Chapter 98: A Misstep into the Sea

“What are you two doing?”
“I thought Mr. Gu would be spending this time with his little lover,” Zhang Zhiyan said, a faint, inscrutable smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Gu Pingsheng’s deep eyes swept over his face, finally resting on the two hands clasped together. His hand hanging at his side slowly clenched.

As he stepped forward, Zhou Anbei suddenly appeared at the doorway. He hurried over to Gu Pingsheng’s side and whispered something in his ear. Wen Zhixia clearly noticed the subtle change in Gu Pingsheng’s expression.

“You go first. There must be no problems,” Gu Pingsheng said in a low voice.

Zhou Anbei nodded respectfully to Wen Zhixia before leaving.

After Zhou Anbei left, Gu Pingsheng grabbed Zhang Zhiyan by the collar, his face dark as he dragged him out.

Wen Zhixia redialed Hua Qianjiao’s number.

Her voice was low, with the sound of fragmented wind in the background, and faintly, the crash of waves.

Wen Zhixia asked if she was at sea. Hua Qianjiao said yes.

“Keep warm. Don’t catch a cold,” Wen Zhixia said.

Hua Qianjiao bit her lip, whispering that she wanted to come back.

“Not having fun?” Wen Zhixia asked.

Hua Qianjiao nodded but then seemed to realize she might not be able to see much ahead and softly murmured, “Mm.”

“Then come back. Don’t force yourself. Send me your location, and I’ll book your ticket.” Wen Zhixia truly cared for this girl who called her “Sister Wen” so sweetly despite having no blood relation, treating her like a cherished sister.

“But if I go back like this, Brother Lan Zhou will look down on me. He said I won’t last more than a few days with Qing Qi before I return home,” Hua Qianjiao said gloomily.

Wen Zhixia smiled lightly, rare in such a situation. “You already call him Brother Lan Zhou. Do you think he really cares? If he scolds you, just give him a hug.”

“Huh?” Hua Qianjiao questioned.

“Just hug him, and he won’t be angry,” Wen Zhixia said with a laugh.

Although Hua Qianjiao usually trusted Wen Zhixia’s words without doubt, she hesitated now—could a hug really stop him from being angry?

“Give it a try. It should work.” Miss Hua wore an innocent, harmless face and had a pure, naive nature. No one could refuse that.

Except... Qing Qi, whose eyes were covered.

Hua Qianjiao nodded, half understanding, and quickly made up her mind. After sending her location, she asked Wen Zhixia to book the ticket.

Everything seemed calm and orderly. After Wen Zhixia booked the ticket, she took some medicine and felt drowsy.

She slept deeply.

Upon seeing the ticket information Wen Zhixia sent, Hua Qianjiao packed her things, ready to leave. Unexpectedly, as she left, she bumped into Lin Huixian tangled up with a somewhat unfamiliar man, treating the cruise ship like a bed.

Hua Qianjiao froze, eyes wide. The reason she wanted to leave was that Qing Qi had chartered the cruise ship for a trip with friends, including Lin Huixian.

But now Lin Huixian was with another man...

Hua Qianjiao turned to leave but was hastily grabbed by Lin Huixian. If Hua Qianjiao spoke out rashly, wouldn’t all her previous efforts to pressure Qing Qi be in vain?

If Qing Qi found out she had been with another man, how could he still want her?

“What are you standing there for? If Qing Qi finds out, none of us will have a good outcome.” If he hadn’t suddenly taken an interest in the thrill of being with her right under Qing Qi’s nose, this idiot wouldn’t have seen anything.

Wu Qiming hesitated briefly before controlling Hua Qianjiao and covering her mouth. Hua Qianjiao whimpered, trying to speak, but the strong wind outside shattered her faint sounds.

“What do we do now? She’s already seen it. She’s bound to expose us to Qing Qi,” Wu Qiming said, surprised that someone had seen them in this supposedly hidden spot on the deck.

Though brothers with Qing Qi, Wu Qiming had succumbed to Lin Huixian’s advances and had relations with her. He’d drunk a little, and Lin Huixian, dressed provocatively, had seduced him. He couldn’t resist and went back to the room to continue.

If Qing Qi found out, their brotherhood would be over, and he’d be in serious trouble.

“What’s there to fear? She’s a fool, standing out here alone. With the wind, one careless step and she’ll fall.” Lin Huixian pinched Hua Qianjiao’s face, her tone dark.

Wu Qiming thought Lin Huixian was crazy. “She’s Chairman Hua’s only daughter. You want to kill her?!”

“This is the only way to keep it a secret. There are no cameras or people nearby. No one will know how she fell into the water. Are you scared?” Lin Huixian’s fingers traced his chest and throat. “Don’t worry, if you don’t say anything and I don’t, no one will know. Time is running out. If you can’t do it, I will.”

Listening to their plot to silence her, Hua Qianjiao shook her head frantically.

No.

No.

You can’t do this.

She bit Wu Qiming’s hand hard. As he recoiled in pain, Hua Qianjiao seized the chance to escape, crying out, “Help!”

Lin Huixian cursed, “Useless,” and grabbed Hua Qianjiao from behind, pulling her toward the railing.

“Come help! People are coming soon. If she doesn’t die, none of us will have an easy time,” Lin Huixian hissed angrily.

If Hua Qianjiao hadn’t held onto the railing tightly, Lin Huixian alone couldn’t have pushed her over. Worried that her screams would attract attention, she resorted to involving Wu Qiming.

As footsteps approached, Wu Qiming steeled himself and stepped forward.

*Splash*—

A huge splash rose as Hua Qianjiao fell from the cruise ship. She struggled desperately, crying for help. The surrounding seawater battered her frail body like driftwood cast adrift. Despite her frantic cries and thrashing, it was futile.

When someone noticed the commotion, Lin Huixian and Wu Qiming exchanged a glance at the weakening Hua Qianjiao sinking beneath the waves. Then they shouted for help.

“Someone! Help!”

“Quick, someone’s fallen overboard!”

Now it was too late to run. They could only be witnesses and call for aid.

Hearing Lin Huixian’s cries, Qing Qi thought she had fallen into the sea. He rushed through the crowd, seeing her safe and tightly holding someone in her arms.

Hua Qianjiao’s last gaze was distant, only seeing the two embracing on the yacht’s deck.

Her heart ached. She told herself she would never like Qing Qi again. She regretted it—she should have listened to Sister Wen and her parents. She shouldn’t have acted willfully or stubbornly.

But no one gave her that chance. The air in her chest grew thin; her mouth, nostrils, and eyes gradually lost sensation.

The water pressed in on her as she slowly sank.

“Is it... Miss Hua?” someone suddenly shouted from the crowd. Qing Qi, embracing Lin Huixian and savoring the joy of finding her safe, was startled. He instinctively loosened his hold on Lin Huixian and stepped forward, bracing his arms on the railing, staring intently at the last glimpse of fabric on the water’s surface.

“Miss Hua is Chairman Hua’s beloved only daughter. If she can’t be rescued, who knows what Chairman Hua will do.”

“How could she have fallen into the water like this? Even if she were mentally unwell, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to seek death.”

“...”

“Rescue her! What are you waiting for? Save her now!”

Perhaps spurred by the crowd’s words or genuinely worried about Hua Qianjiao’s safety and being blamed if anything happened, Qing Qi took off his coat, donned a life jacket, and prepared to dive in with the others.

Lin Huixian clung to him from behind. “Qing Qi, you can’t go down. It’s too dangerous. The tide’s coming in. Let the rescue team handle it.”

Qing Qi shook her off fiercely. Without hesitation, he leapt into the water. There was no time for anything else—he only wanted Hua Qianjiao safe.

She could not die like this.

“Qing Qi, Qing Qi, look, I made these pastries for you.”

“Qing Qi, why won’t you talk to me? Aren’t I your fiancée?”

“Qing Qi, Qing Qi, when we get married, let’s have lots of little flower fairies, okay? Look how adorable they are. Ha ha ha...”

“Qing Qi...”

Provincial Hospital.

When Wen Zhixia woke up, she saw a flight change notification on her phone. She quickly called Hua Qianjiao to check in.

But her calls went unanswered, as if cast into the abyss.

After two calls with no response, Wen Zhixia sent a screenshot of the message, hoping Hua Qianjiao would see it as soon as she got her phone. Yet, for some reason, Wen Zhixia’s eyelids kept twitching.

It felt as if something was about to happen. Her heart fluttered, unable to calm down.

Ten minutes later, Wen Zhixia called again, but this time the phone was off.

Looking at the location Hua Qianjiao sent before sleeping, Wen Zhixia stared absentmindedly.

“Madam, you’re awake. Would you like to eat first or have some soup?” Aunt Wang came in with a tray of food and saw Wen Zhixia awake, so she asked.

After a reply, Aunt Wang helped her out of bed.

As evening approached, Wen Zhixia still couldn’t reach Hua Qianjiao and called the Hua household. The servant answered, and before Wen Zhixia could even ask about Hua Qianjiao, a choked sob came through.

Wen Zhixia immediately felt a terrible premonition—something had happened to Hua Qianjiao.

The servant’s words shattered the last shred of hope: “Miss Hua fell into the sea. Master and Madam have already taken a plane here.”

Wen Zhixia’s head buzzed. “Fell into the sea? Has she been rescued? Is she okay?”

“Not found yet... they say it’s been too long, maybe... maybe...”

Ye Lanzhou came to visit, unaware of what had happened, a faint, relieved smile on his lips. “What’s wrong? Why the long face?”

He sat on the sofa, unbuttoning his coat. “This is some mountain produce the little girl wanted to bring you a while ago. It arrived today, so I brought it over.”

Ye Lanzhou felt like he had no patience around Hua Qianjiao. That little wild girl went out with other men, yet he had to remember her instructions and bring food to Sister Wen.

But he was a grown man; there was no need to fuss over a little girl. Once he got her under control, he could think about how to train her to be more obedient and less trouble.

Looking at the smile on his face, Wen Zhixia’s nose tingled. Her voice was choked as she spoke, “Ye Lanzhou, Jiao Jiao... something happened.”

The habitual smile froze on Ye Lanzhou’s face. His neck stiffened, his throat caught as he remembered the words “fell into the sea.”

He stepped forward, gripping Wen Zhixia’s arm tightly, eyes blazing red. “What did you say?”

Wen Zhixia repeated what the servant said and mentioned booking Hua Qianjiao’s ticket. Ye Lanzhou staggered slightly, then let go of her arm and walked outside.

Wen Zhixia hesitated two seconds, then put on her coat and followed.

Driving would take too long. Ye Lanzhou called acquaintances to rent a plane, but at this hour most were either entertaining or partying. Few answered immediately.

Wen Zhixia suddenly recalled that one of the executives collaborating deeply with Gu Xia Group had a private jet. She hurriedly called Gu Pingsheng, but three calls went unanswered.

She clenched her phone, recalling that in the past, Gu Pingsheng would always answer her calls immediately.

But now, when she needed help, he hadn’t answered a single call.

Ye Lanzhou swore in frustration. Wen Zhixia pursed her lips and found Chen Antai’s number.

“Little Chen...”

Chen Antai quickly found the contact of the executive and arranged for the plane. From finding the number to renting the plane took only ten minutes, yet her calls to Gu Pingsheng had already taken three minutes.

“Go to the rooftop. The hospital rooftop can accommodate a helicopter,” Wen Zhixia took a deep breath and pocketed her phone.

...

With her wrist wrapped thick in gauze and her face pale, Zhao Fuhe had narrowly escaped death. Since waking, she had been crying.

“Why did you save me? Wouldn’t it have been better if I died? I don’t want to live anymore. Why did you save me?” Zhao Fuhe shook Gu Pingsheng’s clothes violently, her expression agitated. “How could you treat me like this? Why?”

“What did I do wrong? Why do you treat me like this?”

Gu Pingsheng gently wiped her cheek with a tissue, as tenderly as when he first saw her in Junyue. His movements remained soft, his fingers brushing over her brows and eyes with affection.

“What are you dissatisfied with? Didn’t you want to stop seeing clients in Junyue? You’re out now. You like money, and I don’t restrict your spending. If you want a house, Chengyaju is yours.” His long fingers pinched her chin, lifting it. “But what you shouldn’t dream of, you should have given up from the start. Didn’t I tell you? Why don’t you listen?”

“I’m the one who truly loves you. What else does Wen Zhixia do besides lose her temper with you? I’ve tried hard to win your favor. I can clearly feel that you like me, don’t you? You know you can’t give up Wen Zhixia and the hard times you’ve been through with her, but I could do that.” Zhao Fuhe looked at him tearfully, wanting to kiss him.

Gu Pingsheng pulled her arm away, not noticing it was the one with the wrist cut. “It’s late. You should rest.”

He stood, straightened his cuffs, tall and elegant.

Zhao Fuhe covered her bleeding arm and watched him prepare to leave. Suddenly, she rushed to the window, one foot stepping out. The winter wind howled. “If you leave, I’ll jump.”

The rising wind behind her made Gu Pingsheng pause.

Zhou Anbei wanted to step forward but was stopped by his gaze.

He turned to look at Zhao Fuhe sitting on the windowsill, his deep eyes narrowing. “Get down.”

Zhao Fuhe wiped her tears. “If you don’t want me, what’s the point of living? I’d rather jump with this filthy body.”

A faint smile lifted his lips. “Who said I don’t want you? The driver’s incident was an accident. Didn’t you see? I had his legs broken and kicked him out. He acted foolishly because of lust. He’s been punished. What more do you want?”

Whether it was a moment of impulse or something else, Zhao Fuhe had no concrete proof. But thinking back to how she accidentally touched the bedside switch and saw a lowly driver on top of her felt like a slap in the face.

She wished she could drill two holes into that lowly man, making him unable to live or die.

She made a scene, unwilling to relent, but Gu Pingsheng locked her in Chengyaju to calm down.

She couldn’t swallow the humiliation.

“Stay with me. Since the day of the surgery, I want you by my side.” Zhao Fuhe stared at him, her eyes unwavering.

Gu Pingsheng’s dark brows twitched slightly, a thin smile playing on his lips as he reached out. “Alright. I agree.”

He agreed so readily, as if it was no big deal.

“Really?” Zhao Fuhe asked again, seeking confirmation.

The corner of his lips curled with a trace of amusement. “You said it yourself—I’m not indifferent to you. I like you to some extent. What’s there to refuse about staying with you?”

Zhao Fuhe relaxed, no longer resisting or refusing his closeness. He lifted her down from the windowsill.

His embrace was broad and warm. He gently laid her on the bed, his long fingers smoothing the hair tousled by the wind.