“Your uncle’s health is fine now. He just needs to stay in the hospital for observation for another two days, then he can be discharged,” Dr. Huang Kewei said to Qiao Wanqing in his office.

After feeling down for several days, finally, there was some good news.

Qiao Wanqing rarely smiled and said, “Thank you for taking care of him during this time.”

“Old classmate, don’t mention it. How’s the case progressing? Any developments?” Dr. Huang asked.

At this mention, Qiao Wanqing’s eyes dimmed instantly, and she whispered, “Same as before.”

“I’m asking a friend to inquire. His uncle has connections in this area. It might not work, but it’s worth a try,” Dr. Huang said.

Moved and surprised, Qiao Wanqing replied, “Thank you so much.”

“It’s no trouble. I’ll let you know as soon as I have any news,” Dr. Huang said as he stood up. “I have to get back to work now. I’m off tomorrow. How about we grab a meal together?”

Qiao Wanqing nodded. Dr. Huang had been quite helpful to her recently, so it was a good opportunity to thank him.

She wondered if the connection Dr. Huang mentioned would actually help.

During this period, she experienced for the first time how powerless individuals could be in the face of authority.

No matter how angry or how hard you tried, you couldn’t change the outcome that power decided.

Qian Wanqing was anxious every day, posting online for advice, consulting lawyers, and spinning around in a busy circle, but there was still no sign of progress.

Although the lengthy legal procedures were still ongoing and the final outcome had yet to be determined, it seemed almost certain that they would face criminal penalties and compensate the other party.

At this moment, Qiao Wanqing fell into deep despair.

She was still eagerly awaiting news from Huang Kewei, but then there was a turning point.

The next day, as usual, Qiao Wanqing went to the hospital to deliver food.

She noticed that the ward was piled with many supplements, which looked out of place among the eggs and fruits.

In recent days, many relatives had visited the hospital to inquire about her uncle’s condition.

Those who visited often brought eggs laid by their own chickens, fruits, or even red envelopes, but hardly anyone brought supplements.

Her aunt wasn’t in the room, only her uncle was there.

When he saw her, he said, “Qingqing, here you are. It’s so cold today. I told your aunt to buy something to eat outside so you wouldn’t have to come every day.”

“It’s okay. Besides, I have to deliver vegetables anyway,” Qiao Wanqing replied, placing the food on the table beside the bed.

She noticed a coat draped over the back of a nearby chair that clearly didn’t belong to her uncle and casually asked, “Who’s come so early in the morning?”

“Oh, don’t you know? Young Master Gu,” her uncle replied.

It took Qiao Wanqing a moment to realize who her uncle meant by “Young Master Gu.”

Her uncle had met Gu Yanqing before when they went to see the land in Xishan together, so he recognized him.

Kouko resembled Gu Yanqing, and her uncle probably figured out the connection.

Seeing that Qiao Wanqing’s relationship with Gu Yanqing wasn’t bad, her uncle didn’t treat him like a stranger.

Qiao Wanqing was taken aback.

Her first thought was, could this turning point in the situation be related to Gu Yanqing’s arrival?

“Where is he?” she asked.

“He went out to take a call. Oh, isn’t he back now?” her uncle replied.

The door to the ward opened, revealing Gu Yanqing’s handsome face.

When he saw her, he gave her a faint smile and said, “Wanqing, you’re here.”

Qiao Wanqing: “…”

It had been nearly two months since they last met.

Seeing him again, Gu Yanqing still exuded that confident aura, as if he were at the pinnacle of his power.

Meanwhile, she felt like she was being crushed into the dust.

Gu Yanqing frowned slightly when he saw her.

Qiao Wanqing had lost too much weight.

While she had been slim before, it was not the unhealthy kind of thinness she was showing now.

She used to be slender and attractive, a real beauty.

But now, Qiao Wanqing looked visibly worn-out.

Her once bright and lively eyes seemed dulled by a layer of dust.

Though still beautiful, Qiao Wanqing now carried a hint of illness, making her appear fragile and pitiful.

Thinking of all she had endured during this time, Gu Yanqing felt a faint pang of pain in his heart — a feeling of deep concern.

After exchanging a few words with her uncle, Qiao Wanqing left with Gu Yanqing once her aunt returned.

“I’ve already taken steps to resolve the matter,” Gu Yanqing said as they walked down the corridor outside the ward. “Don’t worry, justice will be served for you.”

“Thank you,” Qiao Wanqing replied.

At this moment, any further discussion seemed futile.

She truly needed help, and Gu Yanqing was in a position to provide it.

She couldn’t just dismiss him and pretend she didn’t need his assistance.

That would be both irrational and unwise.

“How’s Kouko?” she asked, turning to him. “He seems to have grown a lot since Chinese New Year.”

“I happened to come by. The hotel staff overheard something and informed me,” Gu Yanqing replied casually.

He didn’t reveal that Qiao Wanqing’s grandmother had disclosed anything.

Instead, he naturally shifted the blame to the hotel staff.

Qiao Wanqing might blame her grandmother, but she couldn’t blame the hotel staff.

In reality, Gu Yanqing had no personal involvement in the hotel investment; it was all managed by his assistant.

His role was merely titular, and the other party had no knowledge of his connection to Qiao Wanqing.

Thus, they wouldn’t think to approach him with complaints.

Qiao Wanqing nodded without dwelling on these details.

Gu Yanqing then asked, “Have those people come to bother you again?”

“No, they haven’t. I haven’t even seen those few individuals,” Qiao Wanqing replied, still unaware of how her uncle had been assaulted.

“I’m sorry I found out too late and you had to endure this,” Gu Yanqing apologized sincerely.

Since Qiao Wanqing turned down his confession and he returned, Gu Yanqing had encountered a major project and became extremely busy.

Moreover, he wondered if his interest in her stemmed solely from her stark contrast before and after her rejection, rather than genuine affection.

Thus, he decided to stay calm and focused on his work first.

However, reality proved that Gu Yanqing was wrong this time.

This thirty-year-old man had fallen for a woman he had once completely disregarded, even wished to throttle her.

Gu Yanqing was a man who followed his heart. He suppressed his urge to contact her, deciding to wait until the project was completed and he had some free time before earnestly pursuing her.

As for long-distance relationships, the drive from her house to the city took at most three hours, even less to the nearby town.

Moreover, his career stabilized this year, allowing him to delegate many tasks to others.

As a big boss, he could afford to be neglectful like an incompetent king.

So distance was no issue at all.

Ahem.

But now, Gu Yanqing deeply regretted ignoring her during this period.

If he had been there, he could have easily handled this matter, sparing her from facing powerful adversaries on her own as a vulnerable woman.

Qiao Wanqing shook her head. “It has nothing to do with you. Will this be very troublesome to resolve? What can I do?”

“You just need to cooperate with your uncle’s lawyer. Don’t worry about anything else. It’s the same lawyer as last time. Trust him. He’s very capable. So, will you join me for breakfast?”

At times like this, Qiao Wanqing certainly wouldn’t refuse him.

Besides, she hadn’t had breakfast yet.

Every morning, she got up early to pick vegetables in the fields. Grandma Qiao prepared breakfast and lunch to send over for her uncle. After picking the vegetables, she first delivered the meals and then took the vegetables to the agritainment farm before returning home to eat.

Now, she only cooperates with cooked vegetables with the agritainment farm.

She has temporarily stopped supplying fresh ones.

As for the other small restaurants in town and the hotel where Gu Yanqing has shares, Qiao Wanqing has temporarily stopped supplying them.

Until this matter is resolved, she doesn’t have the mood to deliver vegetables house by house.

She is really scared and would rather let those vegetables rot in the fields than bring trouble to her family.

Who knows what those people might do behind her back.

Due to their long-term cooperation, the supply of fresh vegetables to the agritainment farm has also temporarily stopped.

Qiao Wanqing picks vegetables every day and delivers them to the farm for cooking for the guests.

Boss Cai knows about her family’s situation. Although he has lost a lot of money because of this, he hasn’t forced her.

As for the greenhouse planting side, it’s as if nothing happened. Since she stopped supplying, the other party immediately made up for the vegetables and sold them cunningly cheap.

Restaurant owners are all businessmen aiming for profit.

They don’t have much intersection with Qiao Wanqing, so there’s no need to choose one over the other.

They buy whoever is more profitable, so many restaurants have bought from the greenhouse side again.

The two went to a hotel for breakfast. Gu Yanqing was a major shareholder there, and the breakfast was specially prepared by the hotel kitchen: milk, toast, fried eggs, and sausage, a standard Western breakfast.

“Will you be able to eat this? Should I ask them to make some congee?” Gu Yanqing was worried that Qiao Wanqing might not be used to it.

He had breakfast at her place twice before, both times having congee.

Qiao Wanqing let go of a big worry, feeling unprecedentedly relaxed now.

She picked up a piece of toast, took a bite, and said, “It’s delicious.”

Gu Yanqing chuckled softly and placed the fried egg from his plate into her bowl. “You’re too thin, eat more.”

This gesture was quite intimate, but Qiao Wanqing didn’t want to think about anything now.

This matter had drained all her wisdom and mental strength recently.

Now that things could be resolved, she just wanted to enjoy her breakfast and then go back to sleep.

She nodded gently and used a fork to lift the fried egg into her mouth.

The eggs at this hotel were not soft-boiled; they were fried thoroughly, even the yolk was fully cooked. She accidentally choked a bit while eating half of the yolk in one bite.

She immediately frowned, feeling the discomfort as if she wanted to beat her chest and stamp her feet.

Gu Yanqing noticed something was wrong. “Choked?”

Even though Qiao Wanqing had thick skin, after all, she was a girl.

At this moment, her face flushed red, wishing she could find a hole to hide in.

This was such a blow to her image.

Gu Yanqing stood up, walked two steps to her, and reached out to pat her back.

He also pushed the milk beside her towards her. “Quickly take a sip, hold your breath, and swallow it together.”

Qiao Wanqing was originally half choked to death, and being touched so intimately by him almost made her choke again without being able to catch her breath.

The warmth from Gu Yanqing’s hands transmitted through her clothes from behind, making Qiao Wanqing feel as if her back was being burned.

She avoided his hand, picked up the milk, took a big gulp, and forcefully swallowed the milk along with the yolk, all in one go.

The moment she swallowed it, she felt like she was being suffocated, but the next moment, she came back to life.

She exhaled a breath, almost choking to death.

Damn it, her image.

What a ridiculous situation.