Tianyi said irritably, "What do you mean 'just met'? They've known each other for ages."
An Jing felt even more surprised. "So they're old flames then."
"You're going too far! Say one more word and I'll deduct a year's bonus!"
An Jing quickly covered his mouth, making muffled sounds. "I won't talk nonsense anymore, I promise... But can you tell me what's really going on?"
Tianyi shot him a look and explained the whole story.
After listening carefully, An Jing became lively again. "Then you're in the wrong here. It seems the doctor I recommended was right. Their medical skills are so superb, yet you're still worried about this and that. Is jealousy more important, or is it more important to ensure Susu's safety?"
Tianyi was slightly taken aback, as if An Jing had just enlightened him.
"So you're saying you deserve credit?"
"Of course! Give me an extra week of vacation this year..."
"No, get back to work," Tianyi said, adopting a boss's demeanor.
An Jing snorted, then remembered something. "I won't banter with you anymore. I almost forgot something important."
"What is it?"
"The police have started investigating Xi Feng's death. Bai Chengyi has been released from prison for a retrial. But that Xia Ming has disappeared. After he resigned from Zhao Jianhua's company, no one knows where he went."
Tianyi frowned. "That guy actually ran? Did he get wind of something beforehand?"
"Who knows? But Xia Ming must have been as scared as a rabbit, otherwise, how could he have worked for Zhao Jianhua for so many years?" An Jing analyzed.
"That's true. Have you sent people to look for him?"
An Jing replied, "The police are looking, and I'll have people inquire about his whereabouts too."
"Good. Let me know if you get any news. Pay close attention to these matters. Once Susu's situation is resolved, I'll give you a couple more days off."
"Just two more days? So stingy," An Jing said jokingly. Before Tianyi could react, he left his office.
Tianyi sat alone in his office, pondering An Jing's words.
As long as Song Jiaping could help Susu get through this safely, why should he care if he and Susu knew each other long ago?
Had he been overthinking things?
He made a few more calls, verifying Song Jiaping's medical expertise from multiple sources. He indeed had considerable skill.
Difficult cases in obstetrics and gynecology were almost always resolved by Song Jiaping.
However, if he had to choose Song Jiaping as Susu's attending physician, he would rather opt for the first plan: terminating the pregnancy to get Susu out of danger as quickly as possible.
He thought about discussing this matter with Susu when he got home that evening.
When leaving work, he and An Jing left the company together, a rare occurrence, and headed to the underground parking lot.
They exchanged a few more playful remarks before preparing to drive home separately.
As Tianyi walked towards his car, someone suddenly rushed out, holding a gleaming knife.
"Qin Tianyi! You broke your promise, I'll fight you!"
Before Tianyi could even see who it was, he agilely dodged. The attacker missed and stumbled.
An Jing, walking in the opposite direction, heard the commotion and hurried back.
But the attacker, unwilling to give up, raised the knife again and lunged at Tianyi.
It was then Tianyi recognized Bai Shouren. As he moved to disarm Bai Shouren, An Jing ran over. From An Jing's angle, he couldn't see the knife in Bai Shouren's hand.
Sensing someone approaching from the side to interfere, Bai Shouren suddenly turned and stabbed directly into An Jing's right abdomen.
Before Tianyi could even shout a warning to An Jing, Bai Shouren had already plunged the knife into him.
Bai Shouren quickly pulled the knife out and turned to attack Tianyi again.
An Jing, ignoring his own injury, tried to stop him.
Tianyi saw the blood instantly stain An Jing's blue-gray suit. Enraged, he dodged Bai Shouren's attack again, grabbed his knife-wielding wrist, and forcefully twisted it, causing the bloody knife to fall to the ground.
Tianyi kicked the knife away and rushed to check on An Jing's injuries, trying to help him press against the wound in his abdomen. "How are you? I'll call an ambulance right away!"
"I'm fine, not dying yet. I've already contacted security," An Jing said, enduring the severe pain in his abdomen. He saw Bai Shouren, still unwilling, pull out a small knife from his pocket and attack them again.
"Tianyi! Watch your back!" An Jing shouted.
Tianyi, now furious, swiftly turned and kicked Bai Shouren to the ground before immediately calling for an ambulance.
At this moment, the company's security guards swarmed into the underground parking lot.
An Jing immediately pointed at Bai Shouren, who was lying on the ground. "Quick, apprehend this man!"
Tianyi had already taken off his suit jacket and then his white shirt, leaving him in only a white undershirt.
With his knowledge of first aid, he told An Jing to stop talking and to remain still.
He used his own white shirt to tightly bandage An Jing's abdominal wound, preventing excessive blood loss before the ambulance arrived.
Bai Shouren, held down by the security guards and unable to move, was still shouting, "Qin Tianyi! You broke your word, I won't let you go! I'll kill you, I'll kill you!"
Tianyi had no time to pay attention to Bai Shouren, who was now like a rabid dog, his only concern was An Jing's injury.
He saw An Jing's face growing paler, his white shirt already half-soaked with blood.
"Hold on, the ambulance will be here any moment!"
"I won't die," An Jing managed to say with a weak smile at this moment.
Tianyi pressed down on the wound with one hand and tightly gripped his hand with the other. "Don't talk, save your strength."
An Jing, however, still tried to joke. "I shouldn't have left work with you today. If anything happens to me, please take care of Lan Yu and our daughter. And remember to tell Lan Yu to find someone better to marry and not to grieve too much for me..."
"You shut up! You're not allowed to have anything happen without my permission!" Tianyi yelled at him.
An Jing no longer had the strength to joke, he just smiled at Tianyi.
The ambulance finally arrived, and Tianyi got on with it.
The security guards who had apprehended Bai Shouren also called the police.
...
Susu returned home early, having prepared dinner and waiting for him. She waited and waited but he didn't come back, so she let Xiao Xing and the others eat first.
She still wanted to wait for him to eat dinner together.
Yesterday, she had seen Tianyi shut himself in the study and thought he was still angry and jealous, so she planned to appease him tonight.
But the food had gone cold, and he still hadn't returned, nor had he sent a message or called to tell her he was working late.
Just as she was about to call his phone, his call came through.
"Honey, your temper is lasting a bit too long..."
"Susu, don't speak yet, listen to me," Tianyi's voice was urgent.
Susu felt like something major had happened on his end, so she fell silent, waiting to hear what he had to say.
"An Jing has been stabbed and is in the emergency room for surgery. Contact Lan Yu now, but don't tell her it's too serious. Bring her to the hospital as well."
Susu was shocked, but she knew the situation was urgent and didn't ask further questions. She simply said "Okay" and prepared to go find Lan Yu.