Chapter 85: Could There Be a Misunderstanding Inside?

“You’re not worried that Sister Bai will take her anger out on Zhai Yan’er, are you?” Xianyu Jin finally grasped the key point.

Bai Liyao still didn’t answer. But his expression was all the confirmation Xianyu Jin needed.

The Zhai family and the Nangong family were rivals. Last time, there were rumors that Zhai Muli was behind the trouble with Ao’s eldest son. If Bai Liyao was bullied again because of Zhai Yan’er, it would be hard for Bai Luomei not to vent her anger on Zhai Yan’er.

And yet, Zhai Yan’er was always so kind to Bai Liyao! Xianyu Jin felt it was best not to comment further, so she stayed silent.

“Let’s go,” she said, calling Bai Liyao to leave the school gate with her. After they got in the car, Jiang Mohe watched them through the rearview mirror.

“Mr. Jiang, please take Bai Liyao home first,” Xianyu Jin said.

Jiang Mohe glanced at Bai Liyao, whose features resembled Bai Luomei’s, then started the engine without a word.

After dropping Bai Liyao off at his apartment, Xianyu Jin returned to the residence and was greeted by an unexpected guest.

“Jin Jin!”

It was Liu Xiuyan, her childhood neighbor who had once asked Xianyu Jin’s help to find a job. Liu Xiuyan was in her early twenties, already married. Her clothes were a bit plain, but her features were pleasant; only, perhaps from recent hardships, her face looked a little weary.

Xianyu Jin hurried over to greet her. “Sister Xiuyan, what brings you here?”

Back when they were children, whenever Ning Wenyen had to go out, Liu Xiuyan would often bring food for her and her brother; her younger brother had even been Xianyu Jin’s classmate.

Liu Xiuyan was as warm and gentle as ever. “You helped me find a job—I had to come thank you in person. It’s been more than three years since we last met, and you’re more beautiful than ever!”

“It was Aunt Rong who helped find your job, not me. I can’t take credit for it,” Xianyu Jin replied.

Liu Xiuyan immediately understood and turned to thank Aunt Rong, who stood nearby. “I’m so grateful to you, Aunt Rong. I wouldn’t have such a good job without your help!”

Aunt Rong was pleased by Liu Xiuyan’s politeness. “Oh, it was nothing—Miss Jin asked me, and I just happened to be able to help.”

She then called out toward the kitchen, “Xiao Cui, are those snacks ready yet?”

“They’re ready!” Hua Xiaocui replied, carrying out tea and refreshments. As she set the cups in front of Xianyu Jin and Liu Xiuyan, she was a bit too forceful, and some tea spilled over the edge.

“Thank you!” Liu Xiuyan said sincerely.

Aunt Rong looked from the clumsy Hua Xiaocui to the composed Liu Xiuyan and sighed inwardly, then called Hua Xiaocui back to the kitchen for another lecture.

When only the two of them remained, Xianyu Jin offered her condolences. “Sister Xiuyan, my deepest sympathies.”

The smile Liu Xiuyan had forced onto her face vanished instantly, and her eyes grew red. To outsiders, she always appeared strong and cheerful, but only Xianyu Jin knew how painful it was for Liu Xiuyan, who had relied on her younger brother since childhood.

“Ah, Xiushi was always too kind,” Liu Xiuyan sighed. “He loved helping others. Everyone said good people would be rewarded, but… who could have guessed? He got into that accident while secretly doing a good deed!”

Ning Wenyen hadn’t given Xianyu Jin much detail about Liu Xiushi before, but hearing this, it seemed things weren’t so simple.

“Didn’t the driver who caused the accident pay compensation?” Xianyu Jin asked.

“He did,” Liu Xiuyan replied. “But he was just a truck driver working for someone else—his family was struggling too.”

Xianyu Jin understood. Liu Xiuyan and her brother were both the kind of people who would never demand more than what was fair.

“If the driver paid compensation, then who’s been causing trouble at your home?” Xianyu Jin was puzzled.

Liu Xiuyan’s expression turned angry. “Who else? Those unscrupulous doctors at the hospital!”

“Doctors?”

“That’s right!” Liu Xiuyan’s teeth clenched with rage. “After the college entrance exams, Xiushi wanted to apply to a military academy, so he went for a physical. When he went to collect the report, those doctors secretly ran extra tests and asked if he was willing to donate bone marrow!”

Bone marrow donation?

A chill ran through Xianyu Jin. Could it be…

But Liu Xiuyan didn’t notice her expression and went on, “Xiushi was always soft-hearted. When he heard about it, he agreed immediately. He was afraid I wouldn’t approve, so he lied and said he failed the physical and couldn’t apply to the military academy, and wanted to go to a university in the neighboring city instead.

I didn’t suspect he was lying, so I let him be. Then he had the accident, and the hospital people came to our door saying my bone marrow was also a match, asking me to take Xiushi’s place as a donor…”

At this point, it was almost certain: Liu Xiushi had been the volunteer donor for Fang Xiaoyu.

Xianyu Jin felt a deep sorrow—what a twist of fate!

Liu Xiuyan, now righteously indignant, couldn’t contain her agitation. “Those doctors tricked my brother out of his chance at the military academy and caused his death. I didn’t go after them, and yet they have the nerve to keep pestering me, demanding I fulfill their wishes. When I refused, they started harassing my family—calls, messages, visits—making our lives impossible!”

Listening to this, Xianyu Jin sensed something was amiss.

Given Young Master Xi’s character, he wouldn’t stoop to such harassment.

If he really wanted to use underhanded means, with the Xi family’s power, how could Liu Xiuyan have managed to escape to the capital?

“Sister Xiuyan, could this all be a misunderstanding?” Xianyu Jin mused. “Did you know the patient who needs the donation is right here in the capital?”

“What?” Liu Xiuyan looked confused. “How did you know that? Those doctors only told me to donate—they wouldn’t reveal anything about the patient.”

Of course!

Xianyu Jin finally saw where the problem lay. Liu Xiuyan had likely shut out Xi Junle because of the hospital staff’s interference.

“Sister Xiuyan, it’s a coincidence—I happen to know about the patient’s situation,” Xianyu Jin said.

“You… you know?” Liu Xiuyan was astonished.

“Yes,” Xianyu Jin nodded, then asked, “Would you like to see a video of the patient?”

She had no right to judge, but if there was a misunderstanding, it ought to be cleared up—for both sides’ sake.

Liu Xiuyan hesitated for a moment, then agreed.

Xianyu Jin showed her a video from Xiaoyu’s birthday. In it, the girl’s small, pale face bore a faint resemblance to Xiushi as a child. She should have been in the bloom of youth, but chemotherapy had left her bald, wearing a red wool hat. Her lips were bloodless, yet her smile was innocent and tinged with melancholy.

Liu Xiuyan’s eyes glistened with tears. “This little girl… is she the one my brother wanted to save?”

“Her name is Xiaoyu. She’s the niece of the young master of the Xi family—a girl whose life he desperately wants to save,” Xianyu Jin explained gently. “The young master went to find Xiushi the day of his accident, hoping to save Xiaoyu, but also to apologize to you in person for what happened. He never got the chance…”

Liu Xiuyan was silent for a long, long time.