Category: Friend(GL)

Chapter 37: Suddenly

Zhou Tianzui’s pronunciation was exceptionally clear. Usually, her tone was cool and indifferent, but it was completely different when she read aloud. You Ruxu thought she must have been the designated reader in school, her emotions so rich, even her breathing changing to match the narrative. You Ruxu couldn’t help but call out, “Zhou Tianzui.”

The reading stopped. Zhou Tianzui turned her head: “Hmm?”

She looked at You Ruxu.

You Ruxu said, “I’m going home.”

Zhou Tianzui released her hand and said, “Okay.”

So agreeable, was this still Zhou Tianzui? You Ruxu could sense that Zhou Tianzui was changing. She looked at her suspiciously and heard her ask, “Don’t want to go home? Then stay and sleep with me?”

Sleep.

If she stayed, she probably wouldn’t be able to leave until evening. You Ruxu still had to buy a cake for Wu Xiulian. She said, “I’m leaving.”

Zhou Tianzui watched her go, her head tilting as she looked at the floor-to-ceiling window. The faint scent of You Ruxu lingered in the air, a calming fragrance, making her sleepy.

She slept until past four in the afternoon, woken by a call from Yu Qiao. She had messaged Yu Qiao after arriving to let her know she was safe, but Yu Qiao, still worried, called to check on her.

“Did you have dinner at Xiao Xu’s?” Yu Qiao asked. “How are her parents?”

Zhou Tianzui, just waking up, rubbed her forehead, turned over, and said, “They’re very nice.”

“Did you bring a gift?” Yu Qiao asked again. Zhou Tianzui chuckled, “Beautiful Yu, I’m thirty, not thirteen, of course I know basic etiquette.”

“Etiquette, you say.” Yu Qiao muttered, “What about your etiquette on those blind dates?”

Zhou Tianzui: …

She sat up, leaning against the headboard, listening to the drizzling rain outside. It had started raining again. Yu Qiao said, “I heard it’s been raining heavily in Yuhai these days, it’s very cold. Stay indoors if you can, and wear more clothes.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I know.”

Yu Qiao rambled for a few more minutes. Zhou Tianzui, listening to the rain and her mother’s voice, wondered what You Ruxu was doing now. Helping around the house? Preparing dinner? Chatting with her aunt? Chatting about what? Would they talk about her?

“Xiao Tian, do you remember what I told you?” Yu Qiao asked. Zhou Tianzui snapped back to reality, “Yes, Mom, I remember.”

Yu Qiao said, “Then I’ll hang up now, call me if you need anything.”

Zhou Tianzui put down the phone, sat for a while, then got up and walked to the window. She took a shower, changed, and went downstairs. Several people were sitting in the lobby lounge area. She took an umbrella and walked out. The rain wasn’t very heavy, the drizzle pattering softly on the umbrella. The city hospital was nearby, the area bustling with people and shops. Zhou Tianzui walked along the streets, seemingly searching for something. After walking for two blocks, she finally found the shop she was looking for, at a three-way intersection. Her eyebrows lifted slightly as she entered the shop, umbrella in hand.

Unlike the other crowded shops, this one was relatively quiet. The occasional customers were mostly children, tugging at their mothers’ hands: “Mommy, I want that one.”

“That’s not practical, Mommy will buy you something to eat later.” Or: “That’s too expensive, Mommy will buy it for you online.”

Zhou Tianzui stood at the entrance, looking at the various teddy bears of all shapes and sizes. She walked inside. The shop assistant, seeing a rare customer, her face beaming, quickly greeted her, “Miss, what are you looking for?”

Two life-sized teddy bears were displayed at the entrance. Zhou Tianzui had seen them as soon as she entered, one light brown, one light blue, both with scarves around their necks. She looked at the two bears. The shop assistant, understanding, said, “You like these?”

She said, “This is a limited edition collaboration, the material is very soft, and the workmanship is exquisite. Is it a gift for a child?”

A child?

Zhou Tianzui thought of how much You Ruxu loved teddy bears and nodded, a hint of amusement in her eyes, “Yes, it’s for a child.”

“Then this one is perfect.” The shop assistant continued to introduce the product. Zhou Tianzui touched the material; it was much softer than the thirty-five yuan teddy bear. The shop assistant said, “We have a discount on this one right now.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “How much is it?”

The shop assistant quoted a four-digit price, a hundred times more expensive than the one she had given before. Zhou Tianzui’s gaze remained fixed on the teddy bear, hearing the shop assistant say, “Because it’s a limited edition, the price is a bit higher. Miss, if you like this style, we also have similar ones at a lower price…”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll take this one.”

The shop assistant, surprised, let out a small “oh,” then nodded, “Alright, alright.”

She immediately went to wrap the bear. Another shop assistant, seeing her carrying the large teddy bear, was surprised: “It’s sold?”

“To a beautiful lady, no fuss, very straightforward.” The shop assistant chuckled. “I didn’t expect it to sell.”

Because it was a limited edition, it had been slightly cheaper online when it was first launched. Later, when it was sold in stores, the price returned to its original value. Those who wanted to buy or collect it had already done so, and few others were willing to pay such a high price for a teddy bear. So, it had been displayed in the window, and they assumed it would remain a display item, never expecting someone to buy it.

Zhou Tianzui took the wrapped gift and walked back, picking up some takeout on the way. She returned to the hotel at 5:30, placed the teddy bear in the closet, and ate her dinner at the table, browsing the news while she ate. Just as she was finishing, she received a friend request on WeChat. She opened it. It was from the person in charge of the medical summit at the city hospital. After accepting the request, the person apologized for not adding her earlier and not taking better care of her, then mentioned they had prepared dinner and asked if she wanted to come downstairs. Zhou Tianzui declined, saying she had just gone out and already eaten. The city hospital was being generous, providing buffet meals on the first and second floors of the three hotels they had booked. Zhou Tianzui had seen it, but she didn’t have much of an appetite, so she ate the takeout she bought and lay down on the bed.

She felt unusually calm. She looked at her phone, found You Ruxu’s WeChat, and scrolled up through their chat history. It was mostly You Ruxu contacting her: I’m home, Are you back yet?, What do you want for dinner?. Often, it was You Ruxu initiating the conversation, and she wouldn’t necessarily reply to every message. At first, she didn’t want to reply, then it became a stubborn refusal, and later—she gradually started replying to You Ruxu’s everyday questions.

But she rarely initiated contact.

Zhou Tianzui pursed her lips and messaged You Ruxu: [What are you doing?]

After sending the message, she put her phone aside and saw the novel she hadn’t finished reading earlier. She picked up the book, leaned against the pillows, and glanced at her phone every now and then. You Ruxu was watching a video with You Shu, a conversation. In the video, a middle-aged man in a suit and blue tie sat in a chair, his hands on the table, wearing a watch. The person in front of him asked, “Mr. Wu, what were you doing at 9 am this morning?”

The man replied without hesitation, “Organizing documents.”

“What about at 10:30?”

“Working out.”

“What about at 1 pm?”

“Taking a nap.”

The man’s answers were fluent, without a single pause. You Shu asked You Ruxu, “Was he lying?”

You Ruxu asked, “How long ago was this?”

You Shu said, “Three days ago.”

You Ruxu, noticing the man glance at his watch for the fourth time, said, “He wasn’t lying.”

Wu Xiulian walked over with a plate of fruit, “Can you two take a break? You Shu, you’re always busy, your daughter finally came home, let her rest.”

You Ruxu smiled, “Mom, this is just a simulation test, it’s not tiring.”

Wu Xiulian glared at You Shu, nudging him aside, sitting down next to You Ruxu, and said, “You’ve lost some weight, are you not eating well over there?”

“No, Mom.” You Ruxu said, “I’m used to it there.”

You Shu, having been squeezed aside, harrumphed, closed his laptop, and asked You Ruxu, “That explosion in Jindu…”

“Cases, cases, cases!” Wu Xiulian said, “Can’t you ask about something else? Whether your daughter is doing well, whether she’s eating well, her living environment, whether she’s busy at work. You don’t seem to care at all.”

You Shu, interrupted by her barrage of questions, was speechless.

You Ruxu lowered her head and heard Wu Xiulian ask, “Ruxu, have you thought about coming back?”

She paused, looking up at Wu Xiulian.

Wu Xiulian said, “Your father and I are about to retire. We don’t have any big ambitions, we just want to see our daughter occasionally, have dinner together. You said you’re not interested in relationships, I won’t force you, but you can be a reporter here in Yuhai too.”

You Ruxu was silent for a moment. Although Wu Xiulian dyed her hair black, the gray roots were still visible, and You Shu’s back wasn’t as straight as before. They were getting old.

You Shu coughed, “Alright, let the child decide for herself, don’t interfere too much.”

“If I don’t interfere, will you?” Wu Xiulian retorted, “All you do is make Ruxu take this test and that test. Look what you’ve done to her. I’m not like you, pretending to be tough, but secretly worrying about Ruxu. Last time, when she said she wanted to go back to being a reporter, who was the one tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep for half a month?”

“When was I ever unable to sleep for half a month?”

“Right, you weren’t, it was me, sighing every night.”

You Ruxu sat between them, listening to their bickering, her head aching slightly. There was a knock on the door. She quickly walked over and opened it. Wu Xiulian stood at the entrance, calling into the room, “Sis, I’m borrowing your daughter!”

Wu Xiulian was still talking. Wu Xiulian pulled You Ruxu away. She didn’t take You Ruxu anywhere else, but upstairs, to her own apartment. She lived alone, having converted her two-bedroom apartment into a one-bedroom, the living room exceptionally spacious, with an open kitchen and some exercise equipment. Wu Xiulian pulled You Ruxu onto the sofa. A half-finished bottle of red wine and two wine glasses were on the coffee table. Wu Xiulian said, “Xu Xu, have a drink with your aunt?”

You Ruxu took the glass and sipped the wine, its initial bitterness followed by a sweet aftertaste.

Wu Xiulian leaned back on the sofa, looking at You Ruxu, “Were your parents bickering again?”

You Ruxu held the wine glass, looking at her: “How did you know, Aunt?”

“They’ve been like this recently.” Wu Xiulian said, “Your mom must have asked you when you’re coming back again.”

You Ruxu was slightly surprised. Wu Xiulian sighed, “Your mom just doesn’t want to tell you, but she had a checkup recently, and there were some minor issues…”

“What issues?” You Ruxu’s expression changed slightly. “She didn’t tell me anything.”

“She was worried it would affect your work, so she didn’t tell you. The results came back benign, so she said there was no need to tell you. But she was quite worried during that time. Xu Xu, it’s normal to have some minor health problems as you get older. I’m not telling you this to persuade you to come back, but they’re getting older, they might need you more, so call them more often.”

You Ruxu sat on the sofa, taking another sip of wine. Wu Xiulian went to her room to answer a call, her voice fading in and out. You Ruxu turned to look out the window. It was raining, quite heavily. Her phone buzzed with a notification. She picked it up and saw a message from Zhou Tianzui, asking what she was doing.

She held the phone, looking at the message, her fingers pressing against the edges of the phone, the veins on the back of her hand clearly visible. She started typing a reply to Zhou Tianzui: [Not doing anything…]

She stopped, deleted it.

Typed again: [I’m at my aunt’s place.]

Deleted it word by word.

Finally, she just sent: [Zhou Tianzui.]

Zhou Tianzui frowned, seeing the reply: [What’s wrong?]

You Ruxu typed: [I had some wine at my aunt’s.]

Zhou Tianzui: [Oh?]

You Ruxu: [I might say some nonsense later.]

Zhou Tianzui pictured her expression and smiled slightly, replying: [What nonsense?]

You Ruxu’s fingers hovered over the screen, her mind blank for a long moment, before she replied: [Nothing.]

She just suddenly had so much she wanted to say to Zhou Tianzui.

She just suddenly, really wanted to see Zhou Tianzui.

Chapter 36: Reading

Before arriving home, You Shu knew that You Ruxu was bringing a friend, the Dr. Zhou who had been taking care of her in Jindu. Heeding Wu Xiulian’s words, he also bought two extra dishes, filling the table. You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui came out of the bedroom and heard noises at the door. You Shu looked up: “Ruxu, you’re back?”

“Dad.” You Ruxu turned to Zhou Tianzui: “This is my dad.”

“Hello, Uncle.” Zhou Tianzui’s expression was calm. You Ruxu walked over to You Shu and took his briefcase. You Shu said, “Dr. Zhou, right? Have a seat, have a seat. Your mother has been singing your praises since you arrived.”

Zhou Tianzui smiled, “Auntie is too kind.”

Wu Xiulian said, “It’s all thanks to your good upbringing.” She looked at You Ruxu. “You, if you were half as sweet-talking as Dr. Zhou, your mother would be delighted. You barely say a word to me, and you don’t act affectionately when you come home.”

Wu Xiulian chimed in, “Who else would she be affectionate with? Sis, you don’t know how many colleagues envy you.”

Wu Xiulian asked, “Envy me for what?”

“Having such an obedient and sensible daughter.” Wu Xiulian said, “If giving birth wasn’t so painful, I’d really want to have one too.”

“What are you saying!” Wu Xiulian glared at her. “Is that something you should be saying in front of the younger generation?”

“Oh, come on, what younger generation?” Wu Xiulian pulled You Ruxu closer. “This is my little sister, right, Xu Xu?”

You Ruxu laughed, “Aunt, stop it, you’ll make Mom angry.”

“She’s always angry, ignore her.”

Wu Xiulian said in exasperation, “The two of you, big and small, are always causing me trouble, of course I’m always angry!”

You Shu tried to smooth things over, “Let’s eat, let’s eat.”

Wu Xiulian released You Ruxu and said, “Let’s go eat, Dr. Zhou. See if you like Yuhai cuisine.”

Yuhai cuisine was generally spicy. You Ruxu hadn’t mentioned Zhou Tianzui was coming, so the dishes were quite heavily seasoned. The two dishes prepared later were milder. You Ruxu pushed those two dishes towards Zhou Tianzui, sat down, and said, “Let’s eat.”

The family sat down at the table. Wu Xiulian said, “It’s been half a year since your last visit, now it’s so difficult for your aunt to even see you.”

You Ruxu smiled: “Aunt, you can come visit me in Jindu.”

“Good idea.” Wu Xiulian readily agreed, then turned to Zhou Tianzui, “By the way, Dr. Zhou, you live with our Xu Xu, so your mother…”

“My mother lives alone.” Zhou Tianzui said, “She prefers peace and quiet.”

Wu Xiulian sighed, “Living alone is good, I also want to live alone when I’m older.”

The topic strayed. You Ruxu glanced at Zhou Tianzui, who was eating and chatting calmly, looking up attentively when Wu Xiulian and Wu Xiulian’s mother spoke.

You Shu didn’t talk much during dinner. After finishing, he went to the kitchen to wash the dishes and cut some fruit. Wu Xiulian asked Wu Xiulian’s mother, “Not going to work this afternoon?”

“I took the afternoon off.” Wu Xiulian said, “Sis, I finally have a day off, let me rest for half a day. Xu Xu, how about your aunt takes you for a drive this afternoon?”

You Ruxu said, “I have to take her to the hotel this afternoon.”

“Oh—” Wu Xiulian said, “Alright then, I’ll go home and rest, I’m used to taking afternoon naps, I get sleepy after lunch.”

Wu Xiulian’s mother asked You Ruxu, “Do you and Dr. Zhou want to take a nap?”

You Ruxu, remembering how tired Zhou Tianzui looked on the plane, nodded, “Then we’ll go rest for a bit.”

She looked at Zhou Tianzui, “Want to take a nap in my room?”

Zhou Tianzui agreed, said goodbye to You Shu and Wu Xiulian, and entered You Ruxu’s room. You Ruxu said, “Let’s sleep for half an hour, my parents are used to taking afternoon naps, you should rest too.”

Zhou Tianzui wasn’t used to napping, her sleep schedule irregular, only sleeping when she was truly exhausted. So, even after going to the bedroom, she couldn’t fall asleep. You Ruxu sat at her desk and saw a book with a bookmark. She had been halfway through this book before, intending to finish it when she came back, but every time she returned, it was only for a few days. It had been three or four years, and she still hadn’t finished it. You Ruxu opened the book, having already forgotten the previous content.

The noises outside gradually subsided, the faint sounds of people returning to their rooms, then silence.

Zhou Tianzui sat on the edge of You Ruxu’s bed. The teddy bear had fully inflated, but it was still wrinkled, some of its fur missing, feeling sparse to the touch. Zhou Tianzui stared at the teddy bear for a while, silent. You Ruxu asked, “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

The bedsheets were new, with a faint laundry scent. Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll sit for a bit, what are you looking at?”

“A book.” You Ruxu said, “I bought this book years ago, and my deskmate borrowed it right after I bought it.”

She handed the book to Zhou Tianzui. The last page was torn, barely attached. Zhou Tianzui asked, “It’s damaged?”

“It was already like this when she returned it.” You Ruxu smiled.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Why didn’t you ask her to replace it with a new one?”

You Ruxu said, “There was no need.”

Zhou Tianzui looked at her, paused, then asked, “Was your temper always this good?”

You Ruxu looked at Zhou Tianzui, hearing her question.

So many people had told her she had a good temper, her parents, her aunt, her teachers, her classmates, almost everyone who knew her would say, “Xu Xu, with such a good temper, you’ll be bullied.” But she was rarely bullied. Wu Xiulian had said, “Xu Xu, your face is too misleading.”

Strangers, seeing her aloof demeanor, didn’t dare bully her. Those who knew her would receive a smiling response after a few interactions. Wu Xiulian had said, “With those eyes of yours, who would have the heart to deceive or bully you?”

You Ruxu said, “Is it good?”

Zhou Tianzui glanced at her and continued reading. It was a romance novel. Zhou Tianzui rarely read such books. She flipped through a few pages. You Ruxu asked, “Do you want to read it?”

She had never seen Zhou Tianzui read a novel before, so she asked, “Have you ever read novels?”

“I read a couple in junior high.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Later, I felt it was a waste of time, so I stopped.”

Such strong self-control. You Ruxu had loved reading novels in junior high, practically devouring them whenever she wasn’t in class. Her classmates were surprised that she could still maintain good grades despite reading novels all the time. She read less after entering high school due to her studies, but she would still buy a few during the holidays as a reward.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Your way of rewarding yourself is quite unique.”

You Ruxu asked, “Then how do you reward yourself?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Doing practice exercises.”

You Ruxu: …

You’re the unique one.

That wasn’t a reward, it was practically punishment during school years. But—it suited Zhou Tianzui’s personality. She found it amusing. Zhou Tianzui turned to her, “What are you laughing at?”

You Ruxu said, “Nothing.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Laughing at me?”

You Ruxu said, “No.”

Zhou Tianzui looked up at her. You Ruxu was standing by the bed, while Zhou Tianzui was sitting beside her, holding the book. She tilted her head slightly. Sunlight streamed in through the window, making You Ruxu’s milky skin almost translucent. Zhou Tianzui’s eyes were deep. She blinked and said, “Teacher You is still so dishonest.”

A strange feeling crept into You Ruxu’s heart, like a crack opening, something pouring in, a tingling sensation. She looked down at Zhou Tianzui, not speaking.

The room was quiet. Zhou Tianzui continued reading. You Ruxu cleared her throat, “I’m going to get some water.”

Zhou Tianzui watched her leave the room, a smile playing on her lips.

You Ruxu stood in the kitchen for a few minutes after leaving the bedroom. She opened the refrigerator door, a wave of cold air washing over her, making her face feel even warmer. She took a glass, poured herself some water, poured another glass for Zhou Tianzui, and returned to the bedroom. She saw Zhou Tianzui sitting on the bed, quietly flipping through the pages, her slender fingers holding the book, her other hand resting on the pages, the red string bracelet on her wrist clearly visible. You Ruxu looked at her own wrist, the peach pit on her bracelet swaying gently, mirroring her feelings.

Zhou Tianzui hadn’t taken a nap. After reading for half an hour, she waited until You Shu and Wu Xiulian woke up, sat for a bit longer, then prepared to leave for the hotel. Wu Xiulian said, “Why don’t you just stay here?”

You Ruxu’s heart leaped, looking at Zhou Tianzui. Hearing her mother’s words, a flicker of anticipation arose within her.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Thank you, Auntie, but I’ll stay at the hotel. It’s more convenient for the summit.”

You Ruxu picked up her bag and said, “Dad, Mom, I’ll take her there.”

You Shu also said, “Come over for dinner with Ruxu when you’re free.”

Zhou Tianzui agreed.

They took Wu Xiulian’s car. It was a large car, and You Ruxu didn’t drive fast. Logically, there shouldn’t be much traffic at this hour, but the drive to the hotel was still stop-and-go, taking some time, showing just how much busier and more congested Yuhai was compared to Jindu. You Ruxu carried her backpack, watched Zhou Tianzui get out with her suitcase, and asked, “What’s your room number?”

“1306.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Thirteenth floor.”

They went to the lobby to get the room key. Zhou Tianzui, carrying her suitcase, entered the elevator with You Ruxu. The hotel was quite tall, twenty-six floors. The thirteenth floor was in the middle, a good location with a nice view. There was a man-made lake and a park below. From the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling windows, one could see the bustling crowd. Zhou Tianzui didn’t have much luggage. She put You Ruxu’s equipment away first and, seeing You Ruxu on the phone, turned to look at her. You Ruxu, looking down, said, “Okay, I understand.”

After hanging up, You Ruxu said, “My aunt wants me to bring her a small cake.” She then asked Zhou Tianzui, “Do you want anything?”

Zhou Tianzui shook her head and asked You Ruxu, “Are you going back now?”

Theoretically, You Ruxu didn’t have anything else to do here, but she looked at the time on her phone and said, “It’s still early. What are you planning to do?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Take a nap.”

You Ruxu looked at her, “Didn’t you say you weren’t sleepy?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I wasn’t sleepy at your place, but I am now.”

You Ruxu nodded, “Then go to sleep, I’ll go home.”

“Didn’t you just say it’s still early?” Zhou Tianzui sat on the edge of the bed. The sheets were white with gold trim. She took the book she brought from You Ruxu’s room out of her bag and handed it to You Ruxu. You Ruxu was puzzled, “What’s this for?”

“To read me to sleep.” Zhou Tianzui lay back against the pillows, pulling the corner of the blanket over herself. You Ruxu looked at the book, then at Zhou Tianzui. Did this person think novels were bedtime stories for children?

You Ruxu had never done this before. Seeing Zhou Tianzui’s hand still extended, she walked over, took the book, and sat beside Zhou Tianzui, opening it.

A one-night stand as the opening scene.

You Ruxu glanced at Zhou Tianzui and heard her ask, “Why aren’t you reading?”

“I’ll find you another book.” You Ruxu said. Zhou Tianzui grabbed her wrist, “I want to hear this one.”

You Ruxu hesitated.

Zhou Tianzui called out, “A Ran.” You Ruxu lowered her eyes, meeting Zhou Tianzui’s deep gaze. She heard Zhou Tianzui say, “We’ve done it so many times, can’t you even read about it?”

She took the book from You Ruxu’s hand, flipped to the first chapter, and teased, “Should I read it to you then?”

You Ruxu abruptly tried to stand up, but Zhou Tianzui grabbed her wrist and pulled her back!

Chapter 35: Happy

Wu Xiulian was skilled at conversation, managing to glean Zhou Tianzui’s family and work situation within a few sentences. Zhou Tianzui was honest and polite, a stark contrast to the sharp-tongued person in You Ruxu’s memories.

“Auntie, you’re joking, I don’t think we’re that far apart in age.” Wu Xiulian beamed, her face lighting up. She always enjoyed being complimented on her youthfulness. The interns at her workplace were all obedient at first, but after a while, they started teasing her, “Sister Xiulian, don’t be angry, look, you’re frowning again.”

She really wanted to smack them sometimes.

Zhou Tianzui’s flattery was just right, pleasing her immensely. You Ruxu looked sideways at Zhou Tianzui, her anxiety lessening slightly. She didn’t know Zhou Tianzui had such good people skills. Then again, she was good at coaxing her mother as well.

But she had never coaxed her.

Usually, she would just use words to provoke her.

This person knew how to hit where it hurt, otherwise she wouldn’t always manage to pierce her heart. Ultimately, she just wasn’t someone Zhou Tianzui bothered to coax.

You Ruxu pursed her lips, her face darkening slightly. What she usually found comforting, now felt like a small thorn pricking her heart, a dull ache with every touch. You Ruxu reluctantly admitted that she was actually a little envious of her aunt.

Halfway through the drive, Zhou Tianzui said, “Aunt, could we stop for a moment?”

Wu Xiulian quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I just saw a shopping mall, I want to buy something.”

“No—” Then she remembered this was Zhou Tianzui’s first time visiting, and the child would probably feel embarrassed coming empty-handed, so she said, “Alright, just a moment.”

The car turned and entered an underground parking lot. Zhou Tianzui got out and looked back at the car. You Ruxu’s expression was calm as she looked at her, a flicker of something in her eyes. Before she could figure it out, Wu Xiulian said, “Let’s go, I’ll go with you.”

You Ruxu also got out of the car.

Wu Xiulian, very enthusiastically, introduced the local cuisine to Zhou Tianzui, saying, “Ask Xu Xu to bring you here, she loved coming to this area when she was in university.”

You Ruxu gave a noncommittal “mm-hmm.”

Zhou Tianzui smiled, “Sounds good.”

They reached a gift shop on the second floor. Wu Xiulian said, “You choose, I’ll pay.” She looked at You Ruxu, “Don’t tell your mom.”

She had the air of an elder, her words conveying her fondness for Zhou Tianzui. Earlier in the car, after learning about Zhou Tianzui’s father passing away and her being raised by a single mother, she had sighed, “Your mother is truly remarkable.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll buy it, it’s the thought that counts.”

Wu Xiulian said, “Such a well-mannered child.”

After Zhou Tianzui left, Wu Xiulian said, “No wonder they say children from poor families mature early. Single-parent children also grow up fast. Xu Xu, this friend of yours is good.”

You Ruxu hummed softly. Wu Xiulian asked, “Do you want to look around?”

“I’m not browsing.” You Ruxu said, “I’ll wait for her here.”

Wu Xiulian looked at her and said, “Xu Xu, you’ve changed a lot.”

You Ruxu asked, “How have I changed?”

Wu Xiulian and You Ruxu were very close, perhaps because she didn’t have children of her own and wasn’t that much older than You Ruxu, so she doted on her as both a daughter and a younger sister. You Ruxu had also been close to her, but after high school, she suddenly matured, becoming less affectionate, her personality more aloof. Her friendships were superficial, and Wu Xiulian hadn’t heard of her having any close friends. When You Ruxu was in university, she had visited her dorm room. Everyone said You Ruxu had a good temper and was easy to talk to, but she rarely opened up to anyone.

During You Ruxu’s university years, she had urged her to find a boyfriend, not to waste her youth, but You Ruxu didn’t even have any ambiguous relationships. Wu Xiulian blamed her mother, “It’s your non-marriage stance that’s influencing our Ruxu!”

Wu Xiulian’s mother retorted, “How am I influencing her?! I had several relationships during my university years!”

But You Ruxu seemed to have no desire for romance, seemingly close to everyone, yet distant at the same time. Before You Ruxu graduated, Wu Xiulian was worried about her personality, whether she would be okay going to Jindu alone, or if she would return after a few months.

To her surprise, You Ruxu had stayed for over three years.

Wu Xiulian complained, half-jokingly, “You’re not as close to your aunt anymore.”

You Ruxu chuckled.

Wu Xiulian said, “Come here and give your aunt a hug. Are you not eating properly over there? You’re so thin.”

You Ruxu hugged Wu Xiulian and said, “I’m eating plenty.”

“You still need to eat more when you come home.” Wu Xiulian said, “And that Dr. Zhou, she’s also very thin. Do you two cook at home?”

You Ruxu said, “We do.”

Wu Xiulian asked, “Who cooks more often?”

You Ruxu said, “Whoever is free.”

Wu Xiulian: “Doctors are quite busy, aren’t they?”

You Ruxu said, “It’s alright.”

Wu Xiulian asked again, “How did you two meet?”

You Ruxu said, “We met during an interview, I was interviewing her hospital.”

Wu Xiulian gave a small “oh” and nodded, then asked, “What do you think of Dr. Zhou?”

What did she think?

What could she think of a friend?

The conversation came to an abrupt halt. Wu Xiulian was still smiling, but her gaze was fixed on You Ruxu. The question made You Ruxu feel as if she was being asked about a romantic partner.

And perhaps, it wasn’t just a feeling.

Zhou Tianzui came out after buying the gifts and saw the two looking at each other. She walked over. Wu Xiulian said, “You’re done.”

You Ruxu unclenched her hand.

The mall was crowded, even though it wasn’t a holiday, likely due to the summit. You Ruxu walked beside Zhou Tianzui, pondering the meaning of her aunt’s question.

Reaching the car, she forgot to open the door. Zhou Tianzui opened it from inside and said, “What’s wrong?”

You Ruxu looked up, snapped back to reality, and got into the car, “Nothing.”

She sat by the window, Zhou Tianzui beside her. Wu Xiulian, still trying to lighten the mood, asked, “Is Yuhai colder than Jindu?”

It had been raining a lot recently, so the temperature hadn’t risen. Zhou Tianzui said, “It’s alright, not too cold.”

“Jindu is also quite cold.” Wu Xiulian said, “I went to Jindu on a business trip once, and I had a cold for ten out of fifteen days. The food there is also bland, Yuhai loves spicy food, can you handle spicy food?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I can handle a little bit of spice.”

“Then I’ll treat you to hotpot next time.” Wu Xiulian said, “Xu Xu, remind me.”

You Ruxu said, “Okay.”

Wu Xiulian smiled. After driving for another ten minutes or so, they arrived at a residential complex. Wu Xiulian swiped her access card and drove in. You Ruxu took a deep breath and looked out the window. They soon reached the parking lot. You Ruxu received a message from her mother: [Ruxu, are you home yet?]

You Ruxu replied: [Yes.]

She glanced at Zhou Tianzui and added: [Dr. Zhou is here too.]

Wu Xiulian: [Dr. Zhou is here too?]

You Ruxu: [She’s here for the summit at the city hospital, I invited her for lunch.]

Wu Xiulian: [That’s good, that’s good, then I’ll make a few more dishes.]

You Ruxu pursed her lips, her fingers gripping her phone, hearing Wu Xiulian say, “We’re here, let’s get out.”

Zhou Tianzui opened the door and got out, carrying the gift box. You Ruxu pulled her suitcase. Wu Xiulian asked, “This bag…”

“She needs to take it to the hotel.” You Ruxu said, “I’ll drive her to the hotel after lunch.”

Wu Xiulian handed her the car keys, “Alright, then take my car.”

You Ruxu didn’t hesitate, took the keys, and entered the elevator. As the elevator ascended, her heartbeat accelerated. Although her expression remained calm, the slight tension in her jawline betrayed her emotions.

Zhou Tianzui stood beside her, silent. The elevator was unusually quiet. Soon, it reached their floor with a ding. You Ruxu looked up. Wu Xiulian was standing outside.

Wu Xiulian had changed her clothes. She had been wearing loungewear, but after hearing Zhou Tianzui was coming, she had changed into something more formal, put on makeup, and was wearing pearl earrings. Her posture was elegant and graceful. You Ruxu had mentioned that her mother was a university professor, immersed in literature and knowledge, her temperament refined. She stepped forward, smiling.

You Ruxu called out, “Mom.”

Zhou Tianzui followed, “Auntie.”

“Hey.” Wu Xiulian said, “Come in, come in. Dr. Zhou, right? Ruxu often mentions you on the phone, saying you take good care of her in Jindu.”

You Ruxu instinctively glanced at Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui’s face was calm, a smile in her eyes as she said, “We take care of each other.”

Not overly humble, just right. Wu Xiulian liked her personality and invited them in. Zhou Tianzui said, “I bought these on the way here, I didn’t know what you liked.”

“How could you…”

Wu Xiulian said, “Oh, come on, sis, it’s Dr. Zhou’s first time visiting, bringing a gift is a gesture of goodwill. If you feel bad, just give her a red envelope later.”

Wu Xiulian’s mother gave her a look.

Wu Xiulian kept quiet, about to slip away, when Zhou Tianzui said, “Aunt, this is for you.”

“There’s one for me too?” Wu Xiulian was surprised.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Just a small token of appreciation.”

Wu Xiulian, pleased, accepted the gift. Wu Xiulian’s mother couldn’t refuse any longer and accepted it as well, “Have a seat.”

You Ruxu asked, “Isn’t Dad home?”

Wu Xiulian said, “Your dad’s in court today, he should be back soon.”

You Ruxu nodded slightly. Wu Xiulian said, “Ruxu, entertain Dr. Zhou, I’ll go make a few more dishes.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Auntie, I’ll help you.”

Wu Xiulian said, “How can I let you do that? You should…”

“I want to learn from you.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Teacher You always says my cooking isn’t to her liking, that she only likes yours the most, so I want to see how Auntie cooks.”

Wu Xiulian looked at You Ruxu, a hint of pleasure in her expression: “Really?”

She then said to You Ruxu, “Ruxu, honestly, as long as there’s food, why be so picky?”

You Ruxu looked at Zhou Tianzui, feeling even more strongly that she was a completely different person. So sweet-tongued, so good at pleasing people, but couldn’t even bother to coax her, could she?

She pursed her lips and remained silent.

Wu Xiulian, thinking she was unhappy, asked Wu Xiulian to keep her company. Zhou Tianzui followed Wu Xiulian into the kitchen. Soon, Wu Xiulian’s laughter could be heard. You Ruxu turned to look at the kitchen. Zhou Tianzui also happened to look over, their eyes meeting. You Ruxu quickly averted her gaze.

Just as Wu Xiulian sat down, her phone rang. She said, “The S3 document? It’s on my computer, I’ll send it to you when I get home, later.”

She said to You Ruxu, “I’m going upstairs, I’ll be back down soon.”

Her apartment was two floors above. You Ruxu nodded.

She was alone in the living room. Nothing had changed in the six months she had been away, still the familiar setting. She looked at her suitcase. Having nothing else to do, she decided to unpack. The suitcase wasn’t big, and it wasn’t very full. The vacuum-packed teddy bear was particularly conspicuous. She took it out, placed it by her pillow, and watched it slowly inflate. Hearing a noise at the doorway, she turned around. Zhou Tianzui was standing there.

You Ruxu said, “Done learning?”

Zhou Tianzui walked in. You Ruxu’s room was spacious and cozy, with light pink wallpaper, blue curtains, bookshelves made of irregular shelves, and several large transparent storage boxes under the desk, filled with neatly organized books. There were also pens and paper on the desk. Zhou Tianzui walked in and said, “Done learning.”

You Ruxu, holding some clothes, quickly hung them up and said, “My mom’s very happy today.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Auntie seems to be in a good mood.”

You Ruxu said, “That’s because you’re good at coaxing her.” Her tone held a rare hint of a barb. “I never knew you were so good at making people happy.”

Zhou Tianzui nodded slightly, not saying anything. Hearing no response, You Ruxu turned around. A small, square, deep purple gift box appeared from behind the wardrobe, held out in Zhou Tianzui’s hand.

You Ruxu was slightly surprised, looking at Zhou Tianzui.

She asked, “What’s this?”

Zhou Tianzui: “A gift.”

You Ruxu pursed her lips. She wasn’t blind, she could see it was a gift.

She asked again, “Why are you giving me a gift?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “To make you happy.”

You Ruxu didn’t speak, just looked at Zhou Tianzui, opened the wardrobe door, the door blocking Zhou Tianzui’s view. Hidden from Zhou Tianzui’s sight, You Ruxu bit her lip, unable to suppress the slight upward curve of her lips.

---

---

---

You Ruxu: So you can coax everyone but me, is that it?
Zhou Tianzui: When haven’t I coaxed you?
You Ruxu: When have you coaxed me?
Zhou Tianzui: Asking about your health.
You Ruxu: …

Chapter 34: Alright

You Ruxu hadn’t expected Zhou Tianzui to also be going to Yuhai, and even less expected to be on the same flight, sitting next to her. No wonder she had asked about her ticket and seat number. She had thought Zhou Tianzui was just being thorough, but now she realized she hadn’t been perceptive enough. People always said she was meticulous and could see through others, but when it came to Zhou Tianzui, she seemed to have no answers. Three years, and she thought she understood Zhou Tianzui, yet it was only recently that she felt she was starting to truly know her.

Zhou Tianzui sat beside her, eyes closed, and asked, “Did you go to university in Yuhai?”

“Yes.” Yuhai had several of the best universities in the country. She had wanted to go to university in Jindu before the college entrance exams, but her mother had said, “I have no objections to you working in Jindu after graduation, but I want you to make that decision when you’re mature enough.”

She had thought about it all night, finally deciding to attend university in Yuhai.

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ve never been to Yuhai.”

She had always attended schools nearby, because of Yu Qiao. In high school, her teacher had recommended another school. She did a lot of research and found that the local environment and food wouldn’t suit Yu Qiao, so she gave up on the idea and chose her second choice. When Yu Qiao found out, she was furious.

Yu Qiao rarely lost her temper. She had often had outbursts after her husband passed away, and then would hug Zhou Tianzui and say, “Xiao Tian, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.”

Sometimes, when she wasn’t clear-headed, she would say, “Xiao Tian, if Mom’s gone, just pretend you never had a mother.”

“Xiao Tian, I really can’t take it anymore.”

Zhou Tianzui had simply accepted all of Yu Qiao’s emotions calmly. Finally, Yu Qiao recovered. They moved, those turbulent emotions gradually fading into the past, and Yu Qiao slowly began to accept her new life.

Yu Qiao’s outburst during high school was expected. She had said, “Knowing this, I might as well be dead.”

Zhou Tianzui didn’t speak, just looked at her.

Yu Qiao’s eyes reddened under her gaze, and she said, “Xiao Tian, will you blame me?”

No, she wouldn’t have before, and she wouldn’t now.

In the future—

She looked at You Ruxu.

Would Yu Qiao be angry again in the future?

Zhou Tianzui closed her eyes, her head tilting against You Ruxu’s shoulder. You Ruxu turned. Zhou Tianzui’s skin was fair, her bangs covering her eyebrows, her eyes closed. You Ruxu asked, “Are you going to sleep?”

“Not sleepy.” Zhou Tianzui snuggled against You Ruxu’s shoulder, her hair brushing against You Ruxu’s neck. You Ruxu played with a strand of hair with her fingertip. Zhou Tianzui asked, “Who else is in your family?”

You Ruxu lowered her hand: “My dad, my mom. My paternal grandparents passed away a long time ago, and my maternal grandparents are abroad.” She saw them less than twice a year and wasn’t very close to them. She said, “I also have an aunt.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Is she good to you?”

You Ruxu said, “She’s quite good to me.”

She repeated, “My family is very good to me.”

It had been half a year since she last went home. She hadn’t even gone back for her birthday. Her mother had said she wanted to visit Jindu, but You Ruxu was busy filming in the countryside and told her not to come.

Her mother had mentioned visiting several times in the past few years, but the timing was never right. Once, her aunt came to Jindu for a conference, but You Ruxu was out of town. Her aunt messaged her: [Xu Xu, are you in a relationship? Let Auntie meet them, I won’t tell your mother!]

You Ruxu replied: [No.]

Her aunt didn’t believe her: [Really? Then what are you doing in Jindu? I thought you came here for love.]

Her imagination running wild.

You Ruxu didn’t know how to explain.

Perhaps sensing she wouldn’t lie, her aunt didn’t ask further, and You Ruxu breathed a sigh of relief. She had come to Jindu initially just for work, never expecting to meet Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui said, “That’s good.”

Then, her voice cool, “There’s no one else in my family, just my mom.”

They had lost contact with their relatives long ago, their relationship not even as close as their neighbors. You Ruxu nodded. She could tell that they were casually chatting about things, past, present, family. You Ruxu thought, it seemed like the first time she and Zhou Tianzui had talked about these things. Previously, their conversations were mostly about work. Even when they had free time for a walk, they would avoid these personal topics.

Yes, avoid.

They had both, consciously or unconsciously, avoided these topics. One didn’t speak, the other didn’t dare to.

You Ruxu thought for a moment and said, “Auntie is very gentle.”

“Is she?” Zhou Tianzui’s voice held a hint of amusement, “She’ll be very happy to hear you say that.”

Would she?

You Ruxu clenched her hand, her palm sweating.

She remembered the last time she brought fruit over, and after a moment of thought, asked, “What does Auntie like to do usually?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Dancing, cooking, chatting.”

You Ruxu was silent.

All things she wasn’t good at.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “What’s wrong?”

You Ruxu said, “I want to bring her a gift when I go back.”

It felt like a test, doing something she hadn’t done before. Once a certain balance was broken, it would either tip over or find a new equilibrium. She was now trying to find a new equilibrium.

Zhou Tianzui seemed surprised by her words. She opened her eyes, her gaze, having been resting on You Ruxu’s shoulder, now meeting hers, her eyelashes brushing against You Ruxu’s jaw, a ticklish sensation, like a feather. She heard Zhou Tianzui say, “Just some local specialties will do, my mom’s not picky.”

You Ruxu hummed in agreement.

She then heard Zhou Tianzui ask, “What about me?”

You Ruxu was slightly surprised, lowering her eyes. She saw Zhou Tianzui sit up straight and ask, “Why don’t you ask what kind of gifts I like?”

Zhou Tianzui.

She really didn’t know what kind of gifts such a picky person would like.

You Ruxu asked, “What do you like?”

Zhou Tianzui chuckled, “I’m not picky either, daily necessities are fine.”

You Ruxu was suspicious, “Daily necessities?”

Zhou Tianzui took her hand and wrote something on her palm. The ticklish sensation traveled from her fingertips to her palm, tracing the lines of her hand, the word taking shape in You Ruxu’s mind. Before Zhou Tianzui could finish, she instinctively clenched her hand, her movement so quick that she even caught Zhou Tianzui’s fingers in her grip.

You Ruxu glanced at her, her voice slightly lower, “That’s not a daily necessity.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Isn’t it?”

Just as You Ruxu was about to speak, Zhou Tianzui said, “I suppose not. Teacher You uses it more often, so Teacher You gets to decide.”

This person—

You Ruxu turned her head, the urge to cover Zhou Tianzui’s mouth growing stronger.

In the end, she held back.

She looked down at her magazine. Zhou Tianzui closed her eyes again, seemingly resting, her head tilting slightly. You Ruxu, seeing this, straightened up and gently placed Zhou Tianzui’s head on her shoulder, even adjusting the fabric of her shirt to make it more comfortable, only realizing afterwards that she, who always maintained a perfect image in public, never allowing any wrinkles on her clothes, was now deliberately creating “wrinkles.”

You Ruxu pursed her lips and looked back at the magazine, but she couldn’t focus on a single word.

It had been over six months since she last went home. Winter had arrived in Yuhai. Although the average temperature was higher than in Jindu, it had been raining frequently, each rainfall bringing a chill, making it even colder than Jindu. Before You Ruxu left, Wu Xiulian reminded her to wear more clothes. She had worn a jacket, but stepping off the plane, she was still hit by a blast of cold air.

Shivering slightly, You Ruxu pulled her suitcase, walking beside Zhou Tianzui.

“Which hotel are you staying at?” This summit was organized by the city hospital and held nearby. There were three hotels in the vicinity, and You Ruxu didn’t know which one Zhou Tianzui was staying at.

Zhou Tianzui looked at a message on her phone and said, “Hanmo.”

You Ruxu nodded, “My mom will be here soon, I’ll ask her to take you to the hotel first.”

Zhou Tianzui looked at her backpack, “What about your things?”

You Ruxu said, “I’ll take them home first…”

“Leave them in my room.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I’m staying near the summit venue anyway.”

You Ruxu thought for a moment and nodded, “Okay.”

She walked out with Zhou Tianzui. Wu Xiulian spotted her immediately and called out, “Xu Xu!”

You Ruxu looked up and saw her aunt standing at the exit, smiling. She said to Zhou Tianzui, “This is my aunt.”

Zhou Tianzui nodded.

Wu Xiulian walked over to You Ruxu. She was wearing a light red trench coat over a professional suit, a smart and capable look. The fabric of her clothes was expensive, giving her an air of authority, although her smile was quite friendly. She said, “Xu Xu, it’s been a while.”

You Ruxu called out, “Aunt.”

Wu Xiulian acknowledged her, then looked at the person beside her. Zhou Tianzui called out politely, “Aunt.”

“And this is?” Wu Xiulian asked You Ruxu, “Your friend?”

You Ruxu said, “This is Zhou Tianzui, she’s attending the medical summit.”

“Oh—” Wu Xiulian extended her hand, “Hello.” Then she smiled, “Zhou Tianzui, Dr. Zhou? Are you the Dr. Zhou who lives with our Xu Xu?”

Zhou Tianzui, composed, replied, “Yes, that’s me.”

“Oh my!” Wu Xiulian looked at You Ruxu, “You didn’t even tell me you were bringing Dr. Zhou. Your mom’s going to scold you again.”

She gestured towards Zhou Tianzui, “Let’s go to the car.”

Zhou Tianzui glanced at You Ruxu, took her suitcase, and placed it in the trunk. Wu Xiulian was driving a mid-size SUV, a seven-seater, with plenty of space. You Ruxu placed the equipment in the back row and sat in the second row with Zhou Tianzui. There were three seats in the second row. You Ruxu sat by the window, Zhou Tianzui beside her.

After getting into the car, Wu Xiulian said, “Xu Xu, you’re a celebrity now, you’ve made us work overtime for days. You have to treat me well this time you’re back.”

Wu Xiulian was a non-marriage advocate, young at heart, so there wasn’t much distance between her and You Ruxu.

You Ruxu asked, “Overtime?”

Wu Xiulian said, “Three days of overtime. I only managed to sneak out today because I knew you were coming home. That explosion case in Jindu had quite an impact.”

Mainly because of the stricter regulations on public opinion control. There had been meeting after meeting, and they were only given time off after drafting a new control plan.

You Ruxu understood and said, “Then I’ll treat you to dinner tomorrow.”

“Don’t rush.” Wu Xiulian said, “I heard from your mom that you’ll be back for a week?”

You Ruxu said, “Yes.”

Wu Xiulian smiled, “Such a long vacation, you should enjoy yourself.” She looked at Zhou Tianzui through the rearview mirror and asked, “Dr. Zhou, have you been to Yuhai before?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “No.”

Wu Xiulian said, “Then Xu Xu, you should show Dr. Zhou around, take good care of her. It’s her first time here, take her to see the sights.”

Zhou Tianzui turned to You Ruxu: “Is that alright?”

Her polite and humble demeanor was completely different from the Zhou Tianzui You Ruxu knew. You Ruxu said, “Alright.”

Wu Xiulian beamed, “Then Dr. Zhou, do you have anything else to do?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I was planning to go back to the hotel.”

“Going back to the hotel before even having lunch?” Wu Xiulian said, “If you don’t mind, come to our place, let’s have lunch together.”

Zhou Tianzui glanced at You Ruxu.

You Ruxu’s back was straight, her lips pursed. Zhou Tianzui said, “I don’t mind.” She turned to You Ruxu, “Is that okay?”

Silence fell over the car for two seconds.

You Ruxu said, “Alright.”

---

---

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Zhou Tianzui: Show me around?

You Ruxu: Alright.

Zhou Tianzui: Have dinner at your place?

You Ruxu: Alright.

Zhou Tianzui: Buy some…daily necessities?

You Ruxu: …

Chapter 33: Deliberately

You Ruxu didn’t reply to Chen Xiang. It was the first time she had been so impolite, her mood consistently low. Although it didn’t show on her face, on the way back, Zhou Tianzui asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” You Ruxu glanced at her phone. “Are you going anywhere else?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Let’s go home.”

She looked at You Ruxu: “Let me borrow your phone.”

You Ruxu handed her the phone. Zhou Tianzui knew the password. She unlocked it and saw the chat with Chen Xiang, and that message. She glanced at You Ruxu, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, and typed: [She has a partner, and she loves her partner very much.]

Chen Xiang choked on her water reading the reply. You Ruxu hadn’t replied for so long that she assumed she didn’t like being asked about her personal life, after all, it was her usual style. She regretted being too forward, never expecting to receive a reply.

Her colleagues in the office looked at her. Chen Xiang said, “See, how could she not have a partner?!”

The others in the office looked dejected, but within minutes, they started discussing what her partner must be like. Chen Xiang replied to You Ruxu: [Thank you, Teacher You, I understand.]

She also added a slightly embarrassed emoji.

Zhou Tianzui put away the phone and saw You Ruxu driving calmly, her gaze fixed on the road. She said, “I want some crispy pastries.”

Without hesitation, You Ruxu said, “We’ll buy some at the entrance.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Teacher You, buy some for me.”

You Ruxu looked at her. Zhou Tianzui was smiling, a slightly different smile from usual, as if she was in a good mood. You Ruxu said, “Okay.”

They arrived at the entrance of the residential complex. You Ruxu got out of the car to buy crispy pastries for Zhou Tianzui. While paying, she opened her phone and saw Zhou Tianzui’s reply to Chen Xiang. She paused, a strange feeling creeping into her heart.

“Will you ever get married?”

“Do you want me to get married? I will if you want me to.”

Saying the most hurtful words, yet severing any glimmer of hope. You Ruxu gripped her phone tightly and heard Zhou Tianzui call, “Pay up, Teacher You.”

You Ruxu snapped back to reality, paid, and handed the pastries to Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui, looking at the pastries being handed to her, chuckled, finding the gesture amusing, like someone being pampered.

You Ruxu, slightly irritated by her laughter, placed the bag in her hands and got into the car. Her thoughts were even more chaotic now. The wind rustled through the branches, scattering fallen leaves on the ground. She felt that the scattered leaves resembled her feelings, messy and disorganized. She couldn’t simply brush them away like fallen leaves. The small details about Zhou Tianzui, initially hidden in the corners of her heart, had, at some point, started to grow, spreading and filling every corner, now disturbing her with the slightest touch, let alone being removed.

Zhou Tianzui stood outside, holding the warm pastries in her hands.

She turned and got into the passenger seat, not speaking to You Ruxu.

Back at the apartment, You Ruxu went to take a shower first. Zhou Tianzui packed her things. Although Yuhai was warmer than Jindu, she still packed a down jacket, just in case. She packed various items, not much, as she had already packed her documents at the hospital, wanting to be prepared.

You Ruxu emerged from the bathroom. She had removed her makeup, her naturally milky skin flushed from the heat, her eyes bright, water droplets clinging to her eyelashes, tiny beads of condensation. You Ruxu dried her hair as she walked out. She was wearing a silk nightgown, like satin draped over her body. Her wrist, extending from the sleeve, was as white as porcelain, slender, adorned with the deep red string bracelet, its color deepened by the water.

Zhou Tianzui didn’t look too closely, grabbing a set of pajamas and going into the bathroom.

You Ruxu stood by the window, opened her phone. Besides the ongoing chatter in the group chat, the conversation with Chen Xiang was still on her thank you message. Above it was Zhou Tianzui’s reply.

The word “partner” pricked her heart.

A bittersweet feeling.

She gripped her phone tightly, looking at the few stars visible outside the window, leaning against the window frame. Zhou Tianzui came out of the bathroom and saw her still standing there, her hair not yet dry. She couldn’t help but ask, “What are you doing?”

You Ruxu snapped back to reality, looked at Zhou Tianzui, and said, “Nothing, the night view is quite nice.”

Zhou Tianzui walked over to her and looked down, “It’s pitch black, what’s so nice about it?”

You Ruxu said, “The lights are nice.”

She brushed past Zhou Tianzui’s shoulder and went to the bathroom to dry her hair. The hairdryer whirred, the warm air blowing against her face, reddening her skin.

Zhou Tianzui sat on the toilet seat and pulled You Ruxu over, “Dry mine too.”

You Ruxu lowered the hairdryer. The airflow was too strong, or perhaps because of Zhou Tianzui’s position, the air blew into her collar, puffing up her nightgown, an indecent sight.

You Ruxu stood up, slightly taller than Zhou Tianzui. She stood behind her and dried her hair, the strands blowing onto her own face, the half-dry hair tickling her cheek and neck.

She put down the hairdryer and looked at Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui looked back at her for a few seconds. Suddenly, You Ruxu was lifted off her feet. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Zhou Tianzui as she was carried into the bedroom.

The room was dark, the lights off, yet You Ruxu felt as if there was a light guiding her, and at the end of that light stood Zhou Tianzui.

Tonight, Zhou Tianzui was different.

She spoke very little, which You Ruxu liked. Usually, Zhou Tianzui’s words were like thorns, painful to the touch. Today, she wasn’t like a hedgehog, she was gentle.

Zhou Tianzui, beside her, asked, “What’s wrong?”

You Ruxu didn’t speak.

Zhou Tianzui chuckled, “In a good mood today?”

You Ruxu pursed her lips.

Zhou Tianzui continued to ask, “Why aren’t you talking?”

You Ruxu finally couldn’t hold back. Unlike the usually prickly Zhou Tianzui, who rarely spoke, now she wouldn’t stop talking. She called out, “Zhou Tianzui…”

“Mm.” A soft sound, laced with a smile. Zhou Tianzui said, “If you don’t want to talk, then don’t. I wasn’t expecting you to say anything nice anyway.”

You Ruxu pursed her lips, hearing Zhou Tianzui ask, “Leaving tomorrow?”

It sounded like a final goodbye, a hint of reluctance spreading in her heart. You Ruxu nodded and said, “Yes, leaving tomorrow.”

Leaving tomorrow, she wouldn’t say anything sweet, she would just hold Zhou Tianzui.

This initiative was so unusual that Zhou Tianzui paused, looking down at You Ruxu, and smiled.

The embrace was returned, slightly, a contrast to her recent reservedness. Zhou Tianzui finally stopped talking, no more prickly questions. Without Zhou Tianzui’s voice, the room fell silent, a strange mix of tranquility and warmth.

You Ruxu held her.

This time, it wasn’t out of atonement, not out of guilt, but because she couldn’t bear to leave, she couldn’t bear to be away for so long, she missed Zhou Tianzui.

Even though they were inseparable right now.

The next day, the alarm rang several times. You Ruxu opened her eyes, a little disoriented, because Zhou Tianzui was still in bed. She took her phone and saw the time, it was already 8:30 am. She hadn’t heard the previous alarms.

This was the first time she had overslept like this. You Ruxu hurriedly woke Zhou Tianzui: “Get up.”

Her voice was indeed a little hoarse than usual, but it didn’t hurt. Zhou Tianzui opened her eyes, looked at You Ruxu, and asked, “What time is it?”

You Ruxu said, “8:30.”

She said, “You’re going to be late for work.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’m not working today.”

You Ruxu hummed, “You’re taking a day off?”

“Yes.” She opened her eyes, looked at You Ruxu, and said, “Sorry, did I not tell you?”

She really hadn’t.

You Ruxu figured it was probably because she was leaving today, and they must have tired each other out last night, so Zhou Tianzui took a day off. But it was a day off nonetheless. She lay back down, set a new alarm, and said, “Let’s sleep for another two hours then.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Let’s get up at eleven.”

She hugged You Ruxu and said, “I’ve set the alarm.”

You Ruxu felt inexplicably at ease. She leaned against Zhou Tianzui, looked up slightly. Zhou Tianzui was still asleep, her eyes closed, her long, slightly curled eyelashes like small fans, casting shadows. Remembering that Zhou Tianzui’s colleagues complimented her beautiful eyes, a natural beauty, she reached out, wanting to touch those eyelashes, but afraid of waking her, she withdrew her hand and closed her eyes again.

You Ruxu turned off the alarm when it rang at 10:30 am. After washing up, she sat in the living room for a few minutes, then went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Zhou Tianzui, after waking up, heard noises from the kitchen. You Ruxu was stir-frying, her wrists slender and delicate, their movements graceful. Her hair was casually clipped up, she was still in her pajamas, but wearing an apron, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her milky skin almost translucent in the sunlight. Busy like this, she looked different.

More relaxed.

Zhou Tianzui liked this version of You Ruxu.

She went to the bathroom to wash up. When she came out, she saw two dishes on the table. She said, “I’ll make the soup.”

It was You Ruxu’s favorite scallion and egg drop soup. You Ruxu moved aside to let her in. Zhou Tianzui worked quickly and efficiently, finishing in just a few minutes. She covered the pot and saw You Ruxu serving rice in small porcelain bowls.

You Ruxu said, “There are some other dishes in the refrigerator.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Are there any vegetables?”

“I’ve already cooked the vegetables, there’s still some shredded pork.”

Zhou Tianzui opened the refrigerator and placed the shredded pork in the freezer. You Ruxu was puzzled: “Aren’t you eating it?”

“I won’t be here this week.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I won’t be home.”

You Ruxu looked at her, “Where are you going?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “The hospital arranged for me to attend the medical summit in Yuhai, I’ll be on a business trip for a week.” She looked at You Ruxu, “Sorry, did I forget to tell you again?”

You Ruxu: …

This person was doing this on purpose!

Chapter 32: Jealous

One of the first lessons You Ruxu learned in university was how to manage her emotions and micro-expressions. She had always been a model student. Her professors remarked that she was unusually composed for a freshman. After starting work, her colleagues nicknamed her “Bright Moon” also because of her cool and aloof demeanor – she rarely displayed her emotions openly, her embarrassment or honesty rarely visible on her face.

It hadn’t been like this when she first met Zhou Tianzui.

But now, in front of Zhou Tianzui, she couldn’t quite hide her emotions. You Ruxu felt her earlobe being pinched and heard Zhou Tianzui say, “Teacher You, you’re blushing.”

The formal address, spoken in a teasing tone, the ending rising slightly. Zhou Tianzui’s voice, usually cool, was low and suggestive now, as if she was whispering in You Ruxu’s ear. Her earlobe, she wasn’t sure whether it was from being pinched or the wind, was itchy. You Ruxu pursed her lips. The sound of a key turning in the lock came from the doorway.

And Yu Qiao’s voice, greeting a neighbor.

“Going for a walk later?” The neighbor asked. Yu Qiao said, “No, Xiao Tian is back, I have to spend some time with my child.”

Her tone was laced with a proud smile. The neighbor gave a few compliments. Yu Qiao opened the door, not expecting to see You Ruxu. She paused mid-step as she was changing her shoes. Zhou Tianzui explained, “Mom, Teacher You’s family sent some fruit, too much, she said she would bring some over for you.”

Yu Qiao was flattered and slightly reproachful towards Zhou Tianzui, “Why didn’t you tell me Xiao Xu was coming?”

She would have picked up some groceries on her way back. Now, she was empty-handed. She said, “Haven’t had dinner yet, have you? I’ll cook for you.”

“Don’t bother.” Zhou Tianzui said, “We’ve already eaten.”

Yu Qiao didn’t believe her: “What did you eat?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Fruit.”

Yu Qiao gave her a look, but afraid of being impolite to You Ruxu, she forced a smile, “Xiao Xu, sit down, sit down. Xiao Tian didn’t tell me. I’ll make you some dinner now.”

You Ruxu didn’t want her to go to any trouble, saying, “No need, Auntie, I have to go back to the station later.”

“Ah? More overtime?” Yu Qiao said, “You work so hard. By the way, I saw you on TV, you were great.” She gave You Ruxu a thumbs-up. You Ruxu’s palms were sweating. She said, “Thank you, Auntie.”

“Even if you’re not having dinner, I’ll make you some tea.” Yu Qiao pushed Zhou Tianzui, “Keep Xiao Xu company.”

Zhou Tianzui gave a small “oh” and sat down, looking at You Ruxu, “Have a seat, Teacher You.”

You Ruxu said, “Tell your mom not to bother.”

“It’s okay.” Zhou Tianzui said, “It’s good for her to be busy, she’s happier when she’s busy.”

You Ruxu opened her mouth, then closed it without saying anything.

Yu Qiao was indeed happier when she was busy. Zhou Tianzui was busy with work and rarely came home, and Yu Qiao rarely visited Zhou Tianzui’s apartment either, usually just phone calls and video chats, so she was naturally happy when Zhou Tianzui came home. She made tea for You Ruxu. Zhou Tianzui went to the kitchen. You Ruxu heard some faint noises, then Zhou Tianzui came out and asked, “Going back to the station later?”

You Ruxu nodded. She had originally planned to pick up the equipment tomorrow, but since she had already said she was going back, she might as well get it tonight and save herself the trouble of waking up early tomorrow. Zhou Tianzui said, “Then let’s go later.”

You Ruxu was slightly surprised, “Are you going too?”

Zhou Tianzui chuckled, “Don’t want to take me home?”

You Ruxu said, “No.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Then let’s go.”

Yu Qiao was reluctant to see them leave so soon: “Keep warm, don’t skip meals, you get nauseous easily when you’re hungry, and also…”

“Mom.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I know.”

Yu Qiao stopped her rambling and asked Zhou Tianzui, “By the way, did that young man call you?”

The one from the blind date last Sunday. They had dinner here, and after dinner, Zhou Tianzui chatted with him for a bit before he ran off. Yu Qiao had been wanting to know what they talked about. Zhou Tianzui said, “Nothing much, he was interested in my profession, so I explained a little.”

She hadn’t expected him to run off.

Now, hearing Yu Qiao ask, Zhou Tianzui said, “He hasn’t contacted me, he probably realized we’re not a good match.”

You Ruxu, standing at the doorway, listening to their conversation, looked at Zhou Tianzui. This person always seemed to handle everything with ease. Although many doctors at the hospital were afraid of her, saying she was strict and that her personality would easily offend her superiors, Zhou Tianzui was actually very tactful, in a subtle and almost unnoticeable way.

Yu Qiao frowned upon hearing this: “Why aren’t you a good match?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “He’s afraid of blood.”

Yu Qiao: …

Zhou Tianzui continued, “He even asked if I could quit my job at the hospital.”

“That’s not acceptable.” Yu Qiao said, “You can’t quit your job.”

Although she really wanted Zhou Tianzui to settle down, she couldn’t quit her job. Zhou Tianzui smoothly changed the subject and said, “Then we’ll be going now.”

Yu Qiao nodded, “Drive safe.”

She also carried the fruit, “Xiao Xu, Auntie…”

Just as You Ruxu was about to speak, Zhou Tianzui said, “Mom, Teacher You is my best friend, she wants to show her filial piety, don’t let down her good intentions.”

Yu Qiao stood there, speechless.

You Ruxu said, “Auntie, you keep it.”

Yu Qiao could only accept, still feeling a little embarrassed.

In the car, Zhou Tianzui sat in the passenger seat. You Ruxu looked straight ahead, but she was secretly happy that Yu Qiao had accepted the fruit, thinking that perhaps she could bring something else next time.

She wanted to ask Zhou Tianzui something, but seeing her texting, she pursed her lips.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Why are we going back to the station?”

You Ruxu said, “To pick up equipment. There’s a medical summit in Yuhai, and the team wants me to cover it.”

A full coverage report was impossible, as they lacked the equipment and manpower. Zhou Tianzui nodded and said, “You’re quite busy.”

You Ruxu didn’t reply.

They arrived at the station. You Ruxu got out of the car and saw that Zhou Tianzui also got out. She said, “Wait for me in the car?”

It was cold outside, the wind howling, tugging at You Ruxu’s coat. Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll help you carry the equipment.”

You Ruxu said, “It’s not very heavy.”

The equipment had been upgraded. The cameras were smaller now, and two backpacks were enough. But Zhou Tianzui insisted on going inside with her. The reception area was bright and warm. You Ruxu’s expression was calm and indifferent. Some people greeted her, and she simply smiled, a professional courtesy. Compared to You Ruxu often waiting for her at the hospital, she rarely came here, as it wasn’t open to the public. You Ruxu swiped her card and, seeing Zhou Tianzui hadn’t moved, reached out and pulled her to stand beside her.

Shi Qi, coming out of the meeting room, saw the two of them. She called out, “Xiao Xu?”

You Ruxu looked over. Shi Qi and several colleagues emerged from the meeting room, Chen Xiang among them. Seeing Zhou Tianzui, Chen Xiang greeted her, “Hey, Dr. Zhou.”

A colleague asked curiously, “Is this Dr. Zhou?”

“Teacher You’s friend.”

“Hello, Dr. Zhou.”

Perhaps because of their inherent respect for doctors, they all smiled warmly. Having just received praise in the meeting room, seeing You Ruxu, their mood was even better, all of them smiling. Zhou Tianzui smiled back: “Hello.”

You Ruxu, although approachable, usually maintained a professional distance from her colleagues, except for Chen Xiang, whom she had traveled with a few times. So, sometimes, out of curiosity, they would ask Chen Xiang about her.

Chen Xiang would slap the table, “Why ask me? I don’t know much either, Teacher You doesn’t talk about her personal life with me.”

“That friend of hers, Dr. Zhou, I heard they even live together, they have a very good relationship.”

Everyone was envious, wanting to know what this Dr. Zhou, whom You Ruxu was so close to, was like. Now, seeing her, they found she was just as beautiful as You Ruxu.

“I believe in the saying ‘birds of a feather flock together’ now.”

“Excellent people are indeed surrounded by excellent people.”

“Dr. Zhou, do you have her contact information?”

Everyone looked at the young man who asked, his face flushing, “What? Don’t tell me you’re not curious!”

Who wasn’t curious? It was just that no one was as direct as him, asking the moment they met. Shi Qi said, “I remember she’s not very old.”

Chen Xiang said, “Yes, seems to be the same age as Teacher You.”

Someone asked, “Is she married?”

Someone else retorted, “Nonsense, she’s living with Teacher You, how could she be married?”

The first person nodded, “That’s true, so she’s not married. Does she have a boyfriend?”

Chen Xiang said, “I don’t think so.” She paused, then, seeing everyone looking at her, said embarrassedly, “I don’t know for sure, just guessing.”

Someone immediately looked at her, “Chen Xiang, dear sister, please help us ask!”

Chen Xiang shuddered at their fawning and clapped her hands, “Talk normally!”

Seeing her colleagues staring at her expectantly, she said, “I’m not sure, I’ll ask for you.”

You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui got back into the car. Zhou Tianzui said, “Want to have some soup nearby?”

You Ruxu placed the equipment in the backseat and nodded: “Okay.”

There were many restaurants nearby, many serving soup. The weather was cold, so these restaurants were doing good business. You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui entered a beef soup restaurant. The taste was slightly different from the one near the hospital, a little blander. The owner greeted them and showed them to a table. The restaurant was simply decorated, but cozy and clean. You Ruxu sat opposite Zhou Tianzui. The owner quickly brought them two bowls of beef soup. Zhou Tianzui asked You Ruxu, “Want some sesame cakes?”

You Ruxu said, “No, thank you.”

She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to finish.

Just then, her phone buzzed with a notification. She glanced at it and saw a message from Chen Xiang.

Chen Xiang: [Teacher You, are you busy?]

Such an opening usually meant she had a favor to ask.

You Ruxu: [What is it?]

Chen Xiang choked on her reply, the directness making her heart tremble. She typed: [Nothing much, just that Dr. Zhou came by today, and Xiao Wu wanted me to ask if she has a boyfriend.]

Xiao Wu was the cameraman. He had gone on assignments with You Ruxu a few times, but they only talked about work.

So, he asked Chen Xiang to ask for him.

You Ruxu looked at the message, instantly understanding Chen Xiang’s meaning. She pursed her lips and glanced at Zhou Tianzui, who was drinking her soup, her long eyelashes lowered, obscuring her eyes. The bridge of her nose was high, her nose straight, she would probably look good in glasses.

She looked at Zhou Tianzui for a moment, then back at her phone. Chen Xiang’s message was still there, but she didn’t know how to reply.

Zhou Tianzui looked up, “Busy?”

You Ruxu said, “Not really.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Then focus.”

You Ruxu turned off her phone, placed it aside, took a sip of soup, and asked Zhou Tianzui, “Did you add vinegar to mine?”

Zhou Tianzui raised an eyebrow: “No, why?”

You Ruxu swirled the soup in her mouth, her throat feeling strangely tight, the soup tasting slightly sour.

---

---

---

You Ruxu: Something’s wrong with this soup.

Zhou Tianzui: Something’s wrong with you too.

You Ruxu: …

Chapter 31: Willing

The tumultuous week-long fireworks factory incident came to a close, bringing with it new regulations from the broadcasting authorities regarding public opinion control and truth-seeking. Netizens sighed at the shocking reversal, some saying, [I knew something was off.]

[I told you, I thought it was strange how everyone was targeting Zhang Xiaojie. The boss should be the one held responsible!]

[What’s the deal with Chen Mo’s parents? Their act was so convincing, they should win an Oscar!]

Chen Mo’s parents, who were the focus of much discussion before, remained so afterwards. However, since they were under investigation, no one knew what they were thinking.

“They hated us.” Zeng Jing said, “Xiaojie and I always knew. Back then, when Chen Mo and Youyou were together, his family opposed their relationship. Xiaojie and I couldn’t stand it, so we gave them some money to move to another city for work, sending money back home regularly so his parents could live comfortably.”

“Later, Xiaojie’s father found out and confiscated the money. Chen Mo’s parents took all of his salary every month, so the money was never returned to us.”

Presumably, it was a substantial amount.

But You Ruxu didn’t ask.

She had originally planned to go home after the case was closed, but Shi Qi said, “Why don’t you interview Zeng Jing before taking your leave?”

Since Zhang Xiaojie hadn’t woken up yet, the original focus remained, although his status had changed, from being universally condemned to being pitied. People also wanted to know about Zeng Jing’s condition, especially since her near-suicide attempt had become a hot topic.

People probably felt a sense of guilt, hoping Zeng Jing was doing well, to make up for their previous blind accusations. So, Zeng Jing was once again a trending topic, everyone wanting to know about her current situation.

Every TV station wanted to interview her, they were practically going crazy, but all of Zeng Jing’s interview requests were rejected. Finally, she said she would only accept an interview with You Ruxu, from Jindu’s midday news.

The efforts You Ruxu had made regarding this case were finally recognized.

Netizens expressed their admiration and gratitude for such a dedicated reporter. You Ruxu had always had social media accounts. Before this, she had around 300,000 followers, a substantial number for a reporter in Jindu. After this case, her follower count increased by several hundred thousand in just a few days. Although many were probably bot accounts, there were also many who were genuinely interested in the case. So, You Ruxu posted the scheduled time for Zeng Jing’s interview.

Zeng Jing said, “I always knew they hated us, but Chen Mo was our friend, if we didn’t help him, no one would.”

It was ironic that family was a burden, while those without blood ties wanted to help Chen Mo escape his predicament.

Of course, Chen Mo’s parents refused to accept this truth. They insisted, “It was Zhang Xiaojie, Zhang Xiaojie was the one who harmed Chen Mo.”

As for why they were so adamant, whether it was because Mr. Zhao had shown them the video, brainwashing them beforehand, or whether it was a combination of old and new grudges, making them unwilling to believe the truth, blindly consumed by hatred, remained unknown, as they later refused to have any contact with the media.

You Ruxu spent a day preparing the interview script for Zeng Jing, drawing a perfect conclusion to the case. After sending the script to Shi Qi, she requested leave, bought a gift, and went to the hospital to visit Zeng Jing.

There was a cheerful atmosphere in Zeng Jing’s ward. Zhang Xiaojie’s parents were also there. They hadn’t appeared before, reportedly because their front door had been splashed with red paint, their windows smashed by unknown individuals, and their doorstep constantly crowded with people. Unable to contact Zeng Jing directly, they had to contact her parents, feeling incredibly guilty for not being able to care for her personally. Zeng Jing, however, was understanding. Having just come back from death’s door, she knew how such incidents could affect one’s mental state. She was just grateful that her parents-in-law weren’t harmed further.

Even now, she remained kind.

You Ruxu, with a smile, walked in, holding a bouquet of flowers, and knocked gently: “Ms. Zeng.”

“Reporter You.” Zeng Jing beamed when she saw her, “Reporter You, come in quickly.”

You Ruxu walked in and handed her a basket of fruit. Zeng Jing said, “We’ll be discharged in a couple of days.”

“That’s good.” You Ruxu said, “Go home and rest well.”

Zeng Jing looked at her. She seemed cool and aloof, but in person, she was down-to-earth and easy to talk to. Just as she was about to speak, someone appeared at the door. Zeng Jing called out, “Dr. Zhou.”

She smiled, “Dr. Zhou, would you like to come in?”

Zhou Tianzui looked at You Ruxu, then entered the room after a few seconds. Zeng Jing said, “I’ve been wanting to thank you for what you did last time.”

Zhou Tianzui’s tone was cool: “No need.”

She tucked her pen into her chest pocket and heard Zeng Jing say, “It’s nothing, I just prepared a small gift for you both, I hope you don’t mind.”

She handed a small gift box to both You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui. You Ruxu started to say, “No…”

Zeng Jing said, “I know about the hospital regulations, that you can’t accept gifts from patients. This is something I made myself, it’s not worth much, just a small token of gratitude for your care this past week.”

Zhou Tianzui opened the box. Inside was a red string bracelet with a carved peach pit. Indeed, a handmade trinket, commonly seen. Peach pits were believed to ward off evil. Presumably, she had made them while preparing for the baby. Among all the gifts they had received, this one was certainly unique. Zhou Tianzui and You Ruxu’s peach pits were carved in the same style, almost identical, but the bottoms were thoughtfully engraved with the characters “Xu” and “Zhou,” respectively. Presumably, “Xu” was used because “You” had too many strokes to carve.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Thank you.”

You Ruxu also accepted hers and said, “Thank you, Ms. Zeng.”

“I’m the one who should be thanking you.” Zeng Jing said sincerely, “Thank you, Dr. Zhou, thank you, Dr. You.”

You Ruxu chuckled, “I’m not a doctor.”

“You are.” Zeng Jing’s gaze was calm and composed. To her, both of them were doctors, one healing her body, the other her mind. You Ruxu nodded, said goodbye to Zeng Jing, and walked out. Zhou Tianzui teased, “Dr. You.”

You Ruxu turned to look at her and said, “What nonsense are you talking about again?”

Zhou Tianzui smiled, not saying anything. They entered her office. You Ruxu put down her bag and heard Zhou Tianzui ask, “Have you arranged your leave?”

You Ruxu said, “I took a week off.”

Zhou Tianzui sat at her computer and saw You Ruxu open the gift box, looking at the red string bracelet and peach pit inside. You Ruxu said, “These were very popular in junior high.”

But it was just red strings with various small trinkets. A peach pit was a first.

She took it out of the box and held it against her wrist. She didn’t usually wear any jewelry, her wrist bare and fair, slender. She occasionally wore a watch. The red string would be quite eye-catching. Zhou Tianzui stood up, walked over to her, took the bracelet, and You Ruxu, thinking she was going to help her put it on, extended her hand. Unexpectedly, Zhou Tianzui opened her own gift box and tied the bracelet with You Ruxu’s name on it around You Ruxu’s wrist.

You Ruxu was stunned.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Help me.”

She was wearing the one with You Ruxu’s name on it.

There wasn’t much difference between the two, except for the engraved characters. You Ruxu felt that this gesture was like an exchange, like exchanging tokens of love, or rather, couple’s tokens.

She looked up at Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui’s eyes were dark and deep, her long eyelashes casting shadows, obscuring her gaze. You Ruxu’s throat tightened slightly. She called out, “Zhou Tianzui.”

Zhou Tianzui looked at her. This time, You Ruxu could see clearly, her own reflection in Zhou Tianzui’s eyes.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “What is it?”

Her tone was still cool, with a hint of playfulness unique to their relationship. You Ruxu said, “Nothing.”

Zhou Tianzui’s wrist was still extended: “Put it on for me.”

These words sounded familiar.

But now, recalling them, You Ruxu’s ears flushed slightly. She lowered her head and tied the bracelet around Zhou Tianzui’s wrist, trying to hide her reaction to the sudden rush of memories. Zhou Tianzui watched her slender fingers work, quickly finishing the task, even smoothing the knot for her. The noise from the corridor outside made this space seem even quieter. Zhou Tianzui said, “Do you have anything else to do?”

You Ruxu said, “No, I’ll wait for you here until you finish work, you go ahead.”

Only after saying this did she realize it had been a long time since she had waited for Zhou Tianzui to finish work. Previously, she would usually wait in the car, even working while she waited. Sometimes, Zhou Tianzui would finish work without her noticing. Waiting like this, doing nothing, was truly a long time ago.

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll be done soon, just another hour. You can read if you’re bored.”

They were all medical books, which You Ruxu couldn’t quite understand, but she still nodded, “Okay.”

Zhou Tianzui left.

After she left, You Ruxu touched the red string bracelet on her wrist. Things seemed to be developing in unexpected directions. She and Zhou Tianzui seemed to have embarked on a new journey, and she, shamefully, didn’t want to get off, didn’t want it to end.

Sometimes she was truly surprised by herself.

Surprised by her own shamelessness.

You Ruxu lowered her gaze. Her phone suddenly rang. She answered, it was Shi Qi: “Xiao Xu.”

She snapped back to reality: “Yes? Is there a problem with the interview script?”

“Not with the script, is your family from Yuhai?” Shi Qi asked. You Ruxu said, “Yes, that’s right.”

Shi Qi said, “There’s a medical summit in Yuhai next week. It’s quite far, so the station wasn’t planning on sending anyone, but the topics look quite interesting, so I was thinking…”

You Ruxu said, “You want me to cover it?”

“No need for full coverage.” Shi Qi said, “Just gather some information, it’s right by your home.”

Shi Qi added, “Of course, if you can interview some of the doctors attending the summit, that would be even better.”

You Ruxu understood, she said, “Okay, I understand.”

Shi Qi chuckled, “Should I send a cameraman with you?”

“No need.” You Ruxu said, “I’ll pick up the equipment at the station tomorrow.”

Shi Qi said, “Alright then.”

After hanging up, You Ruxu looked at the doorway. People bustled in the corridor outside. Zhou Tianzui walked out of a ward and heard Zhao Mingqi say, “Dr. Zhou, I heard you volunteered to go to Yuhai?”

This summit was hosted by Yuhai City Hospital. It was far, so no one was particularly eager to go. Zhao Mingqi was previously worried that the director would force him to go, but unexpectedly, Zhou Tianzui volunteered the next day. The director was reluctant to let her go, but having already made the announcement, and with Zhou Tianzui volunteering, it made her decision easier, so she approved it readily, even giving her a few extra days of annual leave.

Zhou Tianzui looked at Zhao Mingqi: “Why? Want to switch with me?”

“No, no, no.” Zhao Mingqi shook his head vigorously. “I don’t want to.”

Zhou Tianzui smiled.

If he knew You Ruxu’s family was in Yuhai, he would probably be begging to switch with her. Zhao Mingqi didn’t know, and he didn’t know why Zhou Tianzui was smiling either. She was usually so serious, her smile not very approachable. Zhou Tianzui handed over her work to him and Dr. Zhao, and only returned to her office ten minutes after her shift ended.

You Ruxu was still sitting on the sofa, looking down at her phone, a medical book beside her, seemingly unread, but the pretense was perfect. Zhou Tianzui walked over and saw You Ruxu playing Candy Crush on her phone, the only game You Ruxu played in her spare time. When they first met, Zhou Tianzui played mobile games with her colleagues and invited You Ruxu to join. Despite being intelligent and capable, You Ruxu wasn’t very good at mobile games. She died several times, muttering, “Why is this so difficult?”

Zhou Tianzui found her adorable back then.

So adorable that she wanted to hear more of her complaints.

Later, she would play games with You Ruxu alone. Every time she lost, You Ruxu would let out a soft hiss and say, “I’m sorry…”

Her voice clear and soft, like a feather brushing against her ear, making it tickle. Back then, she wondered what You Ruxu would look like when she lost a game. Would she frown slightly, looking regretful, her beautiful face scrunched up? Or would she maintain her usual composure?

Later, when she played games with You Ruxu face to face, she realized You Ruxu would look at her apologetically whenever she lost.

That guilt was so intense that she couldn’t tell whether You Ruxu felt guilty about losing the game, or for something else.

Zhou Tianzui focused and heard You Ruxu say, “Are you off work?”

She looked at You Ruxu and said, “Yes.”

You Ruxu picked up the book beside her and said, “I’ll put this back.”

Zhou Tianzui took it from her and said, “I’ll do it.”

She put the book back, sat at her computer, and said, “Wait for me for five more minutes.”

You Ruxu sat down again. She hadn’t cleared the level yet, but with Zhou Tianzui back, she found it hard to concentrate, her gaze drifting towards Zhou Tianzui from time to time.

Zhou Tianzui typed quickly, her fingers flying across the keyboard, the clicking incessant. You Ruxu’s game remained paused until Zhou Tianzui walked over and said, “Let’s go.”

She put away her phone and followed Zhou Tianzui.

Before they reached home, her mother messaged her, asking if she had eaten the fruit. You Ruxu paused, having completely forgotten about it with all the recent busyness. She hurried to the security guard to pick up the package. Fortunately, it was mostly pomelos and apples, which kept well and weren’t spoiled. But there was a lot. Zhou Tianzui said, “Do you mind if I give some to my mom?”

She hadn’t told her mother about the business trip yet, and she was planning to visit her anyway.

You Ruxu said, “Of course not.”

She wished she could give everything good to Yu Qiao, afraid she might become suspicious.

Zhou Tianzui turned the car around and drove to her mother’s place. On the way, she called Yu Qiao. Yu Qiao said, “I’m still at your Aunt Chen’s, it’s her child’s first birthday today.”

She asked Zhou Tianzui, “Do you want to come over for dinner?”

Zhou Tianzui quickly said, “No, I won’t go, I’ll go home first.”

Yu Qiao said, “Then I’ll come home early…”

“It’s okay.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I might not come back tonight, take your time.”

You Ruxu’s hand tightened, hearing her words. She didn’t object. They soon arrived. Zhou Tianzui carried the fruit upstairs. You Ruxu peeled half a pomelo, not having dinner. The fruit was enough to fill her up. Her mother, just as she was about to have dinner, sent Zhou Tianzui a photo, reminding her there was food in the refrigerator, and to rest if she didn’t want to cook, she would make dinner when she got back. Zhou Tianzui replied that she had already eaten, and not to rush. Only then did Yu Qiao eat her dinner with peace of mind.

Someone at the dinner table chuckled, “Yu Qiao is so lucky, her daughter is such a sweetheart, calling her wherever she goes.”

Yu Qiao beamed, “Our Xiao Tian is very sensible.”

“Indeed.” The other person said, “And she’s beautiful, has a good job, works at the hospital, so convenient for seeing a doctor.”

“These days, you really need connections at the hospital, you’re truly blessed.”

Yu Qiao, in a good mood, looked at the photo of Zhou Tianzui on her phone and smiled.

Zhou Tianzui put down her phone and asked You Ruxu, “What do you want for dinner?”

You Ruxu said, “I’m not hungry.”

Zhou Tianzui wasn’t very hungry either. She nodded, “Then we’ll eat when we’re hungry.”

You Ruxu didn’t object. She hesitated for a moment and then said, “Zhou Tianzui, should I go back to my place?”

“Why?” Zhou Tianzui asked, “Not used to being here?”

You Ruxu said, “Auntie will be back soon.”

“So what if she comes back?” Zhou Tianzui said, “We’re not doing anything we shouldn’t be.”

She sat beside You Ruxu, moving a little closer, looking at her intently, and said, “Or does Teacher You want to do something we shouldn’t with me?”

She took You Ruxu’s hand, their fingers interlacing, their wrists touching, the two red string bracelets seeming to connect them, binding them together. You Ruxu’s heart felt as if it was also wrapped in the red string, beating faster. She heard Zhou Tianzui say, “I’m willing.”

You Ruxu looked up, meeting Zhou Tianzui’s gaze. Zhou Tianzui tightened her grip on You Ruxu’s hand and asked, “Is A Ran willing?”

She—

You Ruxu saw the look in Zhou Tianzui’s eyes, like amber, beautiful and alluring. Her mind went blank, and she instinctively said, “Don’t be ridiculous, this is the living room.”

Zhou Tianzui let out a soft “oh” and chuckled, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, “So you’re saying it’s okay if it’s not the living room?”

You Ruxu was speechless, looking at Zhou Tianzui, captivated by her smile. She had meant to glare at her, but she averted her gaze instead. The hand held by Zhou Tianzui was burning hot, her cheeks also flushed.

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You Ruxu: Asking every day, is Zhou Tianzui mute today?
Zhou Tianzui: …

Chapter 30: Public Opinion

Back at the apartment, You Ruxu cooked. Zhou Tianzui sat on the sofa, watching the news. When a replay of You Ruxu’s report came on, she watched the reporter on screen for several minutes.

It wasn’t You Ruxu today.

She turned and looked at You Ruxu, remembering what she had said about going home.

Zhou Tianzui got up and went to the kitchen, asking You Ruxu, “When are you going back?”

“After this case is closed.” You Ruxu said, “In the next couple of days.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Have you booked your tickets?”

You Ruxu said, “Not yet.”

Zhou Tianzui asked again, “How long will you be gone?”

You Ruxu’s busy hands paused. She looked up at Zhou Tianzui and said, “About a week.”

She watched Zhou Tianzui’s expression, trying to discern something, but there was nothing. Zhou Tianzui just nodded and said, “I see.”

You Ruxu looked at her back and continued cooking.

She didn’t know what Zhou Tianzui was thinking, but her own thoughts were in turmoil. In the two years they had been together, she had been passive, never deliberately hiding her identity, but also not actively revealing it, just giving Zhou Tianzui hints.

She thought Zhou Tianzui, being so smart.

Would definitely figure out who she was.

So she accepted all of Zhou Tianzui’s bad temper, thinking it was something she deserved, even double that. She could even tolerate Yu Qiao’s attitude, and Zhou Tianzui acted accordingly. Although it was just verbal barbs, she didn’t want to deny that initially, hearing those barbs, she was happy, a sense of atonement settling over her. But gradually, those words started to hurt.

You Ruxu knew she couldn’t leave Zhou Tianzui anymore.

Even though she was constantly prepared to leave, before Zhou Tianzui told her to get lost, she couldn’t.

Sometimes, she wished Zhou Tianzui would be cruel, tell her to get lost, tell her she knew who she was, that she was just playing with her. But she didn’t, not only that, recently, she had even withdrawn her thorns.

You Ruxu closed her eyes. Her hand slipped as she washed the dishes, a plate falling into the sink with a clinking sound. Zhou Tianzui looked over. You Ruxu lowered her head: “It’s nothing.”

She said, “My hand slipped.”

Zhou Tianzui didn’t say anything.

You Ruxu, while making soup, saw her take her phone and go into her room, presumably to make a call. The TV was still on, the sound filling the otherwise quiet living room, giving the apartment a cozy feel.

She set the timer for the soup, washed all the vegetables, and placed them aside. Seeing that Zhou Tianzui still hadn’t come out, she went to the living room and sat on the sofa, changing the channel. Her phone buzzed. She looked down and saw a message from Chen Xiang: [Teacher You, the evening news team published the interview.]

It was the interview with Chen Mo’s parents. You Ruxu had advised them not to publish it, as the truth was about to be revealed, and it wasn’t the right time. But the evening news team not only ignored her advice, some even mocked her: [Can’t get an exclusive yourself, so you don’t want us to publish either?]

[You Jiaoyue is so ungenerous.]

Chen Xiang was angry seeing the sarcastic remarks. You Ruxu, however, remained calm, replying to Chen Xiang: [I see.]

Actually, she didn’t need Chen Xiang’s reminder. News notifications had already popped up. Chen Mo’s parents’ interview, talking about Chen Mo again. Although it wasn’t a particularly sensational topic, with any mention of Chen Mo guaranteed to trend, it still instantly became a hot topic.

The comment section was filled with extreme remarks. You Ruxu just glanced at them before closing the news.

Zhou Tianzui came out of her room and saw You Ruxu looking at her phone, her brows slightly furrowed in concentration, her eyes bright and clear, reflecting the light from the screen, her entire being pure and clean, like a clear spring, its surface undisturbed. Zhou Tianzui couldn’t resist walking over and sitting beside her, unaware that she was disturbing the tranquility.

You Ruxu turned to look at her, hearing Zhou Tianzui ask, “What are you looking at?”

“News.” You Ruxu said, “I have to write a summary report later.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “The fireworks factory incident?”

You Ruxu said, “Yes.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Zhang Xiaojie isn’t the culprit?”

You Ruxu said, “He’s not.”

This time, it wasn’t a question, but a statement, her tone certain. Zhou Tianzui pondered for two seconds, then suddenly smiled, “Teacher You, aren’t you afraid I’ll leak the information?”

You Ruxu paused. She said, “You won’t.”

Again, a tone of certainty. Zhou Tianzui froze, the smile still on her face, then fading, and then reappearing, “You trust me that much?”

She wasn’t sure whether she was happy because of these words or because of other emotions. She said, “Then should I reward you properly?”

Hearing the suggestive tone in her voice, You Ruxu stood up and said, “Dinner…”

Zhou Tianzui grabbed her wrist and pulled her down. You Ruxu landed beside her. Zhou Tianzui leaned closer and whispered, “A Ran.”

You Ruxu’s voice was caught in her throat.

They had dinner much later than usual. Fortunately, they had left work early, so You Ruxu still had time to work on her report after dinner. She worked late into the night, finally sending the finished report to Shi Qi. She closed her laptop. Zhou Tianzui was already asleep. She tried to be quiet, but the moment she sat on the edge of the bed, Zhou Tianzui pulled her into the warm embrace of the blanket. You Ruxu had many questions for Zhou Tianzui, but she didn’t say anything in the end, just wrapped her arms around Zhou Tianzui and snuggled closer.

They both woke up early the next day. You Ruxu received a call from Captain Zhou, asking her to come to the police station. You Ruxu informed Shi Qi and went directly to the police station before work.

She even saw Mr. Zhao.

Mr. Zhao looked different from his usual calm demeanor. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept all night. He looked disheveled and haggard, his lawyer beside him, looking sharp and composed as always. You Ruxu sat in front of Mr. Zhao and heard Captain Zhou say, “I got you this interview opportunity.”

She said, “Consider it a thank you for your help with the case.”

You Ruxu’s eyes curved into a smile: “Thank you.”

She went inside with her interview script and camera.

She emerged two hours later, seeing Captain Zhou writing a report. She asked, “When will you release the statement?”

“Around noon.” Captain Zhou looked at You Ruxu. “Finished with the interview?”

Then asked, “Do you need a ride back?”

You Ruxu said, “No, I drove.”

She said, “I have a live broadcast at 12:10.”

In other words, it was best for the police statement to be released before noon. There was no reason for the TV station to announce the news first. Captain Zhou said, “I know.”

The little troublemaker chimed in, “Our Captain Zhou has even postponed lunch to wait for your news report, the timing won’t be wrong.”

Captain Zhou glared at him, “Don’t you have work to do?”

The little troublemaker grinned, “I’m busy, I’m busy!”

You Ruxu nodded at Captain Zhou and left the police station, going back to the TV station to report first, then driving with Chen Xiang and their equipment to the area near the fireworks factory. Chen Xiang clicked her tongue, “You never really know someone, some people are just beasts!”

Her tone was indignant, while You Ruxu remained calm. They arrived at the fireworks factory. It was still cordoned off, but they could drive in. The ruins were still there, covered in dust. You Ruxu got out of the car. The crew started setting up the equipment. She adjusted her microphone, took the script from Chen Xiang, glanced at it, and received a call from Shi Qi.

“Have you arrived?”

You Ruxu said, “Yes.”

Shi Qi said, “Okay, have lunch there, I’ll treat you to a big dinner tonight.”

She seemed to be in a good mood. Since the explosion, she had been under immense pressure from the higher-ups. Even though she had been scolded relentlessly, she hadn’t blamed You Ruxu. The people on Teams 1 and 3 gossiped, wondering if she had received some benefits from You Ruxu, even suggesting she didn’t dare offend You Ruxu, hence her submissiveness. She simply laughed it off, a spark of her earlier passion and recklessness as a rookie reporter returning.

“Oh, no need to cover this news story.”

“Who would watch a report about this small incident?”

“This is too dangerous, let’s forget it.”

She used to be picky, choosing only safe and conventional news stories, just like the other reporters. But she hadn’t listened, covering even small and dangerous stories, which was why she was promoted so quickly, becoming the youngest team leader. But being in the position of team leader, her perspective was completely different.

This case had rekindled some of her earlier passion.

Shi Qi had just sat down when her assistant said, “Boss, the director wants to see you.”

She said, “I understand.”

She straightened her clothes, her makeup impeccable, and walked into the director’s office. The leaders of Teams 1 and 3 were also there. Team 3’s ratings had reached a new high last night, and the director called Shi Qi in, wanting her to learn from them.

“Leader Shi is still young, after all.” The leader of Team 3 said, “It’s normal to lack experience.”

Shi Qi smiled, “Indeed, I’m not as experienced as the two of you, but our team always prioritizes truth, we don’t bother with chasing popularity.”

“You!” The leader of Team 3 rolled her eyes, about to start lecturing, when Shi Qi interrupted, “Why don’t we wait a few minutes?”

The director was also curious what she was up to. Shi Qi turned on the screen, displaying the news. She glanced at her watch. Less than three minutes later, the police released their statement.

It wasn’t the first statement, but it was released at the peak of the online frenzy following Chen Mo’s parents’ interview yesterday. It was a clarification of the entire case.

The leader of Team 3’s brow furrowed deeper and deeper as she read the statement. Her phone buzzed incessantly with notifications, her face darkening. The station director’s expression also changed.

“What’s going on?” The director looked at the leader of Team 3, “Go and retract the news immediately!”

Retract last night’s news.

Chen Mo’s parents, in an instant, went from victims to perpetrators.

The leader of Team 3 rushed out.

Only three people remained in the office. Netizens online, after reading the statement, were in disbelief, their confusion expressed in countless question marks. Shi Qi said, “We’ve already interviewed Mr. Zhao. Reporter You is at the scene and will be doing a live broadcast with an exclusive report in ten minutes.”

The station director’s expression finally eased.

The police statement was released at noon sharp. In the ten minutes that followed, netizens went from anger and outrage to calmness, starting to analyze the situation rationally. The most vocal critics hadn’t appeared yet.

You Ruxu stood in front of the ruins, hearing the voice in her earpiece, and began, “Hello everyone, I’m You Ruxu, reporting live from Jindu…”

Zhou Tianzui heard someone beside her exclaim, “Hey, it’s our goddess!”

He Wei leaned in, sitting next to Zhao Mingqi. When it came to their goddess’s news reports, they were on the same page. Zhou Tianzui ate her lunch, hearing other doctors ask, “Dr. Zhou, have you seen the news? Turns out that Mr. Zhao was the culprit.”

“Such a vicious person, trying to shift all the blame onto Zhang Xiaojie.”

“I think Zhang Xiaojie is the most tragic, unjustly accused, subjected to online abuse for days, his wife and child unable to even leave the house. Finally, justice is served.”

Zhou Tianzui nodded.

Fu Shushu walked in, “What are you talking about?”

“Dr. Fu, come sit, come sit.” The person beside her moved over. “It’s about the fireworks factory explosion, it was the owner, he coveted the design of Chen Mo’s ex-girlfriend. Two months ago, the ex-girlfriend died suddenly in a car accident, and the owner probably thought he could use the design without anyone knowing. After he used it, Chen Mo and Zhang Xiaojie found out. Zhang Xiaojie was reckless, spreading the rumors about the illegal fireworks hoping the owner would have a change of heart, or at least be deterred. The owner panicked, wanting to destroy the evidence. He was caught by Zhang Xiaojie and Chen Mo while destroying the evidence in the warehouse. It was already a dangerous situation, so it caused the explosion.”

Fu Shushu frowned, “What about the security camera?”

“Zhang Xiaojie and Chen Mo disabled it, wanting to find evidence, and just happened to run into someone destroying evidence inside.”

Such a coincidence.

Zhang Xiaojie was caught on camera and became the suspect.

No wonder the owner was so certain he hadn’t done anything wrong, that everything was Zhang Xiaojie’s fault. He probably started setting up Zhang Xiaojie the moment he heard about the explosion.

And even colluded with Chen Mo’s parents.

Turning the victims’ families into perpetrators.

Fu Shushu sighed. Everyone looked up at the screen. You Ruxu was reporting on the incident, the words “Shocking Reversal” displayed beside her.

This live broadcast lasted five minutes, exceeding the usual time for Jindu TV. At the end of the report, the host asked You Ruxu, “Reporter You, what are your thoughts on the netizens’ comment that public opinion is truly terrifying?”

You Ruxu, holding the microphone with the Jindu TV logo, looked at the screen, her smiling eyes unchanged, and said, “I don’t think public opinion is terrifying at all.”

“In my opinion, public opinion is a double-edged sword. Some use it to save their lives, others use it to kill. But ultimately, it’s not the fault of public opinion itself, but the people who manipulate it. So, I hope those who use it to save their lives won’t be afraid, won’t feel ashamed, and won’t be scared.”

Not terrifying, not the fault of public opinion, don’t be ashamed.

This three-pronged view was completely different from the usual conventional stance. Someone immediately challenged her: [Isn’t it inappropriate for a reporter from a public television station to say this?]

[Inciting others to manipulate public opinion?]

Of course, no one indulged these comments. They were immediately rebuffed: [Could those with brains please think about what the reporter actually meant?]

[Brainless, indeed. The reporter said ‘use it to save their lives.’ Do you know how many news stories are ignored by the authorities, cases hastily closed, if they’re not brought to light?]

[Exactly, that kindergarten incident a while ago, would anyone have known if it hadn’t become a big deal? Why has public opinion become a murder weapon? It’s because of idiots like you who don’t use their brains!]

Those trying to stir up trouble, seeing everyone cursing at them, were furious, wanting to retaliate, only to find they were muted. Checking their accounts, they found they were banned.

The trolls suddenly became much quieter.

It indicated that the authorities also agreed with You Ruxu’s view.

You Ruxu’s three principles of public opinion, broadcast from Jindu TV, were reposted by major marketing accounts. Within two hours, CCTV News also reposted the Weibo post and included You Ruxu’s five-minute live broadcast in their annual highlights reel.

Later, it was called the five minutes that changed the nature of public opinion.

Also known as, the three principles of public opinion.

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You Ruxu: Did you watch my report today?

Zhou Tianzui: Yes, I was blown away.

You Ruxu: “Blown away” is not allowed.

Zhou Tianzui: …

Chapter 29: Blushing

You Ruxu didn’t return to the station until noon. She hadn’t done any live broadcasts for the past two days, leaving it to another reporter to report on the fireworks factory incident and other news. Back at the station, Chen Xiang was still worried: “Teacher You, is the boss going to scold us?”

“No.” You Ruxu said, “The fireworks factory case will be solved soon.”

Chen Xiang wasn’t as optimistic, but she still followed You Ruxu, head lowered. Shi Qi just glanced at them. Chen Xiang shrank back. Shi Qi called out, “Xiao Xu.”

You Ruxu looked up. Shi Qi said, “Come in with me.”

Without hesitation, You Ruxu followed Shi Qi into her office.

In the office, Shi Qi made tea. She had heard that Shi Qi was scolded by the station director for a whole hour, emerging from his office humiliated, becoming the laughingstock of Teams 1 and 3. She looked at You Ruxu: “Do you know what’s the most important thing about news, besides accuracy?”

You Ruxu said, “Timeliness.”

Shi Qi nodded: “Yes, timeliness. Then why did you hold back Mr. Zhao’s interview?”

If they had published it before today’s statement, their midday news ratings wouldn’t be so dismal! All the other stations were reporting on it, while they were just rehashing old news, without any new information.

Shi Qi took two deep breaths.

You Ruxu said, “I think Mr. Zhao just wanted to use us as his executioners.”

Shi Qi looked at her, “What do you mean?”

“This incident can’t be unrelated to Mr. Zhao. Chen Mo’s parents were the first wave, we were the second. Because we didn’t publish his interview, he had no choice but to issue the factory’s statement today.”

Shi Qi raised her hand, “What?”

Her expression turned serious: “Did you find something?”

You Ruxu said, “I did find some things, but we still need to wait for police verification.”

She had already sent all the information she found to Captain Zhou.

Captain Zhou chuckled, “Why don’t you come work at the police station? You can be a special consultant, I’ll submit a report.”

The little troublemaker beside her grinned, “Yeah, Reporter You, you’ve been a great help with this case.”

Although they would have eventually found out through further investigation, it wouldn’t have been this fast. Moreover, with the current online uproar, they had to investigate quickly and give the public an explanation, otherwise the situation might escalate.

You Ruxu just smiled.

Shi Qi asked, “How much longer will it take?”

You Ruxu thought for a moment and said, “Soon.”

Shi Qi looked at her and said, “Write an investigation report.”

You Ruxu agreed.

Leaving the office, she ran into Chen Xiang. Chen Xiang made a throat-cutting gesture and asked, “Are you okay?”

You Ruxu shook her head, “I’m fine.”

Chen Xiang breathed a sigh of relief, “Want a cup of coffee?”

You Ruxu said, “Please.”

Chen Xiang went to make her a cup of coffee. When she delivered it to You Ruxu’s desk, You Ruxu was turning on her computer. The screen was on, but the screensaver hadn’t loaded yet. Chen Xiang called out softly, “Teacher You?”

You Ruxu snapped back to reality.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, typing in a string of numbers, ending in 0068.

Chen Xiang was curious, “Teacher You, your password is so long, is it your birthday?”

You Ruxu said, “No.”

Chen Xiang said, “Then it must be a special date.”

You Ruxu took a sip of coffee, “It’s not a date.”

Chen Xiang gave a small “oh.”

You Ruxu opened her work journal and typed in all the results, hypotheses, and evidence she had gathered regarding the fireworks explosion. Chen Xiang sat beside her and asked, “Teacher You, do you think Zhang Xiaojie really caused the explosion?”

After investigating for so long, Chen Xiang also had her own thoughts: “I don’t think so.”

You Ruxu turned to her, “Then who do you think it was?”

“It’s hard to say.” Chen Xiang said, “I even suspect it might be Chen Mo.”

Chen Mo.

You Ruxu had suspected him at the beginning.

But after seeing his computer, his package, and the gift, she thought it probably wasn’t him. Chen Mo didn’t seem suicidal, and there was no trace of him being involved.

So, she ruled him out from the start.

Then it was Zhang Xiaojie.

Zhang Xiaojie had even less motive.

Mr. Zhao’s claim that Zhang Xiaojie was blackmailing him was absurd.

Zhang Xiaojie started spreading rumors about the illegal fireworks a month and a half ago. Why didn’t he contact the person he was supposedly blackmailing for a whole month and a half? Was he waiting for Mr. Zhao to contact him?

No blackmailer would be that stupid.

However, he did disable the camera.

And that was solid evidence.

If she guessed correctly, he must have disabled it with Chen Mo.

You Ruxu had seen the information. Chen Mo was 1.7 meters tall, while Zhang Xiaojie was 1.86 meters tall. He could easily disable the camera with a broom, something Chen Mo couldn’t do.

So, Zhang Xiaojie was responsible for the camera.

This also meant that Zhang Xiaojie wasn’t near the source of the explosion, while Chen Mo was, hence his death at the scene, while Zhang Xiaojie was only injured.

But was the explosion really caused by Chen Mo?

Or was he also a victim?

You Ruxu typed a question mark after that sentence, looked at the words on the screen, and messaged Captain Zhou: [Can I interview Mr. Zhao again?]

Captain Zhou, after entering the hospital, received You Ruxu’s call and replied: [Not at the moment.]

After sending the message, she walked into the hospital, saw a young nurse, and asked, “Where’s Zeng Jing’s ward?”

The nurse didn’t answer immediately. Captain Zhou showed her badge. The nurse said, “VIP room 408.”

Captain Zhou nodded: “Thank you.”

She was about to go find the VIP ward when she saw a familiar face: “Dr. Zhou.”

Zhou Tianzui looked up, not with Captain Zhou’s cheerful smile, but a calm and impassive gaze. Captain Zhou said, “What a coincidence.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Is something the matter?”

Captain Zhou had dealt with several cases where the suspects were treated at this hospital, and one of them was Zhou Tianzui’s patient, so they were acquainted, although only superficially.

Captain Zhou said, “I’m looking for Zeng Jing.”

She asked, “Do you know which ward she’s in?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Fourth floor.”

Captain Zhou wanted to ask more, but Zhou Tianzui had already brushed past her and returned to her office. The little troublemaker said curiously, “That doctor is so cool!”

“She’s even cooler when she’s scolding people.” Captain Zhou said, “Someone with your frivolous attitude wouldn’t last two days under her.”

The little troublemaker was intimidated.

He glanced in Zhou Tianzui’s direction, wanting to say, is she really that scary?, but remembering Zhou Tianzui’s stern expression just now, he swallowed and obediently followed Captain Zhou to the fourth floor.

Zhou Tianzui, back in her office, received a call from the director, asking her to come to his office.

She pursed her lips and rubbed her temples before going to find the director.

She knocked on the door. Five or six doctors were inside, Zhao Mingqi among them. Seeing her enter, he offered his seat. The director said, “Now that everyone’s here, I have an announcement. Next week, one of you will be selected to go to Yuhai for training.”

Zhao Mingqi spoke, “Yuhai? Another lecture?”

There were many types of training, and lectures were the least popular. You had to sit for half a day, and if you encountered a long-winded lecturer, you would be drained by the end of the day. So, lectures were the least preferred type of training.

The director looked at him, “What? Not happy? Look at you, slouching all day, no proper posture! And you call yourself a doctor!”

Zhao Mingqi was scolded for no reason. He took half a step back.

The director said, “It’s voluntary, anyone who wants to go, sign up with me.”

Seeing no one speak, she was a little displeased, “No one’s saying anything? Three days, if no one signs up within three days, we’ll choose someone randomly.”

Leaving the office, several doctors groaned, “It’s definitely going to be one of us.”

This kind of training was never assigned to Fu Shushu or Zhou Tianzui. It was obvious why. Zhao Mingqi’s face was grim: “It’s definitely going to be me this time, the director was glaring at me just now.”

Zhou Tianzui looked at him, “Serves you right for talking too much.”

“I was just trying to lighten the mood.” Zhao Mingqi waved his hand, “And now I’ve become the target.”

A doctor beside him chuckled, “Really, Dr. Zhao? Why don’t you just sign up? You might even earn some brownie points with the director.”

Zhao Mingqi glared at her, “Get out of here! Do you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?”

Zhou Tianzui listened to the commotion beside her, thinking about the police visiting Zeng Jing. After a moment of thought, she went up to the fourth floor. Seeing her, Lin Luo’s heart leaped into her throat. She quickly reported, “We did her routine checkup today, her physical condition…”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Are the police inside?”

Lin Luo breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, “Yes.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Go attend to other matters, you don’t need to stay here.”

Zeng Jing probably wouldn’t do anything rash again. Lin Luo said, “Okay.”

Zhou Tianzui brushed past her and stood at the ward door. The door was closed. Through the window, she saw Captain Zhou showing Zeng Jing something on a tablet. Zeng Jing said, “Isn’t this Youyou’s design?”

Captain Zhou understood. She asked, “Are you sure?”

“I remember she showed me the drawings a long time ago.” Zeng Jing said, “The drawings are still on my phone.”

Captain Zhou looked at her phone.

Zeng Jing’s pupils constricted, but she still took out her phone, searching for a while before finding the chat history. The design in the drawing was almost identical to the one on the tablet. Captain Zhou nodded, “Thank you, Ms. Zeng.”

“Does this have something to do with Youyou?” Zeng Jing said, “Is Xiaojie not involved?”

Captain Zhou said, “The investigation isn’t complete yet, please be patient, Ms. Zeng.”

But it would be soon.

She had found key evidence, enough to prove her theory.

Zeng Jing breathed a sigh of relief.

Captain Zhou left the ward and asked the little troublemaker, “Have Chen Mo’s parents arrived at the station yet?”

The troublemaker said, “Officer Wu is interrogating them.”

Captain Zhou nodded, her expression relaxing, knowing the case would soon be closed. The little troublemaker was also happy. He said, “We owe this to Reporter You, should we treat her to dinner after the case is closed?”

“Are you treating?” Captain Zhou asked.

The troublemaker said, “Let Captain Zhou do the honors.”

Captain Zhou didn’t hesitate and said, “Alright, I’ll call her after the case is closed. But I don’t know if she’ll come.”

Zhou Tianzui, holding a medical chart, stood at the door, listening to their conversation, her gaze darkening slightly. The little troublemaker saw her and said, “That cool doctor.”

“What cool doctor?” Captain Zhou said, “Show some respect, her name is Dr. Zhou.”

She was in a good mood and wanted to greet Zhou Tianzui. Turning around, Zhou Tianzui had already entered the ward, closing the door behind her. Captain Zhou cleared her throat and said, “She is quite cool.”

Zhou Tianzui entered the ward. Zeng Jing was surprised. Remembering Zhou Tianzui’s earlier encouragement, she felt grateful, realizing that Zhou Tianzui wasn’t as cold and aloof as she appeared, that she had a warm heart beneath her stern exterior. She wasn’t as afraid of her anymore, even offering her fruit.

“You eat.” Zhou Tianzui said, “You haven’t fully recovered yet, you need to stay for a few more days of observation.”

A few days ago, she couldn’t even eat, almost couldn’t even keep down her medication. There was no way she could have recovered quickly. Zeng Jing nodded, “Okay, thank you, Dr. Zhou.”

This gratitude was sincere. She was thankful for You Ruxu, who hadn’t given up, and for Dr. Zhou, who woke her up at the last moment. Without them, she might still be contemplating suicide.

Zhou Tianzui, seeing that she was speaking clearly and rationally, nodded, and couldn’t help but ask, “Ms. Zeng, did you ever believe Zhang Xiaojie did this?”

“I don’t believe it.” Zeng Jing said firmly, “He wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Zhou Tianzui met her gaze, paused for two seconds, and nodded, “Rest well.”

Leaving the ward, she stood at the door for a few minutes before walking away.

You Ruxu rarely left work early. She had been incredibly busy these past few days, constantly on the go, with no time to rest. Seeing that the truth was about to be revealed, and the remaining tasks didn’t require her immediate attention, she relaxed and left the station early.

She hadn’t expected Zhou Tianzui to leave work early as well.

You Ruxu, arriving home, opened the door and saw Zhou Tianzui sitting on the sofa, a box in front of her. Hearing the noise, Zhou Tianzui turned and saw You Ruxu standing at the door. She stood up, put away the box, placed it in the cabinet under the coffee table. You Ruxu said, “You’re home early today?”

“A little tired.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Is the fireworks factory incident almost over?”

You Ruxu said, “Yes, almost.”

Two days at most, tomorrow at the earliest, there would be a result.

She took off her jacket and sat on the sofa. Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on them. Neither spoke, the air still and quiet. They rarely enjoyed such peaceful moments, without messages, without phone calls, without work, without all the entanglements. Zhou Tianzui’s gaze rested on the cabinet door. She asked You Ruxu, “Want to go to the supermarket?”

You Ruxu looked at her, paused, and said, “Okay.”

They usually went grocery shopping on Tuesdays and Thursdays, stocking up on household necessities. They had been too busy this past week, both of them, eating out and not going to the supermarket together.

The supermarket was near the residential complex. After leaving the building, You Ruxu said, “Let’s buy some crispy pastries on the way back.”

She knew Zhou Tianzui loved them. She had tried them a few times, neither liking nor disliking them, but she would buy some every now and then. Zhou Tianzui nodded. They walked out of the complex like normal friends. Someone who knew them said, “Xiao Tian, going for a walk?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Going to the supermarket.”

“You better hurry, it’ll be crowded later.”

It was a budget-friendly supermarket, always crowded after work, so they usually went after dinner. Today, they were a bit early. Zhou Tianzui smiled and entered the supermarket with You Ruxu, heads lowered. It was empty at this hour, only a few staff members chatting, gossiping about online news or the recent fireworks factory explosion. While picking out vegetables, You Ruxu heard the butcher say, “Life is hard these days, all sorts of accidents can happen.”

“Tell me about it.” Another person said, “When you’re dead, you’re dead, nothing left. If someone remembers you, that’s good, but if no one remembers you, what’s left?”

“Look at Old Jin’s son next door, he also died in the fireworks factory explosion.” The woman’s tone was mournful, “I heard that Chen Mo, his family will receive a hefty compensation.”

More sighs and lamentations.

You Ruxu stood there, lost in thought. Zhou Tianzui, beside her, asked, “Are you done?”

She came back to her senses: “Yes.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “What did you buy?”

You Ruxu looked down at her empty hands, then at Zhou Tianzui, pouting slightly. She had never seen her make this expression before. Zhou Tianzui’s heart softened, and she asked, “What do you want to eat?”

You Ruxu picked two vegetables.

Zhou Tianzui weighed them and placed them in the shopping cart. You Ruxu followed her, as usual. They didn’t talk much while grocery shopping, just picking out vegetables, milk, eggs. Zhou Tianzui was a picky eater with a sensitive stomach, so they rarely had instant food at home. At the checkout, You Ruxu said, “I’ll make dinner tonight.”

“Okay.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Then I’ll have to trouble Teacher You.”

The formal address, rolling off her tongue, made You Ruxu’s ears burn. She looked at Zhou Tianzui, who was also looking at her. Zhou Tianzui asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” You Ruxu lowered her head and carried the bags outside, her phone ringing. She gestured for Zhou Tianzui to take the bags. Zhou Tianzui seemed to misunderstand, thinking she wanted her to answer the phone. She took the phone from her bag and said, “It’s your mom.”

You Ruxu nodded. Zhou Tianzui answered the call and held the phone to her ear.

This posture was strange. It would have been much easier for them to simply switch, You Ruxu holding the phone and Zhou Tianzui carrying the bags, but now Zhou Tianzui was holding the phone to her ear.

Because of the phone call, they were standing very close. You Ruxu could smell the faint, comforting scent of disinfectant on Zhou Tianzui.

She tightened her grip on the shopping bags, not letting go, and answered the phone in this awkward position.

Her ear tickled.

Zhou Tianzui’s fingers brushed against her skin, unconsciously rubbing. You Ruxu’s face flushed, making it difficult to hear her mother’s voice clearly.

“Ruxu?” Her mother asked, “When are you coming back?”

She focused, “In a couple of days.”

“Tell me when you’re coming back, I’ll pick you up at the airport.”

You Ruxu said, “Okay.”

She looked at Zhou Tianzui: “I’m hanging up.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Going home?”

You Ruxu lowered her head, “Yes.”

She tried to hide her flushed face and ears with her hair, embarrassed by her body’s honest reaction. Zhou Tianzui looked at her intently, put away the phone, and called out, “Teacher You.”

You Ruxu looked up.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Why are you blushing?”

You Ruxu: …

If only she would just shut up sometimes!

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Zhou Tianzui: Why are you blushing?
You Ruxu: Thinking about something happy.
Zhou Tianzui: What happy thing?
You Ruxu: Poisoning you and making you mute.
Zhou Tianzui: …

Chapter 28: Investigation

The fireworks factory’s statement caused a subtle shift in online public opinion. Some questioned why the factory issued the statement, shouldn’t it be the police? Others believed it was the result of the factory’s internal investigation, hence the preemptive announcement, speculating that the police would release their statement soon. And some, after reading the statement, sighed: [What’s going on? So it was Zhang Xiaojie who made the mistake?]

[Hilarious, if it really was Zhang Xiaojie’s fault, shouldn’t those who were cursing at the factory owner apologize now?]

[What’s the situation? Did I misunderstand the factory’s statement? So it was Zhang Xiaojie alone who caused the explosion, harming everyone?]

[The most tragic are those who died like Chen Mo, while the culprit, Zhang Xiaojie, is lying in the ICU. Truly, a scourge lasts a thousand years!]

You Ruxu saw these comments immediately. Her expression was grim after the phone call. Zeng Jing, noticing this, asked, “Did something happen?”

Before You Ruxu could reply, Zeng Jing said, “I can handle it.”

You Ruxu said, “The fireworks factory issued a statement, claiming Mr. Zhang acted alone.”

“Bullshit!” This time it was Zeng Jing’s father who spoke. Unexpectedly, the usually quiet man couldn’t hold back, “What kind of factory is this? Xiaojie was blind to join such a place!”

“I told him this factory wasn’t good!”

You Ruxu looked at Zeng Jing’s father and asked, “Uncle, do you know something?”

“I!” Zeng Jing’s father said, “We advised Xiaojie to resign before. This factory isn’t good, the owner’s character is questionable.” He said, “Xiaojie’s parents are relatives of the factory owner. We knew some things before, like how the owner stole other people’s designs and almost got sued. Back then, we urged Xiaojie to resign. A leader’s character affects the fate of the company!”

His words were logical and insightful.

You Ruxu’s heart stirred: “Do you remember when this happened?”

“Several years ago.” Zeng Jing spoke, “My father didn’t want us to stay at that company back then.”

But the fireworks factory had been around for a long time, and it was owned by a relative of Zhang Xiaojie’s family. The salary was good, and they thought, how could they possibly scheme against their own family?

Zeng Jing regretted, “I should have listened to my father.”

She started crying. This statement was like a sword hanging over her neck, ready to fall at any moment. If the police issued a similar statement later, the case would be practically closed.

But she didn’t believe it.

Why Zhang Xiaojie?

Why would Zhang Xiaojie do such a thing?

She looked at You Ruxu: “Reporter You, was it really Zhang Xiaojie?”

Her eyes were filled with a mixture of despair and hope, red and swollen, as if she saw You Ruxu’s answer as her last lifeline. Meeting her gaze, You Ruxu’s heart clenched.

“Are you sure?”

“Was it really him?”

You Ruxu heard these words echoing in her ears, the person in front of her overlapping with another’s image. Her throat was dry, her lips moved, wanting to speak, but the words were caught in her throat, her face pale.

Zeng Jing also knew how difficult this question was for You Ruxu.

She lowered her head: “I…”

“I don’t know.” After a pause, You Ruxu said, “But I will find out.”

Hearing these words, Zeng Jing felt a surge of strength. When so many people didn’t believe her, only You Ruxu said, I will find out. She didn’t say Zhang Xiaojie was innocent, but it was more reassuring than claiming his innocence.

“Thank you, Reporter You.” At this moment, Zeng Jing was calmer than before. You Ruxu said, “You should rest.”

After leaving the ward, You Ruxu leaned against the door. Lin Luo, who was waiting outside, saw her come out and called, “Teacher You.”

You Ruxu’s hands and feet were cold, her face pale. Lin Luo asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’m fine.” You Ruxu tried to clench her hands, her palms sweaty. Zhou Tianzui came out of the ward, saw You Ruxu’s state, and paused slightly. You Ruxu was always calm and collected in public, maintaining a professional demeanor. Now, she was different. Zhou Tianzui walked over and, before Lin Luo could offer to help You Ruxu rest, said, “I’ll take her.”

Lin Luo turned and saw Zhou Tianzui holding a medical chart, tucking a pen into her chest pocket, her expression unchanged, her eyes still serious up close. Lin Luo swallowed, instinctively taking half a step back, but her gaze remained fixed on Zhou Tianzui.

Dr. Zhou’s profile was so beautiful.

Although her pursed lips looked sterner than even her professors from university, there was a reassuring strength in that sternness, not just composure, but a deep-seated confidence stemming from her professionalism. It was as if seeing her, any problem could be solved.

And wasn’t that the truth?

She had been trying to persuade Zeng Jing for so long, from last night until now, talking until her lips were dry.

But it was nothing compared to Zhou Tianzui’s five minutes.

She truly admired Zhou Tianzui.

How could someone be so capable?!

Lin Luo carefully suppressed the admiration in her eyes and the strange feelings welling up in her heart. Zhou Tianzui didn’t look at her, just said to You Ruxu, “Come rest in my office.”

“I have to go back to the station…” Before You Ruxu could finish, Zhou Tianzui grabbed her wrist. Their eyes met. You Ruxu said, “Okay, I’ll rest for a bit.”

To organize the information she just obtained from Zeng Jing.

Zhou Tianzui released her hand. You Ruxu followed her, and they entered the office one after the other. Zhou Tianzui poured her a cup of tea, not asking about their conversation. You Ruxu sat on the sofa and heard Zhou Tianzui ask, “Do you need a computer?”

She had her own laptop and the hospital-provided desktop. You Ruxu said, “Yes, please.”

Zhou Tianzui handed her the laptop. It was light, a work laptop. You Ruxu opened it, and it prompted for a password. She looked at Zhou Tianzui, about to speak, when Zhou Tianzui walked over, lowered her head, and quickly typed in a few numbers. You Ruxu saw the last four digits were 0068. Zhou Tianzui opened the laptop and, seeing You Ruxu motionless, asked, “What’s wrong?”

You Ruxu snapped back to reality and said, “Nothing.”

She took the laptop, her fingertips cold, mistyping several letters. Zhou Tianzui looked down and asked, “What are you looking for?”

You Ruxu said, “Nothing, just browsing the news.”

She mainly wanted to see the direction of online public opinion. After the fireworks factory’s statement, as expected, all the criticism was directed at Zhang Xiaojie. Previously, some people were still concerned about the illegal production of fireworks, but now, after reading the statement and combining it with the “revelations” from Zhang Xiaojie’s colleagues, everyone was condemning him.

[So the source of the illegal fireworks was Zhang Xiaojie.]

[What was Zhang Xiaojie trying to do?]

[Just a wild guess, was Zhang Xiaojie trying to blackmail the boss with the illegal fireworks, and when the boss refused, he set them off in anger?]

[Possible, probably just for the money. Zhang Xiaojie truly deserves to die, he deserves it!]

The light from the screen fell on You Ruxu’s face, her profile serene. She didn’t type anything, just scrolled down with the mouse, switching between different platforms. Zhou Tianzui said, “Your water’s cold.”

You Ruxu picked up the cup and took a sip. The temperature was just right, still warm. The warmth gradually spread to her hands and feet.

Looking up, Zhou Tianzui was on the phone.

“What time?” Zhou Tianzui said, “I’m free at three this afternoon, okay, I understand.”

You Ruxu asked, “Surgery?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “A consultation.”

You Ruxu nodded, her emotions stabilizing. She received a message from Chen Xiang: [Teacher You, the station is asking about the interview.]

Presumably, they already knew she had withheld the second half of the interview. You Ruxu replied: [I’ll be right back.]

Chen Xiang: [The boss said she’ll handle it, you go ahead with your work.]

You Ruxu: [Huh?]

Not only You Ruxu, but Chen Xiang was also puzzled. Normally, their boss would be furious by now, calling You Ruxu back for a scolding. Unexpectedly, she was so accommodating today, even telling her to continue with her work.

After a moment of thought, You Ruxu understood. She replied: [Then drive over here.]

Chen Xiang asked: [Where?]

You Ruxu: [Meet me at the hospital.]

After sending the message, she put down her phone. Zhou Tianzui sat in her office chair, looking at You Ruxu while typing. You Ruxu was browsing webpages on the sofa, very quiet, occasionally clicking the silent mouse, the clicks barely audible. Zhou Tianzui only saw You Ruxu’s hand on the mouse, her fingers slender and long, her nails short but coated with clear nail polish, making them look even whiter, a seemingly cold color. But Zhou Tianzui knew how warm and soft those hands were.

She focused, lowering her head to continue typing. In the quiet office, they sat at their respective computers, their expressions serious. You Ruxu occasionally rested her hand on her knee, her fingers by her lips, deep in thought. A notification sound broke the silence. She glanced at the time, Chen Xiang had arrived. You Ruxu looked up, about to speak to Zhou Tianzui, but saw she was looking at her computer.

Due to her work, she often wore this serious expression. You Ruxu remembered a few times when she came to find Zhou Tianzui, hearing the newly recruited doctors discussing who was the strictest, Zhou Tianzui’s name always being mentioned the most. But after a while, the same people would say, “Dr. Zhou took her into the operating room.”

“So envious.”

“I also want to work with Dr. Zhou.”

You Ruxu gripped the mouse and heard the cool voice, “What are you looking at, Teacher You?”

Looking at what?

Looking at her.

This person who always made her feel both love and hate.

You Ruxu ignored her, lowered her head, closed the laptop, and packed her bag. Just as she was about to stand up, Zhou Tianzui walked over to her, standing so close they were almost touching. You Ruxu would have bumped into her if she had stood up, so she instinctively took half a step back, her calf hitting the edge of the sofa, making her fall back onto the seat. Looking up, surrounded by Zhou Tianzui’s scent, she asked, “What?”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “You haven’t answered me yet.”

You Ruxu asked, “Answered you what?”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “What were you looking at just now?”

You Ruxu said, “Looking at you.”

A hint of amusement flickered in Zhou Tianzui’s eyes. She lowered her gaze, her eyes resting on You Ruxu’s lips, coated with light-colored lipstick. She reached out and touched You Ruxu’s lips. You Ruxu froze. Zhou Tianzui said, “It’s smudged, let me fix it for you.”

Her fingertip brushed across You Ruxu’s lips.

You Ruxu’s heart pounded like a drum.

The quiet atmosphere was broken by a knock on the door. You Ruxu looked over, past Zhou Tianzui’s shoulder, and heard the voice outside call, “Dr. Zhou.”

It was He Wei.

Zhou Tianzui’s movement of standing up paused. She released You Ruxu’s hand and placed it on her shoulder instead. You Ruxu tried to stand, but Zhou Tianzui gently pressed her back down. Neither used much force. You Ruxu looked up at Zhou Tianzui, her eyes deep and dark, unreadable. There were two more knocks on the door, followed by the sound of the doorknob turning. You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui continued to look at each other.

A silent standoff.

The moment the door opened, Zhou Tianzui straightened up, picked up an empty cup from her desk, and asked, “Would you like some more water, Teacher You?”

As if she had just come to pour her some water.

You Ruxu pursed her lips and said, “No, thank you.”

Her tone was as calm as ever, but her heart was racing. Was it because He Wei almost saw their intimate moment?

Or was it—because of the lipstick being “fixed”?

You Ruxu could still feel the warmth of Zhou Tianzui’s fingertip on her lips. Her gaze involuntarily fell on Zhou Tianzui’s hand, its beautiful shape, every line and curve perfect, a work of art in her eyes.

This work of art was now taking the medical chart from He Wei’s hand, hearing He Wei call out, “Teacher You.”

Her voice was filled with uncontainable excitement. He Wei had originally come to find Zhou Tianzui, but unexpectedly, You Ruxu was also there. She heard You Ruxu was here to interview Zeng Jing. She had just passed by Zeng Jing’s ward, but hadn’t seen her, and assumed she had left. It turned out she was in Zhou Tianzui’s office.

You Ruxu nodded slightly at her, smiled, and said to Zhou Tianzui, “I’ll be going now.”

Zhou Tianzui glanced at He Wei, her voice cool, “I won’t see you out then, Teacher You, take care.”

Ever since that day at Yu Qiao’s apartment, hearing this formal address, You Ruxu felt a strange mix of emotions. She turned her back to Zhou Tianzui, her posture straight and elegant, her hair neatly in place, her demeanor no different from usual, except for the slight flush on her face.

Chen Xiang, seeing her come out, quickly got out of the car and called, “Teacher You! Over here!”

You Ruxu walked over. Chen Xiang opened the passenger door and asked, “Teacher You, did you get anything from the interview?”

“I still need to verify some things.” You Ruxu said, “Let’s go to the police station first.”

Chen Xiang quickly agreed.

On the way, You Ruxu called Captain Zhou. She heard noise on the other end and asked, “Where are you?”

“I’m at the factory.” Captain Zhou’s voice was bright. “Is something the matter?”

You Ruxu said, “I’ll tell you when I see you, I’m coming over.”

Captain Zhou seemed to know what You Ruxu wanted to talk about and didn’t refuse. After hanging up, You Ruxu saw a group of people standing by the factory entrance, asking her and her team members, “What does the factory mean? Are they not going to compensate us?”

Her team members were trying to appease the victims’ families. Captain Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, turned to the little troublemaker, and whispered something to him. The troublemaker went to the entrance to wait for You Ruxu.

Chen Xiang, after parking, saw the troublemaker approach. She asked, “Where’s your captain?”

“Inside.” The troublemaker shook his head, his face filled with helplessness. “Surrounded, can’t leave for even a moment.”

They were originally here to investigate the fireworks, but somehow the victims’ families heard that the factory wasn’t going to compensate them. Some had children, some had husbands or wives lying in the hospital. How could they not be compensated? So, they started protesting.

You Ruxu frowned, “Where’s the person in charge of the company?”

“He hasn’t arrived yet.” The troublemaker said, “We called him twice, urged him repeatedly, but he still hasn’t come.”

You Ruxu walked inside and heard Captain Zhou say, “Quiet! We’ll handle everything, alright?”

Her voice was loud and commanding, calming the crowd. Captain Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and heard someone ask, “So is the factory not going to pay us a single cent?!”

“No.” The speaker was You Ruxu. She walked over to Captain Zhou and said, “Regardless of whether Zhang Xiaojie was responsible, the company must compensate everyone according to the standards for work-related injuries.”

Hearing her words, the agitated crowd calmed down somewhat.

Captain Zhou said, “Thanks.”

You Ruxu asked her, “Why are you here at the factory?”

And then, “What’s with the statement?”

Captain Zhou glanced at the crowd and said, “Let’s talk somewhere else.”

They walked to the side. The other members of her team were still appeasing the families. The troublemaker walked over to them and said to Captain Zhou, “He said he’ll be here in a few minutes.”

Captain Zhou nodded and said to You Ruxu, “We checked the statement, it’s accurate.”

You Ruxu looked at Captain Zhou: “The rumors were spread by Zhang Xiaojie?”

Captain Zhou nodded, “We traced the account he used, he was the one who spread the rumors.”

You Ruxu nodded. The second point in the statement, that Zhang Xiaojie set off the fireworks himself, was also supported by video evidence. She asked Captain Zhou, “Then what was Zhang Xiaojie’s motive?”

Captain Zhou shook her head.

Mr. Zhao had offered some possibilities, such as Zhang Xiaojie trying to extort money from him, or having a grudge against the factory, but there was no evidence to support these claims.

You Ruxu said, “What are you doing here today?”

Captain Zhou looked at the troublemaker.

The troublemaker said, “The fireworks that exploded were newly produced. We’re here to check the production quantity.”

There were no illegal fireworks, no violations in storage, not even any surplus. Combined with the factory’s statement, it seemed they were completely innocent. But being too clean also aroused suspicion.

You Ruxu said, “Newly produced fireworks?”

Captain Zhou, noticing the change in her tone, asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” You Ruxu said casually, “I just remembered that when I interviewed Zeng Jing today, she mentioned something about ‘special fireworks’ that Chen Mo’s ex-girlfriend mentioned.”

Captain Zhou’s interest was piqued: “What special fireworks?”

You Ruxu said, “Chen Mo’s ex-girlfriend said she would develop new fireworks for their wedding and for the baby’s birth.”

Captain Zhou hesitated for a few seconds.

You Ruxu said, “Unfortunately, she passed away two months ago.”

Captain Zhou said, “Zhang Xiaojie started spreading the rumors about a month and a half ago.”

It seemed they had found a clue from these small details. Only the troublemaker was confused: “Captain Zhou, what are you talking about?”

You Ruxu looked at him and said, “We’re saying that this statement is very strange.”

Huh?

The troublemaker frowned.

Had they been talking about the statement?

Weren’t they talking about the ex-girlfriend?

He asked, “Strange how?”

You Ruxu asked, “Why did the factory wait until now to release the statement, instead of releasing the evidence earlier?”

The troublemaker froze.

Captain Zhou said, “Because they were waiting for public opinion to shift.”

You Ruxu asked again, “How could they be so sure that public opinion would shift in their favor?”

Captain Zhou said, “Someone helped them.”

The troublemaker was confused, “Who?”

Captain Zhou knocked him on the head, “Go contact Chen Mo’s parents.”

The troublemaker rubbed his head: “Captain Zhou, what are you planning to do?”

“Overturn the case and re-investigate.” Previously, their focus had been entirely on Zhang Xiaojie and Mr. Zhao, investigating them thoroughly. They had also investigated Chen Mo, but not as meticulously. Now, from these small details, they realized he might be the key.

The troublemaker let out an “oh,” seemingly understanding. He said, “Captain Zhou, you’re so awesome!”

He looked at You Ruxu, who was talking to the victims’ families not far away, and said, “Reporter You is awesome too.”

“Of course.” Captain Zhou said, “You know what her father did, right? The number of cases she’s seen and criminals she’s met since she was young is more than all the cases we’ve handled combined. How could she not be awesome?”

The troublemaker said, “Then she should be a police officer!”

Captain Zhou laughed: “I heard she was planning to join the court system before.”

The troublemaker was surprised, “Then why did she become a reporter?”

Captain Zhou sighed, “No one knows that.”

She looked at You Ruxu. Standing under the sunlight, her head slightly lowered, listening attentively to the person beside her, her calm and collected demeanor only piqued one’s curiosity further.

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He Wei: Dr. Zhou.
Zhou Tianzui: Don’t talk.
He Wei: …
Zhou Tianzui: Teacher You.
You Ruxu: Don’t talk.
Zhou Tianzui: …