Chapter 10: What Would I Do Without You
Zhao Lifei groaned to herself when she groggily woke up the next morning, her body sore again.
"I need to stop this bad habit of sleeping on random surfaces." She sighed after realizing she had fallen asleep on the piano.
Standing up, she stretched her body, feeling the stiffness in her joints residing the more she stretched. After brushing her teeth and taking a morning shower, she prepped a light breakfast for herself. She sat on the table counter that faced the living room and window. Swinging her legs, she sipped her morning coffee and read the daily newspaper.
She groaned when her phone suddenly went off. Who would call so early in the morning? It was barely seven o'clock.
Her eyes flickered with surprise when she saw Yang Ruqin's caller ID. The minute she picked up, the panicked voice of Yang Ruqin spoke into the phone. "Feifei, what blood type are you?!" Yang Ruqin rushed out, skipping all sorts of greetings.
Zhao Lifei's face turned serious. Her Qinqin would never skip her usual greetings unless something dire and important had happened.
"I have AB negative blood, why? What's wrong?" She asked, hopping off of the bar stool she was sitting on.
From the other line, Yang Ruqin let out a sigh of relief. AB negative, just what she needed!
"Where are you right now? Do you think you can make it to First Hospital within the next ten minutes?"
Zhao Lifei was taken back by her words. First Hospital? Within ten minutes? Was there an emergency?
"I'll try to rush the cab, but I can't make promises." She grabbed her coat and purse, then walked out of her condo.
"Okay, please hurry!" Yang Ruqin pleaded, her voice becoming more anxious.
"What's wrong? Is there an emergency? Are you alright?" Zhao Lifei asked, running down the halls and towards the elevator.
It opened within seconds but with a different elevator host this time. Instead of the usual woman she saw, it was a man who seemed to be a new worker.
"To the ground floor please." Zhao Lifei quickly told the man.
"I-I'm fine, b-but my brother..." Yang Ruqin could barely form words or sentences as she spoke to her. She seemed to be shaken up and with each passing second, her voice was beginning to quiver.
"Your brother? Which one?" Zhao Lifei tried to distract Yang Ruqin from the dire situation at hand.
She knew it was best to calm her down by attempting to switch the topic.
Yang Ruqin sniffled. "The older one..." She quietly said. Then there was a commotion in the background and the phone clicked off.
Zhao Lifei frowned, glanced at the phone and tried to call Yang Ruqin back, but she wasn't answering. She rushed out of the elevator.
Luckily, the streets of Shenbei are populated with taxis and she was able to quickly wave one down.
"Please reach First Hospital within ten minutes." Zhao Lifei hurriedly pulled out two hundred dollars and placed it into the tip jar.
At such a large amount of money, the taxi driver immediately stepped on the gas. He drove as fast as the speed limit could allow him.
Sitting in the car, Zhao Lifei worriedly wrung her fingers together. Her soft brows were knitted together as she thought about the possibility of what could've happened.
Yang Ruqin had two older brothers and she was heavily doted on by both of them. They were the ideal older brothers, protective and loving. She loved both of them very dearly and would risk everything for them, so for something to happen to them, of course, her first reaction was to panic.
Within eight minutes, Zhao Lifei had reached the hospital. She hurriedly paid the driver and dropped more money into the tip jar before rushing into the hospital.
She called Yang Ruqin again and within the first ring, she picked up. "Qinqin, what room are you in? I just arrived."
"I'm on the first floor, near the emergency department!" Yang Ruqin said, suddenly standing up with glee.
"I'm on my way there." Zhao Lifei quickly rushed to the emergency department by following the signs and within two minutes, she had reached Yang Ruqin.
Yang Ruqin was anxiously pacing back and forth, chewing on her nails.
"Qinqin!" Zhao Lifei called out, walking towards her.
"Feifei!" Yang Ruqin quickly went over to Zhao Lifei.
The minute she was within arm's length, she tightly hugged Zhao Lifei — clinging onto her like a koala.
"What's wrong? Why did you ask for my blood type?" Zhao Lifei asked, eyeing the tall men surrounding the spacious hallway. The men were extremely well built and all of them wore sunglasses. She recognized them as bodyguards, but didn't expect so many of them.
"My brother! He's gotten in a really bad accident and needs blood transfusion ASAP. But there were a lot of emergencies at the hospital and they've ran out of AB negative blood in their storage unit!" Yang Ruqin complained, inwardly cursing the hospital.
She was definitely going to complain to her parents! The Yangs were not a force to be messed with. Their power and wealth were even crazier than the Zhaos, and their influence was endless.
With a hand in different businesses ranging from hotels, oils, restaurants, military, government, and politics, they were a very powerful family with immense backings. How could they run out of AB negative blood at such a crucial moment? Especially when they have Yang Enterprise's CEO in their care?!
"I know this is a super weird question but—"
"Of course, go ahead and take my blood." Zhao Lifei didn't even need a deep explanation.
Yang Ruqin's eyes lit up in glee. "Really?! You're the best, Feifei!" She exclaimed, jumping up and down.
Zhao Lifei laughed at her energizer bunny.
Yang Ruqin turned towards one of her bodyguards. "My Feifei here said she will donate her blood, so hurry and call the doctor!" She ordered. The man quickly rushed off without another word.
Yang Ruqin turned to face Zhao Lifei again. "Oh Feifei, I don't know what I could do without you!" She hugged her tighter, not wanting to let go of her loving friend.