Secretary-General

Everyone in the ward turned to look at the source of the sound, only to see Bai Fanhao clapping, as if applauding. Bai Fanhao had only clapped twice before realizing his mistake; now everyone was staring at him as if he were a monster, and he genuinely felt uncomfortable. He cursed himself inwardly for being brainless enough to want to applaud.

“Xiao Ying.”

They all looked up toward the door, where a middle-aged man with an oily face appeared in their sight. How to describe him? The man was quite short, his body round as a ball, and most conspicuously, he wore a suit and tie, his polished forehead shining brightly—a combination that was simply unsettling.

No one spoke. The middle-aged man who entered smiled as he looked at those in the ward. “You must be Xiao Ying’s classmates. I’m her uncle.”

“Hello, uncle. Xiao Ying isn’t in any danger, please rest assured,” Guo Chen replied politely, and the others also greeted him respectfully.

After Li Ruoying’s uncle finished looking at her, Mu Qingxi spoke up, “Uncle, why don’t you stay here with Li Ruoying? We’ll leave now; too many visitors aren’t good for a patient’s recovery.”

“Yes, you all should go. Such caring children, thank you on behalf of Xiao Ying. Hurry home now,” the man said graciously.

Once outside the hospital, the group burst into excitement. Qin Yu exclaimed, “Heavens, I never expected Li Ruoying’s uncle to be like that. I’m not judging by appearance, but it really is hard to imagine!”

Mu Qingxi’s brow furrowed deeply. She said to Qin Yu, “Don’t underestimate him. Li Ruoying’s uncle is our city secretary-general. His name is Xie Yingxiang, and he’s a very talented man. He’s gentle with people, but when it comes to handling affairs, he’s absolutely first-rate. I just never thought he’d be Li Ruoying’s uncle.”

Qin Yu cried out in surprise, “What? He’s Xie Yingxiang!”

“Yes, what’s wrong?” Mu Qingxi was puzzled by Qin Yu’s astonishment.

Bai Fanhao couldn’t help but say, “Mu Mu, you really don’t watch the news, do you!”

Mu Qingxi felt awkward. She had never been one to watch TV; at most, she’d catch a few cultural programs. Who would pay attention to such boring news? But how could someone who doesn’t watch the news know Xie Yingxiang? This question lingered in the minds of Xi Haifei and Guo Chen.

Seeing she didn’t respond, Guo Chen spoke up, “Xie Yingxiang is known for his ironclad integrity—he doesn’t show favoritism, not even toward family. He sent his own nephew to prison and adopted his niece, who will now be his daughter.”

“So, Li Ruoying will be a lady of the political world in the future?” Qin Yu asked eagerly.

“That’s right,” Mu Qingxi replied simply.

Mu Qingxi did know about Xie Yingxiang. He had no children of his own and had always doted on his niece; their relationship was particularly close. She just hadn’t expected his niece to be Li Ruoying. Now that Li Ruoying’s parents had died in a car accident, how could Xie Yingxiang, who adored her, let her become an orphan?

Mu Qingxi suddenly said seriously, “Wei Yu, it’s best not to provoke Li Ruoying in the future. Her uncle sent his own nephew to prison; he would cause us trouble for Li Ruoying’s sake. Their relationship is very strong, so remember what I’ve said.”

The four of them nodded in agreement. Bai Fanhao asked, “Mu Mu, you said you don’t watch the news, so how do you know all this?”

Qin Yu followed up, “Yes, Mu Mu, how do you know so much?”

Mu Qingxi blinked hard, intending to ignore the question, but seeing their determined faces, she had no choice but to answer, “Hehehe, I don’t watch the news, but I do surf the internet!”

Bai Fanhao stared at Mu Qingxi, “In front of an internet addict like me, can’t you come up with a better excuse?”