11:30 AM, Korean restaurant.
When Wen Miaomiao arrived, Lin Ruiyao was already seated and had ordered her favorite spicy ramen.
Gu Han got out of the car and stood by the roadside, watching through the transparent glass window on the first floor as the two chatted. He called his young master.
“Young master, I’m keeping an eye on the young madam.”
“No need. Lin Ruiyao is her cousin. Come back.” Gu Yan’s tone was relaxed, without a hint of jealousy.
Gu Han was surprised but said nothing. He hung up the phone and got back in the car.
At the table.
After chatting for a while, Lin Ruiyao suddenly asked, “Sister Miaomiao, you agreed to the arranged marriage to save the Wen family’s company, right?”
Wen Miaomiao hummed in agreement and took a sip of grape-flavored drink.
“Sister Miaomiao, do you like Gu Yan?”
“I quite like his face and figure.”
Wen Miaomiao told the truth. She didn’t like Gu Yan’s bad temper, but his appearance was undeniably attractive.
Lin Ruiyao’s face flushed red. Wearing a white T-shirt, he flexed his biceps, trying to exude charm.
Wen Miaomiao rolled her eyes at him. “What are you doing?”
“Sister Miaomiao, I’m only a year younger than you. Don’t treat me like a little kid, okay?”
“Fine, I’ll treat you like an adult.”
Wen Miaomiao replied dismissively, enjoying her meal with relish.
Lin Ruiyao grew anxious and couldn’t help but confess.
“Wen Miaomiao, I like you! Can’t you tell?”
Wen Miaomiao looked up at him, smiling. “I like you too. Now hurry up and eat.”
She picked up a piece of rice cake and placed it in his plate.
Lin Ruiyao’s face instantly turned crimson, his neck even reddening slightly. He explained, “Not the kind of liking between siblings, but the kind between a man and a woman!”
Only then did Wen Miaomiao understand. Looking at his expression, she grew somewhat guarded…
“Lin Ruiyao, don’t let your feelings run wild. I’m your cousin.”
“We’re not related by blood!”
“…”
In his urgency, Lin Ruiyao blurted it out, leaving Wen Miaomiao speechless.
She wasn’t the biological child of the Wen family—a fact almost no one knew besides the family members.
“Sister Miaomiao, you’re not Uncle’s biological daughter. You have no blood relation to the Wen family.” Lin Ruiyao took a deep breath, speaking seriously and earnestly.
Wen Miaomiao’s expression darkened as she looked at him. “Even so, it’s impossible for us.”
“Why? You won’t be happy marrying Gu Yan! I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life…”
Lin Ruiyao’s eyes were filled with deep affection, as if he had already decided she was the one.
Wen Miaomiao sighed helplessly, put down her chopsticks, and the meal suddenly tasted like wax.
“Lin Ruiyao, we grew up together and know each other too well. Even if I were single now, even if I weren’t related by blood to the Wen family, I still wouldn’t like you.”
“But…” Lin Ruiyao’s eyes reddened, on the verge of tears. Memories from the past played like a movie in his mind, and his heart ached fiercely.
Wen Miaomiao calmly took a sip of water and set down the glass.
“Don’t bring this up again in the future. I still see you as a younger brother.”
Wen Miaomiao didn’t dare to look up at him, feeling as though she had hurt his fragile heart.
Her tone was cold and resolute. After speaking, she stood up and left.
After leaving the restaurant, Wen Miaomiao breathed a sigh of relief, hailed a taxi, and headed to Central Hospital.
She went to the department to find her sister, Wen Ruoxue.
Learning that her sister was busy, she sat alone on a bench in the hospital corridor, waiting for her sister’s lunch break.
“Miss Wen?” A familiar voice sounded from above her head.
Wen Miaomiao looked up and saw Lu Xingyi wearing a white coat.
“Lu…”
Lu Xingyi smiled and said, “I’m Lu Xingyi, Gu Yan’s good friend.”
Wen Miaomiao was a bit surprised and looked him over.
“You’re a doctor too?”
Lu Xingyi nodded. “I’m a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. What are you doing here? Are you feeling unwell?”
Wen Miaomiao replied, “No, I’m waiting for my sister. She’s busy.”
Lu Xingyi glanced at the department—it was neurosurgery. He smiled and said, “Come with me to my office. I’ll check your pulse for free.”
Wen Miaomiao thought about it. Since she was waiting anyway, she followed him.
Traditional Chinese medicine had its own separate office.
Entering the office.
Lu Xingyi poured a glass of water and handed it to her.
“Thank you,” Wen Miaomiao said politely, sitting in the chair. She felt that someone like Doctor Lu, whose personality was completely different from Gu Yan’s, could still be his friend?
Lu Xingyi sat down and checked her pulse.
A hint of surprise crossed his brow.
“You’re in great health!”
Wen Miaomiao smiled and said, “My periods are regular, I’m not anemic, my blood sugar and blood pressure are normal, and I rarely stay up late these days.”
Lu Xingyi withdrew his hand, took a sip of health tea from his thermos, and couldn’t help but praise, “Keep it up, young lady.”
Wen Miaomiao observed him. He looked under thirty, yet his demeanor was mature.
“By the way, would you like to know about Gu Yan’s past? I can tell you.”
“Why do you want to tell me?”
Lu Xingyi looked at her. Her face had an innocent look, but she was incredibly sharp.
“Do you want the truth?”
“Does Doctor Lu not usually tell the truth?” Wen Miaomiao retorted.
“Of course not.” Lu Xingyi was caught off guard by her response and chuckled softly. No wonder Gu Yan couldn’t handle her—this girl was truly special.
She had such a sweet, innocent face, yet she spoke the most assertive words in the gentlest tone.
She saw things clearly and rationally.
“Miss Wen, as Gu Yan’s friend of over ten years, I can tell he cares a lot about you.”
Wen Miaomiao blinked her beautiful eyes, waiting for him to continue.
Lu Xingyi then said seriously, “So, I hope you don’t play with his feelings.”
Wen Miaomiao couldn’t help but laugh. “Me, play with his feelings? You’ve got it backwards.”
Lu Xingyi looked completely serious, as if he wasn’t joking.
“We’re in an arranged marriage. It’s not about playing with feelings. I’ll be loyal to this marriage.”
“That’s good.” Lu Xingyi breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Gu Yan was someone who valued emotions deeply—cold on the outside but warm on the inside.
Outwardly, he seemed like a reckless troublemaker, but inside, he was a deeply loyal person.
“Miss Wen, I’ll be content if you don’t treat my friend like a dog to train.”
Wen Miaomiao was confused, completely unable to understand what he meant. Who could possibly treat a madman like Gu Yan like a dog?
“Doctor Lu, what are you talking about…”
Before she could finish, the door suddenly opened with a knock, and Wen Ruoxue appeared in the office.
“Miaomiao, let’s go.” Wen Ruoxue, wearing a white coat, looked elegant and beautiful as she called out to her sister.
Wen Miaomiao stood up and walked to the door.
“Doctor Lu, thank you for looking after my sister. I’ll treat you to a meal another day,” Wen Ruoxue said with a smile, taking Wen Miaomiao’s hand and closing the door.
“You’re welcome,” Lu Xingyi replied gently.
In the hallway.
The two sisters chatted.
Wen Miaomiao pulled her sister aside, looking utterly shocked. “Sis! Lin Ruiyao just confessed to me! Is he crazy?”
Wen Ruoxue rubbed her forehead in frustration. “Ignore him. I’ll tell Auntie and have her beat him up.”
Wen Miaomiao nodded in agreement.
“Right, beat him to death.”
Wen Ruoxue gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder and said with a smile, “Perfect timing to get you a checkup. Come on, let’s go get your blood drawn.”
“No, sis!”
Wen Miaomiao looked terrified. She fainted at the sight of blood! And she had always been most afraid of needles since childhood.
After filling out the forms, Wen Ruoxue took her to the blood collection area and considerately covered her eyes with her hand so she wouldn’t see.
After the blood draw, they did a few more checkup items.
Everything was quite healthy.
Wen Ruoxue specifically reminded the staff drawing blood not to disclose Miaomiao’s blood type, because Miaomiao had a rare blood type.
Two o’clock in the afternoon.
Wen Ruoxue had to go back to work, and Wen Miaomiao left the hospital alone, feeling suddenly empty inside.
Suddenly, a hollow, desolate feeling welled up in her heart, making her very sad.
She called Gu Yan.
“At the entrance of Central Hospital, can you come pick me up?”
“Okay.” Gu Yan didn’t hesitate and immediately drove over himself to pick up his wife.
While driving on the road, he sensed that Wen Miaomiao wasn’t in a good state and asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Did someone bully you?”
Wen Miaomiao: “No, I just suddenly feel hollow inside.”
Gu Yan: “Wait for me, I’ll be right there.”