Chapter 18: Saving Grace

Zhao Lifei was woken up by her familiar ringtone. She glanced at the time and saw it was only 9AM. Groaning and grumbling under her breath, she wondered why the people didn’t let her sleep!

With sleep heavily weighing her down, Zhao Lifei picked up at the last ring. "Hello...?" She groggily answered, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Gasp! How could you only pick up on the last ring? Why not the first or second? I know the little hermit doesn’t have a life." Yang Ruqin teased, the same way she always did.

Their friendship was not only build on a strong foundation of having each other’s backs, but it was also build on constantly teasing and joking with each other. Not all friendships were comprised of endless compliments and flattery. What was the fun in doing just that?

"I was hoping the big shot wasn’t so lonely to count each ring?" Zhao Lifei tiredly mumbled.

"Because this big shot has made it big, she doesn’t have any trustworthy friends..." Yang Ruqin pouted, faking a sad tone that caused Zhao Lifei to laugh.

"I suppose this big shot wants a company to brunch?" She mused, hailing the closest taxi.

"Surprisingly, this glutton doesn’t want to eat right now. As a matter of fact, she wants to see you in the First Hospital." Yang Ruqin hummed.

"Feng-ge has finally woke up yesterday, and I thought it would be ideal if we both visited him." Yang Ruqin said, while getting into her private driver’s car.

Zhao Lifei crossed her arms. "Why do I have to tag along?" She was slightly suspicious of Yang Ruqin’s tone. Was this woman setting her up again?

But that was an unlikely scenario, since Yang Ruqin’s older brother was the CEO of the famed Yang Enterprise.

Even if Yang Feng’s ancestors crawled out of their graves to beg him, he wouldn’t attend a blind date, much less, humor the idea of it.

Yang Feng might’ve been connected to an IV drip and barely conscious, but one lift of his finger, and Zhao Lifei would’ve been thrown and banned from the country’s top Hospital.

Zhao Lifei doubted her Qinqin would even think of the foolish idea of pairing her up with Yang Feng.

"You have to tag along because you, my dear, saved his life by donating blood. You’re his saving grace!" Yang Ruqin happily said, nearly laughing at Zhao Lifei’s skepticism.

Zhao Lifei scoffed. "His saving grace? Oh please," She rolled her eyes. "All I did was connect my hand to a needle and give him blood, something easily renewable in my body. The doctor who performed surgery on him did all of the important work."

She hailed down a cab and told the driver the name of her location.

"But you came first." Yang Ruqin added on.

"Huh? I came first? What does that even mean?" Zhao Lifei’s brows furrowed together at Yang Ruqin’s confusing words.

Yang Ruqin faked a heavy sigh of disappointment. "Feifei, after all these years at Harvard, I was hoping you’d come back with a better brain-"

"Says the genius who abandoned her impeccable violin skills." Zhao Lifei snorted. Before Yang Ruqin became a world renowned supermodel, she used to be a popular violinist. But just like Zhao Lifei, Yang Ruqin played the instrument not because she wanted to, but because her parents forced it onto her.

When Yang Ruqin applied for college, she was instantly accepted into Julliard in New York, but opted for a different school. Since her second choice college had an outstanding name and title, her parents didn’t hold it against her.

"Touché my dear, touché." Yang Ruqin laughed.

If it was anyone else saying such words to her, she would’ve flipped and insulted them. But this was her beloved Feifei. Her words were knife-sharp, but when it was said to Yang Ruqin, she had no intentions of cutting her with it, and Yang Ruqin knew that.

"But going back to what I was saying, before someone rudely interrupted me..." Yang Ruqin blatantly hinted to Zhao Lifei and if she was standing their in person, Yang Ruqin would’ve glared at her.

"Don’t glare at the poor leather seats." Zhao Lifei smiled when Yang Ruqin huffed. She knew her Qinqin all too well...

"I was not glaring at the seats!" Yang Ruqin resorted, stubbornly crossing her arms like a child caught red handed for stealing cookies.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Now stop distracting me! I’m trying to make a point here!" Yang Ruqin whined, huffing and puffing.

Zhao Lifei bit her bottom lips to prevent another bubble of laughter. She actually wanted to hear how Yang Ruqin could convince her.

"The doctors came second, you came first. Without your amazing B-type blood, the doctors would’ve not been able to complete the surgery and save his life! Therefore, you came first, which makes you his saving grace." Yang Ruqin triumphantly said, proud of herself for thinking of such a good reason.

Zhao Lifei raises one amused brow. She was too lazy to argue and refute with her friend, so she simply went along with it.

"Alright, alright, I suppose you’re right." Zhao Lifei said like a tired mother. She was still a good few minutes away from the hospital whereas Yang Ruqin had already arrived and was going up the elevator.

"Hmph, I’m always right!" Yang Ruqin said. Just then, her phone buzzed again. "My mom is calling me. Text me when you’re at the hospital."

"Okay. I’ll see you later." Zhao Lifei said, hanging up the phone.

Since Zhao Lifei wasn’t rushing the cab driver to get there under ten minutes, the man drove at a normal speed. Sensing it might taken a while longer, she placed on her earbuds and hummed the tune to her favorite song.

’Beneath the peach blossom tree,

A white lotus blooms, Surrounded

by buds that try to mimic her

A vine is tugging her down

A girl in white,

wandering through the field of white,

A man runs through the field of black,

She walks without a might,

He runs like a knight,

A girl in white, wandering towards the tree

Pink against white

White against black

A lotus that reaches

A vine that that attacks

A girl in white,

A girl in black, clothes tainted in red,

Beneath the peach blossom tree,

A single lotus blooms,

For the lovely girl in white.’