Chapter 40 - The Panda Cub Bows For Love

Chapter 40: Retribution He Qing sat by Jing Dan's bedside, keeping her company. Noticing a frown creasing Jing Dan's brow, she rose to fetch some warm water to gently wipe her face and neck, which seemed to comfort her considerably, smoothing the furrow between her brows. As she watched Jing Dan's sleeping face, and thought of the vile deeds done by those people, along with the two pictures on the internet of Jing Dan being held in someone else's embrace, anger burned ceaselessly in her chest. Her expression darkened as she pondered deeply. "Hmm~" A soft noise emanated from Jing Dan on the bed. He Qing quickly looked over to see Jing Dan's brows furrowed and her eyelids twitching. Slowly, Jing Dan's eyes opened, looking somewhat bewildered at the ceiling. "How are you feeling? Does anywhere hurt?" He Qing touched her forehead, asking with concern. Jing Dan's gaze shifted from the ceiling to He Qing. Upon recognizing He Qing's face, she puckered her lips, her eyes appearing slightly moist. Seeing Jing Dan like this, He Qing's heart clenched painfully. She sat on the bed and pulled Jing Dan into an embrace, gently stroking her head, soothing her, "It's alright, it's alright. We're all here." She had seen the crestfallen look on Jing Dan's face before, but never like this moment, with her eyes so filled with unshed tears and the hint of wanting to cry. Holding her even tighter, He Qing felt more distress as Jing Dan seemed more vulnerable. When had she ever been through something like this? She must have been so scared at the time. Wrapped in He Qing's embrace, surrounded by a scent that brought comfort, Jing Dan suddenly felt even more wronged! Watching her burrow further into her embrace, He Qing took a deep breath, her disdain for those people growing stronger. "It's okay. Your aunt, they, and Hu Tu are all here — do you want them to come in?" He Qing whispered gently, careful not to startle her. Jing Dan shook her head, remaining silent. "Alright, we won't call them for now. Maybe later," He Qing agreed, gently caressing her head, momentarily unsure of how best to offer comfort. After a while, Jing Dan's muffled voice broke the silence, "I dreamt that you were about to kiss me." He Qing stiffened, her hand that had been stroking Jing Dan's head pausing as her tone turned unexpectedly tentative, "Why would you dream suddenly that I was about to kiss you?" Jing Dan pouted, her voice filled with grievance, "But then I saw the lips weren't right, those lips weren't as good-looking!" Realization dawned on He Qing; Jing Dan was likely talking about the woman who had held her last night. After getting drunk, she thought she was dreaming and that the woman holding her was herself, only to realize the lips were all wrong, not hers. "And then?" Her voice was soft. "And then, I woke up and saw an unfamiliar woman trying to get closer to me. I pushed her away, and then I fell myself!" Lifting her head from He Qing's embrace and drawing her hand from the blankets, Jing Dan said with difficulty, "It hurt so much when I fell!" He Qing saw a large bruise on Jing Dan's fair arm, and one spot looked as if it had been hit by something protruding, with tiny dots of blood. Her expression instantly turned cold as she carefully examined it, looking like an injury from a fall. "Are you injured anywhere else?" She tenderly touched the injured area, fearing she might cause more pain. "My back." He Qing sharply inhaled, wondering how many things were on the ground when she fell. And Hu Tu even mentioned her phone was broken, just how chaotic was last night? Seeing the injuries on Jing Dan's arm, it appeared that some treatment had been given, but He Qing wouldn't be at ease until she saw the back injuries. "May I look at your back?" She asked Jing Dan cautiously. This time Jing Dan's gaze shifted, contemplating something. He Qing was puzzled; what was that thoughtful little expression about? What He Qing didn't know was that Jing Dan was pondering if it was appropriate to undress in front of her, since He Qing liked her. Her aunt had always said one's body shouldn't be easily shown to others. Although He Qing wasn't just 'someone,' she harbored feelings for her, which in human terms, meant she had ulterior motives. "May I?" He Qing asked again. "Oh." Jing Dan finally agreed, convinced by He Qing's genuinely concerned demeanor rather than any inappropriate intentions. If He Qing knew what she was thinking, she'd probably be exasperated. Such a straightforward statement, an action, and you spin so many thoughts in your mind? However, upon lifting Jing Dan's clothes and seeing the bruises scattered across her back, He Qing's expression turned grim. It was like seeing a flawless piece of jade suddenly shattered on the floor by those who didn't know how to appreciate it, losing its former radiance. He Qing's hand gently touched her back, her gaze turning icy. "Have you finished looking?" Jing Dan asked. He Qing returned to the present, letting go of Jing Dan's clothes and adjusting them properly, softly stating, "I've seen it. We'll apply the medicine diligently later, there won't be any scars." Jing Dan wrapped herself back in the blanket, meeting He Qing's gaze and nodding. He Qing forced a smile, not letting her concerns show, and stood up, "Shall I call your aunt and the others in?" Jing Dan nodded. He Qing's gaze lowered; those eyes, truly pure and clear. As the people who had been informed of Jing Dan's awakening came in, gathering around her with concern, He Qing smiled softly and left. By the time Jing Dan regained her bearings from her aunt and the others' care, she realized He Qing was no longer there. Stunned, her gaze turned slightly bewildered. — Meanwhile, He Qing had already obtained a list of everyone present last night through the Monster Management Bureau. She now stood inside the office of one of those people, watching them fret over handling the online rumors with an indifferent gaze. With Jing Shi Yue handling the online issues, He Qing didn't need to worry. Yet, the sight of Jing Dan's injuries had ignited a fury in her that clouded her mind. She wasn't a paragon of virtue. Anyone who dared harm those she cared about would pay a price, no matter the means. A cold laugh escaped her as she thought about using the information from the bureau, reprising their vile deeds upon them. Witnessing the discussions conclude and the others leave, He Qing slowly materialized, smiling faintly at the remaining person. The man's eyes widened in terror at the sight of He Qing suddenly appearing. His mouth agape, unable to utter a sound except for some gasping breaths, his face flushed red. In He Qing's hand were documents. She flipped to the section about this man, her disdain growing as she read the recorded deeds. "In 2001, when your company was just starting and desperately needed funds, your brother sold his house to help you. Yet, when he came seeking repayment after you became wealthy, you had someone break his spine, condemning him to life in bed." "In 2004, you set a trap that led someone into high-interest debt, causing the debtor to leap to their death with their family." "In 2009, involved in a rape leading to death!" He Qing's eyes blazed with anger, her grip crumpling the paper as she sneered, "Good, then you'll taste what it's like to be raped to death!" The man's terror intensified, watching in horror as several male figures materialized out of thin air before him, followed by his screams echoing in the office, unnoticed by anyone outside. He didn't die, but he went mad. He Qing posted everything he had done on the internet, leaving human laws to judge him. Everyone involved in harming Jing Dan was treated in kind by He Qing, paying a painful price for their actions. After dealing with everyone, He Qing sat atop a tall building, letting the cold wind slice across her face without blocking it with her powers. She watched everything below, small as ants, her expression utterly indifferent. Even she hadn't expected to go to such lengths for another person. Yet, at that moment, all she wanted was for those who hurt Jing Dan to pay a thousandfold, a ten-thousandfold price! He Qing’s lips curved slightly. Despite having blended into human society, she was, in essence, a monster. Don't judge her by human standards. Like the events of today, hadn't she still carried them out? At that moment, still at Jing Dan's home, Hu Tu received a call, her expression shifting drastically. She glanced towards Jing Dan's bedroom, a flicker of something in her eyes. "I understand." Hu Tu hung up the phone, then slowly sat down, her hands clenched into fists as she tried hard to recall the moments she had spent with He Qing. The assistant had just informed her that all the people involved in Jing Dan’s incident had successively met with accidents, and the mastermind had gone mad. Her expression tensed. To achieve such an outcome in such a short period of time, Hu Tu couldn't help but suspect that this was beyond human capabilities. However, if the person responsible was a monster... It wasn’t unreasonable for her to cast her suspicions on He Qing. Jing Shi Yue was still here, while He Qing had disappeared. Given He Qing’s care for Jing Dan, and considering that Jing Dan had just woken up, He Qing shouldn’t have left her side unless she couldn’t suppress her urge to seek revenge on those people any longer! Suddenly thinking of something, she took out her phone to check the end time of He Qing’s last tour. Seeing that time, what else was there to question? He Qing had called her to say she was already on her way back, but that time was just shortly after her tour had ended! How could she possibly be on her way back in such a short amount of time? If He Qing was a monster, did she know that Jing Dan was a monster? Did Jing Dan know that He Qing was a monster? Her mind felt tangled, yet she felt it wasn’t appropriate to directly ask either of them. What if they weren’t aware of each other’s true nature? What consequences would her revelation bring? (End of Chapter)