Disabled Childhood Sweetheart: A Humble Puppy Begs for the Young Lady's Pity

A week after Wenxi disappeared, the Third People's Hospital of Linshen City was established.

"Dr. Song, someone is looking for you." The nurse knocked on the office door with a smile.

Song Xianglin had just finished writing the last medical record when he looked up, said "Okay," put the pen into the chest pocket of his white coat, stood up, and walked out slowly.

The corridor was dimly lit, with the corridor lights casting a blurry halo on the ceiling.

A tall, slender man leaned against the wall, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the edge of his phone.

One long leg was bent against the wall, the hem of his light gray coat draped down to his ankles, and his refined profile exuded a cold and aloof aura that kept people at a distance.

Zhou Jingchen caught a glimpse of Song Xianglin out of the corner of his eye and immediately straightened up. His deep eyes pierced through the dim light of the corridor, precisely locking onto the newcomer, his gaze heavy and cold.

Outside the outpatient building, a cold wind swirled fine, withered leaves across the ground, making a soft rustling sound.

The early winter sun was not very warm, and it lazily shone on the two of them.

Zhou Jingchen reached out, opened the cigarette pack, and handed it to Song Xianglin: "Want one?"

Song Xianglin waved his hand: "Thank you, I won't smoke."

Zhou Jingchen withdrew his hand, took out a lighter, and the flame of the lighter trembled twice in the wind before stabilizing, the orange-red light briefly illuminating the sharp lines of his jaw.

He took a slow drag, the white smoke rings quickly dissipating in the cold wind. "It's been many years," he said, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Song Xianglin sized up the person in front of him.

His brows and eyes were weary, his chin was covered with a ring of stubble, and his clothes were obviously wrinkled, as if he hadn't taken good care of himself for several days and had been up all night.

He stood there, without a cane, and his gait showed no signs of abnormality.

He was handsome and tall, with a commanding presence, completely different from the boy he used to be.

Song Xianglin smiled gently. "It's been many years. I heard from Little Magpie that you found your biological parents. I'm really happy for you."

Zhou Jingchen wasn't there to reminisce; he went straight to the point: "Where did she go?"

Song Xianglin's smile faltered for a few seconds, and he looked surprised.

Wenxi hasn't contacted him recently; perhaps he changed his SIM card again, and he's waiting for it.

He shrugged: "I don't know."

"You've maintained contact all these years?" Zhou Jingchen's voice tightened. "Do you know what happened to the Wen family?"

"I don't know." Song Xianglin avoided his gaze and looked at the green belt in the distance. His voice was calm. "I only met her by chance about half a year ago."

He promised her he would keep quiet, including all details of Xiang Qin's medical treatment here, and would never reveal them to anyone.

Zhou Jingchen, his long, slender fingers holding a cigarette, stared at him intently for a few seconds: "Aren't you two dating?"

"You could say it was me pursuing her unilaterally." Song Xianglin looked away, met his gaze, and spoke earnestly.

Zhou Jingchen's dark eyes flashed, like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating ripples.

He stubbed out his cigarette on the nearby trash can, then said in a hoarse voice, "Don't chase after them."

"Why?" Song Xianglin asked.

"What she's hiding right now is something you can't handle. And—" Zhou Jingchen took a half step forward, casting a shadow over Song Xianglin: "Her affairs have always been my responsibility."

"Aren't you siblings? Why are you interfering with her dating?" Song Xianglin raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing him with a complex look in her eyes.

Fallen leaves rustled past Zhou Jingchen's leather shoes. He casually put one hand in his pocket, looking somewhat disheveled.

A moment later, he took out a business card and handed it to Song Xianglin, patting the other man's shoulder lightly. "If you have any news about her, please be sure to contact me."

-

My inbox contains the latest email from Lin Xujie.

It clearly lists the three cities where Wen Zhiting briefly stayed—Chizhou, Jinshi, and Weishi—along with their detailed addresses.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Jingchen immediately arranged the matters at his company and got up to make the trip himself.

He had just pushed back his office chair and stood up when the office door was suddenly pushed open.

The secretary followed the old lady nervously, her voice trembling with fear: "Mr. Zhou, your...your grandmother is here."

Zhou Jingchen frowned almost imperceptibly, strode forward, and forced a smile: "Grandma, why didn't you give me a heads-up?"

The old lady wore a fluffy vest draped over her shoulders, and the bracelets and bodhi beads on her wrists clinked softly. Her face was beaming with smiles.

"I haven't come to see your new office area yet. I happened to be out with Xiaoyue today, so I thought I'd drop by to see you."

As she spoke, she reached out and pulled the girl behind her forward, pushing her in front of Zhou Jingchen, her tone becoming increasingly friendly:

"Knowing that you're such a busy person, you probably haven't had time for lunch, Xiaoyue specially went to Jiangyuelou to pack some food for you."

The secretary behind him blinked in surprise upon seeing this and quietly closed the door.

"Jingchen, it's been a long time." Qiao Yue greeted him softly with a smile in her eyes.

Zhou Jingchen glanced at her indifferently, then looked back at the old lady: "Grandma, I have something to do now, I have to go out for a bit."

The old lady reached out and patted his arm, her brows immediately furrowing, her tone carrying a hint of reproach:

"All you ever do is throw yourself into work. You refuse to come home and live alone outside."

"No matter how important it is, we have to eat first." She said, pulling Zhou Jingchen toward the sofa without further ado.

He then turned to Qiao Yue beside him and smiled kindly, "Xiao Yue, you sit down too."

The old lady sat down on the sofa opposite the two of them and casually placed her bag beside her.

Zhou Jingchen's face was gloomy. He didn't say anything, but he subtly moved to the side, creating some distance between them.

Qiao Yue opened the food box with practiced ease, her eyes crinkling as she softly said:

"Grandma said you love vegetarian food. Jiangyuelou's stir-fried bok choy and some of their snacks are especially good. Would you like to try some?"

When the secretary brought in the tea, she happened to see Qiao Yue's eyes sparkling as she handed a pair of chopsticks to Zhou Jingchen.

Zhou Jingchen's face showed little expression. He simply thanked her and, under the old lady's gaze, absentmindedly picked up a few bites, finding them tasteless.

The afternoon sun shone through the blinds, casting soft shadows on the man's sharply defined profile.

His nose was high and straight like a mountain ridge, his eyebrows and eyes were deep and aloof, his fingers holding chopsticks were long and slender with distinct knuckles, and his whole body was surrounded by a refreshing and pleasant scent.

As Qiao Yue watched, a thin blush crept up her ears without her realizing it.

Ever since they met at the Lu family's banquet, she had fallen in love with Zhou Jingchen almost instantly.

Given their family background, marriages have always been arranged by their elders, with an emphasis on matching social status and economic conditions.

Her family was on par with Zhou Jingchen's, and their elders had known each other for many years. She was a master's graduate from a prestigious university and then gained experience in the family business after graduation; he had studied abroad and founded Xingyao Technology, showing great promise at a young age. The two were a perfect match in every way.

Actually, I was half-forced by my parents to go to the banquet at the Lu family's house. One reason was to celebrate Old Mrs. Zhou's birthday, and the other was to use the birthday as an excuse to go on a blind date with this grandson of the Zhou family.

Before meeting her, Qiao Yue had a lot on her mind.

She had overheard people talking about it, saying that Zhou Jingchen had an accident when he was a child and had difficulty walking. She even secretly thought that if he really did walk with a limp, she would never have anything to do with him again.

But seeing her in person completely overturned her expectations.

Not only was he handsome and tall, but he was also calm and capable in his actions. The surgery was obviously very successful, and he walked in the same way as ordinary people.

Those lingering concerns vanished instantly.

Zhou Jingchen put down his chopsticks and stood up: "Grandma, I really have to leave urgently. If you'd like to sit here, please make yourself at home. Just call my secretary if you need anything."

Seeing his hurried expression, Qiao Yue, who was standing nearby, quickly and considerately tugged at the old lady's arm and said softly, "Grandma, I should go back to the company too. How about I take you home first?"

The old lady patted the back of her hand and smiled kindly: "Go ahead and do your work, the driver will pick me up later."

"Okay." Qiao Yue blushed, said goodbye to Zhou Jingchen, and left first.

Only after watching her figure completely disappear outside the door did the old lady turn her head, her gaze landing on her grandson, and get straight to the point:

"You don't like that girl?"

Zhou Jingchen shook his head, his tone resolute: "I don't like it."

As he spoke, he walked straight to his desk and began packing his laptop and coat.

"I've introduced you to so many, and not one of them has caught your eye?" The old lady snorted, her tone tinged with disappointment. "Qiao Yue is such a wonderful girl. She's gentle, generous, sensible, and polite in her actions. I think she's much better than the others."

Zhou Jingchen paused, then said calmly, "I don't like the gentle type."

"So what kind of one do you like? Tell me, and I'll find one for you that fits this mold!" the old lady pressed on.

Zhou Jingchen draped his coat over his arm, held his laptop in his other hand, turned and stood in front of the old lady, his expression serious.

"I like girls who are lively and cute, preferably a little mischievous and like to tease people; they should be able to dance and have a flexible waist; they should be able to swear and curse, and be a little fierce; they should have big eyes, and be beautiful when they glare or roll their eyes; they should be kind, innocent, and have their emotions written all over their faces, instead of being like that girl from earlier, who hid her thoughts too deeply."

He paused, then emphasized, "Grandma, please find it according to this standard; not a single one can be missing."

After hearing these words, the old lady almost choked, pointing at him for a long time without being able to speak:

"You... what kind of normal girl did you find? What kind of well-bred young lady acts like this?"

Zhou Jingchen simply glanced at her calmly, his tone resolute: "I like it this way."

He walked towards the door, but before leaving, he turned back and said, "Go home early, I'm leaving now."