Chapter 655 — Has Yaoyao Fainted from Rage?

Though they had no hostages in hand, and with the police force below there was no chance of escape, Qiu Lingshan could not shake the feeling that something else lay hidden here — above all, why had the surgeon killed himself?

Was he driven to it by circumstance, or did he take his own life out of fear of punishment? Every one of these questions had to be investigated one by one, so it was far too early to call the case closed.

……………………

Gu Mengyao had never had a large appetite. She had been eating with all her might, but how could one person finish six dishes and a soup? A few bites of each, and she was nearly full. She could only console herself: I ate little, yes, but I tasted every dish, so my nutrition is balanced and my body is healthy!

Who cares whether Tang Zhi thinks I'm being wasteful? As long as I'm happy! With that thought, Gu Mengyao stopped forcing herself. After a few more bites she set down her chopsticks. "Xiaoshu, I'm full. Let's go back to the classroom!"

"Oh, but Yaoyao, you haven't finished yet!" Shen Yushu pointed at the food on the table.

"No more. I can't eat another bite. You don't want me to end up like you did last time, do you?" Gu Mengyao truly could not manage another mouthful.

"Oh, then forget it. Even though you're always trying to assassinate me, Yaoyao, I don't want to assassinate you..." Shen Yushu said.

"..." Gu Mengyao was speechless. "When exactly did I ever assassinate you?"

The two walked out of the cafeteria hand in hand. As they passed Tang Zhi's table, the young miss raised her proud head and did not so much as glance at Tang Zhi.

Liu Xinlan, however, curled her lip. "What's there to be so smug about? Couldn't finish it, could you? Wasting food!"

Gu Mengyao was irritated, but she paid her no mind. Once you started arguing over something like this, there was no telling how long it would take to settle who had won. The cafeteria was filling up with people now, and Gu Mengyao did not want to become a spectacle.

Back in the classroom, Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu took out their M4s and started watching cartoons. Whenever they had a free moment at noon each day, the two of them would watch for a while.

"Yaoyao, Zhong Yongliang hasn't been bothering you these past few days?" Shen Yushu was actually a little unused to it. In the past, Zhong Yongliang had come courting Gu Mengyao every single day, and Shen Yushu had always managed to wangle some little benefit out of him.

"What, you want him to come?" Without Zhong Yongliang pestering her, Gu Mengyao felt her life had grown a good deal quieter.

"Oh, if he stops bothering you, then you don't need a shield anymore, and does that mean Brother Shield is out of a job?" Shen Yushu sounded a little reluctant as she said it.

Shen Yushu's words made Gu Mengyao pause. She had never considered the question before, had never even thought in that direction! True enough — her original reason for bringing Wei Zhao in had been to find a shield, to free herself from Zhong Yongliang's harassment!

Now that goal had been achieved. Zhong Yongliang had torn off all pretense with her, and after everything that had happened, he could never come courting her again! So did that mean Wei Zhao's job really was over? A faint sourness stirred in the young miss's heart. She had not been with Wei Zhao long, but not so short a time either — had she already grown used to his presence?

Gu Mengyao was annoyed that Shen Yushu had suddenly brought this up. If she had not said it, Gu Mengyao could have pretended nothing was the matter and would never have deliberately dwelt on it — and Wei Zhao would still be the same Wei Zhao as before, her follower! But now that Shen Yushu had spoken of it, was she supposed to dismiss Wei Zhao?

He was so infuriating, always flirting with this girl and that — dismissing him would serve him right... And yet, he seemed rather pitiful, didn't he? In this strange city, an orphan come here to work, if she dismissed him, what would he do?

Yes, out of sympathy for him, she could not dismiss him just yet — she could not kill the donkey once the grinding was done, or cross the bridge and then tear it down, could she? That was not what a good girl ought to do! Gu Mengyao had found herself a suitable excuse! Besides, weren't things still rather dangerous for her at the moment?

"Xiaoshu, Zhong Yongliang has already shown he's capable of something that crazy. There's no guarantee he won't get even crazier in the future! We're still in danger, and we need someone to protect us at close range!" Gu Mengyao said. "And as things stand, Wei Zhao is passable enough. We'll just barely keep him on for now, all right? Besides, he's rather pitiful — an orphan. Otherwise he'd have nowhere to call home!"

"Oh, he could live at Tang Zhi's place!" Shen Yushu cut in.

Gu Mengyao was furious and glared at Shen Yushu. This little girl was doing it on purpose, wasn't she?

"Yaoyao, what are you glaring at me for? Did I say something wrong? Oh, I get it — you want to court Brother Shield, so you can't let him go live at Tang Zhi's place!" Shen Yushu said with a grin. "I've finally ferreted out Yaoyao's secret — I'm Spy Shu, Agent 007!"

Gu Mengyao was seething. Who wanted to chase after Wei Zhao? She was the eldest young lady of the house - how could she be the one pursuing him? If anything, he ought to be chasing after her, and even then she wasn't certain she would agree! But the thought of how Wei Zhao ignored her sent a hot surge racing up through her chest. Before she could even figure out why, the room spun, and she slumped face-down onto the desk...

"Yao-yao jie?" Shen Yushu called out when she saw Gu Mengyao lying on the desk, unresponsive.

But Gu Mengyao didn't answer, and Shen Yushu grew suddenly alarmed. "I'll stop talking, all right? I was only joking - don't just ignore me!"

Gu Mengyao still didn't stir.

"Yao-yao jie, what are you doing? You mustn't ignore little Shu - little Shu is your best friend, you know!" Thinking Gu Mengyao was genuinely angry, Shen Yushu reached over and playfully tugged at her arm.

But Gu Mengyao remained utterly still. Even when Shen Yushu pulled at her, her arm merely shifted twice out of sheer momentum.

This time, Shen Yushu really sensed something was wrong. "Yao-yao jie, don't scare me! You didn't faint from anger over what I said, did you? All I did was mention you chasing after Brother Jianpai - how could you pass out over that?"

Gu Mengyao still didn't move.

This time Shen Yushu had no room for jokes. She was truly panicked. From a strength she didn't know she possessed, she hoisted Gu Mengyao onto her back and staggered out of the classroom, running toward the school infirmary.

The human body's reserves of potential are limitless. Shen Yushu had never been this strong before, but in that moment only one thought filled her mind: something must not happen to Yao-yao jie! So she didn't stop to wonder whether she could carry Gu Mengyao at all - she simply shouldered her and charged out.

Though there weren't many people in the classroom, every one of them was dumbfounded by Shen Yushu's sudden burst of action. Earlier, when Shen Yushu had been speaking softly to Gu Mengyao, none of them had caught what the two girls were saying. But watching Shen Yushu pick Gu Mengyao up and bolt out of the room - that was something else entirely! How on earth could she carry her?