“Go wash up first. I’ve prepared breakfast.”
Ye Qingqiu looked back at the sleeping child and covered her face with her hands. After a moment of silence, she asked, “What time is it now?”
“Ten past six.”
Ye Qingqiu paused and suddenly looked up. “So…”
Li Tingshen nodded calmly. “Linlin’s surgery is in three hours.”
“You’re too tired. You slept all night and didn’t eat dinner.”
Ye Qingqiu was stunned as the dream flashed across her mind. As if she had been stabbed by something, she closed her eyes abruptly.
A broad and warm hand landed on her head. She lowered her gaze and saw a pair of expensive leather shoes stopping under her eyes. His suit pants were perfectly ironed.
“It’s fine.”
Ye Qingqiu’s eyes reddened uncontrollably.
She didn’t want to rely on anyone, let alone Li Tingshen.
She thought that she could bear the responsibility, but when something happened, she realized that she couldn’t do anything.
Linlin had yet to go on the operating table, but she had already become like this.
If Li Tingshen hadn’t followed her this time, what would she be doing now?
She couldn’t deny that Li Tingshen standing here was her reassurance.
Looking at her, Li Tingshen tightened his grip and gently pulled Ye Qingqiu into his embrace.
“I’m fine.”
*
When Linlin woke up, she touched the entire bed but didn’t touch Ye Qingqiu.
His eyes froze, as if he was recalling if what happened two days ago was just a dream.
After a while, he touched it again, but it was still empty.
She couldn’t help but pout as she got up. Her eyes were filled with helplessness and confusion as she stared ahead. She choked a few times before suppressing the tears in her eyes.
In the past, she had looked forward to it too many times in her dreams and had been disappointed many times. She was sad, but she couldn’t cry.
That would bring trouble to the director and teacher. Most importantly, her mother wouldn’t come.
However, he believed that one day, his mother would definitely come back to visit him.
He could only wait obediently.
Mom definitely didn’t like children who cried and were mischievous.
After Ye Qingqiu finished her breakfast, she pushed open the door gently because she was worried about Linlin. However, she realized that Linlin had already sat up. Her helpless and confused eyes suddenly fixed in her direction.
“Mommy?”
He spoke uncertainly, his face full of nervousness.
“Linlin!”
Upon hearing Ye Qingqiu’s voice, Linlin couldn’t help but purse her lips tightly as tears welled up in her eyes.
Ye Qingqiu hurried over and hugged Linlin.
“Mommy is here.”
Linlin hugged Ye Qingqiu’s neck, afraid that he would be abandoned.
Li Tingshen stood at the door.
It had been a long time since he had seen Ye Qingqiu like this.
That arrogant and beautiful girl would also be nervous, heartbroken, helpless and afraid.
From a girl to a woman to a mother.
He had caused all of this, but he was the one who was the least qualified to have everything.
*
At nine o’clock, Linlin was about to enter the operating theater.
Ye Qingqiu’s body turned cold and she seemed to have lost her senses. She hugged Linlin in a daze and refused to let go.
“Qingqiu, put Linlin down.”
Ye Qingqiu looked conflicted.
“Mommy…” Linlin sensed Ye Qingqiu’s abnormality and held her face with both hands, pressing her forehead against hers.
“Linlin knows that Mommy must be the most beautiful Mommy in the world. Linlin really wants to see Mommy…”
Ye Qingqiu couldn’t help but cry.
“Linlin…”
Why couldn’t she tell that the child was comforting her?
How useless of her to let Linlin comfort her.
Linlin pursed his lips as tears welled up in his eyes again.
“Linlin, don’t be afraid… Mommy, don’t be afraid either…”
Ye Qingqiu nodded vigorously. She suppressed the pain and fear in her heart and kissed Linlin’s face.
“Okay, Mommy isn’t afraid. Mommy has been waiting for you here…”
“Yes!”
Li Tingshen took Linlin and placed her on the bed.
She placed her hand on his forehead and could easily see the nervousness and fear in his eyes. She rubbed the top of his head.
“I’ll help you take care of Mommy. You can sleep. When you wake up, Mommy and I… will definitely be by your side.”
Li Tingshen’s deep voice seemed to have a magical power. The nervousness and fear in Linlin’s heart gradually subsided.
He noticed the pause in his voice and nodded obediently.
Li Tingshen pursed his lips and straightened his body.
The doctors quickly pushed her in.
Ye Qingqiu couldn’t help but want to chase after him, but Li Tingshen pulled her into his embrace.
“Linlin will get better, right? Li Tingshen, do you think… our son will get better?”
Ye Qingqiu grabbed Li Tingshen’s arm tightly. She was so nervous and afraid that she didn’t notice Li Tingshen’s stiff body.
He lowered his gaze and stared at Ye Qingqiu’s face. He slowly regained his senses and nodded, promising her again patiently.
“Yes, it will definitely get better. There are the world’s top ophthalmologists inside. They will definitely be fine.”
Even though he was worried and anxious, he could empathize with Ye Qingqiu’s emotions.
However, he could not show his cowardice in front of her.
Seeing the helpless and flustered woman gradually calming down in his arms, he led her to a chair and sat down.
Ye Qingqiu clenched her fists and pressed them against her chest uneasily. Her eyes were fixed on the door of the operating theater as her heart suffered.
After some time, the door to the operating theater opened.
The doctor walked out and removed his mask. His face was covered in sweat.
The moment she saw the doctor, Ye Qingqiu should have rushed forward immediately. However, she was stunned on the chair and couldn’t move at all.
Li Tingshen held her and couldn’t get up immediately. He looked up at the doctor.
“The result?”
The doctor closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. “Very successful.”
Li Tingshen clenched his jaw and closed his eyes.
The stone that had been hanging in her heart finally fell.
He turned to look at Ye Qingqiu. The woman in his arms had already cried silently.
“It’s alright, Linlin is about to see this world.”
Ye Qingqiu’s stiff eyes suddenly blinked and she nodded.
“I’ll see it soon, I’ll see it soon…”
Only then did she heave a sigh of relief. In the next second, she fainted in Li Tingshen’s arms.
“Qingqiu!”
*
A month later.
In her deep sleep, Ye Qingqiu felt a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose.
Her skin was slightly cold, and her breathing sounded shorter than ordinary people.
Her eyebrows twitched and she slowly opened her eyes.
The familiar outline gradually turned into a familiar young face. He sat beside her and his facial features were extremely beautiful. His dark eyes sparkled as he looked at her face, as if there were stars shining in his eyes.
Ye Qingqiu stood rooted to the ground, her eyes fixed on those eyes.
After a long while, the child sitting beside her moved and crawled to her side with both hands on the bed. Then, he raised his hand to touch Ye Qingqiu’s face.
“Linlin knows that Mommy must be the most beautiful Mommy in the world.”
Ye Qingqiu raised her trembling hand and held Linlin’s. “Linlin saw… right?”
Linlin smiled and touched Ye Qingqiu’s nose.
“Mommy’s nose is so beautiful.”
It brushed past Ye Qingqiu’s eyebrows.
“Mommy’s eyebrows are so beautiful.”
He covered Ye Qingqiu’s eyes.
“Mommy’s eyes are so beautiful.”
Then, her lips landed on Ye Qingqiu’s.
“Mommy’s mouth is so beautiful.”
With that, he looked up and smiled happily. “Just like Linlin.”
Ye Qingqiu raised her hand and held Linlin’s face with trembling fingers.
“Linlin…”
Linlin nodded and rubbed his head against Ye Qingqiu’s palm. “Linlin can see Mommy now.”
Ye Qingqiu sat up and hugged Linlin. She held his face and looked at him carefully.
Li Tingshen stood by the bed with a gentle expression.
Linlin’s eyes had been bandaged two days ago, but she had yet to adapt and refused to open her eyes.
After waiting for two days, she woke up early in the morning and opened her eyes.
Seeing the clear scene in front of him, his eyes darted around as he lay there. He looked at the ceiling, the curtained windows, the beautiful sunflowers on the coffee table, and the tall and handsome man who had just stood at the door and stared at him.
He blinked and confusion flashed across his eyes. He ignored the beautiful man’s burning gaze and turned to look at the beautiful woman who was hugging him.
A familiar scent.
It was his mother’s scent.
His mother was really, really beautiful.
…
After a few more days of observation at the hospital and confirming that there were no problems, she left for China.
Ever since she boarded the plane, Ye Qingqiu’s expression had not been good.
Linlin was filled with curiosity about this world. She leaned against the window and looked at the dazzling white clouds outside. Her mother said that she missed cotton candy.
When he was tired, he fell asleep in Ye Qingqiu’s arms. Li Tingshen found a blanket and covered him.
His movements were gentle and attentive.
Ye Qingqiu did not interfere. She watched as he wrapped the sleeping child tightly. His slender fingers pressed down the blanket that covered the child’s chin. His fingers caressed the child’s smooth chin, and his calm eyes were filled with emotions.
Ye Qingqiu pursed her lips and turned her head slightly to look at the window beside Linlin.
After a long while, she suddenly said—
“I haven’t thought about how to care about life with you.”
Li Tingshen retracted his hand and stared at her side profile for two seconds. He narrowed his eyes and remained silent.
The plane landed in Ping Cheng.
He had slept twice on the way and had yet to wake up. Li Tingshen carried him off the plane and brought Ye Qingqiu to the car.
In his embrace, Ye Qingqiu could only follow him closely.
They thought that they would have to return to the Luxury Emperor’s apartment tonight. But the car drove on and finally stopped at the Qingqiu Mansion.
Ye Jianyun had given Ye Qingqiu her coming-of-age ceremony back then.
Even after three years, this place still looked like a princess’s castle.
Linlin had been looking at the outside world curiously on the way back, but when he saw the manor in front of him, he was still surprised.
“You and Linlin need an excellent living environment. This place is yours to begin with. Don’t worry about anything else. The people in charge of taking care of you are all the original servants of the Ye family.”
Ye Qingqiu’s eyes trembled slightly.
“Mom, is this our house?” His tone was full of surprise.
Hearing this, Ye Qingqiu smiled and nodded lightly. “Yes, Linlin will live here with Mommy in the future, okay?”
Linlin nodded. “Wherever Mommy is, Linlin will be there.”
Ever since she could see, Linlin seemed to be more cheerful than before. Ye Qingqiu felt a little comforted.
“Mommy, the house next door is huge too. It’s much bigger than ours.”
Ye Qingqiu followed Linlin’s finger and her pupils constricted before she retracted her gaze.
“Yeah.”
She didn’t know what to say and replied calmly. Then, she whispered, “We’re going in.”
“… Okay.”
Li Tingshen replied a few seconds later. Ye Qingqiu looked straight ahead and walked forward with Linlin in her arms.
Linlin turned around in her embrace and leaned on her shoulder, his eyes staring straight at her.
It was as calm as the dark night, with only a few twinkling stars.
As Ye Qingqiu gradually left, he turned around and stopped looking at her.
It wasn’t until the two of them walked into the villa that Li Tingshen retracted his gaze. He leaned back against the car and looked at the brightly lit manor quietly. He searched his body before realizing that there was no cigarette.
The moment Ye Qingqiu entered, a few servants welcomed her with tears in their eyes.
“Miss, you’re finally back.”
Ye Qingqiu pursed her lips. “Yes.”
“This is our young master. He’s so beautiful.”
Linlin’s eyes swept across the faces of the servants.
Oh.
No one was prettier than his mother.
“Go and wash up. Dinner will be ready soon.”
Ye Qingqiu paused. Dinner…
So, Li Tingshen had long decided to let them move here and had already arranged everything in advance?
Narrowing her eyes, she blocked all the information about Li Tingshen and brought Linlin upstairs.
The children’s clothes were already arranged in the wardrobe.
Without exception, they were all of Linlin’s size and were all washed clean and fragrant.
So… when did he decide on this?
Closing her eyes, Ye Qingqiu gave Linlin a quick wash and changed into clean home clothes before carrying him downstairs.
Ye Qingqiu later brought Linlin to the orphanage.
Linlin’s eyes had recovered. The director, teachers, and the other children were all very happy.
Linlin could actually call out each of their names accurately.
Later on, she met Bo Jinchuan and Shen Fanxing.
Shen Fanxing received the news the moment Linlin’s surgery was successful. Now that she saw Linlin’s beautiful eyes focus, she was shocked and pleasantly surprised.
“Auntie Shen, you’re as beautiful as my mother.”
Shen Fanxing smiled happily. To be able to hear such beautiful words from the child was already the highest evaluation.
However, Bo Jinchuan didn’t like hearing that. His dark eyes were stern as he said, “She’s prettier than your mother.”
Ye Qingqiu was speechless.
This man’s stinginess had really broadened her horizons.
He even had to compete with a child.
Shen Fanxing smiled awkwardly and stroked Linlin’s unhappy head.
“Come, Auntie has prepared a gift for Linlin.”
It was a set of brushes and other painting tools in more than a hundred colors.
In the past, although she knew that Linlin liked musical instruments, she had unintentionally noticed that he was secretly drawing. However, she couldn’t see it with her eyes. What he drew was obviously regrettable and heartbreaking.
Things were different now.
He could clearly depict anything he saw on paper.
Linlin really liked it. He immediately opened the brush and sat on the small table beside him to draw.
Ye Qingqiu sat on the sofa and looked at Linlin’s happy face. The suffocating feeling that had surrounded her dissipated.
“Have you brought Linlin to visit Grandpa?”
“Not yet…”
“He should be looking forward to seeing you and Linlin.”
Ye Qingqiu pursed her lips. “I’m afraid of agitating him.”
Shen Fanxing looked at her calmly and said, “Grandpa can take it better than anyone else, let alone your child and her great-grandson.”
Ye Qingqiu remained silent.
Shen Fanxing knew what she was thinking. “If Grandpa hates Li Tingshen to the core, he wouldn’t have sent someone to take care of him for the past three years.”
“I think that perhaps in his heart, nothing is more important than being alive. Because only by being alive can he have the chance to see the person he loves in this world again. Ye Qingqiu, you owe the Old Master three years of filial piety. Do you really want to wait for death like last time?”
Ye Qingqiu’s fingers trembled.
In the afternoon, she brought Linlin to the hospital.
After more than a month, the old man had already woken up.
When she saw Ye Qingqiu, her aged eyes were fixed on her. Her eyes were bloodshot and tears streamed down her face.
“You brat…”
Ye Qingqiu nodded. How could she hold back her tears?
“I’m sorry, Grandpa…”
The old man reached for the wooden cane on the bed and knocked on her body three times.
She didn’t have much strength.
Ye Qingqiu stood there and endured it.
“Did you think of me back then?”
“Why are you so silly?”
“How many three years are there in life?”
“You’re wasting a girl’s best time!”
Ye Qingqiu burst into tears. “I’m sorry, Grandpa… but… but I caused the deaths of Dad and Brother Ye Ze…”
“Nonsense!” The old master bellowed angrily, causing him to cough violently.
Ye Qingqiu hurried forward to pat his chest.
“Great-grandfather, don’t be angry…”
A tender voice made Old Master Ye freeze.
Great-grandfather?
He lowered his gaze anxiously to search for something in the room. After a few twists and turns, his gaze landed on the side of his bed. Half of his small head was exposed. His hands were on the edge of the bed as he looked at him with bright eyes. One could tell that he was worried.
Although he could only see half of her face, Old Master could tell instantly.
“You… were pregnant back then?”
Ye Qingqiu bit her lips and nodded.
The old man raised his hand and stroked Linlin’s head. “You’re so handsome.”
“What’s your name?”
Linlin moved closer to him so that Old Master could look at him more clearly and touch him.
“My name is Linlin.”
He spoke clearly.
The old man smiled. “What did you call me just now? Call me again.”
Linlin blinked his dark eyes and said, “Great-grandpa.”
“Yes!” Old Master Ye replied with a smile.
Seeing that Ye Qingqiu was still standing there in shame, the old man sighed deeply. He looked at the ceiling and held Ye Qingqiu’s hand tightly.
“It’s all fate, Qingqiu. No one is in the wrong. Everyone is arranged to live in this world. What they want to do and what kind of life they want to lead are determined. Some are good, some are bad. Some die of old age and illness, and some die of accidents. Tell me, which one of these is up to us?”
Old Master Ye caressed Linlin’s head lovingly and looked at Ye Qingqiu.
“The dead are never as important as the living.”
Ye Qingqiu was stunned.
“Your father loves you so much, Qingqiu. What you have to do is to make yourself happy. How sad must he be to miss him by punishing himself? No one who loves you wants you to have a bad life.”
Ye Qingqiu nodded. “Grandpa, I’m doing well now.”
Old Master Ye stared at her for a while before sighing and turning his attention to his great-grandson.
The next day, Ye Lixun appeared in Old Master Ye’s ward.
When Ye Qingqiu saw her, Ye Lixun didn’t give her a good look.
“You know you have a grandfather?”
Ye Qingqiu knew that her aunt was blaming her for inviting herself to prison back then.
“Sorry, Aunt.”
Ye Li’s eyes reddened. “Where’s the child?”
Ye Qingqiu was surprised that she knew about Linlin.
“Damn Li Tingshen, he trapped me overseas for three years and I didn’t receive any news from home… I only received news of you not long ago!”
Ye Qingqiu’s heart skipped a beat.
She had been trapped overseas for three years without letting her aunt know anything.
So now, wasn’t he sleepy?
Was he not going to stop her from leaving?
Had he really given up on her?
Ye Qingqiu brought Ye Lixun into the ward.
Linlin was drawing on Old Master Ye’s bed.
She looked up at the noise.
“Linlin, call me Aunt.”
Linlin blinked and called out obediently.
Ye Lixun sniffed and walked over. “Come, let me hug you.”
Linlin hesitated for a moment. When he saw Ye Qingqiu nodding, he opened his arms.
Ye Lixun carried Linlin and looked at the child’s face carefully.
“How much do you love him? You must be thinking about his child every day.”
Ye Qingqiu was speechless.
“Auntie, you should visit Grandpa more now.”
“I came back last night!”
Yan Ze had already seen it.
Ye Qingqiu was speechless.
*
Ye Qingqiu brought Linlin to the hospital every day, or she would sit with Shen Fanxing.
Compared to being pregnant, she was experienced.
This was the only advantage she had in front of Bo Jinchuan. Otherwise, it would be difficult for her to meet Shen Fanxing.
Ye Lixun didn’t mention anything about leaving.
Li Tingshen seemed to have disappeared from her world and never appeared before her.
Half a month later, Xiao Chu stopped her at the entrance of the hospital.
