Chapter 29: Jiang Yan in danger

Zhou Xuanzhi stood outside the ICU; his eyes fixed on the closed door. The hospital room was small and white, with the only source of light coming from the fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling. The smell of disinfectant filled the air, and the sound of machines beeping softly could be heard in the background.

Inside the room, Zhou Xuanzhi's mother lay motionless on the bed, her face pale and her breathing shallow. Tubes ran from her nose and arms, and monitors beeped rhythmically around her. It was clear that she was in a critical condition.

Just then, the doctor came out of the room, and Zhou Xuanzhi quickly approached him.

"Doctor, what's happening with my mother?" he asked, his voice trembling with worry.

The doctor sighed and looked at him with a sympathetic expression. "I'm sorry to say this, but your mother's condition has worsened. She needs to undergo a surgery as soon as possible, or else she might not survive," he said.

Zhou Xuanzhi was taken aback by the news. "What do I need to do to get the operation done?" he asked urgently.

The doctor explained, "You need to shift your mother to the capital hospital. They have the best surgeons for this kind of operation. But you also need to arrange the money for the operation, which is quite expensive."

"How much money do I need?" Zhou Xuanzhi asked, his heart sinking.

"It will cost around 500,000 yuan," the doctor replied.

Zhou Xuanzhi stood frozen, his eyes fixated on the ground, his hands clenched tightly at his side. He was struggling to wrap his head around the daunting sum of money that he needed to arrange for his mother's operation. The doctor's words echoed in his mind as he looked up at him with a blank expression.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Xuanzhi spoke up, his voice barely above a whisper. "I will arrange the amount," he said, his voice trembling with emotion.

The doctor gave him a sympathetic nod before leaving him alone with his thoughts. Zhou Xuanzhi walked slowly towards the door of the ICU, taking a deep breath before peeking through the window. He saw his mother lying in bed, hooked up to machines and tubes, her chest rising and falling with the sound of the beeping monitor.

He couldn't bear to see her like this, so helpless and vulnerable. He leaned his forehead against the door, tears streaming down his face. "I won't let anything happen to you, Mom," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I'll do whatever it takes to arrange the money for your operation."

***

Jiang Yan, Hua Mei, and Ling Meili were buzzing with excitement as they made their way to the backstage area after the concert. They had just seen their idol, Long Lei, perform live, and now they were going to meet him in person.

As they approached the queue for the meet and greet, Jiang Yan suddenly remembered something important and turned to Hua Mei and Ling Meili. "Hey, I just remembered that I have some urgent work to take care of. I won't be able to join you guys for the meet and greet, but I'll meet you at the hotel later."

Ling Meili looked hesitant. "But boss, are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone."

Jiang Yan smiled at her assistant. "Don't worry, Ling Meili. I'll be fine. I just need to take care of this work quickly. Hua Mei promised to get you to the hotel safely, right?"

Hua Mei nodded. "Yes, of course. I'll make sure Ling Meili gets to the hotel without any trouble."

Jiang Yan patted Ling Meili's shoulder. "See? You're in good hands. Now go and enjoy the meet with your idol. I'll see you guys later."

Hua Mei and Ling Meili reluctantly left Jiang Yan and joined the queue for the meet and greet. Jiang Yan watched them go.

Turning towards the exit, Jiang Yan hurried off to take care of her business.

Feng Yuansheng and the rest of the group watched as Jiang Yan hurriedly left the building.

"Third Uncle," Yun Cheng said, tugging on Feng Yuansheng's pant. "Look, my pretty sister over there! She's leaving before I can even say hello to her!"

Feng Yuansheng looked down at the little boy. He scooped Yun Cheng up into his arms, and the boy giggled as he held on tight. Feng Yuansheng then quickened his pace and followed behind the young woman, who was now a little further down the street.

The trio walked down the street until they caught sight of Jiang Yan getting into a taxi.

Feng Yuansheng turned to Li Ming. "Get the car and follow her."

Li Ming nodded and ran off to retrieve the car.

***

Jiang Yan arrived at an abandoned alley. After paying for the taxi, she quickly turned around the corner.

Feng Yuansheng was skeptical when he saw Jiang Yan entering the alley. "What's she doing here?" he thought to himself.

He turned to Yun Cheng who were sitting with him in the back seat. "Stay in the car," he instructed them.

Yun Cheng looked concerned. "Third Uncle, why is pretty sister here? Are you going to follow her?" he asked.

"Don't worry about me," Feng Yuansheng replied confidently. "Just stay here."

He looked at Li Ming, who immediately responded, "Sir, don't worry. I will keep Young Master Yun safe."

With that, Feng Yuansheng got out of the car and disappeared into the darkness of the alley, leaving Yun Cheng and Li Ming behind.

Jiang Yan was walking down the dark alley when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. She waited for a minute and then shouted out, "Get out! I know you've been following me!"

As soon as she spoke, she heard a menacing laughter from the shadows. Before she knew it, she was surrounded by twelve men, all of them looking scary and bulky.

"Little Girl, you are so brave!"