Chapter 79
Shen Yiqiu wasn’t athletic; her long-distance running test scores had always been borderline passing. But now, running towards the Xinting Hotel, she felt no fatigue, no fear of slowing down.
The rustling of her down jacket against her body, she ran relentlessly, her throat dry and scratchy, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She felt like crying, but tears now would only hinder her.
Shen Yiqiu bit her lip hard, forcing herself to stay focused and calm. She clutched her phone tightly, having repeatedly dialed Qin Qianrou’s number in the taxi, only to be met with the cold, automated message, “The subscriber you have dialed is powered off.”
Warm tears fell onto her hand, then onto her phone, staining it, but Shen Yiqiu didn’t notice. She blamed herself for becoming complacent, for not taking her premonitions seriously, there had been so many opportunities to warn Jiejie, yet she had only offered a few casual reminders.
Her hand ached from gripping the cold phone, her fingers white from the pressure, the cold wind biting at her skin, almost numbing her hand.
Finally, she reached the Xinting Hotel.
She didn’t alert the receptionist, but calmed her breathing, composing herself, walking through the lobby like any other guest. She joined others in the elevator, leaning against the back corner, her eyes closed.
She hadn’t known where Qin Qianrou was, only that her premonition had led her to this hotel. But the moment she stepped into the lobby, another premonition came,
This time, she saw the room number.
2332, not a particularly high floor, yet it felt as distant as the heavens. She messaged Li Wan the details, then, unable to wait any longer, she rushed upstairs, even alone, she had to save Jiejie.
Finding room 2332, Shen Yiqiu pressed the doorbell, but there was no response.
She knocked anxiously, still no reaction.
Shen Yiqiu frowned, she was almost ready to force the door open. She switched the phone to her other hand, having noticed just before entering the elevator, her hand was covered in blood.
The blood had dried, but the warmth of the hotel and the sweat on her palms had softened the dried bloodstains, the bright red stark against her pale skin.
She jiggled the doorknob forcefully, and suddenly, with a click, the door unlocked.
After a brief moment of surprise, Shen Yiqiu rushed inside like a bolt of lightning.
The room wasn’t large. Past a short hallway, she saw a large double bed in the center. Everything else in the room seemed to fade away, her gaze fixed on the figure lying motionless on the bed.
Qin Qianrou’s coat was discarded on the footstool at the end of the bed, she lay there, her eyes closed, seemingly peaceful, oblivious to the intruder.
Shen Yiqiu knew her, Qin Qianrou wouldn’t sleep so soundly, not reacting to such a commotion.
She rushed to the bedside, ignoring her own dishevelled appearance, and gently touched Qin Qianrou’s face, her frantic heart finally calming slightly upon seeing her.
“Jiejie, wake up.” Shen Yiqiu whispered, although she didn’t know why Qin Qianrou was unconscious, they had to leave this place immediately.
The scene was similar to her premonition, yet also different. For example, Qin Qianrou was alone in the room, there was no young man in a yellow tie, and she was still wearing her shirt.
The room seemed… too tidy, too undisturbed, as if Qin Qianrou had been brought here and then simply left.
Whatever the reason, seeing Jiejie like this made Shen Yiqiu’s heart ache. She quickly called Li Wan, telling her she had found Qin Qianrou and urging her to come quickly.
Li Wan had been frantic, too anxious to drive herself. She hadn’t been able to find a taxi after leaving the station and hadn’t dared to ask her colleagues for help, afraid of the rumors spreading and affecting Qin Qianrou’s reputation.
Her family driver had naturally responded quickly, but it had still taken some time, and Li Wan, unable to bear waiting at the station, had set off on foot, despite wearing moderately high heels, her arms wrapped around herself against the cold.
“Shen Yiqiu, I’m downstairs, I’ll be right there.”
Shen Yiqiu called Qin Qianrou’s name a few more times, and seeing she remained unconscious, helped her sit up. Her cashmere sweater had been removed and discarded on the other side of the bed, thankfully, her shirt was still intact. Shen Yiqiu reached for her down jacket at the foot of the bed, wanting to put it on her.
Just then, she heard a soft moan and immediately turned around.
“Jiejie?”
“Mm…”
Qin Qianrou responded softly, either a reflex or perhaps having actually heard Shen Yiqiu’s voice.
Shen Yiqiu cautiously glanced at the door, no one was there.
This place wasn’t safe, they had to leave immediately.
Shen Yiqiu helped her put on her jacket and supported her as they got out of bed, but Qin Qianrou’s body was limp, her entire weight leaning against Shen Yiqiu.
“I’ll take you home.”
Shen Yiqiu gently kissed her cheek, the faint bloodstains from her earlier touch stark against her skin.
“Qiu…” Qin Qianrou’s consciousness returned slightly, but she still felt weak.
She opened her eyes with some effort and saw Shen Yiqiu beside her. She wanted to smile, but she didn’t have the energy.
“It’s me, I’m sorry I’m late.” Shen Yiqiu sniffled, forcing herself to remain calm. “Let’s go.”
Footsteps approached from the hallway, a hurried, chaotic sound, and Shen Yiqiu held Qin Qianrou closer, protectively.
Thankfully, it was Li Wan and her driver.
“How is Qianrou?”
“Not good, let’s get her out of here.”
With the driver’s help, Qin Qianrou was quickly transferred to Li Wan’s car.
They closed the door and headed straight to the hospital.
“What happened?”
Shen Yiqiu held Qin Qianrou close, gently smoothing her hair, staring at her closed eyes.
Qin Qianrou occasionally regained consciousness briefly, then drifted back to sleep; this was clearly not normal.
“I don’t know.” Shen Yiqiu’s voice was hoarse and strained.
Having rushed over, she hadn’t even had a chance to drink any water. Her throat ached with every word, but this pain was nothing compared to the ache in her heart.
Li Wan, sitting in the passenger seat, turned and looked at Shen Yiqiu and Qin Qianrou in the back.
Qin Qianrou, usually so strong and capable, seemingly invincible, now leaned against Shen Yiqiu, weak and helpless, oblivious to her surroundings. And Shen Yiqiu, usually so gentle and cheerful, was now supporting Qin Qianrou, her young shoulders bearing the weight of her hope.
For the first time, Li Wan saw a strength and a calmness in Shen Yiqiu’s youthful face that reassured her.
Li Wan’s car had barely arrived at the hospital when doctors and nurses, alerted during their journey, rushed out to meet them.
They rarely came to this private hospital, but they still had connections, and the doctor, being an acquaintance of Rong Fei’s, had naturally taken Li Wan’s call seriously.
“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of her.” The nurses wheeled Qin Qianrou away, and the doctor gently patted Li Wan’s shoulder, offering Shen Yiqiu a reassuring look.
Before leaving, he glanced at Shen Yiqiu’s hand and asked, “Does your hand need to be treated?”
Shen Yiqiu, only now having the time to look at her own hand, quickly shook her head, refusing. “No, it’s not injured.”
Seeing her insistence, the doctor didn’t press further and hurried away.
“Let’s wait over there, don’t worry.” Li Wan’s voice still trembled slightly; it had been a while since she had felt so frantic.
Shen Yiqiu took off her backpack and her down jacket, finally realizing how uncomfortable she felt. But she had no time to worry about that, her gaze constantly drifting towards the direction the nurses had taken Qin Qianrou.
“Now that we’re at the hospital, don’t worry too much, she’s safe here.”
Shen Yiqiu nodded, she believed that. But she was still shaken, the lingering fear of almost losing Jiejie clinging to her.
“Go wash your hands first.” Li Wan couldn’t bear to look at the bloodstains on Shen Yiqiu’s hand.
“I’ll be right back.”
Shen Yiqiu not only needed to clean the bloodstains, but also to wash her face and clear her head, she had been running on pure adrenaline, she needed a moment to breathe.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, the same face, but the lingering fear was still evident. She didn’t even dare to recall the panic she had felt before finding Qin Qianrou.
At that moment, she had been truly terrified, afraid she had been too late.
After washing her face and her hands, she returned to the waiting area, and Li Wan handed her a cup of hot milk tea.
“Drink some.”
“Thank you, Sister Li Wan.” Shen Yiqiu leaned against the wall, her legs still trembling slightly.
“This whole incident was truly terrifying.”
Shen Yiqiu didn’t respond, taking a sip of the milk tea, her throat feeling a little better.
“The Xinting Hotel, and the room number, you sensed all that?” Li Wan finally voiced her question, she hadn’t had time to think about it earlier, but now, it seemed truly incredible.
“Mm.”
“Then… could you sense who did this to Qianrou?”
Shen Yiqiu frowned, shaking her head in frustration.
“I couldn’t.” If she could, she wouldn’t be sitting here waiting, she would have gone after them already.
Whoever dared to harm her Jiejie, she would fight them to the death!
Li Wan was also disappointed, but then, she thought, it was already a fortunate outcome.
“The nurse just told us her condition is stable, no life-threatening injuries, she said we shouldn’t worry too much.”
Hearing this, Shen Yiqiu’s spirits lifted slightly.
But she was still worried, as long as Jiejie wasn’t fully recovered, she wouldn’t be at ease.
“I need to inform her family. I promised to take care of her in Meng City, this is my responsibility.”
With that, Li Wan called Wen Shao Ze, then, after a moment of thought, called Wen Yirong as well.
Before calling Wen Yirong, Li Wan glanced at Shen Yiqiu, seeing no particular reaction, she stepped aside and made the call.
After briefly explaining the situation, she ended the call.
Li Wan returned and said carefully, “Qianrou’s family is on their way.”
Shen Yiqiu simply acknowledged with a quiet “Mm.”
Li Wan looked at her again, seeing her lost in thought, seemingly indifferent to the news.
“Qianrou’s mother is coming.”
“I know, I’ve met Aunt Wen before.” Shen Yiqiu assumed Li Wan was worried about their encounter.
Li Wan was indeed worried, but seeing Shen Yiqiu’s current state, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything more.
They would just have to wait and see, perhaps even with Aunt Wen’s arrival, they wouldn’t take Qianrou back to Hai City.
“That’s good, you’ll have to meet them eventually anyway.” Li Wan changed her tack.
The doctor had been thorough, conducting a full examination before transferring Qin Qianrou to a ward.
“Doctor, how is she?”
“Her condition is stable for now, but she was injected with an unknown substance, we’re still waiting for the lab results.”
“An unknown substance?”
Seeing their worried expressions, the doctor reassured them, “Her vital signs are stable, and there’s not much of the substance remaining in her system, it should be metabolized naturally.”
Li Wan, however, was still uneasy, recalling Shen Yiqiu’s description of Qin Qianrou lying in bed, wearing only a shirt, which wasn’t like her,
Qin Qianrou rarely slept before nightfall, and even if she needed a nap, in a hotel room, she wouldn’t just be wearing a shirt.
She hesitated, then asked, “Doctor, what are the effects of this unknown substance? What kind of reaction would it cause?”
The doctor, seeing their worried expressions, guessed their suspicions.
“It’s mainly a sedative, it would induce a deep coma within a short period, followed by prolonged unconsciousness.”
“Just that?”
“For now, yes.”
“That’s good.” Li Wan was slightly relieved, it was better than the scenarios she had been imagining.
“You can visit the patient later, but don’t stay too long.”
The doctor left again, Shen Yiqiu hadn’t asked anything, but Li Wan had voiced her concerns.
“Shen Yiqiu, you said you sensed a man…”
Li Wan’s tone was slightly awkward, even though it hadn’t happened, just imagining it was upsetting, Qin Qianrou was such a proud person, if she had been taken advantage of while unconscious, even if she appeared strong on the surface, it would leave lasting emotional scars.
“I don’t know why, but on my way to the Xinting Hotel, I kept seeing the same image repeatedly.” Shen Yiqiu, finally feeling a little more at ease, was willing to recall the details.
“I saw Jiejie, her eyes closed, being helped into the room, then the image kept repeating, like a broken record.”
A broken record? Li Wan also found it difficult to understand.
“I was so anxious, my nose started bleeding, I didn’t even realize it, my phone was covered in blood.”
Li Wan looked at her, hearing her casual tone, then, recalling the bloodstains on her hand, her heart ached.
“Why is your lip bleeding too?”
“I bit it, probably contributed to the bloodstains as well.” She had felt a burning pain when drinking the milk tea, but it hadn’t been unbearable.
“So you only sensed the room number later?”
“Yes, I almost thought I would have to search the entire hotel, but as soon as I entered the lobby, I had another premonition.”
Li Wan still found it incredible, but it had truly happened, perhaps such supernatural abilities did exist, simply beyond current scientific understanding.
“Thankfully you were there, otherwise, I don’t know what we would have done today.”
**
Li Wan didn’t stay long in the ward, leaving after confirming Qin Qianrou’s condition was stable. Shen Yiqiu stayed at the hospital, keeping her company. Qin Qianrou was still sleeping peacefully, and Shen Yiqiu pulled a chair over to the bedside, gently holding her hand.
“Jiejie, don’t sleep for too long, sleeping in a hospital bed isn’t a pleasant experience. If you’re tired, we can go home and rest, okay?”
Qin Qianrou didn’t respond, and if not for the doctor’s reassurance that it was just the effects of the sedative, Shen Yiqiu would have been truly worried that Jiejie wouldn’t wake up again.
“I was so scared, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find you, afraid you would be hurt, afraid our relationship would be affected. I was also afraid I wasn’t capable enough to save you, afraid I was too slow, too stupid, to find you.”
Shen Yiqiu’s words tumbled out, her earlier panic and fear resurfacing, she had forced herself to stay calm and composed, and only now, in the safety of Qin Qianrou’s ward, did she allow herself to show her vulnerability.
“Jiejie, please punish me when you wake up, I’ll accept any punishment.” Shen Yiqiu held Qin Qianrou’s hand against her cheek, her hand slightly cold, and she tried to warm it with her own body heat.
“So please, wake up soon.”
Qin Qianrou, sleeping peacefully, looked beautiful, her face slightly paler than when she was nestled in Shen Yiqiu’s arms, but still… her.
Shen Yiqiu held her hand tightly, tears suddenly streaming down her face.
“It’s my fault, I should have been with you, protecting you…” Shen Yiqiu lowered her head, burying her face in the blanket, sobbing softly.
She didn’t know how to release the pent-up fear and anxiety. Earlier, while waiting for the test results, she had realized the only person she could contact was Yuan Qi.
So, in this world, the only people closest to her now were Qin Qianrou and her cousin.
Shen Yiqiu didn’t want to experience the pain of losing another loved one again, she just wanted Qin Qianrou to be safe and sound, she even wondered if it was her insistence on bringing down Shao Qidong that had caused this.
Jiejie, it’s all my fault.
**
Yuan Qi had already booked his flight, planning to leave Meng City next week. Ever since their dinner, where he had mentioned his plans to Shen Yiqiu, he had been preparing for his departure, having minimal contact with her.
Today, receiving her message, he had rushed over immediately.
Following the nurse’s directions, Yuan Qi headed towards the ward, and he unexpectedly saw a familiar figure in the hallway.
The person was walking ahead of him, also seemingly on their way to visit someone.
Yuan Qi instinctively slowed down, wondering if he should come back another time.
But the person ahead suddenly stopped and turned around, as if sensing his presence. In the empty hallway, the two of them stood facing each other, neither of them speaking.
Yuan Qi imagined sparks flying, a dramatic confrontation, but his feet felt heavy, as if rooted to the spot.
Wen Shao Ze walked towards him, and Yuan Qi’s brow furrowed.
Only when Wen Shao Ze was almost upon him did Yuan Qi snap back to reality. He backed away, almost turning to flee, when a voice stopped him.
“A-Yuan, don’t go.”
Yuan Qi’s mind went blank, he hadn’t heard that nickname in a long time. During his travels around the world, others had called him that, but none of them had evoked this… feeling.
Even after so many years, hearing his voice again brought back a flood of memories.
“Mr. Wen, it’s been a while.”
Wen Shao Ze smiled wryly, he still longed for A-Yuan, but A-Yuan only called him “Mr. Wen.”
But it was better than their last encounter years ago, when the term A-Yuan had used for him was “bastard.”
“Are you here for Shen Yiqiu?”
Yuan Qi nodded, then explained, “Xiao Qiu messaged me, I’m here to visit Qianrou.”
Wen Shao Ze suppressed his joy, he had been searching for A-Yuan in Meng City for so long, silently waiting, and he hadn’t expected their reunion to be here, in this place.
“Let’s go see Qianrou first.” Wen Shao Ze remembered the matter at hand and knew that only this excuse could prevent Yuan Qi from leaving immediately.
Shen Yiqiu was surprised to see them both appearing in the ward at the same time.
“Cousin, Shao Ze-ge, why are you here together?”
Both Yuan Qi and Wen Shao Ze’s faces twitched slightly, but Shen Yiqiu had no time to pay attention to that.
“We ran into each other in the hallway, so we came in together.” Yuan Qi walked over to the bedside and glanced at Qin Qianrou.
“Is she doing okay?”
Shen Yiqiu carefully tucked Qin Qianrou’s hand back under the covers and softly said, “The doctor said she’s fine, she just needs a few more days of rest.”
Wen Shao Ze, standing on the other side, watched them silently for a while, then suddenly exclaimed, “I’m going to tear that bastard apart!”
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