He finished the drink, which was as much enjoyment as he could take for the night.
"Alright, I won't stay any longer. Let's gather when Jingrong returns. I'll head back first. This meal is on you since I'm broke now."
He set down his empty glass, grabbed the car keys beside him, and suddenly stood up.
"Yimo... I have some, I can give you..."
Shi Xian stood up, slightly worried.
Yimo frowned, unable to suppress a few light coughs, feeling a sudden pain in his chest. His face turned pale, and he waved his hand, vanishing through the dim light of the wall lamp at the staircase before Shi Xian could give another reminder.
"You're always so stubborn, always acting like it doesn't matter..."
Watching Yimo's retreating figure disappear, Shi Xian's chest also ached as tears began to well up in her eyes.
She had never felt heartache for anyone except for Shu Yimo!
The Shu Yimo who would sacrifice everything to shield her and Ling Jingrong!
...
He left early because the wounds on his body caused him unbearable pain.
A couple of days ago, those people in prison must have planned it. He had just left the Lan Residence when Long Chengyu gave him a bottle of medicinal alcohol, advising him to apply it himself.
Shi Xian was a keen observer, and Shu Yimo didn't want to worry her. He thought it wouldn't be too late to apply it after meeting, not wanting to remember those unpleasant things. They always made him feel suffocated and short of breath, and the pain from his wounds seemed sharper and more pronounced.
Driving back directly to his apartment complex, it was already getting dark.
The wind was still cold, and the rain only showed a slight sign of easing.
He parked his car in the parking space downstairs and dragged his weary body towards the apartment building.
Qinhuai Small Building was the name of the apartment complex.
Three years ago, Shu Yimo bought an apartment here on the seventeenth floor. It wasn't big, less than a hundred square meters, two bedrooms and two living rooms.
It was comfortably and warmly decorated in a simple European style, with a master bedroom and a study, suitable for someone living alone like him.
He took a hot bath, got out the medicinal alcohol, and withstanding the pain, he applied it on his wounds before curling up under the covers, and drifted off into a deep sleep.
...
Shu Yimo didn't know how long he had slept, only that he was awakened by abrupt knocking.
When he awoke, most of the pain had subsided.
The medicinal alcohol Long Chengyu had given him was effective; it had eased the pain shortly after application yesterday, and waking up now, he no longer had to endure such severe pain.
He washed his face briefly, struggled to put on a windbreaker, and then went to open the door.
As the door opened, a tall, dark figure came into view.
Seeing the visitor, Yimo paused, a cold light flashing in his starry eyes as he silently observed the suddenly appearing man, remaining silent.
The man, dressed in a black suit, had a vaguely handsome face marked with seriousness and restraint. Even though he was over fifty, he looked only in his forties thanks to good maintenance.
An Zijie, Shu Yimo's father.
Years in politics had turned him into a person hard and cold.
So, upon seeing his daughter, whom he hadn't seen in two years, his face showed no hint of emotional turbulence.
"How did you get here?"
Shu Yimo's hoarse voice rose slowly.
An Zijie glanced at her and then walked briskly towards the room. Shu Yimo turned her head, but she could only see his indifferent back.
Shu Yimo closed the door and followed him.
An Zijie sat down on the living room sofa, and Shu Yimo poured him a glass of water, bringing it over to him, and sat down on a nearby sofa.
"How did you get out of prison early?"
An Zijie's cold voice came, he took the glass, and simply took a sip.
Shu Yimo also glanced at him indifferently, lowered her eyelids, and did not answer.
"Your uncle's influence?"
Seeing Shu Yimo not responding, An Zijie asked.
"Otherwise, when do you think I should have been released?"
Shu Yimo's tone was light, emotionless.
"You really went too far this time, you can't blame anyone. I can't control you, but as an An family daughter, you should think about the An family as well, besides yourself. These years I also—"
"You also haven't had it easy, getting to your current position! Alright, I know what you're going to say."
Shu Yimo didn't wait for him to finish, and just completed his sentence herself.
She took a breath, leaned back in her chair slowly, looking indifferently at her father in front of her, her lips curling into a smile, "You really are a good official, so morally high to sacrifice your own woman, and even using your daughter as a stepping stone. I finally understand why my mother was reluctant to marry you—"
"Marry someone like you, how could she possibly be happy?"
"You wouldn't understand the issues between your mother and me. Moreover, I never sacrificed your mother, and I've stated that many times!"
An Zijie's expression turned colder as he explained.
Shu Yimo smiled dismissively, "You think I would believe that? Just like two years ago when I said I was innocent, you didn't believe me then either. Anyway, my mother's completely unconscious now, on the verge of death without even preserving her reputation, and yet you're advancing smoothly in your career. She definitely didn't expect this outcome, did she?"
"The matter with your mother, the evidence was conclusive, I was powerless."
"Powerless? Given my mother's character, do you really believe she would do such a thing?"
Shu Yimo sneered, slightly leaning forward, her eyes meeting An Zijie's dark ones, the clarity in her gaze solidified deep within—
"Just tell the truth, I know why you did it, you simply never cared about my mother and me. You didn't fight to clear her name, and when I was imprisoned, you just watched coldly. At this point, I don't blame anyone, I just want to see if you ever cared about me, if the An family ever cared about me!"
She paused, inhaling coldly—
"No, not at all! What you care about is always your own career."
Shu Yimo's eyes flashed with a chill, she straightened up slightly, her gaze still fixed on An Zijie's face.
An Zijie's expression also grew colder, his face turning particularly grim as he coldly said, "Two years in, and you still haven't lost your arrogant nature. Haven't you also failed to consider my perspective?"
Shu Yimo's smile grew colder.
An Zijie watched her, a fury building inside him, wanting to erupt but ultimately, he restrained himself!
Every father-daughter meeting always ended unpleasantly, and this time was no different!
'Bang!'
The loud sound of the door slamming echoed, Shu Yimo watched the tightly closed door, then looked at the cup still faintly steaming, her gaze growing colder by the second…