Chapter 104
The old woman waved a palm at her, “It’s been pretty hard for you these days, so stop beating yourself up.”
Cheng Lydia’s leg wasn’t fully healed and she was still struggling a bit to get up the stairs, she took a short break holding onto the wall and then headed in the direction of the sitting room.
Shen Ron was still there, still standing on the terrace in the same position he had just been in. Hearing footsteps, he turned back to her, his superb gaze surveying her.
“I’m back.” Cheng Lydia smiled faintly at him.
He didn’t answer, just lifted his cup of tea and took a sip.
She added, “I didn’t think I’d be back here again either, and I’m sure you didn’t either, but now that I’m back, let’s have a good time and work together.”
She held out her own palm, her smile still on her face.
Shen Ron glanced down at her palm and smiled mockingly, “Why go to all that trouble to come back to me when Gu William is guarding you, turn around and take a step and you’re in his arms?”
“What else could it be?” She asked mockingly in return, then sneered, “Not for love, anyway.”
“You don’t have to be so pessimistic, you can return to Gu William’s arms just as well when your mother’s surgery is completed next week and we are no longer needed in The Shen Family.” He took a step forward and gazed at her steadily, “This is the freedom and right I give you, consider it a taste of what I owe you these days.”
Cheng Lydia was surprised and couldn’t believe it as she surveyed him.
Had she misheard? She had heard such words from Shen Ron’s mouth? She had always thought that the cold and heartless Shen Ron had such a kind side to him?
Was it to get rid of her so he could love his June with all his heart?
“You don’t have to worry about Grandma’s side, when you have nothing to hold in her hands, she naturally can’t do anything to you. Besides, Gu William is the only son of the Gu family, and she won’t fail to give face to the Gu family.”
He said it so earnestly, so sincerely, and so blandly, as if he were arranging something that had nothing to do with him.
Cheng Lydia took a breath and scowled at him, “Do you really think it’s worth it when you’re so wholeheartedly devoted to me?”
“Since we’ve reached the point where we’re both sick of each other, it’s only painful and unhappy to be together reluctantly, so we might as well get together and part, don’t you think?”
Two looks at the same … Cheng Lydia laughed bitterly.
Can she tell him that there is in fact still some trace of her heart, that in fact she has already shown traces of love for him, that in fact she sees no disgust in him, only the chill of having been neglected and hurt.
It was he who was tired of it, not her.
Despite the fact that she had done nothing wrong, she had come to this point of disgusting him.
“Good riddance, yeah, isn’t that what we agreed to before?” Cheng Lydia smiled ruefully, “After all this tossing and turning, I’ve contributed nothing to The Shen Family’s fears, but I’ve gotten my mother such good treatment, I still feel guilty when I think about it.”
She held out her palm to him once again, “Thank you for your generosity and for taking such good care.”
“You’re welcome.” Shen Ron reached out with his palm and gently squeezed her fingertips.
Her fingertips were slightly cold, shaking a little, and it wasn’t that cold, yet her hands were trembling.NôvelDrama.Org content.
He smiled lightly, “I’m not a good businessman or a good man, but I never owe a woman anything, so you don’t have to feel embarrassed.”
A seemingly peaceful exchange, but in fact hidden in the surging emotional fluctuations, she has a reluctance, and he does not?
After losing Cheng Lydia, could he ever like a woman like that again in his life?
Maybe when Yang June dies in two years, he’ll take a new wife, as the old lady prefers, have children, and live an uneventful life.
There will be no more trips to Japan to see the snow, no more chartering of the Tiandu Tower observation deck, no more risking his life for a woman.
In the evening the old lady locked the study and all the guest rooms as usual.
Shen Ron and Cheng Lydia were rightfully put together in a bedroom, not without ever being close to each other or sharing a bed. So it was only natural that the two would lie in the same bed.
Shen Ron leaned over the bed reading his financial magazine, Cheng Lydia turned her back to him and swiped the news on her phone, and there was no communication between the two until they fell asleep.
The next morning they came downstairs together again, stepped into the dining room together, and ate breakfast together.
The old lady surveyed the calm expressions of the two men, and couldn’t really figure out if they were making up, or if they were in a cold war.
By all rights they should have made up, after all the truth has come out and she has taken Ho Gina to apologize to Cheng Lydia and has done her punishment to Ho Gina.
“I called Mrs. Gu and Mrs. Liu to come over to touch cards today, there is one less person, Lydia are you free later?” The old lady asked as she looked at Cheng Lydia.
Cheng Lydia was stunned, then shook her head, “I’m not much of a poker player, and I’m going to the hospital to stay and wait on my mother, she’s having surgery in a few days after all.”
The surgery was coming up in a few days, a surgery with only a fifty percent success rate, and if she didn’t spend time with her mother while she could, she’d never have another chance in her life if it failed.
“Oh, that’s right, mother’s surgery is urgent” the old lady turned to Ron, “You’ll take Lydia to the hospital from now on, it’s not always so safe for a girl to drive.”
“Yeah.” Shen Ron nodded.
“By the way, are you guys still going back to the Thaumaturgy for a single stay? Or are you just staying here?” The old lady asked again.
The young couple looked at each other and Cheng Lydia said, “Staying right here, not going back to Taian Residence.”
Since Ho Gina has decided to leave the country and can’t cause her any more trouble, there’s no need for her to hide out in Taianju, the main reason being that with her and Shen Ron’s current relationship, it’s simply not appropriate for them to spend time alone together.
“That’s good, good food and shelter here, and you don’t have to take care of your own household chores.” The old woman nodded.
After breakfast, Cheng Lydia got into Shen Ron’s Bentley.
There continued to be no communication along the way, and it seemed inappropriate to talk about anything at this time.
When the car stopped in front of the hospital, Cheng Lydia unbuckled her seatbelt and said to Shen Ron, “I won’t be going back to Shen Mansion for a few days, I’ll stay at the hospital with my mother, so please talk to Grandma properly for me.”
“I’ll try.” Shen Ron pressed the door open.
“Thanks in advance, then.” Cheng Lydia pushed open the car door and got out. She stood at the curb and watched Shen Ron’s car fade into traffic before turning around and heading inside the hospital.
Cheng Lydia was at Cheng Lena’s bedside reading to her from today’s paper, which was nothing special, all the petty fights on the street.
She placed the newspaper on the table and asked with a smile as her small hand caressed her mother’s dry, thin face, “Are you nervous about the surgery in five days, Mom? I’m so nervous I can’t sleep well.”
“If this operation can be successful, I will be doubly good to you in the future, to be with you and serve you for the rest of your life, if …” She swallowed her saliva, her nose sore, “If it fails, mom, you don’t blame me, I really want you to get better.”
She lowered her head and sadly wiped the mist of tears from her eyes.
There was a knock at the door and she sniffled as she rose from her chair and rushed to the door and said, “Come in.”
The door to the ward opened and Aunt Helen walked in, carrying the fruit Cheng Lydia loved to eat.
“Godmother, there you are.” Cheng Lydia smiled lightly at her and stepped forward to catch the plastic bag in her hand.
“How’s it going? How have you all been these past few days.” Aunt Helen walked over to Cheng Lena’s hospital bed and surveyed her.
“Quite all right.” Cheng Lydia took the fruit knife from inside the cupboard and peeled an apple for Aunt Helen.
Aunt Helen asked again, “Has the surgery been scheduled yet?”
“Well, the tenth of this month.”
“The tenth?” Aunt Helen slapped her head, “Oops, I just booked a flight to the US for tomorrow today, I should have called to ask about your surgery time before I booked it.”
Aunt Helen immediately added, “But that’s okay, I’ll return the ticket and wait until your mom’s surgery is done before I go over there.”
Cheng Lydia said, “No, Godmother must have something important to do in America, I can do it by myself, besides, I have Ron with me. Besides, Godmother is not a doctor, so she can’t help much if she stays.”
“That’s true, I’m not a doctor, I’m not busy with anything.”
“That’s right.”
“Then let Ron stay with you, I’ll be back with you as soon as I can, hopefully by the time I get back, your mother will have woken up.” Aunt Helen smiled and patted her hand, “Don’t get too stressed, everything will be fine.”
“Hmm.” Cheng Lydia responded with a smiling smile.
At this point, anyone’s comfort would pale in comparison to hers; after all, not even the attending doctor could guarantee that everything would be okay.
The 10th was the day of Cheng Lydia’s mother’s surgery and the day Ho Gina left LS City.
As the car drove fast on the airport highway, Ho Gina dialed Ko’s phone for the millionth time, and this time, instead of always going unanswered, the call was answered after a few rings.
Ho Gina’s heart fluttered and she eagerly snapped, “Ms. Ke you finally answered the phone, I’ve been looking for you …”
“Sorry, I’ve been out of the country for the past few days.” Cor’s tone was nonchalant, adding, “What’s up?”
Ho Gina looked aggrieved and said, “The car accident and the contraceptive pill fell through, but Ms. Ke don’t worry, I didn’t mention your existence in the slightest.”
“Oh? Thank you, then.” Ke’s tone remained flat and uneventful, so flat that even Ho Gina found it surprising.
Ho Gina laughed dryly and said curtly, “Ms. Ke asked me to keep my mouth shut, so I certainly won’t reveal a word.”
“So how are you doing now? With Old Lady Shen doting on you she shouldn’t be giving you a hard time, right?”
“The old lady threw a fit and asked me to choose between marrying Young Master Ding or living in America for a long time, I chose the latter.” The aggravation in Ho Gina’s tone reappeared and she begged, “Ms. Ke you must find a way to help me, I don’t know America well and I don’t want to stay there forever, and I don’t want to never see Ron in my life, Ms. Ke, please.”
“Isn’t it good to stay in America?” Ke gave a laugh, “I think it’s fine.”
“Ms. Ke you said you’d help me no matter what happened.”
“I will help you.” The voice on the other end of the phone grew grim: “I will help you solve all your troubles without having to marry Young Master Ding or go to the United States …”
“What does Ms. Ke… mean?” Ho Gina’s heart went cold.
“You know what’s the easiest way to lift your worries? Death, the dead have no worries.” Cor gave a cold as ice smile, and the dead have the tightest mouths.
“Ms. Ke, what do you mean? You want to cross the river?”
“How can I defend myself without tearing down this bridge of yours?” Coe laughed again, “Haven’t you been suspecting my identity for a long time now? Do you think I would let someone who could intelligently suspect my identity remain in the world?”