Tang Song caught the folder and, taking advantage of the moment, tightly embraced the mature woman, pushing her against the wall.

He said confidently, "You promised this yourself, the evidence is clear, you can’t deny it."

"You bastard!" Wen Ruan began to resist violently.

But all her struggles seemed soft and powerless against Tang Song’s strong build, more like some kind of playful push and pull.

Tang Song kissed her directly, starting his advance.

...

In the hospital’s lounge area.

"Zhang Yan? Zhang Yan! What’s wrong with you? Why is your face so pale?"

Lulu finally noticed her good friend’s unease and anxiously shook her arm.

"I... I’m fine..." Zhang Yan snapped back to her senses, her body trembling as if she’d been electrocuted.

Then she hastily turned off her phone screen, looking as if she had been badly frightened.

Lulu, concerned, took her phone and set it aside, then touched her forehead with the back of her hand, "Are you too tired? Do you feel unwell anywhere? Don’t scare me."

"No, really, I’m fine." Zhang Yan lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the ground.

Lulu looked at her desolate appearance, assuming she was once again frightened because of her mother’s situation, and softly comforted her.

After a while.

Zhang Yan suddenly stood up and whispered, "My mom is about to have her exam, I’m going to accompany her."

"Alright, then I’ll head back first."

Lulu stood up with her, and before leaving, couldn’t help but continue to urge, "And about the job, with Tang Song’s connection, you should really consider joining Xingyun International Group.

That Chairman Wen seems like a very good and strong person.

If we could join the new company together, we’d not only be rid of the oppressive workplace like that plump boss, but also make a lot of money, and then..."

Like Zhang Yan, she too was struggling to survive in this enormous city, enduring the hardships of the lower working class.

They both knew too well what a good job meant.

Never in life had they imagined knowing someone like Tang Song, it was almost like a heaven-sent opportunity to change their destinies.

Of course, the core of this was still Zhang Yan.

If she could go with her, relying on that connection, their lives would open a completely new Chapter.

However, Zhang Yan just remained silent.

After a long time, she lightly shook her head, "No, Lulu... I, I want to try another industry..."

"Ah?" Lulu was taken aback, "You’re—"

This is Xingyun International after all! They’re about to go public!

In the past, it might have been out of fear of not finding a suitable job, of being eliminated from a position, that one would switch industries.

But now, with a golden path laid right in front of her eyes, she chose to give it up?

She really couldn’t understand.

But seeing Zhang Yan’s expression, she swallowed the words she hadn’t yet spoken.

Better wait until her mother’s situation had settled.

For the rest of the afternoon.

Zhang Yan followed her mother like a wind-up robot, with a vacant expression, as they went through the examinations.

Fortunately, Zhao Fei had already arranged everything.

From the CT room to the ultrasound department, from MRI to blood tests...

Every step knitted seamlessly together, with no obstacles.

The only thing she needed to do was wait.

And this idle time wrapped in "privilege" seemed more torturous than any physical toil.

Because it gave her ample time to think, to let her mind wander, and to face the very question she had been deliberately avoiding.

—Liu Qingning.

Since reuniting with Tang Song up till now, she had been desperately avoiding, even mentally steering away from thinking about that name.

Sitting on the bench outside the CT room, Zhang Yan remained silent for a long time before finally taking out her phone.

Her fingers trembled as she typed "Liu Qingning - Qingning Technology" into the search bar.

Soon, some scattered news reports appeared on the screen, even a few photographs.

It was indeed the Liu Qingning she knew.

Most of them were in news related to "Qingmi AI."

The "Qingmi AI" app was undeniably well-known, with even several users around her.

Released only half a year ago, its registered users had surpassed the 50 million mark, making it the most prominent product under Qingning Technology, and reportedly, the app’s users were about to hit one billion.

And Liu Qingning was the person responsible for this product.

Same age as her.

And she?

A nobody who couldn’t even keep her job, living in a shabby rental, relying on Tang Song to save her mother’s life.

Considering Tang Song’s close relations with Xingyun International Group, it’s impossible he didn’t know Liu Qingning was at Qingning Technology.

In fact, perhaps they had been in continuous contact, maintaining their relationship as ever.

Imagining Liu Qingning abandoning Tang Song to come to Shen City was nothing but a figment of her imagination.

Tang Song, Liu Qingning.

They belonged to the same world.

A deep-seated humility flooded through her like cold water pouring from the crown of her head.

She suddenly felt that dreamy weekend of the past two days.

She had been like a shameful thief, stealing sunshine that wasn’t hers while the moon was oblivious.

Tears unknowingly slipped down her cheeks, blurring that dazzling name on the phone screen.

She didn’t know how much time had passed.

The heavy lead door of the CT room slowly opened, and the orderly wheeled her mother out.

Due to the sedatives and contrast agents, Zhou Hui appeared pale, her expression weary.

Zhang Yan immediately put away her phone and hurried forward, gripping her mother’s cold hand tightly.

They returned to the quiet VIP ward.