Chapter 45:

Fang Zheng was as surprised as Lin Qiao by Shen Qingzhou’s sudden appearance. He steadied himself and let out a cold snort, asking while adjusting his suit jacket, “How did you find this place?”

Standing straight beside the hospital bed like a tall, upright pine tree, Shen Qingzhou’s flawless face bore a hint of disdain as he replied casually, “I’ve never encountered a place I wanted to find but couldn’t.”

Fang Zheng scoffed, “Mystifying nonsense.”

A slight upward curve graced Shen Qingzhou’s lips as he replied meaningfully, “Whether it’s nonsense or not, you know best in your heart.” Having said that, he turned swiftly, only to find Lin Qiao hesitantly trying to lean onto his back. Startled by his lingering cold expression, she hesitated and withdrew her hand, too frightened to approach further.

Without a word, Shen Qingzhou scooped her into his arms and strode past Fang Zheng toward the exit. Lin Qiao clung to his shoulder, keeping a wary eye on Fang Zheng behind them, afraid he might attempt another attack.

Fang Zheng might indeed have had something in mind, but seeing Lin Qiao staring intently at him, he dared not move. Carrying Lin Qiao, Shen Qingzhou exited the ward and met Dr. Zhao in the lobby.

Dr. Zhao was tall, nearly matching Shen Qingzhou’s height. Leaning casually against the information desk, he watched them with a relaxed gaze, his lips curling slightly as if warning Lin Qiao not to forget their agreement.

In the vast white space of the hospital, his black eyes were startling. Dr. Zhao didn’t seem like someone who saved lives but more like a cold, merciless scalpel.

“Don’t mind him,” Shen Qingzhou said, carrying Lin Qiao without glancing sideways as they left the nightmarish psychiatric hospital. Just before getting into the car, he whispered in her ear, “Who do you think is stronger, me or him? Don’t worry unnecessarily.”

Though his words were somewhat arrogant, Lin Qiao believed them without doubt. Yet, even so, as he placed her into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt, she nervously said, “Qingzhou, be careful. That Dr. Zhao looks formidable. He said…”

“I can guess what he said,” Shen Qingzhou interrupted, soothingly adding, “Don’t worry. I know how to deal with people like him. You should be more concerned for him.”

Lin Qiao felt somewhat relieved but still worried. Shen Qingzhou gently kissed her cheek, closed the passenger door, walked around to the driver’s seat, and before getting in, cast a final glance at the psychiatric hospital’s name, his narrow eyes narrowing slightly as a low, cold snort escaped his throat.

After Shen Qingzhou and Lin Qiao left, Fang Zheng leisurely strolled out from the ward. Glancing at Dr. Zhao waiting at the corridor’s end, his expression shifted slightly. As he walked, he pulled out a cigarette from his suit pocket, intending to light it.

By the time he lit the cigarette, Fang Zheng had reached Dr. Zhao, who expressionlessly slapped the lighter from his hand. The expensive silver lighter fell to the ground with a tinkling sound, like a melodious tune.

“So unfriendly,” Fang Zheng grinned playfully. “Zhao Chunjun, we’re on the same boat. You wouldn’t be hungry enough to eat your own kind, would you?”

Zhao Chunjun disdainfully glanced at him, “This is a hospital. Smoking is prohibited. Also, don’t consider me in the same category as you.”

“Only now thinking of distancing yourself?” Fang Zheng sneered.

Zhao Chunjun replied indifferently, “I simply can’t reach that high.”

Fang Zheng silently watched him for a while before finally saying, “Chunjun, have you found another path recently?”

Zhao Chunjun glanced at him and turned to leave, saying emotionlessly as he departed, “I’ve never walked the same path as you.”

Fang Zheng watched the thin back in the white coat receding into the distance, his already furrowed brows knitting tighter. A passing nurse looked at him in confusion before he slowly calmed his expression.

In this world, Zhao Chunjun wasn’t the only one wanting to remain aloof. Fang Zheng wanted that too.

However, the current situation was unfavorable for him, and he probably couldn’t achieve his goal.

As for Zhao Chunjun…

Fang Zheng raised a hand to press his temple. The number of people he could rely on was dwindling.

*

On the way home with Shen Qingzhou, Lin Qiao wanted to speak multiple times but was repeatedly silenced by Shen Qingzhou’s gloomy expression.

Forget it, better not disturb him now. He’s clearly upset, and even if his anger isn’t directed at her, she shouldn’t provoke him.

Thus, they returned quietly to Shen Qingzhou’s villa. After parking the car, Lin Qiao obediently bent to unbuckle her seatbelt. Before she could finish, Shen Qingzhou had already exited the car and opened her door. He brushed aside her clumsy hands and simply said, “Let me.”

Lin Qiao obediently leaned back, allowing Shen Qingzhou to unbuckle her seatbelt before being led out of the car, their fingers tightly interlaced as they entered the house.

A considerable amount of time had passed, and it was now noon, the sun blazing. Observing Shen Qingzhou, Lin Qiao noticed his furrowed brows hadn’t relaxed since their return. His deep-set eyes showed signs of redness, and his shirt appeared unwashed, wrinkled at the cuffs and back, all indicating he likely hadn’t rested all night.

Lin Qiao felt a pang of guilt as they entered the house and climbed the stairs together. During this process, she didn’t see Du Xinling or Xiao Ning; they had probably already been sent back to the hospital by Shen Qingzhou.

They walked together to the bedroom, neither speaking. Their hands separated upon entering the bedroom. Lin Qiao sat on the bed’s edge, looking up at Shen Qingzhou. He didn’t look at her, instead unfastening his belt, pulling off his shirt, absentmindedly unbuttoning it as he walked into the walk-in closet to change clothes.

Never had Lin Qiao missed him so intensely at any other moment. She couldn’t bear his disappearance from her sight for even a few minutes. Seeing him enter the closet, she instinctively followed, standing at the doorway, watching him change clothes with longing, all shyness and timidity forgotten.

Seeing her enter, Shen Qingzhou merely cast a brief glance at her without comment, continuing to change.

After removing his shirt, he took off his belt, casually grabbing a white shirt from the rack and pulling it on. Then he removed his pants, standing in just his underwear, barefoot on the floor, changing pants as if no one else was present.

Lin Qiao’s face grew hotter. What occupied her mind at that moment was why he hadn’t changed his underwear.

Perhaps her gaze was too intense, Shen Qingzhou looked at her again, at which point he was zipping up his pants.

He silently gazed at her for a while, seemingly enveloped in a faint mist, clean as winter snow, soft yet cold.

“Disappointed I didn’t change my underwear?” Shen Qingzhou softly asked, gazing at her with a slightly flippant smile, his black eyes calm and deep, like a still pond surrounded by countless jade trees.

Lin Qiao’s face suddenly burned red, yet she still didn’t want to leave, still wanting to watch him.

She hesitated, scratching the doorframe awkwardly with her head half-bowed before raising it again, her expression determined yet innocent as she said, “No, you hurry up. I’ll wait.”

How could Shen Qingzhou, with his intelligence, fail to perceive her unease and fear? Sighing, he approached her barefoot in his open shirt without fastening his belt, pulling her into his arms and gently patting her head, softly saying, “It’s okay now. Don’t be afraid.”

Lin Qiao stood on tiptoe, burying her face into his neck, softly murmuring “Mm,” her hands cautiously gripping his shirt sleeves. The shirt he had just changed into was wrinkled again by her tight grasp.

Shen Qingzhou, however, paid no mind. He patted her back and tilted his head to look at her, keenly noticing the red injection mark on her neck.

Though the mark was tiny, almost negligible, to Shen Qingzhou, who had just rescued Lin Qiao from a place filled with psychiatric patients, it was impossible to ignore.

“Did someone inject you with something?” Shen Qingzhou created some distance between them, looking down at her and asking.

Lin Qiao truthfully replied, “There’s a doctor at that hospital named Zhao. He knows Fang Zheng. When Fang Zheng brought me in, he had me injected with a sedative.”

Shen Qingzhou’s slightly relaxed brows furrowed again. He put on slippers and led Lin Qiao back to the bedroom, having her sit on the bed before saying, “Wait for me,” and leaving the room.

Obediently sitting on the bed waiting for him, Lin Qiao didn’t have to wait long before he returned, his shirt still open, pants unfastened without a belt, even the buttons not properly fastened. This was far from his usual meticulous image, yet it was strangely sexy.

He carried a cup of warm water in one hand and a towel in the other, nodding his chin toward Lin Qiao to lie down.

Lin Qiao took off her shoes, lay on the bed, pulled up the covers, and looked at him. He naturally sat beside her, taking the pillow from beside her and placing it behind her back to make her more comfortable. He brought the cup to her lips, taking a sip himself to test the water temperature before handing it to her, softly saying, “Drink some water.”

Since meeting Lin Qiao, Shen Qingzhou had never seen her this obedient. She drank the water without protest, not minding that he had already taken a sip. Her demure manner of sipping the water from the cup was both pitiable and endearing.

Yet, in just a day’s absence, she had become visibly more haggard. Her naturally fair complexion had turned even paler, almost like that of a seriously ill person, her lips dry and chapped, her vibrant energy greatly diminished, like a flower on the verge of wilting.

Shen Qingzhou slightly averted his gaze, folding the towel and gently wiping her forehead and cheeks, then her neck, arms, and hands. He spread her hand in his large palm, carefully wiping each finger. After finishing, he took the now-empty cup from her and returned the towel and cup.

When he returned, he carried a moisturizer. Lin Qiao glanced at it; it was the one she had just placed at his house yesterday.

“This is yours, right?” Shen Qingzhou asked, not really needing an answer as he sat back on the bed, unscrewing the cap and gently applying the moisturizer to her face.

Lin Qiao finally felt a bit shy and murmured, “I can do it myself.”

Shen Qingzhou didn’t press her, obediently handing over the bottle, casually saying, “You women like these things. I thought you might need it when I brought the towel, so I brought it along.”

Lin Qiao lowered her head and replied, “Mm, applying some is good to prevent dry skin…”

“Okay,” Shen Qingzhou responded indifferently, getting up to close the curtains. When he returned, she had already finished applying the moisturizer.

He took the bottle to return it, but Lin Qiao gently tugged his sleeve and said, “Can you leave it here for now?”

Shen Qingzhou turned back, “Will you need it again?”

“No…” Lin Qiao pursed her lips, hesitating but still voicing her thoughts, “I want you to stay with me. Don’t be busy anymore.”

Shen Qingzhou hadn’t expected her to say that and was momentarily taken aback but quickly recovered.

He placed the bottle on the cabinet and went to the other side of the bed, lifting the covers and lying down.

Lin Qiao naturally scooted over and snuggled into his arms, lying close to his bare, warm chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and breathing in his crisp, clean scent. Her previously chaotic and nervous feelings gradually calmed.

It was wonderful, for most men had a slightly strong odor, especially after sweating or exercising, yet she had never detected anything like that from Shen Qingzhou. Even when he hadn’t changed clothes, his scent remained light and pleasant, carrying a magical sense of tranquility.

He seemed to have no flaws at all; even when she searched hard, she found none.

Perhaps his greatest flaw was being too perfect, making her feel it was somewhat unreal.

“Still thinking about those things?” Perhaps Lin Qiao had been silent for too long, so Shen Qingzhou, still somewhat concerned, softly asked. His voice was so pleasant, so melodious that it could almost melt all the snow of winter.

Lin Qiao nuzzled against his chest and softly replied, “Not thinking about them anymore.”

“Then what are you thinking about?” He seemed curious.

Lin Qiao lifted her head, looking at his slightly stubbled chin, and smiled, “Thinking about you.”

This answer momentarily stunned Shen Qingzhou. He looked down at her, his expression slightly unnatural, as if taken aback by her words.