The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 431 - 433. Be firm for the sake of mother

Chapter 431: 433. Be firm for the sake of mother

Chu Yunrong clearly wasn’t herself right now, and Shen Qinglan suddenly regretted telling her all these things. Why did she have to tell her everything? It would have been better just to make up some excuse to put her off.

Shen Qinglan was annoyed, but her actions did not slow down. She stuffed the medicine into Chu Yunrong’s mouth and washed it down with water. Holding Chu Yunrong’s hand, she whispered softly into her ear, "Mom, I’m fine. Look, I’m married now and have a happy family. I have a husband who loves me, a lovely son, and a family that adores me. The hardships of the past not only didn’t break me but made me stronger and better. All these are my rewards..."

Chu Yunrong silently shed tears, her eyes gradually focusing as she looked at Shen Qinglan, her gaze filled with pain, affection, and regret...

"Qinglan, my Qinglan, I’m sorry..." Chu Yunrong cried bitterly as she hugged Shen Qinglan. Listening to her cries, Shen Qinglan secretly breathed a sigh of relief; as long as emotions could be vented, it would be fine.

The noise here disturbed Old Sir Shen, and the door was knocked upon, "Lanlan, what’s wrong with your mother?"

Shen Qinglan patted Chu Yunrong on the shoulder, and her crying softened a bit, "Grandfather, Mom’s fine."

"How can she be fine when she’s crying?" Old Sir Shen was worried. Chu Yunrong had been out since early morning and went straight to the room with Shen Qinglan upon returning. Now crying could be heard; anyone would be uneasy.

Shen Qinglan couldn’t find a good excuse at the moment, but then Chu Yunrong spoke up, "Dad, I’m fine. Just now, Qinglan and I were watching TV, and a segment was very touching. I couldn’t control my emotions."

Old Sir Shen was speechless, clearly knowing it was just an excuse, yet he didn’t say much, simply advising them before he left.

Back in the room, Chu Yunrong fell silent again. Shen Qinglan sat by her side accompanying her, "Qinglan, you can go. Mom wants to be alone for a while."

Shen Qinglan was worried as Chu Yunrong was in a precarious state. Chu Yunrong forced a smile, "Mom won’t do anything rash, I just want to be alone."

Shen Qinglan stared at Chu Yunrong for a good while before nodding, "Okay, I’ll go out then. Call me if you need anything."

Chu Yunrong remained in this state for a day and a night. She didn’t step out of the room at all, forbidding anyone else’s entry, even Shen Qinglan was kept out. Old Sir Shen and Shen Junyu both inquired Shen Qinglan what had happened, but Shen Qinglan kept her lips sealed.

It wasn’t until the third evening, as Chu Yunrong still refused to come out, that Shen Qinglan thought to call Shen Qian. Shen Qian returned quickly, and after learning about everything from Shen Qinglan, he said nothing and directly climbed through the window from Shen Junyu’s room to enter.

Inside the room, Chu Yunrong lay on the bed motionless, maintaining the same position for nearly three days. During these days, she was lost in her thoughts, cycling through all events repeatedly.

The word "assassin" was foreign and unfamiliar to Chu Yunrong, something that only appeared in dramas. But now, to know such a label had been placed on her own daughter...

She could neither understand nor grasp the kind of life her daughter had endured, yet she could imagine how difficult it must have been for Shen Qinglan to survive and come back to her. What had she done after Shen Qinglan returned?

Driven by guilt and cowardice, alienating Shen Qinglan, who did not like socializing, and even showing favoritism towards an adopted daughter; did Shen Qinglan also feel disappointed in her as a mother when seeing such scenarios?

Chu Yunrong clutched the coverlet, her body trembling slightly. What had she been doing in the past? Immersed in her own sorrow, always thinking she was the most miserable one in the world, yet still living a life of a wealthy wife without any cares. But what about her daughter?

At this thought, Chu Yunrong started crying out loud.

"Yun Rong," Shen Qian looked at his wife, who was crying inconsolably, his heart aching.

Hearing Shen Qian’s voice, the sobbing stopped suddenly, but she remained motionless on the bed.

Shen Qian walked over to the other side of the bed, "Yun Rong, are you okay?"

Chu Yunrong didn’t speak, and Shen Qian sat down, sighing, "Why are you torturing yourself like this? Qinglan is very worried about you."

"Shen Qian, you knew all along, didn’t you?" Chu Yunrong spoke, her voice hoarse and feeble.

Shen Qian’s expression paused, looking at Chu Yunrong as she sat up and stared steadfastly at him, "Tell me, did you know about the hardships Qinglan endured?"

"Shen Qian, we’ve come this far, I don’t like you continuing to lie to me or hide things from me."

Shen Qian sighed, "Yun Rong, I haven’t known for long either."

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"Not telling you was for your own good."

"Shen Qian, do you really see me as that fragile? Can’t I handle even a little setback?"

"Yun Rong, that’s not what I mean. Your health has always been poor, I just didn’t want you to..."

"Stop talking, I know what you mean. You just don’t want me to hold Qinglan back, do you?"

"No, I’m worried about your health."

"My health is fine now. I want you to tell me the truth about what happened back then. What exactly did you do, who did you offend? Why did they take such great pains to take my daughter away? And why did they send her to that place? Shen Qian, I want you to tell me everything." Chu Yunrong looked at Shen Qian with cold eyes, making his heart somewhat panic.

"Yun Rong."

"I just want to know the truth."

Facing Chu Yunrong’s resolute gaze, Shen Qian finally chose to compromise, "Back when I was in the special forces, I once carried out a mission to wipe out a mercenary leader who had invaded our country and killed our citizens."

Shen Qian told Chu Yunrong everything he knew.

Chu Yunrong turned pale, "So, those people took Qinglan to get back at you?"

Shen Qian closed his eyes, hiding the pain in his depths, "Yes, the tragedy of the Yan Family was that man’s revenge."

Chu Yunrong’s complexion became even paler, staring at Shen Qian, incredulous, "The Yan Family... was it also because of this?"

"Back then, Yan Anbang was my comrade-in-arms, and he participated in that operation too."

"How could... how could this happen?" Chu Yunrong murmured.

Shen Qian looked at her, "Yun Rong, I’m very sorry, I failed to protect our daughter."

Tears fell again from Chu Yunrong’s eyes as she stared at Shen Qian, her emotions and rationality fiercely clashing. One voice was saying that it was all Shen Qian’s fault, if only Shen Qian could have completely eradicated the problem or not participated in that operation at all, then Shen Qinglan would not have ended up this way, she could have grown up safe and happy. Another voice said that Shen Qian was also duty-bound back then, that this was a tragedy no one wanted to happen, and that Shen Qian’s years since then have not been easy either.

Shen Qian watched Chu Yunrong silently crying, his heart was both aching and uneasy, "Yun Rong."

Chu Yunrong just silently cried, "Yun Rong."

"Don’t speak, let me be quiet for a while," Chu Yunrong spoke.

Shen Qian sat there with her, preferring her to be hysterical rather than silent like this, making him more worried.

"Yun Rong, if you’re sad, you can hit me or curse me, but please don’t keep it all bottled up inside," Shen Qian said solemnly, but it elicited no reaction from Chu Yunrong.

After a long time, Chu Yunrong looked up at him, "What about Qin Yan?" Her eyes bore a deep-seated hatred. This woman destroyed her daughter and yet had the nerve to stay close. What did she intend? To use it as a threat? Or to drive herself mad?

Shen Qian was unaware that Qin Yan was already in Shen Qinglan’s hands, and upon hearing this, he shook his head, "I’m not sure, Qinglan left Beijing after she learned that she had arrived."

Chu Yunrong suddenly remembered Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi’s departure, "Last time Qinglan and Hengyi left Beijing, it was to deal with this issue, right?"

"Probably," Shen Qian said uncertainly.

"Shen Qian, you know so much, but you are unwilling to tell me anything, fearing that I cannot handle the shock and might go insane. Do you still remember that Shen Qinglan is my daughter whom I carried for ten months? She is my life."

"Yun Rong, it’s precisely for that reason I dare not tell you. Your heart is filled with guilt towards Qinglan. If you knew about this matter too, could you bear it?"

"Haha." Chu Yunrong laughed, yet tears fell, "Yes, I am a cowardly mother. When my daughter is in trouble, instead of thinking about how to find her, I drown in my own sadness and refuse to face reality. It’s my fault that my daughter has suffered so much. It’s all my fault."

Chu Yunrong fell into a vicious cycle where she ultimately couldn’t bring herself to blame Shen Qian, yet she couldn’t vent the anger and sadness in her heart. She could only take all the responsibility upon herself, allowing herself to suffer to feel somewhat relieved.

Shen Qian saw the pain in Chu Yunrong’s eyes and held her in his arms. "Yun Rong, don’t think like that. This is not your fault. I am the useless one, I failed to protect you and Qinglan. It’s all my fault. I’m not a good husband, nor a good father. You’ve done so well already, stop blaming yourself."

Chu Yunrong cried her heart out; she couldn’t get over the hurdle in her heart.

Shen Qian held his wife and gently comforted her, waiting for her emotions to stabilize. This time, it was a good sign that Chu Yunrong had not become ill immediately upon hearing the news. Shen Qian believed she would pull through.

After a long while, Chu Yunrong gradually calmed down. "If I hadn’t known, were you planning on hiding it from me forever?"

Shen Qian paused, his eyes dimming, "Yes, I never planned to tell you."

Chu Yunrong was furious, "Shen Qian."

"It’s not just you; if possible, I wouldn’t want anyone to know about Qinglan’s past. She is just a child who grew up in an orphanage, abandoned by her foster parents and stayed there until she was sixteen before returning to the Shen Family. That’s simply her history," Shen Qian said seriously.

Chu Yunrong was momentarily stunned, then she realized. Yes, nobody must know about this. If people were to know about Shen Qinglan’s past, the consequences she would face were unimaginable.

"Right, absolutely no one must know about Qinglan’s past. Speaking of which, that woman, Aqian, that woman knows."

"What woman?" Shen Qian did not catch on immediately, and Chu Yunrong grabbed his hand, "The woman who came looking for me, reminding me to investigate the truth from back then, that woman. She knows about Qinglan’s past."

Chu Yunrong’s face was filled with urgency. Shen Qian comforted her, "Yun Rong, don’t get agitated. Tell me what that woman looks like, leave it to me to handle. I promise I won’t let her reveal Qinglan’s identity."

"No, no, she can’t be left alive. She might pose a threat to Qinglan. Aqian, we can’t let her leave Beijing alive."

Shen Qian looked at Chu Yunrong in shock, hardly believing that those words had come from her mouth, "Yun Rong."

"Aqian, did you hear me? We absolutely can’t let that woman leave alive."

"Yun Rong, do you realize what you’re saying?" Shen Qian’s voice deepened, immediately awakening Chu Yunrong. She stared at Shen Qian, "Aqian, I..."

"I know you’re worried about Qinglan. Let me handle this matter, okay?" Shen Qian softened his voice.

Chu Yunrong looked dazed, seemingly unsure if she really was the one who had spoken those words.

"Yun Rong, stop thinking about this. Leave it to me to handle, and what you can do is to take good care of yourself and help Qinglan take care of Anan."

Chu Yunrong nodded. Seeing this, Shen Qian knew she needed some time to calm down and left the room.

******************

At this moment, outside the room, Old Sir Shen, Shen Qinglan, and Shen Junyu were still waiting for the outcome.

"Grandpa, you should go back to your room. Now that Dad is in there, Mom will definitely be fine," Shen Junyu urged.

Shen Qinglan echoed, "Grandpa, listen to my brother, you should go and rest first." The old man had been worried about Chu Yunrong’s condition these past few days and hadn’t rested well, which had left him visibly worn out.

Old Sir Shen nodded, "Lanlan, help me into the room, please."

Shen Qinglan’s beautiful eyes flickered lightly, "Okay."

After helping the old man to his room, Shen Qinglan finally spoke, "Grandpa, do you have something to tell me?"

Old Sir Shen looked deeply at his granddaughter and patted her hand, "Lanlan, if you ever encounter a problem that you can’t solve or don’t know how to solve, come to Grandpa. Even though I’m old, I can still hold up a piece of the sky for you."

Shen Qinglan was shaken inside. Meeting the eyes of her grandfather that seemed to see through everything, she felt a warm current surge within her, "Grandpa, thank you."

Old Sir Shen smiled fondly, "I’m your grandfather, isn’t it right for me to protect you? Go now, let Grandpa rest a bit, and if your mom is okay, just let Grandpa know."

"Okay, Grandpa, you rest well."

Shen Qinglan helped her grandfather lie down on the bed and stayed until he had closed his eyes and fallen asleep before leaving.

Shen Junyu was still waiting. Looking at Shen Qinglan, he said deeply, "Lanlan."

Shen Qinglan faced him, her expression serene, "Brother, do you also want to ask what happened?"

Instead of pursuing her question, Shen Junyu suddenly ruffled her hair, "Brother won’t ask about that. I know you don’t want to talk about it, so there’s no need to say anything until you want to. I just want to tell you that I will always stand behind you, being your strongest support."

Shen Qinglan looked at him, teasingly said, "What if one day the whole world can’t accommodate me?"

"Then you come to your brother’s embrace. Even if it means being enemies with the entire world, I will give you a home," he said earnestly.

Shen Qinglan laughed softly, "Why so serious? I was just joking, brother. If Fu Hengyi heard this, he’d be jealous."

Shen Junyu also laughed, "Your man is beyond help, getting jealous over every little thing. He must be soaked in a vinegar jar."

"No, it’s an ocean of vinegar."

The siblings exchanged smiles.

When Shen Qian came out of the room, he saw them both. Shen Qinglan was the first to speak, "Dad, how is Mom?"

"Your mom is fine, just a bit tired. Let her rest for a while." His voice was gentle, and Shen Qinglan immediately understood— Chu Yunrong might have been shocked, but her illness hadn’t relapsed.

"Mom hasn’t eaten in three days, I’ll ask Sister-in-law Song to make her something," Shen Junyu volunteered as he left.

Shen Qian patted Shen Qinglan’s shoulder, "Your mom is fine, just having a bit of a hard time accepting things. It will get better gradually. Qinglan, come with me to the study, I have some things I need to ask you."

Shen Qinglan glanced at the tightly closed door and then followed Shen Qian to the study.

"Where is that woman now?" Shen Qian asked bluntly.

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "I’m not sure. She ran away when she saw me coming that day. I chased her but didn’t catch up. With Mom being the way she has been these past few days, I haven’t gone to look for her."

"That woman, knowing who you are, cannot be left alone," Shen Qian said, "And someone with skills like hers hiding in Beijing certainly isn’t here for something simple."

Shen Qinglan immediately understood Shen Qian’s meaning. "Dad, you really didn’t have to do this, I can handle it."

Shen Qian smiled, "Qinglan, consider this a form of compensation from me."

Shen Qinglan pursed her lips. "Dad, I have never blamed you or Mom, you don’t have to feel sorry for me."

After she learned the truth, the last bit of resentment in Shen Qinglan’s heart had disappeared; what Shen Qian meant ultimately was an accusation.

He was a soldier; protecting the country was his duty.

"Qinglan, your father is a soldier, a husband, a father. I have done my duty to the country without regret, but I failed my family. I’m sorry, I won’t say more apologies, just believe that I won’t let you down in the future."

Shen Qinglan’s eyes were gloomy; the phrase she heard most was "I’m sorry," coming from her family. The guilt they felt towards her was also a burden to her.

Shen Qian looked at Shen Qinglan’s cold face and sighed, "Go back and take care of Anan, I’ll be here with your mom."

Shen Qinglan nodded, said nothing, and left directly.

Upon returning home, Anan was sleeping. These past few days, worried about Chu Yunrong, she had spent less time and energy on Anan.

Shen Qinglan watched her son’s peaceful sleeping face, and the emotions welling up in her eyes gradually calmed.

Anan soon woke up. Just awakened, Anan was still a bit dazed, his big eyes looking at Shen Qinglan, blinking repeatedly and yawning. Seeing her son’s cute demeanor improved her mood, she reached out, picked him up, changed his clothes, and then carried him to the living room.

After several days of investigation, Jin Enxi finally found some clues about that woman. "An, I’ve found something. I’m coming to pick you up, wait for me."

Shen Qinglan’s eyes slightly altered, quickly returning to normal. "I’ll come out right away."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Qinglan handed her son over to Old Sir Fu before heading out. Jin Enxi was already waiting for her outside; Shen Qinglan directly got into the car.

Jin Enxi started the car. "An, you would never guess that woman’s identity."

Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"She is Shi Gang boss Shi Feng’s lover."

Shen Qinglan’s eyes deepened, not expecting this matter to be connected to the Shi Gang.

"On the surface, she’s Shi Feng’s lover, but behind the scenes, she’s an agent."

"So, she’s not Qin Yan’s subordinate? Or at least not entirely?"

"That’s one way to put it. Qin Yan probably thinks she is, but her being Shi Feng’s lover only started within the last year. It seems she hasn’t been in Beijing for long, and because information is hard to track, I couldn’t find her previous experiences."

This is getting interesting, a multiple identity? An agent? A subordinate of Qin Yan? A boss’s lover in the underworld?

"However, in my investigation, I found that although she is Shi Feng’s lover, they don’t meet often. Shi Feng seems indifferent towards this lover; it might be better to call their connection a partnership. Shi Feng seems to have financial transactions with her. This woman is competent too, maintaining relationships with several men, each with remarkable identities, including influential business tycoons and high-ranking politicians. I also discovered that she has recently been in contact with a senior military officer."

Shen Qinglan’s interest intensified—the complex identity of such an agent lurking in Beijing, what exactly was she planning? A person of Qin Yan’s? Qin Yan wasn’t just dealing with intelligence; was this a case of serving two masters or was her heart in another place? Shen Qinglan was now very intrigued by this woman.

Shen Qinglan walked up and knocked on the door. Jin Enxi’s expression shifted slightly, "An, this might startle her."

"She probably already knew you were investigating her," Shen Qinglan said.

Soon, the door opened, revealing a woman’s face. Seeing Shen Qinglan and Jin Enxi, she displayed no surprise, a slight smile curling at her lips, "Welcome to my home, please come in."

Shen Qinglan walked in with ease, while Jin Enxi’s eyes held a guarded look. The woman didn’t seem to mind, leading them to the living room as if they were old friends and casually asked, "What would you like to drink?"

"Plain water," Shen Qinglan replied.

The woman nodded, went into the kitchen, and returned with two glasses of water, placing them in front of them.

"Did you know we were coming?" Jin Enxi’s gaze was probing.

"I guessed," the woman said with a serene smile, her demeanor calm and composed.

Jin Enxi’s eyes darkened. This woman, fully aware they were coming, was still here waiting for them, was she overly confident, or...

"There’s no need to be so wary of me. I have no ill intentions towards you, Miss Shen, do you think so?"

Jin Enxi scoffed. No ill intentions, yet she leaked Shen Qinglan’s identity? Who is she kidding?

The woman spread her hands, "That previous incident was a commission, I had to do it, after all, she is still officially my boss." Her casual tone clearly showed she was not particularly loyal to Qin Yan.

"What is your purpose?" Shen Qinglan asked.

"What if I told you I truly have no ulterior motive, would you believe me?" the woman inquired.

Shen Qinglan pondered, unable to discern the woman’s true intentions.

"Alright, I’ll just tell you directly, anyway, you might have already figured out that I am placed in Beijing by Qin Yan, and you are right to think I am under her, but I am not entirely loyal to Qin Yan. Conversely, if you could help me kill her, I would actually be grateful. Lately, I haven’t been able to contact her; is she already in your hands?"

The woman’s words were loaded with implications, and Jin Enxi wasn’t sure whether to believe her. Qin Yan’s person, undoubtedly, but why would she want Qin Yan dead?

"Since you claim to have no malice towards us, why then did you approach Qinglan’s mother and say those things?"

"Just following orders," the woman answered nonchalantly, which immediately darkened Jin Enxi’s expression.

The woman smiled lightly, "I’m just speaking the truth, why such anger?"

Shen Qinglan stared intently at the woman, contemplating her motives and the truth in her words.

"Miss Shen, I was telling the truth just now. I really have no ill intentions towards you; in fact, I admire you, especially your capabilities. If you would join my organization, then we would be friends. Of course, my organization isn’t referring to Qin Yan."

Jin Enxi was shocked; this woman couldn’t possibly be insane, persuading Shen Qinglan to become a spy.

Shen Qinglan was also taken aback by the woman’s remark and didn’t immediately know how to react.

"Alright, it seems I scared you, I was just joking. Miss Shen’s life is fulfilling, so I’m guessing you wouldn’t want to be involved in such affairs. Let’s just pretend I never said that," the woman said with a smile.

Shen Qinglan’s gaze turned cold, her face expressionless, "Is that supposed to be funny?"

"No, it’s not funny. I’m tired of playing too," the woman said cheerfully, "But whether you believe it or not, I genuinely have no ill intentions towards you. The things I did to your mother were only to draw you here. You did not disappoint, Miss Shen, arriving even faster than I’d expected. Yet, saying I had absolutely no objective, you definitely wouldn’t believe that. Actually, my purpose is quite simple. I just wanted to meet you, just like this."

"Why?"

"Perhaps loneliness," the woman chuckled lightly.

From beginning to end, this woman had not revealed her motives, her words a mix of three parts truth and seven parts falsehood. Shen Qinglan’s eyes grew increasingly colder, a killing intent blooming within her for this woman.

"Miss Shen, no need to think about killing me. Although you two together could certainly capture me, neither of you would escape unscathed. The idea of killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of our own doesn’t appeal to anyone." The woman seemed to sense the murderous aura around Shen Qinglan and spoke lightly with a smile.

"I won’t reveal your identity, even though Qin Yan did indeed instruct me to," the woman said, "If Qin Yan really is in your hands, please pass on a message for me. Debts eventually must be repaid; I’ve already repaid mine, and the next time we meet, it will be her turn to pay." When the woman spoke, her left thumb and forefinger gently touched the tip of her right pinky; Shen Qinglan noticed this small gesture. Her pupils suddenly narrowed then returned to normal instantly.

"What grudge do you have with Qin Yan?" Shen Qinglan asked.

"Human life." The woman spat out two words with a level voice, but the underlying hatred was palpable to anyone.

"Let’s go," Shen Qinglan said to Jin Enxi, standing up. Jin Enxi was momentarily stunned, "Qinglan, her..."

"Let’s go." Shen Qinglan’s expression remained indifferent. She looked at the woman, "Remember what you said. I’m giving you three days to leave Beijing, leave country Z, and never set foot here again. Otherwise, even if it means mutual destruction, I won’t hesitate."

The woman smiled, "Alright. I’ll leave the day after tomorrow. But Miss Shen, before I go, may I discuss one thing with you?"

Shen Qinglan regarded her coolly.

"I’d like to have a meal with you, just like ordinary friends. You can choose the place."

"Tomorrow at noon, Half-summer Western Restaurant," Shen Qinglan said, then left with Jin Enxi.

This time, they left openly through the front door. Jin Enxi looked at Shen Qinglan, confusion in her eyes, "An, why just let that woman go? She already knows your identity, and that’s detrimental to you."

"Even if you and I joined forces, taking her down wouldn’t be easy."

"But even so, we could still capture her, couldn’t we? An, I don’t understand. You clearly intended to deal with her when we came here; why did you suddenly change your mind?" Jin Enxi was somewhat angry, not understanding Shen Qinglan’s actions.

Shen Qinglan offered no explanation, closing her eyes as soon as she got into the car, shielding the emotions at the bottom of her eyes. The image of the woman touching her pinky kept flashing in her mind.

Could it be her? Could that woman be her? Shen Qinglan quietly wondered.

Jin Enxi dropped Shen Qinglan off at the gate of the compound, and without waiting for her to speak, she sped off. Shen Qinglan smiled helplessly, knowing Jin Enxi was genuinely upset, but this situation was just too bizarre, far beyond normal reasoning. She couldn’t explain it to Jin Enxi, and now there were some matters Shen Qinglan needed to confirm.

Upon returning home, Shen Qinglan saw Chu Yunrong, who was playing with Anan.

Shen Qinglan sat down beside her, "Mom."

Chu Yunrong smiled slightly, "Qinglan’s back. Have you eaten?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "No."

Chu Yunrong stood up, "Then shall I ask Aunt Zhao to make you a bowl of noodles?"

"Yes."

As Chu Yunrong rose and headed for the kitchen, Shen Qinglan watched her back, then shifted her gaze away. Anan had seen Shen Qinglan and crawled towards her. Shen Qinglan stepped forward and picked him up, "Mommy."

"Yes, Mommy’s back," Shen Qinglan responded softly.

Anan handed the item in her hand to Shen Qinglan. Shen Qinglan glanced at it; it was a jade pendant, the one Allen had given to Anan. She had put the pendant away; how had it ended up in Anan’s hands?

Chu Yunrong returned and, upon seeing the jade pendant in Shen Qinglan’s hand, said with a smile, "I gave that pendant to Anan. Elders always say that it’s good for a child’s health to wear a piece of jade. I vaguely remembered that Anan had one among his gifts, so I went and found it."

The gifts for Anan were specially stored in a cabinet by Shen Qinglan, which everyone in the household knew about.

Chu Yunrong continued, "I originally wanted to put it on Anan, but the little guy saw it and liked it so much that he wouldn’t let go. So I let him play with it for a while."

"Then I’ll get a rope and string it up for him later."

"No need, I’ve already prepared one," Chu Yunrong said, taking out a braided cord.

Shen Qinglan handed the jade pendant to Chu Yunrong. As Chu Yunrong threaded the pendant, she asked, "Qinglan, who gave this gift?"

"A friend. He gave it during Anan’s hundred-day celebration."

"Then your friend is very thoughtful. The jade pendant even has Anan’s name and birthdate on it."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan’s eyes flickered softly. She took the pendant and examined it closely, indeed seeing Anan’s name and birthdate. The characters were very small and hidden within the patterns, nearly invisible unless looked at closely.

Shen Qinglan thought of Allen and another matter came to mind, "Mom, did I also have a jade pendant when I was little?"

"Yes, you did. It was given by your grandmother when you were born, part of her dowry, and quite valuable," Chu Yunrong replied. "But after you came back, I never saw that pendant again."

Chu Yunrong guessed that someone had taken the pendant, so she never asked Shen Qinglan about it.

The pendant had been taken by Allen, and Shen Qinglan had never asked Allen to return it. She hung the pendant around Anan’s neck, and Anan grabbed it and tried to put it in his mouth. Chu Yunrong grabbed Anan’s hand, "My little treasure, this is not for eating."

Anan looked up at Chu Yunrong with his big eyes. Chu Yunrong tucked the pendant inside Anan’s clothes to prevent him from taking it out again.

Shen Qinglan gave him a small apple. Anan held it in his hand, looked at it, then looked at Shen Qinglan and handed the apple to Chu Yunrong; he didn’t like this item.

"I’ll make some apple puree for him. He only has four teeth right now, so he can’t chew well."

"I’ll do it," Shen Qinglan said.

"Qinglan, be careful with the knife," Aunt Zhao called out. Shen Qinglan came back to her senses and realized she had actually made apple slices instead of apple puree and almost cut her hand.

"Qinglan, what were you thinking about just now? I called you several times, and you didn’t respond?"

Shen Qinglan felt embarrassed, "Nothing, just thinking about the composition of a painting."

"Are you planning to cut a fruit platter?" Aunt Zhao asked, looking at the pile of apple slices.

Shen Qinglan looked down at the pile of evenly thick and consistently sized apple slices, shaking her head, "No, I was trying to make apple puree."

Aunt Zhao, speechless, took the knife from Shen Qinglan’s hand, "Never mind, go keep Anan company. I’ll make the apple puree." She took an apple from the fruit basket nearby, "This big one should be enough, Anan ate half a bowl of rice paste at noon."

Shen Qinglan watched Aunt Zhao busily working, realized there was nothing she could help with, and left.

Back in the living room, Shen Qinglan thought for a moment and made a phone call to Jin Enxi, "Enxi, I want all the information on that woman, especially her past."