Chapter 175: Chapter 173: Children Will Have Their Own Fortune

"As for Chen Man..."

Su Tang sighed softly. "I’m a few years younger than Chen Zhengnian, but he truly sees her as a little sister. There isn’t a single romantic thought between them."

"You can’t force love. Shoving them together wouldn’t be a marriage, it would be starting a feud. They would both be miserable, and the bond between our families would be damaged. Why put everyone through that?"

Every word Su Tang said was reasonable and spoken with sincerity.

She didn’t criticize Mrs. Chen directly.

Instead, she conveyed Chen Zhengnian’s current feelings.

Mentioning how Chen Zhengnian had acted when she was critically ill particularly touched the softest spot in Mrs. Chen’s heart.

The heaving of Mrs. Chen’s chest gradually subsided. She slowly turned her head to look at Su Tang.

Her gaze swept over Su Tang’s young but composed face, finally resting on her prominent, pregnant belly.

A new life was growing there, a symbol of hope and the future.

Her words had truly struck a chord with her.

After a long moment, she let out a long, deep sigh, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

She didn’t speak, but simply reached out and took Su Tang’s hand.

This small gesture said more than a thousand words.

Although she didn’t explicitly say she accepted it, it seemed Su Tang’s words had moved her.

Outside the hospital room, Chen Zhengnian, who had rushed over after learning his mother was out of danger, happened to overhear Su Tang’s final, earnest words.

He leaned against the wall, tilted his head back, and shut his eyes tightly.

Su Tang’s words were like a gentle rain, silently nourishing the dry ground.

Perhaps having had a brush with death had given Mrs. Chen a new perspective on things.

Su Tang knew that some seeds had been planted. They just needed time and the right opportunity to sprout.

She didn’t say any more. She just thoughtfully asked how Mrs. Chen was feeling, reminded her of a few things to keep in mind, and then got up to leave.

"Auntie, please get some rest. I’ll come see you again later. Remember, don’t get worked up again. Your health is what’s most important."

The door closed softly, and quiet returned to the room.

Mrs. Chen’s gaze slowly shifted to the window.

She thought of their argument, of the insurmountable disappointment and pain in his eyes.

She let out a long, deep sigh.

She started to try and think about Wang Xinxin.

She tried to set aside her hang-ups about family background and her preconceived notions.

’That girl... she doesn’t seem so bad, after all. My son said she’s down-to-earth and kind. Su Tang said she’s straightforward and resilient. For a city girl to come all the way out to the Northwest to endure hardship... that kind of devotion... it certainly isn’t easy. During the argument, she didn’t seem to say anything out of line. It was Zhengnian who was protecting her the whole time...’

The stubborn scales in Mrs. Chen’s heart began to tip in a way she was unwilling to admit, even to herself.

That evening, Chen Zhengnian came in carrying a bowl of millet congee that had been cooked until it was soft, carefully blowing on it to cool it down. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Mr. Chen followed him in.

"Mom, have some congee. Doctor Su said you can only have liquids for now."

Chen Zhengnian’s voice was soft, his eyes filled with unconcealable concern.

Mrs. Chen didn’t look at him, but she allowed Chen Zhengnian to scoop up a little congee with a small spoon and bring it to her lips.

She hesitated for a moment, but finally, she opened her mouth slightly.

Watching from the side, Mr. Chen’s eyes lit up. The heavy weight on his heart finally lightened.

He knew his wife was starting to soften.

’She’s willing to eat, and she isn’t fighting with our son.’

After drinking half a small bowl of congee, Mrs. Chen seemed to regain some of her strength.

She leaned back against the pillow. Her gaze swept over Chen Zhengnian’s bloodshot eyes and the dark stubble on his chin, and a pang of sorrow went through her heart.

She opened her mouth. Her voice was hoarse, and the words came out awkwardly.

"What are you doing watching over me? Go do what you need to do. Don’t hang around in front of me, it’s annoying."

The words still sounded like she was shooing him away, but her tone was much softer than her previous harsh rebukes, even carrying a hint of heartache for him.

Chen Zhengnian froze for a second, then surprise and joy flooded his heart.

He understood the subtext in his mother’s words.

’She’s not really annoyed with me; she’s just distressed that I’m wearing myself out.’

He quickly said, "I’m not tired, Mom. I’ll just stay here and keep you company. You get some rest and don’t worry about me."

Mrs. Chen didn’t say anything more, just closed her eyes again as if exhausted.

Seeing this, Mr. Chen quickly gave his son a look, signaling him not to say any more and to let his mother rest.

Over the next two days, whenever anyone mentioned Wang Xinxin, Mrs. Chen no longer said anything harsh.

Her attitude toward her son softened, and she tacitly accepted Wang Xinxin’s existence.

One morning, Wang Xinxin appeared timidly at the door of the hospital room, carrying a thermal food container.

She had clearly summoned all her courage to come, her hand gripping the handle of the container tightly as she looked nervously at Mrs. Chen and Chen Zhengnian.

"Uncle, Zhengnian... I, I made some light fish fillet congee. Doctor Su said it’s good for heart recovery..."

Her voice was quiet, laced with apprehension.

Chen Zhengnian immediately looked at his mother, his heart in his throat.

Mrs. Chen was propped up in bed, her gaze falling on Wang Xinxin.

Her expression was no longer scrutinizing and disgusted as before. It was far more complex, softened in a way she herself hadn’t realized.

She didn’t immediately scold her as Chen Zhengnian had feared, but she didn’t offer a warm response either. She just averted her gaze and looked out the window, as if giving tacit permission for her to enter.

Wang Xinxin quickly lowered her head, placed the container on the bedside table, and said softly, "Well... I’ll be going then. Please get some rest."

With that, she practically fled from the room.

Mrs. Chen’s gaze returned from the window and settled on the brand-new thermal container, where it remained for a long time.

Another day passed, and Mrs. Chen’s spirits had improved considerably.

When Su Tang came to do her rounds, Mrs. Chen took the unprecedented step of speaking first, though her tone was still nonchalant.

"Doctor Su... thank you for the other day."

This was the first time she had formally thanked her.

Su Tang smiled gently. "Auntie, you’re too kind. It’s my duty. You’re recovering very well. After another two days of observation, if you’re stable, you can go home to rest. But after you go home, you must be careful. Your emotions must remain calm, and you have to pay special attention to your diet."

Mrs. Chen nodded and fell silent for a moment, as if steeling herself to make a decision.

She glanced up at Su Tang’s pregnant belly, then quickly looked away.

"Another day, after I’m home, I’d like to invite you and Xinxin over for a meal."

Su Tang was slightly taken aback, then a genuine smile bloomed in her eyes. "Of course. But let’s wait until you’ve fully recovered."

For Mrs. Chen to mention Wang Xinxin’s name on her own initiative, and even invite her home for a meal, perhaps meant she had already accepted her.

Chen Zhengnian happened to be returning with a thermos of hot water just in time to hear his mother’s words. The thermos nearly slipped from his grasp.

He stared at his mother’s serene profile, his throat tightening. A thousand words were stuck in his chest, but in the end, he said nothing at all.

Mrs. Chen simply felt that after her brush with death, she wasn’t so resistant anymore.

’It’s just as my husband said: children will make their own way in life,’ she thought. ’No matter what, I can’t control Chen Zhengnian for his entire life. If he likes her, then I’ll just let him be. I can’t control what happens in the future, either.’

She knew that right now, all she wanted was for her son to be happy.