Chapter 69: The Biggest Problem: I Don’t Want Anything

Chen Lianxiu sat quietly on the side, without making any sound.

After sitting for a while, Zhou Linjin couldn't help but ask, "Ayuan, are you not talking to me again?"

Chen Lianxiu's face was originally turned to the side, not facing Zhou Linjin. Even though he couldn't see, he turned his face slightly when he heard the words and looked at Zhou Linjin steadily.

It felt like the wound in my heart that was almost healing was stained by salt water again.

She lowered her eyes and said, "Zhou Linjin, you saw it just now, too."

Zhou Linjin gave a somewhat forced smile, but still forced himself to ask, "What's wrong?"

"You won't fail to understand." Shen Lianxiu sighed softly.

She would not forgive Shen Wuyu, and similarly, she would not be able to forgive Zhou Linjin.

After a while, Zhou Linjin called her again: "A Yuan."

"Once the matter with King Hui is resolved and your eyes have healed, I will take An An back to Baixi Village. You can come and see her anytime you want, but let's forget about the rest," Chen Lianxiu said. "Let's each live our own lives and stop dwelling on the past."

Zhou Linjin gave a bitter smile. "That's impossible, Ayuan. Even if you return to Baixi Village, I'll give up everything and still follow you."

“You…” Shen Lianxiu was speechless for a moment, and then said, “Why do you need to do this?”

Zhou Linjin said, "Just now, Chen Wuyu also begged you for forgiveness, but you didn't agree. Maybe she won't ask again next time, but I won't. I will keep begging you until you are willing to forgive me."

Shen Lianxiu sighed softly.

She didn't know how much truth there was in what Zhou Linjin said. Maybe he just said it to her to scare her. Maybe if she really returned to Baixi Village in the future, he would not be willing to give up everything here as he said, and the two sides would slowly break off relations. But at the moment, none of this could be verified. There was no other way except to leave it hanging like this.

The two of them didn't speak anymore. When they arrived at the door of their house, Chen Lianxiu walked in without saying a word, and Zhou Linjin followed her.

He had hardly come here recently, not even at night. Only when he had time during the day would he come to see Shen Lianxiu to treat his eyes. Since An An and the servants were usually present, he had nothing to say to Shen Lianxiu.

After entering the house and taking a few steps, Shen Lianxiu finally couldn't help but asked, "Do you want me to give you a few injections?"

"Go in first," Zhou Linjin said, "I have something to tell you."

His tone was obviously more serious and low-key than when he was in the carriage just now. After all, Shen Lianxiu had been with him for quite a while, so she immediately realized that it was not about those endless personal matters.

After entering the house, An An was still awake and was playing sandbags with the maid. Zhou Linjin went up to her and talked to her, mostly about what she had done and eaten that day. After serving tea, Zhou Linjin asked the maid to take An An to bed.

After the two sat down, Shen Lianxiu immediately asked, "What's the matter?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to give me a few injections?" Zhou Linjin asked back.

Chen Lianxiu curled her lips and pretended to get the medicine box, but was stopped by Zhou Linjin.

"Okay, sit down first. I really have something to do," Zhou Linjin said, then frowned slightly and said, "Grandma is sick, I want you to go over and see her."

Shen Lianxiu's memory of Wu was already a little vague, and he could only recall that she was an old lady who was a bit biased.

She thought for a moment and said, "Can't the Duke's Mansion afford a good doctor? I'm just a country doctor. I'm afraid I can't cure any illness."

Zhou Linjin sighed and said, "Listen to me."

"Grandma hasn't been feeling well for a few months. The doctor initially said it was a minor illness, but she's old and needs careful and patient care. Our family has been following the doctor's advice, but Grandma's health hasn't improved. Instead, it's gotten worse."

"We've considered hiring a few more doctors to treat Grandmother, but she's always trusted my uncle's family. She's always left most of her affairs to my aunt. It's always been like that, including hiring doctors and prescribing medicine. It wasn't just this time; it was always handled solely by the second wife."

Chen Lianxiu was sipping hot tea. When he heard this, he gradually realized that something was wrong and put down his teacup.

Zhou Linjin continued, "At first, grandma's condition was better. We asked her if she wanted to change doctors, but she just said no. My second uncle and the others knew her situation well, and they would change doctors when it was time. Now, she can hardly speak. We mentioned changing doctors several times, but the second wife refused every time, saying they would find someone else to treat grandma. My mother secretly invited a doctor over, but the second wife discovered it and stopped her outside the room, not allowing her to get close. Grandma's room was actually strictly controlled, with people from the second wife there all the time."

It was a hot night, and Shen Lianxiu almost shivered when he heard it. He quickly picked up the hot tea and took a sip.

It's really strange. The entire Chengguo Mansion belongs to the first wife and has nothing to do with the second wife. The second wife has been holding on to Wu for so many years, so that they can leave more for them after Wu dies. Wu has also been favoring them and seeking benefits for them. In this case, there is no reason for the second wife to harm Wu. If it is said that they are just afraid that the first wife will intervene and affect the second wife's status in Wu's mind, that is hard to justify. It is impossible for them to risk Wu's life for this. It's just asking the first wife to invite a few doctors to see her. What harm can it do?

"I wasn't home before, so mother and elder sister couldn't do anything. My elder sister told me about this the day before yesterday. I was planning to just ask a doctor to take me in. They wouldn't be able to do anything to me, but my elder sister stopped me." Zhou Linjin paused. "There's something fishy about this. Someone in the second house must be doing something. We can't be rash while the situation is still unclear."

Chen Lianxiu nodded: "You take people and force your way in to treat the old lady. It would be good if the old lady is fine, but if something happens..."

"So I discussed it with my sister, and inviting you to go is the best solution."

"I?"

"The Second House might not be impressed by your medical skills. They only know that you went to the library to read. Later, you treated my eyes, and you kept it a secret from the outside world. They wouldn't have guessed you actually had the ability to heal people." Zhou Linjin said, "If you're willing to go, under the pretext of letting Grandmother see her great-granddaughter before she dies, you can bring An An in and check Grandmother's pulse."

"But if someone from the second house is nearby..." Shen Lianxiu did not hesitate whether to go to Wu to treat her. Although Wu was not so kind, she was not so stingy as to watch Wu die without saving her.

Zhou Linjin was originally worried that she would refuse to go to Duke Cheng's Mansion, but when he saw her agree, he immediately said, "They aren't so wary of their family members. Just take An An with you. Mother, sister, and I will accompany you. If there's any problem, I'll handle it."

Then, the two agreed that Zhou Linjin would come to pick up Chen Lianxiu and her daughter to go to Duke Cheng's Mansion early tomorrow morning, and then Zhou Linjin left.

After Shen Lianxiu finished washing up, she found that An An was still sitting on the bed playing and had not fallen asleep at all.

Seeing Shen Lianxiu coming, An An smiled at her and lay down on the bed obediently.

Chen Lianxiu also followed her to the bed and asked her, "Are you waiting for your mother?"

An An nodded and yawned.

Chen Lianxiu hugged her, intending to coax her to sleep, but suddenly remembered something and said, "Tomorrow we are going to a place where we will see the grandmother and aunt we met last time, as well as some people we haven't met yet. Don't be afraid, An An."

She didn't know if An An remembered Yang and Zhou Yishao, she just asked, "Where are we going?"

"Go..." Shen Lianxiu was unable to answer for a moment. An An, a child who had always lived in the countryside, had no idea what the Duke's Mansion was. She also didn't know that Zhou Linjin was her father yet, so she couldn't tell her that it was her father's home. Shen Lianxiu could only say, "Grandmother and aunt's home."

"Oh..." An An scratched his head with his fingers. He was probably really sleepy. He didn't ask any more questions and soon closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The next morning, Chen Lianxiu and An An were taken to Duke Cheng's Mansion by Zhou Linjin.

After leaving for many years, she never thought she would come back.

Those past memories floated in Shen Lianxiu's mind, sometimes far away, sometimes near, as if tempting her to reach out and grab them, and then repeat the fear, anxiety, embarrassment and even humiliation of the past.

If he wasn't careful, Shen Lianxiu would probably have to flee in panic.

She held An An's hand tightly, calmed herself down, and tried not to think about the past.

Zhou Linjin held An An's other hand, and when they were about to reach Shou'an Hall, Yang and Zhou Yishao also hurried over.

Yang only spoke a few words softly to An An, without saying anything else, and then they walked into Shou'an Hall together.

Xiao Wu naturally served in Shou'an Hall.

She had known for a long time that Chen Lianxiu and An An were coming, and had actually been waiting for them since early morning. She followed the sound and came out without any courtesy. She just looked Chen Lianxiu and An An up and down with her naked eyes without any concealment.

Finally, he said with his eyes not eyes and his nose not nose: "Here it comes."

Yang frowned when she heard this, but she didn't like arguing with others by nature. Besides, she had more important things to do today, so she naturally wouldn't quarrel with Xiao Wu at this time.

She could only ignore Xiao Wu and turned to Shen Lianxiu and said, "Let's go in together."

Chen Lianxiu nodded and was about to bend down to pick up An An when Zhou Yishao stepped forward to stop her and said, "Let A-di hold you."

Shen Lianxiu thought about it and agreed.

Zhou Linjin picked up An An and walked inside. When he passed by Xiao Wu, Wu was about to follow him in. Zhou Linjin noticed this and immediately said, "It's a family matter between us. I'm afraid it's not appropriate for my aunt to be here."

Xiao Wu sneered, but did not insist any more. All she could think about was that Zhou Linjin had not remarried in all these years, and he didn't even have a concubine. After the first wife's family line died out, their branch would have to inherit the family business. But now Chen Lianxiu came back with his daughter. It was hard to say what would happen in the future. The family business that was about to belong to the second wife was in danger.

"Who wants to meddle in your family's affairs?" Little Wu really stopped and looked at An An, who was held in Zhou Linjin's arms. She said in a voice that was not loud but could be heard by everyone present, "Isn't she just a little girl? What's so good about her? Why do you treat her as a curiosity? We already have a grandson in this branch!"

Su Qiong, who had been standing behind Xiao Wu, quickly pulled her aside and said, "Mother, stop talking."

Even as she said this, Su Qiong couldn't help but show a hint of pride on her face, and she touched her bulging belly. In the past five years, she had given birth to a son and a daughter for Zhou Linyu. The one in her belly was about to give birth to another one. If she gave birth to another son, she would have three sons. No matter how hard the first wife tried, she would never be able to catch up with her. The difference between a boy and a girl was already obvious in the first child.