Volume 1, Chapter 20: One Gentle, One Aloof

Shao Ting'an frowned slightly, as if recalling the details with great care.

After a moment of thought, he said, "The night before last, our factory's experiment reached a critical stage. I stayed at the factory to monitor the data and didn't go home."

The two police officers exchanged a glance. This aligned with the information they had gathered during their preliminary investigation; it seemed unlikely that Shao Ting'an was lying.

Su Li, however, was quite surprised. She had assumed he was with Zhao Xinran, but it turned out he had been at the factory the entire time. In her previous life, he had been just as devoted to his work; otherwise, she never would have suspected him of anything.

The tall officer sighed. "Based on our inquiries today, we haven't found any eyewitnesses yet. The riverbank isn't far from Xixia Alley, and normally there would be plenty of people out cooling off, but unfortunately, there’s a trash heap right where your father's incident occurred, and the mosquitoes are so thick that no one goes near it."

The heavier officer added, "We’ve interviewed many people, and they all said they didn't see anyone suspicious by the river. The police are still working at full capacity to investigate, and we will notify you as soon as we have any news."

After the police left, Xu Mingzhe pushed the door open. "Comrade Su, regarding your father's condition, I think Dr. Fu's assessment is accurate. As of now, there are no signs that your father is regaining consciousness. You should prepare yourself for the worst."

Su Li panicked, her voice urgent. "Prepare for what? My father is just asleep; he will wake up sooner or later."

"I understand how you feel, and I hope your father wakes up, too, but we must plan for the worst. If he remains unconscious for a long time, it will be a significant burden on your family."

"My father is never a burden. He will wake up."

Su Li left these cold words behind and turned to leave.

Shao Ting'an offered a polite, apologetic smile. "Please don't mind her, Dr. Xu. My father-in-law dotes on my wife, and she’s just having trouble accepting this right now. Please don't be angry."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Xu," Su Mingde added, offering his own apology.

"It's fine, I understand."

"We won't give up on our father. He worked hard his whole life, and now it's our turn to honor him and take care of him."

Xu Mingzhe watched Su Mingde’s retreating figure and shook his head; these siblings were certainly dutiful.

"Dr. Xu, I'll continue to trouble you with my father-in-law's care."

"Brother, it really is you." Shao Tingting walked up and pulled him toward the stairwell.

"What are you doing?"

Shao Tingting glanced at both ends of the corridor and whispered, "Mom said you should stay out of the Su family's business and keep a close eye on your money. If Su Li’s dad really does become a vegetable, the future expenses will inevitably be squeezed out of you."

"That is my father-in-law. How can I ignore him? That’s enough—stop gossiping with Mom at home. Instead of saying anything helpful, you’re just adding fuel to the fire."

"Hey, you... no wonder Mom says you forgot your own mother the moment you took a wife."

"Don't worry about my affairs. You should learn some manners. Your sister-in-law's father is in such a serious condition, and you haven't even shown your face at the hospital. Have you no sense of propriety? Go back and tell Mom and Dad to bring some gifts and come pay a visit."

"In your dreams. You want Dad to visit them? Look at their status compared to ours."

Shao Tingting turned and walked away. A deep, inscrutable look flashed in Shao Ting'an's eyes, though he sighed with helplessness on his face; it was highly unlikely his parents would come.

Over the next two days, Su Li stayed by her father's bedside, almost without sleep or rest, silently praying for him to wake up.

Zhao Xinran kept her word, arriving on time morning, noon, and evening to deliver meals and help Su Li care for Su Danian. The older woman in the ward praised her whenever she saw her, calling her a diligent and thoughtful girl.

Su Li listened silently without agreeing or refuting; there was simply no way to refute it.

"Xiao Li, you haven't left this room for three days. Go get some fresh air. Zhao and I are here."

Su Li shook her head. "It's fine here. I don't want to go."

For the past two days, she hadn't been able to figure things out. She even wondered if her rebirth had brought disaster upon her father; otherwise, how could things happen that never occurred in her previous life?

Before she could even exact her revenge, her father had fallen. Su Li felt utterly dejected.

"Go take a walk and clear your head. If you stay like this, it will only make your father sad if he wakes up and sees you."

Seeing her mother’s concern, Su Li took a breath. "Alright, I'll go get some air."

She didn't go far, sitting down on a bench below the inpatient building. The sunset painted the sky a burning red, and she stared aimlessly into the distance.

"What are you thinking about?" A cold, calm voice drifted over.

Su Li turned slowly and blinked at Fu Jinzhou, who had sat down beside her without her noticing. His stern, distant face was the polar opposite of Shao Ting'an's. One was gentle and warm, the other cold and detached.

Fu Jinzhou sat perfectly still, letting her look at him.

"What, don't you recognize me?"

Su Li snapped back to reality and shook her head. "When did you get back?"

"Just now. I dropped my files off at the office and saw you from afar, gazing at the heavens. Did you divine anything?"

Su Li curled her lips slightly. "Clear skies tomorrow, no wind and no rain."

Fu Jinzhou’s mouth tilted up almost imperceptibly. "Continued high temperatures, hot weather."

Su Li nodded. "Yes, continued high temperatures."

After she spoke, they exchanged a glance, followed by another silence.

Fu Jinzhou could see the exhaustion in Su Li’s expression; compared to her usual bright and moving self, she looked quite dim.

"I’ve heard about your father's condition. Often, we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate."

"You don't need to comfort me; I understand."

She did understand. She was just thinking about what to do next. She would not give up on her father's situation, nor on her own revenge. She needed to collect more photos. Shao Ting'an’s new harvester was about to enter production, and many officials would be in attendance. That was when she would expose the photos.

She would reveal his ugly deeds in full public view at the moment of his greatest glory.

At present, her revenge wasn't the difficult part—it was the person who had harmed her father. So far, there were no leads. As time passed, the chances of finding evidence grew slimmer.

"As long as you understand." Fu Jinzhou looked at the paper bag in his hand and spoke with a hint of hesitation. "I brought some things back from my business trip. I was going to give them to Xu Mingzhe, but since he isn't here, I'll give them to you."

"That wouldn't be appropriate. You've helped me twice already, and I haven't even had the chance to thank you." Su Li felt somewhat embarrassed.

"It's hot, and these candies melt easily. If they stay in my office, they won't be edible tomorrow anyway."

Su Li smiled. Hearing that they were candies, she didn't decline further. "Then thank you."

Shao Tingting had heard that Fu Jinzhou was back and had been searching the hospital for him. Seeing him sitting with Su Li, her face darkened instantly.

*The woman is already married and still flirts with others. A married woman sitting alone with a man—how indecent!*

She calmed herself for a moment before walking toward Fu Jinzhou with small, deliberate steps.

"Dr. Fu, didn't you say you would be gone for five days? Why are you back so soon?"

The corners of Fu Jinzhou’s mouth, which had been slightly raised, dropped the moment he saw her. He said flatly, "Everything went smoothly, so I finished early."

"I heard you were with a world-renowned surgical expert. It seems experts really are efficient."

Shao Tingting made small talk, secretly casting glances at Su Li. Su Li understood her intent immediately, but she chose to play dumb, acting as if she hadn't seen a thing, remaining completely still.

*With her flashy, overbearing attitude and shallow intellect, she wants to marry a cold, detached medical talent like Fu Jinzhou?*

*What a pipe dream!*

*She’d better stop ruining the lives of promising young talents.*