Lin Zhiyi didn’t know how long she had stood there until Liu He’s call came in.
"Mom."
"Zhiyi, why did Old Mr. Gong ask me to take you to the hospital? What happened?" Liu He’s voice was full of worry.
Lin Zhiyi looked up at the pale ceiling, fully aware of Old Mr. Gong’s intentions.
She said somewhat helplessly, "Mom, it’s nothing, just wait for me at the hospital."
"Okay."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Zhiyi saw Xue Man approaching.
"What are you all doing? Why aren’t you going to the meeting?"
Worried about causing trouble, everyone entered the conference room. freewebnoveℓ.com
Lin Zhiyi walked up to Xue Man and apologized, "I’m sorry, President Xue, I would like to ask for some time off."
"Go ahead, deal with your matters first," Xue Man said, not blaming her. She glanced at her neck, took off her own scarf, and handed it to her, "Cover it up."
Hearing this, Lin Zhiyi looked down and realized that the scarf had been torn off by Song Wanqiu long ago, leaving behind ambiguous kiss marks after the bite marks had faded.
No wonder her colleagues looked at her so strangely.
But was this her fault?
Lin Zhiyi touched her neck, then the detestable scarf.
Finally, she directly tore off the scarf, and in front of Xue Man, gathered her disheveled hair into a high tie, completely exposing the marks on her neck.
"President Xue, no need, we’re all adults, no need for such alarm," she said defiantly.
Xue Man was slightly stunned but showed a hint of admiration in her eyes.
She did not take back her scarf but tied it to Lin Zhiyi’s hair tie instead.
"It looks better this way."
"Um, I’ll be going now."
Having said that, Lin Zhiyi turned and left.
Xue Man watched her leave and took out her phone to reply to a message.
...
At the hospital.
Lin Zhiyi arrived outside the room number Liu He had sent and was about to knock when she heard Song Wanqiu’s sobbing voice.
"Old Mr. Gong, please don’t be angry, it’s all my fault for getting injured at such a crucial time."
What critical time?
It must be referring to the good rumors spreading online.
Indeed, an injury would be unlucky at such a time.
Song Wanqiu sniffled a bit more before continuing, "It’s all my fault, I shouldn’t have been so talkative and upset Zhiyi, but I didn’t expect her to be so bold in private. I’ve never seen anything like it, so I felt compelled to remind her."
Old Mr. Gong’s angry and commanding voice immediately followed from within the room.
"She’s been unruly at the core, and now she’s audacious enough to harm others! Saying it out loud, people would think the Gong Family taught her to be like this."
Implying that Liu He was a poor example to her daughter.
Lin Zhiyi couldn’t stand to listen any longer and pushed the door open.
The loud noise startled everyone inside, even causing Song Wanqiu to gasp and forget cry.
Seeing how Lin Zhiyi was dressed, the people inside were somewhat taken aback.
During her way here, many people had looked at Lin Zhiyi this way, but now she felt indifferent about it.
She walked to Liu He’s side, and said in a cold voice, "Old Mr. Gong, in a fair tribunal, both sides must be heard. Since when can guilt be assigned based on one-sided statements?"
"You..." Old Mr. Gong clearly didn’t expect Lin Zhiyi to openly retort.
Lin Zhiyi, raising her neck and purposely revealing the marks, scoffed, "Miss Song is so interested in the marks on my neck, then I’ll let you have a good look. When did minding others’ business become so honorable?"
Song Wanqiu choked, too angry to speak for a while.
Lin Zhiyi took a deep breath and self-mockingly smiled, "Old Mr. Gong, you neither gave birth to me nor raised me. You didn’t participate in any of the hardships, nor did you see a single bit of it, so what gives you the right to speak against my mother!"
"If you dare, next time you feel unwell, don’t seek my mother first to care for you all night long! Whenever the Gong Family has good fortune, even the servants get their share of credit, but my mother and I are seen as having ulterior motives when we receive anything. If anything bad happens, it’s all pointed fingers and sarcastic remarks. What gives you the right?"
"Lin Zhiyi!" Gong Chen crossed others, grabbed her, and warned her coldly, "Shut up."
Lin Zhiyi pushed him away forcefully, her eyes red with fury, "Telling me to shut up! Then you say it! Say it! Aren’t you good at threatening people? Now speechless? What gives you the right to tell me to shut up?"
From the moment she walked in, he had been protecting Song Wanqiu.
Everyone was pressuring her!
Gong Chen stared at her, emotionless, cold as ice, chilling like the wind and snow.
"Lin Zhiyi, that’s enough. Don’t just focus on being sharp-tongued."
Hearing this, Lin Zhiyi instinctively looked at Liu He, who was shivering and didn’t even dare to make a sound crying.
Lin Zhiyi then realized that no matter how much she said, she couldn’t escape.
She swallowed, her throat dry, walked to the foot of Song Wanqiu’s bed, and faced Song Wanqiu’s eyes, brimming with tears yet filled with triumph.
"I’m sorry."
"What did you say, Zhiyi?" Song Wanqiu covered her head, "My head was injured, and I feel like I can’t hear very well."
Lin Zhiyi didn’t want to repeat it, but Old Mr. Gong’s gaze flicked toward Liu He.
She had no choice, her trembling lips uttered those three words.
"I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!"
She laughed coldly, looking at everyone, each word louder than the last until the whole room was filled with her chilling tone.
"Is that loud enough? Or should it be louder, Third Madam?"
Song Wanqiu was taken aback and looked at Gong Chen, seemingly waiting for his nod.
Gong Chen, expressionless, nodded slightly, the surface of his eyes rippling lightly, seemingly calm yet with an undercurrent stirring.
Song Wanqiu couldn’t hold back her smile any longer, "Zhiyi, I forgive you. After all, I’ll be your elder soon. Why would I hold a grudge against you?"
Lin Zhiyi didn’t speak, pulled Liu He along, and passed by Gong Chen to leave the hospital room.
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