daughter had always acted on impulse and didn’t need to consider the pros and cons carefully. She thought it, and she did it.

She used all her strength to yank Yun Ran, who was about to leave, backward. Yun Ran was completely unprepared, and her back slammed against the railing with a jolt of pain. Seeing her pained expression, Cecilia smiled. “Does that hurt?”

Then, without waiting for Yun Ran to react, she bent down, intending to grab Yun Ran’s legs and flip her backward over the railing into the sea. After the pain in her back, Yun Ran felt the world spinning. As she was tossed over the railing and fell into the sea, her only thought was to grab the person who had harmed her. She grabbed her.

Splash!

A huge splash erupted on the surface of the sea. The music on the cruise ship was playing, so the sound of the water was not very loud. But Jiang Musheng still noticed. After Ah Ran had left to go to the restroom, she had been paying extra attention to all the movements on the cruise ship. She stood up and said to the people around her who hadn’t noticed, “There’s a noise outside. It sounds like something fell into the water.”

“The waves might be a little rough today,” the governor said, not paying it any mind.

Jiang Musheng said, “Ah Ran and Cecilia are both gone.”

Only then did the governor take it seriously and sent people to look for them. Jiang Musheng, on the other hand, went straight to the edge of the ship, took off his suit, kicked off his shoes, and prepared to jump over the railing into the sea.

Zheng Hangyi ran over and pulled him back in a panic. “Calm down, Jiang Musheng! Miss Yun might not have fallen. You don’t know how to swim. Wait for a professional sailor to rescue them.”

Jiang Musheng didn’t listen. He just shook off Zheng Hangyi’s hand, flipped over the railing with one hand, and plunged headfirst into the deep blue sea.

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