A Warm and Cute Strike (GL) - Chapter 18

“Young lady, where are we headed?”

The driver, a middle-aged man, glanced at the woman in the rearview mirror. She was weeping inconsolably, and he asked the question with a touch of caution.

She had urged him to drive the moment she stepped in. Seeing her crying so piteously, he had felt a surge of sympathy and started driving immediately. Now that ten minutes had passed and she still hadn’t stopped, he finally felt the need to ask for a destination.

Qin Xinlan blew her nose and stared at the city skyline blurred by speed. After a moment’s thought, she said, “To the suburban cemetery, please.”

“Right away. Sit tight!” The driver didn’t delay, stepping on the gas. About fifteen minutes later, he delivered her to her destination.

“Young lady, there’s no hurdle in this world you can’t cross. Take care of yourself!” The driver accepted the fare and offered a word of encouragement before driving away.

Xinlan watched him leave, feeling as though the wind and sand were stinging her eyes again. She blinked, walked into the cemetery alone, and stood before the graves of her parents and brother.

“Mom, Dad, Brother… I’ve come to see you…” As she spoke, the tears began to flow once more.

Qin Xinlan was only twenty-five. She had been pampered since childhood and well-protected by her brother after their parents died; consequently, she had developed a naive, simple, and soft-hearted temperament.

Qin Mo’s sudden death had been a massive blow, and with her sister-in-law in a coma and her niece so young, she had been on the verge of a breakdown. If Chen Yang hadn’t been by her side, she might not have held on.

She had once considered Chen Yang her “Mr. Right,” the man she could entrust her life to. But now she realized it was all an illusion. It wasn’t until today that she truly saw his real face.

The current Qin Xinlan was not yet the “Mrs. Chen” from Qin Xuening’s past life. She hadn’t been dragged into the swamp of the Chen family yet, nor had she resigned herself to her fate under the influence of her environment.

She might not be strong enough yet, but she was at least clear-headed.

Xinlan was a simple person who saw the world in black and white. Chen Yang’s betrayal of the Xiang family had already filled her with intense loathing—let alone the fact that she had caught him with another woman. From the moment she knew he had slept with someone else, she felt a visceral physical disgust toward him, and her love for him vanished instantly.

“Are you all doing well in heaven? I miss you so much…” she whispered, letting the tears fall. Only in front of her family could she cry so unrestrainedly.

“Brother, you were right.”

She recalled how Qin Mo had opposed her being with Chen Yang while he was alive. Blinded by love, she had opposed her brother for the first time—only to stumble into a massive pit.

Thinking of this, Xinlan finally couldn’t hold back anymore. She knelt before the graves and wailed. Her cries, filled with pain and isolation, echoed through the quiet cemetery, adding a touch of desolation to the air.

As time ticked by, she gradually calmed down. She sat by the graves for a long while until the sun climbed high. Checking the time, she realized it was already past 1:00 PM. Remembering that her niece was still waiting for her at the hospital, and fearing the child might be hungry, she quickly fixed her appearance. She bowed deeply to her family several times before hurrying away.

When Xinlan returned to the hospital with lunch, she washed her face and made sure she looked presentable before entering the ward. She saw Qin Xuening sitting by the side of the sleeping Su Yuyan.

The child was at an age where she was growing taller, but due to recent events, she looked noticeably gaunt. She sat quietly, holding her mother’s hand and pressing her small face against her mother’s palm, her posture full of attachment and longing.

Xinlan felt her eyes grow moist again. She quickly looked up to blink away the tears, then put on a gentle smile to call her niece to eat.

“Xiao Ning, I’m so sorry. Auntie didn’t mean to be back so late. Are you starving? Come eat!”

Hearing her voice, Xuening straightened up, looking a bit self-conscious. Seeing her aunt busy and seemingly unaware of her display of emotion, she bit her lip and rolled her wheelchair over.

“I bought your favorite wontons,” Xinlan said, placing the bowl on the table. “Try them. I specifically told the owner not to put onions.”

Xuening looked at her, picked up a spoon, and ate in silence.

Xinlan was used to her niece’s silence. Recalling the scene she saw when she walked in, she glanced at Su Yuyan. Su Yuyan was a classic beauty—delicate and soft. Lying there against the white sheets, she looked even paler and more bloodless.

Thinking of Xiang Nan’s proposal, Xinlan looked at her niece and asked, “Xiao Ning, do you remember Uncle Xiang and Auntie Ye?”

Xuening’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up.

“If we transfer your mother to a large hospital in A-City for treatment, the chances of her waking up will be higher.” Xinlan didn’t know if discussing this with a seven-year-old was right or wrong, but the floodgates were open. “Your Uncle Xiang said they can help transfer your mother and want you to live at their house and go to school there. It won’t delay your studies, and it will be easier for you to visit your mom.”

Xuening was stunned. She hadn’t expected the Xiang family to go this far for her in this life.

She naturally wanted to go. A-City was the capital; the doctors there were world-class. Transferring her mother there was the best possible outcome. As for living with the Xiangs—while she would be a guest in someone else’s home, could there be any place worse than the Chen family?

Xuening didn’t know that her aunt had already broken up with Chen Yang and wouldn’t be taking her into that household anymore.

“Do you want to go?” Xinlan watched her expression.

Xuening nodded vigorously. Her look of pure expectation made Xinlan feel a bit sad, but she understood this was Xiao Ning’s choice. Since she had consulted her, she had to respect her wishes.

After lunch, Xinlan called Xiang Nan. To ensure Xuening would be treated well by the Xiangs, she hesitated but ultimately chose to hide the truth about Chen Yang, which made her feel quite guilty.

When Xinlan called, Xiang Nan had just coaxed his daughter into a nap. Although the internet was currently a bloodbath of scandals, it didn’t affect him much. He had pushed back a few promotional events to stay home with his daughter. While the news about him and Feifei was at its peak, he didn’t want to engage with the negative reports.

The rumors about Feifei were mostly fabrications that wouldn’t be hard to clear up, but Huashi Company wasn’t in a hurry. They wanted the “bullets to fly” for a while—the more intense the backlash, the better the impact of the eventual clarification and “whitewash.”

Xiang Nan didn’t care for those maneuvers. As a director, he let his work speak for itself. Feifei wasn’t too affected either, though her schedule was so full he rarely saw her.

Hearing that Qin Xinlan had agreed to the adoption, Xiang Nan was delighted.

“No problem, I’ll arrange everything immediately. Transferring Mrs. Qin to A-City will be the priority, and I’ll come to pick up Xuening shortly after.”

Xiang Nan was efficient. Since he had pre-booked a bed, the transfer went smoothly without a hitch. To welcome Xuening, he tidied the house and converted the guest room next to his daughter’s into Xuening’s room to help the “two sisters” bond.

Knowing of Xuening’s musical talent, he renovated a vacant room on the third floor into a music studio and bought a high-quality piano. He knew the Qin family had their own, but he wanted to surprise her and didn’t want her to be constantly reminded of her loss.

Little Qingnuan saw a real piano for the first time. She had seen photos of the “little brother” playing piano on Weibo and had an instinctive liking for it. Once it was set up, she trotted around it excitedly.

“Daddy, what’s this?”

“This is a piano.” Xiang Nan pressed a few keys, and a melodious sound filled the room. “It’s a musical instrument.”

Qingnuan was just tall enough to see the keys. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a white key, mimicking her father. Hearing the crisp sound, her eyes lit up. “Daddy, is this for me?”

“Uh, no…” Xiang Nan broke a slight sweat. “If you like it, Daddy will buy you one later.”

“Then who is it for?” She didn’t cry like a child who didn’t get candy; she was just curious.

“Didn’t you always want a big brother?” Xiang Nan pinched her nose. “In a few days, a little guest will come to our house. She…”

“Wow—I’m getting a brother too?” Before he could finish, Qingnuan was already cheering. Her eyes were wet and soft like a deer’s, full of joy. Looking at her, Xiang Nan didn’t know how to break the news.

If he told her the truth, would his princess be disappointed? Well… better wait until the person arrives! But for the sake of his own status in the house, he was more determined than ever to adopt Xuening.

A “little brother” was absolutely out of the question!

After finishing the preparations at home, Xiang Nan boarded a plane to E-City to personally pick up Qin Xuening.