Chapter 49 Mother's Concerns
Chen Ran returned to the company from Jishidiang and sat in the large boss chair. The diagnosis sheet in his hand was wrinkled. The five words "suspected intestinal polyps" pierced his eyes like needles - it was just an old stomachache, how could such a thing be diagnosed?
He subconsciously touched his stomach, which still ached slightly.
Over the years, he has been like a tireless ox, from a small workshop in the south to the Chen Clothing Company that now spans several provinces. He has spent many late nights in front of design drawings until his stomach turned sour, and many times at social gatherings until his stomach felt like it was on fire. He always wanted to take a good rest after the company was on its feet.
It was not until he opened a branch in Jiangcheng this year and found Su Hong on the old street lined with sycamore trees and learned that she had a daughter that he realized that the achievements he had gained at the cost of overdrawing his health finally had a home.
But now, before his foot has even gained firm ground, his body has already given him a yellow card.
"Boss Chen?" Fang Shuo knocked on the door and came in. "Aren't you going to get off work yet?"
Chen Ran folded the diagnosis sheet into small pieces and stuffed them into the drawer. His Adam's apple rolled. "Please make an appointment for me for a colonoscopy at Jiangcheng People's Hospital. The sooner the better."
He looked out the French window at the street scene. He used to think he was young and could handle anything, but now...
Chen Ran returned to a lonely home, drank Chinese medicine and ate in the empty big house. He had to live well and see that his daughter was well, so he dared not gamble with his life again.
As dusk fell, the street lights in Jinghua Garden lit up one after another. The warm yellow light shone through the glass windows, giving the living room a gentle golden edge.
The porcelain bowl on the table was still warm. Si Yan wiped the sauce from the corner of Su Nian's mouth. His fingertips carelessly brushed against her still flat belly, a faint smile spreading in his eyes. "Let's take some time out in the next two days and go to the People's Hospital."
Su Nian looked up and blinked when he heard this: "What are you going to the hospital for?"
"Create a file." Si Yan said, "Bring your marriage certificate and go to the obstetrics and gynecology department to register. It will be more convenient for you to have prenatal checkups in the future." He spoke very slowly.
Su Nian's face suddenly turned red, and her fingertips curled up: "Oh... I don't understand these." She lowered her head to look at her belly, where a little life was growing. The man beside her always arranged everything properly and thoughtfully, leaving her no chance to even frown.
"It's okay if you don't understand," Si Yan chuckled and reached out to rub the top of her head lovingly. "I'll get all the documents sorted out, just follow me."
The wind outside the window blew the fallen leaves across the treetops, and the warm light in the living room spread over the intertwined figures of the two people, prolonging the silence of this moment.
The next morning, as soon as Chen Ran arrived at the company, he called Fang Shuo to the office: "Call Su Nian and ask her how she feels about her work."
Fang Shuo was stunned. "Lawyer Zhong conveyed our intentions to Ms. Su last week and said we were waiting for her reply."
"I know." Chen Ran tapped his fingertips lightly on the table. "Just ask her directly what she thinks."
He thought that he had to settle Su Nian's matter in the next two days.
From now on, all my work will be handed over to her. It's rare that the child has a talent for design and is smart, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to have her join the company early to get some experience.
He was afraid—afraid that something might happen to him.
Fang Shuo responded by taking out his cell phone and turning on the hands-free button. Chen Ran leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, but listened attentively to the sounds coming from the other end.
Su Nian was standing on tiptoe, placing her newly made cheongsam in the glass cabinet. Si Yan held her waist from behind and said helplessly, "I told you not to move. I'll do it, but you refused to listen."
"It's just the last one." Su Nian turned around to explain, but her phone rang at that moment. An unfamiliar number popped up on the screen, and she was a little confused.
Si Yan came over to glance at the screen, frowning slightly, but calmly helped Su Nian tidy up the hair around her ears: "Answer it, it might be a work matter.
Su Nian pressed the answer button. Before she could say anything, she heard a gentle male voice coming from the receiver: "Is this Miss Su Nian? I'm Fang Shuo, assistant to the chairman of Chen's Clothing Company."
"Hello, Assistant Fang." Su Nian thought that the other party might want to talk about inviting her to join them.
"I wonder if Lawyer Zhong has told you about inviting Miss Su to join our Chen Group?" Fang Shuo's voice came through the electric current, with a certain formal politeness.
"Yes, Lawyer Zhong told me." As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the eyes of her mother and Si Yan falling on her at the same time.
Su Hong walked quickly over from the operating table, forgetting to put down the tape measure in her hand, her eyes full of tension.
It was obvious that they all knew what they were talking about. Her mother waved at her, and Si Yan beside her also shook his head slightly, his eyes clearly telling her not to agree immediately.
Su Nian's eyes flickered between her mother and Si Yan, her heart knotted. Chen's offer was indeed tempting, like pie in the sky, but her mother's reaction...
"So what do you think?"
Su Nian's fingers twisted the corner of her clothes unconsciously. She bit her lip and said, "I...I haven't thought about it yet."
"Ms. Su, we're impressed by your design skills and sincerely invite you to join us." Fang Shuo's tone became more earnest. "This opportunity is rare, and I hope you will seriously consider it."
"Okay, I'll think about it carefully." Su Nian responded vaguely.
At this moment, there was a rustling sound on the other end of the line, as if someone was whispering something. A moment later, Fang Shuo's voice rang out again, "Ms. Su, how about we arrange a time for you to come to the company for a face-to-face meeting? Tell us your concerns, and perhaps we can reach an agreement."
Su Nian was truly stumped. She looked up at Su Hong, whose face had turned pale and she waved her hands repeatedly. Then she looked at Si Yan, who appeared calm, though his eyes held a hint of deliberation. She took a deep breath and said, "How about this? I'll think about it and get back to you, okay?"
After hanging up the phone, before Su Nian could even speak, Su Hong rushed to ask, "Is it the Chen family? What did they say?"
Si Yan said, "Mom, don't worry." He turned to Su Nian and asked, "What did the other party say?"
"She said she wanted to meet me to talk, and I said I'd consider it." Su Nian said, "Mom, why are you so nervous?"
Su Hong opened her mouth, wanted to say something, but swallowed it back. In the end, she could only steer the conversation towards the child: "You're pregnant now, and you haven't graduated yet, so why are you making such a fuss? Chen's is such a big company, there must be a lot of rules. You should wait until you graduate first."
As she spoke, her eyes turned red. "Mom is not trying to stop you from having a bright future, but the most important thing for you right now is to take good care of your health."
Su Nian felt heavy-hearted after hearing what her mother said. Just as she was about to speak, Si Yan held her shoulders.
"Mom, what you said makes sense, but don't make hasty decisions. After all, this opportunity is rare." Si Yan's voice was steady, with a reassuring power. "Niannian, you can go talk to them. See what conditions they can offer, and explain your situation clearly. If the conditions are not suitable, then don't go."
He paused, looked into Su Nian's eyes, and said seriously: "No matter what decision you make, Mom and I support you."
He had his own calculations: Chen Ran's special care for Su Nian was something he'd been ill with recently, so he probably had no time to care for her. Si Yan wasn't worried. Besides, Su Nian was pregnant and had to juggle schoolwork. If Chen Ran knew about this, he might not have insisted.
Su Hong watched the hesitation on her daughter's face gradually disappear, and her heart felt like a stone was pressing on her - she couldn't let Nian Nian go to Chen's. Although she didn't know which department Chen Ran worked in Chen's, she must not let her daughter have the opportunity to see him. She didn't want her and her daughter's peaceful life to be disturbed, and she was determined not to let her daughter be labeled as an "illegitimate daughter".
Su Nian looked at her concerned mother, then at Si Yan, whose eyes were determined. Her heart was weighing on her. She squeezed her phone, Fang Shuo's words, "Talk about your concerns," still ringing in her ears. This was a rare opportunity, and she really wanted to go and see it.
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