I Wish To Never Leave Your Side - Chapter 28

The cold wind howled all night, and she didn’t sleep a wink.

Qiu Yan finally endured until daybreak. First, she sent a text message to Aunt Liu’s phone, saying that she might not be able to visit Yuanyuan for a while. After receiving Aunt Liu’s reply, Qiu Yan deleted the chat history and then called the film crew.

After washing up, she took a small cake out of the refrigerator, but she had no appetite at all. In the end, she put the cake back.

Qiu Yan sat on the sofa, hugging her knees, and looked up toward the security door.

After an unknown amount of time, her eyes filled with determination. She pushed herself up from the sofa, grabbed her coat and bag, and abruptly pulled open the door.

Two men were still standing at the door, but they were not the same ones from the day before.

“Miss Qiu, where are you going?”

“To buy groceries.” Qiu Yan clutched the strap of her bag tightly, her face stern.

“We’ll accompany you.”

In the elevator, the two men in suits stood on either side of Qiu Yan, making the already cramped space feel even more suffocating.

As she stepped out of the building entrance and headed toward the community gate, a black Mercedes van pulled up in front of her.

“No need, I’ll take the bus myself.” Qiu Yan tried to walk around the front of the vehicle but was stopped by one of the suited men.

“Miss Qiu, President Mo has arranged for the car and instructed us to protect you at all times. Please don’t make things difficult for us.”

The suited man opened the rear door for Qiu Yan. “Please, Miss Qiu.”

Qiu Yan took a deep breath and got in.

“Where would you like to buy groceries?”

“There’s enough food at home. I’d like to take a walk in the park.” Qiu Yan looked up at the suited man, as if deliberately challenging him. “Is that alright?”

“Of course, Miss Qiu.”

The van headed toward the park, passing by the house where Yuanyuan lived. At this hour, Aunt Liu should have been taking Yuanyuan out for a stroll. Qiu Yan calmly gazed out the window, but her eyes were anxiously searching for any sign of Yuanyuan.

By the time the vehicle had passed, Qiu Yan still hadn’t seen Yuanyuan. She leaned back against the seat, letting the scenery flash by outside the window.

When they arrived at the park, Qiu Yan got out and walked aimlessly forward. No matter which way she went, the two suited men followed closely behind.

Seeing this, Qiu Yan deliberately headed toward crowded areas. However, the elderly people strolling around were intimidated by the scene and gave her a wide berth.

“What could possibly happen to me while I’m walking in the park? Can’t you take a break?” Qiu Yan turned around and spoke coldly to the two men.

The men lowered their heads slightly but said nothing, continuing to follow her.

Qiu Yan had no choice but to turn back and keep walking. Suddenly, she spotted two stray cats. Her eyes lit up, and she crouched down.

As a child, she had often played with stray cats and had a way with small animals. These two cats were not afraid of her and slowly came over to rub against her pant legs.

Qiu Yan finally smiled and was about to reach out to pet them when the two cats suddenly ran off.

She looked back and saw that the two men had approached, scaring the cats away.

Qiu Yan stood up and let out a soft sigh. “I don’t feel like walking anymore. Let’s go back.”

“Very well.”

One of the men spoke into his earpiece and then looked at Qiu Yan. “The car is waiting for you at the nearest exit.”

“Thank you.” Qiu Yan nodded and began walking slowly forward.

…

“President Mo, Zhao Qiulin still hasn’t been found, but we can confirm it was definitely Mo Licheng’s doing,” Bai Hua reported while standing beside Mo Lishen.

“Hmm.” Mo Lishen closed the fountain pen in her hand. “How are his wife and daughter doing?”

“Not well. His wife is extremely emotionally unstable.”

“I’ll visit them when I have time.” Mo Lishen’s eyes darkened.

Mo Lishen let out a breath. “How is Qiu Yan?”

Her tone noticeably brightened when she asked this.

“She went for a walk in the park today but returned shortly after.”

“Alright. Send me a list of restaurants that make good spicy dishes.”

“Understood.”

That evening, Mo Lishen returned to Qingshui Bay carrying takeout.

“President Mo.” The man standing at the door greeted her.

Mo Lishen nodded and entered the passcode herself.

When the door opened, the apartment was completely dark.

Mo Lishen’s heart tightened, and she quickly switched on all the lights.

Qiu Yan’s small figure was curled up on the sofa, looking slender and fragile.

Mo Lishen’s clenched fist gradually relaxed.

The sudden brightness made Qiu Yan uncomfortable. She raised a hand to shield her eyes, squinting to see who had arrived.

“You’re back. I’ll serve the rice.” Qiu Yan forced a faint smile and slipped on her shoes to get up.

Mo Lishen responded indifferently, feeling a dull ache in her chest seeing her like this.

During the meal, Mo Lishen served Qiu Yan some food. “I heard this restaurant is quite good. You should try it.”

“Thank you, President Mo.” Qiu Yan obediently ate.

Mo Lishen frowned, as if she hadn’t heard such distant words here in a long time.

She didn’t serve her any more food after that. The meal proceeded in silence, carrying an unfamiliar sense of detachment compared to before.

After dinner, Mo Lishen worked as usual while Qiu Yan sat beside her reading, still without any communication.

“Come here.” Mo Lishen lifted her arm, inviting Qiu Yan to sit in her lap.

Qiu Yan moved mechanically at her command, like a marionette with its strings held by Mo Lishen.

As usual, Mo Lishen pulled Qiu Yan into her embrace and buried her face in the crook of her neck. But instead of the usual satisfaction, she felt increasingly hollow the longer she held her.

Frowning, Mo Lishen pushed Qiu Yan away slightly.

She lifted her chin, forcing her to look directly into her eyes, gazing into those brown pools.

Her eyes were flat and lifeless, devoid of their usual joy. Like a bird with broken wings, her gaze was dim and lifeless.

Mo Lishen suddenly found it all meaningless. She gently pushed her face away without a word, picked up her laptop, and left the apartment.

…

“President Mo?”

Bai Hua, sitting in the passenger seat, had been hoping to rest but was interrupted when Mo Lishen returned, at least an hour earlier than usual.

“Take me back to my place.” Mo Lishen shoved her laptop into the back seat, clearly angry.

Bai Hua quickly straightened up, adjusted her slipping silver glasses, and cautiously gauged Mo Lishen’s mood. “Did Miss Qiu Yan upset you?”

Such a question would normally provoke Mo Lishen’s ire, and Bai Hua braced herself for a scolding.

“Since when does a little bird dare to defy me?” Mo Lishen’s chest heaved as she turned to look out the window.

“Miss Qiu Yan might not understand your good intentions. Suddenly having people follow her probably frightened her,” Bai Hua ventured, carefully watching Mo Lishen’s expression.

“You’re getting bolder,” Mo Lishen snorted coldly.

Bai Hua stifled a laugh and instructed the driver to start the car.

Over the next few days, Mo Lishen didn’t return to Qingshui Bay. On one hand, she was still upset with Qiu Yan, and on the other, she was genuinely busy.

During these days, Qiu Yan continued to use her morning walks in the park as an excuse. Fortunately, she finally caught a glimpse of Yuanyuan once. Yuanyuan was still wearing her little yellow duck hat and carrying her small water bottle, holding Aunt Liu’s hand as they walked.

Yuanyuan had lost weight, and Qiu Yan wondered how much her hair had grown.

In the evenings, Qiu Yan resisted the urge to message Yuanyuan on WeChat. She feared that the more they communicated, the more Yuanyuan would miss her. Occasionally, Aunt Liu would send a few photos of Yuanyuan, which Qiu Yan would stare at for a long time before deleting them the next morning, careful not to leave any evidence that Mo Lishen might discover.

Qiu Yan kept her gaze fixed out the window until the redness in the corners of her eyes faded before daring to look elsewhere.

She wasn’t in the mood for a stroll but merely walked a loop around the park before heading to the nearest exit to return to Qingshui Bay.

It felt like being a pet on a leash, taken out for a walk once a day.

The park’s large screen broadcasted local news, reporting that Zhao Qiulin had been found in a basement, barely alive, and was immediately rushed to Central Hospital. The case was still under investigation.

A basement?

Qiu Yan’s pupils trembled.

“What’s the use of earning so much money if you’re about to lose your life? The Mo family is a mess, and that Mo Lishen doesn’t seem like a good person.”

“Keep your voice down. Aren’t the police still investigating?”

“You really don’t know what kind of person Mo Lishen is. She’s probably busy these days bribing people to cover this up.”

“Maybe she doesn’t even need to bribe anyone…”

It was true that Mo Lishen hadn’t visited for several days. Qiu Yan glanced back at the two men in suits, who stood motionless as if they hadn’t heard the gossip, waiting for her.

Qiu Yan felt nothing but fear, as if the leash were tightening around her neck, suffocating her.

Back at Qingshui Bay, Qiu Yan lay on the sofa and drifted into a long, unsettling dream.

In the dream, Mo Lishen’s face was twisted with rage as she fastened an iron chain around Qiu Yan’s neck, dragging her into a blood-soaked basement.

A thin blade in Mo Lishen’s hand pointed at Qiu Yan’s ear. Just as Qiu Yan watched her gather strength to strike, she jolted awake in terror.

It was completely dark outside, with only faint moonlight illuminating the room. Qiu Yan propped herself up on the sofa, intending to fetch a glass of water from the kitchen.

As she stood, she sensed something in front of her. Rubbing her eyes, she realized a pair of eyes were fixed on her.

“Ah!” Qiu Yan screamed, frantically grabbing something to shield herself as she scrambled backward.

“It’s me.”

The room suddenly brightened as Mo Lishen switched on the light, standing beside the coffee table.

But Qiu Yan didn’t relax in the slightest; her expression grew even more dazed.

Mo Lishen sat down, reducing the height difference between them.

Qiu Yan was drenched in cold sweat. Mo Lishen leaned in, pulling out a tissue to wipe her forehead, but Qiu Yan reacted defensively, shoving her hand away.

The tissue fluttered to the ground. Mo Lishen’s hand remained suspended in the air, her eyes fixed on the tissue until it landed. When she turned her gaze back to Qiu Yan, there was a hint of scrutiny in her eyes.

Qiu Yan wrapped the sofa throw around herself and retreated to the farthest edge of the sofa.

“Who… who is Zhao Qiulin?” Qiu Yan kept swallowing, her lips beginning to turn pale.

“How do you know Zhao Qiulin?” Mo Lishen’s eyes turned cold as she slowly moved closer to Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan’s breathing grew rapid, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes.

Her entire body began to tremble, as if she had fallen into an icy cellar.

“President Mo, the contract we signed was for one month, but… but it’s been over two months now.” Qiu Yan tried to suppress her sobs, her voice so weak it was barely a whisper. “I still have a few hundred thousand left, I’ll return it to you… Can you… can you let me go?”

Mo Lishen suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Qiu Yan by the throat.

She smiled viciously, the cold metal of her ring pressing against Qiu Yan’s artery. Qiu Yan felt as if she could unsheathe that thin blade at any moment.

“Do you also think I wanted to kill Zhao Qiulin?”

A flicker of disappointment flashed in Mo Lishen’s crimson eyes, but it quickly turned to icy coldness.

“How clever.” Mo Lishen laughed, a loud, chilling laugh that sent shivers down one’s spine.

“Then let me tell you something too.”

“If you dare run away, I will kill you.”