"No, I must get a grip."
As someone who had been through it before,
Gu Jingshu certainly knew that the dormant fire within her had been ignited after over three years.
But reason told her,
she couldn't do that.
She stood up, picked up the kettle, and was about to pour water when, unexpectedly, her hand trembled in her agitated state. She heard herself cry out as the scalding water splashed onto her thigh.
"Hiss... It's burning me to death."
Gu Jingshu hurriedly put down the kettle and retreated to the edge of the bed.
As fate would have it, the burn was in a very awkward spot, on the inner side of her thigh.
Chen Fang saw this.
He immediately went into the bathroom and brought out a basin of cold water.
He said, "Director Gu, you must cool the burn with cold water right away, otherwise, it'll blister and it'll hurt even more later on."
"But..."
Gu Jingshu looked at the damp spot on her skirt.
She certainly knew she needed to address it immediately, but lifting her skirt would mean exposing her lower half to this man, right?
"I... I'll do it myself."
Gu Jingshu thought for a moment and took the towel Chen Fang handed to her.
Yet, when the cold towel slid under her skirt, the sudden contact made her cringe with pain again.
"Let me do it."
Chen Fang didn't hesitate.
He took the towel back from her hands.
He said, "Director Gu, you must take off your skirt so I can see just how bad it is."
That's it then.
If the burn wasn't treated promptly,
she was sure to suffer later on.
Gu Jingshu gritted her teeth
and nodded.
She stood up
and gently pulled down the zipper at the back of her skirt.
As the restriction was released, the skirt slid from her waist to the floor.
Her long, straight thigh was now fully exposed in front of Chen Fang.
Although the view was splendid,
Chen Fang did not let his gaze wander inappropriately.
After examining her, he said, "Director Gu, it's not too bad, the skirt blocked some of the heat. I'll apply a cold compress now; it shouldn't blister."
"Mmm... okay."
Gu Jingshu felt somewhat embarrassed,
and she turned her head away.
Chen Fang's movements were gentle, and though it still hurt when the towel touched the burn, it was immeasurably more tender than when she had tried to do it herself.
As Chen Fang continuously added water to the towel, ten minutes later,
the pain from the burn miraculously disappeared.
"Chen Fang, I remember your parents are famous traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in Wen'an City, aren't they?"
"Right."
"I am lucky you were here today. If the burn hadn't been treated promptly, it would have surely scarred."
Gu Jingshu said.
Chen Fang smiled slightly,
and said, "It's me who brought you here, Director Gu. If that fair skin of yours were to scar, I would feel guilty for a lifetime."
Was this a compliment?
For some reason,
these words made Gu Jingshu's heart swell with delight.
Chen Fang lifted the towel, inspected it carefully, and said, "Alright, it's almost fine now. When you get back, buy some burn ointment to apply, and it should heal by tomorrow."
Having said that,
he braced his hands on his knees and suddenly stood up.
It had been more than ten minutes since he started treating the burn,
and Chen Fang had been squatting beside the bed the entire time.
This sudden rise
made him feel dizzy, and he swayed.
Gu Jingshu, seeing this, also quickly reached out to support him.
Chen Fang might have regained his balance,
but with Gu Jingshu's touch,
he suddenly lost his footing.
In a reflex, he grabbed Gu Jingshu and fell backwards onto the bed.
"Director Gu, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
He had pinned down Gu Jingshu, and it was face to face.
Just as Chen Fang was about to get up, the psychological defenses painstakingly set up by Gu Jingshu finally collapsed at that moment.
She embraced Chen Fang's neck with one hand, steeled her heart, and was just about to kiss him when a series of urgent phone rings extinguished the flames rising within her.
Two bodies quickly separated.
With a burning face, Gu Jingshu picked up the phone and simply said "Hello," her complexion changing immediately.
Her gaze quickly shifted to Chen Fang.
She hung up the phone.
She hurriedly put her dress back on.
She said, "People from the special investigation team are looking for you. They told me to find you immediately and bring you over."
Upon hearing these words.
There was not much panic on Chen Fang's face.
Everything was within his expectations.
He just didn't anticipate their actions would be so quick.
Tan Yandong had been entangled in Changming County's intricate official circles for a lifetime. Over the years, countless projects and promotions had passed through his hands. To say there wasn't any dirty business would be absolutely impossible.
The sudden suicide by jumping from a building must be to cover up something.
Having lived with him for seven or eight years.
Chen Fang knew a few things.
Though he had never been involved in Tan Yandong's affairs, being summoned by the special investigation team as an adopted son was only a matter of time.
After all, the suicide of a county official was no small matter. If there wasn't a reasonable explanation, it would be hard to gloss over.
Rather than waiting passively to be investigated.
It was better to take the initiative.
He knew that after landing a punch on Zhang Wei'an's face today, Zhang definitely wouldn't swallow his anger.
Reporting him to the special investigation team was also within his plans.
At eight in the evening.
The two of them entered the gates of the Anti-Corruption Bureau at Changming County Procuratorate.
Since the special investigation team was led by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, it indicated that someone higher up wanted to label Tan Yandong's death as suicide due to fear of punishment. This way, with his death, the case would close naturally.
Since it was suicide due to fear of "crime."
Then surely a few charges had to be listed.
No one would be foolish enough to involve themselves willingly.
Chen Fang's job was arranged by Tan Yandong. If they leaned in this direction, it would certainly be the safest option for some people.
It was no surprise he became a scapegoat.
Since it was about his work issues.
Gu Jingshu, his direct superior, couldn't be bypassed and was most entitled to speak.
As long as she confirmed his capability at work was not an issue, the special investigation team wouldn't be able to pick on anything.
With this in mind, his "scene" with Gu Jingshu tonight couldn't have been more timely.
As expected.
When they entered.
Zhang Wei'an came out from the inside.
As their eyes met, his face was full of smugness, and with a glance, he seemed to tell Chen Fang, "Kid, you're done for."
As to who would be done for, that was yet to be seen.
Following that.
Gu Jingshu was informed to go to the team leader's office.
Chen Fang, on the other hand, was led by two staff members into a small dark room.
After waiting for about half an hour.
A woman wearing a light blue shirt and a dark blue tie entered, carrying a folder.
The woman appeared to be slightly older than Gu Jingshu, probably also around thirty.
She had shoulder-length hair and wore a pair of thin glasses.
Behind those lenses, however, were a pair of enticing peach-shaped eyes.
If Gu Jingshu was a pristine lotus.
The woman before him was like a mandrake.
Not just seductive, but deadly as well.
Especially those charming eyes, they were enough to make a man fall.
More importantly, her chest was even more erect than Gu Jingshu's, with two buttons that seemed strained, as if they could burst open at any moment.
This woman was Luo Lan.
She had only been promoted to deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau at Changming County Procuratorate last year.
Chen Fang had seen her once at a countywide conference for young cadres.
However, the two had no interaction.
And she was also the team leader of the special investigation team for Tan Yandong's suicide case.
"Team Leader Luo."
Upon her entrance.
The two staff members watching Chen Fang stood up one after another.
Luo Lan nodded slightly.
She sat down in front of Chen Fang.
With a stern face, she asked, "Comrade Chen Fang, you should know why we've asked you to come, right?"