Qiao Jinrun lifted the corners of his lips slightly. "Although I'm not sure about the details, I can tell that you've been through a lot of bad things recently."
Jiang Li kept silent.
"The day you rushed into my consulting room, there was no light in your eyes."
As Qiao Jinrun recalled, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "You seemed listless, as if you had lost hope in life."
"I'm quite familiar with this lost look because I've been there myself." Qiao Jinrun casually showed his wrist. With the light from downstairs, a thin scar was faintly visible.
He had attempted suicide by slitting his wrist.
"Whether as a doctor or a friend, I don't want you to follow in my footsteps."
Jiang Li suddenly understood.
Because they were so alike, Qiao Jinrun wanted to give her a hand.
"Ruru only lived for 18 years, or to be more precise, only 11 years."
He continued, "But you still have many decades ahead of you, with countless possibilities and a future. You shouldn't give up hope because of temporary setbacks and injuries."
Under Qiao Jinrun's gaze, Jiang Li pursed her lips and gently clenched her fists.
This was the first time someone had easily seen through her disguise.
"I know that 'living for yourself' sounds high - minded, and you may not be able to convince yourself with this reason."
"Since you can't live for yourself, then live for those who love you. Don't make them sad and heart - broken."
Qiao Jinrun pursed his lips, looked down at her for a few seconds, and then said with a gentle smile, "Just as our whole family hoped that Ruru could live, there must be people who love you and hope that you can live well."
"At least, I hope you live." Qiao Jinrun enunciated clearly, "Not just as a doctor. Do you understand?"
In Jiang Li's impression, Qiao Jinrun rarely spoke so meticulously. He usually kept his words as brief and concise as possible.
This was the first time she had seen Dr. Qiao so gentle and considerate.
Jiang Li's eyelashes trembled. A surge of sourness rushed to her nose, and she suddenly said, "So, you told me all these things because you hope that I can face life well in the future?"
"You guessed right." Qiao Jinrun lifted the corners of his lips, and his smile grew wider. "I hope you can manage your life well and get out of the trough as soon as possible."
Jiang Li suddenly realized. "You deliberately set me up."
Qiao Jinrun hooked his lips. "This is not a setup. This is free psychological counseling. You're the one who benefits."
Jiang Li couldn't help but laugh.
After a while, Jiang Li said slowly, "Thank you, Dr. Qiao."
Qiao Jinrun let out a sigh of relief, knowing that she had taken his words to heart. "It's getting late. You should go back and rest."
As a doctor, he had an almost precise sense of time. When it came to health, he was always very authoritative and assertive.
In the car, Jiang Li rolled down the window a little. The cold wind with a hint of chill crept in, and her mind gradually cleared.
Just then, her phone rang.
Jiang Li fished out her phone from her bag. Seeing the caller ID, she hesitated for a few seconds. "Dr. Qiao, I'll take this call."
Qiao Jinrun nodded, indicating that she could do as she pleased.
Jiang Li pressed the answer button. "Mr. Xiao."
"Come downstairs now. Let's talk." Xiao Yanzhi's thin lips parted slightly. His tone was unyielding.
Jiang Li said gently, "Sorry, Mr. Xiao. I'm not at home right now."
Hearing the obvious wind sound and the sound of the car running on the other end of the phone, he frowned sharply, and his tone turned cold. "Where are you?"
She felt a moment of uneasiness but didn't answer him. Instead, she hung up the phone directly.
Qiao Jinrun, sitting in the driver's seat, remained calm and asked, "Your boss?"
"Yeah." Jiang Li smiled. "You can also say he's my sponsor, the one who provides for me."
She said this very calmly, but there was a deep sense of self - mockery in it.
Even those not in the circle could probably guess that there was an improper relationship between Jiang Li and Xiao Yanzhi.
Qiao Jinrun held the steering wheel and stared straight ahead. He wasn't surprised. "Is he the one who saved your life back then and then stabbed you in the back?"
Jiang Li didn't answer, which was equivalent to a silent admission.
After a long time, she said, "Do you suddenly think people like me are dirty and look down on me?"
She thought she was calm, but in fact, her voice was trembling noticeably.
Jiang Li was extremely proud.
But no matter how proud she was, she had to face up to her sordid past.
She was disreputable.
"Jiang Li," Qiao Jinrun turned his head and looked at her seriously, his eyes gentle and solemn. "I've dissected human bodies. I won't think anyone is dirty."
"Although I don't know your past, I'm sure you're not such a person."
His Adam's apple rolled, and his tone was very firm. "Your heart is clean, and so are you."
"What if I say I am such a person?" Jiang Li bit her lip and said slowly, "I'm short of money, a great deal of money. I'm profit - driven and unscrupulous..."
"Whether you're such a person or not, you know better than I do."
Jiang Li lowered her head, and hot tears rolled down.
—
When Qiao Jinrun drove Jiang Li to the downstairs of her apartment building, as expected, she saw the familiar Maybach.
"Thank you for driving me back, Dr. Qiao." Jiang Li thanked him politely, unbuckled her seat - belt, and was about to get out of the car.
Qiao Jinrun also noticed the figure of the man downstairs. He asked with concern, "Do you need my help?"
Jiang Li shook her head and smiled at him. "I can handle it myself. Don't worry."
Qiao Jinrun wanted to say something else, but when he saw the calmness in her eyes, he finally nodded.
Many things, she had to solve on her own.
And only she could solve them.
After Qiao Jinrun's car drove away, Jiang Li walked up to the man who had been waiting for her for a long time. She politely raised her eyes. "Good evening, Mr. Xiao."
Xiao Yanzhi squinted slightly. His eyes were deep and cold, and his eyebrows were furrowed in disgust. "After climbing into my car, do you still think an Infiniti is good enough?"
It seemed that he was mocking the low - end of Qiao Jinrun's car.
Jiang Li's expression remained unchanged, and her smile was bright. "Mr. Xiao, you've misunderstood. He's my attending doctor. I went to see a doctor today, and he just happened to give me a ride back on his way."
She lied without batting an eyelid.
Xiao Yanzhi was dressed in a suit. One hand was in his trouser pocket, and his eyes were squinted dangerously. "Do you need to go to Xile Street to see a doctor?"
It was obvious that he had investigated her whereabouts today in the meantime.
Damn it, he was spying on her.
"What did you want to talk to me about, Mr. Xiao?" Jiang Li tried to change the topic calmly. "Let's talk now. I should go to rest soon."
Her expression was as calm as water, showing almost no ripples.
Xiao Yanzhi's handsome face was gloomy, and his voice was cold. "Jiang Li, you've been performing well recently. I thought you knew your place."
"Apparently, you still don't." He glanced at her indifferently, and his tone turned cold. "What right did you have to show up at the Swan Mansion last night?"