Chapter 265: You’re Right to Think So
"My apologies, I’m sorry to have kept you both waiting. I just rushed back from the office."
Although he was furious inside, Xia Zhiyun forced a gentle smile as he approached the two officers to shake their hands. He was, after all, dealing with public officials.
"And you are...?"
The two officers were a bit confused to see a man return.
They were looking for Zhang Yiqin, a woman they believed to be over forty years old.
"Oh, forgive me, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Zhang Yiqin’s son. My mother is currently in the hospital. If there’s anything you need, you can speak with me. I’ll have our lawyer actively handle this matter."
No matter what, Zhang Yiqin was his biological mother. He couldn’t just leave her to fend for herself.
"In the hospital?"
The two officers were surprised. ’Isn’t this a bit too coincidental?’
"My mother has a fever and is unconscious. She’s currently admitted to Kangde Hospital."
The implication was clear: she was unconscious, so even if they wanted to issue a summons, they would have to wait until she woke up.
And before Zhang Yiqin woke up, he had time to figure out what exactly had happened.
’If there’s been some kind of misunderstanding, I’ll make damn sure they compensate us for all our losses!’
Making a member of the Xia Family take the fall for something wasn’t going to be that easy.
"We’ll need to go to the hospital to verify the situation."
If her condition was as described, they would naturally have to wait for her to regain consciousness before proceeding with the summons.
"Of course. However, since the situation is still unclear, I hope you two can change into plain clothes."
Even now, Xia Zhiyun still trusted Zhang Yiqin.
Zhang Yiqin was timid and lacked initiative. Xia Zhiyun found it hard to believe that she could be involved in a kidnapping plot.
The two officers furrowed their brows at Xia Zhiyun’s request. If they had to change, they would need to go back to the station.
"If it’s inconvenient, you’re welcome to wear some of my clothes..."
"That won’t be necessary. We’ll go back to the station to change. Just give us Ms. Zhang’s room number."
Although they were almost certain about the case, it wasn’t officially closed yet. Since the family had made a request, they should do their best to accommodate it.
However, they both tacitly refused Xia Zhiyun’s offer to lend them his clothes.
As public servants, they couldn’t take so much as a needle and thread from the people.
Besides, clothes from a rich kid like him were bound to be ridiculously expensive. If they actually wore them, they might get hit with a counter-accusation of accepting bribes later on.
’Never harbor ill intentions, but always be on your guard.’
Xia Zhiyun forced a smile and gave them Zhang Yiqin’s room number. The two officers noted it down and left the Xia Family’s villa.
After politely seeing the men out, the expression on Xia Zhiyun’s face instantly darkened.
"What the hell is going on?! How did Mom get mixed up in a kidnapping?!"
Xia Zhiyun turned to the butler, his eyes bloodshot and terrifying to look at.
"Young Master, I really don’t know."
The butler himself was completely baffled; it was useless for Xia Zhiyun to ask him.
Seeing the butler insist that he didn’t know, Xia Zhiyun was at a loss. In the end, he could only set the matter aside and wait for Zhang Yiqin to wake up.
Still, he had someone start looking into it.
"I’m going back to the office. You go to the hospital and watch over my mother. Call me the instant she wakes up."
Xia Zhiyun had zero trust in Xia Jiajiao. He needed the butler to keep an eye on things.
Besides, no one was home anyway, so it didn’t matter if the butler was there or not.
"Very well. I’ll leave right away."
The butler agreed and immediately arranged for a car to take him to Kangde Hospital.
Meanwhile, Xia Zhiyun returned to his company. The Xia family business couldn’t afford any more turmoil right now.
On his way back to the office, Xia Zhiyun received a call from an unknown number.
Whatever was said, upon returning to the company, Xia Zhiyun locked himself in his office and refused to be disturbed by anyone.
*
「Kangde Hospital.」
When the butler arrived at the hospital, he went straight to Zhang Yiqin’s room. He found Xia Jiajiao sitting on the sofa, her head down, engrossed in her phone. She showed no awareness of her duty as a caregiver, and he frowned slightly.
’Miss Jiao Jiao has been spoiled far too much by the master and madam.’
’Her biological mother... no, the mother who raised her for twenty-one years is unconscious, yet all she can think about is playing on her phone, playing on her phone.’
’Look at that IV drip. It’s finished, and blood is starting to back up into the tube, but she hasn’t even bothered to call a nurse.’
’Is it really so hard to lift her head and press the call button?’
The butler pressed the call button himself. Hearing the sound, Xia Jiajiao finally looked up.
When she saw the butler, the tension she felt instantly melted away. "Uncle Butler! I was just replying to a friend’s message. I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you."
"Oh! Mom’s IV is finished! I’ll call a nurse."
The butler’s sudden appearance had made Xia Jiajiao freeze for a moment, but she quickly recovered, greeting him in a cloyingly sweet voice and offering a sincere-sounding apology.
"There’s no need. I’ve already called one."
However, the hospital nurses were busy. Just because they pressed the button didn’t guarantee a nurse would be free to come right away.
"Bed 14’s IV drip is empty, why didn’t anyone call? There’s already blood backflow! Who’s going to be responsible if something happens to the patient? Be more careful next time."
However, Kangde Hospital was owned by the Xia Family, and Xia Zhiyun had arranged for a VIP room. So, not long after the butler pressed the call button, a nurse arrived.
She immediately saw the blood backing up into Zhang Yiqin’s IV tube and grew annoyed.
’What kind of family is this? The patient is on a drip, how can they not pay more attention?’
"I’m sorry, it’s all my fault~ My friend sent me a message, and I got distracted..."
Xia Jiajiao knew the blood backflow was her fault, so she shrewdly apologized.
But as she apologized, her eyes began to redden.
Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought the nurse had done something to her.
If the nurse wasn’t trying to maintain a professional demeanor, she would have rolled her eyes so hard they’d pop out of her head.
’Acting like I’m the one bullying you. Who’s to blame but yourself for not paying attention?’
She skillfully replaced the IV bag and then instructed, "I’ve hung a new bag. Pay attention this time. Don’t let blood back up into the line again."
After speaking, the nurse shot Xia Jiajiao a look.
’So what if she’s the daughter of a major hospital shareholder? Her character seems seriously lacking.’
’Anyway, I just passed the exam for a position at a Class A Grade 3 hospital—a permanent one at that. The public notice period is over, and I was planning to resign anyway. If the little miss is unhappy and gets me fired, so be it. I’d even get severance pay.’
"I’m sorry, I didn’t do a good job..."
"It’s good that you can admit that. At least you’re not a lost cause."
The young nurse didn’t play along with Xia Jiajiao’s pity party; instead, she affirmed her words bluntly.
’She *didn’t* do a good job. Isn’t that just a fact?’
This time, Xia Jiajiao really was about to cry. ’What kind of nurse did this hospital hire? Doesn’t she know who I am?!’
The young nurse paid no mind to Xia Jiajiao’s reaction, simply turning and walking away with a carefree air.
The butler watched the entire exchange with a cool detachment. He was well aware of what kind of person this young miss was.
’She’s been angered by that nurse. She’ll probably use her connections to get the girl fired on the spot.’
’I’d better keep a low profile, lest I get caught in the crossfire.’