“Come, come, let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend,” Su Yin Wan said, waving to the camera without any shyness. Situ Jun grinned, looking exceptionally pleased.
At the same time.
Ling Yuchen, Li Bowen, and Jiang Zexi all received the news and opened the video. Ling Yuchen remained expressionless throughout. After watching, he continued looking after the child without any change in his inner state.
Li Bowen raised an eyebrow slightly and replied, “Congratulations, may you have a son soon.”
Jiang Zexi smirked and responded, “Congratulations, you’ve finally become a man.”
Situ Jun’s smile froze instantly. He cursed, “Jiang Zexi, I’ll curse your ancestors!”
Jiang Zexi immediately replied with a very provocative emoji pack. This infuriated Situ Jun to no end. He gritted his teeth and said, “You’ve become too wild lately! Get your wife to teach you a lesson!”
Su Yin Wan looked at him quizzically and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Situ Jun said, tossing his phone far away and pulling Su Yin Wan into his embrace. He didn’t want these trivial matters to affect his mood. Being close to his girlfriend was the most important thing.
…
One day, forty-two days had passed since Gong Zhijing’s C-section. After a follow-up examination at the hospital, her body had recovered well, and the scar on her abdomen was gradually fading. Ling Yuchen was the happiest. As they left the hospital, the corners of his mouth turned up. “Now we can do it,” he said.
Gong Zhijing didn’t understand at first. But when she saw the meaningful look in Ling Yuchen’s eyes, she immediately understood. She was a little speechless, wondering what was on his mind. Her own thoughts were about moving to Ling Lu Mountain.
“After this summer holiday, I want to go back to school.”
Ling Yuchen naturally understood her thoughts and replied, “Yes, we’ll move over in a couple of days when the weather is better.”
After the hospital check-up and returning home, the morning had passed. Ling Leyou was still fast asleep. Madam Ling was dozing off, while Master Ling was watching television. Madam Ling’s memory had been deteriorating recently, and there were many moments when her eyes were filled with confusion. The worse it got, the more reliant she became on Master Ling. Her condition was progressing rapidly. At this rate, her illness would become very severe within six months. She might forget everything, her cognitive abilities would decline further, and she would completely regress to the state of a child. This disease was incurable. It could only be treated with medication to slow down the deterioration, but even so, it would continue to worsen.
“Yuchen, you’re back.” Madam Ling woke up from her doze upon hearing footsteps and was very happy to see Ling Yuchen. However, her gaze towards Gong Zhijing was remarkably unfamiliar. “Who is this young lady? Is she your girlfriend? Why didn’t you tell Grandma when you brought your girlfriend home?” Madam Ling examined Gong Zhijing from head to toe, her eyes filled with affection. She immediately got up from the sofa and walked to Gong Zhijing’s side, taking her hand. “My dear, I’m Yuchen’s grandmother. You’re home now, so don’t be a stranger, understand?”
Gong Zhijing’s eyes immediately welled up, and she almost shed tears. Her heart ached. The first time she met Madam Ling, the grandmother had said the same thing. Even though her memory was regressing and she no longer remembered her, she was still so kind to her upon meeting her again. Master Ling felt the most pained. His hand trembled, and his aged face was filled with heartache. “Man Xia, Zhijing has been our granddaughter-in-law for a long time. Look, they even have a child. She’s our great-granddaughter.”
Madam Ling turned around in confusion, her gaze lost as she stared at the baby stroller by the sofa, unable to recall anything. She looked helpless, her eyes filled with fear and anxiety. “Cheng Feng, have I forgotten many things again? I… I didn’t mean to.” Her eyes were full of apology, which was heartbreaking to witness. “Grandma, it’s okay. We remember everything. We’ll tell you slowly.” Gong Zhijing hugged her directly and soothed her gently. “Okay, thank you, dear!” Madam Ling smiled and hugged Gong Zhijing back, her anxiety lessening slightly. Gong Zhijing led her to the sofa and sat down, patiently recounting the events of the past year in general terms. She only mentioned the happy parts, skipping over the sad ones. Although Madam Ling couldn’t remember, she believed Gong Zhijing one hundred percent. She looked at Ling Leyou with eyes full of affection, just as delighted as the first time she saw her. Seeing her happy smile, everyone felt a little better.
Ling Yuchen discussed with Master Ling, “Grandpa, I want to take you to Ling Lu Mountain to live in a couple of days.” He would soon be returning to work at the company. Master Ling frowned deeply. He looked at his wife, his heart filled with concern. Her condition was worsening, and he feared she might not adapt well to a sudden change of environment. If it were before, he wouldn’t have hesitated, but now, he considered many things.
Ling Yuchen remained silent for a moment and said, “I’ll ask the doctor if it will affect Grandma’s condition.” He had always wanted to bring the elderly couple to live with them, but he had indeed forgotten to consider Grandma’s health. Master Ling didn’t reply. Instead, he looked at Madam Ling. Madam Ling was happily gazing at Ling Leyou, smiling from ear to ear. Not everything could be perfect. With Leyou around, her condition might improve significantly. But they couldn’t be so selfish; young people had their own lives.
In the afternoon, Ling Yuchen called Madam Ling’s attending physician to inquire. The doctor clearly stated that for Alzheimer’s patients, suddenly changing to an unfamiliar environment could worsen their condition. Not being familiar with the surroundings could lead to a lack of security, causing anxiety, fear, unease, and irritability. It was recommended to avoid changing environments as much as possible.
Gong Zhijing was feeding Ling Leyou when she saw Ling Yuchen enter with a dejected expression. She asked, “What’s wrong?” Ling Yuchen looked at her with complex emotions and said, “Grandpa and Grandma can’t come with us to Ling Lu Mountain.” Gong Zhijing frowned slightly and asked, “Why?” Ling Yuchen repeated what he had asked the doctor. A silence fell upon the room. Ling Yuchen would eventually return to work at the company. She and Leyou naturally wanted to be a family of three together, but she also wanted Leyou to be with her grandparents. If she and Leyou chose to stay at the old house to accompany the elderly couple, they would often be separated from Ling Yuchen. She could tolerate it, but the child would lack his father’s companionship. The current situation was a dilemma.
Ling Yuchen comforted her, “It’s alright, we’ll just come back often.” His eyes were filled with tenderness. He reached out to stroke Gong Zhijing’s head and then Ling Leyou’s face.