Chapter 128: There were some matters she needed to settle.

Shi Runrun did not know how long she had been walking, nor did she know where she was going. Where else could she go? In the city of Jing, she had always been without support. After marrying Xiao Xuezheng, she had severed all ties with the Shi family. Now that the entire Xiao family had conspired to deceive and hide the truth from her, she was left entirely alone, carrying her unborn child. Where could she possibly turn?

As she walked, the wound on her head throbbed with increasing intensity, but that was not what mattered most. What mattered was the devastation in her heart, a pain that cut to the marrow. She needed painkillers, though she knew no medicine could ease the agony tearing at her soul. Her consciousness began to blur, and the world before her tear-filled eyes grew dark. After stumbling through the corridor, she could no longer hold on; her senses failed, and she began to collapse.

Yet, she did not hit the ground. Instead, she fell into a broad, warm embrace. Shi Runrun looked up to see the cold, resolute face of Qiao Yu. Within his ink-black eyes, she saw herself—a tiny, pale, and shattered reflection.

"Brother Qiao..." she whispered, her voice weak, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. In this moment, Qiao Yu had descended like a guardian spirit. Tears, hot and uncontrollable, spilled from her reddened eyes, soaking through his shirt.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here, Runrun. I'm here."

Shi Runrun leaned into his arms, closing her eyes as she forced another bitter smile. The person who should have been closest to her was Xiao Xuezheng, yet he was the one who had wounded her most deeply. It was an outsider like Qiao Yu who had remained by her side, serving as her strongest pillar of support. The irony of it was suffocating.

Qiao Yu helped her into a private room on a lower floor and summoned a doctor to examine her. When the nurse removed the bandage from her head, the wound reopened, and blood trickled down. As the nurse applied pressure, she remarked on Shi Runrun’s courage, asking if it hurt. Qiao Yu stood to the side, his heart aching with every passing second. Shi Runrun could only offer a weary, bitter smile.

She had to be strong; what other choice did she have? With Xiao Xuezheng deceiving her and his family guarding against her, she was all she had left.

After the nurse administered an IV drip safe for the baby, Shi Runrun settled back into bed. Soon, the medical staff left, and the vast room fell into a heavy silence. Qiao Yu pulled a chair to her bedside, watching her with deep concern.

Shi Runrun opened her eyes, met his gaze, and reached out. Qiao Yu immediately took her cold hand in his.

"Brother Qiao... thank you..." she managed to whisper, using the last of her strength. She was so tired—exhausted to her core. She wondered if death might be a release, a far better fate than this.

Qiao Yu watched her, his eyes closing briefly as he breathed deeply. He tightened his grip on her hand and said in a low, heavy voice, "Runrun, leave Xiao Xuezheng. Divorce him. Come to me. I can take care of you. Refusing you three years ago was a lifelong mistake. I beg you, give me a chance to look after you."

Her eyes, which had just stopped crying, grew red once more. Yes, she had to leave him. After what he had done, she could not bear to remain by his side for another moment. But... she instinctively placed a hand on her abdomen. Inside, there were three lives—her children with Xiao Xuezheng. Yet, how cruel it was that he had cheated and had a child with Chi Wanwan. What was to become of her own children? *My babies... you have arrived at such an unfortunate time.*

Shi Runrun rested in the room for a long time. The IV drip eased the throbbing in her head. When she opened her eyes, Qiao Yu was still there, keeping his vigil. Outside, the sky was darkening, and she knew he had not eaten.

Not wanting him to sacrifice so much for her—for she felt she was not worth it—she turned her head and said, "Brother Qiao, I’m a little hungry. Could you go out and buy me something to eat?"

Qiao Yu nodded immediately, but Shi Runrun added, "You must buy something for yourself as well. If you don't eat, I won't touch a bite!"

She used this "threat" to force him to care for himself, though in truth, she simply needed to get him away. There were things she had to settle before she left.

Qiao Yu was slightly taken aback, but he did not suspect her motives, nor did he notice the deadness in her eyes. "Alright, I promise. I won't go hungry. I need my strength to take care of you. Wait here, I'll be back soon."

He stood, looked at her one last time, and left the room.

Once he was gone, Shi Runrun pulled herself up, her body feeling heavy. She pulled out the IV needle, climbed off the bed, and began to walk, gasping for breath with every step. It took her nearly twenty minutes to traverse the distance from her current room back to the one she had shared with Chi Wanwan.

Night had fallen completely, and the bright lights of the corridor cast a long, lonely shadow behind her. She did not hesitate as she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Her eyes, cold and sharp, immediately locked onto the bed where Chi Wanwan lay. Xiao Xuezheng and the others were gone—she did not know that the grandfather’s condition had worsened and he had been rushed to surgery—leaving the room empty. It was the perfect opportunity.

Shi Runrun stopped by the bedside. Chi Wanwan lay there with her eyes closed, her beautiful face deathly pale, an oxygen mask strapped over her nose and mouth. Shi Runrun had never imagined that such a beautiful woman could harbor such a venomous heart. She had been blind for too long.

"Sister Chi?" she whispered softly.

The woman on the bed suddenly snapped her beautiful eyes open.