After the conversation.

Song Yueying escorted the two police officers to the ward door, and only after watching Chen Guangyao and the two police officers walk away did she close the ward door.

Turning around, I saw Qi Yanjue eating heartily from his lunchbox.

"The food is already cold. Why don't we find a place to heat it up before we eat?" Song Yueying walked over and stood by the hospital bed.

"No need." Qi Yanjue stopped what he was doing, looked up and smiled at her. "It's the hottest time of summer now, so eating cold rice is just right, it won't burn your mouth."

Song Yueying wasn't sure if what he said was true, but looking at the cold braised pork in his lunchbox, she still asked, "Won't you get an upset stomach from eating cold braised pork?"

Qi Yanjue paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, when we're on missions, we've eaten not only cold food, but also rock-hard frozen steamed buns."

Song Yueying had never eaten a frozen, rock-hard steamed bun before and couldn't imagine what it tasted like. But she had seen steamed buns taken straight from the freezer, hard enough to crack walnuts.

It's hard to imagine that they would eat that stuff while on a mission.

Since Qi Yanjue said the food didn't need to be heated, Song Yueying said nothing more. She walked to the low cabinet, picked up the thermos, and wanted to pour Qi Yanjue a cup of hot water.

Upon discovering that the thermos was empty, she said, "I'll go out and get some hot water."

Qi Yanjue had intended to say that he would fetch hot water after he finished eating. Before he could finish speaking, he changed his words to a reminder, "Okay, be careful, the hot water is a bit hot, so fetch only a little."

"Okay," Song Yueying replied, and went out to fetch hot water.

Looking at the closed ward door, Qi Yanjue chuckled softly, then lowered his head to continue eating. Seeing the braised pork in the lunchbox, he picked up a piece and ate it.

He chewed and swallowed. The braised pork was quite delicious. He couldn't understand why she thought it was bad.

Song Yueying returned to the ward with hot water; Qi Yanjue had already finished eating. She poured him a cup of hot water first, then poured herself a cup to cool.

She bent down to put the thermos on the ground, and when she straightened up, she saw Qi Yanjue drinking water from a cup. She quickly stopped him, "The hot water is too hot, you have to let it cool down before you drink it."

"It's okay, I can drink," Qi Yanjue said nonchalantly.

"This isn't about whether you can drink it or not." Song Yueying walked over irritably and took the water glass from his hand.

"Hey, be careful, it's hot. Don't burn your hand," Qi Yanjue warned her. Song Yueying said seriously, "The hot water that was just brought back is at least 80 or 90 degrees Celsius. You can't drink it directly."

"Drinking water that is too hot can easily burn your throat and esophagus."

"Especially the esophagus; long-term burns can easily lead to esophageal cancer."

Qi Yanjue was taken aback and asked, "What is esophageal cancer?"

Song Yueying was speechless, recalling how people at that time focused on simply having enough to eat. They drank cold water contaminated with parasite eggs and ate coarse food, paying no attention to the causes of their illnesses.

She suddenly hesitated. Would Qi Yanjue think she was meddling too much?

To be honest, she and Qi Yanjue weren't really related. That marriage certificate that they somehow got together couldn't be an excuse to bind the two of them.

Seeing that she suddenly stopped talking, Qi Yanjue reached out and took the water glass from her hand, then turned around and placed it on the low cabinet.

She said he couldn't drink water that was too hot, so he wouldn't drink it.

Turning around to meet her questioning eyes, Qi Yanjue gently took her hand and led her to sit down beside the hospital bed.

“You…” Song Yueying was about to ask a question when Qi Yanjue interrupted her, “Don’t misunderstand, I have something to say to you. It’s more convenient to talk while sitting down than standing.”

Song Yueying blinked; in truth, she herself didn't know what she wanted to ask.

She had initially intended to say that she hadn't misunderstood, but then thought better of it. Song Yueying simply asked directly, "What do you want to tell me?"

"Tell them what the police officers came to investigate," Qi Yanjue replied solemnly.

Speaking of this, Song Yueying's expression also turned serious. She thought the police officers were coming to ask about Luo Ming's attack today, but it turned out they were asking about what happened in the alley yesterday.

No one knew better than her what happened in the alley yesterday. Although Qi Yanjue didn't suspect her, the doubts in his heart never dissipated.

The heavy rain washed away the traces, but she was caught off guard and left behind a fatal clue.

At the time, she was only thinking about collecting the iron bars, axes, and machetes, thinking they might come in handy later. She never considered that Qi Yanjue would suspect the whereabouts of those items.

"What are you thinking about?" Qi Yanjue asked, noticing that she was lost in thought.

Song Yueying was lost in thought and didn't hear what he said. It wasn't until a hand waved in front of her eyes that she was brought back to her senses and looked at Qi Yanjue with a blank expression.

Qi Yanjue asked, "What were you thinking about just now? You were so engrossed in your thoughts that you didn't even hear me talking to you."

"Also..." She was about to give a casual reply without thinking, but before she could finish speaking, Song Yueying changed her mind. "I was thinking about what Officer Zhang just said."

“Officer Zhang said that a colleague told them that he saw you go into that alley, so I followed you with an umbrella.”

"Guess who told the police they saw us both go into that alley."

"That's really hard to guess," Qi Yanjue analyzed. "It's possible that we were seen when we entered the alley one after the other."

“That makes sense.” Song Yueying nodded in agreement. “Assuming it’s the possibility you’re suggesting, the people who saw us enter the alley must have also seen the people who attacked us enter the alley.”

"After all, we went into the alley one after the other. You went in first, then the people who attacked us, and I went in last."

"The person who saw the two of us go into the alley shouldn't have only seen the one in front and the one behind, but not the one in the middle!"

“It’s not that they didn’t see it, but they only told the police half of it.” Qi Yanjue nodded in agreement. “The person who provided the clue to the police is suspicious.”

"Should we start by investigating that person?" Song Yueying asked.

Qi Yanjue shook his head. "It's not easy to investigate. After the incident, the police must have questioned people and passersby in the vicinity. It's not easy to find a specific person."

"So, this clue is..." A person popped into Song Yueying's mind, and she reached out and grabbed Qi Yanjue's wrist, "I... I remembered someone."

Qi Yanjue grasped her hand in return, gesturing for her to speak.

“That waitress at the state-run restaurant,” Song Yueying said, “she saw you leave, and she spoke to me when I left, she…”

"She is very likely the one who provided the clues to the police."

After hearing her words, Qi Yanjue immediately made a decision, "After Zhou Feng finishes eating and comes back, I will have him go to the state-run restaurant."

“Okay.” Song Yueying nodded, then reminded him, “Remember to tell Zhou Feng to try to get information out of the waitress by chatting with her. She’s very talkative.”

Qi Yanjue nodded. After finishing that matter, he asked about another thing, "When I was seriously injured and unconscious, was anyone seen when you took me out of the alley?"

Song Yueying's heart skipped a beat. She lowered her eyes, pretending to recall something. In reality, her mind was racing, trying to figure out how to say something that would reduce his suspicion.

“No.” Song Yueying raised her head, looking at Qi Yanjue with firm eyes. “When I helped you out of the alley, it was raining heavily.”

"If you're not very close, you can't see anything at all."

Upon receiving a positive answer, Qi Yanjue breathed a sigh of relief, though he couldn't quite explain why.

Seeing the relief on his face, Song Yueying knew that her words had successfully dispelled his doubts about her.

Sigh! She really had it tough! She saved him in her own way, but he still suspected her, and she had to find ways to dispel his suspicions. Just thinking about it makes me feel frustrated.

"Yueying, I know what happened yesterday scared you." Qi Yanjue gripped her large hand tighter. "I also know that saying this is very harsh."

"But I still don't want to divorce you, I want to..."

A knock on the door interrupted Qi Yanjue's words, making him grit his teeth in anger. He really wanted to slap the bastard who had come to ruin his plans at this time.

"Come in." These two words were squeezed out from between Qi Yanjue's teeth.

Song Yueying stared at Qi Yanjue in astonishment, seriously doubting whether she had imagined it. Otherwise, how could she have heard Qi Yanjue say that he didn't want to divorce her?

They clearly agreed to get a divorce, so why do they suddenly not want one anymore?

The ward door opened, and Zhao Yiheng stood in the doorway. Qi Yanjue gritted his teeth and said, "You'd better have something important to say."

Zhao Yiheng was taken aback, but when he saw Qi Yanjue and Song Yueying's hands clasped together, he instantly understood. He smiled and said, "Of course I have something important to say."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered you."

He deliberately emphasized the word "disturb".

I really didn't expect my friend to hold that girl's hand in the hospital room... However, Song Yueying is Qi Yanjue's wife, not that girl.

Thinking about it this way, it's really nothing for the couple to shake hands in the hospital room. Even if they did something more intimate, it would be perfectly natural.

Song Yueying understood the implied meaning in Zhao Yiheng's words and blushed. Realizing that her hand was still being held by Qi Yanjue, she quickly pulled it back, but her face turned even redder.

As the soft, gentle hand left, leaving his hand empty, Qi Yanjue glared fiercely at Zhao Yiheng.

Zhao Yiheng felt no remorse for ruining his friend's good time, but he still had to say what needed to be said: "Two more people have woken up. Why don't you two go over and check on them while no one's around?"

Song Yueying had already asked someone and understood the general situation, so she didn't really want to go.

"What do you mean there's no one here right now?" Qi Yanjue asked.

Zhao Yiheng said, "The two police officers just went to the cafeteria for lunch and haven't left the hospital yet. When they come back, they will definitely take statements from those two people."

In other words, they should ask as soon as possible if they wanted to. Qi Yanjue instantly understood Zhao Yiheng's meaning, got up to leave, and glanced at Song Yueying out of the corner of his eye, noticing that she was still sitting there.

He stopped and turned around to look at her.

"What's wrong?" Song Yueying asked, puzzled.

"Let's go!" Qi Yanjue said, "Let's go ask those two people together and see what they have to say."

"You can go ask, I don't need to go." To show her determination not to go, Song Yueying picked up her water glass and started drinking.

Seeing that she was holding her own water cup, Qi Yanjue's eyes flickered. He opened his mouth to remind her, but then felt a little embarrassed, remembering how she had previously complained about other people's used water cups.

"Um... Yueying, you're holding my water cup," Qi Yanjue reminded her softly.

"Pfft..." The water she had just drunk sprayed out, and Song Yueying choked and coughed violently.

He took the water glass from her hand and placed it on the low cabinet. While patting her back, Qi Yanjue apologized guiltily, "It's my fault, it's my fault. I shouldn't have reminded you."

Song Yueying was coughing so hard she couldn't speak.

Seeing her little face flushed red from coughing, and tears welling up in her eyes, Qi Yanjue felt even more guilty. He pulled Song Yueying up, sat on the edge of the bed, and held her in his arms to comfort her.

Zhao Yiheng stared wide-eyed. Was that the flustered, guilty man who wished he could cough in Song Yueying's place the one he knew, Qi Yanjue?

No, definitely not.

The Qi Yanjue he knew was calm and composed, like a flower on a high mountain. He felt it was a waste of time not to hold a woman in his arms to comfort her, let alone even glance at her.

Song Yueying knew she was being held in Qi Yanjue's arms, his large hand gently patting her back. She wanted to push him away, but she was coughing too violently and had no strength.

"Moon Shadow." Seeing her coughing incessantly, Qi Yanjue truly panicked. Remembering that Zhao Yiheng was still standing at the door, he looked up at him, "What are you still standing there for?"

"Come over here quickly and take a look at her."

"Have you ever seen someone who choked on their water and had to go to the doctor?" Zhao Yiheng rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Qi Yanjue was about to say something when Song Yueying grabbed his shirt. He looked down at her in his arms, her body trembling as she coughed…

"Moon Shadow, where does it hurt? Tell me." His voice was as gentle as a soft rain, treating her like a fragile doll. He was afraid that if he spoke too loudly, she would break in front of him.

"I...cough cough cough...no...cough cough cough...it's nothing." Song Yueying waved her hand.

She coughed as she spoke, and it took her a lot of effort to finish each sentence.

A little while later.

The coughing gradually subsided, and Song Yueying leaned against Qi Yanjue's chest. Feeling as if her throat was on fire, she frowned and breathed heavily with her eyes closed.

Seeing her lean against his chest like a kitten, Qi Yanjue's heart wavered, and he asked her softly, "Are you still feeling unwell? I'll have Zhao Yiheng come over and take a look at you, okay?"

Song Yueying shook her head; she didn't want to talk right now.

Seeing his friend panic because of Song Yueying's cough, Zhao Yiheng sighed, walked over, picked up a water glass and handed it to him, "She's been coughing for so long, her throat must be sore."

"Here, give her some water to soothe her throat."

"Are you sure she won't choke on the water if we give her water now?" Qi Yanjue asked, frowning.

He really couldn't be sure, Zhao Yiheng's lips twitched. Feeling that his good intentions had been taken for granted, he was about to put the water glass back on the low cabinet.

"I want some water," Song Yueying said.

Qi Yanjue said to her, "Now? What if you choke again?"

"I want water," Song Yueying repeated. If she weren't too weak to push Qi Yanjue away, she would have gotten off his lap long ago.