My Fierce Beta Husband is Surprisingly Sweet | Chapter 10 | A Sudden Crisis | Novela.app

Li Zi had invited Li Zhenting to her home several times, but he had always refused. He had a peculiar preference for perched atop the perimeter wall, as if being there brought him closer to something he desired, yet he never dared to actually step inside. After the drunkard was taken into custody, Li Zi’s parents rushed to the police station in a state of high alarm. They pulled her into their arms, checking her from head to toe, their faces pale with lingering fear that their child might have been hurt. The police officer spoke with a hint of reproach. "How could you let such a small child walk a dog by herself? It’s far too dangerous." Li Zi’s mother, Li Shian, was still dressed in a well-tailored business suit. Her styled hair was slightly disheveled from her hurried departure from a social event. She looked at her daughter with deep guilt. "We’re usually quite busy. Zi’er has been independent since she was little, and the park is very close, so we didn't worry as much as we should have." Hearing this, the officer’s frown deepened. "No matter how sensible she is, she’s still a child! No matter how busy parents are, they cannot neglect their child’s safety!" Li Shian was momentarily speechless. The man beside her, who was holding Li Zi, stepped forward and bowed deeply to the officer. "It is our failing as parents. We truly appreciate everything you’ve done today." The officer looked at the gentle man, who was still wearing a white doctor’s coat and had clearly rushed over from work. He waved a hand, softening his tone. "It’s not me you should be thanking. It’s this boy who helped her." He pointed toward the corner of the room, where a teenage boy stood, trying his best to remain unnoticed. Li Shian was taken aback. When she received the call from the station, she had been scared half to death and had sped over without knowing the full details. She had assumed a passerby or the police had intervened; she hadn't expected it to be a young boy. Under the collective gaze of the room, Li Zhenting uncomfortably tugged at the hem of his faded shirt. He was not used to such scenes, and even less accustomed to the kindness of others. "Um, I didn't really do much. Li Zi was the one who called the police..." Li Zi patted the hand of her father, Yan Yan, who was still clutching her tightly. "Mom, Dad, I’m really okay. This brother showed up just in time to help us. Otherwise, Golden might have been kicked and injured by that man." Golden sat obediently by her side, letting out two soft barks and drooping his ears as if to express his own grievances. Yan Yan, who usually doted on his daughter to the extreme, now wore a stern expression. "Zi’er, you are not allowed to go out alone again. You must be accompanied by a nanny or someone else. If someone like this brother hadn't appeared today and something happened to you, what would your mother and I do?" His features, as delicate as an ink wash painting, furrowed slightly, revealing a trace of sorrow. "Papa would be heartbroken." Faced with a reprimand from her usually gentle father, Li Zi could only nod obediently. she cupped his face with her small hands and nuzzled against him, trying to soothe his sadness. Li Zhenting watched the interaction between father and daughter blankly, unsure for a moment which of them he envied more. Afterward, Li Shian and Yan Yan repeatedly thanked Li Zhenting and invited him to their home as a guest, but he politely declined. "My grandmother is waiting for me to come home for dinner. It’s not very convenient." Since an elder had already prepared a meal, the Li couple didn't feel right forcing the boy to stay. Li Shian gestured for Yan Yan to take the two children home first. "Then why don't we have Li Zi’s father drive you both back? Where do you live?" When Li Zhenting mentioned Xian Street, Li Shian’s expression relaxed. With a wave of her hand, she made the decision. "That’s very close to us. We’ll drop you off on the way." This time, he had no reason to refuse and could only agree. As Yan Yan led the two children out, Li Shian turned back, her expression instantly turning cold. "Where is that piece of scum? Can I see him?" "You can. Follow me." The officer led her further inside. After a few steps, they heard a man shouting from the detention cell. "You dare arrest me? Do you know who my brother is? Careful, or I’ll have him beat you to death!" It was obvious he was still drunk; otherwise, who would dare threaten officers inside a police station? Li Shian let out a cold sneer. "What is the maximum sentence for his actions?" *You and your brother, is it? Both of you should be thrown into prison to learn how to be human and follow the law.* After the incident settled down, Li Zi’s parents began spending more time at home, and Li Zhenting found fewer opportunities to follow her. He thought his contact with the Li family had come to an end, and for the past few days, he had been feeling listless, lacking even the spirit to get into fights. To his surprise, one evening as he walked toward his building after school, he saw a neighbor who was close with his grandmother rushing down the stairs. When she saw him, her face went pale with panic. She grabbed him and cried out, "Young Li! Your grandmother just collapsed! I’ve called an ambulance—hurry, go see her!" Li Zhenting’s mind went blank in an instant. Every stray thought vanished, leaving him without even the capacity to think. His brain couldn't yet process the meaning of the words, but his legs instinctively sprinted up the stairs. He reached his front door in less than a minute. He tried to push the door open, but his hands were trembling so violently he couldn't find any strength. Fortunately, the door was slightly ajar. He burst in with a slight shove. Inside, the elderly woman lay slumped by the sofa, still holding a shoe insole she had been halfway through making for him. He approached her step by step. Fear replaced shock, spreading through him with overwhelming force. His chest felt as though it were being inflated by a sudden rush of air, leaving him suffocating. He wanted to reach out and help his grandmother, but he didn't dare touch her, terrified that he might cause further harm. The neighbor followed him in, explaining fearfully, "We were just chatting, and she suddenly fainted the moment she stood up. Oh heavens, could it be a brain hemorrhage? What are we going to do?" *Brain... hemorrhage?* The unfamiliar term crashed into Li Zhenting’s empty mind. A brain hemorrhage? He suddenly remembered news reports he had seen about elderly people living alone who fell, suffered a hemorrhage, and couldn't be saved. "No, it won't be... Grandmother has always been in good health... How could it be a brain hemorrhage?" He shook his head, trying to refute the neighbor. The hospital was nearby, and the wail of the ambulance soon appeared below. Medics ran upstairs, pushing past Li Zhenting as he stood frozen by the old woman’s side. They performed an emergency check and called out to the others, "Sudden syncope, very likely a brain hemorrhage. Get the stretcher!" It really was a brain hemorrhage. Li Zhenting’s suppressed tears fell instantly. "Kid, where are your parents?" the doctor asked. "Have them bring the patient’s medical records and documents to the hospital immediately. She’ll likely need surgery." "I don't have parents..." he stood there blankly, utterly helpless. "This... then hurry and find your grandmother’s documents." The doctor listed the items needed and hurried downstairs with the others as they carried the old woman. Li Zhenting remained dazed where he stood until the neighbor, unable to bear the sight, took the initiative to go into the grandmother’s room to help him search. He didn't even know if he had thanked her. Carrying a pile of documents and his grandmother’s savings book, he climbed into the ambulance. *What if she’s like the people in the news and never wakes up again?* That was the only question left in his mind. ---