Volume One, Chapter 45: Do Not Meet Outsiders for the Time Being

Qi Huairou’s face turned pale, her entire body shivering uncontrollably. For a moment, she couldn’t even find her voice. Seeing this, Su Nianxin lowered her eyes, her dark pupils darting quickly. “Perhaps we’ve misunderstood my sister,” she suggested softly.

Qi Huairou didn’t want to believe what she had just witnessed, either. Even though the man’s car was understated, it couldn’t hide the fact that it was a limited-edition luxury vehicle. How could Yuyu, a girl who had just arrived from the countryside, have any connection with someone like that?

She dared not think any deeper and tried to keep herself calm. “I want to ask Yuyu about this before jumping to conclusions,” Qi Huairou said.

Su Nianxin tugged at her mother’s sleeve. “Mom, if you question her so directly, even if there’s something going on, she won’t tell you the truth. Why don’t you let me do it? I’ll try to find out as her little sister.”

Qi Huairou thought it over and realized Nianxin had a point, so she agreed.

—

When Qin Yu reached the operating room, she learned that Su Jin had already been moved to the ICU.

It seemed that the people on the other side had already investigated the situation thoroughly.

Even though his life had been saved, whether Su Jin would wake up—and when—was no longer in Qin Yu’s hands.

After lingering outside the ICU for a while, Qin Yu ran into Qi Huairou and her daughter as they returned from outside.

“Where were you this afternoon, sister? We searched the entire hospital but couldn’t find you,” Su Nianxin spoke first, not giving Qi Huairou a chance to ask.

“I had some personal matters to handle,” Qin Yu replied.

Qi Huairou couldn’t help herself and was about to ask what personal matters, but Su Nianxin stopped her.

“Sister, next time you go out, remember to let us know. We’re family—we worry about you.”

Qin Yu knew Qi Huairou truly cared for her. She spoke with a hint of apology, “Madam Su, I’m sorry. I acted without thinking—I’ll try to change.”

She had been raised with a loose hand by her mentor since childhood, so she had never developed the habit of reporting her whereabouts to others. But the Su family had been genuinely good to her, and correspondingly, she didn’t want them to worry too much.

Qi Huairou frowned, her heart a mix of regret and self-blame. “Yuyu, we’re family. There’s no need to be so formal.”

Qin Yu couldn’t quite understand Qi Huairou’s feelings. “It’s not formality,” she explained, “it’s the bond between us—a matter of cause and effect.”

Qi Huairou was startled, finding Qin Yu’s thinking a bit odd. “Yuyu, my husband and I are good to you simply because you’re our daughter. We don’t expect anything in return, do you understand?”

Qin Yu shook her head in confusion. All things in the world are interconnected, endlessly developing.

Although Qi Huairou said she expected nothing in return, the gears of fate had already bound them together. It wasn’t a matter of her wishes. Otherwise, Qin Yu would never have ended up in the Su family.

Qi Huairou didn’t know how to explain the love of parents, so she hoped that one day, Qin Yu would understand.

After inquiring about Su Jin’s condition from his surgeon, Qi Huairou took her two daughters home.

All the way, Qi Huairou was preoccupied with worries—about Su Jin, about Qin Yu, and about things she couldn’t even name.

Qin Yu silently observed the bluish tinge between Qi Huairou’s brows. As they got out of the car, she hesitated, then quietly reminded her, “Madam Su, try not to see any visitors for the next few days.”

Qi Huairou didn’t quite understand why Qin Yu said that. With such a big incident happening to her husband, she had no intention of seeing anyone anyway.

Puzzled, she returned to her room and noticed a string of unread messages—all from someone named “meconium.”

Meconium’s real name was Gu Wenying, a friend Qi Huairou had made during beauty treatments. Tall, slender, and knowledgeable, Gu Wenying had always gotten along well with her.

Today happened to be the day they’d scheduled a spa session together.

Qi Huairou texted: “Ying, I’m sorry for standing you up. Something happened at home, and I probably won’t have time for beauty treatments for a while.”

The reply came almost instantly. “What happened?”

Before Qi Huairou could type a response, Gu Wenying initiated a video call.

She answered, and Gu Wenying’s striking face appeared on screen—handsome brows, brilliant eyes, a straight nose, and full lips. The first time Qi Huairou had seen her, she’d thought those features would be beautiful even on a man.

Gu Wenying wore deep red lipstick and held a lady’s cigar between her fingers. Swirling smoke curled around her as she exhaled another ring, clearly a seasoned smoker.

“Rou Rou, what happened?” she asked.

Qi Huairou had bottled up her worries all day, pretending to be strong for the sake of her children. Now, at the touch of genuine concern, her nose stung with tears. “My husband had an accident at the construction site. He was in surgery for six hours before they managed to save his life.”

Gu Wenying’s hand holding the cigar paused in disbelief. “They saved him?”

Qi Huairou nodded, her voice choked. “Thank goodness they did. Otherwise, I really don’t know how I could go on.”

Gu Wenying took a deep drag, the flare of embers flickering in the haze, her expression unreadable behind the smoke.

“Rou Rou, no matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you.”

Qi Huairou wiped her tears gratefully. “Thank you, Ying. Having a friend like you is truly my greatest fortune.”

Gu Wenying didn’t respond to that, only laughed lightly. “Let’s meet tomorrow. I’ll keep you company in person.”

Qi Huairou was about to agree, but Qin Yu’s words floated through her mind. The spot where her protective talisman lay against her chest seemed to grow warm. “No, not tomorrow. I’ll be at the hospital with my husband. Let’s wait until he recovers and then get together.”

Gu Wenying’s expression didn’t change; her smile was bright and genuine. “Alright! But you’d better not stand me up again.”

“Definitely not.”

Gu Wenying’s eyes happened to drift to Qi Huairou’s slender neck. “Oh? You’re not wearing the agate necklace I gave you?”

“How could I wear a red agate necklace with this green dress?” Qi Huairou laughed.

Gu Wenying laughed too, her tone meaningful. “True. If I’d known, I’d have gotten you a white one—goes with everything.”

After chatting a little longer, Qi Huairou wanted to hang up and freshen up, but Gu Wenying insisted she keep the call open, saying she’d worry otherwise.

With no choice, Qi Huairou set her phone on the bed and went to wash up.

The moment she entered the bathroom, the red agate necklace on her vanity began to emit a faint, eerie red glow. A thin red thread extended from the agate, creeping along the wall toward the bathroom.

Just as it reached the door, a golden light flared, forcing it back.

When Qi Huairou emerged from the bathroom, her damp slippers left a trail of footprints on the floor. Remembering something, she returned to retrieve the talisman from her laundry pile—her daughter’s first gift, something she couldn’t afford to lose.

She spoke to the phone on her bed but got no response. As she drew closer, she realized the call had been disconnected.

Qi Huairou felt a flicker of confusion but didn’t dwell on it. She typed out a goodnight message and climbed into bed.

She’d expected to lie awake, but the warmth at her chest quickly lulled her to sleep.

In the darkness, the red agate glimmered faintly in a last, desperate flash, but nothing else disturbed the night.