The glossy linoleum floors of the Medical Center reflected the sterile overhead lights, their cold glow casting faint halos on every white-coated figure that passed. Wen Qing's heels clicked with purpose, sharp and rhythmic, announcing her arrival long before she reached the reception desk.
Her face was carefully composed, lips painted a muted red, eyes sharp beneath thin-rimmed sunglasses. She had exchanged her usual flamboyance for sleek elegance today—a quiet warning that she wasn't here for pleasantries.
The head nurse at the reception desk straightened the moment she recognized her.
"I'm here about Su Yiren," Wen Qing said, voice smooth but firm. "Room 507. I was told she's gone."
A flicker of discomfort crossed the nurse's expression. "Yes… Miss Su was transferred—"
"To where?" Wen Qing interrupted. Calmly. Dangerously.
The nurse hesitated. "It was reported early this morning. Her bed was empty. No one on the night shift saw her leave. CCTV footage was… incomplete. The power blinked around 2:12 AM. And when it returned, she was gone."
"Gone?" Wen Qing echoed softly. "From a private, guarded room? With two security officers assigned at all times?"
The nurse nodded, wringing her hands. "We've launched an internal investigation. But the guards—one called in sick, the other stepped out due to a medical emergency. It was… highly unusual."
"Unusual," Wen Qing murmured. Her gaze turned colder. "Or convenient."
She leaned forward, voice dropping. "Tell me—was anyone else recorded entering her ward? Visitors?"
The nurse shook her head too quickly. "No official records, Miss Wen."
A smile ghosted Wen Qing's lips, slow and knowing.
"Unofficial then."
The nurse looked cornered, but Wen Qing had already turned, heels clicking once again—this time echoing like a countdown.
Something was unraveling.
And she intended to follow the thread all the way to the end.
Inside the private lounge of Bai Lanyue's studio, the scent of peonies filled the air—soft, almost cloying. Sunlight filtered through gauzy curtains, casting a warm halo over the room where Bai Lanyue sat, flipping through a script with casual detachment.
Wen Qing entered without knocking.
"You're late," Lanyue said, eyes still on the paper.
"I have something you'll want to hear," Wen Qing replied, dropping her bag onto the nearby couch.
That made Lanyue look up. "Well?"
Wen Qing crossed her arms. "Su Yiren's disappearance isn't an accident."
Bai Lanyue's brow lifted. "What do you mean?"
"I went to the hospital myself. No proper explanation. Power outage. Security guards vanished for 'emergencies.' CCTV conveniently went black at the exact time Su Yiren vanished." She paused. "It was staged."
Bai Lanyue sat straighter, script forgotten. "Someone broke her out."
Wen Qing nodded. "Or silenced her before she could talk. Either way, no one's cooperating. Everyone's scared."
Lanyue's fingers tightened around the script. "She was the only loose end."
"Exactly." Wen Qing hesitated, then added, "And one more thing—they're hiding the visitor logs. I asked about any names. They froze."
The room went cold.
"So someone powerful," Lanyue muttered.
Wen Qing leaned in, voice low. "You were right. This isn't just about Zhiqi anymore. It's much bigger. And someone's working fast to erase the past."
Bai Lanyue's smile was tight, but her eyes glinted. "Then we dig faster."