Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Qiao Nuo was slightly taken aback. Did this mean Jin Chengyan was agreeing to her request for a divorce?
Before she could ask her next question, A Shan rushed in from outside. He was surprised to see Qiao Nuo there, but there was no time for pleasantries.
“Godfather has had a heart attack and has been taken to the hospital!”
Jin Chengyan immediately stood up from his chair, grabbing his suit and phone, ready to follow A Shan out.
In just a matter of seconds, Qiao Nuo remained seated on the sofa, unable to process what was happening.
Jin Chengyan approached her, taking her hand. “What are you still doing sitting here?”
Was she really that slow to react? Hearing Jin Chengyan’s words, Qiao Nuo quickly got up and followed him to the hospital.
During the car ride, Qiao Nuo listened as A Shan explained Jin Zhongshu’s health condition. Despite his imposing demeanor, this middle-aged man had been dealing with heart issues for years, carefully avoiding stress and trying to maintain his health.
Recently, with all the troubles surrounding Jin Chengyan and the announcement of his split from Yan Fei, Jin Zhongshu had become increasingly worried, which ultimately led to his health crisis.
As the chairman of the Jin Corporation, Jin Zhongshu's health was always under scrutiny; any sign of trouble did not escape public attention.
This time, his illness struck suddenly, and with him being hospitalized, reporters were waiting outside the hospital to learn about the condition of this once-dominant figure in the business world.
The car couldn’t enter the premises and had to stop at the entrance. As Jin Chengyan and Qiao Nuo got out of the car, they were swarmed by reporters.
“Mr. Jin, can you tell us how your father is doing? Can you provide an explanation for the public and all those shareholders?”
“Mr. Jin, is it true that the collaboration between Jin and Yan Fei has come to an end?”
“Mr. Jin, we heard that Miss Ruan is also in this hospital. Will you be visiting her while you’re here with your wife?”
While the first questions were related to Jin Zhongshu’s condition, the latter ones unexpectedly brought Ruan Shengyu into the mix.
Jin Chengyan had intended to take Qiao Nuo directly inside but halted when he heard Ruan Shengyu's name. He felt Qiao Nuo's hand stiffen slightly in his grip as if she wanted to pull away.
Qiao Nuo lowered her head, her hair covering half of her face, but from Jin Chengyan's perspective, he could see the darkness on her face.
The reporter, not receiving an answer, became even more aggressive.
"Mr. Jin, are you appearing with your wife now to clear your reputation as a scoundrel? Your wife is a victim in this situation, yet instead of helping her, you are shielding the criminal suspect. You..."
"Bang—" Before the reporter could finish, Jin Chengyan released Qiao Nuo's hand and threw a punch!
The reporters surrounding them erupted in chaos at Jin Chengyan's sudden action.
"How can you just hit someone?" the reporter said, covering his mouth corner angrily. "Public figures hitting people? There are so many cameras capturing this! I’ll make sure you go viral!"
"Go ahead and try!" Jin Chengyan's tone was far from pleasant, sounding like a reckless thug who feared nothing.
Qiao Nuo stood frozen in place, watching the furious Jin Chengyan. Wasn’t he overreacting a bit?
Hitting someone, especially in front of so many cameras!
"Jin Chengyan, let's go inside!" Qiao Nuo grabbed Jin Chengyan's hand. If she didn’t stop him, he might truly not care about all the cameras around and would beat that reporter to the point where even his parents wouldn’t recognize him!
In his anger, when Jin Chengyan felt Qiao Nuo’s hand on his arm, it seemed to diffuse some of his rage.
This significant conflict ended with Qiao Nuo pulling Jin Chengyan away.
On their way to the operating room, Qiao Nuo released Jin Chengyan's hand.
"Why are you so impatient? Even if what he said is true, hitting someone in front of all those cameras is not good for you," Qiao Nuo said to Jin Chengyan, who was walking beside her.
Jin Chengyan turned to look at Qiao Nuo. "Are you worried about me?"
"At a time like this, you still have the mood to joke? Your father is in the operating room!"
"Qi Ziluo and the others will get the best doctors for my father. Besides, he’s in great health and still so young. And with Mom being healthy too, he wouldn’t want to leave her behind!" Jin Chengyan said confidently. In his mind, such a strong father could never die.
He felt that even if he died, the old man of the Jin Family might still be alive!
Qiao Nuo shook his head, still unsure where Jin Chengyan's confidence came from.
However, when the two of them reached the door of the operating room, they discovered that the entire Jin Family had arrived! It seemed they had all rushed over after receiving news about Jin Zhongshu's surgery!
Jin Zhongshu was not only the chairman of Jin Corporation but also the head of the Jin Family. If anything were to happen to this man with dual identities at this moment, it could throw the entire Jin Family into chaos!
Not to mention that such a large family had not yet officially been handed over to Jin Chengyan, and that such a big company as Jin Corporation was not entirely in his hands. With so many board members, it was uncertain whether they all listened to Jin Chengyan; who knew what undercurrents were stirring beneath the surface?
Everyone anxiously awaited the outcome of the surgery. Yu Xin sat outside the operating room, clutching her chest, while Jin Mengli sat beside her, offering comfort.
The whole family waited for news from the surgery. Seeing that no one was looking after her, Chu Yuxiu ran over to her Uncle and Aunt-in-law.
“Uncle, what happened to Grandpa? Everyone seems really worried!” Chu Yuxiu asked, looking up with a hint of confusion.
Jin Chengyan glanced at the lights outside the operating room. It hadn’t been long since he last waited outside; it seemed he had developed quite a connection with the hospital lately.
He picked up Chu Yuxiu and gently patted his back. “It’s okay; Grandpa is inside chatting with someone. He’ll be out soon.”
Qiao Nuo thought to herself: Is it really necessary to lie to a child like this? Does he think Chu Yuxiu doesn’t understand anything?
However, it seemed that Chu Yuxiu was genuinely tired; he rested his head on Jin Chengyan's shoulder and soon fell asleep.
Seeing Jin Chengyan arrive, Yu Xin appeared to find her pillar of support. In this family, she first relied on her husband; if something happened to him, then she would turn to her son!
Qiao Nuo naturally noticed this too. “Just hand Chu Yuxiu over to me; your mother seems like she has something to say to you.” Qiao Nuo reached out to take Chu Yuxiu.
She knew that her mother truly needed him. “She’s not just my mother; she’s also your mother-in-law, not just ‘your mom.’”
At this moment, he didn’t forget to educate Qiao Nuo. She rolled her eyes but did so in a way that Jin Chengyan wouldn’t notice. After taking Chu Yuxiu from him, Jin Chengyan walked over.
Seeing Jin Chengyan arrive, Jin Mengli automatically moved away from Yu Xin and came over to Qiao Nuo’s side.
“Give me the child, you must be tired holding him.” Jin Mengli was a very intelligent woman, aware that she was now a married daughter. Although her family still spoiled her and treated her like a young lady, her relationship with the Jin Family had fundamentally changed.
Jin Chengyan was the true heir of the Jin Family; once her younger brother arrived, she would willingly pass that position to him.
However, she didn’t see anything wrong with that.
“It’s fine. He won’t sleep well being passed around anyway; I can hold him just fine,” Qiao Nuo actually liked Chu Yuxiu. She liked him before her memory loss and still liked him afterward, so holding him wasn’t a big deal.
Jin Mengli gently patted her son’s head and allowed Qiao Nuo to hold him.
“Dad’s illness came so suddenly. I hope he can pull through; otherwise, A Yan’s path ahead will be really difficult,” Jin Mengli said, looking at the mother and child on the chair, along with so many other members of the Jin Family.
Qiao Nuo couldn’t help but hear the concern in Jin Mengli’s words; she just didn’t know how serious the situation really was or what kind of challenges Jin Chengyan would face in the future.
“Qiao Nuo, just stay by A Yan’s side. After all these years, he has carried everything alone. The entire burden of the Jin Family rests on his shoulders. Now, only you can help him share that load; no one else can,” Jin Mengli spoke earnestly.
But Qiao Nuo remained silent. What could she possibly do to help Jin Chengyan?
Moreover, she had already decided to divorce him. As for him, there would surely be others willing to help; did he really need Qiao Nuo?
“You might think I’m morally coercing you by using A Yan’s current predicament to keep you by his side. If you want to think that way, it’s fine; after all, I am a selfish person who wants someone by my brother’s side to support him. He likes you, and you can provide him with emotional support—that’s all there is to it. That’s why I want you to stay.”
“Like…” Qiao Nuo repeated those words. As for Jin Chengyan's feelings toward her, she really couldn’t say there was any real affection! At least that was how Qiao Nuo felt in her heart.
“You don’t believe it?” As someone who had been through similar situations, Jin Mengli quickly discerned Qiao Nuo’s tone. “That makes sense.”
Qiao Nuo thought: …Sister, your words are so fickle! One moment you say Jin Chengyan likes me; when I express doubt, you just go along with it.
“But Qiao Nuo, what I want to tell you is that what resides in the heart isn’t love. What you can truly hold in your hands, what you can touch and rely on—that is love.”
Jin Mengli glanced at Chu Tiankuo while advising Qiao Nuo, as if sharing her own experiences.
“What resides in the heart isn’t love? Then what is love?” Qiao Nuo didn’t understand. Isn’t love something that can only be held in one’s heart? If it couldn’t even fit in one’s heart, how could it be called love?
Jin Mengli patted Qiao Nuo on the shoulder, saying, "What matters is that he is by your side. And he can only exist in Ruan Shengyu's heart."
For men, a sense of responsibility is paramount. They always know who their wife is and who the woman outside is. Even if they indulge in debauchery outside, they ultimately recognize the way home and will return before midnight!
Qiao Nuo looked at Jin Chengyan, feeling like she understood a bit more, yet it seemed as if she understood nothing at all.
Ah, love—what a tormenting thing it is.
Two hours later, the assistant doctor emerged from the operating room to update Jin Zhongshu's condition.
"Mr. Jin has suffered a myocardial infarction, accompanied by vascular aging and insufficient blood supply to the heart. His liver also shows signs of hardening. We just managed to stabilize Mr. Jin, but his condition is not good. We will conduct a thorough physical examination and arrange for surgery at a later date."
They had only managed to stabilize him; surgery would have to wait for another day. Thinking about it, this was yet another difficult process.
Qiao Nuo knew how unbearable those days could be.
When her father was ill in the past, she had no money and no doctors she knew. The daily hospital fees were a headache, along with a pile of other issues—her mood was always terrible.
If it weren't for the fact that the Qiao Family still needed her to hold things together back then, she probably would have fallen into depression long ago!
Now, Jin Chengyan was experiencing what she had gone through at that time. However, unlike her, he had money and so many people from the Jin Family around him.
The files were merely what Qiao Nuo saw on the surface.
Late at night, after everyone from the Jin Family had left—Yu Xin even let A Shan take her home—only Jin Chengyan remained at the hospital to care for Jin Zhongshu. This was what a successor of the Jin Family should do.
As for Qiao Nuo, as Jin Chengyan's wife, it seemed inappropriate for her to leave at this moment.
She stayed in the hospital room for a while but did not see Jin Chengyan return; he had said he would step out for a moment.
Glancing at Jin Zhongshu lying quietly on the bed, surrounded by numerous tubes and instruments, she gently exited the room to look for Jin Chengyan.
After walking around for a while, there was still no sign of Jin Chengyan.
Hospitals can be quite terrifying places, and Qiao Nuo felt an eerie chill; it was better to return to the ward.
Just as she turned to leave, she heard some sounds from the stairwell—a faint cough, low and somewhat stifled.
Qiao Nuo glanced around but saw no one. Perhaps it was best to head back!
It really was a bit frightening.
“Cough, cough…” The coughing continued from that direction, sounding more like someone had choked.
Qiao Nuo pushed open the stairwell door. The light was bright, and she spotted Jin Chengyan standing on the landing, smoking. There were already several cigarette butts at his feet.
From her vantage point, Qiao Nuo could see his profile clearly. He didn’t appear as composed and strategic as he had been earlier in front of the Jin family; instead, he looked somewhat disheveled and helpless—almost unlike Jin Chengyan.
In her mind, Jin Chengyan was invincible, capable of overcoming any obstacle. She never imagined there could be something that could trouble him to this extent, leaving him at a loss.
She knew he didn’t smoke, yet here he was with several cigarette butts lying around him. Despite not being accustomed to it, he continued to smoke! He coughed but didn’t stop.
Perhaps it was some sort of telepathic connection or just coincidence; Jin Chengyan turned around and saw Qiao Nuo.
His first instinct was to throw away the cigarette in his hand and wave away the smoke lingering in the air before looking at her with a hint of helplessness on his face.
Seeing this made Qiao Nuo feel inexplicably pained inside.
She felt sorry for this man who clearly didn’t hold her in his heart! She felt sorry for this man who had another woman in his thoughts.
She walked over and looked at him.
Jin Chengyan met her gaze, and after two seconds, they both leaned against the railing as if they had silently agreed, gazing out at the night scenery together.
"I'm sorry," Jin Chengyan's heavy voice floated out.
"Huh?" Why was he apologizing at this moment?
"Back when you were at your wit's end, I brought up the idea of marriage at the most inappropriate time and insisted that you agree to it. Now I finally understand what it feels like to be threatened when the life of someone so dear is uncertain. So, I'm sorry."
Qiao Nuo listened, somewhat confused, but she grasped the general idea.
Indeed, she had been very angry at that time, especially with Jin Chengyan's outrageous behavior. She had wondered how someone could be so cruel as to rub salt in another's wounds.
But now, reflecting on it, Jin Chengyan's actions at that time seemed trivial in comparison!
"Qiao Nuo, actually, my father's condition is worse than what the doctors said outside the operating room. They downplayed it to reassure most of the Jin family and to comfort my mother. The Jin family is not as solid or united as you might think. If we had announced that my father's organs were failing, it would have led to a fierce power struggle." Jin Chengyan spoke about a world that Qiao Nuo did not understand.
She had always been far removed from such family disputes. Even though her family was well-off, her father had never allowed her to experience anything like that.
Sibling rivalries and family betrayals were foreign concepts to Qiao Nuo.
Yet now, looking at Jin Chengyan, he seemed to be struggling.
"If I had known this situation would arise, perhaps I shouldn't have ended my partnership with Yan Fei. At least I wouldn't have to guard against external threats while dealing with internal troubles. And it seems like there's also a fire in the backyard." Jin Chengyan looked at Qiao Nuo with a bitter smile.
His "backyard" was none other than Qiao Nuo herself. Her desire for divorce felt like a fire breaking out.
"You brought this upon yourself," Qiao Nuo scoffed, showing no sympathy—only mockery.
Jin Chengyan felt genuinely hurt; his heart ached as he suddenly rested his chin on Qiao Nuo's shoulder.
She tried to push him away, but he held onto her hand.
"Qiao Nuo, let me lean on you for a moment; I'm so tired," he whispered softly in her ear.
Once again, whenever he spoke in that low tone close to her ear, laced with just a hint of charm, Qiao Nuo found herself defenseless against him.
She remained still, allowing Jin Chengyan to rest his chin on her shoulder.
"Qiao Nuo, is your heart still here?" Jin Chengyan pointed to her left atrium.
"If it weren't here, do you think I could still stand here and talk to you?" Qiao Nuo knew that Jin Chengyan didn't mean it literally, but she was determined to contradict him.
"If it's still here, can you not shut me out? You have no idea how difficult these past few days have been for me. I don't want you to be cold towards me; I don't like it. You were the one who liked me first, so why should you stop liking me first? It's not fair for you to take everything."
"Then I'll let you be the first to not like me," Qiao Nuo said bluntly.
"See? That means you still like me!"
Qiao Nuo felt trapped by Jin Chengyan's words, going in circles until she didn't even know what she was saying anymore.
She fell silent, recalling the conversation she had with Yan Beiting in the car that day. Most of what she said was meant to provoke him, hoping he would finally let go and stop harboring any illusions about her.
Yet, the words she could express were mostly thoughts she had entertained. How could she say she didn’t love Jin Chengyan? That was impossible!
If Jin Chengyan truly came to seek her forgiveness and promised never to have anything to do with Ruan Shengyu again, she might genuinely soften and agree to him wholeheartedly.
Especially in his current state, wasn't it a bit cruel to leave him?
Qiao Nuo was the kind of person who never quite understood the phrase "once bitten, twice shy." A single soft word from him or a look of grievance could unleash all her maternal instincts.
"Jin Chengyan..." Qiao Nuo felt as if she lacked the strength to speak; after all, how could she utter the words "I don't like you"?
"Qiao Nuo, let's be together properly! Let's start everything anew, okay?" He shifted from resting his chin on her shoulder to embracing her.
Qiao Nuo could smell the mixed scent of cologne and tobacco on him. It wasn’t overwhelming but impossible to ignore; rather than repelling her, she found herself liking his scent.
Often, love extends to everything associated with the beloved. It would be unbearable for her if other men carried that same scent of cologne and tobacco—she wouldn't be able to stand it!
His words seemed almost enchanting, leaving Qiao Nuo unable to refuse.
“Let’s wait until Dad gets better to discuss the divorce…” This was Qiao Nuo’s final concession. To bring up the topic of divorce during such a tumultuous time would be cruel to Jin Chengyan, and for the Jin family, it would mean that Qiao Nuo was being ungrateful and heartless.
After all, it was Jin Chengyan who had helped her when she was at her wit's end, regardless of whether his methods were ethical.
Upon hearing Qiao Nuo’s words, Jin Chengyan could no longer hold back. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lips!
Qiao Nuo: “…” She hadn’t even said she would forgive him yet; what was this kiss about?
…
The next day, Qiao Nuo and Jin Chengyan were still at the hospital caring for Jin Zhongshu, who had yet to regain consciousness.
Many people wanted to come and visit, but they were all kept outside.
However, when Liu Mingzhang arrived with his goddaughter, Qiao Nuo’s previously rosy cheeks drained of color in an instant.
Comment 0 Comment Count