Jiang Qianren ended up breaking his leg. He was running over by a van when he tried to carry Xin Qing away from the van's path.
"Come on, this doesn't even count as an injury. You don't have to give me that look," Jiang Qianren said.
They were now inside a hospital room. Jiang Qianren smiled at Xin Qing. "Then again, having you here to keep me company is totally worth having my leg broken!" he said.
"Regardless, I really have to thank you. It would be me lying here if it weren't for what you did. And I don't think my injuries would be as simple as a broken leg." Xin Qing glanced at the soldier who was standing guard at the door. Then, lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, "You are protected even for a simple hospitalization. Truly a national treasure!"
"Me? Please. You flatter me. Now, that friend of yours, Chen Huan? She is the true national treasure."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sudden entrance of a group of people. Xin Qing saw the soldier stopped Zhang Mi and Monica, thus keeping them outside the room. Then, a woman she had never met before as well as two uniformed men were allowed inside.
The two men bowed to Jiang Qianren, standing behind the woman.
Xin Qing took in the scene before her, then she stood up. "I should take my leave now, since you've got company. You know as well as I do that things haven't been going well for me these days. But I'll treat you to a meal after you get discharged!"
"Xin Qing!" Zhang Mi called from the door. Xin Qing stepped out hurriedly.
"I'm okay. Sorry to worry you," Xin Qing said. Then, Xin Qing noticed the way Zhang Mi kept turning her head around to make furtive glances into room. "What are you looking at?" Xin Qing asked.
"That woman and Jiang Qianren look so alike," Zhang Mi said secretively. "Do you think she's his mom?"
"It's none of our business," Xin Qing said. "Come on, let's get out of here."
Back at Xin Enterprises, Ah Nan played the surveillance footage that he had obtained from the security booth for Xin Qing.
"That doesn't look right! It doesn't seem like you are the van's intended target." Zhang Mi frowned and played it again. "Look, it's obvious that the driver had picked up speed only when he saw Jiang Qianren."
"We've sent the footage to the police. The cops think Jiang Qianren is the target as well," Ah Nan said, turned off the computer. "They haven't caught the culprit yet, but there's nowhere for him to run. We have the resources to track him down, so does the Jiang family. Anyone who wishes to harm Jiang Qianren wouldn't be let off that easily. The military won't allow it as well."
Xin Qing was silent throughout the entire exchange. She kept having this feeling that there was something that they were all missing, though she could not quite put her finger on it at the moment. The next day, Jiang Qianren called her again. Like it or not, the man had gotten hurt because of her, so Xin Qing brought some fruits with her and paid him a visit at the hospital. She ended up spending an entire afternoon with Jiang Qianren. As she was stepping out of the hospital's entrance, she ran into that same woman she met last time.
"Miss Xin!" The woman was dressed in an exquisite suit. Her appearance would put her around the age of fifty or so, though she had clearly taken good care of her body. It was obvious that she was a woman from a prominent family.
Xin Qing halted her steps and asked politely, "Are you calling me, Ma'am?"
"My surname is Song. Song Chunli. I'm Qianren's mother. Is it okay if we talk?"
Xin Qing's heart stilled for a moment. Then, she glanced across the street. "Then, how about we head over to the coffee shop across the street?"
The two women sat at a table by the window. Xin Qing ordered two cups of coffee. Song Chunli was staring at Xin Qing, which made her feel pretty nervous.
"Madam Song, I'm so sorry that Jiang Qianren got hurt because of me," Xin Qing said sheepishly. Regardless of the woman's purpose for seeing her, the fact that the woman's son was now lying in the hospital because of her brought a pang of guilt to Xin Qing's heart.
Song Chunli smiled at her. "He's a soldier. In that kind of situation, he would've stepped forward regardless of whom was there at the scene."
"Ah?" Xin Qing said, not knowing how to continue. She chewed over her next words, and then said, "Aunt Song, you can be frank with me!"
"Haha..." Song Chunli laughed and looked at Xin Qing kindly. "Our Qianren has been causing you trouble, hasn't he?"
Xin Qing returned the older woman's stare. "Are you referring to his pursuit of me, Ma'am?"
"Looks like Miss Xin is a reasonable person. If that's the case, then I won't beat around the bush anymore." Song Chunli smiled. "I suppose you're aware that for a family like ours, the marital affairs of our children are usually out of our hands? Well, here's the thing. Qianren is stubborn even from a young age. Back at home, the only person he would listen to is his grandfather. He would just ignore anyone else. His grandfather still doesn't know about the thing between you two. But it won't benefit you at all if he finds out."
Xin Qing studied Song Chunli's expression carefully and realized that there was no malicious intent in the woman's words. In fact, the woman seemed genuinely worried about her, which was why Xin Qing's next words were uttered in a very courteous manner: "Aunt Song, I hope you don't misunderstand. I've never made any promises to him, and I've already rejected his advances. Besides, you must have seen the news recently, so you know who I am. I'm a married woman. My husband is Ying Qingcang."
Song Chunli frowned. "But aren't you guys..."
"That's between me and him," Xin Qing said, meeting Song Chunli's eyes. "I only see Jiang Qianren as an ordinary friend. It's impossible between the two of us, be it now and in the future."
"Well, then I must apologize, Miss Xin. Looks like we've completely misunderstood you," Song Chunli quickly said. "Although this isn't an appropriate thing for me to say, but I still hope you'll stop meeting Qianren from now on. It's true that you only see him as just a friend, but that isn't the case for him."
Xin Qing nodded. "I understand, and I promise you that I won't see him again."
When Xin Qing got home that night, Chen Huan and Monica noticed the rather sullen look on her face. When they asked, Xin Qing told them everything that had happened today.
"Although his mother is polite and courteous, but it still bothers me. She's the one who had failed to rein in her son, yet she goes to others and demand things from them." Xin Qing was currently nestled in the couch with little Liuliu in her arms.
Chen Huan was giving Wangwang an IQ test. Due to the fact that Xin Qing had been taking her medication when she was pregnant with Wangwang, Wangwang had to be subjected to various physical and mental tests every once in a while.
"Duh. If my son ended up in a hospital because of some woman, I'll feel pretty bad too," Monica said as she bit into her apple. "She's considered lenient, you know. At least she treated you courteously. I mean, people like the Jiangs? You should be happy that they didn't try to crush you with their influence!"
Xin Qing's eyes suddenly lit up. "What did you just say?"
"I said they have a lot of influence." Monica paused, looking at Xin Qing. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, not that line."
Xin Qing placed Liuliu down and paced two circles on the floor. "You said that you would feel bad if your son ended up in the hospital because of a woman! That's what you said!"
"Yeah! Surely that's how everyone will feel in that position?"
Chen Huan clapped her hands together. "I know why they tried to run over Jiang Qianren!" she exclaimed.
"Because whoever that's behind the attack wants us to go head to head with the Jiang family!" Xin Qing released a cold sneer. "If the Jiang family is unhappy with me, they will naturally strike at Xin Enterprises. A corporate will never be a match for the officials. Military power signifies the whole nation. We won't win against that kind of power."
Monica stared at the other two women for a moment. "It... It can't be Ah Cang behind it, right?"
In the villa district on the north side of the city, there was a villa which looked as if it was newly-renovated. On the villa's second floor, sounds of man's panting and a woman's moans could be heard. Rong Siman straddled the man as she screamed Ying Qingcang's name.
"Oh, Ah Cang... harder... harder..."
Her hands were fondling her breasts wildly and her eyes were filled with ecstasy. "Do you love me? Tell me you love me!" she screamed.
The man beneath her flipped their positions and she ended up lying on her stomach on the bed. The man pressed his entire weight onto her back, and growled, "Of course I love you! Come on, sugar. Lift your hips higher!"
Soon, both the man and the woman were releasing desperate, high-pitched cries. Then, they lay spread out on the bed, completely spent. The door opened suddenly. A shadow stretched across the floor towards the bed, enshrouding the two naked bodies in darkness. Rong Siman stared at the doorway in shock.
"Ah... Ah Cang? Aren't you scheduled to be back tomorrow?" Rong Siman got dressed in panic. "Don't misunderstand. I... I'm not..."
Ying Qingcang stared at her expressionlessly. "I've got something to ask you. Come to the study."
Rong Siman dismissed the man on the bed by shoving a handful of cash at him.
"My dick's awesome, right? You should look for me again!" said the man as he slipped his namecard into her bra.
Barely sparing the man a glance, Rong Siman mumbled a sloppy "okay" before she sent the man away. Then, she ran to the study to look for Ying Qingcang.
"Ah Cang, are you mad?" Rong Siman stepped around the desk, her hand reaching out to grab his arm.
Ying Qingcang did not avoid her touch. A slight glint flashed in his eyes as he stood up and walked towards the couch. "I'm not mad. Come here and sit down. I've got things to ask you."
"Okay!" Rong Siman sighed in relief, though she dared not approach him again. She sat down across from him instead. "Is there a problem in France?" she asked.
"Things in France are fine." Ying Qingcang smiled. "Were you the one who hired someone to run over Xin Qing?"
Something flashed inside Rong Siman's eyes. "I didn't!"
"I want to hear the truth." A sudden change went across Ying Qingcang's countenance. "I detest people who think that they know better. I don't think you're clueless about this attack. Tell me, who gave you the permission to act?"
"Why are you raising your voice at me?" Rong Siman said in a hurt voice. "The Jiang family will never agree to a union with a woman like Xin Qing. Sooner or later, we'll be watching the Jiang family destroy Xin Enterprises. It will be beneficial to us!"
Ying Qingcang sneered. "You think the people from the Jiang family are idiots? Do you really think that they're the kind of people that can be so easily manipulated? They wouldn't have been able to rise to their current position if they are. You'll just be digging your own grave if you play mind games with them."
Panicking, Rong Siman sat herself beside Ying Qingcang and clutched his arm. "I've already sent the driver away. Nobody could trace him. Even if the Jiang family suspects a hidden agenda, it wouldn't lead back to us."
"If you act on your own again, I'll send you back to France," Ying Qingcang said, rising to his feet. "Also, I can tolerate you fooling around with other men. But don't disgust me by bringing your playthings back to the house."
Rong Siman smiled at that comment. "Are you jealous?" she asked coyly. "But you can't blame me, you know? You're the one who keeps saying that your body can't take it. You're also the one who told me to find someone else to take care of my needs." Then, seeing the scowl on Ying Qingcang face, Rong Siman quickly began placating him. "Sorry! Sorry! It's all my fault. I will definitely do it discreetly next time. I'm going to take a shower. That way, you won't smell it!" Rong Siman made eyes at Ying Qingcang and undressed herself straightaway. She walked into the bathroom naked.
Ying Qingcang watched her enter the bathroom with his eyes turning bright. He smiled with his corner of mouth lift, entering his room.
"Sir, your leg hasn't fully healed yet. You can't leave."
"Get out of my way," Jiang Qianren said, shoving the soldier aside. "I know my own body. I want to be discharged right now."
None of the soldiers could stop him. As the soldiers were panicking, Song Chunli appeared at the door.
"Are you going to look for Xin Qing?"
Jiang Qianren stared at his mother. "Mom, you met with her, didn't you?" he said. "Now I know why she doesn't even pick up my calls."
"Miss Xin is obviously so much smarter than you," Song Chunli said with a wave of her hand. "Well, since you're not planning to stay at the hospital, I'll bring you home right now. Your grandfather wants to see you."