Chapter 40: I Won't Make You Wait Too Long

Chen Weiping scratched his hair in frustration, knowing she had a point. "How about this? Since I just got back from a trip and can rest for a day, I'll take you to the city hospital tomorrow."

The woman leaned back into his embrace again. "Brother Weiping, I'll do whatever you say."

With the warmth and softness of her body in his arms, he had enjoyed the sweetness so much that he had forgotten his promise to his grandfather.

It wasn't until dark fell that he spoke up: "Xiaoru, it's getting late. I have to head back. I'll come pick you up first thing tomorrow morning."

The woman clung to him, refusing to let go, and said coquettishly, "Can't you just stay?"

After a long bout of soothing her, Chen Weiping said, "Once the test results come out tomorrow, I'll lay everything out for my family. I won't make you wait too long."

Having received the promise he wanted, he finally saw her off from the courtyard with reluctance.

Watching him walk away, the woman turned and closed the courtyard gate.

Subconsciously, she touched her stomach, a triumphant smile playing on her lips: So what if the Chen family elders disagree? As long as Chen Weiping's heart belongs to her, she is bound to enter the Chen family.

Once he had left, life became much harder for Chen Weiping. While he had the warmth and softness in his arms just moments ago, he had been bold enough to promise anything.

Now, hit by the cold wind, his mind cleared significantly, and he finally felt a sense of fear.

*

In the hospital, Father Liu's surgery went very smoothly.

After stepping out, Vice President Sun took a moment to give the mother and daughter some instructions, pointing to the doctor beside him: "Dr. Jiang here will be responsible for the subsequent treatments. If there is anything you don't understand, you can consult him."

Since Vice President Sun had put it that way, Dr. Jiang naturally couldn't act aloof. "If anything comes up, you can come directly to my office to find me."

After thanking them repeatedly, the mother and daughter followed a nurse to take Father Liu to his ward.

The young nurse who escorted them gave them some precautions and then left.

Seeing that Father Liu wouldn't wake up anytime soon, Liu Chuxue said, "Mom, you stay with Dad. I'm going out for a bit."

Mother Liu was somewhat uneasy. "Xue, this isn't our countryside. We're strangers here; don't wander too far."

She wanted to stop her daughter, but Vice President Sun had already mentioned that he wouldn't be discharged anytime soon. "How about you stay here with your father, and I—"

Liu Chuxue knew what she was worried about and interrupted her. "Did you forget how much strength I have?"

Seeing her mother about to say more, she continued, "We're going to be staying here for quite a while. Vice President Sun said we must ensure Dad gets proper nutrition during this period. We'll have to find a way to manage that."

Hearing her daughter's words, Mother Liu's eyes welled up with tears. Given their situation, they didn't even have enough money for medical treatment, let alone extra nutrition. She blamed herself and her husband for being so useless. "Then come back early."

Liu Chuxue didn't rush off immediately; instead, she took a large bowl out of the bundle she had brought. "Mom, I'm going to go fetch some hot water first."

This family was truly poor; the items they brought with them were coarse porcelain bowls; enamel mugs were out of the question.

A relative in the next bed heard her saying she was going to fetch water and kindly reminded her, "Young lady, if you want hot water, you have to go to the boiler room behind the first floor. Cold water is available on every floor, though."

"Thank you for the reminder, Auntie."

Seeing how polite Liu Chuxue was, the woman smiled and praised her to Mother Liu, "Sister, your daughter is so pretty and so well-mannered. It's quite rare. You and your husband really know how to raise a child."

Hearing the praise for her daughter, the sorrow on Mother Liu's face lessened slightly. "We are just unrefined folk; it's all thanks to the good teaching from the school teachers."

"You're being too modest, sister."

Mother Liu's tone carried a hint of pride. "I'm telling the truth. My daughter will graduate from high school in another six months."

(End of Chapter)