"If you really think Chen Zihao is so great, then let's call off our marriage registration. I'll step aside and let you two be together. Let's break up."
As he spoke these words, Xiao Qiang felt a tearing, agonizing pain in his chest. He loved Qin Zhaoyue to the very core of his being; he would have done anything for her, but he simply could not bear her being so intimate, ambiguous, and devoid of boundaries with another man.
After much careful deliberation, Xiao Qiang had finally decided to lay his true feelings out to Qin Zhaoyue. He was still young, and it was not too late to start over. Besides, he had no desire to be constantly labeled as a man living off a woman.
He believed that with the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees he had earned from Haizhou Medical College over four years of university, he could carve out a very successful path for himself anywhere.
Qin Zhaoyue looked at Xiao Qiang in utter disbelief. "Honey, are you seriously breaking up with me over such a trivial matter?
You're being way too narrow-minded.
How many times do I have to tell you that Zihao and I mean nothing to each other? Why do you keep dwelling on this?"
Xiao Qiang's expression remained calm. "Then just consider me narrow-minded!"
"You... No, I won't agree!" Qin Zhaoyue loved Xiao Qiang just as deeply. It had been love at first sight for them; she was the one who had taken the initiative to confess her feelings to him, and just two months into their relationship, she had given herself to Xiao Qiang without reservation.
She had left herself no retreat, because she was convinced that Xiao Qiang was the man to whom she would entrust her entire life.
Yet now, this very man was taking the initiative to break up with her, throwing her into a panic.
"Honey, I promise you, I'll slowly distance myself from Zihao. But you were too impatient, and you ended up hitting Zihao.
How about this: once he recovers from this, I will immediately distance myself from him and even cut off all ties with him, okay? We can't break up. I can't live without you, honey."
By the end, a trace of a sob crept into Qin Zhaoyue's voice as she threw her arms tightly around Xiao Qiang, as if afraid he would slip away the next second!
Seeing Qin Zhaoyue cry like this, Xiao Qiang felt a sharp pang of distress in his heart. His resolve melted instantly, and he reached out to wrap his arms around her back!
"Alright, stop crying!
As long as you cut off this current relationship with Chen Zihao, things can go back to the way they used to be!"
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm..." Qin Zhaoyue nodded through her sobs!
"Honey, make love to me..." Qin Zhaoyue felt a sudden lack of security, as if only by physically feeling Xiao Qiang's presence could she soothe her soul!
Before long, alluring, tender cries echoed through the bedroom!
Meanwhile, in the next room, Chen Zihao, who was already feeling restless and agitated, suddenly heard the faint, lingering sounds of moaning. He immediately opened his door, tiptoed over to the door of Qin Zhaoyue's bedroom, and began to eavesdrop with bated breath!
"Bitch, you're bullying my sister again! Xiao Qiang, you deserve to die, you deserve to die..."
Chen Zihao's eyes turned bloodshot, as if he had gone mad with obsession. Then, abruptly sinking into a sort of trance as he listened to those low, suppressed yet captivating sounds, he actually began to pleasure himself!
The next day!
Xiao Qiang prepared three portions of breakfast. Since Qin Zhaoyue had promised to cut ties with Chen Zihao right away, it would seem far too petty of him to keep acting the way he had before.
Yet watching Xiao Qiang and Qin Zhaoyue acting all lovey-dovey at the breakfast table made Chen Zihao feel as sick as if he had swallowed shit!
"Sis, since today happens to be the weekend, why don't we all go out for a walk? The doctor said I need more sunlight to recover as soon as possible!"
Qin Zhaoyue instinctively started to say yes, but remembering her man's heavy jealousy, she thought it best to consult Xiao Qiang first.
She turned to look at Xiao Qiang. "Honey, the weather's surprisingly not too hot today. Let's go for a stroll in the park; we haven't been out for a walk in ages. What do you think?"
Truth be told, Qin Zhaoyue had finally used her brain for once. Whenever anything was linked to Chen Zihao, Xiao Qiang would always show displeasure! But if she herself wanted to go, her husband would certainly agree!
"Alright, let's go for a walk then!"
Seeing this, Chen Zihao gritted his teeth with hatred, though inwardly he sneered. "Xiao Qiang, today is your death day. After you die, I'm going to make Qin Zhaoyue writhe in ecstasy beneath me... I'll make sure you die with your eyes wide open!
When that time comes, I'll burn a few green hats down to your grave!
Ha-ha!"
At eight in the morning, the trio of Xiao Qiang, Qin Zhaoyue, and Chen Zihao had already arrived at Renmin Park!
The summer park was full of blooming flowers, lush green trees, and pleasant scenery! People working out and exercising could be seen everywhere!
Renmin Park covered a vast area, with the sprawling Qipan Mountain right in the middle, and many people were walking along its winding mountain paths!
That was precisely where Xiao Qiang and the others were!
"Honey, I never imagined there would be such a scenic Qipan Mountain right inside Renmin Park!"
"You used to work far too hard, caring about nothing but your job instead of enjoying life. Naturally, you never had the chance to discover the beauty of the outside world."
Sensing that Xiao Qiang was complaining about her obsession with work, Qin Zhaoyue smiled and replied, "Well, then I promise you I'll definitely rest on the weekends from now on, and we can enjoy the beauty of this world together. How's that?"
Xiao Qiang smiled without a word. A workaholic taking both days of the weekend off? He found that hard to believe.
At that moment, Chen Zihao, walking a few steps behind, suddenly let out a cry, "Ouch, it hurts so much!..."
Seeing Chen Zihao's agonized expression, Qin Zhaoyue forgot everything else and rushed to his side, asking with anxious concern, "Zihao, what's wrong?"
"My rib must be broken. I didn't notice it yesterday, but just now when I took a deep breath, I felt a sharp, unbearable pain in my rib!"
"Ah? What should we do?"
Standing a distance away, Xiao Qiang watched Chen Zihao's performance with a cold gaze, not bothering to intervene. He didn't believe a word of it; he was fine yesterday, but a deep breath today broke a rib?
Just then, a man wearing a sun hat and a face mask suddenly emerged from not far behind Chen Zihao, rushed toward Qin Zhaoyue in a single bound, and snatched her bag!
"Hand that over!" Seeing Qin Zhaoyue holding onto the bag for dear life, the man raised his foot to kick her away. At that instant, Chen Zihao let out a roar, "Bastard, how dare you bully my sister! I'll fight you to the death!"
With that, he actually charged at the robber!
Yet right then, the robber whipped out a spring-loaded dagger and lunged straight into Chen Zihao's abdomen, before kicking him sprawling with a single kick!
"Aah..." Chen Zihao cried out in agony once more!
Seeing Chen Zihao's abdomen completely stained red with blood, Qin Zhaoyue turned pale with fright! She immediately pulled her phone out of her pocket to dial emergency services!
Once the robber successfully grabbed the bag, he vaulted over the railing into a ravine outside to make his escape. Xiao Qiang wasn't about to let him get away; he vaulted over the barrier into the ravine as well and gave chase at full speed!
Twenty meters later, Xiao Qiang used his speed advantage to cut the robber off.
The man looked at Xiao Qiang with a ferocious grin. "Another one here to throw his life away! Then I'll send you on your way!"
He raised the spring-loaded dagger and lunged at Xiao Qiang! Xiao Qiang had assumed the culprit was just an ordinary mugger, but after crossing blows with him, he realized he was mistaken—the man was actually trained in martial arts!
Yet Xiao Qiang did not flinch; he grabbed a wooden stick from the ground and struck back at his assailant!
Back on the path, Qin Zhaoyue was crying tears of anxiety!
Holding Chen Zihao in her arms, the young man looked weak and listless. "Sis, am I going to die? I don't want to die..."
"No, you won't, Zihao! You're not going to die! Hold on! The ambulance is almost here..."
"Sister, hold me tight, I'm so cold..."
At those words, Qin Zhaoyue pulled Chen Zihao's head straight against her chest!
Just then, the siren of an ambulance wailed, pulling up promptly to the spot. Several medical staff members hurried over with a stretcher and began administering basic first aid to Chen Zihao!
Only then did Qin Zhaoyue remember Xiao Qiang. She saw him standing pale-faced on the slope ten meters away, holding the very bag that had been snatched from her!
"Ma'am, we need to take the injured person to the hospital for further treatment now! By the way, are there any other injured people?" asked one of the paramedics.
"Zihao, you go to the hospital first. I'll go check on your brother-in-law, and I'll be right behind you!"
"Sister, I'm scared, I'm so scared... If I die, I'll never get to see you again. Can you... come with me to the hospital first?"
Caught in an agonizing dilemma, Qin Zhaoyue turned back to look at Xiao Qiang. "Honey, are you alright..."
Xiao Qiang wanted to speak, but not a single word would come out, because the attacker's knife had pierced straight into his lung. He was suffering from severe internal bleeding now, and his mouth was full of blood!
He had walked back purely on sheer willpower!
The moment he opened his mouth now, every ounce of his remaining energy would drain away, and he would likely collapse into unconsciousness instantly!
Seeing Xiao Qiang remain silent, Qin Zhaoyue assumed he was sulking again because of her intimacy with Zihao, and was refusing to talk to her.
Believing Xiao Qiang was "fine," Qin Zhaoyue turned her head back around.
"Doctor, let's go. He's the only injured person!"
At that moment, an elderly man among the onlookers pointed at Xiao Qiang and said, "Young lady, that young man doesn't look so good! You'd better take him to the hospital together!"
"He's fine, he's just throwing a temper tantrum at me!
Doctor, let's hurry, my younger brother's abdomen was stabbed and he's losing too much blood!"
Before long, accompanied by Qin Zhaoyue, Chen Zihao boarded the ambulance and sped off toward the hospital!
Watching the scene unfold before him, a mouthful of fresh blood suddenly surged from Xiao Qiang's lips, and before his eyes went pitch black, he collapsed straight down into the ravine!