Chapter 64

Aunt Liu hadn’t expected Zhao Shuqing to show up so suddenly. She turned pale with fright and panicked at the sight of the object in Zhao Shuqing’s hand. Stammering, she tried to explain, “Shu-Shuqing, it’s not what you think it is. I…”

Zhao Shuqing ignored her excuses and yanked open the ward door, shouting into the hallway. The duty nurse hurried over.

“What’s the matter?” The nurse stepped into the room and immediately sensed the strange tension. Her gaze fell on the slender syringe clutched in Zhao Shuqing’s hand—something had clearly gone wrong.

“I’m calling the police,” Zhao Shuqing declared.

Aunt Liu panicked completely. She lunged forward, pleading desperately, “No, don’t call the police! Please, don’t!”

Zhao Shuqing raised the syringe higher, her voice stern. “Don’t move. This right here is all the evidence I need. I won’t believe a single word you say from now on.”

The nurse realized something was seriously amiss. She bolted from the room to fetch help, and moments later, a group of nurses and security guards burst in. Aunt Liu’s dark eyes flashed with shock and fury as so many people swarmed the room, but she could only be dragged aside helplessly.

Zhao Shuqing called the police and had the syringe’s contents tested on the spot.

The results were no surprise: diazepam, the sedative commonly known as Valium. An intravenous dose worked fast and could leave someone unconscious for an entire day.

Zhao Shuqing’s expression darkened. She gazed at the frail elderly man on the bed, her brows knitting tightly together.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, clasping Teacher Shen’s hand. “I had no idea she’d do something like this to you. I thought she was taking such good care of you—that’s why I trusted her.”

Shen Qingming peered at her through his cloudy eyes. His voice came out thick and raspy, as if his throat were clogged with an egg, the words barely intelligible.

The police’s initial investigation wrapped up quickly. They suspected the nanny had injected the sedative because the elderly man was difficult to manage, keeping him docile and quiet for a full day.

Such stories of nannies abusing the elderly or children cropped up in the news all the time, but this was Zhao Shuqing’s first brush with it firsthand.

The officers expressed their sympathy. “Teacher Shen has no family or children, Ms. Zhao. You really should look into finding him a new nanny as soon as possible.”

Zhao Shuqing nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”

Once the police had hauled away the sobbing Aunt Liu, Zhao Shuqing returned to the bedside. She planned to hire a temporary hospital caregiver to watch over Shen Qingming for now. Once his condition stabilized a bit, she could seek out someone more reliable.

“I need to let Senior Sister know about this,” she murmured to herself. She pulled out her phone and turned to Shen Qingming. “I’ll give her a call so she can come check on you.”

At those words, Shen Qingming’s pupils contracted sharply. A low whine escaped his throat, and his whole body began to tremble faintly.

Zhao Shuqing noticed his distress and set the phone aside at once. “Teacher, what’s wrong? Are you in pain? Nurse! Nurse!”

Seeing her call for help, Shen Qingming grabbed her wrist in a panic. His ruined throat could produce only a hoarse rasp—he couldn’t form words at all. He stared at her anxiously until an idea struck him. He raised his index finger and carefully traced a letter in the palm of her hand: a capital [E].

Just then, the ward door swung open again.

This time it wasn’t a nurse, but Xu Tang—the very woman Zhao Shuqing had been about to call.

Shen Qingming’s face drained of what little color remained at the sight of Xu Tang. Trembling, he drew a horizontal line through the [E], then cautiously hid his hand.

Zhao Shuqing frowned. She turned and spotted Xu Tang, whose expression was grave. Her eyes lingered on the man in the bed, dark and inscrutable. She approached slowly. “The nurse called me. I came straight from the laboratory.”

Xu Tang’s gaze bored unwaveringly into Shen Qingming, though her question was directed at Zhao Shuqing. “Did Teacher say anything to you?”

The atmosphere felt off to Zhao Shuqing. She tightened her grip on Shen Qingming’s hand—the one with the [E]—and shook her head. “No. Teacher’s throat seems damaged. He can’t speak.”

“Is that right?” Xu Tang wasn’t convinced. She stepped closer, pinched Shen Qingming’s chin, and peered inside. His tongue and tonsils were massively swollen. Thoughtfully, she murmured, “How did it get this bad after just a few days?”

Zhao Shuqing explained what Aunt Liu had done with the diazepam. Xu Tang pondered it for a long moment before nodding. “I see. Let’s use a hospital caregiver for the time being.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Zhao Shuqing said. “I’ve asked the nurses to keep an eye out. Ideally, we find someone today. If not, I’ll look after Teacher myself.”

Xu Tang turned to her. “You?”

Zhao Shuqing nodded.

“But what about Lin Feng?” Xu Tang asked.

Zhao Shuqing hesitated. “Lin Feng can handle her basic needs now. I thought…”

“Shuqing.” Xu Tang’s tone was even, but her gaze weighed heavily. “Lin Feng is a key national research subject—the heart of the Dual-Female Plan. You can’t just leave her alone at home.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry about Teacher.” Xu Tang’s eyes shifted to the bed. “I don’t have anything pressing at work. I’ll take care of him personally.”

Shen Qingming’s trembling intensified at the announcement. Zhao Shuqing noticed his discomfort and started to ask if he was all right, but Xu Tang spoke first.

“Teacher.”

She settled on the other side of the bed, took his hand, and wiped away the cold sweat beading on it. In a soft voice, she said, “I’m sorry about Aunt Liu. I should have noticed sooner. From now on, I’ll come every day to keep you company until you’re healthy enough to leave.”

Shen Qingming’s mouth worked soundlessly with pitiful whines. His cloudy eyes darted to Zhao Shuqing in a silent plea for help.

Zhao Shuqing frowned, unease stirring in her chest. “Teacher? What’s the matter?”

Xu Tang pulled a tissue and dabbed the sweat from his forehead. She gently turned his head to meet her gaze. “Teacher, are you in a lot of pain?”

Shen Qingming’s breathing grew ragged.

Xu Tang smiled tenderly. “Aunt Liu’s gone now, but I’m here. Don’t be afraid—you won’t suffer like that again.”

Shen Qingming stared into her eyes and knew he was done for. Even on the brink of death, though, he wanted to leave some warning behind. He twisted his head toward Zhao Shuqing and tentatively lifted the hand he’d used to write.

At that moment, a swarm of doctors and nurses flooded the room. Citing the need for the patient to rest, they ushered both women out.

In the hallway, Zhao Shuqing stared at the [E] Shen Qingming had scrawled on her palm, utterly baffled by what it meant. Xu Tang emerged from the room and fixed her gaze on Zhao Shuqing. Spotting her staring at her own hand, she smiled and asked, “What are you looking at?”

Zhao Shuqing lifted her eyes. For some reason, she suddenly felt a profound unease around Xu Tang.

Back when Shen Qingming had lived alone, his days were a chaotic mess without family nearby. He’d thrown himself entirely into oceanographic research, and years of time at sea had left him with a faint, inescapable briny odor that kept people at bay.

He was unhygienic to boot—wore dirty clothes inside out, ate at the cafeteria, and let his assigned housing devolve into a garbage heap. It was then that Xu Tang suggested he hire a nanny, quickly settling on Aunt Liu.

Aunt Liu had been under fifty at the time, a sturdy retired factory worker who took up live-in caregiving. She’d looked after Shen Qingming devotedly for years.

Zhao Shuqing had just started grad school back then and saw Aunt Liu as unfailingly polite to everyone—especially deferential to Xu Tang. When delivering meals to Shen Qingming, she’d always bring extras for Zhao Shuqing and Xu Tang. Their portions had plenty of chicken and pork, but Xu Tang’s featured more fish and shrimp.

Zhao Shuqing had even joked that Aunt Liu went out of her way to cook separately for Xu Tang.

Xu Tang had only smiled and brushed it off as overthinking.

But today—right now—Zhao Shuqing wasn’t so sure things were that simple.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Tang’s scrutinizing gaze advanced a step. “Did Teacher leave you some kind of message?”

Zhao Shuqing retreated two paces, slipping her hand behind her back with a light laugh. “No, Teacher can barely speak. How could he leave a message? I was just lost in thought.”

She changed the subject. “Senior Sister, what do you think will happen to Aunt Liu? This is elder abuse. If I hadn’t come early today, who knows what might have happened to Teacher.”

Xu Tang gave her a measuring look and paused for a few seconds. “Leave it to the police. Whatever they decide is what she’ll get—no letting her off easy.”

Zhao Shuqing eyed her suspiciously. “I remember Aunt Liu was always especially nice to you. You can really stand by and watch her go to prison?”

Xu Tang remained as breezy and detached as ever, as if Aunt Liu’s fate had nothing to do with her.

“Teacher Shen has no family or children,” she said. “We’re the closest things he has. Why would I feel sorry for an outsider?”

Zhao Shuqing studied her deeply for a moment, then nodded with a smile. “You’re right, Senior Sister.”

Another thought struck her. “Senior Sister, are you and Gu Yao together now?”

Xu Tang regarded her for a long while before sinking into a nearby chair. Faintly, she confirmed, “Yes. We’re together.”

Zhao Shuqing hadn’t expected such frankness, without a hint of secrecy. “Gu Yao’s a good person. Since you’re with her, Senior Sister, treat her well.”

“Of course,” Xu Tang replied with a smile directed at Zhao Shuqing. “I’ll take good care of her.”

The two stayed at the hospital until the afternoon. Zhao Shuqing accompanied a nurse to check out potential caregivers and selected a sturdy-looking young man in his twenties who seemed dependable enough. He’d watch over Shen Qingming during his hospital stay.

The caregiver had a somewhat wooden demeanor, but his strong build suited the job. Xu Tang exchanged a glance with him and raised no objections.

That evening, Xu Tang stayed at the hospital with the caregiver on duty while Zhao Shuqing headed out, planning to pick up Lin Feng from the oceanarium and bring her home.

Once Zhao Shuqing was gone, Xu Tang turned her attention to the man on the bed.

The caregiver shut the door without a word and dragged a chair over to block the entrance.

Shen Qingming looked from Xu Tang to the man in the blue caregiver uniform, then closed his eyes in utter despair.

“Teacher Shen, don’t you think this is fate?” Xu Tang sat with her arms crossed, gazing at him. “Zhao Shuqing picked out the caregiver herself, and she still managed to bring back a mermaid.”

She let out a soft laugh, though it never reached her eyes.

“Teacher Shen, I’ve told you so much about mermaids, but there’s one thing I kept from you.” Xu Tang tilted her head. “Aren’t you curious how mermaids turn into humans?”