C2 Strange Car Accident

The Xia family was in shock. Could Xia Mengyao be feverish? Did she mean that if Chen Feng didn't enter the ancestral shrine, she wouldn't either?

"Xia Mengyao, are you really going to betray the Xia family for an outsider?" Xia Hao's face darkened. He couldn't believe that Xia Mengyao would make such a statement for Chen Feng. The ancestral worship ceremony was one of the Xia family's most sacred traditions. Attendance was mandatory for all family members, a rule set in stone.

To refuse to honor the ancestors was to show the utmost disrespect.

Should Xia Mengyao choose not to enter the shrine today, with Xia Yunsheng's temperament, it was likely she would be cast out of the Xia family!

The gravity of the situation was undeniable.

"Mengyao, please go in. Your cousin is right. Those are your ancestors in there. I'm a Chen; it's not my place." Chen Feng stepped forward, speaking once more.

He realized that either Xia Mengyao or Xia Hao had to back down, or they would both face consequences.

But there was no question that Xia Mengyao's punishment would be far more severe. Chen Feng did not want her to suffer expulsion from the Chen family on his account. So, he had no choice but to swallow his pride.

Despite the humiliation, despite the disdain he might face from others, Chen Feng was prepared to do it.

For Xia Mengyao, he would sacrifice all his pride.

"Chen Feng." Xia Mengyao's eyes brimmed with tears. She clearly understood the sacrifice Chen Feng was making for her. And that only made it harder to accept. She felt she was letting him down.

"Alright, I'm off to deliver food. Make sure you're home early tonight." Chen Feng tried to sound nonchalant as he turned and left without a backward glance.

Even after Xia Hao's harsh words, Chen Feng felt an unusual sense of calm, and even a slight sense of triumph, because Xia Mengyao had just said, "If he goes in, I'll go in too!"

For the first time in three years, Xia Mengyao had unequivocally chosen to stand by him.

Hearing those words, Chen Feng felt that all the hardships he had endured were worthwhile.

After delivering the takeout, Chen Feng returned home to start cooking. His culinary skills were quite impressive. Three years earlier, Xia Weiguo had taken him in, and it was his cooking that earned Xia Weiguo's approval. Xia Weiguo often said that a man who could cook was a good man. At the time, Xia Mengyao also thought highly of him, and with Xia Weiguo's matchmaking, Chen Feng eventually became the Xia family's live-in son-in-law.

However, post-marriage, tensions began to surface. Xia Weiguo was undervalued within the Xia family, and their business prospects dimmed. With little business acumen, Chen Feng couldn't offer much help to Xia Weiguo. His only option was to make ends meet by delivering takeout.

As their financial situation worsened, his mother-in-law, Jiang Lan, grew increasingly discontent with Chen Feng. She would often berate him for his lack of success, believing he wasn't worthy of Xia Mengyao. Without Chen Feng, she was convinced that Xia Mengyao, with her beauty, would have married into wealth, and their family wouldn't be facing such hardship.

Chen Feng had no comeback. As an illegitimate child with neither wealth nor a degree, he couldn't compare to Xia Mengyao, a stunning university graduate and former campus beauty. All he had to offer her was his heartfelt sincerity. Yet, sincerity often seemed to be the least valued commodity in the world.

After setting the table with the meal he had prepared, Chen Feng felt a sense of unease. Usually, by this time, Xia Weiguo and his wife would have been home. Why the delay today?

Then, his phone rang.

"Chen Feng, my dad's been hit by a car..."

Chen Feng's face went pale as Xia Mengyao's voice came through the phone, delivering news he could hardly believe. His father-in-law in a car accident?

"Mengyao, stay calm. I'm on my way to the hospital right now," Chen Feng quickly reassured her before hanging up. He hopped on his scooter and sped off towards the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Chen Feng found Xia Mengyao sitting on a bench, crying uncontrollably. Lin Lan, his mother-in-law, was pacing frantically outside the emergency room door.

"Mengyao, what happened?" Chen Feng hurried over to Xia Mengyao, his voice laced with concern.

Before Xia Mengyao could respond, Lin Lan approached and delivered a sharp slap across Chen Feng's face. The sting was immediate and intense.

"How dare you ask what happened?!" Lin Lan was livid. "You good-for-nothing, where were you this afternoon? Why didn't you pick up Xia Weiguo?"

Chen Feng was taken aback. Usually, he would drive Xia Weiguo home from work since his father-in-law's leg injury made driving difficult for him. However, today Xia Weiguo had visited the Xia family's ancestral shrine and hadn't called afterward. Chen Feng had assumed Xia Weiguo wasn't returning home and had forgotten to pick him up.

"Mom, I'm so sorry," Chen Feng said, filled with remorse. He knew he bore responsibility for Xia Weiguo's mishap.

"Is sorry supposed to fix everything? You've been with the Xia family for three years and have accomplished nothing!" Lin Lan was on the verge of collapse, her voice hysterical. "If anything serious happens to Xia Weiguo, you will divorce my daughter immediately and leave the Xia family!"

Lin Lan's piercing voice drew a crowd of onlookers. But Chen Feng was beyond caring about the embarrassment; Xia Weiguo was not only his father-in-law but also his lifesaver. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to him.

"Who is the patient's relative?" A doctor in a white coat approached at that moment.

"We are," Lin Lan and Xia Mengyao quickly responded, stepping forward.

"The patient has severe internal bleeding. It's critical, and we need to operate right away," the middle-aged doctor explained gravely.

At these words, Lin Lan nearly collapsed, her world going dark, while Xia Mengyao's complexion turned deathly pale, as if struck by a bolt of lightning.

"Doctor, please arrange the surgery as soon as possible. We're prepared to handle the cost, whatever it may be," Chen Feng stated firmly.

"Alright, sign here first. Once you've signed, proceed to pay the surgery fee," the middle-aged doctor instructed as he presented a disclaimer agreement. Without hesitation, Chen Feng signed his name.

But his confidence wavered when he saw the amount due on the surgery invoice—his pupils shrank in shock.

Five million!

The amount was staggering!

How could a simple surgical procedure cost five million?

Chen Feng sensed something was amiss. Xia Weiguo's financial state was far from capable of affording such an expense; even fifty thousand would be a stretch, let alone five million.

Perhaps there was a mistake in the printout? Clinging to a sliver of hope, Chen Feng approached the payment counter.

However, the staff confirmed the figure without hesitation.

Five million it was.

A sinking feeling overwhelmed Chen Feng. As a delivery man, his monthly earnings barely reached six thousand. How could he possibly come up with five million on the spot?

With Xia Weiguo's critical condition, there was no time to consider transferring to another hospital.

Where could he possibly gather five million?

Who would lend him such an amount?

Chen Feng was consumed by frustration, never before had he realized the true weight of money.

"Young Master..." Just then, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

Turning around, Chen Feng saw Chen Zhong, wearing a smile that seemed out of place.

Instantly, Chen Feng put the pieces together.

"What have you done?!" he demanded, his fists clenched in fury. It would be foolish not to suspect Chen Zhong now.

The abrupt car accident, the exorbitant surgery fee—it all appeared to be a carefully orchestrated scheme.

All designed to force his return to the Chen family.

Chen Zhong merely shook his head, feigning innocence. "Young Master, I'm not sure what you mean..."

But before he could continue, Chen Feng's fist connected with his nose in a fierce punch, and blood began to flow.