On the other end, Yao Leyi answered.
"Hanjiang?"
She sounded quite happy, teasing, "The busy Mr. Fu is calling me on his own? What's the occasion?"
"Leyi."
Thinking of his still comatose elder brother, Fu Hanjiang struggled, his brows furrowing deeply, then he spoke all at once.
"You... in the future, don't touch my phone without permission."
"What?"
Yao Leyi's expression changed instantly, her smile freezing. "What are you talking about? I... I don't understand what you're saying."
"Leyi."
Fu Hanjiang chose his words carefully, finally deciding to be direct. "My phone has software installed. Deleted call records can be restored."
Hearing this, Yao Leyi was momentarily stunned.
What else was unclear?
She had taken a call from that club manager and deleted the record—now he knew...
She simply admitted it, "Yes, I did take a call from some manager. Are you questioning me over such a trivial matter?"
"..."
Fu Hanjiang did not directly respond, only saying, "I hope you respect me. Don't let this happen again."
With that, he hung up.
This was the first time in many years that he had reprimanded her.
Closing his eyes suddenly, he leaned back.
His back against the seat, radiating heat and a faint pain, the past flashed quickly through his mind...
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead and temples...
On the other end, Yao Leyi was dumbfounded.
After a while, she held the phone and laughed.
"Heh! Heh heh..."
How did he find out? He even restored the deleted records?
Is this such a big deal that he questioned her about it?
Yao Leyi snickered softly, "Why?"
Wasn't the "blacklisting" of Sheng Xiangsi his idea?
He actually reprimanded her? Because she touched his phone? Interesting.
Has he forgotten the events of those years?
Does he think that after living a good life for so long, he's really Fu Er Ye?
Or does he only remember being grateful to the comatose Fu Hanchuan lying in the hospital bed, forgetting that his current success... also owes something to her?!
"No, no…"
Yao Leyi lightly shook her head.
He wouldn't forget, and he couldn't forget. He should have it etched in his bones, forever remembered!
...
On West Twelfth Street.
Later in the evening, Sheng Xiangsi had a video call with Junjun.
Today, Dr. William helped facilitate it using his phone.
"Mom!"
In the video, Junjun looked very spirited.
"Junjun."
Seeing her daughter, Sheng Xiangsi felt her whole heart melt.
Sheng Xiangsi often thought, luckily, she had Junjun...
Otherwise, over the years, she would have likely been filled with rage.
But having Junjun changed everything.
Just seeing Junjun could ease all her resentment and anger.
Children truly are angels sent by heaven.
"Mom, Junjun has been obediently listening to Uncle William, taking shots and medicine well."
"Really."
Sheng Xiangsi smiled, her aura seeming to glow softly, "Junjun is very impressive."
Taking medicine and shots for years, even adults would find it unbearable.
However, Junjun would soon have surgery.
After the surgery, her illness would be cured, and she could live like an ordinary child, no longer needing medicine or shots.
Thinking of this, Sheng Xiangsi said, "Since Junjun is so good, there should be a reward. What does Junjun want?"
She added, "It can be something expensive."
Previously, while juggling work and studies and raising a child, Junjun hadn't had many expensive toys, but what child doesn't like them?
Junjun was about to have surgery.
For a three-year-old, it was a significant operation.
Sheng Xiangsi had already planned to buy her an expensive toy.
To afford this gift, she had been saving up, cutting back on meals, eating plain rice with vegetables, or even just Lao Gan Ma sauce...
She was young and healthy.
It was manageable.
But her Junjun, so pitiful...
"Mom." Despite being a child, Junjun was cautiously excited hearing her mother's words, "Really?"
"Of course."
Sheng Xiangsi felt a pang in her heart, forcing a smile, "Tell Mommy what you want?"
"Mom." Junjun's baby voice was adorable, "Junjun wants Minnie."
Of course.
Sheng Xiangsi knew exactly what Junjun wanted—a limited edition Minnie model toy.
Junjun had loved it back in Philadelphia.
But it was too expensive, out of reach.
This had always stayed in Sheng Xiangsi's mind.
Arriving in Jiangcheng, she hadn't forgotten. She had tried ordering online, but the links were always grayed out.
However, she recently found out that there was a physical store in Jiangcheng that sold it offline.
She planned to buy it and bring it back to Junjun when she returned to Philadelphia.
Before Junjun's surgery, she was definitely going back to Philadelphia. Thankfully, she had earned enough recently at Mise to afford the plane ticket.
Otherwise, she couldn't imagine not being there during Junjun's surgery, how scared Junjun would be?
...
A few days later.
Sheng Xiangsi spent her days with Gu Shaohua at the dance troupe and evenings filming dance scenes for a movie, returning to West Twelfth Street very late. She checked the time; she could still get some rest.
She had an important task tonight.
Before eleven, she headed out to TeeMall.
TeeMall was Jiangcheng's largest comprehensive mall, open until eleven PM. When Sheng Xiangsi arrived, security was already escorting the last batch of customers out.
Of course, she wasn't there to shop; she was there to queue.
—The limited edition Minnie Junjun wanted was being released the next morning. No pre-orders were allowed; it was first-come, first-served in person.
Therefore, she had to queue overnight to get Junjun's desired toy.
Before coming, she had done her research, knowing which door the mall opened earliest.
Seeing the line, she was glad she came.
There were already six people ahead of her, all prepared to stay overnight.
Sheng Xiangsi breathed a sigh of relief; there were 20 limited items, and she was seventh in line.
Everyone was prepared; Sheng Xiangsi was no exception. She took out a folding stool from her bag, set it up, and sat down.
She also had food, water, and a blanket.
Then, she settled in to wait.
Around midnight.
The cold intensified.
Sheng Xiangsi wrapped her small blanket tighter but still felt cold.
Suddenly, someone approached her, "Xiangsi?"
"?"
Hearing this, she looked up, her expression darkening immediately. It was him—Jiangcheng was indeed small.
Since failing to borrow money from him last time, she had blocked him.
Sheng Xiangsi turned her face away, ignoring him.
"Xiangsi."
The man frowned, looking her up and down, "What are you doing here? Why aren't you resting at home this late?"
Recalling the borrowing incident, he seemed to understand, "Is it a financial issue? Here, I have my card with me…"
As he spoke, he started to pull out his wallet.