You, CEO’s Secret Wife

Jian Yun had only left the hospital once she was sure that Auntie Qin had arrived safely. After that, she quickly went home. It was obvious that the hard bench was clearly not a place for sleeping, and her eyelids were practically drooping the moment she had opened her bedroom door. As soon as her back hit the mattress, she immediately fell asleep. Snuggling under the covers, darkness quickly shrouded all around her as she ignored the blaring light creeping up her windowsill. She had stayed in this position for over an hour until a phone call had interrupted her nap.     

    

Jumping out of bed, she grabbed the phone from her bedside table. "Hello?"     

    

"Yunduo! It's me," Ouyang Beicheng, her mother's younger brother, spoke from the other end of the line.     

    

Before she could speak, she heard faint sounds of explosions from the background, and her frown deepened. It was soon followed by hundreds of footsteps racing farther from him. "Uncle," she asked worriedly. "Are you okay? Where are you?"     

    

"I've been relocated for a temporary mission, so I might not be there in the meantime," he responded quickly. His deep voice overshadowed the faint noises, but she could tell that he had just come from a sprint, given that he was still panting. With a sigh, he continued, "I've already transferred 50,000 yuan to you–to help with your mother's hospital expenses. I hope that's good for now."     

    

"It is. Stay safe, okay?" Ouyang Beicheng had worked in the army ever since he was still a young man, so she was already familiar with the noises in the background whenever he called over. In addition to that, he held plenty of responsibility–being one of the front liners of their safety. Even if she was disgruntled that he couldn't come, it wasn't as if she could do anything about it.     

    

"I have something else to do, so I'll be hanging up first, okay? I'll call you when I'm free tonight," he stated.     

    

Jian Yun could hear someone calling him from the background, but before she could say her goodbyes, her Uncle had already hung up. Her heart stirred uneasily in her chest, and the grip she had on her phone tightened even more. It seemed that right now, she had two people she needed to worry about. Scrunching her toes onto the rug, she squeezed her eyes shut. The only thing she could do now was pray for both their safety.     

    

Her grandmother had given birth to her Uncle Beicheng when she was in her very late thirties. Since he and Ouyang Fei were practically ten years apart, they didn't really have the opportunity to bond like siblings. However, he and Jian Yun, on the other hand, had gotten along very well. He was always the first one to stand up for her, and he had always taken care of her all these years–especially after the accident.     

    

Jian Yun had originally thought that as long as he could come, she could have a sense of strength to lean onto. Now that he wasn't there, she could only rely on herself for the meantime.     

    

She sat on the bed in a daze. Glancing at the time, she saw that it was already 3 P.M. 'I couldn't sleep at this rate,' she told herself, planning to go to the hospital after washing up. At this point, she didn't know what else she could do besides that. It seemed that this was the only way her body could function. Once she was already dressed up, she tied her hair up and grabbed her bag.     

    

However, just as she was about to leave her room, her phone rang out once again. This time, it was a call directly from the hospital.     

    

"Is this Ouyang Fei's family? Hurry! Come to the hospital." The voice on the phone sounded very urgent, but before she could ask any more questions, he hung up immediately.     

    

Her heart plummeted to her stomach. 'Did something happen to my mom? Were the medications not working? Was the operation not successful?' So many thoughts rushed to the back of her mind that she couldn't bring herself to eat anymore. Without another thought, she slung her bag over her shoulders and sprinted out of her apartment. Unshed tears blurred her vision as she waved her hand for a taxi. "She'll be fine, she'll be fine," she repeated to herself over and over again, clutching onto her bag for dear life. However, even then, she still found it hard to believe herself.     

    

Once she had arrived in the ICU, Auntie Qin was the first one to welcome her.     

    

"Yun, you're finally here!"     

    

"Auntie, what's going on?" Jian Yun grabbed onto her frail hand, squeezing tightly.     

    

"I'm not sure either. Director Bai still hasn't shown up yet, so I've been waiting here for the past couple of minutes." Even Auntie Qin was at a loss for words. She looked from either side of the hallway, seemingly at a loss for what to do as well. Seeing this, Jian Yun had no other choice but to head over to the doctor's office and knock on the door, wanting to ask more questions regarding her mother's situation.     

    

However, just as she was about to knock, one of the doctors walked right out. He looked like a man in his forties. Holding a clipboard close to his chest, his eyes immediately narrowed. "How are you related to Ouyang Fei?"     

    

"Ouyang Fei is my mother." Her hands were already trembling. "Doctor, is my mother..."     

    

The doctor frowned. "Did your mother suffered from any previous trauma?"     

    

"She had fallen from the stairs six years ago. She fractured her spine and around two of her thoracic vertebrae were broken. Her spleen was completely torn off from the incident," she reiterated the painful memories as if it had just happened yesterday. Even as she told the doctor, she still couldn't believe that her mother had suffered through so much hardships in the past. Her voice trembled at the thought.     

    

"It would be best if you could get me all the medical records from that incident. We might need them for further consultation." The male doctor stopped walking and turned to her. "Also, Ouyang Fei's condition is still somewhat complicated, so you must prepare yourself for the expenses. If there are any complications, the situation she's in right now may be more dangerous, the cost could be quite high."     

    

"How much does she need for the operation then?    

    

The doctor was about to be called away by one of the nurses when he gave her one last answer, "I'm not sure, but prepare around four hundred thousand."     

    

At the number given, Jian Yun had collapsed onto the chair, feeling as if all the strength had been sucked away from her body. Her fingers lay flat onto the metal bench, and her eyes squeezed shut. No matter how much she had struggled to wish for all these problems to go away, it seemed that the fates still wouldn't listen to her. This was her reality, and there was no escaping such tribulations. However, she was already running out of options.     

    

When her mother had been hospitalized yesterday, she had already given Wu Wenjing around 10,000 yuan. This morning, the nurse had told her that she needed to pay up another 50,000 yuan to support her mother's medication. Although she had saved up more than 200,000 yuan over the years, the amount still wasn't enough to support her at this rate. She needed to make more, but how could she make more in such a short span of time? It wasn't as if money could grow on trees.     

    

If she had been hospitalized in Boshan, her mother's medical insurance could still be used. However, Qinghu City and Boshan were in two different provinces, rendering her medical card void here. Even if Jian Yun could get the receipts reimbursed, they still needed to wait for her mother to be released by the hospital, but according to the doctor, her mother's condition was already very dangerous as it was. Being discharged so early clearly wasn't in the options.     

    

Her entire body felt cold, and she could only shiver and sniffle on the bench.     

    

"Yun, do you not have enough money? Auntie still has several thousand yuan. You could use it first," Auntie Qin comforted. The old woman was frightened sick by the doctor's words. She could only blame herself for not taking good care of Ouyang Fei in the first place. At this point, she also sat beside her, not being able to stand up as she continually wiped the tears from her face.     

    

"Auntie, I can still hold on to my money a little while longer," Jian Yun whispered. Unless it was absolutely necessary, she wasn't going to take Auntie Qin's money. After all, with her husband's condition, she might also need the cash to last a little while longer.     

    

Auntie Qin had left right after to clear out some documents. Even then, the more Jian Yun thought of the cash needed, the more frightened she became. She initially wanted Bai Ze to clarify things regarding her mother's condition, but when she had tried asking around, the nurse only said that Director Bai was still tasked with doing the clinical rounds today. This time, all she could do was wait for his arrival.     

    

However, when thirty minutes had passed, she saw dozens of doctors and nurses rushing into the ICU. "Your mother has shown signs of infection, and her vitals are failing her," the nurse had started quickly before she rushed into the room with a bunch of needles in tow. That was the only thing Jian Yun could hear before her entire body had fallen limp. It was as if the world around her had stopped spinning, and she stumbled onto the ground, lifeless.     

    

When Wu Wenjing and Luo Yanyan had arrived, they discovered her curled up onto the ground with empty eyes and blue lips. She looked like a doll whose strings were cut, and they immediately rushed over.     

    

"Yun, get up. Why are you sitting on the ground?" The two women helped her to a chair and sat her down. However, no matter how many questions they've asked, Jian Yun still remained quiet. She stared blankly at the door directed to the ICU, not saying another word. Since Auntie Qin wasn't around to clarify the problem, Wu Wenjing and Luo Yanyan were extremely anxious. "Please, Yun, tell us what happened."     

    

There was another old lady watching over her family members who had overheard the entire conversation. Not being able to take it anymore, she quickly reiterated to the two women what the doctor had just said.     

    

"But how?" Wu Wenjing cried out. "Didn't Director Bai say that the operation was successful?"     

    

"We need to find Director Bai." At this point, Jian Yun could no longer think straight. Her mind was simply repeating the information she had heard this morning. The female doctor had said how Director Bai's operations were always a success, if not, mostly a success. Why would her mother suddenly fall ill now? Of all days? Had something happened? Gripping the sides of her seat, she could feel her heart racing in her chest from the anxiety.     

    

Just as she was about to get up and find him, the elevator opened. A refined man in a white coat walked out first, and she wasted no time in rushing over.     

    

Bai Ze had been staring at the medical records that were handed over by the nurse that he didn't even notice Jian Yun. It was only when she stood right in front of him did he finally raise his head. Seeing her, the frown on his face had deepened. "I was just about to look for you," he said, motioning for him to follow her. "Follow me to my office."     

    

Jian Yun didn't say anything else as she followed him towards the doctor's office. Wu Wenjing and Luo Yanyan followed, supporting their friend with every step they take.     

    

Bai Ze poured a glass of water for Jian Yun and told her to sit down. Once everyone was settled in, he pushed the medical records towards her. "Your mother's operation has been very successful. There's no doubt about that," he stated. "But there have been complications regarding an infection, so now we have increased the number of dosages to prevent even more from rising."     

    

"Will my...will my mother die?" Her lips quivered. So this was what despair felt like.