Chapter 9 - Drenched in the Rain
1218 Words
When Wen Ruan finished her IV drip and stepped out of the infusion hall, it was nearly eleven o’clock.
While waiting for the elevator, her WeChat was once again flooded with messages from Lin Yue.
She had sent another screenshot from Yao Man’s Moments.
In the photo, a slender wrist was wrapped in gauze. The location was marked as Songli Hospital. It had been posted an hour ago, with the caption:
— “Just a tiny wound, but Mr. Jiang insisted on bringing me to the hospital.”
Lin Yue: [They’re showing off now? Are they officially together already?]
Lin Yue: [Damn, that heiress is impressive—bagged him in just three months?]
Lin Yue: [Jiang Qingyan never struck me as the type to chase the new and discard the old. Did he really give in to power and become her puppet prince?]
Lin Yue: [Wen Ruan, are you just going to let this slide? Come on, fight back! If you two don’t start a drama, I’ll have nothing to watch.]
Wen Ruan read everything but didn’t respond.
She took a cab back to the hotel, handed her wet clothes to the staff for cleaning and drying, and then fell into a deep sleep until seven in the evening, only to be awakened by the persistent ringing of her phone.
It was a call from Zhang Tongtong.
“Ruan Ruan, I need a favor from you.”
The curtains were drawn tightly, and the room was shrouded in darkness. Wen Ruan reached out to switch on the bedside lamp. “Go ahead.”
After a full day without food, Zhang Tongtong’s voice was weak and lacking in energy. “The doctor says my mother-in-law’s condition is serious. She needs surgery.”
Zhang Tongtong hadn’t intended to trouble Wen Ruan, aware of the strained relationship between Wen Ruan and her own mother—rarely mentioned, rarely visited.
She didn’t want to put Wen Ruan in a difficult position, but she had no other choice.
The elderly woman had coronary heart disease, and now the doctor insisted a stent must be implanted. However, given her frail health, the surgery was highly risky. Pan Rui wanted to transfer her to Haicheng.
Wen Ruan’s mother was the director of the Cardiology Department at Songli Hospital in Haicheng—a top expert within reach. And they had no other connections to turn to. Pan Rui had urged Zhang Tongtong several times to call Wen Ruan.
“Ruan Ruan, how are things with your mom lately? Did you two have a fight?”
“No fight,” Wen Ruan replied.
There hadn’t been any arguments recently—mostly because they hadn’t seen each other in a while.
Their last encounter had been on the Double Ninth Festival—also her birthday.
They had argued that day.
She had confessed her intentions to marry Jiang Qingyan, but her mother disapproved, insisting they weren’t right for each other. She warned that a forced marriage would only lead to regret and even suggested a doctor she wanted her to meet instead.
They were both stubborn and unable to find common ground. The conversation ended in frustration and silence.
Since then, neither of them had reached out. Not until New Year’s Day, when her mother sent a message asking her to come home for dinner.
Wen Ruan happened to be on a business trip and didn’t go.
Zhang Tongtong’s request—Wen Ruan agreed to it.
A matter of life and death. If she could help, she would.
More importantly, Zhang Tongtong had long had a difficult relationship with her mother-in-law. This could be a chance to mend that.
“Send me your mother-in-law’s test results. I’ll have my mom take a look.”
“Thank you, Ruan Ruan. I owe you a meal when this is over.”
After ending the call, Wen Ruan forwarded the medical reports to her mother, Wen Hui’an.
Half a minute later, her mother called back directly.
“Who is Li Sufen?”
Her voice was cool and detached, but Wen Ruan was used to it. She had never expected their relationship to be particularly warm. It was what it was.
“Zhang Tongtong’s mother-in-law,” she replied, then added an explanation: “She’s a university friend of mine—we’re close. You met her at the hospital last year.”
Wen Ruan had never brought Zhang Tongtong to their home.
Her mother had always had a strong need for control—over her studies, over her social life. Before university, Wen Ruan had no friends, because anyone who got close was pushed away by her mother’s dominance.
Zhang Tongtong had been her classmate in university.
Once free from her mother’s shadow, Wen Ruan had finally formed a circle of friends—carefully kept separate from her mother.
Since both of them ended up in Haicheng, she and Zhang Tongtong grew particularly close.
Her mother had met Tongtong once—when Tongtong’s daughter, Guoguo, was suffering from frequent headaches.
They couldn’t get a pediatric specialist appointment, so Wen Ruan had taken them to Songli Hospital to ask her mother for help.
After Wen Ruan finished explaining, there was a long pause on the other end of the line. Then came her mother’s icy voice:
“You care so much about others, but when it comes to yourself, you’re careless?”
That morning, when Wen Ruan was getting her injection and He Zheng had gone to buy porridge, Wen Hui’an happened to pass through the infusion hall.
She had seen her daughter, but she was on her way to surgery and didn’t have time to stop.
She’d been in the operating room most of the day and had only just finished half an hour ago.
She stopped by the outpatient department, asked a few doctors about Wen Ruan’s condition, and had just been about to call when Wen Ruan’s message arrived.
“Does your stomach still hurt?”
Wen Ruan was momentarily stunned, then realized she had been spotted. She didn’t ask how, and simply followed the thread of conversation.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“You still have two more IV bags—come back to the hospital tomorrow.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll be very busy tomorrow. I won’t have time to look after you.”
“No problem. You work.”
When it came to health, Wen Hui’an couldn’t help but nag.
“Dr. Zhang said your illness stems from a weak spleen and stomach. You need to manage your emotions, maintain a regular diet, and avoid alcohol…”
“Understood.”
“Set aside half a day next week and come in for a full check-up.”
“No need, the company does annual physicals.”
“That’s not the same as the one I arrange.”
“It’s really not necessary.”
“If you don’t come for the check-up, don’t ask me about Zhang Tongtong’s mother-in-law again.”
“…Fine.”
After hanging up, Wen Ruan sent Zhang Tongtong a message, telling her they could bring the elderly woman to Haicheng.
Zhang Tongtong replied with a string of thank-you emojis and a hugging sticker.
After some rest, Wen Ruan felt better. With her appetite still fragile, she ordered a simple bowl of millet porridge.
- Writer
