Zhao Hengyu had lost count of how many rounds of the game he had played. Hearing the sounds inside finally subside, he rubbed his eyes and tossed his phone aside.
He walked over and leaned lazily against the door, knocking and asking in a drawn-out, teasing voice, "Still need a doctor?"
Qin Ningyi's hoarse voice, laced with moisture, came from inside, "Find me some clothes."
"Tch." Zhao Hengyu couldn't help but chuckle, "Old Qin, you've finally had one of those days!" While mocking him, he walked to the wardrobe to get him an outfit.
By the time Qin Ningyi was dressed and came out, the sky was already faintly lightening.
Zhao Hengyu glanced at the sky, then looked meaningfully at Qin Ningyi's hand. After a moment of consideration, he asked, "Need some Liu Wei Di Huang Wan?"
"Scram!" Qin Ningyi shot him a look.
Zhao Hengyu grinned playfully and sighed, "An entire night... Should I praise the person who schemed against you for using good medicine, or admire your robust health?"
Qin Ningyi found his phone and was about to call Xiao Konglin when he noticed several call records to Huo Rou.
"You called her?" Qin Ningyi's voice rose. Had this friend been live-streaming his… to Huo Rou?
"Didn't get through!" Zhao Hengyu pouted dismissively at Qin Ningyi's murderous glare.
Qin Ningyi, who hadn't slept all night, propped his head on his desk and looked through documents. Huo Rou's image from that night would occasionally flash through his mind.
The mask on her face, the scars on her body, the trust in her eyes. She was full of mysteries—her skill, her ferocity…
But all he wanted to ask her was one thing: had she known him for a long time?
Xiao Konglin walked in. Qin Ningyi looked up nervously, "Did you find A Rou?"
The highly competent Assistant Xiao didn't know how to answer for a moment.
"Speak!"
"Found her, but…" Xiao Konglin handed the phone in his hand to Qin Ningyi. "Miss Huo, she's gone on the offensive."
"Ningyi, this Huo Rou is truly rude and barbaric. She snatched An'an away! Hurry and get An'an back!" Su Nianzhu shrieked into the phone, her usually elegant voice now panicked.
"Snatching An'an?"
Qin Ningyi hung up the phone and rushed to the villa with Xiao Konglin.
As soon as they reached the villa, a security guard with a bruised face approached them.
"Mr. Qin, we couldn't stop them. There weren't many of them, but each move was vicious, especially the woman in the lead. She was truly…" the guard explained, enduring the pain.
Qin Ningyi didn't have time to listen to this. He drove the car in.
The car stopped at the entrance. The butler, looking dishevelled, leaned against the door. Seeing Qin Ningyi get out of the car, he hobbled over, "Young Master, you're finally back! That woman was simply savage and fierce! Miss Wang specially woke up early to make An'an breakfast, and she just directly…"
"Her name is Huo Rou. She's my woman," Qin Ningyi interrupted the butler's complaints, emphasizing each word.
The butler flinched at Qin Ningyi's gaze, only then realizing that Qin Ningyi was defending Huo Rou.
"Is she injured?" he asked faintly, looking at the bruises on the butler's face.
"How could she be injured?" The butler felt sorry for his madam. The savage person had stormed in, and yet the young master's first concern was for her. "Madam was the one pushed…"
Qin Ningyi, having heard the first half, breathed a sigh of relief and walked inside. He trusted Huo Rou; how could someone as kind as her truly harm An'an's grandmother?
From a distance, Su Nianzhu's cries could be heard, one louder than the other, interspersed with Wang Wanrou's comforting words.
As soon as Su Nianzhu saw Qin Ningyi, she quickly began to complain. Her disheveled appearance was a far cry from her usual elegance and grace.
"Ningyi! You're finally back. If you hadn't returned, this house would have been destroyed." Although Su Nianzhu was crying profusely, apart from her messy hair, she seemed unharmed.
"That Huo Rou, she's truly barbaric and rude, just like the situation at Wanrou's family! She even stormed in, and without a word, tried to snatch An'an from me! She was like a killing goddess. Wanrou made breakfast for An'an early this morning, and she just smashed it…"
"Why was An'an at home?" Qin Ningyi asked coldly.
Su Nianzhu nervously wiped her tears, trying to muster courage to retort, "We can't let her use An'an as an excuse to get close to you anymore. She could leave An'an alone before for other matters. Who can guarantee she won't use An'an as a bargaining chip like those other women?"
That female bandit, upon arrival, had grabbed her clothes and thrown her onto the sofa. When the butler tried to help, she took him down in two moves. Even the security guards who came were easily subdued by her.
"Alright, alright, Aunt Su, let's not cry anymore. I've already called the police, they'll handle it. It's just a pity for An'an, who knows where she's been taken…" Wang Wanrou said worriedly, patting her chest.
Secretly, she lowered her eyes, concealing her excitement. She didn't believe the police couldn't handle her!
"This…" The butler stammered, looking at Wang Wanrou. "They came, met Huo Rou, and after a brief exchange, they left…"
The police arrived quickly and left just as quickly.
"My An'an!" Su Nianzhu's voice became anxious as she thought of the tragic fate of Wang Wanrou's nephew.
"Ningyi, hurry and get An'an back!" Su Nianzhu stomped her foot in anger. "Hurry!"
Qin Ningyi, however, looked at her with a calm expression. "An'an's name is Huo Ji'an. He's surnamed Huo, and he is Huo Rou's son."
This statement clearly conveyed his stance and his trust.
"A'rou loves An'an the most, how could she bring him danger?"
Wang Wanrou whispered, "He is Aunt Su's grandson. Huo Rou doing this is too inhumane…"
Qin Ningyi ignored Wang Wanrou's words. He looked at Su Nianzhu and said, "Mom, you need to be clear-headed."
"If you condemn A'rou based on your wild guesses, and she gets angry and leaves me, you'll never see An'an again."
"But…" Su Nianzhu was extremely worried.
Qin Ningyi let out a tired sigh and bent down to look into Su Nianzhu's eyes. "She must have been very angry this morning, right?"
Su Nianzhu followed Qin Ningyi's gaze to the mess in the room and nodded.
"But she didn't really hurt you, did she?"
"She…" Su Nianzhu wanted to argue, but under Qin Ningyi's calm gaze, she suddenly calmed down.
Huo Rou hadn't truly harmed her. When she lunged forward to snatch An'an from Huo Rou's grasp, she had moved too hastily and lost her balance, about to fall. It was Huo Rou who pushed her, causing her to land on the sofa instead of the floor.
"You've never believed me," Qin Ningyi said respectfully, his tone filled with disappointment. "Before, you didn't believe I would keep my promise and give up everything to come back, and now you don't believe the woman I've chosen."
Su Nianzhu met his disappointed gaze, and her heart felt hollow.
Yes, her son, a proud scion, had never disappointed her. Why had she been so sure that the Huo Rou he fancied was a despicable person?
"Aunt Su just missed her grandson, so she brought An'an over. Is it wrong to miss your own grandson? Then why did Huo Rou have to resort to violence?" Wang Wanrou said anxiously, seeing Su Nianzhu fall silent, her words full of indignation on Su Nianzhu's behalf.
Qin Ningyi knew without a doubt who had instigated all of this. He shot a fierce gaze in her direction.
Wang Wanrou stiffened, as if seeing Huo Rou approach her again, grab her collar, and pin her against the wall.
Huo Rou's eyes at that time were just as chilling. Just looking at her felt like a thousand blades piercing her. If it hadn't been for the sudden sound of fireworks in the sky, Huo Rou's hand might have already broken her neck.
"Ningyi, I was wrong…" Su Nianzhu lowered her head, apologizing for past and present actions.
"You are my mother. I can forgive anything you do to me," Qin Ningyi said faintly. "But this time, I cannot fulfill your wish."
"I love her."
"This time, can you compromise?"