After the car merged into traffic, Wen Ran instructed the driver, "Drive slower."
Just as Gu Kai had mentioned, the ambulance carrying Cheng Jia arrived swiftly. At the very first traffic light, Wen Ran spotted it approaching from the opposite direction.
The two vehicles brushed past each other.
Though everything happened in a blur, making it impossible to see the faces inside, she still recognized Mo Xiuchen.
After a brief moment of hesitation, she asked the driver to turn the car around. He responded with a "Yes, Miss," and steered back toward the hospital.
Two minutes later, the ambulance pulled up to the hospital entrance. The rear doors swung open, and the medical staff led by Gu Kai rushed forward. Cheng Jia was carefully transferred onto a gurney, with Mo Xiuchen following close behind. A glaring swath of blood stained the white shirt at his waist.
Wen Ran's car hadn't followed into the hospital driveway but stopped a few meters away on the roadside. From where she sat, she could clearly see the tension etched across Mo Xiuchen's face.
He was alone—his assistant Qin Mu was nowhere in sight.
From stepping out of the ambulance to disappearing into the hospital entrance, it took only moments before his tall, commanding figure vanished from view.
Wen Ran pressed her lips together and looked away.
"Miss Wen, where shall we go now?" the driver asked politely upon noticing her in a daze.
Suppressing her emotions, Wen Ran replied lightly, "Back to the office. I still have some files to go through—I'll work late tonight and finish them."
"But your arm hasn't fully healed yet."
The driver cast a worried glance at the bandages wrapped around her arm. Young Master Wen had clearly instructed that Miss Wen should rest until fully recovered.
Lowering her gaze to the injury, Wen Ran spoke with calm indifference, "It's fine. It's already much better these past couple of days. Compared to what my brother's been through, this is nothing."
Since waking up on the third day, her brother had resumed managing the company, all to ease her burden. How could she let a minor injury become an excuse for idleness?
The driver was just about to start the engine when her phone began to ring. He paused, watching from the rearview mirror as she retrieved it and answered.
Wen Ran was slightly surprised but still pressed the answer button. "Hello?"
"Ranran, I hope I'm not disturbing you," came Xiao Wenqing's voice, overly warm with a trace of forced familiarity, as though they were old friends. (In truth, even during her relationship with Mo Zixuan, they had never been close.)
Wen Ran's expression froze for a moment as she responded with distant courtesy, "Is there something I can help you with, Mrs. Mo?"
"Ranran, you're part of the Mo family now—Xiuchen calls me Aunt, and so should you. Don't be so formal. I do need a favor from you. Are you free? I'm at Yi Pin Xuan. Come by—we'll chat over lunch."
Xiao Wenqing made it sound as though Wen Ran would naturally oblige, as if she had every right to summon her at will.
But Wen Ran had no desire to be involved with her. In the past, she had been unaware of the Mo family's internal affairs. Now, after hearing about the circumstances surrounding Mo Xiuchen's mother's tragic death from Aunt Zhang, her regard for Xiao Wenqing had soured considerably.
She also knew that Mo Xiuchen harbored resentment toward Xiao Wenqing. With him absent, Wen Ran had even less reason to entertain her invitation.
After a moment's thought, she declined, "I'm unable to leave at the moment. If there's something you need, you may say it over the phone, Aunt Xiao."
She adopted the title Xiao Wenqing had insisted on—if only as a gesture of superficial respect. But she hadn't forgotten the mocking look in Xiao Wenqing's eyes the morning Mo Zixuan had chosen Zhou Lin.
That day, Xiao Wenqing had been delighted that her son had found someone new, free from any potential entanglement with Wen Ran.
"Ranran, this isn't something that can be explained over the phone. If you're busy, I'll wait here. Once you're done, be sure to come by. That's settled then, I won't take more of your time!"
Without giving Wen Ran the chance to refuse, Xiao Wenqing abruptly ended the call.
Listening to the busy tone, Wen Ran's brow furrowed ever so slightly.
She considered calling Mo Xiuchen to inform him that Xiao Wenqing had reached out to her. But with Cheng Jia's condition still uncertain, she didn't want to bother him and decided against it.
After a brief hesitation, Wen Ran made up her mind to go to Yi Pin Xuan and see just what Xiao Wenqing wanted.
Over twenty minutes later, the car arrived at Yi Pin Xuan.
Just as she reached the entrance, Bai Xiaoxiao stepped out with two clients. Upon seeing her, Bai Xiaoxiao sent the clients ahead and walked over.
"Why are you here alone?"
"Xiao Wenqing said she wanted to see me."
Wen Ran's tone remained composed as her eyes flicked toward the interior of the restaurant.
Bai Xiaoxiao frowned. "What does she want? Ranran, is this about Mo Zixuan? I heard he's been drinking himself senseless these past couple of nights. Has he been bothering you again?"
A trace of confusion clouded Wen Ran's expression. "The day we returned from F City, he waited for me at the hospital. He said a few things and left. He hasn't contacted me since."
As for whether Xiao Wenqing's summons had anything to do with Mo Zixuan, Wen Ran truly didn't know.
That night, she had had dinner with her brother and left the hospital with Aunt Li. She hadn't known that Mo Zixuan had waited outside and had seen the mark on her neck, demanding to know if she and Mo Xiuchen had slept together…
He hadn't pestered her further—he simply said a few words, looking thoroughly disheveled.
"Ranran, I'm coming with you. If Xiao Wenqing gives you a hard time, at least you won't be alone."
Bai Xiaoxiao offered firmly. She hadn't been there for Wen Ran during the incident in F City, and since then, her mind was often plagued by worry.
They found Xiao Wenqing on the second floor of the restaurant.
As soon as they stepped onto the landing, they saw her seated by the window. She glanced up at them, a cold gleam flashing quickly through her eyes before she donned a warm and affectionate smile.
"Ranran, Miss Bai—please, have a seat."
Wen Ran and Bai Xiaoxiao approached the table. Xiao Wenqing stood to greet them warmly, without questioning why Bai Xiaoxiao was accompanying her.
"I ran into Ranran downstairs and came up with her. I hope we're not intruding?" Bai Xiaoxiao said with a professional smile.
"Of course not," Xiao Wenqing replied smoothly, summoning a server and asking what they'd like to eat. She offered to treat them both.
"There's no need, Aunt Xiao," Wen Ran declined politely, not taking the offered menu. "I have work to return to, and I'm not here to dine. If you have something to say, please do so now."
The smile on Xiao Wenqing's face faltered momentarily but quickly recovered. She took the menu from the server with practiced ease.
"Work is important, but you can't work on an empty stomach. If you don't order, I will—just a few dishes while we talk. If Old Mo knew I invited you and didn't even offer you a meal, he'd surely scold me."
She brought up Mo Jingteng, subtly reminding Wen Ran that she, after all, was her elder.