Zhang Xinyi opened her mouth like a dead fish, but could not utter a single word of refutation.
This embarrassing farce had now reached its conclusion.
Facing the speechless Zhang Xinyi, Zhan Yichen took a cold step forward and looked at the Zhang couple.
"If you want the Zhan family to take responsibility, it's simple. Pu Shu has agreed to marry Zhang Xinyi. After all, Pu Shu has worked for the Zhan family for many years, and Zhang Xinyi is my wife's cousin. The Zhan family will arrange the wedding."
What, was marriage being discussed already?
Zhang Xinyi looked up at Zhan Yichen, who stood over her. Meeting the coldness in his eyes, she froze.
"All that's missing is Zhang Xinyi's nod of agreement." Zhan Yichen's calm words were like a merciless blade, piercing Zhang Xinyi fiercely.
"Thank you, Second Young Master!"
Not only could he marry a beautiful wife, but he wouldn't have to spend a cent on the wedding. Pu Shu was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly to Zhan Yichen in thanks.
Zhan Yichen's expression was indifferent. He took Mu Linjing's hand, which hung by her side. His warm, large hand enclosed her boneless, soft one with a resolute air.
"No! I won't agree to marry him!" Disbelief flickered across Zhang Xinyi's face. How could her marriage be so casually decided in a few words? She was meant to marry a rich and powerful man, absolutely not a mere servant!
"That's right, how can you let Xinyi marry a servant! Your Zhan family is too heartless!" Liu Xin and Zhang Yi clamored incessantly, determined to seek justice for their daughter.
"Enough, the Zhan family is not a place for you to throw a tantrum!" Zhan Mohan's sharp dark eyes swept over them, his deep voice laced with ice. "The responsibility you seek, the Zhan family will provide. It would be best if you returned and picked an auspicious day to get married."
A palpable pressure emanated from Zhan Mohan, and an icy chill seemed to spread through the air. The Zhang couple was startled by his aura and dared not speak.
"No, I won't marry a mere servant!" Zhang Xinyi's eyes widened, and she cried out in emotional collapse before covering her face and fleeing the Zhan residence.
"Xinyi, Xinyi, hurry back!" Liu Xin was shocked as her beloved daughter ran off crying. She watched Zhang Xinyi's receding figure disappear before her eyes.
"If anything happens to my daughter, your Zhan family won't be able to escape responsibility!" Liu Xin stamped her feet in a panic, hands on her hips, scolding like a shrew. She pointed at Mu Linjing's nose, "You're her cousin, and this is how you treat your cousin? You ungrateful wretch!"
Zhan Yichen shielded Mu Linjing, his eyes filled with ferocity.
Liu Xin's scolding was instantly choked in her throat. She and Zhang Yi rushed to the Zhan family's main gate, but Zhang Xinyi was nowhere to be seen on either side of the road.
"Xin, Xinyi..." Seeing her daughter vanish before her eyes, Liu Xin's blood rushed to her head. Her chest heaved with exertion, her vision darkened, and she collapsed backward stiffly.
Zhang Yi spun around in a frenzy, looking in the direction Zhang Xinyi had gone, while anxiously holding Liu Xin.
The ambulance wailed as it arrived, taking both of them to the hospital. Mu Linjing's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. Her usually calm eyes glanced towards the empty doorway.
From this day forward, she had no reason to help her maternal uncle's family anymore.
At the hospital, the red light of the emergency room turned off. Liu Xin lay weakly on the hospital bed, pushed out by a nurse.
"Doctor, how is my wife?" Zhang Yi rushed forward as soon as he saw the doctor emerge. Looking at Liu Xin's unconscious state, he asked with concern.
"Acute emotional distress. She needs to be hospitalized for observation," the doctor told Zhang Yi truthfully.
"Then why isn't my wife awake yet? Did your emergency treatment do nothing?" Zhang Yi tried to shake Liu Xin, and seeing she was still unconscious, he jumped anxiously, "Are you trying to scam us out of money?"
"What are you saying? You haven't paid the medical fees yet. It was kind of us doctors to perform the surgery," the nurse replied with some dissatisfaction. They had worked hard in the operating room, and his words were quite unpleasant.
"The anesthesia hasn't worn off yet. She'll wake up naturally later."
The doctor left the remark behind and, without further interaction with Zhang Yi, hurried away in his white coat.
Hearing the doctor's words, Zhang Yi grew anxious and tried to chase after him. A nearby nurse sighed and stopped him.
"Please go to the front desk and settle the medical fees first, then complete the hospitalization procedures. Otherwise, the patient cannot be admitted."
Zhang Yi looked at the young nurse who seemed to be enjoying herself. He chuckled, puffing out his chest arrogantly.
"My niece always pays our medical bills. How can you say we owe money? Go and check again!"
"Not only the outstanding medical fees, but the surgery fee for this time hasn't been paid either. You've already exceeded your credit. If you don't pay now, you won't be admitted!"
The nurse's words stunned Zhang Yi. Seeing the nurse about to leave, he quickly asked.
"No, my niece should have paid the medical fees. Her name is Mu Linjing!" Zhang Yi grabbed the nurse, his voice loud and insistent.
"You have definitively not made any payments," the nurse frowned. She pulled her arm away and said to Zhang Yi at an extremely fast pace, "If you have no money, we'll have to ask you to leave."
The nurse quickly moved away from Zhang Yi. Zhang Yi was unwilling to let her go and grabbed her arm.
"Did your hospital overcharge me? Black-hearted hospital! You're not leaving until you give me an explanation!"
Zhang Yi roared loudly, attracting the attention of other patients in the corridor, who poked their heads out to watch the noisy spectacle.
The head nurse and several security guards rushed over, surrounding Zhang Yi and Liu Xin, who was still on the hospital bed.
Liu Xin was also awakened by the commotion. She groggily opened her eyes and saw the large gathering. Startled, she quickly asked Zhang Yi.
"What's happening?"
"They say we haven't paid and want to kick us out, this black-hearted hospital!" Zhang Yi, full of indignation, cursed loudly.
The people around them pointed at the Zhang couple. The head nurse, seeing the situation escalate, took out the payment slip and showed it to Zhang Yi.
"This is the detailed breakdown of all your expenses. Please look carefully. We have not received a single cent, but if you still do not pay, according to regulations, you cannot be admitted."
Zhang Yi's eyes widened. He snatched the slip. Mu Linjing, this time, had truly not paid their medical fees for them anymore.
"This... this must be some misunderstanding. Is your hospital really going to refuse to help the dying? This is too much!" Zhang Yi, knowing he was in the wrong, still put on a bold front, determined to stay at the hospital.
"You owe money and refuse to pay, then slander the hospital. Please leave!"
The head nurse glanced at the security guards, who nodded.