Jiang Mian finally fell into a deep sleep in the latter half of the night.
Ji Zhi Xiu gazed at the sleeping girl's face, his heart filled with contentment.
Just then, his phone rang.
Ji Zhi Xiu grabbed the phone on the nightstand and glanced at it. Mu Yuan?
A call at 2:30 AM. Ji Zhi Xiu's lips thinned slightly, his handsome face unreadable in the darkness.
The phone soon fell silent again.
He put down the phone and held the girl closer.
Shen Mu Yuan arrived at the company the next day to find Ji Zhi Xiu.
Fan Cheng's face broke into a smile upon seeing him, but he was immediately shouted at, "Get out of the way!"
He paused, stepping aside to let the man in.
Ji Zhi Xiu, mistaking him for Fan Cheng returning, asked without looking up, "Have you drafted the contract with Cheng Si Yuan yet?"
"Ji Zhi Xiu."
Ji Zhi Xiu looked up, put down his pen, and looked at the person before him. "Mu Yuan."
He, who was always gentle and refined, rarely showed such outward emotion. Now, his face was contorted with anger.
Ji Zhi Xiu, confused, asked, "What's wrong?"
"Why didn't you answer my call last night?" he demanded.
"Wife was asleep." Ji Zhi Xiu tapped the desk with his finger, his tone casual.
His words were like a splash of cold water, instantly dousing the anger in Shen Mu Yuan's heart.
Indeed, it was late, and Jiang Mian should have been asleep.
He placed his hands on the desk. "I apologize, I got too worked up. But Ting Yu can't see! She said the last person she saw was you."
Ji Zhi Xiu cast him a look of amusement, his heart unmoved. "So?"
"I want to know what you two talked about."
"Then why don't you ask her?"
"She refuses to say."
"She and I just clarified everything, told her to stop having delusions."
Shen Mu Yuan frowned. "Zhi Xiu, she's just a young girl. Are you being too cruel to her? You know she's always liked you. You're married now, why do you still care about her thoughts?"
"No thoughts should be entertained," Ji Zhi Xiu said expressionlessly, his voice chillingly cold.
Shen Mu Yuan was somewhat annoyed. "Do you know what the doctor said? She was so stimulated that her eyes are temporarily blind!"
"Temporarily," he paused. "Besides, what does that have to do with me? I can't cure eyes."
"On the other hand, you have considerable achievements in clinical medicine. Perhaps you could help her."
Shen Mu Yuan could no longer contain himself and roared, "Zhi Xiu!"
"Not deaf."
Shen Mu Yuan was helpless against his attitude and didn't want to escalate things further. He took a step back. "Can you come with me to see her?"
Ji Zhi Xiu leaned back, his body relaxing against the chair.
"Yes, I'll bring Mian Mian with me."
Shen Mu Yuan had only learned last night that his little sister had invested so much of her feelings!
She had never forgotten this man!
If Ji Zhi Xiu brought Jiang Mian to visit, that girl would cry herself dry again.
He felt a headache coming on and straightened up. "Forget it, just pretend I never came to see you."
The man nodded and watched him leave. "Take care."
On the hospital bed, Shen Ting Yu grabbed Shen Mu Yuan's arm. "Brother, how was it? Did he come to see me with you?"
Looking at his sister's state, Shen Mu Yuan felt both heartache and self-reproach.
He took a slow breath. A long pain is worse than a short one. Shen Mu Yuan held her hand. "Ting Yu, he's not coming."
Shen Ting Yu froze.
"Impossible! Impossible! Even if he doesn't want to see me! For your sake, he would definitely come!"
"Calm down! Shen Ting Yu, don't you know what kind of person Ji Zhi Xiu is? He doesn't love you at all!"
Why?
Why did everyone keep reminding her that Ji Zhi Xiu didn't love her?
So what if he didn't love her? She didn't care.
She liked Ji Zhi Xiu, that was enough!
Tears wet the gauze covering her eyes, and Shen Mu Yuan panicked.
The doctor had repeatedly warned that the patient's emotions should not be overly agitated, leading to tears.
He hugged Shen Ting Yu. "Don't cry, Ting Yu, brother was wrong. Pretend brother said the wrong thing, okay?"
Shen Ting Yu couldn't help but sob, burying her face in his shoulder. "Brother, I really love him."
Once the moon fell into her arms, how could she be willing to give it up?
"I know. Promise me you'll focus on recovering your health first. We'll discuss other things slowly. Didn't you forget what the doctor said? If you recover well, you'll be able to see again soon. Do you want to be blind forever? Will you give up your beloved acting career too?"
Shen Ting Yu shook her head. "I can't give up."
She stopped crying, her eyes feeling a sharp pain.
Slowly, she regulated her breathing. She couldn't get agitated, she couldn't...
Shen Mu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and helped her lie down.
"Let's observe for a while. If there's still no improvement, brother will take you abroad to see a doctor. Don't worry."
Shen Ting Yu nodded. "Okay, brother. I won't get agitated anymore. Don't be angry with me."
"Silly girl, how could brother be angry with you? Do you want some water?"
"No need, brother. You rest too."
Shen Ting Yu couldn't see, so she spoke by feel towards the side.
She hated him.
Jiang Mian, Jiang Mian! Our score! Once I'm better, I'll settle it slowly!
...
The Ji family.
Mother Ji knocked on the study door and served Old Master Ji some Lu'an Guapian tea.
Old Master Ji smiled and shook the newspaper. "Shuhua, these trivial matters are for the servants to handle. Why do you need to do it yourself?"
Mother Ji put down the teacup and stood before the desk, her head bowed. "Dad, what's the big deal? I can only do small things to show my filial piety."
The old master smiled. "Marrying you is the fortune of our Ji family."
Mother Ji's heart ached. That man probably never thought so.
She looked up. "Dad, your daughter-in-law has something to ask you."
Old Master Ji put down the newspaper, skimmed off the foam, and leaned closer to sip the tea. "Ask away."
Mother Ji gritted her teeth and summoned her courage. "Back then... that child, where did you send him?"
Old Master Ji had personally dealt with that mother and son back then.
Mother Ji only knew the outcome, not the process.
Ever since she saw that day's entertainment news, this question had been lingering in her mind for nearly a month.
Old Master Ji hadn't expected her to ask this. A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes as he put down the teacup. "Why do you suddenly ask about this?"
"I just have a premonition, Dad. Please tell me!"
"That child..." He paused, looking at Mother Ji.
"Actually, I don't know where he went. His mother was greedy. When I went to find her, she didn't say much. She was very honest, only asking me to give her more money for the sake of the child."
As he spoke, the old master rubbed the rim of the cup with his thumb, his voice calm. "I only met that child once. He was born so ice-snow cute. I gave that woman eighty million, enough for her to raise the child safely."
"The people I sent took them abroad personally. Shuhua, after so many years, why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
Mother Ji gave a bitter smile. "Dad, do you blame me? He is also a descendant of the Ji family."
"We can only blame me for having a scoundrel!" Old Master Ji sighed. "The child is not at fault. If one had a choice at birth, who would want to be illegitimate."
"If that child grew up safely, he would be twenty-five years old now. If you met him, Dad, would you recognize him?" Mother Ji stared at him.
Old Master Ji frowned. "What, have you met them, mother and son?"
Mother Ji shook her head. "No, I was just asking."
After thinking for a moment, she pulled out a photo saved on her phone and placed it before the old master. "Take a look, does he resemble him?"
Old Master Ji's pupils contracted sharply. "This..."
Although his eyes were arrogant and unrestrained, his divine charm was too much like their Ji family...
Old Master Ji looked up and said with certainty, "You're worried they'll come back, mother and son."
Mother Ji gritted her teeth. "Yes, I'm worried!"
How could she not be worried?
She had shared a bed with him for years and never noticed anything unusual about her husband.
Suddenly, there was an illegitimate son, how could she accept it?
The blow she suffered back then was not insignificant.
"Shuhua, the promise I made to you that day, the one I made to them, mother and son, will not change one bit." Old Master Ji's expression was serious, his eyes firm.
Mother Ji nodded. "I know, Dad... maybe it's just me overthinking."
She rubbed her forehead. "Can I ask Dad to investigate?"
"Of course, that's not a problem. But, haven't you told Xiu'er?"
Mother Ji took a deep breath. "If it's confirmed, I will naturally tell him."
The old master nodded. "I understand. I will tell you the result as soon as possible. Don't overthink it, go back now."
"Thank you, Dad. I'll leave now and won't disturb you."
Mother Ji closed the door and exited the room.
After so many years, she had never forgotten the existence of that mother and son.
Her only comfort was that Xiu'er was truly outstanding.
Mother Ji suppressed the pain in her chest and slowly returned to her room.
If the result turned out to be what she thought... then she would absolutely not allow that mother and son to have any further connection with the Ji family!