Threat. This was absolutely a blatant threat.
Xie Ning took a deep breath and tore open the paper bag. "Please leave, Third Young Master Lu. I need to change clothes."
Although they had been dating for several months, they rarely went on dates, let alone progressed further in their relationship. Changing clothes in front of him was something Xie Ning had never done before.
It just goes to show that even the smartest women can act foolishly when it comes to love.
During those months with Lu Tingyan, she hadn’t noticed anything off about him. She simply thought that as a busy man, it was understandable that he had little time for dates and, having been raised in privilege, didn’t know how to manage a romantic relationship.
Looking back now, it wasn’t about having no time or not knowing how—he simply couldn’t be bothered.
Lu Tingyan remained motionless, showing no intention of leaving.
Xie Ning didn’t bother arguing further and began unclasping her bra.
Lu Tingyan was startled by her action, and before he could even process it, his legs had already carried him out of the room.
Behind him, he heard Xie Ning’s scornful laugh.
He had just settled on the sofa when Xie Ning emerged, now changed.
Xie Ning had a slender and tall figure, and aside from her face, her most striking feature was her long, straight legs.
Even the ordinary emergency clothes provided for guests looked pleasing on her.
As Xie Ning reached the door, Lu Tingyan’s cool, pleasant voice sounded from behind her. "As I mentioned earlier, your best friend is being taken care of. Perhaps we should discuss something else."
"Sorry, but even though I appreciate your help in finding someone to assist, I’d rather see my best friend with my own eyes to feel at ease," Xie Ning turned to look at Lu Tingyan, a faint smile on her lips. "As for discussing matters with me, you can contact my assistant to schedule a time between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m."
She opened the door, turned, and walked out with an air of nonchalance.
The room grew even quieter, the sound of raindrops hitting the glass becoming clearer.
Lu Tingyan suddenly laughed. Contact her assistant? Her?
Did she really think she was someone important?
He had already been patient enough with her, going out of his way to help her find someone to look after her best friend and even getting her clothes. Now, when he wanted to discuss their future, she told him to schedule an appointment with her assistant?
Was she pushing her luck?
With that thought, Lu Tingyan abruptly stood up and left the room as well.
When he reached the first floor via the elevator, he encountered two young women dressed in revealing outfits. Their eyes lit up at the sight of Lu Tingyan, and they immediately approached him. "Third Young Master Lu, we were just about to look for you upstairs, and here you are. Come on, let’s continue drinking?"
Lu Tingyan didn’t respond, simply heading toward the exit. The two women flanked him, blocking his way. "Third Young Master Lu, it’s still raining heavily outside. Why not wait until it eases up before leaving?"
Blocked from leaving, Lu Tingyan stopped.
His icy gaze swept over the two women, his impatience unmistakably clear.
The women couldn’t help but feel a chill run down their spines, shrinking back and falling silent.
"Move aside."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the two women quickly stepped aside.
Lu Tingyan walked out of Zero Point’s entrance, but Xie Ning was nowhere in sight.
A surge of frustration welled up in his chest. He called Li Xinglang again, and it took a while before the call was answered.
"Hey, hey, Third Brother? You… damn, sis, stop throwing up, I'm scared." Li Xinglang's voice grew closer, "Third Brother, ouch, don't pull my hair… what's wrong, Third Brother?"
"Which hospital?"
"City First. Why, Third Brother, you…"
Lu Tingyan hung up the phone directly and said to the driver, "City First Hospital."
Xie Ning got out of the taxi without an umbrella and ran through the rain into the hospital entrance, where she saw Song Ziyan and Li Xinglang tangled together outside the emergency room.
Li Xinglang turned his head with a pained expression, and his eyes lit up when he saw Xie Ning: "Sis-in-law, you're here? Quick, quick, I really can't handle your friend anymore!"
Xie Ning walked over and finally managed to pry Song Ziyan's claws off Li Xinglang.
Li Xinglang was now in a pitiful state—his work uniform was crumpled and stained with vomit. His usually neat blue hair was a tangled mess, clearly the result of someone's rough handling.
Taking the documents from Li Xinglang, Xie Ning looked at him apologetically: "I'm sorry."
Song Ziyan rarely drank, and even when she did, she usually just fell asleep afterward. No one knew what had gotten into her today, causing her to act out like this.
A nurse poked her head out of the examination room: "Which one is Song Ziyan? Time for the IV drip."
While Xie Ning went to hand the documents to the nurse, Song Ziyan stumbled over to Li Xinglang again, squinted her eyes, puckered her lips, and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
Li Xinglang froze for two seconds before letting out a world-ending scream: "Damn it, my innocence!"
Xie Ning was also stunned and immediately dragged Song Ziyan into the ward, hands and feet working together. She paused for a moment when she saw Lu Tingyan walking down the hallway but quickly realized he was probably there for his friend.
So Xie Ning didn't speak to him and helped Song Ziyan into the ward.
Li Xinglang, tears and snot streaming down his face, complained to Lu Tingyan about the difficulty of the task and the enormity of his sacrifice.
"If she weren't Sis-in-law's friend, I would've kicked her into the sewer by now. No one has ever dared to treat me like this in my life. This is the first time I wore this outfit, and she vomited all over it. And she even had the nerve to kiss me! In all my years…"
Lu Tingyan, annoyed by the noise, raised a hand to stop Li Xinglang's rant and simply said, "That car you liked in my garage last month—I'll have it delivered to you tomorrow."
Li Xinglang's complaints came to an abrupt halt.
"Go buy some food and bring it over," Lu Tingyan added.
Earlier in the room, he had heard Xie Ning's stomach growling a few times.
He told himself it definitely wasn't out of sympathy for her not having eaten—it was just to avoid hearing any strange noises when they discussed serious matters later.
Li Xinglang's night had been a rollercoaster of emotions, with great sorrow followed by great joy. Before he could even process the good news of suddenly getting his dream car, he was already out of the hospital.
His phone buzzed with a text from Lu Tingyan, just four words: "Buy something spicy."
What the hell? Third Brother's taste had always been mild—since when did he start eating spicy food?
Then it suddenly dawned on him—Xie Ning was the one who couldn't live without spice!
He remembered once when they had hotpot together, the amount of chili Xie Ning added had made him nervous just watching.
Li Xinglang was utterly baffled now. What on earth was Third Brother up to? He didn’t show up at the wedding, humiliating the girl so badly, and now he was helping her take care of her best friend and buying her food. What was he really doing?
Was this what they meant by “a man’s heart is as deep as the ocean”?
Meanwhile, Lu Tingyan entered the hospital room.
Song Ziyan, already hooked up to an IV, had fallen asleep in seconds.
The rain today had been heavy, and even though Xie Ning had only been caught in it briefly, she was completely drenched. Her clothes clung to her body, and her hair dripped water, quickly forming a puddle on the floor.
But she paid it no mind, carefully tucking Song Ziyan in and wiping her face with a tissue.
Before long, Xie Ning sneezed a few times.
Lu Tingyan found it irritating and sent another text to Li Xinglang: “Buy a towel.”
Li Xinglang, already at the hospital entrance with water, noodles, a bento box, and oden in hand, stared at the freshly delivered message and felt only that the rain was heavy and he was cold.
Why the hell couldn’t you say everything at once?
But thinking of the beloved car that seemed within reach yet wasn’t quite his, Li Xinglang swallowed his frustration and made another trip to the convenience store.
This time, he learned his lesson. He didn’t just buy a towel—he got tissues, a toothbrush, a cup, and even a pack of sanitary pads.
When he got back, Third Brother was sure to praise him for being thorough.
When Li Xinglang pushed open the hospital room door, food in one hand and supplies in the other, he was met with Lu Tingyan’s emotionless question: “Who told you to go buy things?”
Li Xinglang: “?”
Then he saw Lu Tingyan’s look of disdain: “Why are you so eager to show off?”
“Wasn’t it you…”
“Forget it, at least you’ve learned to be a bit thoughtful.” Lu Tingyan cut him off, took the bags from his hands, and placed them on the cabinet in front of Xie Ning, tilting his chin toward her.
Xie Ning asked uncertainly, “For me?”
Lu Tingyan looked haughty: “Obviously. He already bought them, and throwing them away would be a waste.”
Xie Ning wanted to ask, “Don’t you think it’s a waste for me to use them?” But seeing the towel and the still-steaming spicy pork cutlet bento inside, she swallowed her words.
She smiled at Li Xinglang: “Thank you, you’ve worked hard.”
Li Xinglang forced a laugh: “No, no, not at all. It’s nothing.”
As a lackey, it wasn’t about working hard—it was about having a hard life.