Whoever Falls in Love First is the Dog - Chapter 40

Chapter 40:  “Meeting the Parents.” / “Girlfriend.”

The person who came to deliver the food wasn’t a servant from the Xia household—it was Xia Jihe herself.

When Xia Jihe pushed open the door and came in, everyone was momentarily stunned. Lin Qian immediately walked over to take the lunchbox. “Why did you come personally, Miss?”

Xia Jihe smiled. “I just got off work and heard from the servants that my cousin was awake, so I came to check on her.”

As she spoke, Xia Jihe walked in. “Auntie.”

Xia Lingxuan had been sitting by Chen Yanxing’s bed the entire time, staring at her and chattering endlessly, which made Chen Yanxing extremely uncomfortable.

She tried to avoid Xia Lingxuan’s gaze, but when she heard the voice, she turned her head.

Xia Lingxuan nodded at Xia Jihe and slowly raised her head to look at her. “Not busy today?”

Xia Jihe shook her head and sat down. “Can’t be busy every day.” Then she looked at Chen Yanxing. “Looks like you’re recovering?”

Chen Yanxing’s last memory of her involved handcuffs, so she didn’t respond.

“Yes, nothing serious. The doctor said she can be discharged soon,” Lin Qian chimed in, pulling over a small table and carefully laying out the dishes.

Chen Yanxing hadn’t felt hungry before, but the fragrant and colorful meal immediately brought back her appetite.

Just as she was about to pick up her chopsticks, three pairs of eyes locked onto her simultaneously…

She set the chopsticks down, looked up, and scanned the room. “If you all keep staring at me, I won’t be able to eat. Can I have a moment alone?”

At this point, she didn’t have much autonomy, so if they said no, she couldn’t do anything about it.

But in the eyes of the Xia family, Chen Yanxing was more precious than a treasure now. No one would refuse her request. Even the doting Xia Lingxuan obediently allowed Lin Qian to push her out of the room. Before leaving, she gave Xia Jihe a look.

Xia Jihe remained seated on the sofa.

Gazes from elders were different from those of peers. At least Xia Jihe didn’t have Xia Lingxuan’s hawk-like intensity, so Chen Yanxing felt much more at ease and simply ignored her.

If nothing else, the Xia family chefs could cook well.

“You probably know what’s going on, right?”

When Chen Yanxing had almost finished eating, Xia Jihe finally spoke.

“Hm?” Chen Yanxing looked up. “What?”

“About your background.”

Chen Yanxing shrugged. “Does it matter? I’m already this age. Am I supposed to change my name and act out a happy family drama?”

Xia Jihe frowned unconsciously. “So what do you want to do?”

“Nothing. Life was how it was before, and it’ll stay that way.”

“You don’t plan to acknowledge the Xia family?”

Chen Yanxing was silent for a moment. “Is there any benefit to it? Whether I’m Chen or Xia, I’ve long since ‘renounced the world’—free of dust and attachments.”

Xia Jihe chuckled. “Don’t pretend. Someone who’s renounced the world still dates? You and your girlfriend were trending online for two days. Besides… your ‘temple’ was abroad, right? You clearly grew up overseas. And the one who raised you…”

“Yu Yajun.”

Suddenly someone pushed the door open. Chen Yanxing frowned as she looked at the woman who entered.

She had seen her before—on that boat, filming a show with Shen Mengke.

Shen Jingli met her confused gaze and smiled. “Hello, Miss Chen No. 2. Do you remember me?”

Xia Jihe was startled for a moment. “Why are you here?”

“Heard she woke up, so I came to visit,” Shen Jingli said nonchalantly, then walked over to Chen Yanxing. “Or should I say, Miss Xia?”

“Chen Yanxing,” she replied.

“Alright then, Chen Yanxing.” Shen Jingli smiled and pulled a chair over to sit by her bed.

Xia Jihe stood up and walked over. “Did you plant informants in the hospital again?”

“No. I’ve already told you—my informants are everywhere. I don’t need to plant any on purpose.”

Clearly, the two didn’t want to talk about certain things in front of Chen Yanxing. Soon, Shen Jingli’s gaze landed on Chen Yanxing again. “To be honest, I don’t think you’re good enough for Mengke.”

That was the first time since waking up that Chen Yanxing heard that name.

She froze, staring at Shen Jingli, her heartbeat missing a beat.

“You…”

“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Shen Jingli. My public role is a host, and I filmed a show with Shen Mengke.”

“Public role? Now?” she asked, her eyes shifting to Xia Jihe.

Xia Jihe cleared her throat but said nothing.

Shen Jingli smirked. “You don’t need to know more. And your relationship with Shen Mengke is none of my business. I came today to ask you something else.”

“Shen Jingli,” Xia Jihe interjected and tried to stop her, but Shen Jingli suddenly shoved her hand away.

She looked up at Xia Jihe. “Don’t meddle in my business.”

“Was it you who made the call that day?” Chen Yanxing suddenly asked.

Both of them looked at her.

Chen Yanxing chuckled softly, throwing off her blanket and getting out of bed.

Her body was weak from lying down too long, and she needed to get used to standing.

As she moved, she said, “You two were so lovey-dovey on the phone that day. Why the falling out now? Because of the car accident?”

The frown Shen Jingli had worn since entering the room slowly faded. She raised her eyes, propped her arm on the chair, and rested her chin on her hand as she looked at Chen Yanxing, surprised. “You’re really clever. What else? What else can you guess?”

“Yu Yajun.” Chen Yanxing stopped moving and stared at them from the other side of the bed. “Even Chen Zhiyu couldn’t find out about it. But you did.”

Shen Jingli glanced at Xia Jihe, as if confirming something. “So you knew what Yu Yajun did?”

Her tone turned cold as she stood up and looked directly at Chen Yanxing. “How involved were you?”

The smiles vanished from all three faces. The bed between them was like a boundary line.

Sunlight streamed in from the window, shining on Chen Yanxing. But on the other side of the bed, it was all shadows.

Chen Yanxing didn’t answer immediately. Her gaze held steady as she finally spoke. “If you’re capable, go investigate yourself.”

She sat back down and turned to the window, back to them.

Shen Jingli looked like she wanted to say something else, but Xia Jihe stopped her and pulled her out of the room.

“Xia Jihe!”

Shen Jingli yanked her arm away. Xia Jihe looked around and dragged her into the stairwell.

“You’re being too aggressive. If you confront her like that, how could she possibly cooperate with you?”

Shen Jingli looked at her and suddenly laughed. “Xia Jihe, if Chen Yanxing really did something wrong, whose side would you be on?”

“She’s your family now. That aunt of yours will obviously protect her. But what about you?”

Xia Jihe looked at her silently.

Shen Jingli nodded. “Good to know.” Then she turned to leave.

Xia Jihe suddenly grabbed her arm. “She won’t. Every expense she made abroad these years was clean.”

“But she knew!”

“Yes,” Xia Jihe didn’t argue. “But that doesn’t mean she was an accomplice.”

Shen Jingli stared at her for a while, then sighed. “If not for Shen Mengke…”

She paused, then continued, “Just because she survived this time doesn’t mean they’ll back down. I don’t want your family dragged into this mess, but…”

“I know,” Xia Jihe interrupted.

Shen Jingli looked up. The moment their eyes met, she let out a short laugh. “Let’s hope this time, you won’t end up walking a different path from me again.”

Once they had walked off and the hallway fell quiet again, Chen Yanxing, still sitting by the bed, closed her eyes.

She let out a soft sigh. She didn’t need anyone to tell her—she knew the hospital was full of eyes watching her.

She got up and walked out of the room, just as Xia Lingxuan and Lin Qian came out of the elevator.

A gift box sat on Xia Lingxuan’s lap. When she saw Chen Yanxing, her eyes lit up.

“Xixi!”

Chen Yanxing forced a small smile and nodded slightly toward her. Then she looked at Lin Qian. “May I borrow your phone? I need to make a call.”

“Of course,” Lin Qian said, handing her the phone. “But let’s go back to the room first. There are too many people out here.”

Chen Yanxing nodded, dialing the number as she walked back.

Just as she reached the door, the call connected.

“Hello?” Shen Mengke’s voice came through the phone, and at that moment, Chen Yanxing’s heart suddenly calmed.

When a person is surrounded by strangers in a strange environment, and suddenly hears a voice more familiar than anything else, it feels like salvation—a unique kind of salvation. Like finally, among all these strangers, there’s someone she can rely on, even if it’s just a voice.

Chen Yanxing stopped in her tracks, stepping aside so Lin Qian could push Xia Lingxuan inside.

She glanced down the hall and saw Xia Jihe and Shen Jingli returning from the corner. She finally spoke: “It’s me. Chen Yanxing.”

Shen Mengke’s hand froze. She slowly sat up straight, lips pressed tight, eyes lifting from the page.

After a moment, she stood and walked upstairs.

Still, she said nothing—waiting for Chen Yanxing to speak first.

“I’m in Mingcheng now,” Chen Yanxing said. “There was a car accident. I’m in Mingcheng… Mingcheng Anning Hospital. Can you come?”

“Me?”

Shen Mengke returned to her room and closed the door. Her tone was puzzled.

Chen Yanxing got into a car accident—why should she go?

“Yeah. There’s something I need to ask of you,” Chen Yanxing replied.

Shen Mengke sat on her sofa in silence. Truth be told, she didn’t want to go.

“What is it?”

Disappearing mysteriously, then showing up out of nowhere, and now asking her to travel to an unfamiliar city. After just three sentences, Shen Mengke was already fuming, though she tried to keep her voice calm.

Seeing that Xia Jihe and Shen Jingli were almost back, Chen Yanxing suddenly said: “To meet the parents.”

“…Huh?”

Shen Mengke didn’t immediately register those words and let out a confused sound—but then, a few seconds later, the meaning sank in.

She froze.

She wanted to ask more, but Chen Yanxing had already hung up.

She stared blankly at the bed and the stuffed toy on it—angry, yet oddly… happy?

She didn’t know why she was angry, or why she was happy. She just felt like the whole call was inexplicably strange.

What was her relationship with Chen Yanxing anyway? Friends with benefits? Boss and assistant? None of those called for meeting the parents, right?

And why Mingcheng?

A strange thought suddenly popped into her head.

The person on the other end of the call wasn’t Chen Yanxing at all!

A scam! Trying to lure her to Mingcheng… was this… a human trafficker?!

While Shen Mengke spiraled into wild guesses, back at the hospital, Xia Jihe walked over and asked, “Who was that?”

“…My girlfriend,” Chen Yanxing answered.