Chapter 5: He Still Had the Nerve to Seek Her Out

Assistant Chen immediately understood that Yu Siting was asking about the Yan family.

“Yes, sir.”

“The land they spent so much acquiring in recent years is tied up in a dispute. They haven’t been able to start the project, so they can’t recover their investment.”

“Their debts fall due this year as well. Suppliers and building contractors have broken their agreements, bringing some projects already under way to a halt. The losses are enormous. They can’t repay what they owe, and their cash flow has hit a dead end.”

Yu Siting frowned, his expression grave.

Without a substantial fresh injection of capital to get the projects moving, Yan Group might be beyond saving.

No wonder Yan Xi had made helping the company her condition for a divorce.

Seeing him remain silent, his eyes unreadable, the assistant cautiously added, “I’ve heard your wife’s sister has started selling company properties to repay the debts. But buyers are deliberately driving down the prices—thirty percent below market value, or even less.”

Many people in Beicheng’s business circles were waiting for Yan Group to collapse so they could snap up bargains.

The assistant had expected Yu Siting to act after hearing this. Instead, he sat in the back seat with a cold gaze and offered no opinion. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

At the hospital, Yan Xi examined Qin Xicheng’s test results carefully. Only once she was sure nothing was wrong did she hand them back.

“Everything looks healthy. Keep these results somewhere safe.”

Watching her serious face, Qin Xicheng smiled.

“It’s hard to imagine that the little girl who was always crying has become such an accomplished attending physician.”

He took the report and glanced over it.

“If I remember correctly, you used to say you wanted to be like your sister. How did you end up becoming a doctor?”

Her smile stiffened.

Years ago, Yu Siting had been injured and nearly died. At the height of her schoolgirl infatuation, Yan Xi had ignored her sister’s objections and applied to Beicheng Medical University without a second thought.

Remembering that youthful impulse now, she could not help regretting it.

If she had not studied medicine, she might be working herself to the bone for Yan Group right now.

“One thing led to another.”

Her brief answer could not hide the loss in her eyes.

Qin Xicheng kept smiling, though something deeper lay beneath his clear gaze.

“Medicine is a good choice too. You get to help people.”

“Yan Group will make it through, Xi. Don’t worry too much.”

He gently ruffled her hair, just as he had when they were children.

“I’ll introduce you to a few property tycoons tonight. They should be interested in the projects your family holds.”

At the mention of Yan Group, her face fell.

“Is Dr. Yan here?”

The office door opened. Zhao Xue’er stood in the doorway, taken aback by the scene before her. Then she gave an awkward smile.

“I’m sorry. The door wasn’t quite shut, so… I hope I’m not interrupting.”

With a patient present, Qin Xicheng calmly withdrew his hand, picked up his report, and stood.

“I’ll pick you up after work.”

He left before Yan Xi could answer.

Zhao Xue’er stepped aside, smiling to let him pass.

“Is that your boyfriend, Doctor? He’s so handsome.”

Yan Xi’s eyes darkened. She did not explain. Puzzled to find Zhao Xue’er at her door, she asked, “Can I help you, Miss Zhao?”

Zhao Xue’er’s expression brightened in apparent recognition.

“You’re the one from yesterday—Grandma Yu’s honorary granddaughter. Siting’s honorary younger sister.”

Yan Xi did not respond. Her gaze fell on the report in Zhao Xue’er’s hand.

Taking the hint, Zhao Xue’er immediately offered it, looking uncomfortable.

“Dr. Lu Fangfei in obstetrics and gynecology told me to bring this up to you.”

Why had Lu Fangfei sent this particular headache her way?

Yan Xi took the report. At the diagnostic notes, her expression changed.

Zhao Xue’er was not pregnant!

Her face serious, Yan Xi leafed through the medical records.

“Is something wrong with me, Dr. Yan?” Zhao Xue’er asked anxiously.

“Yes.” Yan Xi looked up. “Today’s examination shows no live fetus in the uterus.”

“We need further tests. When a pregnancy has been misdiagnosed, there are generally two possibilities: an ectopic pregnancy or an ovarian tumor.”

“In either case, a family member will need to come and sign for surgery as soon as possible.”

Zhao Xue’er’s face stiffened. She bowed her head and was silent for a long time before asking with visible embarrassment, “Can my boyfriend come and sign?”

Yan Xi’s pen paused over the test order. Bitterness seeped through her.

“Yes.”

She handed over the form and told Zhao Xue’er to join the queue for the tests.

Zhao Xue’er nodded. As she got up, she took out her phone and called Yu Siting. Her voice was fragile, frightened, and close to breaking, as though she had been diagnosed with something incurable.

“Siting, please come to the hospital. There’s something wrong with me.”

Watching her leave, Yan Xi rubbed her brow. Did women who knew how to act helpless really have it easier?

The thought of her husband bringing his first love to his lawful wife for treatment made her chest tighten.

To avoid them, she went early to the operating room to prepare for surgery.

Four hours later, she emerged. It was already growing dark outside. Four hours of intense concentration had left her physically and mentally drained.

With her early pregnancy adding to the strain, even her hands were trembling.

A male intern under her supervision saw how exhausted she was and hurried over to support her by the hand.

“You’ve worked hard, Dr. Yan.”

She smiled gently and accepted his kindness.

“I’m getting old,” she joked. “Can’t keep up anymore.”

Then she felt a piercing gaze. Turning, she saw Yu Siting standing nearby with Zhao Xue’er, his face cold.

She stopped and slowly withdrew her hand from the intern’s.

The head of her department hurried forward with an ingratiating smile.

“You’re finally out, Dr. Yan. Mr. Yu and Miss Zhao have been waiting for hours.”

“Mr. Yu thinks very highly of your skills. He’s specifically asked you to operate on Miss Zhao. Come and take a look at her.”

Still smiling, he lowered his voice so only Yan Xi could hear.

“Mr. Yu says he’ll donate a whole batch of new medical equipment if you perform her operation.”

“Whether our patients get to use that new equipment is all up to you.”

Yan Xi frowned. Even her patience had its limits.

What was wrong with Yu Siting? She had deliberately avoided them, and he still had the nerve to force himself into her path!

Wasn’t he afraid she might lose control on the operating table and kill his precious first love?