When Zhao Guifan knocked on the door, Su Zhi’s intravenous drip had just finished. Ming Can was helping her turn over. Hearing the knock, she glanced back, her eyebrows furrowing unconsciously for a moment before she calmly and steadily helped Su Zhi settle into a comfortable sleeping posture.
“Sorry, the director called some time ago about your second surgery. I originally wanted to come over, but there were so many things at the company that I really could not spare the time,” Zhao Guifan walked up to the hospital bed, his tone carrying a trace of hypocritical apology and concern. “How is your recovery? Are you feeling a bit better?”
Ming Can had not thought much of him before, but seeing this repulsive facade up close now, she suddenly felt a bit sick to her stomach.
Su Zhi’s condition was very poor, but she was fully conscious. Facing Zhao Guifan’s greetings, she only lifted her eyelids faintly and said nothing at all.
The other man did not feel awkward either. He pulled over a chair, sat down, and let out a long sigh. “Ah, you have no idea. President Cai is really annoying right now. The moment there is the slightest disturbance in the R&D department, they come yelling at me. These past few days, he has almost driven me out of my mind.”
Ming Can rolled her eyes secretly. When the tiger is away, the monkey plays king. Who do you think you are!
Her internal voice was almost read by Zhao Guifan. His gaze shifted an inch toward her, then turned back to Su Zhi. “Is this caregiver alright? Does the company need to send another person over to take care of you?”
Su Zhi lifted her eyelids. Zhao Guifan wisely shut his mouth. “Fine, fine. I know you have a kind heart and know how to save money for the company.”
Having been called out by name, Ming Can felt slightly awkward. Then she picked up an empty paper cup, drew half a cup of warm water from the water dispenser, and handed it to Zhao Guifan.
Zhao Guifan said, “You go ahead and get busy. I will chat with Director Su.”
Ming Can consciously withdrew and once again stepped into the bathroom with her things. Previously, her eavesdropping had been accidental, but this time, she was terrified of missing a single word, pricking up both ears.
Once only Zhao Guifan and Su Zhi remained in the ward, Zhao Guifan’s expression began to look conflicted. He stared at Su Zhi as if hesitant to speak, but finally opened his mouth.
“Jiang Yang is in trouble.”
Upon hearing this, Su Zhi’s gaze trembled, and her fingers, resting at her sides, instinctively tightened. She looked at Zhao Guifan.
Zhao Guifan sighed, an appropriately sorrowful expression surfacing on his face. “The day she came to the hospital to see you happened to coincide with the project launch. Then a few members of her team used her account to push data, which led to a customer information leak. She got taken away.”
So that was how it was!
Su Zhi understood suddenly. The veins on her hands hidden beneath the blanket bulged from the force of her grip. She endured it, exerting every ounce of self-control. Only by biting the tip of her tongue until it bled did she manage to maintain a shred of composure and clarity.
She looked at Zhao Guifan, staring straight at him without uttering a word.
Zhao Guifan had originally wanted to see her lose control, but to his surprise, the other woman was terrifyingly calm. Being stared at like that made him feel somewhat unnatural, yet he could not easily look away. He forced a bitter smile and explained, “Do not look at me like that, Su Zhi. I originally wanted to tell you the day the incident happened, but you had just finished surgery, and I was afraid it would affect your recovery.”
He paused, the appropriate look of difficulty on his face deepening slightly. “Over the past few days, I thought it over and felt I still needed to tell you about this. Otherwise, if you could not reach Jiang Yang and let your imagination run wild, you would only worry more and easily create misunderstandings. It is better to just tell you the truth.”
Su Zhi said nothing, her gaze fixed immovably on his face.
Zhao Guifan let out a long breath, wearing a helpless and self-reproachful expression. “This matter was my oversight. I apologize to you.”
Su Zhi remained silent, the chill in her eyes deepening. Unable to guess what she was trying to do, Zhao Guifan tentatively pacified her, “You should not worry too much either. Although this matter is difficult to handle, Jiang Yang is our core employee, and the company will not just ignore it.”
As he spoke, he raised his hand and leaned forward slightly, wanting to adjust the edge of the blanket for Su Zhi.
“Take your hand away.” Su Zhi’s voice was a bit hoarse, but it carried formidable deterrent power.
Zhao Guifan’s hand suspended in mid-air stiffened for a moment, then he awkwardly withdrew it. “I know you are worried about Jiang Yang, and I can understand that. But the legal department is already pulling strings. President Cai is keeping an eye on it personally.”
“Zhao Guifan,” Su Zhi called out, using his full name.
Zhao Guifan was stunned.
“Go back and tell Cai Ji, tell those senior executives at the company,” Su Zhi looked at him, her gaze cold but her tone calm, “I, Su Zhi, may have fallen, but I am not dead. Leakage of core data is something Jiang Yang cannot do, but I can.”
Zhao Guifan’s pupils dilated in earthquake-like shock, his expression incredulous. “Su Zhi, you.”
“Two days,” Su Zhi interrupted him, her tone low. “I am giving you only two days. No matter what method you use, get her out within two days.”
Zhao Guifan’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
He wanted to say something tough, wanted to say that if we do not get her out, what can a cripple like you do to me? You have already been hollowed out by the company and have no real power left.
Yet when those words met that resolute gaze, he could not say them. He was afraid that if he spoke, the consequences would be more than he could bear.
“Zhao Guifan,” Su Zhi called out again, using his full name, her cold phoenix eyes mixed with undisguised contempt.
Zhao Guifan had experienced being looked at with such a gaze many times. In past requirement meetings, whenever his suggestions missed the mark, Su Zhi would look at him with this exact look, rebuffing him in front of everyone. Even though her position was lower than his, she always adopted a condescending posture to pick out other people’s faults.
He was utterly sick of it and had had enough of it, which was why he had gone to such great lengths to push her to where she was today. Who would have thought that even in this state, she still would not behave, still would not quit, and still dared to face people with such an unyielding and intimidating expression?
The fingertips at Zhao Guifan’s sides tightened, an undetectable surge of anger welling up in his eyes.
“Su Zhi, watch your words. The data leak is a fact, and the company is also very anxious. President Cai and the person in charge over on the overseas side are all coordinating to handle this matter. You and Jiang Yang are close, and it is understandable that you are anxious for a moment, but you cannot use your former position to threaten me and threaten the company.”
“There is no threat,” Su Zhi’s tone carried an unquestionable firmness. “The test data before the project launch used desensitized samples. The day the system malfunctioned, Jiang Yang was right here in my hospital room.”
Zhao Guifan was choked up for a moment. Wanting to argue back, he could not find a counterargument for a second. “How can you be sure she did not swap the data on her way to the airport, just in case the test run failed?”
“Zhao Guifan.” Su Zhi called him by his full name for the third time.
“I do not want to argue about all those messy details with you. Relay what I said to Cai Ji. He is the boss, he has a much clearer head than you all,” she paused for a second, her gaze sizing up Zhao Guifan’s face. “Make sure the message gets across, otherwise you will not be able to bear the consequences.”
Her tone was not heavy, but the insult was extremely potent.
Zhao Guifan’s face alternated between pale and ashen. He stood frozen in place for a few seconds, and in the end, without saying anything else, he turned around and left. When closing the door, he failed to control his strength, letting out a muffled bang that caused the IV pole to shake slightly.
Inside the bathroom, Ming Can listened to that muffled bang and tightened her grip on the towel. She waited a few seconds, confirming there was no movement outside, before pushing the door open.
Su Zhi was still maintaining her previous posture, lying on her side in the hospital bed, her gaze fixed on some empty point in space. Her face was deathly pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down both sides of her temples.
“Su Zhi?” Ming Can called out softly, taking two steps closer.
Su Zhi did not respond, her eyelashes trembling as if pulling her consciousness back from a very distant place. Her lips moved, wanting to say something, when suddenly her entire body stiffened, her torso arching involuntarily.
Ming Can’s expression changed, and she stepped forward quickly. “What is wrong?”
The next second, a violent spasm seized Su Zhi’s abdomen. She curled her entire body up, a muffled groan suppressed in her throat.
Ming Can reached out to support her shoulder, her hand meeting a sheet of icy, damp sweat.
“Ming Can,” Su Zhi squeezed two words through her teeth. This was the first time she had called out her name, but the violent heave of her chest prevented her from saying another word. She clutched the bedsheet haphazardly, using all her strength to suppress it.
Standing beside the hospital bed, Ming Can was at a loss, watching helplessly as Su Zhi’s body tensed into a bow before collapsing downward bit by bit. Then, she caught a scent.
It was very faint, mixed into the smell of the disinfectant, but it was a distinct, unusual odor.
The moment that odor permeated the air, Ming Can froze, then reacted instantly.
She instinctively looked at Su Zhi’s face.
That face remained pale, and sweat beads continued to slide down her temples, but her expression was strangely calm.
“Su Zhi.” Ming Can opened her mouth, wanting to offer comfort, but Su Zhi spoke before she could make a sound.
“Please, help me clean up.” She did not open her eyes. Her voice was hoarser than before, but her tone remained steady.
“Okay.” Ming Can nodded, her eye sockets burning slightly.
She turned to grab a nursing pad and wet wipes, moving quickly because she knew that delaying even a second would only make Su Zhi more humiliated. Yet when she brought the things back and lifted the blanket to change her, Su Zhi’s body suddenly trembled violently, adopting an extremely resistant posture.
Ming Can stopped moving, and then she saw the other person’s fingertips gripping the blanket tighten, biting her teeth together as she desperately tried to control this physiological reaction.
Yet she still could not control it.
“Su Zhi,” Ming Can’s voice carried a trace of a sob that even she had not noticed. “Do not be afraid. I will help you turn to your side. It might feel a little cold, just bear with it.”
Su Zhi said nothing, only nodding very lightly.
Ming Can lifted the blanket and began the cleanup with practiced efficiency. Cleaning and wiping were tasks she had done several times since taking over, but this time, her hands trembling over Su Zhi’s body were not out of disgust, but heartache.
She did not dare look at Su Zhi’s face, keeping her head down to focus on what her hands were doing.
Throughout the entire process, Su Zhi did not utter a single sound.
Ming Can glanced up occasionally, seeing only closed eyes, slightly trembling eyelashes, and a tightly pressed line of lips.
She suddenly realized that neither had humiliation been put aside, nor had her emotions been worn flat. Rather, the current situation simply did not allow her the luxury of shame.
Ming Can accelerated her movements, replaced the nursing pad and sheets with clean ones, rolled up the soiled items into a bag, and spoke in a very soft voice as she stood up. “Su Zhi, it is done. Everything is fine.”
After a few seconds, Su Zhi slowly opened her eyes. Beneath her long lashes, her gaze remained calm, and her tone was equally calm. “Please help me open the window, and then ask Gong Que if she has time. I need her.”
Su Zhi stopped midway, her mouth open. Her chest hurt too much, aching so intensely that she did not know how to express it. Reaching out from her side, she pressed firmly against it.
Ming Can pressed the emergency call button by the head of the bed and picked up her phone to call Gong Que.