The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 538 - 541. Mr. Fu, the Servant of His Daughter
Still at the Half-summer Western Restaurant, Shen Qinglan arrived to find Su Qing already waiting for her. Shen Qinglan’s gaze swept over Su Qing before she withdrew it.
Su Qing raised her eyebrows and looked at her amusingly, "Are you satisfied with the appraisal?"
Shen Qinglan smiled, "Not bad, what have you been up to recently?"
"Traveling around the world. I just happened to be in Beijing this time, so I thought I’d come and see you."
Su Qing passed her the menu, "Order something; it’s my treat."
Shen Qinglan took the menu, sweeping a glance at her left hand, which had barely moved since she came in.
Unaware of her gaze, Su Qing took the opportunity while Shen Qinglan was ordering to pull out two boxes from her bag, "These are full-moon gifts for the two little ones."
Shen Qinglan took the gifts and casually set them aside, "What happened to your left hand?" Even while handing over the gifts, Su Qing had barely moved her left hand.
Su Qing laughed, "Nothing really, it’s quite alright."
Shen Qinglan kept silent, just watching her.
"Alright, I’ll tell the truth. I broke it a bit, but it’s nothing serious. It’s almost healed now."
"Why did it break?" Shen Qinglan asked her. Su Qing shrugged, "Just being playful. Last time I went to the Primordial Forest with Eden, we encountered some wild beasts. During the fight, I accidentally injured my hand, that’s all." She spoke lightly.
"Really?" Shen Qinglan was half-convinced. Why did she feel that Su Qing was hiding something from her?
Su Qing laughed, "Would I lie to you? Don’t worry, with my skills, what could possibly happen to me? If you’re really worried, you can call Eden." She wasn’t afraid of Shen Qinglan calling to inquire; Eden would definitely cover for her.
Hearing Eden’s name, Shen Qinglan looked at her with keen interest, "You and Eden..."
Su Qing immediately caught her drift, laughing, "Eden and I are just friends."
Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow, "Could be more than just friends." She sincerely thought Su Qing and Eden made a good match; it would be nice if they got together.
Su Qing speechless, "When did you start playing matchmaker?"
"Really not considering it? Eden is really nice—handsome, good-tempered, and skilled in medicine." Shen Qinglan was really selling Eden hard.
Su Qing laughed, looking at Shen Qinglan, truly different from before. Where would the old her care about such matters? But this change was good, full of life, more authentic.
"Don’t laugh, I’m serious with you. Eden is really good. Both of you are single; if you have feelings for him, you better make a move quickly, since there are quite a few people eying him up." Shen Qinglan was dead serious, evidently intent on playing matchmaker to the end.
Su Qing’s laughter grew even more joyous, "Qinglan, you’re really not acting like a goddess right now."
Shen Qinglan looked at her helplessly. She was trying to be serious, but this girl just kept teasing her. However, she could see her attitude, "Really no chance?"
Su Qing stopped laughing and nodded seriously, "No, we’re better off as friends." If it were otherwise, she would definitely have pursued Eden herself.
Shen Qinglan sighed regretfully, "Alright. Are you going to continue traveling?"
"Of course, my dream is to travel around the world. But you don’t have to worry about me. Maybe one day, I’ll meet my Prince Charming and I’ll definitely bring him to meet you."
"You have my word. Where’s your next stop?" Shen Qinglan continued along Su Qing’s line of conversation and did not pry further about her left hand. She knew Su Qing must be hiding something, but since she didn’t want to talk about it, Shen Qinglan respected her wishes and didn’t ask.
"I haven’t decided yet. I usually just go with the flow. Maybe I’ll know where I’m heading next when I get to the airport. I mainly came to see you this time, and I’ll leave after that."
"So soon, won’t you stay a few more days?" Shen Qinglan wanted to spend more time with Su Qing as they really saw each other only occasionally.
"No, I’ve stayed in Beijing before and have already visited everything worth visiting." If it weren’t for Shen Qinglan being in Beijing, she probably would never visit again.
After lunch, Su Qing had to catch a flight. Shen Qinglan drove her to the airport.
"Remember to call me if you need anything." Shen Qinglan was still a bit worried.
Su Qing smiled, "I will, and if I don’t call you, it means I’m doing well, so don’t worry."
Shen Qinglan gave her a hug, "Make sure to call me, and don’t disappear for months like you did before; it worries me."
"Alright, I promise I’ll call when I have the chance. Here’s an idea, I’ll send you a postcard from every place I visit, that should keep you assured."
"Deal, no backing out," Shen Qinglan agreed immediately, and Su Qing chuckled, "You’re still the same as when we were kids." She patted Shen Qinglan’s shoulder and walked confidently through security.
Watching Su Qing’s departing figure, Shen Qinglan couldn’t shake the feeling there was something different about her this time; it took her a while to realize that Su Qing seemed more carefree now.
As soon as Shen Qinglan stepped into her house, she heard Chenchen crying. She quickened her pace and saw the nanny trying to soothe her son.
Relieved to see her, the nanny quickly handed him over, "Chenchen is hungry, and he won’t drink his formula."
Shen Qinglan took the baby, gently patting his back, and casually asked, "Where’s Hengyi?"
"The nanny said, "He went out with Tangtang."
Shen Qinglan frowned, "How long has he been crying?"
"About fifteen minutes." Fifteen minutes wasn’t very long.
Chenchen stopped crying the moment he was in his mother’s arms, his big watering eyes looking up at her as he nuzzled against her chest. Shen Qinglan looked at him, smiled helplessly, and said, "I’ll go feed him, you do your thing."
When there was only Anan, it wasn’t so noticeable, but after the twins were born, Hengyi’s preference for the daughter over the son became quite apparent. He personally took care of Tangtang’s needs—bathing, changing diapers, putting her to sleep, and feeding her, almost never allowing the nanny to intervene. However, he barely handled anything for his son, letting the nanny manage almost everything.
Sometimes, even Shen Qinglan felt the need to reprimand him, but he always had a ready excuse: a daughter is like a delicate flower that needs gentle care, while a boy should be raised roughly so he won’t be spoiled.
Hearing this, Shen Qinglan just wanted to roll her eyes at him; his grand statements couldn’t hide his clear bias.
Hengyi was a very attentive person, especially concerning their daughter, so Shen Qingqing never worried about her and focused most of her energy on their son instead.
Chenchen was much more demanding than Tangtang. Perhaps because he was too well-behaved while in the womb, he made up for it by being incredibly fussy after birth. A small inconvenience could set off his loud cries, showcasing his assertive nature. If he wasn’t so young, Shen Qinglan would definitely discipline him, but for now, since spanking was not an option and he wouldn’t understand scolding, she had to wait until he was older to correct his behavior.
No matter how much he didn’t want to leave home, Fu Hengyi’s vacation was about to end. After getting his daughter to sleep that evening, Fu Hengyi watched her, unwilling to leave.
When Shen Qinglan saw that he hadn’t returned to their room for a while, she thought their daughter wasn’t sleeping, but when she came over, she realized that he just couldn’t bear to leave the child.
She leaned against the door, watching him with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, "Fu Hengyi, I think you might as well stay here with your daughter. You don’t need to come back to the room."
Upon hearing this, Fu Hengyi, embarrassed and sensing his wife’s anger, quickly stood up, intending to appease her. However, Shen Qinglan had already turned back to their room.
"Mummy is jealous, so Daddy is going to appease Mummy. You sleep well," he whispered gently to his sleeping daughter before leaving.
Back in their room, Shen Qinglan was lying on the bed, reading a book very intently, not even glancing up when Fu Hengyi entered.
Fu Hengyi touched his nose, sat down on the bed, and asked seemingly casually, "What book are you reading?"
Shen Qinglan ignored him, turned a page, and continued to ignore her husband. Fu Hengyi, not at all annoyed, spoke softly, "Are you jealous of our daughter?"
Finally, Shen Qinglan looked up from her book. "I’m not like someone who’s always jealous of his own child," she replied slowly and softly, leaving Fu Hengyi embarrassed again.
"How did you manage to tear yourself away from your little lover? I thought you were going to stay the whole night."
"I have to return to the military base tomorrow, and it’ll be a long time before I can come back. I wanted to spend more time looking at Tangtang, or else she might not recognize her daddy the next time I come home."
"I see, Tangtang is your own daughter, but it seems like I must have brought Chenchen home from somewhere else." Shen Qinglan pointed out that he hadn’t glanced at his little son all evening. Back when Anan was born, every time he came home, he at least took over caring for Anan and even put him to sleep at night.
Fu Hengyi immediately realized where the problem was. He admitted he hadn’t paid enough attention to his son, but how could he help it when Tangtang looked exactly like Shen Qinglan, especially those eyes, identical to her mother’s, which melted his heart every time he saw them. It was all Tangtang’s fault for inheriting all the good genes from her mother.
"Honey, I was wrong," he admitted.
Shen Qinglan looked at him with that same smile that wasn’t quite a smile. "Oh?"
"I do care about Chenchen too."
Shen Qinglan set her book aside and fixed him with a serious look. "Fu Hengyi, I know you love your daughter, but Chenchen is also your son. You can’t make such a distinction. He might not feel it now since he’s so small, but as he grows, he will start feeling it. You’re often away in the military, and I don’t want our son to grow distant from you as he gets older." This had been Shen Qinglan’s primary concern watching how Fu Hengyi doted on their daughter.
Fu Hengyi wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I understand your concerns. I overlooked this previously. I’ll try to treat them equally from now on."
Shen Qinglan was skeptical about his promise and simply lay down to sleep.
Fu Hengyi, left thinking,... Has my credibility really sunk this low? Even his wife didn’t believe him.
The next day, Shen Qinglan rose early, as Fu Hengyi was due to return to the military. She started to pack his bags while he was still asleep. He had been up several times during the night to feed and change diapers, hardly catching a good sleep. Although there was a nurse, Fu Hengyi didn’t trust anyone else with his daughter, preferring the hardship himself.
While Shen Qinglan was halfway through packing, the baby room next door erupted with crying. Seeing this, the usually sleeping Fu Hengyi sprang up from the bed, scrambling out even without his shoes.
Shen Qinglan shook her head from behind the dressing room door, noting resignedly that her husband was irrevocably henpecked by his daughter.
Indeed, it was Tangtang crying, unusual for her, as normally she would only whimper a bit.
Nanny Xiao Li was gently soothing Tangtang, but for some reason, the child wouldn’t calm down today. Fu Hengyi stepped forward and took his daughter into his arms, "Don’t cry, baby, Daddy is here."
Miraculously, Tangtang, who had been crying incessantly just moments before, immediately stopped her tears and became exceptionally well-behaved, smacking her lips. Fu Hengyi knew she was hungry, so he carried her straight to the kitchen. Before he left, he gave Chenchen a special glance, only to see the little guy still sound asleep with no sign of waking up.
He looked disdainfully at his young son and, gazing down at his daughter with tiny golden tears still hanging at the corners of her eyes, said tenderly, "Your brother is just a little pig, always eating or sleeping. We won’t follow his example. Let’s go eat now." Saying that, he carried his daughter downstairs.
Fu Hengyi fed his daughter formula milk until she was full, and Shen Qinglan had already packed the luggage.
Fu Hengyi held his daughter tightly. Shen Qinglan glanced at the car waiting outside and urged him, "Hurry up, don’t keep people waiting."
With a reluctant face, Fu Hengyi said, "Taking care of two children alone is too exhausting for you. Why don’t you come with me to the Military Region? It would make it easier for me to look after you. Anan can stay at home; Grandpa and Aunt are there."
Anan, who had just walked over ready to say goodbye to Daddy: ...
Shen Qinglan gave him a glance, fully aware that he just didn’t want to be separated from his daughter, and took the daughter from him, "We have a nanny at home who will help take care of the children. Just go with peace of mind."
Fu Hengyi’s eyes lingered on his daughter as he tried to persuade Shen Qinglan further, "Tangtang has always been taken care of by me since birth. She’ll be uncomfortable with someone else suddenly. Why don’t you come with me to the Military Region for a while, and once Tangtang has adjusted, you can come back."
"It’s a process that has to happen sooner or later." Shen Qinglan was unmoved. There were only the two of them, along with the kids, in the Military Region. Was he even planning to work?
"Daddy, the uncle outside has been looking at you all this while. You should hurry up; you can’t be late," Anan spoke up, urging Fu Hengyi.
Fu Hengyi looked down at him. This cheeky boy, not only did he not help persuade Shen Qinglan, but he also rushed him. All the affection wasted on him.
If Anan knew what Daddy was thinking, he would definitely tell him that it serves him right for trying to deceive Mommy into abandoning him and taking his siblings away.
Fu Hengyi looked again at his daughter, hoping the little one would cry a bit to show reluctance to part from her father. Instead, Tangtang was already dozing off in her mother’s arms.
Fu Hengyi felt blocked up, "Well, I’m leaving then. Call me if you need anything. I’ll make sure to call home regularly."
"Okay, just go," Shen Qinglan urged, as Chenchen should be waking up soon and she needed to check on him.
Fu Hengyi pointedly looked at Shen Qinglan, but she, holding the daughter, headed inside without turning back. Anan waved at Daddy, "Goodbye, Daddy." Then, chasing after Shen Qinglan with his short legs, "Mommy, I want to have breakfast with you."
Fu Hengyi: ...
After Fu Hengyi went to the military, he called home punctually every day, three times a day, morning, noon, and night.
"Qinglan, was Guoguo well-behaved today? She didn’t cry, right?" Fu Hengyi would always start the conversation by asking about his daughter.
Shen Qinglan glanced at the daughter playing happily with Anan in the living room and hummed a response. Both children were already crawling, and she had to keep an eye on them daily, otherwise, they could easily get into mischief.
"Tangtang, don’t touch that." Anan’s voice came from the living room, followed by the sound of breaking glass.
"I’ve got to go," Shen Qinglan said abruptly, hanging up, leaving Fu Hengyi anxious on the other end of the line.
Shen Qinglan hurried into the living room, only to see Anan reaching for the shattered pieces of the glass. "Anan, don’t touch," she shouted.
Seeing her arrive, Anan explained, "Mommy, sister broke the glass." Shen Qinglan looked at the shattered glass; it was the cup Old Sir Fu had recently bought, his current favorite.
Tangtang’s hand was held down by Anan, and with furrowed brows and wide eyes, she stared at the shattered glass, apparently wanting to grab it, completely unaware of the consequences of breaking Grandpa’s beloved item.
Despite being very well-behaved when she was born, once she began to crawl, she became the most active one, curious about everything and eager to touch things. As a result, anything that reached her hands would soon end up broken, with her destructive power being enormous. Meanwhile, the rowdiest, Chenchen, was quite lazy; sometimes it was hard for Shen Qinglan to get him to move, as he would lie down rather than crawl if he could.
"Anan, watch your sister, mommy will clean up the shards." To prevent the children from getting hurt, Shen Qinglan had the baby nurse take the children outside, then checked every nook and cranny with Aunt Zhao to make sure no glass pieces were left behind.
Anan was upstairs in the children’s room playing with her brother and sister, surrounded by toys. Originally, the toys for Anan alone were plenty, but now with two more children, the room had virtually turned into an ocean of toys. Tangtang and Anan were having a blast, while Chenchen sat in a corner, holding a rubber ducky and occasionally squeezing it, amusing himself and seemingly quite happy.
Shen Qinglan was just about to lecture her daughter when Fu Hengyi’s call came in.
"Qinglan, what happened just now?" Fu Hengyi sounded anxious.
Shen Qinglan looked at her daughter, who was lying on Anan’s back, wanting to ride him like a horse, "Your daughter broke grandpa’s favorite cup."
"Is Tangtang alright? Is she hurt anywhere?" Fu Hengyi became even more anxious upon hearing this.
Shen Qinglan: ...
"Qinglan, talk to me, is Tangtang hurt? No, I need to come and see." Fu Hengyi said as he prepared to leave his office.
Shen Qinglan hurriedly stopped him, "Your daughter is unharmed and is currently bullying your son."
"I can’t help it, Qinglan, let me see her. I won’t be at ease until I see her with my own eyes." Fu Hengyi requested a video call.
Shen Qinglan: ... Sometimes, she felt she might be considered a stepmother, the kind who would take advantage of Fu Hengyi’s absence to bully her daughter.
The video connected, and Fu Hengyi saw Tangtang riding on Anan’s back, laughing joyfully. He frowned, "What if Tangtang falls off, Qinglan? This is too unsafe."
Shen Qinglan: ... Shouldn’t you be saying that your daughter is too naughty and needs to be disciplined?
Fu Hengyi didn’t think his daughter was being naughty; he considered it lively and energetic.
"The floor is covered with a thick carpet." Even if she did fall, it was such a short height, it wouldn’t hurt.
Fu Hengyi was still worried, "Hold on to her a bit, what if she bumps into something?"
Shen Qinglan was tempted to hang up the video. Seeing Anan sweating from his forehead, she shouted at her son, "Anan, put your sister down, don’t always indulge her in bullying you."
Anan grinned, "Mommy, my sister isn’t bullying me, she is playing with me. She likes me, that’s why she wants to play with me."
Well, it’s a case of mutual agreement.
Fu Hengyi looked at his daughter, who was in the middle of her fun, not sparing a glance in his direction, feeling suffocated, "Qinglan, let Tangtang say something to me."
Tangtang could talk early, already calling out ’daddy’ and ’mommy’, although not very clearly.
"Tangtang, daddy wants to talk to you, say ’daddy’." Shen Qinglan brought the phone to her daughter’s face. Tangtang glanced at the screen, recognized her dad, but instead of speaking, she patted Anan’s head, "Brother, brother."
"Brother," is the word Tangtang pronounces most clearly.
Ignored completely by his daughter, Fu Hengyi: ...
**
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, three years had passed. That year, when Shen Qinglan turned thirty, one of her pieces won an international award, a prize far more prestigious than the Youth Painter award she had won before. This award was open to all ages and countries for oil painting.
Shen Qinglan’s paintings were already valuable, and she had focused most of her energy on her family in the recent years, producing very few pieces. However, each one was a masterpiece. Now, having won such a prestigious award, her value skyrocketed, challenging some of the long-renowned veteran artists.
Shen Qinglan was set to travel to Country Y to accept the award. Her twins at home clamored to go with her, but Shen Qinglan refused them. Instead, she took Anan with her.
"Mom, are we really not taking my brother and sister?" Anan asked on the way to the airport.
Shen Qinglan shook her head, "Not this time. Uncle Allen is sick, and I’m taking you to see him."
She hadn’t intended to bring Anan, but a few days earlier, she received a call from Peter saying that Allen was seriously ill and kept asking for Anan. Shen Qinglan agreed to bring him.
Anan and Allen were very close; every summer, Anan would spend a few days up to a couple of weeks with Allen in Country Y.
Originally, Shen Qinglan had enrolled Anan in a military summer camp for a month. The plan was to send him to Country Y after the camp. However, due to Allen’s serious illness, the plans changed abruptly.
Anan, anxious upon hearing about Allen’s illness, said, "I talked to Uncle Allen the day before yesterday, and he didn’t mention being sick. How could he suddenly fall ill?"
Shen Qinglan replied, "I don’t know either, but we will find out once we arrive in Country Y."
"Uncle Allen really should have told me if he was sick. If he had told me sooner, I would have come to see him earlier," Anan muttered, still worried about Allen’s illness.
"Don’t worry, it’ll be alright," Shen Qinglan comforted her son.
Happy to be traveling with his mother initially, Anan’s mood had suddenly dropped, and he leaned silently against Shen Qinglan.
Allen had been sick for a while, but he had made Peter keep it from Anan.
When the plane landed, it was Peter who personally came to pick them up.
Upon seeing Peter, Anan immediately asked, "Uncle Peter, how is Uncle Allen?"
Peter, relieved at the concern, said, "Uncle Allen’s illness is quite serious this time. You’ll need to help me persuade him to follow the doctor’s treatment, alright?"
Anan frowned, "Uncle Allen doesn’t want to take his medicine?" Clearly, he had grasped Allen’s temperament.
Peter, feeling helpless, responded, "Yes, your Uncle Allen doesn’t like taking medicine and doesn’t listen to the doctors. This time you really must help me persuade him. He can’t just do whatever he wants, understand?" Peter repeated his plea.
Allen was obstinate and rarely listened to others, except for Anan, Shen Qinglan, and oh, the Fu Family’s little princess. These were the few he would somewhat heed.
Don’t ask why not include Chenchen; that’s because Chenchen is exactly like Fu Hengyi, with not a trace of Shen Qinglan in him. Every time Allen saw Chenchen, it was like seeing a mini Fu Hengyi, which was hardly a pleasing sight.
Upon arriving at the castle, Anan needed no directions and immediately rushed to Allen’s room. In this castle, Anan was like a semi-owner; even the servants wouldn’t stop him.
Anan stood outside Allen’s room, knocked on the door, and before he could speak, he heard the sound of something shattering inside, "Didn’t I say no one is allowed to disturb me? Get lost, stop bothering me." Allen’s cold and irritable voice came from the room.
Anan paused his hand on the doorknob, but there was no sign of fear on his face as he spoke, "Uncle Allen, it’s me, I’ve come to see you."
The room went silent instantly, and after a while, the sound of a wheelchair scraping across the floor could be heard. Soon, the door opened.
Allen looked somewhat surprised to see Anan outside the door, his eyes revealing a hint of joy, "Anan, how did you come over?" The day before yesterday, Anan had mentioned over the phone that he would be coming later this year.
Allen had lost a lot of weight; he was originally not fat, but now he was nothing more than skin and bones, his complexion unnaturally pale gray, somewhat frightening to look at.
"Uncle Allen, I heard you were ill?" Anan said with a face full of concern.
Allen glared fiercely at Peter, who entered after him, then smiled at Anan, "It’s just a minor illness, not severe. A few days of medication should do the trick."
"But Uncle Peter said, you’re seriously ill and you’re also refusing to take your medicine, not cooperating with the treatment."
If it wasn’t for Shen Qinglan and Anan being there, Allen really felt like driving Peter, the blabbermouth, out.
"Your Uncle Peter is just a doctor, and doctors tend to exaggerate. You can’t completely believe what they say, you know?"
Upon hearing this, Peter grimaced; could he really be compared with those incompetent doctors at the hospital? He constantly reassured himself, don’t get angry, don’t argue with patients, don’t take it personally, stay calm, stay calm.
After this mental adjustment, Peter’s mood improved considerably. Taking advantage of Anan’s presence, Peter took the opportunity to say, "Allen, it’s time for your medication."
Allen looked displeased at Peter, but Peter now had a ’get out of jail free card,’ so he wasn’t afraid.
"You are a patient now; you must take your medication on time for your illness to improve," Peter said earnestly.
"Right, Uncle Allen, you need to take medicine when you’re sick. If you’re afraid of the bitterness, I have candy." Anan took a piece of milk candy from his pocket and placed it in Allen’s palm, "You can eat this candy after you take your medicine so it won’t taste bitter."
Even though Allen disliked Peter, he couldn’t refuse Anan’s request, so he nodded and said, "Okay, I’ll take my medicine right now."
Seeing Allen so cooperative, Peter let out a slight sigh of relief. He had been extremely worried about Allen’s condition, which was difficult enough, and Allen’s reluctance to cooperate made it worse, causing it to deteriorate further. It was only because there was no other option that he had called Shen Qinglan.
Anan, unconvinced, watched as Allen swallowed all his medicine before feeling relieved.
He peeled the candy and stuffed it into Allen’s mouth, "Now it won’t be bitter, Uncle Allen, I’ll accompany you to take your medicine every day from now on."
Allen chuckled, pinching Anan’s cheek, "You’ll be going back with your mother in a few days, how could you be here with me every day?"
Anan turned to look at Shen Qinglan, "Mom, can I stay here a few more days with Uncle Allen? I want to wait until Uncle Allen is better before going back." His eyes were full of pleading; Allen had always been good to him, and he knew Allen was quite lonely, so he really wanted to stay with Allen for a few days.
"Okay, mom agrees, you can stay here a few more days with Uncle Allen," Shen Qinglan did not refuse her son’s request.
Allen, upon hearing this, looked gratefully at Shen Qinglan, who merely smiled and said nothing.
She signaled to Peter with her eyes, and Peter was the first to leave, "Anan, mom will settle the luggage first, you stay and talk with Uncle Allen for a while." Shen Qinglan found an excuse to leave, Anan obediently nodded.
"What illness did Allen actually get?" Seeing Allen’s condition, Shen Qinglan realized just how serious Allen’s illness was this time.
Upon hearing this, Peter’s face darkened slightly, "He has developed a tumor in his brain that needs to be surgically removed, but he is unwilling to cooperate with the treatment. The tumor has already pressed on his brain nerves and blood vessels, and you’ve seen his condition. If we let the tumor grow any larger, his life will be in danger."
"Is the surgery very risky?" Shen Qinglan asked.
Peter nodded, "Even for me, the success rate is less than thirty percent." That was why Allen had given up on treatment when he learned of his condition.
"But this surgery can’t be delayed, it must be done as soon as possible. That’s why I asked you to come, hoping you could help me persuade him. I think he will agree if you speak."
Shen Qinglan was non-committal, "I will help persuade him, but I can’t guarantee that he will agree."
"No matter what, I want to thank you." Peter said sincerely.
Although he had often felt that Allen’s sacrifices were in vain, and he was worried about Shen Qinglan’s significant influence on Allen’s heart, at that moment, he was grateful that there was someone in the world who Allen cared about and could influence his decisions.
Shen Qinglan learned about Allen’s condition in detail from Peter before she turned and went back to the room.
Anan hadn’t seen Allen for a long time, naturally, they had endless topics to discuss until dinner time, when Anan reluctantly went to the restaurant with Allen.
Anan had started elementary school now, and his studies were naturally more demanding than in kindergarten. Moreover, he had voluntarily enrolled in several foreign language classes; despite his young age, he had quite a bit of homework. Shen Qinglan didn’t know how long she would be delayed here, so she had brought his homework along.
After dinner, Anan conscientiously went to do his homework.
Shen Qinglan then looked at Allen, "Let’s talk."
Allen glanced inadvertently at Peter, who looked up at the ceiling. He had never noticed before how beautiful the ceiling of the house was. It was so purely white, indifferent to the gaze falling upon him.
Allen nodded, and Shen Qinglan pushed him out to the garden. The flowers were blooming beautifully there, and the air was filled with a light, pleasant scent.
"Allen, agree to the surgery," Shen Qinglan got straight to the point.
"Did Peter tell you?" Allen was not surprised; he had anticipated what Shen Qinglan would say.
"Yes, Peter said that you can’t delay any longer. Surgery is currently the best treatment option, though it’s very risky, it’s your only choice." Conservative treatment had already become ineffective for him.
"Xiaoqi, I don’t want to have the surgery, life means nothing to me. Dying a day earlier or a day later makes no difference." Allen’s voice was hoarse, yet his demeanor was calm. When talking about life and death, it was as casual as discussing the weather.
"Allen, you shouldn’t give up on your life so easily. Perhaps to you, life doesn’t mean much, and living one more day or one less makes no difference, but have you ever thought about your friends around you? Peter has saved you many times, pouring in his heart and effort, and has been by your side all these years, unwavering. Are you really going to watch all his efforts go to waste? I think, you must be Peter’s best brother in this world; he definitely doesn’t want you to give up so easily."
"And you, Xiaoqi, do you care about my life?" Allen looked intently at Shen Qinglan, trying to discern an answer from her face.
Shen Qinglan slightly lowered her gaze, looking at a flower in front of her, "Allen, I consider you a friend." Past grudges, right or wrong, she had already let go.
"So you want me to live, right?" Allen stared at her, determined to get an answer from her mouth.
"Yes, I want you to live."
"Alright, I’ll agree to the surgery."
