Treasure Hunt: Tycoon's Priceless Runaway Wife

Chapter 1043 - 1041: This Vortex Is Called Ji Huan

Zhu Qianyu felt that she had recently walked into a whirlpool.No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get out of it; instead, there was a tendency to sink deeper.

And this whirlpool is named Ji Huan.

"Little Bamboo, isn’t today the basketball club activity day? Hurry, if we’re late, the president will start scolding again!"

It’s been a week since the last club activity, and Zhu Qianyu, who always actively participated, now slouched over her desk, lazily unwilling to move.

Under her friend’s prodding and shouting, Zhu Qianyu reluctantly raised herself, slowly tidying up her textbooks that had been rumpled after resting on them for two classes.

"Zi Qing, you go ahead and help me take a leave."

Fang Ziqing leaned over, placing her palm on Zhu Qianyu’s forehead, "Are you sick?"

Zhu Qianyu seemed to lack the strength to even push aside her hand, letting it rest on her forehead for a while until she finished tidying up the books and notes on the desk before grabbing Fang Ziqing’s hand to remove it.

"I’m not sick!"

But her words clearly lacked any persuasion, as she spoke weakly.

"That’s strange, usually you’re so proactive, even when your period comes you never miss a club activity."

Fang Ziqing found it odd too; her friend seemed as tough as iron, and a little discomfort never stopped her from participating.

"Are you in a bad mood?"

This time, Fang Ziqing leaned in closer, because only then could she see Zhu Qianyu’s expression clearly.

Zhu Qianyu reached out and pushed her face away forcefully.

"Who said I’m in a bad mood? Fine, stop guessing, quickly go report, and remember to take a leave for me."

Zhu Qianyu swung her backpack and walked out of the classroom, leaving Fang Ziqing frantically packing her textbooks.

Fang Ziqing stuffed her books into her backpack in a hurry and ran after her, panting slightly as she followed Zhu Qianyu downstairs.

"Do you really want me to take a leave?"

At this point, Fang Ziqing was still unsure if Zhu Qianyu’s earlier request was serious or just a joke.

"Yes!"

Zhu Qianyu responded blandly, her gaze drifting through the hallway’s transparent windows to the clear blue sky outside.

"Oh... alright then..."

Fang Ziqing had no interest in basketball whatsoever, "How about I skip too? I’ll go to your dorm, you teach me that game from last time!"

Zhu Qianyu instinctively refused, "If you’re not going, then just go home early; your mom is always hoping you’ll go back early to help out."

Zhu Qianyu was quite troubled lately, yet her friend seemed unaware, constantly buzzing with trivial and nonsensical topics when she just wanted quiet.

Sure enough, even friends couldn’t compare to Ji Huan, with whom she’d never feel bored or uninterested no matter how long they talked.

Sigh!

Secretly, Zhu Qianyu sighed in her heart.

"Little Bamboo, are you a spy sent by my mom?" Fang Ziqing, unaware of her friend’s inner turmoil, felt frustrated at the reminder.

"Yes, your mom gives me a lot of money each month, hurry up and leave!" Her words finished, the two had reached the ground floor; Zhu Qianyu gave her friend a gentle push toward the school gate and turned toward the dormitory building.

Fang Ziqing stood still, watching her friend’s silhouette disappear amid dense shadows of trees before heading toward the playground.

Zhu Qianyu didn’t immediately return to the dorm; instead, she walked aimlessly on the campus paths with her backpack.

In the distance, she seemed to see the backs of two little girls of different heights.

The taller one had a ponytail, while the shorter had short, flying hair.

The two held hands; with the short girl’s shorter strides, the slightly taller girl deliberately slowed down to match hers.

"Sister, why do other classmates have only one mom, but we have four?"

The short girl raised her little face, blinking curious eyes at the taller girl.

"Because..." After thinking for a long time, the taller girl answered, "Because our dad..."

The short girl, seeing her sister without an answer, hurriedly pursued, "What happened to our dad?"

"Sister doesn’t know either..."

To a child just six or seven years old, the adult world was naturally unknowable.

But now, the short girl, grown up, already understood why other classmates had one mom while she had four.

Understanding this is why she was so wary from the start when Ji Huan first approached.

Yet even with caution from the start, she still fell deep without realizing it.

Now, faintly, she understood why her mom chose such a dreary way of living.

In efforts to appease that man who barely had a quarter of his attention on her, she ignored her two daughters, living solely focused on him, whether pleased or angry only revolving around him.

Such a woman is not just foolish, but pitiful.

As a lesson, Zhu Qianyu didn’t want to become a woman like her mom, so no matter how much it hurt now, she had to grit her teeth and get through it.

And to get through it, Ji Huan was someone she absolutely couldn’t see!

Back at the dorm, half an hour had passed before Zhu Qianyu remembered she hadn’t called to take a leave yet.

She dialed the president’s number, "President, I have some urgent matters today, can’t attend the club activity."

"Alright, I know, Zi Qing said you weren’t feeling well, take some medicine, shower, and rest; don’t worry about club matters."

"Zi Qing is there?" Zhu Qianyu was a bit surprised; didn’t that girl say she was going home?

"Yes, the entire club is here except for you and Coach Ji."

The president’s words startled Zhu Qianyu again.

"Coach Ji didn’t come either?" Zhu Qianyu didn’t realize that her voice suddenly dropped several decibels, sounding extraordinarily cautious.

"Yes, he called a few days ago, saying he was on a business trip and might not be able to come for a while."

After hanging up, the president’s last words replayed like a repeated tape in Zhu Qianyu’s ears.

Apparently, she didn’t need to escape; after she rejected him, he had already chosen to stay away.

Indeed, knowing there’s no reciprocation, who would foolishly continue to give?

Yet even understanding this, she couldn’t suppress a surge of disappointment, mixed with a bit of sadness.

And this bit of sadness perhaps stems from him having gracefully retreated while she remained foolishly in the whirlpool, reminiscing about his goodness to her and yearning for the charm he exuded in his every move.