Chapter 14: You Still Protect Her
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Zhao Baitong’s throat was clogged with thick smoke as she saw her childhood self being chased by the little tyrant from the orphanage, who was trying to set her hair on fire.
When she was brought to meet the Fang family, the smell of singed braids still lingered.
The orphanage staff turned a blind eye, speaking evasively about everything else. Only one young boy stepped out from among the adults and asked, “Who bullied you?”
The boy was backlit, his features softened in the afternoon glow. She stiffened her neck and looked up to meet those jet-black eyes, the stark contrast of iris and sclera inexplicably bringing her a sense of comfort.
Fang Zhixu...
Zhao Baitong slowly opened her eyes. Everything in her vision was dark; she could see nothing.
“Zhao Baitong?”
Her eyes were vacant. Hearing someone call her name, she saw him sitting upright right in front of her, his outline tall and imposing.
She threw herself into his arms, her icy body trembling uncontrollably. “I’m so scared.”
Zhao Baitong’s face was ghostly pale, the soft crown of her head pressed against his tense jaw. Tears, too heavy to hold back, rolled down into the slightly open collar of the man’s shirt, burning enough to make him tighten his grip.
“You—” Xiao Zhe, tightly embraced by Zhao Baitong, was at a loss.
His hands hovered in midair, unsure where to rest.
Xiao Zhe stiffly patted her shoulder, “Don’t be afraid.”
His heart inexplicably skipped a beat. The person in his arms felt so fragile, so tender, that he dared not touch her, as if she might shatter with the slightest contact.
After a long moment, he awkwardly said, “It’s alright now, Baitong. You’re in the hospital, safe and sound. The fire has been extinguished by the firefighters. You were rescued. It’s all over now.”
Zhao Baitong’s consciousness returned a little; the emptiness in her eyes brightened slightly. She couldn’t clearly hear what Xiao Zhe said, only recognizing that it wasn’t the voice she was familiar with.
Realizing she had hugged the wrong person, she felt deeply embarrassed.
Her voice hoarse, she stammered, “I’m sorry, Assistant Xiao. I was too nervous. I had a nightmare. I thought you were—”
Zhao Baitong’s words tumbled out incoherently. How could she have thought Fang Zhixu would be sitting across from her? Even if he were, she shouldn’t have hugged him!
“You thought I was... your boyfriend?” Xiao Zhe’s tone rose slightly, finishing her sentence.
Zhao Baitong hurriedly denied it, “No, I don’t have a boyfriend.”
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Last night, Xiao Zhe was halfway on his way when he still hadn’t received a message from Zhao Baitong. He called her, but no one answered.
Feeling uneasy, he turned back the same way. When he reached the apartment building, he saw one unit on fire and immediately called for help.
After Zhao Baitong was sent to the hospital, he stayed by her bedside the entire time.
“Is there any discomfort? You have a minor scalp injury that’s been bandaged. How about other areas? Do you want me to call a doctor to take a look?”
Zhao Baitong only felt a sore throat and ankle pain. A fleeting image of Jing Pei convulsing flashed through her mind, and she anxiously asked, “What happened to the man who was with me during the fire?”
...
When Fang Zhixu arrived at the hospital, he saw through the glass of the ward door Zhao Baitong clutching a man and crying.
His hand gripping the doorknob tightened, veins throbbing at his temple.
Cheng Mu hurried over, glanced at Fang Zhixu, who immediately understood, “Can I have a word?”
The hospital was bustling in the early morning. Lowering his voice, Cheng Mu said, “Jing Pei... is dead.”
Fang Zhixu frowned, looking out at the busy street through the floor-to-ceiling window. He pulled out a cigarette, “Cause of death?”
“The fire triggered an asthma attack, causing suffocation. Jing Pei was burly but had suffered from asthma since childhood due to family inheritance. The Jing family kept it quiet to maintain their reputation.”
Fang Zhixu flicked the ash off his cigarette, sensing the matter was delicate. Jing Pei was the only son of the Jing family’s second branch. In one night, the family went from joy to mourning. The Jing family would not let this go easily.
Cheng Mu voiced Fang Zhixu’s concerns, “The Jing family won’t let Zhao Baitong off. The fire happened in her apartment. They might twist the facts and demand Zhao Baitong pay with her life.”
Fang Zhixu pondered quietly, “If he had asthma, why didn’t he carry medicine?”
“At the time of the fire, no medicine was found on Jing Pei. Traces of a medicine bottle were found on the floor of Miss Zhao’s apartment. It’s unclear if it accidentally dropped during Jing Pei’s harassment of Miss Zhao.”
Fang Zhixu’s cold jaw clenched tightly.
At that moment, a notification sounded on his phone. It was a new message.
The quiet corridor echoed with the crisp click of high heels.
Sensing a cold breeze, Cheng Mu stepped in front of Fang Zhixu, “Miss Meng.”
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Meng Tang wore a striking cashmere coat, clearly having no time to change. Her almond-shaped eyes were swollen from crying.
Her voice trembling with tears, Meng Tang demanded, “Zhixu, why are you here?”
Fang Zhixu put down his phone, his expression grave. “I am also deeply saddened by Jing Pei’s death.”
“Is sorrow enough? That was a life! My brother was in the prime of his youth, burned alive in Zhao Baitong’s home. Why was she unharmed? Why did my brother have to die? Neither the Jing family nor the Meng family will tolerate the killer. She must pay!”
Fang Zhixu narrowed his eyes at Meng Tang, “Calm down.”
Meng Tang’s aura was imposing, “I can’t calm down. Killing demands punishment—it's only right!”
Fang Zhixu stepped closer behind Cheng Mu, gently stroking Meng Tang’s arm, “What do you mean by ‘killing’? Why was Jing Pei at Zhao Baitong’s home? Hmm?”
Meng Tang, feeling caught, glanced at Fang Zhixu for two seconds, then hurriedly defended herself, “Why else? Jing Pei was young and impulsive, easily seduced by a pretty girl, foolishly following her upstairs.”
“So Zhao Baitong resisted, and Jing Pei attempted assault,” Fang Zhixu said lowly, puzzled. “Zhao Baitong acted in self-defense. The fire was accidental. What’s the problem?”
Meng Tang’s mouth tasted bitter as if she’d swallowed wormwood, speechless.
“You’re defending Zhao Baitong?” Meng Tang’s emotions nearly shattered. “My brother is dead, and you’re still protecting her?”
Fang Zhixu remained unmoved. “A life is no small matter. I’m just addressing the facts. If this escalates, it benefits neither the Jing family nor you or me.”
Meng Tang was about to speak again.
Fang Zhixu pressed both her shoulders firmly, cutting her off with a cold warning, “Jing Pei’s phone is with the police. All messages are preserved.”
Meng Tang’s heart sank as she realized something, her face turning pale instantly.
Fang Zhixu raised an eyebrow, “The messages you sent to Jing Pei have been seen by the Jing family. You know the consequences.”
Biting her lip, Meng Tang clung to Fang Zhixu’s sleeve, panic-stricken. “Zhixu, I...”
Fang Zhixu interrupted, “Leave this matter to me. You’ll be safe. You know what you must do.”