The Substitute Bride and the Cripple

It was a professor who had just finished teaching class.

A gleam entered Niu Caijie’s eyes. “Help me, professor!” she wailed. “They’re bullying me!”

***

Jiang Shaocheng was in the midst of a meeting in his study when He Lei entered.

Whatever news he had, it was urgent.

Jiang Shaocheng called the meeting to a halt and dismissed everyone. “What happened?” he demanded.

“The young mistress got into a fight in school.”

He froze. “Is she hurt?”

“No.” He Lei struggled to communicate the truth. “She… she started it, I think. A professor stopped them and brought them to his office. It’ll be a black mark on her student record; they might refuse to award her a scholarship.”

Jiang Shaocheng stormed out. He Lei chased after him. “Your wheelchair, Young Master. I know you’re worried about the young mistress, but don’t forget, you’re still pretending to be disabled.” 𝗳𝙧𝐞𝚎w𝗲𝚋n𝚘𝙫𝑒𝘭.𝑐om

Jiang Shaocheng had masqueraded as a cripple for more than a decade; he was used to the act. But now, that wheelchair was nothing but a burden, and he loathed it more than ever.

***

Wails echoed in the staffroom, the high-pitched whine of a dying animal.

Xie Qingqing winced, her hands flying to her ears. She nudged Tang Qiu, as if to say,?Can you believe this?

To say Tang Qiu was annoyed was a gross understatement. She had been interrupted during her meal, so she had to endure Niu Caijie’s crocodile tears on an empty stomach–which might have been a blessing in disguise, since the other woman’s performance was nothing short of nauseating.

“I was just talking to them, and they attacked me,” Niu Caijie bawled. “If you hadn’t arrived in time, I would have been beaten to death!” 𝒇𝐫ℯ𝑒𝒘ℯ𝑏n𝑜ѵ𝐞l.c𝗼𝗺

Xie Qingqing had had enough. “How shameless can you get, Niu Caijie?” she demanded, gesturing to her still-red cheek. “Why don’t you tell the professor about how you hit me first? Who do you think you are, that I shouldn’t fight back when you started it?”

“I didn’t.” Niu Caijie let her lip tremble. “Stop slandering me. Lying only makes yourself look worse, Xie Qingqing. Why would I attack you?”

Xie Qingqing raised her hand, only for Tang Qiu to grab her wrist. “Save it,” she said. “You’ll just dirty your hand.”

Xie Qingqing’s head sviweled to Niu Caijie. “Don’t think you can twist the truth just because the professor’s around. I’m not as forgiving as Tang Qiu–I won’t let this slide.”

“Look at her, professor,” Niu Caijie whimpered, looking at him like an abused puppy. “Threatening me like that… she’s scaring me.”

The professor was in his forties; his wife had died before her time, and his instincts led him to protect the frightened girl quivering before him. “You’re a bold one, threatening a fellow student,” he barked at Xie Qingqing. “Apologize now!”

“Apologize?” Xie Qingqing shot back. “She hit me first!”

“What kind of attitude is that? I saw you and Tang Qiu bullying Niu Caijie with my own eyes. If you continue to argue, I’ll have you charged with a major offense. Is that what you want?”

Tang Qiu leapt in before Xie Qingqing could open her mouth. A major offense would be a blemish on her friend’s student record–over Niu Caijie, of all people. “It’s not worth it,” she whispered. “We’ve already had our revenge by beating her up. They’re just words. We don’t have to mean them.”

The fury in Xie Qingqing rescinded slightly, like a wave withdrawing from the sand. She didn’t care what happened to her–but Tang Qiu needed that scholarship. She stared at Niu Caijie, her gaze alight with hatred. “I’m sorry,” she gritted out.

Tang Qiu echoed her sentiments without sincerity. “Can we leave now?”

Their words briefly soothed Niu Caijie’s wounded ego, before she remembered how they had humiliated her. “If you’re truly sorry, you ought to cover my medical fees. You married a rich man, Tang Qiu–that shouldn’t be too hard for you, right?”

A handprint still marked her cheek, along with scratch marks. The professor nodded. “You both attacked her. You ought to pay for her fees.”

Tension gripped Tang Qiu’s body. It was one thing to swallow her pride and apologize, but for Niu Caijie to exploit the situation for money–that was too much.

“Watch yourself, Niu Caijie,” she warned.

Niu Caijie buried her face in her hands and resumed her sobbing. “You hit me, but you won’t compensate me?” Her finances had been tight lately; she wasn’t about to let the opportunity to extort their money slide–especially with the professor backing her.

A harsh laugh tore from Xie Qingqing. “Do you need to get your brain checked?”