Chapter 51:

Shen Qingzhou’s words were undeniably sharp. From an objective standpoint, what he said was quite harsh, but Qi Zheng did not refute them.

Qi Zheng stood there in silence, turning his gaze away to look out the window. Outside, the traffic flowed incessantly; Beijing at night remained bustling and vibrant, yet he appeared somewhat desolate.

There had always been something about him that felt out of place in this city, and at this moment, it was especially pronounced.

Lin Qiao watched Qi Zheng intently, trying to glean any clues from his expression. She had no idea who the Ji Tong mentioned by Shen Qingzhou was, but judging from Shen Qingzhou’s attitude, this person held significant meaning for him—or perhaps, this person was connected to someone or something he deeply cared about.

Since it involved Shen Qingzhou, Lin Qiao naturally cared as well. Whatever admiration she had for Qi Zheng’s character instantly vanished.

After a long silence, under Zhao Chunjun’s leisurely, arms-crossed gaze, Qi Zheng finally looked at Shen Qingzhou and said calmly, “Why ask when you already know the answer?”

Shen Qingzhou raised an eyebrow, quietly observing Qi Zheng and Zhao Chunjun for a moment. Even though he was seated, his posture did not seem inferior in the least when looking at them. On the contrary, the two standing before him appeared more uneasy.

After a moment, Shen Qingzhou stood up, took Lin Qiao’s hand, and left. Only after they got into the car did Lin Qiao ask, “Where are we going?”

Shen Qingzhou replied, “I need to go to the psychiatric hospital you visited before. If you don’t want to go, I’ll take you home first.”

Lin Qiao was taken aback but instinctively fastened her seatbelt, looking straight ahead as she said, “I’ll go with you.”

Shen Qingzhou glanced at her. “Won’t you feel uncomfortable?”

Lin Qiao avoided his gaze, her tone resolute. “The best way to overcome a psychological shadow is to face it bravely.”

Shen Qingzhou smiled faintly. Under the deep night sky, his handsome face resembled the moon hanging at dawn—pure and clear.

“Alright,” he said softly, starting the car and maneuvering onto the road. He avoided the congested traffic and turned into a small alley with fewer vehicles. Even as a local familiar with the area, Lin Qiao had no idea such a path existed.

“Does this road lead there?” Lin Qiao asked curiously.

Shen Qingzhou nodded, his eyes fixed ahead as he spoke leisurely. “I’ve been taking this route often these past couple of days.”

“Have you been busy with this matter these past few days without showing yourself?”

“Yes.”

Lin Qiao couldn’t help but ask, “Can I ask who that Ji Tong you mentioned at the teahouse is?”

Shen Qingzhou glanced at her meaningfully before turning his attention back to the road. “Guess.”

“…How can I guess without any hints?”

“It’s fine, take your time. We still have half an hour until we reach our destination.”

Hearing this, Lin Qiao felt like hitting him with her bag. She gritted her teeth and glared at him. “If you don’t want to tell me, just say so. Why be so cryptic?”

Shen Qingzhou looked innocent. “How could that be? I’m willing to take you with me—why wouldn’t I want to tell you?” His voice carried a slight nasal tone, and just as Lin Qiao was about to ask if he was catching a cold, he continued, “Ji Tong is Xiao Ning’s biological father.”

Lin Qiao’s mouth fell open in an “O” shape as she stared at him in disbelief. “Xiao Ning’s biological father? Aren’t you mistaken? Didn’t you say before that Xiao Ning’s father died in a terrorist attack while reporting abroad?”

Shen Qingzhou nodded. “That’s the official story, but while investigating that hospital recently, I unexpectedly discovered him.”

“Could it be someone who just looks like him?”

“Name, age, appearance—everything matches. What do you think?” he stated matter-of-factly.

Lin Qiao was speechless. After a long pause, she asked, “What does this have to do with Qi Zheng? Could it be…” She recalled the day she was confined in the hospital when she saw Qi Zheng and guessed, “Did Qi Zheng send Ji Tong to the hospital?”

Shen Qingzhou nodded slightly, acknowledging her guess. His fair, slender hands skillfully turned the steering wheel as he said calmly, “I’d only heard his name from you before and never seen what he looked like. Later, when I saw him, I realized he was a colleague of Ji Tong’s wife. I’d met him twice before and remembered his face but not his name.”

“Are you talking about Qi Zheng?” Lin Qiao asked.

Shen Qingzhou said, “Yes, him. Before Ji Tong’s wife, Ding Yue, passed away, she worked at the same hospital as Qi Zheng. They were even in the same office and worked together every day.”

Lin Qiao’s mind was in turmoil. The names Qi Zheng, Ji Tong, and Ding Yue swirled in her head. She said dryly, “The man who was supposed to have died abroad isn’t dead—instead, he’s mentally ill and confined to a psychiatric hospital. Doesn’t that make Ding Yue, who fell into depression upon hearing news of his death and passed away shortly after giving birth, utterly pitiful…”

Shen Qingzhou let out a light, mocking laugh. “We should ask Dr. Qi about that. He’s likely the one to blame for all this.”

Lin Qiao, like many women, enjoyed reading novels, which often featured all sorts of bizarre relationships between men and women. But now, she felt that the saying “fiction comes from life” was true—real life always had stories more dramatic than fiction.

“Are you suggesting that Qi Zheng intentionally hid the news of Ji Tong’s survival from Ding Yue, leading to their current situation?” Lin Qiao asked in a daze.

Shen Qingzhou remained silent, neither denying nor confirming her guess. It wasn’t until he parked the car at the entrance of the psychiatric hospital that he spoke again, his tone tinged with nostalgia. “When Ding Yue was still alive, she was only close to two men: her husband, Ji Tong, and Qi Zheng.”

Lin Qiao frowned as she looked at him. He turned to her, remained silent for a moment, and suddenly smiled. “Why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

Lin Qiao shook her head without speaking.

Shen Qingzhou shifted his gaze to the sign of the psychiatric hospital before looking back at her. “Scared? Then wait in the car. I told you not to come—why insist on being brave?”

Lin Qiao shook her head again and sighed. “I’m not scared. I just find Ding Yue’s story somewhat chilling.” After a pause, she lowered her voice. “Also, places like psychiatric hospitals are truly terrifying. Unless necessary, let’s not come here again.”

Shen Qingzhou smiled slightly, got out of the car first, and walked around to open the passenger door for her. Together, they entered the hospital.

He walked quickly, much like how he had driven earlier—with urgency. Lin Qiao struggled to keep up and couldn’t help asking, “Are you in a hurry?”

Shen Qingzhou looked ahead and said, “Yes, very. We need to see Ji Tong before Qi Zheng and Zhao Chunjun return. Otherwise, what we see might not be the truth.”

Lin Qiao jogged alongside him through the hospital entrance, curious. “If you’re in such a hurry, why did you offer to take me home first earlier?”

Shen Qingzhou didn’t turn back. “You’re more important.”

Lin Qiao was suddenly speechless, her face flushing deeply. She followed Shen Qingzhou as he bypassed the staff’s attempts to stop them and headed straight for the patient ward. There, she immediately spotted a familiar nurse and quickly hid behind Shen Qingzhou.

Shen Qingzhou held her hand and looked at the nurse, who regarded them with confusion. “Visiting hours are over. Please come back tomorrow morning.”

Shen Qingzhou reached into his inner suit pocket, took something out, and showed it to the nurse calmly. “Police. May I see the patient now?”

The nurse stared in surprise at the “police badge” Shen Qingzhou flashed briefly before putting away. She remained silent for a long moment, seemingly debating whether to believe him since she hadn’t gotten a clear look.

Shen Qingzhou urged impatiently, “Miss, please make a decision quickly. Otherwise, I may have to take you to the station for obstructing justice.”

The nurse flinched, pursed her lips in dilemma, and said, “Who do you want to see? We have many patients here, and they’ve all taken their medication to sleep. They might not be able to cooperate with your work, so I suggest you come back tomorrow during the day.”

Shen Qingzhou released Lin Qiao’s hand, stepped forward, and looked down at the nurse, his voice low and gentle. “I want to see Ji Tong. Take me to him or bring him here. No more nonsense.”

The nurse stared at him blankly, seemingly frightened. It wasn’t until Lin Qiao coughed that she snapped out of it and said, “I—I’ll take you to him.”

Shen Qingzhou stepped aside to let her lead the way. Lin Qiao followed them into the patient ward. The path was all too familiar to her—the end of it was the room where she had once been confined, where she had endured the longest day of her life.

The nurse stopped just before the room where Lin Qiao had been held previously. She hesitated for a moment outside another room before reluctantly opening the door under Shen Qingzhou’s cold gaze. This room housed only one person: Ji Tong.

The room was dark, with no lights on. As the nurse had said, Ji Tong was asleep. Without light, Lin Qiao couldn’t make out his features clearly, only discerning the outline of a very thin man.

“Officer, I wasn’t lying. He’s taken his medication and is asleep. You should come back tomorrow morning,” the nurse said helplessly.

Shen Qingzhou said directly, “Leave.”

The nurse was taken aback. “What did you say?”

Shen Qingzhou looked at her and repeated, “Leave. Don’t make me say it a third time.”

Throughout the journey, Lin Qiao had been avoiding the nurse’s gaze, afraid of being recognized. Although being recognized wouldn’t necessarily be a problem, Shen Qingzhou was impersonating a police officer. The nurse likely hadn’t seen him when he came to rescue her last time, so she didn’t recognize him. But Lin Qiao was different—the nurse had brought her meals and would surely remember her vividly. If she exposed herself, it could easily shatter Shen Qingzhou’s less-than-convincing lie.

As a woman, the nurse felt an instinctual fear toward Shen Qingzhou’s terse and dismissive demeanor. Having already compromised this far, it was only natural for her to concede further.

She lowered her head, sighed, and said, “Please leave as soon as possible,” before walking away.

Lin Qiao watched her leave the room and heard Shen Qingzhou instruct, “Lin Qiao, close the door.”

Lin Qiao immediately complied, hurrying to shut the door before standing by it and watching Shen Qingzhou, who stood about a meter away from the hospital bed.

He had been standing there since entering, neither moving closer nor farther away, standing straight and seemingly observing something.

After what felt like an eternity, just as Lin Qiao was growing anxious, he finally spoke unhurriedly, his voice so low it was almost inaudible without careful listening: “Ji Tong, stop pretending. Get up.”

Lin Qiao looked at the man on the bed in surprise. The man opened his eyes and sat up upon hearing Shen Qingzhou’s words. He looked up at Shen Qingzhou for a long moment before exclaiming hoarsely and in astonishment, “Qingzhou?”

Shen Qingzhou pulled over a chair, sat down, leaned back, and said emotionlessly, “Glad you still remember me.”

Qi Zheng stood silently, turning his gaze to look out the window. The streets outside were bustling with traffic, and Beijing remained lively and vibrant even at night, yet he seemed particularly desolate.

There had always been something about him that didn’t quite fit with this city, and now, especially so.

Lin Qiao stared intently at Qi Zheng, hoping to find some clue in his expression. She didn’t know who Ji Tong was, the name Shen Qingzhou had mentioned, but from Shen’s attitude, this person must have held great significance to him—perhaps even connected to someone or something he deeply cared about.

Since it concerned Shen Qingzhou, naturally Lin Qiao also felt concerned. The admiration she had once felt toward Qi Zheng’s character vanished entirely.

After a long silence, Qi Zheng finally looked toward Shen Qingzhou under the composed, scrutinizing gaze of Zhao Chunjun, who stood with his arms crossed. Qi Zheng spoke indifferently, “Why bother pretending not to understand?”

Shen Qingzhou arched a brow and quietly observed Qi Zheng and Zhao Chunjun for a moment. Even while seated, his posture remained unyielding; rather, it was the two standing above him who appeared more uneasy under his gaze.

After a pause, Shen Qingzhou stood up, took Lin Qiao’s hand, and left. After getting into the car, she finally asked, “Where are we going?”

“To the psychiatric hospital you visited before,” Shen replied. “If you don’t want to come, I’ll drop you home first.”

Lin Qiao hesitated briefly, then instinctively fastened her seatbelt and stared ahead. “I’m going with you.”

Shen Qingzhou turned his head slightly to look at her. “Won’t that make you uncomfortable?”

She didn’t look at him, her tone resolute. “The best way to overcome psychological trauma is to face it bravely.”

A faint smile tugged at Shen Qingzhou’s lips. Under the heavy night sky, his clean, refined face resembled the moon at dawn—bright and serene.

“Alright,” he murmured softly, starting the car and pulling onto the road. He smoothly maneuvered away from the heavy traffic and turned into a side street, where the traffic was much lighter. As a local who knew the area well, Lin Qiao hadn’t even known this road existed.

“Does this road lead there?” she asked in confusion.

Shen Qingzhou nodded, eyes fixed ahead as he spoke calmly, “I’ve been taking it often these past couple of days.”

“So you’ve been missing these past couple of days because you were doing this?”

“Yes.”

Unable to help herself, Lin Qiao asked, “Can I ask who Ji Tong is that you were talking about with Qi Zheng earlier?”

Shen Qingzhou glanced at her inscrutably, then turned back to the road before replying slowly, “Why don’t you guess?”

“…How can I guess without any hints?”

“No worries. Take your time. We still have half an hour before we arrive.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Qiao nearly wanted to grab her bag and hit him with it. She gritted her teeth in frustration and glared at him. “If you don’t want to tell me, just say so. Why play games?”

Shen Qingzhou wore an expression of feigned innocence. “Why would I not want to tell you? I’m even bringing you along, aren’t I?” His voice carried a slight nasal tone, more so than usual. As Lin Qiao was about to ask if he was catching a cold, he continued, “Ji Tong is Xiao Ning’s biological father.”

Lin Qiao’s mouth formed a perfect “O” as she stared at him in disbelief. “Xiao Ning’s biological father? Are you sure? Didn’t you say before that Xiao Ning’s father died in a terrorist attack while on assignment overseas?”

Shen Qingzhou nodded. “That’s the official story. But I stumbled upon him recently while investigating that hospital.”

“Could it be someone who just looks like him?”

“Same name, age, and appearance. What do you think?” He stated it blandly.

Lin Qiao was momentarily speechless. After a while, she said, “Then what does this have to do with Qi Zheng? Could it be that…” She recalled the day she was locked in the hospital and the sight of Qi Zheng then. “Was it Qi Zheng who had Ji Tong admitted there?”

Shen Qingzhou gave a slight nod, confirming her guess. With practiced ease, his pale, slender hand turned the steering wheel as he spoke calmly, “Before, I only heard his name from you. I’d never seen him. But when I did meet him later, I realized he was a colleague of Ji Tong’s wife. I’d seen him twice before and remembered his face, though I didn’t know his name.”

“You mean Qi Zheng?” Lin Qiao asked.

“Yes,” Shen Qingzhou replied. “Before Ji Tong’s wife, Ding Yue, passed away, she worked at the same hospital as Qi Zheng, and they were even in the same office, working together every day.”

Lin Qiao’s mind spun with confusion. Qi Zheng, Ji Tong, Ding Yue—their names swirled in her head. She said weakly, “The man who was supposed to have died overseas is actually alive, but suffering from mental illness and locked away in a psychiatric hospital. And Ding Yue, who fell into depression over his reported death and died shortly after giving birth… how tragic.”

Shen Qingzhou gave a soft, ironic chuckle. “That’s something to ask Dr. Qi. He might very well be the one to blame.”

Lin Qiao was a woman, and like many women, she loved reading novels filled with all sorts of strange and complicated relationships. But now, she could only think that the saying “fiction originates from life” was true—real life always had stories even more dramatic than those in novels.

“Are you suggesting that Qi Zheng deliberately withheld the truth about Ji Tong being alive, causing everything to spiral into what it is today?” Lin Qiao asked, dazed.

Shen Qingzhou didn’t respond immediately, neither confirming nor denying her guess. It wasn’t until he had parked the car in front of the psychiatric hospital that he finally spoke again, his tone tinged with nostalgia. “When Ding Yue was still alive, she was close only to these two men—her husband Ji Tong, and Qi Zheng.”

Lin Qiao frowned as she looked at him. He turned his head to face her, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “Why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

Lin Qiao shook her head without speaking.

Shen Qingzhou shifted his gaze to the sign of the psychiatric hospital, then turned back to her. “Scared? Then wait in the car. I told you not to come. Don’t force yourself.”

Lin Qiao shook her head again and sighed. “I’m not scared. I just find Ding Yue’s story a bit unsettling.” She paused, lowering her voice. “Also, places like psychiatric hospitals are just too terrifying. If possible, let’s avoid them in the future.”

Shen Qingzhou curved his lips slightly, then got out of the car first, walked around to open the passenger door for her, and walked into the hospital side by side with her.

He walked quickly, just as hurriedly as he had driven earlier, and Lin Qiao struggled to keep up. She couldn’t help asking, “Are you in such a rush?”

Shen Qingzhou kept looking ahead. “Yes. I need to see Ji Tong before Qi Zheng and Zhao Chunjun come back. Otherwise, what we see might no longer be the truth.”

Lin Qiao jogged to keep up as they entered the hospital gates, curiosity rising. “If you were in such a rush, why did you insist on dropping me off first?”

Shen Qingzhou didn’t turn his head. “Because you’re more important.”

Lin Qiao was momentarily at a loss for words, her face flushing red. She followed Shen Qingzhou past the resistance of the staff directly to the ward area, where she immediately spotted a familiar nurse and instinctively hid behind Shen.

Shen Qingzhou took her hand and turned to face the nurse, who looked at them in confusion. “Visiting hours are over. Please come back tomorrow morning.”

Shen Qingzhou reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulled something out, and showed it to the nurse with calm ease. “Police. May I see the patient now?”

The nurse stared at the badge Shen Qingzhou flashed briefly before tucking it away again. She remained silent for a while, seemingly debating whether to believe him due to not getting a clear look.

Shen Qingzhou urged impatiently, “Miss, please decide quickly. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to take you to the station on suspicion of obstructing an official investigation.”

Startled, the nurse pursed her lips in hesitation. “Who are you here to see? We have many patients, and they’ve all taken their medication and are probably asleep. They might not be able to cooperate. I suggest you come back during the day.”

Shen Qingzhou let go of Lin Qiao’s hand and took a step forward, leaning down slightly as he looked at the nurse and spoke softly but firmly. “I want to see Ji Tong. Take me to him, or bring him out. No more nonsense.”

The nurse stared at him, seemingly intimidated. It wasn’t until Lin Qiao coughed that she snapped back to reality. “I… I’ll take you to him.”

Shen Qingzhou stepped aside to let her lead the way. Lin Qiao followed behind them into the ward. She was all too familiar with this corridor—the end of it led to the room where she had once been locked up, the longest day of her life.

The nurse stopped in front of the room where Lin Qiao had been confined before. She hesitated in front of another room for a moment, then, under Shen Qingzhou’s cold stare, reluctantly opened the door. Inside was only one patient—Ji Tong.

The room was dark, the lights off. Ji Tong, as the nurse had said, was asleep. In the dimness, Lin Qiao couldn’t make out his face, only the outline of a very thin man.

“Officer, I’m not lying. He’s already taken his medication and is asleep. Please come back in the morning,” the nurse said helplessly.

Shen Qingzhou said directly, “Leave.”

The nurse blinked. “What did you say?”

He looked at her again and repeated, “Leave. Don’t make me say it a third time.”

Throughout the walk, Lin Qiao had been avoiding the nurse’s gaze, afraid of being recognized. Even if she were recognized, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but Shen Qingzhou was pretending to be a police officer. The nurse probably hadn’t seen him when he rescued her before, so she wouldn’t recognize him, but Lin Qiao was different—this nurse had brought her meals and would definitely remember her. If she were exposed, it might also shatter Shen Qingzhou’s not-so-sophisticated lie.

The nurse, as a woman, instinctively felt a sense of fear from Shen Qingzhou’s terseness and coldness. She had already compromised this much, so yielding further was only natural.

She lowered her head with a sigh and said, “Please leave soon,” before walking away.

Lin Qiao watched her leave the room, then heard Shen Qingzhou instruct her, “Lin Qiao, close the door.”

She immediately obeyed, ran over, shut the door, and stood by it, watching Shen Qingzhou, who stood about a meter away from the bed.

He had remained still since entering the room, neither approaching nor retreating, just standing upright, staring at something intently.

After a long while, when Lin Qiao was already growing anxious, he finally spoke, his voice low and barely audible. “Ji Tong, stop pretending. Get up.”

Lin Qiao looked at the man on the bed in surprise. After Shen Qingzhou spoke, the man opened his eyes and sat up, gazing up at Shen Qingzhou for a while before speaking hoarsely, in astonishment. “Qingzhou?”

Shen Qingzhou pulled over a chair, sat down, leaned back with his arms behind his head, and said without emotion, “Glad you still remember me.”