Chapter 50: Half a Month

The midsummer night descended slowly, enveloping the bustling city of Zhonghai in what appeared to be a peaceful darkness. Only the dazzling neon lights illuminated the faces of pedestrians on the streets.

Along the Ring Expressway, a bustling eight-lane road in both directions, countless streams of cars passed like shooting stars, either heading into the city center or out of this somber fortress of concrete.

In a green belt along the northern part of Zhonghai, by the side of the Yangtze River, there were sparse streetlights and fireflies dancing under them. This was a rare piece of tranquility, still radiating the scorching heat accumulated during the day.

Not far away was the endless expanse of the river, like a jade ribbon under the sky, echoing the Milky Way in the sky, reflecting the long string of white buildings along the riverbank...

This was the most expensive hospital in Zhonghai, where the serene environment allowed patients to recover better, but at the same time, the expenses were so high that ordinary people were horrified and deterred.

In the hospital ward department at this moment, in a spacious and quiet corridor, Yang Chen and Wang Mama sat on a bench specially designated for waiting, quietly waiting outside the intensive care unit.

Yang Chen remained silent for a long time, finally becoming a bit impatient. He reached into his pocket for a cigarette but then remembered they were in a hospital. He sighed and stood up, pacing back and forth.

"Master," Wang Mama, with red eyes from crying just a moment ago, voiced her concern. "Master, why haven't the doctors and nurses come out yet? Is Miss okay?"

"Don't worry, although I'm not a doctor, I still know a bit about medicine. Ruoxi will be fine," Yang Chen reassured her. However, scenes of bringing Lin Ruoxi to the hospital in the evening kept flashing through his mind, making it hard for him to relax.

Just as Yang Chen threw Lin Kun into the trash bin and turned around, he saw Lin Ruoxi, who was standing on the lawn, suddenly collapse to the ground!

Like an arrow, Yang Chen dashed over and helped Lin Ruoxi up, only to realize she had fainted!

Countless past experiences kept Yang Chen from panicking like Wang Mama. Calmly, he took out his phone, dialed the emergency number, and at the same time, carried Lin Ruoxi back into the room.

After a brief check, Yang Chen was surprised to find that Lin Ruoxi had developed a high fever. He immediately asked Wang Ma to bring emergency supplies like cold towels and stayed by Lin Ruoxi's side until the ambulance arrived to take her to the hospital.

The series of events left Yang Chen feeling disoriented. Despite the fact that this woman, as cold as ice, had never shown him any favor, he found himself genuinely worried about her safety. Was it because she resembled someone from his past? Or because she was his nominal wife? Or simply because she was her?

Lost in his thoughts, Yang Chen was interrupted as the door to the ward swung open. Wang Ma rushed forward and grabbed the doctor's arm, anxiously asking, "Doctor, how is my young miss?"

The doctor offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, she's out of danger now. The fever has subsided, but she'll need proper rest and care going forward."

"Thank goodness… Thank goodness…" Wang Ma exclaimed with tears of relief. "Thank you, doctor."

Glancing at the medical records, the doctor tactfully inquired, "Has Miss Lin been under a lot of work pressure lately?"

Wang Ma paused, then answered truthfully, "Yes, doctor. My young miss has always been diligent with her work, but recently she's been pulling a lot of late nights. Is there a problem?"

"Miss Lin's body is very weak. According to our diagnosis, it's likely due to prolonged work stress and excessive mental burden," the doctor said with a furrowed brow. "This fever was also triggered by physical weakness and exposure to cold. If she continues like this, even if she recovers this time, it will happen again, and with repeated occurrences, it will seriously damage her health."

Wang Ma's heart sank. "Doctor, what… what should we do? Please, you must cure my young miss."

"Don't worry, it's not a major illness. What the patient needs is careful recuperation," the doctor reassured with a smile. "If she can stay in the hospital for about half a month and undergo some traditional Chinese medicine treatment, she should regain her health."

Wang Ma looked troubled. "Half a month… I'm afraid my young miss won't agree to that."

"She must," Yang Chen interjected calmly, his tone brooking no argument. Then, turning to the doctor, he asked, "Besides traditional Chinese medicine treatment, what else is needed?"

The doctor, somewhat surprised by Yang Chen's sudden appearance, quickly regained his composure and smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize Miss Lin was married. Mr. Yang, if you have the time, you could accompany your wife to the hospital garden during her leisure time to breathe some fresh air. Patients with heavy mental burdens need to alleviate their worries, not just focus on physical recovery."

Yang Chen nodded, understanding the importance of the doctor's advice.

At such a young age, Lin Ruoxi had taken control of Yu Lei International, a fashion industry giant. With no family by her side and her only father figure causing her trouble rather than offering support, she faced numerous cunning adversaries in the business world. Her emotional life seemed equally lonely and vulnerable, occasionally targeted by wealthy heirs like Xu Zhihong. Yet, her ability to endure all this until now was enough to inspire awe in anyone.

After seeing off several medical staff, Wang Ma sighed and said, "Young Master, since Miss must stay in the hospital, I'll go back and pack some necessary belongings. We can't wait until she wakes up; we need to be prepared for anything."

"You've worked hard, Wang Ma." Yang Chen smiled genuinely. In truth, Lin Ruoxi wasn't entirely alone. At least she had Wang Ma, who had watched over her and cared for her since she was young.

Wang Ma shook her head, feeling touched. "I've only done some trivial things. If it weren't for Young Master, Miss might have been left with no way out by Master Lin. Young Master is the one who has truly done remarkable things. Miss's choice of Young Master is undoubtedly the best."

Yang Chen couldn't deny it and chuckled self-deprecatingly. If he hadn't had some skills, Lin Ruoxi might have been pushed to the brink by Lin Kun. But somehow, she had inexplicably chosen to fake marry him, sparing herself from the lottery of being "winning ticket."

Once Wang Ma left, Yang Chen gently pushed open the wooden door of the ward and stepped softly into the room.

The room was dimly lit, with only the bedside lamp casting a soft glow, enveloping the pristine hospital bed.

Lin Ruoxi's jet-black hair cascaded around her, and her usually elegant face appeared fragile in her slumber. Her breathing was steady, but her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, as if troubled by something in her dreams.

Was she troubled even in her dreams?

Sitting down on a chair beside the bed, Yang Chen absentmindedly gazed at the woman before him, lost in her familiar contours, features, and demeanor—so reminiscent of someone from his past. Gradually, Yang Chen lost track of time.

"Knock, knock."

The door to the ward was suddenly tapped twice. Before Yang Chen could turn around, someone lightly pushed open the door and walked in.