"Do you know where Qiuyun went?" Su Xiaonuan sat down by the hospital bed and propped up Aunt Xiang's pillow a little.

"I don't know." Aunt Xiang shook her head. "She won't tell me anything, and she won't tell me even when I ask her. But I do know that there's a man next door named Wang Xiaobao. He often comes to see Qiuyun, but when the police came to raid the house, they said that the two of them had absconded with money. I couldn't understand it, so I cut my wrists."

"Is she close to Wang Xiaobao?"

“I can’t really explain it. Sometimes she’s very cold. When Wang Xiaobao comes to see her, she’ll yell at him and send him away. But sometimes, it seems like the two of them have a special relationship. However, Wang Xiaobao is quite good to her. He doesn’t fight back when she hits or scolds him.”

"So they're in a romantic relationship?"

"They look alike, but they don't." Aunt Xiang nodded and then shook her head. "Oh dear, I can't really say what their relationship is."

"Xiao Nuan, don't ask anymore," Ye Mei tugged at her sleeve and whispered.

Su Xiaonuan knew how to act prudently. Ignoring her mother's advice, she continued speaking to the woman on the hospital bed. "Aunt Xiang, you might be impatient with my questions, but I still need to make it clear. This concerns Qiu Yun's reputation and life or death. Based on my understanding of her, she won't abandon you, don't you think?"

"Qiuyun has a lot of complaints about you. She said you got her job. I don't know what happened between you two." The old lady stopped hiding it. "Later, she went to work for a company and felt it was okay. She was trusted by the boss's wife and said that they were doing something big and that we would have money soon. Two days before she disappeared, she was always going out and told me that if she went on a business trip, other colleagues would take care of me."

"Has anyone come to see you these past few days?"

"No," Aunt Xiang shook her head. "My rheumatism has flared up again, and with Qiu Yun's accident, I just want to end it all."

"I really didn't do anything about Qiu Yun losing her job. I will investigate this matter thoroughly."

“I don’t want to dwell on the work issue anymore. All I want now is for Qiuyun to come back to me. Even if she doesn’t have a job, my daughter and I would be willing to collect recyclables. Right now, she’s on the run, and we don’t even know if she’s alive or dead…”

The old man started crying sadly as he spoke.

"What do you mean you don't want to pursue this matter?" Aunt Chen said angrily. "This matter must be investigated to clear Xiao Nuan's name. Your own daughter has done so many shameful things, and Xiao Nuan came to take care of you without holding a grudge. You are really ungrateful, as if it was Xiao Nuan who caused your daughter to lose her job."

Aunt Chen was fully aware of Xiang Qiuyun's actions.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Aunt Xiang pointed at her. "My Qiuyun is not the kind of person you're describing."

"Your Qiuyun and that bitch Lanyin colluded to ruin my boss's company, almost causing his family to be destroyed. Do you really think your Qiuyun is a good person? If she were, would she have absconded with the money with Wang Xiaobao?" Aunt Chen was furious, recalling the scene of Xie Zhi being beaten by his creditors. "They ran away with the money, driving my boss insane and almost killing him. Is there any justice in this world?"

"You're talking nonsense!" Aunt Chen coughed agitatedly. "Cough cough cough..."

"Xiao Chen, stop talking!" Ye Mei was afraid that Qiu Yun's mother would not be able to handle the shock and would commit suicide again.

“I didn’t want to say anything, I just came to see this poor old woman. I didn’t expect her to be so ungrateful. It’s like Xiao Nuan feels guilty for saving her. Xiao Nuan repays evil with kindness. Xiang Qiuyun almost burned down Xiao Nuan’s restaurant and kidnapped Mo Xi. She didn’t settle any scores with Xiang Qiuyun. When she saw that she was in trouble, the first thing Xiao Nuan thought of was that you old thing had no one to take care of you. It’s true that good deeds are not rewarded.”

Aunt Chen harbored deep hostility towards Xiang Qiuyun, so her words were not pleasant. Of course, she wasn't just saying things randomly; she was telling the truth.

Aunt Xiang coughed even more violently. "...Cough cough...you...."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she pointed at Aunt Chen.

"Don't point at me, all of this is true. If I'm lying, may I be struck by lightning or hit by a car the moment I step outside," Aunt Chen swore to the heavens.

Since such a vicious oath had been made, Aunt Xiang no longer questioned it.

She stared intently at Su Xiaonuan. "Xiaonuan, tell Aunt Xiang the truth, did Qiuyun do these things to you?"

Not questioning is one thing, confirming is another.

“Okay.” Su Xiaonuan nodded. “Except for the fact that the embezzlement is still unconfirmed, everything else is true. Aunt Xiang, if you have any news about Qiu Yun, please let me know immediately. She may have been framed. It was her boss who reported the case and recorded evidence that she and Wang Xiaobao were planning to embezzle funds and flee, which is why they are wanted nationwide.”

"Okay, I understand," Aunt Xiang said guiltily. "Thank you for not holding a grudge and coming to see me. If you hadn't arrived in time, I would have died long ago."

......

As soon as everyone left, Xiang Qiuyun, disguised, entered the ward and closed the door.

"Who are you?" Xiang's mother asked sternly, looking at the masked man.

"Mom, it's me." Xiang Qiuyun poked her head out.

"Qiuyun, is it really you?" The tears that had just stopped flowing from Xiang's mother's eyes welled up again as she sobbed uncontrollably. "I thought I'd never see you again, Qiuyun... Waaah... You scared me to death..."

"Mom, why did you do such a stupid thing? I was in the neighborhood and I heard everyone saying you committed suicide. You almost scared me to death."

Xiang Qiuyun and Wang Xiaobao were wanted nationwide. Since it was dangerous for them to go anywhere, they decided to come back. They also felt that something was wrong with the matter. Even if Wang Xiaobao had hurt someone, why would Xiang Qiuyun also be wanted?

"Qiuyun, Mom almost didn't see you again." Xiang's mother hugged her daughter, weeping uncontrollably. "The police said you and that Wang Xiaobao absconded with the money, our house was ransacked, Mom's rheumatism flared up again, Mom was alone at home, had no food, couldn't move, felt like she couldn't go on living, just wanted to die and be free..."

"Where's Lan Yin? Didn't she come to take care of you?"

"Is the Lan Yin you're talking about your former boss?"

"Yes, it's her. She promised me she would take good care of you."

"Qiuyun, she's ruined you." Xiang's mother patted her. "You fool, she sold you out and you're still counting the money for her. You and Wang Xiaobao are wanted because she took a recording pen to the police station and reported you two for embezzling money. If Su Xiaonuan hadn't come to save your mother in time, you would be seeing a corpse right now."

"Did Lan Yin report me and Wang Xiaobao?" Xiang Qiuyun stared wide-eyed, unable to believe it. "Or did Su Xiaonuan come to your rescue?"

"The doctor said that if I had arrived a few minutes later, I would have died. The blood bank was out of blood, and it was Xiaonuan who saved me by donating her blood."

"It was Su Xiaonuan who saved you with a blood transfusion?" Xiang Qiuyun was shocked.

"Yes, she lost a lot of blood," Xiang's mother said. "Xiao Nuan is a good person, why did you hurt her? Qiu Yun, tell me the truth, did you and Wang Xiaobao abscond with the money?"