She was feeling useless. Li Meili felt like she was a failure. She sat there rigid on the chair next to the hospital bed where her husband lay unconscious. The doctor said he should be able to gain his senses soon. But every second passed that Zhang Jiren wasn't opening his eyes prolonged the agony Li Meili was in.

  Li Meili held his hand, never letting him go. According to Tang Moyu, Zhang Jiren grew up in an orphanage because of the scheme of the Zhang family. Li Meili didn't need to ask her husband as to what kind of hardsh.i.p.s he endured during those times as the snippets of what he told her was enough to let her know that he'd been alone for too long and only relied on himself to survive.

  She couldn't imagine Zhang Jiren being sick like this on his own, not having anyone to look after him. He must be really sad being alone, not knowing he had a family somewhere who thought he had died.

  But not anymore, Li Meili thought. She would make sure that Zhang Jiren wouldn't feel alone anymore. He had done a lot of things for her sake, and it was time for her to return the kindness he'd given her and Leyan.

  There was a commotion outside the hospital room that caught Li Meili's attention. She wasn't sure what was happening and why the people outside were causing trouble. When she stood up from her seat and looked outside, she found the cause of the ruckus. Feng Tianyi and Tang Moyu had already left to go home, promising her that they would be back soon.

  The news about Zhang Jiren's condition had reached the news but because of Feng Tianyi's influence, they were able to suppress it before it got out of hand. Still, it was enough for Zhang Liang to come here to see himself if Zhang Jiren was truly dying or not.

  Zhang Liang pushed away one of the bodyguards Li Meili stationed outside to protect her husband. When he saw Li Meili emerge from the room where Zhang Jiren was, a grin appeared on his face. She must be regretting choosing and marrying Zhang Jiren over him given how desperate she looked at the moment.

  "Sister-in-law, I heard what happened. Don't worry too much. If something bad were to happen, our Zhang family would never abandon you and my niece," he said with a smug look.

  Those people who heard what he said were appalled by his words. Wasn't Zhang Jiren his half-brother? Why did Zhang Liang talk as if his brother would surely die? These wouldn't help Li Meili feel better at all.

  Li Meili didn't say anything, but what she did left the spectators' jaws drop from shock.

  BAM!

  A loud crashing sound took everyone's attention. Even those who were walking in the hallway stopped to see what had just happened. One moment, they saw Zhang Liang standing arrogantly to the Li heiress, the next thing they knew, he was on the floor, blood trickling on his forehead.

  Zhang Liang stared at Li Meili as if she had just lost her mind. Did this petite woman just give him a flying kick, sending him to the seats placed on the hallways for hospital guests? He had heard that the empress and Li Meili were unruly during their younger years, but he had never thought that he would experience it himself!

  "I dare you to repeat what you just said." Li Meili's eyes flashed with such intensity, Zhang Liang never knew she was capable of it.

  "The Zhang family would look after me and my daughter, you say? Imbecile!" She sneered at him. "Do you think so lowly of the Li family, that you would dare to spout such nonsense to my face?"

  While it's true that she was married to Zhang Jiren, it didn't mean that she still didn't have the backing of the Li family. The Li family was known to be family oriented and decisive. It was impossible for Chairman Li and Li Yuanyi to ignore Li Meili and Zhang Jiren if the two were in a dire situation.

  "Why do you think my husband is in that state right now? Isn't it because he has to work day and night looking after your company, depriving himself of the rest he deserves? Jiren also has to clean after your mess every time you fail on something!"

  Those who heard what Li Meili said couldn't help but give Zhang Liang a nasty look. Not only did this man talk as if he wanted his brother dead, but he was being ungrateful to Zhang Jiren. It was really bad luck to have a relative like him.

  "Scram, you fool and don't make me see your ugly face ever again! Seeing your face is enough for my stomach to churn in disgust!" she told Zhang Liang before facing her bodyguards.

  "Take this man away." She pointed her forefinger at Zhang Liang who was now being helped by his own bodyguards to go back on his feet. "You better make sure that none of the Zhang family would step on this floor, or I would make sure to deal with them myself."

  Zhang Liang could only leave in a hurry along with bodyguards. He thought that by coming here, he would be able to confirm whether Zhang Jiren would die or not. Since Li Meili was now practically part of the Zhang family, she would have no other choice but to rely on them once Zhang Jiren passed away.

  Who would have thought that Li Meili was a force to be reckoned with? It would be hard for the Zhang family to leech off her family's resources given how defiant Li Meili was.

  Once Zhang Liang was out, Li Meili went back inside the room and washed her hands in the small bathroom. She then took a seat on the same chair next to her husband and held his hand. As if he had felt her presence, Zhang Jiren's eyelashes trembled slightly. He frowned and gradually opened his eyes.

  "Jiren." She tightly held his hand and kissed his palm.

  "You are crying again…" he said in a hoarse voice.

  She shook her head and smiled.

  "These are happy tears. Don't worry." Li Meili knew by now that he hated seeing her cry.

  Zhang Jiren stared at her as if he was indulging in a good memory. His eyes revealed so many emotions he couldn't speak about at that moment, but Li Meili understood it all.

  "I made you cry again. I'm sorry." He slowly reached out his hand to c.a.r.e.s.s her wet cheek. His movement was so gentle, it almost made Li Meili cry even more. Obviously, he was the one who needed help, yet he was still worried about her welfare.

  Li Meili filled him in on what happened and how she found him unconscious. Zhang Jiren apologized to her again for causing her inconvenience.? Their night out should have ended in a good way, not like this.

  After Li Meili informed Tang Moyu and the doctor that her husband finally woke up, she excused herself to make a private call. The Black Nightingale, who had been prideful enough not to seek her parents' help throughout these years, finally lowered her head and dialed her father's number. She didn't care about her pride anymore so long she would be able to keep her husband alive and well.

  "Dad, I have a favor to ask if you don't mind…"