One Third Remaining Chapter Twenty-Nine Counterfeit

Answering a math problem, if your process is wrong, the result will inevitably be off by a mile. Life, however, doesn’t always play by those rules; sometimes, fortune smiles through a happy accident.

In a quiet corner of the hospital parking lot, a young emergency doctor took off his glasses. The cold sharpness in his eyes softened as he reached out to gently caress the cheek of a striking woman standing beneath the shifting shadows of the trees. His lips descended possessively upon hers, indulging in a greedy kiss.

A faint moan escaped her, and a blush crept slowly from the base of her neck up to her ears. One hand clung tightly to the young doctor, while the other rested against his chest, lightly pushing him away—a gesture laced with both resistance and invitation, a play of yielding and holding back.

Just then, a scruffy stray dog, its fur patchy and soiled, sidled up to them. Head drooping, it lifted a hind leg and relieved itself on the tree behind the woman. Its paws scratched the ground, scattering a few bits of dust onto the woman’s shoes.

She immediately pushed the young doctor away, frowning at the dirt now marring her shoes. She fished a tissue from her pocket, about to bend down and wipe them clean, when the roar of an engine sounded at the parking lot entrance. She gave up, whispered a few words in the doctor’s ear, then turned and slipped into a pink Audi. The engine purred to life, and she sped away.

As the pink Audi rounded the exit, a black SUV swung into the lot and braked sharply. The window slid down and He Wei leaned out, calling to the man crouched in front of his car, “Hey! Watch where you’re going. Squatting in the road like that is dangerous…”

The young doctor cradled the stray dog in his arms, gently stroking its bleeding hind leg. He looked apologetic as he replied, “Sorry… I don’t know where this stray came from. Its leg is injured, and I got distracted examining the wound. I didn’t notice…”

He Wei now recognized the doctor’s face. “Dr. Wang, it’s you. Next time, please be more careful. I know doctors like you are used to saving lives, but sometimes you need to mind your surroundings. It’s one thing in a parking lot, but if you did this on the main road, you’d be risking your own life. Your life is more valuable than that of a stray dog…”

Dr. Wang put his glasses back on, a slight smile at his lips. “I’ll be more careful next time…” he said, then changed the subject. “Are you here to visit Qingqing Yang again?”

“I had some business nearby, so I thought I’d stop in,” He Wei sighed. “Her case is really tough. There are no useful clues at the scene. Our only hope for solving it and finding the culprit is through Qingqing Yang…”

“I’m afraid she still won’t be able to help with your investigation today,” Dr. Wang replied absentmindedly, gently stroking the dog’s head. “She just had her second throat reconstruction surgery. She’s still under sedation and probably won’t wake until tomorrow.”

He Wei frowned, lips pursed. “Looks like I’ve come for nothing again…”

“Tomorrow, perhaps,” Dr. Wang replied softly, his eyes lowered. “If there are no complications tonight, you should be able to see her tomorrow. You’ll probably be able to ask a few simple questions…”

He Wei’s face lit up. “Really? That’s great! Any clue she can give us would be a huge help in solving the case.”

With that, he spun the steering wheel, parking his car in the spot the pink Audi had just vacated. He grabbed a bouquet of flowers from the passenger seat, turned off the engine, and got out.

Dr. Wang paused, a bit puzzled. “What are you…?”

“I’m already here,” He Wei said, waving the bouquet. “And I bought flowers. I’ll just pop in and say hello.”

Dr. Wang’s eyes narrowed slightly; his face was expressionless. He merely murmured, “Oh. I have something else to attend to, so I won’t accompany you. Don’t stay too long in the ward, either. Qingqing Yang needs rest, and the nurses get annoyed when visitors linger…”

He Wei laughed heartily. “I understand. I’ll just drop these off and go—I won’t overstay my welcome.”

Dr. Wang nodded gently, then turned away, still holding the stray dog, heading toward the emergency department.

He Wei glanced after him, then at the exit of the parking lot, sniffed the air, and walked toward the inpatient wing.

After both He Wei and Dr. Wang had left, a man in a gray jacket straightened up from the back seat of a van, face ashen with anger. He slammed a fist into the headrest in front of him, a crazed glint in his eyes. He clambered into the driver’s seat, twisted the key, and roared out of the parking lot.

On the street outside the hospital, he glanced left and right, spotting the pink Audi far off to the right. He floored the accelerator, turned sharply, and sped furiously after it.

Twenty minutes later, the pink Audi stopped in front of an art gallery. The striking woman stepped out, tightened her coat around her, and walked inside at a leisurely pace.

The van pulled up behind. The man in the gray jacket retrieved a small knife from the glove box, stared at its gleaming blade for a few seconds, his teeth grinding audibly. Hesitating, he finally put the knife back, then slapped his own face, once, twice, three, four times… Gripping the steering wheel, he banged his head against it, uttered a stifled groan, then drew a deep breath, fixed his gaze on the gallery doors, made up his mind, and stepped out, entering the gallery.

Deep inside the gallery, beneath a large framed oil painting, he finally found the striking woman. He stopped a step and a half behind her, not looking at the painting or at her, but lowering his head in silence.

The woman seemed unsurprised by his arrival, and her voice was cool as she spoke. “Do you find this amusing?”

His breath quickened, but he remained silent.

“When did you start following me?” Her gaze stayed on the oil painting. “Did you see everything in the hospital parking lot? Wang Chao… If you really have nothing to say, you should leave now. Don’t disturb me while I’m seeking inspiration here. The new shop is about to open, and I want to create some truly unique pieces.”

Wang Chao’s voice was hoarse and low. “Did you sleep with him?”

“Hmm?” She turned to glance at Wang Chao, as if she hadn’t heard him clearly.

He articulated each word, “I’m asking… did you sleep with that bastard?”

She scoffed. “I didn’t expect that to be your main concern… Tell me, what are you to me now—boyfriend? Husband? Lover? Wang Chao, some things aren’t worth probing too deeply. It’s torment for both parties.”

His shoulders slumped, eyes clouded. “Jinyue, can you at least tell me… what’s that bastard’s name?”

“I just told you not to ask so much…” Jinyue sighed. “But since you insist, I’ll tell you. His surname is also Wang…”

Wang Chao froze, staring at her as if she were a work of art behind glass.

Jinyue pursed her lips and nodded toward the oil painting. “What a pity. The technique is astounding, even surpassing the original, but it’s a counterfeit… Do you know the greatest tragedy for a forger? No matter how masterful their skill, they can never sign their own name to their work…”