Fu Jingyan carried Tangtang over to Fu Shen, who was unable to stand, gripping the armrests of his wheelchair tightly with both hands.
Though it wasn’t the first time he had seen his daughter, each encounter still left him tense.
Tangtang couldn’t speak; at three years old, she still hadn’t learned to call for her mother.
She also had congenital heart disease, said to be due to premature birth.
Why was she born prematurely?
Because her mother endured much hardship while carrying her, with poor emotional well-being throughout the pregnancy—unable to eat or sleep properly—resulting in the child’s inadequate absorption of nutrients from the start.
Fu Shen felt immense guilt, not toward Su Qingyue, but toward Tangtang.
“Tangtang, that’s…”
Su Qingyue wanted to tell Tangtang that the man in the wheelchair was her father.
Fu Shen knew what she intended to say and spoke up to stop her: “Go inside. Mom has been waiting for you for a long time.”
“Alright.” Fu Jingyan nodded.
Tangtang clung tightly to Fu Jingyan’s neck, resting her little head against the crook of his neck, seeking comfort.
Tangtang’s deep attachment to Fu Jingyan made anyone who saw it wonder if the little girl might be his child.
After all, Fu Jingyan and Su Qingyue had grown up together since childhood, and in the eyes of their elders, they were childhood sweethearts.
It would have been natural for them to end up together as adults.
If not for the car accident years ago that left Fu Jingyan in a coma, the two might have already been married.
Even though the Su family’s later development couldn’t compare to the Fu family’s, and a few years ago, due to drastic changes at home, they had moved away from the capital entirely.
Now, Su Qingyue had returned to the capital alone with her daughter, hoping to gain the Fu family’s recognition.
And…
She hoped Fu Shen would marry her.
She loved him and didn’t mind his disability in the slightest.
Previously, Old Mrs. Fu hadn’t entirely approved of Su Qingyue’s close relationship with her grandson, as she had her sights set on her younger son instead. Now that her younger son was in such a state, as long as Fu Shen agreed, she had no objections.
Moreover, Su Qingyue had given birth to her little granddaughter.
The results of Tangtang and Fu Shen’s paternity test had come out, and Old Madam had received them that morning.
Tonight’s family gathering at the Fu residence had one primary purpose: to officially recognize Tangtang as a member of the Fu family.
And then, to give Su Qingyue a rightful place.
The Fu family had wronged her for so many years; it was time to make amends.
Before the meal began, Old Madam announced two major matters.
The first was Tangtang’s parentage.
Old Madam personally acknowledged that Tangtang was a child of the Fu family and would arrange for an auspicious day to add the name Fu Qinghuan to the family registry.
The second was the formal scheduling of Fu Shen and Su Qingyue’s wedding.
Fu Shen turned his head, looking at Old Madam in shock, but she paid him no mind.
With a child already in the picture, failing to give the child’s mother a grand wedding was not something the Fu family should do.
This matter, she had decided.
Fu Shen’s objections were useless.
“Thank you, Old Madam.” Su Qingyue stood up, tears of gratitude welling in her eyes.
“No need to thank me, Qingyue. It’s A Shen who has wronged you, and it’s our Fu family that has wronged you.” Old Madam apologized to Su Qingyue.
“No, Old Madam, please don’t say that. From beginning to end, I have been willing.”
Marrying Fu Shen had been her heartfelt wish since the year she first fell in love.
This wish had remained unchanged all these years. Once rooted in her heart, it began to grow and flourish wildly.
To marry Fu Shen, she was willing to do anything.
No matter how long the wait, it’s not a problem.
“You’re a good child, not minding that he’s still disabled now.” Old Madam was moved.
Su Qingyue looked at Fu Shen, who didn’t even give her a single glance of annoyance.
Truly, the sister has feelings, but the brother is heartless.
Su Qingyue’s deep affection for Fu Shen moved the Fu family immensely.
But Yu Yue wasn’t the slightest bit moved.
Another person who wasn’t moved, only shocked, was Fu Ruoxi.
She truly hadn’t expected that back when they were in school, when she followed Fu Jingyan and Su Qingyue around every day, she had been so blind that she completely failed to notice that Su Qingyue had never loved Fu Jingyan?
The person she loved had actually always been Fifth Uncle Fu Shen?
Did she have a father complex?
Of course not, since Fu Shen was Old Madam’s child born late in life, only two years older than Fu Jingyan.
Fu Ruoxi felt so regretful.
If she had known earlier that these two really only had friendship, no romantic feelings, she should have confessed to Fu Jingyan sooner.
Instead of dragging it out until after Fu Jingyan’s accident, when Old Madam took full charge of selecting a bride for him to ward off bad luck.
If she had been braver back then, would Yu Yue have had nothing to do with it?
Too late for regrets.
Fu Ruoxi bit her cheek so hard in remorse that it hurt.
After announcing the two major matters, Old Madam called for dinner.
After the meal, Old Madam kept Yu Yue behind for a private chat.
“Yueyue, I heard from that boy A-Yan that you know Moon, the internationally renowned surgical master?” Old Madam held Yu Yue’s hand, her eyes filled with hope.
She had hoped for a little great-grandson, but ended up with a little granddaughter. Yet the little one couldn’t speak and had heart problems. Without surgery, her life could be in danger at any moment.
Old Madam couldn’t bear it.
“I… well, I guess you could say I know her.” Yu Yue wanted to explain but ultimately nodded in acknowledgment.
“That’s wonderful, Yueyue. Tell Granny, whatever Granny needs to give, Granny is willing, as long as she agrees to operate on the child Tangtang.”
“Granny, whether Moon accepts a surgery depends on her personal evaluation of the patient’s case. If she feels it’s truly a situation only she can handle, she’ll accept it.”
“You understand medicine. Earlier, you saw the child Tangtang. Tell Granny, for Tangtang’s condition, is it really only that Moon who can do it?”
“Pretty much.” Yu Yue deliberately gave an ambiguous answer.
Actually, she had already accepted.
It’s just…
She needed to think of a foolproof plan.
Couldn’t reveal her identity in front of the Fu family.
Otherwise, she’d be scolded to death by that guy Fu Jingyan.
“When will we know the result? Qingyue said earlier that Tangtang’s condition is getting worse; we can’t drag it out indefinitely.”
“I’ve already submitted the materials. Usually, results come within forty-eight hours, so at most by the day after tomorrow, we’ll know.”
“Thank you, Yueyue. Granny thanks you.”
“No need to thank me, Granny. I just submitted the materials.”
“Granny still wants to thank you. You’re Granny’s blessing, a great benefactor to our Fu family.”
“Granny, please don’t say that.”
“That brat A-Yan is so unlucky.”
Old Madam grumbled indignantly. Soon after, Su Qingyue came over holding Tangtang to say goodbye; she needed to take Tangtang back to the hospital.
Old Madam personally saw the mother and daughter out.
Yu Yue originally planned to leave right after them. She had already seen Tangtang’s face tonight and wanted to go back and discuss it with Li Kui.
Also, Old Madam wants Fu Shen to marry Su Qingyue.
If Li Kui’s analysis was all correct, then for Lin Lan’s sake, she absolutely had to stop this.
Yu Yue was just about to seize the opportunity to sneak forward and secretly pluck a strand of Tangtang’s hair when someone suddenly grabbed her.
Frowning, she turned around and saw that the person holding her was none other than Fu Jingyan.
Just as she was about to ask him what he was doing, she delightedly noticed several strands of Tangtang’s hair had fallen onto his shoulder.
Her attitude suddenly changed, and she smiled, “Something wrong? Fu Jingyan—”
Fu Jingyan: “…”