Chapter 143
Suppressing her worries, Su Xiaoxiao decided not to rush things or make a scene. No matter what, her brother and she had already been officially acquainted with the Zhang family. For Peng Huijing to make a move at this moment, there must be extraordinary circumstances.
After loading their luggage onto the car, Su Xiaoxiao and Jiang Yexun sat in the back seat and traveled back to Dai City Hospital. The speed of the car at this time was slightly slower than the train, but as it didn’t require any stops, they reached Dai City faster than the train.
Ning Yuanzheng drove the car directly to the hospital entrance, and Su Xiaoxiao and Jiang Yexun got off with two large bags each.
“Uncle Ning, thank you so much for bringing us back today. Let’s put the things down and have lunch together before you leave,” Su Xiaoxiao expressed her gratitude with a smile. They had been on the road since 9 in the morning, and it was already 3 in the afternoon. They had only managed to eat a few bites of cake on the way.
Uncle Ning didn’t decline the offer and replied with a smile, “Alright, I also have a task today, to represent our General in visiting your brother.”
He said, then opened the back of the car once again and took out two large cloth bags. Inside were the items for the treatment, including canned fruits, malted milk, sugar, pastries, and biscuits.
“Please thank Grandpa Zhang for us,” Su Xiaoxiao obediently said before leading Ning Yuanzheng into the hospital.
Su Hongchen was still in the same ward. Su Xiaoxiao didn’t bother to knock; she simply pushed the door open and entered. She had intended to play a little trick on her brother, but when the door swung open, she found him placing a book on his lap, looking at her with a mix of helplessness and reproach.
“Brother, how did you know it was me?” Su Xiaoxiao pouted and asked with a touch of disappointment.
Su Hongchen didn’t speak; instead, he waved at her.
Su Xiaoxiao slowly moved closer, and he grabbed her hand to inspect the wound on her palm. “Thank goodness, there’s no scar,” he said with a sigh of relief.
But then, his expression turned a bit stern, and he added, “I’ve been taking care of you since you were little, and I can still recognize your footsteps. It’s you, my ungrateful little sister. From childhood to now, you’ve never been able to recognize my footsteps.”
Su Xiaoxiao had never known that her brother cared about such things. She couldn’t help feeling a little sour and almost teary-eyed.
“Alright, I promise I’ll remember your footsteps from now on,” she said, lifting her hand and solemnly making a vow.
Su Hongchen was taken aback for a moment and then his smile turned even more helpless.
“Why are you suddenly so obedient? Did you get into trouble again?” he asked.
“Brother, how can you think that of me? I’m really well-behaved now,” Su Xiaoxiao protested.
Then, she called out to the two people waiting outside, and they entered the room. Su Hongchen looked at Jiang Yexun to ensure that he wasn’t acting strangely and then turned his gaze to the man standing behind him. That somewhat familiar face made him narrow his eyes.
Within a couple of seconds, he remembered where he had seen this man before.
“Are you General Zhang’s bodyguard?” he asked, looking somewhat surprised.
Ning Yuanzheng smiled and nodded, “Yes, I’m General Zhang’s bodyguard, Ning Yuanzheng. The General is aware of your situation and gave orders for a thorough investigation. You can rest assured, and you don’t need to worry too much.”
Su Hongchen was puzzled, “How did my matter come to the attention of General Zhang?”
While the situation was severe, it should still be an internal matter for Dai City division.
“Young Comrade Su saved General Zhang’s life previously, and he feels quite a connection with her. During their conversation, she happened to mention this matter. But you don’t need to feel pressured. This matter should have been reported to Beijing side, and they will continue with the in-depth investigation. We can’t afford to lose the lead once the clues run cold,” Ning Yuanzheng being handled by the Dai City division.
Although he was just the General’s bodyguard, he outranked Su Hongchen by several levels, and he often conveyed the General’s intentions.
Su Hongchen felt somewhat disoriented about his younger sister rescuing General Zhang in Beijing. However, he had known that his sister was quite capable, so he expressed his amazement internally but didn’t show it on his face. Instead, he politely said, “My sister has always had a free-spirited personality. The fact that she didn’t cause any trouble for General Zhang is already a relief for me. As for the situation with me and my sister, we trust that my superiors will handle it for us.”
Ning Yuanzheng and Su Hongchen chatted for a while before heading to a state-run hotel to have a meal.
Su Xiaoxiao initially suggested staying at a local inn for a night before returning to Beijing the next day. However, Ning Yuanzheng insisted on driving back to Beijing alone, aiming to arrive at 10 PM and avoid delaying his work for the next day.
With no other option, they had dinner together before Ning Yuanzheng dropped them off at the hospital and left.
Upon returning to the ward, Su Hongchen wore a stern expression as he looked at Su Xiaoxiao and Jiang Yexun. His cold and serious demeanor caused the cheerful smile on Su Xiaoxiao’s lips to fade slightly.
“Tell me, what exactly did you two do in Beijing?” he asked sternly.
Su Xiaoxiao had no choice but to honestly recount everything they had done, including helping out at the antique store, their purchases, and the sale of the skin-whitening and moisturizing pills. She even showed her brother the antiques she had bought, the items gifted by General Zhang, and the gold and money they had acquired.
Su Hongchen’s eyes were nearly blinded by the two bags of gold, and he couldn’t decide whether he should be angry or praise her for her newfound abilities.
“Couldn’t you have kept a closer eye on her while being with her?” Su Hongchen, unable to scold his younger sister, shifted his focus to Jiang Yexun.
“Would you have been able to persuade her if you were here?” Jiang Yexun retorted.
Su Hongchen felt a surge of frustration, but he had no way to argue. He could only grit his teeth and, with a fake smile, look at his sister, who was shrinking beside him, resembling a helpless quail.
“You’re quite clever, planning everything step by step. Aren’t you afraid of running into trouble on the way and having me go to Beijing and rescue you from the police station?”