Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
âXi Cheng, Iâm telling the truth! Lin Yu really isnât as gentle or virtuous as you think! Youâre too naive; thatâs why you got deceived by her!â Gu Man twisted her sinuous body and clung to Xi Chengâs neck as she spoke saccharinely.
Xi Cheng, who had just had some âvigorous bedroom activity,â felt so extremely comfortable that he didnât stop Gu Man like he usually did when she badmouthed Lin Yu again. Heâd gotten used to it, in fact, and just detachedly said, âStop badmouthing her. You know I donât like hearing it.â
Gu Man pouted. âYou men! Youâre never convinced until youâre faced with the grim reality! Youâll only know who truly has your best interests at heart when youâve suffered a great loss from her! Hmph!â
âI know. Youâre the most sincere to me!â Xi Cheng drawled as he traced his fingers across Gu Manâs smooth back.
Gu Man didnât appreciate his perfunctory reply. âYouâre just saying that, but in your heart, you still treat that young madam of yours as the head of the family. Just you wait! Youâll regret it one day, sooner or later!â
Gu Man bit Xi Chengâs chest lightly after she finished. Xi Cheng smiled, pressed Gu Man close by the back of her head, and kissed her hard.
He didnât sense anything bad about Lin Yu, but he was slowly getting to know the good about Gu Man. The past between him and Fang Xi had become a wound in his heart that was difficult to think back on. However, Gu Man was gradually filling that hole. Moreover, the present him had a different state of mind than before; he didnât need to treasure Gu Man and treat her with great careâshe wasnât as fragile as Fang Xi. He can completely release himself with Gu Man; this relaxed feeling is one that Lin Yu couldnât give him.
It was already late at night when Xi Cheng arrived at the hospital. He gently pushed open the door to his motherâs ward. The machine beside his mother constantly emitted a faint light and a monotonous ticking sound. Xi Cheng looked around the room and realized Lin Yu wasnât there. He then inexplicably relaxed and no longer took silent steps as he walked straight to his motherâs bed.
The readings on the machine flickered and jumped, indicating that the patientâs condition hadnât changed at allâthere was no improvement or deterioration. Xi Cheng was already numb to it, so he didnât spend more time accompanying his mother at the hospital. Lin Yu treated the hospital as her home, anyway; she was much more dutiful to his mother than he was. It was also why he didnât allow Gu Man to speak ill of Lin Yu.
Lin Yu had truly done her best to treat his mother well, so she at least deserved some credit for her efforts. It had nothing to do with whether she was a wife that he was satisfied with or not.
Xi Cheng thought, âIt has been some time since Mom woke up, but thereâs no improvement in her condition. When will she get better? Xi Cheng himself was starting to lose faith in that.
Suddenly, something tightly gripped his hand on the edge of the bed. Xi Cheng jumped in fright, and every single hair on his body stood on end. He looked down and saw that it was actually his motherâs hand that was holding his. When he looked up again, he noticed that his mother had opened her eyes and was gazing at him with teary eyes.
Xi Cheng jumped to his feet and looked at Han Yuan in surprise. âMom? Mom, do you have something to say to me?â
Han Yuanâs tears streamed down her face, and she tried her best to open her mouth. The voice her throat emitted sounded like sandpaper scraping over gravel. âS-sonâ¦â
Xi Cheng held his motherâs hand. âMom, Iâm here! Mom, Iâm right here. What is it that youâre trying to say, Mom?â
âLieâah, lie⦠son, lieâIâ Han Yuan did her utmost to open her mouth and spit out a few relatively clear characters amidst the hissing sounds she couldnât stop making.
âMom, someone lied to you? You think that someone lied to you?â Xi Cheng guessed. Han Yuan nodded with all her mightâso much so that the veins on her forehead bulgedâbut couldnât express anything coherently.
âMom?â came Lin Yuâs panicked voice from the doorway.
Xi Cheng turned around and saw Lin Yu. He hurriedly said, âLin Yu, come quickly. Come help me guess what Mom is trying to say.â
Lin Yu rushed over and grabbed Han Yuanâs hand, her voice trembling as she asked, âMom, what are you trying to say? What do you want to tell Xi Cheng?â
Han Yuanâs eyes were dry of tears as she glared at Lin Yu. She glanced at her son, who appeared anxious but didnât come forward and only pushed his wife before her. Han Yuan slowly closed her mouth and pursed it tightly, unwilling to say another word.
Lin Yuâs palms were wet with sweat. âWhat did you say?â She looked up and scanned Xi Chengâs face, not missing a simple expression as she asked carefully, âWhat did Mom say just now?
Completely oblivious, Xi Cheng shook his head. âI donât know. She just called me âsonâ. I couldnât make out the rest.â He looked at Han Yuan. âMom, what were you trying to say? Could you repeat it? Lin Yu knows you the best.. Sheâll definitely understand it, even if you canât say it!â