Chapter 6

After my birthday, Lu Che made it up to me by giving me lots of clothes and bags as an apology.

I accepted everything without hesitation.

Gu Siyin and the others stopped stirring up trouble. The group chat was peaceful, everyone joking and laughing as if nothing had happened that night.

Sometimes I’d peek into the chat, watching them shift the topic to travel or clubbing, and to Young Master Zhao’s upcoming return to the country.

Which Young Master Zhao?

Before I could think further, I received a text from Meng Zhuyi:

“Dad is sick. Go to the hospital and see him.”

He thoughtfully attached the location and bed number below.

I stood there for a full half minute before replying with a single “Okay.”

Following the directions, I arrived at the hospital and found the intensive care ward.

Full of expectation, I pushed open the door, only to see the old man on the bed bobbing his head to music, skillfully peeling an apple with a knife.

I turned to leave.

“Manman!” Meng Huai called out hoarsely behind me. His voice was already rough, and now with a tremor, it sounded even more pitiful.

I stopped and turned to see him about to get out of bed. “Don’t move.”

“Meng Zhuyi asked me to come. Since you’re not dead, I’ll just take my chopsticks and go home.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Meng Huai’s raised eyebrows and mouth drooped.

The man with graying temples leaned against the bed, clutching the apple in his hand in defeat. “Manman, I really do have some health problems lately. Your brother didn’t lie to you.”

I remained unmoved.

Meng Huai gave an awkward smile, his face showing a hint of pleading. “I’m going for a CT scan later. Could you… maybe accompany me?”

I walked out of the ward.

Ten minutes later, the door opened from inside. Meng Huai saw me sitting on the bench and his cloudy eyes suddenly lit up with surprise.

I turned my face away in silence and asked him where the CT department was.

After all the running around, it was already evening.

I ignored the old man’s attempts to please me and insisted on taking a taxi home for dinner.

Meng Zhuyi hurried over, settled him in, and escorted me downstairs.

In the elevator, we stood side by side in silence.

After a long while, he spoke first: “What did the doctor say?”

I stared at the numbers flashing on the screen. “The results aren’t out yet.”

Another stretch of silence.

When the elevator doors opened, he spoke again: “How are things between you and that boy from the Lu Family lately?”

My relationship with Lu Che was never a secret.

I walked out of the elevator first, hands in my pockets. “Just the same as always.”

Meng Zhuyi’s hawk-like eyes stared straight ahead. “Not planning to bring him home to meet the family?”

That question stumped me.

I didn’t have any plans to introduce Lu Che to my family yet. Honestly, I missed my mom a lot, and I couldn’t bear to waste her time making her appear in someone else’s dream.

I casually made up an excuse, and Meng Zhuyi didn’t pursue the topic any further.