Chapter 80
After his outburst, Wen Shao Ze returned to his usual doting older brother mode, specifically calling the doctor over for another check-up, only relaxing slightly after receiving confirmation that Qin Qianrou was fine.
The sudden incident had left him exhausted. He had been dealing with his family’s constant pressure to get married, secretly searching for Yuan Qi, helping Qin Qianrou investigate He Chao, and then learning about Dongsheng Group’s schemes at the television station.
He wasn’t sure who was behind Qin Qianrou’s attack, but regardless of who it was, he would make them pay.
“Cousin, Shao Ze-ge, you should go back, I’ll stay here with Jiejie.” Shen Yiqiu had mostly calmed down, although she looked a little pale, her overall demeanor was stable.
Yuan Qi nodded and glanced at Qin Qianrou again.
“Call me if anything happens.”
Shen Yiqiu smiled faintly and nodded.
Wen Shao Ze, after saying goodbye to Shen Yiqiu, watched Yuan Qi leave, then left himself. However, he had only been gone for a short while when he realized Yuan Qi had disappeared.
He was annoyed, but their unexpected encounter had been a shock for both of them. They had both been putting on a brave face in the ward, and although anxious, Wen Shao Ze knew this wasn’t the time to pursue him relentlessly.
Besides, he had to deal with Qin Qianrou’s matter first.
Rubbing his temples, he couldn’t determine whether he was more happy or more… melancholic and lost.
Wen Yirong arrived late at night, quietly entering the ward, her gaze immediately falling on her precious daughter lying in bed. The small bedside lamp cast a dim glow, but it couldn’t hinder a mother’s instinct to find her child.
She hurried over, then noticed another person slumped by the bedside. Wen Shao Ze had explained the situation in detail, and she recognized the figure from behind.
Her earlier suspicions resurfaced, and Wen Yirong sighed softly.
Shen Yiqiu wasn’t deeply asleep, she was simply exhausted, emotionally drained, having dozed off lightly, waking at the slightest sound.
“Did I scare you?” Wen Yirong’s voice was as gentle and elegant as ever, her worry masked by her calm demeanor.
“Aunt Wen, please have a seat.” Shen Yiqiu stood up and placed a chair by the bed.
“There were some matters at home, so I was delayed.”
Although it wasn’t that late considering the distance from Hai City, given the Qin family’s influence, it was still later than expected.
Shen Yiqiu didn’t know how to respond, she was filled with guilt, blaming herself for not protecting Qin Qianrou, feeling that it was because of her that Jiejie had been harmed. Seeing Wen Yirong now, the words caught in her throat, and she forgot to be nervous.
“Child, don’t worry too much, Xiao Rou will be fine, the doctor said she’s out of danger. You should take care of yourself, don’t collapse after she wakes up.”
Wen Yirong’s voice was even gentler than usual, her usual playful teasing replaced by maternal concern, and Shen Yiqiu’s heart softened, her eyes reddening.
“You child, so easily moved to tears. Don’t cry here, if Xiao Rou wakes up and sees you crying, she’ll blame me.”
Shen Yiqiu rubbed her eyes, insisting she wasn’t crying.
Wen Yirong’s gaze lingered on her daughter, it had been a while since she had properly looked at Xiao Rou.
“I’ll take good care of Jiejie in the future.”
Wen Yirong turned to look at her, then, after a moment of silence, said, “I’ve considered asking her to return to Hai City. After all, that’s her home, her family is there, she’ll be safer.”
The light in Shen Yiqiu’s eyes dimmed, she knew that would probably be better for Qin Qianrou, but it also meant a long separation. Even a short business trip had been so difficult to bear, let alone a permanent separation.
Seeing her silence, Wen Yirong smiled helplessly. “But I also know how she feels, if she was willing to come back, she would have done so long ago. So, it’ll be up to you to take care of her.”
Shen Yiqiu was stunned by that last sentence, unable to process it.
Wen Yirong hadn’t insisted on Qin Qianrou returning to Hai City, which surprised both Wen Shao Ze and Li Wan.
Wen Yirong didn’t stay long in the ward. Shen Yiqiu messaged Li Wan about this, and before she could even lock her phone, Li Wan’s call came.
“Did Aunt Wen really say that?” Li Wan had been worried about this all night and hadn’t expected such a calm reaction.
“Yes, that’s what she said.”
“She really didn’t insist on Qianrou returning?”
“No, she even told me to take good care of Jiejie.”
This was truly strange, and Li Wan was amazed.
“That’s good, saves you two from a long-distance relationship, it wouldn’t be easy.” Li Wan also didn’t want to be separated from her friend.
“By the way, have you found out what happened?”
“No leads yet, but Wen Shao Ze is already investigating, I’ve also contacted some people, we should have some answers in a couple of days.”
Two days later, Qin Qianrou was discharged. Shen Yiqiu was incredibly attentive, practically hovering over her, even supporting her as they got in and out of the car.
Li Wan and Wen Shao Ze, witnessing this, couldn’t help but tease her.
“With all this fuss, anyone would think Qianrou is pregnant.”
Wen Shao Ze received a sharp glare from Qin Qianrou, but Shen Yiqiu didn’t seem to notice.
She seemed completely oblivious, or perhaps simply didn’t care. Her entire attention was focused on Qin Qianrou, anything she could do for her wasn’t excessive.
Qin Qianrou, however, felt a little embarrassed, and after getting out of the car, she gently withdrew her hand, saying, “I’m fine now, I can walk by myself.”
Shen Yiqiu released her arm, then immediately took her hand again.
“You’re fine, but I’m not.”
Li Wan, following behind them, chuckled softly.
“Qianrou, just give in, you’ve scared your little one half to death these past few days, just let her take care of you, put her mind at ease.”
The first thing Qin Qianrou had seen upon waking up was Shen Yiqiu asleep by her bedside. Memories flooded back, the emotions before losing consciousness, all overshadowed by the relief of seeing Shen Yiqiu safe and sound.
Shen Yiqiu, even in her sleep, her brow was furrowed with worry, and Qin Qianrou had wanted to reach out and smooth it out, but she couldn’t quite reach. She gently touched the back of Shen Yiqiu’s hand, and she immediately woke up.
“Jiejie, are you alright?”
She leaned closer, her eyes filled with joy and relief, but she carefully avoided putting any weight on Qin Qianrou.
“Mm, I’m awake.”
Shen Yiqiu kissed her forehead tenderly, then immediately pressed the call button.
The nurse and the doctor arrived shortly, and Qin Qianrou finally received confirmation of her discharge. The nurses couldn’t help but comment that, during the past two days, Shen Yiqiu had been the one who looked more like a patient, her anxiety and exhaustion evident, she had practically wanted to chain the doctor to the bedside for constant monitoring.
Being home was truly the best. Li Wan and Wen Shao Ze, understandingly, left early. Shen Yiqiu, like a busy little bee, bustled about the apartment.
“Jiejie, drink this first.” Shen Yiqiu brought a bowl of soup from the kitchen; she had started simmering it before going to pick Qin Qianrou up from the hospital.
“I’m not that fragile, it’s not like I had major surgery.”
“Don’t say such things, it’s bad luck, don’t say them again.”
Qin Qianrou took the soup and sipped it slowly, looking at Shen Yiqiu’s anxious expression, she couldn’t help but tease, “Such a superstitious child.”
“Anything related to you, I don’t care about superstitions, I just want to eliminate all possibilities of anything bad happening.”
“Alright, alright, I won’t say it again.”
Shen Yiqiu finally smiled, but Qin Qianrou still sensed a hint of strain in her expression.
She initially thought it was simply exhaustion from staying at the hospital, but even that evening, Shen Yiqiu’s brow remained furrowed, as if preoccupied with something.
Her worried expression seemed involuntary, she probably hadn’t even realized it herself.
Qin Qianrou leaned against her, chatting idly. They had discussed the incident in detail after she woke up and hadn’t deliberately brought it up again.
“What are you thinking about?” Qin Qianrou finally couldn’t help but ask, gently stroking Shen Yiqiu’s brow.
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying.”
Qin Qianrou didn’t believe her, this child couldn’t hide anything, especially from her, she was always so honest and transparent.
“I was just thinking, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have suffered like this.”
Qin Qianrou was surprised and puzzled by her words.
“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have offended Dongsheng Group, you wouldn’t still be pursuing the He Chao matter.”
Wen Shao Ze had told her about this, deepening Shen Yiqiu’s guilt.
“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have been dragged into all this mess, you wouldn’t have been…”
Qin Qianrou knew what she was about to say and firmly interrupted her, “That’s just your assumption, not the reality.”
Shen Yiqiu was taken aback and didn’t continue.
“I’m a reporter, my duty is to report the truth, if it weren’t for you, perhaps Dongsheng Group or He Chao’s wrongdoings would have been discovered much later, or perhaps they would have remained hidden forever, but would that have been a good thing? I might have been safe, but what about the others who suffered because the truth was concealed?”
Shen Yiqiu didn’t respond, but she knew the answer in her heart.
Qin Qianrou shifted slightly, finding a more comfortable position in Shen Yiqiu’s embrace, and wrapped her arms around her waist.
“Besides, even if I hadn’t reported on Dongsheng, or investigated He Chao, wouldn’t there have been other similar stories for me to uncover? So, it wasn’t because of you that I encountered these things, it’s simply the nature of my work.”
“But…”
“I know you’re worried about me, I’ll be more careful in the future.”
Such assurances couldn’t truly comfort Shen Yiqiu, she wanted to be with Qin Qianrou as much as possible, so she could protect her.
“So stop blaming yourself, it’s pointless.” Qin Qianrou shifted again, sitting up beside Shen Yiqiu.
“And besides, without you, my life would be much less… colorful.”
Shen Yiqiu felt a wave of warmth and affection from Jiejie.
Their breaths mingled, the familiar closeness returning.
Without a word, their lips met in a soft kiss.
No passionate intensity, just a gentle caress, and to Shen Yiqiu, it felt like an eternity.
**
Lin Shuangzhi, after hearing the news from Li Wan, rushed back the next day. After visiting Qin Qianrou at the hospital, Li Wan drove her home.
“Another day wasted?”
“Not exactly wasted, I met with the director.”
“It seems the outcome wasn’t very promising.”
Lin Shuangzhi looked at her and chuckled, “You know me too well.”
Li Wan, focusing on the road ahead, said casually, “You’re just not very good at hiding your feelings.”
Lin Shuangzhi sighed and relaxed slightly. “The director suggested that if it’s just a matter of questioning Director Yu’s capabilities, we should discuss it with the city government or the station directors. If we insist on reporting him, we need stronger evidence.”
Li Wan had expected as much, such matters were rarely straightforward.
“The information Director Jian provided, do you think it’s usable?”
“It is, but it’ll take some time to organize.”
Li Wan breathed a sigh of relief, at least it was usable.
But then Lin Shuangzhi said, “But I’m afraid we don’t have much time. It’s just the beginning, and Qianrou has already been targeted, I don’t know what will happen next.”
“Are you scared?”
Lin Shuangzhi admitted frankly, “A little.”
Li Wan was slightly angry; she hadn’t known the team leader was so timid.
She fell silent, and Lin Shuangzhi, still immersed in her worries, didn’t notice the change in her mood.
The scenery outside the car window blurred as Lin Shuangzhi tapped her fingers on her leg, lost in thought.
After a moment of consideration, she said, “Xiao Wan, after Qianrou is discharged, you should both… stay out of this.”
Li Wan’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, a surge of anger rising within her.
“I’ll handle this, you shouldn’t get involved anymore.”
“Can you handle this alone?” Li Wan’s voice sharpened, and Lin Shuangzhi finally noticed her change in mood.
“I can’t let you be put in danger again and again.”
“In our line of work, we don’t expect to just sit in the office, sipping milk tea and waiting for the end of the workday.”
“Xiao Wan!”
“Team Leader, are you any different from us? Just because your position is higher? More experience? Or do you have some special skill that protects you?”
Lin Shuangzhi was speechless, she could only remain silent.
“Since we’re all the same, why are you pushing Qianrou and me away? Fighting this together is better than you doing this alone.”
“I’m worried about you, I’m scared!” Lin Shuangzhi’s voice rose in agitation.
Li Wan rarely saw such an emotional outburst from her and didn’t know what to say.
“If you were the one who was hurt, and I wasn’t there for you, what would I do? I can’t even bear to imagine it, if something happened to you, I don’t think I could handle it.”
Li Wan’s grip on the steering wheel tightened again, she didn’t know what to say.
So, the team leader cares about her this much?
“Then… I might not be so unlucky.” Her words lacked conviction, not even convincing herself.
“Xiao Wan, even if the possibility is only one in ten thousand, I would still be worried, very worried!”
Lin Shuangzhi’s emphatic tone left Li Wan speechless.
The car fell silent. Only as they approached Lin Shuangzhi’s complex did Li Wan finally speak. “You’re worried about me, we’re also worried about you, the only way to eliminate the danger is to resolve this quickly.”
They both understood this logic, but they didn’t want each other to be harmed.
“We’re here, go up, take a shower, and get some rest. Your eyes are bloodshot, it’s scary.”
Lin Shuangzhi knew she couldn’t dissuade Li Wan. After a moment of hesitation, she opened the car door.
As she walked away, she heard footsteps behind her.
“Team Leader.”
Lin Shuangzhi turned around and saw Li Wan standing before her.
Before she could speak, Li Wan cupped Lin Shuangzhi’s face in her hands and gently kissed her lips.
“I’ll protect myself, don’t worry, you should take care of yourself too, because I feel the same way.”
With that, she quickly let go, turned around, got in the car, and drove away.
A swift and decisive departure, not giving Lin Shuangzhi a chance to respond.
Watching her drive away, Lin Shuangzhi standing there dumbfounded, Li Wan felt a warmth spreading through her, as if fireworks were exploding in her ears.
She had sensed the team leader’s concern, and after that visit to her apartment, seeing the vase she had given her, hearing her story about being abandoned, Li Wan had already forgiven her.
Although they hadn’t mentioned that night again, she had belatedly realized she might have misunderstood the team leader.
Their current situation didn’t allow for romance, they had no time for love, but the care they felt for each other was undeniable, perhaps even amplified by the looming crisis.
Lin Shuangzhi was afraid, and so was Li Wan. She hadn’t had a moment of peace since Lin Shuangzhi went to the provincial government.
Lin Shuangzhi returned home, exhausted. Although Li Wan had assured her she would be careful, against such powerful forces, even the greatest caution might not be enough. Someone had already dared to attack Qin Qianrou, who knew who would be next?
Lin Shuangzhi didn’t want to back down, but she also didn’t want to see anyone else get hurt. She thought, perhaps she should take a step back, find another way to protect them all.
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