Daisy took half a day off, knowing her mother had completed the discharge procedures.
She arrived at the hospital in the afternoon, called a car, and brought her father home with her mother.
Her father lay on the bed at home, feeling more comfortable in his own surroundings.
Seeing Daisy busy tidying up the items brought back from the hospital, he couldn't help but ask, "What has Shaohua been up to lately? Why didn't he come when I was discharged?"
Daisy was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained her composure and placed several bottles of medicine by her father's resting bedside, saying, "He's away on a business trip. This time it's a long one, and he won't be back for a while."
Her father frowned, "What kind of job does he have that he's always on business trips?"
"He volunteered for these trips because the travel allowance is high," Daisy said with a smile. "Dad, don't worry about these things. Focus on recovering. When he gets back from his trip, I'll have him come see you."
"What do I want him to see me for? I'm worried that you two aren't together often, and your relationship might have problems?"
"No," Daisy replied, avoiding her father's direct gaze, and walked out of his room.
She felt a pang of panic, not yet ready to tell her parents. After calming herself, she went to see her mother, who was busy in the kitchen.
"Mom, what are you cooking? I'll help you."
Her mother was washing dishes and said, "I wasn't planning on making anything special. Your dad can't eat much, only bland food. Wash the greens, please."
"Okay." Daisy took a bunch of greens from the kitchen and began washing them.
Her mother suddenly whispered, "You've already divorced Huangfu Shaohua, haven't you?"
Daisy's hands paused, "What, no..."
"Don't try to fool us anymore. I met Huangfu Shaohua at the hospital today." Her mother turned off the faucet above the sink for her. "He told me everything. That photo I asked you about last time, you took it, didn't you?"
Daisy put down the greens, knowing she couldn't hide it any longer. She looked at her mother and said, "Actually, I wanted to tell you both a while ago, but Dad's back was injured, and I wanted to wait until he recovered."
"Your dad doesn't know about this yet, but he's noticed something is wrong between you two. Tell me honestly what happened, and why you would take those kinds of photos?"
Daisy's eyes reddened. She told her mother about recent events, but tried to downplay the severity, only saying the photos were doctored and she was framed.
Her mother listened in disbelief that such things could happen to her daughter. She grabbed Daisy's arm and asked, "Does Shaohua know you were framed?"
"Maybe he knows, maybe he doesn't. None of that matters anymore." Daisy calmed herself and said with composure, "He and I are truly not suited for each other, and I don't want to be a burden to him anymore. Letting him return to the life he should have, and living with me in a way that feels like a condescension, would make me feel like I owe him too much and I'd always be uneasy."
Her mother wiped away tears, "You silly child. No matter what, you were married. To just get divorced like this, you're the one who loses out."
"Mom, I'm fine. Being single again is so freeing."
"But you should at least confirm that Huangfu Shaohua knows you were framed and that you didn't take those photos willingly."
Daisy thought it through clearly and said, "Even if he knows, it would only make him feel more guilty, but we definitely can't go back. There's no point."
"It's good that those bad people were caught." Her mother still felt her daughter had been wronged. "You were framed because of him, so he should know that Sheng Zhuzhu's mother wanted to harm you..."
"Mom, Sheng Zhuzhu's mother has been arrested anyway, and she'll face legal consequences. I've had my say, and I don't want any further entanglement with Huangfu Shaohua. I just want to completely cut ties with him."
Her mother, however, said, "You're taking all the blame yourself and letting him off too easily. But I think he still believes you wronged him."
"Mom, I don't want to dwell on it. The more I dwell, the more heartbroken I'll be," Daisy said seriously.
Her mother couldn't bear to see her daughter so sad. "Then move back home. Since things are like this, don't live alone anymore."
"But Dad's injury isn't fully healed yet, and I don't want him to get anxious or angry because of my affairs."
"Silly girl, just say you're coming back temporarily to help me take care of him. After a while, your dad will probably guess some things. Then you can tell him. He'll be mentally prepared, so it won't be too sudden."
Daisy nodded, "Okay, I'll move back tomorrow. I want to sell that old house."
That old house held too many memories of her and Huangfu Shaohua; she didn't want to keep it.
Her mother understood her feelings and said, "Yes, selling it is good. If you rent it out, you'd still have to worry about it. Sell it, and keep the money."
"Mom, the money from selling this house should be for your retirement. I don't want it. What I earn is more than enough for me." Daisy wanted to sell the house to completely sever her emotional ties with Huangfu Shaohua, she didn't want the money from the sale.
Her mother smiled, took her hand, and said, "Then consider it as you saving it for us. You can take it out when we need it later."
"Okay, consider it as you saving it with me." Daisy finally agreed, thinking that after she moved back home, she would list the old house with an agent.
...
After Huangfu Shaohua had his stitches removed and was discharged from the hospital, he went to the police station.
The police had been asking him to come in again to get more detailed information about his attempted hijacking.
When he arrived at the police station, he recounted the incident again to the officer in charge of the case, not omitting even the smallest detail.
After completing the statement, he asked, "Officer, it's been almost two weeks, why haven't they found those people yet?"
The officer in charge said helplessly, "Mr. Huangfu, we initially thought it was a simple robbery. But the more we investigated, the more we realized something was off. The license plate of that van couldn't be traced; it was likely a fake plate."
"You mean it wasn't a normal robbery, then what was it? Did someone intend to harm me?"
"We can't be sure yet. The surveillance cameras in that area were conveniently malfunctioning, and the streetlights weren't working. However, fortunately, a patrol officer passing by managed to capture the van on their body camera before getting out. We'll use that footage to find the vehicle first."
"Okay, thank you."
The officer added, "Also, although the surveillance at the scene was broken, we will check the cameras on the roads leading to and from the area."
Huangfu Shaohua asked with confusion, "But why do you think this wasn't a normal robbery?"
The officer looked at him and said, "Generally, if these people hadn't prepared thoroughly beforehand, they wouldn't have suddenly appeared there and happened to encounter you trying to flag down a car. There's only one possibility."
"What possibility?"
"They had been tracking you for a long time, looking for the most opportune moment to strike. And that night, they finally had the chance to target you." The officer warned him, "So, until they are caught, you need to be careful about your safety."
Huangfu Shaohua understood, and a chill ran down his spine.
He had been followed all along without realizing it.
And whether these people were after his money or his life, he had no way of knowing yet.
"Thank you, I will be careful."