Shen Fanxing frowned.
Li Tingshen’s gaze landed on her face and his lips twitched.
“You should understand very well that I won’t hurt him.”
She should understand very well…
She should understand that as the father of the child, he would not hurt him.
Shen Fanxing looked up warily and asked, “Did you think of hurting Ye Qingqiu back then?”
Li Tingshen’s chest suddenly trembled.
Shen Fanxing didn’t want to gossip about other people’s past, nor did she want to interfere in their private affairs.
But Linlin couldn’t stand by and do nothing.
She had only asked around and many people had mentioned it. It was easy for her to find out.
Besides, Bo Jinchuan was one of the parties involved back then!
Her eyes were like torches and her aura was domineering.
“In order to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with Ye Qingqiu, she endured the fever until now without saying a word, afraid that something would happen because of her illness. Do you know who caused all this?”
Li Tingshen’s hands were tightly clenched in his pockets and his lips were pursed. Shen Fanxing could see the tension on his face and body.
But she had to make herself clear. Linlin was still a child.
“You think you won’t hurt me, but the harm has already happened. How can I trust you, Li Tingshen?”
Li Tingshen was like a taut bowstring that could break at any moment.
“The deepest hurt in this world is often given by the person you love the most. If there’s a deeper hurt, it’s when people who love each other fight with love.”
“And that child was born on the battlefield where you fought with each other. The harm is already there. None of you deserve to be forgiven. Don’t hurt them with your self-righteous love. If you can’t do it, stay away from them!”
Shen Fanxing’s voice was cold and stern.
After a long while, the man’s Adam’s apple bobbed and his voice was hoarse.
“I won’t…”
Wouldn’t what?
Wouldn’t hurt them again?
In less than ten words, he could only spit out two words.
Shen Fanxing looked at the emotions in his eyes and forced herself to look away.
“You better be.”
Bo Jinchuan pulled her tightly into his embrace and glanced at her.
“Your sister-in-law is right.”
Li Tingshen was speechless.
A long time after Bo Jinchuan left with Shen Fanxing, Li Tingshen moved his stiff body and walked slowly to the door. He placed his hand on the doorknob and there was a long silence.
He had never imagined that they would have another child now or in the future.
If she hadn’t been willing, he wouldn’t have forced her.
As long as she was by his side, everything was fine.
Children…
Ye Qingqiu had actually given birth to his child.
The doorknob creaked as he gripped it tightly.
After a long while, the door opened slowly.
It gradually widened from a gap to the width of a person.
There was a nurse guarding the bed. When she saw him, she was puzzled and wary.
“Sir, you are…”
Li Tingshen’s gaze was fixed on the middle of the wide and soft bed. That small body was lying there quietly.
For the first time in his life, Li Tingshen didn’t know how to answer the question.
Who was he…
He had no right or courage to say those two words.
When she got close to the bed and her gaze landed on the child’s sleeping face, her heart stopped for half a second before it beat heavily.
No wonder Ye Qingqiu tried her best to hide him.
No wonder Shen Fanxing was so calm just now.
It was impossible for him not to know of the existence of this child for the rest of his life.
The answer was obvious.
“You’re the child’s father, right?” The nurse chuckled and said,
“Baby is simply the same as you.”
Li Tingshen remained silent.
So.
He stood by the bed and looked at Linlin for a long time.
Her eyebrows and nose resembled his.
She reached for Linlin’s forehead.
Her forehead was still burning and her red face was covered in sweat.
His well-defined hand almost wrapped around her face.
Son.
Her fingers landed lightly on Linlin’s slightly furrowed brows. Perhaps it was because the coolness of her fingers had relieved the discomfort of the heat, but her furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
His palm landed on the top of the child’s head. Looking at his sleeping face, Li Tingshen’s eyes softened.
Li Tingshen maintained his posture and stood in front of the bed for a long time.
The nurse behind her waited for a long time before she couldn’t help but walk over. She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the sleeping child.
“Master, the baby’s fever is subsiding. I have to help him change his sweaty clothes. Look…”
Li Tingshen’s fingers curled slightly as he stared at the child’s face. His voice was low and hoarse.
“I’ll do it.”
The nurse was stunned for a moment before she nodded quickly.
She found some clothes and guided Li Tingshen to remove the child’s clothes.
In the beginning, her movements were unfamiliar. As she was afraid of disturbing the child, she was too careful. Later on, she became proficient.
Seeing that it was about time, she fetched another basin of hot water. She washed the towel and planned to wipe the child’s body. Li Tingshen stood at the side and watched for a while before taking the towel and bending down to wipe the child’s body.
The slightly older nurse smiled and said, “I’ve never seen a father like you who does everything personally. These things are either Grandma’s or Mom’s business.”
Especially such a noble and handsome man. Indeed, one could not judge a book by its cover.
Li Tingshen was expressionless. After wiping his body, he picked up a clean shirt and carefully put it on the child. During the process, he had to carry Linlin and make the shirt on his back even. After flipping it a few times, Linlin lay on his shoulder in a daze and whimpered.
Li Tingshen froze as he felt a small hand grabbing his collar.
“Mommy…”
The child’s childish voice sounded in Li Tingshen’s ears. His groggy voice instinctively made Li Tingshen’s heart palpitate.
After tidying his clothes, Li Tingshen placed Linlin back on the bed. The child seemed to have fallen asleep again.
However, she did not let go of his collar.
Li Tingshen didn’t move. He maintained his awkward and uncomfortable posture.
He didn’t say anything. He couldn’t even see the child’s expression, but he could feel the helplessness and lack of security from the depths of this child’s heart.
Lightly pressing his forehead against hers, Li Tingshen choked.
Shen Fanxing was right. The harm had already happened.
*
When Bo Jinchuan returned with Shen Fanxing, Li Tingshen was waiting at the door.
Seeing them, Li Tingshen only said two words.
“What’s his name?”
Shen Fanxing’s face was cold, but her heart ached at the question.
“Linlin.”
Li Tingshen’s dark eyes moved down slightly and landed on the gap between the tiles calmly.
“Thank you.”
“Li Tingshen.”
The moment he brushed past them, Shen Fanxing called out to him.
Li Tingshen stopped in his tracks with his back facing her. Before she could speak, he said calmly,
“I won’t use a child as a bargaining chip.”
Shen Fanxing didn’t say anything.
*
Ye Qingqiu’s phone battery had run out.
It was almost ten o’clock when she borrowed a charger from Xiao Chu.
It had been more than two hours since she chased Li Tingshen out.
She didn’t believe that he would run home alone to rest.
Xiao Chu looked down and could tell that Ye Qingqiu was waiting for someone.
“Miss Ye, do you want me to help you find CEO Li?”
Ye Qingqiu frowned slightly with an indifferent expression. “What does it have to do with me whether you find him or not?”
Xiao Chu choked and there was a hint of worry on her face.
“… CEO Li didn’t tell me where he went. I wonder which corner of the hospital he’s in.”
Ye Qingqiu pursed her lips, her expression cold.
“Special Assistant Xiao, everyone knows that you’re loyal to him. You don’t have to remind me every chance you get. Do you think he’s the kind of person who wants others to pity him?”
Xiao Chu, whose intentions had been exposed, remained silent.
“Get out, I want to sleep.”
He had just entered to prepare warm milk for Ye Qingqiu. It was already ten o’clock, so Xiao Chu didn’t dare to stay any longer.
At this moment, Li Tingshen was indeed as Xiao Chu had said.
She sat on a wooden bench in the hospital park. Her coat was unbuttoned and her suit jacket was draped over the surface of the chair. Beside her were an open box of cigarettes and a lighter.
There was a half-lit cigarette between his slender fingers, and the cigarette butt was scattered under his feet.
He looked exceptionally calm. His eyes were calm and there was no expression on his face. He looked completely calm.
However, upon closer inspection, the cigarette between her fingers had already changed shape. Every cigarette on the ground was no exception.
One cigarette after another, he waited until the box was completely empty before leaning back in his chair. He crushed the box bit by bit and threw it away. Then, there was a long silence.
Late at night in late October, the cold numbed her bones.
The night was filled with dead silence.
When he returned to Ye Qingqiu’s ward, she was already lying on the bed quietly.
He walked to the bed and looked at her beautiful and gentle face calmly.
She looked like a different person when she woke up.
All the arrogance, sarcasm, indifference, heartlessness, hatred, and wanton love…
His eyes were slightly closed.
Ye Qingqiu frowned slowly. Li Tingshen’s eyes flickered and he took half a step back, but Ye Qingqiu still opened her eyes.
She looked at him with coldness and rejection.
“The smell of tobacco on you is annoying.”
Her cold voice didn’t sound like she had been woken up.
“Sorry.”
Li Tingshen apologized in a low and hoarse voice before quickly walking into the bathroom.
Ye Qingqiu narrowed her eyes and remained silent. No one knew what she was thinking.
When Li Tingshen came out of the shower, Ye Qingqiu was still in the same position.
He lifted the blanket and got into bed. His movements were light, and he didn’t pull her into his arms domineeringly like before.
Ye Qingqiu waited nervously for him to pull her into his embrace or hug her.
But after five or ten minutes, he didn’t move.
In the end, she didn’t know when she fell asleep. The next day, she was woken up by the sound of Li Tingshen putting on his clothes.
Because of the surgery today, she couldn’t sleep well.
After she washed up and dressed, Xiao Chu had already prepared breakfast.
Her face was pale and she was distracted by her grandfather’s surgery.
Li Tingshen called her to eat breakfast indifferently, but she didn’t reject him.
After dinner, she turned on the phone that had been charged overnight. There were four to five missed calls from Shen Fanxing.
She panicked and the first thing she thought of was Linlin.
She wanted to call him back, but when she saw Li Tingshen, she put her phone away.
Li Tingshen didn’t even look at her as he ate his breakfast expressionlessly.
After a series of tests and waiting for the results, the surgery was scheduled for the afternoon.
Ye Qingqiu stayed by the old man’s side the entire morning and didn’t dare to speak. Looking at the old man’s haggard and old face up close, the emotions from yesterday started to fill her heart again.
She accompanied Old Master silently into the operating theater. Her slender body coupled with the worried expression on her face made her look even more sickly and weak.
Li Tingshen put his arm around her shoulders. “It’s alright. The doctor is very experienced.”
Ye Qingqiu was so nervous that she felt weak and cold.
The heartless act she put on last night had completely collapsed today.
Grandpa was the only one left. She had not been filial to him for the past three years. If anything happened during the operation…
Ye Qingqiu, your sins are unforgivable.
Surrounded by a few bodyguards, Liang Xuer grabbed her arms and walked over.
She was wearing sterile clothes and her face was calm and pale.
When she saw Ye Qingqiu in Li Tingshen’s arms, she stopped and smiled.
Ye Qingqiu paused and straightened her body from Li Tingshen’s embrace. “If you’re unwilling, I’ll do it.”
The sarcasm on Liang Xuer’s face was even more obvious. “Come on then.”
Before Ye Qingqiu could move, the hand on her shoulder pressed down harder.
“Ye Qingqiu, I’ve said it. No.”
No one could refute the man’s deep and domineering voice.
Liang Xuer turned to look at him coldly. In the end, she suddenly laughed. Her face was pale and her eyes were red.
“Why am I cooperating now? You’ve been hypocritical for three years. Are you too lazy to pretend for the last time?”
Li Tingshen didn’t look at him. His gaze landed on the two tall men in sterile clothes.
“Bring him in.”
Seeing the two of them, Liang Xuer’s eyes trembled.
She had never met these two people before.
Obviously…
How worried was Li Tingshen? That was why he had arranged for these two people to watch her during the surgery.
Ha.
Seriously…
He had thought of her viciousness in all aspects.
Despair and endless sarcasm engulfed her. The more he guarded against her, the more she realized something.
How unbearable was she in his heart?
He should have known three years ago, but he had been lying to himself, so much so that he easily believed his lies.
The surgery was long.
At the same time, fresh blood had to be injected. All kinds of detailed data could not be wrong.
Ye Qingqiu’s hands and feet had always been cold. Even though Li Tingshen was holding her tightly, her palms were sweaty.
She refused to sit down and stood guard at the entrance of the operating theater. With her last bit of strength, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Unease, disorder, helplessness, nervousness…
The operation took more than four hours.
When the door of the operating theater opened, Ye Qingqiu’s body went limp when she heard the words “successful surgery”.
Li Tingshen’s tensed body relaxed a little. He immediately held Ye Qingqiu and patted her head, his voice low and gentle.
“I’m fine now.”
Ye Qingqiu nodded with tears in her eyes.
God knew what she was worried about just now.
She was worried that her grandfather wouldn’t make it and that Liang Xuer would suddenly make things difficult for him.
Fortunately…
Liang Xuer was the first to be pushed out. The blood transfusion had gone through anesthesia and she had lost consciousness. Her face was so pale that even her lips had lost their color.
Ye Qingqiu glanced at her before being brought to the side by Li Tingshen.
The old man was also pushed out.
*
Her fever subsided after midnight and she was discharged the next day.
When Bo Jinchuan received the news that Old Master Ye’s surgery was successful, everyone in the family heaved a sigh of relief.
Lady Bo clutched her chest in relief.
“I’ve finally survived again.”
Linlin sat quietly on the sofa and leaned against Shen Fanxing. He held a mooncake in his hand and stared blankly ahead.
He had a high fever last night and slept the entire morning. He woke up for lunch and played with Wanwan for a while. When Wanwan went to sleep, he refused to sleep again.
Ever since noon, he had felt that the atmosphere in the house wasn’t right. Auntie Shen didn’t speak much and when she spoke occasionally, she wasn’t in a good mood. She seemed to have something on her mind.
Her uncle tried to coax her, but it didn’t seem to work. The old lady sighed many times.
The atmosphere suddenly changed. Although he didn’t know what happened, he smiled happily.
“Auntie, is there… something that makes… everyone happy?”
Shen Fanxing reached out to stroke Linlin’s head, her voice full of smiles.
“Yes, I’m very happy.”
Linlin’s eyes lit up. “Can you tell Linlin? When Mommy comes back, Linlin can tell her too to cheer her up.”
Shen Fanxing felt a lump in her throat and tears welled up in her eyes before she could suppress them.
A two-year-old child should not be sensible, but she was so sensible that it made one’s heart ache.
Old Lady Bo couldn’t help but say, “This child… really knows how to stab someone in the heart…”
“Madam…” Lai Rong was helpless and quickly handed the old lady a handkerchief.
The old lady wiped the corners of her eyes and looked at the mooncake in Linlin’s hand. She changed the topic.
“Linlin, have some mooncakes. Don’t you like them?”
Linlin shook his head. “If you like it… wait for Mommy to come back… let’s eat together.”
The old lady paused and hurriedly covered her eyes with a handkerchief.
Shen Fanxing pulled Linlin into her embrace and said, “There’s still a lot left. You can eat first.”
Linlin shook his head stubbornly.
[Linlin has always had Li Tingshen’s shadow in his personality. He’s observant, sensitive, and forbearing. I don’t think there’s much left. The pit has been filled, right?]
