The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 273. Car accident?

Chapter 273: 273. Car accident?

The man glared at her fiercely. "Qin Yan, we’ve been husband and wife for over a decade. I’ve always treated you well. How can you hurt me like this for a man who doesn’t care about you at all? Do you have no conscience?"

Qin Yan’s face was cold, and though one side was swollen, it didn’t detract from her beauty and allure. "I want a divorce."

The man asked her, "Even if I am willing to forgive you this time, you still insist on getting a divorce?"

"Yes."

"Fine, I’ll grant you that, but Qin Yan, I hope you won’t regret it later," the man said harshly.

"Tomorrow morning, see you at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau," Qin Yan said, then turned and left the place.

The man watched her leaving figure, his expression darkening.

Qin Yan didn’t return to the Yan Family but checked into a hotel instead. Holding an ice pack, she was applying it to her face. She had waited too long and didn’t want to wait any longer. She could only apologize to the man.

Initially, if it hadn’t been to repay the man’s kindness, she wouldn’t have stayed by his side for so many years. Over a decade had passed, and she no longer had so much time. The person responsible for Carl’s death had to pay the proper price.

The next day, when the man appeared at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Qin Yan was already waiting for him. The man’s face looked terrible as he coldly said to Qin Yan, "You really can’t wait."

Qin Yan didn’t say a word, just gave the man a silent glance and entered the Civil Affairs Bureau first.

Coming out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, the man didn’t even glance at Qin Yan and left straight away. Qin Yan, with a stern face, got into a car and went directly to find Yan Anbang at the Yan Family.

Early in the morning, Yan Anbang woke up and didn’t see Qin Yan. He called her, but no one answered. Just as he was about to go out to look for her, Qin Yan returned, holding a suitcase.

"Yanyan, did he make things difficult for you?"

Qin Yan shook her head, managing a bitter smile. "No, I already went with him this morning to process the divorce. Anbang, I really have nowhere to go now."

Yan Anbang stepped forward, took her suitcase, and embraced her shoulders as they entered the house. "It’s okay. This place is your home now. From now on, you’ll live here."

Qin Yan’s face showed some concern. "If Sheng Yu finds out I’m staying here, wouldn’t that be a bit inappropriate?"

Yan Anbang comforted her. "Don’t worry. He only calls me a couple of times and doesn’t come home. Even if he does, it doesn’t matter. His mother and I are already divorced."

As they were speaking, there came the sound of a car engine outside. Soon after, Yan Shengyu appeared at the door, holding several bags. Seeing the scene in the living room, the smile on his face faded. "What are you doing?"

Qin Yan looked at Yan Shengyu, unsettled. "Sheng Yu, I..."

Yan Shengyu didn’t look at her but stared sternly at Yan Anbang. "Dad, can you please tell me what’s going on? Why is she here at our place?"

Yan Anbang hadn’t expected Yan Shengyu to return at this time, but he quickly regained his composure and said to Yan Shengyu, "You’re just in time. I was about to tell you. I’m going to marry Aunt Qin soon, and she’ll be living here."

The smile completely disappeared from Yan Shengyu’s face, his expression indifferent. "You’re marrying her?"

"Yes."

"I don’t agree," Yan Shengyu said coldly. "You can marry any woman but her." It was because of this woman that his parents had divorced.

Yan Anbang’s face darkened, "I’m not asking for your opinion, I’m just notifying you, whether you agree or not is not important."

Qin Yan tugged at his sleeve, "Anbang, speak nicely to Sheng Yu."

She looked at Yan Shengyu, trying to explain, "Sheng Yu, your dad and I are not married yet. If you don’t want me to marry him, we don’t have to get a certificate."

"Qin Yan, what nonsense are you talking about? I’m going to get the certificate with you tomorrow, no, this afternoon, and you’ll be my wife, Yan Anbang’s wife."

"Haha." Yan Shengyu sneered, "She is your wife, then what is my mother considered? What about me and Ya Xi?"

Yan Anbang’s face turned grim, "Yan Shengyu, I am your father, watch your tone. I divorced your mother long ago, and now I’m single, I have the freedom to be with whoever I want."

"Yes, that is your freedom. If I say, if you marry this woman, then I will never acknowledge you as my father again, do you still insist on being with this woman?" Yan Shengyu’s demeanor suddenly calmed.

Yan Anbang’s expression stiffened, staring at Yan Shengyu, "Yan Shengyu, do you know what you are saying?"

"Do you know what you are doing? My father?" The last four words were deliberately stressed, full of sarcasm.

Yan Anbang was furious. Qin Yan quickly grabbed his hand and forced a smile, coaxingly said, "Sheng Yu, don’t be angry. Your dad was just joking with you. I’ve just gotten divorced and temporarily have no place to stay, your dad, considering past feelings, let me stay here for a few days. I will move out once I find a place."

"Yanyan, there’s no need to explain. I intend to marry you, and he was going to find out sooner or later. There’s no need to hide it." Yan Anbang said.

"Yan Shengyu, if you acknowledge me as your father, then show some respect to your Aunt Qin. If you don’t, then simply don’t step into this house again, and I’ll pretend I don’t have such a son."

Yan Shengyu looked deeply at Yan Anbang, his eyes filled with pain and disappointment, "Fine, I’ll leave right now." Having said that, he turned and walked away. Qin Yan wanted to stop him, but Yan Anbang held her back, "Let it be, I know Sheng Yu’s temper. He is just not thinking straight; he will come around."

Qin Yan looked helplessly at Yan Anbang, "Sheng Yu is just a child, why must you get angry with a child, can’t you speak to him nicely? Now that Zhao Jiaqing and Ya Xi have gone abroad, only Sheng Yu is left here, and yet you still have this attitude, aren’t you just pushing the child further away?"

Yan Anbang smiled good-naturedly, "It’s really okay. He has a misunderstanding about you. No matter how much you explain, he won’t listen. It’s better to force him to accept the fact, it’ll be okay once he gets used to it later on. You must be very tired too, go rest first, I’ll give him a call one of these days."

"Is Sheng Yu really okay?" Qin Yan was skeptical.

Yan Anbang gave her a reassuring look, "Really, it’s fine. Go rest."

Qin Yan, genuinely tired, gave up on thinking about it and went upstairs.

Yan Anbang stood there, thinking about what he had just said, feeling a twinge of regret. He didn’t want it to be like this, but the words had just slipped out. Looking at the items Yan Shengyu had left on the ground, which seemed to be some health products and two men’s clothes, his regret grew even deeper. After thinking it over, he called Yan Shengyu, but the call was hung up.

After leaving the Yan Family home, Yan Shengyu went straight to the airport and bought a ticket to Xueli City.

Zhao Jiaqing saw her son, quite surprised, "Sheng Yu, why are you here?"

Yan Shengyu smiled slightly, leaned over and gently hugged Zhao Jiaqing, "I missed mom and Xiao Xi, so I came to see you. How have you been lately?"

Zhao Jiaqing was delighted, nodding her head, "Mom is fine, and so is Xiao Xi. Are you tired from the flight? Come in, have you eaten yet?"

As Yan Shengyu entered, he listened to Zhao Jiaqing’s chatter and laughed, "I’m not tired, haven’t eaten yet. Is there anything to eat at home?" He looked around, "Where’s Xiao Xi?"

"She went out with classmates for a photo shoot. Ever since she became obsessed with photography, we hardly see her at home on weekends." Zhao Jiaqing went to the kitchen to prepare food for her son while speaking.

On the other side, Ya Xi had arranged with her classmate to go sketching in the countryside over the weekend. When she arrived, there was no sign of her classmate. She called her classmate only to find out that they were halfway there when they realized they had forgotten their camera at home and was going back to get it. With no other choice, Ya Xi had to wait there for them.

It was still spring in September in Xueli City, and the weather was cool. Ya Xi found a café to wait in and ordered a cappuccino. She sat by the window, quietly watching the street outside.

The sunlight streamed through the window, warming her body. She squinted her eyes slightly, resembling a lazy cat. Suddenly, a soft chuckle came from nearby. Ya Xi opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a face she didn’t recognize — blonde hair, blue eyes, a distinguished nose, and sharply defined facial features; he appeared to be in his mid-twenties and was smiling at her.

A hint of confusion flashed through Ya Xi’s eyes, "Are you watching me?"

The man nodded with a smile, "Yes, you looked beautiful just now."

Embarrassed, Ya Xi looked down, "Thank you."

The man took a step closer, "I’m Doug. I’m here on vacation. I’m glad to meet you in this little town’s restaurant, beautiful miss."

Ya Xi looked at the big hand in front of her and set her eyes on Doug’s face. His smile was warm. She reached out and shook his hand, the first time she had touched a man’s hand since arriving in Xueli City, "I’m Ya Xi. It’s nice to meet you."

Doug smiled as he spoke, "Are you waiting for someone or just out by yourself?"

"I’m waiting for my friend. She got held up on the way and hasn’t arrived yet; she should be here any moment now."

"That’s nice. The weather is good this weekend, indeed a good time to go out."

Ya Xi glanced at Doug, "Did you come here alone?"

Doug shook his head, "No, I came with friends. My friend just went to the restroom." As he spoke, a man approached them, "Doug, let’s go."

Doug stood up, "Then we’ll be off. Little Ya Xi, it was nice meeting you." He took out a business card from his pocket and placed it on the table, "This is my contact information. I’m a psychologist. Feel free to reach out if you ever feel troubled."

Ya Xi isn’t usually comfortable with strangers, especially unknown men, but somehow, she didn’t dislike this man. She carefully stored the business card and returned a smile, "Goodbye, my friend."

Doug smiled and left the café with his friend, who curiously looked back at Ya Xi. She had already lowered her head and was looking at her phone, "Do you know that girl we just talked to?"

Doug glanced sideways, "Hmm, she’s a sister of one of my friends. I’ve seen her once before but we aren’t close. I didn’t expect to run into her here, so we just chatted a bit." There was a relief in his gaze; seeing Ya Xi here was indeed unexpected, but he was still pleased to see her current state.

Ya Xi wasn’t the most severely ill patient he had encountered, but she was certainly one of the most heart-wrenching. Given the ordeals she faced at such a blooming age, even someone as tough as Doug couldn’t help but feel compassion for her.

The next day, Yan Anbang took Qin Yan to the civil affairs office to register their marriage. Originally, they planned to invite a few friends and family for a meal, but Qin Yan declined, "Anbang, I’m content just being with you. Nothing else matters."

Yan Anbang thought Qin Yan was worried about him being criticized because of her, which made him cherish her even more. Meanwhile, the man who knew that Qin Yan was registering her marriage with another man the next day left Nancheng in anger.

When Qin Yan heard that he had left, she simply said, "It’s better this way; now I can handle my affairs."

**

At the end of September, Fu Hengyi took Shen Qinglan to the hospital for a thorough check-up. Knowing that both Shen Qinglan and the baby were fine, he was relieved. Just as they left the hospital, Shen Qinglan wanted to use the restroom. Fu Hengyi offered to accompany her, but she refused, so he waited outside the door for her.

It was just then that Shen Qinglan’s phone rang. Fu Hengyi picked it up and answered, "This is Fu Hengyi."

The caller was Daniel, "Mr. Fu, hello. Is Qinglan available?"

"Qinglan just went to the restroom, but you can tell me what’s the matter."

"It’s like this, Noah and Frank are leaving tomorrow, and they would like to invite Qinglan for a meal before they depart. Does Qinglan have time today?"

Fu Hengyi thought for a while, then responded, "Let it be today then. You set the time and place, send it to Qinglan’s phone, and I’ll take her there later."

"Alright." Daniel reported an address and time, then hung up.

When Shen Qinglan came out, Fu Hengyi told her, "I just agreed to Daniel’s request on your behalf. We’re going to meet them now, and we’ll visit grandfather in the afternoon."

Shen Qinglan had no objections. When they arrived at the restaurant, they discovered that Catherine was also among the diners.

Seeing Fu Hengyi, Catherine’s eyes lit up but she quickly masked her emotions, showing a very appropriate smile, "Mr. Fu, Miss Shen, we meet again."

Shen Qinglan smiled slightly, yet Fu Hengyi didn’t respond. Catherine’s face felt a bit uncomfortable, but she quickly regained her composure.

She had investigated Fu Hengyi and knew he was the eldest grandson of the Beijing Fu Family and also the youngest Young Commander in the country, not just "a soldier" as Daniel had mentioned.

Looking at Fu Hengyi’s back, a trace of regret flashed in her eyes. How did such an outstanding man end up falling for Shen Qinglan? Though Shen Qinglan was skilled in painting, her personality was cold and icy; there was no fun to speak of.

During the meal, Fu Hengyi constantly took care of Shen Qinglan, attentively looking after her throughout the entire time, unconcerned about the gazes of others at the table. Catherine noticed this and felt an even stronger sense of regret.

Fu Hengyi’s phone rang, and he picked it up to glance at it. "I need to step out to take this call."

Once Fu Hengyi had left, Frank looked at Shen Qinglan with a smile, "Mr. Fu really treats Miss Shen very well."

Shen Qinglan smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Frank. I apologize for not being able to accompany you around this time due to health reasons."

Frank, unaware that Shen Qinglan was pregnant, asked concernedly, "Is Miss Shen feeling unwell somewhere?"

"Mr. Frank misunderstands, I am not unwell anywhere," Shen Qinglan said, her expression softening. "I am resting at home on doctor’s orders because I am pregnant."

Hearing this, Frank’s smile became even more genuine, "That’s wonderful news, congratulations Miss Shen."

"Thank you," said Shen Qinglan, her eyes flickering toward Catherine and noticing her stiff smile before quickly looking away.

Catherine stood up, "Excuse me, I need to step out for a bit."

She walked out of the private room, not heading to the restroom, but instead looking for Fu Hengyi. Turning a corner, she saw him standing in a corner on the phone, his expression very serious. Upon seeing her approach, Fu Hengyi hung up.

"Mr. Fu, hello."

"Miss Boyd, is there something you need?" Fu Hengyi asked indifferently.

Catherine’s heart trembled as the deep, magnetic voice reached her ears. She looked directly at Fu Hengyi. "Just call me Catherine. I am an artist like your wife and came to Z country with my teacher Frank to visit Miss Shen. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Fu."

Fu Hengyi listened with a detached expression, his gaze unchanging. Catherine bit her lip, lowered her gaze slightly, and spoke softly, "The day I met you, I thought you were very outstanding, the most outstanding man I’ve ever met. Seeing how you take care of Miss Shen today, you must be a very family-oriented man. I was wondering if we could be friends?"

Seeing that Fu Hengyi remained silent, Catherine explained, "I heard from Daniel that you are a soldier. You may not know this, but I have always admired military personnel since I was a child—they are heroes in my heart. Daniel has told me some of your deeds, and I really admire you." Her gaze towards Fu Hengyi was sparkling.

Fu Hengyi’s eyes were indifferent. "Miss Boyd, I’m just a soldier, not as exceptional as you describe. Qinglan is still inside; I’ll go in first."

As Fu Hengyi turned to leave, Catherine quickly spoke, "Mr. Fu, a man as outstanding as you should have a woman who matches your caliber."

Fu Hengyi paused in his steps and looked at her, his eyes cool. "In my heart, my wife is the most outstanding woman in the world."

Catherine watched the back of Fu Hengyi as he walked away, a sense of sadness in her eyes.

Back in the private room, Fu Hengyi didn’t mention his encounter with Catherine. After a while, Catherine also came in, but she was noticeably distracted; Frank called her several times without any response.

Shen Qinglan seemed to realize something and looked at Fu Hengyi, who gave her an innocent look.

As they were about to leave, Catherine suddenly spoke, "Miss Shen, next month is my birthday, and I would like to invite you and Mr. Fu to Xueli City. Would it be convenient for you?"

Shen Qinglan’s lips curled into a slight smile. Before she could speak, Fu Hengyi interjected, "I’m sorry, Qinglan is in the early stages of pregnancy and it’s not suitable for her to fly. I’m afraid we’ll have to disappoint Miss Boyd."

Disappointment filled Catherine’s eyes, and she forced a smile. "I didn’t consider that."

Even if Frank was usually slow to pick up on cues, he could tell something was off with Catherine at this point. His expression turned sour. Meanwhile, Noah, having observed the scene, seemed contemplative.

Back at the hotel, Frank with a stern face, looked at his student, "Catherine, don’t covet what isn’t yours. Use this time to improve your painting skills instead; you’re a talented young woman, don’t let other matters hinder your future."

His words had a deeper meaning, and Catherine instantly understood. She looked down at the ground. "Teacher, how can you know something isn’t meant for you if you haven’t even tried?"

Frank looked at the stubborn Catherine and sighed deeply, "Catherine, some things might seem beautiful in someone else’s hands, but once in your possession, they might not be as beautiful as you perceived. Don’t be misled by appearances."

Catherine kept her head bowed, silent for a while, before quietly saying, "Teacher, I understand."

Frank looked at her intensely and then spoke, "You’re a smart girl; it’s good to see you’ve come to terms with it. Last time I met your father, he even discussed your marriage with me. What do you think about it now?"

Catherine bit her lip and responded, "I’m still young, there’s so much room for improvement in my painting. I’d like to focus on that for now. As for marriage, let’s put that on hold."

Frank nodded, "Alright, I’ll talk to your father next time I see him. It’s late now; you should rest well as we have an early flight to catch tomorrow."

Catherine nodded and turned to enter her room.

Noah walked up from behind and said, "Your student isn’t the type to give up easily."

Hearing this, Frank sighed deeply, "I wish I hadn’t brought her here. I wanted her to interact more with Shen Qinglan, to learn from her, but now it seems like I’ve made a foolish decision."

Noah patted his shoulder, "Don’t think too much about it. That Mr. Fu doesn’t seem like a simple man either."

Frank nodded in agreement, indeed, anyone Shen Qinglan favored couldn’t be an ordinary person.

On the way back, Shen Qinglan glanced at Fu Hengyi who was driving, "Didn’t expect Mr. Fu’s charm to be so great that it extends beyond national borders, even foreign beauties fall for you at first sight." Her tone was teasing, accompanied by a smile.

Fu Hengyi turned his head and looked at her, his smile indulgent, "Go ahead and tease me."

Qinglan gave a slight smile and remained silent. She trusted Hengyi and hadn’t taken Catherine seriously yet.

Upon returning to the Fu Family home, Old Sir Fu was sitting in the living room with a worried and distressed look on his face. Qinglan and Hengyi had just arrived home and sensed that something was off with the atmosphere.

"Grandfather, we’re back."

Old Sir Fu looked up at them and said, "You’re back," his tone much flatter than usual, lacking his customary joy.

Qinglan and Hengyi exchanged glances and sat down beside their grandfather. "Grandfather, what happened?"

Hearing this, Old Sir Fu let out a deep sigh, "Ah, I just received a call from your uncle. He was calling to say goodbye; he’s leaving Beijing for abroad tomorrow and might never come back."

At this point, Qinglan remembered that she had previously given Gu Yang some advice to retain her uncle, but when Gu Yang discussed it with her uncle, he didn’t agree, so the matter had come to nothing.

"What about Aunt?" Hengyi asked.

Old Sir Fu replied, "She’s upstairs. I don’t know what’s wrong with them. It’s been over twenty years and they still can’t resolve their issues. They are more clueless than a child in some ways, living in vain."

Hengyi chuckled, "Grandfather, you always say grandchildren have their own blessings. Why are you getting upset now?"

Old Sir Fu glared, "Is it my business that I’m upset about? It’s just heartbreaking to see."

"Grandfather, don’t worry. I’ll go upstairs and check on Aunt," Qinglan said, getting up and heading upstairs.

"Didn’t you take Qinglan to the hospital today? What did the doctor say?" Old Sir Fu finally remembered to inquire about the important issue.

"The doctor said that Qinglan and the baby are both healthy."

Old Sir Fu nodded in relief, "That’s good. But Hengyi, I still hope you will reconsider the decision I mentioned last year. I know that Qinglan supports you, but she is pregnant now and needs someone to take care of her. As her husband, not being by the side of your pregnant wife can negatively affect her emotions."

Hengyi remained silent upon hearing this.

Old Sir Fu looked at Hengyi, sighed deeply, and said, "I’m not forcing you, but I hope you consider Qinglan and the baby’s feelings. Do you want your child to have the same experience as you did when you were young, not recognizing their father when he returns?"

A faint gleam flickered in Hengyi’s eyes as he looked up at his grandfather, "Grandfather, give me some time to think about this. I am a husband, but I am also a soldier. I am responsible not only to my family but also to my brothers. Once I have everything arranged, I will consider applying for a transfer back to the Beijing Military Region."

"Hmm, hearing you say that puts my mind at ease, Hengyi. Grandfather is getting old, I can’t take any more shocks."

"Grandfather, I understand."

**

Qinglan knocked on the door, "Aunt, are you there?"

No one responded inside, so Qinglan knocked again, "Coming, hold on."

The door opened, and Fu Jingtong smiled upon seeing Qinglan, "Qinglan, you’re back. Come in."

Qinglan entered the room, "Aunt, what were you doing in your room?"

Fu Jingting laughed, "Just watering the flowers, they were almost dying."

Shen Qinglan walked onto the balcony and glanced over, "Aunt, you’ve kept these plants pretty well, they look very lively."

"I don’t really have anything else to do now, just tending plants and flowers when I’m free at home. Did you and Hengyi visit the hospital today for a check-up? Everything okay?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "The doctor said the child is very good and healthy."

"That’s good. You’re pregnant now, so you should rest more. If you need anything, just give your aunt a call; I’ll prepare it for you."

"Thank you, Aunt."

"You don’t need to thank me; we’re family. Have you visited your grandfather?"

"I’ll go later. I just got back, and Grandpa seemed in a bad mood, probably worried about Aunt," Shen Qinglan mentioned casually.

Hearing this, Fu Jingting’s smile faded slightly, "Old Sir Fu just thinks too much. Actually, I’m really fine. Your Uncle Gu and I have been divorced for so many years, and I’ve been busy working abroad; I’m used to it."

"As long as Aunt is fine."

Shen Qinglan came down from upstairs and saw Old Sir Fu eagerly looking at her. She said with a smile, "Grandpa, Aunt is fine, she’s just upstairs watering the plants."

Upon hearing this, Old Sir Fu suddenly said with frustration, "Still watering plants at this time? Well, if she’s not concerned, why should I be? Qinglan girl, come on, let’s go beat Old Man Shen at chess."

Watching Old Sir Fu act sulkily, Shen Qinglan found it funny, "Alright, let’s go challenge my Grandpa to chess, and I’ll make tea for both of you."

"Ah, that sounds good. You make tea better than your mom. Last time I lost to your Grandpa, and this time I must win."

Shen Qinglan and Old Sir Fu left. Fu Hengyi glanced upstairs, told Aunt Zhao that they didn’t need dinner prepared, and also left the house.

Old Sir Shen was also bored; seeing Shen Qinglan and Old Sir Fu, he happily led them to the study.

The two old men started their chess game, while Shen Qinglan watched and listened as they occasionally argued.

"Old Fu, you’re cheating at chess again! How many times have you done that?"

"Absolute nonsense. Which eye saw me undo a move?"

"I saw it with both my eyes."

"I think you’ve grown old and can’t see clearly anymore. We agreed you’d spot me three moves; why would I need to undo a move?"

Shen Qinglan’s lips curled into a smile as she placed two cups of tea in front of the old men, "Grandpas, please have some tea first."

Old Sir Fu snorted coldly and threw the chess piece back, "Humph, I won’t bother arguing with you, old man."

Old Sir Shen would not back down, "I should be the one saying that; you always cheat when we play. I won’t play chess with you anymore, you rotten chess basket."

"And you think without you I have no one to play with? I’m actually relieved. Next time, I’ll play with Qinglan girl, not you."

"Lanlan, I’m telling you, you mustn’t play chess with this stinky old man; his sportsmanship is terrible," Old Sir Shen said.

Old Sir Fu’s eyes widened, "Hey, I say, Old Man Shen, that’s not fair. Who has bad sportsmanship? Qinglan, girl, look at your grandfather. What kind of thing is he saying?"

Shen Qinglan smiled slightly, "Alright, stop arguing, both grandpas. If you don’t drink the tea now, it’ll get cold."

The two old men glared at each other, snorted, and ignored each other.

Watching their childish behavior, Shen Qinglan found it amusing. Her expression was calm; she wasn’t the least bit worried that the two were actually going to start a serious fight. Indeed, after drinking two cups of tea, they started playing chess again, completely forgetting the unpleasantness from before.

As the saying goes, ’old children will be children,’ and it couldn’t be more true for these two; they seemed more childlike the older they got.

Shen Qinglan watched them play chess for a while but gradually felt sleepy, "Grandpas, I’m tired, I’m going to sleep for a bit."

Old Sir Shen waved his hand, "Go on, go."

Meanwhile, Old Sir Fu was holding a chess piece and deep in thought. Shen Qinglan glanced at him, smiled, and left.

On returning to her room, Shen Qinglan lay down and fell asleep. Hengyi came upstairs, first checked the study but didn’t find anyone, then he returned to Shen Qinglan’s room, where she was already asleep. He tiptoed into bed, lay on his side next to her, and propped his head up, watching Shen Qinglan sleep peacefully, his eyes filled with a tender smile.

**

After Hengyi left, Jingting sat alone on the couch, lost in thought. Aunt Zhao came out, saw her absent-minded appearance, silently sighed, and went back to the kitchen.

While Jingting was daydreaming, the phone suddenly rang, snapping her back to reality. She picked up the phone, and after listening for a few moments, her expression changed, "Okay, I’ll come right now."

She hung up the phone hurriedly, stood up, and began to leave, not even changing her shoes. Aunt Zhao came out and asked, "Jingting, where are you going?"

Jingting didn’t respond, her expression fraught.

Shen Qinglan and Hengyi only learned about Gu Bowen’s hospitalization in the evening. They rushed to the hospital and found Jingting sitting in the corridor, wearing a pair of slippers, looking dazed, not even noticing their arrival.

"Little sister-in-law, brother, you’re here," Gu Kai said as he came back from paying the bills.

Three months earlier, Gu Kai had accidentally gotten injured during military training, fracturing his foot. After consulting with Kai, Old Sir Fu had him return from the military. After his foot healed a bit, Kai went back to work at the Gu Group. Despite having withdrawn from the military midway, the several months of military camp had considerably matured him.

"How is uncle?" Hengyi asked.

Gu Kai looked somber, glanced at Jingting, and hesitated before saying, "The doctor said uncle won’t wake up for now. His other injuries aren’t serious, but he has suffered a severe head injury."

"What exactly happened?" Shen Qinglan frowned.

"Uncle was planning to go to the office today to delegate some work, but he had a car accident midway. A drunk driver, and in trying to avoid that car, he hit a roadside lamppost, and then this happened."

The details were unclear; at that intersection, not only did Gu Bowen have an accident, but there was also a series of car crashes. Although Bowen avoided the drunk driver’s car, other cars did not and one collided with it, and then hit Bowen’s car.

To put it simply, if not for that subsequent collision, Bowen’s injuries wouldn’t have been so severe. And the drunk driver died on the spot.