Qin Tianyi saw her worried expression clearly on her face and still wanted to accompany her, saying, "There's nothing much going on at the group today. An Jing will contact me if anything comes up. I'll stay here with you. I can't bear to be apart from you for a moment; a day apart feels like three autumns."
Susu knew he was trying to cheer her up, but she couldn't bring herself to smile. She could only immerse herself in her designs to distract herself from her anxiety.
Qin Tianyi stopped teasing her and took out his laptop, getting to work.
As night fell, Qin Tianyi felt a dull ache in his back and neck. He stretched his arms to loosen his muscles and said, "Is the future great designer finished? Can we go home?"
Susu stretched her shoulders and neck, glanced at the darkening sky outside the window, and then looked at her phone. There was still no news.
"Yes, let's go home. Work is never-ending. If we go back any later, Little Star will start complaining again."
Seeing her still looking troubled, Qin Tianyi suggested, "How about we go watch a comedy movie? My treat."
Susu seemed not to hear him. As she packed her things, she suddenly thought of something and said to him, "Right, I have Huo Zheng's WeChat. Why don't I contact him and see if he knows the whereabouts of Huo Jin and Qingchuan?"
Qin Tianyi asked, "When did you two add each other on WeChat?"
"Don't be jealous now. Finding them is more important." Susu couldn't stand him; the aloof Mr. Qin had turned into a jealous lemon.
Qin Tianyi also knew the matter was serious and nodded.
Susu immediately found Huo Zheng's WeChat and made a voice call.
The other party didn't answer at first. Just as Susu thought he wouldn't pick up, it suddenly connected.
Before Susu could speak, Huo Zheng's deep and sorrowful voice came through the phone, "My sister is dead. We are all at the scene of her accident. Her brother-in-law is still in the pond, heartbroken."
Susu was instantly stunned into silence. Huo Zheng quickly finished speaking and hung up.
Qin Tianyi, beside Susu, saw her eyes instantly well up with tears and asked, "What did Huo Zheng say to you? Is Huo Jin alright?"
Susu felt her limbs go weak. Meeting Qin Tianyi's concerned gaze, she froze for a few seconds before saying with a trembling voice, "She had an accident."
"What kind of accident?" Qin Tianyi pressed.
Susu suddenly hugged him tightly and cried, "She's dead! Huo Zheng said she's dead!"
Qin Tianyi was also shocked, but he knew that no matter how dissolute Huo Zheng was, he wouldn't joke about something like this.
He didn't say anything more, wanting only to be her support. Even if the sky fell, he would be there to bear it for her.
While Susu was heartbroken, he quickly inquired about the location of Huo Jin's accident and rushed Susu there overnight.
It was a desolate pond. The sky was just beginning to lighten, and emergency lights were still on everywhere. Rescue personnel were extremely busy, with a large crane nearby.
Upon arriving at the scene, Susu immediately saw Huo Zheng standing by the pond with his hands on his hips. She wanted to go and ask Huo Zheng herself, but she couldn't move her feet; the reality was too cruel.
If Qin Tianyi hadn't been supporting her, she probably wouldn't have been able to stand seeing such a scene.
Qin Tianyi understood her thoughts and said, "Let's go talk to Huo Jin."
With Qin Tianyi's support, she walked with difficulty towards Huo Zheng. She saw his cold eyes fixed on the pond.
"Huo Zheng, where is your sister? Can she still be saved? What exactly happened to her?" Susu still held onto a sliver of hope for a miracle.
Huo Zheng turned his head, his eyes bloodshot, and looked at her, saying with utter grief, "My sister was drunk driving, and she fell into this pond with her car. The rescuers are trying to lift the car out."
Susu quickly asked, "Why didn't you save the person first?"
"When she was discovered, the person was long gone, trapped in the car. It was impossible to get her out." After a day and a night, Huo Zheng had no choice but to accept that Huo Jin was gone.
"Where is Chang Qingchuan? Where is he?" Susu couldn't hide her grief as she looked around, but she didn't see Chang Qingchuan.
Huo Zheng looked back at the pond and said, "He put on a diving suit and went to the bottom of the pond to be with my sister."
Susu felt her legs go weak, feeling as if she would collapse to the ground.
Qin Tianyi held her as best he could, letting her lean on him, and comforted her, "Susu, misfortune can befall anyone. No one could have predicted such an accident."
Susu leaned on him entirely, watching the crane by the pond slowly lift Huo Jin's car out of the water.
Huo Jin was stuck in the driver's seat, her face swollen and unrecognizable from being in the water.
Qin Tianyi, fearing she couldn't bear to see it, quickly covered her eyes.
As the crane slowly placed the car, salvaged from the water, on the shore, the rescue personnel on the bank immediately surrounded Huo Jin's car, pried open the door, and carefully moved Huo Jin's body onto a stretcher.
At this moment, Chang Qingchuan, wearing a diving suit, also came ashore. He hastily took off his diving suit and rushed to Huo Jin's side, who was covered by a white cloth, and pleaded with the rescue personnel, "Save her! Please save her! I beg you!"
The rescue personnel dared not meet his gaze and could only try to comfort him, "Please accept our condolences."
Seeing them about to carry Huo Jin away, Chang Qingchuan grabbed a rescue worker and refused to let go, "Don't take her away! Save her! If you don't try, how do you know she won't come back to life?"
The rescue worker whose clothes he was holding said helplessly, "It's not that we won't save her, but life cannot be brought back. No one has the ability to revive the dead."
Chang Qingchuan still refused to accept that Huo Jin was dead. He let go of the rescue worker and then tightly grabbed the stretcher that was about to be carried away, shouting, "She's not dead! We are getting married soon! She won't die! She's going to marry me! We promised to grow old together and never be apart! How can you say she's dead? She's just asleep!"
"Sir, please calm down. This lady drowned several days ago. Please accept our condolences."
Chang Qingchuan completely ignored their words, lifted the white cloth covering Huo Jin, held her hands, which were already softened and decaying in the water, and called out to her, "Jin, stop sleeping, wake up! Didn't you always look forward to our wedding? Get up quickly and try on the new wedding dress! Didn't you say you would be with me for a lifetime? Why are you breaking your promise..."
Everyone present was moved to tears, silently waiting for him to vent his grief.
Susu, standing not far away, was already sobbing uncontrollably. Huo Jin's death was too cruel for Chang Qingchuan.
Huo Zheng, his eyes bloodshot, couldn't bear to watch any longer. He stepped forward and forcefully pulled Chang Qingchuan away from the stretcher. He also took one last look at Huo Jin, personally covered her with the white cloth, and said to Huo Jin with a hoarse voice, "Older sister, why did you have to drink and drive to this godforsaken place? You left like this, what will Mom and Dad do? What about brother-in-law? And me... Even though I always teased you, sister, I... I don't have a sister anymore..."
He had intended to comfort Chang Qingchuan, but he ended up losing control and crying uncontrollably himself.