Chapter 144: Three men make a drama, purely a love story. Don't buy if you don't like it...
Shen Qinghuai never imagined that he would have far more than one competitor in his role as a father!
The strange old man next to her was really outrageous. As soon as he walked in, he shamelessly called her "daughter," which left Shen Qinghuai completely bewildered.
He stared blankly at the old man, then at Qiu Xiaoman lying on the hospital bed, his face full of question marks.
Who am I? Where am I? How many fathers does my daughter actually have?
That's it, I'm devastated.
Shen Qinghuai stood there, unsure of how to respond for a long time.
Fortunately, the daughter didn't call this strange old man "Dad," but what did she call him instead?
Master? That seems to be the proper way to address him. He rubbed his ears and took a few steps closer: "Xiaoman, can you introduce yourself?"
Qiu Xiaoman was a little helpless. She had agreed not to let her master and the others come, but they all showed up. Really.
She didn't want to talk about the other world yet, because if she did, she would inevitably have to mention that she had died once, and then she would be filled with bitterness and hatred, making it impossible for her to get along with Shen Qinghuai.
He could only come up with a lame excuse: "President Shen, this is my master whom I apprenticed under in Yunnan. He taught me how to tease cats and dogs. This gentleman next to me is my senior brother, Fu Ze."
Shen Qinghuai breathed a sigh of relief. He was just a master, that was good.
He politely extended his hand to shake hands with the white-haired old man, but the old man didn't give him any face, turned around, and went straight to serving soup and rice.
Shen Qinghuai was in a very awkward situation, but fortunately Fu Ze came to his rescue. Fu Ze smiled and handed him a chair, saying, "Hello, Uncle, please sit down."
"Okay, okay, you're okay too." Shen Qinghuai breathed a sigh of relief; finally, someone in this room treated him like a human being. The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had spoken to this person before. He subconsciously looked Fu Ze up and down, and couldn't help but be amazed by his appearance. He asked curiously, "You're dressed like that, did you come from some period drama set?"
Fu Ze shook his head. He usually dressed like this, and he was used to it and too lazy to change. Anyway, there were period dramas in this world, so let others guess.
He leaned against the bed, arms crossed, carefully examining Shen Qinghuai. This wasn't their first encounter, except that last time, he didn't look like this, nor did he have this name.
Therefore, he was not worried that Shen Qinghuai would recognize him.
Shen Qinghuai couldn't connect him with Feng Zhaoming at all; they looked so different. His attention was currently focused on Fu Ze's clothes, so he asked curiously, "You're not in the film industry? Where do you work?"
Fu Ze smiled and replied, "I'm not at work." He then took the bowl and chopsticks his master handed him, sat down on the edge of the hospital bed, scooped up a spoonful, and blew on it, saying, "Here, junior sister, it's not hot."
Qiu Xiaoman had a headache and was too lazy to move, but feeding her was inconvenient, so she sat up and took the spoon: "You can hold it, I'll eat by myself."
Fu Ze finally had time to pay attention to Shen Qinghuai, and said with a smile, "I heard that you are a big boss, Uncle. Can you help me find a job? I am unemployed."
Huh? Shen Qinghuai thought that was unlikely. This young man was tall, handsome, and refined. He had a good face and a good temperament. Putting everything else aside, just look at his voice. He could easily be a voice actor or broadcaster. How could he be unemployed?
Could it be that they just came from the mountains and are not yet adapted to modern society?
That makes sense. Dressed in ancient clothes and with an old-fashioned manner of movement, they probably come from a small, remote tribe in the mountains, far from any conflict.
Only a tribe like this could be proficient in the languages of birds and beasts.
Since that's the case... he thought for a moment and asked, "Do you prefer a job that involves traveling around and interacting with people, or a job that allows you to work quietly by yourself?"
The former can go to the zoo, and the latter can work as a clerk in his company. I just don't know if this person can read or not.
He looked at the young man with a smile, expecting the man to be at least grateful, if not moved to tears. To his surprise, the young man curled his lip and sneered, "Uncle, you're willing to help me the first time you meet me? If you're so fond of helping others, how come you've ignored your own daughter for over a decade?"
Oh no! She's a two-faced devil! She's been fooling him so much, just to find a chance to stab him in the heart! Shen Qinghuai couldn't help but gasp.
It seems that Xiaoman's master and senior brother both knew about her being abandoned? No wonder this strange old man ignored her; he was furious.
Shen Qinghuai, feeling utterly embarrassed, could only awkwardly look out the window and say, "Well, business hadn't really taken off for a while, so I was a bit busy."
"Oh." Fu Ze smiled. "Then it seems Uncle won't be so busy anymore, right?"
"Yes, that's right, no rush, Xiaoman is the priority." Shen Qinghuai always felt that there was a knife hidden in that smile, and a chill ran down his spine.
Fu Ze still smiled and said, "Uncle, you said it yourself. A gentleman's word is as good as his bond."
"Definitely, definitely!" Shen Qinghuai was sweating bullets. He should have come later. Running into such a smiling tiger would have been the death of him.
Since things had come to this point, Fu Ze didn't make things difficult for him any further. He turned around, took the empty bowl from Qiu Xiaoman's hand, and went out to wash the dishes.
In the large ward, only Qiu Xiaoman, the eccentric old man, and Shen Qinghuai remained.
Shen Qinghuai was so embarrassed that his scalp tingled, and he could only sit there and keep smiling apologetically.
The strange old man ignored him, and just kept holding Qiu Xiaoman's hand, closing his eyes to take her pulse.
His mysterious manner made him seem like a Taoist doctor, so Shen Qinghuai didn't dare to ask.
A moment later, the strange old man said, "Girl, staying up late to work overtime is not good for your health."
Not wanting her master to worry, Qiu Xiaoman could only reply, "I know, I'll be more careful next time."
The eccentric old man was displeased and said veiledly, "What do you know? Don't ruin your health just because you're young! If you really can't take it, quit your job and go back to school! What are you doing out there trying to show off at such a young age instead of going to school!"
This is a dig at Shen Qinghuai, who is clearly wealthy but doesn't send money to his daughter, causing her to miss the college entrance exam and have to work to support herself.
Shen Qinghuai's face burned with embarrassment. He couldn't sit still or leave, so he had no choice but to listen, feeling like he was being tortured.
Fortunately, Qiu Xiaoman knew he was uncomfortable, so she took the initiative to say, "President Shen, is the apartment in my neighborhood finished being renovated? If it is, I'd like to find a larger unit to move into."
"Alright, alright, all the materials used are good, and we've been airing it out for a month now, so it's safe to move in." Shen Qinghuai finally saw a savior, opened his briefcase, and took out a stack of photos for her. "These are some interior design renderings of different apartment layouts. Take a look, they're all real photos."
Qiu Xiaoman took the photos but handed them directly to the strange old man: "Master, choose one set. You and your senior brother can move there too."
"No choice, we'll stay wherever you stay." The strange old man looked annoyed, his lips pursed into a downward-pointing bracket.
Qiu Xiaoman chose a large single-level apartment. The building had a two-unit-per-floor layout, with each unit having four bedrooms and two living rooms. The large single-level apartment was on the ninth floor, the top floor. By combining the two units, it had eight rooms. Moreover, there were no floors above that, saving her from the noise from upstairs.
That way, even if Shen Qinghuai occasionally stays for a few days, it won't be a problem. The extra rooms can be used for cats, dogs, or occasional guests.
The eccentric old man didn't offer any opinion, so Shen Qinghuai naturally didn't say anything either. He took the photo and asked, "When are you moving?"
"Wait until I'm discharged." Qiu Xiaoman's head was a little sore. She leaned against the headboard and smiled wearily. "You've worked hard. I'll treat you to a meal when I'm better."
This is so formal, it doesn't sound like a father and daughter talking at all.
Shen Qinghuai felt a chill in his heart, while the strange old man beside him was quite happy.
With this shift in power, his future position in the family would likely be clear to Shen Qinghuai.
"Forget it, he brought it on himself, who can he blame?" He gave Qiu Xiaoman a few more instructions, then politely said goodbye to the strange old man and left the ward.
As soon as he left, the icy expression on the old man's face crumbled, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Girl, it's quite amusing to see him get his comeuppance."
"Master." Qiu Xiaoman was both amused and exasperated. She sat up and said seriously, "Master, don't laugh. I have something important to tell you."
The strange old man clearly knew what she wanted to say, but he didn't want to listen, so he simply ran to the door of the ward to see why that kid Fu Ze hadn't come back yet.
Qiu Xiaoman knew him perfectly well. She could only ask seriously, "Master, tell me honestly, are you not planning to go back?"
Returning here is her own karma, and has nothing to do with her master and senior brother. If they insist on getting involved, they will have no choice but to go back with her.
In other words, once she can't overcome that mental hurdle or break through the bottleneck, her master and senior brother will have no choice but to stay here with her as ordinary mortals.
How could she bear to do that?
She wanted to try to persuade him, but the old man didn't want to listen. He made an excuse to go to the toilet and ran away. Just as he left, Fu Ze came in.
He closed the door and looked calmly at Qiu Xiaoman: "It's too late, junior sister."
It's too late. Before, he used the Mirage Tower to show Shen Qinghuai the illusion of his past life, which could be considered as exploiting a loophole in the rules, and did not constitute direct interference with Qiu Xiaoman's own life trajectory.
So last night, they had completely intervened in Qiu Xiaoman's life trajectory.
The questions Master asked him in the car were also questions Master asked himself.
Out of pity for this apprentice, and unable to bear seeing her sink into a quagmire of suffering, he had no choice but to give up some things and come to accompany her on this journey.
However, their master forbade them to mention that they had approached Shen Qinghuai.
Fu Ze looked at Qiu Xiaoman calmly: "I carried you out of the cave last night."
"It's my fault. I shouldn't have let Huihui remember your scent." Qiu Xiaoman had planned to find her senior brother after the case was solved. She was determined to persuade him to go back. She never expected that he would directly intervene in her karma.
It was too late to regret it now. She felt extremely guilty, covered her face, and didn't know how to face herself.
Seeing that she was uncomfortable, Fu Ze simply moved closer, plucked a strand of hair, twisted it into a back scratcher, and stuffed it into her ear. Qiu Xiaoman immediately giggled: "Senior brother, what are you doing? I'm not a three-year-old anymore!"
Fu Ze smiled and withdrew his hand: "It's no big deal. Don't always take the blame upon yourself. We're the ones who can't stay idle and insist on getting involved in your affairs. It has nothing to do with you."
Qiu Xiaoman knew that her senior brother was trying to comfort her.
It's too late to say anything now. All we can do is pull ourselves together, make the most of this journey, and try to bring our master and fellow disciples back with us.
She thought for a moment and asked, "Seriously, do you want to become a discipline instructor with me?"
"No. My master and I are well-off. You just do your thing. If you find any cats or dogs, just leave them to us. If any of them get into trouble, hand them over to us too. You don't need to worry about anything." Fu Ze grabbed a chair and sat down, glancing at the strange old man who had just come in, and called out, "Master, where did you go?"
"I wanted to take advantage of the empty underground parking lot and smash a brick into Shen Qinghuai to end it all." The strange old man came in through gritted teeth, and when he spread his hands, there were indeed fragments of red brick, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Fu Ze knew his temper and couldn't bear to tease him. Instead, he seriously advised him, "Don't you dare, or your junior sister will never forgive you."
"Really?" The strange old man looked at Qiu Xiaoman on the hospital bed, his eyes filled with grievance.
Qiu Xiaoman could only surrender: "No, if you really hit him with a brick and send him to his death, at most I won't be able to get over this, and the three of us will stay here together and won't be able to go back."
The eccentric old man snorted and sat down, puffing out his cheeks, needing to be coaxed.
Qiu Xiaoman laughed uncontrollably: "Alright, Master, why are you arguing with someone like that? You're like my second parents, much more important than him. I was just telling my senior brother that I need to work hard and get past him as soon as possible so I can take you all back together. Right, senior brother?"
Fu Ze readily agreed, as he would not falter in his performance.
The eccentric old man was indeed appeased, and he picked up the thermos: "I'll go back and make some soup, and come back tonight."
No sooner had the person left than Wu Shirong, representing the criminal investigation team, arrived carrying two flower baskets. He first went to check on Chen Jianjun and found him sleeping with an IV drip attached. Only then did he bring the other flower basket and knock on the door.
Fu Ze was peeling an apple for Qiu Xiaoman when he heard this and called out, "Come in."
Wu Shirong entered at the sound of his voice, but was somewhat confused by the scene before him. He subconsciously stepped back, glanced at the ward number, and realized, "Wow, what's this? A crew from a period drama coming to visit me?"
This isn't right.
He came back in, first checking who was lying on the bed. When he saw Qiu Xiaoman's forehead wrapped in gauze, he immediately became anxious and asked, "Are you alright? Does it hurt? Should I buy you a hat? It's autumn now, and the nights are getting chilly."
Qiu Xiaoman said helplessly, "No need, it will touch the wound and hurt."
"Did you get stitches?"
"No, they drew two vials of blood, and there are two swollen lumps on the back of my head and forehead."
"That's good, it's not easy to catch a headache."
"Oh, you even know a little about medicine?"
"No, no, my mom caught a cold when she gave birth to my brother and often complained of headaches, so I know a little about it."
Qiu Xiaoman wanted to laugh. How could that be the same? She wasn't in postpartum confinement. This person was really funny.
The two chatted and laughed, forgetting to introduce themselves to Fuze. Fuze wasn't angry; after peeling the apple, he went out to wash his hands.
Only then did Wu Shirong remember the strangely dressed man and ask, "Is he your friend?"
"Family." Qiu Xiaoman didn't want to explain too much to her colleagues; one word, "family," was enough.
Wu Shirong was dumbfounded. Family? Siblings? Lovers? Relatives? He didn't understand.
But he was too embarrassed to press for details, so he changed the subject: "Will you need someone to keep watch tonight?"
"No need, I'm fine, I can be discharged tomorrow." Qiu Xiaoman still had some minor cuts and bruises, but they were nothing serious and had already been treated.
Seeing that he couldn't seem to help much, Wu Shirong had no choice but to bring up the magpie Lele again: "The tree at the entrance was repaired by the sanitation workers, and Lele's nest was also cut down. I bought a small pigeon nest and hung it by the window. Sometimes Lele will come over and perch on it for a while."
"Huh? Why would you cut down a perfectly good tree?" Qiu Xiaoman asked, puzzled.
Wu Shirong said helplessly, "I don't know. Maybe it's because they're growing too well that some of them are affecting the power lines. They're prone to tripping when the wind blows."
"Okay." There's nothing we can do about it. Sanitation workers' work is definitely governed by relevant departmental documents, and it's not appropriate for others to interfere.
The two were chatting when someone knocked on the door again.
This time, a weary traveler entered. As soon as he entered, he rushed to the bedside, shoved Wu Shirong aside, and checked where Qiu Xiaoman was injured.
Finally, his gaze fell on the gauze on her forehead, and Liu Kun asked, catching his breath, "Was it just a head injury?"
Instead of answering, Qiu Xiaoman asked, "Where did you come from? Did you take a plane?"
Liu Kun was still panting heavily, clearly having run all the way. He glanced at Wu Shirong, who was staring in disbelief beside him, ignored him, and grabbed a chair to sit down: "I just got off the plane and took a taxi here."
"How did you know I was injured?" Qiu Xiaoman didn't understand; he hadn't gone to see a doctor.
Liu Kun, with his hands on his knees, took a moment to catch his breath before speaking: "My return was a coincidence; I didn't know you were injured. When I got home, I didn't see you and only found out you were in the hospital after asking President Shen."
Qiu Xiaoman suddenly realized that it was indeed a coincidence that she had returned just in time. Seeing Wu Shirong's curious expression, she quickly introduced, "Um, this is my friend, Liu Kun. Liu Kun, this is my colleague, Wu Shirong, the one who drew the suspect's portrait."
Wu Shirong frowned. Just friends? It didn't seem like it. Especially the way she shoved him away, it was like a wild cat guarding its food.
Wu Shirong expressed his doubts, but he still greeted him politely.
Liu Kun, who had experience in the business world, politely replied with a "hello," but then corrected himself, "We're not just friends, we're also roommates."
"Roommate?" Wu Shirong hadn't heard that term in a long time; it was something he only used back in his school days. He never expected it to be used after he started working...
Wait a minute, which school or workplace would allow a man and a woman to be roommates? They can only be roommates or living together.
Thinking of this, the little flame that had been burning in Wu Shirong's heart began to flicker.
He didn't understand. If they were really living together, wouldn't that mean they were boyfriend and girlfriend? But Qiu Xiaoman didn't describe it that way. So it was probably just Liu Kun's wishful thinking.
Just as I was wondering about it, Fu Ze came in.
When he pushed open the door, he was unaware that another uninvited guest had arrived. He just smiled and held up a bunch of grapes, excitedly asking, "Junior sister, would you like some grapes?"
The moment the word "ma" left her lips, she saw a man pressed close to her junior sister's hospital bed, his hand on her shoulder, as if she were someone to him.
The other one arrived earlier and stood to the side, feeling frustrated but having no right to say anything.
Fu Ze's smile vanished instantly. He walked over, shoved Liu Kun aside without a word, and sat down between him and Qiu Xiaoman.
Qiu Xiaoman didn't understand why he was angry, and asked, "Senior brother, what's wrong?"
Fu Ze calmed himself down, smiled, and turned around: "Who are these people? Introduce them."
Qiu Xiaoman smiled and said, "This is my friend, Liu Kun; this is my colleague, Wu Shirong, who is particularly good at portrait painting."
Fu Ze stood up; he was tall and imposing. He politely extended his hand: "Hello, I'm her—"
He turned to look at Qiu Xiaoman halfway through his sentence, saying, "How you define it is up to you."
Qiu Xiaoman was both amused and exasperated, and could only repeat the previous address: "Family."
“Yes, family.” Fu Ze smiled. Seeing that the two people opposite him did not intend to shake hands with him, he sat down and began to peel grapes. Judging from his posture, he did not intend to pay attention to anyone else. After peeling one, he put it directly into Qiu Xiaoman’s mouth.
Qiu Xiaoman was often fed by him when she was in the other world. She was used to it and was not embarrassed at all. She opened her mouth and tasted one: "Mmm, so sweet. You have one too."
"No, it's all yours." Fu Ze continued peeling, oblivious to everyone else. But when he tried to put it in her mouth, Qiu Xiaoman refused, grabbing his hand and insisting on stuffing it into his mouth.
The two bantered back and forth, appearing very familiar and having an unusual relationship. In the end, a grape grazed Fu Ze's cheek and fell to the ground. Qiu Xiaoman quickly grabbed a tissue, laughing and scolding, "It's all your fault for having to hide! Now look what happened!"
When she looked up, where were they? She had wanted them to try some too, but they had all run away.
Wu Shirong was the first to leave. He was shy and didn't want to be a third wheel while everyone else was flirting.
Then came Liu Kun. He was very thick-skinned, but even he could see the difference between himself and the man in front of him.
Whether it's facial features, physique, or the demeanor in every gesture, there's no comparison, absolutely no comparison.
Moreover, this person has been personally confirmed by Qiu Xiaoman and is a family member.
What defines family? Parents and children, brothers and sisters, partners.
Qiu Xiaoman has three half-siblings and four half-brothers, and he is aware of this.
Therefore, this man could absolutely not be her brother; he could only be…
He stood at the door of the ward, still feeling a little unwilling. When he heard her call his name, he stopped and asked, "What's wrong? Do you need me to go back and bring you some clothes?"
Qiu Xiaoman was both amused and exasperated: "No need, I'll be discharged tomorrow. Come over here and have some grapes."
"No, I'll go check the shop." Liu Kun clenched his fists, not wanting to make a fool of himself.
Helpless, Qiu Xiaoman could only continue eating grapes. This time, she finally succeeded, as she gave one to Fu Ze without missing a beat.
Fu Ze, a grape dangling from his mouth, had a dark look in his eyes and a hint of grievance in his voice: "You live with him?"
Qiu Xiaoman was stunned, and felt embarrassed for a moment. She looked away and said, "Well, it's not what you think. He just had nowhere to go, so he stayed at my place."
"Oh." Fu Ze was clearly unhappy, his handsome face filled with sorrow.
Qiu Xiaoman was a little worried. Could her senior brother be like President Shen, worried that she would be deceived?
So she tried to explain, "It's really nothing, we're just ordinary friends."
Fu Ze didn't say anything, but continued to peel grapes and stuff them into her mouth. Qiu Xiaoman had no choice but to eat them, muttering, "Why are you just like Shen Qinghuai? You get angry when you see me interacting with men?"
Fu Ze grabbed a tissue to wipe his hands and asked, "Is there?"
"So I'm not of the opposite sex?" He didn't want to spell it out.
Qiu Xiaoman thought about it and realized that she might have wronged her senior brother. He hadn't been angry when Wu Shirong was there.
Out of curiosity, he stared intently at Fu Ze's face, trying to discern something from it.
Fu Ze's face flushed as he was stared at: "What? Haven't you seen this before?"
"Senior brother, you're so handsome, it's a shame you don't go into acting. Once you start acting, I wonder how many girls you'll attract." Qiu Xiaoman was telling the truth; her senior brother really was handsome.
In another world, sometimes she would be exhausted like a dog trying to tame a ferocious beast from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, but no matter how tired she was, just seeing his face would revive her completely.
Nothing more than pleasing to the eye.
I can hardly believe it; if he were on TV, he would charm countless women.
Fu Ze, however, didn't like hearing this. His face darkened, and he scolded, "Here we go again. Why do I charm so many women? In your eyes, am I just a womanizer?"
Ah… Qiu Xiaoman was stunned. It seemed that these words were a bit disrespectful.
She... she had said something similar before. Although there were no movies in this other world, there was a beast-taming arena. She always encouraged him to participate, saying that if he won the championship, he could charm countless girls.
He gets angry every time, but I don't know why.
Now it seems that she crossed the line.
She smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm sorry, senior, I won't say it again."
"It's nothing." Fu Ze said stubbornly but was soft-hearted, slowly peeling grapes for her.
She didn't want him to feed her; she wanted to eat by herself. He scolded her for being pretentious, so she had no choice but to open her mouth.
Holding a grape in her mouth, she felt something was off. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Senior brother, why do you keep feeding me? I'm not hungry."
Fu Ze laughed irritably: "Eating some fruit is good. You had two vials of blood drawn, with such thick syringes. How can you replenish it if you don't eat? Don't you even know that? If you don't understand, then shut up and eat."
"How can you eat if your mouth is closed?" Qiu Xiaoman was used to joking with him, which made her feel much more relaxed.
Fu Ze then peeled a grape, closed his mouth, and ate it in front of her.
The juicy grapes squeezed into his slightly closed lips, and the glistening juice dripped down, making his lips look moist and plump, and they looked quite delicious.
Qiu Xiaoman was lost in thought. When she came to her senses, she realized what she had been thinking. She quickly grabbed the blanket, covered her head with it, and pretended to be asleep, ignoring the pain in her wound.
Seeing that she had inexplicably hidden away, Fu Ze couldn't help but chuckle: "What are you doing? Did eating some grapes upset you again?"
"No." Qiu Xiaoman was deeply reflecting on her actions, her voice muffled.
Fu Ze tugged at the blanket, but seeing that she refused to come out, he had no choice but to give up.
He sat down beside me and started talking about other things: "By the way, Mirage Tower came along too. We're in Miyun, so we don't know how you are. The little guy flies over to check on you every few days."
"What?" Qiu Xiaoman was so excited that she threw off the blanket and sat up, which hurt the wound under the gauze and made her hiss.
Fu Ze quickly stood up and helped her up: "What's the rush? He just comes to check on you every day to see if you're back, takes a quick look, and then goes back."
"Did he...?" Qiu Xiaoman wanted to ask if he had seen her kissing Liu Kun, but she felt too embarrassed to ask, so she decided against it.
Fu Ze didn't answer. As he turned away to throw away the grape skins, his fingernails dug into his palm, a pain he was suppressing.
He turned around with a smile on his face: "What's wrong? Did you do something bad?"
"No way!" Qiu Xiaoman felt a little guilty and kept her mouth shut, not wanting to eat the grapes he brought.
Fu Ze smiled, gently applying pressure with his fingertips: "Want to imitate me? By eating a mouthful of grape juice?"
It was just an ordinary sentence, but that wasn't what Qiu Xiaoman was thinking. She quickly opened her mouth, took a bite, finished eating, and pulled the blanket over herself: "I'm going to sleep for a while, I'm sleepy."
"Okay." Fu Ze didn't expose her. Of course he knew she had kissed someone else; Shenqilou had seen it all.
But it's not my junior sister's fault, it's all because that guy surnamed Liu seduced her first!
He refused to believe that he was inferior to Liu Kun. "We'll see," he thought.
He calmly went out to wash his hands and took a stroll downstairs, leaving Qiu Xiaoman lost in thought in the ward.
She wondered what her relationship with Liu Kun really was. Deep down, she knew that things hadn't progressed that far; it was more likely pity and gratitude. But somehow, every time he took the initiative, she couldn't help herself, and when the atmosphere was right, she would kiss him.
She wanted to keep her distance, but the thought of the sacrifices he made always made her soften and compromise. She didn't know if this was love, but she knew that she hadn't been able to adjust during the two months he was gone. Although she wasn't completely in love with him, she would be happy when he came back.
Maybe she just needs someone to be with her?
And now, her senior brother has arrived, dangling that irresistibly handsome face in front of her. Given time…
See? He only ate a grape, and she became distracted. What will happen if this goes on for a long time?
She was a little scared. Liu Kun was fine; once the relationship ended, it was over, and there wasn't that much affection between them. But what about her senior brother?
He was a very important member of her family, and she didn't want to use her senior as a source of comfort to alleviate her loneliness.
Hearing footsteps, she threw back the covers, stared at Fu Ze's charmingly handsome face, remained silent for a long time, and then asked, "Senior brother, what are you after for interfering in my karma?"
Yeah, what's the point? To make yourself angry? Of course not.
All I was hoping for was a sliver of hope.
Fu Ze didn't want to say it aloud; what would that make him? A beggar for his feelings? He didn't want that.
After considering it for a long time, he finally ended with a joke: "What else could I want? I just want you to take me and Master back as soon as possible. I don't want to see Master sulking there all day."
Qiu Xiaoman couldn't smile. Although Liu Kun had made her angry quite a bit at first, after spending so much time together, she had at least learned one thing: to care.
Between people, only those who care will be willing to stay for that person.
My senior brother...
Oh no, everything's in chaos. She didn't know how to face it, so she pretended to be tired and went to sleep.
Fu Ze went downstairs and bought a newspaper and magazine. He sat quietly by the hospital bed and read them. Occasionally, someone would mistakenly enter the wrong room and be startled when they saw him. He wasn't angry; he would always smile and tell them that this was Qiu Xiaoman's room and they had the wrong room.
At noon, people from the criminal investigation team and the base came to visit her, and everyone was curious about who the handsome man in ancient costume was who was taking care of her.
Her answer was always the same: family.
Fuze seemed very pleased with the title, smiling broadly in front of and behind others.
The next day, when she was discharged from the hospital, her mentor came early in the morning to help her carry her things. The bill was settled by her workplace.
Fu Ze helped her up and asked if she was dizzy. Seeing that she was dawdling, he simply squatted down in front of the bed and said, "Come on, I'll carry you on my back."
Just like when her master first took her in, every time she was bullied, her senior brother would chase them away, then squat down and say, "Come on, I'll carry you."
But now, Qiu Xiaoman is not being bullied.
She refused, got out of bed and pulled Fuze up: "I can walk by myself. Really."
Fu Ze didn't force her. He helped her down the stairs carefully, as if he were supporting a fragile and precious piece of porcelain.
When they arrived at the courtyard gate, they saw that Shen Qinghuai had also arrived.
Fu Ze couldn't help but tease, "Oh, so it's a competitive job selection process. Whoever is the most proactive gets to be the dad?"
But saying this would definitely attract attention, so never mind.
He remained polite and courteous with a smile, but Shen Qinghuai had long been familiar with his ability to change his expression. He nodded politely and then carried Qiu Xiaoman's things out.
When Qiu Xiaoman was discharged from the hospital, several cars were used, and she was surrounded by a large entourage, as if she were some important person.
Before she left, Shen Qinghuai asked her whether she wanted to go to her new apartment or her previous place.
Of course, she should go to the new house; otherwise, where would that weird old man live?
After tidying up, it was noon in noon. Qiu Xiaoman lived in the west master bedroom facing south, the strange old man lived in the east master bedroom facing south, and Fu Ze lived across from Qiu Xiaoman.
Shen Qinghuai also arranged a room for himself, right next to Qiu Xiaoman's bedroom; it was a secondary bedroom.
After finishing tidying up, he specifically asked Qiu Xiaoman, "Is Liu Kun not coming?"
"I haven't told him yet." Qiu Xiaoman wasn't sure either. She called Liu Kun and said, "Hey, I'm not going back today. I moved to a new place and need to settle in."
Liu Kun remained silent for a long time on the phone before asking, "Are you coming back to get your things?"
"Let's wait a couple of days." Qiu Xiaoman didn't ask him what to do; asking would seem like kicking him out, which wouldn't be appropriate. But she also couldn't invite him to stay over; that would be tantamount to admitting they were boyfriend and girlfriend.
She hasn't figured out how to handle this relationship yet.
Liu Kun himself didn't mention it. He knew that once some things were said and their nature was set, they couldn't be left ambiguous.
For example, what is his relationship with her? Is it friendship, roommates, or an ambiguous romantic relationship?
He has his own definition, but she might not think the same way.
Moreover, he was still ill.
After hanging up the phone, he stood in front of the dressing mirror, tore open his shirt. He didn't even have the courage to face himself, so how could he please the woman he loved?
This is a vicious cycle with no solution; he dragged himself into this mess, and no one can pull him out.
He changed his clothes, buttoned them up, opened his eyes, and saw a well-dressed, handsome man in the mirror, but unfortunately...
With my eyes closed, I looked at the rough skin on my chest, which she had once kissed so tenderly. I couldn't imagine whether she would feel disgusted when she saw these ugly scars.
The more I thought about it, the less courage I had to continue.
She could only slump onto the bed in despair, clutching her hair, drowning herself in pain.
The therapist said there were two options: either relentlessly pursue her, getting her to say sweet words, constantly comfort and encourage him, helping him regain his lost dignity, trying again and again, and not feeling ashamed even if he fails, but becoming more courageous with each setback in order to possibly overcome his mental illness; or leave her and find an ordinary woman, a woman who can only look up to him and whose every decision is his.
The former approach is highly improbable, and it would involve dragging her through endless pain. He wouldn't be so selfish as to disregard her feelings. Moreover, this method isn't guaranteed to work. Once both of them are exhausted, breaking up would mean never seeing each other again.
So perhaps the latter is his only way out.
But he was unwilling to give up just like that.
They could only torture themselves over and over again, ultimately creating a vicious cycle.
Now, she has another man by her side. Even if she can't sense his love, Liu Kun knows it.
The person's eyes were full of love, but not wanting others to see it, they had to pretend to be nonchalant. However, the prerequisite for nonchalantness was that the love was not strong, otherwise it would be ineffective.
Besides, that person has excellent features and is elegant and refined in every gesture, which should fit Officer Qiu's aesthetic. Given time, he really won't be needed anymore.
Maybe this is fate.
Stop struggling, Liu Kun. Liu Kun lay down on the bed, covering his face with his hands, not even wanting the sparrows outside the window to see him cry.
*
Qiu Xiaoman rested for two days before returning to work.
As for Xiao Hua, Xiao Bai, and A Fu, for safety reasons, they will continue to be raised in the countryside. Fu Ze will go back to feed them every day and then come back to the city, running back and forth.
The case has been solved—the accomplices were indeed the girls' stepbrothers. The 21-year-old was involved in the plot and has been arrested, awaiting trial and sentencing. The rest were all minors, and since the victims were all rescued and no substantial harm was caused, the police could only give the boys a warning and release them.
The girls' custody remained unchanged; they were still under their biological mother's name. What changed was that their mother had gotten divorced.
Qiu Xiaoman felt a little sorry for them and asked Shen Qinghuai if he could arrange some jobs for them.
Shen Qinghuai's own company was not doing well, but his friend's clothing factory was hiring, so he introduced them to apply. In the end, three of them stayed to work at the clothing factory, and one of them was really not doing well, so he arranged for her to take inventory for his own trading company.
This woman isn't good at handicrafts, but she's a master at physical labor. Shen Qinghuai visited several times, and each time the warehouse manager praised her.
He planned to observe her for a while and see how she did. If she did a good job, he could let her take over as the warehouse manager in another city.
As for the accommodation of these four women, they were all arranged to live in the same community as Shen Tenglong's family. It was a two-bedroom apartment with a living room. The four women and four girls lived together. Although it was a bit crowded, they did not want to live a life of charity. This was the best arrangement within their salary range.
As for Luo Qin herself, she acted as an accomplice in instigating her classmates, and being a minor, she was beyond the reach of the law and was released.
Her father's death was classified as an assault on a police officer; the officers and their dogs acted in self-defense and were not at fault.
Her mother was taken to the hospital but could not be saved and died. The case was also classified as assaulting a police officer, and the officer acted in self-defense.
The matter was thus put to rest, and Liu Kun's life was put on hold as well.
When Qiu Xiaoman went back to get her clothes, she found that Liu Kun had moved out again.
This time, instead of leaving a note in the bedside table or any cash, he wrote a long farewell letter and placed it on the coffee table.
The farewell letter, which was more than ten pages long, was full of heartfelt words and was truly touching.
For a fleeting moment, Qiu Xiaoman genuinely felt that she could give it a try with him.
Unfortunately, he couldn't. It's really not her fault.
After reading the letter, she moved all her belongings out. She didn't sell the house; it just remained empty, untouched and unthinkable.
Let time provide a clear answer.
In October, the Asian Games successfully concluded.
During this period, the security dogs apprehended several thieves, stopped eleven instances of small-scale fan disturbances, helped athletes find lost documents twenty-three times, helped athletes find other lost items fifty-nine times, and helped…
All of this is thanks to the security dogs, and Qiu Xiaoman is proud of them.
The next step was to decide whether to keep or remove the security dogs, and Qiu Xiaoman and others developed a selection plan in advance.
After several rounds, a total of nineteen dogs passed the selection process. After receiving further training, they will be eligible for police dog assessment.
Mango and Little Lightning were prominently featured on the list.
These two little ones are serious, diligent, hardworking, and persistent; it's no surprise that they achieved this result.
The remaining security dogs were originally intended to be available for adoption, but Lao Wei saw footage of security dogs patrolling outside the competition area on TV and became very interested. He called specifically to reserve twenty dogs to train as police dog candidates, and would only open them for adoption if necessary.
Some were left over, and at Lao Wei's strong recommendation, they were taken over by police dog bases in several other provinces.
Qiu Xiaoman was quite happy that the security dogs had become so popular.
After get off work, I returned to my spacious apartment on the ninth floor. There were ready-made meals, and the eccentric old man and Fu Ze would bicker with Shen Qinghuai. Occasionally, Yan Yan and her two siblings would come over to stay for a few days. Life was noisy and lively, but warm and comfortable.
December has arrived in the blink of an eye.
Mango and Little Lightning's first police dog assessment is approaching.
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