Su Qi came to her senses, and found herself at the hospital's DNA testing department. She cooperated readily, extending her arm for the nurse to draw blood.
Whether it was true or not, suspicion had already taken root, and she knew she would have to do this DNA test sooner or later.
After the blood was drawn, the results would take a day.
Su Qi walked out of the DNA testing room to find Xu Linchuan and Gu Tangxue waiting outside. Seeing Su Qi emerge, Gu Tangxue hurried forward, taking Su Qi's hand, her brow furrowed.
"If you are Linchuan's sister..."
Su Qi smiled faintly and looked at Xu Linchuan behind Gu Tangxue. "Then I can only wish you both a lifetime of happiness. You won't have to worry about anything between Linchuan and me anymore!"
Gu Tangxue was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but chuckle.
"At a time like this, you can still joke around!"
Gu Tangxue chided Su Qi with a playful glare.
Su Qi looked at Xu Linchuan. "Perhaps you were only so fixated on me initially because I resemble your mother when she was young. Perhaps what you felt for me from the beginning wasn't love, but rather the familiarity one feels for family."
A flicker of melancholy crossed Xu Linchuan's eyes, but he still responded with a smile. "Perhaps you're right. You're a good girl, Tangxue. Maybe I should treat her well."
"You've only just recovered, perhaps I shouldn't be asking this of you. However, Tingyun is blind now, and if a cure isn't found, the company could easily change hands. Sheng Yuchen is ambitious. The old master gave the company to my husband, and only the man who marries me is eligible to inherit it. Now Sheng Yuchen wants to marry me, using Tingyun to threaten me. If Tingyun doesn't recover soon, the Huo family could be turned upside down..."
Su Qi stepped closer and spoke in a voice only she and Xu Linchuan could hear.
Xu Linchuan was startled. He frowned for a long moment, then pursed his lips and nodded. "My master saved Tingyun once. However, my master has retired and is now in America. To save Huo Tingyun, we might need to find my master and get the antidote. Wait for me for a few days. I'll pack up and head to America in the next couple of days. As long as I find my master, there's hope for Tingyun's eyes to recover."
"Alright, I entrust everything to you." Su Qi felt a pang of guilt and wanted to hug Xu Linchuan, but remembering Gu Tangxue was present, she refrained from reaching out.
"Take care of yourself."
Xu Linchuan looked at Su Qi with concern, unable to completely set his mind at ease.
"Alright, alright, stop exchanging those longing glances. It's already noon, let's go eat. We need to handle Linchuan's discharge procedures this afternoon."
Gu Tangxue said somewhat sourly from the side.
Su Qi let out a snicker. "You really are a little jealous."
After lunch, Su Qi returned home. As her car hadn't even stopped at the Huo residence, she saw a mountain of gifts piled up at the entrance.
Sheng Yuchen was truly pushing his luck, leaving gifts right at the doorstep as if to ensure everyone knew.
Su Qi was amused to the point of anger. She pushed open the door and got out of the car. "What are you all standing around for? Throw them all away!"
Entering the house, she knocked on Huo Tingyun's door. The man was sitting by the bed and stood up upon hearing the sound. "You're back. I heard someone sent a lot of gifts. What are those?"
"It's nothing, just gifts from sycophants. Don't pay any attention to them."
Su Qi moved closer to the man and sniffed. "I forgot to give you a bath yesterday. Even though you don't smell, it's still good to wash up."
Su Qi turned to find clothes for Huo Tingyun, rummaging through the wardrobe for a clean, soft set of loungewear. Seeing Huo Tingyun still standing there, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"I can't unbutton it. Can you help me?" the man said, almost like he was pouting.
Su Qi sighed helplessly. "You can just take it off, you don't have to unbutton it."
"I want you to unbutton it for me," the man insisted.
With a helpless sigh, Su Qi stepped forward and unbuttoned his shirt, button by button. "There, now I'll help you into the bathroom."
"Wait." The man held her wrist. "There are the pants too."
Su Qi's face instantly flushed. "What pants?!"
Did he need her help with his pants too?!
"I'm afraid I might fall. Help me, okay?" The man tugged at her hand, acting incredibly spoiled.
Su Qi, unable to refuse him, said, "Take them off and then go take a bath. Don't do anything else."
"Okay, I promise," the man replied, his voice laced with amusement.
Su Qi bit her lip tightly, turning her head away to avoid looking at him. Then, with both hands, she grabbed the waistband and pulled them down forcefully.
"Done! Go take your bath now!"
The man emerged from the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. His damp hair clung to his forehead, and water droplets traced a path down his neck, collarbone, and chest, disappearing into the darkness below. If Su Qi didn't know Huo Tingyun, she might have almost believed he wasn't blind.
"Do you remember Xu Linchuan? He's your good friend from childhood. You'll be going to America with Linchuan in a while. Once your eyes are healed, you can see me."
"Going to America? I don't want to leave you. Are you coming with me?"
"I still have some things to take care of. I'll come to America to see you after I'm done. Perhaps by then, your eyes will be healed too."
The night was deep, and the dew was heavy.
Su Qi tucked the man in and was about to leave when her wrist was suddenly held tight.
"Are you Caiyi? Are you?"
The man murmured, as if in a dream.
"I... when you see me, you'll know who I am."
After a long silence with no response from the man, Su Qi softly said, "Sleep now. Goodnight."
The next day, Su Qi saw Huo Tingyun off at the airport. The Huo family had a private jet, and with Assistant Lin accompanying him, Su Qi felt reassured.
"Assistant Lin, wait a moment." Su Qi called out to Assistant Lin, who was about to board the plane.
"What is it, Miss Su?"
"I want to ask you something. Someone told me that the old master's will stipulated that the company's inheritance rights were given to my husband. Is that true?"
She had initially thought the old master had given the inheritance rights to Huo Tingyun, as he was the Huo family's only son.
"You know?" Assistant Lin was taken aback. He looked at Su Qi, then glanced around before lowering his voice. "The old master did indeed make such a will. However, as long as you don't get married, the company's shares will always remain with the young master."
"I understand. Hurry and board the plane. Take good care of Tingyun. Everything is in your hands now."
Su Qi watched Assistant Lin board the plane, her heart settling slightly.
With Assistant Lin by his side in America, perhaps things wouldn't be as dangerous.
However, Sheng Yuchen had lived abroad for so many years; he must have his own network of influence.
Su Qi's slightly settled heart began to feel uneasy again.
If what Assistant Lin said was true, and she were to marry Sheng Yuchen, the consequences would be unimaginable.