CH 24

“You might’ve seen it wrong.” Chen Shiming said, “At that time, there were many people in the place and many people with similar body shapes.”

“Really?” Chen Qizhao lowered his head after speaking and his tone fluctuated slightly. “I just saw that person and remembered it. I usually haven’t offended anyone.”

As he spoke, he paid attention to Chen Shiming’s expression. It wasn’t until the other person picked up his phone that he confirmed that Chen Shiming was suspicious.

If he directly said that this matter had to do with Lin Shizong, Chen Shiming definitely wouldn’t believe it and he would even doubt if it was a reaction to the drug. However, it had a different meaning when referring to the other people in the venue. In order to not expose himself, Lin Shizong chose not to increase the price in the end. It was highly likely that Lin Shizong himself didn’t have much confidence in this matter or he didn’t make sufficient preparations in the early stage, so he chose not to increase the price. This meant he didn’t want the Chen family to notice the competitors.

Since Lin Shizong didn’t want people to know about them, he had to let Chen Shiming notice.

Before the person who gave the drug was revealed, any suspect would make the Chen family vigilant, not to mention what he said as the victim. Therefore, Chen Shiming might not check Lin Shizong’s assistant who was similar in ‘appearance’ but he would definitely check the two people who competed with him.

For some things, it was useless to say too much…

The best way was to make the Chen family aware of the problem themselves.

“I will check the person who gave the medicine. Have a good rest for the next few days.” After Chen Shiming finished speaking, the doctor and nurse came in to check Chen Qizhao’s situation. He took a few steps back to give way to the doctor and nurse and went to the door to call Special Assistant Xu.

Chen Shiming asked him to check the other people at the auction. Then he glimpsed the pale boy on the bed and realized Chen Qizhao’s performance after Uncle Lin came in. It was different from his previous appearance of showing sharp teeth and living to cause trouble. There was a type of absent-minded escape.

To be honest, he had thought that Chen Qizhao would be angry and upset after waking up. He never thought that Chen Qizhao would be so quiet.

He thought of this and couldn’t help pausing. Then he changed his words. “First, check the people at the auction, especially the two guests who were competing with him. Check the relationship behind them and check any targets with recent contradictions or competition with the Chen Group when it comes to projects.”

He finished his sentence with an explanation, “Don’t make any noise.”

Special Assistant Xu stopped when he heard the words. “Yes, I’ll do it right away.”

Those who dared to act on occasions like this either had a grudge with the Chen family and deliberately caused trouble at such a time, or they had a personal grudge with Chen Qizhao. Chen Shiming knew his brother’s temper and ability to make trouble, but it wasn’t to the point of being drugged due to a personal grudge.

If Shen Yuhuai hadn’t sent Chen Qizhao to the lounge in advance then Chen Qizhao, who drank the drugged champagne, would’ve likely made a fool of himself at the party and lost some of the Chen family’s reputation. Moreover, Chen Qizhao didn’t usually participate in such a gathering and no one knew he was coming today. This meant the possibility of targeting the Chen family was even higher.

Zhang Yazhi also came to see the situation.

Zhang Yazhi was relieved after the doctor checked and said there were no big problems. She said, “Later, pay attention to the problem of wine. If it is really impossible then find an assistant to follow you. The wine glass shouldn’t pass through the hands of others.”

Chen Qizhao didn’t want her to worry too much. “It isn’t a big deal. I just drank the wrong thing.”

Drugging was a small matter. In his previous life, he had encountered more traps and there were countless drugs on various occasions… in the end, he was negligent in this matter. He obviously noticed but let down his guard. Still, by chance, he at least reduced Lin Shizong’s suspicions.

“Why isn’t it a big deal?” Zhang Yazhi said, “Your brother told me that you talked nonsense on the way to the hospital.”

Chen Qizhao was stunned. “Me?”

“It is you.” Chen Shiming glanced at him. “You pulled Yuhuai and talked chaotically. I don’t know what you said but you were muttering. Then when getting out of the car, you pulled on his clothes.”

Chen Qizhao: “……”

He looked at Chen Shiming with surprise. “I thought I was the one who took the wrong medicine, not you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. I just think your level of making things up is like taking the wrong medicine.” Chen Qizhao didn’t remember talking nonsense at all. At most, he just looked at things incorrectly.

Chen Shiming was stunned. “…I should’ve recorded your performance last night.”

Zhang Yazhi watched the two brothers bickering and didn’t stop it. She saw that Chen Qizhao had the spirit to talk to people and felt even more assured. She picked up a fruit knife and started to cut an apple.

Chen Shiming still had business at the company. He saw that Zhang Yazhi had come here to take care of Chen Qizhao and quickly left.

“This time, it was thanks to Yuhuai’s help. He and your brother brought you to the hospital and he helped get the report form.” Zhang Yazhi spoke while peeling the fruit. “He was the first to notice the problem. If he hadn’t reminded us, the scene at the time might not have been preserved.”

The most important thing was the cup of alcohol that Chen Qizhao drank. It was said that the waiter in question wanted to remove the wine and destroy the evidence, but he didn’t find the opportunity to act. Finally, the incident occurred and Shen Yuhuai said it might’ve been taken with alcohol. It was thanks to Shen Yuhuai’s reminder that the wine glass was found in another place.

It was because Chen Qizhao exchanged the champagne for orange juice halfway through.

Chen Qizhao remembered a bit of it. He remembered that Shen Yuhuai sent him to the lounge. “I know.”

“However, Yuhuai hasn’t changed much since he was a child. I still remember when he and Xuelan came to the house. They were only a bit big.” Zhang Yazhi’s voice was soft and she remembered it as she spoke. “How old was he at the time… middle high school? It seemed to be when you were in second grade.”

“He is four years older than me.” Chen Qizhao closed his eyes slightly. He still had a bit of a headache due to the drug. “He should be in sixth grade of elementary school if I was in second grade.”

It was also possible for him to skip a grade. After all, with Shen Yuhuai’s IQ, elementary school… After he finished speaking, he suddenly realized something and opened his eyes. “Wait, he has been to our house?”

“He has been there.” Zhang Yazhi smiled. “Have you forgotten? When you were a child, you used to play with him a lot. You quarreled about not wanting your older brother and rushed to be a child of the Shen family. You insisted that Shen Yuhuai be your brother.”

Chen Qizhao had no impression of it at all. “When? Why do I have no impression of this?”

He only remembered that when Chen Shiming was in high school, Shen Xuelan came to the house occasionally. There was just no Shen Yuhuai at the time.

“It is normal for you to forget about something that happened when you were so young.” Zhang Yazhi carefully recalled it. “For a while, there was something wrong with the Shen family and we received the entrustment of Uncle Shen. Xuelan and Yuhuai would come to the house after school and generally stay until the evening. At that time, your brother didn’t like to play with you and he was often doing homework with Xuelan in his room. Yuhuai would take you to play. Later, he didn’t come much due to academic matters. Uncle Shen sent him to study abroad for a while.”

Chen Qizhao recalled the look in Shen Yuhuai’s eyes when seeing him in this life. He thought it was due to the relationship with Yan Kailin. Now it seemed that the other person had remembered him for a long time. It was probably due to the childhood friendship that Shen Yuhuai treated him as a younger woman… however, he never heard Shen Yuhuai saying anything about this in his previous life. He even thought that the meeting between the two of them at the Chen Building was the first time they met.

Zhang Yazhi told him, “Yuhuai probably remembers it. I chatted with him yesterday and he said he didn’t remember you having a history of heart problems when you were a child.”

Chen Qizhao lowered his head halfway. “I’m not sick.”

“Your brother probably misspoke. Yuhuai thought you had a heart attack, but I explained it to him.”

There was a knock on the door as the two of them were talking.

Zhang Yazhi answered and told the person to come in. Then she saw Shen Yuhuai come in holding a bouquet of flowers.

Zhang Yazhi smiled at the sight. “Yuhuai, you’re here? I was just talking to Xiao Zhao about you.”

“Aunt Zhang.” Shen Yuhuai bowed politely before his gaze stopped on Chen Qizhao. “Is Qizhao feeling better today?”

“Brother Huai.” Chen Qizhao sat up straight. “Thank you for your help yesterday.”

Zhang Yazhi took the flowers from Shen Yuhuai. Just after they exchanged a few words, the bell in the ward rang and the doctor reminded her to go to the clinic to get the laboratory report.

“Go ahead. I’ll watch here for a while,” Shen Yuhuai said.

“Then I will bother you.” After that, Zhang Yazhi told Chen Qizhao, “Say it if you don’t feel comfortable.”

The moment Zhang Yazhi left, only Chen Qizhao and Shen Yuhuai were left in the ward.

The moment the surroundings fell quiet, Chen Qizhao inexplicably thought about Chen Shiming’s words just now. He was sure that he had no memory of talking nonsense but he wasn’t sure if he really said it or not, especially Chen Shiming’s statement about pulling Shen Yuhuai’s clothes. This made him inexplicably a bit embarrassed. He searched carefully through his memories of yesterday. He had some impression of when he first got to the lounge but he had no memory of what happened after that, let alone what he said.

Shen Yuhuai glanced at the apple that had just started to be peeled on the bedside cabinet, as well as the fruit knife and disposable gloves on the side. He noticed Chen Qizhao’s silence and asked, “Do you want to eat fruit?”

Chen Qizhao paused for a few seconds before replying, “I want to eat.”

The ward was well-equipped. He heard he would only have to stay two days in the hospital but Zhang Yazhi had moved almost everything into the room.

Shen Yuhuai sat down in Zhang Yazhi’s original position. He skillfully put on the gloves and the fruit knife in his hand seemed to become a certain scalpel in the laboratory. Compared to Zhang Yazhi’s rough peeling method, Shen Yuhuai held the knife very steadily. He moved the original knife edge along the side and cut a long strip of apple peel in no time. It was in stark contrast to the broken peel on the tray.

Chen Qizhao watched quietly and didn’t find a topic to talk to Shen Yuhuai like before. Inexplicably, his mood gradually calmed down and he couldn’t help thinking of the past.

He saw the current Shen Yuhuai and remembered the first time he went to Shen Yuhuai’s apartment. He had stayed in the utility room for a long time that day. Once the sound from outside disappeared, he followed Shen Yuhuai out of the Chen Building. At that time, he was in a very embarrassed state and his clothes were stained with many sticky things from what people splashed on him. Then Shen Yuhuai took him to an apartment in the city center and provided him with a change of clothes.

At that time, Shen Yuhuai was also like this. He didn’t say too much and didn’t ask too many things. Even so, he always inadvertently gave him the most comfortable environment.

It was only later that Shen Yuhuai found out Shen Yuhuai was entrusted by Uncle Shen to help that day. He brought some of the funds that Uncle Shen gave as support and happened to come across the scene in the Chen Building. The Shen family extended a helping hand in such a situation. Later, there were gradual problems with other parts of the Chen Group and he realized the problem. He learned that Lin Shizong was deliberately trying to bring him down. Ostensibly, Lin Shizong was helping him but behind his back, the media, troubled employees and inactive bodyguards were all instructed by Lin Shizong.

If it wasn’t for Shen Yuhuai, he might’ve collapsed a long time ago.

Shen Yuhuai finished cutting the apple. He was about to hand it to Chen Qizhao when he noticed the other person’s left hand that had the IV drip and the oxygen tube on the side of his nose. This made it look inconvenient to move. Chen Qizhao was pale and didn’t seem to be in a good mental state. His brow was slightly furrowed like he was in pain.

However, the other person didn’t say anything. He was silent and was completely different from the boy who held up the bidding card at the charity auction last night.

Before he came, he consulted with his classmate in a related major. There were many after-effects from psychotropic drugs. Even a minor intake might cause a headache for one or two weeks.

Chen Qizhao adjusted his posture and sat up, glancing sideways at Shen Yuhuai’s movements.

“I can’t find a fork.” Shen Yuhuai skillfully sliced the apple and handed a sliced apple over to Chen Qizhao.

Chen Qizhao was slightly startled and didn’t reach out to grab it for a while.

Shen Yuhuai noticed his hesitation and paused for a moment. Then he reached out and raised the apple to Chen Qizhao’s mouth.