Chapter 35: He Had Already Decided to Use Him as Bait
The top-tier supercar quickly returned to the city proper, driving directly into St. Ann Hospital through the emergency access lane.
The Dean, having received a call beforehand, was already waiting in the corridor with a team of medical staff.
Gu Xinglan jumped out of the car, gathered Qin Wan in his arms, and carefully placed him onto the stretcher bed.
“Save him, immediately. Besides the external injuries, there might be internal ones too. Do a full check-up!” His tone was urgent and heavy, carrying a fierce edge.
It made the Dean incredibly nervous.
“Yes, yes, Gu Zong, please rest assured! We will absolutely do everything in our power to treat him!”
Watching Qin Wan being ushered into the elevator by the crowd of people, the tight furrow between Gu Xinglan’s brows lingered, refusing to smooth out.
Qin Wan opened his eyes and saw the familiar hospital room again.
He blinked his slightly sore eyes.
He remembered what had happened.
Thank goodness, Gu Xinglan had finally arrived right when he was about to be whipped to death.
Qin Wan moved his arms and legs slightly.
The movement made the pain across his body even more pronounced.
Aside from his body, he felt a sharp pain on his right cheek near his jaw.
He remembered that when Gu Xinglin was striking out recklessly, a lash of the whip had caught him across the face.
Qin Wan sighed softly.
He hoped this severe beating wouldn’t be in vain.
He hoped Gu Xinglan would consider the fact that he helped him extract Gu Xinglin’s confession, show him mercy, and release him.
While his mind was wandering, the ward door opened, and Gu Xinglan walked in.
“Qin Wan.” He walked to the bedside, slightly lowering his head, his gaze falling upon the boy’s face.
“Gege,” Qin Wan greeted, his voice hoarse.
“Your color looks a bit better.” Gu Xinglan murmured softly, seemingly trying to comfort himself.
“Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere else?” he asked.
Qin Wan thought for a moment. “Thirsty. Also, it hurts.”
The light in Gu Xinglan’s eyes dimmed slightly.
“The doctor said the internal injuries aren’t severe—just some gastric mucosal bleeding. You’ll be fine after a few IV drips. As for the external wounds… you’ll need to rest for a few days.”
Qin Wan nodded, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “Oh, then it’s fine. I have thick skin. Superficial wounds heal in ten days to half a month.”
Gu Xinglan’s thin lips pressed together tightly. He stared into Qin Wan’s exceptionally exquisite fox eyes.
He wanted to say something, but at that moment, a pretty young nurse knocked and walked in.
“Mr. Qin’s anesthesia has just worn off, so he shouldn’t drink too much water yet.”
The nurse spoke with a smile as she picked up a cotton swab from the curved tray on the medical cart.
“If you’re thirsty, I can help moisten your lips with a wet cotton swab.”
Qin Wan smiled at the nurse. “Thank you, Nurse Jiejie.”
Gu Xinglan cast a glance at her and extended a hand. “Give it to me. I’ll do it.”
The nurse quickly handed over the cotton swab and the mineral water.
“You can leave,” Gu Xinglan ordered.
The young nurse was slightly taken aback, but nodded. “Yes, Gu Zong. Please call me anytime if you need anything.”
Then she turned and left.
Gu Xinglan sat by the bed, dipped the cotton swab in water, and gently applied it to Qin Wan’s lips.
Qin Wan was indeed parched.
Every time Gu Xinglan applied the swab, he would immediately stick out the tip of his tongue, curl it over his lips, and lick the moisture clean.
His little mouth smacked softly.
Gu Xinglan stared at his cherry-pink lips and tongue, the movement of his hand faltering slightly.
His Adam’s apple bobbed gently.
The hospital room was completely quiet.
Qin Wan suddenly spoke.
“That recording, can it prove that Gu Xinglin intentionally framed you?”
Gu Xinglan pressed his lips together and nodded. “Yes. The voices are very clear.”
Qin Wan smiled, his eyes curving downward.
“That’s good. Gege, aren’t I pretty smart?”
“I saw that you activated the listening device, so I thought of the baiting tactic. Giving him a taste of his own medicine.”
Hearing this, a slight crease formed between Gu Xinglan’s brows.
He had originally thought Qin Wan was just incoherent with fear, which was why he argued back and forth with Gu Xinglin, ultimately provoking his anger.
He never expected that he had deliberately baited Gu Xinglin into saying those things.
Qin Wan let out a soft sigh.
“When I was working at the hotel, I heard them say that you and the Fourth Young Master had conflicts. Since Gu Xinglin schemed against you first, I figured we couldn’t let him get away with it.”
“Gege, if that recording is useful to you, I don’t mind taking a few more lashes.”
As he spoke, his still-misty black eyes gazed up at Gu Xinglan, carrying an inexplicable look of hopeful expectation.
Gu Xinglan slightly lowered his eyelids.
He dipped the cotton swab in water again and gently brushed it across the boy’s lips.
“Qin Wan, why are you so stupid?” he said softly, changing the subject.
“A box truck parked by the side of the road, and you didn’t think to be cautious?”
“You get targeted so easily; how could I ever feel at ease letting you go out?” Though it was a reprimand, his tone wasn’t heavy at all.
Qin Wan chuckled lightly.
But soon, he realized something was wrong.
He stared into Gu Xinglan’s eyes, the color of his own shifting slightly, and asked, “Gege, how did you know about that box truck?”
Gu Xinglan’s expression stiffened briefly, and he averted his gaze. “I… found it through the road surveillance cameras.”
Qin Wan stared intently at his face, his elegant brows slowly drawing together.
He noticed that Gu Xinglan’s expression was currently somewhat evasive.
Qin Wan’s fox eyes narrowed slightly.
He felt Gu Xinglan’s excuse didn’t hold up.
He had a tracking bracelet on his wrist. Finding him was easy; there was absolutely no need to take the long route and check the citywide road surveillance.
So how did he know about the existence of that box truck?
Unless he had sent people to tail him from the very beginning.
Could it be that he knew in advance that Gu Xinglin was targeting him and preparing to strike?
Come to think of it, someone as cunning as a fox like Gu Xinglan detecting this early on wouldn’t be difficult at all.
He recalled the look in Gu Xinglan’s eyes last night when he told him he was allowed to go out today.
That unprecedented tenderness, mixed with an ambiguous, complex emotion.
No wonder he was so gentle in bed last night.
No wonder he gently kissed his forehead before leaving this morning.
And no wonder it was so coincidental that he activated the listening device right when he was being interrogated and tortured by Gu Xinglin.
It seemed he had already decided to use him as bait, willingly putting him in danger.
“Gege, you’re right. Not everyone is a little liar like me,” Qin Wan suddenly said softly, his voice carrying a hint of desolation.
His gaze fell straight into Gu Xinglan’s phoenix eyes.
“When you lie, your expression is very unnatural.”
Gu Xinglan frowned slightly, remaining silent.
Qin Wan’s voice remained extremely gentle: “So, you knew what was going to happen today long ago, right?”
Gu Xinglan’s lip line tightened straight.
A suffocating silence descended upon the hospital room.
After a long time.
Gu Xinglan spoke.
“Actually, I had made meticulous arrangements.” He paused.
“The only thing I didn’t anticipate was running into a tracking signal blackout at the time…”
A single sentence confirmed Qin Wan’s suspicion.
Qin Wan pursed his lips.
“Mn.” He let out a single syllable, seemingly as a response.
Gu Xinglan looked up at his face and realized that there was no noticeable change in his emotions.
“Qin Wan, I could have rushed in immediately to save you.” His voice was low and slow. “But… your signal was lost…”
Qin Wan listened, his heart sinking.
“It’s okay. I’m fine.” His tone was incredibly peaceful, devoid of any anger or resentment from being deceived.
Instead, it almost sounded as if a burden had been lifted.
“I asked the doctor to use the best external medicine on you,” Gu Xinglan said, his finger lightly brushing the boy’s cheek.
“It won’t leave a scar here.”
The moment his finger touched his cheek, Qin Wan turned his head slightly to the side, dodging it.
“It really doesn’t matter. So what if there’s a scar? I don’t rely on my face to make a living anyway.” He forced a smile at Gu Xinglan as he spoke.
“Thank you for the trouble.”
Listening to Qin Wan speak, and seeing the calm expression on his face, Gu Xinglan felt an inexplicable stifling feeling in his chest.
If he had cried and thrown a massive tantrum because he deceived him into being kidnapped and hurt, Gu Xinglan would actually have felt much better.
But he acted as if nothing had happened, which made Gu Xinglan feel waves of oppressive weight pressing down on his heart.
“Qin Wan, if you feel uncomfortable inside, I don’t mind if you voice it out. I won’t get angry.” Gu Xinglan’s eyes were somewhat heavy.
Qin Wan shook his head. “I don’t feel uncomfortable.”
The more he said this, the more unsettled Gu Xinglan felt.
He pulled out a bank card from his pocket and handed it over.
“There is three million in this card. Take it as your pocket money.”
“Once you’ve recovered and can go out, buy whatever you like. When you spend it all, I’ll transfer more to you.”
Qin Wan lifted his hand—the one without the IV needle—and took it.
He held it in his hand, looking it over carefully front and back, and smiled.
“So much money! Heh, exchanging a beating for this much money, it’s pretty worth it.”
He looked up at Gu Xinglan.
Then he lowered his eyelids again. “If I don’t want this, can I exchange it for something else from you?”
Gu Xinglan pursed his lips. “What do you want to exchange it for?”
“Exchange it for… the debt I owe you, completely written off…” Qin Wan said, turning his head slightly away.
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