novelraw Chapter 584 - 568 Toward Death, We Live (4)
Chapter 584 - 568 Toward Death, We Live (4)
[Starting anti-theft from this Chapter.]
"Take a sip, this is medicine." Lu Chi scooped a spoonful and brought it to her lips.
Guan Kunling, skilled in medicine, could tell there was nothing wrong with it. But she did notice it contained something Lu Chi had mentioned before—an ingredient that could sap one’s strength.
Lu Chi said, "Drink it, so you can heal faster. Your injuries are too severe."
"Place the bowl by my mouth." Guan Kunling disliked wasting time. She still wanted her wounds to heal quickly, or moving around would become even more inconvenient.
Lu Chi complied.
She bit the edge of the bowl and tilted her head back, finishing it in one gulp. As she drank, some of the medicine dribbled down her neck. Once she was done, Lu Chi took the bowl and carefully wiped her neck with a towel.
"I need to apply more medicine—it might hurt a bit, but bear with it," he whispered soothingly.
Guan Kunling stared at him impassively.
Lu Chi pulled back the blanket draped over her. Her pale, delicate body was covered in scars, some of which had been inflicted by him. A flicker of something vile crossed his eyes.
The ointment spread across her skin, stinging and cooling the wounds while itching slightly. Guan Kunling leaned against the headboard, her cold gaze appraising him, unwavering and calm. So close, their breaths intermingled.
Perhaps it was the silence—in that moment, Lu Chi felt her gaze and suddenly started to breathe heavily. His heartbeat quickened, his face reddening. He became timid, applying the ointment cautiously, not daring to look up. For reasons unknown, he felt afraid, even guilty.
**
The DNA test results sent to the United States had come back—indeed, it was Lu Lixing himself. This involved a significant figure, so higher-ups were deeply concerned, even forming a special group to investigate the matter.
Amidst the chaos, something caught the attention of the police department.
There was an inmate named Ji Qin in prison who was beaten every few days. She had been to the infirmary three to four times in just one month. Ji Qin claimed that someone was intentionally targeting her, leading to these repeated assaults.
Xu Zhengyang asked, "What crime did Ji Qin commit to end up in there?" Generally speaking, unless someone was involved in organized crime, it was rare for ordinary inmates to face such hostility in prison after the initial period of adjustment—not to the extent of provoking repeated acts of revenge.
"She was detained for misconduct. The disciplinary committee prosecuted her," the person explained, sneaking a glance at Jiang Jinghuai. The connection to the disciplinary committee was clear—Jiang’s wife had been involved.
Jiang Jinghuai said, "You said her name is Ji Qin?"
"Yes."
"Take me to see her." After pondering briefly, Jiang Jinghuai reached for the military-green jacket beside him and put it on.
By the time they saw her, Ji Qin was lying on the hospital bed, battered to the brink of death. Bandages covered her head and body. The doctor told Jiang Jinghuai that she had two broken ribs.
The hospital room contained only Jiang Jinghuai and Ji Qin.
Jiang Jinghuai stood by the bedside, looking at Ji Qin’s miserable state with an expressionless face. Ji Qin, on the other hand, upon seeing him, had a faint gleam in her eyes and tears beginning to well up.
**
The morning light was bright. Li Qiong’er got out of bed, her head feeling a little heavy. Beside her, Lu Chi was nowhere to be found. She reached out to massage her temples.
The incense burner in the corner had long gone out, with no traces of white smoke curling up anymore. This incense was a gift Lu Chi had specially bought for her some time ago—she always liked lighting it before sleeping. Lu Chi was particularly fond of it too; if she ever forgot to light it at night, he would personally do it for her.
And so the couple spent each night enveloped in its lingering fragrance, entwined in each other’s embrace. Yet, every morning when Li Qiong’er woke up, she found herself alone, without Lu Chi by her side. She couldn’t deny the incense’s sweet aroma, but it came with an unpleasant side effect—it made her sleep incredibly soundly, wake up unusually late, and feel groggy. It always took a while for her to regain energy and clear her mind.
A day or two like this was fine, but this had been going on for a while now, which raised concerns. At first, Li Qiong’er thought Lu Chi had simply bought subpar incense. However, last night, when she placed her hand on Lu Chi’s waist and he didn’t react at all, her unease deepened. Their intimate life had been abnormal for quite some time—ever since Lu Chi had returned from East Sea Province.
Li Qiong’er got out of bed, opened the drawer, and carefully packaged a stick of agarwood incense, placing it in her bag. After dressing and freshening up, she ate breakfast downstairs and headed to Yipin Xiangju with the incense wrapped securely.
**
The days continued methodically, even after that brilliantly lit night.
Tian Sangsang and Zhao Chun still behaved as before, neither mentioning that night, acting as if nothing had happened.
No burden, no constraint.
Or perhaps an unspoken understanding.
Li Qiong’er didn’t know why she had chosen not to consult with a doctor at the hospital but instead decided to ask Tian Sangsang at Yipin Xiangju. Maybe, deep down, she felt that Tian Sangsang was more trustworthy at this moment.
The shop had quite a few customers. Tian Sangsang had already noticed Li Qiong’er standing gracefully, but didn’t immediately attend to her. To her surprise, Li Qiong’er quietly waited without fuss.
"What’s the matter?" Tian Sangsang asked after the customers had left, raising an eyebrow as she prepared formula in a milk bottle.
Li Qiong’er noticed every meticulous motion of hers. She used to only smell floral fragrances on Tian Sangsang, but now, she detected hints of milk scent. Initially, Li Qiong’er had intended to mock her, but remembering her purpose, she instead offered a pleasant smile. She took the packaged incense from her bag and handed it over. "I’d like your guidance on this agarwood stick compared to the ones sold at your shop—how are they different?"
"Of course they’re different."
Tian Sangsang didn’t take the incense, instead giving it a glance and bluntly saying, "The quality isn’t as good as what we sell here."
"...You really don’t hold back, do you?" Li Qiong’er’s lips twitched involuntarily before pressing them together. "I already know that—that’s why I wanted to consult you more deeply about where, specifically, it falls short."
Her earnest expression made Tian Sangsang set aside her playful attitude, realizing she was genuinely seeking advice.
Coincidentally, Tian Sangsang wanted to see if there was anything peculiar about Li Qiong’er’s incense.
She unwrapped the white silk cloth around it and brought the incense to her nose for a sniff.
Her brows furrowed. "Wait here. I’ll go check inside."
Though not well-versed in pharmacology, her years of working with fragrances allowed her to pick up on subtle differences. After studying it inside, she returned with an answer.
Li Qiong’er stared anxiously at the curtain, her hands unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothing. When Tian Sangsang finally stepped out, she asked hurriedly, "What did you find?"
Instead of directly responding, Tian Sangsang asked, "Where did you buy this incense?"
Li Qiong’er hesitated.
Tian Sangsang didn’t press the matter and instead asked, "Have you used this incense before?"
Li Qiong’er nodded.
"When you smell this fragrance, you immediately feel sleepy. You sleep soundly through the night without waking up, but wake with a foggy mind and an exhausted body. While the sleep quality feels excellent, it leaves you uncomfortable and as if you’ve been run over by a car."