“You— I am your mother, yet you speak to your own mother like this? Do you even regard me as your mother?” Li Xianglian pointed angrily at Chen Jue.
“I’m not gentle? Heh… who do you think I became like this for? What, have you met a woman gentler than me, so now you want to recognize someone else as your mother?”
Chen Jue froze and subconsciously stepped back, his face turning pale. “Y-you’re talking nonsense! How could I possibly recognize someone else as my mother?”
A madwoman—she’s completely mad!
How did she know… that he really wanted Aunt Caishan to be his mother?
Could it be she knew something?
Chen Lang stepped in front of the children. “Why are you yelling at the kids? If you have anger, take it out on me. The children are innocent.”
“Fine then, explain where your jade pendant came from.”
Chen Lang was at a loss for words. “I… I… it’s a family heirloom!”
“Heh, Chen Lang, even now you still won’t tell the truth. What heirloom? It’s clearly something you hid from me. And I bet besides that jade pendant, you’ve hidden other things too, haven’t you?”
Li Xianglian pressed him.
Chen Lang frowned. “Believe whatever you want. I can’t explain myself to you. I’ll just ask you one thing—are you coming back home or not?”
“Are you threatening me?”
Chen Lang lifted his chin arrogantly and looked down at her. “Listen to yourself. We’re husband and wife, not enemies. Why would I threaten you? Besides, I’m a scholar—people are watching my every move. What could I possibly threaten you with? Just give me a clear answer!”
Li Xianglian sneered. “That is my home—every brick and tile was built with my labor. Why wouldn’t I go back? I’m just injured and staying with my parents to recover. Or do you expect me, in this condition, to go back and serve the three of you?”
Tilting her head, Li Xianglian suddenly noticed Wen Lezhi standing at the doorway.
She instinctively straightened her posture, her expression softening, wondering if he had witnessed her earlier outburst.
Chen Lang noticed the change in her expression and turned to look. At the gate stood a tall, handsome man—refined and elegant, full of vitality. It was Wen Lezhi.
Mother Li beamed. “Xianglian, Physician Wen is here for a follow-up.”
Father Li hurried to open the door. “Physician Wen, please come in.”
Wen Lezhi nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
His gaze briefly swept over Chen Lang before settling on Li Xianglian, softening. “Madam Li, how are you feeling today?”
“Much better,” Li Xianglian replied, suddenly feeling more energetic just seeing him, though she didn’t know why.
Chen Lang stepped forward, blocking his path. “Why is it you again? Won’t you just go away?”
“Chen Lang, what are you doing!”
Li Xianglian pushed her wheelchair forward, nudging him aside. Looking apologetically at Wen Lezhi, she said, “I’m sorry, Young Master Wen. That’s just his temper. Please don’t mind him.”
Wen Lezhi shook his head gently. “It’s nothing.”
Li Xianglian glared at Chen Lang. “Enough. Take the children and go home. For the sake of the buns, I won’t argue with you. Go back for now—when my injuries improve, I will return on my own.”
But Chen Lang ignored her, staring at Wen Lezhi as if he wanted to bore a hole through him.
Father Li brought a stool, while Mother Li poured tea for Wen Lezhi, both of them extremely attentive.
Chen Lang grew even more displeased. He had been here for so long—though he was given tea, he was left standing. Yet this outsider was offered a seat, tea, and gentle treatment from Li Xianglian.
Wasn’t he just a physician? Why were they treating him like a treasure?
It was like a slap in the face to him, a scholar!
The two children also glanced at Chen Lang—they could clearly see the difference in treatment.
“You look much better these past two days,” Wen Lezhi said, ignoring Chen Lang entirely.
Smiling gently, he set down his medical box and took out a pulse cushion.
Li Xianglian touched her cheek, a faint smile in her eyes. “Really?”
“Much better than a few days ago.”
“It’s thanks to my parents taking good care of me.”
Father and Mother Li smiled bashfully.
Mother Li said, “My Xianglian has had a hard life. She used to overwork herself—handling everything in the household alone. You wouldn’t know, every winter her hands and feet were covered in frostbite. It broke my heart to see it.”
“Indeed,” Father Li added, “even when she was heavily pregnant, she still carried a basin of clothes to wash by the river in the freezing cold.”
Thinking of those difficult times, Father Li felt a surge of bitterness, but as a man, he held back his tears.
Li Xianglian felt a heaviness in her heart. She had worked so hard—wasn’t it all because her husband failed to do his part?
If only Chen Lang had cared for her a little, shared some of the burden, she wouldn’t have exhausted herself like that.
Yet he had deceived her under the pretense of testing her, leaving her with a tragic fate, even making her pave the way for others.
She let out a bitter laugh. “That’s all in the past. From now on, life will only get better.”
Wen Lezhi lowered his gaze slightly, nodding. Though others couldn’t see his expression, his hand trembled faintly. Hearing her forced laughter, he relaxed and said firmly:
“Madam, you are blessed by fate. Your days ahead will surely be free and fulfilling.”
Li Xianglian covered her lips and smiled softly. “I’ll take that as a good omen.”
Chen Lang let out a mocking laugh. If her life improved, wouldn’t it be because of him?
Without him, what was Li Xianglian worth?
A woman should know her place.
Li Xianglian looked at him coldly. “Do you still have something to say?”
Chen Lang instinctively shook his head.
“Then leave.”
Chen Lang grew irritated. “Li Xianglian, what do you mean? I’m your husband. I want to understand your condition and care for you—is that wrong? Don’t treat me like an enemy. The children and I are not your enemies—we are your family.”
Family?
Would family let her die miserably?
Would family deceive her, pretend to suffer with her while secretly enjoying luxury?
Would family allow her own children to recognize another woman as their mother?
What a mockery.
“With Physician Wen here, I don’t want to argue with you,” Li Xianglian suppressed her anger, her expression softening as she turned to Wen Lezhi. She extended her wrist. “Please.”
Wen Lezhi’s fingers gently rested on her pulse, feeling the strong rhythm beneath.