Chapter 1463 - Elder Lin Was Seriously Ill

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Seeing Elder Lee’s deceased portrait, Qiao Dongliang cried uncontrollably. His agitated look was comparable to Elder Lee’s children. Qiao Dongliang remembered that after he lost his father, Elder Lee was like a father to him as he helped him, took care of him, and watched him form a family.

Even if Ding Jiayi wasn’t an understanding wife and loving mother and their lives were a mess in the later days, Qiao Dongliang never put the blame for these things on Elder Lee and felt that it was his fault. Ding Jiayi was his wife. If something was wrong with Ding Jiayi, she should be managed by him, the husband.

He was the one who didn’t realize it and let Ding Jiayi have the chance to teach one of them bad and neglect the other of them, causing a family to become scattered. Words couldn’t describe the sadness Qiao Dongliang felt when he thought of how much Elder Lee had helped him but he couldn’t do much in the end to repay him.

He even developed the worry that he would be like Elder Lee someday, where he suddenly couldn’t see the sun of the next day.

If other families had the same worry, the Zhai family naturally felt that way as well.

After arriving at the Lin family’s home next door, Zhai Sheng pressed the doorbell. Who knew that before Zhai Sheng could state his identity, the door of the Lin family’s home opened electronically.

Zhai Sheng was stunned and formed negative thoughts in his heart. Elder Lin refused to see Nan Nan and the triplets but was willing to open the door for him at this moment. It was afraid that Elder Lin’s situation was no longer optimistic.

Thinking of how much respect and importance Qiao Nan placed for Elder Lin, as well as how close his triplets were to him, Zhai Sheng’s face sank. His footsteps were no longer as powerful as before. Instead, there was a feeling of stagnation.

“You’re here.” Upon seeing Zhai Sheng, Elder Lin smiled. It was just that when Zhai Sheng saw Elder Lin’s skinny face, his heart felt like it had been hammered and he nearly couldn’t breathe. “Elder Lin, why did you...” Become so skinny?

Seeing that Elder Lin was seated in a wheelchair, Zhai Sheng guessed that his weight should be lighter than an average woman’s. “Are there issues with your health? If yes, don’t worry. We can rush to the hospital for treatment. Nan Nan will accompany you. She’s willing to do so.” Nan Nan mentioned before that she wanted to take care of him.

Elder Lin smiled confidently and happily, “I know. I accepted this disciple myself. I know too clearly what kind of girl she is.” It was said that no filial son could be found by the bedside of a parent with long-time illness. However, he could proudly tell everyone that by his bedside, there would definitely be Qiao Nan, his disciple, who would not abandon him.

It was just that one couldn’t be so selfish.

He Yi told him that this period of time was most critical for Qiao Nan. Through these years of hard work, Qiao Nan’s capability and ability were not only recognized by a lot of people in the ministry but also by the leaders in the central authority, who understood that Qiao Nan, who was like new blood, existed and was injected into the ministry.

There was nothing absolute in this world. There wasn’t a female diplomat or minister in the history of China in the past. This didn’t mean that there couldn’t be one now.

Lin Yuankang didn’t want his matters to distract Qiao Nan. He wasn’t afraid that nobody was willing to take care of him if he was sick and hospitalized. Instead, he was too worried about Nan Nan’s filial piety to him. She would definitely apply for leave just to take care of him and miss the best chance to perform in vain. She would not leave him and would take care of him until his last breath.

No. He couldn’t do that.

He had worked so hard for so long and helped his disciple so much so that she could persist until today. Wasn’t this all in hope that she could replace He Yi when he relinquished his role?

His disciple now had the ability and qualifications. Her popularity in the ministry was also high. If something happened at this time, wouldn’t his and his disciple’s efforts and hard work for the past ten years be in vain?

Zhai Sheng said in a low voice which carried with it a hint of disapproval, “You should understand that if Nan Nan knows about the truth, she would definitely not be able to accept it and would feel pained. Nan Nan has a thin affinity with kinship. It could be said that Nan Nan’s frozen heart was thawed because of your appearance back then and your care and love for her. To Nan Nan, you are her close kin. No one else could be more important in this world.”

Of course, career couldn’t.

When Lin Yuankang accepted Qiao Nan as a disciple, Qiao Dongliang was still a fool and Ding Jiayi’s heart was biased.

If not for Zhai Sheng’s help and Lin Yuankang’s approval, even if Qiao Nan could persevere and survive, her heart wouldn’t have been able to become warm, let alone believe that others would have true feelings for her.

Only Zhai Sheng, the person sleeping next to her, knew best that Elder Lin’s appearance was the first beam of sunlight in Qiao Nan’s life, who was in despair back then.

Elder Lin sniffed and his voice became low. “I know. Of course I know. This kid has a great heart. I understand. It’s precisely because I understand that I can’t. I have not lived my life for nothing. It has been pretty exciting. What you don’t know is that I have been feeling empty as well. Nan Nan’s my disciple. I dote on her like she’s my daughter at times and love and protect her like she’s my granddaughter at others. How would I bear for her to be sad and blame herself?”

Only heaven, earth, he, and his disciple knew who exactly was whose savior.

“No one can change matters of birth, death, illness, and old age. If Nan Nan stays by my side for a few more days, I won’t live for a few more hours. However, I know that Nan Nan’s heart has always been by my side. That’s enough.” How could he let his own health burden his disciple’s future?

Two words: No way!

“Zhai Sheng, I let you see me today for the sake of widening Nan Nan’s and the triplets’ hearts. Perhaps, on the day that I leave, Nan Nan will blame you. However, you must remember that you’re a man. You should hold the sky up for Nan Nan. You have to tolerate her scoldings and beatings. We are doing this for the sake of Nan Nan. After I leave, you have to help me dote on her more, okay?”

At Elder Lin’s old age, he had seen all kinds of occasions and experienced all kinds of life-and-death scenarios. However, now that it was his turn, he finally understood how complicated and pained his feelings were.

When he was young, he was often scolded and beaten. In a foreign country, he fought hard to survive. Even if he had a hard time, he didn’t shed a single tear.

However, when Zhai Sheng mentioned Qiao Nan and the triplets, Elder Lin couldn’t hold it back. Tears seeped out from the corners of his eyes. “I... I can’t bear it.”