Chapter 109: The Raid

Chapter 109: The Raid

The sky's expectations were ultimately dashed. When she arrived at the already tidied ward, all she saw was an empty windowsill, devoid of the white rose that had struggled against fate.

"Oh, that bouquet?" The cleaner auntie said awkwardly, "Since you've left, the flowers were a bit withered. I thought you didn't want them anymore, so I cleared them away."

Qiong Cang felt as if thunder had struck her head.

It's over, Ge-ge's girlish heart...

Gone.

Seeing her stern expression, the cleaner grew nervous, her voice growing softer, "What should I do? I collected them this morning. They said you were discharged, so I did it."

"It's nothing," Qiong Cang waved her hand, "Forget it, it's fine. Go on with your work."

The auntie was still uneasy, after all, this was someone from their boss's family. She kept looking back, only gradually disappearing down the corridor once she confirmed Qiong Cang wasn't going to hold her accountable.

"What am I supposed to do now?"

Qiong Cang muttered to herself and wandered to a flower shop outside the hospital.

She originally wanted to replicate a similar arrangement to pass off as the original, but feared He Jueyun would recognize it and make things worse. After much internal struggle and risk assessment, she decided to buy the most expensive, best, and largest roses, wrap them up, and take them back.

He Chuanzhou was very busy and left after dropping her off at the hospital, leaving Qiong Cang to carry the extravagantly wrapped roses home by herself.

To prevent the flowers from being damaged during transport, Qiong Cang specially bought a large bag for them, which also highlighted their nobility and her caution. With all preparations made, Qiong Cang finally felt at ease.

An hour later, Qiong Cang appeared at He Jueyun's doorstep, bent over to unlock the password lock. Just as she opened the door, He Jueyun happened to come out of the hallway, meeting her there.

He Jueyun glanced at the travel bag in her hand and then at the half-open door, stepping forward to block the stairway. He spoke angrily, "What's going on! Did I upset you so much that you decided to run away from home?!"

Qiong Cang pulled the door open wider, “……I just came back from outside.”

“Oh,” He Jueyun's expression changed as quickly as a storm clearing, returning to calm almost immediately. He pointed inside and said, “Come on in.”

Qiong Cang took small steps inside, and He Jueyun followed. She had just taken off her shoes when she turned around to find He Jueyun swiftly locking the door.

Qiong Cang: “……” Was that really necessary?

Doesn't this feel like a crime scene?

He Jueyun asked dryly, “Where did you \̀̀̀̀̀̀ "Realizing his question came off as too harsh, almost confrontational, he quickly added, “Never mind, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine.”

Qiong Cang: “……” Sir, I didn’t say I wouldn’t cooperate.

She explained proactively, “I went to see He Chuanzhou.”

He Jueyun: “Oh.”

When a man says "oh," it means there's more to it.—from Qiong Cang's straight-man interpretation handbook

Qiong Cang articulated her flattery, “Seeing how hard you work inspired me! To learn from you, I went to do some productive work with He Chuanzhou!”

At this, He Jueyun’s face darkened quickly, and he silently took off his jacket and hung it on the nearby rack.

Was she implying something? Was she? \`

Qiong Cang also realized that, compared to giving compliments, she seemed more suited to sarcasm and dark humor.

It was completely off the mark.

Qiong Cang coughed, hurriedly handed over the bag, and tried to salvage the situation: "Here’s a gift for you."

"A bag as a gift?" He Jueyun furrowed his brows in confusion, then said, "You think a bag can fix everything?"

Qiong Cang: ...?

He Jueyun’s ability to focus on the key points was always so unique and layered. Without giving Qiong Cang a chance to explain, his face darkened as he asked, "Are you saying I’m sick?"

Qiong Cang: ...Ah??

Qiong Cang fell into silence for the umpteenth time today. For the first time, she wished she had an extra brain to figure out He Jueyun’s behavior patterns—otherwise, she’d keep feeling like an idiot.

Luckily, He Jueyun’s moods weren’t serious and would pass on their own. His temper blew in and out like the wind, and in the next moment, he genuinely hugged the cheap bag and headed to the living room.

Qiong Cang couldn’t help but remind him, "It’s the flowers inside that matter."

He Jueyun paused, placed the bag on the coffee table, unzipped it, and pulled out a well-preserved bouquet of white roses.

Qiong Cang emphasized each important word: "Today, I specifically went to the hospital to get the flowers. But the cleaner aunty had already disposed of them, so I bought a new bouquet. Do you like it?"

He Jueyun screamed internally.

Who cares if he liked them or not? They were meant for her anyway!

How could things get so mixed up?

How could someone come up with so many ways to annoy him?

He Jueyun placed a hand on his forehead. It felt like punching a waterlogged sponge—not only did he miss the point, but he also ended up soaked.

What a sin.

"This is not about the flowers at all." He Jueyun didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, battled internally for a while, and finally helplessly waved his hand, saying, "Forget it. It’s fine, let’s just drop it."

Qiong Cang had just used the same phrase to dismissively end the hopes of the cleaner aunty earlier, and surprisingly, she received the same kind of forgiveness from He Jueyun.

She shot He Jueyun a sympathetic glance and silently retreated to her room.

After all this, He Jueyun returned to his study to work.

Today at the office, he hadn’t gotten much real work done and nearly got threatened by Song Shu with a formal complaint. At that time, his mind was filled with odd things, but returning home, he felt a bit more relaxed.

He went through all the unfinished documents and plans, then diligently typed up his reports.

By dinner time, He Jueyun stretched, feeling hungry. He had forgotten he was still mad at Qiong Cang and habitually called out, "Qiong Cang, what are you eating!"

Qiong Cang, who was quietly reading in the living room, was pleasantly surprised. She checked the time and realized it had only been four hours. Judging by his voice, He Jueyun seemed fine now.

She slowed her steps, tiptoed to the door of the study, and pushed it open.

He Jueyun glanced back at her, a look of bewilderment on his face.

Qiong Cang observed his expression and tentatively asked, "Are you happy with today’s work?"

"Ah?" He Jueyun said, "Is there even a concept of enjoying work? Is this kid clueless?"

Qiong Cang: "So you're not angry with me anymore?"

It was better not to ask; once she did, He Jueyun felt another pang in his heart. After a moment of suffocating silence, he said, "What’s the point of being angry with you? You don’t even know why I’m angry." His tone was tinged with frustration and disappointment.

Qiong Cang unfeelingly chimed in, "Right, right, don’t ruin your health over it."

He Jueyun shot her a hard glare before continuing to look down at his food delivery.

Only then did Qiong Cang boldly step inside and close the door behind her.

He Jueyun, remembering the matter at hand, straightened up and reminded her, "There’s new testimony today. He Chuanzhou sent it to me. But this kind of second-hand information... we shouldn’t get our hopes up too much without more direct and compelling evidence."

Qiong Cang was prepared for this and wasn’t so naive. She just found it curious and asked, "Are you working on a copy of Fan Huai’s case?"

"Yes. We’ve been refining it ever since we discovered there were hidden aspects to the case. San Yao’s technology has been very helpful in reconstructing the scene for reverse deduction. For many cold cases and mysteries, we often collaborate." He Jueyun fiddled with the computer in front of him, the irregular tapping indicating he wasn’t fully focused, "The body was found too late, and by the time the police arrived, the crime scene had been severely compromised by rain and nearby residents. We managed to correct some of the details using technology, but due to the lack of information, there are still many inaccuracies that need to be filled in gradually..."

Qiong Cang listened intently to his words, nodding after a moment and giving him a smile.

She reached out and placed her hand on the back of He Jueyun’s chair, leaning forward to look at the screen, naturally bringing her upper body closer to him.

At this distance, He Jueyun could smell the faint scent of her shower gel. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and muttered under his breath, "What are you doing now? Always setting fires, never taking responsibility. Scum."

Qiong Cang: "... So resentment never really goes away, does it?"

---

The next morning, when Qiong Cang woke up, He Jueyun had already left. He had been so quiet that he hadn’t disturbed her at all.

Qiong Cang, half-asleep, caught a whiff of something fragrant through the door. She stumbled into the kitchen in her slippers and found a small pot of hot broth warming on the stove, a plate of raw dumplings neatly arranged beside it, and another pot filled with water ready to go.

He Jueyun left a note on the chopping board, instructing her to boil water in a new pot, cook the dumplings until they were done, and then pour them into the broth.

Despite being a simple task, He meticulously outlined each step with a typical engineering student's precision, and considerately provided a takeaway number for rescue in case of failure, treating her as if she had no common sense at all.

Qiong Cang was woken up early by his cheerful note, rubbed her face to dispel the lingering drowsiness.

The kitchen window was still open, allowing the fresh morning breeze to rush in, caressing her face.

Qiong Cang bent down to count the dumplings, and a scene from half an hour ago flashed through her mind—He Jueyun stood in the same spot, hunched over, fussily writing down the instructions. Halfway through, he might have remembered the unvented frustration from yesterday, muttered a few complaints, and then finished the content with a grumble.

Such a life should be ordinary and peaceful, yet it appeared in Qiong Cang’s memory only a few times.

After Jiang Ling left, there was hardly anyone who cared about her daily life anymore.

Qiong Cang turned off the stove, stood there in a daze for a moment, then suppressed the sentiment that welled up inside her. She folded the note, intending to throw it away. As she reached out toward the trash can, she shivered inexplicably, hesitated for less than a second, and then put the note back, taking it to her room and placing it under a book.

Forget it. Let’s keep everything from the He family for now.

—

The lady in front of the security door removed her sunglasses, revealing a pair of bright, lively eyes, which swept over the building upstairs. Her eyes slanted upward, sparkling with intelligence, and even such a simple gesture seemed elegant due to her strikingly beautiful face.

In the next second, she rolled her eyes, casually swiped the key hanging from her slender fingers on the sensor door, pushed it open, and continued to scold in a clear voice, slightly spoiling the scenery.

"Why don't you think about it? Why would someone complain about your son? Have you ever cared for him? Have you ever shown him warmth? Do you know why your son doesn’t want to work and lacks motivation? You treat him like a corporate slave as soon as he comes home! Tsk!"

The person opposite could only silently endure her merciless ridicule.

"Why aren’t you saying anything? Is the son I gave birth to alone? I took care of him when he was young, and now that he’s grown up, you come to claim the credit for his education. You’ve already had your way! Aren’t you just trying to embarrass me? Do you have something against me?"

The person opposite clicked their tongue and hastily retorted, “I didn't! What kind of nonsense are you talking about? I've been with him as he grew up, so how is that stealing the show?”

The lady's tone rose a little, but her soft, sweet voice didn't sound very angry. “So you're saying I'm overdoing it and just stirring up trouble for no reason?”

The man on the phone was left speechless, realizing the truth, and once again fell into a state of silence.

The elevator descended, and the beautiful lady inside checked her reflection in the mirror, carefully adjusting her bangs, and smiled with satisfaction.

Beautiful to the max!

However, she didn't intend to share her good mood with the person on the other end, speaking bluntly, “Did you see that? Isn't it annoying when people act unreasonably like that? That's exactly how you treat my son! I'm telling you, if you keep being unreasonable and want to argue, I'll take you on.”

The person on the other end responded weakly, “Who wants to compete with you on this...”

The lady grew impatient. “Alright, I'm getting into the elevator. It's really not fun arguing with you!”

Half a minute later, the elevator ascended to her designated floor. Mrs. He stepped out, stopping in front of the door, and deliberately pressed the doorbell, waiting for someone to come out.

She switched her bag from her left hand to her right, changing from a shoulder bag to a hand-carried position, and pressed the doorbell several times. When her patience was about to run out, the door finally opened.

Mrs. He tilted her chin up and asked discontentedly, “Why did it take so long to open the door?”

Qiong Cang murmured an apology. “Sorry, I was on the balcony and didn't hear the doorbell.”

Mrs. He was momentarily stunned when she saw that the person opening the door wasn't her son. When she recognized Qiong Cang, a noticeable crack appeared on her otherwise perfect, proud face.

She touched her own face and stared at Qiong Cang for a few seconds, the crack in her expression widening.

Qiong Cang thought she could understand. Anyone would feel like they'd lost something precious if they found a stranger in their son's home.

Mrs. He slowly extended her hand, and just as Qiong Cang was about to respond, she grabbed the door handle and shut the door.

Qiong Cang: ?

After a short while, the knocking resumed.

Qiong Cang quickly opened the door and nodded at the person outside.

“It's not that you're doing it wrong,” Qiong Cang told her. “This is indeed He Jueyun's place.”

Mrs. He had already controlled her expression and forced a laugh. “Heh heh... heh heh...”

Perhaps she realized that this kind of laughter didn't suit a lady, and her voice abruptly stopped.

She silently cleared her throat and put on a smile again, though this time it looked somewhat awkward.

Qiong Cang stepped aside and said calmly, “Please come in.”

She was also a bit confused, but she rarely showed her emotions. After the initial surprise, she braced herself to handle whatever came next.

Mrs. He took small steps inside and asked, “Is Jueyun not here? I heard from his company that he hasn't been going to work recently.”

Qiong Cang thought to herself, Your family's information is quite outdated, huh?

“He took a couple of days off recently, but he's back to work now,” Qiong Cang added. “I got a bit injured, so he took me to the hospital.”

Mrs. He said sympathetically, “Of course, that's only right. I'm glad you're okay. I understand.”

Qiong Cang nodded. “Thanks for your concern. I'm fine now.”

By the time they finished a few sentences, they had already reached the sofa in the living room.

He Jueyun’s mother chose a seat at the edge, her movements betraying a hint of nervousness. However, Qiong Cang wasn’t fully present either, so she didn’t notice anything was off.

Qiong Cang brought over some fruit and drinks for He Jueyun's mother. Subtly, she raised her hand to block the offer, indicating she didn’t need any.

The two sat facing each other, their eyes meeting awkwardly. It wasn’t right to stare at the other, nor was it appropriate to let their eyes wander, creating an eerie atmosphere that made their scalps tingle and their limbs feel restless.

Being a seasoned veteran of such situations, He Jueyun’s mother thought for a moment, then opened her bag and retrieved a notebook and a pen.

Qiong Cang could no longer maintain her composure, tensing every muscle as she sat up straight, her eyes peeking at what the other was writing.

She was familiar with this; she understood this routine all too well, having heard of it countless times. She even knew what would happen next, clear as day.

While writing, He Jueyun's mother glanced sideways at Qiong Cang, making several marks on the paper, but none seemed satisfactory. Finally, she tore off another page, filled in the amount, and hesitantly handed it over.

She didn’t know how much He Jueyun was worth.

Qiong Cang’s eyes widened as she looked at the figure.

So many zeros.

Seven zeros.

One He Jueyun was worth ten million. Truly fitting for him.

Qiong Cang's eyes widened in amazement.

He Jueyun’s mother kept a close watch on her expression, and the moment something seemed off, she immediately spoke up: “Your name is Qiong Cang, right? I’ve seen you in Three Lives, and I’ve chatted with Old He about you. I just didn’t expect my son to… you know… haha…”

Qiong Cang placed the paper on the table, noticing the words that had been left out.

He Jueyun’s mother shifted closer to her side, gently touching her hand, making Qiong Cang feel uneasy. Only after making her uncomfortable did she apologize: “I wasn’t aware of your situation. I came here on a whim today without preparing a gift.”

Even if Qiong Cang’s mind was scrambled, she could still sense the signals that were practically sparking. She struggled to explain, finding it difficult to speak.

However, after some consideration, she realized she wasn’t entirely innocent in this matter.

He Jueyun’s mother didn’t give her a chance to speak, first touching her hand and then wrapping an arm around her waist, making Qiong Cang flinch and pull away. With a hint of regret, He Jueyun’s mother still kindly said: “For now, I can only give you some pocket money. It’s not much, but if you need more, just ask my son. I know people like you don’t care about money, so don’t misunderstand. This is just a token gesture. The He family has plenty of money, so please don’t worry about it.”

…Are you serious??

The author has something to say:

Qiong Cang: Jackpot!

He Jueyun’s mother: Jackpot!

Leg Brother: 5000 words!