Hearing the commotion inside, Lu Zhengming quickly ran over and reached out to pry Su Hua’s hands off.
“Let go of my sister-in-law! You lost fair and square, and now you’re blaming someone else—why should my sister-in-law apologize?”
“You little brat, what do you know!” Su Hua snapped in a fury, shoving Lu Zhengming aside.
Lu Zhengming lost his balance, stumbled back two steps, and slammed into the doorframe, wincing in pain.
Seeing this, Su Wanqing’s eyes flared with anger.
She suddenly ducked down and drove her elbow hard into Su Hua’s stomach. Su Hua doubled over in pain instantly.
Su Wanqing stepped back two paces, rubbing her reddened wrist, her apricot eyes sharp as knives. “Su Hua, stop twisting right and wrong here!”
“First, the cooking contest was started by Su Weiwei herself, and the rules were set with Director Li. I didn’t force her at all.”
“Second, going out to sea on a typhoon day is dangerous. The military district broadcasts emphasized it repeatedly. She insisted on leaving at this time, ignoring the danger herself. That has nothing to do with me.”
“Third, if you dare act up again, don’t blame me for being merciless!”
Su Hua held his stomach, face pale from the pain, but still stubborn. “Don’t give me that nonsense! If anything happens to Weiwei, I won’t let you off! You must come with me to the infirmary today and apologize, or I’ll block your door and let everyone see how you forced your own sister to the brink!”
Su Wanqing looked at his unreasonable attitude and sneered inwardly.
Su Weiwei had played her hand well—falling into the sea and letting Su Hua force an apology from her.
She only wanted to leverage her “victim” status to ruin Su Wanqing’s reputation in the military district…
Some things never change.
But Su Wanqing wasn’t about to fall for it.
She lifted her gaze to Su Hua, her tone icy. “I’m not going to the infirmary with you, and I’m not apologizing. Su Weiwei chose to leave, and she alone should bear the consequences. That has nothing to do with me.”
Pausing for a moment, her apricot eyes sharper than ever, she added, “If you really care about Su Weiwei, you should stay by her side in the infirmary, not come here and act wild. Touch me again, or cause trouble, and I’ll get the security department involved immediately. Don’t blame me for not saving face for the Su family.”
Lu Zhengming chimed in from the side, “Exactly! Didn’t you say she was rescued by the mission boat? She’s fine. Why make a fuss? I think you’re just looking to cause trouble!”
Su Hua’s face turned green and white as he slowly stood up, clutching his stomach.
Suddenly, a glint of malice flashed in his eyes, and he sneered coldly. “You think who rescued Weiwei? The mission boat was commanded by Chief Lu! He knew it was you who pushed Weiwei into the sea.”
“Su Wanqing, you’re cruel. Chief Lu won’t protect you anymore. I came to you on his orders!”
Su Wanqing felt a chill in her chest.
A flicker of doubt crept into her otherwise calm mind.
How did Su Weiwei happen to encounter Lu Yan’s mission boat?
Was it coincidence—or deliberate?
She clenched her hands at her sides, the sharpness in her eyes softening into cautious scrutiny. “Rescued by Lu Yan’s boat?”
“Sea conditions are terrible during a typhoon, and mission boat routes are pre-planned. How could it just happen to be that Su Weiwei fell into the sea at that exact moment?”
She stepped forward slightly, her gaze locked on Su Hua’s face, not letting him hide anything. “Tell me, which boat rescued her?”
Su Hua hesitated, eyes flickering nervously. “Which boat, how should I know? Anyway, it was Chief Lu’s mission team! When they pulled her up, Weiwei was calling your name loud and clear, Chief Lu heard it perfectly!”
Su Hua’s impatience and disdain for Su Wanqing were evident. “Stop playing games with me. Chief Lu is in the infirmary now. If you don’t believe me, come see for yourself!”
Su Wanqing didn’t miss the way his eyes darted away, and her suspicion deepened.
Even if Lu Yan were really in the infirmary, he would have heard someone claim she “forced Weiwei into the sea.”
Knowing Lu Yan’s temper, he wouldn’t have just sent Su Hua to relay a message.
The inconsistencies in Su Hua’s story only made Su Wanqing more determined to find out the truth.
What exactly was Su Weiwei up to, and why did Su Hua dare to fabricate using Lu Yan’s name?
Su Wanqing took a deep breath, her eyes clearing, and nodded slowly. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”
She turned back into the house, grabbed her jacket, and glanced at Lu Zhengming rubbing his shoulder. “Stay home, don’t run around. I’ll be back soon.”
Lu Zhengming looked reluctant. “Sister-in-law, don’t go! Be careful—it could be a trap!”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let myself get taken advantage of.” Su Wanqing smiled faintly, her eyes completely cold.
She followed Su Hua toward the infirmary. The rain continued, cool against her face.
The path from the military district’s staff quarters to the infirmary wasn’t long. As they entered the corridor, people couldn’t help but whisper when they saw Su Hua dragging Su Wanqing with a grim expression.
Some whispered, “She forced her own sister into the sea.”
Others were curious, “I heard she was rescued by Chief Lu’s boat. Will Chief Lu blame her?”
These words felt like tiny needles, meant to pierce the heart.
Su Wanqing didn’t look back, her expression relaxed, completely unfazed by the gossip.
At the infirmary entrance, the strong smell of disinfectant mixed with the damp post-rain air, sharp and pungent.
Su Hua pushed the door open first, shouting, “Weiwei! I brought Su Wanqing for you!”
Su Wanqing followed inside, her eyes immediately scanning the beds.
The infirmary was small, with four iron-frame beds. Only the one by the window had a white curtain, through which someone lay inside, vaguely visible.
She didn’t see that familiar military green figure—no trace of Lu Yan’s presence at all.
Her doubts eased considerably.
Lu Yan was not here.
“Where’s Lu Yan?” Su Wanqing asked directly, her apricot eyes icy as they turned to Su Hua.
Su Hua’s eyes flickered nervously, about to answer, when the bed curtain was lifted from inside.
Lin Man appeared, holding an enamel basin, wearing a clean floral blouse, hair neatly combed, with just the right amount of worry on her face.
Seeing Su Wanqing, she frowned immediately, disapproving. “Wanqing, why are you only just here? Weiwei has been awake for half a day, calling for you the whole time. Chief Lu was here earlier, waiting for you. When you didn’t arrive, he left in a hurry for his mission. Don’t you know how to give people peace of mind?”
Her words seemed like a scolding, but each one subtly implied something:
Lu Yan had been here, and he was worried—perhaps even upset—that Su Wanqing hadn’t arrived.
Su Wanqing didn’t respond. Her gaze fell on Su Weiwei lying on the bed.
Covered with a thin blanket, her face pale, lips devoid of color, hair plastered to her cheeks, she looked pitiful indeed.
“Chief Lu’s expression was terrible while he was here,” Lin Man added.
Seeing Su Wanqing still silent, Lin Man stepped closer, her voice softening slightly.
“Weiwei cried to Chief Lu, saying she didn’t blame you—it was her own moment of weakness. Chief Lu didn’t respond, but I could see the coldness in his eyes—it made me nervous just watching.”
Lin Man paused, deliberately sighing.
“No wonder Chief Lu was angry. You lost to Weiwei in the cooking contest—fine—but how could you push her to this point?”
“If it weren’t for Chief Lu’s boat rescuing Weiwei, the consequences would’ve been unimaginable.”
Su Wanqing raised her eyes to Lin Man, her apricot gaze completely devoid of warmth. “Comrade Lin, you can eat carelessly, but you can’t speak recklessly. I forced her into the sea? Did you see it with your own eyes?”
Lin Man was momentarily taken aback by the question.
She suddenly smiled, straightened her back, and took a neatly folded slip of paper from her pocket, holding it out to Su Wanqing.
Her fingertips pinched the corner of the paper, her posture radiating a deliberate air of superiority.
“I’m telling you this for your own good. Before Chief Lu left, he specially handed me this note to give to you. Take a look for yourself—see what he truly thinks.”