Chapter 167: Madam Tang Shot
After Agent 17’s phone call, Li Chen decided not to delve deep into the identity of the caller and their intentions. Engaging in a more casual conversation, he chatted with Zhang Mei and Sun Lixia about Madam Tang’s improving health.
Zhang Mei remarked, "Mom seems to be better these days. She’s eating well, and her body seems to no longer reject medication."
Sun Lixia nodded, adding, "I was with her yesterday, and I noticed a significant difference. Her face is even gaining its color back."
Tang Ziyi, expressing confidence in Li Chen’s medical skills, chimed in, "She will be better. I trust Brother Chen’s medical skills. He helped my brother get back on his feet after a year in a wheelchair."
Sun Lixia, surprised by the revelation, echoed, "Really?"
Zhang Mei confirmed, "It’s true. Tang Ziyi’s brother is now off the wheelchair."
Sun Lixia found it intriguing that Li Chen knew Chinese medicine. However, recent conversations with Chen Lao had hinted at deeper mysteries surrounding Li Chen. This revelation only added to the intrigue. She contemplated asking Li Chen about the concept of ’transmigration,’ a topic that had been on her mind for a while, but she was unsure where to begin.
The light conversation abruptly came to a halt as Tang Ziyi’s phone rang. Answering with a simple "hello," his expression shifted from casual to one of sheer shock. The voice on the other end, Madam Chu, spoke urgently, "Tang Ziyi, this is your mother’s neighbor. You need to hurry to the hospital; your mother was shot, and your brother was taken by some strange men."
As if a bomb had detonated in the room, the news hit Tang Ziyi like a wave, causing him to drop his phone, shattering it on the floor. Li Chen, sensing the gravity of the situation, inquired, "What is wrong?"
Tang Ziyi, his voice strained, implored Li Chen for help, "Brother Chen, please help me. I need to go to the hospital." Li Chen, reacting swiftly, asked, "What happened?" Tang Ziyi, still processing the shocking news, stammered, "My mother was shot, and Tang Junjie has been kidnapped."
Li Chen, visibly alarmed, repeated in disbelief, "What?" Tang Ziyi, urgency in his voice, insisted, "I need to go to the hospital and see Mom." Li Chen, not wasting any time, stood up, grabbed his car keys and phone, and declared, "Let’s go."
Zhang Mei, concerned for Tang Ziyi, asserted, "I am coming with you." Sun Lixia, offering her support, said, "Li Chen, let me know if you need me to do anything." Li Chen, focused on the situation at hand, asked Sun Lixia, "Tang Junjie, can you get him back?"
Sun Lixia assured, "My men will do everything they can." Li Chen, aware of the potential complications, mentioned, "The Gu family; Tang Junjie is a key witness in the court case." Sun Lixia responded confidently, "Don’t worry. My men will find him. Rush to the hospital."
With that, Li Chen, Zhang Mei, and Tang Ziyi hurriedly walked to the car, ready to face the unknown challenges that awaited them at the hospital, driven by the urgency to reunite with Madam Tang and discover the fate of Tang Junjie.
As Li Chen drove to the hospital, he stole a glance at Tang Ziyi in the rearview mirror. The fear in Tang Ziyi’s eyes was palpable, his entire body trembling as if his soul was slowly slipping away. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him. Li Chen pressed on the gas, determined to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.
Arriving at the hospital in haste, Tang Ziyi leaped out of the car and rushed to the reception area. His voice strained with panic, he pleaded, "Where is she?" The receptionist, accustomed to the chaos of a hospital, replied calmly, "Who? There are a lot of people that enter this hospital every day. You need to be specific."
Realizing Tang Ziyi’s difficulty in articulating his thoughts, Li Chen intervened, "We are looking for the woman who just arrived. She was shot." The receptionist, with a nod, quickly checked her computer. "Oh yes, she is currently in surgery. You can wait at the waiting area."
Tang Ziyi, still reeling from the shock, walked towards the surgery area, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He stood outside the surgery room, his emotions a tumultuous mix of fear, anger, and confusion. The waiting area became a space filled with apprehension as Tang Ziyi anxiously anticipated news about his mother’s condition.
Zhang Mei and Li Chen exchanged glances, both at a loss for words on how to comfort Tang Ziyi. Zhang Mei gently patted Tang Ziyi’s shoulder and suggested, "You have to sit down and wait for the doctor."
Tang Ziyi, overwhelmed with worry, voiced his fears, "What if... what if she doesn’t make it?" Zhang Mei, offering reassurance, responded, "I believe the doctors will do everything they can for her. Let’s have faith in them."
Tang Ziyi, struggling to comprehend the senseless violence against his mother, questioned, "But why... it doesn’t make sense. Why would someone shoot Mom?" Li Chen assured, "My mother will get the answers soon. Don’t worry."
Tang Ziyi, his thoughts now turning to the safety of his kidnapped brother, pleaded, "And Tang Junjie... what if they kill him?" Zhang Mei, sensing his distress, offered to get him some water. After returning, she handed him the water and said, "Here, have some. It will calm your nerves."
Tang Ziyi took a big gulp and expressed his impatience, "They have been in there for so long. What’s taking them so long?" Li Chen explained, "They have to make sure that everything is okay."
Zhang Mei, drawing from her own experiences, comforted Tang Ziyi, "Don’t worry about your brother. Remember, I have been kidnapped twice, and Li Chen has always found me. He will find your brother and bring him home."
Tang Ziyi, seeking solace, approached Li Chen and immediately knelt down, earnestly pleading, "Please, Brother Chen, please get my brother back." Li Chen extended his hand, indicating that Tang Ziyi should stand up, and said, "You know I don’t like people kneeling in front of me."
Tang Ziyi, resolute in his desperation, shook his head and insisted, "No, Brother Chen, I am not getting up until you promise that you will get my brother back home alive." Li Chen, with a reassuring smile, replied, "You don’t even have to beg for that, Tang Ziyi. We are all family. Of course, I will do everything I can to make sure he is home safe."
Tang Ziyi, overwhelmed by his emotions, started sobbing and managed to express through his tears, "They are the only people I have... well, besides you guys. I can’t lose them both." Zhang Mei comforted him, saying, "It’s okay, Tang Ziyi. They will be fine. Now, please get up; you are drawing attention to us."
Wiping his tears, Tang Ziyi stood up but couldn’t contain his anxiety, pacing back and forth. Soon, the doctor emerged and inquired, "Are you Mrs. Tang’s family?" Tang Ziyi stepped forward, his voice shaky, "Yes, she is my mother. How is she, Doctor? Is she going to make it?"
The doctor, delivering a mix of news, said, "Your mother was very lucky she was found early. She lost too much blood, but she is alive. We are still trying to get a suitable donor for her blood type." Tang Ziyi, desperate to help, pleaded, "Please, Doctor, save my mother. You can draw my blood."
The doctor cautioned, "You do know that there is a possibility that you might not have the same blood type?" Tang Ziyi, despite the risk, insisted, "Yes, I know, but please try." The doctor agreed, "Very well then. I will get the nurse to prep you."
Li Chen, displaying solidarity, offered, "Doctor, you can also check mine." The doctor nodded, saying, "Okay, the nurse will be here to get your blood samples." In the midst of adversity, the bond of family and friends stood strong, united in their determination to save Madam Tang.
