Part 2
“…”
Only at this moment did Wen Rong realize that Zhou Xie’s comments stemmed from what he had said in the ambulance.
At that time, he was in so much pain he couldn’t tell if he was alive or dead. His only fear was that Zhou Xie might give up this opportunity to take down Wang Sichen for various reasons. So, he had used a little scheme, pressuring Zhou Xie in the form of a dying wish.
Then again, half a month had passed. How were things progressing?
Wen Rong asked, “What’s the situation now? How will Wang Sichen and those people from the Outer District be dealt with?”
“…”
“Hm?”
Zhou Xie looked him up and down. Finally abandoning his silence, he crossed his legs, folded his hands on his knee, and responded with a cold posture: “Wang Sichen and the people from the Outer District have all been arrested. Many officials are implicated, and evidence collection is ongoing.”
“Then Dr. Li…”
“You mean that female doctor?”
“…Yes.”
“As someone who cooperated with the Outer District gang to directly harvest human organs, she will be sentenced to death.”
“If she pleads guilty, can she fight for a lighter sentence?”
“To deal with all the personnel involved, I specifically directed public attention to the case itself, using public opinion to push the operation forward. So, no one in this case can escape.”
“I didn’t mean escape. I wanted to ask if she could try for a reduced sentence.”
“There is no room for that.”
Wen Rong blankly put a spoonful of food into his mouth.
“You feel sorry for her, but you still crippled her hand?”
Wen Rong’s pitying heart was suddenly choked by Zhou Xie’s words. He pursed his lips and explained, “The situation was urgent then; I couldn’t think that much. But looking back now, she treated my wounds and let me and Shi Ye return to the welfare institute. In a way, she saved me and Shi Ye.”
“I can’t believe you can still eat.”
Wen Rong was confused. “Huh?”
How did the topic jump from Dr. Li to eating?
“When you lowered your head, dandruff probably fell in.” Zhou Xie specifically leaned forward, bringing his face close to Wen Rong’s bowl. “You’re almost done eating anyway; I shouldn’t have reminded you.”
“What?”
“Haven’t you looked in a mirror?”
“Not yet.”
The corner of Zhou Xie’s mouth twitched. On his exhausted face, a surprisingly energetic smile appeared.
“From the day you entered the ICU until now, your hair hasn’t been washed. The top of your head is full of dandruff.”
“…”
Zhou Xie was so annoying, so annoying, so annoying.
Wen Rong reached out his hand to him. “Where is my phone?”
“What for?”
“I’m calling Senior to come help me wash my hair, and I want a shower too!”
“Your phone is smashed. Leo tried to recover the data for you, but it was crushed into bits. It can’t be recovered.”
“What about my SIM card?”
“Still there.”
Wen Rong breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I need to buy a new phone.”
“Who are you going to ask to buy it for you?”
“Senior!”
“How will you reach him now?”
“…”
Wen Rong fell silent, forced to face the option he had been avoiding. He asked hesitantly, “Can I borrow your phone for a moment?”
“Why didn’t you ask me from the start?”
“…”
Zhou Xie pushed his luck. “Why didn’t you trust that I would publish the evidence? What did you mean by those words in the ambulance?”
“…”
“Is this the treatment for the person ranked last in your heart?”
You aren’t last, Wen Rong instinctively thought.
But then he realized… if Zhou Xie wasn’t last, who was?
So, Zhou Xie was last.
“Say something.”
Zhou Xie stood up. his excessive height instantly blocking all the light, casting Wen Rong in shadow.
Under such pressure, Wen Rong nodded honestly.
Zhou Xie laughed out of anger. “You actually nodded!”
“Didn’t you ask?”
“…”
“…”
Zhou Xie turned and walked away without lending him the phone.
Wen Rong stuffed several mouthfuls of rice into his mouth. The sweet taste made him let out a satisfied “Hah.” His mood was inexplicably lifted. After finishing all the rice, he got off the bed and went to the bathroom.
The mirror reflected a pale face, thinner than before; from the side, his cheeks were barely visible. His hair was a bit greasy, but without his glasses, he couldn’t see if there was as much dandruff as Zhou Xie had claimed.
He brushed his hair back, thinking he should find a chance to get a haircut, when he accidentally saw the scar hidden under his bangs.
It was right in the center of his eyebrows, a cut about a centimeter long. After half a month, it had scabbed over.
Must have been from when he was smashed with those vases and inkstones.
Since the wound had healed, Wen Rong didn’t care much. Seeing the hospital-provided shampoo nearby, he quickly washed his hair.
While he was blow-drying his hair, a nurse entered with a box, saying Zhou Xie had asked her to deliver it.
Wen Rong thanked the nurse. Opening the box, he saw a brand-new phone and a note: The SIM card is inside. Leon has time tomorrow.
Wen Rong logged into Black Pigeon and saw messages from many people. He replied to them one by one.
He stayed in the hospital for another half month. During this time, Senior Leon visited once and told him that the children from the welfare institute had successfully moved to a new institute in the Inner District. Xiao Hua’s hand was being examined, and soon she would undergo surgery to remove the extra finger. As for Xiao Chun and the woman from the town, they were currently cooperating with the investigation at the police station and would later be sentenced according to Federal Law.
Although Xiao Chun was definitely not a perfect victim, Wen Rong felt that her experiences and character were largely shaped by her environment—an environment she had absolutely no choice in.
Senior said there are many helpless situations, and the existence of laws and juries is to deal with this “helplessness” as fairly and reasonably as possible.
Wen Rong mentioned Dr. Li again, speaking of his hesitation and regret, hoping Senior could provide an answer.
Senior asked in return, “She is different from Xiao Chun. She is a middle-aged person who received a formal education. Did you ask her what she thought herself?”
Wen Rong was suddenly enlightened.
Chatting with Senior was indeed happier than chatting with Zhou Xie; Senior could actually answer his questions.
Asking Shi Ye for help was also more reliable than asking Zhou Xie; Shi Ye would do exactly as requested.
So, disliking Zhou Xie was normal.
“I think our relationship can, at most, be that of friends.”
The wind howled, and the propellers chopped through the air with a clang-clang-clang. On the day the doctor announced he could be discharged, Wen Rong finally saw Zhou Xie again on the rooftop helipad. Seeing no one within ten meters, he couldn’t help but tell him the answer he had come up with.
“Don’t shout, I can’t hear you.”
Zhou Xie put a headset on Wen Rong’s head. His voice traveled through the microphone into Wen Rong’s ears. “What did you just say?”
“I probably won’t like you. I think we are only suitable to be friends or colleagues.”
Zhou Xie went silent.
Afraid he hadn’t heard clearly, Wen Rong said it again.
“I heard you.”
“Oh…”
“The big brother flying the helicopter also heard you. And the bodyguard next to you heard you too.”
Wen Rong quickly looked inside the helicopter and found the two people waiting inside looking out the window at the same time, pretending to cough.
The sound of cough, cough, cough transmitted into his ears.
Wen Rong felt embarrassed like never before. He subconsciously apologized, “Sorry.”
“I think you’re not sorry at all. You seemed pretty eager.”
Wen Rong: “…”
The journey was silent.
Wen Rong returned to school. He was visited in turn by students from the News Club and cared for by others in the Student Council. Finally, the “Return to School” ceremony was complete.
During the period of making up missed classes, Zhou Xie took leave from school. Watching the news constantly broadcast the Wang Sichen incident, Wen Rong luckily guessed that Zhou Xie was just busy, not avoiding him on purpose because of the “public rejection.”
When Zhou Xie appeared again, it was to take him to a Board of Directors meeting.
Though Wen Rong couldn’t figure out why he was being dragged to such a high-level meeting.
Wen Rong met Justice Ernst before the meeting. The Justice told him to prepare to testify in court and simultaneously expressed regret that Wen Rong would be taking over the position of Student Council President from Zhou Xie.
Wen Rong was shocked: “I’m going to be the Student Council President?”
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