Chapter 12: A Suggestion
The atmosphere in the ward gradually chilled. Although Qin Qianrou was some distance from the bed, the coldness emanating from her was palpable. Shen Yiqiu clutched the blanket, shivering, her large eyes blinking as she searched for the right words.
Qin Qianrou was intelligent and experienced; she must have seen through the act earlier. But she had still played along. What did that mean?
As Shen Yiqiu pondered, Qin Qianrou spoke again.
“You can think carefully before explaining, but I hope you’ll tell the truth.”
Only then did Shen Yiqiu dare to look at her. Qin Qianrou’s expression was calm; her earlier anger seemed to have dissipated. Her tone wasn’t harsh, but her words carried weight, clearly conveying her stance.
“I didn’t lie to you.”
Shen Yiqiu didn’t try to justify herself. She did know some secrets about Dongsheng Group and did intend to attend university in Meng City. As for the agreement with Qin Auntie, although the specific details hadn’t been finalized, they had reached a preliminary consensus last night.
“Don’t avoid the main point.”
Shen Yiqiu inwardly groaned. She had tried to subtly steer the conversation away from the key issue, but Qin Qianrou had seen through her immediately.
Seeing Qin Qianrou’s serious attitude, even after being exposed, Shen Yiqiu hadn’t been reprimanded, and Qin Qianrou was still patiently waiting for her explanation. Shen Yiqiu wasn’t good at lying, and if it weren’t for the gravity of the situation, she wouldn’t have concealed so much.
She hadn’t known Qin Qianrou for long. While she trusted her character, they weren’t familiar enough. She could risk using Qin Qianrou as an escape route but didn’t dare to reveal all her cards.
Since she still needed Qin Qianrou’s help, creating a rift between them this early wouldn’t be wise. Shen Yiqiu organized her thoughts and revealed what she felt comfortable sharing at this stage.
“I didn’t do that on purpose just now. Don’t misunderstand.”
Qin Qianrou looked up at her, her eyes calm.
“You should know Shao Qidong, right? He insists that my father had business dealings with him before his passing and that I have to bear the losses. He hired that caregiver, Auntie Liu, to watch me. He came this morning with a contract, wanting me to acknowledge this inexplicable debt.”
Qin Qianrou nodded; she had learned about this last night, but hadn’t expected Shao Qidong to come personally so early in the morning. It seemed Shen Yiqiu was more important to him than she had anticipated.
“Ahem, Uncle He and Auntie Jiang are my parents’ university classmates. We were very close for many years.” Shen Yiqiu hesitated, reluctantly and stiffly addressing them as “Uncle” and “Auntie.”
“Then why didn’t you want to go back to Hai City with them?” Qin Qianrou had thoroughly researched Shen Yiqiu’s parents’ backgrounds last night and knew they had previously lived in Hai City.
Shen Yiqiu bit her lip, not answering immediately.
Seeing her distress, Qin Qianrou softened her tone slightly, “Are you afraid of being reminded of painful memories if you go back?”
Most people would share Jiang Yuan’s view, thinking that staying in the city where the accident occurred would be distressing for Shen Yiqiu. Qin Qianrou understood that people often yearned for their hometown, especially the place where they grew up, when they were most vulnerable.
But that was also the place where she had spent the most time with her parents. If Shen Yiqiu returned to Hai City now, although she would temporarily escape the painful memories of the accident, every detail of Hai City would become a sharp reminder in the future.
And no matter how close He Chao and Jiang Yuan were, they were still just “Uncle” and “Auntie,” unable to replace the affection of her real parents.
Shen Yiqiu hadn’t wanted to reveal her vulnerability. While she did want to escape He Chao and Jiang Yuan’s control, she was even more afraid of the loneliness she would face if she returned to Hai City alone. The scene of their family moving to Meng City was still vivid in her mind; now, only she would be returning. She would rather stay in Meng City and let her wounds heal than tear apart those precious memories deep in her heart.
Let Hai City remain the final testament to their family being together.
Meng City was where she would start anew, grow independently. She wanted to be truly reborn in this place and protect the beautiful memories of Hai City.
Seeing Shen Yiqiu’s eyes redden, Qin Qianrou knew she had guessed correctly. She wasn’t entirely sure, but after interviewing so many people, she had encountered various situations. People were different; some wanted to go home at such times, while others refused.
Shen Yiqiu’s resistance earlier indicated her genuine unwillingness to return to Hai City.
“Since you’ve decided to stay in Meng City, what are your plans for the future?”
Qin Qianrou didn’t think she would truly become her “Qin Auntie,” but she wasn’t completely at ease with Shen Yiqiu being alone in Meng City.
“Go to university, then work, live a peaceful life, that’s all.” This was her parents’ wish for her.
If it weren’t for that accident, Shen Yiqiu would have thought this was her future.
“Aren’t you afraid of Shao Qidong?”
Dongsheng Group was very influential in Meng City. Even Qin Qianrou had to overcome many obstacles to investigate them. It would be very difficult for an ordinary girl like Shen Yiqiu to contend with Shao Qidong.
“I’m afraid,” Shen Yiqiu admitted honestly, “but now that I have you, I’m not so afraid anymore.”
Surprise flickered across Qin Qianrou’s face. Shen Yiqiu felt a little embarrassed and looked away, not daring to meet her gaze.
Qin Qianrou knew that young people nowadays expressed themselves more directly, which reminded her of the young girls who often commented on her Weibo, saying things like, “Sister Qin, you’re so cool and amazing, I want to be close to you…”
Initially, she hadn’t understood what “be close to you” meant. After asking Li Wan, she learned it was how young people expressed their admiration. She had facepalmed, looking at her phone, shaking her head helplessly; she seemed to understand the world of young people less and less.
She naturally interpreted Shen Yiqiu’s words as: If she exposed Dongsheng Group’s problems, Shao Qidong would be in trouble himself and wouldn’t have the time to bother her anymore.
“Although I’m interested in the clues you mentioned, it doesn’t mean I can definitely resolve your issue with Shao Qidong. Moreover, don’t expect me to be responsible for your safety just because we’re cooperating. If you encounter any danger, you should seek help from the police.”
Qin Qianrou was rational. She wouldn’t let go of any clues, but she wouldn’t be so impulsive as to put herself in danger for just a lead. After all, the people and incidents she investigated weren’t simple; if she didn’t know how to protect herself, she would have been reincarnated several times over.
“Don’t worry, I won’t cause you any trouble, and I won’t drag you down.” Shen Yiqiu felt a little guilty; she had indeed used Qin Qianrou to some extent.
But her intention was to use Qin Qianrou’s status to deter Shao Qidong, preventing him from acting rashly, creating space and time for her to escape. She hadn’t intended to latch onto Qin Qianrou. No matter how kind she was, they were strangers; why should she take her in?
Shen Yiqiu had a gentle personality and an innocent nature, but she wasn’t stupid. She had a sense of boundaries and propriety. Even she had been surprised by her own clinginess towards Qin Qianrou earlier.
Apart from her mother, she had never been so forward with anyone. Perhaps it was a survival instinct triggered by the crisis.
Rationalizing her behavior in this way, she still reminded herself not to do it again.
Shen Yiqiu’s words revealed a slight stubbornness and an underlying loneliness, which touched Qin Qianrou. She couldn’t bear to see this girl feel abandoned by the world right after waking up.
“Although I won’t interfere too much in your future life, I have a suggestion: stay in the hospital until you turn eighteen.”
Huh? Stay in the hospital? Hadn’t they agreed to discuss her discharge today?
Shen Yiqiu’s astonishment was evident as she stared at Qin Qianrou.
“Once you turn eighteen, you’ll be legally an adult and can live independently. As for where you study or where you live, you don’t have to listen to anyone else’s opinions; you can decide entirely based on your own wishes.”
This was clearly in line with Shen Yiqiu’s hopes, but she was almost fully recovered; the doctor wouldn’t agree, would he?
Seeing her hesitation, Qin Qianrou added, “If you’re willing, I can help you arrange it.”
“But if I stay in the hospital, those people will still come looking for me.” Shen Yiqiu sighed. Could she really stay safe here until she turned eighteen?
“Don’t worry about that.”
Shen Yiqiu looked up curiously and saw a rare, faint smile on Qin Qianrou’s lips, “While you’re hospitalized, I’ll be your Qin Auntie. No one will harass you.”
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