Maybe she should have let go of the rosy image of Xu Yan long ago and got back to her own life.
Before starting the car, Yan Mo looked up and took a long, deep look at the floor where Jing Zhen was, then started the engine.
This was all she could do. Her empathy was limited, and the guilt she felt was only due to Jing Zhen's miserable state.
But that little bit of guilt had long since faded away without a trace in her heart.
Yan Mo lowered her head and focused on driving. Out of the corner of her eye, she seemed to see Jing Zetang, whom she had just met, standing in the hospital lobby, looking out.
Yan Mo wasn't narcissistic enough to think he was looking at her.
He must be checking out some beauty in the yard.
Since she had a big meal at the revolving restaurant during the day, Yan Mo didn't eat much for dinner.
Xu Qingqing stayed at the Xu family's place with the two kids, having the soup made by Xu's mother.
While they were having the soup, Xu Qingqing received a message from Yan Mo.
"Elder sister Jing Zhen is injured!"
Xu Qingqing exclaimed in surprise.
Hearing her words, Xu Yan, who was sitting across from her, tightened his grip on the bowl until his knuckles turned white.
She was fine just a few days ago at the party. How could she suddenly get injured?
"What caused the injury?" Xu's mother, as if speaking for Xu Yan, asked while eating.
Xu Qingqing carefully glanced at Xu Yan's expression. "I heard she was beaten by Song Fuqiang..."
Before Xu Qingqing could finish her sentence.
The next moment, Xu Yan pushed away his bowl, grabbed the coat hanging on the back of the chair, and took his car keys. He rushed out like the wind.
Looking at Xu Yan's back, Xu's mother let out a long sigh.
"I was planning to introduce a girlfriend to this boy, but it seems he can't get over her."
Xu's father slapped his chopsticks on the table with a snap, his tone full of disapproval.
"Although Jing Zhen is a good girl, she's already been married. It's improper for Xu Yan to go after her!"
Xu's father's rigid thinking flared up again. He thought his son shouldn't marry a divorced woman.
But Xu Qingqing asked him to put himself in others' shoes. "Dad, you told me to find another partner before."
"If everyone was as feudal - minded as you, who would dare to marry me, a divorced woman with two kids!"
Xu's father was momentarily at a loss for words. His lips moved for a long time before he found an excuse.
"You're different from Jing Zhen..."
"How am I different? Aren't Jing Zhen and I both women? And elder sister Jing Zhen had excellent grades in school. She was much more dedicated than me."
After saying that, Xu Qingqing got up and left with her two kids.
"Yiyi, An'an, if your uncle really marries aunt Jing Zhen, you must bless them, okay?"
"Okay," the two kids replied very obediently.
Xu An'an even gave an example. "Teacher Wang told us not to discriminate against others."
"That's right," Xu Qingqing gave Xu An'an a thumbs - up and cast a disdainful look at her father.
"Dad, even kids understand this, but you don't."
Xu Qingqing also thoughtfully sent Xu Yan the address of the hospital that he forgot to ask about.
Xu Yan hadn't even had enough to eat. While enduring the hunger in his stomach, he forced his mind to stay clear while driving.
Due to extreme exhaustion, his mind was as muddled as a ball of paste. The only thing driving him was the urge to see Jing Zhen immediately.
He drove to the hospital as fast as he could. Xu Yan took three steps at a time up the stairs and rushed into Jing Zhen's ward.
Jing Zhen had just come out of the operating room. There were three stitches on her forehead, and the anesthesia in her head hadn't worn off yet. She looked dazed at everything.
"Jing Zhen!"
Xu Yan slid to the ward door, grabbed the doorknob, and rushed into the ward.
Xu Yan looked at Jing Zhen, who had thick bandages on her head, a pale face, and was lying weakly on the hospital bed.
All his complaints about Jing Zhen vanished into thin air.
All he wanted to do now was to protect this girl in front of him and make sure she wouldn't be hurt anymore.
"Are you... Are you my boyfriend, Xu Yan?"
Jing Zhen tilted her head and looked at Xu Yan. The anesthesia in her head hadn't worn off yet, causing temporary amnesia.
She only remembered the happy times she had with Xu Yan.
Xu Yan's eyes were filled with tears. He took a deep breath and looked up at the white ceiling with the blinding incandescent light.
After swallowing the tears in his eyes, Xu Yan lowered his head and looked at Jing Zhen. He gently took her hand affectionately.
"Yes, I'm your boyfriend. I'll take care of you from now on."
"Really? Hahaha."
Getting a positive answer, Jing Zhen giggled happily.
Xu Yan sat by the bed. After relaxing, drowsiness overcame him. He lay down beside Jing Zhen and fell into a deep sleep.
At 7 o'clock the next morning, Yan Mo called to remind Xu Qingqing not to forget to take Xu Yiyi to the science museum building where they went last time for the shooting.
Xu Qingqing felt a bit awkward with Yan Mo.
After all, Yan Mo used to like Xu Yan and asked her for help.
But now Xu Yan wasn't interested in other women at all.
His heart was filled with Jing Zhen, and there was no way she could help with this.
Xu Qingqing was thinking about how to phrase it to gently persuade Yan Mo to give up on Xu Yan and find someone else.
Unexpectedly, before Xu Qingqing could bring up the topic, Yan Mo said generously on the phone.
"Xu Qingqing, I'm sorry for bothering you before by asking you to help me chase your brother. You don't need to do that anymore. I've decided to give up on your brother."
"Really!"
Xu Qingqing exclaimed in surprise and was also happy for Yan Mo.
She knew how painful it was when she had a secret crush on Lu Chuanbai. It was great that Yan Mo could move on.
"Sister Yan Mo, actually, from the very beginning, I thought my brother wasn't good enough for you. You deserve a better life."
Xu Qingqing said to Yan Mo sincerely.
"To be honest, my brother inherited a bit of my dad's male - chauvinism. You just had too rosy an image of him."
"Really?" Yan Mo said playfully.
"If you had told me earlier, maybe I would have stopped liking him a long time ago."
"Haha, just kidding."
Xu Qingqing could tell from Yan Mo's cheerful tone that it wasn't fake. They chatted for a while and made an appointment to meet at the shooting location.
After giving up on Xu Yan, Yan Mo felt light - hearted.
Maybe she was destined to be alone for the rest of her life.
The warm sunlight shone into the ward.
After a night's rest, Jing Zhen finally had a bit more color on her face, and her lips were no longer purple.
The sunlight shone on Jing Zhen's eyes, making her shed physiological tears. She covered her eyes with her hand and slowly opened them.
As she opened her eyes, she felt something pressing on her thigh. It was sore and numb.
Jing Zhen opened her eyes and saw Xu Yan sleeping soundly on her thigh.
Perhaps sensing Jing Zhen's presence, Xu Yan slept especially soundly and well.
He had a dreamless night, and even his regular biological clock couldn't wake him up.
Jing Zhen blinked her eyes. Looking at Xu Yan's handsome sleeping face, she couldn't help but reach out to touch his face.
But halfway through, she quickly retracted her hand as if she was afraid of getting burned.
Why was Xu Yan here?