Chapter 248
Ji Zhiyuan had been trapped in a hazy state of semi-consciousness.
In his subconscious, there seemed to always be a voice encouraging him, telling him not to fall asleep, not to give up.
His eyelids twitched, and he finally opened his eyes.
The blinding white light forced him to close them again.
"President Ji, are you awake?"
A gentle female voice sounded, exactly the same as the voice in his subconscious.
Ji Zhiyuan slowly opened his eyes and met Wen Yan's gaze. "Doctor Wen?"
Wen Yan smiled and said, "It is good that you are awake. Old Master Ji and Miss Rong accompanied Second Young Master Ji to get his injuries treated. They will be over in a moment."
The memories of the operating room slowly flooded back.
At that time, he was like a fish on a chopping block, entirely at the mercy of others.
If she had not appeared, he probably would have been cut open, his life or death uncertain...
"Thank you, Doctor Wen," Ji Zhiyuan said, his voice hoarse. "When we return to Haicheng, I will definitely visit you to express my gratitude in person."
His dark eyes looked at her quietly.
Perhaps his gaze was too intense, giving Wen Yan a sudden illusion that they had known each other for a long time.
She quickly averted her eyes.
Right then, her phone vibrated. As if to avoid the awkwardness, she quickly answered the video call. "Brother, what is it?"
On the screen was the face of a mature man, his brow slightly furrowed. "I saw the news. Something major happened at Li's Hospital, and many medical staff were arrested. I remember you were attending a seminar there these past few days. You weren't caught up in it, were you?"
"I am an outsider, so I won't be involved. Don't worry, brother." Wen Yan chatted about a few other things before hanging up.
She turned her head and met Ji Zhiyuan's gaze once again.
She saw that his deep black eyes seemed to be churning with stormy waves, staring at her fixedly and unblinkingly.
"President Ji, what is wrong?"
Wen Yan touched her face, thinking there was something on it.
Ji Zhiyuan slowly steadied his breathing, trying his best to maintain a normal tone. "The person you were just talking to... is he your biological brother, sharing the same father and mother?"
Wen Yan nodded. "My parents divorced, and my father started a new family. My mother passed away early. My brother played the role of both father and mother to raise me. He always feels like I am still a child and worries that something might happen to me..."
Ji Zhiyuan's entire body trembled. He asked softly, "What is your brother's name?"
"Why do you ask, President Ji?" Wen Yan looked at him. "My brother's name is Ke Yan. Do you know him?"
"Ke Yan..."
Ji Zhiyuan murmured through his lips.
His ex-wife was named Ke Man.
At his and Ke Man's wedding, Ke Yan had appeared. That was the first time he met Ke Yan. The second time was on the day Duoduo was born.
Ke Man had a difficult labor and suffered a sudden amniotic fluid embolism... Later, the doctor informed him that Ke Man had died.
Ke Yan, acting as her biological brother, took Ke Man's body away and buried her in their hometown cemetery, laying her to rest beside her relatives.
Every year during the Tomb-Sweeping Festival, he would take Duoduo to her hometown so Duoduo could pay respects to her deceased mother.
He thought Ke Man had died long ago.
Why had she changed her name and returned to his and Duoduo's side?
Ji Zhiyuan rubbed his temples.
He always remembered his first meeting with Ke Man. It was at a cocktail party. He had drank too much and was taken to a hotel suite. When he woke up, there was a woman beside him, and that was Ke Man.
Driven by his family's upbringing and his own character, he took on the responsibility a man should bear. He and Ke Man walked down the aisle into marriage.
That night had left Ke Man pregnant.
Ke Man's figure was originally plump, and after getting pregnant, she grew heavier day by day... But the Wen Yan in front of him was very thin, too thin, probably weighing less than ninety pounds.
Although there was a difference in their builds, this face was undeniably Ke Man's face.
No wonder he always found her familiar...
He actually could not even recognize his own ex-wife...
"President Ji, why are you looking at me like that?"
Wen Yan felt a chill all over her body and had the urge to run out the door.
"Doctor Wen, can you help me sit up?" Ji Zhiyuan's voice was tinged with hoarseness. "It is a bit tiring to lie down."
Wen Yan hesitated for a moment but still walked over, holding his arm and helping him sit up against the hospital bed.
Looking at her from a close distance, Ji Zhiyuan saw a tiny red mole behind her earlobe. He raised his hand, picked two strands of hair off her back, and quietly hid them in his sleeve.
At this moment.
Ji Yanting finished having his injuries treated and came over together with Rong Yu and Old Master Ji.
Wen Yan took a step back, distancing herself a few paces from Ji Zhiyuan. "Old Master Ji, Miss Rong, I have some personal matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."
"Doctor Wen, thank you so much," Old Master Ji said. "When we return to Haicheng, please make sure to come to the Ji family for a meal."
Wen Yan smiled and agreed.
Rong Yu observed Ji Zhiyuan's condition. Seeing that it wasn't a major issue, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Only then did she have the time to take out her phone. It had already blown up with various messages and calls. Just as she was about to check them, a call came in. It was Sheng Ciyuan.
"Rong Yu, I suddenly couldn't find you at the banquet last night. I thought you had headed back to Haicheng early, so I rushed back to the capital overnight." Sheng Ciyuan's voice carried a hint of frustration. "How are things now? Are you alright? Will you get dragged into this?"
"The central authorities are investigating. I won't get involved," Rong Yu said. "I will give my statement in a bit, and then I will be ready to return to Haicheng."
"That is good." Sheng Ciyuan said hesitantly, "My older brother saw the news and insisted on going to find you. Do you think it would be convenient for me to bring my brother to Haicheng to meet you?"
Rong Yu remained silent for a while before saying, "That is fine."
Not long after, the police arrived and had them each give their statements. This matter was considered temporarily settled for now.
The family set off to return to Haicheng.
As soon as they arrived at the airport, they ran into Rong Wangtian, who was waiting there.
He looked at Rong Yu walking over, feeling a sense of shared pride.
She was so intelligent and so brave.
Once again, his understanding of this daughter had been refreshed.
"Little Yu!" Rong Wangtian went up to greet her. "Are you alright?"
Old Master Ji grasped his hand. "Thank you for the help you provided, President Rong. As it happens, the Ji Group has a project. If you are interested, President Rong, you can come to the Ji Group headquarters tomorrow to have a good talk with my eldest grandson."
Ji Zhiyuan spoke up, "We will quietly await your arrival, President Rong."
Rong Wangtian was a bit stunned.
This was the very first time the Ji family had been so amiable and pleasant to him.
Was it just because he accompanied Little Yu to the police station to file a report?
But he hadn't done it to secure a collaboration with the Ji family.
However, the collaboration was being delivered right to his doorstep... If he could reach a stable partnership with the Ji Group, the Rong family would reach a new height and truly join the ranks of the wealthy families in Haicheng.
Rong Wangtian opened his mouth, wanting to agree, but he was afraid of appearing too opportunistic.
But such a good opportunity...
He struggled with himself for quite a while before finally saying, "Then, thank you, President Ji."
Rong Yu showed no emotion on her face and boarded the plane along with the flow of passengers.
The Ji family followed her inside.
Rong Wangtian scratched his head.
Why did he feel like he shouldn't have agreed?