Chapter 24.4

After they left, Mother Zhou couldn’t hold back her tears any longer and began to cry uncontrollably.

Zhou Peng, lying in bed, furrowed his brows, his eyelids fluttering as if he was about to wake up. Mother Zhou had to desperately cover her mouth, trying hard to stifle her sobs, even afraid to cry out loud…

The door to the hospital room suddenly sounded. Mother Zhou thought Zhou Xiaohu and the others had returned, but upon opening the door, she saw police officers in white uniforms.

“Sorry to bother you, this is Zhou Peng’s ward, right?”

Mother Zhou’s pupils constricted, and she tried to close the door, but the police officers blocked it.

“There’s no Zhou Peng here. You must have the wrong person!”

Mother Zhou pressed against the door.

If Zhou Xiaohu were here, he would have been able to drive these two police officers away with his greater strength.

“Comrade, what you’re doing is illegal.”

Mother Zhou’s strength was formidable, and the police officer found it difficult to handle.

“I don’t care about legality. Just don’t think you can take my son away,” Mother Zhou thought of Zhuzi’s words and increased her resistance.

The police officer, annoyed, said to his colleague, “What are you looking at? Help out here.”

The other officer finally extended his hand.

No matter how strong Mother Zhou was, she couldn’t match two strong men. The door was forced open, and she was pushed several steps back due to the impact.

Seeing this, the police officer said, “Comrade, are you alright?”

Mother Zhou, hearing this, rolled her eyes and fell to the floor, throwing a tantrum. “Everyone, look! The police are hitting people! Help! The police are bullying this honest person…”

The police officers: “…”

The other officer, impatient, said, “Zhou Peng is an accomplice of Zhou Dahu. When he wakes up, he will need to cooperate with our investigation.”

Mother Zhou’s voice grew louder.

“Right now, we’re supervising both the person and the room,” the police officer said, “If you remain quiet, you can stay. Otherwise, we’ll have to ask you to leave.”

Zhou Peng remained sound asleep despite the commotion.

Mother Zhou, realizing their disregard, felt hopeless and continued to weep. The city hospital, unlike the county hospital, had fewer people around, so no one came to see what was happening.

Seeing that her previous attempts were futile, Mother Zhou wiped her tears and stood up.

“Officers, my son is a good person. He wouldn’t do anything bad. Did you misunderstand something?”

The two police officers stood there like statues, ignoring her.

Mother Zhou was increasingly anxious, wishing Zhou Xiaohu would return immediately.

*

Days passed, and Ruan Mingfu’s injuries had mostly healed, and her raspy voice had returned to its previous clarity. Since she had been hospitalized, a few of her new aunts had been constantly bringing her soups and tonics.

As a result, not only had she not lost weight from her injury, but she had gained a bit. Her once sharp chin had become much rounder, and her face had transformed from an oval shape to a more rounded, lucky face. She even looked more beautiful than before.

Ruan Mingfu looked at herself in the mirror, satisfied with the beauty staring back at her.

While she was indulging in her vanity, Xie Yanzhao walked in.

He came in with the heat of summer still clinging to him, his arms slightly sunburned. As soon as he entered, he seemed to feel a noticeable relief from the heat.

Taking a sip of water to cool down, Xie Yanzhao said, “Change into something nice, we’re going to meet someone.”

Ruan Mingfu put down the mirror and asked curiously, “Who are we meeting?”

Although the bastard man was a bit of a bastard sometimes, he was still reliable most of the time. If she settled the engagement with the bastard man, she would have to go back to being an educated youth. The weather was so hot now that if she went to work under such a hot sun, she would faint in the field.

Although her parents were going to be rehabilitated, it was just a piece of news.

There was no solid proof yet.

Ruan Mingfu figured she should seize the opportunities she had now, such as—

Xie Yanzhao.

Since Xie Yanzhao had married her out of spite towards his father, and she didn’t particularly like him either, she might as well just live with him. If things didn’t work out, they could always get a divorce later.

Having come to this realization, Ruan Mingfu felt much lighter.

Her wardrobe was limited, but all the clothes she had were ones she frequently wore, which didn’t suit the occasion.

Seeing Xie Yanzhao’s expression, the person they were meeting must be important. Thus, she couldn’t afford to be sloppy.

Ruan Mingfu took out the dress Aunt Wei had made for her.

She had given many suggestions when this dress was being made, and Aunt Wei had delivered it to her once it was finished.

Ruan Mingfu hadn’t had a chance to try it on yet.

The dress was a light green with white floral prints. It was made from cotton and was a basic cut. The neckline was a bit low, and the waist was more fitted.

Before changing, Ruan Mingfu glanced at Xie Yanzhao and asked, “Aren’t you going to step out?”

Xie Yanzhao frowned slightly, then realized. His ears reddened as he stepped out of the hospital room, not forgetting to close the door behind him.

The dress fit her perfectly, made to her measurements.

The dress reached just below her calves, showing off her delicate, slender ankles. Although the neckline was a bit low, it only accentuated her elegant collarbones, making her neck appear longer.

Ruan Mingfu let her hair down and called out to Xie Yanzhao, “You can come in now.”

After a while, Xie Yanzhao walked in from behind the door.

Seeing Ruan Mingfu dressed and combing her hair, his eyes flashed with surprise.

The fleeting amazement didn’t escape Ruan Mingfu’s notice, and a sense of pride welled up inside her.

So, this dog of a man should feel lucky to have her.

Ruan Mingfu finished styling her hair, put down the comb, and deliberately asked Xie Yanzhao, “So… do I look good?”

Xie Yanzhao’s eagle-like gaze was fixed on her face. At the question, his Adam’s apple moved quickly, but he remained silent.

Ruan Mingfu’s eyes showed a hint of displeasure.

She stood up, moved closer to Xie Yanzhao with a bright, mischievous smile, and in a seductive and lingering voice said, “Comrade Xie, you haven’t answered my question yet~”

As she approached, Xie Yanzhao instinctively leaned back.

His reaction pleased Ruan Mingfu, making her even bolder.

Her hand moved to his solid chest, sending ripples through him. As her hand seemed to reach an indescribable place, it was firmly grasped by a rough hand.

Feeling the heat from the other person’s body, Ruan Mingfu shivered slightly.

She looked up and found herself staring into a pair of pitch-black eyes.

His gaze seemed like a deep abyss, yet also as if it contained countless stars. It was both enticing and a trap. Once caught, she would be doomed to sink with him.

Ruan Mingfu’s heart raced.

Her sixth sense told her that this man had become very dangerous, and she needed to leave quickly.

But Ruan Mingfu was a person who didn’t back down easily. Even though she was terrified inside, she put on a brave front, “Hmph! How boring…”

After making her defiant statement, Ruan Mingfu tried to escape. Just as she turned around, a strong arm blocked her path and pulled her back.

Her back collided with the person behind her.

The hand on her waist applied a lot of pressure, forcing her to press tightly against Xie Yanzhao.

Ruan Mingfu’s red lips parted slightly as she was about to speak, but the other hand wrapped around her shoulders, firmly holding her in place.

She felt the person behind her lower his head and graze her neck with his warm breath, sending shivers through her sensitive skin.

A deep, resonant voice whispered in her ear, “I’m boring, huh?”