Chapter 46: Putting Oneself in Another's Shoes
Su Ji’s mother’s illness was something Rong Shen had indeed heard about.
But that was all. He could not possibly concern himself with the domestic affairs of unrelated people. In the end, it had nothing to do with him, nor with An Tong.
Yet, if Ling Qi’s suspicions proved to be true, he would no longer be able to stand idly by.
...
Yunhai Road.
Su Ji and An Tong arrived almost simultaneously. Their cars stopped one after the other on the side road outside the alley. Su Ji had just unfastened her seatbelt and glanced up, only to see her precious cabbage stepping out of a Mercedes van, immediately furrowing her brow.
Had this child made new friends?
Su Ji pushed open her car door and strode forward, peering through the gap in the doorway to clearly see Cheng Feng’s face—handsome enough, but with a sycophantic smile.
His voice was loud, as if afraid An Tong might be deaf. “Xiao An, call me when you’re done, I’ll come pick you up.”
Su Ji narrowed her eyes and yanked An Tong toward her. “Him? Doctor Rong?”
Did this one have anything in common with a gentleman?
“No.” An Tong faced Su Ji’s scrutinizing gaze and took the initiative to introduce, “He’s Cheng Feng, Doctor Rong’s driver.”
Cheng Feng, still inside the car and having heard everything, fell silent.
An Tong didn’t want irrelevant people distracting Su Ji any further. She pulled her along into the alley, casually making up a story, “I just finished counseling therapy, he happened to give me a ride home.”
Su Ji cast her a sideways glance. “Doctors have personal drivers now?”
“I don’t know about others, but Doctor Rong is a second-generation rich kid. Having a driver isn’t really surprising.” An Tong put on a serious face.
Su Ji: ...
The more she listened, the less Doctor Rong seemed like a proper doctor.
The two ventured deeper into the alley. Su Ji’s brows were tinged with fatigue, her eyes weighed down by heavy worries and anxiety.
An Tong saw all this, but asked nothing and chose not to say more.
As for Su Ji, despite her difficult days, she still presented herself as an elder sister, showing care and concern for An Tong.
Once inside, Su Ji shuffled into the living room. “You kept asking if I’d come home—was there something you wanted to talk about? I’ve been so busy lately, really haven’t had time to keep you company.”
“I don’t need you to keep me company.” Afraid Su Ji might read too much into it, An Tong blurted out something unexpectedly sentimental, “I just missed you, that’s why I asked when you’d be back.”
Su Ji wore a look that said, “Do you take me for a fool?” and laughed coldly twice. “No way. Are you really that attached to me?”
An Tong pressed her lips together in silence, her clumsy tongue unable to respond.
In fact, if Aunt Ji hadn’t fallen ill, she would have considered telling Su Ji about the marriage registration. But now, An Tong decided to keep it hidden.
The two chatted idly in the bungalow for half an hour, then went out for lunch as noon approached.
An Tong was not adept at words, nor did she know how to comfort Su Ji. She had researched extensively—acute myeloid leukemia could be cured if hematopoietic stem cell transplants were available.
The most direct solution An Tong could think of was to go to the donation center for a compatibility test. Whether it worked or not, at least she would have tried.
She no longer had a mother, and Su Ji had been so good to her. An Tong didn’t want Su Ji to follow in her own footsteps...
After lunch, the sisters parted ways, with An Tong excusing herself for other matters.
At half past one in the afternoon, An Tong walked into the bone marrow donation center, signed the consent form, and underwent a venous blood test.
...
She returned to Cloud Summit precisely at three o’clock.
Remembering Doctor Rong’s words, she went straight to the front hall, where she happened to run into a familiar figure.
It was the cleaner responsible for her villa’s hygiene, named Ling Qi. Rumor had it her family circumstances were modest, and she took this part-time job for work-study.
“Welcome back, Miss An,” Ling Qi greeted her warmly, carrying a tray.
An Tong replied with a gentle smile. “Mm.”
Ling Qi’s eyes brightened, ready to chat further, but An Tong passed by slowly, not lingering.
Alright, keep up the effort. The boss had said Miss An was not talkative and shy; as long as Ling Qi could get familiar with her before heading to Zhanzhou, it would be fine.
In the living room, a man sat upright at the tea table, his slender, well-proportioned fingers pouring tea from a clay teapot.
“Doctor Rong,” An Tong took a seat opposite him and spoke softly, “Are you not busy today?”
“No matter how busy, one must rest.” Rong Shen placed a teacup before her, a faint smile hidden in his deep eyes. “You’re back so early—why not spend more time with your friend?”
“She had something to do, so she left first.”
Whenever An Tong lied, she unconsciously lowered her eyelids, avoiding eye contact. No matter who she faced, anyone paying attention could notice this small detail.
Rong Shen was no exception.
The atmosphere grew too quiet. In the spacious living room, only the sound of the man sipping tea could be heard.
An Tong lifted her head slightly, unexpectedly meeting the man’s gaze, deep as an ancient well.
He drank his tea, but his eyes watched her over the rim.
This made An Tong a bit nervous, a subtle embarrassment as if her lie had been seen through.
She didn’t dare meet Doctor Rong’s eyes for long and searched for a topic to shift the conversation. “Do you have some documents you want me to read?”
“No rush.” The man idly stroked the teacup, displaying elegant composure and handsome bearing. “Have you tried the hot springs in the backyard these days?”
An Tong was startled. “Not yet.”
There was a hot spring in the backyard? She had no idea.
“If you have time, you might try it. Hot springs are quite effective for relieving fatigue and soothing emotions.”
An Tong was tempted, but remembering she had just had blood drawn, she touched her left arm at the vein. “Alright, I’ll go in a few days.”
Rong Shen noticed her small gesture, raised his brows, and asked, “What’s wrong with your arm?”
“There’s a needle mark—can’t get it wet for twenty-four hours.” Seeing him narrow his dark eyes, An Tong added, “Just a blood test, not an illness.”
He refilled her cup, the rolled-up sleeve revealing muscular, well-defined lines, exuding strength.
He glanced at An Tong, speaking casually, “Did you have the test at the hospital?”
His offhand question made An Tong hesitate.
She considered whether to tell the truth.
Perhaps he noticed her internal struggle, for Rong Shen’s gaze grew more focused. “You don’t want to tell me?”
The next moment, An Tong confessed everything without reservation.
The young woman couldn’t handle pressure—once pressed, she admitted everything.
The man still retained his gentle, refined demeanor, as calm as water, but his slightly furrowed brows betrayed his disapproval. “There are many ways to help—not all require risking yourself.”
“I’m not risking myself.” An Tong argued, trying to convince him. “I just wanted to get a match first—if it works, great. If not, I’ll voluntarily donate stem cells so Aunt Ji can have priority for a match.”
Seeing Rong Shen remain silent, An Tong explained softly again, “I have to do something. Su Su has taken care of me all these years, and I don’t want her to end up like me—with no... mother.”
Putting herself in her friend’s place, this was all she could do for Su Ji.