Although Song Qinian heard the sound of flowing water, she still walked a considerable distance before truly finding the stream.
She was also terribly thirsty. She washed her hands and cupped some water to drink a few mouthfuls.
The stream water in the forest was too cold. A single sip sent a shiver down Song Qinian's spine.
Without any time to waste, she cleaned the bottle she had picked up along the way and filled it with water.
Worrying that Shen Chiyan might drink it when it was too cold, she placed the bottle inside her clothes, letting it press against her skin.
That way, by the time she reached Shen Chiyan, the water might not be so frigid.
The thought of Shen Chiyan waiting for water quickened Song Qinian's pace. Along the way, she lost count of how many times she tripped over branches and sustained injuries.
But when she stumbled back to where she had been, Lin Qiutong and Shen Chiyan were gone.
Song Qinian was immediately terrified, fearing that the assassins had found them.
She immediately searched the surroundings, but there wasn't a single person in sight.
Suddenly, she remembered something, took out the whistle from her neck, and blew a few times, but there was still no response.
Had something happened to them?
Or had Lin Qiutong taken Shen Chiyan away while she went to get water?
Even so, Lin Qiutong, a frail woman, couldn't have gone far carrying Shen Chiyan, an unconscious patient.
The more Song Qinian thought, the more alarmed she became. She continued to blow her whistle while searching for them.
But she was too exhausted. Her legs felt as if they were weighed down by heavy stones, making each step difficult.
Finally, due to exhaustion, she collapsed heavily onto the ground.
In the instant she fell into darkness, she was still thinking that Shen Chiyan had to be safe.
Not long after Song Qinian collapsed, a man wearing a wool coat and leather boots and trousers slowly approached her.
He squatted down, touched Song Qinian's pale and disheveled little face, and then brushed her hair from her forehead. "My Niannian, why have you made yourself so miserable?"
Then, he took off his coat, wrapped Song Qinian in it, and carried her away from the quiet, eerie forest.
...
Upon arriving in Jinghua City, Shen Chiyan was immediately taken to surgery. When Lin Qiutong saw the word "surgery," her heart ached intensely.
Shen Chiyan had only just come out of there not long ago, and now he was going back in.
And this time, he was more seriously injured than before!
Gao Kunlun handed Lin Qiutong a cup of hot water. "Miss Lin, you look tired. Would you like to rest for a while?"
Lin Qiutong shook her head, her eyes fixed on the operating room. "Ah Yan's life is uncertain in there, how can I possibly rest peacefully?"
"Then drink some hot water first."
Lin Qiutong nodded and took the cup from Gao Kunlun.
Gao Kunlun initially wanted to ask Lin Qiutong how she ended up in that forest and how she found Shen Chiyan. However, seeing Lin Qiutong's current state, he knew he wouldn't get any answers and decided to wait, praying for Shen Chiyan's safe recovery.
Shen Chiyan's surgery this time took even longer than the last. As the sky darkened, Gao Kunlun grew increasingly worried about Shen Chiyan and Song Qinian.
Just then, the two bodyguards sent to find Song Qinian called.
Gao Kunlun immediately answered. "How is it? Have Madam found?"
"No, we searched a very long distance and couldn't find any trace of Madam. We did find four corpses. Those four should be the people who were chasing Fifth Master."
"Bring the bodies back, and more importantly, find Madam. If she's alive, bring her back..."
Gao Kunlun dared not say the rest. The mere thought of the possibility made him break out in a cold sweat.
"But it's difficult to search at night."
"Send more men. Even if you have to turn the entire forest upside down, you must find Madam."
"Understood."
Lin Qiutong, who had been listening to Gao Kunlun's phone call, felt an immeasurable joy when she heard that Song Qinian had not yet been found.
Song Qinian hadn't been found even by daybreak. As a mute, she couldn't call for help, and it would be even harder at night.
Moreover, Song Qinian was injured. She might have even fainted. In this cold weather, it would be good if she froze to death!
However, when Gao Kunlun looked at her, she feigned concern and asked, "Still no news of Song Qinian?"
Gao Kunlun shook his head. "Madam is very smart, she will be fine."
"Yes, I also hope that heaven will protect her."
Seeing Gao Kunlun looking at her with confusion, Lin Qiutong gave a wry smile. "What? Do you think because Song Qinian is my love rival, I would wish her dead?"
Gao Kunlun immediately waved his hands. "No, no, no, I absolutely didn't mean that."
Lin Qiutong snorted lightly. "I love Ah Yan very much and want to have him, but I will compete fairly with Song Qinian. I won't curse her to death."
Gao Kunlun nodded awkwardly and fell silent.
At that moment, the doctor came out and announced that Shen Chiyan's heart had stopped beating multiple times, and a critical illness notice needed to be signed.
Hearing these words, Lin Qiutong and Gao Kunlun turned pale with fright. Neither of them were Shen Chiyan's relatives. Gao Kunlun had no choice but to call Shen Liubai.
Shen Liubai, who had been in the laboratory, dropped everything upon receiving Gao Kunlun's call and rushed to the hospital.
After understanding the situation, Shen Liubai signed the critical illness notice, his hands trembling as he did so.
Knowing that Shen Chiyan was in grave danger, Shen Liubai did not hide it from the old madam and immediately called the family. Soon, members of the Shen family rushed to the hospital.
The old madam looked as if she had aged several years, her complexion extremely poor. Even Gu Zhiyan rushed back to the hospital from the awards ceremony.
Shen Keqin hugged Shen Liubai and wept. "How could this happen? Just two days ago, I video-called Fifth Brother, and he said he was bringing Sister-in-law back soon. Now, one is injured, and one is missing! Wuwu..."
Shen Liubai patted Shen Keqin's back. "There's no news of Song Qinian. Ah Yan won't leave just like that. He will come back."
Shen Zhengming's family also arrived.
Seeing the situation, Shen Zhengming and Shen Qiwen exchanged glances, each with their own hidden agenda.
Lin Qiutong, upon seeing Shen Qiwen, glared at him fiercely and gave him a look.
The two walked to a deserted corner. Lin Qiutong slapped Shen Qiwen hard. As she angrily hit him, she roared, "I told you to kill Song Qinian, but Song Qinian is unharmed, while Ah Yan is so badly injured. Tell me, do you intend to kill Ah Yan? Do you want to take this opportunity to get rid of Ah Yan as well?"
Shen Qiwen grabbed Lin Qiutong's hand. "I never thought that. Shen Chiyan was injured to save Song Qinian. Now Song Qinian is missing, and you found him. Did you see Song Qinian?"