Zhang Lan maintained her professional integrity and did not reveal any patient information to Zhou Yingzi.
However, Zhou Yingzi was deeply unwilling to give up. She managed to glean some details from a nurse and was elated.
"Ha! The heavens truly have eyes!"
"So you wanted to snatch my man away from me! Turns out you're a useless piece of trash who can't have children!"
"Su He, oh Su He, I'd like to see how the Lu family treats you after you fail to bear them an heir!"
Zhou Yingzi clenched her fists in excitement, piecing together the information she had gathered.
This was the best news she had heard in the past year.
Zhou Yingzi couldn't hide her joy as she left the hospital, which made Zhang Lan frown repeatedly.
What was this girl plotting again?
Frankly, she preferred the Zhou Yingzi from her childhood. Back then, she was such a simple, adorable child, so obedient and sensible that it was heartbreaking. But ever since she was abducted by Zhao Yafen, influenced by her, she had become a completely different person. She was mean-spirited, arrogant, and venomous in her speech, completely shattering the beautiful impression Zhang Lan had of her.
But in the end, she was just an outsider, and no amount of persuasion would make her listen.
Zhang Lan sighed, took out her keys, and began her afternoon's work.
Zhou Yingzi drove the car Luo Fei had lent her back to her residence and couldn't wait to share the good news with him.
"Are you sure it's her problem?" Luo Fei asked, pulling her into his arms with a smile. It was precisely this tenderness that had Zhou Yingzi completely captivated, making her utterly compliant to his every whim.
"What else could it be? If it weren't her problem, why would she secretly go to such a remote hospital?" Zhou Yingzi swore.
Luo Fei lay back on the sofa, lost in thought.
He never trusted anyone, not even the woman in his arms.
As Zhou Yingzi hummed an unknown tune and went to the bathroom, a cold glint suddenly flashed in his eyes.
He was tired of this woman, and it was time to find a way to get rid of her.
Zhou Yingzi, in a good mood, was soaking in her bath, completely unaware that misfortune was already upon her.
*
That morning, Zhao Yafen woke up as usual to prepare breakfast.
Lu Jingyang had been staying here recently, so she, as his mother, was serving him with exceptional diligence.
"Jingyang, how is your bar business? Are you making money?" Zhao Yafen placed a steaming bowl of noodles in front of her son, her wrinkles deepening into a smile.
"It's alright." Lu Jingyang had just woken up from a hangover and didn't really have an appetite, but he didn't want to disappoint his mother's kind gesture and forced himself to eat a few bites.
Since falling out with Li Chao and the others, Lu Jingyang had completely severed ties with them. Now, he went to work on time every day, showing a semblance of ambition.
"Your sister is also unemployed at home recently, why don't you let her help you at the bar?" Zhao Yafen asked tentatively.
Lu Jingyang paused for a moment and replied, "A bar's environment is not suitable for her."
"Who cares if it's suitable or not? You can just have her work in the office. She studied finance, so she can help you with the accounts." Zhao Yafen became more convinced as she spoke.
Her son was now successful, and he should give back to the family.
His sister had suffered from depression and faced rejection in every interview. She had been at home for almost a year. If this continued, she would be ruined. As her younger brother, Lu Jingyang should at least give her a hand.
"The salary doesn't need to be too high, just twenty to thirty thousand a month is fine," Zhao Yafen's eyes sparkled as she began to dream.
Ever since Lu Yunting was kicked out of the Lu family, her standard of living had dropped significantly. Before, she could go to high-end establishments whenever she pleased and swipe her card for anything she desired. Now, Lu Yunting, no, He Yunting, only gave her the basic living expenses each month and no longer provided any pocket money. If she needed to go out for social events, she had to use her own savings.
If this continued, she wouldn't be able to make ends meet.
If Lu Jingyang could arrange a job for Zhou Yingzi, with tens of thousands of yuan a month, it would at least help with household expenses.
Unfortunately, the ideal was plump, but reality was lean.
Although Lu Jingyang managed the bar, the real boss was Lu Yanbei. Knowing his brother, he would absolutely not allow Zhou Yingzi to have any connection with the Lu family.
He had only recently found out about Zhou Yingzi trying to harm Su He. He never expected his usually gentle and sweet sister to do something so heinous.
It was simply terrifying!
Su He hadn't provoked her!
He didn't know that sometimes, one didn't need any reason to detest someone.
"Mom, the bar staff are all arranged, there are no vacancies." Lu Jingyang looked at the now cold noodles and lost his appetite.
"You're the boss of the bar, it should be as easy as pie to squeeze someone in!" Zhao Yafen said with dissatisfaction. "She's your own sister! Don't you remember how she carried you and comforted you when you were sick as a child..."
Seeing his mother bringing up the past again, Lu Jingyang was annoyed. "Mom, I'm only managing it on behalf. Employee appointments are not up to me!"
"You're the boss, why isn't it up to you?" Zhao Yafen asked a foolish question.
Lu Jingyang was speechless. "Because my brother funded the bar, do you understand?"
"So what? Since he gave the bar to you, it's your property." Zhao Yafen suddenly raised her voice, as if it were a matter of course.
Lu Jingyang really didn't know how to respond.
He hadn't expected his mother to be so unreasonable.
Just as mother and son were at an impasse, a muffled groan suddenly came from the guest room. Zhao Yafen thought her daughter was getting up and temporarily left Lu Jingyang to knock on the door.
"Zizi, time to get up for breakfast!"
There was no response from inside the room.
Zhao Yafen frowned, a sudden sense of unease washing over her.
Could it be that she had overheard their mother-son conversation?
Thinking of this, Zhao Yafen shot Lu Jingyang a fierce glare, turned the doorknob, and walked in. "Zizi... don't take it to heart... Ah~"
A scream came from the room.
Lu Jingyang, who had planned to leave during the lull, rushed over upon hearing the scream. "What's wrong?"
"Blood... so much blood..." Zhao Yafen, looking at the scene in the room, collapsed onto the floor in fright.
Lu Jingyang, remaining relatively calm, immediately called the emergency number. Then, he ran to the bathroom, got a clean towel, and used it to press against Zhou Yingzi's wrist, attempting to stop the bleeding.
Zhao Yafen was stunned, completely clueless about what to do, and helpless.
It wasn't until Lu Jingyang called out to her that she numbly came back to her senses.
"My poor daughter... why would you suddenly do something so drastic..."
Lu Jingyang, annoyed by her wailing, couldn't help but yell sternly, "Crying, you only know how to cry! Will crying solve anything? Hurry up and pack your things, we need to go to the hospital!"
Scolded by her son, Zhao Yafen finally snapped back to reality.