CHAPTER 145

Tang Ruoyao asked for a three-day leave from Lin Guoan. She planned to spend two days in City N and one day in the capital. She initially had plenty of time in City N and even intended to meet and talk with Jiang Xuezhen, after all, she was Tang Fei's biological mother. However, when she discovered Qin Yinong's presence in the photo album that afternoon, Tang Ruoyao made a snap decision and took a car to Qin Yinong's hometown, City A, which was right next to City N. It was less than a two-hour drive. Tang Ruoyao followed Guan Han's example and rented a car.

Tang Ruoyao remembered that Qin Yinong had mentioned her hometown being in the Qingping District. Finding someone in such a large district was like searching for a needle in a haystack, but Tang Ruoyao didn't have any other leads, so she could only split up and search.

She couldn't separate from her bodyguard completely, so the so-called split-up plan was just dividing the tasks.

However, her luck wasn't extraordinary, and it wasn't as easy as randomly finding someone who resembled the seven or eight-year-old Qin Yinong in the photos. From the afternoon until it got dark, Tang Ruoyao and Xin Qian met up but shook their heads simultaneously, having gained nothing.

That night, Tang Ruoyao stayed in a hotel in City A. If she couldn't find anything tomorrow, she would have to return to City N and take Tang Fei back to Beijing.

She called Qin Yinong in the evening. The first two times she dialed, Qin Yinong was already on a call. Tang Ruoyao took her phone into the bathroom, heard the ringing, rinsed off the shower gel foam from her hands, and walked out to pick it up.

"Just had something to attend to." Qin Yinong explained, then asked, "What are you doing?"

Her proactive attitude was unlike the usual Qin Yinong.

Doubts rose in Tang Ruoyao's heart once again. If Qin Yinong was slowly changing or hesitantly asking her something, she wouldn't be as restless as she was now.

"I'm taking a shower," she honestly replied, "How about you?"

"...Making a phone call."

"Are you busy lately?" Tang Ruoyao probed.

Qin Yinong continued her usual concise style, "Mm."

Tang Ruoyao didn't give up and asked further, "Busy with what?"

"Just some minor matters," Qin Yinong responded, showing no intention to chat.

"Is it related to me?" Tang Ruoyao made up her mind to ask for a clear answer, while holding her breath and listening to any movements on the other end.

"No," Qin Yinong quickly answered, not a hint of guilt in her voice.

Indeed, the matter keeping her busy tonight had nothing to do with Tang Ruoyao. It was a call from Shi Xiao, the person in charge of the Maple Red Foundation, reporting on the recent work progress, which had both positive and negative news.

Maple Red recently came into contact with a domestic violence victim, a mother and daughter. The perpetrator of the domestic violence was the father, who worked as a journalist. In the government sector, dealing with domestic violence was always a complicated matter. Each party involved faced their own difficulties, and it wasn't that the police didn't want to intervene at times; they simply couldn't always take action. Sometimes all they could do was provide verbal education. This particular father had connections in society and had a deep understanding of the law. He knew how to exploit legal loopholes when he abused his wife and daughter, making it impossible to convict him even if they brought him to the hospital for assessment.

Maple Red put a lot of effort into helping the mother and daughter. They taught them how to gather evidence and encouraged them to persevere, assuring them that things would get better. However, just two days ago, Shi Xiao received news from a volunteer that the wife couldn't bear it anymore and jumped off a building with her elementary school-aged daughter. Both of them died on the spot.

Shi Xiao let out a sigh.

Qin Yinong clenched her phone tightly and asked in a deep voice, "What about that scumbag?"

Shi Xiao sneered, "Him? He's running around the neighborhood and the property developer's office, putting up banners claiming that his wife and daughter died in the building and demanding justice."

Qin Yinong let out a heavy breath.

"Can't we do anything to bring him to justice?"

Two lives were lost just like that, and the main culprit was roaming free, even profiting from stepping on the bodies of his wife and daughter. Qin Yinong had seen countless examples of human depravity, but faced with this situation, she still felt a chill in her heart.

Shi Xiao helplessly said, "How can we do anything? We're not judges, we can't reward the good and punish the evil. Even judges need evidence, and we don't have any."

As the head of the Maple Red Foundation, Shi Xiao encountered several cases of suicide due to domestic violence every year. Some were successfully rescued, while others weren't. Shi Xiao had also been filled with righteous indignation in the past, but over time, he gradually came to recognize the harsh reality. Evil in the world couldn't be completely eradicated; they could only strive to shine a light on as many dark corners as possible.

As long as people like Qin Yinong still existed in the world, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, there would always be light.

Shi Xiao firmly believed in this.

After Qin Yinong hung up the phone, she was surrounded by an overwhelming sense of suffocation for a considerable amount of time. She pressed her hand against her chest, feeling her heart rate irregularly speeding up, almost experiencing physical pain. Her blood pressure rose, and she felt dizzy, chest tightness, shortness of breath, with cold hands and feet, and a nauseous feeling.

Qin Yinong sat motionless for a while, feeling herself gradually returning to normal body temperature before picking up her phone and returning Tang Ruoyao's call.

She has to handle everything one by one, as if there is an endless amount of work. When Qin Yinong heard Tang Ruoyao's voice, she almost teared up. She was so tired, so exhausted that she couldn't even lift a finger. She longed to sleep peacefully in Tang Ruoyao's embrace.

But it wasn't safe for her to rely on Tang Ruoyao at this moment. She couldn't drag Tang Ruoyao into her troubles.

"What's the matter?" Tang Ruoyao asked.

"It's a matter regarding the company." Qin Yinong replied.

"Oh," Tang Ruoyao responded listlessly, revealing her true emotions in front of Qin Yinong. She wasn't satisfied with that answer.

Qin Yinong sensed it but pretended not to understand, changing the subject. "Aren't you cold answering the phone while taking a shower?"

"It's fine. It's summer now." Tang Ruoyao perked up and chatted with Qin Yinong like a woman.

"Let's talk after you finish showering. I also need to take a shower."

"Okay."

Qin Yinong stood up, supporting herself against the sofa. Suddenly, her vision darkened, and everything seemed to spin. Her hand blindly reached out into the air but couldn't grasp anything, and she fell heavily to the ground.

Lying on the floor, with heavy eyelids and half-opened eyes, she watched the ceiling lamp spinning rapidly in her retinas. All the sounds felt distant, as if muffled, and she could only hear her own amplified breathing, with her eardrums ringing and buzzing incessantly.

Unconsciously, Qin Yinong's fingertips trembled, and in her inverted line of sight, she saw Qin Jianing rushing towards her.

"Mom!"

The child tried to hold Qin Yinong's arm and support her shoulder, but her strength was too weak, and Qin Yinong remained motionless. Qin Yinong didn't lose consciousness; she could see Qin Jianing's red eyes and hear her crying for help, but she couldn't make out the words clearly. From her lip movements, she could deduce that she was calling for Ji Shulan and Aunt Fang.

Qin Yinong's finger joints stiffened, gradually curling up and gripping tightly, using the sharp nails that had grown out to forcefully pierce her palms and fingertips.

Qin Jianing cried heart-wrenchingly, tears falling like broken beads.

Ji Shulan and Aunt Fang struggled to help Qin Yinong back onto the sofa. Aunt Fang wanted to call an ambulance, but Qin Yinong, who was slowly recovering, stopped her. With dry lips and a pale face devoid of color, almost transparent, she weakly said, "Call Guan Han."

Guan Han rushed over overnight, accompanied by a private doctor.

The private doctor scolded Qin Yinong while administering an IV drip.

Qin Yinong laughed carelessly.

The doctor pinched her eyelids and took a look inside. The expression on his face was indescribable, and he spoke in an unfriendly tone, "Have you not been sleeping this month? How come you look so exhausted?"

Qin Yinong said, "I did get some sleep." How could she go a whole month without sleep? She was only human, not made of iron. Sometimes, when she was exhausted, she didn't have the energy to stay awake and naturally fell asleep. However, her sleep was not restful, easily disturbed by nightmares.

The doctor snorted coldly and asked, "How often do you sleep?"

Qin Yinong couldn't lie to the doctor. She thought for a moment and replied, "Every two to three days, sometimes less than twenty-four hours, and I can sleep."

The doctor sarcastically remarked, "Should I praise you for being amazing?"

Qin Yinong remained silent and said, "Just so-so."

The doctor gritted his teeth and said, "I wish I could strangle you to save you from killing yourself."

Qin Yinong chuckled, "Hahaha."

The doctor's face turned icy cold as he turned around to pack up his medical kit, saying, "You better stay home and rest for a month, don't go anywhere, eat and sleep on time."

"That's not possible," Qin Yinong immediately said, "I have important matters to attend to."

"Well, I've said my piece. Whether you listen or not is none of my business," the doctor said, losing his temper, and walked away with his medical kit.

Qin Yinong gave Guan Han a signal with her eyes, and Guan Han chased after him with a prepared red envelope.

Qin Yinong closed her eyes to rest and sighed.

"Qin Jie," Guan Han called her softly.

Qin Yinong opened her eyes and looked at her, "Hmm?"

Guan Han put the red envelope back on the bedside table and said, "Dr. Qiu refused to accept it. He also said...," Guan Han hesitated.

"What did he say?"

"He said if you don't follow his instructions and continue being reckless, he will resign and let you find another doctor."

Qin Yinong fell silent for a moment and said, "I will apologize to him another day."

Guan Han gathered her courage and said, "I think you should listen to Dr. Qiu. You don't want Miss Yao to see you like this. It would make her sad."

Qin Yinong calmly looked at her and said, "What is more important, temporary sadness or lifelong peace? Don't you understand?"

Guan Han bit her lip and said, "But..."

Qin Yinong interrupted her, saying, "I'm going to sleep."

Guan Han got up and tucked her in, then left the room.

She was afraid that Qin Yinong couldn't hold on any longer. Every time Qin Yinong was about to see the light, there would always be obstacles. Three years ago, it was Qin Luning's death. Now, three years later, didn't fate have any mercy? Why did it have to trouble her alone?

Guan Han quietly teared up.

Why was it so difficult?

......

Tang Ruoyao called for the second time, but no one answered. Later, Guan Han called her back. She said that Qin Yinong had gone to deal with an urgent matter. When Tang Ruoyao asked further, Guan Han adhered to her principle as an assistant and didn't say a word. In the end, she advised Tang Ruoyao to go to bed early.

Tang Ruoyao could only sit on the hotel bed, comparing two photos of Qin Yinong from her childhood, trying to find a breakthrough.

"When I was twelve, she went to the capital to study at a university. P University. She was only fifteen that year."

Qin Yinong's words echoed in Tang Ruoyao's ears. Suddenly, she looked up and fixed her gaze on a point in empty space, capturing a fleeting thought.

A City in J Province was not the provincial capital, nor was it developed like N City. It was decent within the province but considered a small city that couldn't even rank among the third-tier cities nationwide. In such a small place, if someone like her existed, it would be covered by the local newspapers.

Fully disguised, Tang Ruoyao went to the library in A City early the next morning. After negotiating with the staff inside, she went to the historical documentation center to search through old newspapers.

Tang Ruoyao calculated backward to the year of Qin Yinong's "cousin's" college entrance examination and purposefully searched. Soon, she found the answer.

"Fifteen-Year-Old Genius Girl Admitted to P University"

The bold black headline immediately caught Tang Ruoyao's attention. Her heart couldn't help but beat faster as she held her breath and looked at the text below the headline.

"Second in the province, first in the city. This year's city's top scorer in the college entrance examination, Qin Luning, resides in Qingping District's Hengjia Flower Garden. Worth mentioning is that she is only fifteen years old this year. Since she started studying, she has been called a prodigy, a genius..."

At first glance, Tang Ruoyao thought she saw Qin Yinong. She rubbed her eyes and carefully confirmed the word in the middle, and her heart thumped heavily.

...

Tang Ruoyao took a clear photo of the news and walked out of the library, squinting her eyes against the bright sunlight.

She searched for the address of Hengjia Flower Garden on the map and followed the navigation.

The old residential area, with at least thirty years of history, had either been demolished and rebuilt or abandoned. Hengjia Flower Garden retained its name, but the scenery inside was completely different from before. Based on the few remaining images of the residential area in the photos, Tang Ruoyao found that they were all high-rise buildings, which didn't match the scene in front of her at all.

Time had changed, and even the most evident traces had been erased by time.

Tang Ruoyao aimlessly walked through the residential area, hoping to find some familiar traces. Suddenly, she felt a pair of eyes on her. She turned her head and met the gaze of an elderly person.

The elderly person looked at her seriously, as if contemplating something. Then, they smiled kindly at her, lowered their head, and played with a baby girl in a stroller who clapped her hands and giggled.

Tang Ruoyao's mind stirred, and she approached with the idea of trying her luck. She asked, "Grandma, did you used to live in Hengjia Flower Garden? Around twenty or thirty years ago, approximately."

The grandma nodded.

Tang Ruoyao showed her a childhood photo of Qin Yinong and asked, "Do you know this person?"

A trace of wariness flickered in the grandma's eyes, and she simply ignored her.

Tang Ruoyao: "???"

"Grandma." She caught up with the figure pushing the stroller and explained, "I'm not a bad person."

The grandma muttered something as she walked.

Tang Ruoyao's mind heated up, and she suddenly said, "Do you know Tang Hanzhang?"

The grandma paused.

Tang Ruoyao probed, "And Zhuo Peiyun? Do you know her?"

The grandma turned around.

Three minutes later, Tang Ruoyao and the old grandma sat on a bench. Tang Ruoyao gently rubbed the tip of the little girl's nose with her finger and said with a smile, "The child is very cute. Is she your granddaughter?"

"Great-granddaughter," the grandma corrected her, observing Tang Ruoyao up and down, and asked, "What is your relationship with Zhuo Peiyun?"

Tang Ruoyao said, "My surname is Tang. She is my mother, and Tang Hanzhang is my father."

After the initial surprise, the grandma's expression turned into joy, and she said, "No wonder you look so familiar. So you're Xiao Yun's daughter."

Tang Ruoyao smiled modestly.

She asked, "You and my mom..."

The grandma replied, "Neighbors."

The speculation turned into reality, and Tang Ruoyao suppressed the surprise that flashed in her eyes. She asked, "Our family used to live here?"

The grandma said, "Yes, didn't you know? How did you find this place? Is your father doing well?"

"He's doing fine. He always says he wants to come back and visit." Tang Ruoyao evaded the question and asked, "Why did you run away when you saw me earlier?"

The grandma sighed and said, "I thought you were a journalist. After Qin Yinong's incident, the reporters kept coming one after another. They would approach anyone they could find. These reporters are the worst, distorting the facts in their reports. The neighbors who watched Qin Yinong grow up couldn't stand them. When Qin Hongjian's incident happened, they even physically drove the reporters away from their doors."

Qin Yinong moved away a long time ago, and the reporters rarely visited anymore. Tang Ruoyao came with the old photos, stirring up memories for the grandma, so she naturally turned to leave.

"I'm not a journalist," Tang Ruoyao said, "I just saw these old photos and asked casually." She handed the photo to her again and said, "Grandma, do you recognize this person?"

"I do," the grandma replied, "It's Qin Yinong."

"This is me," Tang Ruoyao pointed to the baby girl in Qin Yinong's arms, asking, "Why was she at my house? Did we have a close relationship?"

"She used to visit your house all the time," the grandma reminisced, saying, "Your mother was especially fond of children, and our house was often filled with kids. She was the most diligent one."

"So we were neighbors too?"

"Yes, on the same floor."

"Does Qin Yinong have a sister named Qin Luning?"

"Yes."

"Are they biological sisters?"

The grandma nodded.

"She went to university at the age of fifteen and then went abroad. She rarely came back, right?"

"That's right."

Everything matched up with "Cousin", Tang Ruoyao asked for some details and then went to a nearby supermarket to buy some food and toys for her grandmother's granddaughter. 

After saying goodbye, she sat in the car heading back to N City, lowering the car window slightly to feel the cold breeze on her face.

It turned out that her cousin was actually her sister. Qin Yinong had recognized her a long time ago, knowing that she was the daughter of an old acquaintance. When did she recognize her? Was it when they looked at the photo album last time? Or even earlier, during their first meeting, did she recognize her, which is why she saved her?

Tang Ruoyao took out her phone from her pocket and opened Qin Yinong's profile picture. She typed: [Is it you...]

Then she deleted each letter one by one.

Is childhood friends a romantic thing? If it was Qin Yinong at a certain moment, with deep feelings, telling her that they had known each other since they were children, Tang Ruoyao would feel it was romantic. This fate was destined by the heavens, as if fate wanted them to reunite, to know and love each other, to depend on each other.

But this was something Tang Ruoyao had dug up, delving into the past and connecting various old memories. Suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat.

Why did Qin Yinong hide it from her? Was there a need to keep this a secret?

Or did she think that she shouldn't know about it?

Tang Ruoyao could feel Qin Yinong's love for her, which included a deep sense of pity. She wanted to stand on an equal footing with Qin Yinong, to love each other as equals, but she had never considered that there might be factors of pity beyond love.

Qin Yinong had once asked her who loved her more, her or Han Zifei. Now Tang Ruoyao also wanted to ask Qin Yinong: In your heart, do you love me more or pity me more? She was herself, not "Zhuo Peiyun's daughter."

Tang Ruoyao didn't mention this matter in their phone conversation that night. She wanted to ask Qin Yinong face-to-face when she returned to Beijing.

She wouldn't let go. No matter what the initial reason was for Qin Yinong to love her, the result was that she fell in love with her. Even if it was more out of pity, Tang Ruoyao would find a way to make her love her even more.

"I need to go to S City, tonight's flight." Qin Yinong's words disrupted all of Tang Ruoyao's plans before the call ended.

"Why so suddenly?" Tang Ruoyao exclaimed in surprise.

"Last-minute work arrangement."

"Then I won't be able to see you tomorrow when I return to Beijing?" Tang Ruoyao bit her lip, her voice low.

"I've arranged for someone to pick you up, and Tang Fei's house has been found. It's near the school, so if you want him to stay at your place, it's also possible," Qin Yinong explained, then added, "But I don't recommend it."

"Are you coming over?" Tang Ruoyao blurted out.

Qin Yinong fell into silence.

Tang Ruoyao couldn't care about being reserved anymore and hurriedly said, "I don't have time, but do you have time? Can you come see me after your business trip? I want to see you."

I want to see you too. Qin Yinong hesitated, struggling to speak but ultimately remaining silent.

She looked up at the ceiling of her bedroom and slowly said, "I've been very busy lately, I'm afraid... I can't find the time."

"Where do you live in S City? I'll ask Director Lin for two more days off! I'll come find you!"

"Are you not doing the roadshow anymore?"

"I'm not doing it anymore!" Tang Ruoyao retorted, matching her tone, and raising her voice uncommonly, "Besides, Lin Guoan is afraid of you. Even if I don't show up for a day, he wouldn't dare say anything!"

"Nonsense." Qin Yinong sternly reprimanded, "Is that how I taught you?!"

Tang Ruoyao's blood boiled in her mind, and she bluntly voiced her doubts, "Then why won't you see me? Why are you avoiding me? What are you hiding from me? Tell me!"

"I..." Qin Yinong's words trailed off. She clenched the bedsheet in her hand, took a deep breath, and gently spoke in a soothing tone, "I will come see you, just wait a little longer."

"Wait for what?"

"Wait for me to handle things."

"What things? Is it dangerous?"

"No, it's just a bit troublesome." She couldn't figure out Li Yichuan's details and would have to deal with him.

"You just don't want to tell me, right?"

"When everything is over, I'll tell you. Is that okay?" Qin Yinong took a step back.

"No, it's not!" Tang Ruoyao insisted.

But Qin Yinong wouldn't budge. The more Tang Ruoyao resisted, the more determined she became in her own thoughts. Her tone turned displeased as she rebuked, "Don't throw a tantrum like a child."

Tang Ruoyao chuckled, and as she laughed, her eyes turned red.

Fine, she wouldn't throw a tantrum. Tang Ruoyao forcefully wiped her eyes, adjusted her breathing, not revealing the hint of her weak sob, and calmly asked, "How long do I have to wait?"

Qin Yinong said, "One or two months, it won't exceed three months, I promise you."

Tang Ruoyao thought to herself: Aren't you afraid that I'll change my mind?

At that moment, she couldn't help but feel a brief happiness for Qin Yinong's trust.

Qin Yinong gently said, "It's just not meeting in person. I'm okay with chatting, phone calls, or video calls if you want."

Tang Ruoyao said, "Okay, then let's video call now." She sent a video invitation and covered her own camera.

Qin Yinong accepted the call, and both sides were pitch black.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

They both hung up at the same time.

Qin Yinong was at home, and as soon as the video call started, she would be exposed for not actually going on a business trip to S City. Tang Ruoyao's eyes were red, and she was afraid Qin Yinong would notice that she had been crying.

Qin Yinong dryly said, "Let's just make a phone call."

Tang Ruoyao, who was half-dead from anger, replied disdainfully, "Not in the mood."

Qin Yinong felt guilty and patiently coaxed her with a good temper, "What can I do to make you in the mood?"

Tang Ruoyao said, "Say some sweet words."

Qin Yinong asked, "What should I say?"

Tang Ruoyao said, "Call me baby."

Qin Yinong sighed in her heart and complied, "Baby."

"Not genuine enough." Tang Ruoyao nitpicked.

"Baby."

"Call me darling."

Qin Yinong hesitated for a full ten seconds and reluctantly murmured.

"I didn't hear clearly."

"...Can't say it." Qin Yinong was almost twisting her fingers in frustration.

"Then call me baby Yao Yao."

Qin Yinong: "..."

"You don't want to say it?" Tang Ruoyao said, "You won't even let me see your face, can't you fulfill this little request of mine?"

Qin Yinong covered her feverish ears, closed her eyes, gently opened her red lips, and shyly said, "Baby Yao Yao."

Author's Note:

Tang Ruoyao, you truly live up to your name.jpg

They won't wait three months to meet, it'll happen sooner, hahaha.

You can place bets to guess how many chapters it will take for them to meet.

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