Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess
Chapter 72: A friend from work

Chapter 72: A friend from work

She reviewed the latest batch of antibiotics, scanning through the chemical structure and formulation. Adjustments were minor, but necessary.

A slight alteration to improve absorption rates, a tweak to reduce side effects—nothing major, but enough to make a difference in long-term usability.

She made a few notes, cross-referenced them with existing data, and set aside a request for a revised sample.

The hours passed as she worked through the remaining formulas, double-checking the stockpile estimates, and ensuring everything was progressing as planned.

By the time she finally stretched and glanced at the clock, it was already 3:30 PM.

A knock came at the door just as she was pushing back from her desk.

"Miss Qingran, it’s time," Zhou Min’s voice filtered in. "The driver is ready."

Qingran stood, rolling out the tension in her shoulders. She cast one last glance at the screen before shutting everything down.

"Alright, I’m coming."

A sharp knock on the door pulled Qingran from her thoughts.

"Miss Qingran, it’s time," Zhou Min called from outside.

Qingran stretched, rolling her shoulders before pushing away from her desk.

She had spent the last few hours reviewing their recent batch of antibiotics, making adjustments where necessary. Now, it was time to shift gears.

As she stepped out of her office, Zhou Min was already waiting.

"We’re heading out now?" she asked, glancing at the time.

Zhou Min nodded. "Yes. Director Sun will be joining us as well. He just arrived."

Qingran raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it. It wasn’t surprising. Director Sun was Lu Zhou’s direct superior.

Even if he didn’t have personal business with the Lu family, it made sense for him to be there out of respect.

"Where is he?"

"In the car," Zhou Min replied.

She nodded, following him outside. A sleek black car was already waiting at the curb, and inside, Director Sun sat in the back seat, his expression calm but solemn.

When Qingran slid in, he gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment.

"I appreciate you letting me join you," he said.

"It’s no trouble," Qingran replied, buckling her seatbelt. "Lu Zhou was your subordinate. It makes sense for you to be here."

Director Sun let out a slow breath. "He was a good man."

The car pulled away from the curb, and silence settled over them. There wasn’t much to say—at least, nothing that would make this trip any easier.

As they drove, Qingran’s mind drifted back to her earlier research on the Tzang family.

There were still too many unanswered questions, too many pieces of the puzzle that didn’t fit. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

The drive to Lu Zhou’s family home was a quiet one. No one felt the need to fill the silence with empty words.

Zhou Min, who was usually relaxed around her, sat tensely in the front seat, his fingers occasionally tapping against his leg.

Director Sun, seated beside her, remained composed, but his usual sharp demeanor was subdued.

Qingran glanced out the window, watching as the city slowly gave way to quieter streets.

Lu Zhou’s family didn’t live in the wealthiest district, but it was a decent neighborhood, clean and well-maintained. A place that spoke of hard-earned stability.

"He was an only child, right?" she asked after a while.

Director Sun nodded. "Yes. His parents are elderly, and his father has been in poor health for some time. Lu Zhou was their only support."

Her fingers tightened slightly around her lap. Lu Zhou had never spoken much about his family, but now she understood why he had been so dedicated to his work.

He wasn’t just doing it for himself—he had people depending on him.

Lingquan, who had been quiet for a while, finally stirred in her mind. [This is going to be rough.]

She hummed in agreement. There was no way this meeting wouldn’t be painful.

She was bringing nothing but condolences, and in times like these, condolences felt like the most useless thing in the world.

The car slowed as they approached a modest, two-story house. A few other cars were already parked nearby—relatives, friends, maybe even colleagues.

As they stepped out, Qingran adjusted her jacket, steeling herself for what was to come.

Zhou Min took the lead, knocking gently before pushing the door open.

Inside, the air was heavy. The kind of heavy that only came with grief.

A middle-aged woman was seated on the couch, her face pale and hollowed out, as if she had cried so much that there were no more tears left to shed.

An older man sat beside her, his posture rigid, hands gripping his cane tightly. He looked frail, but there was a sharpness in his eyes, the kind of pain that cut deep.

"Uncle, Auntie..." Zhou Min greeted, his voice softer than usual.

Lu Zhou’s mother slowly turned to them, her eyes flickering with recognition. When she saw Zhou Min, her lips trembled, and she reached for his hand. "Xiao Min... you came."

Zhou Min nodded, swallowing hard as he crouched beside her. "Of course. We all did."

Director Sun stepped forward next, bowing slightly. "Mr. and Mrs. Lu, I’m Sun Cheng. Lu Zhou was under my command, and I want you to know that he was one of the best. It was an honor to work with him."

Lu Zhou’s father gave a slow nod, his grip on the cane tightening. "He worked so hard... too hard."

Qingran remained quiet until Mrs. Lu’s eyes landed on her. The woman studied her for a moment before speaking.

"And you are...?"

"Qingran," she said gently. "I worked with Lu Zhou. He was... a good man."

Mrs. Lu exhaled, nodding as if she had expected that answer. "Yes... yes, he was."

There was a long pause. The room felt suffocating, emotions running deep but restrained.

"Have you eaten?" Qingran asked suddenly.

Mrs. Lu blinked, as if caught off guard by the question.

"I... No, I suppose I haven’t."

Qingran nodded and glanced at Zhou Min. He understood immediately, rising to his feet. "I’ll see if we can help out in the kitchen."

Mrs. Lu started to protest, but Director Sun gave her a reassuring look. "Let them. They want to help."

Qingran followed Zhou Min into the small kitchen, where a few relatives were already preparing food. She rolled up her sleeves, ignoring their startled looks as she picked up a knife.

"You don’t have to—" one of the women began.

"We want to," Qingran interrupted simply.

Zhou Min flashed a grateful glance her way before turning back to the stove.

For the next hour, they helped where they could, preparing a simple meal while the house remained wrapped in quiet mourning.

There was nothing they could do to lessen the grief, but at the very least, they could make sure Lu Zhou’s parents didn’t have to worry about small things like food today.

When the food was finally served, Qingran stepped aside, watching as Mrs. Lu slowly ate, her hands trembling slightly with every bite.

Lingquan sighed in her mind. [I hate this part.]

"So do I," she admitted.

But there was no avoiding it.

All they could do now was be here.