The Golden Cane and the Wild Rose - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The police arrived right behind Jiang Musheng, as he and Zheng Hangyi had come straight from the police station.

When the station received the emergency call, Jiang Musheng had just finished interrogating the brazen, foolhardy high school boy. Stepping out of the interrogation room, Jiang Musheng heard Zheng Hangyi mention that the equally brazen, but more sensible, Yun Ran had gone to the hospital to see the college student, Gu Hongfei, who was beaten to a pulp on the ground last night.

“Apparently, he’s a student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Little sister Jiang Xueyu seems to be starting there next semester as well.”

Zheng Hangyi kept muttering, ” Yun Ran’s taste is still much better than little sister Jiang Xueyu’s.”

Ignoring Zheng Hangyi’s rambling, Jiang Musheng asked, “Is Jiang Xueyu home alone right now?”

“Yep, Yun Ran went to see her upperclassman, Gu.” Zheng Hangyi reminded him repeatedly.

Jiang Musheng remained unmoved, bent down, got into the car, and instructed the driver, “Home.”

Zheng Hangyi didn’t get in. He stood outside the car, his hand on the door. “Doesn’t little sister Xueyu have Alan with her? What’s the rush to get back?”

“If not home, then where?” Jiang Musheng retorted indifferently, not even turning his head.

“To the hospital, of course. Your woman is going to see her man…” Zheng Hangyi fell silent under Jiang Musheng’s indifferent gaze, then continued once he was in the car, “My mistake. I should say your woman is going to see the upperclassman who gave his all to protect her. Aren’t you curious if there’s something going on between them?”

Jiang Musheng instructed the driver, “Drive.”

“Not curious at all?” Zheng Hangyi pressed.

Jiang Musheng didn’t respond.

The driver said with some difficulty, ” Zheng Hangyi, please close the car door first.”

Zheng Hangyi didn’t move.

“What do you want to say?” Jiang Musheng turned his head and asked Zheng Hangyi.

Zheng Hangyi dropped his joking demeanor. “That Yun Ran’s upperclassman, Gu, looks a bit like that toad who tricked little sister Jiang Xueyu.”

“To the hospital.” Jiang Musheng changed his mind.

Zheng Hangyi closed the car door.

The car started.

Jiang Musheng hadn’t originally intended to care about whom Yun Ran was seeing, but now he had a reason he couldn’t ignore.

On the way, Zheng Hangyi reminded him, “Musheng, they just look a bit alike. Don’t take out your anger on the wrong person.”

Perhaps his reminder had an effect, as Jiang Musheng didn’t get angry.

Except for his “A’ran” when he arrived, which startled him. He had called her Ms. Yun before, hadn’t he? He must not have been able to stand the sight of Yun Ran—who was now associated with him—touching someone who looked a bit like that toad.

Yun Ran was also startled by Jiang Musheng’s call. Especially in that situation, where she was about to hold another man’s hand. Even though she wasn’t truly Jiang Musheng’s woman, she was in name, and the news had surely spread. What she was doing looked like she was trying to put horns on Jiang Musheng’s head. It was only natural for Jiang Musheng to be unable to tolerate it and speak out to stop her.

Yun Ran hid the hand that had almost touched her upperclassman behind her back, her heart pounding as she waited for Jiang Musheng’s reaction. Jiang Musheng didn’t speak. His gaze passed over her, seemingly looking at the upperclassman. Yun Ran was worried, but being so overwhelmed herself, she didn’t dare to speak. Gu Hongfei was still being held back by the two bodyguards. His parents, unable to make sense of the situation, were too terrified to speak.

Zheng Hangyi broke the tense atmosphere.

“So it’s Yun Ran. Just from the back, I thought you were little sister Jiang Xueyu.”

“Jiang Xueyu  lent me her clothes.” Yun Ran explained, cautiously glancing at Jiang Musheng’s expression as she spoke.

“It suits you very well. Little sister Jiang Xueyu is a bit too thin,” Zheng Hangyi commented with a smile.

At his words, everyone in the room’s gaze focused on Yun Ran. A well-fitting dress always highlights a person’s figure exceptionally well. Yun Ran felt extremely uncomfortable. Since she had started puberty, she always chose clothes one size larger, even her school uniform. This situation reminded Yun Ran of the dangers she had faced in the past when she was the object of overly eager attention.

Suddenly, her shoulders felt heavy. A large suit jacket with a warm body temperature wrapped around her. Yun Ran turned her head and saw that Jiang Musheng had silently draped his gray suit jacket over her. He was still wearing his shirt and vest tightly underneath. While Yun Ran was stunned, everyone else quickly averted their gazes. Only Gu Hongfei was still staring blankly in their direction, his eyes red.

“Officers, you can come in now,” Zheng Hangyi’s voice rang out cheerfully.

The two police officers who had been standing outside the door walked in and first bowed to Jiang Musheng and Zheng Hangyi. Only then did they ask, “Who called the police?”

Gu Hongfei’s parents were dumbfounded by what they saw. It seemed they had offended someone they shouldn’t have, and their hearts immediately began to pound with anxiety. In the end, they could only answer with little confidence, “…It was us.”

Through their questions, the police quickly sorted out the whole story. They concluded that Gu Hongfei’s parents, upon learning of their son’s injury, had become overly emotional and mistakenly thought the people who saved their son were his enemies.

Gu’s father and mother kept apologizing, “We’re so sorry, so very sorry…” At the same time, they added their thanks, “Thank you, thank you…” “Sorry” and “thank you” swirled around the room like two witches’ spells. They didn’t dare to stop until they were forgiven. Seeing that these were people the police themselves showed deference to, they knew they couldn’t afford to offend them and could only atone in such a humble way.

They begged for a while to no avail. Gu’s father suddenly knelt down with a thud, and his mother followed suit. Yun Ran felt her heart give a heavy lurch. Gu Hongfei was even more agitated. “Dad! Mom! Please get up now!”

“Mr. Jiang, what do you think…?” The two police officers cautiously asked Jiang Musheng for his instructions.

Yun Ran was anxious but didn’t dare to speak, afraid she would only add fuel to the fire. She didn’t think she had any influence with Jiang Musheng. But someone else didn’t think that way. Zheng Hangyi lightly patted Yun Ran’s shoulder through Jiang Musheng’s gray suit jacket. “Ms. Yun, try it.”

Try what? Try to convince Jiang Musheng to let his family go? This was a last resort. But remembering how far her upperclassman had gone to save her last night, she could only brace herself and give it a try.

“Mr. Jiang,” Yun Ran said softly, not knowing what to say next. She had no idea what she was doing.

Jiang Musheng lowered his eyes to look at her, then said to the two police officers, “Reconciliation.”

“That’s it… he agreed to reconcile?” Because of her single “Mr. Jiang”? Yun Ran was so shocked she couldn’t speak.

“Let’s go home.” Jiang Musheng crooked his elbow.

Yun Ran was a beat slow, but she linked her arm through Jiang Musheng’s and walked out of the room with him. Zheng Hangyi whistled cheerfully, seemingly pleased that his judgment was correct.

“A’ran!” Gu Hongfei yelled.

Yun Ran’s steps faltered for a moment, but she didn’t dare to linger. She quickly followed Jiang Musheng’s lead and continued forward.

“Ah Ran!”

“Ah Ran!”

Leaving the room, leaving the hospital, she could finally no longer hear her upperclassman’s voice. Her head ached. She didn’t want to think anymore and allowed herself to follow Jiang Musheng like a puppet on a string.

Just as they walked out the hospital doors, they heard the sound of a camera shutter.

“Click—”

A photo was taken of Yun Ran with her arm linked through Jiang Musheng’s just like that. After taking the picture, the person took off running.

“Mr. Jiang, should we go after that person and destroy the photo?” A subordinate immediately asked for instructions.

“No need.”

Yun Ran was baffled. She didn’t know what Jiang Musheng was thinking and was filled with dread. Surely Jiang Musheng hadn’t actually fallen for her?

Just as this sudden thought made her afraid, a hand suddenly gripped her lower back. With a tightening force, she was pushed toward Jiang Musheng. She was forced to stand on her tiptoes slightly. Jiang Musheng’s pale, handsome face, like that of a noble vampire, magnified in front of her. His lips, as cold as his fingers, brushed against the side of her ear.

The person who had taken the picture earlier had already run far away. Realizing no one was chasing him, he stopped, turned back, saw this scene, and quickly raised his camera again, taking several more pictures in rapid succession. He kept shooting until his film ran out, then, filled with excitement, he hurried off, afraid his precious photos would be stolen.

To outsiders, Yun Ran and Jiang Musheng looked like a couple passionately embracing. Only Yun Ran herself knew that Jiang Musheng was merely kissing the vein on the left side of her face, connected to her ear, that was throbbing wildly with fear.

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