Chapter 42 — Impressive!

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"Don't think I'll cave just because you dangle a pair of big breasts in front of my eyes. I'd rather go home and watch *porn*." Wei Zhao curled his lip. "First, you were the one pressing on my wound—if you hadn't pressed, would I have yelled? Don't play the thief crying 'stop thief.' Second, use your head: what makes you think that just because you're a woman, you're unfit to be seen? All are equal before the law—does being a woman make you unequal? You say you're unfit to be seen, but what about me? How am I supposed to be seen?"

Qiu Lingshan was stunned; she hadn't expected Wei Zhao to have so many arguments. She wanted to say, can a girl and a boy really be the same? But Wei Zhao's phrase "all are equal" stopped her mouth dead.

After all, she was a legal worker herself. If she spoke of inequality, wouldn't that be lifting a stone only to drop it on her own foot?

Qiu Lingshan was so furious she pointed at Wei Zhao for a long while, then finally let her hand fall in defeat. What was wrong with her today? Qiu Lingshan drew a deep breath. Was this really the usual her?

The usual Qiu Lingshan was always calm and almost never lost her temper over anything, yet today, in front of Wei Zhao, she had repeatedly lost her composure. It was all that wretched Wei Zhao's fault—always dredging up her shortcomings; otherwise she wouldn't have been this angry.

At that thought, Qiu Lingshan's head cleared considerably. Indeed, Wei Zhao was right: if she hadn't wanted to play a trick and touch his wound, he wouldn't have cried out. If he hadn't cried out, and she hadn't touched his wound, then naturally no one would have misunderstood anything.

Everything today could be said to be entirely her own doing, and Wei Zhao was not to blame at all. Though deeply unhappy about it, Qiu Lingshan still lowered her proud head. "I lost my composure. Shall we take your statement now?"

"All right." Wei Zhao hadn't expected this Miss Song to change into a different person all at once, and marveled inwardly.

"Your name?" Qiu Lingshan had recovered her usual cold-faced manner, as if the girl who had been so angry a moment ago were not her at all.

"Wei Zhao." Wei Zhao answered cooperatively. He didn't want to make things hard for Qiu Lingshan either; what he'd said just now was only to get back at her for hurting his wound. In truth, a girl suffering such a misunderstanding was far more wronged than a boy would be. It was just like how Shen Yushu had misunderstood him this morning—though that hadn't affected Wei Zhao's normal life in the slightest, and that girl Shen Yushu hadn't really looked down on him for it.

"Age?" Qiu Lingshan continued.

"Eighteen—just come of age." Wei Zhao smiled.

Qiu Lingshan's face flushed at once. She felt that Wei Zhao's words and smile carried some hidden meaning, as if implying that when she'd helped him with that just now, he was already of age, and she wasn't molesting an underage boy… Ah, no, she was going mad. Qiu Lingshan felt her head swelling up. At this rate, there was no way she could work with any focus.

It seemed her mindset still hadn't been adjusted properly. Once Brother Yang Huaijun came back, Qiu Lingshan planned to ask him for some proper guidance. Because she had never once seen Yang Huaijun show joy or anger on his face—Captain Yang seemed always calm and steady, which Qiu Lingshan admired immensely.

"Tell me about the situation at the bank," Qiu Lingshan sighed and said to Wei Zhao.

After finishing Wei Zhao's statement, Qiu Lingshan hurried out of the hospital under the flickering, suspicious, and contemptuous gazes of Uncle Qing, Gu Mengyao, and Shen Yushu. Qiu Lingshan felt her face was like a great fireball, hot and red.

"Mr. Lin, you're all right now?" Seeing that Wei Zhao could already get out of bed, Uncle Qing was somewhat surprised. A gunshot wound should take at least a few days, shouldn't it?

"I'm fine." Wei Zhao shook his head.

"Impressive—twice in one day." As Shen Yushu passed by Wei Zhao, she gave a sneaky grin and said in a low voice.

"Huh?" Wei Zhao was taken aback, then realized what Shen Yushu meant, and was caught between laughter and tears. Twice in one day, indeed—both times had been misunderstandings!

Gu Mengyao said nothing. She gave Wei Zhao a cold glance, then without a word took Shen Yushu's hand and left the ward.

"That's just Yao-yao's temperament—Mr. Lin, please don't take offense." Only after Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu had gone did Uncle Qing pat Wei Zhao's shoulder and say, "Today's business—thanks to you. Once Mr. Gu returns, I'll certainly put in a good word for you."

"No need." Wei Zhao smiled. "Mr. Gu gave me so much money; naturally I have to be worthy of it."

"Heh heh." Uncle Qing laughed happily. "Be that as it may, today we owe it all to you."

"Uncle Qing, this matter isn't so simple. According to that bald fellow, a man called Brother Cihua put them up to it. Their operation this time was probably robbery of the bank as a cover—kidnapping Gu Mengyao was the real objective," Wei Zhao said. "I don't know what the people behind this are actually after, but I think it needs investigating. The police alone won't be enough."

"Mm, I understand. I'll speak to Mr. Gu about this," Uncle Qing said with a nod. He had his own suspicions too. Gu Mengyao had been kidnapped precisely during the period when Mr. Gu was away—could there be some connection between the two?

Wei Zhao said no more. This was, after all, a family matter, and he could only go so far.

In the hospital parking lot, Wei Zhao saw Qiu Lingshan drive past in her police car. He smiled at her; she shot him a glare, and instead of stopping, pressed harder on the accelerator.

Wei Zhao and Uncle Qing got into the car together. Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu were already sitting in the back, talking about something, but the moment Uncle Qing and Wei Zhao climbed in, they closed their mouths. For a while the atmosphere in the car turned rather stifling.

What Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu had been discussing in the car was the question of Wei Zhao. Gu Mengyao's position was firm—she wanted him gone—but Shen Yushu thought it wasn't bad having him around, if only because there was breakfast every day.

That infuriated Gu Mengyao. Was food all she ever thought about? The family's hotel had plenty of master chefs on its payroll—did they really need to depend on this half-baked yokel Wei Zhao?

And so the two fell silent, and once Wei Zhao got in, the silence only deepened.

Uncle Qing again parked at the gate of Gu Mengyao's villa. It seemed Shen Yushu was going to be living with Gu Mengyao from now on, so he simply didn't bother stopping at Shen Yushu's house.

The three got out, and Uncle Qing drove off. He still had to go to the hotel to prepare meals for the three children—and in his eyes, Wei Zhao was a child too.

"Stop." The instant Wei Zhao was about to step through the villa's front door, Gu Mengyao called him back.

"What is it?" Wei Zhao turned around. He might tease Qiu Lingshan, but toward Gu Mengyao he still maintained a certain respect. She was, after all, his employer; his duty was to accompany her in her studies and daily life and to bring her happiness. So his attitude had always been excellent.