"I have patched up her injuries. They weren't severe, and I saw no indication of internal injuries anywhere. She seemed to faint due to exhaustion and hunger. I also detected a sign of mild hypothermia, most likely because she was exposed to a cold and rainy night. I have given her first aid, so there shouldn't be any problem, but I recommend bringing her to the hospital for a further check-up, just for sure."
Meng Renshu listened carefully to the doctor who had just finished examining Li Caiyi's condition.
He glanced at Li Caiyi's figure, who was deeply asleep in bed with mixed feelings.
Meng Renshu was glad he found her before her condition worsened, but it also pained him when he thought about what kind of situation forced her to faint in the middle of the rain.
"Thank you, Doctor. I'm sorry I can't send you off." Meng Renshu smiled politely.
"No problem. Don't forget to give her something warm to eat when she awakens. That will help her a lot."
"I will. Please be careful on your way home."
The maid led the Doctor to leave the guest room while Meng Renshu sat on the chair beside the bed. His countenance was forlorn as he gently touched her cheek. It was still cold, but at least better than before.
"Please fetch some more blankets for her," Meng Renshu signaled to the maid standing on the other side of the bed. The latter bowed before leaving the room to execute his order.
After everyone left, only Li Caiyi and Meng Renshu were in the room. Things finally became peaceful.
He felt much better now that she was in a place where he could see her. For a second, he didn't know what would happen back then. Meng Renshu never wanted to experience this kind of feeling again.
"I hope you wake up soon." Meng Renshu held her hand and kissed the back of it. "This time, I will always be by your side. I will never leave you again."
"How nice."
Meng Renshu jolted when he heard a sharp voice coming from behind him. Turning his head, he saw Qin Xiangjun leaning against the door with an inexplicable smile on her red lips.
"Mother, you surprised me." Meng Renshu heaved a sigh of relief.
"After treating me like an air before, now you want to treat your mother like a ghost?"
There she went again. Meng Renshu loved her mother, but when she was in a bad mood, her words sometimes could really strike a nerve.
"Mother, are you here to check on Xiaoyi's condition?"
"I already heard the gist of it from the Doctor directly. She seems pretty fine in my book. Have you contacted her family yet?"
"No, I haven't."
Qin Xiangjun gave him a judging look as she walked into the room. "Are you planning to hide her from her family? Obsessive men have their own charm, but kidnappers are just a criminal."
"Mother, how can you say that? I'm not going to keep her here forever." Meng Renshu looked down, thinking whether he should tell her about how Li Caiyi was attacked in her house, but later decided against it. "I plan to tell Junjie and Auntie about this later. Do you think Xiaoyi can stay with us for a few days?"
Qin Xiangjun's eyes widened in shock. "Of course not. Does the rain also wash away some of your brain cells?"
Meng Renshu sighed. "I knew you would say that. Well, staying here until she feels well enough to move is fine, right?"
"If you know, why ask something so obvious? You understand that many people have their eyes on us. We can still explain if she stays here until she wakes up, but they will begin to spread a false rumor about you two if you give them a chance."
Personally, Meng Renshu didn't mind that. He even thought it would be more convenient for him if that really happened, but he was sure that Li Caiyi wouldn't like it.
"I know. I just wanted to try asking, just in case."
Qin Xiangjun gave him a measured look, confused by her son's behavior. "Renshu, are you serious about your feelings for this girl?"
"Haha, now it's you who asked something you already know, Mother."
"I just can't understand you. Just why? Why her?" Qin Xiangjun massaged her throbbing temple.
"Mother, your words are too harsh. What's wrong with Xiaoyi?"
"There is nothing wrong with her, but there is nothing exceptionally good about her either."
"I don't need an exceptional woman. I only need the one I love to stay by my side. That would be more than enough for me," Meng Renshu responded stubbornly.
"Renshu, let me make this clear in advance. I don't mind if you date her, but I will not accept her as your life partner." Qin Xiangjun said firmly. "You need a strong and capable woman to support you. This girl is clearly not up for that task."
Meng Renshu silently listened to her mother. Even in their previous life, Qin Xiangjun was against their marriage until the end.
After they got married, Meng Renshu knew his wife and his mother didn't exactly get along, but at least they tried to accept each other. He thought it was normal for a mother-in-law to be strict with her daughter-in-law.
It wasn't until everything became too late did he notice how much Li Caiyi had suffered because of Qin Xiangjun and Meng Shuchun.
If Meng Renshu wanted to make Li Caiyi his wife again, he had to tackle this problem before she could get hurt.
"Mother, I have been meaning to ask, but considering the old promise between the two families, isn't Father going to match me with the Li family's daughter sooner or later? Besides, wouldn't it be better if my wife is someone who knows me better than anyone else?"
Qin Xiangjun frowned in disapproval. "You know this isn't about that. I have nothing personal against the Li twins, but you can't hope for a sickly wife or dull-minded woman to accompany you for life. You are destined to be a powerful man in the future. If your wife isn't strong, the current will swallow her. It's better to be with a willful woman rather than a pushover."
Her words couldn't be called pleasant, but Meng Renshu could tell she was concerned not only about him but also about the twins. After all, Qin Xiangjun had experienced the hardship of high society life.
Qin Xiangjun then added in annoyance. "And also, about that stupid promise. Your father always talks about that recently, and now my son is also talking about that. I really can't have a moment of peace in my own house."
"Really? Father talked about it?" Meng Renshu straightened his back, intrigued by this flow of conversation.
"Well, aren't you eager to make my blood pressure rise again?" Qin Xiangjun replied sarcastically, clearly unhappy with him. "Oh yes, he did. Every day he asked me if you have someone you were interested in. Out of annoyance, I just mentioned Caiyi since you have recently seemed very close to her. I didn't expect him to bug me even more after that."
"But why is Father so curious about my love life?"
"How should I know? You know your father never talks about what he truly thinks. I don't even want to think about it."
Based on his mother's expression, Meng Renshu could tell she wasn't lying. She didn't know anything about his father's plan.
However, this spurred him to discover what Meng Yaoshu hid even more. Meng Renshu also needed to ask him more about the 'research' Li Caiyi mentioned before.
While he was deep in thought, Qin Xiangjun added, "Make sure you didn't tell Little Chun that you brought her here. It would be a pain if she caused a commotion again."
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