A girl dressed very much like a student.
Thinking about it carefully, Xu Yanwan could help but wonder. How could Yan be a good match with Han Qing? How did he fall for her in the first place?
Xu Yanwan contemplated as she was clenching her fists and relaxing them several times before finally settling on keeping her fits clenched ever so tightly.
Upon learning that Han Qing now had a girlfriend, she had thought of giving up. However, her seeing him once again awakened the strong, ardent feelings she had put aside many years ago.
The sight of Han Qing overwhelmed her heart with emotions she thought she had already let go, causing it to once again burn with desire.
Then again, Xu Yanwan realized that her love for Han Qing had not dwindled at all. Instead, she merely disregarded it and hid it over the years.
It was not that she had never struggled before!
She was, after all, the eldest daughter of the Xu Family.
Even with the bankruptcy of the Xu Family’s business, she was still undeniably the eldest daughter—a lady of virtue, with much grace, wit, and courtesy.
How could she still miss and long for someone else’s boyfriend?
However, she liked him first before anyone else did. Furthermore, her feelings for him started since they were still a bunch of kids.
Even though she had been away for a while, she couldn’t quite accept the fact that he was seeing someone else in his life.
If she was sensible enough, the best thing she should do now was to stop craving for the love of Han Qing, and to focus on restoring the prosperity of the Xu Family.
Despite all of that… she was not willing to let him go!
Obviously, the girl in front of her was just mediocre. It might be true to a certain extent that she was no longer the privileged girl that she used to be, but Yan was not much better than her. How could Han Qing take a liking to such a girl?
If Han Qing could fall for someone such as Yan, couldn’t Xu Yanwan live up to that standard too?
Xu Yanwan’s mind was in a mess. Her moral sense was on the line between doing the right thing and listening to the evil voices in her head.
Ding!
A sharp sound echoed.
The loud resonance jolted Xu Yanwan from her thoughts.
Coming back to her senses, she saw Yan turn around with a kind expression on her face as she asked, “You’re getting off here, right?”
For some reason, Xu Yanwan felt her footsteps light with an almost ethereal pace. Yan’s appearance in front of her felt illusory, as if her vision was somehow clouded.
Is she good or bad?
How would she decide?
Her footsteps became lighter as she paced forward. All of a sudden, her head started to spin when the lass whose presence put her into deep thoughts abruptly shouted, “Hey! Are you okay?”
But all Xu Yanwan could see was a world of pitch darkness.
As Xu Yanwan lost her balance and fell, Yan subconsciously extended her arm of support as Xu Yanwan gently dropped toward her.
Although they were similar in height, it was a bit difficult for Yan to support the whole weight of Xu Yanwan. With the thermos in her hands, Yan had to act quickly as she immediately put it down to catch Xu Yanwan with both hands.
“Are you okay?” Yan gasped. Despite her calling out for several times, Xu Yanwan’s pale face remained unresponsive as she faded in and out of consciousness in Yan’s supporting arms. All Xu Yanwan could vaguely hear was a faint voice from afar, but she couldn’t muster up any strength to respond.
At the hospital.
Xu Yanwan woke up to the smell of disinfectant in her throat. Her eyes immediately popped open in shock.
Having spent a good amount of time at the hospital when her father was unwell, Xu Yanwan was all too familiar with this unpleasant smell.
A blank surrounding like a canvas of white snow greeted her as she opened her eyes.
She was at the hospital.
What had happened to her prior to this?
“You’re awake!” A sweet and crisp exclamation echoed next to Xu Yanwan’s bed.
She turned to the direction of the voice as she saw Yan right beside her.
It’s her… Han Qing’s girlfriend. Why is she here?
“You scared me to death. Your face went so pale and you suddenly collapsed. The doctor said that you were overly fatigued and your body was malnourished. That is why you had fainted.”
Yan smiled kindly then, as she stepped forward to tuck the quilts to the corners of Xu Yanwan’s bed.
“You have a good rest now.”
Listening to her kind words, Xu Yanwan’s heart sank. Why must she be the one who helped me? Why do I have to faint right in front of Han Qing’s girlfriend?
In that case, wouldn’t her heart be in a deeper sense of turmoil?
Xu Yanwan’s lips started to quiver in her attempt to murmur a few words, but her dry lips made it almost impossible. Yan then turned around and poured her a glass of warm water as she helped her to sit up to have a sip.
Quenching her thirst, Xu Yanwan felt a stream of relief on her lips and down her throat. She then stared at Yan intently trying to recollect her thoughts and finding the right words to say.
“Thank you…”
Apart from these two syllables, Xu Yanwan left herself tongue-tied.
With a smile painted on Yan’s face, she replied, “You’re welcome.”
She felt that Xu Yanwan appeared rather distressed. Her pale complexion, her thin frame and her slender build coupled with the words of the doctor really got Yan worried.
As Yan was digesting all of her observations, the doors to the ward flung open.
A tall figure walked in.
Initially, Xu Yanwan was unbothered by the sudden presence of this person. It wasn’t until she looked up to see who had come to visit her that her shock got her pupils to dilate and constrict involuntarily.
How could it be that Han Qing is here? Why is he here?
“You’re back.” Yan got up on her feet as she walked toward Han Qing. “Have you sorted out all the procedures? Miss Xu just woke up, and she looks okay.”
Miss Xu?
Xu Yanwan’s face turned white as a sheet of paper when she heard of the way Yan addressed her. Having said that, Yan had probably known who she was.
Moreover, she couldn’t have kept the fact in the dark any longer that she was working for Han Group.
“Yes,” replied Han Qing lightly as he glimpsed over Yan toward Xu Yanwan who was sitting behind her. As he locked his gaze back onto Yan, his look seemed softer and calmer, as he continued to speak with her in a hushed voice.
Their conversation was almost inaudible. All Xu Yanwan could see was his thin lips moving. She had to withdraw her gaze from him as the longer she looked at him, she felt all the more upset.
It was a blur as to how long their conversation took place when Yan thereafter nodded obediently and headed out of the ward.
Noticing that Han Qing was now alone with her in the ward, Xu Yanwan’s heart started racing.
Now that Han Qing sent his girlfriend away, is he planning to stay on with me?
A glint of hope warmed up Xu Yanwan’s heart.
Han Qing walked toward the bed as he pulled out a chair and sat down.
There was a whiff of awkwardness in the air, and Xu Yanwan was suddenly lost for words.
Do I complain? But on what basis am I qualified to do that? Do I even have the right to do so?
As Xu Yanwan was struggling for words, Han Qing broke the silence with a wrinkle in his eyebrows.
“Yanwan.”
Upon hearing Han Qing speaking her name, Xu Yanwan’s eyes started to turn red. However, she tried hard to swallow her emotions as she slowly raised her head to look at him.
“The Xu and Han Family have always been in good terms with each other. Previously, you made a personal choice to decline my offer of help and I respected your decision. But look at your condition now. Do you think that your father would be happy or even relieved if he found out that his daughter has suffered so much grievance now that she has returned from abroad?”
