Chapter 219: I'm Sorry for Him

Outside the emergency operating room of City Hospital No. 2 in Zhonghai City, the quiet corridor was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. The white energy-saving lights illuminated the dim space, giving it a sense of oppression and gloominess.

The surgical room's lights remained on continuously, without any movement. It felt as though the person pushed inside was undergoing God's judgment, with nothing else to do but wait.

At this moment, a soft and slow footstep sounded from one end of the corridor. It was still Tangtang in her cute black and white dress, but her current demeanor was as dull as a pencil sketch emerging from a gray canvas.

Yang Chen, who had been silently sitting on the cold bench outside the operating room, stood up, his face as somber as water. "Did you make the calls?" he asked.

Tangtang's expression was somewhat numb, but she nodded nonetheless. "Yes, Uncle Yuan and Aunt Yuan, as well as my dad, will be here soon."

"What about Zhou Guangnian?"

"He had some arrangements to take care of beforehand and left early. We informed him too late," Tangtang said softly.

A flash of killing intent flickered in Yang Chen's eyes, but he managed to calm down first, supporting Tangtang's frail shoulders and sitting her down on the bench. "Take a rest. You don't look well."

Tangtang lowered her eyelids, her complex expression mature beyond her years, as if the lively and assertive girl had suddenly aged ten years in an instant, becoming almost unrecognizable.

After sitting down, Tangtang raised her head and gave Yang Chen a faint smile. "Uncle, I'm fine. Don't blame yourself. Without you, we would all have been manipulated by them, or even thrown into the sea to feed the fish."

"I was careless. There's nothing worth comforting about that. But I believe Yuan Ye will pull through," Yang Chen said.

Speaking of Yuan Ye in the operating room, Tangtang turned her head away, wiped the corners of her eyes, and said softly, "Uncle, do you remember the question I asked you that day?"

"What question?"

Whenever Tangtang was with him, this girl would chatter incessantly, and Yang Chen couldn't remember which question she was referring to.

"I like playing with you and sticking by your side. I thought that was what it meant to like someone, to love someone. But you never wanted to accept me, never wanted to be close to me. You called me a kid, said I was just a little brat. So that day, I asked you, what does it mean to be mature?"

Yang Chen slowly remembered. Tangtang was referring to the day she ran away from home.

"You told me that if one day, I feel like I have fewer things to complain about, or if I feel like there's nothing to complain about, then I'll be mature."

Tangtang turned her head back, her eyes slightly swollen, but her lips adorned with a sweet smile. "I've been thinking about that phrase these days, and now I finally understand. Because I feel so satisfied now. In my most helpless and fearful moments, having someone who can stand up to protect my life, what do I have to complain about?"

Yang Chen silently watched Tangtang, who had suddenly changed, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, but still listening attentively.

"Uncle, do you know, that day when you told me that I was just too young, too immature, and seeing you perform those seemingly cool actions to save me would make me blindly admire you, thinking that was love. I've been thinking, maybe it was just as you said, maybe I was just being presumptuous, just purely admiring you... And also, Brother Yuan has always been good to me. He's helped me with everything since I was young, been accommodating, even willing to spend money to buy me a car. I thought, maybe I should agree to him, he's been quite good to me... But today, when Brother Yuan fell in a pool of blood, I suddenly realized that although I am very sad, very heartbroken, this feeling is just the sadness of losing a loved one. I know he likes me very much, but I really see him as a brother... Uncle, am I being very unfair to him... sob..."

Tangtang leaned weakly against Yang Chen's body, tears instantly soaking Yang Chen's shirt. Her crying sounded abrupt in the corridor, so abrupt that it left no room for comforting words.

Yang Chen reached out and patted Tangtang's back. The girl's words became increasingly incoherent towards the end, but he understood.

In fact, many times, it's not that people don't understand, but they lack an opportunity to break free from their constraints, to transform, which can happen in the blink of an eye.

"Silly girl, matters of the heart cannot be forced. Besides, what about family affection? Isn't that feeling even more precious?"

Tangtang's fragrant shoulders trembled, nodding through her sobs. "Uncle... it's so nice to have you by my side..."

Ten minutes later, the quiet corridor finally heard the hurried footsteps of many people coming closer. Yang Chen and Tangtang, who had been waiting for the outcome, stood up. Tangtang quickly ran towards the approaching group of people, shouting "Dad" and embracing the hurriedly arriving Fang Zhongping.

Among this group of people, Yang Chen only recognized Tangtang's father, Secretary Fang Zhongping, and Fang Zhongping's bodyguard, Dugu Zui. The other well-dressed men and women were probably Yuan Ye's elders from his family.

However, one of them, wearing a light coffee-colored elegant long dress, her hair in an updo, her face beautiful, in her anxious expression, when she saw Yang Chen, seemed to see something that astonished her greatly. The anxiety on her face gradually dissipated, and her gaze stared straight at Yang Chen.

Yang Chen also noticed the woman's unusually keen attention to him. From her demeanor, he sensed a strange aura, both familiar and unfamiliar. However, he didn't indulge in the idea that she might have feelings for him. Judging from her appearance and attire, she was likely Yuan Ye's influential mother.

Leading the group, the middle-aged man with a striking resemblance to Yuan Ye was none other than the head of the Yuan family, Yuan Hewei. Seeing Tangtang safe and sound and the operating room lights still on, he frowned and said, "Tangtang, tell Uncle what's going on! Weren't you just kidnapped? How did you end up in the hospital all of a sudden, and how did Xiao Ye get injured?!"

Fang Zhongping objected, "Yuan Hewei, why are you in such a hurry?! Can't you see my daughter's complexion is so bad?! Take it easy!"

"Secretary Fang, Mr. Fang, my son is in critical condition undergoing surgery. Can you blame me for being anxious?!" Yuan Hewei exclaimed.

"Dad, let me talk to Uncle Yuan," Tangtang persuaded Fang Zhongping, then turned to Yuan Hewei and said, "Uncle Yuan, this morning, Brother Yuan came to pick us up."

Tangtang briefly summarized what happened earlier in the morning. When she mentioned that Yang Chen had single-handedly dealt with all the enemies, everyone present was shocked and looked at this seemingly ordinary man in amazement. Fang Zhongping and Dugu Zui had known Yang Chen before, and they were surprised that Yang Chen had single-handedly reversed the situation today, leaving them with strange expressions on their faces.

"Thank you for saving my son and Tangtang," the elegant lady who had been staring at Yang Chen approached and extended her hand to him.

Yang Chen hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand. It felt warm and soft. "You're welcome. Because of my negligence, he's still undergoing surgery and isn't out of danger yet."

"Tangtang calls you Uncle. May I ask for your name?" The woman looked into Yang Chen's eyes and asked casually.

"Yang Chen."

The lady's body trembled slightly, her facial expression stiffened for a moment, but she still smiled and said, "Hello, Yang Chen, I'm Yang Jieyu, Yuan Ye's mother."

Yuan Hewei, who had been restless, noticed his wife's strange behavior and carefully scrutinized Yang Chen. Finally, he also felt something amiss. He exchanged a glance with Yang Jieyu subtly.

"Yang Chen, thank you so much. Although Xiao Ye is still in surgery, being able to bring them out is a great relief for both the Yuan and Fang families."

The alliance between Zhou Guangnian and Xu Zhihong caught us off guard. Not only were we caught in their ambush, but we were also powerless to retaliate. Now, although Zhou Guangnian may have gained some advantage, they haven't fully reaped the benefits yet. We can confront them head-on now!" Yuan Hewei stepped forward, expressing his gratitude as he shook hands with Yang Chen.

Yang Chen spoke, "Regardless of what you plan to do, let's wait until Yuan Ye's surgery is over."

"Exactly. I'll immediately arrange for personnel to protect the hospital surroundings. Tangtang, you should go to your father now. You're tired enough. Let Uncle Dugu take you back," Fang Zhongping said.

"No, I want to wait for Brother Yuan to come out," Tangtang firmly shook her head.

"Let Tangtang stay here," Yang Jieyu said lightly, seeming calmer than anyone else, perhaps because she was a mother.

Hearing Yang Jieyu's words, Fang Zhongping didn't say anything more, silently nodding in agreement.

Just then, the lights in the operating room finally went out, and the two doors were pushed open by nurses from inside.