Chapter Twenty-Seven: Don’t Starve to Death

Xu Zhixia stretched her arm out from under the quilt, snatched the coffee cup directly, and took a sip.

From the way her features instantly scrunched up, I could tell she had truly never tasted fast-food coffee before.

"What is this? Is this even coffee? You didn't put something in it, did you?"

Xu Zhixia placed the cup on the nightstand. She wanted to spit it out, but there was no trash can nearby, and she clearly felt it would be unrefined to do so, so she ended up swallowing it.

"You should be grateful you have anything to drink at all. If you think it’s disgusting, I’ll go pour it out for you."

Xu Zhixia hesitated for a long time, unable to bring herself to take another sip, and watched as I picked up the cup and headed toward the bathroom.

*Sigh.* A waste of my nine yuan and ninety cents. I should have just gone to the supermarket and bought a couple of packets of Nescafé; it would have been the same.

After dumping the coffee, I prepared to go downstairs to my room, but just as I reached the door, Xu Zhixia called out.

"Stop right there. I didn't tell you that you could leave."

"What else is it? Say it all at once."

Seeing my impatience, Xu Zhixia grew angry. "Jiang Jian, what kind of attitude is that? I’m hungry."

I couldn't help but laugh, looking at her with a mix of surprise and novelty.

"The sun must be rising in the west today. I thought you only drank black coffee in the mornings. How did you suddenly decide you wanted to eat?"

Xu Zhixia turned her face away. "I haven't eaten since last night. Isn't it normal to be hungry by now? Why are you talking so much nonsense?"

"Heh. Xiyuan is a small place. I’m sorry it’s beneath you, Miss Xu, that you’d rather starve than eat 'commoner' food."

"It’s fine. We’ll be driving back soon, and it’s another eight or nine hours to Tianhai. You can just wait until you get back to eat."

Provoked by my sarcasm, Xu Zhixia yelled at me, "Eight or nine hours? Jiang Jian, are you trying to starve me to death?!"

"Doesn't the hotel have a kitchen? I want your seafood porridge."

"I can't make it."

The seafood porridge I made for Xu Zhixia required ingredients that had to be pre-ordered, and I’d have to get up at four or five in the morning to inspect the stock at the market. After buying it, I had to clean and prepare everything meticulously, then simmer it over a low flame for hours. Did she think I could conjure it out of thin air whenever she felt like having some?

What nonsense. Yesterday she was threatening to dig up my father’s grave, and today she expects me to wait on her hand and foot? Why doesn't she just fly to the moon?

Ignoring her, I walked straight out of the room. Just as I was about to close the door, her voice rang out behind me again.

"That Xunxing project—Jian Xia hasn't closed the deal yet, has she?"

Hearing her mention Jian Xia, my hand tightened on the doorknob. I didn't turn around.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Xunxing originally wanted to partner with the Xu Group. I only let it slip to Jian Xia because I felt sorry for you. Who knew you two would be so incompetent? You haven't landed it in two months."

"If I were to extend an olive branch to Xunxing right now, do you think Jian Xia would stand a chance?"

She was actually threatening me with the Xunxing project just to get a bowl of seafood porridge!

Jian Xia was already struggling to keep her business afloat under Xu Zhixia's suppression. The Xunxing project offered a lucrative payout but came with incredibly strict requirements. The team had spent two months grinding away at it and had finally reached the final stage—they were one step away from success.

I couldn't let Xu Zhixia sabotage it now. All the team's hard work would be for nothing!

It was just like her—using every possible means to torment and threaten me.

"I can't find ingredients of that quality here in Xiyuan, and there's no time. If you really want it, I’ll make it for you when we get back to Tianhai."

"The Xunxing project—you are not to interfere."

A triumphant, arrogant smile spread across Xu Zhixia’s face; she knew she had me cornered. "Don't worry. As long as you behave, I naturally won't make things difficult for Jian Xia."

I shut the door and handed the room card to Xiao Zhu with a grim expression. Xiao Zhu looked at my angry face, opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it and stayed silent.

Back in my room, I punched the wall in frustration, the unhealed burn on my hand throbbing with sharp pain. I had been worried my mother would see the bandages and fret, but there had been so much going on that she hadn't even noticed.

The bandages had been soaked through by the rain yesterday. While Xu Zhixia was getting her foot looked at, I had a nurse at the emergency room re-dress the wound; it was certainly better than what Ji Leqing had done.

I sat on the edge of the bed in despair, wondering what awaited me back in Tianhai. I checked my phone and called my mother, but it was still unreachable. I shouldn't have left—at least not until I had confirmed the situation in Changshui Village. But if I backed out now, I didn't know what other extreme things Xu Zhixia might do.

When Xu Zhixia was ready, Xiao Zhu pushed her to the parking lot. I was leaning against the car smoking, a few cigarette butts scattered at my feet. I finished the last drag and exhaled the smoke just as she approached.

"Tsk."

I didn't care about the look of disgust on her face. I ground the butt into the ground, got into the car, and buckled my seatbelt. Xu Zhixia got into the back seat, and after Xiao Zhu folded the wheelchair and put it in the trunk, he climbed into the passenger seat.

"Brother Jiang, let’s go."

After refueling, we hit the highway. When we came, I was relaxed and expectant; now, I was irritable and melancholy. The atmosphere in the car dropped to freezing. No one said a word.

Xiao Zhu slumped over in his seat and drifted off to sleep. I glanced at Xu Zhixia in the rearview mirror. She was probably uncomfortable, her brows tightly knitted. When she caught my eye, she turned her head to look at the scenery outside.

I ignored her and drove for over three hours straight before stopping at a rest area to take a break.

I checked my phone and saw a WeChat message from Lin Hangfan asking where I was. I sent him a voice note: "Still six or seven hours to go. Probably won't make it before dark."

He called me immediately.

"You really brought Xu Zhixia back?"

"I’m just dumping her back and that’s it. I saw on the news that the mountains back home are locked down; only fire and rescue teams are allowed up there."

"I don't have anywhere else to go in Xiyuan, so I’m going back to Tianhai to see the situation. You should prepare to ask for leave from work and come back with me."

"Sure. Let me know when you arrive."

After using the restroom and grabbing a quick bite, I saw chocolate on the shelf at the supermarket and bought a box on a whim. Back in the car, I tossed the chocolate and bottled water into the back seat.

"Don't starve yourself to death. If anything happens to you, the Xu Group will crush me."

"Hmph. Who wants your fake kindness?"

Despite her words, she tore open the foil wrapper and popped a piece into her mouth.

"Disgusting."

"It's a ten-yuan snack, what kind of taste are you expecting? Don't be so pretentious."

"Jiang Jian, are you looking to die?!"

"If you want to be dumped here, keep yelling."

Xu Zhixia shut her mouth.

An hour later, the car's screen synced to an incoming call. I saw it was Zhao Xinze. I freed a hand to hang up, thinking I’d call him back at the next rest stop. The phone rang two more times before falling silent.

"Why didn't you answer the phone? It’s so annoying." Xu Zhixia complained suddenly.

I clicked my tongue against my teeth, speechless. I really wanted to curse her out.

"Did they not teach you during your driver's permit test that you shouldn't use your phone while driving? Did you buy your license?"