Chapter 31, December 25th, 2016...

Chen Jianjin intervened and arranged for Song Qinru to be transferred to another hospital.

Less than a week after arriving in Beijing, Song Qinru was matched with a suitable kidney donor.

Song Wan attends classes during the day and stays at the hospital with her husband at night.

After class that day, Song Wan grabbed her computer and books and rushed out, only to be stopped by Lian Huaiyang downstairs.

"Wanwan, why aren't you replying to my messages? After that day... are you alright? Chen Jianjin didn't do anything to you, did he?"

Before get out of class ended, Chen Jianjin texted her to pick her up to go to the hospital. Song Wan didn't want to keep him waiting, and at the moment, she didn't have the time or energy to discuss the previous unpleasantness with Lian Huaiyang. She vaguely replied, "I have something urgent to do right now. We can talk about it later."

She turned to leave, but Lian Huaiyang grabbed her wrist. "I heard from my mom that Auntie is sick. What's wrong? Is it serious?"

"It's nothing, I'm really busy right now. Can we talk about it later?"

As Song Wan spoke, she tried to pull her hand back, but Lian Huaiyang used a bit of force, and she couldn't break free.

Just then, a soft, gentle voice called out from not far away: "Baby."

It was Chen Jianjin, his hands in his pockets, raising an eyebrow as he looked in her direction, his tall figure standing casually.

Song Wan's heart skipped a beat. She quickly shook off Lian Huaiyang's hand and ran forward in a few steps.

The boy stared intently at her, and Song Wan felt inexplicably guilty. She didn't dare meet his gaze for long, lowering her eyelashes and speaking with a barely perceptible hint of flattery, "Why did you come here? Didn't you say I'd come find you?"

Chen Jianjin remained silent, his expression arrogant and his gaze defiant. He glanced at Lian Huaiyang, then gave a soft snort and pulled the girl's slender wrist toward the parking lot.

Once inside the car, with only the two of them in the enclosed space, Song Wan immediately felt uneasy.

Chen Jianjin has always disliked Lian Huaiyang. Song Qinru's surgery hasn't been done yet, and she's genuinely afraid of accidentally angering him.

She fiddled with her seatbelt a few times with her fingernails, took a deep breath, and explained, "Just now... I didn't secretly meet Lian Huaiyang behind your back. I don't know why he suddenly came looking for me. Last time... I made it clear to him that we're not even friends anymore. I... I..."

Before Song Wan could finish her sentence, her shoulder tilted slightly toward the car door due to inertia, and then she stumbled forward.

Chen Jianjin turned the steering wheel and parked the car on the side of the road.

He seems genuinely angry.

Song Wan subconsciously bit her lip, feeling uneasy, until Chen Jianjin tossed her phone over and said emotionlessly, "Open it and take a look."

Song Wan swiped the screen, looked at the lock screen password, and then stopped.

She glanced at the boy tremblingly.

Chen Jianjin was furious. "Remember this date: December 25th, 2016."

As he spoke, he took the item back to unlock it, fiddled with it for a few moments, and then handed it back to Song Wan, coldly reminding her, "Press your fingerprint."

Song Wan did as instructed, recording her fingerprints and then her facial information.

Then, Chen Jianjin showed her the message from the unknown number. Song Wan took the message and her almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise at first glance.

It was a photo of her and Lian Huaiyang entering a hotel together. The two in the picture were smiling and looking at each other, and the sign above them with the six big characters "Lianjia Chain Hotel" was obvious and glaring.

"Th-th-this...I didn't do that." Song Wan hurriedly explained, almost unable to speak properly. "This was when Xiaxia came to visit. We went to pick her up and take her to the hotel to drop off her luggage. This photo didn't capture the whole thing, and Xiaxia is in it too. If you don't believe me, I...I can call Xiaxia, she can..."

As she spoke, Song Wan hurriedly took out her phone and unlocked it, but Chen Jianjin pressed her hand down, saying, "I believe you."

“Wanwan, I believe you.” Chen Jianjin paused and apologized earnestly: “I’m sorry, I was so angry after seeing this photo that day. I wanted to ask you what happened, but then I saw you hugging Lian Huaiyang downstairs, so… I’m sorry.”

“No, Chen Jianjin.” Song Wan didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt flustered. She hurriedly explained, “I hugged him because he said that we could no longer be friends and he wanted to say goodbye in the end, just like when we graduated from high school, everyone would hug each other.”

It would have been better if she hadn't explained; the more she explained, the darker Chen Jianjin's face became.

For a moment, Chen Jianjin was so angry that he almost ground his teeth to powder. He suppressed his anger and asked, "So, Wanwan means... that you not only hugged Lian Huaiyang, but also other boys?"

His expression was really bad, and Song Wan immediately shut up, muttering weakly, "Everyone hugs, it would be strange if I didn't, and... haven't you hugged any other girls before?"

Chen Jianjin chuckled twice and told her, word by word, "No, not."

Caught off guard, Song Wan heard her heart pound twice, beating extremely fast. However, the excitement lasted only two seconds before Chen Jianjin shattered it into pieces.

He pinched her face and threatened her fiercely, "I'll let it go this time, but if you ever dare to hug any other man besides me again, don't blame me for kissing you in front of them, kissing you until your legs go weak and you climax."

The girl pursed her lips, her almond-shaped eyes, filled with stubbornness, glistening with tears.

never mind.

Anyway, the people are already out of his grasp, so these scores can be settled later.

You can't let yourself get sick from anger and then benefit others.

Chen Jianjin comforted himself in this way.

Just when Song Wan thought the matter was over, Chen Jianjin pulled out three more pieces of evidence from his phone and showed them to her.

"This is Lian Huaiyang's application record for studying abroad."

"This is Lian Huaiyang's record of emotional infidelity."

"This is Lian Huaiyang's medical record."

The boy said irritably, "I've told you so many times, Xiao Ximen has never touched a single hair on his head, and you still don't believe me."

"He's doing it on purpose. He's very cunning. He knows I hate it when you two are together, but he still tries to get my attention from you all the time. He's just sure you'll be soft-hearted."

Chen Jianjin glanced disdainfully at the girl sitting blankly to the side, and said with a barbed tone, "I really don't understand what's so great about this kind of trash that you like."

Song Wan didn't like Lian Huaiyang, so she was very calm when looking at these things. The only thing that might stir her emotions was that medical record.

She misunderstood Chen Jianjin.

Chen Jianjin, however, was unimpressed. Seeing the girl lower her eyes and remain silent, he assumed she was heartbroken and had lost her mind. Consumed by jealousy and intense resentment, he loosened his tie unhappily and deliberately said in a sarcastic tone, "You say you like me but you can still flirt with other girls. You treat a scumbag who's emotionally cheating like a treasure. Your taste is questionable..."

"Chen Jianjin!" Song Wan couldn't take it anymore. "I admit I have bad taste, but I've never liked Lian Huaiyang—drive, I need to go to the hospital to see my mother."

Chen Jianjin's breath hitched, and as he frantically tried to light the lighter, he muttered to himself, "I can't even say it. I really don't understand, what's so great about him? Is he taller, more handsome, or richer than me? Even a fool on the street would know which one to choose..."

"Chen Jianjin!"

Song Wan glared at him with a stern face.

Helpless, Chen Jianjin stopped talking, pursed his lips, and focused on driving.

Lian Huaiyang is not simple, partly because he has Jiao Qian guiding him.

As children of officials, they were exposed to the art of concealment from a young age and learned some of the techniques.

When Chen Jianjin received the call from his uncle Feng Wei, he was having dinner with Song Wan and Song Qinru. He glanced at the caller ID on his phone, wiped his mouth and stood up, saying, "Auntie, please continue eating. I need to take this call."

Song Qinru responded gently, "Okay."

Chen Jianjin left the ward, closed the door, and then swiped to answer the call. "Uncle."

"I left the things you asked me to put in your apartment, but I still have to remind you, Jianjin, Jiao Changlin is currently very powerful, you'd better not provoke him."

Chen Jianjin laughed, "How can this be considered provoking him? He should be thanking me."

Feng Wei was speechless for a moment, then said, "In short, just be careful."

There is a restaurant on Pingzhao Road that is located in a bustling area. Although it is not very popular, it has managed to stand out among the many shops that have changed hands over time.

This is a two-sided courtyard. The front courtyard is an ordinary noodle shop, while the inner courtyard, after passing through the rockery and stream and the archway, is a bright and spacious Ming-style ancient building.

Jiao Changlin was led by the waiter to the door of the private room.

Hearing the door open, Chen Jianjin stopped pouring wine and stood up to greet him, "Uncle Jiao."

"Sit down, sit down." Jiao Changlin asked as he put down his briefcase, "Hasn't your mother arrived yet?"

“My mother isn’t here today, so she doesn’t know I invited you.” Chen Jianjin raised his glass apologetically, “It was Jianjin who took the liberty of inviting you out. I hope Uncle Jiao won’t take offense at this drink.”

After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp.

Jiao Changlin's expression froze for a moment, then returned to that of a kind and amiable elder. "You've grown up, kid. You're acting all distant with your uncle now."

"I wouldn't dare," Chen Jianjin replied with a smile. "You see, that's why I specially invited you out to catch up."

"Oh?" Jiao Changlin swirled his glass, took a sip of wine, and jokingly said as if it were nothing more than a trap.

"Uncle Jiao's thinking like that would hurt Jianjin's feelings." Chen Jianjin poured wine and said casually, "Jianjin just heard that Uncle Jiao has taken office and specially came to congratulate you."

Jiao Changlin gave a forced smile. A few months ago, he might have been pleased, but now... well, it's hard to say.

Jiao Changlin didn't think this young man from the Feng Chen family was anyone to be trifled with. He wouldn't come to the temple without a reason, and he wanted to see what kind of medicine he was up to.

Sure enough, after only a few bites of food, Chen Jianjin brought up the much-discussed issue of the West City reform.

"I heard that some leaders are not very supportive of Uncle Jiao's proposal."

Just thinking about Jiao Changlin gives me a headache. The higher you stand, the more worries you have. On the surface, he seems to be enjoying great success, but in reality, he is constantly being pressured from one side to the other. Isn't he also living in the cracks?

Unlike the Feng family's orthodox background, Jiao Changlin was a dark horse who emerged from nowhere with the help of benefactors.

His keen sense of smell, honed by years of immersion in officialdom, made him instinctively narrow his eyes, asking half-jokingly and half-seriously, "What? Could it be that Jianjin has a way to share your burdens?"

Chen Jianjin laughed: "Uncle Jiao, you flatter me. I'm just an honest and simple ordinary person, how could I have such ability? But..."

As Chen Jianjin casually stroked the rim of the porcelain cup with his fingertips, he said unhurriedly, "I recently heard an interesting story."

The boy's phoenix eyes held a mixture of light and shadow.

As he handed over the file folder beside him, he smiled and said, "I heard... someone is investigating the case of the Wenchang Bridge collapse ten years ago."

Jiao Changlin's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly took the item and opened it to take a look.

It contained many minor details that he hadn't handled properly before.

"Chen Jianjin, what do you mean?" The middle-aged man stared at him, his gaze intimidating.

Chen Jianjin slowly poured himself a cup of warm tea, then held it to his nose and inhaled lightly: "Uncle Jiao, why are you so nervous? If Jianjin really wanted to do something, would we even have this dinner tonight?"

Jiao Changlin gritted his teeth and calmed himself down for a moment before getting straight to the point: "I want the stuff. What are your conditions?"

"Uncle Jiao is straightforward." Chen Jianjin put down his teacup. "As I said before, Jianjin is an ordinary person. All he wants is for the two of us to have three meals a day in all four seasons and a simple, peaceful life."

As he spoke, the boy lifted his thin eyelids and said seriously, "So... I hope Uncle Jiao can take some time out of his busy schedule to discipline his daughter more."

Jiao Changlin returned home with a livid face. Hearing the door open, his wife Fei Ruyu came forward to help him with his briefcase while complaining, "Why are you so late today? The food is cold."

As Jiao Changlin walked inside, he asked, "Where's your daughter?"

When he's happy, he calls her "Little Qianqian"; when he's unhappy, he calls her "your daughter."

Fei Ruyu knew something was wrong as soon as she heard this, and stammered, "At school, right? Yesterday you were saying you were rushing to finish your thesis or something. You're about to graduate, so you're probably busy."

Unexpectedly, no sooner had she finished speaking than Jiao Qian came out of the bedroom with an empty cup. "Dad, you're back? —Mom, I'm thirsty."

"Oh, you're thirsty, aren't you? Let me get you some water." Fei Ruyu smiled awkwardly and quietly pulled the person back.

Jiao Qian looked puzzled.

"Stop!" Jiao Changlin suddenly spoke.

For a moment, both mother and daughter stopped in their tracks.

Fei Ruyu smiled awkwardly and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Look how late it is. Qianqian must be tired after writing her thesis all day. Let her rest."

"It's because you spoil her so much that she's become so unruly!"

Upon hearing this, Jiao Qian immediately became unhappy: "Dad! Why are you being so mean to Mom?!"

"Whose fault is it?!" Jiao Changlin was furious when he remembered being told at the dinner table to discipline his daughter. "Jiao Qian! You are my daughter, Jiao Changlin's daughter, not the offspring of some random guy on the street. You shameless woman, chasing after a man who doesn't even look at you, did you ever think about where your old father's face would be!"

With that, Jiao Changlin threw the keys in his hand to the ground. "How many times have I told you, stay away from that brat from the Feng family! How many times have you listened to me?!"

Jiao Qian was slightly taken aback. "Chen Jianjin contacted you? What did he say?"

"What did you say?" Jiao Changlin snorted and said irritably, "You said you wanted me to teach you a lesson!"

Fei Ruyu, who was standing to the side, frowned as she listened. She shook her daughter's arm and asked sternly, "What's going on? Didn't we say we should stay away from him from now on?"

Last time, Jiao Qian was slapped for no reason, and only Feng Jing came to apologize afterwards. Fei Ruyu and Jiao Changlin realized that Chen Jianjin had no interest in their girl at all. From then on, the two of them explicitly forbade Jiao Qian from contacting Chen Jianjin again.

Being scolded by both parents, Jiao Qian immediately felt wronged, tears streaming down her face. She clung to Fei Ruyu's arm and started to whine, "But... Mom, I just like Chen Jianjin. Don't you always say that there are few outstanding young people like him? Didn't you think highly of him before?"

"The past is the past, and the present is the present; let's keep things separate."

This time, while angry, Fei Ruyu also felt heartbroken and earnestly advised, "Qianqian, do you know that even if you get married, you'll only suffer endlessly if someone doesn't have you in their heart? Our family isn't inferior to the Feng family, so what's the point of us rushing after them?!"

"I don't care, as long as I can marry him, I don't mind suffering any hardship." Jiao Qian cried as she looked at Jiao Changlin, "Dad, you must have a way, right?"

Jiao Changlin watched her fuss with a stern face, and finally sighed helplessly, "Come to my study with me."

Fei Ruyu was afraid that Jiao Changlin would get angry and use family discipline, so she quickly said, "Please speak properly, the children are all grown up."

With a loud bang, the study door slammed shut, and a manila document was thrown in front of Jiao Qian. Then, Jiao Changlin's stern voice rang out: "Take a look at this, Jiao Qian. If you want to ruin this family, go ahead and provoke Chen Jianjin."