"Last night, while I was dining at the restaurant with Xiaoxiao and the others, we were drugged and lost consciousness. I don't know how long I was out for—when I came to, I was in a car. They had taken me into the mountains. As soon as we stopped, I used the self-defense techniques you once taught me, landed a blow, and fled the vehicle."
Wen Ran recounted everything in a calm, unshaken tone, as though narrating someone else's tale. Yet, to Wen Jin, her words were like a dagger driven deep into his heart.
"It was pitch dark, and they were chasing me. I didn't even realize I'd reached the edge of a cliff until I had nowhere left to run—so I jumped."
Seeing Wen Jin's handsome face drain of color, Wen Ran quickly added, "The mountain wasn't high. Even if I had fallen, it wouldn't have killed me. And the heavens must've been watching over me—I was caught by a tree. Not long after, Mo Xiuchen arrived and rescued me from where I was hanging. Don't worry, Brother. Aside from a scar on my face and a minor injury to my arm, I'm perfectly fine."
"For a woman, her face is the most precious thing. That scar won't fade easily," Wen Jin replied gently, though his heart ached. He saw right through her forced nonchalance, yet chose not to expose her. All his pain, he swallowed in silence.
"Earlier, I ran into Brother Gu. He said he has an excellent ointment that will prevent scarring. I'll get it from him later."
"Gu Kai?"
Wen Jin's gaze darkened slightly. Since he awoke, Gu Kai had taken especially good care of him—even offering to use his family's pharmaceutical products.
Wen Ran smiled and nodded. "Yes. He said calling him 'Doctor Gu' sounded too formal. He and Mo Xiuchen are the same age, and I couldn't bring myself to call him by name, so I just say 'Brother Gu.' He mentioned that if his sister were still around, she'd be about my age."
"Gu Kai did have a sister," Wen Jin murmured thoughtfully. "If she were alive, she'd likely be around your age too."
The Gu family was a storied medical lineage, a pillar of G City. But, as rumor had it, Gu Kai's sister had vanished when she was very young...
"You know about it too?" Wen Ran asked in surprise. Previously, they had no ties with Mo Xiuchen or Gu Kai, so she had been in the dark about their lives.
Wen Jin was older and had entered the company after university. Naturally, he knew far more than she did.
"I've heard a little," he said gently. "But it's their family matter—it wouldn't be right for me to say too much."
They weren't originally from G City; sixteen years ago, they'd relocated from F City. All he truly knew was that Gu Kai's younger sister had gone missing as a child, and the Gu family had been searching for her ever since.
His gaze swept over the wound on Wen Ran's lip, lingering briefly on her flawless chin before shifting the subject.
"I suspect what happened last night has something to do with Zhou Mingfu. A few days ago, I had someone re-investigate his past crimes. Perhaps feeling cornered, he lashed out. Of all the suspects, he stands out the most."
"I agree," Wen Ran said, voicing her thoughts. "He injured his leg, yet strangely volunteered to take a leave of absence. Not only that—he even suggested Zhou Lin accompany me to F City."
Wen Jin's eyes flashed coldly, his voice deepening. "He was betting you'd refuse to bring Zhou Lin. This was my oversight—I didn't anticipate it, and you got hurt because of me."
"Brother, this isn't your fault. If Zhou Mingfu really is behind this, then he must've been plotting it for a long time. His plans wouldn't have formed overnight."
"No matter how well-orchestrated his schemes are, no plan is truly flawless. I've already instructed someone to keep a close eye on his every move."
"How exactly?" Wen Ran looked at him in surprise.
A faint smile played on Wen Jin's lips, warm and unassuming. Yet Wen Ran sensed a chilling edge in the air—she knew her brother too well. The more placid he appeared, the deeper his fury ran. Zhou Mingfu would not be spared.
"Ranran, I'll tell you more when I have concrete news. For now, rest. Let me handle the matters at the pharmaceutical company."
There were some things Wen Jin didn't want his sister to know. He wanted her to remain the pure, joyful girl she had always been, untainted by the darkness of the world.
"Alright. I'll listen to you," Wen Ran replied with a bright, obedient smile, knowing he wouldn't reveal more even if she pressed.
Wen Jin fondly ruffled her hair before asking, "Why didn't Mo Xiuchen come with you to the hospital?"
At the mention of Mo Xiuchen, Wen Ran's eyes flickered, and a faint unrest stirred in her heart. "He received an urgent call right after we left the airport. He had to leave. Xiaoxiao came with me, so I didn't really need him."
Wen Jin noticed the subtle shifts in her expression. His heart grew heavy as he asked, in all seriousness, "Ranran, have you fallen for Mo Xiuchen?"
Her eyes held a hint of confusion. Under his intense gaze, her heartbeat stumbled. Fragments of her days with Mo Xiuchen surfaced in her mind, leaving her lost. "Brother... I don't know."
Wen Jin lowered his lashes, letting the fringe of thick lashes hide the fleeting emotion in his gaze. After a pause, he said quietly, "When you were with Mo Zixuan, I told you he wasn't right for you, but you didn't believe me. In your most vulnerable moment, he betrayed you. Mo Xiuchen may have helped Wen Pharmaceuticals through a crisis, but he's asking you to repay him with your entire future. Ranran, I don't want to see you hurt again."
Wen Ran didn't know—after she'd left on her trip, Mo Zixuan had visited the hospital.
He had explained to Wen Jin why he ended up with Zhou Lin, and why Mo Xiuchen married Wen Ran…
Wen Jin didn't fully believe him, nor did he entirely dismiss it. Mo Zixuan had laid bare the longstanding feud between him and Mo Xiuchen.
Wen Jin had been reflecting on it these past few days. If even half of what Mo Zixuan said was true, then Ranran would inevitably be hurt.
Last night, she had given herself to Mo Xiuchen. He didn't want her to give him her heart so easily as well.
Wen Ran gently bit her lip. Seeing her brother's grim expression, she reached out to grasp his hand and softly said, "Brother, don't worry. I won't get hurt. Mo Xiuchen isn't Mo Zixuan."
Wen Jin's heart felt like it was being clenched in a vice. So in her heart, Mo Xiuchen was already someone she trusted implicitly?