Chapter 76: Unfortunately

The light in the operating room was still on. Meng Ying chatted with Xu Dian for a while, but hearing no sound from Yan Xing on the other end, she realized he was busy and said, “I’ll hang up now.”

“Alright,” Xu Dian responded.

After Meng Ying hung up the call, Xu Dian waited until the call was completely disconnected before putting down his phone. He then looked up and said, “Let’s continue.”

Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.

They quickly got back to work, already imagining how they would celebrate once Xu Dian left Geneva. These past few days had been extremely hectic, as they were rushing to finish everything before Xu Dian returned to China. Although Yan Xing had always been in charge of this branch of the company, his gentle management style had created a rather relaxed atmosphere. It was only during Xu Dian’s visit that they truly understood the hardships their colleagues in China endured.

However, their colleagues in China also earned higher salaries.

After all, performance was better there.

But they had grown accustomed to the more laid-back work environment here, so they couldn’t wait for Xu Dian to leave.

Clutching her phone, Meng Ying stared at the light above the operating room. Meng Xiao came out with cups of water for everyone. Meng Yulin appeared somewhat anxious, though he tried to maintain a calm demeanor.

Meng Ying asked Meng Xiao to stay with their father.

Finally, at 3:30, the light in the operating room went out. Meng Yulin stood up and stumbled toward the door. Director Song removed his mask, glanced around, and then said, “The surgery was successful. She just needs to focus on recovery now. Make sure to take care of her emotional well-being. A psychologist will come tomorrow for a consultation.”

Meng Ying stood up from her chair and bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Director Song.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied before putting his mask back on and leaving. Chen Jiao’s bed was wheeled out. Her face was pale, but aside from the lingering effects of the anesthesia, her spirits seemed fine.

Meng Yulin hurried forward to help push the bed. Meng Xiao said, “Mom, they even arranged a psychologist for you… This hospital’s treatment is really top-notch.”

Chen Jiao looked at Meng Ying weakly and asked, “Where’s Xu Dian?”

“He’s in Geneva, busy with work,” Meng Ying replied, relieved to see her in stable condition. After the nurses wheeled Chen Jiao into the room, they gave a few instructions: “Make sure someone stays with her tonight. If family isn’t available, we can arrange for a caregiver. If she develops a fever, notify us immediately.”

“Understood. Thank you. We’ll take turns staying with her,” Meng Ying assured them.

The nurse nodded and left the room.

Meng Ying stayed in the hospital room for a while longer. She hadn’t adjusted to the time difference yet, and by this point, she was feeling quite tired. With Meng Yulin and Meng Xiao both there, along with the on-call nursing staff, Meng Ying decided not to stay any longer. Meng Xiao helped carry her luggage downstairs and saw her off into a taxi. Just as Meng Ying got into the car, Meng Xiao bent down and looked at her hesitantly. After a moment of thought, he said, “Sis, I don’t want to go abroad. I want to apply to Licheng University. Both you and brother-in-law graduated from there…”

Meng Ying paused, noticing her brother’s shy and tentative expression. After a moment of consideration, she replied, “Alright, I support whatever decision you make.”

“Thank you, sis. And thank brother-in-law too. He’s really amazing.”

It was impossible for Meng Xiao not to admire a man so young yet already so accomplished.

Meng Ying smiled, rolled up the car window, and told the driver to go.

Not long after the car started moving, Xu Dian called.

“Is the surgery over?”

Meng Ying hummed in agreement, resting her cheek on her hand, feeling drowsy.

Xu Dian continued, “Go home and rest. Don’t stay at the hospital. I’ve arranged for a caregiver to take care of your mom.”

“Mm, I’m on my way back.”

This man had thought of everything. Hiring a caregiver was his way of making sure she went home to rest instead of staying overnight at the hospital.

Although she hadn’t planned on staying either—if it were up to her, she would have arranged for a caregiver too. After all, professionals were better suited for that.

“Get some good rest.”

“Okay.”

They chatted for a while longer before hanging up. By then, Meng Ying had arrived at her neighborhood. She carried her luggage upstairs and was greeted by a spotlessly clean apartment. It felt like returning to a place of belonging. During her absence, Liu Qin had arranged for someone to come and clean regularly. The payments from her recent projects, *Interstellar* and *Twins*, had also started coming in, so her bank account was looking healthier again.

Meng Ying grabbed her pajamas and took a shower. Afterward, she lay down in bed and slept for four or five hours straight. When she woke up, it was already dark outside. She ate a little something and then sat on the sofa to review the career plan Liu Qin had sent her.

She also chatted with Meng Xiao for a bit to check on the situation at the hospital. After that, she went back to sleep. Adjusting to the time difference was proving to be a bit challenging, and as a result, she woke up early the next morning, around five o’clock.

After practicing yoga for a while, Meng Ying grabbed her small bag and headed to the hospital early in the morning. She checked on Chen Jiao, who was still asleep, and confirmed that she had made it through the critical post-surgery period safely. After the visit, Meng Ying returned to her company.

The staff at the company welcomed her warmly, their attitudes even more enthusiastic than before. However, no one brought up her relationship with Xu Dian. After attending a brief meeting, Meng Ying boarded a black business van that would take her to the promotional events for *Twins*. Although *Interstellar* had started filming earlier, its complex production process had delayed its release, allowing *Twins* to hit theaters first. As the female lead of *Twins*, Meng Ying was now embarking on a roadshow tour, with Licheng being the final stop. The tour would proceed from north to south.

The car arrived in Dongshi around 2 p.m. The cinema they stopped at was the largest in the city. As soon as Meng Ying stepped out of the car, she was surrounded by fans holding banners and merchandise.

“Meng Ying! Meng Ying! Wow, you look like you’ve gained a little weight!”

Meng Ying: “…”

Thanks, I know.

“HAHAHAHAHA!” The crowd burst into laughter. The fan who had made the comment quickly added, “But you’re still so beautiful, really!”

“HAHAHA, sis, stop digging yourself deeper!”

“Meng Ying, where’s your boyfriend? We want to see him!”

“Meng Ying, your skin is so flawless! I’m obsessed! Take care of yourself, though. But honestly, you look so healthy and glowing!”

“HAHAHAHAHA…”

Fans lined both sides of the path, and Meng Ying smiled and nodded at them, silently enduring their comments about her weight and “glow.” These fans had definitely become cheekier lately.

“That dress looks amazing on you!”

“Ugh, only Meng Ying could pull off those heels.”

Meng Ying was wearing strappy high heels that wrapped around her calves with delicate black ribbons, giving off a very chic vibe. Many fans were snapping photos of her feet. Liu Qin, standing beside her, helped shield her from the crowd while whispering, “Wow, this is what real popularity looks like.”

Finally.

Meng Ying had finally reached this level of stardom.

The long walk to the entrance was quite challenging for Meng Ying due to the overwhelming number of fans. To make things more intense, Qin Jun happened to arrive at the same time, and his appearance sent the crowd into an even louder frenzy. Shortly after, Li Yuan’er also showed up. Meng Ying turned around to greet Li Yuan’er and then nodded at Qin Jun in acknowledgment. As she was about to step onto the stairs, the strap of her shoe came loose, causing her to trip slightly. Just as she was about to fall forward, a hand reached out from the crowd and steadied her by the waist.

Meng Ying looked up and met the gaze of Xu Dian, who was wearing his signature glasses. He raised an eyebrow, then crouched down to pick up the loose strap and deftly tied it back in place with his slender fingers.

The crowd fell silent for a moment, and then erupted into deafening screams.

“Who is that guy?”

“Oh my gosh, I can’t see him clearly, but he looks so handsome!”

“Someone take a picture, quick!”

After securing the strap, Xu Dian adjusted his shirt collar and said in a low voice, “I’ll meet you at the back door later.”

With that, he turned and walked toward the cinema entrance, where security guards were stationed to block the crowd. Fans could only watch as he disappeared inside.

Meng Ying stood there for a moment, stunned, before finally stepping onto the stairs and moving away from the chaotic scene. Liu Qin and Xiao Meng followed closely behind, while the event staff hurried over to manage the crowd.

“Everyone, please don’t push forward. Use the proper entrance, thank you!”

The fans who had won tickets to the premiere eventually calmed down and made their way inside.

Backstage, Meng Ying glanced around but didn’t see Xu Dian. Just yesterday afternoon, he had been in Geneva during their phone call. How had he returned so quickly and quietly? And to Dongshi, no less.

She took a moment to freshen up and exchanged greetings with Qin Jun and Li Yuan’er. Li Yuan’er looked a bit worn out and clung to Meng Ying, saying, “I feel so much more at ease when I’m with you.”

Meng Ying smiled and picked up her phone, casually scrolling through hert Moments. She came across a post from Yan Xing:

**Yan Xing**: Finally got him out of here. So damn happy! Time for drinks, spicy strips, and cookies!!! ??️?  

*[9 photos attached]*

The group was having a wild party at the company, completely unrestrained and celebrating all night long. Just from the pictures, you could feel their joy practically spilling out through the screen.

Meng Ying: “…”

This was her first roadshow event, and saying she wasn’t nervous would be a lie. Fortunately, with Li Yuan’er on her left and Qin Jun on her right, they helped ease her tension and potential awkwardness during the event. After two hours, the roadshow finally ended, and Meng Ying let out a sigh of relief. She took photos with the fans before heading backstage. Qin Jun handed her a bottle of water, which she accepted with a thank you. She twisted it open, took a sip, and then relaxed into a chair.

As soon as she sat down, Liu Qin handed her a phone.

“That thing with Xu Dian tying your shoe strap just went viral.”

Meng Ying clicked into the trending topic:

**#The Man Who Tied Meng Ying’s Shoe Strap Is So Handsome#**

Inside, one of Meng Ying’s fan accounts had posted eight photos, all of Xu Dian crouching down to tie her shoe strap. Due to limited material, four of the photos were blurry, but the other four were excellent, perfectly capturing Xu Dian’s lean figure, his handsome profile, the silver-rimmed glasses, and the focused expression on his face as he looked down.

It was as if he was treating Meng Ying like a princess.

The comments were going wild:

“OMG, am I seeing this right?”

“Okay, this guy’s looks are *chef’s kiss*.”

“He’s so dreamy, I can’t even…”

“I feel like this is way better than that 200-million-yuan necklace and 70-million-yuan earrings. Meng Ying, can you choose this guy instead?”

“Exactly! That Xu guy from Xu Corporation probably isn’t even good-looking. He doesn’t deserve our Yingying.”

“@Xu Dian from Xu Corporation.”

In the restroom.

Xu Dian sat with his long legs crossed, leaning back in his chair. He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. After a few seconds, he straightened up, leaned forward, and picked up a pack of cigarettes from the coffee table. He pulled one out and placed it between his lips but hadn’t lit it yet when Jiang Yi pushed the door open.

“Xu Dian…”

“Hmm?”

“Take a look.”

Jiang Yi placed a tablet in front of Xu Dian. Xu Dian glanced down and scanned the screen.

“That Xu guy from Xu Corporation must be really ugly. There aren’t even any photos of him. If he were good-looking, why would they keep him hidden?”

He kept scrolling.

“Meng Ying should definitely choose this guy. He looks so handsome tying her shoe strap.”

Ten minutes later.

**Xu Dian from Xu Corporation V**: Unfortunately, that person is me. #The Man Who Tied Meng Ying’s Shoe Strap Is So Handsome#

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