Chapter 24: Three Shows of Affection

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Li Xiaoran corrected with a straight face.

He laid her back on the bed.

At this moment, Qiao An realized that Li Xiaoran’s forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Annoyed, Qiao An said, “A useless scholar.”

Li Xiaoran was speechless.

Did she think he was weak?

He worked out regularly, and the one thing he didn’t lack was strength.

Li Xiaoran played a prank. “Qiao An, I’m sweating not because I’m tired, but because I’m frightened. You seem to be paralyzed.”

Qiao An looked instantly uncomfortable.

“I … don’t want to be paralyzed.”

She sobbed and said, “Dr. Li, aren’t you the authority in this area? You must treat my legs!”

Li Xiaoran sighed and spouted nonsense in all seriousness. “Sigh, you’re the one who said that I’m a useless scholar. I can’t do anything about your legs.”

Qiao An’s cries stopped abruptly. She was sure that Li Xiaoran was playing tricks on her. This was because Li Xiaoran’s lips were curled up into a smile that made him look like he was asking for a beating.

“You lied to me?” Qiao An huffed.

Li Xiaoran knocked her head and reprimanded, “Let’s see if you still dare to despise doctors as useless scholars in the future.”

Qiao An winced and rolled her eyes at him.

Li Xiaoran had just finished checking Qiao An when Qiao An rudely asked him to leave. “You can get lost now.”

Li Xiaoran said good-naturedly, “Aren’t you going to listen to the doctor’s advice? The tension in your legs has recovered slightly. You have to increase the time you spend getting out of bed…”

Qiao An said, “Where do you get all that crap?”

Li Xiaoran was stunned.

It was the first time a patient had ever given him the cold shoulder.

Lu Mo pulled the stunned Li Xiaoran away.

Qiao An heard them talking. “Senior, I didn’t expect you to be so gentle with your patients when you usually look so aloof. But you don’t have to be so patient with patients who don’t know what’s good for them.”

“Patients are our bread and butter,” Li Xiaoran said leisurely.

Their two voices drifted away.

Qiao An’s lips thinned. “A beast in human clothing.”

Li Zecheng and Wei Xin’s trending topics were removed without a trace.

This filled Qiao An with grief and indignation. Capital is power afterall.

Especially when she accidentally scrolled to Wei Xin’s Moments, Wei Xin actually left a message on her social media page. “The sky is clear after the rain. Thank you, my big baby, for protecting my life. Thank you for blocking all the storms outside for me.”

The accompanying photo was that of Li Zecheng’s zodiac, an extremely loyal golden retriever.

Qiao An felt an indescribable grievance in her heart. Her husband, Li Zecheng, had spent a lot of money to suppress the trending topic so quickly for the sake of another woman. Back then, when she was kidnapped by the kidnappers and her life was on the line, he hadn’t been so proactive in rescuing her.

Qiao An’s heart, which was beating for Li Zecheng, turned cold just like that.

Qiao An left a message under Wei Xin’s caption. “Congratulations on having a loyal dog. I’m not as lucky as you. My dog is out there stealing pheasants. Watch how I’ll deal with him.”

As soon as Qiao An left the message, it was as if the calm surface of a lake had been shocked into huge ripples by a stone.

Many friends commented below, “Qiao An, when did you get a dog? Why didn’t I know? Oh my god, why didn’t you consult me before you bought the dog? Let me tell you, hounds are the smartest. Golden retrievers can help their masters solve their worries… A dog like this is really a waste of natural resources. It’s a low-quality breed that only appears once in a hundred years.”

Qiao An said, “I bought it when I first got married. I didn’t know the breed back then, so I just ordered a dog off the Internet.”

… .

When Li Zecheng saw this comment, especially Qiao An’s hint, he was furious.

He first called Wei Xin angrily. “Who asked you to leave such a message on your page?”

Wei Xin trembled. “Brother Zecheng, I rarely use that number and have very few friends in that circle. I don’t know why Qiao An would dive into that number.”

Li Zecheng said angrily, “Delete that comment immediately. Remember, don’t show off your love in the future.”

Wei Xin said obsequiously, “Yes, Brother Zecheng.”

After hanging up, Li Zecheng angrily called Qiao An.

When Qiao An received the call, she was in a good mood. She teased, “Hubby, did the sun come out of the west today? You actually took the initiative to call me?”

Li Zecheng’s voice was low and angry. “Qiao An, don’t play dumb with me. What did you mean by your message on Wei Xin’s post?”

Jo Ann casually fiddled with her fingernails as she answered. “Oh, are you talking about that comment about the dog?”

Li Zecheng gritted his teeth in anger. “Who are you calling a dog?”

Qiao An laughed. “Do you think I was referring to you?”

“Aren’t you?” Li Zecheng was furious.

Qiao An laughed. “Oh, you probably think you’re like a dog. That’s why you thought I was talking about you.”

Li Zecheng was speechless.

Qiao An chuckled. “Don’t worry. Fox Wei has deleted that comment.”

“Qiao An, know when to stop.”

Li Zecheng hung up angrily.

Qiao An stuck her tongue out at the phone, feeling good.

A few days later, Qiao An received a call for help from her elderly father at home.

“An’an, Mom is sick. She has terminal kidney disease. The doctor suggested that we do a kidney transplant as soon as possible. Take some time to go home!”

Jo Ann was petrified by the sad news.

Her parents were in a remote town in the south. Usually, when she contacted them, she would only report the good news and not the bad. Therefore, her parents were still unaware that she had jumped off a building.

Now that her mother was sick, Qiao An should have rushed home to visit her mother immediately, especially since she was the only daughter.

But she was half paralyzed and bedridden. How could she go home?

Joe’s father’s hoarse voice revealed endless fatigue as he continued to tell of his need for his daughter.

“The doctor said that your mother’s illness might cost millions. Dad decided to sell the house in our old home, so we can probably gather more than a million dollars. Mom and I still have two hundred thousand dollars in our savings. I really don’t know what to do about the remaining money. An’an, Dad knows that I shouldn’t ask you, but I really don’t have a choice. Can you think of a way to help me gather some?”

Qiao An’s eyes turned red. “Dad, don’t sell the house first. Leave the medical fees to me.”

Mr. Qiao said guiltily, “An’an, I’m sorry. I was incompetent and caused you trouble.”

When she hung up, Jo Ann had to face the harsh reality. She had to raise money to treat her mother.

Although she had married into a wealthy family, Li Zecheng had never handed over his financial power. Her income for the past two years had been used to supplement her family’s expenses. Now, she was really penniless.

Qiao An was desperate. She called Li Zecheng.

“I need money. Can I borrow some?” Qiao An said humbly.