The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 519 - 522. Let’s continue dating.

Mrs. Chen ultimately couldn’t bring herself to confront the Jiang family. As she approached the hospital entrance, she happened to bump into Mr. Chen returning to the hospital.

"What are you doing?" Mr. Chen stopped his furious wife.

"The Jiang family has hurt my daughter like this; of course, I have to seek justice for her," Mrs. Chen said as a matter of course. Upon hearing this, Mr. Chen immediately pulled her back, "What justice are you talking about? This whole thing was Wan Jiao’s own choice. What right do you have to seek justice?"

Mrs. Chen discontentedly replied, "Now that Wan Jiao can no longer have children and her wedding with Zhong Lei is off, what will she do with the rest of her life? What other man would dare marry her? Isn’t she like this because of Jiang Chenxi? Shouldn’t Jiang Chenxi be responsible for Wan Jiao?"

"You’re being foolish. Has Zhong Lei broken up with Wan Jiao? If you go to the Jiang family to demand justice now, where do you leave Zhong Lei?"

Hearing this, Mrs. Chen’s heart grew even more sorrowful, "Do you think Zhong Lei would still be with Wan Jiao? If you were him, would you want to?"

Mr. Chen fell silent. If he were in that position, he certainly wouldn’t want to, but he couldn’t say that. After all, he was Wan Jiao’s father now, and he had to stand by Wan Jiao’s side.

"Anyway, we can’t go to the Jiang family about this." If they really went to the Jiang family to hold them responsible for Chen Wanqiao, what sort of people would they become?

"Then what about my Wan Jiao? She’s only in her twenties, her life is just beginning, and you expect her to live the rest of her decades like this?" Mrs. Chen sobbed, her heart aching as if it had been stabbed with a knife.

Wasn’t Mr. Chen heartbroken too? But who would want such a thing to happen? He held onto his wife, "Alright, let’s not talk about this for now. Let’s go back upstairs. You left Wan Jiao alone in the ward; if anything happens, you’ll regret it too late."

Reminded by her husband, Mrs. Chen realized she had been too angry and had left Chen Wanqiao alone in the ward. She wiped away her tears, "Let’s go, let’s go back quickly. I was just too angry. But every time I think about Wan Jiao living the rest of her life like this, I just..."

Mr. Chen patted his wife’s shoulder, "I know, we can talk about these things after Wan Jiao’s health improves. Right now, the most important thing is Wan Jiao’s health."

Mrs. Chen nodded and followed Mr. Chen back to the ward.

Seeing her parents return together, Chen Wanqiao knew her mother must not have gone to look for Jiang Chenxi and breathed a sigh of relief, "Dad, Mom," her voice weak.

Mrs. Chen was torn between heartache for her daughter and frustration at her, so she didn’t pay her any attention. Mr. Chen nodded, "Don’t talk now, just rest well. We’ll discuss the other things after you’re better."

Chen Wanqiao did not heed her father’s words, as there were things she wanted to clarify right now. She said, "Dad, this has nothing to do with Chenxi, don’t go looking for him."

Now Mr. Chen understood why his wife had been so angry. Their daughter was in such a state, and still, she didn’t forget to defend Jiang Chenxi. He too would be angry. He glanced at Chen Wanqiao and saw her pale face, ultimately unable to bear saying anything more, "Alright, let’s not talk about this now."

Chen Wanqiao wanted to say more but, upon seeing her parents’ expressions, she shut her mouth. She had never thought to cling to Jiang Chenxi over this incident or to make him take responsibility for her. But with her parents clearly still furious, she feared further discussion might backfire.

**

After leaving the hospital, Jiang Chenxi went straight to the police station to report what had happened.

"You’re saying someone deliberately drove a car to hit you?" The police officer looked at Jiang Chenxi with suspicion.

Jiang Chenxi shook his head, "Not me, someone tried to hit my fiancée. It happened at Shengde Intersection. There are surveillance cameras at that intersection, you’ll understand once you look at them."

The restaurant they were at was right by a traffic light, and there were plenty of surveillance cameras around. Jiang Chenxi believed that the cameras had certainly captured the scene. He had seen the assailant’s face clearly. The person had targeted Pei Yinong, but it resulted in such grave consequences for Chen Wanqiao. This time, he would not be lenient. Although Pei Yinong hadn’t seen the attacker’s face, she had heard about it from Jiang Chenxi on the way over. Realizing that the incident ultimately stemmed from her, she felt a deep sense of guilt thinking about the girl lying in the hospital.

"Officer, I am the victim of this incident as well as a witness. I want to report a crime," Pei Yinong stood out and said.

Based on the clues provided by Jiang Chenxi, the police quickly targeted Gu Jiajia. When Gu Jiajia was brought to the police station, she was still defiant, "Even if you are the police, you can’t arrest people at will. I am a good citizen, what right do you have to arrest me?"

The police had already viewed the surveillance footage. The car that hit the person belonged to Gu Jiajia herself, and there was a video recording that clearly captured her face. This was irrefutable evidence.

When the police presented this evidence, Gu Jiajia stayed silent for a moment, and then spoke up, "I was the one who hit the person. I admit it."

The police did not expect Gu Jiajia to admit it so straightforwardly and asked in a cold voice, "Tell us, why did you hit her?"

"Because she’s stupid," Gu Jiajia replied with arrogance in her voice and a hint of regret in her eyes. It’s just a pity that the person injured this time wasn’t Pei Yinong.

"So, you are admitting that you intentionally hurt someone?" the officer asked in a stern tone.

Gu Jiajia shook her head, "I didn’t say that. I want to see my brother-in-law, Duan Ling."

"First, explain your own issues," the officer tapped the desk.

"Unless I see my brother-in-law, I won’t say anything, and you won’t get a single useful piece of information out of me," Gu Jiajia’s attitude shifted from cooperative to defiant.

Seeing her act this way, the officer slapped the desk, "It’s in your best interest to cooperate with our investigation."

"Before I see my brother-in-law, I won’t say another word. Even if you present evidence, I can deny it all in court," she claimed.

The officer, furious, had never seen such arrogance but eventually contacted Duan Ling.

Duan Ling could not believe that in just over ten days of not seeing Gu Jiajia, she had caused such a disaster. When he arrived at the station, Gu Jiajia was already detained. Pei Yinong had filed a lawsuit against Gu Jiajia for intentional injury, resulting in serious harm.

Upon hearing the details of the incident, Duan Ling looked at Gu Jiajia with a shocked expression, "Why would you do this?"

Gu Jiajia sneered, "I can’t have happiness, so Pei Yinong can forget about it too. This time it was Pei Yinong’s luck. Otherwise, she should be meeting the King of Hell by now." She lowered her voice so only Duan Ling could hear.

Duan Ling looked at Gu Jiajia in disbelief, "Have you gone mad?"

"Yes, I’ve gone mad, driven mad by you," Gu Jiajia yelled, "I only regret not having killed Pei Yinong. She’s always so lucky, always having someone to take her place."

Duan Ling never imagined Gu Jiajia could do something so insane. If the car had hit Pei Yinong at the beginning, perhaps she would be the one lying in the hospital now.

"Gu Jiajia, do you have any idea what you’re doing?"

"I am very aware of what I’m doing, never once regretting it. Duan Ling, if you won’t let me be happy, then neither will your Pei Yinong. But now, I don’t believe she can still marry Jiang Chenxi after this, having lost the person she loves the most. I want to see how she can be happy," Gu Jiajia laughed maniacally, appearing completely insane.

Duan Ling looked at her with disappointment, "Gu Jiajia, you truly have gone mad."

The smile vanished from Gu Jiajia’s face, leaving it expressionless, "If I’ve gone mad, it’s because you drove me to it, Duan Ling. If you had agreed to marry me, I wouldn’t have done this. All the mistakes are because of you; you are the main culprit."

Duan Ling’s expression was blank as he stared at Gu Jiajia. After a long while, he withdrew his gaze, stood up, and left the police station. Gu Jiajia watched his retreating figure, tears pooling in her eyes. She had done all of this, yet the man still refused to spare her a second glance. She only wanted Duan Ling to keep her in his heart, not love, even hate would have sufficed.

After leaving the police station, Duan Ling, after much contemplation, finally went to see Pei Yining.

Pei Yining looked at Duan Ling, who appeared before her, and didn’t feel the least bit surprised. "Are you here to plead for mercy?" she asked calmly.

Duan Ling’s face was etched with embarrassment, but he ultimately nodded. "Yes, if it’s possible, could you..."

"Not possible," Pei Yining interrupted him coldly. "Duan Ling, she is committing a crime. She hit an innocent person, and that person is still lying in the hospital. Because of her jealousy, that person might never be able to live as a whole woman again. And you still want to continue to protect her?"

Duan Ling was filled with bitterness. "I..."

"In my memory, you have always been a very upright person. Are you really going to shield a murderer now?"

"Yining, she just was not thinking straight, she..." Duan Ling stopped mid-sentence, and Pei Yining scoffed coldly. "You see, you can’t even finish what you were saying. The person Gu Jiajia wanted to hit was me. If Chen Wanqiao hadn’t been there today, I would have been the one lying in a pool of blood."

"Duan Ling, if it had been me who was hit today, would you still plead for mercy on her behalf?" Pei Yining asked coldly.

Duan Ling fell silent. If it had been her who was hit today, he thought he would personally send Gu Jiajia to prison. "Yining, I’m sorry. Pretend I was never here today."

As he turned to leave, Pei Yining called out to him, "Duan Ling, I won’t let this go easily. I won’t withdraw the lawsuit. I will only request the judge for a severe sentence. If you want to fight a legal battle with me, then bring it on."

Duan Ling looked deeply at her for a long while, then without another word, left.

Pei Yining did as she said. She hired the best lawyer in all of Beijing to fight this lawsuit, determined to have Gu Jiajia severely sentenced. Although Duan Ling held resentment towards Gu Jiajia, he still found her a lawyer, not to declare her innocent, but to seek a reduced sentence for her, as the last act of mercy he could offer Gu Jiajia.

**

Mrs. Chen found her way to the Jiang Family on the third day. Taking advantage of Mr. Chen and Chen Wanqiao being unawares, she concocted an excuse to leave the hospital and made her way to the Jiang residence.

Only then did Mr. and Mrs. Jiang learn of the incident that had occurred.

"How could such a thing have happened? How could Wanqiao ever...?" Mrs. Jiang found it hard to accept.

Mrs. Chen’s face was cold. "Wanqiao will never be able to be a mother again in her life. She ended up like this trying to save your Jiang Chenxi. I think your family ought to show some sort of gesture."

Mr. Jiang looked at Jiang Chenxi. "Chenxi, is it really as your Aunt Chen says?"

Jiang Chenxi nodded solemnly. "Yes." It was an undeniable fact that Chen Wanqiao had saved him.

"Our Jiang Family will certainly take responsibility for this matter. The medical expenses for Wanqiao, as well as any subsequent costs, will be borne by our Jiang Family," Mr. Jiang said gravely.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Chen’s expression changed, and she stared fixedly at him. "Do you think I came to your house today to ask for money? Although our Chen Family is not wealthy, we still have the money to treat our daughter. I just want to ask you one thing; are you going to take responsibility for my daughter’s life from now on?"

At these words, Mrs. Jiang’s face showed her predicament. "This... it’s not a question of whether we take responsibility or not. If Wanqiao and Chenxi were still together, then not to mention her inability to have children, even if she were bedridden for the rest of her life, we would still recognize her as our daughter-in-law; I would take care of her for life. But the problem is that the two of them are not..." Mrs. Jiang couldn’t continue, the look in Mrs. Chen’s eyes was too intimidating.

"So you’re just planning to send us away with a bit of money? My daughter was perfectly healthy, and now she’s like this—she just deserves it, is that right?" Mrs. Chen asked coldly.

"No, that’s not what we mean, listen to me explain," Mrs. Jiang tried to explain but was interrupted by Mrs. Chen.

"Professor Jiang, your Jiang Family claims to be of scholarly heritage, priding yourselves on good upbringing, and this is how you handle things?" Mrs. Chen’s face displayed her disappointment.

Mr. and Mrs. Jiang were rendered red-faced and speechless by Mrs. Chen’s words, unable to offer a rebuttal.

"Aunt Chen, I caused this incident, and it’s only right that I take responsibility for it. If Wan Jiao can’t find happiness that belongs to her in the future, I can take care of her for the rest of her life as a brother," Jiang Chenxi said seriously, full of guilt toward Chen Wanqiao. If she truly couldn’t find happiness for the rest of her life, then it was only proper for him to take care of her, but marrying her was still something he couldn’t bring himself to do.

"Who needs your brother’s identity? Do you expect our Wan Jiao to watch you and your wife lovingly, while she ends her days alone?" Mrs. Chen seethed with anger.

"Aunt Chen, then what do you suggest?"

"Break off your engagement with your fiancée and marry Wan Jiao," Mrs. Chen directly made her demands. She could not allow her daughter to lead a lonely life. Even if it meant clinging onto the Jiang Family, she would do it this time.

Upon hearing this, the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Jiang grew ugly. Pei Yinong and Jiang Chenxi were about to get married, and even though they still weren’t completely satisfied with Pei Yinong, they couldn’t simply break off an engagement they had agreed upon. Besides, even though Chen Wanqiao got injured trying to save Jiang Chenxi, if she was incapable of bearing children and they married off, would it mean letting the Jiang Family line come to an end? Before they could express their stance, the doorbell rang, and Jiang Chenxi stood up to answer it.

Outside stood Mr. Chen. Seeing that his wife had gone out and not returned for a long time, he guessed she had come to the Jiang Family’s house. As expected. He walked straight in. "You’re indeed here. Come back with me."

Mrs. Chen was reluctant, "I’m not going back. If they don’t give me a satisfactory explanation today, I won’t leave." She had made up her mind to go to the mat for her daughter’s future. Wasn’t Chen Wanqiao fond of Jiang Chenxi? And now that she had ended up like this because of him, then he should stay with her daughter and take care of her forever. That’s what Jiang Chenxi owed Chen Wanqiao.

"What are you doing? Isn’t it shameful?" Mr. Chen’s voice was lowered, scolding her in a whisper.

"What’s shameful about it? My daughter has become like this because of them. Shouldn’t the Jiang Family be responsible? If anyone should be ashamed, it should be the Jiang Family."

Everyone knew what it meant that Zhong Lei hadn’t appeared at the hospital these past few days. Chen Wanqiao’s biggest hope had been shattered, which made Jiang Chenxi their last lifeline.

Mr. Chen’s face darkened, "Zhong Lei came to the hospital today. If he finds out about the scene you’re causing, what do you think he will think of you?"

His voice was very soft; only Mrs. Chen could hear him. Mrs. Chen’s eyes lit up, "Zhong Lei came?"

"Yes, come back with me now." Mr. Chen did not want to discuss it further with Mrs. Chen, he just wanted to take her back home.

Hearing that Zhong Lei had come to see Chen Wanqiao at the hospital, Mrs. Chen lost any lingering desire to stay and hastily followed Mr. Chen to the hospital.

**

In the hospital, Chen Wanqiao looked at the person appearing before her, her expression calm, and forced a smile, "You came."

Zhong Lei nodded and quietly observed her. In the three days since they last met, the color had not returned to Chen Wanqiao’s face; she was still ghostly pale, and upon closer inspection, it seemed even paler than after the surgery.

Chen Wanqiao attempted to sit up, and Zhong Lei, noticing this, quickly stood up, "What do you want to do? I’ll help you."

Chen Wanqiao smiled, "I just want to sit up for a while. I’ve been lying in bed all this time, and my bones are stiff."

Zhong Lei helped her adjust the hospital bed, supporting her so she was semi-reclined, "Is this better?"

Chen Wanqiao nodded, "Thank you!" Then, the two of them sat in silence, looking at each other.

In the end, it was Chen Wanqiao who took the initiative to break the silence, "Did you come today to break up with me?"

"Why would you think that?" Zhong Lei asked her in return.

"Actually, no matter what decision you make, I can understand. Breaking up... I agree. After all, I’m the one at fault here," Chen Wanqiao said, her voice weak but her expression remarkably calm. She had been waiting for this day for a whole three days.

Upon hearing these words, Zhong Lei’s expression became even more complicated, "Actually, the reason I came here today was to ask you a question. Can you tell me the truth?"

Chen Wanqiao looked at him calmly, "Go ahead."

"During the time you were with me, were you ever serious about us? I mean, did you really want to be with me and continue our relationship?"

Chen Wanqiao nodded, "Yes." She might not love Zhong Lei, but her heart was serious when she was with him; she sincerely wanted to spend a lifetime with him. However, fate played its tricks, and such an incident occurred, so she supported and understood any decision Zhong Lei made.

At that moment, Chen Wanqiao didn’t notice the brief relaxation in Zhong Lei’s eyes when she nodded.

"These past three days, my mind has been in turmoil. I’ve been thinking a lot. I’ve recalled every little detail from the first day we met until now," said Zhong Lei softly.

Chen Wanqiao’s face remained composed, yet her hand clenched tightly under the blanket, "So, what conclusion have you come to?" She felt like a prisoner waiting for a verdict, and Zhong Lei seemed like the judge.

Zhong Lei looked disheartened as he answered, "Actually, I always knew that there was someone in your heart. It wasn’t until we last encountered Jiang Chenxi and the others that I gradually confirmed that person was him. However, I didn’t mind, because I thought I was good enough and that one day, you would forget him and fall in love with me. Am I right?"

Chen Wanqiao nodded, "Yes. Although it seems a little late to say this now, I did try hard to let go of him and fall in love with you. Your kindness to me during this time has been kept in my heart, and I have not forgotten a single detail."

Hearing this, Zhong Lei’s expression seemed to relax, "Somehow, hearing you say that makes me feel quite comforted. Wanqiao, out of all the people I’ve met for arranged dates, you are the one who satisfies me the most. You may not be the most beautiful, but there are many things about you that attract me. During the time we’ve been together, I fell in love with you, and I want to be with you forever. Marriage is my promise to you. I think you must have agreed to my proposal because you also seriously wanted to spend a lifetime with me, right?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Wanqiao felt somber, "Zhong Lei, I’m sorry!"

Regardless of whether she had thought about spending a lifetime with him, speaking bluntly, she had betrayed Zhong Lei.

Zhong Lei smiled faintly, "You don’t need to apologize to me. When I was younger, I loved a girl, too. She was all the passion of my youthful years. I did many crazy things for her. I thought we would be together in the end, but it just wasn’t meant to be. I lost her due to some reasons. I’ve been in pain, too, so I understand how you feel and why you did what you did. Wanqiao, I’m a few years older than you, and I consider myself to have a bit more life experience. Under those circumstances, if I were you, maybe I wouldn’t have done any better. These past three days, I’ve been wondering about one thing: if today it was me who had gone through such an incident, would you choose to stay with me?"

Chen Wanqiao was taken aback; she had really never considered this, so she told the truth, "I haven’t thought about that."

Zhong Lei chuckled lightly, "Another thing I admire about you is your honesty, your reluctance to lie." During the time they had been together, perhaps the only lie she told was about the black swan ornaments.

Zhong Lei believed that he had come to know Chen Wanqiao quite well in this time.

"Wanqiao, I am someone who takes promises seriously, and marriage is the biggest promise I’ve made to you. So I’ve been considering for three days. I’ve thought it over and over, and have one question to ask you."

Chen Wanqiao asked reflexively, "What is it?"

"If I say, I want to continue being with you, would you still be willing to marry me?"

Chen Wanqiao suddenly looked up, stunned at Zhong Lei.

Zhong Lei smiled, "Don’t be so surprised. I’m not joking with you; I’m serious. Just tell me the most genuine thoughts in your heart."

"Zhong Lei, the doctor said I’ll never be able to be a mother again."

Zhong Lei nodded, "I know."

"It’s because I went to save another man that I ended up like this," she added.

Zhong Lei continued to nod, "I know."

"Zhong Lei, I don’t love you."

And again Zhong Lei nodded, "I know that too."

"Then why?" Chen Wanqiao couldn’t understand. Did someone like her really deserve such action from him? Under normal circumstances, shouldn’t he have broken up with her? She had braced herself for that, but instead, Zhong Lei presented her with an unexpected outcome that left her unprepared.

Zhong Lei laughed, "I don’t know. I went home and thought about it for three days. But the conclusion I came to was what we have today, and I seriously asked myself if I could completely disregard your actions and if I could say that I loved you to the point of needing you. The answer was no."

"Then why..." Chen Wanqiao grew even more puzzled by his choice.

"I’m also very confused. But, Wanqiao, my desire to continue being with you is serious. Let me ask you one question: if we keep going together, can you truly let go of Jiang Chenxi and live a good life with me?"

"Zhong Lei, my body..."

"I’m well aware of your condition. Putting aside all other factors, I just need one answer from you, can you let go of Jiang Chenxi if we are together?"

Chen Wanqiao bowed her head, remaining silent. Zhong Lei didn’t rush her, and the hospital room fell into silence once again.

After a long while, just as Zhong Lei was about to give up, Chen Wanqiao spoke softly, "Zhong Lei, I can’t guarantee that I will completely forget him, but just like before, I will try hard to let go and fall in love with you."

Zhong Lei’s expression instantly relaxed; to him, that was enough.

"Then let’s continue with our marriage engagement," he said, his expression very calm.

Chen Wanqiao frowned at him.

Seeing this, Zhong Lei laughed lightly, "Did you think I came today to break up with you?"

Chen Wanqiao nodded, as anyone would have thought the same.

"It’s normal to think that way. However, Wanqiao, I hope our ending can be different."

"Zhong Lei, thank you for your tolerance towards me, but I can’t be with you. It’s not fair to you."

"In relationships, there is no such thing as fair or unfair, only willing or unwilling," Zhong Lei said. He was willing to do this. Once, due to his immaturity and irrationality, he lost the woman he loved. After all these years, Chen Wanqiao was the only one who could move his heart. Missing out on her, he didn’t know if he would ever meet another.

"Zhong Lei, I can’t have children," Chen Wanqiao said softly. This was a very real issue; a woman who couldn’t bear children, whether in ancient times or in the modern era, was always scorned.

"That’s fine, I’m not really fond of children. I even considered being DINK (dual income, no kids) once."

"Zhong Lei, you don’t have to comfort me with those words, setting aside everything else, if your parents found out about this, they would never agree."

"Then let’s not let them know, this is a matter between you and me, and we should solve it by ourselves. We don’t need to care about other people’s opinions. Also, what I said just now wasn’t just to comfort you." He truly did not like children. Perhaps in many people’s eyes, children are an important part of a family, but he happened to be the exception.

"Zhong Lei, I’m afraid you’ll regret it."

"Whether I’ll regret it in the future, I don’t know! But the decision I made today is well-considered, not on a whim. Chen Wanqiao, I want to continue walking with you. As for the issue of having children, I really don’t mind. With today’s advanced technology, we can completely visit other hospitals for more consultations, perhaps there will be better results. Even if it’s really not possible, that’s fine too. If you like children, we can adopt one, and if not, just the two of us growing old together is also fine." Zhong Lei said this very seriously, without a trace of jest. He hadn’t rested properly in the past three days, had considered every issue carefully, and thus reached his decision today.

"If you are really worried I might regret it, then the day I do regret it, I will definitely tell you, and then we can part on good terms."

For some reason, hearing Zhong Lei’s last words, Chen Wanqiao felt a long sigh of relief in her heart and gradually relaxed.

"You don’t have to respond to me right away, you can think it over. I give you three days to consider. I won’t bother you for these three days, and after that, give me a firm answer, is that okay?"

Zhong Lei had put it all out there, leaving Chen Wanqiao without any reason to refuse, she nodded, "Okay." But her feelings for Zhong Lei grew even more complex. She herself couldn’t see what was so valuable about herself that Zhong Lei would go to such lengths.

When Mr. Chen and Mrs. Chen hurried back to the hospital, Zhong Lei was peeling an apple for Chen Wanqiao. On entering and seeing this scene, their expressions were very complex, and there was a hint of apology in their eyes when they looked at Zhong Lei.

Yet it was Zhong Lei who greeted them naturally, "Uncle, auntie, you’re back. Since you’re here, I’ll take my leave." He handed the peeled apple to Chen Wanqiao, "Think over what I said carefully. I’m leaving now."

Chen Wanqiao took the apple and nodded.

"Uh, Zhong Lei, won’t you stay a little longer?" Mrs. Chen inquired, hoping to detain him.

Zhong Lei smiled faintly, "Auntie, I’d better not. There’s some work at the company."

A flash of disappointment passed through Mrs. Chen’s eyes, but she maintained a smile, "Then you go ahead with your work."

Only after Zhong Lei left did Mrs. Chen turn to Chen Wanqiao, "Did Zhong Lei come today to break up with you?"

Chen Wanqiao laughed in disbelief. See, it wasn’t just her who thought so, even her parents felt that, after such an incident, under normal circumstances, Zhong Lei should break up with her.

"No," Chen Wanqiao said blandly.

Mrs. Chen’s eyes lit up, "Zhong Lei didn’t break up with you? Then what did you both talk about?"

"Mom, where did you go just now?" Chen Wanqiao asked instead of answering.

"I didn’t go anywhere much. Just thinking about your situation made me feel anxious, so I went for a walk and talked with your father for a while."

Chen Wanqiao didn’t harbor any doubts.

"Wanjiao, tell me the truth," her mother urged impatiently. "What exactly did Zhong Lei say to you just now? Are you really not breaking up?" If Zhong Lei was willing to continue being with Chen Wanqiao, it would be the best outcome. After all, Jiang Chenxi had someone in his heart and didn’t have that kind of feelings for Chen Wanqiao. Forcing them to be together might not lead to happiness. Her prior insistence on visiting the Jiang Family to hold Jiang Chenxi accountable was driven by worry that her daughter would have no one to rely on for the rest of her life.

Chen Wanqiao was somewhat absent-minded; her head was full of what Zhong Lei had told her. Hearing her mother’s words, she replied, "Mom, please don’t ask about this right now. Let me think it over."

Mrs. Chen wanted to inquire further, but Mr. Chen stopped her. "Enough," he said, "Wanjiao just had surgery not long ago. Let her rest now. We can talk about these things later."

Mrs. Chen glared in frustration. How could she wait? Did he know how anxious she had been these past few days? She had only one child, and now that she was in this state, her heart as a mother was in agony as if it were being cut with a knife.

Mrs. Chen wasn’t unreasonable on normal days. This time, causing a scene at the Jiang Family’s home was already a break from her usual principles.

"Mom, I’m very tired. Let me rest a bit," Chen Wanqiao said softly.

Seeing her daughter’s pale complexion, Mrs. Chen couldn’t bring herself to press any further and helped her lie down. "Alright, you rest."

Mr. Chen stood at the end of the hospital corridor, holding a cigarette, quietly smoking. His daughter’s ordeal weighed no lighter on him than on his wife, except he was a man and kept many things to himself.

Mrs. Chen walked out and sighed deeply upon seeing her husband. "Old Chen, you can’t smoke in the hospital."

At her words, Mr. Chen stubbed out the cigarette. "Has Wanjiao fallen asleep?"

Mrs. Chen nodded, "Yes." She then asked, "Old Chen, what do you think about this situation?"

"No matter what decision Zhong Lei ends up making, even if it comes to breaking off the engagement, we’ll have to accept it."

"I, of course, know that. I’m talking about Wanjiao."

"If you genuinely have Wanjiao’s best interests at heart, then don’t go to the Jiang Family again. Wanjiao is a prideful child. Forcing Jiang Chenxi to marry her and having her find out would only hurt her self-esteem."

"But can we just let it go? What about Wanjiao’s future? Do you want her to marry someone who is divorced with children?"

"If it comes to that, we’ll support her for the rest of our lives," Mr. Chen said resolutely.

"But, Old Chen, we will eventually grow old and pass away before she does. What will she do after we’re gone?" Mrs. Chen was so worried her hair had turned gray.

"The younger generations will have their own fortunes. It’s too early to talk about these things now. Let’s wait and see. Maybe Wanjiao’s condition can be cured? With today’s medical advancements, it’s possible." If she were cured, even without Jiang Chenxi or Zhong Lei, Chen Wanqiao could still find a good place to settle down.

At those words, Mrs. Chen suddenly said, "Right, I need to find the best doctor to treat Wanjiao. This hospital isn’t known for its expertise in this area. I’ll find a specialist. If I can’t find one, I’ll find someone to help me."

Mr. Chen patted his wife’s hand. "I’ve already contacted a former classmate of mine. He knows a good doctor. Once Wanjiao is feeling a bit better, we’ll take her to see him."

"That sounds like a plan," Mrs. Chen agreed, comforted by her husband’s words. It gave her hope and temporarily spared her from the turmoil of confronting the Jiang Family.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chenxi had found Shen Qinglan.