Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Does she not fear being discovered?
In the quiet bedroom, there was only the sound of each other’s breathing and the increasingly loud beating of hearts…
A strange sensation took root deep within her, as if she had been struck by electricity, coursing through her blood to reach every limb and bone.
After a while, Lu Zhaozhao’s small hand trembled slightly as it failed to grasp Song Sinian’s lapel and fell.
He caught it in his embrace at just the right moment.
Looking at her flushed little face, Song Sinian gently kissed the corner of her eye before slowly letting her go.
He picked up a pillow from the bed and gently placed it behind her lower back before sitting down beside her again.
Though he very much wanted to continue what they had started, seeing her look so tender and delicate, Song Sinian could only restrain himself.
Moreover, she had just been through something distressing.
He reached out and pinched the palm of her hand, “If you feel tired, you can rest a little longer. If there’s anything else you want to ask later, you can ask me anytime.”
“…”
Lu Zhaozhao’s head was spinning, but hearing Song Sinian’s voice, she barely managed to regain her senses.
Ah! She had almost forgotten about that.
Song Sinian always used that method to comfort her when she cried.
She was about to bring it up but reconsidered when she thought that their closeness was due to this misunderstanding, and so she swallowed her words.
Lu Zhaozhao had never thought that she would have such a shameless moment when, in order to get close to Song Sinian, she would actually take advantage of his illness.
Did that make her no different from everyone else?
She hesitated for a moment then slowly began, “Mr. Song, actually when I cry, there are other ways to comfort me. You don’t have to always do that…”
As Lu Zhaozhao said this, her little head drooped, and then she continued, “For example, you could hug me or pat my shoulder.”
Hugs? Pats on the shoulder?
Song Sinian quickly took note of these two points.
He pondered briefly, “Will a hug or a pat on the shoulder be as effective for you as what we did just now?”
“Uh… they’re, kind of the same,” Lu Zhaozhao said, forcing a smile and steeling herself as she replied to Song Sinian.
For him, this question was as mundane as discussing the weather, but for her, it was utterly embarrassing.
She was so socially awkward at this moment that she wished she could dig a three-bedroom apartment out of the ground with her toes.
Song Sinian’s eyebrows raised slightly, “If they’re about the same, then next time, can I choose one of these three methods to comfort you?”
Lu Zhaozhao nodded.
There shouldn’t be any problem with that, right?
“Okay, I got it,” Song Sinian agreed very straightforwardly this time.
Since it was a choice of three, continuing with the previous method shouldn’t be a problem, right?
Song Sinian returned to his study half an hour later.
Qian Hong, who had been waiting in the study, was full of trepidation when she saw him enter.
She had been with the Song Family for so long but had never seen Song Sinian lose his temper like that.
If it hadn’t been for Zhao Xi’s intervention, none of the household’s cooks would have been spared.
“Sir, the doctor has already said that madam didn’t eat much, and it won’t cause any harm to her body, so please rest assured,” Zhao Xi cautiously opened his mouth.
He and Song Sinian were originally still at the company when they heard the news of Lu Zhaozhao’s food poisoning.
By the time they arrived, Lu Zhaozhao had already fallen asleep.
Song Sinian had been accompanying her in the bedroom ever since.
Fortunately, Lu Zhaozhao didn’t seem to have any issues, otherwise Song Sinian would have definitely been devastated.
Song Sinian’s gaze swept over Zhao Xi, then glanced at Qian Hong before sitting down on the sofa in the study, “What exactly happened? How could she get food poisoning at home?”
His voice was faint, but his tone was surprisingly icy.
Qian Hong, with a face full of apology, looked at Song Sinian, “Madam was poisoned because she ate the cubilose sent by Xiao Jinglan.”
Zhao Xi furrowed his brows, full of doubts about Qian Hong’s choice of words.
Poisoned?
Not food poisoning?
Song Sinian, of course, noticed the particular choice of words just like Zhao Xi, “Zhaozhao was poisoned?”
Qian Hong nodded very affirmatively, “Right after madam had the problem, I had the food sealed and sent to the laboratory. Just before you returned, sir, the lab had already delivered the results.”
Speaking, she took out a document and placed it in front of Song Sinian.
“That’s why I sent all of the cubilose Xiao Jinglan gave to madam to the laboratory, and the result…” Qian Hong said, taking a deep breath, “the harmful substances found were all the same.”
Hearing this conclusion, Zhao Xi’s jaw almost dropped in shock, especially after he saw the “contraceptive” ingredients marked on the drugs inside. He couldn’t take it in.
He hadn’t expected Xiao Jinglan to dare to take such blatant action against Lu Zhaozhao.
Didn’t she fear being discovered?
Qian Hong clearly saw Zhao Xi’s thoughts and explained, “The doctor said the substances were added very cautiously, and it would be difficult for most people to notice. Madam probably had a special physical condition and was intolerant to the substances, so she felt ill after only a little bit…”
Although she didn’t finish her sentence, everyone present understood.
If it weren’t for Lu Zhaozhao’s particular condition, she might have continued to consume these tainted supplements.
The consequences were unthinkable.
Zhao Xi’s lips twitched, “No wonder Xiao Jinglan dared to send such things so blatantly. She must have believed that no one would check what she sent.”
Indeed, that was the case.
They knew Xiao Jinglan wasn’t on the same page as Song Sinian, but they never thought this woman would dare to be so blatant.
Qian Hong also nodded in agreement, “It was my oversight. When the person who sent the items said that Xiao Jinglan was also consuming them and wanted to share some with madam, I thought she was trying to butter up madam because she had taken a hit last time.”
She was too naive to have let Lu Zhaozhao suffer.
Song Sinian’s face turned exceedingly grim, “If she dares to use such underhanded tactics, she must pay the price. The Song Family has no need to keep her around.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi couldn’t help but ask, “Sir, just based on this incident, I’m afraid we can’t just expel her from the Song Family.”
Although Old Master Song might send Xiao Jinglan away with just a word from Song Sinian, the people behind her wouldn’t be so easy to deal with.
Xiao Jinglan had been in the Song Family for so many years, and had ingratiated herself with many in the Song Group. They definitely wouldn’t convict her just on account of a few cans of cubilose.
They might even portray Xiao Jinglan as a victim. If by any chance they alarmed her and caused a scare, the one who might get hurt could still be Lu Zhaozhao.
“Sir, before madam fainted… she told me not to tell you about her being poisoned by the cubilose…” Qian Hong, enduring the chilling pressure from Song Sinian, shivered as she relayed Lu Zhaozhao’s original words.
Seeing this, Zhao Xi quickly chimed in to help, “Madam must also be worried about troubling sir, that’s why she said that. Sir… even for madam’s sake, we mustn’t act rashly on this matter!”