The Heiress's Game

The Daxia Hospital has two floors but is not called Daxia Hospital.

They're called Zhang Mingyuan Health Care Center. The elevator button says "VIP-C," with "C" being the first letter of the pinyin for "Zhang," but everyone knows what that letter represents.

A private elevator from the underground parking garage takes you directly to the sixteenth floor. Once the elevator doors open, the decor changes from that of a hospital to that of a traditional hospital. The corridor is carpeted with wool, the walls are adorned with original ink paintings of museum quality, and there is no smell of disinfectant in the air, only a faint scent of cedarwood.

The nurses' station countertop was made of marble, and the nurses weren't wearing white coats, but light gray business suits, which at first glance made them look like the receptionists at a five-star hotel.

Zhang Mingyuan stayed in a suite at the end of the corridor. It was more like a presidential suite had been brought into the hospital than a hospital room.

The room is fully equipped with a living room, a companion room, and a private kitchen. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is a terrace with a spherical osmanthus tree.

The hospital bed in the bedroom was custom-made, with a mattress designed to support the curvature of his spine in sections. On the bedside table were a row of medicine boxes and a pot of Phalaenopsis orchids.

The Phalaenopsis orchids were brought by his wife, Xue Min. They were replaced three times, with new ones arriving before the flowers faded each time.

Zhang Mingyuan just underwent a kidney transplant. This is his fourth kidney transplant.

Some people in the industry joked that Zhang Mingyuan gets kidney transplants more frequently than he changes cars; while others change cars every three years, he gets a new kidney every five years.

He was only in his forties when he had his first implant replaced, in the prime of his life, and returned to the board of directors less than a month after the surgery.

He was in his early fifties when he had his second IV replaced, and his recovery period was a bit longer, but he still had his secretary deliver the documents to his ward, and the strength of his signature was still enough to penetrate the paper.

When he was sixty, he was in the ICU for three days. The first thing he said when he woke up was, "Bring me the contract for the Daheng project."

This time, he changed to the fourth one; he was sixty-five.

Sixty-five-year-old Zhang Mingyuan lay on the hospital bed, covered with a light gray cashmere blanket, with the tape from the indwelling needle still on the back of his hand.

His face was thinner than it had been a few months ago, his cheekbones were more prominent, and his eye sockets were sunken, but his eyes remained unchanged—shrewd, calm, like a knife that had been honed many times but was still sharp.

Xue Min was sitting on a single sofa by the bed, peeling an apple with a knife.

She was forty years old, which was only six years older than Zhang Zhuoran.

She wore a light blue cardigan, and her hair was loosely tied back.

She peeled the apple slowly, the peel forming a complete spiral that fell into the bone china dish.

"The equity transfer procedures for Zhuoran are complete," Zhang Mingyuan said, his voice slightly hoarse.

Xue Min paused for a moment.

"Finished? When did that happen?"

"Last Thursday, the business registration was filed with the industry and commerce bureau. Twenty-eight percent of the shares were transferred to your name."

Xue Min didn't reply immediately. She finished peeling the last piece of apple, cut the apple into small pieces, and used a toothpick to put a piece to Zhang Mingyuan's mouth.

Zhang Mingyuan took it and chewed it a couple of times. His Adam's apple bobbed as he frowned slightly, not because he was in pain, but because he was thinking.

"He was quite decisive this time," Xue Min said.

"I was happy because I gave him a good price."

Zhang Mingyuan stared at the ceiling, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"That's good. With this matter settled, I can finally relax. He holds onto those 28%, even though he says he doesn't care about real estate."

"But his eyes were always on the Zhang family—if I were to suddenly leave one day and the matter of the shares was not clearly explained, it would cause trouble between him and you again."

Now he's voluntarily given it up, cleanly and neatly. Whether he's genuinely come to his senses or just pretending, the result is the same.

Xue Min looked down at the apple in her hand, her fingers gently stroking the edge of the bone china plate.

She certainly understood the weight of every word in that sentence. First, her position was more secure. Second, although Zhuoran had voluntarily withdrawn, the resentment between father and son had not been resolved.

She knew how much this weight was worth.

"Sir, what are your plans for the future?" she asked softly.

Zhang Mingyuan swallowed the apple in his mouth and moved his fingers towards her.

Xue Min placed the bone china plate on the bedside table and took out a wet wipe to wipe his fingers.

"Old He from Zhaoyang Society has told me about it three times already." He paused, catching his breath.

"He wants me to join his next investment scheme. Given my current situation, Lao He may say he understands, but he's definitely worried inside."

But this is even better. He's nervous, so I'll raise the stakes.

I plan to invest 8 billion yuan in Daheng Group's new real estate project.

He paused for a moment, his chest rising and falling slightly.

Xue Min's fingers tightened slightly as she held the wet wipe, but only for a moment, before she finished wiping Zhang Mingyuan's fingers.

"With this investment, it won't be long before we can recoup all the money we spent on Zhuoran shares, including the principal and interest."

The shadow of the osmanthus tree outside the window swayed slightly in the sunlight, falling on the light gray cashmere carpet like a moving ink painting.

"Old He has approved all the official documents. Once that big development opens, the land price premium alone will double."

This is the last window to get on board. Once this wave is over, it'll be too late to get in later. Just use the Zhang's Real Estate company name. Old He has connections with the operations team.

Xue Min gently placed her hand on the back of his hand.

"Sir, I'll make the arrangements tomorrow."

Zhang Mingyuan patted the back of her hand, not too hard.

Xue Min has been married into the Zhang family for five years. From the chairman's assistant to Mrs. Zhang, she knows better than anyone what she has sacrificed on this path.

The women who come and go around Zhang Mingyuan could form a football team with substitutes, in this home where he is surrounded by women who are younger than him, more charming, and more cunning.

As long as Zhang Mingyuan is still breathing, she is the mistress of this medical center and the only wife in the Zhang Group who has any say in the matter.