The doctor’s seriousness made all three in the ward tense up with him. Lin Mei waited for the doctor to finish reviewing the reports from the contrast imaging and MRI, and then asked anxiously, "Doctor, how is my father's condition?"
The doctor said, "The patient has valvular disease. It is best to undergo valve replacement surgery as soon as possible. Otherwise, there is a risk at any time. The sooner the surgery, the lower the risk."
Lin Mei was somewhat familiar with valve replacement surgery. The last time she brought Lin Zheng for medical treatment, a doctor had indeed proposed a replacement treatment plan. However, at that time, Lin Zhengde's condition was not critical. After weighing the options, they chose conservative treatment. Little did she expect that they would ultimately be unable to avoid this surgery.
Xiao Yue also grew anxious upon hearing this and asked the doctor, "When is the earliest the surgery can be scheduled here?"
The attending physician said, "For valve replacement surgery, it is best to go to Anzhen Hospital. Anzhen has an experienced cardiac surgery expert team, and the success rate of surgery is relatively high. Our hospital's flagship department is orthopedics; we are somewhat lacking in this area."
The doctor was very cautious in his practice. Lin Zhengde's condition was not optimistic. Considering the risks of surgery, he suggested transferring Lin Zhengde to Anzhen Hospital. At this moment, Lin Mei also recalled what Xing Zheng had told her that morning.
"Anzhen..." Xiao Yue asked, "Is it difficult to get an appointment for surgery there?"
Lin Mei had taken Lin Zhengde there for medical treatment before. Xiao Yue remembered that it took nearly half a month to get an appointment with a specialist. Although Anzhen was a private hospital, it was no less difficult to get an appointment than a public tertiary hospital.
The attending physician smiled and said, "Yes, that's true. The most professional teams in the country are all there. Those with the means all want to go there for treatment. I suggest you start scheduling an appointment, as surgery there is the best option."
"Alright, thank you, Doctor."
Lin Mei saw the doctor out of the ward. She stood outside alone, thinking for a while, and decided to call Xing Zheng to ask about the hospital.
She had not originally intended to ask Xing Zheng for help, but the situation was urgent. She could no longer concern herself with pride or principles.
Lin Mei walked to the end of the corridor and found Xing Zheng's number in her contacts. Lin Mei had rehearsed what she wanted to say for a long time. When the call was connected, just as she was about to speak, it was not Xing Zheng's voice on the other end.
"Hello, are you looking for my dad?"
It was a young boy's voice. Lin Mei recognized it as the voice of Xing Zheng's illegitimate son. Xing Zheng's phone was answered by him, which meant Xing Zheng was currently with his mother and son. Lin Mei felt utterly humiliated and hung up the phone.
The window at the end of the corridor was open. As she hung up the phone, a gust of wind blew in from outside, clearing Lin Mei's mind considerably. She patted her cheeks and let out a self-mocking laugh.
Having been fooled by Chen Qi once, she still harbored hope for men. Xing Zheng's comforting words that morning were merely the usual sweet talk of men.
It was her own fault for letting her emotions cloud her judgment and taking his casual comforting words to heart, even going so far as to hope for his help.
Fortunately, his son answered the phone. If Xing Zheng himself had answered and heard her words, he would probably have mocked her naivety.
Lin Mei opened WeChat and discovered that the group chat was flooded with messages from Lan Lan and Feng Feng. After she had told them about Lin Zhengde's hospitalization last night, they had been exceptionally concerned about his condition.
After reading the messages in the group chat, Lin Mei posted a question: "Does anyone here know someone at Anzhen Hospital? My dad needs to have surgery there."
Lan Lan: "Wait for me, I'll ask."
Feng Feng: "Anzhen? The hospital invested in by Ruichuang Holdings?"
Lin Mei: "Yes."
Feng Feng: "Hold on, I'll find someone."
Seeing Feng Feng's message, Lin Mei felt a little more at ease. However, she did not forget to leverage her other connections. Having more options was always better.
Xing Zheng came downstairs with the family doctor. Yang Shuo walked up to him with his phone, "Dad, someone called you just now."
Xing Zheng took the phone, but before he could look at it, he was interrupted by the family doctor, "Miss Ruan's condition this time is quite serious. It is best to have someone look after her twenty-four hours a day."
Xing Zheng: "I understand. I will make arrangements. Is there anything else?"
Family Doctor: "No. Remember not to put any weight on it. I'll come next week to change the cast."
Xing Zheng saw the family doctor out. Yang Shuo asked him, "Dad, can I go up and see Mom now?"
Xing Zheng: "Yes. Remember not to touch her leg."
Yang Shuo grabbed Xing Zheng's arm, "Dad, will you come with me!"
Xing Zheng replied with an "Mm" and went upstairs with Yang Shuo.
In the room, Ruan Yufei sat on the bed with a pale complexion. She was already a delicate beauty, and now that she was injured, she looked even more pitiable.
Ruan Yufei's right leg had been fixed with a cast, and a long hard pillow was placed underneath it. Xing Zheng glanced at her leg and said, "The doctor said you need to rest in bed for a while. I will arrange for a nanny to come and take care of you and your son tomorrow."
Ruan Yufei gently pursed her lips and nodded obediently, complying unconditionally with all of Xing Zheng's arrangements.
However, Yang Shuo seemed confused, "Dad, why aren't you taking care of Mom?"
"Yang Shuo, don't talk nonsense!" Ruan Yufei reasoned with Yang Shuo, "Dad is very busy with work and doesn't have time. We can't cause him trouble."
Ruan Yufei was naturally gentle, and even when she was sternly disciplining Yang Shuo, her voice remained soft. But Yang Shuo had already sensitively perceived his mother's displeasure. He said in a small voice, "But other classmates' dads come home every day."
Xing Zheng did not participate in their conversation. He scrolled through the call history and saw the latest incoming call Yang Shuo had mentioned. It was Lin Mei!
Lin Mei had not contacted him proactively many times. Xing Zheng thought of her appearance that morning and couldn't help but worry. He walked out of the bedroom to call Lin Mei back.
However, after calling three times, no one answered. Xing Zheng's temples throbbed, and his worry for her grew, fearing she might do something foolish out of excessive sadness.
Xing Zheng tried to contact Lin Mei via WeChat. "Where are you? Call me back."
After sending the message, Xing Zheng kept staring at the chat box. He saw that the top of the chat box displayed "The other party is typing," but after waiting for more than ten minutes, he still received no reply from Lin Mei.
This meant that Lin Mei had seen his message and was deliberately not replying.
Xing Zheng: "I see you're typing. Where are you? I'll come find you."
With Lin Mei's stubborn nature, if no one was by her side at this moment, she would surely torment herself again, perhaps by smoking like she did that morning, coughing and tearing up because she didn't know how to smoke.
This time, Lin Mei replied: "I dialed the wrong number, sorry to disturb your family reunion."
After sending this message to Xing Zheng, Lin Mei felt her tone was inappropriate and withdrew it.
Then, Lin Mei replied again: "I'm at the hospital. I dialed the wrong number, sorry."
What Lin Mei didn't know was that Xing Zheng had also seen the message she withdrew.
Upon seeing the withdrawn message, Xing Zheng understood why she wasn't answering his calls.
He stared at the chat window, squinted, and smiled. So, she was jealous.