Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
At ten o’clock that night, due to an accident at the traffic junction on a south-bound main road about two kilometers from the Silver Royal Mansion, the traffic police had sealed off the road, causing a massive jam.
The ambulance was parked by the street. Mo Bing lay on a stretcher and sighed in relief.
“You nearly frightened me to death,” she said.
Jiang Jiusheng repeated the exact sentence back to her.
Now that Mo Bing had seen Jiang Jiusheng, her heart was at ease. She asked, “Was it a stalker fan?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t get hurt, right?”
Jiang Jiusheng shook her head.
Mo Bing examined her carefully. Besides the handkerchief wrapped around Jiang Jiusheng’s palm, she was perfectly fine. Mo Bing had seen Jiang Jiusheng fight, so she naturally asked, “Did the other party get hurt?”
“Yes.”
Indeed, Jiang Jiusheng didn’t train herself in mixed martial arts for nothing.
Mo Bing wanted more details, but Jiang Jiusheng diverted the topic. She asked, “How are you?”
“I’m fine.” Basic first aid had been performed on her. Mo Bing touched the wound on her head. “I just asked the traffic police officer to confirm your safety. Why did he ask you to come over?”
“He said that you had a concussion.”
Jiang Jiusheng looked at the color of Mo Bing’s face and saw that it didn’t look great. There weren’t many wounds on her body, but her lips were frighteningly pale. She hadn’t been able to move, so the medical staff had administered first aid.
Before putting on an oxygen mask, Mo Bing urged, “Come in, first. If the reporters get a shot of this, they’re going to write false things again.”
Thus, Jiang Jiusheng entered the ambulance. Shortly after, Xiao Qiao appeared as well. Her eyes were red from crying.
“I’m sorry, Sister Sheng. It all happened because my techniques are not good enough.” She blamed herself with her head lowered.
They had bumped into the railing while changing lanes, causing Mo Bing’s head and arm to get injured.
Jiang Jiusheng said nothing and sent the two of them to the hospital.
After an examination to confirm that Mo Bing did indeed have a slight concussion, the doctor recommended that she remain in the hospital for observation. On the other hand, Xiao Qiao’s injuries were only superficial, and she went to the police station to make her statement after they were bandaged.
The nurses in the department probably recognized Jiang Jiusheng and specially gave her the VIP ward.
“You should head back first. Lin Anzhi will be here soon.” Mo Bing was concerned because Jiang Jiusheng was, ultimately, a celebrity, and she was afraid that the paparazzi would tail her late at night too.
Jiang Jiusheng responded absentmindedly. She had been so distracted since just now, and Mo Bing had rarely seen her look so deep in thought.
“What’s wrong?” asked Mo Bing. “You’re so distracted.”
Jiang Jiusheng shook her head. She did not elaborate further and instead grabbed her mask and hat. “I’ll head back first. Call me if there’s anything.”
“Be careful on your way back.”
Mo Bing was a little curious. She wondered what kind of evil spirit was able to distract the celebrity she was in charge of to such an extent.
Jiang Jiusheng ran into Xu Qingbo in the hospital lobby. He had probably just emerged from the operating theater, as he was still clad in a sterile surgical gown. One glimpse was all it took for him to recognize Jiang Jiusheng.
“Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Jiusheng lifted her head and called, “Dr. Xu.”
Xu Qingbo smiled. He seemed to be teasing her as he said, “Did you get injured again?”
She shook her head and provided no further explanation.
“Are you here for Shi Jin?” Xu Qingbo glanced at the time on his phone. “He’s not in the hospital. He should already be on the plane.”
“He’s taking a night flight?”
As expected, Shi Jin had already informed her about it. Xu Qingbo admitted, “Yes, the conference is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning, so Shi Jin took the 10:30 p.m. flight tonight with the other colleagues.” After that, he added, “Oh, there are no female colleagues.”
Jiang Jiusheng lowered her gaze thoughtfully.
Xu Qingbo’s phone started vibrating. He glanced at Jiang Jiusheng before answering. His tone was teasing again as he said, “Hey, how rare it is for you to call me.”
The other party’s words caused his expression to change.
“Where did you say you are?” Xu Qingbo asked incredulously. “The police station?”
The other party was brief and uttered a few concise and comprehensive sentences. Xu Qingbo did not pursue it any further either and, after listening, said, “I’ll be there in half an hour.”
Following that, he hung up the phone and looked at Jiang Jiusheng. “I’m sorry, Miss Jiang. Please excuse me.”
Jiang Jiusheng nodded and made a move first.
Xu Qingbo suddenly called, “Miss Jiang.”
She turned around.
“Did you see Shi Jin before coming to the hospital?”
Jiang Jiusheng replied, “Yes, I saw him.”
Xu Qingbo laughed and looked as if he’d just had an epiphany. “I knew it.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” Xu Qingbo seemed to be joking. “I just think Shi Jin is really a huge fanboy.”
Jiang Jiusheng declined to comment.
Xu Qingbo shrugged and swiveled around to leave. His footsteps were rushed and filled with urgency.
Lin Anzhi arrived at the hospital less than 10 minutes after Jiang Jiusheng left. He stumbled into the ward, dazed.
Mo Bing looked at him curiously. “What’s wrong with you?”
He stood at the door. His eyes were red, and his forehead was drenched with perspiration. Lin Anzhi was still panting slightly as he said, “I was afraid something happened to you.”
“I’m fine—”
He embraced her. His voice shook. “You scared me to death.”
Mo Bing didn’t know how much force he was using, but she felt out of breath and thus tugged at the jacket of his western suit. “Anzhi, you’re hugging me too tightly. I’m giddy.”
He instantly released her and was at a loss for all of three seconds before he hurriedly rose. “I’ll go get the doctor.”
Mo Bing grabbed him and shook her head. “Just hug me gently.”
He kneeled and wrapped his arms around her waist. His face was buried in her abdomen, staining her hospital patient gown with his perspiration. “There’s no ‘next time’ for this. It would scare me to death, literally.”
Mo Bing patted his head. He looked like he was about to burst into tears.
Last year, they had fallen while skiing, and her hand had bled profusely. Lin Anzhi had hugged her and cried, and after they had gone to the hospital, the doctor had said that hers was just a superficial injury; Lin Anzhi was the one whose hand had been fractured. He hadn’t even known it back then and had insisted on carrying her for some distance.
He was such a cold and tough person. Mo Bing was the only person he had ever shed tears for.
“Anzhi.”
Lin Anzhi raised his head and regarded Mo Bing. “Hmm?”
She was silent again.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Mo Bing hesitated for a moment before saying, “I want to eat noodles cooked by you.”
What she had wanted to ask was if he had been the person with Wen Shuning at the prize award ceremony that night, but when she saw his red, tear-stained eyes, the words became lodged in her throat. Mo Bing had never doubted that Lin Anzhi loved her and that he loved her deeply.
He laid her down. “I’ll go see if the hospital will allow me to use their kitchen.” After kissing her forehead, he kissed her lips. “Be good. Don’t wait for me, you should sleep for a while first.”
“All right.”
He kissed her again, then instructed his assistant to stand guard at her door before leaving.
Mo Bing didn’t know how to cook, but Lin Anzhi did. Mo Bing didn’t know how to do housework, either, but Lin Anzhi did. She didn’t even know how to turn on the washing machine.
This was because Lin Anzhi had said that he would wash her clothes for the rest of his life, starting from the age of 14 to the age of 94. He was not a gentle person and could even be considered cold, yet he gave all the warmth he possessed to her. He was her youth. He was everything she had faith in. They had made a promise at 14 years old: They would be each one another’s one and only.
Mo Bing couldn’t imagine Lin Anzhi betraying her. It might kill her. In fact, dying may have been preferable to living under such circumstances.