Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He didn’t speak, and the living room fell silent. It was a little hot, and Su Qingsang was sweating from Huo Jinyao’s embrace.
She placed her hands on Huo Jinyao’s shoulders. This decision was made after Su Qingsang’s careful consideration today.
“I know, you might not be happy, but Auntie is all alone. Even though she has a housekeeper, she still might not be able to take care of some things. Furthermore, Su Peizhen is going to be locked up for four to five years. Who knows what would happen after she got out? If we bring Auntie over to live with us, no matter what, we can at least make her feel less lonely. What do you think?”
Huo Jinyao looked at her. “Have you made up your mind?”
“No, I’m asking you your opinion. If you don’t agree, I won’t pick her up.”
“However, I don’t think we would have any problems with getting along even if Auntie came. You know, Auntie is a good person. She had taken good care of us in Lin City. I really don’t want to see her alone.”
If they hadn’t spent the past few months together, Su Qingsang would have only lamented at most.
However, after spending the past few months together with Xiang Caiping, she couldn’t bear it. She didn’t want to see her become so miserable and lonely in her late years.
Huo Jinyao held her hand and wrapped it in his palm. Her hands were very slender and not the fleshy kind of hand. Her hands were so pale that they were almost transparent due to the need to constantly disinfect it during surgery.
His fingertips slid across her palm bit by bit and he looked at the lines on it.
“Honey, look at this love line. It’s too deep and long. One look and I can tell that you’re a person who values relationships and loyalty.”
Su Qingsang couldn’t laugh at his nonsense. “How come I didn’t know that you can read fortunes? Fine. If you want to call me indecisive, just say it without beating around the bush. However, I really don’t want to see Auntie like this.”
“Okay.” Huo Jinyao nodded and held her hands. He stared at Su Qingsang’s face, and just when she thought he had agreed, his expression suddenly turned serious.
“You said that Auntie will move in with us?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever thought about whether or not she would agree?”
“This?” Su Qingsang thought of Xiang Caiping’s stubborn side. “I will convince her.”
Although Xiang Caiping had a housekeeper at home now, the housekeeper would still go home. Even if she was accompanied 24 hours a day, that feeling wouldn’t be the same as being accompanied by relatives or family members.
“Okay. You’ll convince her. What about me?”
“You?”
“Su Peizhen is her daughter. Who sent Su Peizhen to prison?” Even if Xiang Caiping didn’t hate Su Qingsang, she couldn’t possibly not hold any grudges, right?
“…”Su Qingsang was speechless. Her voice weakened. “Maybe Auntie doesn’t blame you.”
Huo Jinyao continued, “It’s not my fault, but I sent her daughter to prison. It’s also true that I ignored her when she came looking for me.”
Su Qingsang understood what he meant, but she said, “Auntie isn’t that kind of person.”
“She isn’t, but Su Peizhen is.”
Huo Jinyao knew that Su Qingsang was being kind, but some people really weren’t worth being nice to. “After Su Peizhen gets out of prison, do you think she would thank you for taking care of her mother for her? Or would she hate you for taking away her remaining family, her remaining motherly love?”
“I’m not. I just –”
“You’re not, but she’ll think you are.” Huo Jinyao didn’t mind giving her a good lesson. “Do you know why Su Peizhen has gotten to where she is today? She’s a paranoid person, someone like that. To put it bluntly, you can’t afford to offend her. She will only believe in what she has already decided. As for other things, she won’t care.”
“Qingsang, if you really care about Auntie, go visit her more often. I believe that will make her very happy as well. But if you want to bring her over to live with us, I don’t think it’s appropriate.”
Su Qingsang didn’t speak, but her face darkened. Huo Jinyao’s reasoning made sense, however: “Jinyao, we’re only going to take care of her for a few years. After Su Peizhen gets out of prison, we’ll return Auntie to her. Besides, we don’t know what’s going to happen to her after she gets out. Since that’s the case, why don’t we let Auntie enjoy the warmth of a family first?”
Huo Jinyao knew that she was stubborn, but he didn’t expect her to be this stubborn.
“Qingsang, you want her to enjoy the warmth of a family. What about your mother?”
Upon seeing that she didn’t react in time, Huo Jinyao didn’t mind stating the obvious, “Your mother, that is, Ms. Li Qianxue. There are two people she hates the most in his life. One is your father, and now that they’re divorced, the other is your Auntie. Mrs. Huo, may I please ask that when you take care of your Auntie and give her the warmth of a home, where so you place your mother?”
Su Qingsang stared at him dazedly. Her expression appeared a little stupefied and a little dazed.
Li Qianxue? Right, she had actually forgotten about Li Qianxue now.
Huo Jinyao smiled and shook his head. He reached out and gently flicked her forehead.
“You.”
“But…”
“No buts.” Huo Jinyao’s voice was very serious. “Qingsang, sometimes life is such a cruel multiple choice question. It’s either one, two, or three.”
Su Qingsang’s lips opened and closed, then closed and opened again. She thought of Xiang Caiping’s back figure when she got out of the car today, and the way she staggered into the prison gate.
She actually felt very anguished.
But Huo Jinyao was right about one thing. It was impossible for Li Qianxue and Xiang Caiping to coexist.
Li Qianxue wasn’t in Rong City right now. If she were in Rong City, she would definitely object if she knew that she had brought Xiang Caiping to her side to take care of her.
This action would definitely affect the mother-daughter relationship between her and Li Qianxue.
“I –” Su Qingsang said the word “I” and lowered her head. Huo Jinyao understood her feelings. Xiang Caiping was also very good to him, and he was very willing to take care of her.
However, there was no need to cause unnecessary trouble.
He wasn’t afraid of trouble, but he didn’t want Su Qingsang to face such trouble.
“I didn’t think too much about it. I’m not saying that I don’t respect my mother.” Su Qingsang buried her head in front of his chest. Her voice was very soft. If he hadn’t been so close, he wouldn’t have been able to hear him.
“I just feel sorry for Auntie.” During those few months. Auntie’s kindness to her was real.
“Do you still remember? She knitted a sweater for me. That sweater is still in the closet upstairs. She made home-cooked Lin City cuisine for me and treated me well every day. I know that you would say that it was because she treated me like her daughter, and these acts of kindness are actually meant for Su Peizhen. But Jinyao… I can’t help it. I can’t treat her like a stranger. Not to mention that she was hit by a car to buy me a piece of jade for luck. She almost died and was almost paralyzed.”
She raised her head and looked at Huo Jinyao with tears in her eyes. “I just feel sorry for her.”
She was robbed of her man and abandoned her daughter in a moment of anger. After she finally acknowledged her daughter, she was a fake. When she finally acknowledged her real daughter, she was sent to prison.
If it were someone with a weaker mentality, they might have committed suicide.
“I know, but you can’t offend your own mother for someone else’s mother, right?”
Huo Jinyao pulled her into his embrace and patted her back gently. “Qingsang, you’ve been with Auntie for a few months and have affection for her. I understand that you want to take care of her, but there are some things in this world that it can’t do anything about.”
You can’t have it both ways.
Su Qingsang didn’t speak. She knew that even if she were to take care of a lonely old man today, perhaps Li Qianxue wouldn’t object.
But that person was Xiang Caiping, so it wasn’t possible. But what did it have to do with Xiang Caiping?
“Alright, don’t think about it anymore.” Huo Jinyao cupped her face with both hands and made her look at him. “I don’t think Auntie will be willing to come live with us.”
Xiang Caiping was a very proud person. The worse her current situation was, the more unwilling she was to accept help from others. After all, who would want to be looked at with pity?
Su Qingsang knew, but she just felt anguished.
Huo Jinyao saw how upset she was and leaned over to kiss her on the lips. “Honey, why don’t we go out and play?”
“Go out and play?” Where? She wasn’t in the mood at all.
“Look, we didn’t even go on our honeymoon when we got married. Why don’t we find a place to have fun for a few days?”
Su Qingsang glanced at Huo Jinyao and suddenly smiled. “Jinyao, don’t be like this. I’ll adjust myself.”
She buried her face into his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Huo Jinyao, thank you.”
“Actually, it’s good to go out for a walk. It might not be just to relax. You can go out and have fun too. How about a honeymoon trip?”
Su Qingsang rubbed her face against his chest. “Are you kidding me? You seem to be very busy lately. Can really leave your company?”
Huo Jinyao frowned as he thought of the ongoing case. He really didn’t have the time.
“Next month.” Huo Jinyao remembered something. “I’m going to Italy to negotiate a contract next month. Will you come with me then?”
“We’ll talk about it then. I still have to take the exam.”
The hospital had been very busy recently. She still had an exam and a thesis. Recently, she had been delayed a lot because of these things.
“Didn’t you say that the exam is at the end of the month? After you finish the exam, we can go again at the beginning of next month. How about that?”
“Okay.” Su Qingsang couldn’t find a reason to refuse. His earnest intentions made her unable to refuse, and her mood also eased up a lot. “I haven’t been to Italy yet.”
“Then isn’t that settled? When the time comes, we can still have fun in Europe for a few days.”
“Okay, I’ll listen to you.”
… ..
Su Chenghui sat across from Su Qingsang. The father and daughter hadn’t seen each other for a few months, but they had no words to say to each other.
Su Qingsang was expressionless. Su Chenghui looked at her with a guilty expression. He got off the plane and came to Su Qingsang’s hospital without any rest.
He was lucky that Su Qingsang just got off work. Instead of bringing Su Chenghui home, she brought him to a nearby hotel.
They sat in a corner of the hotel’s magnificent restaurant. The conversations of the guests at other tables didn’t affect them at all.
Su Qingsang’s phone rang. She glanced at Su Chenghui and picked up the call. Huo Jinyao was having a party with his childhood friends tonight. He asked her if she was going?
“No need. I have something to do.”
“Junsheng is back. It’s rare for him to come back. If you’re not too busy, I can come pick you up.”
Su Qingsang said softly, “You can play with them. My dad is here.”
Huo Jinyao understood. “Okay, you go ahead. I’ll look for you later.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up, Su Qingsang looked at Su Chenghui, who was in front of her. Time really treated this man very well. He was already middle-aged, but he still looked elegant and suauve.
His temperament didn’t look like he was a businessman at all. People had the impression that he was a professor at some university.
“I know you’re here to find out about Su Peizhen. I’ll tell you.”
“Qingsang.”
Su Chenghui interrupted her and took out a box from his pocket. “This is a gift I bought for you when I went to France last time. It’s for you.”
Su Qingsang looked at the box. She was no stranger to the logo on it. She didn’t rush to accept it, but looked at Su Chenghui instead.
“Su Peizhen, she deserves to go to jail. If you want to speak up for her, or if you want Huo Jinyao to let her go, you don’t have to.”
It was rare for her to be so tough in front of Su Chenghui. Half of it was because she really despised what Su Peizhen had done, and the other half was because she was somewhat uncomfortable from Su Chenghui’s previous actions.
Su Chenghui’s expression was a little awkward. He rarely showed such a side in front of his children.
“No, Qingsang. I’m not pleading on Peizhen’s behalf. I just saw this gift the last time I went to France and felt that it suits you very well.”
His voice was very soft. Ever since his two daughters were swapped back, whether it was with Li Qianxue or Su Qingsang, from the beginning to the end, he had lost some confidence.
His sincere gaze didn’t seem to be fake. Su Qingsang felt a little awkward and took the small box.
“Thank you, Dad.”
“You’re welcome.”
Su Chenghui called the waiter over and started to order. He then asked Su Qingsang what she liked to eat. Su Qingsang had come here with Huo Jinyao before and ordered a random dish.
Su Chenghui didn’t force it. The two of them ordered four dishes and one soup. After the waiter left, he looked at Su Qingsang with a look of concern.
“How have you been? Is Huo Jinyao treating you well?”
“It’s all well.” Although Huo Jinyao’s relationship with Liu Tongjia couldn’t be repaired overnight, it was obvious that they had become much closer recently.
If they didn’t return to the old mansion, and Liu Tongjia would occasionally come over for dinner.
“That’s good, that’s good.”
After Su Chenghui said this, he was at a loss for words. He picked up the cup of tea in front of him and poured himself a cup of tea, then poured Su Qingsang a cup as well.
He didn’t speak. Su Qingsang had been estranged from him for a long time and could not find anything to say, so she could only speak first.
“Dad, Su Peizhen is currently serving her sentence in Rong City’s prison. The charge is theft of trade secrets. She previously –”
“Qingsang. I really came here just to see you. Since Peizhen went to prison, she must have done something wrong. I know everything.”
He didn’t say what he knew, but some of his words already expressed his attitude. Su Qingsang froze.
“Dad, you should listen.”
In Su Chenghui’s heart, Su Peizhen was his most beloved daughter. Now that she had become like this, he should know.
She briefly described what Su Peizhen had done. She had drugged Zhang Yichen in Rong City, and then she drugged her in Lin City. Later, she had stolen Huo Jinyao’s plan.
“Letting her go to jail for a few years is a huge punishment for her, but I don’t think Jinyao and I are wrong.”
Su Chenghui sat there without saying a word. In fact, he was rather shocked at this moment.
“She… She…has she gone crazy?”
“I don’t know.” Su Qingsang shook her head and said softly, “It’s good that you’re here, Dad. Go see her. Talk to her and comfort her.”
Su Chenghui had a complicated expression on his face. In the end, he nodded and said, “Okay.”
After the meal, Su Qingsang knew that theoretically, she should let Su Chenghui stay at home since there was a guest room anyway, but she was unwilling.
“Dad, let me help you book a room.”
This was the reason she brought Su Chenghui to this hotel for a meal.
“It’s okay, I’ll book it myself.”
Su Chenghui glanced at Su Qingsang with a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
Su Qingsang saw it, but she didn’t intend to invite him. She felt like she understood Huo Jinyao’s feelings now.
After one is hurt by one’s loved ones for too long, sometimes, it isn’t easy to accept them again.
After Su Chenghui had booked a room, Su Qingsang planned to send him back to his room and leave.
“Dad, rest early. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back first.”
Su Chenghui’s lips moved. He wanted to ask Su Qingsang to stay a little longer. He wanted to talk to her, but he couldn’t find an excuse.
Su Qingsang’s phone rang at this time. Li Qianxue was sending a video call request.
Every day at this time, as long as it was convenient for Su Qingsang, she would definitely video chat with Li Qianxue.
Now that she looked at Su Chenghui, she was a little hesitant, but she still picked up.
“Mom.” When she called her mom, she immediately saw Su Chenghui’s eyes suddenly light up.
He stared at her phone with a passionate gaze. Su Qingsang turned her body slightly to prevent Li Qianxue from seeing from the other side of the video.
“Qingsang.” Li Qianxue immediately realized that Su Qingsang wasn’t in her home or the hospital. “Are you outside? Is it convenient to talk?”
“Yes, I’m outside. I had something to do. I’ll go back later.” Su Qingsang noticed that Su Chenghui had taken a step towards her. She reflexively took half a step back. “Mom, are you still working overtime?”
Li Qianxue was in her office, so it was obvious that she was still working overtime.
“I still have a little bit of work to do. I’ll go back later.”
“Don’t work too late.” Su Qingsang knew that Li Qianxue was negotiating a new project lately, so she was actually very busy. “Mom, if you’re busy, I’ll talk to you later.”
“It’s okay, I –”
Li Qianxue said the word “I” and heard a knock on the door. She didn’t have time to hang up when the person outside had already come in.
“I knew it. You’re working overtime again.”
A soronous male voice sounded. It sounded very young.
It was too late for Li Qianxue to turn off the video. The voice had already come in.
“I brought you dinner. Come, work after you finish eating.”
“Who let you in?”
“I knocked on the door.”
“Even if you knocked, I didn’t agree to let you in.”
Li Qianxue stood up and was about to turn off the video when Su Qingsang saw the man approaching.
“Get out. Did you hear that?”
“I’m already in, and I’m here to bring you dinner. You don’t have to be so cold, right?”
Su Qingsang heard the voice getting closer and closer. Soon, she saw a figure.
“Hey, is thatyour daughter? She doesn’t look like you. Hi, Hello, I’m your –”
It was a young and handsome face. She froze. Before she could speak, Li Qianxue had already hung up.
“…”Su Qingsang wanted to ask who that person was, but now she had no chance.
That man appeared to be in his early thirties. He spoke to Li Qianxue in such a casual tone.
Su Qingsang blinked and thought of something that was almost impossible. That man, could he be her mother’s suitor?
If that was the case, then it was really too —
From the corner of her eyes, Su Qingsang saw Su Chenghui standing in front of her. Su Qingsang suppressed the emotions on her face, because she noticed that Su Chenghui’s expression was very ugly.
“Dad?” No matter how wrong he had been, he was still her father. Su Qingsang took a step forward with a concerned expression. “Are you okay?”
Su Chenghui came back to his senses and shook his head stiffly.
“Dad?”
“I’m fine.” Su Chenghui’s voice was a little hard to understand. “You should go back and rest. It’s getting late.”
“Then you…”
Su Chenghui didn’t seem to want to say anything more. Su Qingsang had nothing to say to him anyway. After saying a few words of concern, he left.
Before he left, she thought about Su Chenghui’s pale and defeated face when he heard that man’s voice. She suddenly felt sorry for Su Chenghui.
When she got home, Huo Jinyao still wasn’t back. She looked at the time. If Li Junsheng was back, the gathering wouldn’t end so soon.
She sent another video request to Li Qianxue. However, she was rejected.
She had to make a call instead. It rang for a long time. This time, Li Qianxue finally picked up.
“Qingsang.” Li Qianxue’s voice sounded a little off. Su Qingsang couldn’t help but become concerned.
“Mom? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, how could I not be okay?”
“I heard that you haven’t eaten yet?”
“I have. I’ve already eaten.”
Li Qianxue spoke quickly, but Su Qingsang thought of the man who had said that he brought her food. Could she be eating the food that the man had brought her?
“Qingsang, Mom still has some documents to read. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Li Qianxue’s voice was a little anxious. The man in front of her had already started to clean up the takeout box on the table.
During the time Su Qingsang came home from the hotel, it was just enough time for Li Qianxue to finish dinner.
The man smiled at Li Qianxue somewhat arrogantly. His mouth moved as if he was about to speak. Li Qianxue glared at the man. “Qingsang, I’ll hang up first.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Su Qingsang hung up the phone and confirmed two things. First, that man was most likely still in Li Qianxue’s office. Second, that man and Li Qianxue probably didn’t have an ordinary relationship.
He could be Li Qianxue’s suitor, or he could be a man that Li Qianxue admired.
But she wasn’t in a hurry. Whether it was a new suitor for Li Qianxue or Li Qianxue falling in love with someone else, she believed that with her age and experience, she would know what she wanted.
She also hoped that Li Qianxue could be happy again. However, when she thought of Su Chenghui’s pale face today, Su Qingsang couldn’t bear it.
If Li Qianxue really started over, then Su Chenghui would definitely be in much pain, right?
