“Stay and take care of Jiang Qianqian for a while. There’s something urgent at the company I need to handle.”
Shen Yuting walked out of the hospital room and said to Shen Fan.
Shen Fan’s face twisted into a frown.
He had never liked Jiang Qianqian, she was dramatic, loved showing off, and was high-maintenance. But since the accident had happened in his car, he had no choice.
The thought of having to cater to her made him irritable.
Suddenly, he remembered the sweet and gentle Qin Yiyi.
He glanced at Shen Yuting.
“What’s wrong?”
Noticing his slightly odd expression, Shen Yuting asked.
“Brother, are you really sure you don’t have any other women besides Jiang Qianqian?”
Shen Fan leaned closer to Shen Yuting, wiggling his eyebrows teasingly.
Shen Yuting shot him a look. “Of course not. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just that I ran into a really adorable little girl downstairs earlier. She looked so much like you that if I didn’t know you didn’t have any other women, I’d have thought she was your long-lost daughter.”
“How old was she?”
Shen Fan was surprised that Shen Yuting seemed interested. After thinking for a moment, he answered, “About four years old, I’d say.”
Four years old!
At those words, Shen Yuting’s eyes darkened instantly.
He recalled the unfamiliar woman he had met at the elevator yesterday, whose scent had reminded him so vividly of that night five years ago.
What a coincidence, in the same hospital, there was also a little girl around four years old who looked just like him.
One coincidence could be dismissed as chance.
But too many coincidences were more than just accidents.
It seemed investigating the events of that year was now imperative!
Shen Yuting lowered his gaze, his dark eyes deepening.
In the evening, Yun Mojiu was helping Yun Changhong and Du Qing prepare vegetables when Yun Ruoxia returned home in high spirits.
“Ding-dong~ Guess what? How do you think my audition went?”
She hopped to the kitchen doorway, beaming.
Yun Changhong teased her deliberately. “I bet you didn’t get it.”
“Dad, can’t you have a little faith in me? Your daughter here fought through all obstacles, battled against countless competitors, and emerged victorious, landing the role of the fifth female lead!”
She struck a pose, hands on her hips, exaggerating her gestures.
Her face was practically begging for praise.
“Amazing.”
Yun Mojiu played along, giving her a thumbs-up.
Yun Ruoxia was instantly moved. She rushed over and hugged Yun Mojiu tightly, nuzzling against her affectionately.
“Wahh, my sister is the best to me!”
Du Qing laughed. “Your dad was just teasing you. With the way your face was lit up, how could we not know the result?”
“Dad! You were just messing with me?” Yun Ruoxia puffed up her cheeks in mock anger.
Yun Changhong turned off the faucet and said solemnly, “Isn’t the point of having kids to tease them? Otherwise, what’s the fun?”
“Dad!”
Yun Ruoxia fumed, clinging to Yun Mojiu and whining.
“Sis, let’s run away from home. This place is unbearable.”
As the father and his two daughters bantered playfully, Du Qing, in high spirits, picked up a bag of trash and headed outside to throw it away.
Just as she reached the gate, she spotted Zhou Yingqin pacing back and forth at the entrance, holding a basket of fresh fruit.
She paused. “Yingqin, what are you doing here?”
Hearing her voice, Zhou Yingqin hesitated before stepping forward, glancing toward the house.
“Um… is Xiao Jiu home?” she asked cautiously.
Du Qing: “She is. Do you need something from her?”
“Yeah, there’s something I need to discuss.” Zhou Yingqin’s ears burned slightly.
“Come on in then, she’s inside.”
Du Qing tossed the trash into a nearby bin and warmly pulled Zhou Yingqin into the house.
“Xiao Jiu, Auntie Zhou is here to see you,” she called out after entering.
Yun Mojiu walked out holding an unpeeled garlic clove.
The moment she saw Zhou Yingqin’s expression and the bag of fruit in her hand, she guessed the results of Granny Li’s medical checkup.
It probably wasn’t far off from what she had observed.
“Um… Xiao Jiu, this morning Auntie Zhou misunderstood you and spoke a bit harshly. I hope you won’t hold it against me,” Zhou Yingqin said, standing awkwardly.
“Mhm.” Yun Mojiu gave a slight nod. “Don’t worry, I’m not upset.”
There was no need to be.
They’d just had different perspectives.
Hearing this, Zhou Yingqin let out a relieved sigh, her tense expression softening.
“Turns out, my mother-in-law really does have cancer, just like you said. Thankfully, you warned us in time. The doctor said it’s still in the early stages and can be treated. If we’d waited any longer, it would’ve been too late! Thank you, Xiao Jiu. If it weren’t for your kindness in reminding us, my mother-in-law might have…”
The memory of seeing the test results still sent a chill down her spine.
If Yun Mojiu hadn’t spoken up, wouldn’t her mother-in-law have been doomed?
Even though she was just her mother-in-law, the woman had been nothing but good to her, better than her own mother, even.
She couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to her.
So, her gratitude toward Yun Mojiu was completely genuine.
“As long as Granny Li is alright, that’s what matters,” Yun Mojiu said, pressing her lips together.
Seeing that Yun Mojiu truly didn’t mind, Zhou Yingqin finally relaxed completely.
With a smile, she set down the fruit basket. “Well, I won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll be going now.”
Then she hurried out.
Du Qing, who had been standing nearby, along with Yun Changhong and Yun Ruoxia, who had poked their heads out from the kitchen, all stared in astonishment at the scene.
“Xiao Jiu, what did you do to make Auntie Zhou apologize so humbly? And what’s this about Granny Li having cancer? How did you know?” Yun Changhong leaned forward, his face full of curiosity.
Yun Mojiu raised a brow lightly. “Nothing much. I just noticed Granny Li didn’t look well and suggested they get her checked at the hospital. Turns out, she really was sick.”
“My daughter is amazing!” Yun Changhong said proudly.
Yun Mojiu chuckled in agreement. “Of course.”
Later, they found a red envelope containing ten thousand yuan tucked under the fruit basket though that wasn’t discovered until several days later.
For the next two days, Yun Mojiu indulged in laziness at home.
She slept in, then spent her time sitting in the garden, watering plants, teasing the fish, basking in the sun, drawing talismans, and cultivating.
After transmigrating to this world, she had started as a little beggar, fighting stray dogs for scraps of food, drifting from place to place with no home.
Then, after her master took her in, she had been forced to study esoteric arts day and night.
Once she mastered them, she had been busy reviving her sect, with no time to rest.
It had been ages since she’d been able to laze around like this.
She relished every moment.
After two days of rest, her wrist had fully healed.
The million from Xiao Junhe had also been deposited, and she donated half of it to an orphanage.
On the third day, it was time for her and Xie Jingling to officially finalize their divorce.
At the agreed-upon time, she took a taxi to the civil affairs bureau.
The paperwork was completed quickly.
From taking a number to receiving the certificate, the entire process took no more than half an hour. (Note: In this book’s setting, there is no mandatory cooling-off period for divorce.)
Gazing at Yun Mojiu, who hadn’t even spared him a glance from the very beginning, Xie Jingling, walking behind her, slightly darkened his eyes.
In the past, Yun Mojiu’s heart and eyes had been completely filled with him.
But now, she wouldn’t even grant him a single look.
That indifferent attitude made him feel extremely unaccustomed!