Night fell quickly. Because he had told Tang Ning that he was moving dorms, Jiang Yao left in a hurry after Tang Qing arrived. As soon as dinner was over, Tang Qing went out to wash fruit, and Tang Ning's phone, which was on the bedside table, suddenly vibrated twice.
Tang Ning, thinking someone had sent her two messages at once, took the photos and discovered that Ye Jinyan and an unknown number had sent her messages at the same time.
She first tapped on the unfamiliar number and saw what it said—
[Dear Tang Ning, this is Mu Sheng, the school doctor. This is my contact number. I have to leave early because of a family emergency. I hope you don't mind that I left without saying goodbye.]
Upon seeing this message, Tang Ning subconsciously raised an eyebrow, then tossed it aside and ignored it, instead looking directly at another message from Ye Jinyan.
[Ningning, I heard you were injured and hospitalized? How are you doing? Can I video chat with you? I want to see you.]
Upon seeing this WeChat message, Tang Ning pursed her lips and immediately made a video call.
The call only rang for two seconds before the other end answered instantly, as if they had been waiting right next to the phone.
“Ningning…”
"Brother!" Tang Ning called out with a smile, "How are you doing in England? Is your grandfather feeling better? When are you coming back? I miss you so much..." (No, that's not the case.)
"Let's not talk about that now. Let me see your injury. How did you get injured all of a sudden? My dad's explanation on the phone was unclear; I didn't even understand how you got hurt."
Ye Jinyan said this anxiously.
Upon hearing this, Tang Ning hesitated for a moment before explaining the events that had occurred in Dream Valley to Ye Jinyan in detail.
After listening to Tang Ning's story, Ye Jinyan fell silent. "You can't do such dangerous things again, understand? We...we'll worry..."
"Yeah, it was just an accident this time. The wound wasn't that big, and I'm not in pain anymore."
Tang Ning said this with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Ye Jinyan pursed his lips, his eyes never leaving Tang Ning's face on his phone. Even though it had only been a day and a night, why did he feel as if he hadn't seen Ning Ning for a long time? Not only that, but the longing was like a cat, constantly scratching and clawing at his heart, making him unable to think of anything else except Tang Ning's image.
Even as soon as he boarded the plane, he began to regret it.
“Ningning…”
He called out again, but before he could say anything, a young man's voice suddenly rang out in Ye Jinyan's ear.
"Jin Yan, Jin Yan, come quickly and help! Grandpa has fainted and needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. He has a very serious heart condition."
Upon hearing these words on the phone, Tang Ning immediately spoke up, "Brother, you should go help. I'm really fine here. Grandpa's illness is more important!"
"Okay, take good care of yourself."
After saying just that, Ye Jinyan immediately hung up the video call.
Just then, Tang Qing, who had finished washing the fruit, pushed open the door and walked in.
"What's wrong? Who were you talking to on the phone just now?"
Tang Qing asked curiously.
Tang Ning quickly told Tang Qing about Ye Jinyan's situation. After listening to her, Tang Qing thought for a moment, then immediately placed the fruit on the cabinet next to her, said goodbye to Tang Ning, and hurriedly went out to make a phone call.
After all, if something really happens to the old man, Ye Zhen would have to be there. Letting him know this news now will prepare him.
After Tang Qing left, Tang Ning immediately took an apple from the fruit plate and started eating. As for Mu Sheng's message, she would wait and see; she didn't have time to reply to him for the time being.
As the night grew deeper, after waiting for nearly two hours, Tang Ning finally took out her phone and slowly began replying to Mu Sheng's text messages.
[Are you really the school doctor? How did you get my number? Something happened to your family? What happened? Are you alright? I just checked my phone and saw your message, I'm so sorry.]
In stark contrast to Tang Ning's excited and apologetic words was her calm, even indifferent, expression.
Sitting by his niece's hospital bed, Mu Sheng had looked at his phone countless times since sending the text message. When he finally saw the phone light up, he immediately swiped to unlock it.
Upon seeing this sentence, the corners of my mouth immediately curled up.
Actually, after agreeing to Yin Yuqing's request, he immediately received a message from E country saying that the girl at home had caught a cold and developed a fever while playing in the water with the family dog. In addition, he hadn't figured out exactly how to pursue Tang Ning yet, so he went straight back to E country. He sent the text message after getting off the plane, but who knew that he would wait for two hours.
But seeing Tang Ning's concerned and guilty question, his displeasure had long since vanished. He moved his fingers a couple of times and began to reply to Tang Ning.
[It's me. Still awake so late? My little niece is sick, so I came back to see her. No need to apologize; you're in the hospital, so you don't really have time to check your phone.]
Is your niece sick? Is it serious?
It's not serious, just a slight fever.
It's good that it's not serious. I type with one hand, so it might be a little slow. I hope you don't mind.
【Won't. 】
Where are you now? When are you coming back?
[You're currently in country E and it will probably be a while before you can return. Take good care of yourself and recover.]
I will, please come back soon.
"Well... what I mean is, you saved me, and I haven't had a chance to thank you yet. Anyway, I should thank you in person, and it would be even better if I could treat you to a meal."
The two chatted back and forth, eventually managing to steer the conversation towards their food preferences.
Later, Mu Sheng remembered that it was getting late and she was injured, so he forced the conversation to end and told Tang Ning to go and rest. The two of them stopped after this back and forth.
The man looked at his phone screen; a cute little smiley face followed by "Goodnight" made his smile widen even further.
He put his phone away and looked down to see his little niece, Annie, who had somehow woken up, staring intently at him.
Seeing him look over, she immediately flashed a big smile, "Uncle, you're in love!"
"That's what the mixed-race girl, Annie, said with a grin."
"No."
Mu Sheng denied it immediately without even thinking.
"Yes, the way you smiled when you sent that message just now is exactly the same as how Dad used to reply to Mom's messages. It means you're in love!"
The little girl resolutely said yes.
Upon hearing this, Mu Sheng was slightly taken aback, then smiled and reached out to touch the little girl's forehead.
"You're only nine years old, do you even know what dating is? You still have a fever, go to sleep quickly, and once the fever goes down, you'll feel better, understand?"
"Hmph, then... I want my uncle to tell me a story."
What are you going to say?
"Snow White, I want to hear Snow White."
The little girl immediately became excited.
Upon hearing the words "Snow White," Mu Sheng immediately pictured Tang Ning dancing on stage during the school anniversary celebration. He chuckled softly, "Alright, I'll tell you the story of Snow White."
Mu Sheng replied in a good-natured manner.
Unfortunately, the story was only halfway through when the sick little girl couldn't stay awake any longer and fell asleep.
Seeing this, Mu Sheng reached out and tucked her feet in, then kissed her forehead before turning off the light and quietly leaving.
After stepping outside, Mu Sheng hesitated for a moment, then took out his phone and made a call.
"Okay, Randy, send someone to protect the next girl, her name is Tang Ning. She should be at the First People's Hospital of Hai City right now. But never mind, don't send anyone, Randy, you go and protect her yourself. Remember, don't let her find out, understand? I can't leave here for the time being."
After giving these instructions, Mu Sheng immediately hung up the phone. It was only after returning to E Country that he discovered that those old fogies he had suppressed before were now starting to stir again. They had even inquired about what he was doing in China more than once in private. Therefore, some protection was still necessary, and some measures were even more necessary.
A ruthless glint flashed in Mu Sheng's eyes.
Meanwhile, at the other end, in the dormitory building of Jinsheng Boys' High School.
Yin Yuqing watched silently as Jiang Yao, with the help of several strange men, kept packing all his luggage.
She watched in a quiet, somewhat eerie way as Jiang Yao's belongings in the dormitory gradually disappeared. The part that belonged to Jiang Yao became blank and simple, and for a moment she felt her heart becoming emptier and emptier, so emptier that she could even hear the echo.
She gripped her bedsheets tightly. If she hadn't been clinging to the thought that as long as Mu Sheng took Tang Ning away, A Yao would eventually come back, Yin Yuqing would probably have completely lost control of her hysteria and madness.
She stared blankly as Jiang Yao put her last possession into his backpack, without a trace of lingering affection, and walked out.
Just as Yin Yuqing was about to get up, Jiang Yao, who had already reached the door, suddenly stopped.
Seeing this, Yin Yuqing's eyes suddenly lit up with anticipation.
Then she heard Jiang Yao, without even turning his head, say softly, "Back at the hospital... I acted impulsively. I shouldn't have said those things to you in a fit of anger. I apologize to you here. I'm sorry. From now on... take good care of yourself. I'm leaving."
Just as Jiang Yao finished speaking and was about to lift his foot, Yin Yuqing's tearful voice rang out behind him.
“I can’t take care of myself! Without you, I can’t take care of myself! I don’t mind what you said to me before, Yao, please don’t move out, okay? Is Tang Ning bothered? I’ll go talk to her, she’s so generous and kind, she definitely won’t mind…”
Yin Yuqing said while crying.
"It's not that she minds, it's that I mind."
After saying that, Jiang Yao finally took a step forward.
Stunned by these words, Yin Yuqing's crying only lasted a moment before she burst into tears again, filled with sorrow and despair.
She instinctively slumped down beside the chair, staring at the empty dormitory entrance, her sobs growing louder and more helpless.
Unfortunately, Jiang Yao had already walked far away, so far that even her cries could no longer be heard.
Every day after that, Jiang Yao would make a special trip to Tang Ning's ward to report for duty.
That day, no sooner had he left than Tang Ning's door, which wasn't closed properly, was slowly pushed open from the outside.
She immediately hid her phone under her pillow and hurriedly looked up, asking, "Did you forget something?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Xu Xingbo, who was still wearing the Jinsheng school uniform, standing at the door of the ward, holding something in his hand, looking at her.
Upon seeing Xu Xingbai, Tang Ning's face immediately lit up with a look of unexpected surprise.
"Hey deskmate, what are you doing here? How did you know I was here?"
"I heard you were injured and hospitalized, so I came to see you."
Xu Xingbo explained and then came in carrying what looked like a thermos.
As for how he knew Tang Ning was here, he couldn't very well explain to her that he had followed Jiang Yao here and then secretly came out of the stairwell to her ward door after Jiang Yao left.
"That thing you're holding... isn't for me, is it?"
Tang Ning had been curious about this for a long time, and as soon as Xu Xingbo walked up to her, she immediately asked him tentatively.
Upon hearing Tang Ning's question, Xu Xingbai's face immediately turned red. He hesitated for a moment, then placed the thermos in his hand on the cabinet to the side.
"It's...it's for you. I heard you injured your arm, so I made you some yam and pork bone soup..."
Xu Xingbo stammered in response.
"Did you make this?"
Tang Ning's eyes widened immediately. She was genuinely surprised. She hadn't expected Xu Xingbo to have this trick up his sleeve. But wait, his mother was practically nonexistent, so it was perfectly normal for her to have this trick up her sleeve.
After a moment's thought, Tang Ning hurriedly urged Xu Xingbai to open the thermos, "Then I must try your cooking. The bowl and spoon are in the cupboard, can you get them for me? My hands are a little inconvenient."
Upon hearing this, Xu Xingbo quickly took out a small pink bowl and spoon from the bedside cabinet, then turned around and went to the bathroom next door to rinse them with water before unscrewing the lid of the thermos and serving Tang Ning a small bowl.
Seeing the clear soup in the bowl, along with the well-stewed yams and dark red lean meat, Tang Ning picked up her spoon and tasted it from Xu Xingbai's hand.
Upon tasting the soup and meat, Tang Ning's eyes immediately narrowed.
"It tastes really good! I didn't expect you to be such a good cook. Now that I think about it, I was really showing off my limited skills when I brought you lunch before."
"No!"
Xu Xingbo quickly denied it, saying, "You did a better job than me."
"Really? But I still think your cooking is better, even better than my family's chef."
"I'm glad you like it."
Hearing Tang Ning's praise, Xu Xingbo couldn't help but smile.
Just then, Tang Ning's leg may have accidentally pressed the remote control, and the LCD TV behind the two of them suddenly lit up.
"Huh? I must have accidentally pressed it, right?"
Tang Ning was somewhat puzzled.
Just then, the TV suddenly reported a news story about a person jumping off a building. It was said that the person who jumped was a gambler who had lost everything gambling in a casino called Yaoxing. He had not only lost everything but also incurred huge debts from loan sharks. Yaoxing was pressuring him to repay the loan every day and even threatened him that if he didn't pay, they would cut off his kidney and sell it to pay for it. If he still didn't pay, they would sell his wife and children as well.
He was truly desperate, so he jumped off the building, specifically the TV station building. Now things have blown up, and Yaoxing is in trouble too.
The news broadcast had almost ended, but Tang Ning, seeing Xu Xingbo standing by her bedside, was still staring blankly at the television screen that had gone into commercials. She subconsciously raised an eyebrow.
Because this Yaoxing seems to be Xu Xingbai's creditor, whom he works himself to death to pay off every day, and also the local bully who beats him up from time to time to vent his anger.
In the storyline, it was the gambler surnamed Wang who jumped off the building that gave Xu Xingbai the opportunity to send everyone from Yaoxing inside.
Xu Xingbo is probably already brainstorming what he should do next, which is why he's so lost in thought.
“…My deskmate, my deskmate, Xu Xingbo, Xu Xingbo…”
Xu Xingbo, who had finally come to his senses, immediately heard Tang Ning calling out to him and turned to look at her.
"What are you thinking about? You're so engrossed in your thoughts, I've called you several times already..."
Tang Ning asked with a smile.
Before Xu Xingbai could answer, Tang Ning glanced at the wall clock and hurriedly said, "Is it almost time for your shift? Is that why you... Why don't you go now? Can you leave this soup here? I'll drink it slowly. You can go now if you have something to do. Thank you for coming to see me."
Tang Ning expressed her sincere gratitude.
Hearing this, Xu Xingbo, who was struggling to find an excuse for his daydreaming, paused for a moment before continuing, "It is indeed my work time, but you're alone..."
"It's okay, Yao and my mom will be back in a little while, you don't need to worry about it."
"Then...I'm leaving..."
He still needs to think carefully about how to make the most of the information he has collected.
"Okay, you can go now. Be careful on your way."
Tang Ning waved gently at him.
Seeing this, Xu Xingbo smiled at her, turned around and was about to walk out, but then as if he thought of something, he immediately reached into his pocket and took out a rosebud. He didn't dare to look Tang Ning in the eye and placed the rose directly on Tang Ning's snow-white quilt.
"This is for you. I...I'll be going now..."
"Xu Xingbai!"
He had just reached the door when Tang Ning quickly called out to him.
Xu Xingbai placed his hand on the doorknob, and Tang Ning's sweet voice rang out behind him, "Thank you for the flowers, I like them very much."
"Hmm, um!"
After giving a mumbled reply, Xu Xingbai immediately pushed open the door and went out.
Walking down the bright and clean hospital corridor, Xu Xingbo couldn't control the corners of his mouth. After he entered the elevator, he realized through the reflection of the elevator wall how silly he was laughing. So silly, so incredibly silly.
But what could he do? He just couldn't suppress it.
It's impossible to suppress!
On the other side, Tang Ning was playing with the rose in her hand. After hearing the system notification, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
Xu Xingbo's current favorability rating: 70.
It's gone up another two points.
After staying in the hospital for about a week, Tang Ning was finally discharged once her arm injury had healed sufficiently.
Upon being discharged from the hospital, she received news that Mu Sheng was also coming back. As for Ye Jinyan, the old man was still in the hospital due to a serious heart condition and was said to need surgery in a few days, so he couldn't come back anytime soon.
It's obvious that Mu Sheng will take action soon.
Even when pursuing someone, she hopes that the other person can follow her pace!
If she remembered correctly, at this point in the story, the original owner was being threatened by four targets because her identity as Yin Yuqing had just been exposed. It was also the most depressed and suicidal phase for her.
Just then, a friend she had made from her flower arranging classes called her, saying that she was about to go abroad and didn't have many friends in China, except for Tang Ning. Before leaving, she was organizing a farewell party for her friends and hoped that Tang Ning could come.
The party was to be held at a karaoke bar called Galaxy 1898.
The plastic flower vendor spoke with such persuasive logic and emotion that, coupled with the fact that the original owner was in a really bad mood and genuinely needed to clear her head, she went.
But who could have imagined that all the farewell parties were actually a trap set up by the fake flower before she left the country, specifically targeting Tang Ning? She herself was an illegitimate child, abandoned by her mother, and was only taken back by a wealthy family. She considered herself to be much more noble than Tang Ning, who was just a burden.
Unfortunately, Tang Ning is better than her in every way, and she even has a fiancé named Jiang Yao who is outstanding in appearance and family background.
She was so jealous of her.
Especially after she pretended to confess to Jiang Yao casually, and he told her to take a piss and look at her own filth, her jealousy reached its peak. But unfortunately, Jiang Yao usually protected Tang Ning like the plague, and her family was in a mess, so she couldn't spare any time to scheme against Tang Ning.
Ultimately, because she lost the struggle, she was about to be sent abroad by her father. Only then did she remember Tang Ning and personally devised a trap for her, just so she could vent her anger before leaving.
Yes, at that time, the uninformed Plastic Flower didn't know that Tang Ning's fiancé had been stolen away.
Tang Ning went to the appointment, but the juice she was drinking was switched. If she hadn't been quick-witted and made an excuse to go to the restroom to escape, who knows what might have happened that night!
After all, the treatment of cannon fodder and the female lead is different. No matter what happens to Yin Yuqing, someone will immediately come to her rescue. Even if the original owner shouted herself hoarse, she would probably still encounter a hero who would come to her rescue!
Just as she was thinking this, Tang Ning's phone rang at that opportune moment.
Looking at the phone number displayed on the plastic flower, she thought to herself, "Speak of the devil and he appears!"
After answering the phone, Tang Ning listened to the woman on the other end of the line, who went on and on, playing the victim and crying until her mouth was almost dry. Only then did Tang Ning reply with a smile, "Okay, tomorrow night at nine o'clock, Galaxy 1898ktv9999 VIP room, right? I'll go. You're going abroad, how can I not see you one last time?"
If her memory serves her correctly, Xu Xingbo's workplace is indeed this Galaxy 1898.
And then there's Mu Sheng, who's always following behind her...
She felt that she might be able to kill two birds with one stone again!
Wait, why did she say "again"?
Meanwhile, Mu Sheng had just gotten off the plane.
"Tang Ning is going to a party tomorrow night at nine o'clock? Okay, I understand."
Mu Sheng hung up the phone and turned to look out the window. Because of the large-scale actions in Country E, the man's fierceness had not completely dissipated.
Perhaps this will be a great opportunity...
He thought.
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