Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
To his own surprise, Sheng Jian found himself welcomed into the house far more quickly than heâd expected. He had thought it would take a considerable amount of time to warm Rong Qiâs heart.
âLike mother, like daughter,â he mused. It was remarkable, considering Rong Qi had not been raised by her mother, Chu Jing, how much the two resembled each other in temperament.
Once inside, Sheng Jian settled himself in the living room. However, it wasnât Rong Qi who played host; it was Ye Nanshen. Rong Qi had retreated to the kitchen and barely made an appearance, save for occasionally walking by to grab something.
Placing a small piece of porcelain on the coffee table, Sheng Jian said, âTake this. Consider it a gesture from me to Little Qi.â
The overly familiar term, âLittle Qi,â prompted a subtle frown on Ye Nanshenâs face. His eyes, deep and inscrutable, suggested he had already guessed the relationship between Sheng Jian and Rong Qiâs mother. Likely, he was the man Rong Qiâs mother had run off with.
Ye Nanshen finally spoke, his voice icy. âI have just one question. Why did Madam Chu Jing give birth to Little Qi only to abandon her?â
Letting out a sigh, Sheng Jian pondered where to start. The whole matter was as complicated as it was simple. At its core, it was all about marital discord. No one had expected that Rong Qiâs mother, Chu Jing, would actually dump her newborn child in a trash bin.
âIf you donât want to discuss it, then donât. And donât bring up anything about her mother to her. Eat your meal and leave,â Ye Nanshen warned, his voice colder than ever. âSheâs been doing just fine on her own. She doesnât need your sudden concern. The best protection you can offer her is to not disturb her life.â
Hesitating, Sheng Jian finally spoke. âHer mother left her out of a momentary lapse in judgment. She had a difficult childbirth and almost didnât survive. Her b*stard husband, Rong Tianshi, wasnât even there at that crucial moment.â âSo what does that have to do with Rong Qi?â Ye Nanshen retorted, his mouth curling in derision. âShe was just a newborn. How is she to blame for her parentsâ issues?â
Knowing it would take more than this to win Rong Qi over, Sheng Jian added, âHer motherâs dying wish was to see her once more. But by the time we found out where she was, sheâd been taken back to the countryside, and we lost track of her. Her mother died with that regret.â
âIt wasnât a warm welcome. I was âbroughtâ home.â a voice came from behind them, devoid of any emotion. Rong Qi emerged, holding a dish in her hands. âDinnerâs ready.â
Setting the dish on the dining table, she began to eat without a word. Ye Nanshenâs eyes flashed with a brief, concealed pang of sorrow.
The next morning, Ye Nanshen drove Rong Qi to the university before heading to his office. The first semester was nearing its end, and the atmosphere had grown noticeably more studiousâeven in Class 7, where they seemed to have found a newfound enthusiasm for learning.
They liked to analyze the events from various cases. They were no longer against doing the test papers. They even complained that Rong Qiâs class time was too little and asked for extra lessons. More importantly, the showdown between Class 1 and Class 7 was about to begin. In the past, they had been very unconfident, but now that they had found the knack of learning, they were even more motivated.
âRong Qi, someoneâs looking for you,â a student from Class 7 announced at the classroom door.
Glancing up, Rong Qi saw it was He Jinghan. She stepped outside, meeting him in the hallway. He held a small, elegantly wrapped box, which he extended to her. âI got you a cake. I know youâll love it.â
Accepting the gift without fuss, she simply said, âThank you.â She considered it his way of returning a favor. Observing He Jinghanâs somewhat pallid complexion, she took his pulse. âYour illness hasnât improved. Iâll write you a prescription.â
Whipping out her phone, she quickly typed a prescription and sent it to him..