At the Zhou residence, Sun Yurong had taken her daughter shopping that morning. Tired after walking around, the two of them had lunch out before returning home.
When she got back and saw Zhou Kanghui sitting there drinking tea, Sun Yurong sat down beside him and asked, “You didn’t go out today?”
Zhou Kanghui replied, “What would I even go out and do?”
Zhou Jia followed her mother into the room and sat down across from them.
Sun Yurong sighed. “That’s true. If things keep going like this, who will even take us seriously anymore? I don’t mind, but it’s mainly you. You’re stuck at home now and can’t do anything. It’s been so unfair to you.”
Zhou Kanghui said, “I called Mingshi today. That unfilial brat actually said it was a good thing he didn’t take after me, or the Zhou family would’ve gone bankrupt sooner or later…”
At the mention of it, his anger flared up again. ‘What son looked down on his own father like that?’
Only his son.
“How could Mingshi say something like that?” Sun Yurong remarked before comforting him. “That’s just how Mingshi has always been. He didn’t mean it. You’re his father. Surely you’re not going to argue with your own son? You’re a capable man. You just haven’t had luck on your side.”
Zhou Jia quickly asked, “Then on Mom’s birthday, will Second Brother bring my future sister-in-law back?”
Zhou Kanghui looked at her and frowned. “Even if they don’t come back, does that mean your mother’s birthday isn’t going to happen?”
He was too embarrassed to admit that his own son had scolded him before hanging up the phone.
Just then, while they were talking, Zhou Mingshi’s elder brother, Zhou Mingyang, arrived with his wife and son.
“Grandpa!”
Zhou Mingyang’s son, Zhou Songran, ran inside, threw his arms around Zhou Kanghui, and said in his soft, childish voice, “Grandpa, I missed you so much.”
Holding his grandson in his arms, Zhou Kanghui beamed. “Grandpa missed you too. Don’t go home today. Stay here with Grandpa tonight.”
Zhou Mingyang and his wife, Yan Shuyan, exchanged a glance before taking their seats across from them.
Sun Yurong glanced at the couple and said, “Dad and Mom are getting old and have always been light sleepers. If they stay here, not only will they be uncomfortable, but Songran won’t be used to it either.”
“Don’t worry. They aren’t home today.” Zhou Kanghui said, “They went to keep Old Master and Old Madam Lin company. They left not long after you went out this morning.”
Sun Yurong’s expression stiffened. “If they were going out, why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Zhou Kanghui shot her a look, puzzled. “I didn’t know until they were just about to leave. They didn’t even tell me, their own son. Why would they tell you? It’s not as if you don’t know they don’t think much of you.”
Sun Yurong’s face twisted for an instant. “…No matter how little they think of me, I’m still their daughter-in-law. I was only worried about them.”
Zhou Kanghui sighed. “You’re quite filial. More filial than I am.”
Sun Yurong said, “We’re the younger generation. It’s only right that we show filial respect to our elders.”
At those words, Zhou Mingyang and Yan Shuyan both curled their lips in silent disdain.
Off to the side, Zhou Jia let out an unhappy groan. “I already told my friends that Mom’s birthday banquet was when Second Brother would bring my future second sister-in-law home…”
Zhou Kanghui glared at her. “Who told you to spread something that hadn’t even been confirmed? Besides, your mother’s son is Mingyuan. Why are you so determined to have your second brother bring his fiancée? Don’t tell me you’re expecting your mother to put on airs as a mother-in-law in front of the Lin family’s Third Miss?”
Zhou Jia muttered under her breath, “A stepmother-in-law is still a mother-in-law, isn’t she?”
Her eldest brother, Zhou Mingyang, cut in. “Yesterday, Shuyan and I ran into Aunt Tan at the mall. She bought a lot of things for Miss Lin, as well as plenty of gifts for Miss Lin’s adoptive parents and grandmother. She said she was sending them some presents.”
“It won’t be so easy for anyone to play the role of Miss Lin’s mother-in-law.”
Hearing what his eldest son said, Zhou Kanghui, who had already been feeling guilty, became even more convinced that asking his second son and the Lin family’s Third Miss to come celebrate Sun Yurong’s birthday was a bad idea. He said, “They’ve finally gone back to spend some time with her parents. Let’s not disturb them.”
Sun Yurong secretly found it a pity, though she was not surprised. Zhou Mingshi had always been strong-willed. Even when he was young, he had never regarded her with any respect. She was not the least bit surprised that he would refuse to attend her birthday celebration. What she was curious about was what the Lin family’s Third Miss thought.
Zhou Mingyang and his family stayed at the family estate. After lunch, the couple took their son back to their room for an afternoon rest.
Leaning back on the sofa, Zhou Mingyang said, “If Second Brother isn’t going to Sun Yurong’s birthday banquet, then we won’t go either. When the time comes, we’ll tell Eldest Sister she doesn’t have to go, either.”
Yan Shuyan looked at him. “Aren’t you afraid Dad will get angry?”
Zhou Mingyang chuckled. “What’s there to be afraid of? The Crown Prince has already ascended the throne. Dad’s words don’t count anymore.”
Yan Shuyan gave him a shove. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Zhou Mingyang laughed. “It is nonsense. Dad’s words have never counted for much in this family. Well… that’s not entirely true. At least when it came to getting married, getting divorced, getting married again, getting divorced again, and then getting married yet again, he did have the final say.”
Before he had even finished speaking, he burst into laughter.
Yan Shuyan said, “Fine by me if we’re not going. That means I don’t have to prepare a gift, and it’ll save me some money. It pains me to spend a single cent on her.”
Then she smiled and added, “I’ve already thought of an excuse. Second Brother just got engaged, and neither he nor his fiancée is going. If we went, wouldn’t that make it look like we were excluding him? In this family, who would dare exclude Mingshi? Right?”
Zhou Mingyang laughed again. “That’s exactly what we’ll say. Sun Yurong is really dreaming if she thinks Mingshi will show her any respect just because he’s getting married. She ought to remember what she did when Mingshi was a child.”
Yan Shuyan nodded. “Exactly.”
After lunch, just as Lin Yi’an and the others had finished eating at the Lin family’s home in Changping, a patient arrived.
Hu Lili entered the clinic with her husband, child, and mother-in-law. The moment she saw Lin Yi’an sitting there, she stammered, “L… Lin Yi’an, wh… why are you here?”
Lin Yi’an looked up. “This is my home. Why wouldn’t I be here?”
That was not what Hu Lili had meant. She had no idea Lin Yi’an had come back. If she had known, not even a beating would have made her bring her son here for treatment. The thought made her grab her husband’s arm and try to leave.
Hu Lili’s mother-in-law hugged her grandson tightly. “Where are you going? Xiao Bao’s been on IV drips for a whole week, and he still has diarrhea. Your mother said the children in your village who had diarrhea came here, got some medicine, and were fine after taking it.”
Hu Lili felt increasingly guilty. She did not dare let her son be treated here.
Not only was she from the same village as Lin Yi’an, they had also been classmates in elementary school. In fact, there had been several classmates from the same village.
Because of Lin Yi’an’s parents’ physical disabilities, some people in the village loved to gossip. The children had grown up hearing those remarks, and before long, they had begun to believe them. After they started school, some of them looked down on Lin Yi’an as well. A group of classmates whispered behind her back every day, deliberately excluded her from their games, and bullied her…
Hu Lili had never done well in school and had dropped out before finishing high school. On the day Lin Yi’an received her university admission letter, Hu Lili had even gone out of her way to sneer at her, saying that a university degree was nothing special these days, that going to university would not make any difference, and that she should not expect it to change her family’s circumstances.
The more she thought about it, the guiltier she felt, and the less she dared let her son be treated here.
Lin Yi’an said, “Maybe it’s because you have a guilty conscience.”
Hu Lili’s eyes flew wide open. ‘How did I say that out loud?’
Hu Lili’s mother-in-law hurriedly asked, “What’s this about having a guilty conscience?”
Lin Yi’an looked at Hu Lili. “When we were kids, she used to bully me all the time. Not only did she bully me herself, but she also got the rest of the class to join in. But I did well in school, I was a class officer, and the teachers liked me. A lot of my classmates wanted to copy my homework, so they tried to befriend me. They didn’t succeed, and they ended up getting punished by the teacher instead.”
Hu Lili lowered her head, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
Glancing at her, Lin Yi’an continued, “Don’t worry. Even though you weren’t a very decent person, we’re doctors, and we have medical ethics. No matter how much I dislike you, that’s a personal grievance. I would never ruin my own reputation over something like that, much less gamble with a child’s health. There’s really no need for you to worry about this. I have no intention of smashing my own rice bowl.”
Hu Lili’s mother-in-law shot her daughter-in-law a look. “I never imagined you’re still the same kind of person…”
Hu Lili: “…..”
Lin Yi’an said, “The child’s diarrhea has gone on so long he’s almost dehydrated. Doctors don’t turn away patients who come seeking treatment. Whether you want him treated here is your decision. We won’t force you. But I do have to say this: even if you decide not to see us, you need to take him somewhere else immediately. This child can’t afford any more delays.”