Granny Shen went home that day, and the strongest voice of opposition belonged to Chu Yunrong.
"Dad, the doctor said that with your current health condition, staying in the hospital is safer," Chu Yunrong pleaded earnestly. She was genuinely worried about her mother-in-law's health.
However, the old lady was determined, and no matter how Chu Yunrong tried to persuade her, she was unsuccessful.
"Qinglan, try to persuade your grandma. Her current health condition cannot withstand any negligence," Chu Yunrong's eyes lit up when she saw Shen Qinglan, who was sitting by Granny Shen, peeling an apple for her. Her mother-in-law favored this granddaughter the most, and Qinglan's words surely would be heeded.
Shen Qinglan cut the apple into evenly sized small pieces and thoughtfully stuck toothpicks into them for Granny Shen to eat easily.
"Grandma, today's apple is very sweet. Try it," she said.
Granny Shen chuckled as she accepted it.
"Qinglan, did you hear what your mom said?" Shen Qinglan remained unhurried, but Chu Yunrong was anxious.
Shen Qinglan took a wet wipe from the side and wiped her hands clean before looking at Chu Yunrong. "This is Grandma's decision, and I respect her." An elder's small wish to have family by their side during the last days should not be opposed by the younger generation.
"Qinglan, how can you be so thoughtless? Don't you know your grandma's health status? If something happens to her, how are you going to explain to your father?" Chu Yunrong looked at her daughter genuinely angry. She had asked her to convince the old lady, but instead of supporting, she agreed with her grandmother. What was the point of raising such a daughter who was less valuable than raising a pig, she thought.
"Yunrong, enough," Granny Shen interrupted, lightly reprimanding. "This is my decision; what does it have to do with Lanlan? Why are you blaming her?"
"Mom, I'm doing this for your own good." Chu Yunrong felt wronged, being scolded in front of her daughter.
Granny Shen's expression softened. "Yunrong, I know you're doing it for my good, but my body can't take it anymore. Staying in the hospital would just mean suffering a few extra days. I've lived in this home for decades and am used to it. In my final days, I still want to be here."
These words made Chu Yunrong burst into tears. She truly saw Granny Shen as her own mother, and hearing these words caused a deep heartache.
"Mom, please don't say that. It's my fault," Chu Yunrong wiped the tears from her eyes. "Mom, you love the fish balls I make the most. I'll make them for you tonight."
Chu Yunrong left the living room, and Granny Shen looked at her granddaughter's serene profile and sighed silently.
**
"Qinglan, your phone is ringing," came the voice of Yu Xiaoxuan from outside the bathroom.
"Who is it?"
"I don't know, it's an unfamiliar number," Yu Xiaoxuan called out loudly, afraid that Shen Qinglan, who was in the shower, wouldn't hear clearly.
Recently, Shen Qinglan wasn't staying at school because Granny Shen wanted her to come home. Although Shen Qinglan didn't like returning to the Shen Family, she couldn't refuse Granny Shen, who truly loved her.
She was showering at the dormitory today only because she had a PE class in the afternoon and played badminton with Yu Xiaoxuan. She was sweating all over and disliked the sticky feeling.
When Shen Qinglan heard it was an unfamiliar number, she didn't pay much attention to it and took her time grooming herself. By the time she came out, the phone had stopped ringing. She glanced at the missed call, but the unknown number left no impression, so she didn't worry about it.
Just as she was about to put down her phone, the screen lit up again with the same number.
"Hello, this is Shen Qinglan," her clear voice transmitted through the phone.
"It's Fu Hengyi."
Shen Qinglan looked at the phone, not quite understanding why he would call her.
"Where are you now?" Fu Hengyi's deep, pleasant voice came through.
"At the school dormitory," she answered truthfully.
Fu Hengyi glanced at Old Sir Fu, who was standing beside him with his ear almost pressed against his face, and spoke, "Do you have time tonight? I'd like to invite you to dinner."
Shen Qinglan paused, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"Consider it a thank you." Fu Hengyi spoke before Shen Qinglan could, mindful of Old Sir Fu's presence. He didn't clarify, but Shen Qinglan understood.
She had initially intended to refuse, but swallowed the words and instead replied, "Okay."
Hearing Shen Qinglan agree, Old Sir Fu beamed, left with his hands behind his back, humming a tune, not even noticing the mention of a thank you.
Shen Qinglan didn't like owing favors. Although she could have handled the incident at the restaurant without Fu Hengyi's intervention, he did help her. If a dinner could settle this, she thought, she wouldn't refuse.
Shen Qinglan didn't ask Fu Hengyi to pick her up, choosing instead to take a taxi to the restaurant he mentioned. The Shen Family had bought a car for her, but being naturally low-key, she didn't like driving to school.
Fu Hengyi arrived earlier than Shen Qinglan. As he watched her walk into the restaurant, dressed simply in a casual outfit and without any makeup, her delicate face and aloof aura lent her an elegant coldness, like a high, distant flower, visible but unattainable.
Fu Hengyi's brow furrowed unconsciously; even he didn't notice it. Seeing Shen Qinglan, who seemed indifferent to everything, made him slightly uncomfortable.
Shen Qinglan originally thought Fu Hengyi had something he wanted her help with, but from beginning to end, Fu Hengyi didn't bring anything up. It really was just dinner.
As they were nearly finished, Shen Qinglan couldn't help but glance at Fu Hengyi again and again.
Fu Hengyi, being who he was, certainly noticed Shen Qinglan's unconcealed scrutiny, though he felt helpless about it.
He couldn't very well tell Shen Qinglan that the dinner was his grandfather's idea, could he?
"I heard Granny Shen was discharged?" Fu Hengyi said to break the silence.
Shen Qinglan nodded. Granny Shen had been out of the hospital for three days, and given the relationship between the Shen Family and the Fu Family, she couldn't believe he didn't know.
For some reason, Shen Qinglan detected a hint of unease behind Fu Hengyi's composed expression and found it intriguing.
Fu Hengyi was often talked about by Grandpa Shen as "somebody else's child." Although Shen Qinglan hadn't met him after returning to the Shen Family due to unforeseen circumstances, she knew a lot about his accomplishments.
At thirteen, he was sent abroad to study, joined the army at nineteen, and was selected for the special forces in the same year. By the age of twenty-eight, he was title the "Young Commander," the youngest in the country with that title.
However, three years ago, Fu Hengyi suffered a severe injury during a mission, leaving the army with regret.
The Shen Family was also a family with a military background, so Shen Qinglan naturally understood. To be exceptionally promoted to "Young Commander" at twenty-eight meant that the unit Fu Hengyi belonged to was no ordinary special forces unit.