Han Beicheng was getting worried. He searched the entire Scenery Garden, but Qiao Hanye was nowhere to be seen. As he passed by He Lanjin's room, he heard a man's voice. Who would dare provoke He Lanjin other than Qiao Hanye?
But Han Beicheng could not just barge into He Lanjin's room, could he? He dawdled for a few minutes, afraid of disturbing his master.
"Damn it," Qiao Hanye muttered under his breath. Why must Han Beicheng interrupt him at such a critical moment? The atmosphere became a little strange as he propped himself up. "Get lost," Qiao Hanye said, his voice cold.
Han Beicheng was stunned. This was the first time his master told him to get lost. Not understanding what he had done wrong, Han Beicheng continued, "Master, it's urgent."
Qiao Hanye's handsome face darkened slightly as if a storm was brewing inside of him.
He looked at He Lanjin and he was filled with unexplainable warmth. She was beautiful and charming, like a flower that had just bloomed. He could not, would not do anything to hurt her.
"Wait for me," Qiao Hanye said as he put the strap of her nightgown back in place. He got off the bed, put on his clothes, and tucked He Lanjin under the blanket. He cupped her little face in his hands and kissed her affectionately on the forehead before turning around to leave.
Han Beicheng stood outside He Lanjin's room, scratching his head. What was happening? Qiao Hanye could appear in two seconds at the first sign of trouble. A minute had elapsed, but he was still inside.
The door suddenly opened. Qiao Hanye stood squarely by the doorway, blocking Han Beicheng's line of sight. "What is it?"
"Master," Han Beicheng began. He lowered his voice, as if afraid that someone else would hear. Qiao Hanye listened quietly, then ordered Han Beicheng to follow him.
Han Beicheng nodded. He wanted to sneak a glance at the bedroom, but Qiao Hanye quickly closed the door behind him.
Seeing Qiao Hanye leave, He Lanjin lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling for a long time. "F*ck," she suddenly blurted out. "Was I possessed? Unbelievable..."
She got off the bed to get ready for the day. She remembered how passionate she and Qiao Hanye were just now, and the thought made her want to pull a gun against his head.
She went to the bathroom to wash her face. Once sober, she took out her phone and made a call. "Help me check the whereabouts of He Wenqing and Tang Zhilin over the years..."
After making the call, He Lanjin looked at the mirror. Her gaze fell on her usually smooth neck; it was now peppered with hickeys.
Never in her wildest dreams did He Lanjin expect to be connected with Qiao Hanye in this way.
He Lanjin changed into a turtleneck sweater and a long skirt before heading downstairs, where she saw a familiar figure.
"Miss He," Shangguan Zhi said respectfully as he got up from the sofa. "Mr. Qiao has asked me to get a sample from you, for identification."
He Lanjin was surprised; she was not expecting Qiao Hanye to have this arranged. Didn't he just mention this in passing last night?
"Will a strand of hair do?" He Lanjin asked.
"Yes," Shangguan Zhi said. As He Lanjin was about to pull a strand of hair from her head, a bodyguard walked in. Handing over a bottle of fresh blood to Shangguan Zhi, he said, "Doctor, this is He Wenqing's blood."
He Lanjin looked at the bottle of fresh blood. She gasped, "Did you cut his pulse?"
The bodyguard quickly turned to her and said in a low voice, "Young Madam, the young master would never do something that would displease the heavens."
"Then what's this?" He Lanjin pointed at the bottle in Shangguan Zhi's hand.
"He Wenqing fainted and hurt his head. We just made a quick trip to get a small sample of his blood."
He Lanjin was about to pull a hair off her head, but she changed her mind and stopped. "Blood is better, right?"
Shangguan Zhi looked at He Lanjin carefully. She picked up an empty specimen bottle and a fresh disposable lancet from the table. She poked her fingertip and let two drops of blood in the vial. "Is this enough?"