In a sense, Madam Zhan was not a good mother.
During Melody's childhood, she did not grow up with her.
During Zhan Bei Jue's adolescence, she was absent from his growth.
But apart from these, she was also a qualified mother.
She provided them with more materially than anyone else.
She gave Zhan Bei Jue the surname Zhan, and the endless glory and wealth he enjoyed from birth.
She gave Melody excellent study abroad capital, outstanding appearance, and freedom.
And herself?
She worked hard her whole life, never receiving paternal love, never enjoying true romance.
In middle age, she was finally ready to retire, but she was still busy with her children's affairs.
She even sacrificed her life for her son's marriage.
Since her accident, Zhan Bei Jue often reflected when he visited her.
In what way did his mother owe him that he treated her like that before?
Besides being his mother, she was also a free individual, possessing emotions of joy and sorrow.
Faced with her husband's betrayal and disregard, shouldn't she have resisted, shouldn't she have had her own emotions?
Why should everyone think her resistance was excessive and improper?
No one understood her, not even her children, who even resented her.
Every time he saw her lying on the hospital bed, unable to move, Zhan Bei Jue would feel immense guilt.
He didn't know how to be a good son, how to treat his mother properly.
He wished his mother had never met his father, never given birth to him…
The doctors' current plan was chemotherapy.
Only by saving her life could further treatments be carried out.
But there were different types of chemotherapy, and they needed the family's cooperation to choose the most stable option.
The meeting lasted for nearly an hour before the plan was finalized.
Finally, the attending physician came to find the siblings.
"According to Mr. Zhan, your maternal grandmother also suffered from breast cancer, and now your mother has it, indicating a strong family history."
"I suggest you both undergo a check-up for this as well. Although generally speaking, women have a higher chance of inheriting it, it's better to be safe than sorry, Mr. Zhan."
Zhan Bei Jue nodded expressionlessly.
Soon, the siblings entered the examination room.
After spending an unknown amount of time in the ward, the attending physician entered with the reports.
Judging by the expression on his face, the results were not good.
Zhan Bei Jue gestured for him to speak directly.
"We've come this far, let's not waste time. Just say it."
"Miss Melody, these are your test results. The preliminary examination is not very good…"
Jiang Nan Fang seemed to have lost her soul.
People came and went in the hall, crowds shifted one after another, yet she sat there like a fixed point, completely still.
Several hours passed, and the elevator doors opened again, heralding the familiar figure of Zhan Bei Jue.
Still in his usual sportswear, his brow furrowed, his height and long legs, he emerged from the crowd first.
The beautiful lady who had bumped into Jiang Nan Fang earlier, wearing sunglasses and with her hair down, her head slightly bowed, her expression unreadable, walked beside him.
Although the two exchanged no communication and maintained no close proximity throughout, their exceptional aura, their proud and perfectly matched proportions, their elegant backs like a talented man and beautiful woman, all stung Jiang Nan Fang's eyes.
They strode past her as if she were invisible.
Jiang Nan Fang recalled the silhouette with long hair she had seen on the glass that night.
She remembered the fleeting rumor that had surfaced when Zhan Bei Jue proposed divorce years ago.
Suddenly, all the words Zhan Bei Jue had spoken to her recently felt like a beautiful soap bubble, destined to burst at the slightest touch.
Could a man truly feel repulsed, disgusted, and nauseated by a woman's approach?
He wasn't gay.
Could a man be wealthy, handsome, and young, yet never have been in a relationship since childhood?
Could a man go for six years without any physical contact with a woman?
If this question were posted online, it would likely be ridiculed mercilessly.
Only a fool would believe such nonsense, wouldn't they?
Did the person who spun such lies not use their brain?
Yet, Zhan Bei Jue had said it, and Jiang Nan Fang had believed him…
Waking up early and being lectured mercilessly by Melody had left Lu Qing Xu feeling quite vexed.
Watching her hastily dress, wash up, and leave without looking back, he felt utterly pathetic.
As if he had never seen a woman before, he found himself unable to let go of such a heartless person.
It was a disgrace to manhood.
He had been fantasizing just yesterday that if they continued to interact this way, perhaps some sparks would fly.
But now…
When had he, Lu Qing Xu, ever suffered such humiliation?
Since she looked down on him so much, why should he cling around stubbornly?
From now on, they should just cease all contact!
With a stomach full of anger, he felt the urge to smoke.
He patted his pockets, only then realizing he had none. He went to look outside the suite.
On the bar counter in the common area, a laptop was placed, and beside it, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
Did this woman also smoke?
He went to pick them up and saw they were a man's brand, and the same brand he and Zhan Bei Jue often smoked.
Indeed, she was friends with Zhan Bei Jue, even smoking the same brand.
How did this lighter look so familiar?
The lighter was one Zhan Bei Jue had casually picked up at a club before, freely provided to guests, with the club's logo printed on it.
Melody had never seemed to frequent clubs, so how could she have a lighter from one?
Looking at the computer next to it, even Lu Qing Xu, despite his denseness, realized what was happening at this moment.
These were not Melody's belongings.
They belonged to Zhan Bei Jue.
The cigarette pack, the lighter, and this computer – all belonged to Zhan Bei Jue!
How could Zhan Bei Jue's belongings be in her room?
Could it be…
He remembered that a few days ago, Zhan Bei Jue had told him he was on a business trip to Bei Cheng, and it turned out he was with Melody.
A bad premonition welled up. Lu Qing Xu tossed the cigarettes aside and turned to run into another room of the suite.
A man's suitcase lay conspicuously on the floor, and two men's suits hung neatly in the wardrobe.
Not only was Zhan Bei Jue on a business trip to Bei Cheng with her, but they were also sharing the same room…
Lu Qing Xu seemed to have discovered a monumental secret, so shocked he was speechless for a moment.
Didn't Zhan Bei Jue always claim that besides Jiang Nan Fang, he was not interested in any other woman?
Yet, it turned out he had such a female friend behind his back, and their relationship was so close. What was going on?
He had originally planned to tidy up and leave, but now he didn't want to go!
Since they were all friends, and things had come to this point, there was nothing that couldn't be clarified!
He needed to understand what was going on between this woman and Zhan Bei Jue!
The siblings remained in silence all the way to the hotel. Upon opening the room door, they had intended to discuss their mother and Melody's treatment in earnest.
Unexpectedly, as the door opened, a familiar face greeted them.