Shen Qiunong smiled and shook her head. "When Asen was younger, he worked in a lab abroad and caused a radiation leak due to improper handling. Later, he was diagnosed as infertile. I didn’t care about any of that and insisted on being with him. Even if we didn’t have children, we would accompany and support each other into old age. But heaven eventually showed rcy to us. When I was thirty-eight, I unexpectedly beca pregnant."
Shen Qiunong’s face was full of loving tenderness. "I hoped it would be a daughter, and I even thought of a na for her—An’an, You’an, a blessing to keep her safe and healthy for life."
As she said this, she lowered her gaze and smiled, her hand instinctively resting on her abdon. "After carrying the baby for ten months, I gave birth to a son. My dream of having a daughter was shattered. His father chose his na. At first, I even considered raising him like a daughter. But unfortunately, this child was naturally mischievous and wild, not obedient at all. When he was little, he almost drove to the brink. At that ti, we lived in the old family housing of the research institute. The house was small, only about forty square ters, but our little ho was always lively. When Ali was twelve, he learned bad habits from so other kid and secretly smoked. I caught him red-handed and chased him through three streets with a feather duster."
As she recalled those funny stories from back then, a smile unknowingly appeared on her face.
"I was furious and pointed at him, scolding that I regretted giving birth to him. If he were a daughter, how wonderful it would be—daughters are a mother’s little treasure. He must have eavesdropped on my conversations with his dad because he told one day that he would definitely have a daughter in the future, who’d take my surna and be called Shen You’an. He promised to fulfill my wish of raising a daughter."
As Shen Qiunong spoke, her tears betrayed her and began to flow down uncontrollably. Covering her face, she could no longer hold back and started sobbing loudly.
Why was fate so unbelievably cruel to their family? Had she committed so unforgivable sins in a past life?
She pleaded with the heavens. She was willing to trade one life for another, even to be an ox or horse in her next life—so long as her granddaughter could be safe and sound.
So that was how her na ca to be.
Shen You’an held Shen Qiunong close and gently comforted her. "An’an will be fine. You and Grandpa are good people, and good people will be rewarded. Your granddaughter will have the protection of the gods and stay safe."
"Really?"
"Really."
Shen Qiunong’s body was still in recovery. A bout of crying had drained all her strength. Exhausted, she lay next to Yu Yisen, smiling at his sleeping face, and whispered, "Asen, we have a granddaughter now. We must get better..."
And bring her ho.
Shen Qiunong drifted off without realizing it.
Shen You’an quietly looked at the two figures leaning against each other.
Just give a little more ti.
~
Gu Chengzhao and his wife rushed to put down their work and hurry ho upon receiving the news.
In the living room, Madam Gu was seated on the sofa with an angry expression. Standing beside her were Gu Bichen and Leng Xingshuang.
When the two walked in, Gu Bichen greeted them, "Dad, Mom."
Leng Xingshuang obediently followed with "Uncle, Aunt."
Gu Chengzhao and his wife, realizing that Madam Gu wasn’t ill, sighed in relief. The phone call hadn’t explained much, and they had feared sothing major had happened. The couple had rushed ho, each bearing the marks of haste and travel.
"Mom, what happened? Amo and I were at the critical stage of our research, and we couldn’t leave for a mont."
Madam Gu glanced at the two. "Xingshuang, you can go now."
Leng Xingshuang understood that the next discussions weren’t ant for outsiders. She discreetly waved goodbye to Gu Bichen and politely departed.
The living room now held only four people.
The atmosphere grew unbearably silent.
Madam Gu eyed Gu Chengzhao coldly. "You two are so busy you don’t even care about your son’s lifelong matters."
The couple imdiately turned their attention to Gu Bichen, finally noticing that he seed colder than usual.
"Lifelong matters? Is Chenchen dating soone?"
The pair was quite liberal and understanding. If Chenchen was indeed in a relationship, they weren’t the kind to break up young lovers. Their approach would be to guide him wisely.
Unable to wait, Amo asked eagerly, "Chenchen, what’s the girl’s na? Where’s she from? What do her parents do? Mom trusts you wouldn’t make a foolish choice—this girl must be extraordinary."
"Ridiculous." Madam Gu slamd her cane against the floor.
Gu Chengzhao gently shook his head at his wife.
Madam Gu was so enraged that her chest heaved with agitation. "Chenchen, you tell them."
She couldn’t bear to stain her lips by speaking about it herself.
Gu Bichen recounted what had happened in detail—every piece, including his recent trip to Yunzhou chasing after Yu Ruohuan.
Gu Chengzhao and his wife, both highly intelligent, quickly discerned the situation from Gu Bichen’s brief explanation.
Amo, a refined intellectual who never swore, couldn’t hold back her language this ti. She uttered what, in her view, was the most insulting curse: "The Yu family is disgusting, scheming so ticulously to trap Chenchen. We must settle this score!"
Gu Chengzhao’s face darkened ominously as his thoughts ran deeper. "Mother, the Yu family is using the forty-year-old marriage agreent as leverage. They won’t give up easily."
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