Chapter 56

Jin Sique lowered her head to organize the medicine box and pushed against the pharmacy’s glass door with her shoulder.

At that moment, a hand reached over her head and held the door open for her.

The faint scent of gunpowder entered her nose.

Jin Sique froze and raised her head, looking at the face only inches from her own.

Lü Zhongcai lowered her eyes and met her gaze.

After two silent seconds, she asked, “Aren’t you coming out?”

“Sorry.”

Jin Sique slowly smiled.

“Let’s stay here.”

She pointed toward the bench outside the pharmacy.

“I’ll apply the medicine for you.”

Lü Zhongcai nodded, sat on the bench, and rolled up her cuff.

“I…”

Jin Sique sat at the opposite end of the bench, then shifted one seat closer to Lü Zhongcai.

She held out her hand.

“Let me do it.”

Lü Zhongcai extended her wrist and casually said, “This is my last spare set of clothes.”

Jin Sique smiled.

“Mm. I’ll be careful not to stain your sleeve.”

“Mm.”

Jin Sique helped roll up Lü Zhongcai’s sleeve.

Her neatly rounded fingertips brushed across the Alpha’s wrist.

Both of them froze.

Lü Zhongcai pulled her wrist back slightly and raised the corner of her mouth.

“Miss Jin, be careful.”

Jin Sique curled her fingers inward.

The corner of her mouth twitched for an instant before she pressed her lips together.

“…Sorry. I touched you accidentally. Did it hurt?”

Lü Zhongcai turned her face away.

“No. Apply the medicine quickly.”

Jin Sique unscrewed the ointment tube, dipped a cotton swab into it, and gently spread it across Lü Zhongcai’s wrist.

She was completely focused.

Lü Zhongcai lowered her eyes and stared at the fine, nearly invisible hairs along Jin Sique’s forehead and cheeks.

Jin Sique looked up.

Their eyes met.

Her long lashes fluttered as she asked, “Is there something on my face?”

Lü Zhongcai did not answer.

She merely looked away, picked up her phone with her other hand, and began replying to messages.

The Human Resources manager had sent her an update.

She was still at the dining table, subtly drawing information from Du Mengzhen.

Lü Zhongcai’s temporary departure had been perfectly timed. It reduced Fang Zhiming’s suspicions, while no one at the meal knew that the woman was an HR manager from LE.

“It’s done.”

Jin Sique carefully lowered Lü Zhongcai’s sleeve, making sure the outer fabric did not touch the treated skin.

Lü Zhongcai made a soft sound of acknowledgment.

The burning sensation on her skin had been replaced by a cool, soothing feeling.

She stood.

“Thank you.”

Jin Sique shook her head, put away the burn ointment, and handed the entire bag to Lü Zhongcai.

“Apply it three times a day.”

“Mm.”

Lü Zhongcai accepted it and picked up the cane beside the bench.

“Let’s go back.”

“I’ll support you.”

Jin Sique held out her hand, but Lü Zhongcai avoided it.

“There’s no need.”

Jin Sique: “…”

Lü Zhongcai’s leg had mostly recovered.

With the assistance of her cane, her slight limp was now almost impossible to notice.

“Are you thinking that she still cares about you?” 052 mocked.

Lü Zhongcai said nothing and continued toward the hotel.

“You’ll give up eventually,” 052 said.

Lü Zhongcai looked back at Jin Sique.

Jin Sique immediately stopped and returned her curious gaze, silently asking ​unauthorized copy​whether something was wrong.

Lü Zhongcai withdrew her eyes.

When they arrived outside the private dining room, Jin Sique remained two steps behind.

After Lü Zhongcai entered, she turned and went toward the restroom.

Jin Sique opened the faucet and brought her fingers to her nose.

A faint medicinal scent remained on them.

She lowered her brows, dispensed some hand soap, and scrubbed forcefully.

She washed her hands twice.

Only after confirming that the smell had disappeared did she return to the private room.

Someone knocked lightly.

Jin Sique pushed aside the room’s decorative screen.

“My apologies.”

She inclined her body slightly and smiled with shy embarrassment.

Then she said toward Lü Zhongcai, “President Lü has returned.”

With that single sentence, she instantly severed any suggestion of ambiguity caused by their leaving and returning one after the other.

Fang Zhiming had intended to tease them but could only swallow the words.

Du Mengzhen looked at Jin Sique and asked quietly, “Are you all right? You were gone for a long time.”

Jin Sique shook her head.

“I’m fine.”

Du Mengzhen smiled, leaned closer, and affectionately rubbed Jin Sique’s head.

“President Lü is back.”

Fang Zhiming stood with his glass raised.

“Then let’s have a toast to welcome Mengzhen home!”

The Human Resources manager was the first to stand and loudly agree.

Director Lu held a glass of juice, her eyes reddening once more.

Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together.

Lü Zhongcai glanced toward Du Mengzhen.

Du Mengzhen smiled brightly.

“Thank you!”

An Alpha’s senses were extremely sharp.

Du Mengzhen clearly noticed Lü Zhongcai watching her, so she lifted her glass slightly in acknowledgment before drinking first.

Lü Zhongcai nodded and likewise emptied her glass.

—

When dinner ended, the executive assistant had already settled the bill.

Lü Zhongcai remained several steps behind the others, speaking with the Human Resources manager.

“She works in computer technology. Her technical and management abilities both appear strong…”

The manager lowered her voice.

“She also mentioned several awards and certificates during the conversation.”

“President Lü, I think she seems fairly suitable.”

Lü Zhongcai gave the manager a deep look.

That single glance made the Beta, who was half a head shorter than Lü Zhongcai, feel cold all over.

The manager immediately became frightened.

“Wh-What’s wrong, Boss?”

Lü Zhongcai gave her a sidelong glance and walked out of the restaurant.

Beside the road, Fang Zhiming was speaking with Du Mengzhen.

Jin Sique waited nearby with her arm linked through Director Lu’s.

“Will you stay at my place?” Fang Zhiming asked Du Mengzhen.

Du Mengzhen glanced behind herself before smiling.

“I’ll take Sique and Director Mom home first.”

At that moment, another car arrived.

It belonged to Fang Zhiming’s other driver.

The driver got out and bowed courteously to Du Mengzhen.

Fang Zhiming nodded.

“I’ll leave the driver with you.”

Then he greeted Lü Zhongcai.

“President Lü, would you like to listen to some opera?”

Lü Zhongcai smiled faintly.

“No, thank you. Have a safe journey, Mr. Fang.”

Fang Zhiming entered his car and departed.

Du Mengzhen remained behind.

Neither humble nor arrogant, she opened the door and gestured for Director Lu and Jin Sique to enter.

Then she walked toward Lü Zhongcai and bent down to open the car door before her.

“President Lü, I apologize for troubling you today. You know what my teacher is like. He enjoys making grand arrangements.”

Lü Zhongcai gave a faint smile and sat inside.

“He has helped me several times. With today’s favor, I’ve repaid all my old debts to him.”

Du Mengzhen clearly understood the implication.

“I hope President Lü will look after me in the future.”

“Don’t be so hasty.”

Lü Zhongcai leaned casually against the seat, picked up a document beside her, and handed it to Du Mengzhen.

“At present, your team consists of no one except its commander.”

“This is a list of personnel. If you can recruit them, you may officially assume the position at any time.”

Du Mengzhen raised an eyebrow and accepted the document.

“Understood.”

Lü Zhongcai made a soft sound.

She waved one hand.

Her shirt cuff slid upward with the motion, revealing a section of wrist coated in ointment.

The gesture indicated that Du Mengzhen should close the door.

Du Mengzhen inclined her body.

Her gaze briefly passed over Lü Zhongcai’s wrist before she shut the door and watched the car leave.

Night deepened.

No stars could be seen in City A’s sky.

Only streams of vehicle lights wound through the darkness like fireflies, their origins invisible unauthorized copyand their destinations impossible to find.

—

Du Mengzhen left the orphanage dormitory building.

When she walked out of the orphanage, Jin Sique was leaning against a large tree beside the entrance, staring blankly at the night sky.

“Sique.”

Du Mengzhen called softly.

Jin Sique turned and straightened.

“Sister Meng, has Director Mom fallen asleep?”

“She has.”

Du Mengzhen smiled and approached Jin Sique, brushing aside a low-hanging branch above her head.

“Would you like to take a walk?”

Jin Sique smiled.

“All right.”

“I can take you home afterward. Where do you live now?” Du Mengzhen asked.

“Jing—”

Jin Sique froze and immediately corrected herself.

“I’m staying in Fenghe Residential Complex. It’s about an hour away on foot.”

Du Mengzhen hailed a taxi and opened the door.

“I’ll take you.”

Half an hour later, the taxi stopped outside Fenghe Residential Complex.

Jin Sique got out with her small bag over one shoulder.

“Then I’ll…”

“Let’s talk for a while.”

Du Mengzhen smiled, handed the driver some cash, and asked Jin Sique, “Are you tired?”

Jin Sique rapidly shook her head.

“Are you tired? Do you need to adjust to the time difference?”

“Silly girl, don’t underestimate an Alpha.”

Du Mengzhen laughed softly and tucked her ear-length hair behind one ear.

“Sique, are you an Omega?”

Jin Sique felt her face heating.

She nodded and quickened her pace by two steps.

“Mm. I differentiated when I was fifteen.”

Du Mengzhen watched the Omega’s beautiful figure from behind and smiled.

“You were so tiny when you were young. Now you’ve grown into a great beauty.”

Suddenly, the atmosphere became subtly ambiguous.

“You live here?”

Du Mengzhen looked around the complex.

The urban-village apartment environment was poor.

Small advertisements were pasted everywhere, and discarded flyers littered the ground.

A trace of embarrassment appeared on Jin Sique’s face.

“It’s the university holiday, so I’m temporarily staying with a friend.”

Du Mengzhen looked at her.

The smile in her eyes gradually faded.

“How have you lived all these years?”

Jin Sique’s steps abruptly became heavy.

She stopped and waited for Du Mengzhen to catch up.

With her head lowered, she asked softly, “I’ve been well. What about you? Have you been all right abroad?”

“I’ve been fine.”

Du Mengzhen smiled boldly.

“When I was a teenager, my adoptive parents’ company encountered a financial crisis, and we fled in a hurry.”

“To prevent creditors from pursuing us, I had no choice but to abandon all my friends and family and leave the country.”

“During that time, I changed my contact information repeatedly. I traveled from country to country, studying while wandering, until the legal limitation period expired.”

Jin Sique stood still and stared at Du Mengzhen in astonishment.

Du Mengzhen raised an eyebrow and looked at her calmly.

“That was my life for the past ten years. Surprised?”

Jin Sique’s eyes reddened.

“Don’t cry.”

Du Mengzhen moved closer, wrapped an arm around Jin Sique’s shoulders, and drew her into an embrace.

“I’m sorry, Sique. I didn’t contact you for so many years.”

“I merely felt that a wandering life wasn’t worth speaking about, and I didn’t know what I should say to you.”

“I thought that if you were living well, perhaps I had even less reason to disturb you…”

Du Mengzhen smiled bitterly.

Jin Sique tightly embraced her.

Tears fell one after another onto Du Mengzhen’s shoulder.

At last, she recovered the familiarity of childhood.

They were like two small birds sheltering against each other beneath a torrential storm.

No matter how fierce the wind or heavy the rain, they still possessed one another, as though the other person were their only support beneath heaven and earth.

Du Mengzhen held Jin Sique and repeatedly stroked the Omega’s back in comfort.

“All right, all right. Don’t cry.”

“It’s all in the past. Don’t cry…”

Jin Sique cried even harder.

It was as though she had suffered unbearable grievances.

All the pain from the past and present, together with the suppressed joy and anxiety of seeing Du Mengzhen again, poured outunauthorized copy uncontrollably in that instant.

“See? Have you finally given up?”

Beneath the trees outside the apartment complex, Lü Zhongcai watched the entire scene.

052 continued, “Wake up.”

“To the black lotus, Du Mengzhen is the person who can truly understand her, cherish her, and share her pain.”

Lü Zhongcai slowly exhaled.

Her bent fingers curled slightly and rubbed against one another.

It was the habitual movement she made whenever her nicotine craving returned.