Join a Dating Reality Show with the Aloof, Fishing-Style Richest Man - Chapter 43.1

Lu Zhao’s mother was in critical condition.

The mere thought made Ji Zhaoxi’s hands and feet turn cold. She knew better than anyone how much Lu Zhao cared for her mother. Now that her mother was critically ill, what state was Lu Zhao in?

Ji Zhaoxi forced herself to calm down. First, she instructed the staff to ensure they did everything possible to save her, while she arranged for people to handle things on her end.

After hanging up, the hand Ji Zhaoxi used to hold her phone was trembling. Whom should she call? Whom could she find?

If she could have found a doctor capable of treating her, she wouldn’t have let Lu Zhao’s mother lie unconscious in bed for all these years!

“What’s wrong?” Xu Er asked, looking at Ji Zhaoxi with surprise. He had never seen her lose her composure like this.

Ji Zhaoxi snapped out of it and said urgently, “Please help me book the fastest flight back home. I have something urgent to handle. Please.”

Without further explanation, she began making call after call. Usually cool and dignified, her voice now carried a faint tone of desperation as she pleaded for help.

Xu Er was shocked, but he quickly understood that something major had happened. Without delay, he booked her the earliest flight and personally drove her to the airport.

Throughout the drive, Ji Zhaoxi’s phone never stopped ringing. Xu Er glanced at her from time to time, unable to fathom what could cause her such intense anxiety. Even when dealing with her own father’s matters, she hadn’t seemed this frantic.

Ji Zhaoxi made one call after another, but she hadn’t received a single call from Lu Zhao. Before boarding the plane, she stared blankly at her chat window with Lu Zhao.

With something this big happening, had she not thought of contacting her? Did she not think she would help?

Meanwhile, a video was circulating online. Lu Zhao, who was attending an event, underwent a drastic change in expression after answering a phone call. Ignoring the fact that she was about to step onto the red carpet, she turned pale and ran out of the venue, clutching the skirt of her evening gown.

The company suppressed the topic immediately, but it couldn’t stop the netizens’ curiosity. Lu Zhao’s behavior was so strange that people speculated about what had happened to make her lose her poise so completely.

Because Lu Zhao was so popular, rumors about her “acting like a big shot” began to surface. However, these press releases were swiftly crushed by the Ji Corporation’s PR team—with a speed so ruthless that others didn’t even have time to react.

Through this incident, many people realized the Ji Corporation’s protective stance toward Lu Zhao, causing many who were waiting for an opportunity to back off.

Lu Zhao returned to her car with a pale face. Before the media could react, she floored the accelerator and sped away, while telling her assistant, Xiao Xia, to book a flight to North City immediately.

Xiao Xia was also frightened by her reaction and didn’t hesitate to book the earliest flight. If they headed to the airport now, they would just make it.

Lu Zhao was deathly pale, but she forced herself to stay focused. Though she drove fast, she drove steadily. She couldn’t afford to have an accident. If something happened to her, her mother would have no one left to rely on.

After reaching the airport and boarding the plane, Lu Zhao spent the entire flight as if she were in a trance, staring blankly ahead. Xiao Xia, sitting beside her, was worried sick, but looking at Lu Zhao’s expression, she couldn’t bring herself to ask anything.

When they landed in North City, Xiao Xia’s phone rang incessantly. Seeing it was Sister Li calling, she answered quickly.

“What’s the situation? What happened to Lu Zhao?” Sister Li’s anxious voice came through the phone.

Xiao Xia stole a glance at Lu Zhao, hesitant and unsure of what to say. Up until now, she truly didn’t know the details.

“Give me the phone,” Lu Zhao said, her voice dry.

Xiao Xia immediately handed it over. Lu Zhao walked rapidly toward the exit while saying to Sister Li, “I’m going to the hospital. Please clear my upcoming schedule. I don’t know how long I’ll need.”

There was a moment of silence from Sister Li’s end before she responded. She didn’t ask further and hung up to handle the aftermath. There was no need for questions; when a healthy person goes to the hospital, it’s never for something good.

Lu Zhao returned the phone to Xiao Xia. The two caught a taxi and headed straight for the hospital, nearly being recognized on the way. Lu Zhao’s expression was tense as she wrapped herself up tightly. She had no energy to deal with the fallout of being recognized; she might actually lose her temper and do something irreversible.

Xiao Xia peeked at Lu Zhao’s face occasionally, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. Lu Zhao was still wearing her formal evening gown. The taxi driver tried to strike up a conversation, but Xiao Xia brushed him off.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Lu Zhao rushed inside. She didn’t even need to ask the doctors or nurses; she was as familiar with this hospital as if it were her own home.

It had been nearly four hours since the emergency call. Lu Zhao reached the inpatient department and, after confirming which emergency room her mother was in, waited outside. Staring at the illuminated “In Operation” sign, she remained silent, her face set.

Xiao Xia had roughly guessed the situation by now. Seeing Lu Zhao in an evening gown that looked entirely out of place in a hospital setting, she worried about attracting more attention and suggested buying some clothes for her to change into.

Lu Zhao didn’t respond. She was like a puppet drained of life, her eyes fixed on the emergency room door.

As Xiao Xia turned to leave, Sister Li called again to ask which hospital they were at, saying she was on her way to North City. Xiao Xia felt relieved after giving her the name; having one more person would help.

Waiting outside the emergency room, Lu Zhao’s hands and feet felt icy. She was shivering as if standing in the dead of winter. She was afraid—so terrified. Her mother was her only family in this world. If her mother was gone, what ties would she have left?

Lu Zhao’s strength gave out, and she sank to her knees. She propped herself against the wall with her hands, bowing her head and praying to the hospital walls as she had countless times before, praying that the rescue would be in time.

Just then, a middle-aged woman walked up to her. She draped a somewhat old red coat over Lu Zhao’s shoulders and began to whisper the details. This was the caregiver Lu Zhao had hired specifically to look after her mother, and it was she who had made the call.

That morning, Mother Lu’s condition had suddenly deteriorated. Fortunately, the monitors had sounded an alarm, and the doctors arrived quickly. However, it had been hours since she was taken into the emergency room.

“Miss Lu, don’t worry. The Madam is a good person and will be protected by heaven. I heard the nurses say even the hospital director joined the rescue effort. She should be fine.”

Lu Zhao didn’t reply. She remained kneeling in that position, submerged in terror, her brain too exhausted to process anything else.

Soon, Xiao Xia returned with a bag of items. Seeing Lu Zhao like this made her heart ache, but her current appearance was too conspicuous. Xiao Xia had already noticed doctors and nurses pointing her out.

Xiao Xia and the caregiver helped her up and took her to a room to change. The clothes were simple—just a pair of trousers and a shirt that Xiao Xia had grabbed from the nearest shop.

When Lu Zhao emerged, her face was still wooden, her gaze returning instantly to the emergency room door.

By the afternoon, Sister Li arrived. She frowned at the sight of the lifeless Lu Zhao sitting at the door. Usually, she was a cheerful optimist; when had she ever looked like a hollow doll?

“What’s the situation now?” Sister Li whispered to Xiao Xia.

Xiao Xia shook her head bitterly. “She’s been in surgery since we arrived. It’s been so many hours, and she’s still in there.”

Sister Li’s eyes darkened. After a moment, she asked, “Did you tell President Ji?”

Xiao Xia shook her head. “Since we left the venue, the only time she touched her phone was to answer your call.”

Sister Li pondered for a moment, told Xiao Xia to keep watch, and went out to make a call. She dialed Ji Zhaoxi’s number, but the voice on the other end said the phone was powered off.

After several failed attempts, Sister Li became anxious, hoping that Ji Zhaoxi had seen the news online and was already on her way.

On the other side, Ji Zhaoxi was indeed rushing back. Alone with only her phone, she felt the time on the plane passed agonizingly slowly.

By the time she landed, it was late at night. A car was already waiting for her, and she sped toward the hospital. The empty midnight streets allowed them to reach maximum speed, arriving without hindrance.

On the way, she checked her messages. She learned that Lu Zhao’s mother was temporarily out of danger, but the situation remained grim; surgery was required as soon as possible. She felt a brief moment of relief that the immediate danger had passed, but her heart sank again at the long-term outlook.

When she reached the hospital, it was 2:00 AM. She went to the ICU and saw Lu Zhao at a glance, huddled in a thin coat outside the unit. She looked exhausted, her head drooping as she sat on a chair, yet she couldn’t sleep soundly. Every time her head nodded down, she would struggle to wake herself up.

Seeing Lu Zhao like this, Ji Zhaoxi’s heart ached. During the years she was away, how many times had Lu Zhao sat alone outside like this?

Ji Zhaoxi lightened her footsteps and sat down carefully beside her. To her surprise, Lu Zhao was startled awake instantly and turned to look. When she saw Ji Zhaoxi, her beautiful face went blank with shock. Her exhausted, stalling brain couldn’t understand how someone who should be abroad was suddenly standing there.

Seeing she was awake, Ji Zhaoxi spoke softly, “Why don’t you go rest? I’ll stay here. If anything happens, I’ll notify you immediately.”

Lu Zhao’s dull eyes shifted, but she continued to stare blankly without responding.

Ji Zhaoxi sighed helplessly and reached out to pull her close, letting her lean against her. Her voice was filled with a gentle, reassuring tone. “If you won’t go back, then just lean on me and rest for a bit.”

As Lu Zhao’s head rested on Ji Zhaoxi’s shoulder and she was held in a half-embrace, the scent of orange blossoms enveloped her. Her nerves, which had been frayed all day, finally seemed to find comfort and began to relax.

Suddenly, she burst into loud, agonizing sobs. Her cries were filled with the lingering terror and the relief of finally finding someone to lean on.

She had held it together all day. She hadn’t cried when she got the call, or when she reached the hospital and saw the closed doors, or even when her mother was wheeled out and declared out of danger.

But now, in Ji Zhaoxi’s arms, Lu Zhao let out all the emotions she had suppressed.

Ji Zhaoxi held her tighter. She didn’t tell her to stop crying; she understood how she felt and knew that letting it out would make her feel better. She accompanied her in silence. After crying for a while, Lu Zhao seemed to realize it was late. She lifted her arm and bit down on it to stifle her sobs, but the tears continued to fall in heavy droplets.

The sound of her muffled, whimpering cries was even more heart-wrenching than her loud sobbing.

Hearing the commotion, Sister Li and the others rushed over. Seeing the two of them, they didn’t approach but instead pulled Xiao Xia back into the room. Seeing Lu Zhao in that state, none of them dared to leave, so the hospital arranged an empty room for them to stay in temporarily.

Lu Zhao wept in Ji Zhaoxi’s arms. She didn’t understand why just the scent of this woman could make her day-long composure crumble. Not only was Ji Zhaoxi holding her, but Lu Zhao also reached out and clung to her tightly, as if she were a lifeline—the only person who had offered her an embrace during such moments in all these years.

Ji Zhaoxi pursed her lips. Hearing the whimpering in her ear, her own heart felt as if it were being torn apart. Lu Zhao had endured so much. In previous years, what kind of faith had she relied on to keep going?

Ji Zhaoxi recalled the information she had gathered about Lu Zhao after returning to the country.

The reason she entered the entertainment industry was because her father had been in a car accident. The exorbitant medical fees had been an unbearable burden for the family. Coincidentally, Lu Zhao’s appearance caught a director’s eye, and she was invited to play the child version of the female lead for a significant fee. That opportunity started her career of struggling through various film sets.

At a young age, she became the sole breadwinner. But life was unpredictable. They spent a lot of money and held on for years, but her father never woke up and was eventually declared dead.

A few years later, just as the mother and daughter were starting to recover, Mother Lu fell ill. A brain tumor pressed against her nerves, causing her to remain unconscious for all these years. The tumor’s location was too dangerous; few surgeons could perform the operation, and even if they could, the risk was extremely high—she might never make it off the operating table.

For years, Mother Lu had been in the ICU, where expenses flowed like water. To afford the medical bills, Lu Zhao had to do everything possible to earn money.

Ji Zhaoxi gently rubbed her cheek against Lu Zhao’s head, offering silent comfort.

According to the records, after the father’s accident, Mother Lu had not only cared for him but also worried about Lu Zhao on film sets. Running between both sides, she never got proper rest. After the father passed away, she followed Lu Zhao from set to set to take care of her. Finally, while picking Lu Zhao up from a late-night shoot, she collapsed on the street and was sent to the hospital by a kind passerby.

Though she was sent in time, the tumor was discovered too late. Since then, Mother Lu could only survive by relying on various machines. For years, the hospital couldn’t find a effective treatment plan, and she never woke up. They had been in this stalemate for so long.

Lu Zhao cried in Ji Zhaoxi’s arms for a long time. Eventually, her sobs weakened, and she fell asleep.

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