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墨書 Inktalez
“Qiao Nuo, here is the case report for Qiao Kawai,” Qi Ziluo said as he handed a report across his desk.
Qiao Nuo took the report, her hands trembling involuntarily. Based on her understanding of Qi Ziluo, his serious demeanor indicated that Qiao Kawai’s health was indeed in jeopardy.
“As we initially suspected, she has central nervous system leukemia.”
Qiao Nuo didn’t even glance at the case report; she didn’t understand the medical jargon. All she wanted to know was how to save Qiao Kawai!
“What can we do to save her? No matter the cost, I just want Qiao Kawai to be safe!”
“Calm down. We’ve already developed a comprehensive treatment plan for Qiao Kawai. First, we need to find a suitable bone marrow match for her. As her mother, you have a higher chance of a successful match. We can arrange for you to undergo testing…”
“I’m not Qiao Kawai’s biological mother.”
Qi Ziluo was taken aback; this seemed inconsistent with what he had learned!
“But she is my sister. Both Qiao Chen and I can be tested for compatibility. If that doesn’t work, I should be able to find her biological mother.” After all, Jin Chengyan already knew about this situation, so telling Qi Ziluo wouldn’t change anything. What mattered most now was ensuring Qiao Kawai’s safety.
The highly professional Qi Ziluo quickly regained his composure upon realizing that Qiao Kawai was indeed Qiao Nuo's sister.
“Alright, we can arrange for you and Qiao Chen to undergo bone marrow matching tomorrow. However, if there is no match…”
“What will happen then?” Qiao Nuo felt a surge of fear at the thought of an incompatible result.
“We’ll have to wait in line. Our hospital has many other leukemia patients; you’ll be placed behind them.”
“So all I can do is wait?” She could wait, but what about Qiao Kawai?
The situation was dire; neither Qiao Nuo nor Qiao Chen matched with Qiao Kawai at all. When they received the test results, Qiao Nuo felt like she was on the verge of collapse.
Qiao Chen had also focused entirely on the hospital, only to receive such distressing news.
“Qiao Chen, we need to find Qiao Kawai’s biological mother right away. There are over a hundred people ahead of us in line; I can’t wait.”
“Okay, I’ll start arranging it immediately! I will definitely find Qiao Kawai’s mother!” Without hesitation, Qiao Chen sprang into action.
The family that was supposed to celebrate the New Year together was now engulfed in sorrow due to Qiao Kawai's illness.
Qiao Nuo didn’t know how to answer Qiao Kawai’s questions about why her wound no longer hurt yet she still had to stay in the hospital, or why she couldn’t get out of bed to play.
“Qiao Nuo.” In the hospital corridor, Qiao Nuo sat in a chair when she heard a familiar voice.
Jin Chengyan.
Qiao Nuo didn’t look up, her hands clenched around the report.
Jin Chengyan sat down beside her, wanting to reach out and pat her back, but hesitated, fearing she might not like it. Ultimately, he lowered his hand back down.
“I’ve already informed Jin’s staff to come for the matching. The chances of success will be higher.” His face was somewhat pale, and he didn’t tell her that he had also undergone the matching process.
He didn’t want to use this as a way to earn Qiao Nuo’s forgiveness; these were all things he willingly did.
“Thank you.”
Her tone was calm yet tinged with gratitude. It was the first time in a long while that she spoke to him without a sharp retort.
This made Jin Chengyan feel a sense of relief.
“No need to thank me. I would gladly do anything for you.”
Qiao Nuo closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt exhausted; the past few days had been filled with extreme highs and lows, far more terrifying than what she had experienced four years ago.
She could endure those frightening moments herself, but she didn’t want those around her to suffer through them.
Suddenly, Qiao Nuo leaned against Jin Chengyan, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Let me lean on you for a moment.”
Jin Chengyan’s shoulder stiffened slightly. After four years, this was the first time Qiao Nuo had taken the initiative to get close to him. Was this a sign that all his efforts had finally led her to accept him?
“Mommy, Handsome Uncle is my daddy, right?” In the hospital room, Qiao Kawai lay in bed, completely unaware of the severity of her illness, her chubby little hands clutching the apple that Qiao Nuo had just peeled for her.
Hearing Qiao Kawai’s words, Qiao Nuo didn’t immediately refute her.
She knew that Qiao Kawai had always wanted a father, but the truth was that her father was already dead. Like Qiao Nuo and Qiao Chen, she had lost her father.
“You didn’t deny it, so it must be true…” Qiao Kawai took a bite of the apple, nodding thoughtfully. “Daddy said you two had a fight. He wants you to forgive him so that I can call him Daddy.”
Qiao Nuo sat beside Qiao Kawai, carefully observing her. She didn’t know how many more days she would have to look at Qiao Kawai like this.
When would Qiao Chen be able to find Qiao Kawai’s biological mother? Even if he found her, would her bone marrow match Qiao Kawai’s?
“He made a big mistake, and Mommy doesn’t want to forgive him.”
“What big mistake? Can’t he even apologize? Mommy, you said that as long as you admit your mistakes, you’re a good child. Why don’t you forgive Daddy?”
This little one was really getting more and more comfortable calling Jin Chengyan Daddy!
“What kind of **medicine** did he give you to make you speak up for him like this?”
“What’s **medicine**?” Qiao Kawai tilted her head, looking at Qiao Nuo in confusion.
Qiao Nuo rubbed Qiao Kawai’s head. Looking at the child, she felt no anger—only indulgence remained.
“**Medicine**…” Qiao Nuo hugged Qiao Kawai. “It’s something that makes you forget everything else and only remember this person.”
“Did Daddy give you **medicine** too?”
Qiao Nuo paused for a moment; this question was actually easy to answer.
Yes, there had definitely been times like that.
“Knock, knock, knock…” The door to the hospital room was knocked on, and Qiao Kawai immediately popped her head out from Qiao Nuo's embrace.
“It must be Daddy coming!”
Three black lines appeared on Qiao Nuo's forehead. This little one had been especially eager for Jin Chengyan's arrival these past two days. What was that saying? Out with the old, in with the new!
She had completely pushed Xi Yisheng out of her mind!
“Come in, Daddy, hurry!” Without waiting for Qiao Nuo to speak, Qiao Kawai called out towards the door.
The door opened, but the person who walked in was not Jin Chengyan.
“Hello, sister, I’m Jin Mengxi.” Jin Mengxi entered holding flowers and fruits, looking like she had come to visit a patient. “We met at the restaurant the other day; I just didn’t get a chance to say hello.”
Qiao Nuo recalled that day; this girl had been dining with Jin Chengyan.
She had thought she was one of Jin Chengyan's companions, but it turned out she was Jin Mengxi.
Qiao Nuo had heard this girl's name before, but she had been studying abroad and hadn’t met her in person because she had been unwell at that time.
However, calling her “sister” felt a bit strange.
“Um, I know you,” Qiao Nuo replied, not overly enthusiastic until she understood her intentions.
“I heard from Qiao Chen that Qiao Kawai was injured, so I came to see her. Yesterday my brother also took us for matching tests; we’re just waiting for the results.”
So Jin Mengxi had also gone for matching.
But why did she know Qiao Chen?
“Oh? Big sister knows Little Daddy?” Qiao Kawai blinked and asked Jin Mengxi curiously.
Jin Mengxi was fond of children too. Hearing from Jin Chengyan that Qiao Kawai was seriously ill made her feel heartbroken, especially since she was also Qiao Chen's sister.
“Indeed!” Jin Mengxi entered, placing the fruits and flowers on the table. “I’m sorry for coming over without notifying you, but I’m really worried about Qiao Kawai, so…”
“It’s fine. Qiao Kawai just has a hand injury; she’ll be discharged soon,” Qiao Nuo replied, not wanting Qiao Kawai to know how serious her condition really was, so she had kept it from her.
Jin Mengxi understood the implication in Qiao Nuo’s words and nodded.
Qiao Nuo could tell that Jin Mengxi genuinely cared for Qiao Kawai. Although Jin Mengxi had a strikingly attractive appearance, it was clear to Qiao Nuo that her feelings for a child were sincere.
Qiao Kawai had grown tired from playing; she had been sleeping more and more these days. Qi Ziluo told her that patients often felt drowsy.
Watching Qiao Kawai drift off to sleep, Qiao Nuo gently stepped out of the ward with Jin Mengxi.
“Miss Jin…”
“Just call me Xi Er, sister.”
“Miss Jin, do you know my brother?” Qiao Nuo didn’t want to get too close to Jin Mengxi; she found it strange that she had come over and even knew Qiao Chen.
Mentioning Qiao Chen made a blush appear on Jin Mengxi’s face.
“Yes, I’m Qiao Chen’s girlfriend.”
Qiao Nuo was taken aback. How could such a significant matter have never been mentioned to her by Qiao Chen?
“Does your brother know about this?” As soon as Qiao Nuo asked, she recalled what Jin Chengyan had said to her that day about keeping an eye on Qiao Chen.
Initially confused by his words, she now understood their meaning upon learning that Jin Mengxi was Qiao Chen’s girlfriend.
But even if Qiao Chen and Jin Mengxi were together, so what?
Couldn’t they date?
Did he doubt that Qiao Chen would do anything to Jin Mengxi?
"I know, everyone in our family knows." Although the family did not quite agree with their relationship, "Sister, it's okay. I'm with Qiao Chen, so you're my sister-in-law..."
"Stop! Don't call me sister-in-law." Qiao Nuo had no desire to be associated with anyone from the Jin Family, yet Jin Mengxi still insisted on calling her that.
Jin Mengxi stuck out her tongue, aware that her brother and sister-in-law were currently at odds, so she dared not say much more.
"But why are you also participating in the matchmaking?"
"Not just me; everyone in the Jin Family under forty has to participate, and even the Jin employees are involved. My brother doesn't want to miss any opportunity to save Qiao Kawai."
Qiao Nuo only knew that Jin Chengyan had asked the Jin employees to participate, but she didn't realize he had also involved the Jin Family members!
She felt a touch of gratitude; perhaps just a little.
"My brother also said that Qiao Kawai is his daughter, so the Jin Family will spare no effort to ensure her recovery. The reason you haven't seen him these past few days is that he personally went to the United States to invite a hematology expert back to perform surgery on Qiao Kawai. He even..." Jin Mengxi tirelessly recounted everything Jin Chengyan was doing for Qiao Kawai.
Listening to her, it was as if he regarded Qiao Kawai as his own daughter.
Perhaps even a heart made of stone could be warmed!
"Sister, I'm leaving now. I'll come back to see Qiao Kawai when I have time!" Finally, Jin Mengxi waved goodbye to Qiao Nuo.
As soon as Jin Mengxi left, Qiao Nuo immediately called Qiao Chen.
While dialing, Qiao Nuo walked outside. Since Qiao Kawai said she wanted strawberries, it was a perfect opportunity to go buy some while she was sleeping.
"Qiao Chen, why didn't you tell me about your relationship with Jin Mengxi?" Once the call connected, Qiao Nuo immediately questioned him.
She didn't want to interfere too much in her brother's love life, but if the other party was from the Jin Family, she couldn't help but care.
"I didn't know at first that she was from the Jin Family. By the time I found out... it was already too late."
In this world, the hardest thing to control is the heart; once you like someone, you just do—there's no turning back.
“Qiao Chen, are you really not with Jin Mengxi for any other reason?” The question was somewhat probing, hoping that Qiao Chen wasn’t using Jin Mengxi.
It wasn’t that she felt sorry for Jin Mengxi; she just believed that a girl shouldn’t be treated that way.
“Do you think I’m that kind of person?”
Qiao Chen countered, throwing the question back at Qiao Nuo.
Was Qiao Chen really that kind of person? Did she not know her own brother well enough?
“You decide your own feelings! But I don’t want any girl to be sad and in tears because of you.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Qiao Nuo put away her phone and lowered her head to slip it into her pocket, but unexpectedly bumped into a man walking towards her.
The documents in his hands fell to the ground, sheets of white paper scattering from the folder.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Qiao Nuo immediately squatted down to help pick them up; they were all in English, and a quick glance revealed they were medical reports.
She handed the papers back to the man and, as she looked up, found herself caught in his deep-set eyes.
Qiao Nuo froze for a moment, gripping the report tightly in her hand. Even when the man tugged at it twice, he couldn’t pull it from her grasp.
“Miss, my report,” the man said calmly.
Qiao Nuo let go suddenly—no, it wasn’t him.
How could it be him? Aside from those deep-set eyes, Qiao Nuo would always remember Yan Beiting wrapped in bandages, with only his eyes visible. When she looked at him, it was those very same deep-set eyes.
“I… I’m sorry…” Qiao Nuo’s voice seemed to catch in her throat.
The man nodded slightly, putting the report back into the folder. He gave Qiao Nuo a brief nod before turning and walking inside with his documents.
Qiao Nuo turned around and looked at the man's back.
No, it wasn't him.
This man walked with a slight hunch, not tall or upright at all.
Yan Beiting, on the other hand, seemed to walk as if the wind was beneath his feet, and he always wore a smile warmer than sunshine, nothing like the cold demeanor of this man.
Moreover, apart from those eyes, there was no other feature that resembled Yan Beiting.
Yan Beiting...
The thought popped into Qiao Nuo's mind, and she found it hard to believe.
After all, she had witnessed Xi Yisheng placing Yan Beiting's ashes in the grave with her own eyes.
The man reached the nearest corner, walking calmly before turning around and leaning against the wall. His deep-set eyes were lost in infinite contemplation.
...
After all this turmoil, Qiao Nuo spent her year in the hospital.
She disliked the smell of hospitals but had to stay there for Qiao Kawai.
Now, she placed all her hopes on Qiao Kawai's biological mother; finding her would mean one more chance of hope.
However, after the New Year, Qiao Nuo had to return to work. She usually spent half a day at the office and the other half accompanying Qiao Kawai in the hospital.
When she wasn't there, she relied on a caregiver to watch over her.
Qiao Nuo didn't know how much longer this situation would last; she was uncertain whether despair or hopelessness would arrive first.
Yet, before either despair or hopelessness could settle in, Jin Zhongshu arrived.
Before, Yu Xin had subtly suggested that she reconcile with Jin Chengyan, and now she had brought a DNA report.
What more could Jin Zhongshu say?
"Qiao Nuo, this is your divorce agreement with A Yan. As long as you sign it, your marriage can be dissolved immediately."
This was how Jin Zhongshu spoke to her.
Qiao Nuo was momentarily taken aback, but without hesitation, she took the document and signed her name on it.
"If I had known that approaching Mr. Jin would be quicker, I wouldn't have let my marriage with Jin Chengyan drag on this long."
Jin Zhongshu hadn't expected Qiao Nuo to sign the divorce agreement without even glancing at it.
Did she really have no sentimental attachment at all?
"Since ancient times, beautiful women have been the source of trouble. With Ruan Shengyu in the picture, although I don't want to categorize you with her, you have indeed led him to make an irrational decision." Jin Zhongshu put away the document. "I know you were used by him to provoke Ruan Shengyu. Initially, I also intended to use you to make him leave her. Although this method is somewhat unscrupulous, the heir of the Jin Family cannot afford any mistakes because of a woman."
Jin Zhongshu was that kind of person; he needed to control everything.
Even though he knew from the start that Qiao Nuo's marriage with Jin Chengyan was complicated, he could only pretend to be oblivious in order to drive a wedge between Jin Chengyan and Ruan Shengyu.
"Mr. Jin, I've signed the divorce agreement. Please ensure that Jin Chengyan keeps his distance from me in the future."
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