Liu Yi’an pretended not to hear.
For the next few days, Liu Yi’an’s hospital room was so quiet that it felt as though she had been forgotten.
Every day when the nurses came to change her dressings, they would casually mention, “Researcher Fu came again next door. This time, he brought roses.”
“Researcher Fu is personally peeling oranges for Director Wei.”
“Oh my, Researcher Fu is really good to Director Wei.”
Liu Yi’an flipped through the academic journal in her hands without even lifting her eyes.
In her previous life, she would have been jealous, heartbroken, and secretly wiping away her tears.
But in this life?
She only felt disgusted.
On the morning of the fifth day, a nurse came with a wheelchair to take her for a follow-up examination.
“Researcher Liu, you have injuries on your hands too, so it’s inconvenient for you to move the wheelchair yourself. I’ll take you there.”
Liu Yi’an thanked her.
As soon as the wheelchair turned the corner of the corridor, they saw Fu Yanchen coming out of the elevator carrying a thermos.
Today, he was dressed in a crisp Zhongshan suit, his hair neatly combed, and there was even a ribbon tied around the thermos in his hand.
The nurse whispered, “That’s the black-boned chicken soup your mother-in-law brought this morning. She said she made it especially for you.”
Liu Yi’an stared at the thermos.
In her previous life, whenever Fu Yanchen’s mother made soup, she would divide it into two portions one for Liu Yi’an, and the other for Fu Yanchen to take to Beijing.
Back then, Liu Yi’an had foolishly thought it was simply a mother-in-law’s way of showing love for her son.
Now that she thought about it, it was obvious whose stomach those soups had ultimately ended up in.
Fu Yanchen saw her and paused for a moment. He quickly looked away and walked straight toward Wei Qing’s hospital room.
“Sister-in-law, Mom specially made this soup for you.” He pushed open the door, his voice so gentle it seemed almost sweet enough to melt.
Wei Qing’s coquettish voice came from inside. “Yanchen, you’re too good to me. I don’t even know how I could ever repay you.”
“Don’t be silly. We’re family. There’s no need to talk about repaying each other.”
The nurse awkwardly glanced at Liu Yi’an. “Um… shall we go?”
Liu Yi’an withdrew her gaze. “Let’s go.”
Just as the wheelchair turned away, the door to Wei Qing’s room suddenly opened.
“An’an?” Wei Qing leaned against the doorframe, her face pale. “You’re in the hospital too?”
Obviously. Where else would she be if not in the hospital?
Liu Yi’an didn’t respond.
But Wei Qing walked over on her own, her eyes reddening. “An’an, about what happened that day… I’ve been wanting to apologize to you.”
“I really didn’t do it on purpose. The fire was so intense that I panicked, and the alcohol lamp accidentally…” As she spoke, tears began to fall. “Can you forgive me?”
The nurse couldn’t stand it anymore. “Director Wei, you haven’t fully recovered yet. You shouldn’t be walking around.”
“I’m fine.” Wei Qing waved her off, keeping her eyes fixed on Liu Yi’an. “An’an, say something. Are you still angry with me?”
Liu Yi’an finally looked up at her.
A hint of smugness flashed through Wei Qing’s eyes before quickly being concealed beneath an expression of grievance.
“I know you’re upset. After all, all those research materials were burned.” Wei Qing sighed. “But you can’t… you can’t deliberately hurt me just because of that.”
The nurse froze. “What?”
“Actually, An’an was the one who knocked over the experimental equipment first that day. I went to pull her back, but she shook off my hand, and that’s when the alcohol lamp fell…” Wei Qing covered her face and cried as though she had been deeply wronged. “I don’t blame her. I really don’t. She was probably just too angry.”
With just a few sentences, she had completely pinned the blame on Liu Yi’an.
The way the nurse looked at Liu Yi’an changed immediately.
Liu Yi’an sneered. “Are you done acting?”
“An’an…”
“Shut up.” Liu Yi’an cut her off. “Wei Qing, if you want to put on an act, go home and do it. Don’t disgust people here.”
Wei Qing’s face turned pale, and her tears fell even harder.
At that moment, Fu Yanchen walked out of the hospital room. Seeing the scene, he frowned deeply. “What’s going on?”
“Yanchen…” Wei Qing threw herself into his arms, looking aggrieved. “I just wanted to apologize to An’an, but she said I was putting on an act…”
Fu Yanchen’s expression immediately darkened.
He walked over to Liu Yi’an and looked down at her condescendingly. “Liu Yi’an, your sister-in-law has already taken the initiative to apologize. What more do you want?”
Liu Yi’an looked up at him. “What is she apologizing for? For stealing my research materials, or for setting fire to the laboratory?”
“What nonsense are you talking about!” Fu Yanchen shouted. “The fire investigation report clearly states that it was an accident!”
“An accident?” Liu Yi’an scoffed. “Fu Yanchen, do you really believe that, or are you pretending to be stupid?”
Her gaze made Fu Yanchen increasingly irritated. “I don’t want to argue with you. Now, apologize to your sister-in-law. Immediately.”
“Why should I apologize?”
“For slandering her!” Fu Yanchen said forcefully. “Liu Yi’an, don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You’re just jealous that your sister-in-law came in first, so you made all this up.”
Liu Yi’an laughed in anger.
How had she been so blind in her previous life as to fall for a man like this?
“I’m not apologizing,” she said, each word deliberate.
Fu Yanchen’s gaze turned cold. He turned to the nurse and said, “You can leave. Let her stay here and reflect on herself.”
The nurse hesitated. “But Researcher Liu’s hands are injured…”
“I said leave.” Fu Yanchen’s tone brooked no argument.
Overwhelmed by his imposing presence, the nurse could only give Liu Yi’an an apologetic look before quickly walking away.
Only the three of them remained in the corridor.
Wei Qing leaned against Fu Yanchen’s chest, a trace of triumph flashing in her eyes.
Fu Yanchen supported her as they walked back. “Don’t bother with her. Let’s go back.”
“But An’an…”
“She’ll figure things out on her own.”
The two entered the hospital room, and the door slammed shut with a bang.
Liu Yi’an sat in her wheelchair, staring at the closed door.
She lowered her head and glanced at the bandage on her hand.
She tried to turn the wheelchair.
A sharp, piercing pain shot through her fingertips.
She gritted her teeth and kept trying.
The wheelchair did not move an inch.
Just then, footsteps sounded from the end of the corridor.
A middle-aged woman in a cleaner’s uniform came over, pushing a mop bucket. When she saw Liu Yi’an, she paused.
“Oh my, young lady, why are you here all by yourself?” the woman asked, approaching her warmly.
Liu Yi’an smiled politely. “I’m going for a checkup. The nurse will be back soon.”
“Oh, I see.” The woman nodded, then suddenly exclaimed, “Oh!” and abruptly tipped the bucket in her hands toward Liu Yi’an.
“Splash ”
Cold, dirty water poured over Liu Yi’an’s head.
Liu Yi’an’s entire body stiffened. Her hospital gown was instantly soaked through, clinging to her body.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” the woman hurriedly apologized. “I didn’t mean to. My hand slipped!”
As she spoke, she “accidentally” kicked the wheelchair again.
The wheelchair lost its balance and tilted to the side.
Liu Yi’an’s pupils contracted. She instinctively tried to grab onto something, but the injuries to her hands left her unable to exert any strength.
Just as she was about to fall
A hand suddenly reached out from behind and firmly caught her around the waist.
“Careful.”
A deep male voice sounded beside her ear.
Before Liu Yi’an could react, she had already been lifted out of the wheelchair.
She looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
It was him.
The man who had saved her from the fire.
The man was dressed in a crisp military uniform, his shoulder insignia gleaming coldly under the lights. He held her securely with one arm while using the other to steady the wheelchair, his movements smooth and effortless.
“You…” Liu Yi’an’s voice trembled.
The man lowered his eyes to look at her, his thin lips pressed together. “We meet again.”
Seeing that the situation had turned against her, the cleaner tried to slip away, pushing the mop bucket along with her.
“Stop.” The man’s voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
The cleaner’s legs went weak, and she dropped to her knees on the spot.
“Please spare me, sir! I I really didn’t mean to!”
The man ignored her and carried Liu Yi’an away in long strides.
Down the corridor, Wei Qing watched the scene through the crack in the door, her face livid.
She slammed the door shut, her fingernails digging into her palms.
Damn it. Who was that man?