Chapter 208: Seems Slow, Seems More Like Loss
Two o’clock in the afternoon.
Lian Cheng was in the hospital corridor and received a text message from Bai Ying, “I’ve thought about it carefully and decided not to develop a relationship with Xiao Da.”
Lian Cheng: “?”
The next second, Bai Ying video called, her face distraught, “You and Liang Chaosu will eventually reveal your true colors. Xiao Da is stubbornly refusing to come to the Bai family. Between sisterhood and romance, I’ll definitely choose you.”
Lian Cheng went downstairs, “I don’t know what to say, should I just say thank you?”
Bai Ying stammered, “It’s okay, this is what you should thank me for.”
Lian Cheng went to the hospital pharmacy window to get medication, “Then you’re returning to Nan Province tomorrow morning, do you still want Xiao Da to send you off?”
Bai Ying, “Yes, I want to say goodbye to him one last time, at least hold hands and kiss.”
Lian Cheng: “……”
Bai Ying instructed, “But I’ve already been rejected. He said that Liang Feng ordered him to help you, so he must respond to your commands at all times. Tomorrow morning is working hours, he’s not free.”
Lian Cheng understood, “Then I’ll—ask him to take a leave of absence?”
“Nice, my sister. I’ve already found out that Liang Feng had a high fever and was admitted to the hospital at noon. Xiao Da is currently in the hospital’s first-floor infusion hall. You don’t want to see Liang Feng, so hurry and go intercept him now. I’ll be waiting in the small garden on the left side of the inpatient building for your good news.”
“……” Lian Cheng, “You say thank you to me.”
“Thank you, my great aunt.”
Lian Cheng chuckled, “Good grandchild, this is what you should thank me for.”
The infusion hall is located at the emergency outpatient department, next to the first-floor emergency room on the left.
The provincial hospital was crowded, rows of steel seats, hundreds of faces, people standing and walking, jostling each other, and hundreds more.
Lian Cheng wandered around, almost giving up, when her peripheral vision caught a corner of clothing.
Xiao Da had come to deliver breakfast that morning, wearing a formal suit. Among the everyday casual clothes, he was particularly conspicuous.
The hall was noisy, Lian Cheng couldn’t get his attention, she squeezed through the crowd to chase him, all the way to the single-person hospital room on the second floor.
Lian Cheng stopped at the doorway and looked through the glass window of the door. Liang Chaosu leaned against the head of the bed, his gaze fixed on the computer, his thin silhouette appearing even colder, and his silent presence exuded an invisible pressure, heavy deterrence, yet also extremely captivating.
The nurse tore open the infusion bag packaging, glancing at him from time to time.
Liang Chaosu’s gaze remained on the screen as he extended his arm.
From Lian Cheng’s angle, she could only vaguely see a patch of purple and blue on his inner forearm.
The nurse secured his arm, and after a long time, confirmed the position before slowly pushing the steel needle into the vein, “Mr. Liang, a hard needle can damage the blood vessels and is also prone to dislodgement. If it happens many times, the bruising on your arm will be difficult to heal. If you are receiving infusions for a long time, I suggest you use an indwelling needle.”
Liang Chaosu retracted his arm, “Thank you.”
His voice was calm, with a magnetic, slightly hoarse tone, full of politeness and good demeanor.
“You’re welcome, Mr. Liang, this is my duty.” The nurse picked up the tray, taking a moment to admire him a few more times.
The man was dressed simply, a gray overcoat and black trousers. After coming out of the director’s consultation, he had made a deep impression on the entire department, handsome enough, and also cold, proud, and precious.
It was a pity that from head to toe he was screaming “Difficult to approach, do not disturb.”
A man who practiced abstinence, unless he encountered a specific woman, was iron-hearted, and wouldn’t even glance twice if she died in front of him.
The nurse turned and opened the door.
Lian Cheng stepped aside to let her pass, and when she looked back, a deep gaze had already captured her.
Deep and intense, calm, a ripple of waves stirred within.
Like the ocean on a boundless moonlit night, shimmering with light.
Lian Cheng stood at the doorway.
After the recording yesterday, Liang Chaosu had opened a room next to hers. Before he left in the afternoon, Xiao Da had come to the door and informed Liang Chaosu that he would definitely return before nine o’clock tonight.
Lian Cheng then understood that Liang Chaosu knew she had recorded him, and by having Xiao Da convey this message, he was telling her he wasn’t running away.
“I’m looking for Xiao Da.”
Liang Chaosu glanced sideways towards the window. Xiao Da was on the sofa sorting files and looked up at the sound, “Are you looking for me?”
Lian Cheng straightened her back, “Yes.”
Xiao Da couldn’t help but look at Liang Chaosu. Their eyes met, and he stiffened, “Miss Lian Cheng, the breakfast was indeed ordered by Mr. Liang. I shouldn’t have lied to you.”
Liang Chaosu turned his head back. Outside, the sun was shining, the window was open, and the cold wind brought in the bitter scent of pine and cypress. His face was in shadow, “Did you eat yet?”
Xiao Da couldn’t help but glance sideways.
At this point, he thought Liang Chaosu’s next words would be the most critical.
Had she called the police?
Had she accused him?
Given that she hadn’t caused an alarm until now, was she hesitant, feeling reluctant to act?
For the past thirty-odd hours, Xiao Da had been restless every second.
He had never expected him to say something like this, similar to the many explanations he had given in Iceland.
Xiao Da still didn’t understand why he had been so far-fetched.
Lian Cheng’s throat felt blocked, and she said dryly, “Xiao Da said this morning that he bought it, and Bai Ying ate it.”
Liang Chaosu’s expression softened slightly, becoming stiff and heavy, “What do you need Xiao Da for?”
The doors and windows were clearly open, and she was standing in the corridor. Apart from the wave of bitter coolness carried by the cold wind, she was far enough from Liang Chaosu.
Lian Cheng still felt a sense of stuffiness, not the usual helplessness of hatred, but an inexplicable irritation and questioning.
People always harbored the greatest suspicion towards criminals, but when criminals surrendered or were apprehended.
Lian Cheng didn’t know what Liang Chaosu’s mentality was. In her mind, she always recalled his self-justification in Iceland.
—”Because I love you, I married you.”
She couldn’t understand.
“Personal private matters.” She enunciated each word, “It’s not suitable for outsiders to be present.”
Liang Chaosu pressed his lips together, his tone gruff, “Am I an outsider?”
Xiao Da immediately expressed his stance, facing Lian Cheng very solemnly, “There’s nothing between you and me that needs to be kept from Mr. Liang. Please, go ahead.”
Lian Cheng’s face fell, and she felt a struggle within.
The atmosphere was heavy and fluctuating, suffocating her bit by bit, making her want to turn and leave.
But Bai Ying had traveled thousands of miles to Qi Province, determined to say goodbye one last time. And she was waiting in the small garden for good news, even calling her great aunt.
She opened her mouth, intending to speak on Bai Ying’s behalf.
But Liang Chaosu was perceptive and sharp-eyed. If she brought up Bai Ying, what difference would it make from openly revealing her intentions to him?
Bai Ying valued her dignity.
“……”
Just then, Lian Cheng’s phone ringing provided an excuse.
She took the opportunity to answer it and moved away from the doorway.
A gentle male voice on the other end said, “Miss Lian Cheng, I am Feng Shien.”
Lian Cheng’s steps faltered. Footsteps sounded behind her, and Xiao Da came chasing after her.
Lian Cheng gestured for him to wait, “Hello Mr. Feng, is there something?”
Feng Shien apologized, “I’m contacting you very abruptly and rashly. Miss Lian Cheng, do you remember the friend I mentioned?”
Lian Cheng hummed.
Feng Shien then said, “He is Lin Lanfeng, the young master of the Lin family in Hong Kong. By chance at a banquet, he discovered that Lian Yingying, the niece of Gu Zhoushan of Dian Province, bore some resemblance in her features to her aunt who married into the Mo family in Singapore.”
“Due to the serious internal divisions within the Mo family, it’s not convenient to act overtly, so he asked me to go to Dian Province to find a way to secretly conduct a paternity test. My chance encounter with you at the train station was for this reason.”
“And after I met Lian Yingying, her features were less like Lin Lanfeng’s aunt and more like yours. Moreover, she was very wary of me, as if she knew I had an ulterior motive, and she strongly rejected my approach.”
Lian Cheng remained silent.
Feng Shien heard her uneven breathing, “Miss Lian Cheng, I know you trust the police’s conclusion. However, after all, it’s been over twenty years, the evidence is insufficient, and it’s not impossible that the kidnapper deliberately set up a misleading trap. Therefore, I would like to ask you to make time to come to Hong Kong within the next two weeks.”
Xiao Da fell a step behind, becoming stiff from head to toe.
