Chapter 129: More Angry
Zhou Tianzui’s business trip was approved quickly. Fu Shushu was surprised, “Don’t you need more rest?”
“I’ve rested enough.” Zhou Tianzui said, “You also said I’m the most suitable candidate.”
Fu Shushu, seeing that she did seem to be in good spirits, said, “Alright, then go pack your things, I’ll give you two days of leave, you’re going to Yuhai, right?”
Because of her injury, she didn’t have many patients, making it easy to hand over her work. After handing over her last patient to Zhao Mingqi, it was time to get off work. She didn’t linger, going to a noodle restaurant near the hospital.
The restaurant was still crowded. Zhou Tianzui remembered You Ruxu’s usual spot and sat opposite it, ordering a bowl of noodles. The owner recognized her, “Dr. Zhou, alone today?”
She smiled faintly, “Yes, alone.”
The owner added two extra slices of beef to her noodles. Zhou Tianzui lowered her head and took a sip of the soup, the familiar taste filling her mouth. She ate slowly, her mind filled with images of You Ruxu sitting across from her.
If she were here, what would they talk about?
Her recent work?
Zhou Tianzui took out her phone, looked at their last conversation, her finger tracing the screen, then turned off the phone, finished her noodles, and left.
Yuhai was warmer than Jindu.
While Jindu was still facing occasional snow, spring had already arrived in Yuhai, flowers blooming on the streets, their colors vibrant and warm. You Ruxu sat in a coffee shop, glancing at her watch, when she heard a voice beside her, “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
She turned and saw Captain Zhou. She was wearing casual clothes, her hair neatly tied back, light makeup, a stark contrast to her usual serious demeanor at the police station, the relaxed air of meeting a friend. You Ruxu said, “I just arrived.”
Captain Zhou said, “What are you having? My treat.”
You Ruxu smiled, “Let me get this one, you’re the guest.”
Captain Zhou nodded, “Okay, then how about I treat you to lunch later?”
You Ruxu glanced at her watch, “I can’t today, I have to go to the station.”
Captain Zhou asked, “Already so busy just after starting work?”
You Ruxu said, “It’s always busy when you first start.”
Captain Zhou: “That’s true, with your personality, you would find something to do even if you weren’t busy.”
You Ruxu said, “That’s not true, I’m very good at being lazy now.”
Captain Zhou chuckled. They sat facing each other, sipping their coffee, chatting about recent events, You Ruxu occasionally looking out the window at the warm spring breeze, the pleasant scenery, “Are you settling in well here?”
You Ruxu smiled faintly, “This is my home.”
Captain Zhou paused, then laughed, “I keep forgetting that.”
You Ruxu asked, “How long will you be here this time?”
“Haven’t decided yet, this case is a little complicated.”
You Ruxu said, “I think someone from our station is also following this case?”
Captain Zhou nodded, “I met with your colleague this morning.”
She looked at You Ruxu.
You Ruxu asked, “What is it?”
Captain Zhou thought for a moment, then said, “Do you remember that missing infant case you covered in Jindu?”
You Ruxu said, “The one from four years ago?”
Captain Zhou nodded, “Yes.”
She said, “You were attacked afterwards, remember?”
They had spent a long time on that case, and they were still pursuing it. They had arrested some people, but two escaped, one of them being You Ruxu’s attacker. He was caught later, but the other one had disappeared without a trace, four years now, and You Ruxu understood, “It’s him?”
Her expression turned serious, “Stealing babies again?”
Captain Zhou shook her head and said two words: “Organ trafficking.”
You Ruxu frowned.
Captain Zhou said, “So we’re here to assist with the investigation.”
That man had escaped, and for the past four years, whenever there was a lead, Captain Zhou would follow it, tirelessly, traveling all over the country. Finally, there was news again.
You Ruxu nodded.
Captain Zhou said, “Don’t worry, we’ll catch him this time.”
You Ruxu: “Mm-hmm.”
After finishing their coffee, You Ruxu offered to drive Captain Zhou to the police station, then went to the TV station. Several of her colleagues were sitting together, drinking coffee. You Ruxu, carrying a bag, said, “I brought some pastries.”
Her colleagues smiled, “Thank you, Xiao Xu.”
You Ruxu handed out the pastries, hearing the colleague beside her say, “Xiao Xu, the team leader wants to see you.”
She nodded, “Okay, I’ll be right there.”
After she left, her colleagues, enjoying the pastries, commented, “These are good.”
“Xiao Xu has good taste.”
You Ruxu entered the team leader’s office, “You wanted to see me?”
She said, “I have an assignment for you.”
The team leader handed her a file. You Ruxu looked down at it, “City Hospital?”
The team leader nodded, “The City Hospital is hosting a training program for doctors from thirty-two hospitals, the first batch, focusing on managing pregnancy complications. I heard you covered a similar story in Jindu, so I thought I’d assign this to you?”
You Ruxu paused.
Her first news story in Jindu had been about the hospital.
And now, back in Yuhai, her first assignment was also about a hospital.
She smiled, “Okay, I’ll go prepare then.”
The team leader said, “Don’t forget the information packet.”
You Ruxu nodded and left the office, holding the thick file, her expression calm, but her heart was pounding.
Thirty-two hospitals.
Any from Jindu?
Who would be there?
Zhou Tianzui?
But Zhou Tianzui, she shouldn’t be coming to Yuhai, right?
She knew she could just open the file and see the list of participants, but she hesitated, clinging to that sliver of hope, not wanting to know. She returned to her desk, a cup of coffee waiting for her, her colleague across from her saying, “You bought us pastries, so I bought you coffee.”
You Ruxu said, “Thank you.”
Her colleague said, “You’re welcome, what did the team leader want? Something about the City Hospital?”
You Ruxu nodded.
Her colleague said, “It’s a big project, better start reading the material, the one who covered this story last year, she’s sitting diagonally across from you, she rewrote the report four times, she was going crazy.”
“Hey, could you not talk about people behind their backs?”
“Who’s talking behind your back?!”
“Xiao Xu, it’s not that difficult, I’ll send you last year’s materials later,” the colleague across from her said cheerfully, and You Ruxu nodded, “Okay, thank you.”
“She should be thanking you, for saving her from a similar fate.”
“Shut up!”
The work atmosphere here was different from Jindu.
You Ruxu lowered her head, listening to their banter. The file arrived soon after. You Ruxu, mentally prepared, was still surprised, it was over three hundred pages long.
She looked at her computer and took a sip of coffee.
Time flew by when she was busy. The City Hospital’s conference started at 3:30 pm, with a half-hour preparation time. The first session was an introduction, expected to last for over an hour, ending just around closing time. You Ruxu, always punctual, arrived half an hour early, and just as she got out of the car in the parking lot, she ran into a familiar face.
“Ruxu!” Han Shuang waved, “It’s me! You’re covering the City Hospital story?”
You Ruxu nodded, after an entire afternoon of reading, everyone seemed to have words written all over their faces, “Yes, it’s me, what a coincidence.”
She added, “Just like last time.”
You Ruxu nodded, “Are you alone?”
“My cameraman’s in the restroom, are you alone?” Han Shuang asked, “Your cameraman didn’t come?”
You Ruxu patted her backpack, “I’m multitasking.”
“You’re so multi-talented!” Then Han Shuang frowned, “They didn’t assign you anyone?”
You Ruxu said, “They did, but it’s just for an hour, I can handle it.”
Han Shuang said, “Okay, how’s the new job?”
You Ruxu said, “It’s good.”
“You should have joined our station, we could have been partners.” Han Shuang said, “But being closer to home, that’s also good.”
You Ruxu nodded.
They chatted as they walked. Han Shuang’s cameraman wasn’t the same one as last time. This one was young, his gaze constantly drifting towards You Ruxu. Han Shuang said, “Stop staring, she’s taken!”
The cameraman blushed, “Reporter You has a boyfriend?”
Han Shuang nodded: “Yes, she does.” She turned to You Ruxu, “You do, right?”
You Ruxu had told her last year.
Han Shuang remembered, but she didn’t know if they had broken up.
You Ruxu pursed her lips, smiled faintly, and said to Han Shuang and the cameraman, “Yes, I do.”
Han Shuang said to the cameraman, “Didn’t I tell you, you have no chance.”
They entered the conference hall, still sitting near the back, as usual. There weren’t as many people this time, so they moved a little closer to the front. It was still early, so there were plenty of seats to choose from. You Ruxu sat beside Han Shuang, adjusted her camera, her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and answered, “Captain Zhou?”
Han Shuang, seeing her stand up after the call, asked, “Where are you going?”
You Ruxu said, “I have to step out for a bit, my friend is waiting outside.”
Han Shuang said, “Zhou Dui (Captain Zhou)?” She smiled, “I saw her yesterday.”
You Ruxu nodded.
Han Shuang said, “Go ahead, I’ll keep an eye on your things.”
You Ruxu thanked her and left. Just as she left, the back door of the conference hall opened, and a group of doctors entered, the ones in front chatting and laughing, Zhou Tianzui at the back, her expression calm, not reacting to her colleagues’ jokes.
She instinctively scanned the hall as soon as she entered, You Ruxu always arrived early, if she was covering this story, she would be here.
Zhou Tianzui didn’t see You Ruxu. She lowered her gaze and heard Han Shuang call out, “Dr. Zhou!”
Waving at her.
Zhou Tianzui nodded at her, noticing an empty seat beside her, a bag and a camera, but no one there, a sliver of hope arising, she walked over and asked, “The seat beside you…”
“It’s Ruxu’s, she just stepped out.” Zhou Tianzui’s heart leaped at those words, her heartbeat accelerating, she took a moment to compose herself before asking, “She went out? When will she be back?”
“She didn’t say, probably soon.” Han Shuang said, “She said she was meeting a friend.”
Zhou Tianzui, hearing that word, frowned slightly, muttering, “A friend?”
Han Shuang nodded, “Also from Jindu, you might know her.”
Zhou Tianzui looked at her, “Who?”
Han Shuang said, “Captain Zhou.”
Zhou Tianzui’s brow furrowed, her heart sinking slightly. She sat down beside Han Shuang, in You Ruxu’s seat, after a moment of hesitation. Han Shuang was surprised, “Dr. Zhou, aren’t you sitting in the front?”
“I’ll go later.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll wait for her.”
Han Shuang gave a small “oh,” not thinking much of it.
Zhou Tianzui sat there, arms crossed, waiting, but after a few minutes, You Ruxu still hadn’t returned. A mix of frustration and anxiety churned within her, a growing unease. She took out her phone, wanting to call You Ruxu.
But before she could dial the number, staring at the screen, she suddenly remembered her words earlier, let’s break up, don’t wait for me, if You Ruxu acknowledged it, she was just an ex-girlfriend, if not, then just a friend, either way, she had no right to ask.
Zhou Tianzui gripped her phone tightly.
She was even more furious now!
Zhou Tianzui’s last words: Oh, meeting a friend, are we?
You Ruxu: …