Qin Ningyi paid no further attention to Wen Hu's whereabouts; it was not something a mere merchant could inquire about.
He escorted the pale-faced Ling Xiao into the hospital behind him.
"What the hell, you're making me stay in the hospital for this minor injury?" Ling Xiao was extremely uncooperative, fearing it would tarnish his reputation. "I wasn't hospitalized when I was blown up, nor after fighting A'You and Xiao Guai Guai for a month. Now you want me to be admitted for this?!"
He was merely tired from rushing here after resolving an issue, and wanted to use Qin Ningyi's place to rest for convenience. What kind of idea was this? Did he still care about his dignity?
Ling Xiao was adamant about finding his own lodging despite his fatigue. As a car roared to a halt by the roadside, its door opened, and Ruan Su's cold voice rang out, "Are you staying or not?"
Ling Xiao immediately fell silent.
In the end, Ling Xiao listened to the commotion from Shen Wuyou's room next door. He looked out the window at the people coming and going in the corridor, sighed softly, and, in retaliation, pinched Ruan Su's cheek before finally accepting his fate with satisfaction.
On the rooftop, with the whirring of aircraft engines, Ruan Su straightened Ling Xiao's blanket and said indifferently, "Someone from the Shen family has arrived. That Shen divine doctor should be able to save him."
Ling Xiao didn't know why she was saying this, but he nodded in cooperation, "Mm."
Ruan Su turned her head away, her voice soft as it blurted out, "This way your A'You Xiao Guai Guai won't be sad."
After saying this, a hint of surprise flashed across her face. She was somewhat bewildered as to why she had said that. Ling Xiao was overjoyed and wanted to embrace her without any regard, but she blushed and rushed out of the room.
The doctor said Ling Xiao might develop a high fever that night. Despite her embarrassment and anger, she didn't run too far.
Passing by Old Master Qin's room, she walked to the end of the corridor to calm the sudden emotions that had washed over her. Jealousy, of all things, was happening to her again.
"Honestly, I'm just getting younger as I get older," she chuckled. Her years of cultivating a poker face and rationality had been worn down considerably by her interactions with Ling Xiao lately.
The sounds in the corridor behind her grew louder. She vaguely heard the voice of that old man from the Shen family. After a period of busyness, the corridor returned to its quiet state.
Amidst this calm, a distinct set of footsteps became exceptionally clear, drawing closer.
Ruan Su, having undergone similar training, could roughly assess a person's basic situation from their footsteps. This was not Ling Xiao. She wiped the pleasant expression from her face, reverted to the cold demeanor of a president, and turned to look.
The person before her was older, with neatly combed hair, dressed in dark clothing, appearing somewhat formal, and exuding an aura of authority.
Upon seeing Ruan Su's face, the man's expression suddenly softened into one of amiability and warmth. "Comrade Ruan Su! Haha, I thought you looked familiar from afar, and it really is you."
Ruan Su searched her memory for a moment and finally recalled the man's identity.
"Political Commissar Sun, hello," Ruan Su greeted with a polite nod.
Sun Zhiyuan approached Ruan Su, his tone filled with admiration. "I was impressed when I first met President Ruan. It's truly not easy for our ranks to produce a巾帼 heroine like you."
Ruan Su smiled faintly. "Not at all. I just manage the association. I'm still far from being as brilliant as the female captain of Fenghuo."
As someone involved in intelligence, she keenly noticed Sun Zhiyuan's momentary stiffness when she mentioned the female captain of Fenghuo.
In an instant, Sun Zhiyuan regained his calm composure as an elder and smiled kindly. "Don't be so modest. The useful intelligence and information your association has provided, the cases you've solved—I don't need to elaborate. Are you here on official business this time?"
"No," Ruan Su replied with no unnecessary expression, her words delivered with practiced ease.
Her profession did not permit her to discuss such matters carelessly with others. Before further investigation, she remained suspicious of most people in their organization.
Sun Zhiyuan put on an expression of understanding and began to speculate, "It's about Shen Wuyou's injury, isn't it? Speaking of which, it's strange. How could he have been kidnapped out of the blue? Are you here to investigate? Have you found any information about those people?"
Ruan Su's lips curved slightly. "Political Commissar Sun, truly not. I'm just here to visit a friend."
Although she claimed otherwise, the emotions in her eyes were inscrutable, making it impossible for Sun Zhiyuan to determine the truth of her words. He couldn't help but mentally grumble about how difficult people from intelligence organizations were to deal with.
"By the way, Political Commissar Sun, why are you at the hospital? Are you injured?" Ruan Su asked back.
"I'm here to see Old Qin!" Sun Zhiyuan briefly explained his acquaintance with Qin Han. "Alas, I've been back for several days, and just as Old Qin is about to wake up, Doctor Shen encounters an accident. I wonder when Old Qin will wake up."
His sigh stirred a hint of suspicion in Ruan Su's heart. Shen Wuyou was responsible for Old Master Qin's condition, and just as he was recovering, Shen Wuyou was kidnapped. It was possible that this was orchestrated by Old Master Qin's rivals.
She followed Sun Zhiyuan's lead in conversation. "Do you come here every day?"
"Yes," Sun Zhiyuan sighed. "I have some dealings with Qin Nishui. The situation in Yizhou is complex recently, so he can't come. I have to help look after things."
"Yizhou..." Ruan Su murmured.
The situation in Yizhou was indeed complicated. They were also assisting in the investigation of Yizhou's affairs. Recently, a lot of information had reached her, hinting that the matters here were not simple and that there was a huge conspiracy behind them.