Jiang Zhixu met Jiang Qiao’s worried gaze: “I’m fine, Qiao Qiao. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
That morning, Jiang Zhixu had a client for an indoor photoshoot. Since it wasn’t cold inside, she took off her jacket. She wore a beige sweatshirt and light jeans underneath. While crouching to take photos, she felt the client kept glancing at her, though she tried not to read too much into it.
When the man, Wan Yuxun, claimed he was too stiff and needed pose guidance, she demonstrated briefly. After adjusting his poses and the camera, he asked to see the photos. As she helped him navigate through them, he suddenly put his hand on her waist.
Jiang Zhixu moved away and glanced at him. He looked refined and cultured, giving her a gentle smile that made her wonder if she was being oversensitive.
After the shoot, while reviewing photos, he asked her to look at one for editing. When she leaned in, his hands touched her waist again, moving lower.
Jiang Zhixu grabbed his hand and said coldly: “What are you doing? This isn’t the first time.”
“Dressed like that, aren’t you asking for it?”
Jiang Zhixu’s blood boiled: “Your disgusting behavior is your fault, not my clothes.”
Humiliated and angry, he grabbed her wrist and locked the door: “No one else is here. No one would know if I did anything.”
He reached for her with both hands, leering. Jiang Zhixu kicked him between the legs: “Get out!”
In pain, Wan Yuxun cursed and grabbed her throat: “You slut, still saying you weren’t trying to seduce anyone?”
Outside, Yao Jinghe and Si Hai found the door locked. Hearing struggles inside, they decided to break it down.
They found Wan Yuxun cornering Jiang Zhixu. Yao Jinghe punched him and pulled Jiang Zhixu away: “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said.
Wan Yuxun wiped his bloody lip: “Is this how you treat customers?”
After Jiang Zhixu explained what happened, Yao Jinghe smiled politely at Wan Yuxun: “Sorry, we don’t serve customers who lack basic decency. Women can wear what they want. Appreciating beauty is natural, not an excuse for your vile behavior. Si Hai, call the police.”
When Wan Yuxun protested, Yao Jinghe coldly informed him there were security cameras everywhere except bathrooms and changing rooms.
The police arrived and took him away after hearing the situation and reviewing the footage.
Yao Jinghe treated the marks on Jiang Zhixu’s neck with medicine, telling her: “Wear what you want, as long as it’s appropriate for the occasion. Be your most beautiful self – it’s every woman’s right, not something to be restricted. Don’t mind what dirty-minded people say.”
Later, hearing this story, Jiang Qiao felt angry: “Your boss is right. Women should have the freedom to dress as they choose, within appropriate contexts.”
Many people focus on teaching girls not to dress provocatively and respect themselves, but why aren’t people taught to have basic decency? When similar incidents happen, many first judge the girl’s clothing, saying she must have been trying to seduce men. But many victims wear simple t-shirts and pants, and some are just children. Why make victims suffer twice through verbal abuse? Aren’t the offenders the ones at fault?
There are many ways to protect flowers – preventing them from blooming shouldn’t be one of them.
Jiang Zhixu smiled and patted her head.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“You’ve worried about me so many times since we were young. I didn’t want you to worry again.”
“Does your neck still hurt?”
“No, it stopped hurting long ago.”
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