How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

Since Guo Ziyou and Zheng Peilan got married, nothing new has happened in the city for a while.

Yan Ru and Song Yuanliang returned to school, but Yuanliang had been elusive lately. When asked, he always said he was busy. Yan Ru sensed something was wrong but didn't say anything. Although they were a couple, Yan Ru didn't restrict him and let him do as he pleased.

Before she knew it, summer vacation had begun, and Yanru was planning to go to Nanjing.

"I at least received a letter from my father last week, but I haven't heard anything from my sister. I'm worried about her, so I should go see her."

Yuan Liang nodded subconsciously, but his expression was somewhat dazed. Yan Ru couldn't help but feel a little angry, but she didn't show it. She just said coldly, "What's wrong with you? Judging by the time, Jiang Guiying should be back from her wedding soon. You should stay here and keep watch over her, so that no one will be here when she comes back."

"What's here?" Yuan Liang came to his senses, but he didn't hear what Yan Ru had said in front of him.

Yan Ru frowned unhappily. "It's nothing. I just said you should go back and see your mother. She was frightened recently and needs your comfort as her son."

Yuan Liang then came to his senses. "Don't worry, my mother is doing very well. Now that the First Madam is gone, she can rightfully take charge of the household."

Yan Ru felt uncomfortable. In the past, Yuan Liang treated her like the apple of his eye and put her first in everything. But now, he has become distracted.

"You decide. I'll go to the Marshal's Mansion in a bit to ask the First Madam about my sister's situation. You don't need to come with me."

After Yan Ru finished speaking, she found a wide-brimmed hat and put it on. It was very hot that day, and she would get sunburned very quickly if she didn't cover herself up.

Yuanliang nodded and obediently escorted her to the door.

Although Yan Ru had questions, she didn't say anything.

"You said you were going to Nanjing to find someone?" Madam Guo exclaimed in surprise, then immediately stopped her. "Don't go, child. Luckily you came to see me before you left. I was just about to send someone to look for you, but who would have thought you would come here?"

After saying that, Madam Guo took out a package, which was bulging and its contents were unknown. "Take a look, it was sent by your sister."

Yanru was taken aback, not expecting her sister's things to arrive so promptly. She quickly opened the package and eagerly examined it.

Inside were several photos and a letter. The photos showed the sister with a young man, presumably Commander Jiang, who had accompanied her. The other photos were of Guo Zixing.

They all looked thinner, and their eyes had changed. The older sister and Commander Jiang looked more resolute and courageous, while Guo Zixing had undergone a remarkable transformation.

He no longer possessed the sinister charm and feigned humility of the past; instead, he had a simple and sunny expression. If it weren't for the fact that it was the same face, Yan Ru would almost have thought she had mistaken him for someone else.

Looking at the letter again, it said that Yanru should hire more guards to protect the family business, as rumors had spread throughout the Lü family. It claimed that these rumors had revealed the Lü family's secrets, and that other factions might gather forces to demand an explanation. Lü's father was already on his way back, and she was told to make sure the family's gates were secure.

Madam Guo was not very literate, so she didn't know what was written in the letter, but judging from Yan Ru's solemn expression, she knew that something bad had happened.

After Yanru finished reading, Madam Guo asked, "What happened, child?"

Seeing Madam Guo's expectant look, Yan Ru quickly said, "My sister said that Young Master Guo was injured and doesn't remember people for the time being. He is currently receiving treatment and will return with Commander Jiang and the others once he recovers."

Mrs. Guo was startled and quickly put her hands together in prayer, "Amitabha, how could this happen?"

With tears welling up in her eyes, Madam Guo watched as Yan Ru tore the letter to shreds and threw it into her teacup.

"My sister said she couldn't explain the reason, and that they would know when they returned."

Madam Guo secretly shed tears, and Yan Ru had to offer her comfort. By the time she left the Guo family's gate, her face had become just as bitter as Madam Guo's.

Meanwhile, Qingru, who had been missing for a long time, was busy at the hospital.

"Dr. Xu, quick, this person has heatstroke. His family just brought him here." Qingru and the other doctors and nurses pushed the person into the emergency room. She only breathed a sigh of relief after Dr. Xu took the person.

"Phew~" Qingru leaned against the wall to rest, rubbing her sore arms. She had been working continuously for more than a month, and whether she could be promoted to a permanent position depended on tomorrow.

After resting for a while, Qingru saw that they needed people, so she had to force herself to cheer up and continue working.

Finally, when evening arrived, Qingru was able to switch shifts with another temporary caregiver.

In fact, Qingru was also a college graduate, but she lost her identity documents and other things, so she couldn't prove her identity and academic qualifications. She had no choice but to compete with others to do this tiring and hard job.

After finishing work, Qingru was still hungry. Smelling the delicious aromas wafting from the street stalls, she could only swallow her saliva and drag her tired body to her temporary rented house.

Squeezing through the crowd and pushing open the rickety wooden door, Qingru finally returned to the dockside and into a cramped room.

It's said to be the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, but that prosperity has nothing to do with them for the time being.

Qingru carried a medicine packet and a few steamed buns in her hand, walked through the long alley, and went into a room of less than ten square meters.

The room was dark and stuffy, but fortunately the summer sun sets late, so Qingru could still see her feet.

He naturally kicked the table and chair, waking the man who was fast asleep.

"You're back?" The voice was hoarse and unpleasant.

Qingru opened the door and lit the lantern, only then could she see Jiang Shen's face clearly.

He was completely unrecognizable. His right leg was swollen and he couldn't wear pants. He was only covered by a sheet. His face was bruised and swollen, one eye was so swollen that he couldn't open it, and his hands hung limply.

Qingru went over to check on him with concern. "How are you? Are you hungry? I bought some steamed buns today. They're freshly steamed, fluffy and soft. Have two to tide you over. I'll start brewing the medicine. You should feel better after two or three more doses."

Jiang Shen had lost his previous domineering aura and lay listlessly on the bed. Seeing Qingru exhausted but still moving around, he felt extremely guilty.

Upon seeing his expression, Qingru knew what he was thinking and quickly said, "If you keep acting like this, I'll get angry. You became like this to save me. If I feel guilty after taking care of you for a few days, then I'll jump into the Huangpu River right now."

Jiang Shen then said, "As a grown man, it's my duty to take care of you. I can't stand seeing you running around all by yourself."

Qingru glared at him unhappily and said, "I don't like hearing that. What about men and women? Don't we all eat the same food and do the same things? I'm no worse than you, so why should you take care of me? Besides, everything has its order. If you hadn't risked your life to save me, I wouldn't be running around doing all this. Think about it, isn't that right?"

Jiang Shen smiled wryly: "You always have a twisted logic."

Qingru said seriously, "This is not fallacy, it is the truth. To think that women should be taken care of is a form of discrimination. Alright, stop talking and get up to eat."

As she spoke, Qingru nimbly helped Jiang Shen up, and then rolled up the quilt and placed it behind him.

The steaming buns were handed to him, and he couldn't help but swallow a few mouthfuls of saliva.

Qingru served him his meal, then quickly tidied up his things and opened the window so he could look out.

The only good thing about this place is that there's a window facing the Huangpu River. As soon as you open it, you can see a wide-open view, which always makes you feel good.

The downside is that it's easy to get rheumatism, and it's dangerous. This is a dock, a melting pot of people, including all sorts of vicious individuals.

Because of this, Qingru hadn't properly washed herself in a long time. She dared not reveal her identity as a woman, much less her appearance.

To put it bluntly, the docks are mostly filled with men doing hard labor. The women here are either "girls" on the ships or have powerful families backing them up. Someone as young and beautiful as her is bound to attract unwanted attention.

Qingru sometimes felt disgusted by the sour smell on her body, but there was nothing she could do; safety was more important than anything else.

The setting sun cast a golden glow on the river and added a lot of brilliance to the room.

Watching Qingru bustling about in the light and shadow, Jiang Shen suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, like that of an old married couple.