The hospital parking lot.
"Are you alright?" Su Yue asked anxiously after getting into the car, noticing Chen Ziming's pale face.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He gripped the steering wheel, his voice hoarse, and looked at her, forcing a smile.
He added, "I just didn't sleep all night, and I didn't get to eat breakfast this morning. I'm hungry and tired, maybe I can't drive anymore."
In reality, this was far from his body's limit, but with his girlfriend present, he wanted to indulge a little.
Fundamentally, he just wanted to play the victim to coax her home for a hug.
As expected, a look of worry appeared on the girl's face. She immediately said, "I'll drive," got out of the car, and swapped places with him.
When they returned to the apartment complex, she bought him breakfast before taking him home.
As soon as they entered, he pulled her into his arms.
"You've worked hard," Su Yue said softly, stroking his back. His appearance was truly heart-wrenching. She pushed aside the thought of asking about Chi Yiran's condition, encircling his waist and murmuring words of comfort.
When he had called earlier, he had mentioned that Chi Yiran was out of danger, so it likely wasn't serious.
A muffled "mm" came from his chest as he held her tighter, showing no intention of letting go.
"Alright, you go take a shower. You smell like sweat," she said, lifting her head and deliberately putting on a stern face.
The man's handsome face also turned stern for a moment, but then a smile immediately broke through. He pinched her cheek and said softly,
"I'll go wash up. Don't go anywhere, and wait to sleep with me later."
...
After waiting for him to finish showering and eating a little, and then cuddling with him for a nap, they could finally discuss the incident.
Now, they were sitting at the tea table, with Chen Ziming preparing fruit tea for Su Yue.
The sweet fragrance mixed with the aroma of tea wafted through the air. Bright sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling window on the balcony, filling the space with tranquility and warmth.
"What did you say on the phone?" Su Yue asked, watching the orange-red tea water show a clear hue, her gaze a little distant.
While waiting for the tea, Chen Ziming had made a few calls, likely to inquire about Chi Yiran's condition.
"She's fine now. She's woken up, and her mother is there. I've also found an experienced caregiver for her," he said, handing her a teacup, his voice calm.
"Mmm, that's good then," she replied, taking the cup and also feeling relieved.
A brief silence settled between them before the man beside her couldn't help but speak.
"I can't shake the feeling that her appearance was suspicious."
Su Yue decided to drop the pretense and turned to look at him, "It does seem a bit coincidental."
"It was a workday today, and she still had to work. Yet, she was at a nightclub at two in the morning. The situation was dangerous, and people were trying to escape. By the time we arrived, almost everyone had fled."
He analyzed it step by step, "She appeared at just the right moment, as if she was waiting there."
His words cast a silence over them both.
Neither of them wanted to make malicious assumptions, but they couldn't ignore the strangeness of the situation.
"What are you planning to do?" Su Yue asked.
"This afternoon, I'll check the nightclub's surveillance footage and visit the criminal investigation team to understand the cause of the fight among that group. Tonight... I'll go to the hospital again."
He had already made his arrangements.
"Then I'll wait for you at home tonight," she said softly.
Chen Ziming then remembered it was Friday and frowned. He pulled her closer by the waist, turned his head, and whispered,
"Come with me. You can wait for me outside. I'll just go in for a quick look."
Su Yue blinked in surprise, then found it amusing, "What, you don't trust me?"
"It's me who doesn't trust you," he said instead.
He didn't trust her, fearing she would overthink things and develop a desire to escape.
Su Yue looked confused, unable to figure out his train of thought.
"Just kidding. I just don't want to go alone. Will you accompany me, darling? Hmm?" Seeing her expression, Chen Ziming chuckled and reached out to pat her head.
"Mmm... Okay."
In the end, she agreed.