Chapter 47: Gu Xinglan Is Not an Easy Person to Please
When it ended, it was already past nine o’clock at night.
Gu Xinglan was worried about hurting Qin Wan’s wounds, so he exercised great restraint and didn’t continue for too long.
“A-Wan, are you tired? You must be hungry, right? How about I have Auntie Zhang bring dinner to the room to eat later?”
Qin Wan was slumped on the bed, not wanting to move at all.
His small head nodded barely. “Mn.”
He suddenly realized that he had called him… “A-Wan”?
Such an intimate form of address made him feel a bit uncomfortable for a moment.
Gu Xinglan leaned down and gave a light kiss on his forehead. “Go take a shower first.”
He got out of bed, went into the bathroom, drew a tub of warm water, and added some soothing essential oils.
When he walked back to the bedside, he found that Qin Wan had his eyes closed and had actually fallen asleep.
Gu Xinglan laughed.
He said softly, “The water is ready.”
Qin Wan hadn’t fallen into a deep sleep; hearing the voice, he slowly opened his eyes.
“Mn…” he groaned.
His eyelids drooped, and he braced his hands against the bed, trying to sit up, but he seemed to struggle a bit.
With a slight smile on his lips, Gu Xinglan reached out and gently picked him up.
In his daze, Qin Wan was startled by his body suddenly becoming weightless.
“Hey, put me down…” he cried out softly.
Gu Xinglan leaned down and gave a light kiss on his lips. “Are you afraid I’ll drop you?”
Only then did Qin Wan stop speaking, allowing him to carry him to the bathroom door.
“Should Gege help you wash?” Gu Xinglan’s voice was very gentle.
Qin Wan’s eyelids lifted lazily. After hearing the question clearly, he quickly shook his head. “No need, I can do it myself.”
Only then did Gu Xinglan put him down carefully.
“Your stomach is empty; you aren’t allowed to wash for too long,” he instructed.
“Mn,” Qin Wan responded and walked into the bathroom.
By the time he finished his shower and came out, Auntie Zhang had already directed the servants to set out a table of hot food in the outer room.
Gu Xinglan had also finished his shower in the adjacent bathroom and come over.
Sitting at the dining table, he served Qin Wan a small bowl of Double-boiled Hashima with Rock Sugar.
Qin Wan smiled. “Thank you, Gege .”
He took a crab and skillfully disassembled it with small tools, placing the succulent white crab meat and golden crab roe into Gu Xinglan’s plate.
” Gege , have some crab.”
As Gu Xinglan ate, he said, “Your crab-disassembling skills are also quite good.”
Qin Wan nodded. “I practiced it from a young age.”
When he was young at the Sheng family, he did plenty of work disassembling crabs in the kitchen.
He had practiced until he was fast and could ensure the crab shell was clean, with no waste.
Seeing that Gu Xinglan’s mood was good right now, Qin Wan pursed his lips and mustered the courage to speak.
” Gege , I said this morning that I wanted to see Auntie Rong because I had a nightmare last night. In the dream, Auntie Rong didn’t seem to be doing well. I… can’t stop worrying.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the chopsticks in Gu Xinglan’s hand noticeably paused.
Right now, what he feared most was Qin Wan mentioning Zhou Rong.
All day, there had been no substantial progress regarding Zhou Rong.
And looking at the current situation, things looked grim.
He didn’t know how to explain it to Qin Wan, and a surge of agitation rose in his heart.
Gu Xinglan’s subtle reaction was noticed by Qin Wan.
His fox eyes narrowed slightly, and his heart suddenly sank.
Gu Xinglan lowered his eyes slightly and continued eating the crab, his voice nonchalant. “A dream is just a dream; there’s no need to take it seriously.”
” Gege , actually, taking me to see Auntie Rong wouldn’t even take half an hour.” Qin Wan stood up from his chair and walked over to Gu Xinglan.
He reached out and lightly hugged his shoulders.
His body was pressed tightly against him.
“I know you’re busy with work, but… could you, for…”
He hesitated, still swallowing the word “me” that followed.
“Could you squeeze out half an hour…”
Gu Xinglan put down his chopsticks.
“Qin Wan, you’re asking for too much.” His face turned a bit colder.
Right now, he could only use this arrogant and unreasonable attitude to make Qin Wan give up the idea.
“Didn’t I say you aren’t allowed to negotiate terms with me?”
Qin Wan’s lips were tightly pursed.
His eyelids drooped slightly.
It seemed that his efforts from this morning until just now were declared a failure.
He realized that Gu Xinglan was not an easy person to please.
Or rather, he wouldn’t be pleased by him.
Or perhaps, as the man said, he would not be soft-hearted toward him.
Qin Wan tried his best to suppress the emotions churning in his heart.
His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his knuckles turning white.
“Sit down and eat,” Gu Xinglan commanded in a deep voice.
Qin Wan didn’t speak. After a moment of silence, he sat back in his chair.
Gu Xinglan saw his small head drooping and his hand holding the chopsticks, but he wasn’t eating anything.
He placed a piece of golden-seared Bluefin Tuna on his plate.
Qin Wan poked it with his chopsticks, eating it bit by bit.
“I’m full.” He put down his chopsticks. “I want to go for a walk in the yard.”
His voice was a bit dejected and lacked energy.
Gu Xinglan didn’t refuse. “The night wind is cold; put on a robe.”
Qin Wan stood up, threw on a bathrobe, and left the bedroom.
Gu Xinglan also put down his chopsticks.
He rubbed the space between his eyebrows.
He stood up and walked to the window.
Looking through the glass into the yard.
Soon, Qin Wan’s figure appeared by the flowerbed.
He stood there, seemingly in a daze, his fingers subconsciously stroking the waist-high irises in the flowerbed.
After standing for a while, he crouched down.
By the moonlight and the dim yellow courtyard lights, he used a small stone to trace the outline of his own shadow on the ground.
His thin figure looked very lonely.
Gu Xinglan’s chest felt a bit tight and painful.
He thought of something and took out his phone to call Special Assistant Tan Feng.
“Immediately contact the Imperial City Maritime Bureau and have them check the passing vessels in that sea area after early this morning.”
“Check all of them, whether they are state-owned or private vessels.”
After hanging up, his gaze turned back to the window.
But Qin Wan was no longer at the flowerbed.
Gu Xinglan scanned his field of vision but didn’t see anyone.
Just then, Xiao Han’s call came through.
His voice was heavy. “President Gu, a body was found during the salvage. Looking at the build, it seems a bit like her.”
Gu Xinglan’s heart gave a violent tremor.
Xiao Han continued, “However, the face was badly bitten by fish and is hard to identify. The clothes… also can’t be confirmed.”
Gu Xinglan’s face turned pale.
His tone was urgent: “Have the hospital send several medical staff who were in frequent contact with her to identify the clothes. I’ll be there immediately.”
“Yes.”
After hanging up, Gu Xinglan prepared to change his clothes and go out.
As soon as he turned around, he saw Qin Wan standing not far from him.
His brows were furrowed tightly as he stared at him.
“Something happened to Auntie Rong, didn’t it?” His voice was very low, but a slight tremor could still be heard.
Gu Xinglan’s brows knit together fiercely.
“No, there isn’t, don’t guess blindly…” He was eager to deny it, but the attempt at concealment was all too obvious.
“You’re lying to me.” Qin Wan’s lips were a bit pale. He pursed them tightly, yet he still couldn’t stop them from trembling slightly.
“I sent someone to Sheng’an Hospital today; Auntie Rong wasn’t there.”
As he spoke, his breathing became increasingly rapid.
“I thought it was because I made you unhappy this morning that you transferred her to another hospital.”
Gu Xinglan knew Qin Wan was quick-witted; in the current situation, there was no way he could lie to him anymore.
“Qin Wan, this was an accident.” He felt his throat go a bit dry.
“Early this morning, Zhou Rong left the hospital. I’m arranging for people to search the whole city.”
“Currently, the situation is not yet…”
“What do you mean by identifying the clothes?” Qin Wan interrupted him.
His clear fox eyes were now slightly bloodshot, and his gaze was fixed intently on Gu Xinglan’s face.
Gu Xinglan lost his composure a bit.
He didn’t know how to tell Qin Wan in a way that would minimize the shock.
“It’s only a suspicion, Qin Wan. Nothing can be proven yet.”
Qin Wan understood the meaning behind his words, and his chest began to heave violently.
“Take me there. I want to go with you!” His voice instantly broke into a sob.
Gu Xinglan’s brows were knit tight.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally nodded.
Translator’s Note: “Double-boiled Hashima” is a traditional Chinese dessert often used for its health benefits. It’s such a tragic contrast to have such a luxurious meal while such a grim discovery is being made. I’m so worried for Qin Wan. Hold on tight for the next chapter!
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