Inside the ward of Wanchuan County First Hospital, sunlight filtered through the half-drawn curtains, spilling across the white bedsheets and bringing a touch of warmth to the room, which was heavy with the scent of disinfectant.
Following a series of examinations yesterday, it was confirmed that Liu Yifei had sustained no internal injuries to her organs or her head. The doctor had instructed that she be kept under observation for one night before being discharged.
She half-reclined quietly on the bed, her waterfall of dark hair draped softly over her shoulders. A faint smile graced her face, giving her an air of profound serenity.
In her hands, she held a thick copy of Chinese Paladin. The pages were slightly yellowed and frayed at the edges, bearing a sense of age—it was a book Chen Cheng had rented from a rental shop to help her pass the time.
Her eyes were fixed intently on the text, as if the entire world outside had nothing to do with her.
Occasionally, she would gently turn a page, producing a faint rustling sound that seemed exceptionally clear in the quiet ward.
On the bedside table sat a vase of fresh roses, exhaling a delicate floral fragrance that intertwined with the scent of printing ink from the pages.
"Hello!"
The greeting broke the quiet and cozy atmosphere.
She looked up to see two young men standing outside the ward door at some point.
The one in front was Qi Tongwei, a police officer wearing a forced smile, while the one behind him, waving a greeting, was Huo Ge.
Relying on his police uniform, Qi Tongwei hadn't even needed to show his ID; after asking a nurse, he had easily found the single ward where Liu Yifei was staying.
Struck by the tranquility emanating from Liu Yifei as she read, they had stood outside the door for a few seconds before Qi Tongwei finally spoke.
"Who are you?"
A soft voice rang out from behind Huo Ge.
He turned his head to see not far behind him a young woman dressed in an elegant, plain dress.
She had a head of smooth, thick hair gathered into a simple bun at the nape of her neck. Her eyebrows and eyes bore a six or seven-tenths resemblance to Liu Yifei's, though the fine lines at the corners of her eyes were the traces left by passing years.
She was Liu Yifei's mother, Kong Xiaoli.
"Hello, Auntie. I'm a crew member. My name is Huo Ge!"
Huo Ge hurriedly stepped aside to clear the way.
Kong Xiaoli cast a cool glance at Huo Ge. This young man was a stranger, a nobody not worth a second look.
She did have an impression of him; Huo Ge's face stood out like a crane among chickens among the extras, but in her eyes, a minor extra was not qualified to converse with her.
Furthermore, in her view, Huo Ge was undoubtedly one of those toad-like creatures harboring improper designs on Liu Yifei.
If Huo Ge had known Kong Xiaoli's inner thoughts, he truly would have said, "Auntie, you've got it all wrong."
He was simply showing his face around Liu Yifei to become a familiar presence, hoping at best to strike up a friendship so he would have some clout if he ever wanted to cast Liu Yifei in a role later on.
"Hello, Aunt Kong."
Having dealt with Qi Tongwei before, Kong Xiaoli nodded to him. "Officer Qi, what brings you here?"
Kong Xiaoli was carrying a thermos to fetch some boiling water. After entering the ward and setting the thermos down, she looked at Qi Tongwei, her gaze never lingering on Huo Ge.
Sensing the vigilance in Kong Xiaoli's eyes, Huo Ge didn't follow her into the ward, choosing instead to stay standing by the door.
"Is there something you need?"
Kong Xiaoli stood beside the hospital bed with her arms crossed over her chest, making it clear that she was far from welcoming the arrival of Qi Tongwei and Huo Ge.
"Well, there are some circumstances we'd like to ask Yifei about."
"You can ask me directly. I'll answer for her."
"Uh, that's fine too!"
Qi Tongwei walked to the foot of the bed, facing Kong Xiaoli directly to begin their conversation. He happened to block Kong Xiaoli's line of sight, preventing her from seeing Huo Ge.
Liu Yifei pressed the book against her chest, looking over at Huo Ge with curious eyes.
Huo Ge made a funny face at her and smiled.
Two rosy flushes bloomed on Liu Yifei's fair little face. She lowered her head, and after a moment, shifted uncomfortably and lay back down.
Qi Tongwei had dealt with plenty of sharp-tongued women in the countryside, but facing Kong Xiaoli—who possessed superior looks and an elegant demeanor—his internal pressure mounted steadily, and his choice of words grew increasingly cautious.
"The thing is, we suspect that Yifei falling into the water yesterday might not have been an accident."
"What?"
Kong Xiaoli's pretty almond eyes widened a fraction. "Not an accident? You mean someone tried to harm Xixi?"
"Xixi?" Qi Tongwei looked puzzled. Where had someone named Xixi popped up from?
"Oh, Xixi is Yifei's nickname. I'm used to calling her that."
"We discovered that the wire for Yifei's harness yesterday had a relatively smooth cut. Therefore, we suspect someone severed part of the steel cable, and that the two cables couldn't bear Yifei's weight, causing them to snap and leading to the fall into the water."
"What? Who did it?!"
Kong Xiaoli's expression turned furious. Her precious daughter had been left black and blue all over; thank goodness her face wasn't ruined, but the sight broke her heart into pieces.
"We only suspect it; we don't have a clear suspect in mind. Besides, I'm only investigating privately. Today, I wanted to ask if Yifei has had any conflicts with anyone on the crew?"
"No, she's so well-behaved, how could she make enemies with anyone?"
"Then has anyone harassed, threatened, intimidated, or engaged in other inappropriate behavior toward her?"
"No. Does hitting on her count? Lots of men in the crew come to hit on her!"
Qi Tongwei hesitated, his expression dubious. Liu Yifei was so gorgeous that people trying to chat her up didn't surprise him in the least. "Is there anyone Yifei ignored who might have harbored resentment because of it?"
"There shouldn't be!"
Kong Xiaoli practically stayed by Liu Yifei's side throughout her time on the crew, blocking anyone who tried to hit on her daughter.
"What about the director? Was there anyone trying to force her into unspoken rules?"
Qi Tongwei hadn't known much about filmmaking before, but after chatting with Huo Ge a lot, he had learned about some of the dark undercurrents in the industry.
Things like directors enforcing unspoken rules on actresses, or even actors, were quite common in the entertainment circle.
Kong Xiaoli shook her head. "No. The director might have had improper thoughts before, but not anymore!"
God knows what methods Kong Xiaoli had used to handle the director, ensuring Liu Yifei didn't get tangled up in any scandals on the set.
Qi Tongwei shifted the focus back to Kong Xiaoli. "If there's no one suspicious on Yifei's end, is there anyone or anything on your end that you suspect? Could someone be taking revenge on Yifei as a way to get back at you?"
Kong Xiaoli unconsciously stroked Liu Yifei's head a few times and shook her head. "No!"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Kong Xiaoli's voice suddenly grew shrill. "Are you saying my enemies are going after Xixi?"
"We aren't ruling out that possibility!"
"No! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I'm just an ordinary citizen, who could I possibly offend?"
"I'm just asking as a matter of routine, Auntie. You don't need to get worked up."
Unsure why Kong Xiaoli had flown off the handle so instantly, Qi Tongwei handed over a business card. "If you think of anything, contact me anytime!"
"Alright!"
Having lost her composure just a moment ago, Kong Xiaoli forced a meager smile to express her apologies.
Her mother-in-law wanted a grandson, but she didn't want to give birth to another child.
Her mother-in-law had been extremely dissatisfied because of this. Whenever Liu Yifei suffered from a slight fever or a bump and bruise as a child, her mother-in-law would always blame her poor care and hold her responsible.
Right now, Kong Xiaoli deeply detested anyone who caused harm to Liu Yifei and then tried to shift the blame onto her shoulders.