Chapter 66
Shen Hanyang remained calm: "You don't need to worry about that. No matter who bullies Jiaming, none of us here will stand idly by."
Bai Shaolin nodded frantically: "Yes, yes, we'll all support Jiaming!"
Cheng Can said, "Ruiyun, once you come to the Cheng family, you are a member of the Cheng family. We will all support you."
Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, but Ren Ruiyun's eyes were fixed intently on Shen Hanyang like claws. "So, you've decided to send Jiaming away and sever your father-son relationship with him?"
Shen Hanyang said, "You know that's not what I meant."
“I don’t understand what you mean, but I remember you said you would always love Jiaming.”
"This statement still holds true today."
"But you broke your promise!" Ren Ruiyun shouted uncontrollably. "You kept saying you loved Jiaming, but you couldn't wait to get rid of him! Hanyang, do you dare tell him in front of the child that you don't want him anymore, that you're in a hurry to marry his Teacher Yan, that you want to build a new family, have other children, and that your love can no longer be reserved for him? Tell me!"
Ren Ruiyun's roar echoed from the ceiling, engulfing Yan Qing like a tidal wave. She felt an indescribable tightness in her chest and unconsciously turned her head, only to be met with Ren Ruiyun's sharp gaze.
“Teacher Yan, Jiaming likes you and trusts you so much. Please tell him yourself that you want to move into the house that originally belonged to him, steal his father, force his parents to break up, and make him a homeless orphan. Tell him! Tell him!”
Madam Bai couldn't stand it anymore: "Ruiyun, aren't you being a bit unreasonable? Ask yourself honestly, have you fulfilled your parenting obligations for even a single day? Have you done anything as a mother? Others have taken such good care of your child, and instead of being grateful, you repay kindness with enmity, turning black into white. Isn't that going too far!"
"This is a family matter between him and me, and no one else has the right to interfere!" Ren Ruiyun sneered. "Besides, so many of you are surrounding me and forcing me to hand over the child. Compared to you, what's wrong with me?"
Seeing the tension escalating, Cheng Can and Bai Shaolin quickly tried to mediate, and Old Master Bai also signaled to Madam Bai to cease hostilities. In the chaos, Cheng Zou Meiyi slammed her hand on the table like a gavel, the heavy thud ending the noisy commotion.
"Enough, stop wasting time! Miss Ren, I'm a very straightforward person and I really dislike dragging things out. Cheng Jiaming is your son, that's true, and he's also my Cheng family's grandson. Since we can't reach an agreement, why don't we ask Jiaming for his opinion? If he says no, I won't force him, and we'll be strangers from now on. I promise I won't bother you again."
All the commotion subsided under Cheng Zou Meiyi's stern gaze. Madam Bai gave a barely perceptible sneer, her gaze towards Ren Ruiyun carrying a hint of amusement.
Ren Ruiyun pressed her lower lip tightly together, refusing to ask any questions.
Cheng Zou Meiyi urged, "Didn't you hear what I said? I told you to ask your son if he wanted to come back to the Cheng family. Why didn't you say anything?"
Cheng Can, who had always been the most emotionally stable, still tried her best to ease the tension: "Calm down, don't scare the child. Actually, we're all doing this for Jiaming's and Ruiyun's sake. This is a bit sudden for Ruiyun, and she needs time to process it, which is understandable. Ruiyun, don't worry, we will never make a decision without your approval. I genuinely like Jiaming and truly want to be good to him. Please believe me, I will prove it to you."
Ren Ruijun remained silent.
Cheng Zou Meiyi rolled her eyes at Cheng Can: "You're so open and honest with people, but they don't even bother with you! Let me make this clear: I'm going to raise Jiaming. As long as he's obedient, I guarantee the Cheng family will be his in the future. But if some people don't know their place, have no manners, no upbringing, or even try to take advantage of me—" Although she didn't name names, her gaze was fixed on Ren Ruiyun's face, "I can assure you, if you tell them this, they won't get anything out of it!"
Ren Ruiyun sneered twice, glancing defiantly at Cheng Zoumeiyi: "Don't you understand the situation? You're the one asking me for a favor, so please watch your words!"
Cheng Jiaming was both frightened and saddened by the situation. He grabbed Ren Ruiyun's hand and pleaded with a sob in his voice, "Don't fight anymore, Mom, please don't argue with Grandma."
"I didn't want to argue with her, she just took advantage of my kindness!"
"Mom, didn't you teach me to respect my elders?"
Ren Ruiyun glared at her: "Didn't you see how she treated me? Whose side are you on anyway?"
Ren Ruiyun's expression startled Cheng Jiaming, who stumbled back two steps, almost falling. Cheng Can quickly came over and pulled Jiaming into her arms, saying, "Jiaming, don't be afraid."
Cheng Jiaming sobbed a few times and couldn't hold back his tears.
Seeing this, Ren Ruiyun's chest heaved with suppressed anger: "Madam Cheng, your and your daughter's methods of winning people over are truly masterful. In that case, Cheng Jiaming will be left in your care, and I will have no further connection with this child!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Jiaming broke free from Cheng Can and rushed over, crying, "Mom, I was wrong! Mom!"
Ren Ruiyun pulled Cheng Jiaming away from her and forced him to stand up straight: "Stand up straight—stand up straight! I'm asking you, do you like your aunt and grandma?"
Cheng Jiaming, trembling with fear, said, "Mom..."
Ren Ruiyun then asked, "Do you like Teacher Yan?"
Yan Qing, who had been silent all along, felt a chill run down her spine.
Cheng Jiaming, with tears streaming down his face, said, "Mom..."
Ren Ruiyun laughed, a chilling laugh: "Not denying it means admitting it, huh? Fine, very well. Hanyang, you've raised a good son for me, helping outsiders against his own mother. Jiaming, then you can let Teacher Yan be your mother, and live with your good aunt and good grandma!"
She jumped to her feet.
Cheng Jiaming was terrified. "Mom, did I say something wrong? I love you the most, Mom, Mom..."
Ren Ruiyun walked out without looking back, and Cheng Jiaming followed behind, crying, "Where are you going, Mom... Don't abandon me!"
Yan Qing was the second to chase after them, followed by Shen Hanyang.
Stepping out of the clubhouse, Ren Ruiyun strode across the road. Cheng Jiaming rushed towards her without a second thought. A van pulled up from around the corner.
With a startled cry from Yan Qing: "Jiaming!"
Thump—Ren Ruiyun turned around. The driver's side window of the van was rolled down halfway, revealing the driver's terrified expression. Half a meter away from the van, Cheng Jiaming lay in a pool of blood.
For several seconds, Yan Qing felt an unusually sharp shriek around her, piercing her eardrums with pain. She didn't realize it was sudden tinnitus caused by shock. She quickly took out her phone to dial 120, but couldn't immediately state her location. While she was still bewildered, her phone was taken away.
It is Shen Hanyang.
The rest of the people came out as well.
Shen Hanyang gave the location to Jiaming in a deep voice over the phone, then knelt down beside him and spoke to him, trying to awaken his consciousness. Ren Ruiyun staggered over and collapsed a few steps away from Cheng Jiaming.
The ambulance's blaring siren pierced the overcast winter sky as Cheng Jiaming was lifted inside, followed by Shen Hanyang and Ren Ruiyun. Yan Qing and Cheng Can also tried to get in, but there was only one seat left. Ren Ruiyun glared at Yan Qing with hatred, her voice trembling with emotion: "Get out of here! I don't want to see you!"
The situation was critical, and urged by the accompanying doctor, Cheng Can got into the car.
Before the car door closed, Yan Qing saw Shen Hanyang's lips moving, as if he was saying something to her, but she couldn't hear it clearly.
Yan Qing hailed a taxi and struggled to catch up with the ambulance, following it all the way to the nearest Ninth Hospital. Panic, running, resuscitation efforts, prayers… a large crowd surrounded the operating room door. Yan Qing dared not approach, only watching their backs from afar. The operating room indicator light silently shone, a light that had illuminated her twenty-seven years of life, reflecting countless memories of the past. Unrelated names flashed through her mind: Feng Fanying, Jiang Xiaoman, Qiao Dezheng, Hu Ruoyi, Cheng Yu… Behind each name, a pair of eyes symbolizing death stared.
Ren Ruiyun's shoulders were heaving; she must be crying. Shen Hanyang stood not far from her, gazing in the same direction as Yan Qingning.
Ren Ruiyun kept calling Cheng Jiaming's name: "Jiaming, Jiaming..."
"Jiaming will be fine." Shen Hanyang's tone was very calm. He turned his head slightly, revealing half of his profile, and the faint outline of his face caused Yan Qing a sharp pain in her heart.
"It's all my fault, it's all my fault," Ren Ruiyun clung to Shen Hanyang's arm like a lifeline, sobbing uncontrollably, "Hanyang, hug me, I'm so scared..."
Shen Hanyang gently patted her back, and she leaned on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist.
After a while, Shen Hanyang said something to Old Master Bai and Cheng Can, and the Bai and Cheng families left the hospital with solemn expressions.
The surgery was long, and Yan Qing didn't know what she could do. She grew anxious, remembering that Ren Ruiyun and Shen Hanyang had barely touched their food at the table, so she got up and went out to buy some water and snacks. When she returned, there were several people in suits outside the operating room. She recognized one of them—Assistant Hao.
Assistant Hao listened attentively as Shen Hanyang gave instructions, nodding occasionally. He then gestured for his assistant to put down the bottled water and light meals before leaving with his entourage.
Shen Hanyang picked up a bottle of water, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to Ren Ruiyun, who took a small sip. He then opened a sandwich for her, but she shook her head. Her makeup was completely ruined from crying, revealing tired dark circles under her eyes. Shen Hanyang took out a tissue, but she didn't take it. Instead, he gently wiped away her tears. Holding Shen Hanyang's hand, she broke down again, burying her face in his chest and sobbing uncontrollably.
People came and went outside the emergency room, their presence obscuring Yan Qing's figure. She watched it all silently.
The operating light finally went out, and the doctor announced the good news: Cheng Jiaming was out of danger. Shen Hanyang's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down. In an unseen corner, Yan Qing leaned against the wall, exhausted, and let out a few long breaths.
Cheng Jiaming was wheeled back to his ward, and Yan Qing quietly came to the ward door.
Shen Hanyang was handling the paperwork at the window at the end of the corridor, while Ren Ruiyun was called away by the doctor. Taking advantage of the absence of others, Yan Qing quietly approached the bedside. Cheng Jiaming lay there, barely breathing, his face devoid of color. Recalling that terrifying moment, Yan Qing couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.
She silently prayed in her heart, "Jiaming, get well soon..."
A woman's stern voice rang out, "What are you doing here?!" Ren Ruiyun and Shen Hanyang appeared in the doorway. Ren Ruiyun strode over, her eyes filled with deep resentment: "Haven't you hurt Jiaming enough?"
"Ruiyun." Shen Hanyang tried to dissuade him, but the nurse was calling him again; he had missed signing a word on the paperwork. He looked at Yan Qing, his eyes filled with worry. But the nurse was calling urgently, so he had to leave temporarily to complete the paperwork.
Ren Ruiyun nearly lost her mind; her pent-up anger and resentment exploded at that moment. Pointing at Yan Qing, she cursed, "Have you no shame? You're a tutor, yet you end up in the master's bed, and you still play the innocent, pitiful little white flower? All of this is because of you. If it weren't for you, Hanyang wouldn't be in this predicament, and Jiaming wouldn't have suffered so much!"
Yan Qing had grown accustomed to the insults from Feng Xin and Meng Xianglan since childhood. She listened blankly, enduring Ren Ruiyun's rage without resistance, until the other party shouted at her to leave.
As she turned the corner in the corridor, she saw Shen Hanyang still talking to a nurse. She rarely saw him look so exhausted. Without saying a word, she turned and slipped into the stairwell.
She didn't actually leave; she couldn't just abandon Cheng Jiaming like that. After waiting a while, she returned to the ward and quietly hid outside the door.
As the anesthesia wore off, Cheng Jiaming regained some consciousness.
"Mom..." he called weakly.
Ren Ruiyun held Cheng Jiaming's hand: "Mom is here."
"...Don't leave me..."
Ren Ruiyun sobbed uncontrollably, "Mom was wrong, Mom will never abandon you!"
Cheng Jiaming called out again, "Dad..."
Shen Hanyang bent down: "Dad's here."
Cheng Jiaming said weakly, "Dad... I don't want to go to Grandma's house... I want to live with you and Mom..."
Shen Hanyang nodded: "Okay, Dad promises you."
"Then...you two should make up..."
Yan Qing saw that Shen Hanyang seemed to exchange a glance with Ren Ruiyun, and then reached out and enveloped Ren Ruiyun's hand.
“Okay,” he said.
The hands of the family of three were clasped tightly together, like layers of flower petals.
Outside the door, Yan Qing walked away step by step along the wall, oblivious to the glances cast her way. An old woman followed her: "Girl, don't be sad. People's fortunes are predetermined, try to take it easy."
Yan Qing looked bewildered. It wasn't until the other person handed her a crumpled tissue that she realized she was crying. She didn't know who her tears were for—Cheng Jiaming or herself. She only felt as if three hands were gripping her throat from somewhere unseen.
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