Mrs. Fu, please be mindful of the appropriate boundaries.

"Metropolitan Hotel"

"Why would she go there?" Fu Jingting frowned.

"How was I supposed to know? She called me and said she sprained her ankle, and when I got there..."

"When? When did she call you?" Fu Jingting interrupted Song Chang, his voice muffled, his temples throbbing.

As soon as Song Chang mentioned the duration of the call, Fu Jingting's face instantly turned cold and dark. He suddenly tightened his grip on Xu Qingcheng's arm, causing the woman in his arms to groan in pain.

Fu Jingting hurriedly loosened his arms again, his lips were tightly pursed, and his heart felt like it had been pounded by a hard awl.

That time was the time he left the Vienna Hotel after meeting Tang Kejia. He hoped it was a coincidence, but deep down he knew it was impossible for such a coincidence to happen.

She must know something.

Even if Fu Jingting knew this day would come, he would still feel heartbroken and lost when he actually encountered it.

Song Chang only thought that Xu Qingcheng was being slandered because of Shengshi's current state, and she never imagined that the culprit was the man holding her.

Xu Qingcheng broke out in a sweat some time after receiving the IV drip, and her fever finally subsided.

Fu Jingting couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He took a towel and helped her wipe her body, handling her as carefully as if she were the most precious crystal.

Even in her sleep, her face didn't seem to relax at all; her tightly furrowed brows couldn't be smoothed out. But the burn marks on her face finally faded, and the redness was replaced by white.

Fu Jingting took care of her without taking off his clothes, his eyes fixed on her, as if afraid that she would slip away in the blink of an eye.

Xu Qingcheng was delirious with fever but not entirely unaware of what had happened that night.

When she opened her eyes, she was met with the man's tired but still handsome face. Seeing that she had opened her eyes, he quickly asked, "Would you like some water?"

He then took a water glass and handed it over.

Xu Qingcheng stared at the water glass he offered but did not take it. She vaguely remembered that he had taken care of her all night, but now, did she dare to accept this tenderness that was like poison?

She pushed Fu Jingting's arm away, stood up, her ankle still throbbing with pain. Her forehead twitched from the pain, and she almost couldn't stand. She swayed, but he caught her from behind, and her body was half-pressed against his arm.

Xu Qingcheng stood up straight and pushed his arm away. "No need, I can manage on my own."

His voice was extremely calm and distant.

The man's jaw muscles were taut, and he held her waist tightly, not intending to let go. "You have trouble walking, so I'll help you."

"I said I don't need your help, I can walk by myself." Xu Qingcheng looked at him coldly. "Your price is too high, I can't afford it."

Xu Qingcheng shook her hand forcefully. Her foot was already in great pain, and this movement caused her to turn to the side, putting her weight on her left leg, which made her cry out in pain.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Song Chang rushed in from outside.

Xu Qingcheng gasped in pain and waved her hand at Song Chang.

Song Chang quickly went over and pushed Fu Jingting aside, then reached out to help Xu Qingcheng up. "Wash up? I'll help you."

The bathroom door was closed.

Xu Qingcheng immediately confronted her, demanding, "Did you send him over?"

"Sister, you had a fever of 39 degrees last night, you were vomiting and crying, and you kept calling his name. What should I do?"

Xu Qingcheng paused in her action of tearing open the disposable toothbrush. She silently brushed her teeth and washed her face, making sure she looked neat and tidy.

Song Chang leaned to the side, watching her. "Don't be too upset about Shengshi's situation. There's always a way. Who on earth wants to kill you? It seems like this has been going on for a while now, they're so well-prepared. What do you plan to do?"

Xu Qingcheng slammed her hands on the sink, her teeth clenched. "He drew a huge circle around me, completely trapping me. In this day and age, the person I should hate the most is myself."

"What do you mean?" Song Chang grabbed Xu Qingcheng's arm.

She was too weak to explain, so she supported herself against the wall and walked out. Since there was already a wound, she might as well reopen it.

It's already hurting this much, are you afraid it will hurt even more?

The two returned to Jingshan No. 1. Xu Qingcheng called Wang Ma over and said, "Wang Ma, please help me pack my luggage, clothes, and daily necessities. Use the largest suitcase and pack as much as you can."

"Madam, are you going on a business trip?" Wang Ma didn't suspect anything. Although the atmosphere between the two was somewhat different from usual, she asked, "Is it a long business trip? Do we have to make such tight arrangements before the wedding?"

Xu Qingcheng didn't explain. She limped onto the sofa and told Wang Ma to hurry up and pack, as the driver would come to pick her up soon.

"I forbid it." The man's dark eyebrows furrowed as he shouted, and Wang Ma froze on the spot.

Xu Qingcheng looked up at him, her voice as calm as possible, "I met with Tang Kejia yesterday. Don't tell me you didn't plan this, and that it was just a trap set up for you by Miss Tang. Your cooperation doesn't exist. You didn't cooperate with the Tang family, and the Tang family isn't a hidden shareholder of Qide, nor did they attempt to control Shengshi through a share swap."

She took a deep breath, and every word she uttered felt like a tendon being pulled out; even her breathing was painful.

Fu Jingting's face was as dark as a sky covered with dark clouds, and he clenched his teeth tightly.

"You can't deny it, because these are all facts." Xu Qingcheng suddenly laughed. She stood up and walked unsteadily to him. "I'm just curious, from when did I become part of your plan?"

She asked the question without waiting for his response.

Xu Qingcheng closed her eyes. "It was my fault for conspiring with a tiger. It was my stupidity that led Shengshi to this state."

She was calm and collected to the point of being cruel. Last night's high fever had completely swept away her melancholy and sorrow. When she opened her eyes, she became another Xu Qingcheng.

Doesn't it hurt? Yes, it hurts!

Even in excruciating pain, a pain so intense it felt like her heart was being ripped out, she still forced herself to swallow it all, to mask her wounds.

The dust hadn't settled yet, and she was unwilling to let it end like this, nor would she allow herself to do nothing and let things simply fade away.

Even if the final outcome is not as she wishes, Xu Qingcheng will not allow herself to give up and get off the bus at this time.

"Since you like it so much, I'll make way for her." Xu Qingcheng's voice was very soft. She glanced at Wang Ma, who hadn't made any move, and said, "Fine, you can keep the clothes if you want. After all, Miss Tang's style of dressing is very similar to mine."

Fu Jingting grabbed Xu Qingcheng, who was about to leave, and asked, "Where are you going?"

"Where I go is none of your business," Xu Qingcheng abruptly shook off his hand, her eyes filled with determination. "Fu Jingting, from today onwards, you are no longer my husband. You are the culprit who wants to tear Shengshi apart. Between you and me, there is only mutual exploitation, nothing else."