Chapter 307 - 201: Silu is Questioned; Lu Fan and Elder Meng Forcefully Back Her Up and Slap Down the Doubters

Chapter 307: Chapter 201: Silu is Questioned; Lu Fan and Elder Meng Forcefully Back Her Up and Slap Down the Doubters

When Jiang Yixia accompanied Sister Li into the hospital’s inpatient department, the scent of disinfectant filled the corridor.

Sister Li walked ahead, her steps hurried, a thermal flask in her hand.

She grumbled as she walked, "That stubborn old man. I told him to do less work, but he just wouldn’t listen. Well, look at him now. Comfy lying in a hospital bed, is he?"

Jiang Yixia followed behind, listening to her ramble on and trying to hide a smile.

Although Sister Li often complained about her husband, it was clear she still loved him very much.

When they reached the door to the hospital room, Sister Li pushed it open, still muttering, "Li Guoqiang, I’m telling you, if you dare try to carry anything heavy again when we get home, I’ll..."

Her words caught in her throat when she saw the man lying on the bed, his face pale.

Jiang Yixia peered past her. Sister Li’s husband, Li Guoqiang, was propped up in bed with an IV drip in his arm. Seeing them enter, he managed a small smile. "You’re here?"

Sister Li hurried over, placing the thermal flask on the bedside table. Though her tone was still harsh, her eyes were already red. "Look at you. At your age, still trying to act like a young man showing off his strength. Don’t you know you have a bad back? You just had to carry that refrigerator. Happy now?"

Li Guoqiang gave a sheepish smile. "I was just trying to save a little money. Who knew that thing was so heavy..."

"Save money, save money... is it worth more than your life?" Sister Li scolded as she opened the flask, ladled a bowl of soup, and handed it to him. "Here, drink up. It’s freshly made bone broth. Have it while it’s hot."

Li Guoqiang took the bowl, had a sip, and said with a smile, "Nothing tastes better than the soup my wife makes."

Sister Li shot him a glare, but her eyes held not a trace of harshness—only heartache.

Jiang Yixia stood to the side watching the scene, a pang of bittersweetness in her heart.

Sister Li’s words were sharp, but she couldn’t hide the distress in her eyes.

And though Li Guoqiang was lying in a hospital bed, his gaze toward Sister Li was filled with a smile.

’This must be the love between an old married couple.’

’No need for sweet nothings; a single glance is enough.’

Jiang Yixia suddenly felt a little dazed.

She remembered how, many years ago, someone had cared for her just like that.

Back then, she had been sick with a fever. Lu Fan didn’t have a car yet, and they couldn’t get a taxi late at night.

He was so anxious his forehead was covered in sweat. He stood by the side of the road, trying to flag down car after car, until a kind driver in a private vehicle finally stopped and took her to the hospital.

When they got to the hospital, he carried her in his arms and ran into the emergency room, never once letting go.

Later, after her fever broke, she woke up to find him asleep, slumped over the side of the bed, his hand still holding hers tightly.

She moved just a little, and he woke up instantly, his eyes bloodshot. "How are you feeling? Still uncomfortable?" he asked.

She shook her head.

He let out a sigh of relief, then suddenly grasped her hand and said earnestly, "Yixia, I swear I’m going to make a lot of money in the future. I’ll buy you a big house and give you a good life. Then, when you get sick, I’ll just have the best doctors come to our home so you won’t have to go through all this trouble."

’Back then, she’d believed him.’

’She thought they would be together like that forever.’

’But then...’

Jiang Yixia shook her head, trying to push the memories away.

Sister Li was still busy, wiping Li Guoqiang’s face, giving him his medicine, and tidying up the bed with practiced, gentle movements.

Li Guoqiang obediently cooperated, occasionally saying, "It’s fine, I can do it myself," but Sister Li paid him no mind.

As Jiang Yixia watched, an indescribable feeling of envy suddenly welled up inside her.

’How nice.’

’To have someone by your side, someone to scold you, someone to care for you.’

She lowered her head and sighed softly.

Just then, her phone rang.

She picked it up and saw it was a call from Jiang Ming.

"Hey, Sis." Jiang Ming’s voice came through the phone, tinged with a cautious, probing tone.

Jiang Yixia stepped out into the hallway and asked, "What’s up?"

Jiang Ming hesitated for a moment before saying, "About that blind date... The guy Mom mentioned, are you really not going to consider it?"

"Jiang Ming, what are you getting at?" Jiang Yixia’s tone turned cold.

Jiang Ming quickly explained, "No, no, that’s not it. I just think Mom is right. You’ve been on your own for so many years, it’s time you found a partner..."

"Jiang Ming," Jiang Yixia cut him off, her voice laced with anger. "Let me tell you something. I’m perfectly fine on my own. I don’t need to find a partner. If you keep worrying about this stuff, then don’t bother calling me your sister."

"Sis, don’t be mad, that’s not what I meant..." Jiang Ming said in a panic.

Jiang Yixia shot back, "Not what you meant? Then what did you mean? Lu Fan helped you so much—he found you a job, he helped you with that Ma Xiaofei situation—and now you’re turning around and telling me to go on a blind date? Jiang Ming, you’re pretty good at being ungrateful, aren’t you?"

Jiang Ming was rendered speechless, feeling incredibly wronged.

’He wanted to say, ’Sis, the guy is Lu Fan!’’

’But he couldn’t say it.’

All he could do was hold it in, the frustration making him miserable.

He sighed, his voice full of helplessness. "Sis, you’ll understand one day. You’ll understand that your little brother has your best interests at heart."

Jiang Yixia paused for a moment.

’Why does that sound so strange?’

She frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

Jiang Ming said, "It’s nothing, it’s just... Sis, trust me, I’m definitely doing this for your own good. The guy is really, really great. If you meet him, you definitely won’t regret it."

Jiang Yixia felt even more puzzled.

’Why is that kid Jiang Ming acting so weird today?’

She was about to press him for more when Jiang Ming said, "Sis, I’ve got something to do here, so I’m gonna hang up. Think about it, okay?"

With that, he hung up the phone.