Chapter 35: An Unexpected Respite

Because the System had advanced her lifespan, Yi Lan’s check-up results at Yunyi were surprisingly optimistic.
So optimistic, in fact, that everyone thought the previous examinations had been misdiagnoses.

Jiang Wenting tried her best to restrain her inner joy, but after leaving the consultation room, she couldn’t help but pull Yi Lan into her arms.

“Our Yi Lan is so amazing!” She gently patted Yi Lan’s back, her heart pounding in her chest, making her head feel light.

The person nestled in her embrace could naturally feel this sincerity and excitement.
However, she had no way to respond.

Beiye also came over at this moment, spreading her arms to encircle both of them: “Boohoohoo, I want a hug too, I want a hug too!”

Shen Jinglan was still chatting with her old classmate.
Her peripheral vision caught the three hugging in the hallway, and the corners of her lips curved into a faint smile.

Huo Ji, seeing her gaze fixed on her person, couldn’t help but tease: “Alright, it’s only a few seconds, but you’re so intent, as if your eyes want to stick to your wife.
“Hurry back, don’t show PDA in front of a busy person like me who can’t even touch the ground!”

Shen Jinglan gave a faint “Mm”: “I’ll treat you to dinner later.”

Huo Ji waved her hand: “Go on, go on!”

Shen Jinglan walked towards the three, hands in her pockets.
Beiye caught sight of her from the corner of her eye and shouted: “Wifey, hurry and hug us, hurry and hug us!”

And so, Ms. Shen, usually as cool as ice, slowly stepped forward under the gaze of a few passersby, briefly joining the group embrace.
After their affectionate display, as they walked towards the underground parking lot, Beiye continued to exclaim.

“Thankfully we did another thorough check-up.
“Now I can finally rest easy.
“Jiangjiang, you really have to treat us to a big dinner tonight!”

Jiang Wenting was also extremely happy at this moment, repeatedly saying: “Yes, yes, yes, I’ll treat you now!
“Later we’ll go to Shike.
“Order whatever you want!”

Beiye: “Really, really?
“I also want a water chestnut popping boba cake.”

Jiang Wenting waved her hand grandly: “Buy it!”

And so, after leaving the hospital, the group drove directly to Shike.
Shike was a high-end restaurant in Yuncheng, with a meal costing tens of thousands.
Beiye and Shen Jinglan didn’t bother trying to save their friend money, ordering many of their favorite dishes, as well as cake and drinks.

The few of them ate and chatted, and the atmosphere was very pleasant.
Towards the end, Jiang Wenting went to the front desk to settle the bill and bumped into Jiang Huaiqian, her biological father in all but name.

The two met face to face.
Jiang Wenting lowered her head, intending to pretend not to know him, but Jiang Huaiqian called out to her.

“Tingting.” His voice carried the superiority of a person in power.

Jiang Wenting moved aside and settled the bill with the front desk.
Jiang Huaiqian looked at the front desk: “Her bill is on me.”

The front desk was about to process it, but Jiang Wenting interrupted: “No need, I’ll pay myself.”

The front desk looked at the two.
Jiang Huaiqian said coldly and forcefully: “Put it on my tab.”

Jiang Wenting also raised her voice: “I said no!”
Realizing her actions might put the staff in a difficult position, she quickly handed over her payment QR code.

The front desk hesitated.
Seeing that Jiang Huaiqian didn’t stop her, she scanned the QR code a few seconds later.

Jiang Wenting finished paying and was about to leave when Jiang Huaiqian forcibly grabbed her.
Her gaze fell on his hand gripping her arm.
When she spoke, her tone was cold: “Let go!”

Jiang Huaiqian frowned: “Jiang Wenting, is this how you speak to an elder?”

“Elder?” Jiang Wenting scoffed, the curve of her lips uglier than a cry.
She called him by his full name, her voice cold yet calm: “Jiang Huaiqian, my mother was already buried and turned to dust over a decade ago.
“Where do I have any elders now?”

Jiang Huaiqian was publicly humiliated, his face growing darker.

Jiang Wenting pulled her wrist free from his fingers and strode away.
Her authority challenged, Jiang Huaiqian quickly followed, catching up in a few steps: “Jiang Wenting, stop right there!”

As the two struggled, a slender figure suddenly darted out, delivering a flying kick to Jiang Huaiqian’s chest, sending him stumbling back several steps, almost falling.

Yi Lan held out an arm, blocking Jiang Wenting.
A cold light covered her sharp brows: “This General is here, what beast dares to be so presumptuous!”

She carried decades of battlefield presence.
Now, dressed in modern clothes, unarmed, her slender fingertips pressed against the forehead of the elder Jiang Huaiqian, calling him a beast.
The scene was simply too amusing.

Shen Jinglan froze for a few seconds.
Beiye reacted first, forcing back a laugh as she stepped forward: “Uncle Jiang, is that you?”

She gently pressed Yi Lan’s hand down and whispered: “Yi Lan, this is Jiangjiang’s father.”

Yi Lan hesitated, retracting her finger, the anger in her eyes undiminished.
Beiye repeatedly apologized: “I’m so sorry, Uncle Jiang.”

Shen Jinglan also stepped forward, politely calling out: “Chairman Jiang.”

Jiang Huaiqian’s entire face was completely darkened.
He glanced at Shen Jinglan, then at Beiye, and finally, when his gaze fell on Yi Lan, he couldn’t hold back any longer, gritting his teeth: “How can you all associate with such trash?!”

Jiang Wenting, for some reason, usually a gentle person, was now like a firecracker ready to ignite.
She suddenly stepped forward, pointing at her own father’s nose and questioning in a cold voice: “What kind of trash?
“What kind of trash, Jiang Huaiqian?”

Feeling provoked, Jiang Huaiqian’s veins bulged on his forehead.
He took a large stride forward, raising his palm to strike Jiang Wenting’s face.
Yi Lan caught his wrist and forcefully flung it aside.

Though she now inhabited this fragile body, her decades of battlefield expertise in disarming enemies were still present.
Jiang Huaiqian stumbled, almost falling.
Beiye half-heartedly stepped forward to help him, but he forcefully pushed her away.

Seeing that they were outnumbered, Jiang Huaiqian, enraged and humiliated, cursed at Jiang Wenting: “Such trash, ill-bred!
“If I had known you would turn out this way, I shouldn’t have taken you back to the Jiang family when your mother died, feeding you good food and drink!”

Jiang Wenting’s chest heaved.
Mentioning her own mother, she almost couldn’t catch her breath.

But Beiye, at this moment, stepped in front of Jiang Wenting, defending her with righteous indignation: “Uncle Jiang, the Jiang and Bei families have been close for generations.
“Jiangjiang grew up with me since childhood.
“I clearly saw the kind of life she had in your family.
“As her father, aren’t you afraid of the retribution from the Nine Springs Below for saying such things now?”

Jiang Huaiqian’s angry and ashamed heart, upon hearing the words “Nine Springs Below,” suddenly couldn’t be so defiant.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but found himself unable to utter a single word.
Fortunately, someone from the dinner party found him at this moment: “Chairman Jiang, you’re here?
“We’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

“Coming right away, coming right away!”

He glared fiercely at the group, then turned and walked towards another private room.

Jiang Wenting stood rooted to the spot, her face pale.
Beiye stepped forward to support her: “Jiangjiang, are you okay?”

She shook her head, her usual faint smile appearing on her lips: “I’m fine.”

Beiye called: “Jiangjiang.”

The smile at the corner of Jiang Wenting’s eye deepened: “I’m really fine, let’s go back.”

Beiye wanted to say more, but Shen Jinglan stopped her with a look.
A moment later, the group took the elevator downstairs, all the way to the underground parking garage.
As Jiang Wenting was about to go to the driver’s seat, Shen Jinglan pulled open the car door before her: “I’ll drive for now, you can drive on the way back.”

Jiang Wenting smiled, her tone very natural: “Then Lan Jie, you drive.”

After the few of them got in the car, the silence didn’t last.
Jiang Wenting brought up one topic after another, chatting with them as if nothing had happened.
Several times during the journey, Beiye wanted to interrupt but didn’t know how.

An hour later, the car arrived at the Wen Yuan garage.
Jiang Wenting invited the two to come up to her apartment, but Beiye wanted to go up, Shen Jinglan pulled her back under the guise of work.
Jiang Wenting didn’t press the invitation.
After bidding them farewell, she took Yi Lan upstairs.

The elevator ascended.
Only the two of them remained in the elevator.
A few seconds later, a calm voice suddenly spoke.

“Jiang Wenting,” Yi Lan called her name, but the words of comfort lingered, unable to be spoken.

Jiang Wenting turned her head, glancing at her.
The other’s expression was wooden.
She leaned closer, taking Yi Lan’s hand.
The elevator was so quiet that only their breaths could be heard.

The elevator ascended to the 30th floor.
With a ding, the doors opened.
Jiang Wenting didn’t release Yi Lan’s hand.
The two stepped out of the elevator and into the apartment.
Jiang Wenting looked at the familiar furnishings inside, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her.

She led Yi Lan to the bedroom, took a set of pajamas from the wardrobe, and handed them to her, coaxing softly: “Yi Lan, why don’t you go take a shower first, okay?”

The person beside her stood motionless.
Jiang Wenting raised her hand, rubbing Yi Lan’s head: “Be good, okay?
“I’m a little tired tonight.
“Can Yi Lan draw a warm bath herself?”

Yi Lan was silent for a moment, then took the pajamas and entered the bathroom.
Jiang Wenting’s exhaustion intensified.
She didn’t even have the strength to change into pajamas.
She collapsed diagonally onto the bed, closing her eyes to find relief.
In her mind, Jiang Huaiqian’s harsh words from earlier echoed.

‘If I had known you would associate with such disreputable people, I shouldn’t have taken you back to the Jiang family when your mother died, feeding you good food and drink!’

‘Disreputable person,’ she laughed softly, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes.
‘The disreputable person, who, when I was in danger, immediately stepped forward to shield me.
‘While my biological father, knowing I was half-dead from the Jiang family mother and son’s schemes, could still turn a blind eye as if nothing had happened.’

He said he regretted it, regretted not caring about his reputation and taking her back to the Jiang family when her mother died, serving her good food and drink.

Jiang Wenting laughed aloud on the bed, her tears soaking the sheets, yet she was oblivious.
In her mind, the image of her mother, before she died, desperately clutching Jiang Huaiqian’s collar reappeared: “Jiang Huaiqian, I never asked you for anything.
“Our daughter… take good care of her, take good care of her.
“Otherwise, even as a ghost, I, I won’t… let you go!”

The man nodded repeatedly, tears streaming down his face: “Jiang Yan, Jiang Yan, I promise you.
“You get better, you get better and we’ll take care of her together…”

Jiang Wenting wondered if Jiang Huaiqian’s emotions for her mother were truly genuine at that moment.
Otherwise, everything her mother had done for him, her entire life, would have been too worthless.

Her mother, Jiang Yan, and Jiang Huaiqian had an office romance.
At the time, she was exceptionally recruited by the Jiang Group with outstanding academic performance, becoming Jiang Huaiqian’s capable assistant.
The two worked in perfect synergy.
Over time, Jiang Huaiqian developed unusual feelings for her, concealing his married status to pursue Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan, then only 20 years old, was also at the age of first love.
Jiang Huaiqian effortlessly won her over.
Afterwards, they had a long period of passionate romance.
Jiang Yan accidentally became pregnant during that time.
Jiang Huaiqian was overjoyed when he heard the news and proposed to her on the spot.

Jiang Yan accepted.
Just as she was about to tell her family the good news, a woman claiming to be Jiang Huaiqian’s wife suddenly approached her with a child.
The woman had an elegant demeanor.
She didn’t, like in TV dramas, hysterically hit or scold her, but simply gave her a sum of money and told her to leave Jiang Huaiqian.

Jiang Yan initially didn’t believe it, until the other party produced a marriage certificate, a paternity test, and a series of items sufficient to prove her identity as the legal wife.
In that instant, her world collapsed.
She didn’t confront Jiang Huaiqian, nor did she take the money the woman offered.
With her pregnant belly, she left that city overnight and returned to the small village she had done everything to escape.

Jiang Huaiqian, it was said, searched for her everywhere after learning the news and even had a period of divorce drama with his legal wife.
But Jiang Yan never reappeared.
It was as if she had vanished from this world.
Later, later, she endured the strange glances of the villagers and the insults of her in-laws, gave birth to that child, and raised her with great hardship, until the end of her life…

‘Jiang Huaiqian, I never asked you for anything.
‘Our daughter… take good care of her, take good care of her.’

Jiang Wenting would never forget the look in her mother’s eyes when she looked at that man on her deathbed.

There was love, hatred, and reluctance.
If, if she had known that her daughter would live a life worse than a ghost in the Jiang family, would she have regretted it?
Regretted giving birth to her, regretted handing her over to that man?

‘Tingting, you must listen to Daddy, you must live well with Daddy…’

These were her mother’s last words to her.
For these words, through all those difficult years, she gritted her teeth and persevered.
She told herself that her mother must have been desperate to entrust her to such a scumbag.

Jiang Wenting thought vaguely, ‘Is that right, is that right…’

When Yi Lan came out of the bathroom, she saw Jiang Wenting lying diagonally on the bed, tears from the corners of her eyes having smudged the makeup on her face.
She wanted to reach out but was afraid of disturbing her.
Jiang Wenting was a light sleeper.
As Yi Lan hesitated, Jiang Wenting opened her eyes.

She curved her lips, letting out a soft laugh, and asked in a gentle voice: “Finished bathing?”

Yi Lan still didn’t respond to her this time.
She just leaned over slightly, pulling Jiang Wenting further onto the bed.
Jiang Wenting wiggled slightly with her movement, her gaze following Yi Lan.
After staring straight for several seconds, she softly called out: “Yi Lan,” and after a pause, added: “So tired.
“I’m just going to lie down for a bit.”

Her tone was calm yet low, without deliberately hiding the vulnerability in her eyes.
It seemed only in front of her, in front of this innocent little fool, could she be so unrestrained.

Yi Lan’s long eyelashes drooped slightly.
After a moment of contemplation, she turned and walked towards the bathroom.
A moment later, she came out with a damp hot towel.

“Jiang Wenting,” she called.

Jiang Wenting’s closed eyes slightly opened.
The other person was already sitting by the bed, placing the hot towel on her face to wipe it.

“Ugh…” Jiang Wenting tried to struggle, but Yi Lan pressed her down firmly, her icy tone carrying a hint of dominance: “Don’t move around!”

Jiang Wenting lay obediently, her gentle peach blossom eyes looking at the person in front of her through a misty haze.
She smiled, her voice very soft: “Our Jiangjiang is also someone who is cared for now.”