C17 Surprise and Gratitude

Zhao Feng!

The entire Wei Family was thunderstruck. How could this be possible? Wasn't he the one without even the qualifications to attend, the so-called good-for-nothing? How on earth could he be the host of tonight's banquet?

As the last notes of the song faded, Zhao Feng had already made his way to Wei Ying. Dropping to one knee, he slung the guitar over his back and produced a small red box. With a gentle flick, it opened to reveal a sparkling diamond ring nestled inside.

He gazed into Wei Ying's eyes with deep affection and, without waiting for her to speak, Zhao Feng declared, "Happy anniversary, my love! We've been through a lot lately, but let's put all that behind us. From here on out, let's live well together, shall we?"

"My dear, you know I was working at that little clinic, where three months' salary wasn't much. It took every penny to afford this ring." Zhao Feng was actually quite wealthy, but those three months were different. He had worked tirelessly, earning every dime with his own labor, and he treasured that time above all.

With a sheepish scratch of his head, Zhao Feng offered, "This is for you. Will you forgive me?"

Wei Ying had vowed not to cry, but the sight of the diamond ring overwhelmed her. Three months prior, their union had been a hasty affair—no ceremony, no family blessings—and her heart had been heavy with unspoken sorrows. But today, Zhao Feng was making up for it all in the most unexpected way.

Tears of sheer joy streamed down Wei Ying's face as she beheld the diamond ring in Zhao Feng's hands. The more she looked, the more she adored it, and yet... something seemed amiss.

"Is this... a diamond ring?" Wei Ying asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Yes," Zhao Feng replied, his voice betraying a hint of guilt.

"Where's the diamond?"

"Um... Waiter, could I get a magnifying glass?" Zhao Feng cheekily requested.

Wei Ying couldn't help but laugh, playfully thumping Zhao Feng on the head.

"Honey, if you don't like it, I'll save up and get you a better one," Zhao Feng quickly added, worried she might be upset as he started to put the ring away.

But Wei Ying snatched the ring from him and slid it onto her left ring finger. "Once given, a gift shouldn't be taken back," she said with a smile. Extending her elegant hand, she admired the ring, her heart swelling with a sweetness that surpassed honey.

"Honey, do you like it?" Zhao Feng asked eagerly.

"I guess I can let it slide this time, but don't think you can get away with such gifts in the future. Next time, I expect a diamond as big as a pigeon's egg," Wei Ying said with a gleam in her eye, making grand gestures to emphasize her point.

"Absolutely! If it makes you happy, my dear, I'd even pluck the moon from the sky for you!"

"Nonsense!"

Suddenly, Chen Min stormed in, her face contorted with jealousy and rage. "Zhao Feng, what kind of underhanded scheme are you playing at? Do you even realize where you are?!"

Zhao Feng gave her a chilly glance and instructed the nearby server, "Please escort her out."

"On what authority can you throw me out? Shao Yang! Are you just going to stand there? This nobody is wreaking havoc and you do nothing!" Chen Min's voice was tinged with hysteria.

This can't be happening. It's impossible. The entire Zhao family are nobodies; how could he possibly get the upper hand over me!

It's all a lie! All lies!

Sensing the escalating tension, Qian Shaoyang wisely chose to remain silent. "Let it go... Little Min."

"Shao Yang!"

"Be quiet!" He had a hunch that Zhao Feng was no ordinary man.

"I refuse!" Chen Min was indignant. Why should Wei Ying always come out on top, in every way, since childhood?

She had worked so hard to marry someone of status, and yet here she was, being humiliated by her.

"Enough, stop making a scene. Come home with me!" Shao Yang said, dragging Chen Min away with him.

"I won't go back! Let go of me!"

Chen Min's protests faded into the distance.

"So, Zhao Feng, what exactly is going on here?" Wei Ying asked, her curiosity piqued as she snapped back to reality.

Zhao Feng chuckled, "President Ding is actually a friend I met through EDonghai Pharmaceutical Industry. I helped him out a few years back, and now I'm leveraging his influence to shake things up a bit."

"You're friends with President Ding! No wonder... So it's been you helping me all along?" Wei Ying realized, her eyes lighting up.

"Well, not entirely. You're pretty incredible yourself, honey."

"Quit the wisecracks. You owe it to her to make things right in the future, got it?"

"Understood, understood!"

Wei Ying embraced Zhao Feng, who was so taken aback that he didn't even know where to place his hands. Then, from the embrace came a muffled, "Zhao Feng, thank you."

Zhao Feng wrapped his arms around her waist, vowing, "Honey, from this moment forward, I'll never let you endure any hardship again!"

— —

Following that episode, their relationship was firmly back on track.

One day, while Zhao Feng was seeing patients in the clinic, his phone rang. It was Wei Ying's assistant calling.

Zhao Feng was puzzled. Why would Wei Ying's assistant reach out to him directly?

He quickly said to the doctor next to him, "Dr. Liu, could you prescribe medication for this patient? It's just a mild case of neuritis. A three-day course of anti-inflammatories should do the trick."

After speaking, Zhao Feng dashed out to find a secluded spot to take the call.

The patient, left hanging, was confused: "I had an appointment with Dr. Zhao. Where did he go?"

Dr. Liu chuckled in response, "Your specialist has already seen you. It's just standard brain neuritis. I'll prescribe the anti-inflammatories, and you'll be good to go."

In a quiet corner, Zhao Feng answered the phone to hear the assistant's voice, fraught with urgency: "Mr. Zhao, there's been a serious problem! President Wei is in trouble!"

"What?" Zhao Feng gasped, "What's happened to Wei Ying?"

"The situation is this: there's been some issue with the drugs we distribute from EDonghai Pharmaceutical Industry. Some patients have had shock reactions after taking them, though thankfully, nothing too severe. But the patients' families have come to our company, causing a scene. They've vandalized the place and even injured President Wei..."

Zhao Feng's mind was reeling, fixated on one thing: Wei Ying was hurt!

"I'm heading to the company right now!" Zhao Feng declared firmly.

Shortly after, he arranged for someone to cover for him, changed into casual clothes, and rushed out of the hospital.

Half an hour later, Zhao Feng arrived at Wei Ying's company, just as the agitated family members had dispersed.

The ground was strewn with debris. Glass doors of many offices lay in shards, furniture was damaged, and the contents of desks were scattered everywhere.

Zhao Feng's worry deepened at the sight of the devastation. With the company in such disarray, what had become of Wei Ying? How severely was she injured?

Upon reaching the office, Zhao Feng was stunned. Wei Ying was there, seemingly unharmed, discussing something urgently with her staff, sporting only a Band-Aid on her arm.

A wave of relief washed over Zhao Feng. It appeared the female assistant had overplayed the situation, leading him to believe Wei Ying was gravely hurt.

Just then, Wei Ying caught sight of Zhao Feng, her face registering surprise. "Zhao Feng, what brings you here?"

"President Wei, I... I was the one who called Mr. Zhao," the assistant admitted, her voice meek.

"What? Didn't I tell you not to tell Zhao Feng?" Wei Ying said with a frown.

Zhao Feng stepped forward with determination. "Wei Ying, with the company facing such a crisis, why wouldn't you tell me? I am your husband, after all!"

Wei Ying's eyes brimmed with tears, her earlier distress threatening to overflow. Yet, she composed herself, turned away, and gestured dismissively, "Everyone, please leave. Zhao Feng can stay."

Once the office was empty, Wei Ying dabbed at her tears and faced Zhao Feng, her eyes red. "Even if I had told you, what good would it do? It would only add to your worries."

Moved by her vulnerability, Zhao Feng felt a surge of tenderness. Wei Ying's beauty was only amplified by her reddened eyes, invoking his compassion. He stepped closer and gently took her hand. "Wei Ying, as your husband, it's my duty to help carry your burdens."

Wei Ying's cheeks flushed at his touch, but she didn't withdraw her hand. Instead, she sighed, "Unfortunately, this incident has escalated too much. It looks like our company might really be facing closure."

Zhao Feng's brow furrowed with concern. "Wei Ying, please, tell me everything that's happened."

"Our company recently started distributing drugs for EDonghai Pharmaceutical Industry, right? But who could have imagined that this batch would be problematic? A patient nearly went into shock after taking them, and their family came to us, causing quite a scene," Wei Ying said, her voice tinged with despondency.

"Drugs procured from EDonghai Pharmaceutical Industry?" Zhao Feng's brow furrowed in concern.

"Yes, it's shocking to think that even EDonghai Pharmaceutical Industry's products could be counterfeit!" Wei Ying shook her head in disbelief.

"That's impossible. There's no way there could be any issues with EDonghai Pharmaceutical's drugs!" Zhao Feng asserted confidently.

Wei Ying was taken aback by Zhao Feng's certainty. "Zhao Feng, how can you be so sure?"

"Uh... I just think that for a company as large as EDonghai Pharmaceutical Industry, supplying fake drugs would be a catastrophic hit to their reputation," Zhao Feng stumbled, then quickly added.

Truth be told, he had unwavering trust in Elder Ding. Zhao Feng had previously issued a strict mandate to Elder Ding, insisting on the authenticity of all pharmaceuticals.

If Elder Ding ever went against Zhao Feng's directive, Zhao Feng would not hesitate to enforce his standards. That was his rule.

Elder Ding knew this all too well, which is why he would never deal in counterfeit products.

"You make a good point. For a giant like EDonghai Pharmaceutical Industry, dealing in fakes would be a major scandal! Plus, it seems to be only my location that's had issues, while I haven't heard of any problems elsewhere," Wei Ying sighed.

Zhao Feng quickly zeroed in on the key issue. "Wei Ying, are you saying that the problems are isolated to the drugs at your facility?"

Wei Ying nodded. "Exactly. I've checked with others, and they've reported no issues with their supplies."