Silent Testimony - Chapter 66

“I like it.”

Like what? Her being talkative, or something else? Qiu Wan’s words sounded casual, but Cheng Yingqiu heard them and her fingers, which Qiu Wan was holding, unconsciously curled up. She was so nervous she wanted to run away.

She had already noticed that Qiu Wan’s feelings for her were gradually changing: she would initiate conversations, share photos, and even blush and feel shy. However, Cheng Yingqiu couldn’t be certain if these feelings were strong enough to support the next step in their relationship. After all, they had only added each other on WeChat three months ago, started chatting frequently only in the last forty days, and had only clearly felt their connection for a mere ten days.

She had originally planned to take things slow, finding the right opportunity and time to confess, but now…

Cheng Yingqiu’s heart was in turmoil.

Qiu Wan noticed her rapidly changing expressions, realizing belatedly that her comment might have been too forward. She changed the subject. “Xiao Qiu, what time is it now?”

“It’s almost 9:00 p.m.” Cheng Yingqiu quickly composed herself, her lips slightly parting as she asked, “Do you want to eat? I’ll go buy something.”

Before she could finish, Qiu Wan’s slightly furrowed brows instantly tightened, and she turned her head to look out the window. “Sister Qiu?” Cheng Yingqiu was confused. Just as she was about to say something, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She turned to look back, her eyes immediately widening, and she quickly pulled her hand away.

Holding hands intimately in front of the other person’s mother—what a dramatic scenario! Cheng Yingqiu grumbled internally, her ears burning. Luckily, she was quick-witted. She stood up and greeted the newcomer warmly. “Auntie.”

“Hello. Thank you for looking after her.” Shang Lan’s gaze passed through Cheng Yingqiu to Qiu Wan, who had her back to them. Her tone was decisive. “I’m arranging the transfer procedures. We’ll leave for Shujiang soon.”

Qiu Wan didn’t turn around. “No need.”

Shang Lan’s voice was clear and gentle. “I’ve seen your CT report. You definitely don’t need an open reduction, but you need an expert doctor to manipulate and perform a flexion-extension reduction.”

Qiu Wan insisted on her own view. “The doctors here are professional too.”

“Xiao Wan, a good doctor can shorten your recovery time, do you understand?” Shang Lan advised gently. “I’ve already contacted Chief Director Wang of the Affiliated Hospital’s Orthopedics Department. She is very experienced. Don’t be stubborn.”

The atmosphere was tense. Cheng Yingqiu originally didn’t want to interfere, but considering Qiu Wan’s condition, she cautiously interjected, “Sister Qiu, I also think treatment in Shujiang would be safer.”

As if finding an excuse to back down, Qiu Wan slowly turned around. Cheng Yingqiu seized the opportunity. “I’ll go buy food. You should eat before you leave!” Her eyes curved into crescents as she asked Shang Lan, who was standing nearby, “Auntie, have you eaten?”

Shang Lan nodded. “Just buy hers, thank you.”

“Okay.” Cheng Yingqiu hurried out of the ward, walked down the corridor, and planned to exit through the side door. Shang Lan called out to her.

“I remember, your name is Yingqiu, right?”

“That’s right, Auntie.” Cheng Yingqiu turned back, her smile appropriate. As a reporter, she was used to looking people in the eye while listening, so she easily noticed the hesitation in Shang Lan’s expression.

“Could we add each other on WeChat?”

“Ah?” A hint of surprise flashed in Cheng Yingqiu’s eyes.

“Because you and Xiao Wan get along quite well.” Shang Lan pulled out her phone and displayed her WeChat QR code. “I haven’t been a very good mother, and now I want to make amends.”

Why add her on WeChat to make amends? Cheng Yingqiu knew the mother-daughter relationship was strained, but she felt she had no place to mediate.

Shang Lan continued, “I saw what happened between you two just now. I also overheard what you said to her.”

Cheng Yingqiu’s face felt inexplicably warm. “I…”

“Don’t worry. I know from your grandmother that Xiao Wan likes girls. I won’t object.”

Cheng Yingqiu was uncharacteristically speechless. She could only silently use her phone to scan Shang Lan’s QR code, successfully adding her as a friend. Feeling uneasy, she whispered, “Auntie, what do you need me to do?”

Shang Lan smiled slightly. “Actually, nothing much. For example, if I hear about her being in a car accident like today and can’t reach her, I might contact you.”

“Okay.” Cheng Yingqiu privately messaged her phone number. “Auntie, this is my phone number.”

“Alright.”

“Then I’ll go buy food now?”

“Go ahead.” Shang Lan saw that she was generous and handled situations calmly and fearlessly, and she sincerely smiled.

Cheng Yingqiu turned out of the hospital’s side door and opened WeChat to dispel her nervousness. [Sister, save me!]

Not receiving a reply, she tapped on Tao Ling’s chat box. [Sister Tao Ling, are you there?]

[I’m here.] Tao Ling was sitting on a single sofa to the left of the coffee table in the living room, her gaze fixed on the study.

[Her mom added me on WeChat. Isn’t that dramatic?] [Her mom actually won’t object to Sister Qiu liking girls.]

[I’m so confused now. I feel like things are naturally progressing with Sister Qiu; all that’s missing is the final step.]

If it were Li Hewei, she would probably reply, [Bragging?], but Tao Ling offered sincere congratulations. [Yingqiu, congratulations.]

[Congratulations on what? You should hurry up and accept my sister.]

“Yingqiu withdrew a message.” Tao Ling had already read the content. She stared at the chat box, pondering the meaning. Does Yingqiu also know Sister Wei’s intentions?

Tao Ling placed her phone beside her, her mind lingering on the words Li Hewei had emphasized to her in the stairwell.

Task Separation. Of course she understood it. It was precisely because she strove to practice it that she could reject her father’s excessive interference and gradually distance herself from her birth family. But did the same apply to feelings? Should she not consider whether the other person’s family could accept it? Tao Ling had been confused, but Li Hewei seemed to have given her the answer.

Since Sister Wei liked girls, it meant she had thought deeply and was prepared to face her parents’ questions. So why should Tao Ling still hesitate? The sister-in-law relationship was only in name, wasn’t it? Moreover, the other person was about to get divorced.

Tao Ling stared at the study door. A voice in her heart clamored, Be brave and walk in. She needs you. Tao Ling hesitated for a while, finally picking up the porcelain bowl beside her and getting up. She moved to the door and gently knocked. “Sister Wei.”

No sound.

“Sister Wei.” Tao Ling immediately became anxious. After all, the other person had been completely silent during the taxi ride back. Coupled with her abnormal behavior today, Tao Ling grew increasingly worried and uneasy.

“Can you hear me? Sis—”

A muffled voice came from behind the door. “Come in. The door’s not locked.”

Tao Ling turned the knob and pushed the door open. She saw discarded drawings scattered all over the floor. Li Hewei was facing the easel, her silhouette lonely. She looked at Li Hewei with unconcealed worry and called out softly, “Sister Wei.”

Li Hewei was unresponsive, remaining seated where she was.

“This is not something you can rush. Why don’t you eat something first, okay?” Tao Ling walked slowly toward her. “It’s easy to get indigestion if you eat too much late at night. I cooked a poached egg with a few small glutinous rice balls.”

Li Hewei finally turned sideways and reached out to take the porcelain bowl.

“It’s not hot; it’s already cooled down.” Her voice was so gentle that Li Hewei felt momentarily lost in a dream.

“Thank you.”

“Eat slowly. I’ll be behind you.” Tao Ling sat on the small sofa by the door and didn’t leave. Li Hewei was surprised. Usually, Tao Ling would have impatiently rushed away. Why was she waiting quietly in the same room?

Li Hewei ate slowly and methodically, constantly glancing at Tao Ling from the corner of her eye. The deep gloom in her chest was largely swept away, but she was still preoccupied with her worries and couldn’t fully relax. After finishing the late-night snack, she stood up. Tao Ling quickly approached, took the bowl and spoon, and placed them aside, seemingly ready to talk.

For a brief half-minute, both remained silent. Tao Ling brought a high stool and sat beside her. Her eyes flickered with hesitation for two seconds before she asked softly, “Sister Wei, are you dealing with something difficult?”

Li Hewei frowned and looked away. “There are some things I can’t explain clearly, and I can’t possibly explain them to you.”

Tao Ling’s tone was resolute. “Nothing is absolute. If you don’t try, how will you know the result?”

“Because it’s too absurd.” Li Hewei let out a long sigh. “Tao Ling, maybe someday in the future, after I’ve thought it through, I’ll tell you.”

“Not now?”

“Not now. My mind is a mess right now; I can’t even complete the most basic work.” Li Hewei turned to pick up the drawings on the floor, her face filled with dejection. “Look what I drew? Look again at the nose. The witness described the nose in detail, but I can’t draw it.”

“And…”

“Sister Wei.” Tao Ling grabbed her moving wrist, looking her directly in the eye. “No one can guarantee maintaining a consistently high standard from start to finish. Including me. When I’m doing an autopsy, I often worry if I’m making a mistake, or even if I made a mistake and didn’t realize it, requiring you to point it out, right?”

“This is different.”

“How is it different?”

Li Hewei stared blankly at Tao Ling, noticing that she had completely shed her usual hesitant style. Her words were impactful. Li Hewei took a deep breath, regulating her fluctuating emotions, feeling the gentle grip on her wrist slowly loosen.

“Sister Wei, if we can’t draw it tonight, let’s go to bed early and try again tomorrow.”

Li Hewei nodded. “Mhm.”

“Also, Sister Qiu transferred to Shujiang and told you not to worry and not to put too much pressure on yourself.” Tao Ling curved her lips. “It’s 9:30 p.m. now. Why don’t you go take a shower and sleep? As for the things you can’t explain clearly, I’ll wait for the day you tell me. Or if you don’t tell me, that’s fine too. It’s best if you forget it so you don’t have to worry.”

Tao Ling’s gentle words gradually calmed Li Hewei’s restless heart. Her brows relaxed. “Okay, I’ll go take a shower. You should get some rest too.”

The two exchanged goodnights. Li Hewei tidied up the study, went to the balcony to get her pajamas, and then headed to the bathroom.

Li Hewei turned on the shower. The comfortably warm water poured down, soothing her weary body but failing to wash away her tense nerves. Did the original host experience a car accident? She closed her eyes and called out to the original host, and their consciousnesses connected perfectly.

Original Host: “You finally remember me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been looking for you for two days! Pay attention to this case.”

“Explain clearly. Is it related to Tao Ling?”

A jarring busy signal assaulted her ears. Li Hewei guessed that the original host had given a spoiler. Anxiously, she pressed. “What about the car accident? Qiu Wan’s car accident?”

“Qiu Wan? Are you referring to Captain Qiu of the Serious Crime Squad?”

“That’s right.”

“Not Captain Qiu. But you were hospitalized due to brake failure in a car accident. Tao Ling went to…”

“What do you mean? You mean I was hospitalized in the original book?” Li Hewei had already realized she was rewriting the fate of the characters in the novel. Could Tao Ling’s destiny also be changed?

“Yes, a dislocated left elbow.”

The injury was exactly the same as Qiu Wan’s. Li Hewei suddenly felt self-reproach. Just as she was about to say something, the original host spoke quickly. “I also know that the protagonist of the novel written by Madam Hu is named Li Hewei, and it was completed two years ago. At that time, you two didn’t know each other.”