Chapter 15: A Troublesome Companion and Dark Revelations

“What did you say to them?”

As Lin Qing spoke, he turned his head to the empty hospital bed next to him, wondering what Su Yao had done to Wu Gang and the others.

Wu Gang’s expression, in particular, as he left the room—a look that clearly said, ‘I understand’—had left Lin Qing utterly bewildered. He had only been a step too slow, yet now countless questions plagued him.

Wu Gang and his girlfriend, Wang Lingling, had departed the hospital looking like a pair of stealthy thieves or secret agents, all due to Su Yao’s specific instructions. They were not to be discovered by the hospital staff.

Surprisingly, neither of them had complained; instead, their faces had been alight with excitement. This only deepened Lin Qing’s confusion.

“Want to know? Kiss me, and I’ll tell you.”

Lin Qing merely huffed in exasperation.

Su Yao, seated beside the hospital bed, was far from cooperative. As she spoke, she lifted a hand to unfasten the top button of her collar, revealing a glimpse of alabaster cleavage.

Yet, Lin Qing remained utterly unmoved by the sight. Instead, a look of profound distaste crossed his face.

Though his long fringe obscured much of his face, the subtle twitch at the corner of his lips was impossible to hide. Su Yao merely smiled, completely unfazed by his reaction.

Still, a flicker of curiosity stirred within her.

“Lin Qing, are you gay?”

“No.”

“You’re not interested in women?”

“I’m just not interested in *you*.”

Lin Qing’s impatience was palpable in his words; he had effectively killed the conversation. If he could, he would undoubtedly have ejected Su Yao from the room.

Alas, Su Yao was like stubborn taffy—once she stuck, she refused to be removed.

Forcibly removing her would come at no small cost. For instance, she might go directly to Li Mei and spill secrets.

Su Yao, the madwoman, was certainly capable of such a thing.

Thus, Lin Qing chose to compromise, even if it meant sharing a room with her through the night.

He had to endure.

“Those words wound me deeply. Am I not beautiful?”

Yet, Lin Qing’s coldness didn’t bother Su Yao in the slightest.

She rather enjoyed seeing Lin Qing’s helpless frustration, even as he detested her.

‘So cute~’

Still, Lin Qing’s hair was quite an eyesore. Was it because he was too ugly?

Yet, observing his slightly pointed chin, his elegant lips, and the overall almond-shaped contours of his face—even with his eyes perpetually hidden—he didn’t strike her as an ugly man.

Moreover, his appearance wasn’t an issue for her.

After all, she was beautiful enough for both of them.

As long as he was interesting, even an unattractive man was acceptable. The sole requirement was that he must never bore her.

“Su Yao, are you truly that idle?”

As Su Yao leaned towards him once more, Lin Qing raised a hand to grasp her arm, preventing her from falling against him, and then spoke with serious intent.

If Su Yao had nothing better to do, she could go for a run or exercise to expend her excess energy.

There was no need for her to waste her time with him.

“I am indeed quite idle, and I can’t go out either, or the decoy I arranged earlier would have been all for naught!”

With another flirtatious attempt foiled, Su Yao sat upright, propping her chin on one hand. Her dewy eyes blinked, signaling her complete agreement with Lin Qing’s assessment.

‘She was truly bored out of her mind!’

‘Why was the killer dragging their feet so much?’

‘Just get on with the killing already!’

To wait until nightfall was simply torturous.

Hearing Su Yao’s words, Lin Qing recalled the female student they had paid to impersonate Su Yao, deliberately turning and leaving the hospital in front of Li Mei to create confusion.

It was precisely for this reason that Su Yao couldn’t leave the hospital room, confined to staying with Lin Qing.

Of course, she was quite content to share a room with him, showing no hint of impatience.

As for why she wasn’t worried about someone suddenly entering, the reason was simple: two bodyguards stood guard at the door, strictly preventing anyone from mistakenly entering the room.

Even if a doctor or nurse wished to enter, one bodyguard would first be dispatched to inquire and confirm their identity before allowing them in.

Lin Qing believed that the increased bodyguard presence would, in fact, hinder the progress of Li Mei’s murderous plot.

The heightened difficulty would prevent her from gaining access to the room to commit the act.

Su Yao, however, held a different view, convinced that Li Mei would come tonight.

Even if all circumstances conspired against her, it wouldn’t deter Li Mei’s murderous intent.

The reason was quite simple.

Concerned that the cafeteria dispute might cause trouble for Lin Qing, Su Yao had hired high-level bodyguards to stand guard. This grand, unreserved gesture had quickly spread among the nurses.

It had been perceived as a blatant, high-profile display of affection.

This had only served to further agitate Li Mei’s already volatile heart.

After all, her ex-boyfriend had succumbed to the financial allure of a wealthy woman, abandoning Li Mei for someone else. He had even sent her explicit photos of himself with other women late at night, along with pictures of various luxury cars, as a means of showing off.

It was as if he was flaunting to his ex how wonderfully he was living.

Compared to a frugal life filled with careful calculations, a life of lavish spending was undeniably more comfortable.

It was this persistent harassment from her ex-boyfriend that had driven the already obsessive Li Mei to become even more extreme.

Of course, if he had merely been an ordinary boyfriend, Li Mei wouldn’t have devolved to this state.

Her ex-boyfriend was her childhood sweetheart; they had grown up together, spending over twenty years by each other’s side. Yet, their bond had ultimately proven no match for the allure of wealth, for the mundane necessities of life.

What was even more ludicrous was that Li Mei and her ex-boyfriend had once discussed marriage, coming agonizingly close to tying the knot.

However, that slight margin had led to a complete rupture, leaving nothing as it once was.

After being abandoned by her ex, Li Mei had changed, developing a deep aversion to couples who flaunted their affection and to the romances of the wealthy.

It drove her to an desperate desire to kill, to utterly eradicate these detestable couples.

Upon hearing Li Mei’s motive for murder from Su Yao, Lin Qing froze, dumbfounded. He hadn’t imagined that Su Yao could have uncovered the full story in such a short span of time.

‘The investigative capabilities of a large corporation were indeed formidable!’

‘Yet, Su Yao’s perception was incredibly sharp. Could it be a mutual attraction between kindred spirits?’

He recalled how Su Yao had only met Nurse Li Mei once, immediately sensed her abnormality, then decisively initiated an investigation, and subsequently returned to the hospital.

At this very moment, Lin Qing began to regret ever having considered calling Su Yao.

He had a nagging suspicion that Su Yao was far more troublesome than the murderous nurse.

“Are you spacing out?”

Just as Lin Qing was contemplating Su Yao’s formidable nature, her voice suddenly resonated beside his ear.

Lin Qing instinctively turned his head towards the sound, only to find himself plunging into a sea of white.

While he had been lost in thought, Su Yao had silently moved closer.

Unable to breathe, Lin Qing lifted his hands to push Su Yao away, but before his fingers could even touch her, her hands wrapped around his.

Their fingers intertwined, trapping his hands as if they were bound by heavy shackles.

“Since we’re both so bored, why don’t we do something… enjoyable?”

By the time Lin Qing finally managed to escape the fate of being smothered, lifting his head to gasp for air, Su Yao’s teasing voice echoed once more.

The words landed in Lin Qing’s ears, and his heart immediately plummeted.