“I have a job to do in a while, not in this city, and I’m not sure when it will end.”
Qin Ruoshui's back remained expressionless. "You don't need to tell me these things. They're none of my business, and I'm not interested." Ha, she's always like this; she's never one to change her mind.
Qi Yi'an gazed at that retreating figure, a touch of sadness in his eyes. Should he...?
Forget it, why think so much? Qin Ruoshui didn't care anyway. Every time she took something seriously, she was always the one who got hurt.
…
-----
That night, Qin Ruoshui dreamt that she and Qi Yi'an went to an inland town in Country F. They walked through golden wheat fields under a clear, pale green sky, crossed many forks in the road, and finally arrived at a seaside town in Country X. The town had human remains from hundreds of years ago. When they arrived, it was dusk; the dark blue sky gradually turned to a slightly orange-red at the edges, and breathtaking clouds drifted across the horizon above the sea. They walked on the seaside promenade, jumped into the sea for a swim, and the water was so cool that they swam until daylight.
Qi Yi'an went ashore, helped her dry off, and carried her on his back. His voice was warm and calm, yet tinged with sadness. "I'm leaving this time, and it'll be quite a while before I come back. Wait for me... wait until I finish this job, and then we can have a good talk... okay?" She thought for a moment, then added, "If everything goes well, when I come back... I won't leave again. I'll stay by your side, and we can be together... okay?"
Qin Ruoshui vaguely remembered that in her dream she seemed to be annoyed by her nagging, and then said something else to her before waking up. Dreams are usually forgotten as soon as you wake up. Oh well, it doesn't matter. She reached for her phone on the bedside table: March 30, 2026, 8:07 AM.
Several messages from over an hour ago were also displayed on the screen.
Flat-headed lynx:
I suddenly received a work message last night and didn't have time to tell you.
-I'm leaving.
I made zucchini pancakes; they're in the kitchen, I'll heat them up before eating.
You coughed a little last night while sleeping; there are some medicines by your bedside.
"..."
In my dream she said… “Wait for me to come back, okay…”
She gently bit her ear and replied, "Mmm... I'll wait for you..."
"..." Qin Ruoshui clicked on the input box: When will you be back?
He paused, then deleted it.
Forget it. Dreams are all fake.
-----
"Why didn't Mr. Lin bring his wife this time? Isn't Mrs. Lin President Qin's sister? We've heard so much praise for Mrs. Lin from others. Mr. Lin, you should show us what you're made of, hahaha." Someone started the commotion at the banquet.
Qin Ye smiled and glanced at Lin Yan.
"Ah, she's been very busy with company affairs lately. Next time, next time, definitely, hahaha..." Lin Yan said with a forced smile, offering a toast. Although the Lin family's business was quite powerful, they still had to be careful when dealing with these dangerous figures who walked the line between right and wrong. After completing their first transaction last month, both sides made a fortune. Qin Ye seized the opportunity and also got involved, but his investment wasn't large, and he didn't interfere too much in the business; Lin Yan handled most of the operations. Neither of them wanted Qin Ruoshui involved in this matter.
"I didn't expect Mr. Lin to be so doting on his wife, but don't always keep her hidden away like a mistress~" the other boss's woman spoke up, her face beaming with smiles. "You men are really something, always talking business. It's so boring leaving us women on the sidelines. Mr. Lin, next time you should bring your wife along, give us ladies a chance to make friends too~" She turned and nudged the boss, coquettishly chiding him, "Don't you think so, Lao Yu~"
"Hahaha, look at her, she's starting to blame me for keeping her bored." The big boss put his arm around the woman and laughed at Lin Yan, "President Lin, would you do me the honor of having Mrs. Lin attend the gathering in L City next month? Hahahaha!"
Lin Yan smiled ingratiatingly, "Haha, okay, okay."
"Mr. Lin may not know, but Lao Yu has always prioritized making friends over business. Come, let me toast Mr. Lin." The woman stood up to offer a toast, her figure alluring and captivating.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, the woman seemed to quickly become somewhat drunk and excused herself from the party.
Swaying and leaning against the wall, she walked around the corner and answered the phone, "Have you arrived? Yes, I'm out."
-----
"You're a big boss, how come you left people hanging halfway through a business deal?" Qi Yi'an watched her lean against the right seat of the car and light a cigarette.
“Those guys on the other side are pretty boring, let’s just leave them to Lao Yu.” Li Feiyan took a couple of puffs of his cigarette.
She lifted Qi Yi'an's chin and kissed him amidst the swirling mist of her lips. "Next month, come with me to L City."
"Hmm," Qi Yi'an said, his eyes slightly glazed as he looked at the alluring woman exhaling smoke, "You're so beautiful..."
Li Feiyan smiled seductively and wickedly, "Then hurry up and drive back to serve me."
Author's Note:
Oh, please, please finish the paper soon!
Chapter 28 I feel pity for him.
Lin Yan and Qin Ruoshui rarely interfered in each other's personal lives. Their business dealings were purely cooperative, a fact both families understood, and there was no need for them to put on an act to appease their elders. While Qin Ruoshui was involved in the business transactions, Qin Ye primarily handled the negotiations. However, because it was a partnership, mutual assistance in business was simply part of their duties.
Entrusted with a trip to L City next month, Qin Ruoshui arrived in E Country a while earlier to take care of her assets left there. Since returning to China a few years ago, she hadn't paid much attention to her belongings there, including her small antique shop.
After the incident in Country E, the Qin family withdrew most of their business and assets, leaving only some of Qin Ruoshui's personal property behind. Since it was a 999-year private property right in this country, they figured it was better to leave it there, both to wait for its value to appreciate after the crisis and as a kind of mini-insurance.
"Would you like to come over for a drink later tonight?" the woman across from me asked, her figure captivating. "It's been so many years since we last saw each other!"
Qin Ruoshui smiled faintly, took a sip of red wine, and remained silent.
"I miss you so much." The woman had short, ear-length hair, yet exuded femininity, her eyes crinkling as if hinting at some alluring purpose.
"Not tonight, let's do it another day."
"Is it because you're married? You don't seem like the type to care about these things." The woman looked at Qin Ruoshui's hand with some disappointment. There was no ring.
"It's not that bad. I just don't want to today."
Qin Ruoshui smiled politely, but felt a little impatient. This person seemed somewhat greasy after a few years, and she was tired of him too.
That's a harsh way to put it. But that's just how she is—easily bored.
"You haven't been to Country E for so many years, what made you suddenly decide to come?"
"It's a business matter," Qin Ruoshui replied absentmindedly.
"Business is tough in Country E right now." Country E is in decline, not as good as before. Coupled with strained relations with Country Z, bilateral trade is in trouble.
"Oh, really..."
...
Before going to sleep, Qin Ruoshui looked at herself in the mirror. Because she had drunk some wine, her face was slightly flushed, and no matter how much skincare she took, the fine lines around her eyes and lips were still faintly visible. Back then, she was still in E country with that child; now, in the blink of an eye, six or seven years had passed.
My heart suddenly started pounding wildly. Ugh... what's going on? Does drinking a little alcohol and staying up late cause an irregular heartbeat when you get old?
"Quick! Adrenaline!"...
"Is my aunt alright?"... It was another flustered, noisy conversation. My dream was unsettling.
Qin Ruoshui turned over, half-asleep, and heard some movement in the backyard outside the window, a rustling sound. Was it a cat? After a short while, she heard the sound of a key or something opening the back door.
Someone's coming in!
She regained consciousness and alertly retrieved a self-defense weapon from the bedside table.
The door was opened.
Judging from the sounds downstairs, it seemed like someone had stumbled in in a panic.
“Sara,” Qin Ruoshui got up and called the smart home system to prepare to turn on the lights, activate the protection system, and sound the alarm.
"Don't turn on the lights!" A slightly hoarse, familiar female voice came from downstairs. "It's me. Don't turn on the lights."
Qin Ruoshui was startled, then breathed a sigh of relief, breaking out in a cold sweat. She didn't issue any more commands. She carefully went downstairs with a flashlight and saw Qi Yi'an kneeling on the ground in the darkness, half of his body covered in blood, panting heavily, looking utterly shaken.
"What...what happened?" Qin Ruoshui crouched down and saw the blood on Qi Yi'an's face and body. Her own face immediately lost its sleepiness and color. She hurriedly checked Qi Yi'an's body from head to toe, but she was dressed in black in the darkness, so she couldn't see clearly. "...Baby, what happened to you?"
"Can you still talk? Don't scare me, okay?"
Qi Yi'an looked at the ground, catching her breath for a moment. She covered her other forearm with one hand, then suddenly looked up and smiled, "It's nothing, just a small injury." "You haven't called me 'baby' in so long... haha..."
"What do you mean 'nothing'! You're covered in blood, how can you say you're okay? I'll call an ambulance right away and take you to the hospital. How did you get injured? Should we call the police?" Qin Ruoshui was a little panicked. "Sara, call the..." "Sara, stop it!" Qi Yi'an quickly interrupted her.
"No, don't go to the hospital, don't call the police."
Qin Ruoshui looked at her in disbelief, "What are you doing?"
"I'll explain to you slowly later... I'm fine, it's just a minor injury, and this isn't my blood."
"..." Qin Ruoshui's face was pale, and her eyes were red, perhaps due to lack of sleep. Her gaze was filled with fear and confusion, and she couldn't hide her resentment and heartache.
"Do you have any alcohol, tourniquets, bandages... or painkillers like paracetamol?" Qi Yi'an wanted to reach out and touch her head to comfort her, but his hands were covered in blood and dirt, so he gave up halfway through raising his hand.
"...Okay, I'll go find the first aid kit."
When she returned from upstairs with the first-aid kit, Qi Yi'an was lying on the floor, her coat and shirt off, holding up an injured hand. She seemed to be on the phone, her expression calm and serious as she spoke in a low voice, "...Yes, we'll talk about the follow-up later." "It's this address." "Okay. I'll hang up now."
Seeing Qin Ruoshui arrive, she smiled, got up to stop the bleeding, checked the wound, and applied a simple bandage. Qin Ruoshui was somewhat stunned by her skillful handling of the wound. What on earth had she been doing? Why was she in E country? Why was she injured in the middle of the night? Why was she covered in someone else's blood? Why didn't she go to the hospital or call the police? Why didn't she tell her? What kind of person had she become?
Qin Ruoshui silently helped her treat her wounds. There were several cuts on her arms, and her back and legs seemed to have been hit hard, but fortunately, it wasn't too serious overall. After the blood-stained clothes were taken off and allowed to air dry, Qi Yi'an smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, I've made your floor dirty."
After Qin Ruoshui wiped the blood off her body, she helped her to the bed in the room on the first floor and then lay down wearily as well.
"So, what exactly happened?"
"...It's nothing. I ran into some bad people and got hurt by accident." Qi Yi'an held her hand.
"Then why didn't you call the police?"
“It’s no use, the police in Country E don’t do anything… They’re notorious, you know… It’s been like this for years…” Qi Yi’an’s voice was tired and low, growing softer and softer…
Qin Ruoshui recalled that not long after she met her in Country E, she stood motionless in the flowing crowd, her slender figure encased in a gray wool coat, her medium-length hair wrapped in a black and white patterned scarf, the exposed strands slightly disheveled by the wind, her face as white as snow amidst her black hair, her gaze focused yet seemingly blank as she stared at something, her expression tinged with sadness…
At that time, she was reading the doctrines of a heretical sect, yet she wore a compassionate expression as if she shared the same feelings for humanity, divinity, heaven, and all things, which both angered and amused Qin Ruoshui. But Qi Yi'an still looked at her blankly and with a wronged expression, his eyes slowly reddening…
The girl from back then is now lying beside her, covered in wounds and carrying secrets.
Qin Ruoshui snapped out of her daze, "...Qi Yi'an...what are you doing right now?"
The person beside her didn't answer; their breathing was shallow, long, and steady—they were probably asleep. Qin Ruoshui turned around and took her arm. Drowsiness washed over her, and she closed her eyes, drifting back into sleep.
-----
Three hours later, before it was fully light, Qi Yi'an opened his eyes, quietly turned his head to look at his sleeping lover beside him, placed a kiss on her lips, then gently withdrew his hand from her arms and quietly left the room.
She gathered the first-aid supplies, wiped away the bloodstains on the ground, packed up her bloodstained clothes, dug out the pistol she had buried in the backyard the night before, put on only a coat, walked out the door, quickly got into the car waiting at the door, and disappeared around the street corner.
"Old Yu and several of his men are dead," Li Feiyan said coldly in her room at the private hospital.
Qi Yi'an had just received anesthesia, and the doctor was preparing to stitch him up. "Yesterday, there were two cars, one in front and one behind. Lao Yu and a few others got into the front car, and I was in the back. The front car started and drove off, and it exploded shortly after passing a traffic light. Our car behind us hadn't even started yet, so we abandoned it and went our separate ways. Later, I noticed someone was following me. He probably didn't want to attract attention, so he used a knife. I couldn't dodge it, so I fired a shot."
Has anyone noticed?
"He did it in a rather remote location, by the river outside the third district. There were no streetlights, so there shouldn't have been anyone there. I installed a silencer."