Chapter 58: He Was Lucky to Survive

Ye Zehong smiled faintly, gazing at her without giving her the chance to evade. Lu Yao’s eyes held a trace of grievance as she looked at him. A spark of inspiration flashed through her mind; she handed him the organized list and asked, “I have here a list of names. Could you help me obtain these people’s recent medical records?”

Seeing the hope brimming in her expression, Ye Zehong’s heart softened. Nevertheless, he reminded her, “You’re a lawyer—you should know that without the patients’ consent, it’s illegal to access their medical records. It would violate the Physicians’ Law as well as their privacy. Besides, such evidence would not be admissible in court.”

Of course she knew these records wouldn’t be accepted as evidence, but all she wanted was to discover the truth. Judging by Qiao Wanliang’s ruthless actions, this joint appeal was clearly a trap he had set for the Ye Corporation. If she wanted to earn Ye Yingtang’s trust and infiltrate the company’s inner circle, she had to win flawlessly.

She took his hand, acting coquettish as she pleaded, “You’ve resigned, you’re not a doctor anymore.”

Ye Zehong guessed her intentions and had no intention of taking that risk. Simply put, he didn’t want her to get too deeply entangled with the Ye family. The deeper involved she became, the more dangerous it would be.

He reached out to gently pat her head and said softly, “You still have time to withdraw. Leave the capital, stay away from the Ye family.”

Lu Yao looked up at him in displeasure, never expecting that he would still insist she leave the city. If that was how he truly felt, why pretend to care at all?

Buzz, buzz, buzz. At that moment, Ye Zehong’s phone rang. The caller ID displayed “Wan’er, darling.” He hesitated, just about to decline the call, when Lu Yao said coldly, “You might as well answer. Your future father-in-law just had a heart attack and was hospitalized; Miss Qiao must desperately need your company right now.”

Ye Zehong gazed at her deeply, murmured an assent, and walked out of the hospital room. The moment the door closed, a faint ache pierced Lu Yao’s heart.

After three years of secret affection, he was unwilling to help her with even the smallest request—what more could she expect? She laughed at herself, gathered the files from the table, got out of bed, and went to find her attending physician.

Perhaps, if she appealed to the doctor, there was still a chance to obtain the records.

The doctors’ offices were in the administrative wing upstairs. Unfamiliar with the hospital layout, Lu Yao stepped into a random elevator. Unlike the bustling, noisy inpatient ward below, the upper floor was eerily quiet.

She glanced at the sign and realized she had wandered into the exclusive VIP ward area. Just as she was about to turn back, a familiar voice sounded behind her.

Inside the VIP suite, Qiao Wan’er immediately collapsed weakly into Ye Zehong’s arms upon seeing him, sobbing as she said, “Ze Hong, you’re finally here. I called you so many times—why didn’t you answer? When Dad had his attack and fainted this morning, I thought I was going to die of fright.”

Ye Zehong’s gaze remained cold as he looked at Qiao Wanliang, who lay on the hospital bed, hooked up to a ventilator. Only then did the tightness in his chest from Lu Yao’s suffering ease a little.

He tried to push Qiao Wan’er’s arms away, but as if sensing his intention, she clung even tighter to his waist, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, “Ze Hong, if anything happens to my father, you’ll be all I have left in this world.”

Ye Zehong watched Qiao Wan’er cry her heart out, but found himself unable to sympathize. Thinking of how Qiao Wanliang had relentlessly pursued the innocent Lu Yao, his hands clenched, and a colder gleam appeared in his eyes.

Qiao Wanliang had survived this time—he could only count himself lucky.