Chapter 111: It Is
Zhou Tianzui didn’t go home that night, but she did change wards, moving into the same room as You Ruxu. You Ruxu was in a VIP single room, requiring a key card to enter, which deterred most visitors, and the ward became quiet. Wu Xiulian, after helping them move, seemed to have something to say to Zhou Tianzui, but with Yu Qiao and You Ruxu present, she hesitated, then said, “I’ll come back tomorrow then. Sister, are you going home with me?”
Yu Qiao said, “I’ll stay here with them, they’re both injured.”
Wu Xiulian said, “Then I’ll be going.”
She glanced at Zhou Tianzui and You Ruxu, then left.
You Ruxu saw her to the door. When she returned, she received a call from Chen Xiang, her voice as energetic as ever, “Teacher You, did anyone call you?”
“Why?” You Ruxu’s voice was calm and even as she wheeled herself back into the ward. Zhou Tianzui watched her talk on the phone, turning her head slightly. It was a single room, and she had moved her bed closer to You Ruxu’s. Yu Qiao was cutting fruit for them, her mood much improved compared to the past few days, even smiling when she entered the ward earlier, a rare sight recently.
Yu Qiao looked down, hearing You Ruxu say, “I understand.”
Chen Xiang said, “But there are still many people questioning the story online.”
After all, it was a twenty-year-old case, not easily explained with just a notebook. The online discussions were mostly doubts and demands for more evidence, a heated debate. You Ruxu said, “I’ve contacted Captain Zhou.”
Chen Xiang said, “Okay, I’ve already arranged tomorrow’s interview. You just focus on resting today.”
You Ruxu said, “I will.”
As Chen Xiang had said, after the initial shock and anger subsided, people started questioning the story, finding the timing too coincidental, how could a twenty-year-old notebook suddenly appear? If it existed, why wasn’t it presented earlier? Some even suspected that the TV station was protecting Zhou Qiming, using Zhou Tianzui’s injury to gain sympathy.
That was how rumors worked, a single seed of doubt could take root and grow.
Many people were also leaving comments on her social media, demanding more concrete evidence.
You Ruxu glanced at the time; it wasn’t even nine o’clock yet.
Yu Qiao handed her a plate of fruit, “Xiao Xu, you should eat some too.”
You Ruxu took the plate with both hands: “Thank you, thank you, Godmother.”
She looked at Zhou Tianzui, lying quietly in bed, unusually silent. You Ruxu wheeled herself over to her bedside and offered her the fruit. Zhou Tianzui looked at her for a few seconds, then took a slice of apple and ate it slowly.
You Ruxu also ate a slice, a bittersweet taste.
She heard Yu Qiao ask, “Is there still a problem?”
You Ruxu said, “No, there’s no problem.”
Just past nine o’clock, the Jindu police issued a statement, one about the preliminary results of the notebook verification, the other confirming the identity of the interviewee.
The full verification results usually took half a month, but the preliminary results were much faster. You Ruxu had asked Captain Zhou for the preliminary results, which, combined with the interviewee’s identity verification, left no room for doubt.
Of course, some people wouldn’t be convinced no matter what. But the focus of the online discussions shifted.
Shifted to the interviewee.
And a new round of digging began.
You Ruxu, seeing the numerous “revelations” online, put down her phone and ate her fruit. They hadn’t eaten much for dinner, and Yu Qiao wanted to make them some late-night snacks, but Zhou Tianzui said, “Mom, don’t bother, I’m not hungry.”
“Even if you’re not hungry, Xiao Xu must be, she’s been busy all day.” Yu Qiao said, “Xiao Xu, what would you like?”
You Ruxu said, “Some fruit is fine.”
“You two need to nourish yourselves, can’t be careless, what if you develop long-term health problems later?” Yu Qiao rambled on, and You Ruxu suddenly felt a pang of nostalgia. She remembered when she first became Yu Qiao’s goddaughter, she was like this too, always fussing over her, even their phone calls would last for several minutes, ending with Yu Qiao asking, “Xiao Xu, am I being too much of a bother?”
You Ruxu had never felt bothered.
It wasn’t that long ago, but it felt like a lifetime. Now, remembering those moments, she felt a lump in her throat.
You Ruxu looked down and said, “Godmother, don’t bother, just sit down and rest.”
“I’m not tired.” Yu Qiao had been through a rollercoaster of emotions these past few days, Zhou Qiming’s case resurfacing, another wave of attacks and accusations, she thought it would be like before, another disaster, but You Ruxu had resolved it.
She felt strangely calm now, no longer resisting their relationship.
Xiao Tian was a good person.
Xiao Xu was also a good person.
Them being together, it was good.
She started imagining the trip Zhou Tianzui had described, after she recovered, the three of them traveling together.
Yu Qiao looked down.
It was just a pity, she never got to meet that child. Yu Qiao clenched her hand, then seeing You Ruxu eating her fruit, took a deep breath, and relaxed her hand. You Ruxu said she wasn’t hungry, but Yu Qiao still went out to buy her some food. Only You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui remained in the ward. You Ruxu sat by her bed, seeing her staring at the ceiling, she asked, “What are you looking at?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “My mom went out?”
“Yes, to buy some things.” You Ruxu said, “I submitted my resignation today.”
Zhou Tianzui’s gaze sharpened, focusing on You Ruxu, “What did they say?”
“They didn’t believe me.” You Ruxu said, “They all thought I was joking.”
You Ruxu, ever since joining the station, had always prioritized work, working overtime while her colleagues rested, taking on assignments no one else wanted, covering every story, big or small, working herself to exhaustion.
Even Shi Qi had said, anyone else might resign, but not her.
But she had.
Shi Qi couldn’t believe it, “Really?”
You Ruxu said, “Really.”
Her tone was calm, her expression composed. Shi Qi was completely bewildered.
Zhou Tianzui asked, “Any regrets?”
You Ruxu wasn’t sure which she was referring to, Zhou Qiming’s case or her resignation. She thought for a moment, then asked Zhou Tianzui, “Do you have any regrets?”
Zhou Tianzui looked at her. They hadn’t had much time alone recently. Yu Qiao had finally agreed, a heavy burden lifted, yet it also felt like a new weight, a sense of guilt accompanying every action.
Zhou Tianzui didn’t regret her choice.
She didn’t regret it now either.
It was just painful.
She closed her eyes.
You Ruxu suddenly leaned closer, pulling on the bedsheet, sliding closer to Zhou Tianzui, reaching out to hold her hand. You Ruxu was both eloquent and inarticulate, but she knew Zhou Tianzui understood her.
Zhou Tianzui, her hand held by You Ruxu, wanted to turn over, but the movement sent a jolt of pain through her abdomen, the wound reopening, she couldn’t move, she had been lying in the same position all day, it hadn’t been uncomfortable before, but now, she suddenly wanted to turn, a restless energy coursing through her, a mix of itching and pain, her face paling, her body covered in a cold sweat.
You Ruxu, seeing this, was worried, “What’s wrong? Zhou Tianzui, what’s wrong?!”
“I’m fine.” Zhou Tianzui gritted her teeth, “I’m fine.”
Just a sudden wave of pain.
Overwhelming her.
Zhou Tianzui said, “Hug me.”
She wanted to sit up, to be held. You Ruxu, ignoring the pain in her leg, got up and leaned over her, wrapping her arms around Zhou Tianzui’s waist, holding her gently through the blanket. Zhou Tianzui said, “Hold me tighter.”
You Ruxu’s embrace tightened, her arms around Zhou Tianzui’s waist. Zhou Tianzui wanted to hug her back, but her arm hurt too much, she could only rest it lightly on You Ruxu’s back.
Surrounded by each other’s familiar scent, Zhou Tianzui’s pain gradually subsided. She lay there quietly, held by You Ruxu.
Yu Qiao, entering the room without knocking, stopped abruptly, seeing them, and quickly closed the door, standing outside.
You Ruxu, hearing the noise, released Zhou Tianzui and sat in her wheelchair, looking at Zhou Tianzui for a few seconds, then wheeled herself to the door and opened it, “Godmother.”
Yu Qiao hadn’t expected to see them embracing.
Although she had been preparing herself, seeing that scene still shocked her. She looked at You Ruxu and gave a small “mm-hmm,” changing the subject, “I bought some food, have some.”
You Ruxu said, “Okay.”
She took the bag from Yu Qiao, who wheeled her back to the small dining table. Zhou Tianzui couldn’t sit up, so Yu Qiao fed her porridge. The atmosphere in the ward was slightly awkward. Yu Qiao said, “I heard downstairs that the murderer in the Fengyuan case confessed.”
You Ruxu looked up, “He did?”
Yu Qiao nodded. You Ruxu checked her phone, the messages in the group chat were flying, everyone had been focused on Zhou Qiming’s case, the Fengyuan story continued to be reported, but without much progress, and now, with the confession, there wasn’t a single mention of it in the group chat.
Because of Xu Jinwan.
You Ruxu also fell silent.
Just as she was about to exit the group chat, she received a message, an unknown number, but a number she knew too well, a number she had memorized, calling every weekend, asking, “Haven’t you received it yet? It’s a package, a file folder, with a notebook inside, the kind you use for work, black cover, there’s a name inside…”
You Ruxu opened the message: [Reporter You, it’s Ji Lanfang, do you remember me?]
Of course she remembered.
You Ruxu: [Hello, is something the matter?]
Ji Lanfang: [Nothing much, just saw you on the news today and remembered your calls, that package, it was Zhou Qiming’s work journal, right?]
You Ruxu stared at her phone, forgetting to eat.
Ji Lanfang: [Don’t misunderstand, since the interviewee chose to remain anonymous, I won’t interfere, I just admire your persistence all these years.]
You Ruxu pursed her lips, her fingers hovering over the screen, typing and deleting several times, before finally replying: [Yes, it was that package.]
After sending the message, there was no reply.
You Ruxu put down her phone and heard Zhou Tianzui say, “I’m not eating anymore.”
“Always so picky.” Yu Qiao said in exasperation, “Just starve then!”
You Ruxu, seeing this, said, “Godmother, let me feed her, you go ahead and eat.”
Yu Qiao, annoyed with Zhou Tianzui, glared at her, handed You Ruxu the bowl and spoon, and said, “Let her be if she doesn’t want to eat, you haven’t finished yet.”
“My food’s a little too hot, I’ll eat it later.” You Ruxu said, “You go ahead and eat, you haven’t had dinner yet.”
Yu Qiao nodded, sat at the table, and watched You Ruxu coax Zhou Tianzui to eat, the scene from when she entered the ward earlier replaying in her mind, a wave of complex emotions washing over her. Talk about acceptance, that scene was quite a shock, but not unacceptable.
Yu Qiao was trying to convince herself, breaking apart her disposable chopsticks, when she saw You Ruxu’s phone light up.
A new message notification.
She glanced at it unintentionally and saw the message on the screen: [You’re that little girl, aren’t you?]
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