Chapter 406: Chapter 406: Talk About Marriage After It’s Secured
Lan Yan still couldn’t escape Xiao Si’s persistent coaxing.
Half an hour later.
She arrived at a luxurious grand hotel.
This was the address Xiao Si had given her.
As soon as she got out of the car and walked towards the hotel entrance, she saw a familiar figure standing outside.
“What are you doing standing here?”
Lan Yan stepped closer, looked at the man in front of her, and asked.
As soon as Xiao Si saw her, his handsome face lit up with a smile, and his deep, magnetic voice sounded, “Waiting for my future wife.”
Lan Yan rolled her eyes at him. “Can you talk properly?”
The man took a step forward, naturally draping his arm over her shoulder, and said, “I’m just speaking from the heart.”
Lan Yan tilted her head to glance at the distinctly jointed hand on her shoulder and said in a lukewarm tone, “Take your hand off.”
“Can I choose not to?”
He looked at her with a pitiful expression.
Lan Yan met his gaze, smirked, and said, “What do you think?”
When facing her, Xiao Si was always a bit intimidated. He had no choice but to release her.
“I’m just messing with you, let’s go eat,” he said.
With that, the two walked into the hotel together.
Then, under the guidance of a woman dressed in a white cheongsam, they passed through the luxurious and elegant hotel lobby, and what unfolded before their eyes were green walls, grey tiles, and a picturesque landscape garden.
Lan Yan glanced at the scenery in front of her, slightly stunned. She hadn’t expected there to be such architecture inside a hotel.
Walking through a path adorned with blooming flowers, they entered a dining area that was a fusion of ancient elegance and modern chic.
Inside the restaurant, the air-conditioning was perfectly crisp, the space was understated yet luxurious, and the view outside the large windows was stunningly beautiful.
The lighting and music were just right, instantly creating a cozy yet not entirely romantic ambiance.
The moment you walked in, you felt both relaxed and elated.
The woman in the cheongsam smiled politely at the two and said, “Sir, Madam, please take your seats.”
Xiao Si gentlemanly pulled out a chair for her.
Lan Yan sat down graciously.
The man seated himself opposite her. “So, how do you like this place?”
Lan Yan responded with a soft “Hmm,” “It’s pretty nice, very comfortable.”
The man instantly looked smug and said, “Of course! You should see who picked this place.”
“…”
This man, really, give him an inch, and he’ll take a mile.
But she had to admit, she quite liked the atmosphere of the restaurant he had chosen.
Then, Xiao Si asked, “I heard Dong Xiaoxiao was bailed out by Dong Jian. What terms did Dong Jian offer you?”
Lan Yan didn’t hide it from him.
She rotated the glass in front of her and replied, “He said he’d compensate me, let me name any condition I wanted. Initially, I didn’t want anything, but after thinking about it, I decided to ask for something.”
The man raised an eyebrow, curious. “What did you ask for?”
Lan Yan lifted her eyelids slightly, picked up her glass, and took a sip of water.
She calmly said, “Five percent of Dong Group’s shares.”
“Cough, cough…”
Xiao Si happened to be drinking water, and her words startled him so much that he choked.
His deep, dark eyes stared at her intently for a few seconds before he suddenly chuckled. “I didn’t expect my Xiao Yanyan to be so sharp. Dong Jian must be seething.”
Five percent of Dong Group’s shares—she truly dared to ask!
Even if she’d asked for just one percent, Dong Jian would have had to think it over. But this was five percent.
Dong Group was far from an ordinary small company. It was a publicly listed corporation worth billions. And given its current trajectory, it would only grow more valuable. After all, Dong Jian was undeniably talented in business.
“If Dong Jian truly gives you this five percent, it shows that Dong Xiaoxiao means a lot to him.”
Lan Yan chuckled lightly and said, “He didn’t agree right away.”
Xiao Si looked at her, his eyes filled with affection and amusement. “You’re quite bold to ask.”
“He set the terms himself. He said I could name any condition he could fulfill. What I asked for is something he has and is capable of fulfilling. Isn’t that right?”
Xiao Si looked at her, his smile growing wider. “Yes, absolutely.”
Then he added, “I have great taste.”
He looked at her as though he’d stumbled upon a priceless treasure.
“…”
After lunch, the two parted ways.
Afternoon, City First Hospital.
In Liang Qinglan’s hospital room.
Mrs. Xiao was peeling an apple for her as she commented, “Cousin, Yanyan is Yunqin’s long-lost daughter. Don’t you think this is such a coincidence?”
Mrs. Xiao responded, “Yes, quite the coincidence.”
Liang Qinglan let out a deep sigh and said, “At least Yunqin has no regrets in this life. It’s as if heaven finally opened its eyes and didn’t let her search in vain for over twenty years.”
Mrs. Xiao paused at her words, slightly surprised.
She had always known her cousin had a good relationship with Hu Yunqin, but she had never heard her cousin mention Hu Yunqin’s private affairs.
Yet somehow, her words carried a strange undertone.
As she continued peeling the apple, she casually asked, “You mean she looked for Yanyan for over twenty years?”
Liang Qinglan nodded, “Yes, Yanyan was taken by human traffickers shortly after she was born. She kept searching for Yanyan in secret for more than twenty years. If it were me, I might have given up long ago. After all, Yanyan was just a newborn then. Finding her would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.”
Mrs. Xiao frowned slightly, “Then why didn’t I see any related news reports back then?”
After all, Hu Yunqin was already a famous actress by then. Logically, the media would have reported something like this.
Liang Qinglan explained, “She searched secretly. At the time, her career was on the rise, and she was unmarried and pregnant. Naturally, she didn’t dare make a big deal out of it.”
“Was her career more important than having her own child?” Mrs. Xiao commented indifferently.
Liang Qinglan was momentarily at a loss for how to respond to her.
Mrs. Xiao continued peeling the apple peel while asking, “You’ve always been in contact with her. Did you know all along that she had a daughter?”
Liang Qinglan had no defense against Liang Yun, plus Liang Yun was her cousin. So she usually confided in her if she knew anything.
“Hmm, I knew. Very few people knew about what happened back then.”
“So, she suddenly disappeared from the screen back then to give birth?”
“Yes.”
“Then you must know who Yanyan’s father is, right?”
Mrs. Xiao’s question caught her off guard.
But she bit her tongue and didn’t say anything.
Mrs. Xiao, noticing her silence, looked up at her and asked, “What? It’s inconvenient to talk about?”
Liang Qinglan awkwardly replied, “Cousin, to be honest, I don’t know much about it either. When I found out, she was already pregnant.”
Mrs. Xiao’s expression darkened slightly as she looked at her but ultimately didn’t press further. “Forget it. If you don’t want to say, it’s fine. I’m not particularly interested in Hu Yunqin’s private matters.”
She truly wasn’t interested; she just wanted to help Lan Yan.
Mrs. Xiao sliced the apple into small pieces before handing them to her. “Eat. I can’t stay long. I have to head back to Xiao Mansion later.”
“Cousin, I’m fine. If you have things to do, go ahead. Old Zheng will come to keep me company later.”
“Alright, then.”
The two cousins had both married men who doted on them.
After marrying into the Zheng Family, Liang Qinglan had led a princess-like life. Even in her fifties, she didn’t look old.
But perhaps because she had always lived a pampered life—from being spoiled by her family when she was young to being cherished by Zheng Guolin in marriage—and with two sons who required little worry, she had remained as innocent-hearted as ever.
“Ah Lan, haven’t you been following the news lately?”
Mrs. Xiao asked while looking at her.
Liang Qinglan looked puzzled and asked, “What news lately?”
She hadn’t touched her phone these past few days, having been resting instead.
Liang Yun immediately knew she hadn’t been following the news from her response.
“Nothing. If you haven’t seen it, don’t worry about it. It doesn’t concern you anyway. Just focus on recovering in the hospital.”
After chatting with her for a little while longer, Mrs. Xiao left the room.
When leaving the ward, she didn’t leave the hospital right away but instead went to find her son.
“Doctor Xiao, someone’s here to see you.”
Just as Xiao Si walked out of a patient’s room, Jiang Huai approached him and told him the news.
“Who is it? Where are they?”
“In your office.”
Xiao Si nodded, “Got it.”
With that, he turned and headed to his office.
As soon as he left, a nurse leaned towards Jiang Huai and whispered, “Head nurse, I think Dr. Xiao is getting handsomer by the day. He looks so dashing when he’s being serious.”
In the entire department of cardiothoracic surgery, Xiao Si was famously popular among women.
He had good relationships with virtually everyone—from the elderly to the young, including all his colleagues.
“Whoever ends up with a man like him must be very lucky,” the young nurse sighed. “Being pursued by someone like him must be a dream.”
The young nurse was new and unaware that Xiao Si had once pursued Jiang Huai.
Jiang Huai shot her a serious look and asked, “Have you finished your work?”
Upon hearing this, the nurse immediately felt guilty and said, “I’ll get back to it right away!”
When Xiao Si returned to his office, he found their very own Ms. Liang sitting inside.
“The lovely Ms. Liang, what brings you here today?”
He said this with a playful gaze as he closed the door behind him.
Mrs. Xiao shot him a sideways glance and said, “I just went to visit your aunt.”
He sat down in the chair beside her. “Oh, so I was just an afterthought, then.”
Then he asked, “So why did you grace me with your presence? Is there something specific you wanted to discuss?”
Mrs. Xiao asked, “Does Yanyan still not know who her biological father is?”
“Why do you ask?” Xiao Si thought for a moment before replying, “Her biological father is deceased.”
Mrs. Xiao was momentarily stunned. “Who said that?”
“Hu Yunqin told her.”
Xiao Si noticed her expression was off and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Mrs. Xiao was silent for a moment before commenting, “Son, I think your aunt definitely knows who Yanyan’s father is.”
She proceeded to share her suspicions with Xiao Si.
The man sat there, twirling the pen in his hand as he pondered over his mother’s words.
Then, he said, “Just leave this matter to me. I’ll take care of it. You should head home now; I have a surgery to prepare for and no time to chat.”
“You brat!”
Mrs. Xiao exclaimed and playfully raised her hand as if to hit him. But he dodged in advance, as if he’d anticipated her move.
“Mom, I’m a grown man now. You can’t just hit me anymore. What if my Yanyan feels sorry for me?” he joked.
Mrs. Xiao narrowed her eyes and asked, “Has Yanyan agreed to be with you?”
“No.”
“Then why would she feel sorry for you?”
“Because in the end, I’m hers. Who else would feel sorry for me if not her?”
“Hmph, you just love to flatter yourself,” Mrs. Xiao snorted. “Whether or not Yanyan will ever want you is still up in the air.”
“… Mom, I am your biological son. You can’t say things like that.”
Mrs. Xiao cast him a disdainful look and clicked her tongue. “If not for the fact that you’re my son, I would’ve introduced Yanyan to someone else long ago. Don’t forget, Yu Mu is still waiting for her.”
Hearing Yu Mu’s name, Xiao Si didn’t seem the least bit concerned.
He said with absolute indifference, “Mom, Yu Mu has long been out of the running. My Yanyan has no interest in him.”
“Stop calling her ‘your Yanyan.’ Wait until you’ve married her before you say that. Aren’t you ashamed?”
“If I’m not a little thick-skinned, how else will you get a daughter-in-law and a grandchild sooner?”
“…”
Mrs. Xiao gave up arguing with him and grabbed her bag as she stood up.
“I’m leaving.”
But just as she reached the door, she paused.
“Ms. Liang, could you please say everything you need to at once?”
“Your grandfather’s birthday is this Saturday. Don’t you dare forget.”
Mrs. Xiao was worried he might forget.
“I won’t.”
This time, she truly had finished speaking. After opening the door, she left.
On her way down the elevator, Mrs. Xiao sent Lan Yan a WeChat message.
At that moment, Lan Yan happened to be leaving Lab 1, heading to report the experimental data to Su He.
When the phone in her pocket buzzed, she took it out and glanced at it. Seeing it was a WeChat notification, she opened it.
Mrs. Xiao: “Yanyan, are you free this Saturday?”
Lan Yan replied: “Yes, Aunt Yun, is something the matter?”
Mrs. Xiao: “There’s a banquet. Aunt Yun wants to take you along. If it’s inconvenient, that’s completely fine too.”
Lan Yan stared at the response, contemplated it for a moment, and then replied, “Aunt Yun, it’s not inconvenient. Just send me the address then, and I’ll go by myself.”
Mrs. Xiao smiled and replied with a “Sure.”
She silently thought to herself: This future daughter-in-law still needs a little push from her. Her brat of a son moves far too slowly.
In the hospital lobby on the first floor.
Coming out of the elevator, Mrs. Xiao started walking towards the exit.
But as her driver hadn’t arrived yet, she stayed inside to wait instead of heading straight out.
At this moment, Pan Lian and Fang Jianfu were standing not far from her right side.
The two had a sneaky, suspicious demeanor.
Mrs. Xiao didn’t recognize them, so she paid them no mind.
But then, she overheard a familiar name.
“Honey, do you think Hu Yunqin will really wire the money over?” Fang Jianfu asked.
It had been several hours, and the money Hu Yunqin had agreed to lend them still hadn’t come through.
“Do you think she might be tricking us and doesn’t actually intend to lend it?”
Pan Lian’s face darkened. “Don’t talk nonsense. She and I grew up together. We’ve known each other for so long. She won’t stand by and let us suffer.”
“But you haven’t been in touch for so many years. What if she doesn’t believe what we’re saying? Maybe you should call her again,” Fang Jianfu suggested.
Hearing this, Pan Lian decided to call Hu Yunqin again.
Mrs. Xiao cast a subtle glance at Pan Lian and Fang Jianfu, but both were unfamiliar faces to her.
She didn’t linger for long. Shortly after, her driver called to say he’d arrived, so she left.
Meanwhile, Lan Yan was in the middle of reporting experimental data to Su He when her phone rang.
She glanced at it but didn’t answer, choosing to hang up instead.
But the phone rang again within seconds.
Su He said, “Go ahead and answer. I’ll review the data myself for now.”
Lan Yan had no choice but to pick up. “Hello, Dr. Xiao, what is it?”
Seated in his chair, Su He overheard her words and smirked faintly, a knowing smile stretching across his lips.
“Why are you asking me out to eat again? Didn’t we already have lunch together?”
Lan Yan sounded exasperated as she responded to him.
On the other end of the line, Xiao Si replied, “People have three meals a day, you know. Lunch is lunch, and dinner is dinner.”
Lan Yan: “…”
She really didn’t know what to say to him anymore.
“I don’t care. I’ll come pick you up after my surgery,” he declared before abruptly hanging up.
Lan Yan looked exasperated. This man, honestly…
Su He, noticing her frustrated expression, asked, “Did Dr. Xiao get on your nerves again?”
Lan Yan shook her head. “No, he’s just… kind of annoying sometimes.”
Su He chuckled and asked, “Then do you dislike him?”
Almost reflexively, Lan Yan said, “No.”
Su He hummed a mild acknowledgment and said meaningfully, “Annoying but not disliked. That’s a good start.”
“Lan Yan, you don’t always have to keep yourself so guarded. Some things are worth boldly giving a try. If you don’t try, how will you know whether it truly doesn’t work? It’s like trying on a pair of shoes in a store. You have to test if they fit and feel comfortable before deciding to buy. People are the same. If you judge by appearance alone without trying, you might miss out on a lot of finer details. If you try and it doesn’t work, at least you won’t regret it, and you won’t have lingering what-ifs. Besides, you’re exceptional—equal to anyone and second to none. You never need to think your identity is lacking. On the contrary, you deserve anyone. Whether they deserve you is another matter entirely. Moreover, he doesn’t strike me as someone who cares about such things, am I right?”
While she often claimed she wasn’t self-conscious, Su He knew she actually was—she was just very strong-willed.
“Boss, I…”