Weakness Trap - Chapter 59

Yu Lingxue nearly threw herself onto Qu Mingyuan.

Reason had completely deserted her, leaving only instinct.

The sound of truck tires scraping against the pavement grew closer.

Yu Lingxue’s nerves were stretched taut as she desperately clung to Qu Mingyuan, pulling them both to the side.

Fortunately, her quick reaction paid off. By the time they hit the ground, the truck had already crashed into a tree stump on the other side.

The driver inside was unconscious, his face covered in blood from shards of windshield glass embedded in his forehead.

Qu Mingyuan, shielded beneath Yu Lingxue, wasn’t in much better shape. Her eyes were wide open but vacant, as if her soul had fled her body.

“Cough, Are you okay?” Yu Lingxue struggled to stand, helping Qu Mingyuan up as well.

Qu Mingyuan leaned against a streetlamp, dazed and clearly unwell.

Yu Lingxue quickly dialed for an ambulance and the police, also sending a message to her subordinates.

It was clear this was a deliberate attack targeting Qu Mingyuan.

Most likely, the same people who had caused Qu Mingyuan’s disappearance years ago, seeing her return and appear in public, were now trying to harm her again.

Yu Lingxue didn’t know the truth behind the fire at the Qu family back then. Staring at Qu Mingyuan, who still hadn’t regained her memories, she felt a sense of urgency but could do little.

“What happened? Are you are you both alright?” Yu Qingluan was in a shop nearby.

She had just hung up the “Open” sign when she saw a truck crash into the tree across the street.

Looking more closely, she realized the person who had narrowly escaped disaster was Bailan, who had been frequently visiting her lately to learn embroidery.

Yu Qingluan initially wanted to ignore Yu Lingxue, but given the severity of the situation, she felt obliged to ask though she avoided looking directly at Yu Lingxue.

Yu Lingxue, however, knew the question was directed at her.

“A car accident, deliberate.” Yu Lingxue replied succinctly, feeling a wave of relief upon seeing Yu Qingluan arrive.

“I’ll handle this. You comfort her.” She guided Qu Mingyuan over to Yu Qingluan.

Under normal circumstances, Yu Qingluan wouldn’t have cooperated with Yu Lingxue. But this involved Qu Mingyuan.

Yu Qingluan took hold of Qu Mingyuan, steadying her as she remained disoriented and unable to even cry out in pain. She took out a handkerchief and began tending to her wounds.

“She wasn’t hit?” Yu Qingluan wiped the blood from Qu Mingyuan’s face and forehead, her eyes filled with pity.

So many wounds, large and small. Her clothes were dirty, her face scraped and bruised.

“Luckily, no. These injuries are probably from hitting the ground while dodging.” Yu Lingxue was already gathering evidence nearby.

She photographed the license plate and the driver’s appearance, sending the images to her subordinates with instructions to quickly investigate the man’s family connections, recent financial status, and any large transactions.

It was then that Qu Mingyuan finally began to stir back to consciousness. Unaware of the pain wracking her body, she murmured her thanks to Yu Qingluan.

Then she spotted her bag trapped beneath the truck’s wheel. Her pupils contracted sharply, and with a sudden burst of strength, she shook off Yu Qingluan’s hand and lunged forward.

“Hey! Stop her!” Yu Qingluan cried out, rushing forward as well.

But Yu Lingxue was faster. She grabbed Qu Mingyuan, who had already fallen to the ground, and pulled her back.

“Cough. Help me, please.” Yu Lingxue couldn’t handle such intense physical exertion; her body was already reacting adversely.

She struggled to maintain her grip. Qu Mingyuan, healthy and strong, was on the verge of breaking free.

Yet Yu Qingluan prioritized supporting Yu Lingxue, who was about to collapse along with Qu Mingyuan.

It lasted only a moment.

That hand landed on Yu Lingxue’s shoulder like falling snow light and airy, yet miraculously steadying her.

Yu Lingxue felt her shoulder tingle as if electrified, and she turned back in a daze to look at the person who had caught her.

“Little bird.” Just like before. Yu Qingluan would, of course, seize Yu Lingxue without hesitation, even if it meant falling into water, shielding and warming her with her own body.

Even if now the gesture lasted only a moment, perhaps just a subconscious impulse.

Yu Lingxue was still so overwhelmed by it that her mind went blank, spots flickering across her vision and thoughts, granting her an illusory happiness that carried her back to sweet memories of the past.

Yet, while she was lost in that fleeting second of bliss, Yu Qingluan had already withdrawn her hand and moved elsewhere.

By the time Yu Lingxue snapped back to reality, she was still standing firmly in place. Yu Qingluan was beside her, supporting Qu Mingyuan and comforting her softly.

“But the handkerchief. I embroidered it for Xiaoyu.” Qu Mingyuan wouldn’t listen, desperately reaching forward to grab her trapped bag.

She ignored her phone and wallet, clutching only a torn handkerchief.

The flower she had painstakingly embroidered was now split, the handkerchief covered in grime, the muddy stains glaringly obvious.

Yu Qingluan was even comforting her, saying she could help her re embroider it.

Yu Lingxue pressed her shoulder and stood to the side, feeling a bit unsettled.

She had been mad once.

Now she understood her past self even more.

Reality was too bitter; her mind would always lead her to escape, immersing her in the amber of happiness, sealed away forever.

But she insisted on facing this reality.

So once again, she tasted the sour and the bitter.

It was a subtle, lingering astringency that followed the fleeting sweetness, making it all the more difficult to swallow.

Yu Lingxue lowered her head and stepped aside, making a few calls to catch her breath, avoiding the sight of Yu Qingluan and Qu Mingyuan’s interaction.

“Bailan!” Yu Qingluan’s cry shattered the fragile foundation Yu Lingxue had barely managed to build.

She pinched her palm before daring to look back, only to see that Qu Mingyuan had fainted, barely conscious.

Fortunately, the sound of the ambulance was drawing near.

Yu Lingxue quickened her speech, finished giving instructions to her subordinates, and turned to Yu Qingluan, trying her best to adopt a businesslike tone. “Does she have any family? Relatives or close friends?”

“Oh, right, let me check.” Yu Qingluan found the only number saved in Qu Mingyuan’s phone and dialed.

She called Jiang Yunong and boarded the ambulance with Qu Mingyuan.

Yu Lingxue, standing by in a daze, couldn’t react in time and could only watch helplessly as the ambulance drove away.

She took a silent breath, exhaling it slowly.

She had thought that seeing Yu Qingluan again would be enough to satisfy her, to lift her spirits once more.

But it turned out that every heart is greedy.

Now that she had spoken with Yu Qingluan and had that slight contact, how could she ever be content with just watching from afar again?

So even the air around Yu Qingluan stirred a sour, bitter hostility in Yu Lingxue.

Loving her was such a painful thing.

Yet Yu Lingxue was willing to endure that pain.

After finishing evidence collection with the police team, Yu Lingxue briefed them on the work, assigned her secretary to follow up on everything, then got into her car and headed to the hospital where Qu Mingyuan was.

She hadn’t sent anyone from her own hospital to pick up Qu Mingyuan, only temporarily called in two people to assist.

Earlier, she had checked Qu Mingyuan’s pulse the issue wasn’t severe enough to require the Yu family’s intervention.

But she was worried about one thing.

Based on the evidence gathered just now, the other party had been very discreet in their actions.

This method reminded her of Yan Lanshen.

Yan Lanshen wanted to seize the Yu family’s resources to elevate his own family’s status in Harbor City.

The Qu family was undoubtedly at the pinnacle of the pyramid, though they had been relatively quiet these past two years.

In other words, for Yan Lanshen to climb higher, the Qu family was inevitably the one he had to eliminate.

If she had targeted Qu Mingyuan.

It was highly possible. However, Yu Lingxue could do nothing about it for now and could only make a mental note of the matter.

If Qu Mingyuan could join forces with her against Yan Lanshen in the future, their chances of success would greatly increase.

She still had to wait for Qu Mingyuan to regain his memories.

Yu Lingxue sighed and opened the door to Qu Mingyuan’s hospital room, only to see the woman who had taken Qu Mingyuan away earlier gripping Yu Qingluan’s arm.

Frowning, Yu Lingxue stepped forward, seized Jiang Yunong’s wrist, and pulled her hand away from Yu Qingluan.

Both Yu Qingluan and Jiang Yunong glanced at Yu Lingxue.

Immediately after, Yu Qingluan averted her gaze, turning slightly to avoid further eye contact with Yu Lingxue.

But since the matter concerned Yu Lingxue, after a few words, Yu Qingluan had no choice but to bring the topic back to her.

“You can ask her for more details. She saved Bailan.” Yu Qingluan spoke without looking directly at Yu Lingxue, her gaze obscure and dim.

Yu Lingxue, however, looked at her, trying to force a smile, but the corners of her mouth twitched in vain. She had no choice but to speak with Jiang Yunong first.

Jiang Yunong kept thanking her, and Yu Lingxue finally managed a helpless smile.

“She reminds me of an old acquaintance. It was only natural.”

“Still, I must thank you. Anyway, let me treat you to a meal later!” Jiang Yunong had neither money nor power, so the only way she could show gratitude was by offering a meal.

Thinking she had questions for Qu Mingyuan, Yu Lingxue agreed.

Just then, Qu Mingyuan returned from his X-ray, and Jiang Yunong immediately forgot about everyone else, hovering around him.

Not wanting to intrude, Yu Lingxue stepped out of the room.

Yu Qingluan watched for a moment before following her out.

The two stood side by side inexplicably, observing others’ happiness at least to Yu Lingxue, Qu Mingyuan must have been happy to open his eyes and see someone he cared about so concerned for him.

“How enviable.” If it were anyone else, Yu Lingxue might not have felt so deeply.

But the one who had found mutual love was her old friend.

Given her friend’s former aloof, arrogant, and indifferent demeanor, Yu Lingxue was genuinely moved that someone could still care for her.

Yu Qingluan glanced at her and unexpectedly responded, “You brought this upon yourself.”

It was clearly a taunt, meant to see Yu Lingxue heartbroken by it.

Instead, Yu Lingxue’s eyes lit up, glistening with moisture as she looked at Yu Qingluan. “Are you talking to me?”

She unconsciously took a step closer, her disheveled hair brushing against Yu Qingluan’s shoulder, the scent of osmanthus wafting into Yu Qingluan’s nostrils, causing her to momentarily lose focus.

That scented balm had a similar fragrance.

That erotic dream had also been enveloped in a similar scent.

Yu Qingluan didn’t even dare to breathe, her eyes widening involuntarily.

Only when a strand of hair brushed her cheek did she raise her hand to push Yu Lingxue’s overly close face away. “Please show some self-respect.”

Yu Lingxue wasn’t angered. The push was even lighter than the last time Yu Qingluan hadn’t used any force at all.

Yu Lingxue was overjoyed, if anything.

She obediently took a step back. “Is this distance acceptable?”

Yu Qingluan rolled her eyes at her. Did she look like she wanted to engage with Yu Lingxue?

Even rolling her eyes was adorable. Yu Lingxue couldn’t help but smile softly and asked in a low voice, “The police have some findings. Do you want to know?”

Yu Qingluan remained motionless, not even a flicker of her eyelashes.

“Alright, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have kept you in suspense. The driver involved in the accident didn’t reveal anything, but his friend suddenly came into a large sum of money about a month ago. When did Qu Bai Lan start visiting your shop?”

“A little over a month ago.” As soon as Yu Qingluan answered, she realized something was off.

“Are you saying someone really wanted to harm her?” She turned her head and stared intently at Yu Lingxue, finding it hard to believe.

“Definitely. She’s an old friend of mine, and her identity isn’t as simple as it seems.” Yu Lingxue had a lot more she wanted to say.

She wanted to remind Yu Qingluan to protect herself, to pull her directly into her own circle of protection.

She wanted to tell Yu Qingluan that if anything happened, she could come to her for help.

But as she opened her mouth, she knew that saying these things would only make Yu Qingluan resent her even more.

She stood there, mouth agape, until the cold wind and the smell of disinfectant filled her mouth, and she reluctantly closed it.

What awful tasting air.

Yu Lingxue swallowed the taste of disinfectant.

There was a time when this was the smell she hated the most. Every time she returned from the hospital, tormented by illness and feeling half dead, no matter how exhausted she was, she would sneak into Yu Yueheng’s room to find perfume to spray.

Yu Yueheng liked floral and woody scents. Because of that, she had grown fond of such fragrances too.

Now, she could barely tolerate breathing in the hospital, and swallowing that smell still made her nauseous.

But at that moment, all she could think was that she didn’t even have the right to care about Yu Qingluan.

She had tried three times to give Yu Qingluan a box of calming incense balm, but she still didn’t know if Yu Qingluan had used it.

“I don’t want to get involved in the affairs of you wealthy families.” Yu Qingluan didn’t have to respond, but she added one more sentence.

After saying it, she also felt uncomfortable, twisting a strand of her hair and lowering her gaze, wanting to avoid Yu Lingxue but unwilling to yield.

Yu Lingxue hesitated for a moment longer, then obediently stayed by Yu Qingluan’s side, seizing the rare opportunity when Yu Qingluan wouldn’t drive her away.

They waited until Qu Mingyuan’s test results came out.

Yu Qingluan turned to leave, but Yu Lingxue’s words made her pause for a moment.

It was just an ordinary sentence. And it came from Yu Lingxue. Yu Qingluan hesitated for a second before quickening her pace again.

Yu Lingxue jogged to catch up. “A few days ago, you”

She wanted to ask what she had been doing, how she had been lately, whether she was resting well, and if she had been eating properly.

The brisk walk drained too much of her energy. She could only manage one more sentence.

“Take care of yourself.”

Then Yu Qingluan disappeared into the car, and the vehicle sped away, vanishing from Yu Lingxue’s sight.

The cold wind pierced through Yu Lingxue’s body, and she shivered, pulling her hat tighter.

She couldn’t catch up with the speeding car and left the hospital alone.

The matter of the car accident wouldn’t end here.

The day of her appointment with Yan Lanshen was tomorrow.

Yu Lingxue walked until not a trace of warmth remained in her body, finally willing to get into her family’s car and leave.

Tomorrow, she would keep that appointment.

That night, Yu Qingluan had a terrible dream.

She dreamed that she was the one in the car accident.

In the dream, she was shattered, her soul floating in the air, watching Yu Lingxue go mad for her.

Watching her lose her appetite, grow thin and anemic, and turn her hair white overnight.

Waking with a start to the morning light, Yu Qingluan sat up in bed, breathing heavily until her heartbeat steadied.

Why had she dreamed of Yu Lingxue again?

Why such strange content in the dream?

In Yu Lingxue’s eyes, she had died and come back to life. But what did that have to do with her?

If something were truly wrong, shouldn’t her primary concern be for her family and friends?

Yu Qingluan pressed a hand to her chest and let out a long sigh, feeling both vexed and agitated.

She leaned back slowly against the headboard and picked up her phone.

Having some contact with Yu Lingxue wouldn’t hurt.

She wouldn’t allow things to go any deeper that was enough.

As for the rest, they happened to share mutual friends now, so it was natural they’d cross paths occasionally.

No need to overthink it.

Yu Qingluan dialed Yu Shuhua’s number. Just hearing her mother’s voice would anchor her restless heart, like a kite string held by someone steady, no longer adrift.

Yu Shuhua, getting on in years and sleeping lightly, was already awake, preparing breakfast for herself and Yu Meiying when she answered her daughter’s call.

“Qingluan? Oh, everything’s fine. Your grandmother and I are both well. Mm of course, ahem. She scolds me, but after decades, I’m used to it. Anyway, don’t worry about us. Your grandmother and I eat and sleep just fine. Go ahead and chase your dreams with peace of mind.” Yu Shuhua’s voice mingled with the sizzle of the wok.

Yu Qingluan heard the familiar sound of cooking oil spattering.

After hanging up, she lingered on the memory of those clattering noises, the aroma of oil hitting the hot wok rising unbidden in her mind.

She set down her phone and began packing.

If she couldn’t get past this hurdle, it would be alright.

There were other places she could go.

Like M Country. She could escape for a little while longer.

Keeping some distance from Yu Lingxue for a time Yu Lingxue probably wouldn’t give up easily.

But it would give her space to think about how to handle things between them.

She was learning, step by step, how to grow up.

Yu Qingluan rearranged the items she planned to take one more time, then stumbled over something in the corner.

She crouched down and picked up the scented balm.

After a quarter hour of silence, she tossed it into her suitcase.

The small plastic bottle was instantly buried beneath layers of clothing.