Regarding the so-called "illegitimate children" and women outside the family, the Zhou family showed no mercy. Before long, they came knocking. That day, when Liang Yu Feng returned home from school, he found the Zhou family causing trouble. Jiang Wan was slapped several times by Xu Zhou Yue's aunt. The Zhou family not only laid hands on Jiang Wan but also spread rumors in town that Jiang Wan, as a mistress, was trying to usurp the position.
There were already many rumors and gossip about the mother and son in town. After this incident, Jiang Wan became the center of public opinion. Whenever the mother and son went out, they would be pointed at and gossiped about.
Liang Yu Feng was usually mocked and bullied at school, and he didn't care about his own suffering. What worried him more was Jiang Wan. This time, the blow to Jiang Wan was immense, becoming the last straw that broke the camel's back. She began to fear going out and would have emotional breakdowns every few days. His maternal grandparents also became haggard because of this. Liang Yu Feng then set a goal: after university, he would definitely take them to live elsewhere.
However, before he even received his admission letter, his maternal grandparents passed away one after another. Only the mother and son were left at home, depending on each other. The eighteen-year-old, with the help of some relatives, handled the funeral for the elders, and then took Jiang Wan to Nanjiang.
After leaving that environment, Jiang Wan's condition improved somewhat. However, when she went to the hospital for a check-up, the doctor still suggested that hospitalization would be the best option. Psychiatric hospitals were a sensitive place, and everyone had many negative associations with them. Liang Yu Feng couldn't bear to send Jiang Wan there, so he hadn't taken any action.
After arriving in Nanjiang, Xu Zheng Xi also looked for Liang Yu Feng several times and even gave him a large sum of money. He wasn't so proud as to refuse money. The cost of Jiang Wan's medication was high, and he couldn't afford it with his own abilities.
Although he accepted the money, Liang Yu Feng never intended to "inherit" Xu Zheng Xi's family business. Lan Lan, hearing this, curiously asked him, "Then why did you change your mind later?"
From the way Liang Yu Feng described the past, he seemed to look down on Xu Zheng Xi immensely, even not wanting any interaction with him. He was never someone who pursued fame and fortune, so it was impossible for him to compromise himself to please Xu Zheng Xi for the sake of profit.
Lan Lan's question made Liang Yu Feng, who had been speaking at length, fall silent. Why did he change his mind?
The biggest reason was probably breaking up with her, and then witnessing her date so many times. If he had no ability, he would never be able to earn another glance from her in this lifetime.
After a long while, Liang Yu Feng said to her, "Because of you."
Then, he added, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "If I didn't have the status and power I have today, would you have stayed by my side for so long?"
"...Don't be ridiculous." Lan Lan didn't believe Liang Yu Feng. She thought he was changing the subject to tease her. "If you don't want to say it, then don't."
Liang Yu Feng had expected her not to believe him. He smiled gently and said no more.
"Are you happy now?" Lan Lan looked at Liang Yu Feng's reddened eyes, her expression a little complicated. She had never cared about this question before.
Indeed, with this question, Liang Yu Feng fell into silence. He drank his milk, looked away, and refused to answer. Lan Lan, however, already had her answer.
Breakfast ended in silence. Liang Yu Feng cleaned up the kitchen and came out to see Lan Lan tending to her ankle injury on the sofa. He then remembered that Jiang Wan had hurt her ankle when she was throwing things earlier.
Liang Yu Feng sat beside her and tended to her wound. "Does it hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt, just needs to be disinfected." It was just a minor scratch, and Lan Lan wasn't being overly dramatic.
Liang Yu Feng said "Mm," and carefully disinfected it for her. Lan Lan rested one leg on his lap, and all she could see was him bending over, completely focused.
For some reason, Liang Yu Feng's demeanor reminded her of the big golden retriever at Gu Xiao's house. Liang Yu Feng's personality was quite similar to a golden retriever's. Perhaps thinking of a dog, Lan Lan raised her hand and stroked his hair.
Liang Yu Feng's hair was not like a dog's; it was hard and prickly. Lan Lan recalled hearing a saying that people with hard hair were bad-tempered and stubborn, which fit Liang Yu Feng quite well.
Being petted on the head by Lan Lan, Liang Yu Feng seemed a bit bewildered. He looked up at her and asked, "What's wrong?"
"When will Auntie wake up?" Lan Lan certainly couldn't tell him that she thought he was like a dog. Besides, Liang Yu Feng looked too vulnerable at the moment, and she felt embarrassed to say such a thing.
"Tonight." Jiang Wan's tranquilizer dosage was very high. After one injection, she wouldn't wake up all day.
Lan Lan couldn't even manage a smile when she heard this. Such an exaggerated effect of the medication... was enough to prove how serious Jiang Wan's condition was.
Lan Lan was not good at comforting people, but at that moment, she felt like comforting Liang Yu Feng. Just as Liang Yu Feng finished bandaging her wound, Lan Lan asked him, "What do you want to do today? I'll accompany you."
Liang Yu Feng couldn't answer. Lan Lan then started suggesting, "How about watching a movie? Or cooking a meal together? Or, you could teach me how to make sweet and sour pork." If they didn't find something to do, he would surely start overthinking.
Although Liang Yu Feng was a bit slow, he understood Lan Lan's intention. She was likely trying to comfort him. At that moment, he felt a little overwhelmed with gratitude. He knew her personality; she didn't like others being overly dejected in front of her, nor did she like to comfort people.
Under her care, he was experiencing this kind of treatment for the first time.
"Let's go for a walk," Liang Yu Feng said.
Lan Lan agreed almost immediately. "Is Auntie really okay?"
"Mm." Liang Yu Feng said, "The earliest she'll be up is around four or five in the afternoon."
Lan Lan, without makeup, changed her clothes and walked out of the house with Liang Yu Feng. They didn't go far, just strolled within the villa area, like an ordinary couple.
Although the villa area was quiet, occasionally people would bring their children out to play. After walking for more than twenty minutes, Lan Lan and Liang Yu Feng encountered a couple playing ball with their child. The child seemed to be around two or three years old and still spoke with a lisp.
It was a little girl with pigtails, wearing a pink dress. When she jumped, her diaper would show. Liang Yu Feng stopped walking when he saw the child, his attention completely captured by the little girl.
Suddenly, the little girl's ball rolled to Liang Yu Feng's feet. Liang Yu Feng bent down and picked up the ball. The little girl ran up to him, and her parents behind her said, "Quickly say thank you to uncle."
The little girl, with her unclear pronunciation, said, "Thank you, uncle."
Lan Lan was amused by the child's words. Children were truly adorable.
After handing the ball back to the little girl, Liang Yu Feng asked her, "Little friend, how old are you?"
The little girl didn't know her age; her parents told her. The child was two and a half years old this year.
Lan Lan said, "Your daughter is so cute." The child's mother smiled and said, "You live here too, right? You can let your baby play with her in the future."