The first thing Guan Xia did upon returning to Yongquan City was to visit Meng Lan.
To her relief, Meng Lan had passed the critical period and was now out of danger. She had been moved from the ICU to a general ward. Although her vital signs were stable, for some unknown reason, she had not regained consciousness and remained in a deep coma.
As expected, Guan Xia saw Lu Tingfeng outside Meng Lan's room. It had been a while since they last met, and Lu Tingfeng had lost a lot of weight, his cheeks sunken. His hair, untrimmed, had grown longer and lay in a messy heap on his neck. Combined with the unkempt stubble, there was no trace left of the dashing, elegant nobleman he once resembled. If Pang Le hadn't called out Lu Tingfeng's name first, Guan Xia would never have recognized him.
Even after Pang Le greeted Lu Tingfeng first, Guan Xia still looked at him hesitantly. It wasn't until she saw those familiar eyes with their faint smile that she could barely identify him.
"Lu Tingfeng?" All of Guan Xia's attention was fixed on the two enormous dark circles under his eyes. She couldn't help but ask, "Just how many days have you gone without sleep?"
Lu Tingfeng didn't seem to mind his disheveled appearance. Instead, he looked at the wound on Guan Xia's exposed arm and said, "Even you got injured. It seems your investigation this time was truly perilous. How is Xu Nian? Still alive? And Qi Bai, Brother Jiang, and Wang Yu? Are they all okay?"
Guan Xia found his words somewhat amusing. Despite Lu Tingfeng and Xu Nian growing up together and being the closest, most concerned about each other, they were both equally stubborn with their words.
Guan Xia used to misunderstand their relationship, but after spending this time with them, she had come to understand their temperaments. She didn't miss the awkward concern in Lu Tingfeng's tone and smiled as she replied, "Don't worry, they're all fine. Except for Qi Bai, who got a cut that needed six stitches, the others didn't even get a scratch."
Lu Tingfeng looked surprised. "Then they let you get hurt?"
Just as Guan Xia was about to explain, Lu Tingfeng continued, "It seems Xu Nian still lacks capability. With four people in his team, including the tall and sturdy Qi Bai, they still couldn't protect you properly. This just proves you should have partnered with me instead. You know Sister Ji well, and you're familiar with Zhong Xiaoyu too—she's a real force to be reckoned with. With her around, those criminals wouldn't stand a chance of laying a finger on you."
Lu Tingfeng went on, returning to his old tune and looking at Guan Xia expectantly, his beautiful eyes sparkling. "So, what do you think? Reconsider? Ditch that pretty-but-useless Xu Nian and choose our perfectly well-rounded team—skilled where it counts and easy on the eyes."
He even gave a flirtatious wink, attempting to charm Guan Xia into agreeing.
Guan Xia wasn't charmed; instead, she was both tickled and exasperated. She truly hadn't expected Lu Tingfeng to still be clinging to this idea, even resorting to more exaggerated tactics to recruit her.
But this time, Guan Xia didn't misunderstand. She just shook her head with a laugh and said, "Why are you still hung up on this? Isn't the case solved? Just yesterday, Qi Bai asked Xu Nian if there was any chance you'd return to the police force. Xu Nian didn't say it outright, but everyone could tell they all really want you back."
At this topic, Lu Tingfeng finally turned serious. He shifted his posture slightly, looking somewhat melancholic. "I'd like to go back too. But I've thought it over carefully. While the case Sister Ji, Xiaoyu, and I have been chasing is solved, there are still many unsolved cases for others in the team. Plus, I've gotten used to being on the move, unrestrained. If I really went back to the police force, I'm a bit worried I might get kicked out for breaking the rules. That would be embarrassing—not just for me, but for my alma mater and my teachers too. So, for the sake of my mother and my teachers' reputations, I'd better not go back."
Guan Xia and Pang Le listened in silence. No wonder Xu Nian hadn't given a direct response yesterday or shown any sign of being tempted or trying to persuade Lu Tingfeng. He understood Lu Tingfeng so well and had already guessed his thoughts.
Guan Xia herself wasn't very close to Lu Tingfeng, and since she had only brought it up casually, she naturally didn't press the matter. Instead, she changed the subject. "About me getting injured, you're wrong to blame Xu Nian. Pang Le and I were tracking the suspect and didn't react in time. We ended up getting hurt unnecessarily. But don't worry, they're just superficial wounds. They'll heal in a few days."
"That's still Xu Nian's fault for not taking good enough care of you," Lu Tingfeng persisted, subtly bad-mouthing Xu Nian in front of Guan Xia. "If I had been there, I would have stuck by your side every step of the way. Not only would you not have gotten seriously hurt, I would have made sure not a single hair on your head was harmed."
Guan Xia listened helplessly and didn't want to argue with him over this. She simply pretended not to understand and stayed silent.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade her, Lu Tingfeng persistently turned his attention to Pang Le. Smiling at her, he said, "I heard from Sister Ji that you and Xiaoyu hit it off immediately and are always reluctant to part. So, how about it? Want to find some time now and then to join us for some thrilling investigative work? Don't worry, I'm much more reliable than Xu Nian. I'd never let you get hurt."
Just yesterday, Pang Le had been talking about missing home, her bed, and her gym. Guan Xia thought Pang Le would refuse outright. To her surprise, Pang Le responded with an equally bright smile, "Sure. A mundane life gets pretty dull after a while. It is good to experience a different kind of life now and then, to feel the true essence of living. But let me state upfront, I can only speak for myself, not for Guan Xia. And I won't drag her along if she doesn't want to go."
Guan Xia glanced at Pang Le in surprise, puzzled by her sudden change of heart.
Lu Tingfeng, however, was overjoyed. He even reached out to give Pang Le a high-five. "Then it's settled! Someone as lovely as you surely won't go back on your word. I'll be waiting for you!"
Pang Le smiled and agreed repeatedly, "Don't worry, why would I lie to you? I'm a person of my word. I definitely won't break my promise."
With just a few words, the two made their agreement. Watching Pang Le's demeanor, Guan Xia found it familiar. After a moment's thought, she realized it was the same very agreeable, charming act she herself put on whenever she was sweet-talking her boyfriend.
While understanding dawned on Guan Xia, she also felt a sense of wonder. They really were the destined male and female leads from the original story. There was no hint of this yesterday, yet today, for some reason, their progress had suddenly leaped forward, leaving Guan Xia somewhat stunned.
Leaving Lu Tingfeng and Pang Le to their chat, Guan Xia checked the time. Half an hour had passed; the doctors should be nearly done examining Meng Lan.
For Guan Xia personally, she would have preferred to stay in the hospital room, to witness the doctor's examination of Meng Lan and hear the results firsthand. However, the doctor found the room too crowded and insisted only one person could stay. Considering Chang Jing was Meng Lan's biological sister and had always been very good and caring towards her, Guan Xia could only leave the room voluntarily along with Pang Le.
Another five or six minutes passed before the tightly shut door finally opened. Chang Jing, having seen the doctor out, looked at Guan Xia and said, "Don't worry. The doctor says Lanlan is recovering very well and has a strong will to live. The reason she remains unconscious could be her body's self-protection mechanism. She might wake up in an hour or two, or perhaps in a day or two, but she will wake up eventually."
Hearing these words, Guan Xia felt as if a heavy stone had been lifted from her heart and she breathed a huge sigh of relief. "That's good, that's really good."
Although Meng Lan had found her biological family, she had not changed her surname. So, the two sisters, born to the same parents, had different surnames—one Chang and one Meng. But perhaps due to the magic of blood ties, or a shared sense of having suffered similar hardships, Chang Jing had been exceptionally kind to Meng Lan from the very first day she was recognized by their parents. Now, with the other three family members having passed away, the bond between the two sisters had grown even stronger.
Guan Xia was genuinely happy for Meng Lan. She asked Chang Jing softly, "Sister, may I go in and see Meng Lan again?"
Chang Jing was only slightly taller than Guan Xia, but her presence was far more commanding, carrying a composure accustomed to being in a position of authority. She nodded graciously and said, "Of course. I've heard Lanlan mention you many times. I know you are her best and only close friend. You also resolved the trouble she was in. If it weren't for you, she might not have survived."
This time, Guan Xia was truly shocked, somewhat taken aback as she began, "Sister, you..."
Her words were just starting when Chang Jing interrupted with a smile, "Surprised how I know? Lanlan is a clever girl, and as her sister, how could I be a fool? If I'm not mistaken, you must have investigated her privately, and investigated me too, right?"
Guan Xia neither wanted to admit it nor could she deny it, so she remained silent.
Being an intelligent person, Chang Jing clearly understood something from her silent attitude. She shook her head and said, "Don't misunderstand. I'm not interrogating or blaming you. I just want to say, since you investigated me, you must know what I went through back then. I'm very glad Lanlan didn't experience what I did. But the fact that I could be schemed against and pushed to that point shows that Luo Xingde is a very cunning and despicable man. I've achieved some success in my career now, yet even I couldn't deal with him. Meng Lan is young, has just been recognized by the family, so how could she have resolved it so easily? At first, I thought Lanlan handled it herself. Later, after testing the waters several times, I was sure it wasn't her. If it wasn't Lanlan, then who could it be? I paid a bit more private attention and then noticed something amiss."
Guan Xia hadn't paid excessive attention to Meng Lan's biological sister, so she naturally hadn't expected that Chang Jing had sensed something from the very beginning of the whole affair.
As her mind raced, Guan Xia heard Chang Jing continue, "Lanlan is truly a simple and sincere person. You probably knew early on that she initially didn't want to drag you into it. She deliberately cut off contact with you. It seemed harsh, but it also caused her great pain. Later, when she reconnected with you, she was both happy and apprehensive, even having nightmares for a long time. She even asked me indirectly: if someone unknowingly boards a ship full of dangers, and her best friend, completely unaware, insists on boarding it too, and she tried to stop her but failed, is that person useless and selfish?"
Listening to this, Guan Xia felt very complicated. She wanted to feel regret, but upon serious reflection, she couldn't truly regret it, because everything had turned out for the best. All she could do now was pray for Meng Lan to wake up soon, so they could remain best friends for the rest of their lives and enjoy the hard-won beautiful life together.
Perhaps sensing Guan Xia's genuine feelings for Meng Lan from her expression and attitude, Chang Jing suddenly changed her tone and smiled, "I said all this just to tell you that Meng Lan may have many flaws, but when it comes to friendship, she has always been very honest and a bit stubborn. What makes me happy is that you happen to be exactly the same kind of person. That puts my mind at ease. I want to thank you sincerely on her behalf and my own—thank you for standing by her through thick and thin, and thank you for doing your utmost to help her resolve her troubles."
Guan Xia was momentarily speechless. She wanted to say that cracking that case wasn't solely for Meng Lan, and that she was also surprised Meng Lan got involved. But because the case details were still confidential, she couldn't say anything. So, Guan Xia opened her mouth, only to take a deep breath and finally say, "There's no need to thank me, Sister. It was the right thing to do."
Chang Jing gave Guan Xia another deep look and said with a smile, "Didn't you want to see Lanlan? You can go in now. This morning when I was washing her face and turning her over, I noticed her finger twitch slightly. I don't know if it was my imagination, but I have a feeling that now that you're here, she's about to wake up."
Overjoyed upon hearing this, Guan Xia could no longer bother with conversation. She darted into the hospital room in a flash.
As if by perfect coincidence, just as Guan Xia reached the bedside, Meng Lan, who had been in a deep coma with her eyes tightly shut, truly awoke. At first, she seemed disoriented, unsure of her surroundings for a moment. Then, her gaze focused on Guan Xia's face for a long while before she managed a weak smile. "Guan Xia, you're here? You have no idea, I was looking for you the whole time in my dream. It was such a nightmare. I clearly have a good friend like you, but you didn't exist in that dream. I searched so hard and got so tired. Thankfully, it was just a dream. I really do have a good friend like you."
