At that moment, Wang Chenghan came downstairs and was surprised to see Leng Qing. “What are you doing here? Did Chengfu tell you?”
Leng Qing smiled slightly. “Yes, when I found out you were released, I came back right away. I just got off the plane.”
Wang Chenghan glanced at Wang Zheng, his expression serious. “Let’s go upstairs and talk.”
“Auntie didn’t want to keep anything from you. She insisted on handling things this way.” Leng Qing said, recalling past events. In the upstairs study, she spoke softly as she recounted the past, while Wang Chenghan pressed his hand to his forehead, his expression filled with anguish. After a long while, he finally calmed down, wiping his face haphazardly.
Leng Qing handed him a tissue. “If it weren’t for you back then, I’d have been long dead.”
As he wiped his tears, Wang Chenghan replied softly, “Let’s not bring up the past. I was just moved by compassion in the moment.”
Leng Qing smiled. “You may not care, but I can’t let it go. Others even think my child is yours.”
Wang Chenghan said, “Let’s not talk about that. How has your business been in the U.S. these years?”
Leng Qing smiled and said, “I don’t have much of a business. I run a restaurant in Los Angeles, and the business is doing well enough to support my child and me. The money you gave me back then—I didn’t take it with me. Before I left, I bought properties with it under Wang Zheng’s name. The real estate prices must have doubled by now. The houses are all rented out, managed by a friend here. After deducting some expenses each month, the rest is deposited into an account I opened for Wang Zheng. After I took care of everything back then, I went back to find Wang Zheng, but he had already left our hometown. I’ve been searching for him all these years, but I only knew he was in Shanghai. It’s my fault for not being able to take care of him properly.”
Wang Chenghan sighed and said, “This is fate. Maybe it’s not such a bad thing for him. After these years of ups and downs, he’s matured a lot.”
Leng Qing looked at Wang Chenghan with a burning gaze. “Uncle Wang, I don’t plan on leaving this time. I’ve already transferred my business over there. Back then, Auntie entrusted me with taking care of you and Wang Zheng, but I didn’t manage to do anything right. It’s something I deeply regret.”
“What about your child if you stay here?” Wang Chenghan frowned slightly, clearly not keen on the idea of her staying.
“The child came back with me. He’s at the hotel with my mom. I’ve thought it over—there aren’t many opportunities for me in the U.S., so I might as well return. Besides, someone needs to take care of you, right?” As Leng Qing said this, her face showed a bit of emotion.
“Nonsense. You’re still young, and I’m already old. I don’t want to burden you. Let’s drop this. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it. If you want to stay, I won’t oppose it. Wang Zheng does need someone trustworthy by his side, and you’re the person I trust the most.” Wang Chenghan refused her offer. Although she was a bit disappointed, she didn’t let it show on her face.
No need to rush; Leng Qing believed that given time, even the hardest steel could be melted by passion.
“Rest well. I’ll be going now.” she said as she turned and left the study.
Downstairs, Wang Zheng was staring blankly at the computer.
Wang Chengfu and Yuan Lei were whispering to each other nearby. “Yuan Lei, did you notice?”
“Of course I noticed. I’m not blind. That woman clearly likes your big brother. It’s strange, though—she also seemed to have a good relationship with your sister-in-law. She’s about my age, right?”
“She’s five years older than you—thirty-four. But she looks like she’s in her early twenties. How does she maintain herself like that?”
Yuan Lei pinched him lightly. “It’s all about having a good mindset!”
Wang Chengfu quickly flattered her. “But she still can’t compare to you. You look like you’re eighteen.”
Yuan Lei smiled faintly.
When Leng Qing came downstairs, Yuan Lei got up and approached her. “I’m Chengfu’s fiancée. Sister Leng, how do you maintain yourself? You look like you’re in your early twenties.”
“There’s nothing much to it—just staying happy. Even if you’re not, think about happy things. Life is short; why make things harder for yourself?” Leng Qing glanced at Wang Zheng, who was still lost in thought, and walked over to him. “Can we talk alone?”
Wang Zheng looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions—confusion, pain, and regret.
Wang Chengfu and Yuan Lei tactfully left the living room and went upstairs.
Leng Qing was the first to speak. “You had a great mother. She was kind, strong, optimistic, and full of love for you.”
Wang Zheng looked at her but didn’t seem inclined to speak.
Leng Qing continued, “When she found out she was terminally ill, she hid it from everyone and bore the pain alone. In her final moments, the person she thought of most was you. She was a mother who could sacrifice everything for her child.”
Wang Zheng listened quietly without asking questions.
“And your father—my relationship with him isn’t what people outside think. It’s actually very simple. I was a naive girl who was deceived into believing in love. I insisted on having the child, but while I was pregnant, that man was spending my money and enjoying himself with another woman. When I learned the truth, I tried to drown myself in the river, but your father happened to pass by and saved me. After learning about my situation, he gave me a job and helped me settle down.” As Leng Qing spoke, everything became clear. “That girl was me. Your father found me before he got into trouble and entrusted me with some tasks.”
Wang Zheng believed she was telling the truth. At this point, there was no reason for her to lie.
“Do you like my dad?”
Leng Qing’s face flushed slightly. “Maybe. I’m not sure. He’s the only person who’s ever made me feel safe. But unfortunately, he doesn’t accept me.”
On Monday morning, Jiang Nan first went to the hospital.
Zeng Zhanhao’s surgery was scheduled for the morning, and Jiang Nan needed to be there to oversee things. In the afternoon, she still had to take Xiao Xiao to meet with a lawyer, so she handed all the company affairs to Zeng Yu.
When she arrived at the hospital, Zeng Zhanhao had already been taken into the operating room.
When Fu Yu saw Jiang Nan, she smiled with relief. Although she said it wasn’t necessary for Jiang Nan to come, claiming she could take care of everything, the truth was that as soon as Zeng Zhanhao was wheeled into surgery, Fu Yu’s anxiety reached its peak.
For Fu Yu, Jiang Nan’s arrival was like a drowning person finding a lifeline.
“Xiao Jiang, you’re here!” Fu Yu quickly stepped forward, holding Jiang Nan’s hand tightly, unwilling to let go.
Jiang Nan knew she was nervous and gently patted her hand, smiling as she reassured her. “The doctors said this surgery is almost risk-free. Uncle Zeng is such a good person; Heaven wouldn’t be so unkind.”
Hearing this, Fu Yu finally relaxed and sat back down on the bench.
Jiang Nan quickly found a topic to distract Fu Yu. “Auntie, was Zeng Yu well-behaved when he was a kid?”
As soon as this was mentioned, Fu Yu’s floodgates opened. “Well-behaved? Not at all! You wouldn’t believe how mischievous he was when he was little! The neighbor’s dog would hide when it saw him, and their birds would chirp in alarm. Most kids got chased by dogs; our Zeng Yu was the opposite—he chased dogs and kicked them. He even plucked the birds’ feathers. For these little things, Old Zeng punished him often, and I had to take him around to apologize to people.”
“Punished? How did he punish him?” Jiang Nan’s curiosity was piqued.
Fu Yu sighed. “He made him practice calligraphy. If he didn’t finish, he wasn’t allowed to eat. If he chased a dog, he had to write ‘I won’t chase dogs again’ fifty times. For plucking feathers, he had to write it a hundred times. He wasn’t allowed to eat until he finished. Once, he had to write until after midnight. Old Zeng never compromised when it came to teaching him, even if it meant being harsh. I figured raising a child is like growing a sapling—if it grows crooked, it’ll be hard to straighten out later. No matter how much it hurt, I had to bear it and stay up with Zeng Yu.”
Recalling the past, Fu Yu was full of emotion.
“Your Uncle Zeng always said that if parents can’t guide their children properly, the kids will become reckless and have no sense of boundaries. Who knows what kind of trouble they might cause later? You have to teach them to have a sense of reverence. Without it, how can they manage?”
Time flew by as they reminisced about Zeng Yu’s childhood.
After a while, a nurse came out of the operating room and called out, “Family members, be ready—the surgery is over.”
Fu Yu jumped up excitedly. “Xiao Jiang, he’s out!”
“Auntie, just call me Jiang Nan. ‘Xiao Jiang’ sounds so distant.” Jiang Nan stood up as well and walked to the door.
The first person to come out was the lead surgeon, Dr. Gu, a middle-aged man. When he saw Jiang Nan, he smiled. “Jiang Nan, you’re here too. The surgery went very well. The anesthesia hasn’t worn off yet, but he’ll wake up and recover over time. He’ll need to be careful with his diet and health from now on.”
This doctor had grown up with Jiang Ziliu, and they were very close. Seeing Jiang Nan, he naturally chatted with her for a bit.
“Thank you, Uncle Gu. I brought you a bottle of good wine. You’re going to love it.” Jiang Nan said with a bright smile.
Dr. Gu smiled and replied, “You must have taken it from your dad’s wine cabinet, right? If he finds out, I’ll be the one to get scolded.”
“If you don’t tell him, he won’t know.” Jiang Nan said, sticking out her tongue playfully.
Dr. Gu chuckled. “Alright, I won’t say a word. I heard your dad is back. Why hasn’t he invited us to play cards yet?”
“It’s because of my mom—they’re busy enjoying their time together.” Jiang Nan said.
“Alright then, you take care of the patient first. We’ll catch up later.”
Jiang Nan accompanied Fu Yu back to the ward, where Fu Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Jiang Nan stepped out of the ward and called home, asking the housekeeper to prepare some old chicken soup, intending to nourish Zeng Zhanhao.
As she was talking, Fu Yu came out to throw away some trash and overheard Jiang Nan say, “Auntie, after surgery, people are weak. Make sure to add some ginseng slices.”
When Jiang Nan looked up, she saw Fu Yu’s eyes were red.
She quickly approached her. “Auntie, what’s wrong? Is Uncle Zeng okay?”
Fu Yu wiped away a tear and sighed. “Even a real daughter wouldn’t be as thoughtful as you.”
“Auntie, I wouldn’t dare call myself your daughter, or Zeng Yu would scold me.” Jiang Nan quickly said.
“If he dares, I’ll break his legs. If he ever gives you trouble, you come to me, and I’ll deal with him.”
“I’ll remember that! If he bullies me, I’ll come to you.” Jiang Nan said, playing along.
Fu Yu’s mood lifted, and she was about to start a long conversation with Jiang Nan when a nurse came out and called, “Family of Zeng Zhanhao, the patient is awake.”
The two of them hurried to the bedside. When Zeng Zhanhao saw Jiang Nan, he thought to himself, “This girl is a rare find. Zeng Yu is lucky to have her.”
“Uncle Zeng, the surgery was a success. Don’t worry; you’ll be out of the hospital in no more than half a month.” Jiang Nan said, trying to comfort him.
Zeng Zhanhao shook his head. “Xiao Jiang, you don’t need to comfort me. I’m in good spirits. I just feel bad about troubling you so much.”
Jiang Nan held his hand and smiled. “Uncle Zeng, you’re being too polite. I haven’t really done much.”
What Jiang Nan had done naturally reached the ears of her parents.
While they were on vacation, they received a call from the housekeeper, who informed them that Jiang Nan had asked her to prepare soup with ginseng slices. The housekeeper was cautious about adding the ginseng and wanted to check with them first.
Han Jiayi quickly agreed over the phone. “Go ahead, Jiang Nan can handle that.” After hanging up, she complained to Jiang Ziliu, “Old Jiang, your daughter is really generous. She’s even using the wild ginseng you keep in the study.”
Jiang Ziliu, who was fishing, chuckled. “She’s grown up; let her be.”
Han Jiayi, annoyed, lightly kicked her husband. “You say it so casually, but that ginseng is over thirty years old. Raising a daughter is tough—even the best ones are raised for someone else. She’s not even married yet, and she’s already giving everything away.”
“Honey, you’re just being unreasonable. What’s wrong with our daughter? Daughters are the most considerate! Come on, stop fretting and sit down, or you’ll scare away the fish.”
Jiang Ziliu didn’t care about such things at all. After all, wasn’t Han Jiayi the same way with him back in the day?
“You’re spoiling her.” Han Jiayi said as she sat in the lounge chair, wearing sunglasses and a large straw hat, looking a bit wistful.
After a busy morning, Jiang Nan prepared to leave the hospital.
Fu Yu walked her to the parking lot, holding her hand reluctantly.
“Auntie, it’s not like I won’t come back.” Jiang Nan said with a smile.
Fu Yu, feeling a bit embarrassed, let go. “Drive safely.”
Jiang Nan got into the car, rolled down the window, and waved. “Auntie, go back inside.”
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