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For several days, Qiao Chen had not seen Qiao Nuo, which naturally made him feel that something was amiss. He wanted to contact her, but he couldn't leave things with Qiao Kawai unattended.
With the surgery just a day away, Qiao Chen intended to notify Qiao Nuo. He had just seen Qiao Kawai leave the hospital room when he encountered Jin Chengyan coming over.
Although the two had never really interacted, Qiao Chen knew that it was because of Jin Chengyan that Qiao Kawai was able to undergo the bone marrow transplant. Even though he wasn't fond of the man, he still maintained a polite demeanor.
However, to his surprise, Jin Chengyan stepped in front of Qiao Chen first.
"Before you go see Qiao Kawai, I want to talk to you," Jin Chengyan said. Being older than Qiao Chen and having dominated the business world for many years, he found it easy to handle this newcomer.
"What do you want to talk about?" Qiao Chen glanced at the time, not in a hurry to find Qiao Nuo.
"Let's change locations."
Soon after, they went up to the hospital rooftop.
The rooftop was a good place—no one would disturb them, and if something were to happen, there were no cameras around to catch them off guard.
"Do you smoke?" Jin Chengyan pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Qiao Chen.
"I don't smoke." He would get scolded by his sister for that; in front of Qiao Nuo, he still wanted to appear as a well-behaved child.
Jin Chengyan didn't press him further. He was about to light up but thought better of it since the surgery was tomorrow and put the cigarette back in the pack.
The tactic of being courteous before getting tough was something Jin Chengyan had mastered.
"You're getting close to Xi Er; your intentions aren't pure, are they?" Jin Chengyan cut straight to the point, his sharp gaze sweeping over Qiao Chen, leaving him nowhere to hide.
"This is between me and Xi Er; it has nothing to do with you."
“She is my sister, how can she not be related to me?” Jin Chengyan raised an eyebrow. “I can understand that you might have overlooked her because of Qiao Kawai, but I cannot tolerate your intentional approach towards her! If you don’t truly love her, stay away from her. Otherwise, don’t think that just because you’re Qiao Nuo’s brother, I won’t do anything to you!”
“What does being Qiao Nuo’s brother have to do with anything? You and my sister are already divorced! Do you really care about her… no, do you care at all?”
“Don’t change the subject. I’m talking about Xi Er! Either marry her or break up!”
Jin Mengxi had been feeling down for a while. Jin Chengyan had a lot on his plate and was facing surgery tomorrow, but if Jin Mengxi’s situation wasn’t resolved soon, he wouldn’t know how to help her when she got deeper into trouble.
“Break up? Jin Chengyan, right now your sister is clinging to me. I’m afraid that if I say we should break up, she’ll cry and throw a fit. You know her personality, don’t you?”
It was precisely because he knew that Jin Chengyan sought out Qiao Chen for this conversation.
He wanted to force Qiao Chen into making a decision.
But if they really had to break up, it would be better to do it quickly rather than prolong the pain. Watching Jin Mengxi suffer like that was too hard.
“Qiao Chen! Xi Er is my sister. Just try to hurt her and see what consequences you’ll face.”
“Then let’s wait and see.”
Qiao Chen left.
Jin Chengyan was starting to feel genuinely irritated.
If before this conversation he wasn’t sure whether Qiao Chen was truly using Jin Mengxi to get at him, after their talk, he was certain.
If that person were Jin Mengli, everything would be easier. Jin Mengli was the kind of person who could easily walk away from a relationship. No matter how much she loved someone, she could turn and leave. Wasn’t that what happened with Chu Yuxiu’s father?
But Jin Mengxi was different; she had always been pampered. Whatever she liked, she had to have. If she found out that Qiao Chen was only using her, she would definitely be unable to bear it.
Jin Chengyan rubbed his temples, wanting to take out a cigarette. He brought it to his lips but, thinking of the surgery tomorrow, he put it back down.
Smoking had become a habit after Qiao Nuo left. During that time, he drank and smoked, doing whatever he could to torment his body.
He truly went through a period of depression.
Fortunately, that person had returned.
Returned… but what difference did it make?
That night, he slept in the room upstairs while she slept in the room downstairs. Despite being so close, it felt as if there were an entire universe between them—an insurmountable distance.
As Jin Chengyan turned to head downstairs, his phone rang.
A text message.
For four years, hardly anyone had texted him. He found texting cumbersome; if something could be resolved with a phone call, he would never waste time with back-and-forth messages.
However, upon seeing who the message was from, Jin Chengyan paused. He unlocked the screen and saw just a few simple words.
“Are you coming back for dinner tonight?”
The question was so tentative.
Yet, those few words struck Jin Chengyan's heart with considerable force.
No one would ask him if he would return home for dinner in the evening. Even at the Jin Family Mansion, he would only have his secretary inform the housekeeper whether he had social engagements or not.
Being born into such a family was indeed a tragic affair.
Suddenly wanting to hear Qiao Nuo's voice, he called her directly.
It seemed unexpected for Qiao Nuo that Jin Chengyan would call back. When she answered the phone, there was a moment of surprise.
"There's surgery tomorrow, and I won't be attending any social events," Jin Chengyan said flatly. Their relationship had always been tense, with neither of them bringing up what had happened that day.
"Yes, you should rest well."
However, to Jin Chengyan, her words carried a different weight because he needed to be in good shape for the transplant surgery he was performing on Qiao Kawai the next day.
So, her thoughts were still on Qiao Kawai.
Without warning, Jin Chengyan abruptly hung up the phone.
Did this woman never think about herself?
Listening to the dial tone, Qiao Nuo wondered what she had done to provoke Jin Chengyan. He had specifically called back just to say he wouldn’t be attending any events.
It was truly… incomprehensible.
…
After taking a moment to compose himself, Jin Chengyan made his way to Qiao Kawai's hospital room. The originally drowsy Qiao Kawai brightened up upon seeing him.
“Daddy, it’s been so long since you came to see me!” Qiao Kawai blinked her big eyes, looking as if she had been waiting forever.
Jin Chengyan sat down beside Qiao Kawai’s hospital bed. This little girl was becoming more and more endearing; if it weren't for her suffering from illness, she should be happily playing right now.
“And Mommy, I haven’t seen her in days either. Is it because she doesn’t like me anymore that she doesn’t want to see me?” Qiao Kawai's voice grew softer.
“How could that be? Mommy has just been really tired these past few days. I told her to rest at home; she definitely doesn’t dislike you, my little cutie.” Jin Chengyan thought about how Qiao Nuo had practically slept in the hospital every day to take care of Qiao Kawai.
He hadn’t expected Qiao Kawai to miss her mother so much, yet Qiao Nuo hadn’t mentioned anything about it to him.
The two of them really were at odds with each other.
“Really?” Qiao Kawai looked up at Jin Chengyan with her innocent eyes.
“Of course! You’re so adorable; who wouldn’t like you?”
“But… some people don’t like me…” Qiao Kawai lowered her head and spoke softly.
“Who?” Jin Chengyan was unsure what thoughts were running through Qiao Kawai’s mind. “Little cutie, not everyone in this world will like you. You can only do your best to be kind to those who do like you and forget about those who don’t. That way, you can be a happy little princess.”
Clearly, Jin Chengyan’s words were too complicated for Qiao Kawai to grasp. Her Chinese wasn’t very fluent, and now he was giving her a long lecture.
She looked at Jin Chengyan in confusion.
Jin Chengyan smiled slightly. “Let’s put it this way: Mommy and I, along with your Little Daddy, all love you. As long as you love us back, that’s enough.”
“I love you all!” Qiao Kawai understood that part easily. “And there’s Xi Dad too!”
Jin Chengyan felt a tightness in his chest when it came to Qiao Kawai and Xi Yisheng.
“Ahem, do you really… like your… Xi Dad?” Jin Chengyan was genuinely concerned about Xi Yisheng.
After all, he had been with Qiao Nuo for four years, helping her rise from her lows to find light again, assisting her in her rebirth and transformation.
“I like him a lot!” Qiao Kawai nodded. Noticing that Jin Chengyan seemed a bit off, she quickly added, “Of course, my favorite is still you, Daddy!”
Hearing this made Jin Chengyan relax instantly; it was worth the effort he would put in tomorrow for this little one’s transplant.
“The handsome Doctor Qi told me that I’ll have surgery tomorrow and will sleep for a long time. When I wake up, will the first person I see be you, Daddy?”
Of course not. Jin Chengyan would also be undergoing surgery tomorrow. Although his procedure would finish before Qiao Kawai's, the anesthesia would likely still be in effect when he woke up. Even if he did wake up, he wouldn’t be able to stay by Qiao Kawai’s bedside.
But was “the handsome Doctor Qi” really something that came from Qiao Kawai’s mouth?
This little girl certainly knew how to win hearts; he had heard that all the doctors and nurses here had been charmed by her.
“How about I stay with you in the operating room?”
“Really? Can you do that?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you, Daddy!” Qiao Kawai blinked her eyes. “I wish Mommy were here too.”
Qiao Kawai truly missed Qiao Nuo, and Jin Chengyan could see that clearly.
At this moment, should he call someone over? However, the phone call had just ended so decisively...
Watching Qiao Kawai quickly fall asleep, Jin Chengyan instructed the nurse to take good care of her before stepping out of the ward. He contemplated sending a text message to Qiao Nuo.
As Jin Chengyan began to type, he realized that sending a text was truly a frustrating task. How could he make the message sound less stiff?
Even though the other person couldn't see his expression through the screen, women always seemed to be adept at reading between the lines.
Their relationship was already quite awkward; if anything else went wrong, Jin Chengyan really wouldn't know how to mend things with Qiao Nuo.
Just as he was about to send the message, his phone rang, covering the messaging interface. He let out a long sigh.
It was a call from Yu Xin.
"A Yan, come home for dinner tonight," Yu Xin ordered Jin Chengyan directly.
He remembered promising Qiao Nuo that he would return home tonight, so he replied, "I’ve been a bit busy these past few days; I’ll come back to see you and Dad in a few days."
"Busy with what? Are you not even eating? If you don’t come back tonight, don’t bother coming back at all."
"Mom..."
Yu Xin hung up on Jin Chengyan abruptly, swift and decisive.
Jin Chengyan wondered if he had upset Yu Xin somehow to provoke such a strong reaction from her.
Could it be that they found out about the surgery?
It was impossible. Ever since Jin Zhongshu discovered it last time, he had been extremely cautious, ensuring that the hospital would not reveal who provided Qiao Kawai with the bone marrow transplant.
So why was Yu Xin so angry?
Because of Yu Xin’s actions, Jin Chengyan felt unsettled and drove straight to the Jin Family Mansion.
He found A Shan already waiting for him at the door.
“What are you doing standing outside? Did your godfather punish you?” Jin Chengyan teased A Shan.
A Shan made a helpless expression. “My phone was just confiscated by Godmother, so I couldn’t notify you.”
“Notify me about what?” A sense of unease crept over Jin Chengyan. Did Yu Xin really find out?
He was already considering leaving the Jin Family Mansion, knowing that he had to perform the surgery for Qiao Kawai tomorrow. He couldn’t bear to see such a lovely girl like her perish.
Before A Shan could respond, footsteps echoed from inside.
It was Yu Xin. After all these years, she still wore fitted clothes at home and high heels, embodying the role of the Jin Family Matriarch, a position not easily held by just anyone.
“A Yan, you’re back!” However, Yu Xin’s voice was particularly gentle, making Jin Chengyan feel strangely uncomfortable.
Caught by Yu Xin, there was no way for Jin Chengyan to leave; he could only stand there.
Seeing Yu Xin come out from inside with a fresh-faced girl beside her, and noticing A Shan’s expression, he instantly understood.
“Mom, I’m back,” he replied lightly. Over the years, Yu Xin had never stopped trying to set him up on blind dates.
The things that others dared not mention in front of him were precisely what Yu Xin chose to do, rubbing salt into his wounds.
In the past, Jin Chengyan could use the excuse that he hadn’t divorced Qiao Nuo, but now, Jin Zhongshu had surely informed Yu Xin that he and Qiao Nuo were no longer together.
And now, here he was, accompanied by a fresh-faced girl whose connection to him was unclear—perhaps she was the daughter of a friend of a friend.
"You're back just in time! I was just talking to Yun Xin about you for quite a while. Come here, let me introduce you," Yu Xin said, her tone reminiscent of a proud saleswoman as she took Yun Xin's hand. "A Yan, this is my friend’s daughter, Yun Xin. She just returned from studying abroad and is an incredible artist. She’s about to hold an exhibition, and you must come support her."
The girl named Yun Xin was indeed sweet and charming, graceful in demeanor; however, Jin Chengyan felt absolutely no attraction towards her.
Upon hearing his mother’s introduction and out of courtesy, he politely nodded.
"Yun Xin, this is my son, A Yan."
"Hello, Mr. Jin. I've heard so much about you while I was abroad. You’re even more handsome in person than in magazines."
"Not just handsome; he’s capable too. Thanks to him, his father and I can live so easily," Yu Xin chimed in.
"You’re absolutely right, Auntie," Yun Xin replied, both she and Yu Xin showering Jin Chengyan with compliments that elevated him to the heavens.
Yet the man himself seemed completely indifferent to their words.
At this moment, he should have been thinking about how to extricate himself from the situation.
"What are you still doing standing at the door? Come into the living room; dinner will be ready soon," Yu Xin said as she released Yun Xin's hand, clearly indicating for her to move closer to Jin Chengyan.
Without hesitation, Jin Chengyan pulled A Shan closer to him and asked casually, "When did you come back? Why didn’t you let me know?"
A Shan sighed, "You could have told me earlier."
Jin Chengyan frowned slightly, "Why didn't you let me know sooner?"
"I just got back, and Godmother took my phone away," A Shan replied.
"Don't you have a landline? I can't believe you've become so inflexible! It seems like the one who needs to go on a blind date is you, not me!"
A Shan paused for a moment, "Godmother had all the signals blocked here."
Jin Chengyan was at a loss for words.
Yu Xin's plans would undoubtedly succeed.
"Find a way to help me escape later; I promised Qiao Nuo I'd go back."
After spending some time in the living room, Jin Chengyan had learned about Yun Xin's family background and interests through Yu Xin and Yun Xin's introductions.
He merely nodded, choosing not to express his opinions; knowing was enough.
Yu Xin was quite dissatisfied with his attitude. After all, Yun Xin was a girl she favored. If they could truly be together, she could eventually become the matriarch of the Jin Family, helping Jin Chengyan in many matters.
Unfortunately, Jin Chengyan showed no enthusiasm for this idea.
Not wanting to linger in the awkwardness, Yu Xin suggested they go eat.
So, the group got up from the sofa, and at Yu Xin's suggestion, Yun Xin was guided to sit beside Jin Chengyan.
Jin Chengyan was the object of admiration for many girls. So what if he had been married and divorced? He was still a catch—handsome and charming. How many women would willingly approach him?
Jin Chengyan shot a glance at A Shan, wondering why he wasn't doing anything.
However, A Shan pretended not to see... not to see...
Jin Chengyan thought that if he had to spend the entire evening with Yun Xin, he would end up taking drastic measures against A Shan by morning.
Just then, A Shan, who had been holding a cup of water, approached the table beside Jin Chengyan. Whether it was intentional or not, he seemed to trip over something and spilled the hot water all over Jin Chengyan.
What a clever move.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," A Shan quickly set down the cup and tried to wipe off the water from Jin Chengyan.
But beside them, Miss Yun Xin immediately grabbed a napkin from the nearby table and leaned down to help Jin Chengyan dry off...
Yu Xin observed everything closely. She knew A Shan had done it on purpose but also recognized that Yun Xin genuinely cared for Jin Chengyan. This girl might actually be worthwhile.
“A Yan, are you okay? The tea seems really hot,” Yun Xin said, wiping Jin Chengyan with concern.
Jin Chengyan quickly stepped back, placing the culprit A Shan in front of him. He disliked and was unaccustomed to other women being so close to him.
“Look what you've done! You spilled tea all over me. I’m going to change clothes now,” Jin Chengyan said, his voice low as he scolded A Shan.
A Shan lowered her head in acknowledgment of her mistake, but wasn’t this what Jin Chengyan had asked for in the first place? It was just unfortunate that he had to endure being splashed with such hot tea.
“Then hurry up and change. We’ll wait for you to have dinner,” she said.
“No need to wait for me. I’ll leave first,” Jin Chengyan replied without even glancing at Yun Xin. He immediately exited the living room, but it wasn’t in the direction of the stairs.
The Jin Family Mansion had many villas, yet Jin Chengyan lived in this one, and his room was here too. If he insisted on leaving, it was clear he was trying to escape.
Since Yun Xin was still there, Yu Xin didn’t say much. She merely mentioned that they would go eat without waiting for Jin Chengyan and shot A Shan a glare.
Fifteen minutes later, Jin Chengyan called to say that a major client had suddenly come up, and he needed to go see them in person without delay. He wouldn’t be returning and wanted to apologize to Yun Xin.
His words sounded so grandiose that Yu Xin really didn’t want to scold Jin Chengyan.
Meanwhile, Jin Chengyan was driving in wet pants, which was quite uncomfortable.
Checking the time, he accelerated towards Jin Mansion.
Upon arriving at the Jin Mansion, Jin Chengyan felt it was still a relatively standard time to finish work. He glanced at the rearview mirror to tidy up his hairstyle.
Not bad, still handsome.
Though the tea stains on his pants were a bit unfortunate.
However, his looks could make up for that.
He opened the car door and confidently walked inside, thinking about the woman waiting for him at home, which brightened his mood and allowed him to push aside thoughts of the blind date he had just attended.
As he entered, he heard sounds coming from the kitchen. He turned left, walked through the hallway, and stood at the kitchen door, where he indeed saw Qiao Nuo inside.
Dressed simply in a cotton long-sleeve T-shirt and cotton pants, her long hair was pulled back with a hair tie, though a few strands had escaped, adding to her casual beauty.
In the past, only Yu Xin had cooked for him. Although there were maids who cooked later on, it just didn’t feel the same.
None of them were Jin Chengyan's.
Only Qiao Nuo was truly his.
It seemed she sensed someone at the door; Qiao Nuo turned around and saw Jin Chengyan. For a brief moment, she looked startled.
Is he smiling at me?
He was indeed smiling, though subtly.
It wasn’t that she expected such a smile from him, but it reminded Qiao Nuo of times when he used to smile like that at her.
"What's wrong with your pants?" Qiao Nuo pulled her thoughts back, refusing to be swayed by his smile. Besides, he was no longer the person he used to be.
Even back then, he didn't seem to care much about her!
"I got scalded by hot water..." He said it in such a pitiful way, as if a whole bucket of boiling water had been thrown on him.
"Is it serious?" Qiao Nuo had already grabbed some kitchen paper and was walking towards Jin Chengyan.
She knew that his return meant he was fine, and that being able to stand there and talk to her indicated it wasn't serious at all. Yet, she couldn't help but step closer.
That instinctive behavior was truly the most frightening.
She had already reached Jin Chengyan's side when she stopped.
Wanting to retreat, she found her wrist caught by Jin Chengyan.
"What's wrong? Are you worried about me?" His tone was so teasing.
Qiao Nuo felt a surge of irritation. Why did he always act like this?
"I'm worried you might be injured and unable to undergo surgery!"
He released her wrist. Well, maybe he was a bit hurt, but it was all his own doing—who could he blame?
Still, Qiao Nuo placed the kitchen paper on his pants, feeling that they were still damp.
But as she leaned in closer, she caught a different scent coming from him—definitely not her perfume.
The hand froze in that instant, and then suddenly pulled away, completely unaware that the tissue had fallen to the ground.
Jin Chengyan could easily see that something was off with Qiao Nuo. He couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Qiao Nuo's reaction was indeed unusual. After all, it was just a moment of helping him wipe his pants; what else could it mean? Could she possibly know that he had just been on a blind date?
Qiao Nuo snapped back to reality and, for some reason, let out a laugh. However, the sound made Jin Chengyan feel uneasy.
"Nothing, what could it be? I understand; right now, I'm just your lover. Am I not allowed to care about your matters?" Qiao Nuo genuinely felt she was going crazy; even the smallest things could turn her world upside down.
But she couldn't shake off the discomfort. Why was it that four years ago he could be with her while also being with Ruan Shengyu, and four years later, he could still let other women get close to him?
Women are inherently sensitive beings.
"Huh?" Jin Chengyan truly didn't understand Qiao Nuo's words.
"I just want to ask you one thing: when will you get tired of me?" The cold voice slipped from Qiao Nuo's lips.
Jin Chengyan felt a pang of anger; she actually remembered his offhand remark!
"At least not now." He lifted her chin and kissed her softly on the lips.
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