Chapter 76: He Knows She Is Dr. Q

Hearing Fu Yancheng’s words, Lu Yanzhi suddenly erupted into wild, manic laughter. His eyes churned with destructive frenzy. “Since I can’t have her… then no one else will either. Let’s destroy everything together!” As he spoke, his wrist jerked violently— A flash of cold light shot from his sleeve: it was a thin, sharp scalpel blade. Like a beast out of control, he lunged at Qiao Xi, roaring, “Don’t move! Move again and I’ll slash her face!” Qiao Xi screamed, instinctively retreating, only to collide with a solid chest. It was Fu Yancheng. Almost at the instant her voice sounded, he had turned, shielding her firmly behind him. “Rip!” The blade grazed Fu Yancheng’s blocking arm, the sharp edge tearing through the fabric in an instant. A vivid red wound immediately seeped out, staining the white shirt with shocking crimson. “Yancheng!” Qiao Xi saw the blood on his arm and cried out in alarm, her face pale as death. Fu Yancheng didn't even furrow his brow, as if the wound were not his own. His gaze was icy as he reversed his grip, locking Lu Yanzhi’s wrist and twisting it hard. A crisp, bone-cracking sound echoed in the private room. “Ah! My hand, my hand!” Lu Yanzhi let out a shrill scream, the intense pain draining his strength. The scalpel blade fell to the floor. Fu Yancheng showed no mercy, lifting his leg and delivering a harsh kick to the crook of Lu Yanzhi’s knee. Lu Yanzhi screamed again, collapsing heavily to the ground, clutching his fractured, bent wrist, curled up in agony, wailing incessantly. Fu Yancheng raised his foot, his leather shoe mercilessly grinding down on Lu Yanzhi’s trembling hand. His voice was low and cold, “Speak.” “How many times has this hand… touched her? Hmm?” Qiao Xi snapped out of her shock, clutching tightly at the hem of Fu Yancheng’s coat. Her voice trembled, “Yancheng…” “Don’t be afraid.” Fu Yancheng shielded her even more closely behind him, his gaze never leaving the tormented, twisted Lu Yanzhi below. “Now you know pain? When you laid hands on her, did you ever consider the consequences?”

At that moment, the door to the private room was kicked open from outside. Several police officers rushed in, guns drawn, swiftly subduing the wailing Lu Yanzhi on the floor. Only then did Fu Yancheng elegantly loosen his tie, tidying the blood-stained cuff, nodding slightly to the lead officer, his tone calm and steady. “Assault with a weapon, attempted murder, the evidence is clear. I leave him in your hands.” With that, he turned and gently covered Qiao Xi’s eyes with his palm, pulling her fully into his embrace, shielding her from the chaos behind. His voice, now gentle as if transformed, whispered, “Don’t look. It’s filthy.” Behind them, Lu Yanzhi was dragged away, screaming curses hysterically, “Fu Yancheng!” “You’ll die a miserable death! I won’t let you go!” Fu Yancheng didn’t look back, only bowed his head slightly, his hand covering Qiao Xi’s eyes as he softly coaxed in her ear, “Close your eyes.” Qiao Xi obeyed, closing her eyes, her long lashes brushing against his palm. The curses and struggles faded, leaving only the distant wail of sirens. Fu Yancheng finally released her eyes. He looked down at her, his tone gentle as if discussing something trivial, “It’s done.” Qiao Xi’s gaze immediately fell upon his wounded arm, the vivid blood stinging her eyes. She trembled as she cradled his arm, tears uncontrollably splashing onto his shirt, deepening the damp stain, “You’re bleeding…” “It’s just a scratch, nothing serious.” He comforted her in a low voice, “Seeing you cry hurts more than this.” Qiao Xi’s tears poured even harder, anger and heartache mingling as she scolded, “What ‘scratch’? You’re bleeding so much!” “You have to go to the hospital—what if it gets infected? We’re going now!” Her tone was firm and caring. Seeing her anxious, with reddened eyes, Fu Yancheng dared not disagree, and nodded obediently, “Alright, I’ll listen to Mrs. Fu. Let’s go to the hospital.”

Hospital, emergency treatment room. After the wound was tended, Qiao Xi looked at the pristine bandage on Fu Yancheng’s arm, still feeling waves of lingering fear and heartache. She glanced at him, then quickly lowered her head, a little embarrassed. “Um… when did you… How did you know… I was Dr. Q?” Fu Yancheng chuckled softly. He turned slightly, his deep gaze enveloping her with gentle warmth. “Actually, there were plenty of clues.” The techniques Qiao Xi had always displayed in cutting-edge biotech far exceeded those of an ordinary researcher. Moreover, during their lab discussions, her occasional, spontaneous insights and forward-looking ideas bore a striking resemblance to Dr. Q. Even the calculation sketches she scrawled on draft paper late at night in her study at home confirmed his suspicions, bit by bit.

How sharp was Fu Yancheng? He could see through everything in the business world, let alone the person he saw day and night, cherished in his heart. And Lu Yanzhi, that man who never moved without profit, showed unusual interest in Qiao Xi and approached her repeatedly, which only deepened Fu Yancheng’s doubts. Lu Yanzhi never wasted effort; his focus on Qiao Xi must have a reason. The most likely explanation was that Lu Yanzhi had sensed something, perhaps even suspected Qiao Xi’s connection to Dr. Q before Fu Yancheng did. Thinking of this, Fu Yancheng paused, his smile deepening. “Of course, the most conclusive evidence was…” “A certain little drunk cat, last time, wrapped her arms around my neck, proclaiming she wanted to sleep with me, and proudly announced she was Dr. Q.” His eyes were teasing yet tender. Qiao Xi’s face instantly turned crimson, desperate to find a hole to hide in. “Did I… really say that?!” “Why didn’t you tell me sooner!” “If I told you sooner, how could I enjoy seeing Mrs. Fu’s adorable efforts to hide her little secrets from me?” Fu Yancheng laughed, reaching out to lightly tap her nose. Qiao Xi’s heart skipped a beat, enveloped by his affectionate indulgence and gentle, knowing warmth. Her embarrassment slowly melted into a sweet warmth that spread through her heart. She muttered softly, “…So, did you start admiring me a long time ago?” Fu Yancheng leaned closer, his warm breath brushing her ear, his voice low, magnetic, and full of allure. “Yes, I’ve been utterly enamored.” “So, Dr. Q, could you give your number one fan a chance… to officially join your team?” Qiao Xi was about to reply, but suddenly, a wave of intense nausea rose without warning in her throat. “Mm…” She instinctively covered her mouth, the other hand frantically bracing herself against the treatment bed, her stomach churning uncontrollably. The next moment, she bent over, retching violently; nothing came up, but the discomfort made tears well in her eyes. The smile and playfulness on Fu Yancheng’s face vanished instantly, replaced by tension and worry. He hurried forward to support her, gently patting her back with one hand and pressing the bedside call button with the other. “Xi Xi! What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?” His voice was taut with concern, “Were you frightened earlier? Or did you eat something bad?” Qiao Xi was too miserable to speak, only able to lean helplessly in his arms, shaking her head slightly, and another bout of dry heaving left her sweating coldly.