Li Zhemíng realized for the first time that looking at words alone could be so despairing. He lowered his eyes and said with a tone full of helplessness, "Wan'er, can you stop being unreasonable? Is Gu Xīngdōng really that important, so important that you don't even care about your life?
You're so badly injured now, if I'm not here to take care of you, who will? Where do you want me to go? Can you stop pushing me away again and again? What is it about me that can't compare to Gu Xīngdōng?"
A cold indifference flashed in Zhang Wan'er's eyes. She curled the corner of her mouth mockingly and angrily wrote a passage on the paper: [Yes! Gu Xīngdōng is indeed cold and heartless, not worth me doing this. Do you think you're a good person? If I've ended up like this now, isn't it all thanks to you? You owe me. Because of your misguided affection, you've ruined me. Do you still expect me to fall in love with you?]
Looking at the pale words, Li Zhemíng staggered back several steps uncontrollably. After a moment's hesitation, he said in a seemingly compromising tone, "I know this is all my fault. It's only right for you to resent and hate me. What can I do for you? If it can make you a little happier, I'd go through fire and water!"
[It's gone, everything is gone. I've seen through it all. If you genuinely want to make me a little happier, can you take me to see Alice after my injuries have healed? She's my only friend, and I don't want to lose even this good friend.] After writing this, Zhang Wan'er looked at Li Zhemíng with pleading eyes.
Among all these matters, this was finally one not related to Gu Xīngdōng. Li Zhemíng's lips curved upwards slightly, and he looked at Zhang Wan'er with gentle eyes. Did this mean she was finally giving up on Gu Xīngdōng? If he could stay by her side through her lowest moments without leaving, would there still be a chance in the future?
With this thought, Li Zhemíng clenched his fists tightly, suppressing the excitement in his heart. He readily agreed, "Of course, you can! Rest well. I'll take time off these days to be with you. Once I know you're recovered, I'll take you to achieve what you want!"
[Thank you. But please don't tell my uncle and my maternal grandfather about my situation here. Yang Zhiguo broke my legs. He's gone mad now and fears I'll be a burden! I'm afraid if he finds out I've escaped from home, he'll be furious and beat me to death with two sticks!]
By the end of the writing, Zhang Wan'er's hands were trembling, and her eyes were filled with fear. Li Zhemíng, seeing this, believed her to about seventy percent. With pity in his eyes, he pulled Zhang Wan'er into his embrace, repeatedly murmuring apologies.
----
Meanwhile, on the other side.
"Everyone, please don't worry. Returns will be processed one by one. I will personally hand over the funds for each piece of clothing. I am truly sorry; I didn't consider the public's needs when designing these clothes. From now on, my designs will be more aligned with everyone's needs!" Alice bowed humbly to the crowd in the store as an apology.
"What kind of trash clothes are these? They're gaudy and flashy. My old lady is already of a certain age; how can she wear this out? I heard your shop's employees kept flattering her, making my old lady impulsively buy your things. You're cheating consumers!"
"Exactly! These complicated clothes are inconvenient for my wife, even for breastfeeding. Are you trying to starve my son to death? Besides returning the clothes, you need to compensate for emotional damages!"
"I heard you plagiarized our designer's work when you participated in the competition! How can someone without professional ethics like you be fit to design clothes and sell them? Get out of Kyoto, get out of China!"
"..."
The atmosphere was instantly ignited. Some people even picked up rotten eggs and leaves and threw them towards Alice.
This sudden action caught everyone off guard. Soon, Alice was covered in egg yolk, looking disheveled.
Seeing the situation in the venue becoming increasingly uncontrollable, a slender boy emerged from the crowd. He shielded Alice and shouted at the crowd with great emotion,
"Sister, all of you, get lost! Don't hurt my sister! My sister is not wrong. She just designed a gown that doesn't fit your needs. She didn't force you to buy these clothes. Why are you treating my sister like this? They say Chinese people are generous and kind, but looking at you today, you're simply petty and opportunistic!"
"Oh, where did this little brat come from? How dare he curse us! Did everyone see that? This is how businessmen operate. If you don't compensate us today, I'll smash your shop!"
Seeing the man reach out, his palm about to strike his younger brother, Alice became frantic. She pulled the boy aside and said in English, "Eric, go inside. Don't cause trouble here. Your sister can handle this!"
"Sister!"
"What a lively shop. Those who know, know it's selling clothes; those who don't might think it's a gathering of gangsters causing trouble. I saw this from across the street and immediately called the police."
Upon hearing the word "police," everyone immediately looked in the direction of the voice. Chen Lishū walked in unhurriedly. She cast a casual glance at the troublemakers and said, "Are you the one hitting people?"
The man, seeing that Chen Lishū, a mere woman, posed no significant threat, immediately puffed out his chest and retorted unceremoniously, "So what if I hit someone? Do you know how much this one piece of clothing cost me?
Our family can't even afford to eat, and we were tricked by your shop's staff into buying clothes that don't last, costing nearly half a month's worth of food money! Someone like this swindler deserves to be drowned in a pig cage!
If I recall correctly, you are the boss of Shu Se Group and recently participated in a fashion design competition abroad. This woman plagiarized your work. We were actually avenging you, yet you repay kindness with enmity!"
"Yes, logically speaking, these two should be enemies meeting with fiery eyes. Why are they helping that plagiarizer now?"
"Could it be that after winning the competition and accepting foreign investment, she's planning to 'betray the country'? I've seen many such merchants who are useless to the country. We shouldn't let her grow fat and send money to those foreign devils to buy cannons to shoot us!"
"That's right. Traitors like this who earn money from us ordinary people to give to foreigners should be expelled from Kyoto, expelled from China!"
"..."
As soon as these words were spoken, it instantly ignited the patriotism of many. In an instant, Chen Lishū also became a mouse that everyone wanted to beat.