Chapter 45: Taking the Initiative

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three days had passed.

Antong's allergic reaction had already subsided. If she didn't go out, she would spend most of her spare time hiding away in the Western-style mansion, searching for books and consulting materials.

An'an, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease in this new environment. With more space to roam, it busied itself by darting everywhere, often disappearing from sight. Occasionally, upon seeing Butler Li, it would circle around his legs with the easy familiarity of an old friend.

These days were peaceful enough, if a bit mundane.

Antong had already declined all her part-time work, moving only between the front and back courtyards each day, and even when she did go out, she no longer had Cheng Feng accompany her.

That morning, her phone, which had been silent for days, suddenly rang.

Antong gazed at the screen, her eyes momentarily unfocused.

She steadied her breath and answered calmly.

On the other end was Su Ji’s lively, familiar voice. "Darling, I’m back in Hong Kong. I’ll come to your place to see you in a bit."

Antong didn’t expose her lie. Glancing at the time, she replied, "Alright, shall we have lunch together?"

"Sure! I’ll take you out to eat. I can never figure out all those high-tech gadgets at your place," Su Ji quipped.

After hanging up, Antong glanced down at the clinical medicine monograph on her desk, feeling a mixture of emotions.

A couple of days ago, she had run into Su Ji at the hospital, who texted her as soon as she returned to the Cloud’s Summit.

But what excuse had Su Ji given her?

She had still claimed she was away on a business trip out of province, using work as her cover.

No one understood the anxiety and uncertainty of having a sick family member better than Antong.

Since Su Ji didn’t want to speak about it, Antong could only pretend she knew nothing, playing along with her wish for peaceful days.

…

The weather had grown colder. Antong threw on a woolen coat at random, tied up her long hair, and headed out.

As she crossed the back corridor, she ran into Cheng Feng face to face.

"Xiao An, going out? Need a ride?" Cheng Feng looked around warily for any sign of the Ninth Master, but seeing none, he called her Xiao An again, without reserve.

To his surprise, Antong didn’t refuse as usual. After a moment’s thought, she accepted readily, "I need to go to Yunhai Road."

"No problem. Wait here, I’ll get the car."

Antong descended the corridor steps, glancing around idly as she waited.

Her gaze drifted past the plane trees and unexpectedly landed on two figures standing beneath the branches.

One, dressed in the classic combination of white shirt and suit trousers, could only be Dr. Rong.

The other, whose face was visible only in profile and who was a few centimeters shorter than Dr. Rong, was dressed in a meticulously tailored business suit—a standard business professional.

In fact, over the past few days, Antong and Dr. Rong had rarely crossed paths. Though they lived next door to each other, both tacitly abided by their mutual agreement to keep out of each other’s affairs.

Antong was quite satisfied with this arrangement, and she imagined Dr. Rong felt the same.

"Well, speak of the devil—she’s looking at you," Su Yiting remarked, sensing the gaze from behind. Turning his head slightly, he saw Antong standing on the steps, watching them.

Rong Shen didn’t turn around. He tapped the ash from his cigarette and spoke in a deep voice, "Stay out of the Rong family business. As long as it doesn’t harm the Su family’s interests, let them do as they please."

"Don’t worry, my father isn’t a fool. Outsiders think the Su and Rong families are bound together by interest, but we both know the Su family’s interests are tied to you alone," Su Yiting said around his cigarette, his tone vague and amused. "But tell me, since you’ve registered the marriage, when do you plan to make it public?"

"We’ll see," Rong Shen replied.

Su Yiting glanced at the sharp profile of the man beside him and clicked his tongue. "Your grandmother has been obsessed with power her entire life, always wanting to control everyone. You’re probably the only junior who refuses to obey. Just don’t drive the old lady into a fit of illness."

Rong Shen said nothing, lips curving into a faint, inscrutable smile.

Seeing this, Su Yiting made a small sound, correcting himself, "Oh, I almost forgot. You’re the second disobedient one. The first was your father."

After a few minutes, Su Yiting cast a few glances at Antong from a distance, then turned and left Cloud’s Summit.

As for Rong Jiu registering his marriage, Su Yiting was more than happy to see it happen.

As he’d said, better to act first than be manipulated by others.

There were many advantages to a marriage alliance, but just as many drawbacks.

Besides, that old fox Rong Jiu hardly needed a marriage alliance to expand his influence.

The whole Rong family, including the Old Madam herself who thought she held all the strings, probably underestimated just how deep and unfathomable his mind and methods truly were.

…

After Su Yiting left, Rong Shen strolled toward the corridor.

Antong stepped forward to meet him. "Dr. Rong."

They stood by the plane-tree path. A cold wind swept by, stirring the loose hair that fell across the man’s forehead, lending him an air of elegant refinement.

"Is your allergy better?"

Hands in his pockets, his gaze as deep as the sea, he studied her face.

Antong smiled. "I'm fine now. I stopped the medication yesterday."

"Heading out?"

"Yes, I’m going back to Yunhai Road. Su Ji invited me to lunch."

Their words flowed back and forth, neither distant nor intimate.

Rong Shen lifted his arm, glancing at his watch. "What time will you be back?"

Antong thought for a moment and shook her head. "Not sure yet. Is there something you need?"

His gaze gentle, he smiled. "Come find me in the front hall when you return. I have some materials to show you."

"Alright."

…

In the living room, Rong Shen’s tall, slender figure entered, dressed in a thin shirt.

Outside, the sky was overcast, shrouded in mist.

He settled into a chair at the tea table, moving with a serene elegance as he arranged the teaware, his entire bearing untouched by the world’s vulgarities.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind.

He glanced over with the corner of his eye, but continued his deliberate movements with the tea. "If you have something to say, come here."

"Boss..." A crisp voice, accompanied by the sound of approaching footsteps. "Good morning."

It was Ling Qi, twenty-five years old, with a baby face and a pair of lively, round eyes that sparkled with intelligence.

Her name suited her—she was full of spirit.

Rong Shen lifted his eyelids. "Well? Have you settled in?"

Ling Qi, dressed in a maid’s uniform, pursed her lips sheepishly. "Not yet. It’s a tough assignment, but I think I’m getting close."

At least… she’d been wandering around Miss An’s mansion for two days now, and yesterday Miss An finally spoke to her.

That was quite an achievement.

He pressed his lips together, voice calm, signaling her to continue her report.

"Miss An has spent most of her time reading these past couple of days." Ling Qi sobered, recalling carefully. "But yesterday, while I was mopping the floor, I overheard her calling the Donation Center—she seemed to be inquiring about donating blood."

Rong Shen’s hand, holding the tea strainer, stilled in mid-air. "What books was she reading?"

Ling Qi shook her head, then searched for an excuse for herself. "I didn’t notice. I’m not that familiar with Miss An yet, and as a ‘maid’ I can't be too nosy or she’ll get suspicious."

He was silent for a long while, his gaze growing deeper and more inscrutable.

Ling Qi’s eyes darted around, and she lowered her voice to offer her own conjecture, "Boss, do you think Miss An might be… looking to donate stem cells?"

That afternoon, she and Cheng Feng had gone to the Hong Kong People’s Hospital to investigate.

Miss An’s friend, Su Ji, had a mother, Ji Shuhe, who had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. She would need chemotherapy followed by a hematopoietic stem cell transplant for any hope of recovery.

With a soft clack, Rong Shen placed the tea strainer onto the tray, his voice suddenly several degrees lower, "Get close to her as soon as possible. From now on, whenever she goes out, you’ll accompany her."

"Alright, I’ll do my best." Ling Qi clenched her fist in a gesture of encouragement to herself.

Just as she turned to leave, something else occurred to her. "Oh, and the deputy director asked me to let you know, the person in charge at Prince Chuang Technology has been stalling for over half a month and still refuses to reveal any information about Code God. The deputy director wants to know if you’d consider buying shares and approaching them as a partner for negotiations?"

"No need for now," the man replied, lowering his gaze as he sipped his tea, his expression calm. "Go on, get to work."