Volume One, Chapter 55: You... Truly Don’t Remember Me?

If at nine o’clock the opening showed only a downward trend for Lu Corporation’s stock, by now it had become a precipitous plunge. In just a few hours, the magnitude of this drop could not possibly be the work of small investors. Such violent fluctuations could only be caused by a major shareholder dumping all their holdings.

But… how could that be? Was it simply because Lu Corporation failed to acquire that piece of land? Or because he divorced? He had anticipated some turbulence, but Lu Jingnian hadn’t expected the outcome to be so much worse than he imagined.

“Back to the company!” he ordered the driver, abandoning his lunch appointment with Director Qin—now utterly uninterested.

The Mercedes sped toward Lu Corporation. Passing the soaring skyscraper of Lou Group, Lu Jingnian’s gaze faltered, his expression growing darker by the moment.

Outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, Lou Ye had appeared unexpectedly. The look Lou Ye gave him before entering the venue—light as a feather. And now, the turmoil in Lu Corporation’s stock. All these fragments converged in Lu Jingnian’s mind, morphing into that once-blurry, now-clear “senior sister” on the Imperial University campus.

Lu Jingnian’s face was grim.

Sang Wan, on the other hand, was in excellent spirits—indeed, she felt wonderful. The stocks she had sold last night, by sheer coincidence, had been dumped at their highest point. Once all the money arrived, her bank account would no longer be pitifully meager. With tens of thousands in hand, she could call herself a little lady of means.

She let out a long, contented breath.

“Sang Wan…”

A voice called her name. Sang Wan looked up to see everyone raising their glasses, waiting for her to join.

Securing that piece of land was practically a walk in the park for Lou Group. Even so, upon returning to the company, the team took the opportunity to gather for a celebratory lunch.

Sang Wan rose and clinked glasses with the others.

Her phone chimed—a call from an unfamiliar landline. Sang Wan answered, “Hello?”

“Miss Sang, this is the Nephrology Department at Ding’an Hospital. Your post-operative checkup is due. Do you have time to come in for a follow-up soon?”

She had already completed a one-month post-discharge checkup—all normal. Yet, in the blink of an eye, another month had passed.

She scheduled an appointment for eight o’clock the next morning.

Early the next day, Sang Wan went to the hospital.

After more than an hour, she received her test results—and stood frozen on the spot. The kidney CT report was clear:

“Both kidneys have regular contours, edges distinct…”

Both kidneys.

How could there be two?

Her mind replayed the doctor’s sorrowful words: she was in the terminal stage of renal failure, and none of the major hospitals in the capital had a matching donor for her. She remembered the desperate call at her bedside. Later, she snatched her life back from death’s grasp.

She always believed her failing kidney had been revived in the doctor’s hands. Only now did Sang Wan realize: in that moment of critical danger, someone appeared like a savior—and transplanted two perfectly healthy kidneys into her?

She sought out the head nurse, then questioned her attending physician. The answers were identical: in the emergency, a matching donor was found. But who was it? They were uniform in their response—they had no idea who Sang Wan meant.

If not for the report in her hand, Sang Wan might have thought she was hallucinating.

Or perhaps… Lou Ye?

After all, besides Lu Jingnian, Lou Ye was the only other man in her life.

Sang Wan took out her phone and dialed Lou Ye.

Ring.

Ring, ring.

“Sang Wan?”

A puzzled voice sounded behind her.

She turned and saw a young doctor in a white coat approaching.

“Dr. Ke…”

Sang Wan hung up the call.

Ke Yifan was recruited by Ding’an Hospital from Magic City Hospital at a high salary—he’d become chief physician of the oncology department as soon as he arrived. Before Sang Wan was discharged, the nurses in the ward rarely stopped talking about him: how young and accomplished he was, how many journals he’d published, how many surgeries he’d performed.

She’d met him once after surgery, but at that time, Sang Wan’s heart was numb; she only knew he was impressive, but paid little attention.

“How’s your recovery?” he asked.

“Quite well,” she replied.

Ke Yifan took her report, examining each page carefully. “You’re indeed recovering well. Just keep an eye on your daily routine, and next time, come back for a checkup in six months.”

Sang Wan thanked him. “Thank you, Dr. Ke!”

“You truly should thank me!” Ke Yifan laughed. “For your surgery, I rushed from the airport at three in the morning and worked through the night. Luckily, the donor kidney arrived just in time, and the operation was a success. If it had failed… you’d be done for, and so would I!”

Sang Wan was stunned.

Ever since her hospitalization, her attending physician had always been Dr. Luo. She hadn’t expected that Dr. Luo wasn’t the one who performed the surgery.

She recalled the urgent voice she heard at death’s door—and the presence of two kidneys in her body.

At last, Sang Wan found the answer. “Dr. Ke, I truly can’t thank you enough! Would you mind leaving me your number? If you’re ever free, I’d love to treat you to a meal.”

“Sang Wan…”

Ke Yifan chuckled. “You… really don’t remember me?”

What?

Sang Wan was taken aback.

Ke Yifan smiled, “I’m Ke Yifan. Still don’t recall?”

After a brief moment of confusion, Sang Wan’s face brightened with delighted realization. “Brother Fan?”

Ke Yifan had been Sun Yueqing’s student. They attended the same school; Ke Yifan was a grade above her. In junior high, he even tutored her at home. Later, when Sun Yueqing lost her teaching job and the household fell into chaos, Sun Yueqing introduced Ke Yifan to another teacher.

During those school years, Ke Yifan would often bring her little snacks, asking how Teacher Sun was doing.

When Sang Wan was a senior in high school, Ke Yifan was admitted to medical university in Magic City. Before leaving, he visited her and her mother in their rented apartment, reminded Sun Yueqing to take care of her health, and handed Sang Wan his organized study notes and collected practice exams, urging her to study hard and aim for a good score on the college entrance exam.

Knowing her goal was Imperial University, Ke Yifan promised to come congratulate her when she received her acceptance letter.

Ten years had passed since their last meeting; Sang Wan had almost forgotten him.

She studied Ke Yifan for a long moment before finally recognizing him. “You didn’t wear glasses before—I really didn’t recognize you. When did you return to the capital?”

“Last month,” he sighed. “The hospital sent me your case report. I rushed over before my transfer order was even issued. On the way, I kept thinking it must be a coincidence—a namesake. I never expected it would really be you! …How’s Teacher Sun lately?”

Sang Wan paused.

Ke Yifan glanced at his watch. “Are you in a hurry? If not, would you like to sit in my office?”

An old friend—who had saved her life.

Sang Wan nodded and followed Ke Yifan to his office.

At the same time.

In the living room of the hillside villa, Lou Ye toyed with his phone. Echoing in his mind was the flamboyant “Sang Wan” from that recent call.

She clearly had something to discuss with him, yet the moment someone else appeared, she hung up without hesitation.

Who was that person? And what was she hiding?

He glanced at 2S, who was jumping around after eating and drinking his fill, then looked at his own refreshed reflection in the glass window.

Lou Ye frowned, grabbed his car keys, and headed out.