He opened the car door, got out, and walked over to her with an umbrella, holding it over her head.
Yan Xia stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. Under the umbrella, Lu Qianzhou still looked the same as before, like a bright young man, exuding a soft charm that made one's heart flutter.
"Aren't you tired of following me these days? Don't you have work to do?" Her hair was half - wet, and her eyes were moist.
She looked expressionless, clearly not in a good mood. Maybe to amuse her and cheer her up, he deliberately said, "When have I ever followed you? When did you become so narcissistic? I just happened to pass by."
"Coincidentally passing by wherever I am every time. That's quite a coincidence."
Lu Qianzhou pursed his lips and said nothing.
Yan Xia reached out and took the umbrella. "Thanks for the umbrella. You can go now."
Lu Qianzhou raised his eyebrows. "Take my stuff and then tell me to go. You're such a heartless woman."
Ever since she said those words that irritated him last time, he had been less daring to show up in front of her. Especially recently when Lan Mengfan had an accident, he was afraid that seeing him would make her even more unhappy. At the same time, he was worried that she might be plotted against again. So, he had no choice but to follow her personally to protect her safety.
"I don't have that thing." Yan Xia lowered her eyes. "Didn't you say you just happened to pass by and bring me the umbrella? I've taken it. Shouldn't you leave now?"
The rain splashed. She was unusually close to him. Lu Qianzhou felt a strange feeling fermenting in his heart, like a dry sponge suddenly soaking up water, soft and incredible.
His heart skipped a beat. He reached into his pocket and took out a white handkerchief, gently wiping her cheeks and hair.
"Cheng Yanxia, it would be very easy to take care of Peng Shiyi. Why did you have to spend two million? I could have taken care of it with just one word for you."
Yan Xia smiled. "Is the economy really that bad these days? Even CEO Lu is starting to take on this kind of business."
Lu Qianzhou raised his eyebrows carelessly. This woman always liked to misinterpret his words. Considering her current bad mood, he decided not to argue with her.
"Do you think I'm short of that little money?"
"You haven't done this for me, but you're bringing it up now. It shows that you've been paying attention to my affairs. So, you just want me to thank you after you do it. It's not really for Mengfan. Adults always like to involve children in their self - interest. I said before that the most regrettable decision I made was bringing Mengfan back to the capital. But if we trace the root of the problem, actually the thing I should regret the most is meeting you."
Yan Xia started walking forward. Lu Qianzhou silently held the umbrella for her and followed beside her.
Suddenly, he said, "I'll take care of Peng Shiyi for you."
There was a sudden buzzing sound in the earpiece. Yan Xia instantly became alert. All of their conversation just now had been heard by Shangguanyao. Normally, he shouldn't have turned on the earpiece at this time. Maybe because he saw Lu Qianzhou with her, he had turned it on without permission.
With his words, if something really happened to Peng Shiyi later, Lu Qianzhou would be the first one to be suspected, which would confirm the evidence of his crime.
Thinking of this, her heart suddenly panicked for no reason. She reached up and took off the earring on her ear, clutching it tightly in her palm.
"What's wrong?" Lu Qianzhou noticed her mood change.
"Nothing." Yan Xia stepped out from under the umbrella, keeping a distance from him. "Lu Qianzhou, I've said that I came back to take revenge on you. If you don't want me to ruin everything you have, stop getting close to me and stop doing anything illegal. Otherwise, it will be too late when you regret it."
Lu Qianzhou's gaze swept over her tightly - clenched fist and saw the earring between her fingers.
His eyes were as drifting as water waves. "I've always been waiting for that showdown with you. As long as it's with you, even if the final result is defeat, I'm willing. You don't need to feel guilty either, because in your heart, all this is something I owe you, right?"
In her heart, he was the culprit, the most unforgivable person.
Yan Xia laughed. "You had the chance before but refused to tell me the reason and refused to cherish it. Now that you've lost it, you're saying you're willing..."
Suddenly, she didn't know what else to say. She waved her hand.
"Sometimes I really don't know what's going on in your heads."
She strode forward. After walking a few steps, her phone rang abruptly.
It was Fang Jiangyi calling. She knew that a call at this time must be related to Lan Mengfan, so she answered it without hesitation.
Sure enough, she heard Fang Jiangyi say, "Yan Xia, hurry to the hospital. Mengfan is awake... but her condition is very bad. The doctor said she's dying."
Yan Xia felt a numbness in her scalp and went limp all over. Fortunately, the driver had been following her in the car. She rushed into the car in a few steps and told the driver to go to the hospital. Along the way, she kept urging the driver to drive faster, even faster.
These days, her condition had deteriorated countless times, and she had been rescued from the brink of death countless times. But the organ infection still hadn't improved, and this time, even the doctor was helpless. They could only inform the family to come and see her for the last time.
She did everything as fast as she could. Finally, she arrived at the hospital before Lan Mengfan took her last breath.
When she arrived, Fang Jiangyi, Lan Yuzhou, and even Shangguanyao were all there. They were all gathered around the hospital bed. When they saw her coming, they all tacitly made room for her.
Yan Xia rushed to the hospital bed in a panic. She saw Lan Mengfan's small face was pale and bloodless, and there were tears in the corners of her eyes.
Seeing her, Lan Mengfan endured the pain in her body and called her Mom.
"Mengfan, it's all Dad's fault. Dad shouldn't have left you alone." Lan Yuzhou cried bitterly, holding Lan Mengfan's hand. "You'll be okay. You'll be fine. Dad will take you home. No one will ever bully you again."
Lan Mengfan's voice was getting weaker and weaker. "I want to be with Mom..."
She seemed to be expressing the most real feelings in her heart over the years. "I know she's not my real mom, but she's the kindest person to me in the world... I don't want to leave. I want to be with Mom forever..."
Fang Jiangyi reached out to wipe the sweat from her forehead. His tears fell directly onto her little face.
Lan Mengfan's eyes slowly turned and finally landed on Lu Qianzhou not far away. She tried hard to reach out her hand towards him and called him.
"Dad Lu..."
Yan Xia turned around with tears in her eyes. She didn't expect Lu Qianzhou to follow them here.
Lu Qianzhou walked over slowly. He looked down at the little girl for a long time. The little girl who had been lively and kicking just a few days ago had suddenly become like this. The impact on him was actually quite great.
"Kid, you have to get better soon. In the future, accompany me and your mom on dates. We'll take you to the amusement park and buy you your favorite KFC. When you grow up, take good care of your mom, okay?"
"Dad Lu... You have to take good care of Mom for me..." Lan Mengfan gasped for air, having difficulty breathing. "You have to keep loving Mom..."