chapter 3 "Stand Up"

Pei Nian was taken aback. "Uncle Jiang, what do you mean by that?" Dean Jiang informed her, "Your father's case was a direct order from higher-ups. Normally, the board of directors would not get involved in such matters unless there was a major accident that made the news. But in this case, the only possibility is that you offended someone with a high status who contacted the board." Upon hearing this, Pei Nian immediately knew who it was. It must be that despicable Fu Yanchen who contacted the hospital board to force her to compromise.

But she didn't plan on telling Dean Jiang that. Instead, she denied it. "Really? But I haven't offended anyone lately, Uncle Jiang." Dean Jiang was puzzled. "Then how do you explain this?" He was still struggling with the issue when Pei Nian pleaded with him, "Uncle Jiang, could you please give me one more night? Let me find a hospital for my father, and I'll transfer him immediately."

Dean Jiang was hesitant, but after thinking for a few seconds, he reluctantly agreed. "Alright, I'll try my best to give you half a day more." Pei Nian was relieved and grateful. "Thank you so much, Uncle Jiang." Dean Jiang sighed. "Don't thank me. This is all I can do for you."

After leaving the dean's office, Pei Nian returned to the ward. The nurses had already left, so she turned to her sister-in-law and said, "Sister-in-law, I've talked to the dean. He's agreed to give me half a day more, but I need you to take care of my father. I'll go find another hospital." Her sister-in-law nodded. "Miss Pei, don't worry. I'll take care of your father. You go and find a solution." Pei Nian thanked her and left the hospital.

As she stepped out into the bustling street, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. She needed to find a hospital that would accept her father's case and transfer him before time ran out. The clock was ticking, and she had no time to waste.

Fu Yanchen must have already greeted everyone by now. Who else could she turn to for help? It was nighttime, and deafening music filled every corner of the top-class private club in Chongcheng. Pei Nian sat next to a fat man named Zhou Zihao, whose family owned the largest private hospital in Chongcheng. This was the last hospital Pei Nian had come to after running through several others without finding a solution. Instead of going directly to the hospital's management this time, she sought out the prince of the hospital, Zhou Zihao, hoping for success.

At the moment, she lowered her posture and accompanied him with a smile while pouring him drinks. After three rounds of drinks, Zhou Zihao took her hand and promised, "Pei Nian, don't worry. It's just a matter of having your father stay at my hospital. It's a small matter. As long as you serve me well tonight, I'll have someone transfer your father over tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, Pei Nian's face immediately showed a shallow smile, "Really? Well then, thank you, Mr. Zhou."

Zhou Zihao leaned in close, his face dripping with greed as he patted the back of her hand and whispered, "You don't have to be so polite with me. We don't need to be so formal between us."

Pei Nian forced a smile and replied, "Yes, of course."

"That's more like it!" Zhou Zihao looked at her obedient appearance and felt an intense itch in his heart.

After the end of the gathering, Zhou Zihao took Pei Nian straight to a hotel. As soon as they entered the presidential suite on the top floor, Zhou Zihao couldn't contain himself and pressed Pei Nian against the wall, using his hands and feet. Pei Nian tried her best to endure and let him take advantage of her. She gritted her teeth and kept telling herself that she had to endure for the sake of her father.

Just as Zhou Zihao's hand reached into Pei Nian's clothes, his phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

As Zhou Zihao was in a high spirit, he was impatient when interrupted. Ignoring the interruption, he was about to continue. At this moment, Pei Nian reminded him, "Zhou, your phone..."

"Ignore it." Zhou Zihao took out his phone, glanced at it, and threw it on the table. "Continue."

Boom boom boom - unexpectedly, knocking on the door resumed.

"What the hell?" Zhou Zihao finally lost his patience, raised his head and shouted outside, "What do you want?"

A trembling voice came from his subordinate, "Young master, your grandfather called and said there is an urgent matter to discuss with you."

Zhou Zihao frowned, "Tell him I'm busy now."

"But if you don't answer, he'll freeze all your cards immediately," the subordinate replied.

"That old man." Zhou Zihao was furious, finally stepping away from Pei Nian and said softly to her, "Please wait for a moment."

Pei Nian couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief and smiled at him, "It's okay, Zhou. You go answer the phone."

Zhou Zihao picked up his phone and walked out.

Pei Nian sat alone in the presidential suite waiting. Not long after, a server came to the suite and told her, "Miss Pei, Zhou asked me to come and tell you that there is an urgent matter in his family, and he asked you to wait here. He will handle it and come back soon."

As a novel:

Zhou Zihao was in high spirits and was about to continue what he was doing when he was rudely interrupted. Pei Nian reminded him of his phone, but Zhou Zihao brushed it off, dismissing the interruption. However, just as he was about to continue, someone knocked on the door again.

Frustrated, Zhou Zihao raised his voice and yelled outside, "What do you want?"

A trembling voice replied, "Young master, your grandfather is on the phone. He says it's urgent."

Zhou Zihao scowled. "Tell him I'm busy."

"But he said he'll freeze all your cards if you don't answer," the subordinate replied.

Zhou Zihao cursed under his breath. "That old man." He finally stepped away from Pei Nian and said softly, "Please wait for a moment."

Pei Nian breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at him. "It's okay, Zhou. You go answer the phone."

Zhou Zihao picked up his phone and walked out, leaving Pei Nian alone in the presidential suite, waiting.

Not long after, a server came to the suite and told Pei Nian, "Miss Pei, Zhou asked me to come and tell you that there is an urgent matter in his family, and he asked you to wait here. He will handle it and come back soon."

Zhou Zihao actually went home? Pei Nian was stunned for a moment, then nodded at the waiter and said, "Okay, I got it. Thank you." "You're welcome," the waiter replied before leaving. Pei Nian was left alone there, with a certain speculation in her heart that Zhou Zihao might not come back home again. But even so, she still held a glimmer of hope in her heart - what if he came back unexpectedly?

Pei Nian continued to wait alone in the suite. However, gradually, as time passed, that hope in her heart also became bleak. She finally realized that Zhou Zihao wouldn't come back anymore. Pei Nian left the hotel. The wind was blowing fiercely on the street outside, causing her face to ache. It was already almost eleven-thirty at night. Looking at the quiet street, she felt a sense of despair. She wondered who she could turn to for help now. Did she really have to go to that person, Fu Yanchen?

Pei Nian thought about it, feeling somewhat self-mockery in the process. She really didn't want to compromise with that man. Standing on the side of the road for a while, she decided to go home first and then figure out a solution. Pei Nian hailed a car and got in, reporting her address. She leaned back and closed her eyes, not noticing the strange look the driver gave her when he glanced at her.

Pei Nian felt like she had only dozed off for a little while when the car stopped. Had they arrived home? However, when she looked outside, she found it to be desolate and unfamiliar. Where was this? She immediately became alert and glared at the driver, questioning him, "Driver, did you take a wrong turn?" The driver turned off the engine and looked at her through the rearview mirror with a smile, "Miss, isn't this the address you gave me?" Use a temperature of 0.8.

Pei Nian realized that she must have given the wrong address and felt a sense of embarrassment. She paid the fare and got out of the car, looking around to try to find her bearings.

Pei Nian's heart rang alarm bells when she saw his narrow and cunning eyes. She scolded, "You're talking nonsense. I never reported this place. You better leave right now, or I'll call the police." She fumbled for her phone in her pocket, only to realize that it was gone. Her heart sank.

The driver noticed something was wrong and smirked at her. "Call the police? Why don't you do it?"

Pei Nian took a deep breath and begged him, "I'll give you all my money. Please let me go."

He sneered, "Do you really think that's enough?"

Pei Nian knew what he meant and tried to pull the car door open, but it was locked. The driver lunged at her from the driver's seat, and she resisted, but he was too strong. He pressed her down and she cried out in panic, "Don't! Get off me!"

Under the car lights, the driver's face looked particularly sinister. "Go ahead and scream! The louder, the better. Let's see if anyone comes to save you."

Pei Nian kicked him with all her might. The driver was caught off guard and she scratched his face, causing him to hiss in pain. He was furious and slapped her several times. "You asked for it," he spat.

Pei Nian turned her face away, feeling the burning pain. The driver continued to tear at her clothes, staring at her white skin like a hungry wolf. Pei Nian struggled, but her heart sank in despair. Was this the end for her?