Chapter 317 - 204: Meeting the Parents with Yixia! Laying It All Out?

Chapter 317: Chapter 204: Meeting the Parents with Yixia! Laying It All Out?

In that instant, the smile on Jiang Yixia’s face froze.

"Mom! What happened? Is it serious?" Her voice shot up, and her palms started to sweat.

Pan Lanfang whimpered on the other end. "I was just out working in the fields... I accidentally stepped on a rock... my ankle’s swollen up huge... it hurts so bad..."

Jiang Yixia was frantic. She quickly asked, "Where’s Dad? Isn’t he home? Did you go to the hospital?"

"Your dad went to the village entrance to buy medicine... I told him not to go, but he insisted... I’m just lying here at home all alone..." Pan Lanfang’s voice grew weaker and weaker, as if she was in too much pain to speak.

Jiang Yixia’s heart tightened. She said immediately, "Mom, don’t move. I’m coming back right now! Immediately!"

After hanging up, she scrambled to pack her things. Without even bothering to properly close up her shop, she jumped on her electric scooter and rushed to the station.

Her mind was buzzing the entire way, filled with the sound of Pan Lanfang’s pained voice.

’Twisted her ankle, swollen up huge, hurts so bad...’

The more she thought about it, the more panicked she became. She twisted the throttle of her scooter to the max, weaving through traffic.

’If it’s serious, I have to get her to a hospital immediately...’

As soon as the thought surfaced, a name suddenly popped into her mind—Donghua Hospital.

It was the hospital under Lu Fan’s company.

She remembered that when Lu Fan had injured his hand, that’s where he went. The doctors there had been incredibly respectful toward him.

’If... if Mom is really badly hurt, taking her to Donghua Hospital would definitely get her the best doctors.’

Jiang Yixia hesitated for a moment, then picked up her phone and found Lu Fan’s number.

Her finger hovered over the screen, but she just couldn’t bring herself to press it.

’Forget it... I shouldn’t bother him.’

She put her phone away and continued rushing to the station.

Buying a ticket, boarding the bus, the departure—she was in a daze through the whole process.

Sitting on the bus, watching the scenery fly by outside the window, her mind was a complete mess.

’Mom will be okay, right?’

’It’s probably just a sprain. It can’t be too serious, can it?’

She tried to reassure herself over and over, but the more she did, the more panicked she felt.

...

「Meanwhile, in Qingshan Village.」

Pan Lanfang hung up the phone, and the pained expression on her face vanished without a trace.

She sat in her chair, crossed one leg over the other, and with a wide grin, picked up her phone to call Lu Fan.

The phone rang a few times before Lu Fan’s voice came through. "Hello, Auntie?"

Pan Lanfang’s tone was cheerful. "Xiaolu, are you in Yangcheng right now?"

Lu Fan replied, "What’s up, Auntie? I happen to be near Yangcheng."

As it happened, Lu Fan was looking for a villa for Jiang Yixia today. He had checked out several places, but they were either too remote or too cheap and lacked refinement.

Pan Lanfang said with a laugh, "In that case, could you make a trip to the village? My daughter is coming home today. You should come see her."

Lu Fan froze for a second.

’Jiang Yixia’s coming back?’

’Go see her?’

His heart suddenly skipped a beat.

’How could Jiang Yixia suddenly agree to a blind date? Could she be disappointed in me and has decided to accept another man?’

But Lu Fan dismissed the thought a second later.

After all, she hadn’t dated any other men in the past eighteen years.

’There’s no way she’s coming back for a blind date this time.’

He asked tentatively, "Auntie, your daughter... she agreed to a blind date?"

Pan Lanfang heard the apprehension in his voice and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. "Oh, Xiaolu, where is your mind going? That girl is stubborn as a mule. If I told her to come for a blind date, there’s no way she’d actually show up."

"I lied and told her I sprained my ankle to make her hurry back. That girl is so filial, she got worried the second she heard. She should be on her way now."

Lu Fan couldn’t help but chuckle. "Auntie, that little trick of yours is really..."

"Xiaolu, Auntie doesn’t want to deceive you. When she gets back and sees that I’m perfectly fine, she’s definitely going to be angry. I’m telling you the truth because I was afraid it would be awkward for you when you arrive," Pan Lanfang said with a sigh, a hint of resignation in her voice.

"Auntie, please don’t say that. You’re doing this for my sake, I know. It’s fine, I’ll head over right now." A warmth spread through Lu Fan’s chest, and his tone softened.

Pan Lanfang said happily, "Okay, okay, good. Drive safe, and call Auntie when you get here."

After hanging up, the corners of Lu Fan’s mouth couldn’t help but curl up.

’This old lady really has gone to great lengths to set him and Jiang Yixia up.’

He imagined how panicked Jiang Yixia must have been when she got the call, and his heart ached for her a little.

’That girl must have been scared to death.’

He thought for a moment, then picked up his phone and sent Jiang Yixia a message.

Lu Fan: [Why wasn’t your shop open today? I passed by, and the door was closed.]

After sending it, he told Chen He to turn the car around and head toward Qingshan Village.

On the bus, Jiang Yixia was staring blankly out the window when her phone vibrated.

She picked it up and saw it was a message from Lu Fan.

Lu Fan: [Why wasn’t your shop open today? I passed by, and the door was closed.]

She was taken aback for a second, then replied: [Went back to my hometown. Something came up.]

Lu Fan: [What’s wrong? Did something happen? Do you need my help?]

Jiang Yixia looked at the message, feeling a little touched.

She hesitated for a few seconds before replying: [It’s nothing, I can handle it.]

After sending the message, she put her phone away and went back to looking out the window.

But she didn’t feel as panicked as before.

’That guy... even though he’s usually such a smooth-talker, he always asks "Do you need help?" at critical moments.’

She thought back to all the previous incidents: Jiang Ming’s job, Sifan’s case, Silu’s competition...

He was there every single time.

Although she never said it out loud, in her heart, she knew.

She sighed softly, shaking those thoughts from her mind.

’I’ll stop thinking about it. First, I need to get back and see how Mom is doing.’

...

A little over an hour later, Jiang Yixia finally arrived in Qingshan Village.