Chapter 13

The muffled sounds of activity from the first-floor venue occasionally drifted over, but at the far end of the corridor, after Rong Qi spoke, everyone turned to look at him.

Shock registered in their eyes to varying degrees.

Including Cheng Li herself.

Her mind buzzed for a few seconds before she finally grasped Rong Qi’s meaning.

What was with that victorious smile on his face?

She had barely had a moment to savor her own verbal victory, yet here he was, smiling like he had already claimed the prize.

Still, being firmly supported like this felt undeniably wonderful.

Cheng Li tilted her chin slightly, wearing an expression that screamed, “This is no big deal—I’ve got this under control.”

On the other hand, Yu Cheng, standing there alone, couldn’t bear the situation any longer.

He had approached Cheng Li earlier in frustration after leaving the company, hoping to use his former supervisor status and seniority to teach her a harsh lesson. He wanted to show this young upstart that even if he was gone, she was still insignificant.

But now, it was him who was left in an awkward position.

Rong Qi’s words had hit him squarely in the face, and despite considering himself a seasoned professional, Yu Cheng now stood there with a pale and embarrassed expression, unsure of how to recover.

To make matters worse, he had no allies around to smooth things over for him.

Even the air felt suffocating.

At that moment, a surprised voice called out from not far away, “Yu Cheng, Cheng Li!”

Cheng Li looked up and saw Ren Kuang and Tang Ruiyuan approaching.

“Mr. Ren,” Yu Cheng greeted him like he had just seen a savior.

Ren Kuang hadn’t expected to find them here together, but when he glanced over, he saw Rong Qi standing nearby.

Anyone attending this conference would instantly recognize Rong Qi.

As Ren Kuang tried to make sense of this unexpected group, Yu Cheng leaned in and whispered, “Mr. Ren, I’ll head off for now. Let’s catch up another time.”

“Hey, Yu Cheng,” Ren Kuang tried to stop him, but Yu Cheng didn’t look back and quickly left.

Ren Kuang sighed in exasperation, assuming Yu Cheng still held a grudge against him.

Cheng Li, who understood Ren Kuang’s misinterpretation, didn’t bother to explain.

Ren Kuang turned to Rong Qi and greeted him warmly, “Mr. Rong, it’s an honor. Your insights earlier about the commercialization of autonomous driving were incredibly enlightening.”

Earlier, during the post-presentation discussion, someone had posed a question to Rong Qi, and Ren Kuang was referring to the impressive response he had given.

Rong Qi nodded slightly. “Thank you. These conferences are meant for exchange, after all.”

Surprised by Rong Qi’s approachable demeanor, Ren Kuang immediately offered, “I’m Ren Kuang, CEO of Fanhai Intelligent Systems. Here’s my card.”

Though Ren Kuang was older, Rong Qi’s influence in the business world left no room for underestimation. Thus, it was Ren Kuang who took the initiative to exchange cards.

Rong Qi accepted and handed over his own card in return.

Ren Kuang, now grinning widely, said, “I look forward to connecting again.”

“Let’s talk more next time,” Rong Qi replied politely, preparing to leave.

“Of course, of course. I look forward to it,” Ren Kuang said with a smile.

As the next presentation was about to begin, everyone prepared to return to the venue.

Cheng Li stood next to Tang Ruiyuan, waiting to head back together.

Tang Ruiyuan subtly nudged her arm.

Cheng Li shot him a glare, silently telling him to behave.

Just as Rong Qi was about to turn away, he seemed to remember something. He turned back and said directly to Cheng Li, “Keep the clothes with you for now. I’m heading to Shenzhen this afternoon and won’t be back for a few days.”

Cheng Li was dumbfounded.

Rong Qi walked off calmly, leaving behind a group of equally dumbfounded onlookers.

After they left, Tang Ruiyuan stared at Cheng Li for a long moment before exclaiming, “What the hell just happened?”

Faced with his and Ren Kuang’s equally confused and shocked expressions, Cheng Li quickly explained, “It’s not what you think. We’re not in that kind of relationship.”

But Rong Qi’s earlier remark was far too suggestive.

Not only did he mention clothes, but he also casually informed her about his trip to Shenzhen.

It sounded suspiciously like he was reporting his itinerary to her.

“What kind of relationship?” Tang Ruiyuan pressed, uncharacteristically nosy.

Cheng Li was at a loss for words.

It felt like she had been inexplicably hit by a falling pot.

If there were actually something between her and Rong Qi, she wouldn’t mind taking the blame.

But since there was clearly nothing, anything she said now would only make her look guilty.

Seeing that both of them were staring at her intently, Cheng Li had no choice but to clarify, “We’re just old classmates.”

“Impossible. Rong Qi graduated from Tsinghua. He’s not one of our J University alumni,” Tang Ruiyuan countered.

Ren Kuang nodded in agreement.

Tang Ruiyuan, also a J University graduate, was quite familiar with the school’s prominent alumni.

Cheng Li patiently explained, “We were high school classmates.”

“Wow, Cheng Li, you’ve been keeping secrets!” Tang Ruiyuan exclaimed in amazement.

Cheng Li sighed. “It’s not like that. We lost touch after graduating high school. We only reconnected recently because his grandmother moved near my place.”

Tang Ruiyuan shook his head in amazement. “You two must have some incredible fate.”

Ren Kuang, however, added, “With someone like that in your network, you should make the most of it.”

Cheng Li frowned slightly and muttered, “We’re just classmates.”

The idea of leveraging Rong Qi’s connections had never crossed her mind.

Even though she was well aware of the vast gulf between them, she had no intention of exploiting Rong Qi for professional gain.

If she were to pursue anything, it would probably be… him, as a person.

Because Rong Qi had left Shanghai, Cheng Li had put her thoughts at ease over the past few days.

Her life revolved between two places: work and home. Even so, she occasionally noticed Mrs. Ling looking at her as though wanting to say something but holding back.

Cheng Li knew what Ling Shuanghua probably wanted to ask—something about her and Xu Jiheng. But since she hadn’t found a proper opportunity to bring it up, she simply chose to bury herself in work and stayed late at the office every day.

That night was no different; it was past midnight by the time Cheng Li shut down her computer. As she stepped outside, the once-bustling city had fallen into an eerie silence, devoid of its usual daytime clamor.

One perk of staying late was not having to wait for a ride.

Her app-booked car arrived quickly, and as soon as she got in, she slumped against the back seat, allowing exhaustion to take over.

When they neared her destination, the driver reminded her, “Miss, we’ve arrived.”

Cheng Li glanced out the window and replied, “Alright, just stop here.”

After stepping out of the car, she walked forward. As she passed the garden of the villa nearby, she instinctively looked up at the building and noticed something unusual—the windows, which were usually dark at this hour, were lit.

Rong Qi was back?

After all, the elderly couple wouldn’t normally stay up this late.

Before the thought could fully form in her mind, a faint cry for help reached her ears from inside the house.

Cheng Li froze in place and strained to listen again.

The voice was weak and indistinct but unmistakable.

“Grandma Xiang! Grandma Xiang!” Cheng Li shouted anxiously, rushing to the large iron gate and pounding on it.

Moments later, the gate opened, and a frail figure stumbled out, calling, “Help! Help!”

“Grandpa Rong!” Cheng Li recognized him immediately. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

The elderly man’s voice trembled with panic. “Grandma Xiang said her chest hurt, and then she fainted!”

As soon as the gate opened, Cheng Li didn’t wait for an explanation. She bolted straight up to the second floor.

In the bedroom, Grandma Xiang lay pale and motionless on the bed. Cheng Li hurried to her side, gently shaking her shoulder. “Grandma Xiang! Grandma Xiang!”

There was no response.

Realizing the severity of the situation, Cheng Li immediately pulled out her phone and dialed 120 for emergency services.

“What should we do? What should we do?” Grandpa Rong clung to Grandma Xiang’s hand, his voice breaking as he teetered on the verge of tears.

Cheng Li relayed their location to the emergency dispatcher and urged them to send an ambulance as quickly as possible. She then turned to comfort the elderly man, speaking in a calm, steady voice despite her own trembling hands. “Grandpa, don’t worry. The ambulance is on its way. It’ll be here soon.”

Even as she tried to reassure him, her grip on her phone betrayed her own fear.

Cheng Li wasn’t trained in emergency response and didn’t dare move Grandma Xiang. She could only leave her lying on the bed and wait.

Minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity—perhaps five, ten, or even twenty minutes—until the piercing sound of a siren shattered the stillness of the night.

Cheng Li jumped to her feet and ran to the door, shouting, “I’ll go guide the paramedics!”

It wasn’t long before the medics placed Grandma Xiang on a stretcher and carried her to the waiting ambulance.

Thankfully, while they waited, Cheng Li had already asked Grandpa Rong to retrieve Grandma Xiang’s health insurance card.

“Who’s coming along?” one of the medics asked.

Grandpa Rong instinctively stepped forward but hesitated, his eyes darting to Cheng Li in a silent plea for help.

Without hesitation, Cheng Li offered, “Can we both go?”

“Sure, hop in,” the medic agreed.

At the hospital, Grandma Xiang was rushed into the emergency room while Cheng Li stayed with Grandpa Rong in the waiting area.

Watching the doors of the emergency room, Cheng Li suddenly asked, “Grandpa, has Rong Qi returned to Shanghai?”

“Not yet,” he replied. “Grandma Xiang called him yesterday, and he said it’d be another two days.”

Cheng Li pulled out her phone, resolved. “We need to tell him what’s happened.”

Just in case…

Grandpa Rong hesitated, mumbling, “But his grandma didn’t want to bother him with work, especially this late at night.”

“Grandma Xiang is in the emergency room right now,” Cheng Li reasoned. “No matter what, he needs to know.”

Some things, if left unsaid, could lead to a lifetime of regret.

Rong Qi had been raised by his grandparents. Cheng Li was certain that, to him, no one was more important than those two people.

Without further hesitation, she dialed Rong Qi on WeChat.

The dial tone rang on and on until, at the very last moment, the call connected.

“Cheng Li?” Rong Qi’s voice carried a note of surprise, tinged with delight.

Keeping her tone low, Cheng Li said, “Rong Qi, Grandma Xiang is in the emergency room right now.”

“What happened?” His voice sharpened with alarm, accompanied by the sound of something being knocked over.

“Don’t panic,” Cheng Li said gently. “The doctors are doing their best to help her. I just thought you should know about this.”

There was a brief silence before Rong Qi’s voice came through again, trembling slightly. “Thank you. Are you at the hospital now?”

“Yes,” Cheng Li replied. “I’m here with Grandpa, waiting outside the emergency room.”

“Please, stay with them. I’ll come back immediately,” Rong Qi said.

“Don’t rush,” Cheng Li urged, her voice calm and soothing. “I’ll stay here and keep watch.”

The sounds of urgency on the other end quieted, leaving only his slightly ragged breathing.

“Don’t be afraid,” she whispered softly, her words carrying a gentle reassurance that seemed to reach him even across the distance.

*

Half an hour later, a young man arrived in a hurry.

The moment Grandpa Rong saw him, he exclaimed, “Xiao He! You’re here?”

The man quickly explained, “Rong Qi called me and said Grandma Xiang was in the emergency room, so I rushed over.”

Turning to Cheng Li, he introduced himself, “Miss Cheng, I’m He Zhuoyuan, Rong Qi’s assistant.”

Cheng Li nodded lightly.

The man asked softly, “Did the doctor say anything about her condition?”

“Not yet,” Cheng Li shook her head.

Since Grandma Xiang had been taken into the emergency room, they had been waiting outside the whole time.

While they were talking, the doors to the emergency room opened. A doctor stepped out and asked directly, “Is anyone here a family member of Xiang Yuanxia?”

“I am,” Cheng Li answered.

The doctor said, “The patient is experiencing an acute anterior myocardial infarction. Her condition is critical. We’ve established two intravenous lines and are monitoring her heart. Given the severity of her condition, our current treatment plan is to perform a coronary angiography as soon as possible, followed by vascularization therapy.”

This was the doctor’s necessary explanation of the patient’s condition to her family.

Although the medical terms were foreign to her, Cheng Li chose to trust the doctor. “Understood. We’ll fully cooperate with the treatment. Please, please do everything you can to save her.”

The doctor nodded and turned back into the emergency room.

Shortly after, a nurse came out to instruct them to make a payment.

He Zhuoyuan immediately stood up and went to settle the fees.

It wasn’t until 5:00 a.m. that the doctor announced that Grandma Xiang’s condition had stabilized and she had been moved to the ICU for observation.

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

He Zhuoyuan called someone—likely to inform Rong Qi of the update.

When the call ended, he said, “Miss Cheng, Mr. Rong asked me to arrange for the driver to take you and the old man home to rest. I’ll stay here and handle everything.”

Cheng Li glanced at Grandpa Rong. The elderly man, who had held out until now, was clearly exhausted.

“You take Grandpa Rong home first,” Cheng Li said. “I’ll stay at the hospital.”

She had promised Rong Qi she would stay and keep watch.

He Zhuoyuan tried to persuade her, but Cheng Li waved him off. “Go quickly. Grandpa Rong has been holding on all night—he needs rest.”

“I’m not tired,” the old man said stubbornly, though it was clear he didn’t want to leave.

Cheng Li spoke gently, coaxing him. “Grandpa, you need to take care of your health. Go home and rest well. You can come back later in the day to check on Grandma.”

After some effort, the old man was finally convinced to leave.

He Zhuoyuan helped him out of the hospital.

Cheng Li found a seat on a bench in the waiting area outside the ICU.

Though it was the middle of the night, several others were seated there—some anxious, others staring blankly at the white walls, with an occasional low sob breaking the silence.

Perhaps many of the patients in the ICU were unconscious, but their loved ones outside were wracked with worry.

Cheng Li, utterly exhausted, was barely holding on, determined to wait for Rong Qi to arrive.

Eventually, fatigue overwhelmed her. Her head began to droop as sleep claimed her. Each time she startled awake before her head could fully fall, the cycle repeated until she eventually leaned to one side, seeking some semblance of comfort.

She didn’t know how much time had passed.

In a half-asleep state, she felt her head resting against something warm. It was unexpectedly comfortable, drawing away her exhaustion little by little. She fell into a deeper sleep.

Suddenly, Cheng Li jolted awake, as if from a dream. Blinking in confusion for a moment, she realized her head had been resting on the person beside her.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she said quickly, turning to apologize.

But when she saw Rong Qi’s face, her heart instantly settled.

He was back.

Cheng Li stared at him, dazed.

“I’m back,” Rong Qi said softly, his gaze tender as it lingered on her face.

Cheng Li snapped out of it and quickly updated him. “Grandma Xiang is in the ICU. The doctor said they’ll bring her out for tests at 8:00 in the morning, and they need family to be present.”

Noticing daylight streaming in through the window, she instinctively checked her phone.

“7:15. Don’t worry,” Rong Qi said, guessing her concern about the time.

The two sat quietly on the bench, neither speaking for a while.

Eventually, Cheng Li broke the silence with a soft question. “When did you get back?”

“Not long ago,” Rong Qi replied, turning to look at her. He noticed the red veins in her eyes, a clear sign of her lack of sleep.

He hesitated for a long time, then finally said, “I’ll have the driver take you home to rest. I’ll stay here.”

Cheng Li looked at him, alone and quiet.

Around them, other families huddled in small groups, offering each other comfort and conversation.

“I’ll stay with you,” Cheng Li said softly. “After Grandma finishes her tests, I’ll go home.”

At around 8:00, Grandma Xiang’s hospital bed was wheeled out of the ICU.

Rong Qi immediately got up and rushed over. Seeing her lying weakly on the bed, he reached out to hold her hand.

“Grandma,” he called softly.

The frail woman on the bed seemed to hear him. Her eyelids fluttered as if she were trying to open her eyes.

“I’m here. Don’t open your eyes,” Rong Qi said quickly.

The doctor spoke briefly, giving them instructions.

The group followed the medical team to the testing floor. Cheng Li walked beside Rong Qi.

When the bed was taken into the examination room, they were left waiting outside again.

Cheng Li glanced at Rong Qi leaning against the wall, his expression filled with a loneliness she had never seen before. She couldn’t help but offer words of comfort. “Don’t worry too much. Grandma Xiang is blessed. She’ll pull through.”

Rong Qi turned to look at her at those words, his gaze so intense that Cheng Li almost thought she had said something wrong.

“Do you know what I kept thinking about on the way back?” he asked suddenly.

“What?” Cheng Li asked.

Rong Qi’s voice was low and heavy as he said, “I kept wondering—if something were to happen to Grandma, would I have made her leave with regrets? I always thought I had plenty of time to make things right, to make her proud of me.”

Cheng Li understood his feelings. In moments like this, regret always loomed larger than anything else.

“As long as you can fulfill her wishes in the future, that’s enough,” Cheng Li said, offering comfort.

“Cheng Li.”

At the sound of her name, she instinctively looked up.

Rong Qi stared directly at her, his gaze unlike any she had seen before. The morning light streaming through the window fell into his deep, dark eyes, making them shine with an intensity that left her breathless.

“Will you marry me?”

Cheng Li’s eyes widened in disbelief at his words.

Her heart began to pound violently in her chest, each beat louder than the last, and a faint buzzing filled her ears.

“Didn’t you once say you wanted to go on a blind date with me?” Rong Qi’s deep voice broke the silence.

That’s different.

Cheng Li stammered, “I was just being impulsive when I said that. Besides, a blind date and marriage are two completely different things…”

“Then…”

Rong Qi interrupted her before she could finish.

Then what?

Cheng Li slowly raised her head, only to see him stepping closer toward her.

The usual bustle of the hospital corridor—the voices, footsteps—seemed to fade away at this moment.

In her eyes, there was only him.

“Then let your impulsiveness flare up for me one more time.”

Author’s Note:

Let me see who still dares to say this isn’t a marriage-before-love story!

Rong Qi: Sorry, but I’m love-before-marriage.