take care of
Why did Duan Ruiming find Zhou Ji?
Recently, the personnel sent by the higher-level city have reported to the branch where Duan Ruiming is located. Even Duan Ruiming can detect this, so it won't be long before they find out something.
It's just a matter of time.
So how long can this be kept secret?
Duan Ruiming had always thought that he could wait. Rather than forcing him, he hoped that Xu Li would come back on her own one day. He also believed that Xu Li would come back someday. But now he suddenly realized that it seemed that he could not wait any longer.
Everything was far more uncontrollable than he had imagined.
Therefore, Duan Ruiming felt he had to do something, for Xu Li and also for Xu Zhengbei.
Xu Liyuan was also more stubborn than Duan Ruiming had imagined, and Duan Ruiming could strongly sense Xu Liyuan's inner aversion to Linpu.
What exactly happened in between?
Duan Ruiming even considered the worst possible outcome.
He denied it again and again, refusing to believe it. He couldn't believe that a policeman's daughter would do such a thing, but at the same time, he couldn't convince himself that there was any reasonable explanation for this. Duan Ruiming really didn't know anything about it.
For Duan Ruiming, failing to report a crime was a major taboo in the police force, and he was bound to be punished. But since he had done it, even though he had some inner turmoil, he was still willing to accept it.
Everyone has selfish desires, but most people make their choices after weighing the pros and cons.
Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety have been mutually exclusive, and Xu Zhengbei was truly a benefactor on Duan Ruiming's life journey.
So, in the end, a large part of the reason he did all these things was because of Xu Zhengbei. He wouldn't abandon Xu Li, but at the same time, he also hoped to wait until the day Xu Li was willing to come back so that he could explain things clearly.
If it really is related to her, then the punishment she receives for turning herself in will be lighter.
But now, it seems that he can no longer hide it. Duan Ruiming is still waiting for Xu Li to "change her mind," but he doesn't know how much longer.
So he had to do something.
He originally wanted to call Zhou Junchang, but after several attempts, the call was not answered. He thought that Zhou Junchang was unwilling to answer his calls again because of what happened last time, but he did not expect that Zhou Junchang was at the police station at that time.
Having been to Yangzhou several times, and out of professional duty as a police officer, in order to ensure Xu Li's safety, he had already secretly investigated the various people around Xu Li while he lived in Yangzhou. He knew that Xu Li worked under a man named Zhou Ji.
At that time, Duan Ruiming noticed Zhou Ji and did some research online to find out what kind of person he was, and saved his phone number.
The moment the call connected, the other party said "hello," and their voice sounded just like a businessman.
Duan Ruiming gave Zhou Ji a rough overview of what had happened, making sure Zhou Ji understood the seriousness of the situation, as he might actually have a way to bring Xu Li back.
The other end answered the phone, but there was no response for a long time.
Zhou asked in the journal, "So, when is she leaving?"
"The sooner the better."
"..."
Just a second before the call ended, Duan Ruiming heard a "OK" from the receiver.
He didn't know what that "okay" meant—whether it indicated he was aware of the situation, or whether it included him relaying the message to Xu Li...
Duan Ruiming had no idea what was happening in Yangcheng. At that time, Zhou was still at the police station, and Xu Li was staying in the house and he couldn't get through to her by phone.
Even if we manage to get through, what then?
Zhou Ji had no choice but to speak up at that time.
If he said it, would it mean letting Xu Li leave with guilt? Would it mean Zhou Junchang wouldn't even get to see Xu Li one last time?
It was torture for both of them.
Zhou Ji couldn't be a heartless person.
Let's just drag it out, one more day at a time.
In the past few days, Zhou Ji began to carefully recall what had happened to Xu Li.
It turns out that the first time he met Xu Li was on the first night she fled to Yangcheng. At that time, she said she was looking for a job. After learning some things, he kindly arranged for Xu Li to work under him. Now that he thinks about it, he just finds it funny.
Laugh at her disheveled state, laugh at her cunning, laugh at her courage.
Zhou Ji found that he understood Xu Li less and less.
He thought Xu Li would be simple and cheerful at her age, but he found that she was surprisingly shrewd in some matters. He thought she would be full of hope for life at her age, but he also felt that she had a rare sense of fragility.
Perhaps he never truly understood Xu Li; he simply had some preconceived notions based on his own impressions.
So, did Zhou Junchang understand Xu Li?
After Zhou Junchang came out of the police station, Zhou Ji first called him.
He wasn't sure whether Xu Li wanted to leave or not, but he would convey that the decision rested with Xu Li.
However, he was still selfish and told Zhou Junchang first, wanting Zhou Junchang to have time to seize one last opportunity.
But he never expected that Zhou Junchang would have an accident on his way to see Xu Li after hanging up the phone.
Zhou Ji was furious the moment he heard the news.
It felt like fighting against the heavens.
They paved the way for them, but in the end, even the heavens didn't favor them and wouldn't let them have an easy time.
In the conference room, Zhou Ji almost tore up the contract.
Since I couldn't spare the time myself, I had to arrange for more people to manage it.
Manage it like crazy.
As for their side, they should be able to explain things clearly themselves.
——
**
After Zhou Jun woke up, Xu Li took care of him at the hospital.
The two didn't talk much, not even as much as they ate together.
"I need water."
Xu Li would pour water for Zhou Jun and bring it to his lips.
"Sleep?"
Zhou Jun nodded and closed his eyes.
…………
There seemed to be some invisible barrier between the two people, even less than their previous interactions, and it felt unnatural.
In between, besides Xu Li, only Hu Hei and A Feng visited Zhou Junchang more often.
Neither of them had ever taken care of anyone before, so they didn't know what Zhou Junchang usually did. They just sat in the ward talking.
The two didn't understand Zhou Junchang's tired expression, nor did they know that his wounds hadn't fully healed and that speaking would cause him pain due to the vibrations in his abdomen.
Seeing his slightly furrowed brows, I assumed he was just being impatient, or that he was just putting on an act as usual, so I didn't take it to heart.
Finally, Xu Li couldn't hold back any longer and said in a somewhat harsh tone, "He needs to rest. You should go back."
Ah Feng opened his mouth, about to take a bite of the freshly peeled banana, but before he could even take a bite, he pulled it out and asked, "Why are you sleeping in the middle of the day?"
"..."
Zhou Junchang didn't speak, his eyes fixed on Xu Li.
"Don't you get bored sleeping like this every day?"
"..."
Hu Hei was quite perceptive; seeing that things weren't going well, he immediately pulled Ah Feng away, saying, "Alright, alright, Jun Chang, get some rest. Mingyue is waiting for you. We'll come back in a few days."
Xu Li almost kicked Ah Feng out after hearing what he said, but after hearing Hu Hei's words, she suppressed her anger, picked up the kettle, and went out to fetch water.
Zhou Jun often stared at her back until she went out the door and disappeared from sight.
Hu Hei shook his hand and walked to the door to block Zhou Junchang's view: "Still looking? Your eyes are practically glued to him."
Perhaps Zhou Junchang himself didn't realize it, but during the few days he was in the hospital, he often looked at Xu Li like this.
Sometimes I even feel that the two stabs I took were worth it.
Watching Xu Li tuck the blanket around her, feed her water, ask her what she wanted to eat, and then go to the cafeteria to get her food...
Time seemed to slow down, and we felt like we were part of each other's lives. So this is what it feels like to be taken care of.
It's actually quite good.
"What? You've been talking about it all these past few days in the hospital."
To outsiders, their relationship might seem like it's just a matter of time before they confess their feelings, but only they know that there are some things between them that can't be discussed openly.
In reality, both of them were pretending not to know.
Both of them understood why they had met on the road.
Zhou Jun often wanted to ask Xu Li if she was really leaving, while Xu Li wanted to tell him that she might be leaving.
After Zhou Junchang woke up, they had countless opportunities to sit down and have a good talk, but both of them tacitly kept quiet.
Both of them were terrified.
They fear that things will turn out the way they least want to see.
Actually, the two are quite similar; when faced with things they don't want to admit, their first instinct is to run away.
They thought that if they didn't point it out, some things would simply cease to exist.
But deep down, I know that the problem is there, and running away won't solve anything.
So they are both afraid to face it and have no choice but to face it, going back and forth in this cycle, suffering endlessly.
Zhou Junchang shook his head, forcing a smile at the corners of his mouth.
They didn't know Xu Li was leaving; they all thought he was just being modest.
When Xu Li returned, both of them had already left.
The ward returned to silence; Zhou Junchang had already closed his eyes and fallen asleep.
Xu Li put down the kettle, walked to the window and drew the curtains, then walked to the bed, lowered the bed frame a little, and pulled the blanket up to cover her shoulders.
In the darkness, Xu Li's ear brushed against Zhou Junchang's hair as she heard him speak, "Want to get some sleep too?"
"You go to sleep first."
The curtains block out light very well, making the eyes feel especially bright at this time.
Zhou Jun stared into Xu Li's dark eyes and said, "You sleep here too."
The tone didn't sound like a question; it sounded more like an invitation or a statement of fact.
For a moment, Xu Li sensed that Zhou Junchang was actually a bit childish.
Knowing that he must have been gone for a while and that's when they talked, Xu Li felt a little helpless, but still agreed: "Okay."
Xu Li found the hospital blankets very soft, and the sunlight outside the window was blocked by the curtains.
That day, she sat beside me, her head resting on the blanket, and took a very, very good nap.
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