Chu Fang had also barely slept all night, and then went upstairs to rest.

I woke up in the early hours of the morning, and it was pitch black outside the window.

He couldn't sleep, so he went to the living room. The light was on, and his father was sitting on the sofa, smoking a cigarette. The ashtray was full of ash.

"Stop smoking." Chu Fang took the cigarette from his father's hand.

"Let me get rid of my worries."

He said, "You smoked when my grandfather passed away, and you're smoking again this time. It scares me."

Chu's father sighed.

What exactly happened to my mom?

"I don't know," said Chu's father. "When I came home the day before yesterday, your mother was a completely different person. She became lifeless and wouldn't say anything when I asked her anything. Yesterday, she went to the city and bought a lot of things—things for you, for Yueyue, for me, and for your future child..."

"Your mother seems to be preparing for the aftermath..."

The word "matter" was something Chu's father couldn't bring himself to say, but Chu Fang already understood what his father meant.

In an instant, he was filled with extreme sorrow.

Chu Fang also lit that cigarette, then immediately coughed: "Cough cough cough..."

"This cigarette is really hard to smoke."

Chu's father lowered his head.

The father and son then sat on the sofa in silence, and the room was extremely quiet except for the sound of CCTV-13.

They gazed together at the darkness outside the window until the sky cleared.

Chu Fang stood up: "Alright, don't think too much about it. Today is Mom's birthday, you should be happy."

"Go to the city and buy some seafood and mountain delicacies. Remember to buy a few bottles of good wine. Tonight, father and son will drink until we drop."

Chu Fang composed himself, then went downstairs to town to buy the ingredients he needed for his birthday.

He didn't drive; he walked there.

Chu's father sighed as he watched his son's figure disappear.

... ...

Zhong Tingyue got up, wearing a simple yet stylish white short-sleeved shirt on top and high-waisted black straight-leg pants on the bottom, with the pant legs going straight down.

Her long, smooth hair was casually tied into a low ponytail, with a few wisps of hair falling gently across her forehead, making her look very capable.

As soon as she got up, she cleaned the entire house.

Today is Chu's mother's birthday, so she can't be all dirty.

"Mom, get up." Chu's mother was leaning against the door, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Um."

"Are you hungry? I made some millet porridge."

"I don't want to drink," Chu's mother said softly. "I want to see Dad. Can you drive me there?"

"no problem."

Immediately, Zhong Tingyue drove Chu's mother up the mountain. When they arrived at Chu Fang's maternal grandfather's tomb, Chu's mother knelt down, looked at her father's face, and remained speechless for a long time.

After paying respects to Chu Fang's maternal grandfather, Chu's mother didn't rush home. Instead, she had Zhong Tingyue drive her to the village where she used to live.

Upon arriving in the village, Chu's mother walked along the path, reminiscing about the first twenty years she spent there.

"I'm sorry," Chu's mother suddenly said.

"Huh?" This was the first thing Zhong Tingyue heard, but the words "I'm sorry" really startled her. "You're talking to me?"

Chu's mother cherished Chu Fang like a treasure, but Zhong Tingyue stole her treasure. She had always disliked Zhong Tingyue, and her sudden apology left Zhong Tingyue completely bewildered.

"Um."

"Ah, it's alright, I also have things I've done wrong."

"Then you should apologize to me."

"... ...,sorry."

Mother Chu walked slowly, saying, "Now that you call me 'Mom,' you're considered part of the Chu family. I hope you can take care of my dear father in the future. Make sure he wears more clothes when it's cold; he's very uncomfortable when he catches a cold. My dear father seems very gentle to outsiders, but he's actually quite stubborn..."

Knowing that she was about to pass away, Chu's mother began to entrust her affairs, telling her daughter-in-law all the things that needed to be taken care of at home.

“Mom, I have a question.” Zhong Tingyue raised her hand.

"you say."

"I can take care of Dad without any problem, but what should Chu Fang do?"

"Of course we're playing!" Chu's mother rolled her eyes at Zhong Tingyue. "Are you going to obediently take care of his dad?"

Zhong Tingyue: "... ..."

So it turns out I was the one who arranged the hard labor.

"Then I won't agree. You don't take care of him yourself, Chu Fang doesn't take care of him, and you expect me, his son, to take care of him? You're bullying an honest person."

Chu's mother pouted: "What would it take for you to agree?"

"Beg me."

Please.

"Then there's no problem."

Then, Chu's mother continued to explain what needed to be done. After she finished speaking, she turned to look at Zhong Tingyue and said, "You are very good, really very good. You are the most outstanding daughter-in-law I have ever met. What I did before was all my fault. I hope you can forgive me."

"From now on, I will never call you a bad woman again, and I will treat you well and consider you a sister..."

This sounds like she's giving her last words... Zhong Tingyue panicked completely: "Mom, please don't say that..."

... ...

Chu Fang arrived in town to buy ingredients for his birthday celebration tonight.

"Oh, Chu Fang is home." By chance, they ran into one of Chu's mother's mahjong partners.

"Aunt Ma," Chu Fang greeted.

"By the way, what's wrong with your mom these past few days? She hasn't come to play mahjong," Aunt Ma asked.

"She is not feeling well."

Aunt Ma nodded and said, "Oh, I thought she really had lung cancer."

Chu Fang frowned: "What do you mean?"

Aunt Ma said, "The day before yesterday, we were playing cards with your mother when she suddenly started coughing, coughing very badly. We said it might be lung cancer, so your mother went to the hospital for a checkup, but we don't know what the results were."

Chu Fang was quick-witted and immediately grasped the key point.

Are my own mother's recent changes related to the so-called tests?

He had no interest in buying anything and rushed to the town hospital.

"Hey, Mom, who's that?" A pretty young woman hooked her arm around Aunt Ma's. "He's quite handsome, introduce him to me."

"That's Chu Fang."

The beautiful woman said to Aunt Ma, "Mom, you really are something. Your mahjong partner has such an excellent son, why didn't you introduce him to your daughter first? Letting someone from out of town snatch him away, this will bring shame to our town."

"Look at yourself, do you think you're good enough for Chu Fang?" Aunt Ma glanced at her daughter sideways.

"Why shouldn't I be good enough for you? So many men are pursuing me!" The beautiful woman puffed out her chest.

"Can you compare to Zhong Tingyue?"

The beautiful woman was suddenly disappointed.

She had met Zhong Tingyue in person; her appearance was naturally remarkable, but more importantly, she possessed an ethereal and otherworldly aura.

She looked like an ugly duckling standing in front of Zhong Tingyue.

The beautiful woman shook off her mother's arm: "Mom, you're insulting me!"