At this moment, Xiao Jing's heart was filled with despair. The love she had invested her whole being in turned out to be so despicable. She needed to consider another woman's feelings in her marriage. This woman had a significant background, and transferring her job to the unit of her acquaintance was not a difficult task. If she really transferred, would they never get married just to make her happy? In Xiao Jing's mind, what did she really mean to him? Despite feeling numb from heartache, she calmed down. She wiped away her tears and said to her acquaintance, "I'm feeling very confused right now. I don't want to see you. Please go out for a walk." Her acquaintance didn't know she was utterly disappointed. Hearing her words, he thought she might genuinely need some time to cool off. So, he put on his jacket and went out. Before leaving, he said, "It's good for you to calm down. I'll go buy you some fruits."

After her acquaintance left, Xiao Jing could no longer contain her inner anger and grief. She went crazy, took out her marriage certificate from her bag, tore it into pieces, then ripped apart all the photos they had taken together. She then picked up a fruit knife and ruthlessly cut her wrist several times until she cut through a vein, watching the blood flow continuously. As she gazed at the flowing fresh blood, Xiao Jing's heart slowly calmed down. In that moment, she felt a complete sense of relief. She quietly lay down, placed her wrist on the edge of the bed, and listened to the sound of the blood dripping onto the floor. Her heart was clear, hoping for a better encounter in the next life.

Her acquaintance walked aimlessly on the street for a while, recalling the argument with Xiao Jing. He felt exhausted from recent events. Xiao Jing was like a fairy who didn't belong in the mortal world, completely unaware of the cruelty of life. Life was not that simple. He found a fruit stall, bought some apples, remembered that Xiao Jing liked to eat pine nuts, which were relatively expensive and they rarely bought them. Today, he specifically bought two pounds, allowing Xiao Jing to eat her fill.

After making the purchase, he returned home, wondering if Xiao Jing had calmed down. He didn't knock on the door, quietly opened it, and was stunned by the scene in front of him: the room was filled with scraps of paper, and there was blood all over the bed. He stood there in shock for several seconds, his mind blank, then let out a deafening scream, "Help! Someone, help!" His cry alarmed the whole building. The neighbors and the landlord who shared the apartment with him rushed over. The experienced landlord instructed him to find a towel to tightly wrap around Xiao Jing's upper arm to prevent further bleeding, while directing other tenants to stop a car. Then, with the help of the acquaintance, the landlord carried Xiao Jing to the street.

Thank heavens, the tenant managed to hail a taxi. However, upon seeing Xiaojing's wrist still bleeding, the taxi driver was unwilling to take them, fearing it would dirty his car. This led to Yan ge grabbing him by the neck and asking, "Will you drive us?" Seeing the driver's eyes turn red, he reluctantly took them to the hospital. The kind landlord followed them. By the time they arrived at the hospital, it was already late in the evening. The emergency room doctor immediately started treating Xiaojing's wound. The doctor was surprised while treating the wound and asked Yan ge, "What did you do to injure your wife like this? The wound is so deep, it takes great determination. There are many girls who have suicidal thoughts, but how many actually carry them out? In all my years of practicing medicine, it's the first time I've seen a young girl cut herself so deeply."

Xiaojing remained in a coma. The hospital issued a critical condition notice for Yan ge. At this point, unable to keep it a secret any longer, Yan ge had to call both sets of parents. They rushed over overnight. Xiaojing's father, a high school teacher, was trembling with anger upon seeing his daughter's injuries. He couldn't even speak a word towards Yan ge. Xiaojing's mother, fearing he might lose control and hit Yan ge, quickly pulled him aside to calm down. After Yan ge's parents were informed of the situation, they felt Xiaojing was overreacting. Wasn't it just a matter of delaying the wedding certificate for a while? Was it necessary to make such a fuss?

Both sets of parents sat down to negotiate. Considering the relationship between their daughter and Yan ge, Xiaojing's father initially thought that as long as Yan ge admitted his mistake and they proceeded with the marriage, they could let the matter go and not mention it again. To his surprise, Yan ge showed no intention of admitting any fault. He repeated the reasons he had previously told Xiaojing to her father, which infuriated him. He stood up, pointing at Yan ge, and said, "A Yan, you still speak like this at this point. It seems you really don't care about Xiaojing's life. A few days ago, she called us, saying she wanted to get the certificate with you first, and hold the wedding later. We thought it was your family's wish, so we didn't say anything. Now we realize it was Xiaojing's own idea, and you never agreed. Aren't you bullying her too much? Do you really think our Xiaojing can't find someone to marry?"

Xiao Jing's mother and Yuan's mother both quickly came out to defuse the situation. The two mothers sincerely hoped to resolve the matter properly. Under Xiao Jing's mother's persuasion, Xiao Jing's father had already sat down. However, unexpectedly, Yuan's father added fuel to the fire by saying, "My dear in-laws, I am not biased towards my own child. Xiao Jing, this child, is also too stubborn. She seems to have a good temper, but unexpectedly, she is so extreme, always seeking death. How can we live together after marriage?" Xiao Jing's father couldn't bear to listen any longer, so he stood up and took Xiao Jing's mother away in a huff.

The relationship between the two families thus fell into a deadlock. Afterwards, Xiao Jing's parents continued to accompany Xiao Jing in the hospital, while Yuan's parents only came to the hospital every other day to check on her. Yuan sent food to Xiao Jing's family every day. Xiao Jing woke up the next afternoon and, upon seeing her parents, cried uncontrollably with her whole body shaking and her face contorted. No matter how her mother tried to comfort her, it was of no avail. The on-duty doctor, hearing her cries, worried that her emotions were too agitated and might affect her treatment, so a sedative was added to the intravenous fluid, and Xiao Jing fell into a deep sleep. With timely blood transfusions and subsequent care, Xiao Jing slowly recovered. However, every time Yuan came to see her, she was always sleeping. Later, Yuan understood that Xiao Jing didn't want to talk to him, so she pretended to be asleep as soon as she heard he was coming.

During her recovery, Xiao Jing was very silent, staring blankly into space every day. Her mother was very worried and couldn't help but tell Xiao Jing about the situation of the negotiation that day, asking her to make plans early. Xiao Jing only said one sentence, "Mom, wait a little longer." Xiao Jing's father had to go back because he had to teach, so he left after Xiao Jing's condition stabilized, saying only one sentence to Xiao Jing before leaving: "The virtuous do not eat what they did not earn."

On the day Xiao Jing was discharged, Yuan and his father came to pick them up. When they returned to Xiao Jing and Yuan's small house, Yuan's mother had already prepared dumplings, and she specially made chicken soup for Xiao Jing. The attitude of Yuan's family finally made Xiao Jing's mother feel a bit relieved. After lunch, Xiao Jing's mother and Yuan's parents were about to leave. Xiao Jing's mother was very worried and teary-eyed during the meal. Xiao Jing felt very uncomfortable, and her mother promised her before leaving that she would never do such a foolish thing again.

Yuan's parents were being escorted downstairs by Xiao Jing when Yuan's mother held Xiao Jing's hand and said, "Silly child, don't do this in the future. Our Yuan is not such an ungrateful person." Xiao Jing smiled, but it was a bitter smile. After Xiao Jing and Yuan returned to the room, they looked at each other but didn't speak. Xiao Jing started packing her things. Seeing her like this, Yuan quickly stopped her and asked, "Xiao Jing, what's wrong again?"

Xiao Jing said, "Yuan, I'm going to stay with my best friend, He Lili, for a few days. Let's both think things over during this time." Yuan slowly let go of her hand. Xiao Jing finished packing, glanced at the absent-minded Yuan, gritted her teeth, turned around, and went downstairs to her college classmate He Lili's place. Yuan didn't follow.

I heard the news more than twenty days later when Xiao Jing called me to have a meal together. I was extremely bored and quickly agreed. When I arrived at the agreed place, I found only Xiao Jing there. I hurriedly asked, "Hasn't Yuan come yet?" Xiao Jing lowered her eyes and said, "Today, I'm treating you. Let's have a good chat." I hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation and casually said, "It's best this way. Let Yuan treat tomorrow, and I can have free meals every day."

After a while, the food arrived. When I saw that it was all my favorite dishes, I couldn't help but feel a little touched and said, "Xiao Jing, among my classmates, you are the most thoughtful and kind to me." Suddenly, Xiao Jing said, "Amei, I'm leaving for Guangzhou. Today, I'm bidding farewell to you." I was stunned, and the half-eaten pig's trotter fell back into the plate. I quickly asked her, "What's wrong? Has something happened?" Xiao Jing didn't speak but extended her arm for me to see the ugly, worm-like scar on her wrist. I seemed to understand something in my heart. I knew her relationship with Yuan must have had problems. In this world, the only thing that can make a woman risk her life is love.

Xiao Jing told me exactly what happened, and I could hardly believe my ears. The couple we once admired as the most enviable, the love that seemed straight out of a painting, could it really be so fragile? I couldn't accept this disillusionment, so I struggled to say, "Xiao Jing, can't you believe in him? Can't you wait a few more months? Yuan may truly be thinking about his future, a man's career is important."

Xiao Jing shook her head, then shook it again, saying, "Ame, every day I try to convince myself like this. I am more willing to believe in him than anyone else, no one loves him more than I do. But Ame, I can't deceive myself. His feelings towards us have wavered, the benefits of power have made him lose control. Even if I stay, even if he marries me, if his career is not going well in the future, he will blame me in his heart, resenting me for holding him back. This resentment will completely destroy the little love left between us. Ame, why should I spend my whole life chasing after this resentment?"

Xiao Jing, usually silent, unexpectedly spoke such profound truths, showing how pain can effectively stimulate a woman's thinking. I knew she was right, but I still wracked my brain trying to convince her to stay, to give their love a chance. In that moment, I wasn't just doing it for them, but for my own belief in love, my steadfast commitment to the beauty and goodness in the world. Xiao Jing was resolute, she said something that finally silenced me, "Ame, I've been staying at Lily's place during this time. I've been waiting for him, giving ourselves a chance in my heart. He helped me find this job, he's close with a vice president in our company, he knew I had quit my job a week ago. Can he not know what I'm thinking? But he didn't say a word, didn't come to pick me up, didn't say anything. Tell me, if it were you, would you still wait for him? Do you really need to hear those words directly from his mouth?"

I felt despondent for a long time, feeling like the world suddenly dimmed. The following meal was tasteless because it was lunchtime. After parting ways with Xiaojing, I had to go to work. Sitting in the office for a while, feeling lost and restless, my impulsive and fiery temperament flared up. I asked for leave from my department head and headed straight to Yuan's workplace, wanting to advise him earnestly: "Friendship is priceless, wealth cannot corrupt, poverty cannot sway. Your shallow and shameless behavior will be ridiculed by everyone." I reached Yuan's department, thinking that if I saw Xiaoqian, I would sarcastically comment on her, but not finding Yuan or Xiaoqian as I had imagined, I had to ask the male colleague who opened the door: "Where is Yuan?"

The man scrutinized me from head to toe, thinking I was a naive girl, and teasingly said: "Yuan? Oh, beautiful girls often come to see her. She just left with a very beautiful girl. You arrived at an unfortunate time. Leave your name and contact information, and I will pass it on to her tomorrow." I naively believed him, thinking it might be Xiaojing who had come to find him, and hurriedly asked: "Did a long-haired girl with big beautiful eyes come here? How long ago did they leave?" The man remained composed and said: "No, it was a tall, thin girl in a white sweater and jeans who left with her."

I pondered quietly, wondering who it could be. Could it be Helili who came? Helili has a mole on her nose, a very distinctive feature. I raised my head and asked him, "Was it a girl with---?" I stopped midway through my sentence, suddenly noticing his sly smile, and realized he was referring to me. Wasn't that how I was dressed? Feeling upset and lacking composure, I raised my foot and rudely said, "Do you believe I will kick you? I have urgent matters to discuss with him. If you don't tell me the truth and delay my important business, I will curse your ancestors." Seeing that I was genuinely upset, he quickly changed his tone, "Alright, young lady, don't take it seriously. I was just teasing you. Yuan is on a business trip and has been away for several days. Come back in a few days to see him."

This information made me feel a lot better. It turns out that Yuan is not ignoring Xiao Jing, he is on a business trip. When he comes back, he may talk to Xiao Jing. I quickly asked, "When will he be back? Can you give me an exact time?" The person shook his head and said, "No one knows because they went out with the leader." The mention of "they" made me alert. I asked him, "Did he go out with Xiao Qian?"

I lost interest in continuing the conversation, thanked him, and returned home with a heavy heart. All the way back, I was in inner turmoil: Should I tell Xiao Jing this news? Is it good news or bad news for her? I couldn't make up my mind. When I got home, I told my boyfriend about the situation. He said, "Don't get involved. This is a crucial time for them. It's pointless for outsiders to interfere. If Yuan really wants to be with Xiao Jing, he knows what to do."

But Xiao Jing had already booked a train ticket to Guangzhou. If Yuan didn't come back in a few days, Xiao Jing would really leave. I was restless these days, hoping for a miracle to happen. At this critical moment, I hoped Yuan would show his sincerity and take practical action to keep Xiao Jing. However, for us ordinary people, miracles never happen. The future outcome was already predetermined. On the day Xiao Jing was about to leave, I called Yuan's office and the answer was that they still hadn't returned.