Upon arriving at the hospital, Wei Yumeng urgently pushed open the door and said to Fang Xun.
"Fang Xun, you don't need to wait for me. I'll go back myself."
"Understood, Madam."
Fang Xun turned the car around and left. Wei Yumeng stepped inside. When she reached the door of the ward, she saw Gu Shuyi eating on the hospital bed. It seemed they hadn't seen each other for a long time, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes, without any warning.
Her voice choked with sobs as she called out with a pang of sorrow.
"Mom..."
Gu Shuyi turned her head and saw Wei Yumeng. She was stunned, and then her face crinkled.
"Daughter."
"Mom..." Wei Yumeng cried and ran over, hugging her mother tightly.
The mother and daughter poured out their longing for each other. After they calmed down, Wei Yumeng, with a mixture of tears and laughter, wiped her mother's tears.
"Mom, why are you crying too?"
"Mom hasn't seen you in so long. I'm stuck in this hospital all day. Fortunately, I hired a caregiver to chat with me every day. Otherwise, if Mom couldn't see you and couldn't go out, how could I live?"
Gu Shuyi thought of the past period, and every day was an ordeal for her.
Wei Yumeng also missed Gu Shuyi dearly. However, because of Xin Ran's matter, she had angered Zhan Mohan and didn't dare to mention it for a while, fearing she would displease Zhan Mohan again.
Wei Yumeng gently patted Gu Shuyi's back, soothing her emotions.
"Mom, I'm here now, aren't I? Don't be sad. Zhan Mohan isn't restricting your freedom anymore. I plan to go back and discuss with him whether we can rent a place for you to live somewhere close to me. If I have time later, I can visit you often."
Gu Shuyi was very happy to hear this. What mother wouldn't want to be with her child? However...
"Mom's body doesn't allow it. Although I strongly disapprove of you being with Zhan Mohan, I have to admit that I owe him for this period. Otherwise, Mom's life might not have been saved."
Wei Yumeng furrowed her brows. "What do you mean by that?"
"You don't know, Zhan Mohan sent me to this hospital and paid thirty thousand upfront. A few days ago, I suddenly went into shock, and it took several days of resuscitation to save me. You said if it wasn't for Zhan Mohan's money, you might not even have seen me."
Wei Yumeng's expression changed. "How come I don't know anything about this? He never told me."
"He probably didn't want you to worry. Besides, even if he told you, what good would it do? Our family can't afford that money."
Gu Shuyi's words felt like a sharp knife piercing her heart. Though unpleasant, they were true.
If she had truly encountered such a situation, she would have been frantic, but she wouldn't have been able to come up with hundreds of thousands.
Yet, for Zhan Mohan, this was a small sum. It was less than what he earned from negotiating a single project.
For a moment, she didn't know how to describe her feelings – was it gratitude, or relief that she hadn't left Zhan Mohan?
Gu Shuyi held her hand. "But daughter, you cannot be together."
"Why?" She had always wanted to ask her mother why she didn't approve of her being with Zhan Mohan. Before, she herself wasn't willing, so she hadn't dwelled on it. Now that Gu Shuyi brought it up again, she became curious.
Gu Shuyi looked conflicted, unwilling to tell her the truth.
"In short, you are really not suited. While you don't have deep feelings yet, you should break up immediately. As for the money you owe him, borrow it from Xin Ran and repay him, and then you'll be even."
However, the more Gu Shuyi acted this way, the more Wei Yumeng's curiosity was piqued.
"Mom, please tell me. There must be a reason why I need to know."
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes. Even if I don't end up with Zhan Mohan, I need to know the reason."
Gu Shuyi thought that although she didn't want Wei Yumeng to know about those old events, since it had come to this, it might as well serve as a warning to Wei Yumeng, preventing her from truly falling in love with Zhan Mohan.
"This matter has to be traced back to the past..."
After Wei Yumeng listened, she was somewhat dazed, her eyes vacant, and she couldn't react for a long time.
Gu Shuyi sighed, "That's why I don't agree with you two being together. It's a karmic connection."
Wei Yumeng finally understood why Gu Shuyi had always strongly opposed her relationship with Zhan Mohan. She hadn't expected this underlying reason. Now that she knew, she wondered if Zhan Mohan would regret their marriage if he found out about it later.
Gu Shuyi guiltily held Wei Yumeng's hand. "Mom is sorry. If you didn't like Zhan Mohan, it would be fine. But if you do like him, this might be too cruel for you. However, I promised your grandmother that no matter which generation, we must not have any contact with the Zhan family."
Wei Yumeng looked lost, her face pale. At this moment, the doctor walked in.
"Are you Gu Shuyi's family member?"
"Yes, Doctor. How is my mother's condition recently? When can she be discharged?"
If there were no problems, she didn't want Gu Shuyi to stay in the hospital all the time, as it would dampen her spirits.
"Come out with me, and we'll talk."
"Alright." Wei Yumeng helped Gu Shuyi lie down first. "Mom, I'll go out and talk to the doctor. You rest first, and I'll come back to keep you company later."
"Mm."
Wei Yumeng followed the doctor into the corridor. She couldn't wait to ask.
"Doctor, how is my mother doing now?"
"Her condition is not optimistic. Your mother has been in low spirits for many years, and her bodily functions are gradually weakening. We recommend long-term medication and increased exercise. Her diet also needs to be paid attention to. As for her heart, even after surgery, it's not guaranteed to be completely fine. She still relies on these machines to maintain her life."
These words were enough to indicate that Gu Shuyi's current condition absolutely did not allow her to be discharged.
Not only could she not be discharged, but there would also be high subsequent expenses. This meant that if the money wasn't there now, Gu Shuyi would die.
Wei Yumeng's heart felt as if a large stone had been dropped into it, pressing her so hard she could barely breathe.
"Mr. Zhan sent people to pay the fees twice. But you don't need to worry. As long as the money is available, the person will be fine. It might be inconvenient to stay in the hospital, but she can still live, right?"
What the doctor said was indeed true, and Wei Yumeng understood this principle.
She sniffled. "Doctor, please don't tell my mother these things. She has already endured enough. I don't want her to know about this."
"Don't worry. As doctors, we will respect the family's choices."
Wei Yumeng went to the restroom. After she regained control of her emotions, she returned to Gu Shuyi's ward.
A forced smile touched her lips.
"Mom, it's getting late. I have to go back to the company later."
"Did the doctor just tell you that my condition isn't very good?"
Wei Yumeng chuckled. "No, that's not true. He just said my resistance isn't as good as before and that I might need to stay in the hospital for observation for a while."
"Yumeng, Mom isn't a child. I know some things clearly in my heart."
Such as her body.
"Mom, don't overthink it. I was just thinking about how to talk to Zhan Mohan. He's treating me quite well now, but his Zhan family still misunderstands me, thinking I caused him and his brother's car accident."
She deliberately changed the subject, trying to divert Gu Shuyi's attention.
Gu Shuyi's stance was clear. "In short, we cannot let your maternal grandmother die with regret. She is your grandmother and my mother. Besides, what the Zhan family is doing is truly against heavenly principles. Your marriage itself is already unbelievable. If you want to spend your lives together in the future, wouldn't that be a joke?"
Wei Yumeng lowered her head, her mood dejected.
"I understand, Mom."
Gu Shuyi looked at her dispirited appearance and felt sympathetic. She said a few more comforting words.
"Be obedient. There aren't any other men in this world besides Zhan Mohan. If there's a chance in the future, you can find someone you like. Xin Ran is quite good. I think the way he argues with you is also fine. If you have the opportunity in the future, it's better to be with him."