Chapter 46: Meow! I Don’t Want to Be Taken Home by My Love Rival
“What, Xue’er’s in a car accident?”
“What happened? Which hospital—I’m coming right now!!”
Lu Qingqi hung up, hands trembling.
She flagged a cab, racing to the city center hospital.
The car barely halted before she paid and bolted to the ER.
Stumbling steps, she grabbed a nurse for the ICU ward’s location.
Then jogged the rest, heels clacking urgently on corridor tiles.
Pushing open the ward door, her feet skidded to a stop.
The bed held a figure swaddled head to toe in white gauze—only stray locks escaping, breaths machine-aided.
It was Bai Yuanzhen.
Beside the bed stood a handsome youth, head down over a chart.
He looked up at the noise.
His gaze landed on Lu Qingqi—oversized black tee, long hair tousled.
Brows furrowing, he asked,
“You’re Yuanzhen’s bestie, Chen Tianwen?”
“What bestie!”
“I’m a pure dude! Can’t you tell?!”
Lu Qingqi hopped up instinctively, eye-leveling him.
She thumped her chest; the loose tee’s curves jiggled obviously, waves rolling.
“I’m Xue’er’s boyfriend! And you?”
The youth blanked utterly, chart nearly slipping from his grip.
He glanced at bedridden Bai Yuanzhen.
Then back at Lu Qingqi—slim waist accentuated by the baggy shirt, hip lines faint, black locks cascading shoulders.
Utterly womanly, feminine to the core—insisting boyfriend!
Black-long-haired girl? Boyfriend?
So…… trap.
He gaped, words failing.
Had the world gone this fantastical?
Lu Qingqi, oblivious to his thoughts or her own oddity, eyed the rooted youth.
Brows lightly knit.
Familiar—seen somewhere.
Wait!
Suddenly, the black-long-haired girl’s eyes sparked.
She remembered—this youth matched the guy in that surveillance clip: Bai Yuanzhen checking into the hotel with another man.
Instantly, her gaze sharpened hostile.
The youth, stunned a beat, recovered.
Gazing at the black-long-haired girl before him, he hesitated, then probed.
“You’re really Yuanzhen’s boyfriend?”
“Or what? You?”
The girl’s tone brimmed impatience.
“And who are you? Never seen you before.”
“I’m Yuanzhen’s cousin.”
“Hm?”
“Distant kin—new to the city lately.”
“So how’d Xue’er’s accident happen?”
“This…… long story.”
“Then short version.”
Lu Qingqi crossed arms, stare growing keener.
Squirmed under her eyes, the youth wavered two-three seconds.
Then spilled: he and Yuanzhen, long-lost cousins, reunited—planned a drive to the suburbs for air, sights.
Unlucky road mishap.
“Why’re you unscathed?”
“I was backseat—no major hurts, just scrapes.”
“And the call?”
“Used her phone.”
Explanation done, the youth looked up at Lu Qingqi.
Throat bobbing unconsciously, he feigned casual.
“Since you’re Yuanzhen’s boyfriend—earlier, I fronted fifty grand for admission.”
“I know—card number; I’ll wire soon.”
The youth yanked a note with card details from his wallet.
Handing it over, his fingertips tensed faintly.
Lu Qingqi snatched the slip, glanced, pocketed it casually.
Then strode to the bedside.
Bai Yuanzhen lay mummified in thick gauze—eyes shut tight, lips bloodless half-visible, legs bound rigid.
A “white dumpling” alive.
Lu Qingqi stared at her pallid face seconds.
Brows twisting tighter.
Fingertip hovered over her hand’s back.
Finally withdrew.
“I’ll grab a fruit basket nearby—you watch her.”
“Don’t worry—I’ve got her.”
The youth nodded eagerly.
Lu Qingqi said no more, hurrying out.
The door clicked shut.
Ward silence fell—instruments’ steady beeps echoing.
The youth eyed the sealed door.
Then bed’s Bai Yuanzhen.
Finally, glanced at the fresh “medical fee” ping on his phone.
Lips curving upward unwittingly.
Out the hospital, straight to a fruit shop.
Picked a hefty basket brimming fresh fruits.
Though Bai Yuanzhen comatose, bedside sans this felt less “proper.”
Novels, dramas did it so—protagonist by bed, peeling apple via basket; next beat, heroine stirs awake.
But en route back, passing the hospital lot—fruit basket in arms—Lu Qingqi caught a familiar voice.
In the lot, a blue Bentley idled in shadow, window half-down.
“How’s the person? What’s with the crash? Out driving with her cousin?”
“Mm, got it—med fees on me; wiring now.”
“Right—send the in-car cam footage.”
Hanging up, Liu Wangjiang closed his eyes.
Temples throbbing faintly.
Plans lagged changes—Bai Yuanzhen, this pawn unused, hospitalized already.
Short-term, no waking.
Good thing backups abounded—no single snag derailing all.
Then, another call chimed.
Liu Wangjiang glanced the contact, voice unconsciously softening.
A dozen paces off, a lithe figure clutched the basket, hunkered behind shrubs—eavesdropping.
“What’s that jerk muttering?”
“How’d I catch ‘crash’?”
“Don’t tell me Xue’er’s accident—he plotted it?”
The more Lu Qingqi mulled, the likelier.
After all, last time disguised as “Xiao Yan” meeting him—threatened on spot.
Liu Wangjiang, “great villain”—no bad deed beneath him.
Pondering, Lu Qingqi figured closer listening needed—sans detection.
Eyes narrowing, phantom panel bloomed before her—abilities listed.
Sight settling on Beast Ear Girl Episode [Catification].
No overthinking, the girl set the basket aside.
Next second, pale light enveloped her form.
Shrinking swiftly, soft snow-white fur sprouted skin-deep.
Head topped fuzzy cat ears; rear sprouted a fluffy tail.
She flicked the tip, pawed the cement—furry feel, light body, winds whispering clear at ears.
“So turning cat feels like this……”
The girl muttered inwardly.
Limbs tensed—pouncing wind-like, agile bounds.
In leaps, she slipped soundless through the blue Bentley’s rear window—ajar just so.
Curling seat-corner, ears perked—catching front-seat sounds.
“Mm, I know—fewer sleep pills going forward.”
“Rest easy, Mom—you and Dad enjoy.”
Oh—chat with godmother.
Sleep pills……
So Liu Wangjiang’s hospital run—for sedatives?
Unrelated to Bai Yuanzhen’s crash—overthought.
Relief budding, Lu Qingqi itched to bolt.
But next instant—window sealed shut.
Front-seat man revved the engine.
Gas pedal down—car peeled from lot, away from hospital.
Straight homeward.
Gazing scenery whipping by, sealed glass.
Hakilu’s heart collapsed inwardly.
Ya wudi!!
Don’t shut the window—I gotta out!!
My girlfriend’s still abed in hospital!!