Chapter 12

After Shu Xia paid the deposit, she scheduled to pick up the car tomorrow.

Just as she walked out of the 4S dealership, she received a call from Fu Chenyan's mother.

"Xia Xia, how have you been these past two days? Why haven't you come to the hospital to see me?"

Listening to her voice, Shu Xia thought of her past life, when she had treated her like her own mother; whenever she was in the hospital, Shu Xia would often stay to keep her company, and the uncles and aunts in the same ward even thought she was her daughter.

But what was the result? She had long known that Fu Chenyan and Lin Miao were secretly together, and after Shu Xia's amputation, she had called her to tell her to break up with Fu Chenyan, saying that she was never worthy of him to begin with, and now that she was an amputee, she was even less so.

The bitterness and cruelty of that phone call, compared to the kindness and amiability of now, were like two completely different people.

In her past life, she had been left tearful and heartbroken by that call.

Now, she was already numb.

"As you wish, Fu Chenyan and I have already broken up, don't call me again."

"Wha..."

Beep, beep, beep...

The call was disconnected.

Lying on the hospital bed, Fu Chenyan's mother stared at her phone, looking completely bewildered.

That girl had always been fawning over her and loved her son to death, so why did she act like she had been shot today?

Was she not afraid of making her angry and losing her favor?

Frowning, she opened WeChat and sent a voice message to her son, "Son, Mom called Xia Xia, she said she broke up with you and even hung up on me! What on earth is going on?"

Fu Chenyan was eating Western food at a restaurant with Lin Miao; seeing the voice message his mother sent, he had it transcribed into text.

After reading it, he immediately felt uneasy.

What exactly happened to Shu Xia?

——

Ten o'clock at night.

Junhao Hotel.

The top-floor presidential suite.

Qiao Muting was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, taking in the entire view of Linshi.

Zhang Tezhu knocked on the door.

After opening the door, Zhang Tezhu walked in looking excited, "Qiao, Miss Shu was right! That Yupai of mine really isn't clean! It was stolen!"

He had people investigate it; he didn't know until he checked, but he was shocked once he did.

The owner of the Yupai had been poisoned to death with a potent toxin!

No one knew what kind of poison it was, but after the Yupai was stolen, it wasn't its current color at all; it was completely black and purple, and it was only restored to its current emerald green color after some restoration work.

After he finished telling Qiao the whole story, he raised his arm.

"The hair on my arms is still standing up!"

Qiao Muting put the cigarette he was holding between his fingertips into his thin lips, a hint of surprise in his dark, unfathomable eyes, "Then do as she said and return the Yupai."

"I already mailed it out just now! I wouldn't dare keep this thing; it's brought me bad luck time and again, it's just too damn creepy!" Zhang Tezhu was still terrified.

——

Three days later.

Qiao Family Old Residence.

Qiaoxia drove the small new-energy car back from Antique Street.

She had received a call from Qiao Nainai forty minutes ago; Qiao Nainai was suddenly feeling unwell.

After handing the car keys to the butler and letting him park the car in the garage, she walked anxiously toward the Laozhai.

As soon as she entered, Shu Xia saw Qiao Muting.

The man was wearing a white shirt, with broad shoulders and long legs, his physique exceptionally superior; hearing the sound of someone entering the door, he lifted his eyes to scan her.

Unlike the gentleness he showed when concerned for Qiao Nainai, his gaze was cold and clear.

Shu Xia paused slightly.

She saw the man furrow his brows slightly.

Shu Xia realized belatedly that because she was in a hurry to get to the Laozhai, she hadn't changed her clothes after leaving Zhang Dechun's shop; she was wearing a very simple set of casual sportswear, and various dirty spots were clearly visible on the white T-shirt.

She only looked down for a moment before lifting her head.

"How is Nainai?"

Qiao Muting said in a slightly cold tone, "Nainai is upstairs."

Shu Xia didn't mind whether his tone was cold or what his attitude toward her was; she nodded at Qiao Muting and walked toward the stairs.

As she passed by Qiao Muting, he called out to her.

"Miss Shu, before you go see Nainai, let's discuss something."

Shu Xia stopped and turned her head to look at him, "Please go ahead, Mr. Qiao."

"Nainai is not feeling well and needs someone to keep her company at this time; she wants us to stay at the Laozhai for a few days." When Qiao Muting said this, his expression seemed to grow even more somber.

Shu Xia gave an 'en' sound, "I don't have any issues with that; I can stay at the Laozhai to keep Nainai company."

"She wants the two of us to stay in the same room." Qiao Muting looked at Shu Xia with his deep eyes.

Shu Xia was a bit startled, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, "This... I'll talk to Nainai..."

"You should be clear about Nainai's health condition; we wouldn't have married if not for her. The doctor said her emotions shouldn't fluctuate too much, so in front of Nainai, you and I just need to cooperate and act."

Qiao Muting proposed his requirement.

"We don't love each other, it's just acting; put your heart at ease, I won't touch you."

After he finished speaking, he went upstairs first.

Shu Xia, stunned where she stood, watched the man's impeccably dressed back, but she quickly regained her composure; it was just acting, as long as it could make Qiao Nainai happy, that was enough.

However, did Qiao Muting deliberately mention that they didn't love each other just to remind her that she was only acting and shouldn't get emotionally involved?

Then he was overthinking it.

If he hadn't gone upstairs a step faster, she would have told him to put his heart at ease.

After going upstairs and seeing Qiao Nainai lying on the bed looking somewhat weak, Shu Xia walked up quickly, "Nainai."

Hearing Shu Xia's sweet, soft call of "Nainai," Qiao Nainai pushed aside Qiao Muting, who was blocking the front of the bed, "Xia Xia, come here quickly."

Clearly feeling that he was being shunned, Qiao Muting's mouth twitched violently.

"How are you feeling now, Nainai? Is there anywhere else that feels uncomfortable?" Shu Xia arrived at the bedside and asked in a gentle voice.

Qiao Nainai shook her head weakly, "I'm alright for now, just a bit weak; seeing the two of you makes me feel much better."

"Does your head hurt, Nainai? Let me massage your head for you. Back in the countryside, Zhong Nainai used to love it when I massaged her head. I'll go wash my hands first."

Shu Xia walked back out; she had been in such a rush to go upstairs earlier that she had forgotten to wash her hands.

Qiao Muting raised an eyebrow calmly; she was currying favor with Nainai at every turn, and he didn't believe for a second that she wanted nothing in return.

Seeing Shu Xia walk out, Qiao Nainai rolled her eyes and looked at her eldest grandson, the one the internet called "ascetic," and she huffed in her heart.

What good is being ascetic if he still needs her, his grandmother, to help him find a wife!

When Shu Xia returned after washing her hands, Qiao Nainai shook her head sleepily and said, "Nainai is tired and will sleep for a while. Xia Xia, Mu Ting has always had a problem with headaches, why don't you give him a massage?"

Shu Xia froze.

Qiao Muting also hadn't expected Nainai to say that so suddenly.

"Steward Qin, you should learn from Xia Xia. Her technique is something those so-called masters of Traditional Chinese Medicine massage outside can't compare to. Once you've learned it, you can massage me often."

Qiao Nainai was sharp; she called Steward Qin from the doorway to keep watch.