Volume One, Chapter Eleven: Waiting Until the Day Love Fades

The word "shocked" was far too mild to describe Bai Ruoyun's current feelings.

Her pupils trembled slightly as she looked at Bai Ruoxi across from her, as if, in a daze, she saw someone else entirely in him.

“Using self-punishment to test a man—have you lost your mind?” Bai Ruoyun couldn’t help but speak her mind.

She took a deep breath, forcing her emotions to calm, and tentatively said, “Ruoxi, have you noticed… you’re becoming more and more like Mrs. Du?”

“Mrs. Du” was Bai Ruoxi’s adoptive mother and Bai Ruoyun’s biological mother—Du Xiaoling.

Speaking of which, the relationship between Bai Jianming and Du Xiaoling was bizarre in itself.

Bai Jianming had four or five women on the side and rarely came home. Whenever he was gone for more than three days, Du Xiaoling would resort to harming herself or the children to coerce him back.

Before Bai Ruoyun was brought back to the Bai family, Bai Ruoxi was a pawn in the political marriage alliance between the Bai and Jiang families.

To keep the pawn safe, although Bai Jianming was annoyed by Du Xiaoling’s tactics, he would obediently return from his mistresses to soothe her mood.

After all, the child still needed Du Xiaoling’s care; they couldn’t afford any mishaps before the alliance between the Jiang and Bai families was sealed.

Every time Bai Jianming relented, Du Xiaoling would carefully hold the young Bai Ruoxi or the adolescent Bai Ruoyun, gently patting their backs and softly murmuring,

“See? Your father still loves us.”

The same woman who just moments ago shoved a child into an ice-filled bathtub or pushed them down the stairs would turn into a gentle and kind mother the next second…

Bai Ruoyun had only endured such a life for two years.

It was like living in a horror movie, constantly fearing that Mrs. Du would suddenly lose her mind.

Yet Bai Ruoxi had lived in that environment for ten years…

Memories resurfaced once more.

Bai Ruoyun gasped inwardly, vaguely sensing that Bai Ruoxi’s current state was likely influenced by Du Xiaoling, albeit without Du’s pathological extremes.

She looked at Bai Ruoxi with a somewhat anxious gaze.

She hoped Bai Ruoxi would deny this accusation.

After a moment, Bai Ruoxi slowly lifted her head, her eyes hollow as she stared at her counterpart, and softly said, “But Mrs. Du’s methods always worked…”

Bai Ruoyun’s eyes widened; she almost held her breath, inexplicably feeling pained inside.

Unlike the cliché plot of true and false heiresses in novels,

The real heiress Bai Ruoyun felt guilty toward Bai Ruoxi, the “false sister.”

The ten years Bai Ruoxi spent in the Bai family paled in comparison to the ten happy years Bai Ruoyun experienced being fostered elsewhere.

Though poor and deceased early, Bai Ruoyun’s foster father had given her all his love.

In his home, she had always been a happily poor child.

To save enough money for her education, her foster father even gave up treatment, leaving all funds to Bai Ruoyun.

Meanwhile, Bai Ruoxi had a father who never came home at night and a mentally unstable mother.

She learned things no child should, was often injured or fell ill at her foster mother’s hands, became a tool to coerce her foster father’s return, and a vent for grievances.

The longer Bai Ruoyun stayed in the Bai family, the more she realized that it was Bai Ruoxi who had suffered for ten years on her behalf, not the other way around.

Seeing Bai Ruoxi’s pained face, as fragile as if she might shatter at any moment, Bai Ruoyun found herself unable to utter words of harsh reprimand.

Leaning forward slightly, she asked cautiously, “Does it have to be this way?”

In truth, it didn’t have to be…

Bai Ruoxi lowered her eyelids, staring at her swollen wrist, and whispered, “When the day comes that I no longer love Jiang Jinglan, neither he nor the Jiang family will mean anything to me…”

All her weakness and tolerance were premised on her still loving Jiang Jinglan, wanting to become the Jiang family’s daughter-in-law who would please the elders.

When that love faded, she would no longer covet the title of Mrs. Jiang, nor the man himself.

Joe Ruoxi, heir to the Qiao family, had the right to be uncompromising with anyone.

“Damn…”

Bai Ruoyun couldn’t help but curse aloud.

She slumped against the chair, finally saying, “Bai Ruoxi, you’ve suffered ten years in the Bai family already. How many years more do you have to endure in the Jiang family before it’s enough?”

Estimating that Lu Ming would be back soon, Bai Ruoyun grabbed her bag and stood, saying, “I’m leaving first. Think carefully about whether Jiang Jinglan is truly worth all this.”

Bai Ruoyun was angry at Bai Ruoxi’s regressions and infatuation.

Yet unable to speak harshly to this madwoman who had suffered ten years for her and even helped her escape an unwanted marriage, she could only leave Jin Zhi in a huff.

“Clack, clack, clack…”

The sound of high heels faded until it vanished completely.

Watching Bai Ruoyun’s departing figure, Bai Ruoxi murmured, “Now even you’re disappointed in me… but what else can I do?”

If only one could control their own emotions.

But she was too greedy. Though she already had loving grandparents and the endless wealth of the Qiao family, she still craved an affection and happiness that were never hers to begin with, making everyone who loved her disappointed.

The revolving door opened again as Lu Ming entered, followed by a doctor.

Knowing Bai Ruoxi was upset from her injuries, Lu Ming silently observed as the doctor examined and carefully treated her wounds.

Bai Ruoxi had several injuries—not fatal, but enough to cause her considerable suffering.

After the doctor left, Bai Ruoxi finally asked, “What happened to those hooligans?”

“Don’t worry, I gave the word. It won’t disturb the Jiang family.”

Having been by Bai Ruoxi’s side for three years, Lu Ming naturally understood her mindset.

Despite all the hardships she suffered in the Jiang family, she did whatever she could to protect their interests.

Even the Jiade Plaza construction project was entrusted to the Jiang Corporation.

If Bai Ruoxi guarded the Jiang family so fiercely, she certainly wouldn’t let Chen Chunrong’s arrest damage their reputation.

Lu Ming often felt conflicted and anxious over Bai Ruoxi’s infatuation.

But as an employee of the Qiao family and a loyal underling to Chairman Qiao, as long as Bai Ruoxi’s missteps weren’t too far off, he had no choice but to follow her down the wrong path.

Such was the basic virtue of a mid-level loyal servant…

“Hmm…”

Bai Ruoxi nodded. “Thank you, Brother Lu Ming.”

“But… just let Chen Chunrong off like this?”

Lu Ming’s eyes gleamed with faint hope until Bai Ruoxi said, “Let’s leave it as it is this time.”

The light in his eyes vanished completely as he sighed inwardly: the young boss was truly hopeless.

Bai Ruoxi stared at the broken phone on the table and exhaled a long, heavy breath.

“Brother Lu Ming, get me some alcohol. I want to drink…”