Bai Man was utterly unwilling in her heart, but if she directly refused, what if she completely enraged Su Fan, who might reveal the truth right now?
Leaving Su Fan in the hospital, under her watchful eyes, was surely better than having him with Li Jian every day. Then she would find an opportunity to drive Su Fan away.
"All right," Bai Man nodded.
"Thank you, Auntie!"
Su Fan knew what Bai Man was thinking, but at least now there was hope of fulfilling his grandfather's last wishes.
After the meal, Su Fan took the initiative to wash the dishes, understanding the principle of being beholden to one's benefactor.
Night fell.
The freshly-bathed Li Jian crawled into his wife Bai Man's bed, reaching out for her.
"Don't touch me..."
Bai Man reluctantly tried to push Li Jian away.
But Li Jian said with a teasing smile.
"Wife, let's do it just once. I drank some medicinal liquor today, I'm definitely up to it."
"Look at me, I'm already at this age and we still don't have children. Let's make a baby."
Bai Man thought about the day's events, felt somewhat guilty, and wanted to compensate Li Jian, so she did not resist anymore.
Li Jian mounted her.
But after much effort, Li Jian remained unaroused, and their attempt to conceive remained unsuccessful.
"Aside from splattering me with saliva, what else can you do?"
"You've made me uncomfortable; don't touch me again in the future."
Bai Man cursed angrily, and Li Jian sighed resignedly, turning to his side...
After a few minutes, Bai Man was still burning with heat, and she reached out from the bedside table to grab a long object that made a buzzing sound like an electric razor. The image of Su Fan unbiddenly flashed across her mind.
"Ah..."
A murmur escaped her lips as the object fell from her hand, and she collapsed completely...
Li Jian was the head of the Medical University, with a large home encompassing more than half an acre, a high-end traditional Chinese courtyard with over ten rooms, including a garden and a fishpond in the center.
As dawn broke the next day, Su Fan began working. Having learned Chinese medicine from his grandfather since he was a child, gardening was no difficulty for him, watering and fertilizing with skilled expertise.
Bai Man was woken up by the noise and angrily flung open the door curtain to scold.
Su Fan was accustomed to working shirtless, and when Bai Man just pushed the door open, she saw the rising sun casting its light on Su Fan's solid muscles. Su Fan, at one meter eighty-two tall, was muscular and firm. The sunlight gave his skin a faint copper hue, as if he were an iron statue, and Bai Man subconsciously swallowed her saliva.
"Auntie, I shouldn't have spoken to you so rashly yesterday, I'm sorry!"
Su Fan, who had been concentrating on watering the flowers, looked up and smiled at Bai Man, knowing he had to keep his head down while living under someone else's roof.
Bai Man, who had intended to start yelling, felt as if something had been jammed in her throat, and the words she planned to say were stuck.
Compared to her husband Li Jian's bloated and aged appearance, the just-adult Su Fan was obviously more vibrant, filled with vigor. At eighteen, he was at the peak of male energy.
"Bai Man, take care of Su Fan's work arrangements for me; I'm heading to work now," said Li Jian as he walked out of the house and reminded Su Fan of a few things before leaving.
Su Fan helped Li Jian carry his bag and escorted him all the way to the private car at the gate. He waited until Li Jian was far away before returning to the courtyard.
He knew that, being alone and destitute, if he wanted to find his footing in the city, he had to cling tightly to the leg of his prestigious second uncle.
"You're quite the slick one, huh? Just a day in the city and you're already learning how to butter people up?"
Seeing the intimate relationship between Su Fan and Li Jian, Bai Man was filled with a sense of crisis.
"Auntie, did I do something wrong?" Su Fan looked genuinely frightened.
"Hmph."
Bai Man was no pushover. She sneered coldly and warned Su Fan.
"I know what you're thinking, but I want you to know that just as I can allow you to stay in the city, I can send you away at any time."
"Keep your distance from Li Jian from now on. If you dare to get too close to him again, don't blame me for being heartless."
"Snap..."
The flowerpot Su Fan was holding fell to the ground and shattered, but Bai Man laughed with satisfaction. Indeed, he was just a kid, scared witless by a few words, which made him easier to control.
"Alright, get dressed and accompany me to the mall."
"To the mall? I, I don't have money," said Su Fan, somewhat ashamed.
But Bai Man laughed even harder, her chest heaving.
"You don't need money when you go out with me. Just do as I say."
At five in the afternoon, after a rampant shopping spree in the mall, Su Fan and Bai Man entered a high-class private room at a hotel.
"Go take a shower."
Bai Man pulled the curtains and commanded.
"Ah, shower..."
Su Fan looked uneasily at Bai Man, nervous.
Could it be that Bai Man wanted to treat him the same as she did the man yesterday, to train him?