But Xiao Fan shook her head. "No, I don't want it." So, she was relieved that she and Li Haojue reached an agreement on this point regarding the wedding.
Neither Li Haojue nor Xiao Fan were talkative individuals. After reaching an agreement, they decided to meet at the Civil Affairs Bureau at nine o'clock the next morning and then went their separate ways.
Li Haojue left in his luxury car, while Xiao Fan headed towards the bus stop opposite. She didn't live in the city center but in a very remote alley.
As Xiao Fan approached the entrance of the alley, suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the wall. The person covered her mouth before she could even call for help.
The person used one hand to cover Xiao Fan's mouth and the other to clutch his abdomen, which appeared to be injured. There was a strong smell of blood in the air.
"Don't scream… I mean no harm… Please… help me…" The man's voice was weak, and in the dim light, his eyes conveyed a sense of pleading. Perhaps he had lost too much blood; he had not much strength left. His whole body pinned Xiao Fan against the wall.
Xiao Fan remained silent. She had no extra kindness to help an unknown man.
"I can call for emergency assistance for you," Xiao Fan suggested.
"No… can't…" The man's words were cut off as he suddenly tilted his head and passed out. In his unconscious state, he was still tightly held onto Xiao Fan's wrist. She struggled to break free several times but couldn't.
The alley was secluded, but occasionally people would pass by. The sight of a woman and an unconscious injured man together was inexplicable.
With no other options, Xiao Fan eventually had to help the man up and bring him to her residence. She shared the place with a woman in her fifties named Jin Xin. During the day when Xiao Fan was at work, she often asked Jin Xin to look after her daughter, Duoduo.
Jin Xin heard the sound of the door opening and came out of her room. When she saw Xiao Fan bringing back a man covered in blood, she asked, "Xiao Fan, who is this man?"
Xiao Fan: "Picked him up by the roadside. Aunt Jin, please help."
Jin Xin: "Picked up? Xiao Fan, you brought a man home without knowing anything about him?"
Xiao Fan raised her wrist, which was tightly gripped by the man, looking somewhat helpless. "Aunt Jin, he latched onto me." Even in his unconscious state, the man had a strong grip, and her wrist was nearly crushed.
Jin Xin: "…" She helped Xiao Fan bring the man into the living room, laying him on the floor. She struggled to pry open the man's hand to release Xiao Fan's bruised wrist.
As Xiao Fan attended to the man's wound, Jin Xin asked, "Are you going to marry that First Young Master Li on behalf of your sister?"
Xiao Fan nodded: "Yes, I'm going to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow morning to register." Her voice calmed when she talked of marriage.
"After you get married, are you going to move out of here?" Jin Xin seemed a bit reluctant. She had been sharing the apartment with Xiao Fan for over a year. She had grown fond of the resilient young woman and her adorable and well-behaved daughter, Duoduo.
Xiao Fan smiled and reassured her, "Aunt Jin, even if I move out, I'll still come back to visit you often. I appreciate everything you've done for me." and you're like family to me." If it weren't for Jin Xin helping her all along, and teaching her many things, she wouldn't be able to manage her daughter and work. In her heart, she had long considered Aunt Jin as family.
"I've only done what I could, it's not much of a favor." Jin Xin replied with a touch of sadness. "I just hope that the man you marry will treat you well. That's all I wish for."
Treat her well? When thinking about how Li Haojue had left the cafe without looking back, she didn't expect any kindness from this First Young Master Li. She would be grateful if they could coexist without bothering each other.
The next morning at dawn, Xiao Fan got ready and prepared to leave for the Civil Affairs Bureau. As she stepped out of her room, she saw the man she had rescued curled up on the floor, trembling uncontrollably.
She touched his forehead, which was burning hot, and his face was flushed. He seemed to be running a severe fever. She had no choice but to send him to the hospital first. When they arrived at the hospital, the man's condition turned out to be much worse than she had anticipated. She had to wait outside the emergency room while they attended to him.
Two hours later, the surgery was over, and the doctor came out. "The patient is awake. He had a high fever and was unconscious due to an infection from the wound. He needs plenty of rest now, and make sure to keep the wound clean…"
Xiao Fan: "Okay. I understand. Thank you, doctor." Then, she went to the ward to check on the man. He was awake, and his complexion had improved considerably.