From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor

Wang Jiancheng, under the gaze of Mei Ru Xue’s eyes as clear as two springs, unexpectedly felt a bit awkward. He smiled and said, "Friend, actually what happened to your brother has already spread in our circle. Brother Rulong is just and righteous, he’s our elder brother, everyone is very concerned about him."

Mei Ru Xue said, "It seems my brother has made only one true friend in you; until now, you’re the only one who has come to visit him."

Wang Jiancheng said, "Brother Rulong has always taken care of me, so it’s only right for me to come and see him. I hope my visit hasn’t caused you any inconvenience."

"My brother’s current condition does not allow for outside visitors, you indeed have caused us inconvenience." Mei Ru Xue didn’t give Wang Jiancheng any face at all.

Wang Jiancheng didn’t expect Mei Ru Xue to say that, he nodded his head, then smiled at Ye Qingya: "I’ll leave first."

Before Ye Qingya could speak, Mei Ru Xue already said, "No need to see you off!"

Wang Jiancheng turned and left.

Mei Ru Xue turned her gaze to Ye Qingya and said, "Sister-in-law, what did he say?"

Ye Qingya said, "Don’t worry, I won’t take what he said to heart. Is everything going smoothly?"

Mei Ru Xue handed her a copy to look over, Ye Qingya flipped through it briefly and paused slightly upon seeing Qi Shuang’s name, and said softly, "I’ll take it home to read."

Mei Ru Xue nodded, watched Ye Qingya leave, then came to the landing window of the isolation room.

Qiao Rulong picked up the phone, now awake, he very much wanted to communicate with the outside world, especially his family. He was eager to understand the real situation after the incident.

Mei Ru Xue heard the phone ring and answered it.

"Xiaoxue!" Qiao Rulong’s voice was still weak.

Mei Ru Xue said, "Brother."

"How is the handling of the accident?"

Mei Ru Xue said, "You don’t need to worry, the other passenger in the car has already recounted the entire process."

"Is she... okay?"

Mei Ru Xue said, "Safe and sound, she’s already left, I’m not sure of the exact whereabouts."

Qiao Rulong pursed his lips, he had a foreboding feeling that everything had come to light, even if his sister didn’t say it, he could sense it from Ye Qingya’s indifferent expression.

"How is grandpa?"

Mei Ru Xue said, "Returned to the Capital City, there are some matters he needs to handle personally."

Inside Qiao Rulong surged a wave of guilt; he was very aware of what grandpa went back to deal with. Subsequently, this guilt aggravated his inner burden, and his heart began to vaguely ache.

Mei Ru Xue said, "Take good care of your injuries, don’t think too much about the other things, there’s no obstacle that can’t be overcome in this world."

Qiao Rulong said, "Xiaoxue, is your sister-in-law suspicious about my relationship with Qi Shuang?"

Mei Ru Xue said, "From the moment your accident happened, sister-in-law has been staying at the hospital. I don’t know what she’s thinking."

Qiao Rulong said, "I feel like everything has changed, is there something you’re hiding from me?"

Mei Ru Xue shook her head, Shu Yuanhang specifically instructed that the matter of the heart transplant surgery should be kept from him as long as possible.

Qiao Rulong said, "Should I call grandpa?" He had been wanting to call but hesitated to dial the number.

"Brother, nothing is more important than your recovery to health. Your current recovery is going well, get better soon, many things are waiting for you to deal with."

Qiao Rulong said, "If it were a small matter, Wang Jiancheng wouldn’t come to see me. I’ve always understood what he’s thinking."

Mei Ru Xue said, "Brother, you rest well, I have things to do, let’s not chat now."

Qiao Rulong watched as his sister hung up the phone and turned to leave, an unprecedented sense of loneliness enveloped his heart, not caused by the isolation but by realizing that everyone was hiding the truth from him.

The door to the ward opened, a doctor in isolation wear came into the isolation ward, he lowered the blinds of the landing window.

Qiao Rulong thought he was about to receive treatment; the person came to the window, bent down, and looked into Qiao Rulong’s eyes and said, "President Qiao, I am Zhao Feiyang."

"Hello!" Qiao Rulong knew that Zhao Feiyang was the dean of this hospital.

Zhao Feiyang said, "You are recovering very well, I believe you will be able to get out of bed and move around in a week."

Qiao Rulong said, "Thank you! You don’t need to come see me often, just treat me as an ordinary patient."

Zhao Feiyang said, "There is no personal relationship between us, I’m not here to see you."

Qiao Rulong frowned, he heard hidden meaning in Zhao Feiyang’s words.

Zhao Feiyang said, "All your indicators are very good, there are some things I think you should know now."

Qiao Rulong said, "Go ahead."

Zhao Feiyang said, "If you still remember some scenes from the car accident, you should remember that at the time a steel pipe pierced through the glass into your left chest."

Qiao Rulong closed his eyes. In fact, the scene of the car accident often replayed in his mind. It was the closest he had ever been to death in his life. He even heard the sound of his ribs breaking, felt the air being forced out of his lungs, and felt his heart being violently impacted. He truly didn’t know how he survived.

Zhao Feiyang said, "Your heart was severely damaged. At that time, only a heart transplant surgery could save your life."

Qiao Rulong finally found the answer. He always felt he had changed but could never determine what exactly had changed. It turns out his heart no longer belonged to himself; it should be said that the heart that now belongs to him once belonged to someone else.

Zhao Feiyang said, "The heart beating inside you used to belong to my wife."

No wonder Zhao Feiyang would come to visit him almost every day. He wasn’t visiting him; he was visiting the heart that belonged to his wife.

A complex emotion, indescribable and overwhelming, filled Qiao Rulong’s heart. Whether he accepted it or not, this was an unchangeable reality. Qiao Rulong looked at Zhao Feiyang, dressed fully and revealing only his eyes. "Dean Zhao, is there anything I can do for you?" This was a debt of gratitude, a debt so immense it was beyond repayment.

Zhao Feiyang shook his head. "I never thought about repayment. Donating the heart was my wife’s idea. She never thought of donating the heart to you; it was just a coincidence that soon after she passed away, you had the car accident."

Qiao Rulong said, "I’m sorry for your wife’s loss. Once I recover, I’ll make sure to personally pay my respects at her grave."

Zhao Feiyang said, "There’s no need for that. As long as you live well, it will be the greatest comfort to her, to me, and to our son."

Qiao Rulong said, "You have a son?"

Zhao Feiyang said, "Premature, still in the incubator."

Qiao Rulong nodded. "Is it because of this incident that your wife..."

Zhao Feiyang said, "She’s gone now; those things don’t matter anymore." He took out a photo of his son and handed it to Qiao Rulong.

Qiao Rulong took it and looked at the photo of a thin and small child, and a sense of pity unexpectedly arose in his heart.

Zhao Feiyang said, "I have to go now. Take good care of your health."

Qiao Rulong stopped him. "What’s the child’s name?"

Zhao Feiyang paused. "He doesn’t have a name yet."

"How about Zhao Tianxing?"

Zhao Feiyang turned around with a slightly puzzled look at Qiao Rulong. How could Qiao Rulong, whose life was saved by Pei Lin’s heart, assume the right to name his son?

Qiao Rulong said, "I would like to be his godfather."

Zhao Feiyang nodded. "Take good care and recover quickly."

Ye Changyuan knew very well the friendship between his father and Elder Qiao. Even though Qiao Rulong had done such a thing, his father would probably not fall out with Elder Qiao, let alone expose the Qiao family’s scandals.

Ye Changyuan thought it over and still decided to respect his daughter’s opinion. He planned to have a good talk with her soon.

Ye Changyuan originally planned to go home early, but a visit from an old friend changed his plans.

In Ye Changyuan’s memory, Wang Zhengdao had not appeared in public for several years. Wang’s sudden visit today was surprising.

Wang Zhengdao had chosen to retire abruptly at the peak of his career, and many knew it was because of a strange illness that he had to retreat behind the scenes. Seeing the rosy-cheeked Wang Zhengdao appear before him, Ye Changyuan could hardly believe his eyes.

After his illness, Wang Zhengdao declined visitors, reportedly extremely sensitive to light, unable to function outdoors like a normal person. Ye Changyuan would call to check in during holidays, remembering their last contact was at the Spring Festival when Wang Zhengdao’s condition was still poor, and his spirits despondent, having almost given up hope on recovery. Just a few short months later, Wang Zhengdao seemed fully restored to health.

Seeing the astonished look on Ye Changyuan’s face, Wang Zhengdao burst into laughter. "You didn’t expect to see me here, huh? Haha, Changyuan, I just wanted to surprise you."

Ye Changyuan said, "Brother Dao, are you better now?"

Wang Zhengdao nodded. "Yes, three years, a full three years. I thought there was no hope for my illness."

Ye Changyuan hurriedly offered him a seat.

Wang Zhengdao used to be a frequent visitor here. Looking around Ye Changyuan’s office, he remarked, "It’s just like before."

Ye Changyuan pointed at a pot on the desk, "You gave that to me."

Wang Zhengdao took out a box of cigarettes. "Want a smoke?"

Ye Changyuan opened a drawer and grabbed a box of cigarettes, "Have one of mine."

Wang Zhengdao accepted the Zhongnanhai cigarette he offered and lit it. "Still the same old habits."

Ye Changyuan also lit a cigarette, took a puff, and sat down beside Wang Zhengdao. "Seeing you smoke puts my mind at ease. It means you’re fully recovered now."

"I haven’t resumed work yet and haven’t contacted any other friends. I really missed you, my brother," Wang Zhengdao patted Ye Changyuan’s thigh, though the office’s arrangement hadn’t changed, in three years, Ye Changyuan had become the second-in-command of the department, wielding substantial power with a promising future.

Ye Changyuan flicked his cigarette ash. "Tonight, I’ll gather some brothers to celebrate your recovery."

"No need, I’ve quit drinking, Changyuan. I’m here today first to see you, and second, to verify something with you."

"Speak, anything between us brothers can be discussed directly."

"I heard from Jiancheng that something happened to Rulong?"

Ye Changyuan sighed, said nothing, and took a couple of deep drags from his cigarette.