Madam, Please Behave-Chapter 148: I Owe You an Apology

The nearest hospital was about a fifteen-minute drive, even at full speed.

Frowning, Liu Changqing recalled asking Zhao Xuanwen earlier if she had eaten popsicles before. She had replied that her mother rarely let her have them. Could it be that the child had some sort of medical condition?

The thought made Liu Changqing feel increasingly uneasy. Not long ago, he had called her mother and promised to have Zhao Xuanwen home before dark. Now, instead of returning her safely, he was rushing her to the hospital.

Glancing at the rearview mirror, Liu Changqing saw Zhao Xuanwen curled up on the back seat, leaning against An Yuanyao, who held her protectively. Though it was her first time meeting the child, the sight of her in such pain made An Yuanyao’s heart ache as well.

They remained silent on the drive, fortunate not to encounter too many red lights. In about thirteen minutes, they arrived at the hospital.

After parking, Liu Changqing quickly opened the car door, retrieved Zhao Xuanwen from An Yuanyao’s arms, and carried her inside. An Yuanyao followed closely, her expression full of worry.

Inside, guided by hospital staff, Liu Changqing gently placed Zhao Xuanwen on a bed. Turning to An Yuanyao, he said, "Can you check on her? Also, give me her phone—I’ll notify her parents."

"Okay!"

An Yuanyao handed him the phone, which she had retrieved in the car earlier, then hurried after the medical staff.

Finding a quiet corner, Liu Changqing opened the phone, relieved it wasn’t password-protected. He quickly found the contact labeled "Mom" and dialed.

The call was answered after just a few rings.

"Hello? Is this Xuanwen?"

The voice on the other end caught him off guard for a moment. Then Liu Changqing replied, "Uh… I’m sorry, this is Liu Changqing. I called you earlier today. I accidentally let your daughter eat too many popsicles, and she suddenly had a stomachache. I’ve brought her to the hospital..."

There was a brief pause before the woman’s anxious voice came through.

"A stomachache? Is it serious?"

As a mother, her first concern was understandably the severity of the situation.

"I’m not sure yet. She’s being examined right now..."

"That girl has no self-control when it comes to food. She’s on her period these days, which is why I never let her eat cold things..."

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

"..."

Liu Changqing froze as the realization hit him. Replaying her words in his mind to ensure he hadn’t misheard, he cautiously asked,

"You mean… that?"

"..."

The other side hesitated briefly, likely realizing the awkwardness of discussing such matters with a man. After a moment of deliberation, she spoke again.

"Which hospital are you at? I’ll head over right away."

"XXXX Hospital. Call me when you arrive, and I’ll meet you at the entrance."

"XXXX Hospital… that’s not too far. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes."

"Alright."

After the call ended, Liu Changqing closed the phone and looked into the distance, his brows furrowing slightly.

The voice… it felt strangely familiar.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yalin hung up the phone and stood abruptly, announcing "Meeting adjourned" before striding toward the door. Her employees stared, confused by her sudden departure.

Downstairs, she got into her car and started the engine, heading straight for the hospital.

Today, Zhao Yalin had returned with her daughter. But to avoid work-related inconvenience, she had arranged for her employees to drop her daughter off at home.

She hadn’t expected how small the world could be.

After her previous encounter with Liu Changqing over a publishing matter—a meeting that hadn’t gone smoothly—she thought they’d never cross paths again. Reflecting later, she realized her reaction had been overly harsh. Even with an old classmate, her tone and attitude back then were inappropriate.

Especially considering… what happened in the past.

Her eyes stayed fixed on the road ahead, a flicker of guilt flashing through them.

At the hospital, Liu Changqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Zhao Xuanwen’s condition wasn’t severe;the doctor had explained that eating too many cold things during her period had caused the pain. He had prescribed some medication and advised against consuming cold food during that time.

After paying the bills, Liu Changqing asked An Yuanyao to stay with Zhao Xuanwen while he waited at the hospital entrance for her mother.

It didn’t take long before a black sedan pulled into the lot. The woman who stepped out was dressed in professional attire, her short, chin-length hair immediately catching his attention.

She glanced around, then spotted Liu Changqing standing at the entrance. Her steps faltered for a moment before she approached him.

Stopping in front of him, she introduced herself.

"I’m Zhao Xuanwen’s mother. How is she?"

"..."

It took Liu Changqing a moment to recover from his surprise. Looking at her familiar face, he finally understood why her voice had felt so familiar on the phone. He must have known her before.

"You’re… Zhao Xuanwen’s mother?"

"How is my daughter?"

Ignoring his question, she pressed for information about her child. Liu Changqing realized his misstep and quickly replied,

"The doctor said it’s related to her period. She ate too many cold things..."

"I knew it. I’ve told that girl so many times, but she never listens!"

Zhao Yalin heaved a sigh of relief but still scolded her daughter under her breath. After that, an awkward silence settled between them.

Liu Changqing observed her carefully. She exuded the aura of a capable and professional woman, which was obvious at a glance.

Memories of their previous encounter resurfaced. His reaction back then hadn’t been appropriate either. Even if she had been misleading him, he shouldn’t have spoken to her so harshly.

Yet, something about her still made him inexplicably irritable. He couldn’t remember if the original owner of this body had known her in middle school.

The silence grew heavier until Zhao Yalin finally broke it.

She looked at Liu Changqing, hesitating as though struggling with a decision. Finally, she exhaled deeply and spoke.

"About that incident… I owe you an apology."