Chapter 7 Wen Ruan was here
1619 Words
"Again! Bringing up old matters again!"
Wen Ruan quickly interrupted, "Alright! No. 10, Jingwan Road, right? I'll call to make a reservation this afternoon."
He Zhen gazed at her with an expression of silent exasperation, a hint of amusement in his eyes, his tone rising slightly, betraying his good mood.
"You don't need to make a reservation," he replied. "You could book a spot three months in advance, but you’re the type to break promises. Who knows if you’ll still want to invite me in three months?"
He calculated the time in his mind.
"I'm on a business trip tomorrow and will return next Friday, so let's go next Saturday. The doctor said you still have two more bottles of medicine, so you can rest your stomach for the next few days."
"Next Saturday?" Wen Ruan was skeptical. "Can you even get a table? That restaurant requires reservations months in advance, even for members."
He Zhen, feeling somewhat awkward wearing a hat indoors, pulled it off, "I’m the major shareholder; I have a private room, no need for reservations."
Wen Ruan responded with a sigh, "Alright then."
She took a sip of the congee, "If you're the major shareholder, can I get a discount for treating you to a meal?"
He Zhen's brows lifted in a mischievous smile, "Of course, a 10% discount."
Wen Ruan smirked, "Heh."
Still wearing the clothes from yesterday, which were light due to the anniversary celebration, she felt the cold more sharply today, as the temperature had dropped.
The warm congee helped soothe her stomach, but she still felt a bit chilly. She instinctively pulled her coat tighter around herself.
He Zhen observed her and, noticing her discomfort, placed the congee on the nearby bench, then swiftly removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
"Eh?" Wen Ruan was startled, turning to look at him. "You don't have to."
She was about to remove the jacket, but He Zhen gently took her hand away.
"I'm afraid you'll back out on me next Saturday. If your stomach heals and then you catch a cold or fever, you’ll end up sick for a week again…"
Wen Ruan: "..." There was no need to curse her like that.
She realized refusing further would seem overly dramatic, so she relented, "Thank you, Mr. He. I’ll return it to you after I wash it."
He nodded.
Having drunk half of her congee, Wen Ruan felt she couldn’t finish it. She set the spoon down.
"Mr. He, I’m fine on my own. Are you here to see the doctor or the patient? You should go and take care of your own business. Don’t waste your time on me."
Take care of his own business?
He Zhen froze for a moment. That’s right, why was he even at the hospital?
Oh, now he remembered.
After dropping off Shen Yinyin last night, Shen Yifan had insisted on coming with him. He was upset after arguing with his girlfriend and insisted on getting into He Zhen's car to drink, sleep, and vent.
They’d drunk quite a bit.
Early this morning, Shen Yinyin called him, crying so hard she could barely breathe, saying she had been in a car accident.
Shen Yifan, who had drunk until 2 AM, was passed out drunk and wouldn’t wake up no matter what, so He Zhen had to go to the hospital himself.
Shen Yinyin had just gotten her driver’s license and, nervous while trying to avoid an oncoming car, had turned the wheel too sharply to the right, crashing into a tree.
Fortunately, she had hit the brakes in time, and the front of the car only had a small dent. She was still holding her left wrist, claiming it hurt, but it wasn’t that bad. He Zhen arranged for the accident to be handled and had her sent to the hospital.
Sōnglì Hospital, being the closest to the accident scene, was where they went.
There were too many people, so He Zhen asked Shen Yinyin to wait in line on her own. Still a little dizzy from the hangover, he was planning to go out for a smoke when he spotted Wen Ruan.
Right, Shen Yinyin should be done with the registration by now.
Just as he was thinking, the sound of high heels echoed nearby. Then, a woman in a dark green coat, wearing a mask, stood in front of him.
"He Zhen Ge! You’re too much!"
In the infusion hall, Shen Yinyin placed her hands on her hips, glaring at him with indignation and frustration in her eyes.
She had heard that He Zhen had drunk with his cousin last night, and worried about his stomach, she woke up at six in the morning to make him a nutritious breakfast and bring it to him. But in the middle of the road, she had gotten into the accident.
She was still in pain from her left wrist, but thinking it would be a good opportunity for He Zhen to take care of her, she had exaggerated the pain.
But this jerk, He Zhen, had made her wait in line to register and now, to top it off, he was hugging another woman!
He had told her he was going to smoke, but she had already finished registering, and he hadn’t come back. She had called him, but his phone had gone unanswered.
Thanks to his handsome face and towering height, he had stood out in the crowd like a celebrity, and someone had noticed him and pointed out that they had seen him on the third floor, holding another woman.
A woman!
Shen Yinyin, furious, turned to glare at Wen Ruan, her eyes wide with shock.
"You’re the one from the movie theater last night!"
The feeling of crisis hit her instantly. Seeing He Zhen still holding a half-bowl of congee made her even more furious.
She hadn’t even had breakfast yet!
Wearing a mask, Shen Yinyin's identity wasn't immediately recognizable to Wen Ruan, but hearing her words, she realized who she was.
Oh, she was the girlfriend He Zhen had met at the cinema last night.
Wen Ruan was about to explain, but He Zhen had already made a phone call.
"You need to come to Sōnglì Hospital now. Your sister’s injured."
Shen Yinyin quickly turned to He Zhen, "You're here. Why did you tell my brother to come?"
Shen Yifan had barely woken up, still groggy, and only half-conscious when he answered the phone. He was about to fall back asleep when he heard the word "injured."
Now more awake, he heard Shen Yinyin's words and flipped over, intending to sleep a bit longer.
"She’s fine, she’s just making a big fuss. You’re right there, just keep an eye on her. I’ll sleep a little longer."
He was about to hang up when He Zhen added, "Wen Ruan is here."
"Wen Ruan is…"
Wen Ruan?
She was at the hospital too?
No wonder He Zhen had called him three times in a row, waking him up.
Shen Yifan was fully awake now, sitting up in bed, rubbing his face vigorously.
"Give the phone to Yinyin."
When the phone was handed to Shen Yinyin, Shen Yifan said, "Tell He Zhen to take care of his business. Don’t disturb him. Go wait in the lobby on the first floor. I’ll be there in twenty minutes."
Shen Yinyin wasn’t happy and decided to complain.
"I’m not disturbing him! He brought me to the hospital, and now he’s hugging another woman while getting an infusion!"
An infusion? Wen Ruan was sick?
Shen Yifan walked to the bathroom, saying, "Get out of He Zhen’s sight in a minute. Don’t delay him, or I’ll call your mom to come pick you up."
Shen Yinyin had sneaked out, and if her mom found out, she would probably tie her up with ropes. Fuming, she stomped her foot in anger.
"Shen Yifan, you’re cruel!"
She threw the phone back at He Zhen and pointed at Wen Ruan, declaring, "Wen Ruan, remember this. I won’t forget you!"
"Eh, I—"
Wen Ruan was about to speak, but before she could, Shen Yinyin ran off. She wasn’t sure about their situation but guessed they had probably argued.
Turning back to He Zhen, she urged, "Aren’t you going after her? Your girlfriend just ran off. Go explain yourself."
"Girlfriend?"
He Zhen raised an eyebrow at her. "What makes you think she’s my girlfriend?"
Wen Ruan stayed silent.
He Zhen had changed a lot over the years.
Back in high school, He Zhen had been the school bully, a title earned from frequent fights. Sometimes it was one-on-one, sometimes group battles, and he rarely lost.
There were rumors that he was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family in Haicheng, and it was probably true since the school turned a blind eye to his fights.
Though he was arrogant, back then he had been the embodiment of youthful rebellion—actually quite innocent and easily embarrassed.
They had been close then, but after the college entrance exams, she secretly enrolled in a university far away in Rongcheng, while He Zhen stayed in Haicheng.
She broke up with him, and they lost contact, both deleting each other from their lives.
Years later, they met
again, and although time had changed them, her feelings had not. He Zhen, too, had become more mature and composed, a sharp contrast to his past self.
But the woman in front of her, who clearly was looking at He Zhen in a very different light, left her with a sense of uncertainty.
How had their relationship become so complicated?
Wen Ruan didn’t speak but simply lowered her head.
- Writer
