"Brother!" Huo Yun furrowed his brows, stepping forward.
"Brother Qing." Ye Shuming sat in a wheelchair, looking lively. He greeted with a smile, "Good to see you awake."
"It's good that you're awake." Huo Qing's voice was low as he introduced, "This is the doctor, Yan, who performed your surgery."
Ye Shuming appeared surprised, gazing at Nie Jia, who lazily glanced back at him. "So, you're Dr. Yan. I hadn't expected you to be so young. Thank you very much, Dr. Yan. If you ever need assistance in the future, don't hesitate to ask."
"Yeah, Dr. Yan. I apologize for doubting your abilities before. If it weren't for my brother's insistence, I might have denied Shuming this excellent opportunity due to mistrust in you." Huo Yun admitted her inner shame candidly. She noticed the uncomfortable expressions of the two police officers nearby and added deliberately, "Dr. Yan, you saved our lives. If anyone troubles you, I'm more than willing to help."
The two officers stood stiffly on the side, immediately breaking into sweat upon hearing this. They hadn't expected who lived here before coming.
Nie Jia merely smiled faintly, saying, "No need for thanks. It's my duty. Besides, Mr. Huo here compensated me quite generously."
Huo Qing inclined his head slightly, addressing Huo Yun, "Xiao Jue is still napping in the room. You should go and inform him."
Huo Yun nodded, pushing Ye Shuming back into the room to see their son. When they should have been happily reunited as a family of three, unexpectedly, Huo Yun returned. She sat beside Huo Qing, her demeanor slightly agitated as she addressed the two policemen, "Are you detectives from the Nagano Police Department? What brings you to our house?"
The older officer happened to be the chief of the Nagano Detective Division, about to speak but was preempted by Huo Qing.
"Yan Yu is dead," Huo Qing stated.
Nie Jia's expression remained as calm as a serene lake, showing no ripples at all.
"Oh, that junkie who caused a ruckus at the Jiang's and nearly got his hand chopped off by Dr. Yan?" Huo Yun sneered coldly. She knew the details of this incident not from Huo Qing's account but from the gossip circulating throughout Moon City, a piece of news too big for her to remain unaware of.
Having a deadbeat father like Yan Yu might tarnish Dr. Yan Su's reputation, but it didn't compare to the embarrassment caused by the Jiang family's scandalous engagement ceremony. Jiang Yang had stabilized his position through his ex-wife's family background, then promptly ditched her and got engaged to another man as soon as her family fell. He was now branded a scoundrel who'd committed matrimonial fraud, a topic of discussion not just among the elite but even among market vendors and elderly dancers in the square. If it weren't for Huo Qing's influential name still looming over the Jiang family, their stocks might have plummeted beyond repair.
"Dr. Yan did indeed have a conflict with the deceased. So, are you here to suspect Dr. Yan as a suspect?" Huo Yun's tone was displeased as she addressed the two.
The chief detective was sweating bullets. "We're just here to gather information."
"When did the death occur?" Huo Qing's arm rested on the sofa's back, with Nie Jia seated next to him, a gesture that, at first glance, seemed as if Nie Jia were nestled in his embrace.
The chief detective promptly replied, "Early on the 17th."
Huo Yun's eyes grew cold, "Dr. Yan was performing surgery on my husband from the morning of the 16th until 2 a.m. on the 17th. It lasted for 16 hours. There's surveillance footage at the hospital to corroborate my statement. Do you really think Dr. Yan had the energy to commit murder after a 16-hour surgery?"
"Hold on, Yun." Huo Qing interrupted Huo Yun, whose agitation resembled a stepped-on tail. Huo Yun quieted down. He calmly addressed the detectives, "The surgery ended at 2 a.m. on the 17th, after which I brought Dr. Yan back here. He hasn't left in these few days, and there's surveillance by the lake. You're welcome to review it."
The chief detective's demeanor was suddenly tense. He stood up promptly, "There's no need, Mr. Huo. The time of death for the deceased was precisely 12:40 a.m. on the 17th. Dr. Yan ending surgery at 2 a.m. provides a perfect alibi. We apologize for the disturbance and will take our leave."
Huo Qing nodded lightly, instructing the butler to escort the two out.
Nie Jia's face turned somber. Without a word, she headed upstairs, not even looking back. "I'll go back to my room."
Huo Yun watched Nie Jia entering her brother's room with surprise. She tilted her head and whispered to Huo Qing, "Brother, is Dr. Yan staying in your room? Where have you been staying these days?"
"In the guest room," Huo Qing pushed Huo Yun's head aside.
Huo Yun, with a fluctuating tone, exclaimed, then returned to the topic, "Was Yan Yu killed by the loan shark?"
"Loan sharks don't kill," Huo Qing accepted a file folder handed over by his assistant and calmly flipped through it.
"Yan Yu was into drugs and gambling, owing millions. It's not strange for someone like him to get killed. Why suspect Dr. Yan?" Huo Yun felt deeply grateful to Yan Su. She couldn't fathom how to repay her savior, let alone tolerate anyone harassing her.
"Yan Yu received quite a sum from Su Su in these past two years. His creditors wouldn't readily kill their cash cow." Huo Qing's lips curled coldly. "Who do you think did it?"
"You mean Jiang Yang?" Huo Yun had a hunch. After all, in Moon City, only Jiang Yang seemed to have an issue with Dr. Yan. "But can Jiang Yang dare? Any slip-up would ruin him."
For someone like Jiang Yang, with his status in Moon City, quietly eliminating Yan Yu would be feasible. However, if he were to blame this mess on Yan Su, he'd need to think twice. After all, Dr. Yan wasn't someone easily controlled. Jiang Yang was currently the head of the Jiang family. Would he risk such a huge gamble?
In a well-appointed room, the tension swirled between Huo Qing and Huo Yun. Huo Qing, after swiftly scanning through the folder, prepared to leave with an air of finality.
"Why're you poking your nose where it doesn't belong? Su Su saved Shu Ming, so naturally, we should be grateful! How could we let someone smear Su Su's name right under our noses?" Huo Yun, discontent, yanked him back, snatching the folder from Huo Qing's hand, inspecting it and grumbling, "Su Su said the reward would be shares in the Jiangs? Even if it's a small share, it's still a major one. Brother, you're too stingy!"
"I'd have offered something else to him, anything but what Su Su wants." Huo Qing, accustomed to pampering Huo Yun, except for her son and husband, hadn't seen her defend someone this fiercely. Seeing her staunch support for Yan Su at this moment brought an unexpected delight to Huo Qing.
Huo Yun paused, her eyes widening in realization. "Su Su seems to have been dealing with Jiang Yang all this time, right?"
Huo Qing gently tapped the folder on Huo Yun's forehead and cautioned, "None of your business." With that, she ascended the stairs, clutching the documents.
Huo Yun, nursing her throbbing head, eventually returned to her room. Ye Shu Ming engaged in a conversation with Ye Xiao Jue, and the realization hit her—her son had grown so much over the four years she had been away. Ye Xiao Jue, excitedly displaying his art pieces, inherited his mother's talent and had the guidance of skilled mentors. His numerous awards filled Ye Shu Ming's heart with immense pride.
"Darling, who gifted that painting?" Ye Shu Ming, cradling Ye Xiao Jue, looked up at the wall, adorned with the painting of a Ghost Orchid.
Initially considering it to be Ye Xiao Jue's award-winning work, Ye Shu Ming was surprised to learn that it was a gift from someone else. "It was from Jiang Yang," Huo Yun walked over, taking a seat by the bed. She chuckled, "Don't like it? I only accepted it because it was a Ghost Orchid. Besides, it was purchased by brother for several billion."
Ye Shu Ming immediately deduced the underlying reason. He sympathetically traced her fingertips and chuckled helplessly, "I wondered why Qing suddenly injected funds into Moon City's government projects. Now I see."
"If you don't like it, take it down," Huo Yun instructed the housekeeper to remove the painting. She never fancied the piece, given its subpar quality, but she had accepted it due to her affection for Ye Shu Ming at the time. Now that her husband had awakened and considering her current feelings toward the Jiangs, there was no reason for her to keep it. Ye Shu Ming offered no objection. Huo Yun turned to the housekeeper, her tone cold, "Return it to where it came from."
Today was Meng Qian's birthday. Originally, Jiang Yang had planned to spend the day with her before the chaos erupted at their engagement banquet, tarnishing their reputations. Jiang Yang found himself swamped with board meetings, leaving no time to celebrate Meng Qian's birthday.
Meng Qian gathered a few close friends from her art school days at the Jiang residence. Despite the recent gossip surrounding her, these friends still envied Meng Qian. Not only had she recently signed with the Hei Chi Gallery after graduating, but her artworks fetched hefty sums, and she was now engaged to Moon City's top tycoon, Jiang Yang. Even the wealthy playboy who used to make her school days difficult now sought her favor on this occasion. Who wouldn't envy her?
"Meng Qian, I've booked a venue for tonight. Let's gather a few friends to liven up your birthday," Li Yue, the heir to the Li Group, approached Jiang Yang for a favor, a rare display of initiative.
After dinner, they sat in the garden, sipping tea and chatting. Meng Qian, feeling a bit off lately, didn't welcome Li Yue's presence enthusiastically. Still, without making a scene, she coolly declined, "Not interested."
"Yeah, if you want to celebrate, do it on your own. Tonight, Meng Qian has to go to the hospital," added someone.
"In university, didn't you almost break Meng Qian's fingers for a competition slot? Who's forgotten about that?" Several friends joined in, confronting Li Yue. His face reddened with embarrassment and a simmering rage, as if stabbed in the heart. He stood up, glaring at Meng Qian, "Meng Qian, don't act all high and mighty. If it weren't for my dad insisting, I wouldn't come here to see you. You think I'm happy to see you? Who caused you trouble back then? Where did your competition slot come from? You damn well know it was because of me!"
Setting down her teacup, Meng Qian smiled faintly, "Li Yue, there's a saying—what goes around comes around. Begging with this attitude, check with your dad if it's suitable."
"Even if our Li family goes bankrupt, we won't stoop to beg from you!" Li Yue seethed with hatred towards Meng Qian.
Once aspiring to be an artist, Li Yue had almost destroyed Meng Qian's artistic aspirations in college, alleging that she was responsible for his hand injury, leading to her loss of the competition slot. Eventually, that slot fell into Meng Qian's lap, while he, labeled as a 'rich second-generation,' became the subject of campus gossip, forcing him to leave university and venture into business under his father's pressure.
He knew Meng Qian had orchestrated it all, and these years, Li Yue harbored an unrelenting grudge.
"That would be for the best." Meng Qian smiled faintly, "I'm talking about your family going bankrupt."
Enraged, Li Yue's breath quickened. He grabbed his coat, ready to leave, almost colliding with a maid from the Jiang household.
The maid escorted a stranger, approaching Meng Qian, "This is Mr. Xue, the steward from the Huo estate. He's here to see you."
"Meng Sir, Miss Huo Yun instructed me to deliver this to you." Mr. Xue placed a flat box wrapped in special packaging on the table in front of Meng Qian.
"Huo Yun sent this?" Meng Qian exclaimed in surprise, "Really?"
Mr. Xue politely smiled, "Yes, Miss Huo insisted I personally deliver it to your hands and ensure your inspection."
Li Yue couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew of Huo Yun, a muse he had once admired from afar. What made Meng Qian, of all people, earn Huo Yun's favor and even receive a personally prepared birthday gift?
A classmate, noticing Li Yue's stunned expression, instigated, "Huo Yun seems to adore your art. Judging by the shape of this gift, could it be she's returning a painting of hers to you? Meng Qian, why not open it and show us? It's been four years since Huo Yun last held a brush. Goodness, imagine the value of this
painting!"
Meng Qian's cheeks flushed with excitement. She had never expected such favor from Huo Yun. When Huo Yun accepted her painting, Meng Qian had been ecstatic for days without proper sleep. She was determined to share this good news with Jiang Yang later!
But when Meng Qian unwrapped the package, her face drained of color.
Inside was the Ghost Orchid painting she had gifted Jiang Yang two years ago, the very piece that propelled her into fame, leading to her relationship with Jiang Yang and everything she had now. It was the symbol of her budding happiness. Yet, looking at it now, Meng Qian felt a chill run down her spine, as if stripped bare and thrown into an icy abyss.
The classmates exchanged awkward glances as Meng Qian hastily covered the painting and handed it to the maid. Feeling utterly embarrassed, she muttered, "Take it away."
Li Yue raised an eyebrow and asked Mr. Xue, "Is this a birthday present from Miss Huo Yun to Meng Qian?"
Mr. Xue chuckled, "This isn't a birthday gift, sir. Miss Huo mentioned she strongly disliked this awful piece and hence wanted me to return it to Mr. Meng. Now that Mr. Meng has confirmed it, I'll take my leave."
"Take care on your way out." Meng Qian's face flushed as he awkwardly stood up, mustering a faint smile. It was only after the steward Xue had distanced himself that the strained smile vanished abruptly.
Li Yue burst into hearty laughter, swinging his coat over his shoulder. Every syllable he uttered felt like a slap echoing against Meng Qian's face.
Several classmates, feeling awkward and startled, didn't know how to react.
"See the guest off!" Meng Qian clenched his fingers together, glaring at Li Yue, who was already laughing uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face, and angrily instructed the maid.
Politely waving off the offer, Li Yue wiped away tears of joy. "No need for an escort, I'll see myself out. Meng Qian, remember, fortunes change. Don't come to me seeking help if trouble finds you," he said, unable to contain a chuckle, pressing his fist against his lips before departing with boisterous laughter.
Meng Qian's face had turned almost explosive red. He was both enraged and flustered as he collapsed back into the chair. He didn't understand the significance behind Huo Yun returning the painting nor dared to speculate... Let alone tell Jiang Yang. Mr. Huo's investment in Jiang Yang was tied to that painting. If anything went wrong with it, leading Mr. Huo to withdraw his funding... the consequences were too terrifying for Meng Qian to even contemplate.