Zhao Dong was stunned. Was the woman that old man mentioned Lin Qingyun?
The corner of his mouth twitched and he chuckled dryly. "Beauty, we meet again. What a coincidence."
Lin Qingyun gritted her teeth in anger. "Bastard! I told you never to appear before me again. You're testing my patience."
"No, no, no, I was forced to. Someone asked me to get to know you and, uh, look after you."
"Look after me? Do you actually believe that yourself?"
Lin Qingyun sneered disdainfully. "Do you really think everyone is a fool? I don't need you to look after me. Please disappear right now."
Zhao Dong shrugged. Without another word, he unlocked his phone and placed a photo in front of Lin Qingyun.
"Take a look for yourself."
Lin Qingyun froze, her expression changing the moment she glanced at it.
"You're a retired special forces soldier?"
"Could it be fake?"
Lin Qingyun's brow furrowed. "Then who sent you to find me?" she asked, her voice full of suspicion.
Zhao Dong grinned. "That's confidential. I can't reveal it for now."
Lin Qingyun scoffed. "I don't care what your purpose is. I'm telling you clearly right now: get out of my sight! I don't want to have the slightest thing to do with you. Understand?"
Zhao Dong squinted, studying the woman before him.
He had to admit, Lin Qingyun was truly beautiful, like a woman who had stepped out of a painting.
It was just that her celestial face was a mask of cold, extreme indifference. A coldness that made Zhao Dong deeply uncomfortable.
"What are you looking at? Didn't you hear me tell you to leave?" The frost on Lin Qingyun's face was impenetrable.
Zhao Dong's smile slowly faded. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure!"
"Fine. Just don't regret it."
Zhao Dong, no longer interested in making a fool of himself, left without another word and closed the door.
The door slammed shut with a bang.
Lin Qingyun felt a wave of weakness wash over her, and she collapsed into her chair.
First, she had lost her innocence, and now someone was claiming he was here to protect her? What was all this about?
Just then, her phone chimed with a notification. When Lin Qingyun picked it up and looked, the world went dark, and she nearly collapsed.
The screen displayed several news alerts, accompanied by a series of explicit, eye-catching photos and their headlines.
"Exclusive: Qingyan Group CEO Lin Qingyun in Suspected Hotel Tryst with Mystery Man!"
"East Sea's Business 'Jade Maiden'—Pure Image Shattered? Sources Claim She's Secretly Keeping a Lover!"
Below the headlines were photos of her and Zhao Dong kissing at the door of the hotel room.
Lin Qingyun felt the world spin and she struggled to breathe. Looking at the comments and photos, her eyes reddened and tears began to fall.
A knock came at the office door. Lin Qingyun used all her strength to utter a single word.
"Come in!"
"President Lin! This is bad!" the secretary said frantically, rushing in. "Someone leaked private photos of you. Rumors are spreading everywhere that you have a questionable character and a scandalous private life..."
Seeing Lin Qingyun's face grow even paler, the secretary took a deep breath and forced herself to continue.
"Also, the group's stock has been affected. It's already dropped by ten percent and is still plummeting. Seeing the market volatility, several of our partners have announced they're terminating their contracts. The group's losses have already exceeded one billion..."
Lin Qingyun closed her eyes, her body trembling uncontrollably. She bit her lip so hard that it bled.
"President Lin, are you... are you alright?" her secretary asked with concern.
Lin Qingyun covered her face, her body shaking as she said in a hoarse voice, "Where is the PR team? Have them suppress the news. Immediately."
The secretary replied bitterly, "The PR team responded immediately, but the news agencies and media outlets aren't cooperating. Besides, this has already spread all over the city. Every social media platform is filled with negative news about you..."
Lin Qingyun slumped back into her chair, tears sliding silently down her cheeks.
Why? Why is this happening? She hated that she'd chosen to get drunk last night! Just one night of drinking, and her reputation was ruined. The business she had built with such difficulty was hit so hard... And she hated meeting Zhao Dong even more!
At the thought of Zhao Dong, Lin Qingyun suddenly jolted as an idea sprang to her mind.
The tabloids are all saying I have a scandalous private life and keep a lover. If I find Zhao Dong and marry him, wouldn't these rumors just fall apart on their own?
She suddenly lifted her tear-streaked face and stared at her secretary, startling the other woman.
"President Lin, you..."
"Use every connection you have and find me a man named Zhao Dong. He just left my office less than half an hour ago! I have to find him!"
The secretary's expression shifted, as if she understood Lin Qingyun's plan. "Yes! I'll have someone start the investigation immediately!"
「Meanwhile, at the First Hospital of East Sea City.」
Zhao Dong sat on a cold, stainless-steel bench, waiting for his results.
He had just given blood for a comprehensive physical examination.
Having served as a special forces soldier for several years, his body had endured intensive training and grueling missions, leaving him with numerous hidden ailments. Lately, he had been feeling unwell more and more often.
There was never time for a thorough check-up in the military due to the demanding training schedule. Now that he was discharged, he could finally get one.
His number finally lit up on the lobby's display screen. He stood up and strode toward the doctor's office.
Knocking before entering, he smiled at the man in the white coat. "Doctor, how are the results?"
The doctor held up the report, glanced at Zhao Dong, and hesitated for a moment.
"Young man, please have a seat first."
Zhao Dong raised an eyebrow but sat down without a word.
The doctor got straight to the point. "Young man, tell me, have you been feeling unwell recently?"
Zhao Dong was taken aback. He thought for a moment before replying, "I've had a few headaches, and some nausea... sometimes I even vomit. I never used to get fevers, but I've had three high fevers in the last six months."
The doctor's expression grew grave. "And you never got it checked?"
Zhao Dong shook his head. In the army, he often had check-ups for external injuries, but never for his internal organs.
Looking at Zhao Dong, the doctor sighed softly and asked, "Young man, what about your family?"
Zhao Dong replied, "My parents are at home. I was just discharged and arrived in East Sea yesterday. I haven't contacted them yet."
He then smiled at the doctor. "Doctor, whatever it is, you can just tell me straight."
"Alright, then I'll be direct. I hope you can handle it."
The doctor gave Zhao Dong a deep look, sighed once more, and finally spoke.
"You... have late-stage leukemia. It's a terminal illness. At most, you have two or three months left."
The smile on Zhao Dong's face slowly froze. He squeezed a few hoarse words from his throat.
"Terminal... illness?"