Chapter 12: Yunzhou, You Have Returned

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Qiao Yanxin was terrified. “Who did this?”

Secretary Zhang shook his head. “It’s said to be someone from the Qiao family who spent thirty million to remove these trending topics.”

Besides Old Master Qiao, who else could it be?

Suddenly, Qiao Yanxin frowned.

“Could it be her?”

Since Qiao Yanxin was injured today, she didn’t return to her immediate home but stayed at the old Qiao family mansion.

Perhaps because of the change in environment, she had a nightmare.

“Qiao Yunzhou!”

Qiao Yanxin screamed, suddenly sitting up in bed, gasping heavily.

Cold sweat had soaked her silk pajamas, and strands of hair clung to her forehead.

She sat there dazed for quite a while before gradually recovering.

Then, flustered, she reached for her phone on the table.

Turning it on, she immediately dialed my number.

I had no idea what Qiao Yanxin had dreamt about, but judging by her expression, it was certainly not a pleasant dream.

Naturally, the call didn’t go through. She then opened the chat window, staring at the last message—no new messages had come.

Only then did Qiao Yanxin begin to panic.

It seemed she just realized that I might really be angry.

Otherwise, why hadn’t there been a single message for so long?

In the past, I would have hurried back to apologize within three days.

But this time, several three-day periods had already passed.

Qiao Yanxin muttered with some dissatisfaction, “Still as temperamental as ever.”

She had never been the one to soothe others; from childhood onward, I had always been the one accommodating her.

After some thought, she seemed to have finally come up with a good idea and immediately called Secretary Zhang.

“Secretary Zhang, order me a Patek Philippe watch, and also buy a chocolate mousse cake from the cake shop in the east side of the city.”

It was impressive she still remembered my favorite chocolate mousse cake from that cake shop in the east part of town.

However, she might have forgotten that ever since I had a fever last year, I hadn’t eaten any cake at all.

Of course, she couldn’t have known that—where was she then? She was by Gu Tingchu’s side.

Likewise, she didn’t know that I didn’t really like watches.

But as a member of the Qiao family, not having a luxury watch could easily cause people to look down on me.

She thought I was still the old Qiao Yunzhou, someone who would be easily coaxed back with a few gifts and a finger snap.

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After doing all this, Qiao Yanxin sighed in satisfaction and lay down, ready to sleep.

A moment later, her brow furrowed tightly, her face twisted in pain.

Seeing her like this, I knew her stomach ailment had flared up again.

Qiao Yanxin had always suffered from stomach problems. In her youth, relying on her robust health, she often skipped meals, sometimes hungry, sometimes full—it became a habit that eventually ruined her stomach.

Before I died, I used to prepare various stomach-nourishing foods for her every day.

Eventually, I managed to regulate her stomach to a nearly healthy state.

But now that I’m gone, no one reminds her not to indulge in cold food, no one reminds her to take her medicine, so her stomach condition naturally relapsed.

Sweat drenched her forehead as she shouted outside.

“Qiao Yunzhou, bring me my stomach medicine!”

After yelling for a long time with no response, she painfully sat up, suddenly remembering—I was gone.

I watched her suffering without any emotion.

“Qiao Yanxin, no one will bring you stomach medicine anymore.”

Her medicine was always kept in the bedside cabinet.

Enduring the pain, Qiao Yanxin sat up, opened the cabinet, and tried to get the medicine.

But as soon as she opened it, countless small items poured out.

Almost all of them were gifts from Gu Tingchu.

The stomach medicine was buried underneath.

Before, she found Gu Tingchu’s things amusing; now, they only sparked uncontrollable irritation.

Unable to endure the pain, she frantically sifted through the mess, finally retrieving the medicine at the bottom.

After a great effort, she took one pill and put it in her mouth.

Once swallowed, she instinctively glanced at the expiry date.

To her shock, the entire box of medicine had expired.

She wanted to claw at her throat to spit out the pill, but the pain left her utterly powerless.

Tears blurred her vision as she suddenly stood and walked straight toward me.

“Yunzhou, you’ve come back, haven’t you? Yunzhou, my medicine expired—why didn’t you buy me new ones?”

She spoke with great grievance, stretching out her hand as if wanting me to hold her.

Seeing her tearful eyes, I instinctively raised my hand but clenched it tightly in restraint the next moment.

I thought Qiao Yanxin might do more, but instead, she suddenly collapsed at my feet.

She had fainted from the pain.

If this were before, I would have been extremely anxious.

But now, I just silently watched her furrow her brows in pain.

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Beyond this, I made no move.

I am but a soul now; I cannot even guard my own body, so what else can I do?

If Qiao Yanxin truly dies from this pain...

Well, then it can only be said she brought it upon herself.

If I hadn’t saved her, she would have long been dead.

I stood by the window, quietly watching the outside scenery.

Unconsciously, dawn had arrived.

Secretary Zhang, unable to reach Qiao Yanxin, after numerous attempts, finally arrived at the Qiao residence and found her collapsed on the floor.

Qiao Yanxin suddenly woke with a start, sitting up and seeing Secretary Zhang first.

She frowned. “Why is it you?”

Secretary Zhang shrugged, slightly bewildered. “Of course, it’s me, Madam Qiao.”

Then, she showed Qiao Yanxin the items in her hand.

“Madam Qiao, the things you asked me to buy yesterday, I’ve got them all.”

Only then did Qiao Yanxin come to her senses, realizing that yesterday had been a dream.

Secretary Zhang spoke as she withdrew outside.

“Madam Qiao, I’ve already booked the plane tickets. Once you’re ready, we can leave right away.”

Qiao Yanxin nodded indifferently and began to wash up.

After washing, she started picking out clothes. Opening the wardrobe, she was momentarily stunned.

The wardrobe was filled almost entirely with dresses.

She frowned, then remembered these were all the clothes Gu Tingchu liked to see her wear.

Looking for other clothes, she found none.

Qiao Yanxin pressed her lips tightly, struggling to suppress the irritation within.

At that moment, her phone in her pocket suddenly rang.

Answering, a stranger’s voice came through: “Hello, are you a family member of Gu Tingchu? He has collapsed and is now in the hospital. Please come quickly!”

Qiao Yanxin was stunned, hastily grabbing a piece of clothing to go out.

Secretary Zhang was surprised but quickly followed.

“Madam Qiao, shall we head to the airport now?”

Qiao Yanxin hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

“Go to the hospital.”