Chapter 43 A Solemn Promise

Lu Qiuyi’s mind went completely blank as she stared blankly at the neon lights flashing past the car window.

Suddenly, a warm, large hand covered her tightly clenched fist.

Lu Qiuyi shuddered violently, like a startled rabbit, and instinctively tried to pull her hand back.

Instead, He Jingyue wrapped his hand firmly and powerfully around her slightly trembling fingers, his warm body heat transferring through her skin bit by bit.

"Don't be afraid," He Jingyue's deep voice resonated within the enclosed cabin. "The truth hasn't come to light yet. I'm here."

A sharp stinging sensation pricked the bridge of her nose, and the tears Lu Qiuyi had been holding back finally rolled down without warning.

"I didn't..." Lu Qiuyi's voice carried a heavy, tearful sob. "I don't even know him... How could I... Why would he say such a thing..."

"I know." He Jingyue tightened his grip on her hand, his fingertips gently stroking the back of her hand in a reassuring manner. "I believe you."

Lu Qiuyi's panicked heart found a shred of something to lean on.

She raised her head and looked tearfully at He Jingyue. "But... everyone believes it... His father just now..."

"Public opinion needs guidance, and the truth takes time," He Jingyue said, his voice remaining steady. "Before that happens, protect yourself. Leave the rest to me."

The car smoothly entered the underground parking garage of the Champs-Élysées.

After bringing the car to a halt, He Jingyue unbuckled his seatbelt, turned to the side, and carefully studied her red-rimmed eyes and pale face.

He raised his hand; his fingertips were slightly rough, but he wiped away the tear tracks on her cheek with extreme gentleness.

Lu Qiuyi stared blankly as he leaned in, forgetting how to cry.

The next second, an exceptionally gentle kiss, fleeting as a touch, landed on her smooth forehead.

It carried the crisp, clean scent of him, like a solemn promise.

Lu Qiuyi froze entirely, her heart feeling as though it had been violently clenched by something before beginning to beat wildly.

He Jingyue pulled back quickly, as if that restrained kiss had merely been an illusion of hers.

"Zhang Zhiwei is still in the emergency room."

With teardrops still hanging on her eyelashes, Lu Qiuyi looked at him in a daze.

"Although the post's contents are false, as the direct accused party, you should go and see him, both reasonably and emotionally." He Jingyue looked at her. "Of course, you can choose not to go. I will respect your decision."

Go to the hospital?

Lu Qiuyi instinctively felt fear and resistance.

But if she didn't go, would it look even more like a guilty conscience?

She thought of the despair in that post, of Zhang's father's blood-red eyes... A human life was, no matter what, far too heavy a burden.

Lu Qiuyi said, "I'll go."

He Jingyue gave her a deep look, seeming unsurprised by her choice. "Alright."

*

Communication in the internet industry is active, and news has always spread quickly.

Not to mention a tech giant like the He Group standing at the center of the storm; at the slightest sign of trouble—especially explosive topics involving workplace disputes and ethical tragedies—screenshots and discussions could fill various industry networking groups and anonymous forums within two hours.

Employees publicly accusing companies of workplace injustice was nothing new in recent years, and turning to the internet for help was one of the effective ways for the disadvantaged party to defend their rights. Spectators were always willing to watch and offer advice, sometimes even reviewing the writing style and logic of the accusation letter.

Yet the situation now was entirely different.

Words like "suicide" were far too heavy, instantly crushing all spectator mindsets.

"Is this real? Did the He Group's 'Lingual' project drive a core engineer to his death?"

"I read the post. It's a real-name accusation against the President's executive assistant, Lu Qiuyi... That name sounds a bit familiar?"

"Who is she? Any friends inside the He Group care to speak up? Why has there been no official news after several hours?"

"Confirmed, something really happened at the second park this afternoon. An ambulance drove in, and a lot of people saw it."

"Jumping from a building—just how deep must the grievance be?"

There was no shortage of media professionals and keen-nosed reporters within the industry popping up in various relevant groups, willing to pay high prices for front-line leads, while others offered free legal aid.

Normally, companies caught up in such a public relations storm reacted very swiftly, soon issuing a carefully worded statement summarizing the situation and promising a serious investigation.

However, the He Group's response this time was unusually slow.

Costing a human life was a grave accident that any company would deeply avoid discussing. Every single outward-facing statement needed to be deliberated repeatedly and approved through multiple layers; a single wrong word could lead to unimaginable consequences.

The incident occurred at six-thirty in the evening, and it wasn't until ten o'clock, following an emergency discussion and sign-off by the board of directors, that the He Group's official channels finally issued a statement stamped with an electronic official seal.

The statement was extremely cautious in its phrasing, stating: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the unfortunate accident involving an employee. Currently, the employee is still undergoing intensive emergency treatment. The company has contacted his close relatives and will actively and properly handle all subsequent matters.

Regarding the article published by the employee on the internal network, the company attaches great importance to it and will undoubtedly conduct a serious investigation, clarify the truth, and announce the results in a timely manner.

At this stage, the company is closely cooperating with medical institutions to make every possible effort to provide all necessary support, praying for the employee's safety. Life is paramount, and we also urge everyone to cherish life."

By the time this statement was released, He Jingyue and Lu Qiuyi had just arrived at the floor where the emergency room was located.

Upon learning that Zhang Zhiwei's condition was extremely critical, He Jingyue had used his connections to contact a top domestic surgical specialist, who agreed to rush over through the night to guide the surgery.

After all this commotion, nearly four hours had passed.

Zhang Zhiwei's father had already arrived at the hospital accompanied by HR, waiting anxiously outside the emergency room.

"Mr. He." The company's legal counsel, standing guard nearby, noticed him and immediately stood up.

Su Nuo also spotted him and visibly let out a sigh of relief. "You're finally here. I almost thought you and Assistant Lu had eloped overnight to avoid the storm."

He could still joke at a time like this, but He Jingyue truly had no mood to entertain him.

"How is the situation inside?" he asked directly, his voice carrying a hoarse edge.

Su Nuo put away his joking expression. "Fortunately, the floor wasn't too high, so he didn't directly... Well, that's the greatest misfortune among misfortunes. But the angle of the fall was extremely tricky; he broke several ribs, and his internal organs are damaged. The condition is very dangerous. The doctors said they are racing against the Grim Reaper."

He Jingyue's gaze was dark and cold. "That article cannot be allowed to stand as a definitive suicide note. However many bones he broke, piece every single one back together. The He Group can afford the best medical bills, but we do not intend to pay a single cent of compensation beyond that."

"Understood," Su Nuo nodded. "I already gave instructions when I arrived: use the best equipment, the best medicine, and whatever specialists are needed—as long as we have their names, we can invite them."

At the other end of the corridor, Zhang's father stood alone, while several HR and legal staff members accompanied him from a slightly further distance, not daring to approach too closely.

The elderly man had a full head of white hair, pacing anxiously at times, and at other times pressing his hands together to mutter prayers.

Colleagues had tried several times to persuade him to sit down and rest, only to be pushed away by his resistant gestures.