"You should stay and keep her company," Ying Qingcang said, glancing at Zhang Mi. Then he turned around and began heading outside. When he passed by Tang Shuang, he muttered coldly, "Come out."
Young Master Shen followed them into the study. Meanwhile, Ying Qingcang was trying his best not to lift his hand against Tang Shuang. Closing his eyes, he took several calming breaths. "What did you do to her?"
"I'm a doctor, not God," Tang Shuang said, gazing at Ying Qingcang with clear eyes. "The blood clot had compressed the nerve tissues inside her brain for a long time. What our family's acupuncture technique does is to forcefully reconfigure her nerve endings to allow the blood clot to slowly dissolve. But some damage to her nerve tissues is still inevitable."
"You've given your word that she would be cured," Ying Qingcang gritted out. He did not give a damn about anything else. All he knew was that right now, Xin Qing would suffer from a pain so excruciating that she would literally pound her head against a wall just to alleviate it. Everything he had done so far would turn out to be a huge joke if Xin Qing regained her memories only to suffer so much physical pain.
The corners of Tang Shuang's lips pulled downwards. "The headaches are the side effects. She'll get them when she isn't emotionally stable or when she's too worked up. But given enough time, the side effects will slowly disappear."
"How long are we talking about? And I want a specific time range," Ying Qingcang said, then he paused as if he just thought of something. "What about the needles? Does she need acupuncture every time she's in pain?"
Tang Shuang smiled. "It's okay for her to do nothing and just endure the pain, if she can, that is. As for the time range, I guarantee that the side effects will be gone within one year!"
"Endure the pain? Like hell that's possible..." Ying Qingcang thought.
That kind of torture would last for a year until it subsided. His Xin Qing, the precious treasure that he had carried in his palm all this time, would have to endure such painful side effects. Ying Qingcang's heart shuddered violently at the thought.
"Send her away quickly so that we can get married," Tang Shuang said, narrowing her eyes. She plopped down on one of the swivel chairs in front of the desk and spun the chair around in a circle. "I can't wait to move in!"
Young Master Shen barked out a mocking laugh. "Send her away? Are you alright in the head? Xiao Qingqing has to stay. In fact, she has to stay right here. That way, you can perform acupuncture on her in case she has headaches."
"I have another way," Tang Shuang said, pulling out a box. "This pill is even more effective than acupuncture. The acupuncture just takes the pain away, but this pill has healing properties."
Ying Qingcang opened the box and saw a black pill inside. He handed the box to Young Master Shen. For a moment, the two men communicated with each other through their eyes.
"Well, don't say that I didn't warn you guys. But this pill can only last for 30 days before it needs to be consumed. Any longer than that, the pill will lose its effects. I'll produce one pill every month. Just send it to her by courier when the time comes," Tang Shuang said casually. Ying Qingcang's lips formed a tight line. "If Xin Qing isn't cured after a year, I'll claim your life."
Tang Shuang arched her brows. "It's in your best interest to treat me nicely. Or else... You wouldn't want me to add a little extra something when I make the pills, would you?"
"Pick out a bridal dress. We'll hold the wedding ceremony by the end of this month," Ying Qingcang said and then lowered his head. When he first met Tang Shuang, he actually thought Tang Shuang's face had a childlike ignorance. But now, the sight of her face disgusted him about as much as a pile of rotting flesh.
Those clean and innocent eyes of hers had seen to a scheme of utmost evil.
When Xin Qing woke up, her body felt as if it had been drained of all strength, liked she had just gone through every single labor that existed in the world.
Zhang Mi was sitting in one corner of the room, playing with her computer. Zhang Mi scooted towards the bed when she saw that Xin Qing's eyes were open. "How're you feeling? Does your head still hurt?" Zhang Mi asked.
Xin Qing shook her head. "Help me sit up," she said.
"Don't worry. Young Master Shen called just now. He said that this is only a side effect. It will be gone after a while. Oh, and he also said you should try not to be overly emotional. He will send over some medicine tomorrow. You need to take them whenever the pain hits."
Xin Qing sighed. "I knew it. I just knew that I've yet to fully recover. Being able to wake up half a year after getting shot in the head is something that's too good to be true."
"Hey! This doesn't mean that you haven't recovered from your injuries," Zhang Mi consoled when she noticed Xin Qing's dejected look. "This is just like how you need to recuperate for half a year after undergoing a major surgery. Look, don't think too much about it, okay? Your head's going to hurt again if your emotions aren't stable."
Xin Qing stared at Zhang Mi. All of a sudden, she thought of something. "Where's Qianqian? She's about to go into labor, right?"
"Not at all. Something's wrong with the fetal position. She's already been hospitalized. Otherwise, she would come running here ages ago. Her man was watching over her like a hawk every day!" Zhang Mi paused in thought. "We'll leave after she gives birth?"
The University had already held its graduation ceremony. Too bad Xin Qing could not make it. Despite her absence from the ceremony, the principal had used Xin Qing as a role model during his opening address; everyone was encouraged to strive to achieve excellent results like Xin Qing!
"Are you sure you want to come with me to France?" Xin Qing asked, keeping her eyes on Zhang Mi. "What about your grandfather? Will he allow you to go?" Zhang Mi's parents were killed in an accident when she was young. Her grandfather had been the one who brought her up.
Zhang Mi's gaze darted around the room. "Don't worry. I'll deal with him."
Young Master Shen gave Tang Shuang's pill to a pharmaceutical expert to verify that it did not contain substances that were harmful to the human body; however, not even the expert's analysis could determine the specific herbs that had been used to produce the concoction. Ying Qingcang was greatly dismayed by that; his plan was to have the expert reproduce the pill without Tang Shuang's help.
The summer season was approaching, and Ying Qingcang planned to spread the news of his wedding like a heat wave through S City. Indeed, there was soon a brouhaha among the public. A lot of women were thriving in Schadenfreude over the announcement. And yet at the same time, they were secretly nursing feelings of melancholy. The most unreliable thing in this world was men: He could give all his money to you, and it would still not guarantee his loyalty to you.
"Stop. Stop watching that. What's so nice to see?" Zhang Mi yelled in protest when she saw the news report regarding Ying Qingcang's upcoming wedding. The news report had even audaciously tried to make guesses about Tang Shuang's background.
Xin Qing allowed Zhang Mi to randomly switch channels while she sat there with her head lowered, not speaking a word. Zhang Mi wanted to fill the silence by saying something, though she could not find a topic to start a conversation with. Amidst Zhang Mi's fretting, Xin Qing broke the silence with a question.
"That Tang Shuang, where is she from?"
Zhang Mi was grateful for all the preparations they had made beforehand: She had long since memorized the response to that question.
"Well, Young Master Shen said that she's one of Boss Wan's subordinates. Before this, she was there to help Ying Qingcang look into your kidnapping case. Somehow, those two hooked up." Actually, Zhang Mi was extremely frustrated by the turn of events. She could feel it in her bones that something was not right; it seemed to her that Ying Qingcang's change of heart was all just an act. But when she tried to ask Young Master Shen about it a few times through subtle means, she got absolutely nothing out of the guy. In the end, none of it mattered, because that idea was completely purged from Zhang Mi's mind a few days later...
Tang Shuang stood before them with her arm hanging at the crook of Ying Qingcang's elbow. "Xin Qing, sign these papers," Tang Shuang said, smiling at Xin Qing. Zhang Mi gaped at the expressionless Ying Qingcang. "Doesn't he hate it when other women touch him? What happened to his OCD?" Zhang Mi thought.
Xin Qing took the thick folder and saw that it contained all the contracts involved when she had received Ying Qingcang's assets last time. There was an additional piece of paper on top of the stack this time. She read it, and then she nodded. "Since we've divorced, it's normal to return the assets to you."
Xin Qing signed everything without reservation. Then she handed the contracts back to Tang Shuang. "I heard that you were the one who had performed acupuncture on me to ease my headache. I see you're a doctor, then!"
"She only learned traditional Chinese medicine from her predecessor. You should be more careful from now on. She won't have time to fly over to France to deal with your headaches once she marries me," Ying Qingcang remarked with a blank look on his face. Incensed, Zhang Mi's body trembled from head to toe. She had wanted to curse and lash out at him but had managed to hold herself back in the last second: She was afraid of causing emotional distress to Xin Qing. In the end, Zhang Mi took out her anger on the couch by clawing at its surface.
Xin Qing's eyes never left Ying Qingcang as she smiled cryptically at him. That smile caught Ying Qingcang off guard for a split second. He thought he had detected something in Xin Qing's eyes just now, like some kind of special emotion. But that look had vanished from her eyes quickly. Frowning, he stood up. "Leave before the end of this month so that Tang Shuang can move in." After that, he turned around and walked out of the room. Smiling at Xin Qing, Tang Shuang said, "Sorry!" After that, she picked up the contracts and jogged after Ying Qingcang.
"Motherfucker!" Zhang Mi tossed the couch's throw pillow out the door. "Cheating bastard and a fucking slut! A heartless and ungrateful wolf."
Xin Qing had a weak smile on her face for the whole time. A bitter look shone within the depths of her eyes before it vanished altogether. When she raised her head again, her smile deepened. "It's better this way. There won't be any lingering emotions after this."
"It's okay. We won't starve to death. Don't forget that you're still CK's top designer. Since I'm your assistant, my salary won't be low, right?" Zhang Mi chuckled. "And you'll even provide food and accomodation!"
Xin Qing glared at Zhang Mi. "I think I need to reconsider after all. You've got no cooking skills and you can't take care of the house chores. I'll end up becoming your nanny. This isn't worth it at all!"
"Hey! How could you even consider the thought of using me as just a mere housewife?" Zhang Mi said seriously. "You have to know that you're a beautiful woman and the type that attracts men easily at that. Plus, you even have a kid. Who knows how many flies will come buzzing around you later!"
Xin Qing laughed playfully. "Oh! So you're only there to act as my personal fly-swatter!"
Zhang Mi laughed together with her, causing Xin Qing to look at Zhang Mi strangely. "What's the matter?"
"Xiao Qing, you have to laugh more! Our lives have just begun. With us being 20, we're still considered young women! We need to smile and laugh every day from now on. We need to be happy!"
Xin Qing eyes turned red. She reached out, and the two women hugged each other.
"I won't remain in the same spot, either. Give me some time!"
"Okay!" Zhang Mi nodded. "I'll be right there with you!"
A week later, Shi Qianqian gave birth to a boy via a C-section. As gifts, Xin Qing and Zhang Mi gave a golden plate and a golden bowl respectively. They were now the child's godmother. After that, Xin Qing went to visit Xin Yudie. Xin Qing did not have many friends. The only friend she had was Chen Ming, whom she could not get in touch with. She had never received a single call from Chen Ming for half a year. Xin Qing felt a bit worried, so she asked Young Master Shen to track down Chen Ming. Zhang Mi ended up pulling a hunger strike just so she could convince her grandfather to let her accompany Xin Qing to France. The old man finally agreed after Zhang Mi passed out due to hunger.
Xin Qing and Zhang Mi were set to leave on the same day as Ying Qingcang's wedding.
Early that morning, Aunt Tian had dragged her suitcase to the living room where she waited for Xin Qing. When Xin Qing came down, Aunt Tian smiled at Xin Qing. "Young Miss, I have been dismissed by the young master. Will you hire me?"
"I want grandma! Want grandma!" Ah Sha dove into Xin Qing's arms and stared up at her with watery eyes.
Xin Qing suppressed her tears. "Aunt Tian..."
"Well? Would you like to hire me?"
Xin Qing nodded vigorously and embraced Aunt Tian. "Then we'll be in your care from now on!"
Young Master Shen and Ah Che both came along to the airport to send them off. Young Master Shen nagged all the way to the airport. Apparently, he had all kinds of concern to address.
"You need to remember everything I told you just now. I'll visit you every month."
Zhang Mi balked at the suggestion. "No need. From now on, we need to draw a clear line between us!"
"I'm visiting Xiao Qingqing and Ah Sha, not you," Young Master Shen said. Then, his eyes darted to Zhang Mi briefly. "Now that you mention it, if you're really serious about drawing a line between us, then you need to find your own place to stay. Don't stay at my house."
Zhang Mi was rendered speechless. She glared at him without saying another word.
It was time for them to board the plane, and yet Xin Qing was unwilling to move. Young Master Shen shot a look at Ah Che, who responded with a nod before pulling out his phone to make a call.
Zhang Mi was about to yell when she saw Ying Qingcang's sudden appearance, though Young Master Shen had placed a hand over her mouth and dragged her away before she could make a sound. Ying Qingcang approached Xin Qing slowly. A soft voice sounded before he could even speak.
"I knew you'd come!" Xin Qing raised her head and gazed at him with a serene look.