Lan Tian suddenly developed a high fever and was urgently sent to Jingzhou Hospital.
For leukemia patients, a high fever is extremely dangerous.
Lan Die was preparing for an outdoor broadcast for the television station. In the second semester of her junior year, classmates from her department had gradually begun internships outside the campus.
Lan Die, with her well-known reputation, had long been invited by Jingzhou Television and was currently assisting with the station’s interviews and outdoor broadcasts.
Upon receiving her grandmother’s call, she immediately requested leave and rushed to Jingzhou Hospital.
In the ward, besides her grandmother, Kang Jian was also there.
Seeing Lan Die enter, Kang Jian stood up and greeted her calmly:
“Lan Tian is asleep and is fine for now, but he needs to be hospitalized for treatment for a while.”
“Mm, thank you, Brother Jian!” Lan Die avoided his gaze.
“Come out with me!” Kang Jian stared at her.
As Lan Die hesitated, her grandmother spoke up: “Go ahead, Xiao Die. Jian is a good kid. Make things clear, and he’ll understand you!”
Seeing the encouraging look in her grandmother’s eyes, Lan Die felt a surge of warmth, tears nearly welling up again.
Her grandmother was perceptive—she understood everything!
Kang Jian took Lan Die to his office.
“Sit!” He pointed to the chair with the pink pattern. It had once been her exclusive seat.
“Are you going to interrogate me?” Lan Die smiled, trying to ease the awkwardness.
Kang Jian’s smile carried a gentle and reassuring strength as he stared into her eyes: “Who is that man?”
Lan Die was prepared. She replied softly, “My boyfriend.”
Kang Jian’s eyes darkened slightly. “What does he do?”
Lan Die was momentarily confused and blurted out casually, “What else could someone attending that party do? He’s some kind of ‘CEO.’”
“What kind of CEO? CEO Zhao, Qian, Sun, or Li?”
Lan Die couldn’t help but laugh. After a moment’s thought, she quickly regained her serious expression. “CEO Zhou, Wu, Zheng, or Wang!”
“Be serious!” Kang Jian rarely scolded her.
“CEO He!” The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
Kang Jian’s expression darkened.
As a representative of the Kang family, a prominent medical family, attending the party naturally came with the mission of consolidating connections. He also knew the true purpose of the gathering was to welcome back that person.
At the entire party, the only person surnamed He was that man.
And the figure he had seen in the hallway that day did indeed resemble the person he had seen at the party.
That was the first time Kang Jian had seen He Canglan.
He looked at the seated young woman, her captivating peach-blossom eyes filled with a pure, jade-like innocence.
He Canglan had just returned to the country not long ago. How did she come to know him?
“Xiao Die, are you saying that He Canglan is your boyfriend?”
He Canglan? This unfamiliar name momentarily left Lan Die unable to react.
She casually replied, “Mm.”
“Do you know about the He family?” Kang Jian seemed somewhat concerned.
Lan Die was completely bewildered.
She hadn’t expected that casually fabricating a lie to make Kang Jian give up would leave her so mentally exhausted. She was almost unable to keep up the pretense!
Just then, a doctor called Lan Die to handle the hospitalization procedures and payment. She quickly stood up. “Brother Jian, I have to go take care of things!”
“Do you have enough money? Let me handle it!”
“No, no, I still have money!” Lan Die hurriedly rushed out of Kang Jian’s office.
The hospitalization fees were not low. While paying, Lan Die unintentionally pulled out the black card from her bag.
Yi An had said this was her deserved performance fee.
She walked over to a nearby self-service inquiry machine, inserted the card, and checked the balance.
Her performance fee was ten thousand yuan, but the balance on the black card had two extra zeros.
Lan Die silently put away the card.
Before Yi An drove her back to school, he had casually remarked:
“Miss Lan, don’t let yourself suffer in daily life. This card will receive a fixed monthly payment. If it’s not enough, feel free to use it as you wish—don’t worry about money.”
She wondered what kind of work could earn such compensation.
She felt she was being drawn into a scheme, yet the decision of whether to enter or not was entirely out of her hands!
…
The Lanting Garden of the He family.
This was a classical garden-style estate located in the heart of the capital.
Its exterior was understated, yet the interior was grand—a tranquil oasis amidst the bustling city, a hidden world of its own.
Within the garden were pavilions, terraces, arched bridges over flowing streams, decorative screens, moon gates, and intricately carved pillars…
An uninformed passerby might mistake it for a tourist attraction of ancient garden architecture.
Today’s He family dinner was not extravagant, but every guest seated at the table was of significant stature.
He Canglan handled social interactions with ease and grace, yet he particularly disliked others making indirect remarks about his personal life.
After accompanying his father, He Jianbo, through a round of socializing, he strolled to a pavilion and lit a cigarette.
Hoping for some peace, he didn’t expect his mother, Cui Mujin, who had been admiring the lotus in the lakeside pavilion, to approach.
Accompanying her on either side were his elder sister-in-law, Su Wan, and Wang Shuyi, who had come today with her father.
“Canglan has grown increasingly steady and dignified!” Su Wan praised with a smile.
He Canglan smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
“Of course, he’s a 29-year-old ‘old boy’ now! At his age, others have already given their parents grandchildren,” Cui Mujin said, smiling as she looked at He Canglan.
“Mom, having grandchildren would interfere with your academic pursuits! I strongly support your continued dedication to academia and achieving even greater accomplishments!” Cui Mujin was a renowned professor in the literature department of the capital’s top university.
“Always so glib! Canglan, come, this is Shuyi’s first time visiting our Lanting Garden. You young people have more to talk about—show her around.”
He Canglan didn’t respond, only slowly took a drag from his cigarette before extinguishing most of it in the ashtray.
“I’ll go check on Father—I haven’t finished toasting the uncles yet,” He Canglan said, rising and returning to the banquet hall.
“This child, always so eager to drink!” Cui Mujin offered an excuse for her son.
Wang Shuyi pursed her lips but said nothing.
…
The night in the capital!
After socializing with various uncles and elders, it was nearly nine in the evening. He Canglan called Yi An over: “Let’s go for a drive.”
Yi An, skilled at reading expressions, didn’t ask but drove directly toward the southeast.
Fifteen minutes later, Yi An said softly, “Mr. He, we’ve arrived at the capital university!”
He Canglan narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at the perceptive Yi An, and remained silent.
He had been too busy—it had been over a week since he last saw her.
“Drive in,” He Canglan said lazily.
Entering randomly, he hadn’t planned on a chance encounter; he simply wanted to see the place where she studied.
Lan Die was just leaving the teaching building.
With her younger brother Lan Tian’s condition stable, she had taken the evening to work on her graduation thesis.
Today, she wore a hoodie dress and white sneakers, her hair cascading like seaweed. Carrying a few textbooks, she exuded an air of scholarly elegance and youthful vitality.
From a distance, she spotted the slowly moving black Maybach.
Luxury cars were no rarity at the capital university, so Lan Die only glanced casually before continuing on her way.
It wasn’t until she noticed the car following slowly behind her that she stepped onto the sidewalk, looked up, and observed it closely.
The driver’s side window rolled down, and Yi An smiled at Lan Die. “Miss Lan, we meet again!”
Even Yi An had to admit that just randomly coming here for a stroll had led to encountering the very person he was looking for.
Truly fate! But who could tell whether it was a calamity or a blessing!
…