Category: Friend(GL)

Chapter 27: Strong

Why were Chen Mo’s parents doing this? Were they convinced that Zhang Xiaojie was the culprit, or was there something else? You Ruxu needed a breakthrough. She said, “Let’s go to the hospital.”

“To the hospital?” Chen Xiang understood. “To see Zeng Jing?”

Then she added, “I’m afraid Zeng Jing won’t want to see us.”

You Ruxu paused.

Zeng Jing’s condition was indeed very poor. After being transferred to the VIP ward, she had stabilized somewhat, but the mere sound of a ringing phone would startle her, making her instinctively clutch her baby, refusing to listen to anyone. The baby, sensing her anxiety, would cry incessantly. Zeng Jing’s parents were even more distressed, afraid to turn on their phones, afraid to leave the room, their meals delivered by nurses.

They sat by Zeng Jing’s bedside, not daring to leave for even a moment.

Lin Luo also didn’t dare to leave.

Lin Luo, after her morning rounds, kept a close watch on room 408. Zeng Jing was originally supposed to be discharged after a week, but in her current state, forget going home, she would be surrounded by reporters the moment she stepped out of the hospital. Moreover, in her mental state, she couldn’t be discharged.

She wanted to talk to Zeng Jing, but Zeng Jing wouldn’t say a word, not even listening to her parents, let alone her.

Lin Luo figured she needed a psychologist, but didn’t make the decision on her own, instead going to find Zhou Tianzui.

Fu Shushu was off today, so Lin Luo could consult Zhou Tianzui. Standing at the door, her heart pounded rapidly. It was nervousness, a feeling she couldn’t quite describe. After a few seconds, she knocked.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Come in.”

She pushed the door open and walked in, calling out, “Dr. Zhou.”

Zhou Tianzui didn’t look up, continuing to type: “What is it?”

“It’s about Zeng Jing.” Lin Luo said, “I think she needs a psychologist.”

Zhou Tianzui’s typing paused. She looked up at Lin Luo.

The sunlight streaming through the window fell on her face, accentuating her features, but her eyes were serious, almost intimidating. She asked, “Did something happen to Zeng Jing again?”

“No.” Lin Luo’s heart was pounding. She took a deep breath and said, “I’m worried something will happen.”

Zhou Tianzui nodded and said, “You can discuss her situation with Dr. Zhao and see if she has any suggestions.”

Lin Luo quickly said, “Okay.”

She stood there after speaking.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Anything else?”

“No.” Lin Luo remembered their WeChat conversation yesterday and wanted to thank her in person, but she was too nervous, the words caught in her throat. Her face flushed red. She stammered, “Dr. Z—”

There was a knock on the door.

Then a pleasant voice called out: “Dr. Zhou.”

The voice was clear and distinct, like pearls falling on a jade plate, crisp and melodious. Lin Luo immediately recognized it as You Ruxu. She stood near the door, about to turn and open it, when Zhou Tianzui, who had been sitting at her computer, brushed past her, grabbed the doorknob, and opened the door.

You Ruxu stood at the entrance.

Zhou Tianzui’s expression was still serious: “Why are you here?”

“I wanted to ask Zeng Jing a few questions.” She said, “Dr. Fu isn’t here.”

Zhou Tianzui looked at Lin Luo: “Ask her.”

You Ruxu looked at Lin Luo.

Lin Luo quickly introduced herself: “Re—” She remembered that Zhao Mingqi and the others called her Teacher You, so she followed suit: “Hello, Teacher You, I’m Lin Luo, I’m currently in charge of Zeng Jing’s care.”

You Ruxu nodded: “Can I see her?”

“She’s not in a good state right now.” Not physically, but mentally, quite severe. Postpartum depression was common, and Zeng Jing most likely had it.

You Ruxu said, “I know she’s not doing well, but I have a few questions for her.”

And it was best to ask them before the evening news exclusive interview aired, otherwise, Zeng Jing’s situation would become even more difficult. Lin Luo looked troubled: “I’m not sure if she’s willing to see anyone right now.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll talk to her.”

Lin Luo was slightly surprised: “Dr. Zhou.”

“I’ll take responsibility if anything happens.” Zhou Tianzui looked at You Ruxu. “Let’s go.”

Lin Luo followed them. You Ruxu carried her bag. The three of them reached the ward door. You Ruxu stood outside. Zhou Tianzui opened the door and went in. Seeing someone enter, Zeng Jing instinctively recoiled, clutching her baby tightly in her arms, her eyes filled with fear.

Just a few days.

She was a completely different person from when she first arrived.

Zhou Tianzui asked Zeng Jing’s mother, “Can she still communicate normally?”

“She refuses to speak.” Zeng Jing’s mother wiped away her tears. “Such a good person, how did she become like this? She won’t even let us hold the baby.”

Zhou Tianzui walked over to Zeng Jing.

She called out, “Zeng Jing.”

Zeng Jing held the baby even tighter, her gaze fixed on Zhou Tianzui. Zhou Tianzui said, “Don’t you want to know the truth?”

“Don’t you want to know whether Zhang Xiaojie did it?” The moment Zhou Tianzui spoke, the elderly couple froze and rushed to her side, wanting to stop her from mentioning Zhang Xiaojie.

They were afraid Zeng Jing would have a breakdown.

But she didn’t.

She looked at Zhou Tianzui.

And heard Zhou Tianzui continue, “If he didn’t do it, what are you doing now? Avoiding reality? Giving up on yourself? Attempting suicide? He’s lying in a hospital bed, the police haven’t reached a conclusion yet, and you’ve already convicted him?”

“I…” Zeng Jing said, “I didn’t.”

“Then what are you doing?” Zhou Tianzui looked at her calmly. Under her gaze, Zeng Jing slowly loosened her grip on the baby. She licked her lips, which were dry and cracked, her mind suddenly in turmoil.

What was she doing?

She wasn’t giving up on herself, she just didn’t know what to do.

But had she actively tried to find a solution?

Seeing that her words had gotten through, Zhou Tianzui said, “Zeng Jing, this happened so suddenly, it’s normal that you’re not prepared. Anyone in this situation would struggle to cope.”

“Moreover, you’ve just given birth, your emotions are unstable.”

Zeng Jing looked at Zhou Tianzui.

She remembered Zhou Tianzui, her previous attending physician, but they hadn’t interacted much. The nurses always answered Zhou Tianzui’s questions for her, she rarely spoke herself.

Zhou Tianzui hadn’t said much either, always leaving after a few brief questions.

This was the first time she had spoken so much.

Zeng Jing lowered her head, “I don’t believe Xiaojie did it.”

“Be strong.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Zeng Jing, do you know what the most terrifying thing is in situations like these?”

Zeng Jing looked up at Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui said, “The most terrifying thing isn’t the attacks from the outside world, not the rumors and gossip, but when your family also gives up on you.”

She pursed her lips.

It was unclear whether she was talking about Zeng Jing.

Or herself.

Zeng Jing remained silent.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Reporter You will be coming in later, talk to her.”

This time, Zeng Jing didn’t refuse. After Zhou Tianzui left, she even went to the bathroom to wash her face. Seeing this, her parents felt a huge weight lift from their shoulders. It wasn’t scary to be momentarily lost, what was scary was being unable to find your way back.

When You Ruxu entered the ward, Zeng Jing was already presentable, wearing a clean hospital gown, her hair tied back, her pretty face clean, although still pale and bloodless, looking excessively frail.

Seeing You Ruxu, Zeng Jing’s dry lips moved slightly, and with difficulty, she called out, “Reporter You.”

She was truly afraid of reporters.

In this incident, the harm caused by reporters and the media was immense. Any word she uttered could be taken out of context, twisted, and misrepresented. But You Ruxu was different.

She still remembered You Ruxu’s first visit to her ward, talking about using her and her baby as a buffer. She had been so straightforward, not hiding her intentions, yet Zeng Jing hadn’t felt afraid.

She liked reporters like You Ruxu.

She felt at ease.

You Ruxu nodded. Seeing Zeng Jing’s mother holding and comforting the baby, she sat by Zeng Jing’s bedside and asked, “Can we do the interview now?”

“Yes, I can.” Zeng Jing’s fingers dug into her palms, trying her best to hold herself together, her body stiff. You Ruxu’s smiling eyes met hers, as if understanding her anxiety. You Ruxu said, “It’s okay, we can take it slow.”

Zeng Jing said, “How can I help you?”

You Ruxu said, “I want to know more about Chen Mo.”

“Chen Mo?” Wasn’t it about Zhang Xiaojie? Zeng Jing’s expression changed abruptly. “Have you already…”

Already sentenced Zhang Xiaojie to death?

You Ruxu reassured her, “No, don’t worry, the police haven’t made any announcements yet.”

Zeng Jing’s tense body relaxed visibly. You Ruxu asked, “When did you meet Chen Mo?”

“We—” Zeng Jing thought for a moment. “We met shortly after joining the factory. Chen Mo was Xiaojie’s colleague. We weren’t married yet, and we often had meals and watched movies together.”

They even went on double dates.

Back then, it was the four of them.

You Ruxu nodded: “Then did you know Chen Mo’s ex-girlfriend?”

“You mean Yóuyou(pet name)? Yes, I knew her. Why?” Zeng Jing looked at You Ruxu. You Ruxu asked, “Then did you know that his ex-girlfriend passed away?”

“P-passed away?” Zeng Jing’s face paled instantly. She looked at You Ruxu, “When? I didn’t know, how could—she was very healthy.”

You Ruxu said, “Car accident, two months ago. Didn’t Chen Mo tell you?”

Zeng Jing said, “No.”

She frowned after speaking.

You Ruxu noticed the change in her expression and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Recently, Chen Mo and Xiaojie have been avoiding me when they talk.” It was probably about this. She hadn’t paid much attention to it before. It was work-related. They never used to smoke, but recently, Chen Mo started smoking. Zhang Xiaojie, afraid she would inhale secondhand smoke, would always pull Chen Mo aside. What seemed normal before, now that she thought about it, could it be because Yóuyou had passed away, and Chen Mo, grieving, had picked up the habit?

You Ruxu said, “Do you know what they talked about?”

“I don’t know.” She had been nearing her due date at that time and hadn’t had the energy to pay attention to others. Zeng Jing felt a pang of regret. “I should have asked.”

You Ruxu said, “It’s okay.”

She asked again, “What did Yóuyou do at the company?”

“She was in the R&D department.” Zeng Jing said, “Responsible for developing new products.”

Mentioning Yóuyou, Zeng Jing’s mood dampened. The news of her passing still affected her. After all, they were once such good friends. Tears welled up in her eyes as she said, “She even said she would come visit the baby.”

You Ruxu asked, “When did she say that?”

“When I was newly pregnant. She sent a message on my WeChat Moments post.” After Yóuyou resigned, they had kept in sporadic contact. Because of her breakup with Chen Mo, Yóuyou didn’t want too much contact with people from her past. Moreover, they were far apart, so their relationship gradually faded. After Zeng Jing posted on WeChat Moments, Yóuyou had also sent her congratulations.

Zeng Jing looked at her phone, which was turned off, and said, “The chat history is still there.”

But the person was gone.

She wiped her eyes and heard You Ruxu ask, “Can I take a look?”

Zeng Jing’s hand froze. She didn’t want to touch her phone, those insults like boiling water scalding her mind and body. You Ruxu said, “It’s okay, if you don’t want to…”

“It’s okay.” Zeng Jing, remembering Zhou Tianzui’s words earlier, seemed to have mustered some courage. Some things had to be faced eventually, even if—even if it really was Xiaojie, she had to know why.

You Ruxu watched as she took her phone. The startup music played. Her hand trembled, almost dropping the phone, her face pale, her pupils constricting, but she still gritted her teeth and turned on the phone. The moment it started, a series of notification sounds and messages bombarded her, almost overwhelming her. She finally found WeChat, clicked on it, and was met with countless friend requests, along with insults attached to some of them.

Unbearable to look at.

Zeng Jing closed her eyes and handed the phone to You Ruxu.

After taking the phone, You Ruxu said, “Ms. Zeng, you’re very strong.”

Zeng Jing said, “I’m not strong at all.” She lowered her head, burying her face in the blanket. “I’ve wanted to die so many times.”

If it weren’t for her parents.

She might already be gone, along with her baby.

You Ruxu looked at her hunched back. It had only been a few days since her C-section, the wound must be painful, but compared to the wound, it seemed other parts of her ached even more. You Ruxu looked at the phone.

It was the chat history with Yóuyou.

Yóuyou: [Congratulations, congratulations! Are you going to be a mom?]

Zeng Jing: [Yes, thank you, when are you coming to visit?]

Yóuyou: [I don’t know yet.]

Zeng Jing: [Chen Mo hasn’t dated anyone in the past two years, he’s still waiting for you.]

Yóuyou: [You know it’s impossible between us, his parents won’t accept me.]

Zeng Jing: [I don’t know why his parents are so stubborn, do they only want to see him die alone?]

Yóuyou: [Maybe they’re afraid that if I marry him, no one will take care of them. But we promised to take care of them together.]

She had no parents of her own, and from the moment they met, she treated Chen Mo’s parents as her own.

But his parents didn’t accept her.

Zeng Jing: [I think they just want Chen Mo to find someone rich.]

Yóuyou: [Let’s not talk about this, you’re pregnant, you need to be in a good mood, don’t think about these things. When is your due date?]

Zeng Jing: [October 20th, why?]

Yóuyou: [I’ll come visit you and the baby.]

Seeing this, You Ruxu suddenly understood. Perhaps the 20th that Chen Mo circled.

Wasn’t because of Zeng Jing’s due date.

But because he knew Yóuyou would come on that day.

She had previously thought…

You Ruxu shook her head.

Zeng Jing asked, “What’s wrong?”

You Ruxu said, “Nothing.”

She read the last few messages.

Yóuyou: [It’s such a pity, I was going to make special fireworks for the baby.]

She looked at Zeng Jing, “What special fireworks?”

Zeng Jing said, “Yóuyou used to develop fireworks. She said she would make two kinds, one for our wedding, and one for the baby’s birth.”

You Ruxu asked, “Did she develop them?”

Zeng Jing said, “She resigned afterwards.”

You Ruxu nodded. Seeing that Zeng Jing didn’t want to touch her phone anymore, she said, “Should I turn it off for you?”

“Thank you.” Zeng Jing’s mood stabilized further.

You Ruxu turned off her phone. Her own phone rang, the screen flashing with Chen Xiang’s name. She said to Zeng Jing, “I need to take this call.”

Zeng Jing nodded.

You Ruxu stood up and answered the phone.

Chen Xiang’s anxious voice came from the other end: “Teacher You, the fireworks factory issued a statement.”

You Ruxu frowned: “What statement?”

Chen Xiang quickly sent a screenshot of the statement. Three points.

First: The factory did not produce illegal fireworks; the rumors were spread by Zhang Xiaojie.

Second: The explosion was caused by Zhang Xiaojie setting off the fireworks without authorization, not under the instruction of anyone from the company.

Third: The company will pursue all legal responsibilities against Zhang Xiaojie.

You Ruxu gripped her phone, her expression grim.

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You Ruxu: Your mouth can be quite useful sometimes.

Zhou Tianzui: Don’t you know how useful it is?

You Ruxu: …

Chapter 26: Judgment

You Ruxu looked at Chen Xiang: “Deceased?”

Chen Xiang said, “Yes, two months ago.”

She muttered, “She used to work at the same factory as Chen Mo, also at the fireworks factory.”

You Ruxu nodded: “Which department was she in?”

“I’ll ask.” Chen Xiang typed rapidly. Soon, Team 3 sent over the information about the ex-girlfriend. Actually, Team 3 had investigated her at the beginning, after all, no one would be foolish enough to ignore such good material. Later, they found out she was deceased, and that they had broken up over two years ago. Furthermore, Chen Mo’s parents strongly resisted any mention of the ex-girlfriend, presumably because the breakup hadn’t been amicable. In the previous interview, Chen Mo’s mother even said that Chen Mo had never been in a relationship, that he hadn’t.

She was almost in denial. Everyone was afraid of upsetting her, so even though some marketing accounts had mentioned the ex-girlfriend, the news was quickly suppressed.

That’s why it hadn’t been widely reported.

Now, hearing that You Ruxu needed the information, they were somewhat surprised.

Chen Xiang received the information and said, “She met Chen Mo at the factory. They went to university in the same city, but weren’t classmates. Maybe that’s why they had things in common. She was in the R&D department.”

“They didn’t date for long, maybe just over six months, then they broke up. Her family strongly opposed the relationship.”

Even now, they couldn’t bear to mention the ex-girlfriend. One could only imagine how much they disliked her.

You Ruxu nodded. Dated for over six months, broke up two years ago, deceased two months ago. Even if she investigated, there probably wouldn’t be any leads. She looked out the window. Sunlight streamed into the car, bringing some warmth.

Chen Xiang said, “I also found her Weibo account.”

She pulled it up and followed it.

Because of Chen Mo’s case, some people had found their way to her Weibo, but her last update was two years ago, clearly abandoned for a long time, so very few people visited. However, she had quite a few likes. You Ruxu glanced at the screen. The ex-girlfriend’s Weibo was mostly filled with everyday moments.

[Feeling good, going out with him today.]

[Rainy day, a little annoying.]

[He’s so good, I like him so much.]

It seemed more like a channel for expressing her feelings, full of affection for someone. You Ruxu scrolled down.

[Going to his house, sigh——]

One word, expressing countless struggles.

There wasn’t any useful information. You Ruxu asked, “What about her family?”

“There’s no one left.” Chen Xiang said, “Her family was from a small town. She went back after quitting her job. She died in a car accident two months ago.”

Team 3 really had dug deep. They heard that her body had been in the morgue for several days, and finally, the villagers pooled money for her funeral. Chen Xiang said, “I don’t think Chen Mo even knew about his ex-girlfriend.”

You Ruxu asked, “Why do you say that?”

“Think about it, Teacher You,” Chen Xiang said, “if he knew, he would definitely have gone back for the funeral, after all, they were in a relationship.”

You Ruxu wanted to say not necessarily, but considering that Chen Mo hadn’t dated anyone else afterwards, he clearly still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend. Then he probably didn’t know, otherwise, even if he didn’t arrange the funeral, he would definitely have attended.

Lost in thought, her finger unconsciously swiped across the screen, stopping on a post: [Might have a family soon, feeling blessed.]

It was posted before she went to Chen Mo’s house. Presumably, Chen Mo had proposed, and they decided to get married. The more she read, the more uneasy she felt. You Ruxu closed her phone and heard Chen Xiang say, “Team 3 is here.”

A black van with the TV station’s logo pulled up in front. The people inside got out and stood downstairs. You Ruxu opened the car door and walked out. Someone recognized her, “Teacher You?”

You Ruxu and the other two teams always conducted their interviews separately, never crossing paths. So, seeing her, the members of Team 3 hesitated, wanting to go upstairs but unsure. You Ruxu said, “I’m not interviewing Chen Mo’s parents, I just want to go up and take a look.”

Her expression was calm, her smiling eyes making it difficult to refuse, at least for the person facing her. He looked at another reporter.

The reporter from Team 3 was older than You Ruxu. Seeing this, he said, “No photos, no questions.”

You Ruxu smiled: “Okay.”

Her smile was like the morning mist evaporating, leaving behind a delicate, refreshing fragrance, and the air of intellectual elegance she exuded, something intangible yet undeniably present.

Chen Xiang saw several colleagues blushing, stealing glances at You Ruxu. She leaned in and whispered, “Teacher You, you’re amazing.”

You Ruxu looked at her and smiled.

Chen Xiang took a deep breath and patted her face. She couldn’t blame her colleagues for being captivated. Even she, spending every day with You Ruxu, couldn’t resist her smile. You Ruxu followed the colleagues from Team 3 upstairs.

Chen Mo’s home was on the eighth floor of an old residential building. Although there was an elevator, it was also very old, creaking and groaning as it moved. Chen Xiang was uneasy, “I’m afraid it’ll fall.”

You Ruxu said, “It won’t.”

Chen Xiang breathed a sigh of relief. They reached Chen Mo’s floor. There were three apartments. The door of one was plastered with small advertisements, covered in a thick layer of dust, clearly unoccupied for a long time. The doorway of another was clean and tidy, with only a shoe rack outside.

Chen Mo’s family lived in the third apartment, at the very end. She had heard this unit was the smallest and cheapest. Two screws were missing from the shoe rack by the door, half of it collapsed, two or three pairs of shoes scattered outside. You Ruxu heard her colleague knock on the door and looked up. A voice came from inside after a moment.

A man’s voice: “Who is it?”

He didn’t open the door. Presumably, many people had come looking for them recently, so he didn’t open the door directly.

The colleague from Team 3 said, “Hello, uncle, we’re from the Jindu TV evening news team, we contacted you yesterday.”

The person inside opened the door after hearing this.

You Ruxu followed them inside.

It wasn’t a big apartment, perhaps seventy square meters, two bedrooms and a living room. The entrance was a small foyer. The TV station colleagues were hesitating whether to take off their shoes when they heard Chen Mo’s mother say, “Come in.”

Her voice was weak, and she looked much older than when You Ruxu had first seen her at the company entrance. Her hair was grayer, her eyes dull, red, and swollen. She said, “Sit down.”

You Ruxu watched as her colleagues set up the cameras and talked to Chen Mo’s parents. She looked around the apartment. One room was the master bedroom, where the parents lived. The other was a smaller bedroom and study, presumably Chen Mo’s room.

As expected, her colleagues asked, “Auntie, is this Chen Mo’s room?”

Chen Mo’s mother’s eyes reddened again. She turned her head, her movements slow, and said, “Yes, this is Chen Mo’s room.”

Chen Mo’s room was quite tidy. A bookshelf, a desk, a computer. The computer screen was off, but the main unit was on, a green light blinking. Her colleagues asked, “Auntie, was this Chen Mo’s computer?”

“Yes, it was his.” Chen Mo’s mother said, “We don’t understand computers, Chen Mo was the one who used it.”

It was because they didn’t understand how to use it that they didn’t even know how to turn it off, so it remained on.

Besides that, there wasn’t anything special. A wardrobe, a bedside table, a bed, neatly made by his parents. A pair of slippers were placed by the bed, as if someone was resting there and might get up at any moment.

This was their wishful thinking.

The filming crew recorded all of this. They had interviewed the parents before, but they hadn’t been allowed into Chen Mo’s room. His parents hadn’t agreed, saying Chen Mo would be back, that he didn’t like people entering his room, that he would be unhappy.

Back then, Chen Mo’s parents had just received the tragic news and couldn’t accept it, hence their distraught state.

Now, they were much better.

You Ruxu also saw a package next to the computer, unopened, the packaging intact. She looked at Chen Mo’s parents, lowered her head, and left the room with her colleagues. The interview continued in the living room. Chen Mo’s mother sat beside the reporter. Chen Mo’s father remained silent, as if he had lost his soul, his eyes downcast, staring at his fingers.

His hands were calloused and thin, the wrinkles on his skin especially pronounced. He kept his head lowered. Chen Mo’s mother didn’t cry much this time, just a numb expression on her face.

The colleagues from Team 3 exchanged glances. The reporter cleared her throat, her voice even gentler, “Auntie, would you mind talking to us about Chen Mo?”

Chen Mo’s mother looked up, paused, then nodded.

You Ruxu looked towards the room, silently sitting on a nearby chair, listening to the reporter’s questions and Chen Mo’s mother’s answers. Time passed unknowingly until Chen Mo’s father stood up.

He went to pour everyone some water.

You Ruxu took a glass with both hands and said, “Thank you, uncle.”

She looked towards the room: “Uncle, Chen Mo’s computer is still on.”

They spoke softly, unlike the loud interview being conducted with cameras rolling. Their hushed voices were barely audible. Chen Mo’s father said, “Oh, how do you turn it off? Is it okay to just unplug it?”

You Ruxu said, “I’ll turn it off for you. Unplugging it might damage the computer.”

Chen Mo’s father wanted to say it didn’t matter, as no one but Chen Mo used the computer anyway.

But then he thought, it was Chen Mo’s.

He said, “Then I’ll trouble you.”

You Ruxu said, “It’s no trouble at all.”

She stood up and went into the room, Chen Mo’s father following her. You Ruxu sat at the computer, turned on the screen. A chat window with a Taobao customer service representative was open.

Chen Mo: [Hello, when will you ship the item?]

Customer Service: [Hello dear, we can ship it tonight.]

Chen Mo: [Okay, could you please include a greeting card with a message?]

Customer Service: [Hello dear, what would you like the message to be?]

Chen Mo: [Write “Happy Birthday.”]

Customer Service: [Okay, and how should we address it?]

Chen Mo: [Goddaughter/Godson, I don’t know yet, it’s for my friend’s child, we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet.]

Customer Service: [Okay, dear.]

You Ruxu looked at it for two minutes. Chen Mo’s father asked, “What’s wrong? Is it difficult to turn off?”

“No.” You Ruxu said, “Uncle, was this package delivered yesterday?”

Chen Mo’s father’s expression changed slightly: “Yes.”

You Ruxu figured this was the package Chen Mo had ordered online.

She looked at Chen Mo’s father and said, “Uncle, can I ask you something?”

Chen Mo’s father said, “What is it?”

“You and Zhang Xiaojie…”

“Why bring him up?!” The man, who had been so quiet and mild-mannered just moments ago, suddenly erupted in anger, “Why bring him up! If it weren’t for Zhang Xiaojie, our Chen Mo wouldn’t be dead!”

You Ruxu didn’t try to calm him, but asked, “Why?”

Chen Mo’s father was like a raging lion: “It’s all Zhang Xiaojie’s fault! It’s all his fault!”

You Ruxu asked, “The police haven’t announced anything yet, how can you be so sure it was Zhang Xiaojie?”

“What do you mean?!” This time, it was Chen Mo’s mother who spoke, “Are you Zhang Xiaojie’s advocate? Can’t you see our Chen Mo is gone? Do you have to keep twisting the knife?!”

The colleagues from Team 3 immediately tried to smooth things over, comforting Chen Mo’s parents while wondering why You Ruxu was being so aggressive. Her interviews were always conducted gently.

Chen Mo’s mother pointed at her nose: “Get out! Get out!”

“All of you, get out! Get out!”

It seemed Zhang Xiaojie’s name was a trigger, instantly enraging Chen Mo’s parents!

You Ruxu continued to press the issue: “Auntie, wasn’t Zhang Xiaojie Chen Mo’s friend?”

“He had no such friend as Zhang Xiaojie!” Chen Mo’s mother’s voice was shrill, “Zhang Xiaojie is a jinx! He killed Chen Mo!”

The colleagues from Team 3 quickly ushered You Ruxu out.

Chen Xiang also followed.

She looked at the commotion inside and the displeased looks from the Team 3 colleagues, shrinking back, “Teacher You, let’s go downstairs.”

You Ruxu nodded.

Seeing them leave, the colleagues from Team 3 breathed a sigh of relief and continued to comfort Chen Mo’s parents.

You Ruxu went downstairs.

Chen Xiang couldn’t help but ask, “Teacher You, what’s wrong with you today?”

You Ruxu said, “I just saw a purchase record on Chen Mo’s computer.”

Chen Xiang said, “What purchase record?”

“A set of baby products.” You Ruxu said, “Bought for Zhang Xiaojie’s child.”

Chen Xiang said, “That’s not strange, Chen Mo and Zhang Xiaojie had a good relationship.”

“Then why do his parents dislike Zhang Xiaojie so much?” You Ruxu asked, “Don’t you find it strange? The police haven’t identified the culprit yet, but they’ve already convicted Zhang Xiaojie.”

Chen Xiang said, “Maybe they need an outlet for their grief?”

And Zhang Xiaojie was this outlet.

You Ruxu said, “Then they should be targeting the company, why Zhang Xiaojie?”

Chen Xiang blurted out, “Because Zhang Xiaojie set off the fireworks…”

She stopped mid-sentence and looked at You Ruxu, covering her mouth, unable to believe what she had just said. It was almost an instinctive reaction, she had blurted out that Zhang Xiaojie was the culprit.

But who said Zhang Xiaojie was the culprit?

Had the police reached a conclusion?

No.

This unconsciously ingrained thought was a little frightening. She had been investigating Zhang Xiaojie every day, and she would blurt out such things, let alone the netizens online who didn’t know the truth.

Chen Xiang suddenly realized, “Teacher You, are Chen Mo’s parents deliberately manipulating public opinion?”

You Ruxu was silent for a moment, hearing her words.

Chen Xiang said, “Some netizens have also raised this point, but Chen Mo’s parents aren’t accepting any financial aid or donations.” So, even she had dismissed the idea. But You Ruxu’s questions just now made her realize something. Perhaps Chen Mo’s parents didn’t want money, they wanted public opinion on their side.

They wanted to reinforce the idea that Zhang Xiaojie was the culprit.

Netizens online were tagging the Jindu police every day, asking for updates on the case, claiming that even a minute’s delay in reporting was a cover-up, protecting the culprit. Public opinion was becoming increasingly extreme. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that today’s interview would push the incident to another climax.

What were Chen Mo’s parents trying to do?

Use public opinion to judge the case?

Sentence Zhang Xiaojie to death?

Thinking about what she had just blurted out, a chill ran down Chen Xiang’s spine!

 

Chapter 25: Deceased

You Ruxu always wore professional attire in public, her shirt buttoned meticulously to the top. It was fortunate that Zhou Tianzui had only kissed her collarbone, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to walk out of that room. You Ruxu’s hand paused as she buttoned her shirt.

Fortunate?

She pursed her lips and heard Zhou Tianzui ask, “Are you ready?”

You Ruxu finished dressing and applied light makeup. After ensuring everything was in place, she walked out. Zhou Tianzui turned around as You Ruxu emerged from her room, her waist slender, her hair neatly tucked behind her ears. Her bag was like a treasure chest, containing everything. She had a live broadcast at noon, so You Ruxu was extra prepared, bringing not only makeup but also various small items needed for work.

Dressed like this, she looked ready to go on camera at any moment.

Yu Qiao looked at her, stunned, wanting to compliment her beauty, but then realizing she always looked beautiful, whether in professional attire or not. After a moment of thought, she said, “Xiao Xu is so professional.”

Zhou Tianzui chuckled, her tone cool: “Yes, Teacher You is the most professional.”

The familiar tone made You Ruxu’s ears itch. She touched her earlobe and said, “Auntie, you flatter me.”

She sat down and glanced at Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui’s gaze lingered on her collarbone. You Ruxu felt as if her gaze could penetrate her clothes, seeing the red mark there. She felt a little warm. Yu Qiao said, “I don’t know what you like to eat, I made something simple, have some.”

She sat beside Zhou Tianzui: “Don’t forget to come home this weekend.”

Zhou Tianzui peeled an egg and said, “I haven’t forgotten.”

She looked at You Ruxu: “When is our beautiful Yu going to introduce Teacher You to someone?”

You Ruxu almost choked on her porridge. She looked up at Zhou Tianzui, the familiar prickly feeling resurfacing. She lowered her head and heard Yu Qiao say, “Xiao Xu, I’m afraid no one is worthy of Xiao Xu.”

Zhou Tianzui chuckled coldly: “Mom, are you complimenting her or putting me down?”

Yu Qiao paused: “That’s not what I meant.”

She gave an awkward laugh. Zhou Tianzui glanced at You Ruxu and said, “But Mom’s right, no one is truly worthy of Teacher You.”

Yu Qiao didn’t respond. You Ruxu said, “It’s not about being worthy or not.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Then why don’t you tell us your criteria for a partner, Teacher You?”

Yu Qiao, seeing that the topic had shifted, also chimed in: “Yes, Xiao Xu, what kind of personality do you like? What kind of person?”

The spotlight was back on You Ruxu. She held her breath: “I like—” You Ruxu paused for two seconds, remembering the first time she met Zhou Tianzui, the car window rolling down, Zhou Tianzui’s raised eyebrows, her dark, deep eyes beneath her long eyelashes, shining beautifully in the sunlight. She said, “I like people with beautiful eyes.”

What kind of criteria was that?

What constituted “beautiful”?

Yu Qiao thought, she truly didn’t understand what moon-like people thought.

Zhou Tianzui, in a rather good mood, ate her breakfast and said, “Hurry up and eat, we still have to go back and get some things.”

You Ruxu glanced at her and continued eating her breakfast.

After breakfast, Yu Qiao was very enthusiastic: “Come visit again with Xiao Tian.”

Perhaps because she was lonely living alone, there was a hint of anticipation in her eyes. You Ruxu, meeting her gaze, couldn’t refuse. It was Zhou Tianzui who said, “I know, I’ll come back with her when we’re free.”

Yu Qiao, satisfied, sighed.

You Ruxu got into the car. The damp car seats from last night were dry. She looked out the window at Yu Qiao, who was waving goodbye, and wondered, if—if she knew who she was, would she still be so welcoming?

She was suddenly afraid of Yu Qiao finding out.

More afraid than before yesterday.

You Ruxu gripped the steering wheel, smiled at Yu Qiao, “Auntie, we’re leaving now.”

Yu Qiao waved, urging her to visit again. You Ruxu watched Yu Qiao’s figure receding in the rearview mirror, her breath catching in her throat, her face slightly pale. Only after turning onto another street did she recover.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Do you need to go home and change?”

After all, You Ruxu was still wearing yesterday’s clothes.

You Ruxu said, “No, do you?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I have spare clothes at the hospital.”

You Ruxu gave a small “oh” and drove directly to the hospital, wanting to check on Zeng Jing as well.

Zeng Jing’s emotional state had stabilized after a night’s sleep, but she refused to see anyone, including You Ruxu. When she heard it was someone from the TV station, she pulled the blanket over her head. Lin Luo explained, “Teacher You, she was emotionally unstable last night.”

You Ruxu frowned: “What happened?”

Lin Luo briefly recounted last night’s events. Many reporters and media personnel had come to wait this morning, but Zeng Jing had been transferred to a different ward. Unable to find her, they could only ask the nurses. Tired of being questioned, a nurse finally snapped, “What more do you want? Isn’t it enough that you twisted her words and got her subjected to online abuse? Are you only happy when you drive someone to their death? Zeng Jing almost committed suicide last night…”

She realized her slip of the tongue too late.

But the reporters didn’t care and immediately published the news.

The words “Zeng Jing suicide,” “playing the victim,” and “depression” instantly became trending topics. Some netizens’ comments were even more extreme: [That’s all it takes?]

[Hilarious, I’m also feeling depressed now.]

[Depression is like a brick, used wherever needed.]

[These days, you’re not even qualified to be online if you’re not sick.]

There were no harsh insults this time, but the sarcasm was even more unsettling. You Ruxu nodded. Lin Luo glanced past her shoulder, towards Zhou Tianzui, who was talking to Dr. Zhao.

Zhou Tianzui had changed into her white coat, her long hair casually tucked behind her ears, her bangs falling slightly over her eyes when she looked down. A gust of wind revealed her beautiful profile, her pale skin. She was writing something, her long, slender fingers bare of any jewelry, clean and beautiful. Combined with her sharp jawline, she exuded an air of seriousness.

One wouldn’t dare to be presumptuous in front of her, only steal a glance.

She didn’t know if it was because her glance lingered too long, or something else, but Zhou Tianzui looked over. Lin Luo instantly felt numb, as if needles were pricking her scalp, rendering her motionless.

Soon, Zhou Tianzui and Dr. Zhao walked away, talking.

Lin Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

But a strange feeling also arose in her heart.

You Ruxu asked Lin Luo a few questions. Since she couldn’t see Zeng Jing, she didn’t stay any longer. After getting into the car, she called Chen Xiang. Chen Xiang asked, “Teacher You, are we still not publishing the second half of the interview?”

If they waited any longer, Mr. Zhao might give an interview to another news outlet, and they would lose their exclusive. Fortunately, Teams 1 and 3 were focused on Chen Mo and Zhang Xiaojie, otherwise, they would definitely be criticized for not publishing their story.

You Ruxu thought about what Mr. Zhao said yesterday.

He had evidence that Zhang Xiaojie set off the fireworks himself, but why? Zhang Xiaojie’s wife was about to give birth, he had no motive to do such a thing. It was this lack of motive that troubled You Ruxu, making her hold back the exclusive news.

Did he have a personal grudge against Mr. Zhao?

Unlikely.

Did he have conflicts with his colleagues?

Then there was no need to drag the entire factory down with him.

Moreover, his wife was about to give birth, he wouldn’t disregard his wife and child. Most importantly, Zeng Jing had said that Zhang Xiaojie had been in a good mood and hadn’t mentioned any conflicts with anyone. Although people could sometimes act impulsively, there had to be a reason for the impulse. How could he act without a reason?

Now, she felt she had to find out Zhang Xiaojie’s reason.

Chen Xiang, hearing no response, called out, “Teacher You?”

You Ruxu came back to her senses: “Yes?”

Chen Xiang said, “Are we still not publishing the news? Team 3 has contacted Chen Mo’s parents and might be doing an exclusive interview.”

You Ruxu let out a soft sound of surprise: “An exclusive interview?”

“It was decided last night.” Chen Xiang said, “Team 3 has been waiting near Chen Mo’s home, they didn’t even come back last night despite the heavy rain. Chen Mo’s parents saw them when they went downstairs and agreed to the interview.”

You Ruxu asked, “What were they doing downstairs?”

Chen Xiang said, “Picking up a package, I think. It seemed to be Chen Mo’s package. The elderly couple cried when they saw it.”

You Ruxu nodded and asked, “What time is the interview?”

“Ten o’clock.” Chen Xiang said, “They’re preparing now.”

She said, “Let’s go take a look.”

After a moment of thought, she said, “Let’s go now.”

Chen Xiang let out a surprised “huh”: “Now?”

You Ruxu said, “Yes.”

She looked at the sky. It had rained yesterday, and today it was still overcast. The sun wasn’t out. She drove to the station, picked up Chen Xiang, and heard Chen Xiang say, “Team 3 is getting cocky, some of them are even bragging in the group chat now.”

Zhang Xiaojie hadn’t woken up, Zeng Jing had been transferred, Zhang Xiaojie’s parents were keeping their doors closed, and Team 1 had less information about Zhang Xiaojie than even the netizens, and it wasn’t even first-hand information. Fortunately, Teams 2 and 3 didn’t have any major developments either. All three teams were at the same stage, which meant no progress. Moreover, Team 2 was in the unique position of having no progress and no popularity. Teams 1 and 3 weren’t afraid at all. They usually competed covertly, vying for ratings. Now, Team 3’s announcement of securing an interview with Chen Mo’s parents undoubtedly put pressure on Team 1.

Chen Xiang said, “The head of Team 1 was just throwing a fit in the office.”

You Ruxu nodded.

Chen Xiang continued, “But if we don’t release any news soon, our boss will probably get restless too.”

Shi Qi had given her a lot of leeway this time, practically handing over the entire news story to her. Teams 1 and 3 were waiting to see her fail, only the people on Team 2 believed in her.

Chen Xiang, especially, believed in her.

She cheered, “But Teacher You is still the best!”

You Ruxu smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. She parked the car downstairs at Chen Mo’s home, glanced at the time on her watch; it was only 8:30 am. The colleagues from Team 3 hadn’t arrived yet. She leaned back in her seat. Chen Xiang said, “I’m going to buy some coffee.”

You Ruxu nodded.

Chen Xiang ran off.

They were used to waiting for news, sometimes for half a day, so this short wait wasn’t a problem. The sky gradually brightened. You Ruxu saw several elderly women entering the residential complex, chatting and laughing, then sitting by a nearby pond to rest after their morning exercise, their foreheads glistening with sweat. You Ruxu got out of the car and walked over, sitting at the edge. A few of the women started talking when they saw her: “Whose child is this? She’s so beautiful.”

Another one said, “Is she from Old Chen’s family? I heard their daughter just came back from abroad, a real beauty.”

You Ruxu inexplicably gained a new identity. She smiled at the women.

The woman who spoke earlier became even more certain: “Definitely from Old Chen’s family, absolutely.”

“Really? She looks familiar.”

“Of course she looks familiar, we’ve seen her before.”

You Ruxu sat there, listening to their conversation with a smile. After a while, she spoke: “Good morning, aunties.”

“Such a sweet talker.” The elderly women were even more pleased, “Are you going to work?”

“Yes, I’m about to go to work.” You Ruxu said, “Is there something big happening in the complex? There are so many people every day.”

“Oh, it’s that Chen Mo incident.” The woman who spoke earlier waved her hand, “He lived in our building. The elevators are so crowded now.”

You Ruxu looked at her. She was a woman in her sixties, with a kind face, her hair partially gray, plump, her eyes crinkling into a line when she smiled. The other women, hearing her words, said, “Chen Mo? I heard about that too.”

“What’s happening now?”

When it came to gossip, everyone was interested, their ears perked up.

“What else could be happening?” She said, “Still the same, the elderly couple is crying at home. Serves them right, if only they had treated Chen Mo better when he was alive.”

Another woman was curious: “What? They didn’t treat him well?”

“It’s not that they didn’t treat him well.” She said, “Chen Mo’s mother was in poor health, and his father couldn’t do heavy work, couldn’t hold a job. Chen Mo had a girlfriend before, but because they had no money, his family broke them up. Because of this, Chen Mo even said he wouldn’t get married.”

“It was just a couple of years ago. Chen Mo, that child, was filial, obedient, and sensible. We watched him grow up. He was always well-behaved, but also stubborn. When he said he wouldn’t get married, he really meant it. His mother cried every day during that time.”

You Ruxu listened to their conversation, silent.

The woman continued, “It got better in the past two years, but his mother started urging him to go on blind dates again. I heard that before the incident, he even had a big fight with his family.”

Someone asked, “Where was his girlfriend from?”

“I don’t know, definitely not from this city. I’ve seen that girl before, quite delicate, but her family wasn’t well-off. Anyway, it ended quite badly.” She sighed, “If they had known this would happen, they might as well have let them get married. Maybe they would even have a grandchild now, someone to carry on the family name.”

“Exactly.”

You Ruxu’s phone vibrated as she listened to their conversation. It was a message from Chen Xiang. She glanced at it, sat for a few more minutes, then returned to the car. She asked Chen Xiang, “Have you investigated Chen Mo?”

“Investigated Chen Mo?” Chen Xiang swallowed her coffee. “No, why?”

You Ruxu said, “He had a girlfriend before, did you know about this?”

Chen Xiang said, “No.”

You Ruxu frowned.

Logically, with all the attention on Chen Mo, if anyone was digging, they would definitely have unearthed this ex-girlfriend, using some sentimental words to commemorate Chen Mo and their relationship. But since the incident, there hadn’t been a single mention of Chen Mo’s ex-girlfriend.

It was as if someone had set boundaries.

What should be known was widely publicized.

What shouldn’t be known was kept hidden, not a single whisper escaping.

She pondered, asking Chen Xiang, “Is Chen Mo’s case being handled by Team 3?”

Chen Xiang nodded.

You Ruxu asked, “Can you find Chen Mo’s ex-girlfriend?”

Chen Xiang said, “I’ll try.”

She contacted members of Team 3 and quickly received a reply. She looked at the screen, then at You Ruxu, and said, “Teacher You, we found her.”

You Ruxu turned her head: “And?”

Chen Xiang’s voice was low: “She’s deceased.”

---

---

---

Zhou Tianzui: What kind of person does Teacher You like?
You Ruxu: Definitely not someone like you.
Zhou Tianzui: …

Chapter 24: Thank You

It wasn’t the first time You Ruxu had lain in Zhou Tianzui’s bed, but it was the first time she had lain in her bed at her home. Zhou Tianzui’s room bore the heavy marks of time; many things were old. A rosewood desk, a bookshelf reaching almost to the ceiling, filled with faded books, award certificates stuck to the wall – it seemed Zhou Tianzui had good grades in school – and beige wallpaper. Even the small ornaments hinted at Zhou Tianzui’s comfortable upbringing.

She had heard this apartment was bought a long time ago. Her mother hadn’t sold it when they moved, and when Zhou Tianzui returned to Jindu for work, she had initially wanted to buy a new place, but Yu Qiao hadn’t agreed. In the end, Yu Qiao moved back in as well.

The neighbors were still the same, yet different, after all, more than twenty years had passed. Many people had left, moved away. In the first two months after Yu Qiao moved back, Zhou Tianzui would rush home after work, afraid something might happen to her mother. But she was fine, occasionally going out with her neighbors to dance or exercise, in good spirits. Sometimes, she would say to Zhou Tianzui, “Your father would be so surprised to know you’ve become a doctor.”

Indeed.

Zhou Tianzui had initially studied art.

Since she was young, she loved drawing. Back then, cram schools weren’t popular, but her father enrolled her in two art classes. She was the youngest, but also the most diligent. Children more than ten years older than her would run around during breaks, while she would sit quietly in front of her easel.

The teacher said, “This child is so focused, she might become a great painter one day.”

People liked to joke back then.

She really had envisioned that dream.

But things didn’t always go as planned.

Zhou Tianzui stood at the doorway, watching You Ruxu staring out the window. She followed her gaze. It was still raining outside. An orange alert had been issued twice. It had been raining a lot these past two years, news of floods everywhere. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, hearing You Ruxu ask, “Is Auntie asleep?”

Yu Qiao’s mental state hadn’t been good a long time ago, after suffering a great shock. She had become mentally unstable but gradually recovered after moving out. It had been years, and she hadn’t relapsed, until today.

It wasn’t entirely unexpected.

The day her father passed away, it was also pouring rain, just like today.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Yes, she’s asleep.”

Before sleeping, Yu Qiao had asked, “Should I explain things to Xiao Xu?”

“Mom,” Zhou Tianzui said, “Is there anything you need to explain?”

“I…” Yu Qiao looked at her and suddenly said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”

“Nothing’s wrong.” She said, “Mom, you’re fine, don’t worry.”

Yu Qiao asked, “Really?”

“Of course.” She said, “I’m a doctor, don’t you trust me?”

Yu Qiao smiled: “I trust you.”

She whispered, “I trust everything my daughter says.”

Her heart ached, but she still smiled at Yu Qiao and said, “Go to sleep.”

Yu Qiao lay down, reassured. Zhou Tianzui sat in the room for over half an hour, only leaving after hearing Yu Qiao’s steady breathing. She thought You Ruxu would be asleep, but she was still sitting by the window.

Zhou Tianzui sat on the edge of the bed. Because of her work, she didn’t come home often. Yu Qiao would say, “It’s okay, it’s not far, I’ll come visit you if I miss you.”

But Yu Qiao rarely visited, because she was sharing an apartment.

Yu Qiao had asked more than once, “Does Xiao Xu earn a good salary? I heard TV station salaries are quite high.”

Zhou Tianzui chuckled: “Mom, why are you asking?”

“I’m just curious.” Yu Qiao said, “Isn’t she planning to buy an apartment?”

Zhou Tianzui hadn’t asked.

Yu Qiao continued, “But her family isn’t in Jindu either, maybe she’ll go back eventually, it’s normal not to buy a place here.”

Go back?

Zhou Tianzui looked at You Ruxu. The room’s light shone on her shoulders, delicate but beautifully shaped. You Ruxu was a natural clothes hanger. Zhou Tianzui remembered her colleagues complimenting her beautiful bone structure more than once. To a doctor, praising someone’s bone structure was the highest form of compliment, a standard of near-perfect beauty.

She couldn’t deny it, You Ruxu was indeed perfect in every way.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Not sleeping?”

You Ruxu came back to her senses, turned to look at Zhou Tianzui. The light above, mixed with the reflections from the rain outside, cast an ethereal, shifting beauty on her face, half visible, half submerged, like the extreme coldness beneath the surface of water, shattering into fragments upon contact with the air. The dappled light and shadow from the window fell on her, making every slight movement breathtaking.

Zhou Tianzui stood up, walked over to You Ruxu, and brushed the back of her hand against her cheek, her fingertips warm, as if dispelling the overlapping illusions. You Ruxu’s breath hitched: “You…”

Zhou Tianzui looked down, carefully examining her dress.

She said, “It is a bit small.”

You Ruxu shifted uncomfortably. The dress was tight, a little constricting, but she didn’t say anything.

Zhou Tianzui took half a step back and drew the curtains, dimming the light and shadows in the room. You Ruxu looked at Zhou Tianzui, seeing her lips move slightly: “Is it uncomfortable?”

You Ruxu didn’t speak.

Zhou Tianzui chuckled, exasperated: “Cat got your tongue?”

You Ruxu pursed her lips.

Zhou Tianzui asked again: “Or do you like it?”

You Ruxu shifted, her voice tense: “I don’t like it.”

Zhou Tianzui laughed.

You Ruxu didn’t know what she was laughing about. Zhou Tianzui turned off the room’s light, turned on the small bedside lamp, and gestured towards the edge of the bed: “Come here.”

You Ruxu walked over. Just as she was about to sit down, Zhou Tianzui grabbed her wrist, pulling her forward. Zhou Tianzui caught her in a timely embrace.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “You wouldn’t say it even if you didn’t like it?”

You Ruxu instinctively bit her lip.

But she ended up biting Zhou Tianzui’s finger instead.

Zhou Tianzui, like a child whose prank had succeeded, suddenly laughed. You Ruxu, inexplicably annoyed, pushed her away and stood up. Zhou Tianzui tilted her head back slightly, her eyes deep and unreadable in the warm light. You Ruxu walked to the other side of the bed, sat down, took off her jacket, lifted the blanket, and got into bed, all in one smooth motion.

Her back to Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui turned off the light.

The room was plunged into darkness.

Only the sound of the rain remained. Zhou Tianzui lifted the blanket and got into bed, next to You Ruxu, then suddenly turned, leaning close to her ear, and whispered, “A Ran.”

You Ruxu didn’t respond.

Zhou Tianzui reached out and touched her cheek. You Ruxu turned and bit down hard on the back of Zhou Tianzui’s hand.

The person beside her didn’t move, didn’t cry out in pain, just withdrew her hand.

Zhou Tianzui settled down.

You Ruxu lay flat on her back, feeling that she had changed.

If this were before today, she would definitely have gone along with Zhou Tianzui, even taken the initiative. But at this moment, even though they hadn’t done anything more intimate, she felt closer to Zhou Tianzui than ever before.

You Ruxu rested a hand on her forehead.

She was experiencing insomnia, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Zhou Tianzui’s breathing was steady beside her, shallow and even. You Ruxu barely moved. She knew Zhou Tianzui was a light sleeper and would wake up at the slightest movement. Late into the night, even though her eyelids were heavy, sleep wouldn’t come. She turned and looked at Zhou Tianzui.

On a rainy night, the room was so dark that not a single ray of light could be seen. She could only judge Zhou Tianzui’s sleeping position from her breathing. She was lying flat on her back, her hands at her sides. You Ruxu was silent for a while, listening to the drizzling rain outside, thinking about everything that had happened today.

It felt like this day had lasted a very, very long time.

So long that she still felt a sense of unreality.

Moving closer to Zhou Tianzui.

The feeling of unreality finally lessened. This was Zhou Tianzui’s home, Zhou Tianzui’s room, Yu Qiao was sleeping in the next room. All of this felt impossible, yet it was happening.

You Ruxu snuggled closer to Zhou Tianzui, like someone desperately seeking proof, finally finding a clue, yet still unable to believe it, having to carefully examine it.

Zhou Tianzui didn’t give her any more time to hesitate, reaching out and pulling her into an embrace.

You Ruxu was taken aback.

She instinctively looked up.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Go to sleep.”

Her voice was hoarse from sleep, the vibrations close to You Ruxu’s ear. You Ruxu said, “Did I wake you?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Yes.”

You Ruxu lowered her eyes: “I’m sorry, I…”

Zhou Tianzui interrupted her: “Don’t talk, go to sleep.”

You Ruxu fell silent.

Wrapped in her embrace, smelling the familiar scent, she finally felt sleepy.

She woke up later than usual the next day. Zhou Tianzui didn’t wake her when she got up. You Ruxu reached for her phone, saw the time, and hurriedly sat up. She felt a little dizzy from sitting up too quickly. She took a deep breath, waited for her vision to clear, then got out of bed. Reaching the doorway, she heard Zhou Tianzui and Yu Qiao talking.

“What’s for breakfast?” Yu Qiao asked, “Does Xiao Xu have any preferences?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “She’s not picky, anything is fine.”

“Even if she’s not picky, there must be things she likes more.” Yu Qiao said, “You can’t eat well over there, always takeout, no nutrition. Now that you’re home, you can’t be so casual anymore.”

Zhou Tianzui listened to her rambling and said, “I’ll make breakfast.”

Yu Qiao said, “I’ll do it. You rarely come home, why should you cook? Go and rest.”

“I’m not a three-year-old.” Zhou Tianzui laughed, “Mom, I’m thirty years old. Give it to me, I’ll do it.”

Yu Qiao looked at her. Zhou Tianzui smiled at her. Yu Qiao thought about it and nodded, “Alright, you do it.”

They moved past each other. Yu Qiao went to collect the laundry, folded the clothes, and walked towards Zhou Tianzui’s room. Hearing the footsteps, You Ruxu instinctively took two steps back. Yu Qiao knocked on the door: “Xiao Xu?”

Her knock was light, as if afraid to wake her.

You Ruxu stood by the door, then after a few seconds, came to her senses: “Coming.”

She opened the door. Yu Qiao smiled, “You’re awake. Did you sleep well last night?”

You Ruxu said, “I slept very well.”

“That’s good.” Yu Qiao said, “Your clothes are dry, I’ve ironed them for you.”

You Ruxu looked down at the clothes, then at Yu Qiao. Yu Qiao’s face was wreathed in smiles, a kind and gentle expression, a casual and ordinary gesture, yet You Ruxu felt as if a thousand needles were piercing her heart.

A sharp, intense pain.

She took the clothes, looked at Yu Qiao, and said hoarsely, “Thank you, Auntie.”

Yu Qiao smiled: “What’s there to thank me for? You and Xiao Tian live together, taking care of each other. I should be the one thanking you.”

“Indeed.” Zhou Tianzui walked in from behind Yu Qiao and said, “We’re troubling Teacher You every day, we should be thanking you.”

Yu Qiao said, “Then go change, I’ll go check on the porridge.”

You Ruxu watched her go to the kitchen, then lowered her head, about to go back to the bedroom to change. As she was closing the door, Zhou Tianzui walked in, quickly approaching her. You Ruxu froze. Zhou Tianzui wrapped her arms around You Ruxu’s waist and bit down on her collarbone. The sudden pain made You Ruxu tense, her hands gripping Zhou Tianzui’s shoulders. Remembering Yu Qiao was right outside, her body stiffened. She didn’t dare push Zhou Tianzui away too forcefully, afraid of making a noise. Zhou Tianzui sucked, leaving a red mark. You Ruxu lowered her voice: “What are you doing?!”

Zhou Tianzui looked at her and said casually, “Thanking you.”

Chapter 23: Small?

Zhou Tianzui cooked while Yu Qiao sat in the living room and chatted with You Ruxu. They didn’t have much in common, so Yu Qiao asked, “That news story of yours…”

You Ruxu said, “The fireworks factory explosion?”

“Yes.” Yu Qiao said, “I heard that man still hasn’t woken up?”

Sensing that she was trying to make conversation, You Ruxu replied, “Yes, Zhang Xiaojie hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

“His wife gave birth at Xiao Tian’s hospital, right?” Yu Qiao had heard bits and pieces, but didn’t know the details. You Ruxu said, “Yes, at her hospital, she just gave birth.”

“The case hasn’t been solved yet.” Yu Qiao, by nature, was a gentle person. She said, “Then his wife must be having a hard time.”

You Ruxu looked at her, her voice catching in her throat. She lowered her head and said, “Yes.”

Just then, her phone rang. You Ruxu picked it up and heard Chen Xiang’s voice on the other end: “Teacher You, have you seen what’s online?”

You Ruxu asked, “What?”

Chen Xiang said, “The internet’s in an uproar again.”

You Ruxu frowned, hung up, and went online. She saw a post from a marketing account: [Zhang Xiaojie’s wife said, deserve to die?].

The sensational headline was eye-catching. The news was posted half an hour ago, and it was already trending, an orange-colored topic, with countless comments below.

[What’s that supposed to mean? Who does she mean deserves to die? Is she implying something?]

[Just like the woman who married Zhang Xiaojie, a piece of trash!]

[This woman is vicious, didn’t she just give birth to a son? Have some decency!]

[I was there, she really did say deserve to die!]

You Ruxu’s brow furrowed deeply. She messaged Chen Xiang: [What’s going on?]

Chen Xiang: [It’s taken out of context. I asked the nurses. Someone went to argue with her, and Zeng Jing said that if Zhang Xiaojie did it, they deserved to die, that they would pay with their lives.]

The “they” clearly referred to Zhang Xiaojie and herself.

Not the victims of the explosion.

But now, it was taken out of context, making her the “perpetrator.” Zeng Jing was already on edge because of Zhang Xiaojie’s situation. She had finally been transferred to a new ward, hoping for some peace, but her parents’ phones were being bombarded with calls. She had turned off her phone, afraid to turn it on. The moment she did, countless messages filled with insults would flood in. She had never seen so many vicious words in her life, like needles piercing her, making it difficult to breathe. Only when looking at her child could she find some peace.

But now, listening to her parents’ conversation.

She was even more distraught.

“No, my daughter didn’t mean it that way, she was talking about Zhang Xiaojie.”

“It’s really not what you think, we’re sorry, you misunderstood.”

Her parents, over fifty years old, were apologizing everywhere because of her. They had never bowed their heads to anyone in their lives, but now their backs were bent low, groveling in front of others. Zeng Jing held her child, tears streaming down her face.

She hated this world.

Why wouldn’t anyone listen to her?

It clearly wasn’t Zhang Xiaojie, so why did everyone say it was him?!

Why was everyone cursing at her? What had she done wrong? What had her child done wrong? What had her parents done wrong?!

Zeng Jing’s heart was heavy, her tears flowing endlessly. She looked out the window, suddenly finding the sound of the rain incredibly loud. She wanted to smash everything, even jump from the window.

If she jumped.

Would it be quiet then?

Would these people stop cursing at her?

Zeng Jing stared blankly out the window, then at the baby in her arms. The baby didn’t have a name yet. Zhang Xiaojie had come up with a few names, then said, “They don’t sound very nice, let’s ask Chen Mo, he’s the godfather, after all, and a university graduate, he might come up with something better.”

How could they have imagined this back then?

The baby was chewing on its fingers in her arms, its eyes wide open, understanding nothing, so pitiful. It hadn’t even learned to speak yet and already had to bear such a heavy burden. What would it do in the future?

Perhaps—

She should just leave with him.

Go find Zhang Xiaojie.

Go find his father.

“Mr. Zhang’s condition isn’t very good, you should be prepared.”

Prepared for what?

Zeng Jing didn’t dare ask, but now she felt, it was fine.

This way, their family of three could be reunited.

Zeng Jing’s mother, after hanging up the phone, saw Zeng Jing standing by the window. Her eyes widened, and she immediately shouted, “Zeng Jing!”

Zeng Jing’s father was startled, turning around so abruptly that he almost choked, his phone clattering to the floor. He rushed over. Zeng Jing, holding the baby, was pressed against the window. Zeng Jing’s father grabbed her hospital gown and pulled her back. Zeng Jing’s mother felt dizzy for a few seconds, then rushed over: “What are you doing?!”

She cried, “Are you crazy?!”

“Zeng Jing, what are you trying to do?!”

Looking at her crying parents, Zeng Jing whispered, “I’m sorry.”

She seemed incapable of saying anything else, only apologizing, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Zeng Jing’s mother, tears in her eyes, ran out to find the doctor.

Zhou Tianzui didn’t know about Zeng Jing’s situation yet. After He Wei confessed, Zeng Jing’s attending physician was changed from Zhou Tianzui to Fu Shushu. Fu Shushu thought that after giving birth and being transferred to a VIP ward, there wouldn’t be any problems. She hadn’t expected this near-tragedy, which gave her a cold sweat. Looking at Zeng Jing lying on the bed, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Having just given birth, both her emotional and physical state were extremely unstable. Even ordinary people couldn’t bear being subjected to such online abuse, let alone Zeng Jing, who had just given birth. She hadn’t been thoughtful enough.

Fu Shushu said, “Stay with her tonight.”

Lin Luo nodded.

Strictly speaking, Zeng Jing was Lin Luo’s first patient, and she had saved both mother and child from death’s door, so Lin Luo didn’t dare to be careless. But every time she saw Zeng Jing, she couldn’t help but think of Zhou Tianzui.

She heard that Zhou Tianzui had given up her chance at the deputy director position to make He Wei tell the truth.

She had seen He Wei these past two days.

She was different from before.

She couldn’t say exactly what was different, just a feeling.

He Wei had even apologized to her.

So—should she thank Zhou Tianzui?

Lin Luo held her phone, looking at Zhou Tianzui’s WeChat contact. She had added her when she first joined the hospital but hadn’t dared to message her. The chat history was blank. After much deliberation, she finally typed: [Dr. Zhou]

Zhou Tianzui was eating dinner. Seeing the screen light up with Lin Luo’s message, she paused and replied: [Is something the matter?]

Lin Luo hadn’t expected such a quick reply. Her heart leaped into her throat, her hands trembling with excitement. She remembered how Zhou Tianzui’s gaze always felt intense whenever they made eye contact.

She didn’t hesitate and replied: [I just wanted to say thank you, Dr. Zhou.]

Zhou Tianzui pursed her lips.

After a moment of thought, she replied: [No need.]

A cold and indifferent response.

Lin Luo’s fingers pressed against the screen.

Zhou Tianzui sent another message: [It wasn’t for you.]

Lin Luo bit her lip.

Of course she knew it wasn’t for her. It was for He Wei. She had heard that Zhou Tianzui even took the disciplinary action for He Wei. Lin Luo suddenly felt a pang of envy, envious that He Wei had Zhou Tianzui as her mentor.

If only Zhou Tianzui had been her mentor.

This thought was absurd, but once it took root, it grew rapidly. She really envied He Wei.

From this moment on.

Zhou Tianzui’s hand was slapped: “What time is it, and you’re still looking at your phone while eating?”

She turned off her phone: “Hospital matters.”

“Hospital matters never end.” Yu Qiao said, “Focus on your food. Look at Xiao Xu, she’s so busy, and she doesn’t do this.”

Her words favored You Ruxu.

But there was much less restraint and distance than before.

You Ruxu said, “She’s very busy.”

“No matter how busy you are, you have to eat.” Yu Qiao said to her with a smile, “Xiao Xu, have some chicken wings, they’re freshly cooked, very tender.”

You Ruxu glanced at Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui, usually sharp-tongued and prickly like a hedgehog, was only obedient and compliant in front of Yu Qiao, doing whatever she was told. When Yu Qiao told her to eat, Zhou Tianzui put her phone aside without another glance.

Yu Qiao was very satisfied and said with a smile, “Eat more.”

Zhou Tianzui lowered her head and ate. You Ruxu found this atmosphere strange.

Even stranger was that she didn’t want to break it.

After dinner, they sat with Yu Qiao and watched TV for a while. Yu Qiao said, “I’ll go wash the clothes, you’ll be wearing them tomorrow, right?”

You Ruxu quickly stood up: “I’ll do it myself.”

She went into the bathroom. Since there were undergarments, Yu Qiao didn’t insist, just saying, “The laundry detergent is in the second cabinet from the bottom.”

You Ruxu nodded and saw Zhou Tianzui also come into the bathroom. She said, “You go keep your mom company.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “You’ll wash them for me?”

Usually, they washed their own clothes, as they would just toss them into the small washing machine for delicates after showering. Of course, there were times when they washed together. You Ruxu said, “Yes, leave them here.”

Zhou Tianzui glanced at the living room. Her mother was watching TV. Yu Qiao hadn’t mentioned anything about what happened today, and neither would Zhou Tianzui ask. Since they came back, Yu Qiao had been keeping herself busy, needing some time to process everything.

She took Zhou Tianzui’s jacket, put it in the washing machine, added detergent, set the timer, and the machine started humming, filling with water. Zhou Tianzui crouched down and watched You Ruxu hand-washing her underwear, a light pink color. Her hands, submerged in the soapy water, made her skin appear even whiter.

You Ruxu looked up: “Aren’t you going out?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “No need.”

You Ruxu gave the underwear a few more rubs and put them in another basin to rinse. Zhou Tianzui looked at the underwear, then at You Ruxu, and suddenly asked, “Is it small?”

You Ruxu looked up: “What?”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “I’m asking you, is it small?”

Her eyes gestured towards the underwear.

You Ruxu suddenly remembered what Zhou Tianzui had said in her room.

Don’t you know whether they’re small or not?

Her face flushed for no reason. To be fair, Zhou Tianzui’s size wasn’t small, especially considering her slender frame. But being asked so directly, You Ruxu found it difficult to answer. Zhou Tianzui’s dark eyes stared at her, seemingly waiting for an answer.

You Ruxu, unable to avoid it any longer, shifted her gaze from Zhou Tianzui’s face to her chest and said, “They’re not small.”

Zhou Tianzui twitched the corner of her mouth and said, “What are you thinking about, Teacher You? I’m asking you if the underwear I gave you are small.”

You Ruxu froze. The awkwardness of misunderstanding her was even more suffocating than wearing underwear that were too small.

She pursed her lips and glared at Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui, however, smiled at her, the corners of her lips lifting, the corners of her eyes crinkling, her features becoming animated. Meeting her gaze, You Ruxu’s heart skipped a beat for no reason.

She lowered her head and continued washing the clothes.

Her hair covered her profile.

Hiding her blush.

Chapter 22: Closeness

You Ruxu sat in the backseat, next to Yu Qiao. This was perhaps the first time she had been so close to Yu Qiao. Yu Qiao seemed to have mistaken her for Zhou Tianzui, leaning against her shoulder and calling out, “Xiao Tian.”

Zhou Tianzui, driving, didn’t say anything.

You Ruxu was silent for a few seconds, then replied, “Mm.”

Yu Qiao asked, “What’s the date today?”

You Ruxu said, “The 23rd.”

“The 23rd.” Yu Qiao said, “Your dad is getting paid in a few days, let’s take you to the amusement park, alright? Last time you didn’t get to ride the roller coaster, you were so upset.”

You Ruxu looked at Zhou Tianzui, who was driving.

Zhou Tianzui’s profile was obscured by the headlights of oncoming cars. You Ruxu said, “Okay.”

She didn’t know what else to say, only agreeing.

Yu Qiao continued to ramble, “Your dad too, still hasn’t come home so late. It’s raining heavily, should we take him an umbrella?” She then said, “It’s raining so hard, Xiao Tian.”

You Ruxu turned to look out the window. The rain really was heavy.

Yu Qiao chattered along the way, sometimes about family matters, sometimes about her father, and then about Zhou Tianzui: “Your teacher called me yesterday. You’re still being naughty at school, acting like a three-year-old. It’s all your dad’s fault for spoiling you!”

Zhou Tianzui continued to drive in silence.

You Ruxu closed her eyes, feeling Yu Qiao lean against her more heavily. She took a thin blanket from the side and covered Yu Qiao, listening to the gradually steadying rhythm of her breathing.

The car was quiet. No one spoke until Zhou Tianzui parked.

The car stopped downstairs. Zhou Tianzui turned around and looked at You Ruxu in the darkness. She said, “Are you scared?”

You Ruxu’s voice was hoarse, her throat itchy. She coughed twice and said, “No.”

Yu Qiao also woke up. She sat up, looking at Zhou Tianzui in confusion: “Xiao Tian?”

Then she saw You Ruxu: “Xiao Xu, why…”

She didn’t finish her question.

She seemed to realize what she had done.

Her face paled.

You Ruxu said, “Auntie, we saw you on the road just now and gave you a ride back.”

“Oh.” Yu Qiao gratefully accepted the excuse, “I’m getting old, my mind isn’t what it used to be. I probably wanted to go out and buy something. Have you two eaten dinner yet?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Not yet.”

“Perfect, let’s eat at home.” Yu Qiao said, “I just bought some ribs, I’ll make you some soup.”

You Ruxu looked at Yu Qiao.

For a moment, she was disoriented.

She thought Yu Qiao’s “you two” referred to Zhou Tianzui and her father.

She quickly snapped back to reality and said, “Thank you, Auntie.”

“You’re welcome.” Yu Qiao got out of the car, looking at the damp car seats. “I’ll wipe them down for you later.”

“No need.” You Ruxu said, “They’ll dry soon.”

“Alright then.” Yu Qiao said, “Let’s go upstairs.”

Her attitude towards You Ruxu was warmer than usual, less distant. Zhou Tianzui followed them into the apartment.

You Ruxu had been here twice before, during the New Year when she didn’t go home, and Yu Qiao had invited her over. But Yu Qiao had always kept a certain distance. You Ruxu sensed that Yu Qiao was a little afraid of her, so she rarely came here.

Today, it was different.

Yu Qiao went into her room to change clothes and said to Zhou Tianzui, “Xiao Tian, get Xiao Xu some clothes to change into. You two should change quickly.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Okay.”

She looked at You Ruxu: “Come to my room.”

You Ruxu followed Zhou Tianzui to her room.

Zhou Tianzui rarely came home, but her room was tidy and dust-free. The bedding on the bed had a fresh laundry scent. You Ruxu stood behind her as Zhou Tianzui rummaged through the closet, asking, “What do you want to wear, a tracksuit?”

You Ruxu said, “Anything is fine.”

Zhou Tianzui searched, finding clothes from years ago, even dresses from her university days. Looking at them, she suddenly wanted to see what You Ruxu would look like in a dress and took one out, handing it to her. You Ruxu was slightly surprised: “Don’t you have a tracksuit?”

“They’re too small.” She looked at You Ruxu. “You won’t fit.”

You Ruxu muttered, “Are they really that small?”

Zhou Tianzui looked at her, smiling: “Don’t you touch them every night? Don’t you know whether they’re small or not?”

“I…” Seeing her playful expression, You Ruxu didn’t retort. Zhou Tianzui handed her the dress. You Ruxu hesitated for a moment, then took it, about to go to the bathroom, when she heard Zhou Tianzui say, “Change here.”

They were face to face.

Zhou Tianzui said, “I don’t have any new underwear here, wear mine for now, make do.”

They were neatly folded and placed in a drawer on the side. Zhou Tianzui took out a set and handed it to You Ruxu. You Ruxu had never worn her clothes before. She held them like a hot potato, her face instantly flushing, the redness spreading across her pale skin.

Zhou Tianzui looked at her blushing face and pursed her lips.

Her gaze softened.

You Ruxu said, “You change first then.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Why?” She said, “Do you want me to help you?”

“No.” You Ruxu refused, watching as Zhou Tianzui undressed. Her skin beneath the undergarments was pale, the scars on her lower back visible. Zhou Tianzui didn’t seem to mind, her fingers on the buttons. Just before she unbuttoned her shirt, she turned around, her back to You Ruxu.

Her shoulder blades were delicate, moving like butterfly wings as she undressed, the lines exceptionally beautiful.

Zhou Tianzui finished dressing, putting on a T-shirt and a beige jacket, and said to You Ruxu, “I’ll go out first.”

You Ruxu breathed a sigh of relief, still clutching Zhou Tianzui’s clothes tightly in her hand.

After Zhou Tianzui left, You Ruxu changed her clothes. Although they slept in the same bed every day, their relationship wasn’t truly intimate. Zhou Tianzui never talked about the past, and neither did she ask about You Ruxu’s. All the excuses You Ruxu had prepared remained unspoken.

They were like two animals, huddling together for warmth in the cold.

Asking no questions, ready to part ways when the weather warmed.

Even though they might be hurt by each other’s thorns in the process.

In her heart, Zhou Tianzui was like a hedgehog.

But now, she looked like a hedgehog without its thorns. You Ruxu suddenly understood why Zhou Tianzui never talked about the past. She looked down, finished changing, and looked around the room. The furnishings were old, nothing looked new. She felt a little uncomfortable in the ill-fitting dress, especially wearing Zhou Tianzui’s underwear, a strange sense of shame washing over her, but along with this shame came a unique connection and intimacy with Zhou Tianzui.

It seemed that only now were they truly getting to know each other.

Starting to draw closer.

This feeling was absurd.

After all, they slept in the same bed every night.

But You Ruxu didn’t want to deny it. Her heart was beating faster than ever, thinking about Zhou Tianzui.

There was a knock on the door. Zhou Tianzui’s voice called out, “Teacher You.”

Even in the formal address, You Ruxu heard an intimacy she hadn’t heard before, hidden within the polite title, a secret code between them. You Ruxu thought she must be going crazy.

She came back to her senses: “Coming.”

She opened the door. Zhou Tianzui saw her come out in a white dress, without a jacket, and said, “Your jacket’s on the bed.”

You Ruxu turned and saw a blue cotton jacket on the bed. It was a bit much to wear a cotton jacket on a day like this, but they had just been caught in the rain and were indeed cold. She put it on, instantly feeling much warmer.

The aroma of stir-fried dishes wafted from the living room.

Yu Qiao smiled, “Xiao Xu, come sit down. Xiao Tian, pour Xiao Xu a glass of hot water.”

Zhou Tianzui agreed, watching You Ruxu as she stood there, taking a few extra glances. You Ruxu lowered her head, following her gaze. The dress was long, reaching her knees, her calves bare, a little cold when she first came out, but the cotton jacket dispelled the chill.

She asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Zhou Tianzui said, “It fits well.”

She went to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and handed it to You Ruxu, saying, “Keep it, consider it a gift, Teacher You.”

“I—” She couldn’t possibly wear it outside. Before she could say anything, Zhou Tianzui pushed the glass towards her and, while her mother was busy cooking, lightly touched the back of You Ruxu’s hand with her fingertip.

A light tap.

You Ruxu was momentarily speechless, as if a cat had gotten her tongue.

Yu Qiao asked, “What are you two talking about?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Nothing, Mom, Teacher You said she really likes this dress.”

“Xiao Xu likes it?” Yu Qiao returned to the living room with a dish, looked at the dress You Ruxu was wearing, and said, “It looks better on you than on Xiao Tian.”

You Ruxu often wore professional skirts, suits, and black stockings for work, a completely different image from now. Wearing the white dress, without makeup, her skin fair and delicate, her hair loose behind her, she looked like a recent university graduate, untouched by the complexities of society, simple and pure. Yet this air was tempered by her inherent maturity, a beauty difficult to describe.

Like uncut jade.

Yet also like a meticulously crafted masterpiece.

A strange, perfect blend.

Zhou Tianzui sat beside her, admiring this unparalleled beauty.

Yu Qiao busied herself in the kitchen, occasionally asking a question or two, which Zhou Tianzui answered. After sitting quietly beside You Ruxu for a while, she got up and went to the kitchen: “Let me do it, Mom, you go and rest.”

“I’m not tired.” Yu Qiao said, “You rarely come home, how can I let you cook?”

“It’s the same no matter who cooks.” Zhou Tianzui said, “It’s been a while since I cooked for you.”

There was a time when Yu Qiao wasn’t feeling well, and Zhou Tianzui did all the cooking. It had been a long time. Yu Qiao smiled: “Alright, you cook, I’ll cut some fruit.”

Zhou Tianzui took the ladle and watched Yu Qiao busy herself nearby. After cutting the fruit, Yu Qiao said, “Hey, Xiao Xu, she…”

“She won’t overthink it.” Zhou Tianzui said, “And she won’t say anything either.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Remembering earlier, Yu Qiao was a little hesitant, “Xiao Xu is a good person.”

Perhaps because of what happened tonight, Yu Qiao’s feelings towards You Ruxu had shifted slightly. She felt that You Ruxu wasn’t so aloof and distant anymore, her attitude becoming much warmer.

You Ruxu watched the two talking in the kitchen. Soon, Yu Qiao came out with a plate of fruit and said, “Xiao Xu, have some fruit.”

You Ruxu took the plate with both hands: “Thank you, Auntie.”

Although they weren’t as distant as before, it wasn’t easy to suddenly become completely at ease. Yu Qiao looked around, searching for something to say, “The rain probably won’t stop, why don’t you and Xiao Tian stay here for the night?”

Zhou Tianzui emerged from behind Yu Qiao, placing a dish on the table. The food looked delicious, its colors vibrant under the light.

She also said, “The rain is too heavy, stay here for the night.”

You Ruxu looked up at Zhou Tianzui, their eyes meeting. You Ruxu paused, then said, “Okay.”

---

---

---

Zhou Tianzui: Teacher You, help me buy some clothes, you know my size anyway.
You Ruxu: …

Chapter 21: Mom

Zhou Tianzui arrived home drenched. You Ruxu opened the door and paused, “Where’s your umbrella?”

“Gave it away.” Zhou Tianzui looked at You Ruxu. The wind had whipped color from her face, making Zhou Tianzui’s usual pallor even more pronounced in comparison. You Ruxu didn’t say anything, just went to the bathroom, fetched a dry towel, and silently began drying Zhou Tianzui’s hair, her expression calm.

Zhou Tianzui also remained silent, just watching her. After a few minutes, she said, “Zeng Jing has been transferred to another ward.”

You Ruxu frowned: “Why?”

Her hand paused. Zhou Tianzui held her hand and continued drying her hair. You Ruxu let her, hearing Zhou Tianzui say, “The victim’s family found her.”

You Ruxu was silent for a few seconds: “I saw Mr. Zhao today.”

“He said Zhang Xiaojie set off the fireworks himself.” You Ruxu said, “He has evidence.”

Zhou Tianzui tilted her head slightly: “Oh?”

You Ruxu looked down. Zhou Tianzui was sitting on the shoe-changing bench, a bit shorter than her, her clothes still damp. You Ruxu didn’t say anything more, urging Zhou Tianzui to change. Zhou Tianzui reached out and hugged You Ruxu.

Burying her face in You Ruxu’s embrace.

Making You Ruxu’s clothes damp as well.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Want to shower together?”

You Ruxu had already showered after coming home. Looking at Zhou Tianzui’s eyes, she paused for two seconds: “Okay.”

She followed her into the bathroom.

Zhou Tianzui didn’t do anything, just took a simple shower. You Ruxu, however, stood beside her, watching the water cascade over Zhou Tianzui’s shoulders, her neck, down her smooth skin, tracing the curve of her waist, like a painted scene of a beautiful woman bathing in the mist.

You Ruxu’s fingertips traced the faint scars on Zhou Tianzui’s slender waist, barely visible. She looked down, not saying a word. After Zhou Tianzui finished showering, she asked You Ruxu, “Are you done?”

“No.” You Ruxu stepped forward, placed her feet on Zhou Tianzui’s, wrapped her arms around her neck, and leaned in.

Kissing her gently.

In the fine mist, Zhou Tianzui didn’t move.

You Ruxu, as if feeling cold, hugged her tighter, calling out, “Zhou Tianzui…”

Zhou Tianzui pursed her lips, her arms consciously holding You Ruxu, their bodies pressing closer.

They finished showering over an hour later. The rain outside was still falling, sometimes heavy, sometimes light, a continuous drizzle. You Ruxu dried her hair: “Tonight…”

“Let’s eat out tonight.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I want to eat out.”

You Ruxu nodded.

They went back to their rooms to change, not bothering with makeup. You Ruxu wore a beige loungewear set, her hair tied up in a bun, a few strands falling around her neck like soft down, light-colored, a natural and comfortable look.

Zhou Tianzui was even more casual, wearing a tracksuit, her long hair loosely gathered and held by a clip. She took the car keys and said, “Let’s take your car, mine’s being washed at the shop downstairs.”

You Ruxu nodded, took the keys, and asked, “Where do you want to eat?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Let’s go to North Street.”

You Ruxu glanced at her and said, “I…”

“I’ll set the navigation.” Zhou Tianzui said, “You haven’t been there before, have you? There are many restaurants there.”

You Ruxu gave a soft “mm-hmm.”

North Street used to be Jindu’s city center, twenty years ago. Later, Jindu developed eastward, moving the entire city center and pedestrian street to the east, building new bus and train stations. So, far fewer people went to North Street now.

You Ruxu drove, Zhou Tianzui set the navigation.

Compared to before, North Street was indeed much less crowded, with fewer shops. But a home-style restaurant on the third floor of the city center mall was still open. It was a chain restaurant, with branches all over Jindu. This branch used to have the best business, but since the eastward expansion, business had plummeted. However, the owner hadn’t moved, still operating here as usual. Perhaps because everyone knew each other and came to support him, business wasn’t too bad.

Someone was having a birthday.

A birthday banner hung next to the restaurant, its colors made even brighter by the rain. You Ruxu got out of the car and walked beside Zhou Tianzui, sharing a black umbrella, and entered the restaurant.

Perhaps because of the birthday celebration, there were quite a few people inside. Zhou Tianzui chose a table for two by the window. This table used to be by reservation only. From here, one could see the pedestrian street below, the bustling street always filled with stories.

After sitting down, Zhou Tianzui asked You Ruxu, “What do you want to eat?”

You Ruxu hadn’t eaten much all day, yet she wasn’t hungry. She said, “Anything is fine.”

Unlike Zhou Tianzui, she wasn’t a picky eater.

Zhou Tianzui ordered a few dishes and said, “They have drunken crab here, try it later, I used to come here often when I was young.”

You Ruxu’s hand paused as she reached for her chopsticks. She looked up at Zhou Tianzui and heard her say, “With my dad.”

“My mom used to work at a shop on this pedestrian street. We would always wait for her here, at this table.” It just so happened to have a view of her mother’s shop. Her father would order dinner for her, buy her ice cream, and then work. She would sit here, eating ice cream, and watching the street below.

Watching her mother.

When she was young, she thought it was an ordinary, everyday moment.

Only later did she realize it was her happiest time.

Zhou Tianzui asked You Ruxu, “Have you had drunken crab before?”

“Yes.” You Ruxu said, “My mom loves it.”

Zhou Tianzui nodded.

You Ruxu’s phone rang. She answered. It was a delivery driver, asking if she was home, saying a package had arrived. You Ruxu figured it was the fruit her mother sent. She said, “Leave it with the security guard, I’ll pick it up later.”

The delivery driver agreed and hung up.

You Ruxu put down her phone. The food arrived. She looked at Zhou Tianzui.

Zhou Tianzui rarely talked about her family. In the three years they had been together, she had barely mentioned her parents. But You Ruxu knew that Zhou Tianzui cared deeply about her family, especially after her father passed away. She was even more obedient to Yu Qiao. She had never seen Zhou Tianzui make Yu Qiao angry.

Except for the blind date issue.

You Ruxu lowered her head.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “What did you buy?”

“It’s from my mom.” You Ruxu said, “She sent some fruit.”

Zhou Tianzui ate her food. You Ruxu asked, “Were you close to your father?”

“Close?” Zhou Tianzui pondered. She had always been closer to Yu Qiao. Her father was busy and always away from home, so their relationship wasn’t particularly close. But after Yu Qiao came here for work, they would have dinner together here every day after school, which brought them closer.

Regardless of how close they were, she remembered her father carrying her to the hospital in the middle of the night because she had food poisoning.

Regardless of how close they were, she remembered her father running all over Jindu to buy her a specific brand of watercolor pens.

Some memories, the more they fermented, the more beautiful they became.

She said, “Perhaps.”

One word, conveying a sense of both closeness and distance.

You Ruxu held her chopsticks and said, “Zhou Tianzui, I…”

Zhou Tianzui looked down, quietly waiting for You Ruxu to continue. Just then, her phone rang. Zhou Tianzui looked over; it was someone who hadn’t called her in a long time.

She answered the phone.

“Hello, Xiao Tian, your mother has been at the cemetery for quite a while now, do you want to come over and take a look?” The elderly voice was filled with age and anxiety, mixed with the sound of rain. Zhou Tianzui abruptly stood up and asked, “When did she go?”

“About an hour ago. I saw she wasn’t looking well, so I kept an eye on her. You should come over.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll be right there!”

She looked at You Ruxu, her lips moving slightly, finally saying, “Let’s go, something happened to my mom.”

You Ruxu immediately followed. They hurriedly left the restaurant. The rain was pouring down even harder now, the wipers struggling to keep up, the drumming on the windshield irritating. Zhou Tianzui clutched her phone, her face pale.

You Ruxu was driving. She wanted to comfort Zhou Tianzui, but couldn’t find the words.

The car turned and entered the cemetery.

Zhou Tianzui ran towards the inside without even opening her umbrella. The groundskeeper hurried to her side: “Your mom is over there. I’ve been calling her, but she’s not responding. Go check on her.”

He handed her the umbrella: “Why aren’t you using an umbrella?”

You Ruxu also got out of the car and stood watching from a distance.

Yu Qiao was standing far away. You Ruxu couldn’t see clearly, only a blurry figure. Zhou Tianzui walked towards Yu Qiao, the distance between them growing. You Ruxu stood behind, unable to move closer.

The groundskeeper turned and saw her: “You should wait in the car. It’s raining so heavily, why are you standing outside without an umbrella?”

You Ruxu felt a chill throughout her body.

She asked the groundskeeper, “Does her mother come here often?”

The groundskeeper ushered her into the car, taking the passenger seat to avoid the rain, and said, “She used to come often, in the years after Xiao Tian’s father passed away.” Back then, Zhou Tianzui was still in school and couldn’t always be with her mother, so she asked him to keep an eye on her mother if he saw her at the cemetery.

Back then, it wasn’t a proper cemetery, just a burial ground, a bare expanse of land where a single person standing would be easily noticeable.

He naturally knew what to look out for.

The groundskeeper said, “Later, they moved, to another place, and only came back after Xiao Tian started working.”

“It’s much better now, she doesn’t come here very often anymore.” The groundskeeper said, “I don’t know what’s wrong today.”

You Ruxu knew.

Today was the anniversary of her father’s death.

She hadn’t turned on the heater, and the car was a little cold. The rain had dampened her clothes, clinging to her skin. She asked, “How were they doing, in the years after her father passed away?”

“Ah, like rats crossing the street, everyone shouting and beating them.” The groundskeeper was old, and when talking about the past, he couldn’t help but ramble, “Xiao Tian was a cheerful child, but after her father passed away, she changed. Her mother—”

Another sigh.

No need to say more.

You Ruxu’s voice trembled as she asked, “What happened to her mother?”

“Her mother, she tried to hurt herself several times.” The groundskeeper said, “If Xiao Tian hadn’t found her in time, she would have been gone.”

You Ruxu’s fingernails dug into her palms, her face ashen. She had never asked Zhou Tianzui about these things.

She didn’t dare to.

There was no wind in the car, but she was shivering from the cold, her hands unable to grip the steering wheel. The groundskeeper looked outside: “They’re back.”

You Ruxu looked up and saw the two figures under the umbrella in the distance. Zhou Tianzui was holding Yu Qiao, talking constantly. Yu Qiao nodded, her expression docile, completely different from her usual demeanor. The groundskeeper got out of the car and took the umbrella. Zhou Tianzui helped Yu Qiao into the back seat. You Ruxu gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white. After a moment, she started the car, the headlights illuminating the continuous, drizzling rain outside.

A hand suddenly gripped her shoulder. You Ruxu turned and saw Zhou Tianzui’s bright eyes.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Let me drive.”

You Ruxu curled her fingers.

Her fingertips were still trembling.

Chapter 20: Anniversary

You Ruxu and Chen Xiang arrived at the police station around lunchtime. Captain Zhou was eating instant noodles and waved at You Ruxu when she saw her: “Perfect timing, come eat.”

The little troublemaker on her team chuckled: “Captain Zhou, aren’t you going to take Teacher You out to a restaurant?”

Captain Zhou glared at him: “Just eat your noodles!”

You Ruxu smiled faintly, hearing their exchange. The troublemaker’s heart skipped a beat seeing her smile, immediately stopping his teasing, his face flushing. You Ruxu said, “I’m not eating, Chen Xiang hasn’t eaten yet, get her a portion.”

Chen Xiang was surprised: “Teacher You, you’re not eating?”

She hadn’t seen You Ruxu eat anything at the station either.

You Ruxu said, “My stomach isn’t feeling well today. You go eat, I’ll go see Mr. Zhao.”

“He’s a tough nut to crack.” Captain Zhou said, “Couldn’t get a word out of him all morning. It was all his lawyer talking. Don’t get frustrated when you go in.”

You Ruxu said, “I understand.”

The interview was conducted in an interrogation room, without the lawyer present. You Ruxu greeted him: “Mr. Zhao.”

They had met once at the beginning of the year. Mr. Zhao, as a representative of Jindu’s business culture, had been interviewed by You Ruxu, so they weren’t complete strangers.

But they weren’t exactly acquainted either.

Mr. Zhao looked at You Ruxu. Although he had been interviewed countless times, he had a strong impression of her, not only because of her beauty, but also her persistent nature. He wasn’t surprised at all to hear that out of the three news teams at Jindu TV, the midday news team was responsible for him.

You Ruxu sat down and asked, “Should we wait for your lawyer to arrive?”

“No need.” Mr. Zhao looked amiable, his speech slow and measured. He said, “Shall we begin the interview now?”

You Ruxu said, “Not yet, please wait a moment.”

She set up the equipment on another table. Chen Xiang was eating outside. She was alone. Mr. Zhao, behind her, asked, “Need any help?”

His attitude was very friendly, completely different from the tight-lipped clam Captain Zhou described. You Ruxu paused, then said, “Sure.” She said to Mr. Zhao, “Could you please help me place this a little higher?”

Mr. Zhao stood up, walked over to her, took the camera, and adjusted its height. You Ruxu said, “Is Mr. Zhao always this helpful?”

“I help whenever I can.” Mr. Zhao said, “Although it often brings trouble.”

You Ruxu sat opposite him and said, “What kind of trouble?”

“All sorts of trouble.” Mr. Zhao said, “You know, people are always greedy. Help them once, and they’ll want you to help them countless times.”

You Ruxu nodded, taking notes, then asked, “Did Zhang Xiaojie ever ask you for help?”

“Zhang Xiaojie?” Mr. Zhao said, “I don’t have a strong impression of him. Maybe I helped him, I don’t remember.”

You Ruxu said, “He’s your relative, and you don’t remember?”

“I have too many relatives.” Mr. Zhao said, “I really don’t remember.”

You Ruxu lowered her head: “There are rumors online that you hired Zhang Xiaojie to destroy the illegal fireworks. Is there any truth to that?”

“Absurd!” Mr. Zhao said, “When did I ever ask him to destroy anything?!”

He seemed a little angry at the mention of this. You Ruxu, however, remained calm: “So you’re saying, you didn’t ask him to destroy them?”

“Of course I didn’t ask him to destroy them!”

You Ruxu pressed further: “Then who did you ask?”

“I!” Mr. Zhao froze, then suddenly laughed, “Reporter You, that’s not right. I agreed to this interview, not for you to fabricate stories about me. And we didn’t produce any illegal fireworks, you’re welcome to investigate.”

You Ruxu nodded and took notes.

Mr. Zhao quickly resumed his slow and measured demeanor. He said, “I’m accepting this interview today to give you an exclusive, Reporter You.”

You Ruxu looked at him: “An exclusive?”

“Yes.” Mr. Zhao said, “I’m planning to sue Zhang Xiaojie.”

“He set off the fireworks without authorization and spread rumors that our factory produced illegal fireworks.” He looked at You Ruxu, “I have evidence that he set them off himself.”

You Ruxu asked, “What evidence?”

“Zhang Xiaojie is never early for work.” Mr. Zhao said, “On the day of the incident, he arrived half an hour early and disabled the security camera.” He said, “Another camera captured it all, I have the video as proof.”

You Ruxu stood outside, watching the video of Zhang Xiaojie tampering with the camera. Captain Zhou said, “This is the only footage we recovered after the explosion.”

But this short clip was enough to incriminate Zhang Xiaojie. Moreover, there was no evidence of Mr. Zhao and Zhang Xiaojie “communicating” before the incident. Tracing back their communication records, the last time they contacted each other was during the Dragon Boat Festival, exchanging holiday greetings.

It could be said that they weren’t close.

Let alone Mr. Zhao asking Zhang Xiaojie to destroy evidence.

The case suddenly took a turn. You Ruxu stood at the entrance of the police station, listening to Chen Xiang ask, “Teacher You, are we publishing this interview?”

You Ruxu knew that if this interview was published, Zhang Xiaojie would be definitively labeled the culprit. But why would he do such a thing?

Captain Zhou said, “We’ll probably have to wait until Zhang Xiaojie wakes up to find out. There’s no motive at all. Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility of mental health issues.”

But these were all just speculations.

Speculations left no stone unturned.

If this was really the case…

You Ruxu said, “Publish the first part of the interview.”

She still needed to verify the “exclusive” part.

Chen Xiang nodded.

They left the police station. You Ruxu said, “You go back to the station. I asked the boss for leave, I’m not going back this afternoon.”

Chen Xiang was surprised: “What’s wrong?”

Remembering that You Ruxu hadn’t eaten lunch: “Teacher You, are you feeling unwell?”

You Ruxu said, “I’m fine.”

“You must be exhausted. You’ve been working non-stop these past few days, your body can’t take it.” Chen Xiang said, “Alright, I’ll go back to the station first. Do you want me to drive you home?”

“No need.” You Ruxu said, “You go ahead.”

Chen Xiang nodded and drove away from the police station. It was still raining. You Ruxu stood outside, holding an umbrella, waiting for a taxi. One arrived, and she gave the address, but it wasn’t her apartment.

Zhou Tianzui’s disciplinary action was issued swiftly. It wasn’t too severe, but it affected her chances for the deputy director position. After the evaluation, the director submitted Fu Shushu’s name.

In the bathroom, Fu Shushu saw Zhou Tianzui and said, “Was it worth it?”

Zhou Tianzui looked at her, ignoring her.

Fu Shushu clicked her tongue: “Don’t think I’ll be grateful to you for this.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “You’d be better off spending this time educating your interns instead of talking to me.”

Fu Shushu was speechless, seeing Zhou Tianzui leave the bathroom with a calm expression. She cursed inwardly. Even winning felt unsatisfying.

Zhou Tianzui returned to her office. She hadn’t even had a sip of water all afternoon. He Wei, being tactful, followed her into the office and even poured her half a glass of warm water, saying, “Dr. Zhou…”

There was a commotion outside. Zhou Tianzui didn’t take the water, asking, “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.” He Wei said, “I’ll go check.”

Zhou Tianzui brushed past her and left the office, seeing a group of people gathered at the door of the ward at the end of the corridor.

“I heard this is Zhang Xiaojie’s wife.”

“Zhang Xiaojie? The one from the explosion?”

“His wife just had an argument with someone…”

Zhou Tianzui quickly walked over and heard Zeng Jing shout, “Zhang Xiaojie didn’t do it!”

“If it wasn’t Zhang Xiaojie, then who was it?!” A woman shouted at Zeng Jing, “It was Zhang Xiaojie! He’s evil! He’s not human! He’s an animal! He doesn’t deserve to have children!”

Seeing the woman look at the baby, Zeng Jing clutched the child tightly in her arms. A nurse stopped the woman: “Please calm down, everyone disperse!”

The woman pushed the nurse’s arm away and shouted at Zeng Jing, “Animals don’t deserve to have children! An animal’s offspring is also an animal!”

“He’s not!” Zeng Jing roared, “He didn’t! He didn’t do it!”

“What if he did?!” The woman’s eyes were clearly swollen from crying. Hearing this, Zeng Jing said, “If it was him, we’ll pay with our lives together!” She said, “If Zhang Xiaojie did it, we’ll pay with our lives! We deserve to die!”

Zhou Tianzui stood in front of the woman and said, “What’s all this shouting?!”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was commanding. The woman, seeing her, forgot to reply, just stood there. Camera flashes went off, capturing Zeng Jing and the newborn baby. The commotion was so loud that the baby started crying, and Zeng Jing cried along with him.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Everyone out!”

The others glanced at her and dispersed. Nurses and security guards escorted the woman and the media out. Zhou Tianzui entered the ward. Zeng Jing’s parents arrived shortly after and requested a ward change.

This ward was a private room, very suitable for Zeng Jing, but yesterday, she had given an interview, and after the interview, netizens had identified the location from the photos. Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll go see if there are any other available rooms.”

Zeng Jing’s parents sighed, standing by the bed, tears in their eyes.

Zeng Jing lowered her head, still holding the baby, her expression dejected.

Zhou Tianzui left the ward and looked at the media with their cameras, then fell silent. She lowered her head, entered her office, and asked Zhao Mingqi, “Is 408 still available?”

408 was a VIP ward, usually vacant. Zhao Mingqi said, “Yes, it’s empty, but…”

He Wei said, “I’ll arrange it.”

Seemingly wanting to please Zhou Tianzui, she said, “I’ll arrange the ward transfer.”

Zhou Tianzui glanced at her and said, “Go ahead.”

He Wei breathed a sigh of relief and immediately left.

Zhou Tianzui packed her things. Zhao Mingqi asked, “Aren’t you on duty tonight?”

“I switched with Dr. Li.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I have something to do today.”

Zhao Mingqi understood.

Zhou Tianzui left work promptly at 5:30. Before getting into her car, she went to a flower shop near the hospital and bought a bouquet, holding it in her arms. After getting into the car, she placed it on the passenger seat. She didn’t go home directly, but to the cemetery.

It was raining. The cemetery was empty, only tombstones standing tall, the sky a dull, overcast gray.

Zhou Tianzui, holding the flowers and an umbrella, walked inside, stopping in front of the third to last tombstone. She looked down. A few small yellow flowers seemed to have fallen carelessly in front of the tombstone, their petals glistening with raindrops. She looked at them for a moment, brushed them away, and placed the fresh flowers she brought.

“Dad, I’m here to see you again.” Zhou Tianzui crouched down, the umbrella partially covering the tombstone. The wind carried the fragrance of the flowers. She said, “She’s been in good spirits recently, and her health is good, but she keeps forgetting the date.”

She remembered Yu Qiao asking her to accompany her to the cemetery three or four times a year, each time asking, “Did I get the date wrong?”

She would say, “No.”

Whatever day Yu Qiao remembered was the anniversary.

Zhou Tianzui stood quietly for a moment, then said, “I’m leaving.”

She looked down at the small yellow flowers, paused, then picked one up and placed it in front of the tombstone. The rain intensified. Zhou Tianzui placed the umbrella in the gap beside the tombstone, keeping it open, sheltering the fresh flowers.

Sheltering the small yellow flower.

Author’s Note:

Thirty red envelopes, love you all.

The story will be premium tomorrow. Thank you to all the lovely readers who support the genuine version. The theme, characters, and setting of this story are very different from previous ones. It’s a new attempt. I seem to always enjoy trying new things. I still hope to bring you a different reading experience.

The next pre-ordered story will be either “Love Letter” or “Princess Syndrome,” haven’t decided yet. Which one do you want to read more? Please add the one you prefer to your collection! Both will have happy endings.

[“Love Letter”]

Qin Zheng was strikingly beautiful, with countless admirers. During her school years, she received so many love letters that they wouldn’t fit in her locker. One of them was especially unique, containing only one sentence: [It rained today.]

She recognized Yun Kai’s handwriting. The Yun Kai she loved for seven years, the one she had a passionate relationship with, who later abandoned her without a word.

Qin Zheng angrily tore up the letter, then carefully pieced it back together. She thought, even if she were to tear it up, she would wait until Yun Kai appeared and tear it up in front of him.

She waited and waited, but Yun Kai didn’t appear. Instead, she received another ninety-eight letters from him.

It turned out that the first letter wasn’t a love letter, but a suicide note.

[“Princess Syndrome”]

Su Lingyue was the apple of the Su family’s eye, pampered and spoiled since childhood. She was arrogant, domineering, and self-willed. The most outrageous incident was during a sophomore winter camp, where she publicly humiliated Ji Zhiyi, calling her a beggar, unworthy of sharing a tent with her. Not long after returning to school, Ji Zhiyi dropped out, disappearing without a trace. Many classmates guessed she couldn’t bear the humiliation, feeling sorry and pity for her.

Later, the Su family’s fortunes suddenly changed. The company was split in two, half remaining with the Su family, and the other half going to Ji Zhiyi. Along with the company, Su Lingyue also fell into her hands.

Everyone speculated that Ji Zhiyi was back for revenge, waiting to see Su Lingyue’s downfall. Su Lingyue thought so too.

On the day she took Su Lingyue home, Ji Zhiyi personally designed a pair of princess shoes. Socialites were eager to buy them, the price skyrocketing. At the company’s annual meeting, Ji Zhiyi took the princess shoes from the display case and, under everyone’s astonished gazes, knelt down and carefully put them on Su Lingyue’s feet.

Chapter 19: The Reporter

Honest?

No, she wasn’t honest at all. She used those deceptions to cling to Zhou Tianzui, because she knew it was her only way, the only way she could stay by Zhou Tianzui’s side.

You Ruxu tilted her head back slightly, looking at the crystal chandelier above. She held Zhou Tianzui tightly.

In moments like these.

She felt the most at peace.

You Ruxu silently held Zhou Tianzui, then actively clung to her again. Zhou Tianzui pursed her lips, weathering the storm, entangled with her once more.

Late at night.

You Ruxu fell asleep, lying beside Zhou Tianzui, her hand still clutching the corner of Zhou Tianzui’s pajamas. Zhou Tianzui, getting up for water, looked down and paused, then lifted the blanket and got back into bed, not leaving You Ruxu’s side.

They slept like this until morning.

As sunlight streamed into the room, You Ruxu opened her eyes. She looked at Zhou Tianzui beside her. The light sleeper frowned slightly, a sign of waking. Before she could fully wake, You Ruxu reached out and wrapped her arms around Zhou Tianzui’s waist, smelling the familiar scent, and closed her eyes.

Zhou Tianzui shielded her forehead with her hand, turned off her phone before the alarm went off, released You Ruxu’s hand, and left the room. The ticking of the clock in the living room echoed. She stood still for a few minutes. Her phone vibrated.

It was her mother.

“Xiao Tian, are you at work yet?” Yu Qiao was outside. Zhou Tianzui knew she liked to exercise in the residential complex’s park in the morning, and she was probably there already. Zhou Tianzui said, “No, I just woke up.”

“Then let me tell you something. Your Uncle Zhou’s nephew is back from abroad. He’s quite eligible. When are you free for dinner?” Yu Qiao said, “How about this weekend? It’s been a while since you’ve been home. Come home for dinner this weekend.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Didn’t I just go home recently?”

“But you didn’t have dinner at home.” Yu Qiao said, “You rarely come back, and you didn’t even have dinner at home. It makes me feel bad.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I understand.”

“Then it’s settled, this weekend, come home early for dinner.” Yu Qiao laughed. “I’ll buy you some of your favorite food.”

Zhou Tianzui held the phone: “Okay.”

Turning around, she saw that You Ruxu was already awake, looking at her. Zhou Tianzui said, “Go wash up first.”

She went to the kitchen.

You Ruxu went into the bathroom, washed her face and brushed her teeth, her movements the same as usual, yet slightly slower. When she came out, Zhou Tianzui was halfway through preparing breakfast. She walked in and said, “Let me do it.”

Zhou Tianzui brushed past her and went to the bathroom.

Neither of them spoke.

When Zhou Tianzui came out, she said, “I’m going home this weekend.”

You Ruxu said, “I understand.”

She didn’t ask why. Zhou Tianzui lowered her head and peeled an egg. In the quiet living room, they sat facing each other, listening to the morning news anchor say, “Zhang Xiaojie is still unconscious…”

Zhang Xiaojie hadn’t woken up, yet the rumors outside were almost claiming he was dead. Some even said: [He might as well just die.]

[Good people don’t live long, but scourges last a thousand years!]

[When is Zhang Xiaojie going to die? I’ll do a grave dance.]

You Ruxu looked at the extreme comments online and remained silent. After Chen Mo’s parents’ live broadcast yesterday, netizens had dug up more “dirt” on Zhang Xiaojie, such as disrespecting women at work, liking certain comments on a Weibo alt account. Now, everyone was judging him with prejudice, grasping at every little detail, trying to stir up another storm.

The online buzz around Zhang Xiaojie remained high, instantly overshadowing the news about the interview with the fireworks factory owner.

It was the midday news that released the news about the interview, but netizens weren’t very interested, even marketing accounts barely reposted it, a stark contrast to the morning news report about Zhang Xiaojie.

Chen Xiang pondered, “Teacher You, why are they like this?”

“It’s normal.” You Ruxu said, “Emotions accumulate before they erupt.”

Their previous report about Zhang Xiaojie’s child had calmed some people down, making them start to think about the incident. It served as a buffer, but Chen Mo’s parents’ live broadcast was the trigger.

Presumably, those who watched the live broadcast would direct even more anger towards Zhang Xiaojie.

People could be driven by emotions, especially anger. Their focus was now entirely on Zhang Xiaojie, which was wrong. What she needed to do was shift the focus back, make them pay attention to the incident itself.

After all, this was a fireworks explosion.

The person responsible was the owner of the fireworks factory, Mr. Zhao, not Zhang Xiaojie.

But why did Chen Mo’s parents hate Zhang Xiaojie so much, even going live at this juncture, willing to tear open their own wounds to push Zhang Xiaojie into the spotlight? You Ruxu couldn’t understand it. She asked Chen Xiang, “Did you look into what I asked you yesterday?”

Chen Xiang said, “Yes, they didn’t know each other before, but Zhang Xiaojie and Chen Mo became quite close in the past two years.”

Of course, this wasn’t something Chen Xiang found out herself, but what netizens had dug up.

Chen Mo and Zhang Xiaojie had a good relationship. Chen Mo often visited Zhang Xiaojie’s home. But judging by the parents’ attitude, it was most likely extreme hatred. Netizens could understand this. Chen Xiang said, “Teacher You, should we ask Zeng Jing again?”

You Ruxu said, “Let’s wait until after this is over.”

She said, “Were there any changes to today’s interview script?”

Chen Xiang said, “No.”

However, the level of interest had dropped significantly. Although it was a CCTV program, airing at this juncture, it was predictable that the viewership would be much lower. You Ruxu said, “Proceed as planned.”

Her expression remained unchanged, a smile curving her eyes when she saw the interviewee, softening the inherent nobility and coldness she exuded. On set, You Ruxu and the elderly teacher sat face to face, exchanging greetings with a smile.

Chen Xiang admired her ability to switch from deep thought to work mode instantly.

“She could be an actress.” The PD beside them whispered, “Teacher You is in excellent form.”

Withstanding the pressure from the station, everyone in the three teams knew that You Ruxu had chosen the topic with the least attention. Teams 1 and 3 had exceptionally high ratings every day, while the midday news team’s ratings were mediocre. Not only were they mediocre, even their Weibo posts had no interaction, utterly embarrassing.

They had posted the news about the interview with Mr. Zhao this morning, and it was immediately buried by Team 1’s news about Zhang Xiaojie.

The other two teams were mocking her behind her back: [Is You Jiaoyue going to fail this time?]

They were even betting in their private group chat whether the midday news team would be the first to receive all C’s in the year-end evaluation. The PD had heard these rumors, and if she could hear them, You Ruxu definitely could too.

So, she was very worried about You Ruxu’s work state this morning, but unexpectedly, she was as perfect as ever.

Hearing the PD’s words, Chen Xiang said, “Acting?”

Thinking about it, Teacher You really was quite suitable.

You Ruxu lowered her head, ignoring the others’ gazes, and focused on communicating with the teacher on stage, exchanging words. It wasn’t so much an interview as it was listening. Her smiling eyes were gentle, making him feel comfortable and respected, even leading the teacher to share many stories that weren’t in the script. The PD, hearing this, was overjoyed and extremely satisfied.

After the interview ended, the teacher called out to her, “Teacher You.”

You Ruxu paused.

The teacher smiled: “What? Feel unworthy of the title?”

You Ruxu said, “In front of you, I certainly do.”

The teacher said, “Do you know why I agreed to your interview?”

Over the years, many people had wanted to interview him, new media outlets, self-media, and even some investors who wanted to package him as an “internet celebrity,” under the guise of helping him gain fame and reach more students.

He just laughed it off. He didn’t even know how many desks were in his room, or how many students came on weekends, and they wanted to help him gain fame?

It was a joke.

So, he usually wasn’t very welcoming towards the media, but his first meeting with You Ruxu was different.

She sat in his classroom, his small room, along with sixteen students. With You Ruxu, there were seventeen. You Ruxu didn’t say anything, just quietly sat there and listened to the lesson, just like all his other students, even more attentively than some.

She listened like this for over half a month, coming every day, even becoming friends with his students, truly integrating herself.

He had never met a reporter like this before.

Very—very different.

But he didn’t immediately agree to the interview. He observed her. While You Ruxu was observing him, he was also observing her. This reporter was very tenacious and independent-minded. He liked her.

Later, You Ruxu went back to submit the topic proposal and returned to film him for ten days. She didn’t give any grand pronouncements about him, but focused more on the children, the conditions, and the equipment. He knew then that he hadn’t chosen wrong.

You Ruxu looked at the teacher and heard him say, “I believe you will be an excellent reporter.”

“Ruxu, what do you want to do in the future?”

“Mom, I want to be a reporter.”

“A reporter?”

“Yes, a good reporter.”

“Teacher You?” Chen Xiang called out softly, “What’s wrong?”

You Ruxu snapped back to reality and saw the teacher talking to the PD. She said, “It’s nothing.”

Chen Xiang said, “The interview is over. The boss asked if we’re going to the police station.”

You Ruxu said, “I’ll say goodbye to them, you go wait for me outside.”

Chen Xiang agreed.

Outside, it was drizzling, the wind cold against her skin. Chen Xiang frowned, just as she was about to go back to get an umbrella, she saw You Ruxu holding an umbrella, a black one in her other hand, offering it to her.

Chen Xiang said, “Teacher You, you’re so kind!”

You Ruxu smiled.

In the car, Chen Xiang looked outside and said, “It’s been raining these past few days, and they say there’s a heavy downpour tomorrow, and the temperature will drop after that. Teacher You, you should wear more clothes when you go out.”

You Ruxu agreed, turned to look out the window. The rain was drizzling, continuous, falling on the car window, forming winding curves. She watched for a few minutes. Her phone vibrated; it was a reminder she had set.

The reminder didn’t have any notes for this day, only a time.

She looked down at it for a while and said, “Is it the 23rd today?”

Chen Xiang glanced at the time on the dashboard and said, “Yes, October 23rd. What’s wrong, Teacher You?”

You Ruxu was silent for a few seconds, then said, “It’s nothing.”

Chapter 18: Cold and Indifferent

You Ruxu, no longer sleepy after waking up, didn’t message Zhou Tianzui, afraid she was dealing with an emergency.

Zhou Tianzui stood in the director’s office, facing He Wei and the director’s barrage of criticism: “What happened? Huh? What’s going on with you two?”

She looked at He Wei: “What’s wrong?”

“You’re still asking her?” The director said, “Do you not know what you did? Zhou Tianzui, He Wei is new to the job, it’s understandable that she doesn’t understand the ways of the world, but when did you join the hospital? How can you not even understand this?”

The director’s voice was filled with exasperation: “He Wei just went to Director Song and said it was Lin Luo who performed the emergency rescue.”

He Wei’s face was pale as she stood to the side. Zhou Tianzui glanced at her, her gaze not as sharp as before. He Wei didn’t know why, but she felt that Zhou Tianzui’s gaze wasn’t as piercing anymore.

She lowered her head and said, “Director, it’s my fault.”

“Your fault?” The director said, “He Wei, is it important who performed the rescue right now?”

From the moment she called He Wei in and only questioned her, the hospital’s stance was clear. Even Fu Shushu could see it, so she didn’t believe Zhou Tianzui couldn’t!

They were all waiting for the TV station’s interview, preparing to push He Wei into the spotlight, and now this blunder had emerged. Director Song was furious, saying he hated such practices and ordered a thorough investigation.

Investigate?

How?

The interview was approaching, the publicity was already out, now, forget investigating, even admitting a mistake would be a blatant mockery of the hospital!

A good deed had turned into this.

The director rolled her eyes in exasperation: “He Wei, have you thought this through? You’re an intern. If this is pursued, it will be a stain on your career. It won’t be easy for you to become a full-fledged doctor in the future.”

He Wei trembled.

She hadn’t known the consequences would be so severe. She thought it would be a warning at most.

Zhou Tianzui said, “It’s my responsibility.”

He Wei looked at her, her eyes instantly reddening, blurring Zhou Tianzui’s image.

Zhou Tianzui’s tone was cool as she said, “He Wei is the intern I’m mentoring. This matter is my responsibility, both professionally and personally. It’s my fault for jumping to conclusions without a thorough investigation. It’s my mistake.”

The director looked at her intently, her face stern. She said, “We’ve already canceled the interview.”

Fortunately, the fireworks factory incident was still attracting attention, and the initial news about the intern’s rescue didn’t mention any names, so it was still an internal matter. The director said, “But disciplinary action is unavoidable.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I understand.”

“You understand.” The director laughed in exasperation. “You really…”

She didn’t finish, waving her hand, “Get out.”

Zhou Tianzui glanced at He Wei and left.

He Wei didn’t even wipe away her tears. She lowered her head: “I’m sorry, Dr. Zhou, I didn’t mean to implicate you.”

Zhou Tianzui looked at her, her voice calm: “You can leave work now.”

He Wei wanted to apologize, but she didn’t dare speak to Zhou Tianzui. Zhou Tianzui didn’t give her the chance either. She left the director’s office and went downstairs. He Wei stood behind her and heard Zhao Mingqi’s voice: “Dr. Zhou left?”

He Wei turned around and called out, “Dr. Zhao.”

Zhao Mingqi said, “You, you’re really lucky.”

Everyone said Zhou Tianzui was unsympathetic, the most difficult person to get along with in the department, and that she had a bad temper, always with a stern face. But in reality, Zhou Tianzui was incredibly responsible when mentoring interns. Being mentored by her was truly fortunate.

He Wei seemed to understand what Zhao Mingqi meant by “lucky.”

She asked Zhao Mingqi, “That disciplinary action…”

“Do you think it’s just about the disciplinary action?” Zhao Mingqi looked at her and said, “It’s not just about the disciplinary action.”

The reason the director was so angry was, of course, because she had made the decision about the intern’s commendation, she was the one who submitted He Wei’s name. And when she asked Zhou Tianzui earlier, Zhou Tianzui said she didn’t know, that she hadn’t investigated clearly yet. If this matter was truly investigated, the director wouldn’t be able to escape responsibility.

Right now, Zhou Tianzui wasn’t taking the blame for He Wei.

She was taking the blame for the director.

Of course, the other reason for the director’s anger was that she wanted to recommend Zhou Tianzui for the deputy director position and use He Wei to curry favor with Director Song. Now, with this incident, Zhao Mingqi said, “Dr. Zhou’s chances of becoming deputy director are slim now.”

He Wei clenched her hands, looking in the direction Zhou Tianzui had left, her face pale.

You Ruxu sat in the car, scrolling through her phone, when she heard a noise beside her. She turned; Zhou Tianzui was back, the scent of disinfectant filling the car. You Ruxu loved this smell, it made her feel at ease.

“Everything settled?” You Ruxu asked, her voice clear. She said, “Your hospital canceled our interview.”

This was the first time. Such good publicity material, such a good opportunity, no hospital would willingly refuse, unless there was a compelling reason.

Recalling the conversation she overheard earlier, You Ruxu asked, “Did I cause you trouble?”

“A little.” Zhou Tianzui’s fingers rubbed the steering wheel. Now, she wasn’t just facing disciplinary action, but also a negative impression with Director Song. Even if it was known that she wasn’t directly responsible, she would still lose the deputy director position.

Zhou Tianzui suddenly laughed. She said, “A Ran, do you think the world is fair?”

You Ruxu turned her head, her gaze resting on Zhou Tianzui’s profile. Zhou Tianzui rarely smiled, always serious, so her features also carried a certain sharpness. You Ruxu said, “It’s not fair.”

“Yes.” Zhou Tianzui said, “The world is inherently unfair.”

She started the car and heard the clicking of high heels from the stairwell. She lowered the car window. You Ruxu frowned. Zhou Tianzui leaned over, face to face with her.

He Wei, standing not far away, saw Zhou Tianzui and You Ruxu as soon as she looked towards her car.

The two were very close.

She froze.

So did You Ruxu.

She held her breath, straightened her back. Zhou Tianzui’s features were right in front of her, her long eyelashes so distinct that she knew exactly how close they were.

It was like a silent standoff.

You Ruxu’s palms were sweaty, her pupils dark and bright. Her body was tense and stiff as she looked at Zhou Tianzui’s profile, her skin almost unnaturally pale.

Zhou Tianzui looked into You Ruxu’s eyes and smiled: “Why so nervous?”

She lowered her head, moved her body sideways, pulled the seatbelt from You Ruxu’s side, fastened it, and then slowly rolled up the window.

He Wei, standing not far away, lowered her head.

The car pulled away from the hospital.

Zhou Tianzui held the steering wheel with both hands, her demeanor still casual. You Ruxu looked at her. Neither spoke, a sudden silence falling over the car.

After a long while, as they neared their apartment, Zhou Tianzui asked, “Want to grab something to eat?”

You Ruxu said, “I’m full.”

Rather than food, she wanted to sleep, but she couldn’t fall asleep. Zhou Tianzui was taking a shower. She tossed and turned in bed, thinking about tomorrow’s interview, today’s news, the hospital, and the silent standoff in the car.

She closed her eyes and heard the bathroom door open. The living room lights were all off. The bathroom light elongated Zhou Tianzui’s figure, projecting it onto the bedroom doorway. A warm light was on in the bedroom. It was getting colder, and the window was half-open, the curtains fluttering in the breeze. Zhou Tianzui walked in, wearing slippers, and glanced at You Ruxu lying on the bed.

You Ruxu was wearing beige pajamas, long-sleeved and long-legged. She rarely wore short sleeves, and even more rarely wore nightdresses. Her pajamas were mostly these shapeless long sets, made of cotton, good quality. In the summer, she wore silk, a material she loved, feeling like skin against her hand, only cooler, a stark contrast to the warmth beneath. She loved holding You Ruxu while sleeping in the summer, half warm, half cool.

Seeing that she wasn’t covered by a blanket, Zhou Tianzui walked to the window, closed it, and drew the curtains. She then went to the dressing table to dry her hair. She had very few skincare products on her dressing table, all different brands. Two jars of face cream were barely used, pushed to the side. A few times, after showering, she had seen You Ruxu applying face cream and would go over and use some herself. You Ruxu had naturally milky skin and was particular about her skincare products. After using them regularly, Zhou Tianzui’s skin had also become brighter and fairer.

She turned to look at You Ruxu and said, “Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

You Ruxu said, “I can’t sleep.”

An honest answer.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Come help me dry my hair.”

You Ruxu got out of bed, not bothering with slippers, her bare feet making no sound on the wooden floor. She walked behind Zhou Tianzui and took the hairdryer.

Zhou Tianzui looked down and saw You Ruxu’s fair feet. She reached out and placed her foot on You Ruxu’s.

It wasn’t a painful pressure, just a light touch. You Ruxu looked down, puzzled by the gesture, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, “You…”

An arm wrapped around her waist. You Ruxu was startled, almost dropping the hairdryer. They were face to face. You Ruxu’s hands went around Zhou Tianzui’s back. Zhou Tianzui asked, “Are you done?”

You Ruxu said, “Not yet.”

Zhou Tianzui tilted her head, resting her chin on You Ruxu’s shoulder. Her slightly damp hair brushed against You Ruxu’s neck, a little cold. She shivered. Zhou Tianzui held her tighter and asked, “Are you cold?”

You Ruxu said, “No.”

Zhou Tianzui didn’t speak, just held her. The only sound in the quiet room was the whirring of the hairdryer. After a long while, You Ruxu turned off the hairdryer and heard Zhou Tianzui ask, “If I kissed you in the car, would you have agreed?”

You Ruxu stiffened.

Zhou Tianzui lowered her eyes, suppressing the turbulent emotions beneath, her words particularly clear: “A Ran,” she said, “don’t be so honest.”

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You Ruxu: If only this person couldn’t speak.
Zhou Hedgehog: …