Jiang Li inwardly laughed in amus.e.m.e.nt when the first thing the woman does the moment she fully regained control of her body was to point a finger at him. "You must have dumped illegal substances on my food! Sister Mei, call the police now! Detain him!"
Gu Mochou"s red face was the proof of the rage she was feeling within. She was also panting like she had just finished a long run.
The doctor intervened to remind her, "Wait. Miss Gu. I can see that we all have a lot of talking to do. But you have just woken up after a few hours of coma. Please calm down and don"t stimulate your body with strong emotions."
The villainess only glared at the white-coat wearing guy to shut him up. Her eyes, red and menacing, were so scary to the point that it could rival the Zhan Rong"s glares which the woman only makes when angered.
Still, while her momentum was strong, her body was weak. So when she tried to stand up, she stumbled and had almost ended up kissing the floor if not for the timely help of the other woman.
"Miss. Don"t push yourse…."
Of course, the person also closed her mouth after seeing the look in Gu Mochou"s eyes. The persuasive words about to leave her mouth got swallowed back. She awkwardly smiled and then raised her phone as if saying, "Okay. Miss. I will follow your order and phone the police now."
Gu Mochou, after giving up on rus.h.i.+ng over to Jiang Li, directed her sharp gaze to him. "Speak up, b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Did you do it?"
He only stared at Gu Mochou. The manager glanced at him for a while before stepping forward. The aged guy was an experienced member of the food service industry and knew that Gu Mochou"s accusation was not to be allowed to continue for the sake of their business. However, he did not stop the other party from contacting the police.
"Miss. I represent the Fortune Dragon Restaurant and we understand your concern so have no objection about involving the authorities for a proper investigation. However, I would still like to request for this issue to stay private, to be something only known to the people in this room until an actual result comes out."
To this, he got a satirical look from Gu Mochou who then replied to him in a sharp tone, "Mr. Gao. Are you really asking for the obvious? So you are just so slow to not realize what the symptoms I experienced entailed?"
Although a bit offended, the older man only bowed slightly. "It is good as long as we have an agreement. Doctor Xiao, I hope for your understanding about this too."
"Yes."
In actuality, Gu Mochou already mentioned a keyword a few seconds ago. Drugs. She did not know how something could be so fast-acting and potent, but she did feel the euphoria as she ate. The spasms, distorted sounds and images, and chest pains were some of the prominent aftereffects.
If words came out, how could she lift her head in the future? What about her Gu family? Once people heard about it, they would not remember that she got victimized by a black restaurant, they would only remember she was diagnosed with substance abuse.
It was like the case of a thief where after a few years, people could not remember why he robbed a house or a bank, if it was because of a debt, extreme poverty, or a sick daughter. They would only remember that the robber had been jailed for his crime.
Obviously, there was no way she could allow her reputation to take that nosedive.
The manager said a few more words to her. Gu Mochou replied occasionally with her piercing gaze still on the young man.
Jiang Li met her hostile eyes and inwardly laughed. "You know the symptoms and such, isn"t it because it"s what you"re waiting for the news and forums to mention with Zhao Ai"s name?"
"Let me ask you again. Did you do it?" Gu Mochou"s voice rang again, threateningly low.
It was clear to all that she was so adamant about forcing Jiang Li to admit it. He was the one receiving the most hate and blame which appeared quite puzzling and unreasonable to others present since if it was really drugging or food poisoning, the one at fault most of the time, were the chefs.
It seemed only he knew. Gu Mochou was convinced that he tried to kill her using poisons because of their bad history. It did not matter if it sounded illogical. She just believed in it.
"Perhaps, she knew that it in her heart that it couldn"t be me because, in her knowledge, I am only a poor boy. But, she just couldn"t let go of this chance to get rid of me by throwing me to jail."
Jiang Li was in the mood to anger her more, so he said cynically, "Miss Gu. Forgive me for doubting you. But wasn"t it so much of a coincidence that you had an episode of attack because of the dishes I served you? I am penniless so there is no way I will risk a good job to do anything untoward to you. So I thought this was just another attention-seeking gimmick of yours… payback for not paying you any attention this morning."
The ridiculous words that came out of his mouth elicited a disbelieving look from Gu Mochou. "What?"
She now looked like she was dying to plunge a dagger in his face and chest. The ones around scrutinized him from head to toe and their varying expressions were seemingly asking him if he was still okay in the head.
Alright. This did not happen.
Jiang Li was only rude when n.o.body else was nearby. But whenever others were around, he would be a decent country boy who had escaped from a house full of domestic violence and now honestly working for his living.
Why create a bad reputation when once everything he needed to do was done, he would have to return the body to its real owner?
What was his acting skills for if he could not make people have the best impression of him?
After Gu Mochou said her piece about the manager"s request, Jiang Li sincerely lowered his head and bent his waist a bit.
"Miss Gu. Please accept my apology."
The girl froze for a moment then immediately made an "I knew it" expression while looking up and shaking her head. She was taking it as him acknowledging his crime. So he immediately followed up, "I swear I did not mess with your order."
"You apologized because you are guilty. It"s that simple."
Jiang Li looked raised his head and looked into her eyes with a serious face. "Miss Gu. Because I am not well-off that I know to treasure my job and the people contributing to my monthly pay. I will not do something low like that. Not only because I"m penniless, but because I know it"s not right and it will risk my job."
"Aren"t you a witness on how it had been for me, a d.a.m.n minor, to get employed?"
Gu Mochou read this on his expression. Needless to say, those who had no idea about their history nodded in approval at Jiang Li.
The young man continued, "Miss Gu. I"m only apologizing because you went through a horrible experience due to the food that had most likely triggered anaphylaxis."
Gu Mochou was stunned for a while. It was just strange to see this person being this easy to talk to and looking so sincere. Still, it was not enough to make her forget her anger. She shook her head and laughed coldly, "What did you just say? Allergy?"
"Your records got forwarded to us by your doctor from City J. Since there is no preexisting one, then it could only be an undiscovered one." Jiang Li"s gaze contained concern and pity.
It made Gu Mochou laughed coldly. She turned to the silent white-coat wearing guy. Her temper flared up. "Doctor. Until when are you going to pretend to be invisible? When will you start doing your job? I am sure you already did some tests on me. Be honest, can a mere allergy result in these?"
She went on and enumerated the symptoms. Each time she mentioned one, the expressions of those around would get weirder and weirder since there were barely any that match with those of allergy.
Jiang Li did not speak anymore, merely spectating on the sidelines. Gu Mochou alternately talked with the doctor and the a.s.sistant sent by her parents.
The police officers arrived at one point in time and began to interrogate him at her orders.
"Brothers, I suggest you first check the surveillance in the restaurant. However, whether I was guilty or not should only be investigated once the results of the medicals come out." He only said to them.
Another testing happened and the blue-uniformed guys did go to the restaurant. Gu Mochou rested while waiting. Jiang Li and the others had just returned from the restaurant, cooperating with the police investigation, when the doctor appeared and declared, "Patient Gu Mochou. The results are finally out… And we found no trace of drugs on your body. You are quite healthy, Miss. Apart from having some signs of insomnia."
Although the news was positive, it was not what she was expecting so she unconsciously blurted out, "Come again?"
The middle-aged doctor tilted his head and repeated what he said. "There"s no harmful substance in your body system."
The villainess was dumbfounded.
Jiang Li also acted stunned. He was silent for a couple of seconds before giving Gu Mochou a strange glance which successfully unnerved the girl.
"This… This is impossible… It"s like… you"re telling me I suffered and fainted from imaginary pain and symptoms." She began to mumble intermittently.
Her words successfully gained a few more odd stares.
The manager asked, "Doctor Xiao. Can you please clarify it to us. What do you mean by that? If it was not because of a substance or allergy, then what just happened?"
To this, the other party maintained his silence for a while, pretending to go over the records again.
What should physicians say once confronted with a puzzling situation where even they or their apparatuses could not see anything wrong with a patient? Are they allowed to reply, "Probably this patient is a good actor, like a student pretending to have stomachache to skip cla.s.ses?"
The doctor coughed and brought up a lack of glucose and acc.u.mulated fatigue to get away with the question.
The secretary sent by Gu Mochou"s parents turned around to call her immediate boss to report the situation.
As for Gu Mochou, she was simply at the state where she could not say a thing. It was not due to the judging gazes from Jiang Li who seemed to be thinking she had done it this time, doing something extreme to catch his attention.
Gu Mochou was in no state of mind to pay him any heed. With her lips slightly parted, she sunk into contemplation. A minute later, her hands grabbed onto her blanket tightly, slightly s.h.i.+vering upon being reminded of someone.
Why did she forget that she had amongst the ones in this room, there was really no one with a strong motive to harm her nor a history of doing so? Why was she suddenly so adamant about messing with a harmless guy instead of pursuing the mysterious one always using nightmares to mess with her?
A night of good sleep was all it takes to wear down her defenses.
"I knew it! Whoever the enemy is, he did not truly let me off yesterday!"
"And… And… d.a.m.n. That being did not show himself again. I can"t even ask why he"s fixated on me."
"I don"t even know if it"s a ghost or a human being. If he"s related to the Maoshan sect or the Zhao people."
"I only know that he is actually after my life!"
When she lowered her head, she was round-eyed with terror. Afterward, she ignored everyone else who was observing her and looked around to see if there was something or somebody spying on her through the gla.s.s window or any obscure corners.
Nothing. There was no suspicious or powerful-looking people nearby. "Sh*t."
She missed out on Jiang Li"s mocking smile as even if she saw it, she would only a.s.sume in irritation that it was the boy thinking of something delusional.
Gu Mochou held her breath.
Her messy thoughts made her fail to remember this at first. But now that she was using her brain at full force, a lead popped up in her mind.
She recalled that what she went through this morning should be what Zhao Ai went through yesterday midnight.
...
Her messy thoughts made her fail to remember this at first. But now that she was using her brain at full force, a lead popped up in her mind.
She recalled that what she went through this morning should be what Zhao Ai went through yesterday midnight.