Chapter 31

"I never hit women, but you're an exception."

Ye Qiu’s words were simple and direct, and full of dominance.

Lin Jingzhi looked up, surprised, and asked, "Do you know who she is?"

"Who she is doesn’t matter to me. I won’t allow anyone to bully you in front of me."

Hearing these words, Lin Jingzhi felt a tremor deep in her heart.

Over the years, she had shouldered everything on her own. In the eyes of others, she was a strong woman, but they overlooked the fact that she was also a woman who needed protection.

She had never imagined that the man who would protect her would be Ye Qiu.

Lin Jingzhi said, "The person you just hit is the sister of my deceased fiancé, from a powerful family in the capital. That family has immense influence, and a single word from her could make you disappear without a trace."

"So what?" There was not a hint of fear on Ye Qiu’s face. "As you said, I have nothing to lose. If she really wants to kill me, I’ll fight her to the death."

Lin Jingzhi was taken aback.

She didn’t know what Ye Qiu had been through, but she could clearly sense that he had changed.

If the initial impression Ye Qiu left on her was that of a timid newcomer lacking courage, then the Ye Qiu before her now was a man standing tall and strong.

Lin Jingzhi sighed, "It’s not worth it for you to offend her for the sake of a stranger like me."

"Big Sister, you’re wrong, and I must correct you," Ye Qiu looked straight at Lin Jingzhi and said earnestly, "You’re not a stranger, you’re my big sister."

Instantly, a warm current surged in Lin Jingzhi’s heart.

She hadn’t heard such warm words in years. Even her family had cut ties with her after that incident, treating her like a stranger.

Over the years, she had struggled alone in Jiangzhou, enduring hardships and fatigue that only she knew about.

"Ye Qiu, thank you." Tears welled up in Lin Jingzhi’s eyes.

Ye Qiu smiled slightly, "What are you being so formal for?"

At this moment, the woman Ye Qiu had slapped rushed in, pointing at Ye Qiu and shouting angrily, "Do you know who I am? You dare to hit me? Do you want to die?"

"I warn you, this is a special care ward. No loud noises, or I won’t be gentle," Ye Qiu said, a cold aura emanating from him.

In an instant, the temperature in the ward seemed to drop to below zero, and the woman felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

"You, you..."

The woman was intimidated by Ye Qiu’s aura and involuntarily took two steps back.

"Qian Yanru, don’t make a fool of yourself here," Lin Jingzhi said.

The woman suddenly thought of something and laughed bitterly, "I wondered why a mere doctor would dare to hit me. It turns out you’re backing him up!"

"Lin Jingzhi, are you so desperate that you’ll go with any man?"

"Even a nobody like him, you find attractive?"

"It looks like I was right, you’re just a prostitute!"

"Slut!"

Lin Jingzhi seemed to be used to it, showing no signs of anger on her face. She said calmly, "We’re all tap water, why pretend to be purified water? Let’s be honest, in terms of being a slut, you could run a brothel."

"You—"

Lin Jingzhi continued, "Qian Yanru, I advise you to seek treatment for your illness. Don’t come to me, I’m not a veterinarian."

Ye Qiu chuckled. It was the first time he had seen Lin Jingzhi stand up to someone, and it was quite...

Impressive!

The woman was so angry that she trembled, shouting, "Lin Jingzhi, you dare to insult me!"

"Did I insult you? I’m just speaking the truth," Lin Jingzhi said with an innocent expression. "The Qian family is a prestigious family in the capital, how could they produce a daughter like you? For Qian Dong’s sake, I’ll remind you, don’t lose what your parents gave you, especially your face."

"You, you, I’ll fight you to the death." The woman, like a provoked hen, lunged at Lin Jingzhi with her claws out.

However, as soon as she approached the bed, Ye Qiu grabbed her by the throat.

She instantly struggled to breathe.

"You, you, what are you going to do?" The woman stared at Ye Qiu in terror.

Ye Qiu looked at Lin Jingzhi and asked, "Big Sister Lin, kill her or bury her alive?"

Lin Jingzhi immediately understood Ye Qiu’s meaning and said seriously, "Killing her outright would be no fun, and burying her alive is too much trouble. Let me think... How about drowning her in the river, or maybe flaying her alive? What do you think?"

"I think both are fine," Ye Qiu replied.

The woman was almost scared out of her wits. If anyone else had said this, she might not have believed it, but Lin Jingzhi was different. Lin Jingzhi had even dared to poison her own fiancé. What else could she not do?

"You can’t kill me, you can’t kill me. My family knows I came to Jiangzhou to find you. If I die, they won’t let you off." The woman suddenly shouted, "Murder! Help!"

"Shut up!"

Lin Jingzhi’s sudden stern voice made the woman immediately close her mouth. The arrogance she had displayed earlier was gone.

"Qian Yanru, I won’t kill you today."

"But listen, I’m not afraid of you, nor am I afraid of your Qian family. I just don’t want to dirty my hands."

"If you dare to bother me again, I won’t show any mercy."

"Ye Qiu, let her go."

Ye Qiu then released her, coldly ordering, "Get out!"

Qian Yanru ran out of the ward as if fleeing for her life.

When only Ye Qiu and Lin Jingzhi were left in the ward, Lin Jingzhi said gratefully, "Ye Qiu, thank you."

"Big Sister Lin, why are you being so formal with me?" Ye Qiu walked up to Lin Jingzhi, looking at the handprint on her left cheek, and asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

"What, are you worried about me?" Lin Jingzhi’s soul-piercing eyes stared straight at Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu felt a bit guilty and couldn’t meet her gaze, quickly lowering his head.

Suddenly, a snowy plain appeared.

The plain was white and vast, with two snow-capped mountains towering above it, and a deep, long valley in between.

Ye Qiu almost started to bleed from the nose and quickly looked up, only to meet Lin Jingzhi’s eyes.

"Beautiful, isn’t it?" Lin Jingzhi asked with a smile.

Ye Qiu was extremely embarrassed and quickly said, "Big Sister Lin, let me help you with the bruise on your face."

"Okay." Lin Jingzhi agreed readily.

Ye Qiu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly treated the handprint on her face.

Lin Jingzhi slightly turned her head, presenting her left cheek to Ye Qiu to make it easier for him to treat the bruise.

At the same time, her right hand discreetly made an "OK" gesture out the window, unnoticed even by Ye Qiu.

Two hundred meters from the hospital, there was a tall hotel.

On the rooftop.

A cold, tough woman in black leather clothes and pants, upon seeing Lin Jingzhi’s gesture, put away the sniper rifle on the rooftop and quickly left.