This time when Shen Yin saw Shen Lv again, she felt that Shen Lv had changed, though she couldn't pinpoint exactly what had changed, but she just felt he was different from before.
"Yin Yin is here?" Shen Lv asked.
"Mm-hmm."
"Is Dad awake?" Shen Lv turned his head to look at Fang Yue.
Fang Yue shook her head, looking exceptionally weary. Cancer is something that is difficult to detect in the early stages. Fortunately, the Shen Group has a physical examination every six months, and it was discovered in yesterday's examination. Shen Lv had immediately contacted experts for surgery, but the liver is such a vital organ. Shen Tianzheng lay there, pale and looking extremely weak.
For most of his life, Shen Tianzheng was Fang Yue's everything. She had been through thick and thin with Shen Tianzheng, tasting both the bitterness and sweetness, but she never expected him to suddenly fall ill. Fang Yue couldn't accept it at first, and she hadn't slept since learning the news yesterday.
"What did the doctor say about when he might wake up?" Xu Xiuhe asked from the side.
"Tonight at the latest," Fang Yue said, looking at the bed inside with worry in her eyes.
The room fell silent again for a while, then Zhengzheng walked over to the bedside, pointed at the bed-ridden Shen Tianzheng, and turned to look at Shen Yin, saying, "Grandpa sick."
Hearing Zhengzheng's words, Fang Yue couldn't hold it together anymore. She had been holding back her sorrow since last night, forcing herself to remain calm and not panic. But at Zhengzheng's words, she broke down, tears streaming down her face in front of her son, daughter, and son-in-law.
Zhengzheng ran up to Fang Yue, who was sitting in a chair, and reached up with his little hands, trying to touch Fang Yue's face. "Grandma no cry."
"Mm-hmm, Grandma won't cry," Fang Yue said, wiping the tears from her face with her hand.
"Mom, have something to eat and get some rest. Dad will feel bad if he sees you like this," Shen Lv said.
"I'll rest after your father wakes up," Fang Yue insisted. How could she sleep if Shen Tianzheng hadn't woken up?
Shen Lv didn't persuade her further, knowing full well the depth of feeling between his parents after all these years. He turned to Shen Yin and said, "Yin Yin, it's getting late. You should head back. Zhengzheng is still little, and the hospital is no place for him."
Shen Yin finally realized what was different—Shen Lv now seemed much more mature.
"Cough, cough." The sound came from the hospital bed, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Shen Tianzheng opened his eyes with difficulty, glanced around the room, and finally settled his gaze on Fang Yue. "Why are you crying? Can't you see I can still talk?"
Shen Tianzheng's voice was still quite weak. Hearing it made Fang Yue feel even worse—just yesterday he had been fine, but now...
"Don't cry anymore. Your eyes are swollen, and it doesn't look good," Shen Tianzheng tried to sit up.
"Dad, don't move," Shen Lv stepped forward and adjusted the height of the bed so that Shen Tianzheng could see them.
"Yin Yin and Xiuhe are here too," Shen Tianzheng finally noticed the couple.
"Dad," Xu Xiuhe called out.
"Grandpa," Zhengzheng called out too.
Seeing Zhengzheng call him Grandpa, Shen Tianzheng smiled a little, but it seemed the smile might have pulled at his wound, as his expression showed a flicker of pain before he suppressed it again.
Fang Yue's tears flowed even more, and seeing this, Shen Yin felt a pang of heartache.
"Dad's fine now. You take the child and head back first," Shen Lv said.
Shen Lv and Fang Yue both looked at the family of three.
"Then Dad, Mom, Brother, we'll head back first. We'll come again tomorrow," Xu Xiuhe said, holding Zhengzheng in one arm while putting his other hand on Shen Yin's shoulder.
After leaving, Shen Yin still felt a little dazed. Is this what marriage is like? She felt moved. In the prosperous era, women took their husbands as their everything, but most men had multiple wives and concubines. Yet Shen Tianzheng's first reaction upon waking was to look for Fang Yue.
"What's wrong?" Xu Xiuhe noticed Shen Yin seemed a little off and asked.
"Nothing."
Shen Yin was dreaming again. In the dream, she saw the original Shen Yin again, but this time the original Shen Yin didn't seem happy, sitting in the classroom with a furrowed brow. She didn't know why the original Shen Yin was unhappy, but just seeing the original Shen Yin unhappy made her feel uneasy in the dream too.
Xu Xiuhe, who had light sleep, heard Shen Yin's groaning and turned on the light. Shen Yin's expression was one of pain, and a hint of heartache flashed across Xu Xiuhe's eyes. "Wife, wake up," he said gently, shaking Shen Yin.
Shen Yin opened her eyes, and Xu Xiuhe got out of bed to pour her a glass of water, which he handed to her. After taking a sip, Shen Yin shook her head when Xu Xiuhe asked softly, "Did you dream about something again?"
"I dreamed about the original Shen Yin again. She seemed unhappy."
"It's nothing," Xu Xiuhe said, not knowing how to comfort Shen Yin, gently patting her shoulder.
Shen Yin didn't have any more nightmares after falling back asleep. The next afternoon, after much thought, Shen Yin decided to put down her work at the studio and drove to Rong City No.1 Hospital.
When she entered, only Fang Yue and Shen Tianzheng were in the room, with no sign of Shen Lv. "Mom, where's my brother?"
"With your father's illness, all the company's affairs have fallen on your brother's shoulders. He went to the company early this morning," Fang Yue said, looking at Shen Yin.
"You're so busy at work. Why did you still come? It's not convenient with Zhengzheng either. Yin Yin, have you forgiven your father?"
Shen Yin didn't say anything. She wasn't the original Shen Yin, and the past was in the past.
"Mom, you should have something to eat. Did you hire a caregiver? How will you manage everything by yourself?"
"I don't trust caregivers. I've been taking care of your father for most of my life—he's not used to others. Your brother and I will take turns at night."
Shen Yin stood in the hospital room for a long time, just looking at the bed-ridden Shen Tianzheng. She suddenly felt how fragile life was.
"Mommy," Zhengzheng had been standing on the ground for a while, reaching up for Shen Yin to carry him.
Shen Yin picked up Zhengzheng, and after repeated persuasion from Fang Yue, she left the room with Zhengzheng. The older generation believed that hospitals weren't good places, and that children shouldn't go in if they didn't have to, lest they encounter something unpleasant.
When Shen Yin returned to the little building, she happened to run into Shu Yi coming out of the studio and getting into her car. "Why are you here?"
"Yin Yin, you're back! How do I look?" Shu Yi spun around. She had an afternoon class at Rong City No.3 Middle School and was passing by, so she thought she'd let Shen Yin take a look to see if her outfit was appropriate.
Shu Yi had long hair styled in big, wavy curls, with delicate makeup and a pink, puffy dress paired with cute white shoes.
As someone who designed clothes, Shen Yin naturally knew that this shade of soft pink and style was very particular about who could pull it off. But Shu Yi wore it well—her face had an innocent, first-love kind of look without being overtly aggressive. Her long, curled hair cascaded down her back, and when Shu Yi casually flipped her hair, Shen Yin was struck by how she suddenly looked like a little temptress.
The short dress accentuated Shu Yi's perfect proportions, making her look lively, sexy, and radiant.
"You look so beautiful. Our Shu Yi is truly the most beautiful swan."
Shu Yi stood on her tiptoes, posing in a dance move. This was her official farewell to her youth.
