Chapter 8: A Living, Breathing Man

“She won’t live past three months?”

“She’s going to die?”

Chu Ning’s face turned pale from Tang Siqi’s words.

“Siqi, did the doctor really say I’m going to die?”

Chu Ning couldn’t believe it; her voice trembled as she spoke.

Before Tang Siqi could answer, Zhou Chenhao exploded.

“Tang Siqi, what the f*** is the point of saying things like that?”

Tang Siqi suddenly burst into tears.

“I’m not trying to scare you, Zhou Chenhao. Ningning’s heart condition is very serious. The doctor really said she won’t live past three months.”

Hearing this, Zhou Chenhao’s heart skipped a beat. He disliked Chu Ning, didn’t want her clinging to him, but he wasn’t malicious enough to want her dead.

Chu Ning couldn’t speak, only feeling her heart racing with anxiety. But she clearly remembered what she saw before she fainted. She’d been puzzled about suddenly seeing a strange man, transported back to 1976. Now it seemed like a deathbed vision. That living, breathing man was just a figment of her imagination. Perhaps, because she lacked intimate contact with men, the Grim Reaper sent a charming ghost to seduce her, to escort her. She might have been poisoned too deeply to distinguish the ghost from a real person.

At that moment, Zhou Chenhao took a key from his pocket and unlocked her handcuffs. He barely glanced at Chu Ning and Tang Siqi before striding away.

Tang Siqi was completely dumbfounded, staring at the handcuffs on her wrist. The key had been on her; when did it get into Zhou Chenhao’s hands? And if he had the key all along, how had she managed to manipulate him?

Of course, she didn’t know that Zhou Chenhao’s ruthlessness was an act, a smokescreen to reject Chu Ning. He let Tang Siqi lead him around to confirm Chu Ning’s condition.

Outside the ward, Zhou Chenhao was utterly exasperated by Tang Siqi’s words. He ripped off his tie and headed straight for the doctor’s office.

Once the ward was quiet again, Chu Ning’s emotions stabilized somewhat. She looked at Tang Siqi, still unconvinced.

“Did the doctor really say I only have three months to live?”

“No,” Tang Siqi said, her sadness gone. “It was a lie.” She’d squeezed out those tears to deceive Zhou Chenhao, and it had been exhausting.

Chu Ning was shocked.

“Damn it, Tang Siqi, you scared me to death! You’re cursing me…”

Tang Siqi quickly covered Chu Ning’s mouth.

“Keep your voice down, my dear! If Zhou, that jerk, hears you, he’ll kill me.”

Chu Ning grumbled, “You brought this on yourself.” Why say she was dying?

Tang Siqi said, “Wang Xiang caused this; it’s only right that Zhou should be responsible.” She suspected Chu Ning had been poisoned by Zhou Chenhao and was trying to help her fight for survival.

Chu Ning defended Wang Xiang, “It’s not her fault.”

“Then why did you suddenly have a heart attack?”

Chu Ning didn’t know why she’d suddenly had a heart attack. Subconsciously, she thought it might have been triggered by the images from the past. After a few seconds, she changed the subject.

“Siqi, don’t do things like that again. I’ve decided to let go of Zhou Chenhao; I won’t get involved with him anymore.” Chu Ning had made up her mind; she wouldn’t torture herself.

Tang Siqi looked serious. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Uh…” Chu Ning’s decisiveness left Tang Siqi speechless. Had she misunderstood?

“Thank you for bringing me to the hospital, Siqi. I’m fine now. Go back to the hotel and work.” Tang Siqi was a wealthy heiress. She had her own dreams, wanting to work in entertainment, but as an only child, she was pressured by her father to take over the family business. The Sheng Tang Hotel was a Tang family enterprise, and Tang Siqi managed it. Tang Siqi staying with her overnight was already enough; she couldn’t keep her from work. The real reason Chu Ning wanted her to leave was that she wanted to get her brain and eyes checked. Was it a problem with her eyes and brain, or was she simply crazy?

Tang Siqi did have things to do and left without further ado. Chu Ning then went for her checkups.

•  

Doctor’s Office

Zhou Chenhao went straight to the point.

“Is Chu Ning really going to die?”

The doctor had been bought off by Tang Siqi. He knew Chu Ning was Zhou Chenhao’s fiancée but didn’t know her well. He knew Zhou Chenhao was a playboy. He figured that helping Tang Siqi lie to preserve Chu Ning and Zhou Chenhao’s marriage was the best course of action. He spoke with newfound confidence.

“Yes, she has at most three months to live. Given her condition, I suggest you family members spend more time with her. Don’t upset her; take care of her emotions. Avoid anything that could trigger her condition.”

Zhou Chenhao didn’t know what his mother had said to Chu Ning, but he knew his affair with Lin Wan’er had been a significant blow to her. It was possible that he was the source of her illness. Feeling downcast, he loosened his collar.

“Anything else? Keep talking!” Zhou Chenhao’s voice was cold.

“Mr. Zhou, you should settle down, return to your family, and be with your fiancée.” The doctor blurted out, knowing that Chu Ning’s status as Zhou Chenhao’s fiancée wasn’t a secret in Beijing.

“…”

Zhou Chenhao remained silent, feeling utterly frustrated. He’d finally waited for Chu Ning to give up their marriage, only for a heart condition to escalate to this point. Chu Ning, you’re really something.

“Give me her medical report.”

Zhou Chenhao suddenly asked. Was Chu Ning trying to tie him down with her death? He wouldn’t let her.

The doctor, terrified by Zhou Chenhao’s words, trembled as he handed over the report. He had to comply; otherwise, his and Tang Siqi’s lie would be exposed. It would be even worse if Chu Ning went to another hospital for a checkup. The thought of losing his job chilled him to the bone.

•  

Ophthalmology Department

Chu Ning sat in front of the examination machine, cooperating with the doctor.

After the examination, the doctor was straightforward.

“Mrs. Zhou, your eyes are fine.”

Chu Ning couldn’t believe it. “Impossible, doctor, please check again. There must be something wrong with my eyes.”

Before the eye exam, she had a brain CT scan, which showed everything was normal. That’s why she was sure it must be her eyes that caused her to repeatedly see that soldier from 1976, even entering his house freely.