Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
He Chen walked around Qin Ran. She couldn’t believe this absurdly young face!
“… You’re not real, right?!”
Qin Ran had her arms wrapped around her black jacket. She was still wearing her uniform beneath.
He Chen wanted to pinch Qin Ran’s cheek.
But before she managed to touch her face, Cheng Juan interrupted. “What are you doing?”
He didn’t sound too friendly.
He Chen did not say anything to him, but Qin Ran was already holding her wrist. “Have you got the medicine?”
“It’s here, don’t worry.” He Chen glanced at Cheng Juan and paused. She then turned around and faced Qin Ran again, trying to maintain her smile.
But Cheng Juan was looking at He Chen with narrowed eyes.
**
Along the corridor of the anti-bacterial room.
Ning Qing was sitting on the bench while Ning Wei was pacing up and down.
It’d been more than three hours, and Lin Jinxuan had just gone back to discuss the transfer to the capital.
A few doctors were discussing in hushed voices.
“Is Miss Qin not back yet?” The doctor-in-charge asked Ning Qing and Ning Wei countless times.
Ning Wei looked at the elevator but couldn’t say a thing. Her mind was a blank.
Be it the CNS medicine or arranging for Chen Shulan’s transfer of hospitals, Ning Wei couldn’t offer her help at all.
“Doctor, please get ready.” Ning Qing was tense and her throat dry. “We’ll be preparing for her to transfer…”
Just as she said that the elevator at the end of the hallway stopped on their level.
Qin Ran was right in front and her hair was not as wet anymore. She’d been slim all along, and she looked fragile and vulnerable under that black jacket.
“Is this what you want?” Qin Ran walked straight to the doctor and handed him a test tube.
The doctor-in-charge received it and saw that it was a white tablet.
Identical to the one they used.
He looked at Qin Ran with much surprise. She actually managed to get it in such a short time!
“It is.” The doctor-in-charge led the few other doctors into the anti-bacterial ward in a hurry.
Ning Qing and Ning Wei looked on in anxiousness.
He Chen smiled. “Don’t worry. The medicine is definitely safe.”
“Ran Ran, is your grandma alright?” Ning Wei’s fingers were ice-cold as she turned to look at Qin Ran.
Qin Ran said, “She’s fine, the medicine is already on hand.”
A while later, the door opened and a nurse emerged saying that her condition had stabilized.
Everyone finally heaved a sigh of relief.
Only then did Ning Qing and Ning Wei notice the people who had come along with Qin Ran, including He Chen, Cheng Juan, and a few others.
He Chen was in a floral dress and she had some interviewing equipment in her hand. She was carrying a black bag as well.
Cheng Juan was standing slightly closer to Qin Ran, his slender fingers wrapped around his cell phone. He was quiet and calm, and even though he wasn’t as cold as Qin Ran, he still seemed unapproachable.
The two of them didn’t seem like ordinary people.
When Ning Wei’s emotions were more settled, she went to Qin Ran and asked quietly, “Who are these people?”
“They’re my friends, don’t worry.” Qin Ran did not say more and turned to face He Chen.
“I’m sorry we had to trouble you to come all the way here.” Qin Ran was evidently less tensed up than before. “You must have other matters to attend to.”
“I’m just in charge of the on-site news.” He Chen looked at Qin Ran from different angles and then smiled. “All that matters is that your grandma is alright. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be getting a flight ticket to return now.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Qin Ran nodded.
He Chen turned around towards the elevator and pinched Qin Ran’s cheek just before she left. “It’s alright. Boss said for you to just take good care of your grandma for now. Call me if there’s anything.”
There were fewer than 10 people in the core group of 129 Detective Agency. Having worked together closely for seven years, their relationship was stronger than most others. There was no awkwardness between them.
And no need for civilities.
The rest of them were about 30 years old, while Chang Ning was 40. Given his age, he could even be Qin Ran’s dad.
Qin Ran was more than 10 years younger than most of them, so they naturally took her into consideration first no matter what happened.
He Chen was receiving calls from Chang Ning about once every five minutes, all of which was him asking about Qin Ran’s situation.
He was like a naggy old woman.
Cheng Juan glanced at Cheng Mu and signaled for him to send He Chen to the airport.
**
He Chen was on the way to the airport. Cheng Mu actually had no idea what actually went on, except that Cheng Juan spent a lump sum getting He Chen to Yun Cheng in a short time.
“Miss He, how did you and Miss Qin get acquainted?” They didn’t seem to cross paths in any way. One was an on-site reporter who wore rather ordinary clothing.
The other was a middle school student in Yun Cheng. Whether in terms of age or identity, they seemed unlikely to be friends.
He Chen seemed so approachable and friendly when speaking to Qin Ran. But now that she was talking to Cheng Mu, she appeared rather cold and patronizing with her response. “Online friends. I’m out here covering some news and helping Ran Ran get some stuff.”
Cheng Mu did not say more. Oh, so she was a reporter who helped Qin Ran buy some things.
At the airport, Cheng Mu stopped the car outside as he watched He Chen leave with her black bag.
The bag looked familiar.
Cheng Mu thought for a long time and finally recalled seeing Qin Ran carry a similar bag before.
He looked at He Chen’s back view and found something odd about her. And yet, he couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
Qin Ran had all sorts of friends—Qian Dui, Mayor Feng, Feng Loulan—and all of them were big shots in their industries.
Now she even had a reporter as a friend.
They were all rather weird.
She was just a middle school student, how did she know such people?
His cell phone rang and he saw that it was Cheng Juan calling. Cheng Mu picked up the phone and drove back immediately, putting this thought about He Chen aside.
**
At the airport, He Chen gave Chang Ning a call.
She put on her earphones and said, “Boss, I saw Lone Wolf in person. I can barely hold myself together.”
Lone Wolf… a lone wolf was such a brutal animal, such a manly name!
And it turned out to be a girl, a girl under 20!
If the rest found out, they’d surely be shocked!
Chang Ning heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that the medicine had been safely delivered. He crossed his legs and sipped his coffee. “This is rather weird. How could the medicine suddenly be diverted to another state? I suspect someone is targeting Lone Wolf’s grandma.”
“Why would anyone target an old lady?” He Chen went to look for some iced soda.
“That’s hard to say.” Chang Ning had already delegated this task. Given 129’s capability, they’d be able to find the person behind this if this truly was intentional.
“Thank you, a coke please.” He Chen paid the cashier and went on, “Oh, I forgot to tell you something. Do you know why Lone Wolf suddenly accepted a request the last time?”
“Tell me about it.” Chang Ning found something off about it.
Lone Wolf was, as the code name suggested, much of a loner. She could go missing for a year and nobody would be able to find her.
The last time she appeared out of the blue, there was some trouble as well.
He Chen received her coke and took a big gulp. After settling down, she explained, “Because the partner of the person who made the request has something going on with her.”
**
At the hospital, Qin Ran went to see Chen Shulan first.
Cheng Juan did not follow him in. He went to look for the doctor-in-charge instead.
The doctor had seen him around Qin Ran quite a bit and did not hide Chen Shulan’s condition from him.
Cheng Juan was a doctor as well, so he knew how dire a situation Chen Shulan was in.
But he was a heart surgeon. He would only be able to help if Chen Shulan had a problem with her “hardware”. When it came to natural processes like aging and deterioration, he could not reverse it.
He knew that Qin Ran had been coming to the hospital a lot, and they’d bumped into each other several times here.
But Cheng Juan had never specially checked out on her, and this was the first time he was hearing about Chen Shulan’s condition.
Only now did he know that her doctor had been using medicine from the research lab for Chen Shulan.
Not only was it expensive, but it was also rarely released for public procurement.
How did that reporter manage to get hold of it?
Cheng Juan stuck a cigarette in his mouth but did not light it. He was deep in thought.
Someone knocked on the door.
It pulled Cheng Juan out of his train of thoughts.
He turned around slightly and saw Qin Ran standing by the door. She quietly said, “My grandma is awake. I need to thank you personally.”
Cheng Juan simply acknowledged with a “hmm” and tossed the cigarette into the bin. He then thanked the doctor and got up from his seat.
Qin Ran’s hair was still a little damp, but her clothes were mostly dry.
She looked up at him, her face a little pale.
“Are you cold?” Cheng Juan touched the back of her hands and realized they were.
Qin Ran sniffled but shook her head. “I’m not.”
She’d been out of sorts the whole day and was practically numb to the flurry of events. Only now when everything was settled did she notice that she’d been sweating.
She brought Cheng Juan into Chen Shulan’s ward.
Chen Shulan had just woken up and wasn’t in a very good state.
“It’s Mr. Cheng who saved my life, yes?” Chen Shulan struggled to sit up as she saw him enter.
Cheng Juan stopped her and very respectfully said, “It wasn’t much.”
Ning Qing gave Lin Qi a call.
Ning Wei poured a glass of warm water for Cheng Juan. She was still in her work clothes and obviously appeared uncomfortable as she handed him the water.
Cheng Juan politely received it and thanked her warmly. With his pleasant disposition, Ning Wei’s earlier discomfort dissipated as well.
Her impression of this handsome man improved.
“Hold it,” Cheng Juan said something to Chen Shulan before handing the water to Qin Ran.
Qin Ran was by the bedside and she shook her head. “I’m not thirsty.”
“Warm your hands,” Cheng Juan said calmly.
“Annoying.” Qin Ran looked up at him and then accepted it.
Her hands slowly warmed up.
Chen Shulan sat in bed and looked at Qin Ran. “Ran Ran, you must’ve skipped your classes to come here. Go back to school first, Grandma’s fine now.”
It was rather a coincidence. As the two of them left, the Lin father and son duo arrived.
Ning Wei poured Chen Shulan another cup of tea and couldn’t help but find something odd about it.
She did not give it much thought. Ning Qing brought Lin Qi and Lin Jinxuan in to see Chen Shulan and leaned over the bed agitatedly. “Mom, you’re awake now!”
Chen Shulan was still rather groggy. “I’m fine.”
She turned to look at Lin Qi and Lin Jinxuan apologetically. “Sorry to have troubled you to make this trip.”
Lin Qi simply said, “This concerns your health. Moreover, it was Ran Ran who took charge and took care of it. We didn’t do much.”
Seeing that Chen Shulan was still fatigued, Lin Qi and Lin Jinxuan did not stay for long either.
As they left the ward, Lin Qi frowned and asked, “The CNS medicine is still undergoing research. It should be almost impossible to get hold of it. How did she do it in such a short time?”
Lin Jinxuan shook his head and said, “According to Grandma Chen, Ran Ran’s friend happened to have it.”
This wasn’t a restricted drug previously. One could get it as long as he was rich enough.
“Is it? She must be so lucky,” Lin Qi exclaimed.
This was a rather logical answer, and they couldn’t find a loophole.
Furthermore, Chen Shulan was an honest country lady. She wouldn’t lie.
They didn’t dig into it.
Never would they have thought that He Chen had snatched it from a big boss outside of the state and that Cheng Juan was the one who gave the green light to bring He Chen to Yun Cheng directly…
**
At this point, an ordinary black car was parked outside First Middle School.
Cheng Mu saw Qin Ran as she walked into the building and exclaimed, “Miss Qin’s friends are all so poor.”
Cheng Juan looked up and raised his brow. “The medicine in that reporter’s hand was developed in the capital’s First Research Institute.”
