Chapter 61: Then by all means, give it a try, and see if your half a liver is enough to fulfill your wish.
Hearing this, Song Mi deliberately narrowed her eyes, her gaze as sharp and mocking as ever. “I have no interest in women. You think you could hug me?”
“I’m really worried I’ll die of disgust before your bomb ever gets me!”
At these words, Lu Zhizhi sprang up, trembling with indignation from her hair to her hem. “Disgust? If I’m disgusting, it’s all thanks to you!”
“If it weren’t for you... and them... that night...” Lu Zhizhi lost control, shrieking as she pointed first at Ye Zhao and then at Song Mi. “Since you can’t even show this much sincerity, Song Mi, I have nothing more to say to you!”
“You two just wait and see what happens!” With that, Lu Zhizhi snatched up her bag and stormed off.
Song Mi narrowed her eyes, ultimately compromising. “Wait.”
She glanced sidelong at Ye Zhao behind her. “Go wait outside.”
Ye Zhao bit back the words on the tip of her tongue, gave a warning look to Lu Zhizhi—who had stopped in her tracks—and said in a low voice, “Miss Lu, please have some self-respect.”
Once Ye Zhao had gone, Lu Zhizhi sat back down across from Song Mi, sneering. “You really like Wen Yanli, don’t you?”
“Otherwise, with your usual arrogance, how could you ever let me threaten you?” Lu Zhizhi stared intently at her. “You like him, so you can’t bear to see him criticized, can’t bear to see him maligned. You’re afraid he’ll lose face in the legal world, that his hard-won career and future will be ruined, aren’t you?”
Song Mi had no intention of wasting another shred of emotion on this woman, but her words were clear. “And if I do? And if I don’t?”
“Compared to you—a so-called heiress of a wealthy family—what kind of man will you marry in the future? If you’re lucky, it’ll be a commercial marriage to consolidate alliances, dressed up as a ‘powerful union.’ If not, someone will step forward and claim the Lu family is recruiting talent, calling it a wise match.”
“Can you decide for yourself?” Song Mi curled her lips. “As for me, I am the wealthy family.”
There was no exaggeration in her words, and she spoke with absolute confidence.
Old Master Shen had indeed given her opportunities many only dreamed of, but they were never handouts. She had gone through rounds of selection, endured countless trials, and even risked her life to reach her current position. More importantly, she had traded nearly all her freedom for this chance.
Song Mi was wild, even arrogant, but she had the right to be. “Even if I openly compete with you for a man, you wouldn’t win!”
“Besides, when has Lawyer Wen ever looked at you directly?”
This time, she was simply voicing the man’s grievance.
After all, being liked by a woman like Lu Zhizhi was hardly a pleasant thing.
“You!” As expected, Lu Zhizhi’s face twisted with rage, almost unrecognizable. “Song Mi, are you showing off your ability to steal men? Shameless!”
“And do you really think you can get him just because you want to?” Lu Zhizhi sneered coldly. “Wen Yanli comes from a single-parent family. As long as his mother disapproves, you’ll never be with him openly!”
“Song Mi, you think you can ruin me with these dirty tricks and then be with him smoothly? His mother will never accept you!”
Song Mi didn’t even lift her eyelids, glancing at her watch, clearly uninterested in hearing another word. “You keep bringing up the video just to make me sit here and listen to this?”
“Are you done? Feel better?” Song Mi glanced at the bag beside Lu Zhizhi. “If you’re finished, then hand it over already.”
“If you’re just bluffing, you’d better save your energy!”
Of course, Song Mi didn’t expect Lu Zhizhi to hand over the evidence so easily—her words were merely a reminder to get to the point.
This time, Lu Zhizhi didn’t disappoint. She not only understood Song Mi’s meaning but also stated her demand outright. “Song Mi, an exchange. Tell me clearly how you made Shen Ruming frame me, where those men came from, and I’ll give you the video.”
She pulled several USB drives from her bag and tossed them on the table. “I have plenty. As long as you admit what you did, I’ll send you the rest!”
Song Mi gave her a look reserved for fools, but her gaze was sharp. “Lu Zhizhi, what are you getting at?”
Her eyes dropped to the bag, and she had every reason to believe a recorder or phone was running inside.
But even if Lu Zhizhi hadn’t made it so obvious, Song Mi would never say a word to implicate herself.
As for Lu Zhizhi, seeing the ambiguous smile on Song Mi’s face, she felt a chill run down her spine.
But remembering her bargaining chip, Lu Zhizhi quickly toughened up and pulled out her phone. “Yes, I’m recording.”
“Song Mi, aren’t you always so bold? If you dare to do it, why not admit it?” Her face contorted with rage. “What, are you afraid I’ll call the police?”
“If I wanted to call the police, would I have waited until now?”
She had a point, Song Mi thought.
But if not the police, then what was the recording for?
And Song Mi was puzzled by Lu Zhizhi’s reference to “those men...”
Shen Ruming had only mentioned that she’d kept her promise—taking Lu Zhizhi to the bar, dropping something in her drink, and watching her down it before finding an excuse to leave. Shen Ruming had later taken a photo of Lu Zhizhi leaving arm-in-arm with a man.
But what did Lu Zhizhi mean by “those men”?
Whatever Lu Zhizhi had experienced, Song Mi didn’t care.
But if Shen Ruming had taken extra steps under her name and kept it from her, Song Mi wouldn’t accept that.
Seeing her stay silent, Lu Zhizhi pressed on, “Are you scared, Song Mi?”
“Or do you not like Wen Yanli that much? Maybe it’s just a game to you—you don’t care about his situation or reputation?”
At this, Song Mi’s last thread of patience snapped. She shoved her chair back and stood. “Whatever happened to you, take it up with whoever did it.”
“As for the video, do as you please!” She looked down at Lu Zhizhi, contempt sharp in every feature. “But let me remind you, Miss Lu—the things you did at the charity gala are also sitting, clear as day, on Ye Zhao’s USB drives!”
“If you dare send out the video of Lawyer Wen, one call from me and Sihai Group’s PR team will bury it! And you?”
“You’re the Lu Group’s precious daughter, a refined socialite, a rising artist. If your carefully crafted image collapses, who will clean up your mess?”
With that, Song Mi turned and strode away.
“Stop right there!” Lu Zhizhi’s shrill scream echoed through the café.
Song Mi, thoroughly exasperated, turned sharply, just in time to hear Lu Zhizhi’s voice, now hoarse with anger: “You can suppress the video! But what about his mother’s liver?”
“He didn’t tell you, did he!” Lu Zhizhi advanced on her. “His mother’s transplanted liver started failing again a few years ago. She might need a second transplant!”
Song Mi’s brows furrowed as she regarded her sidelong.
Lu Zhizhi pointed to her own upper right abdomen. “What a coincidence—I got tested, and I can donate my liver to his mother.”
“But why should I give away half my liver for nothing?”
“I’m not the reincarnation of the Goddess of Mercy!”
Song Mi’s lips curled into a cold smile. “So?”
Without preamble, Lu Zhizhi revealed a victor’s twisted grin. “Suppose, in the end, his mother’s only hope is a new liver, and I’m the only one who can donate right away.”
“If he’s desperate to save his mother, would he agree to anything I ask—even marry me?”
She closed in on Song Mi, her voice dropping to a venomous hiss. “That night, those men you arranged—each one...”
“I’m ruined, I’m dirtied, but I still have a liver that could save his mother’s life. If I use it to force him to marry me, everything you did to me would mean you personally handed him a green hat again and again!”
“Song Mi, do you still think you’re the heiress, more beautiful, outstanding, rich, and powerful than I am—more able to make men worship you?”
Song Mi was naturally taller than Lu Zhizhi, but today she wore flats while Lu Zhizhi was in heels, putting them eye to eye.
The weight of Lu Zhizhi’s words was considerable, and Song Mi was busy digesting it, her body slow to react.
Lu Zhizhi was so close now—one more step and their faces would touch.
In a flash, Song Mi’s gaze shifted and she stepped back, disgust rising in her chest. “Even if he did marry you, does that mean he’d touch you?”
“Go ahead, try it—see if half your liver can really grant your wish!”
—“Never!”
The man’s cool voice rang out, simultaneous with Song Mi’s turn.
She looked up to see a face as handsome as frost, more beautiful than snow.
Wen Yanli was striding toward her on long legs.
Their eyes met, neither speaking in haste.
Lu Zhizhi froze, but quickly recovered, swallowing her panic and stammering, “A’Li, don’t misunderstand, I only... I just...”
“...I’m going back to Vancouver. I came here to see Song Mi, actually I wanted to...”
“What you intend to do is none of my business.” Wen Yanli’s gaze shifted to Lu Zhizhi, his expression unchanged, his tone remote. “But since you were speaking too loudly just now, I happened to overhear matters concerning me and my mother.”
“As for your hypothetical scenario, I’m rejecting it now.” His face betrayed no emotion. “And let me remind you, Miss Lu, invading someone’s privacy is not only disgraceful but illegal.”
“Please do not harass my mother again.”
Having spoken, he ignored Lu Zhizhi entirely, dropped his gaze, and looked at Song Mi, a faint smile touching his lips. “What do you want for dinner?”
Song Mi smiled back. “You know Beijing better than I do. What’s good around here?”
Wen Yanli made as if to take her hand. “What kind of food do you feel like?”
She placed her hand in his and stepped closer, so they walked out hand in hand, side by side.
The sight drove Lu Zhizhi’s jealousy to a fever pitch!
It was as if she stood on the edge of a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.
Her shoulders and limbs trembled with uncontrollable rage.
How dare they flaunt their affection right in front of her, hand in hand, ignoring her completely!
How dare they disregard her so!
And what Wen Yanli just said—he’d refused her without a second thought. Did he care nothing for his own mother’s life?
Song Mi!
It was all because of Song Mi!
Her appearance had ruined everything!
She was a viper, a woman who had destroyed all that Lu Zhizhi cared for—her man, her innocence, her life, even her last hope.
At that moment, Lu Zhizhi felt her blood run backward with hatred and despair.
She wanted only for Song Mi to disappear!
Driven mad by her burning fury, she saw at once the steak knife on a nearby table.
Without hesitation, she grabbed it and strode toward the couple.
Song Mi heard the commotion behind her.
Wen Yanli, distracted by his vibrating phone, had just let go of Song Mi’s hand to answer a call.
In that split second—
Song Mi turned first and saw the knife in Lu Zhizhi’s hand, but instead of dodging, she shoved the man beside her aside, reacting faster to the danger.
Wen Yanli’s pupils contracted violently. “Watch out—”
“Get out of the way!” They shouted almost in unison.
Just as Wen Yanli spun around, Lu Zhizhi’s knife plunged into Song Mi’s back.
“Die!”
“Song Mi!”
Agonizing pain exploded through her, and Song Mi stifled a groan, her legs giving way. “Ye Zhao!”
“Stop!” Ye Zhao rushed in instantly, subduing Lu Zhizhi in a few swift moves. The knife clattered to the floor, its tip stained with Song Mi’s blood.
Struggling in Ye Zhao’s grip, Lu Zhizhi screamed, “Let me go... Let go!”
Beside them, Wen Yanli caught the collapsing Song Mi. “Mi’er, are you alright?”
“Where does it hurt?”
Song Mi leaned into his arms, sliding to the floor. “My back.”
Wen Yanli saw the wound instantly—the coat torn, soaked with blood. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”
He lifted her up.
Song Mi grabbed his sleeve, enduring the pain. “Wait.”
Gritting her teeth, she turned to Ye Zhao. “Check the surveillance. Call the police.”
“Call an ambulance!” Wen Yanli blurted out.
As he spoke, his halted steps resumed, swift as the wind.
No one could have known how much it hurt him to see her stabbed.
It was as if a blade had pierced his heart and lungs.
How he wished that knife had struck him instead!
Right beside him, right before his eyes, she was wounded again—what could be more devastating?
Her back throbbed with pain, his arms holding her so tightly as he hurried that the wound ached even more.
But Song Mi thought, for this, it was worth it.
“Lawyer Wen,” she said soon enough.
She met his deep, turbulent gaze, his brows creased with worry, silently pleading her not to speak.
Song Mi shook her head. “Notify Lu Zhiyuan. I’m pressing charges against Lu Zhizhi for attempted murder.”
...
In the emergency room, Song Mi lay prone on the hospital bed, her back bared as the doctor cleaned, disinfected, and prepared to stitch her wound.
The anesthesia was taking effect, the pain receding.
But the man before her was tense as a wire about to snap, his handsome features taut with strain.
It was almost painful to look at him.
To break the cycle of guilt and self-reproach, Song Mi deliberately hissed.
As expected, the oppressive aura that had surrounded him since the incident melted away. “Does it hurt?”
Song Mi half-closed her eyes, watching him.
Wen Yanli’s heart ached as if sliced by a dull knife.
He was helpless, able only to watch.
At least, this time, she wasn’t losing so much blood as before.
Seeing the sweat on her brow, her damp hair, and the wound on her back, his pain grew wild and unchecked, nearly overflowing. “Doctor, please be gentle!”
“Is it very painful?” The doctor paused. “Can you bear it? Do you need another shot?”
“Though the dosage should be enough.”
The doctor’s tone was gentle. “The bleeding has stopped. Let’s wait a bit longer for the anesthetic to work, and I’ll come back to suture the wound.”
With that, he tidied up and stepped out.
Only the two of them remained.
Seeing the man’s gaze fixed on her wound, his expression still dark, Song Mi’s heart softened. She mustered her strength to tease him. “Lawyer Wen, why don’t you give me a kiss? Maybe that’ll make the pain go away.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Wen Yanli hadn’t intended to say such things at this moment, but even he had his limits.
Though his throat felt as if gripped by tongs, he forced himself to move his lips. “You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”