Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Seven: An Inescapable Past (III)

“How truly admirable of you.” Yan Jin laughed dryly.

Truth be told, people who possessed valuables were unaware of their value, while those without them understood very well. Though Yan Jin had always been considered an accomplished genius in his studies, his heart couldn’t help but miss a beat at Fang Wanqing’s words.

In the end, his talents and abilities had mostly come from the Nan and He Families’ greatest masterpieces and decades of research. On the other hand, Fang Wanqing’s achievements in chemistry and biology truly stemmed from her own natural talent.

He couldn’t compete with that.

Fortunately, this unrecognized bigshot had already retired from the industry and didn’t seek revenge against the Yan Family, who were working on the same gene project. Otherwise, Yan Jin would have been seriously concerned for his pharmaceutical corporations and their huge profits.

“This is all old news… sorry,” Fang Wanqing said and fished another medicine bottle from her purse.

Yan Jin hesitated for a moment and then chose not to ask.

Fang Wanqing saw through his misgivings. After swallowing the medicine, she said bluntly, “I lied to Xiao Yu. I told him that Old Xiao entrusted me with his dream, but actually, I’m just worried that I won’t last until that child’s wedding day.”

“I’m his stepmother. Before leaving, Old Xiao entrusted him to me. Bearing witness to his wedding is my responsibility. I hope he can properly… well, although things have deviated a little from expectations, they’re not too far off.”

Fang Wanqing’s teasing tone left Yan Jin somewhat uncomfortable. He couldn’t really tolerate her measured gaze that seemed to be evaluating her daughter-in-law.

That wasn’t completely right either.

There was something else hidden within the depths of her gaze as well.

It had been almost twenty years since they had last seen each other, but Fang Wanqing had never forgotten what had happened. As expected, the person “fated for big things” had become a BOSS with innumerable depths. Perhaps no one expected Yan Jin would fall for a regular person like Xiao Yu.

Twenty years ago, everyone in the research lab had thought that Yan Jin would walk the paved road to the fixed destination. That is, everyone except Fang Wanqing. Instead, she had secretly switched Yan Jin’s medication. She had staked all of her exceptional talent on this one child.

Perhaps it was because she had seen a reflection of herself in Yan Jin and a future she had never been able to reach.

Fang Wanqing was more clear than anyone else in the industry on Yan Jin’s ident.i.ty, so she understood the significance of Yan Jin’s words better than anyone. If Yan Jin had told someone else that he wanted to marry their son, they would have simply considered it an an unbelievable stroke of good fortune. Those who understood Yan Jin a little better would have also realized that Yan Jin already had enough power and capital to stand up to the Yan Family. Even if Yan Jin publicly announced that he was marrying another guy, the Yan Family wouldn’t be able to oppose him.

For others, that would be the most they’d be able to deduce. However, Fang Wanqing understood that the true significance of everything Yan Jin had said so far wasn’t simply limited to that.

Compared to normal people, Yan Jin’s existence was special. What made him special was that his response and reaction to emotions was different than others’.

To Fang Wanqing, Yan Jin was one of the few successful test subjects out of the last experiments. Across all of their research, the definitive result was that the successful test subjects of the gene project exhibited a far lower dependency on emotions. Their psychological reaction to any kind of emotion was far milder than any normal person under the same circ.u.mstances. They had concluded that no test subject would ever be able to love another. Regardless of whether it was romantic love or familial love, they would not feel emotionally moved at all.

But now, Yan Jin, who had been predicted to never be able to love someone, was now in front of her, cautiously asking for her permission to marry her stepson.

He was asking for her permission to honorably embrace his beloved.

It was like a beautiful refutation of his cold, absurd fate.

It was the first time Fang Wanqing had felt happy for Yan Jin. Perhaps it would be her last.

Fang Wanqing was beyond happy to be able to hear such news before the end of her life.

“Is there anything I can do to help with your illness?” Yan Jin asked calmly. “Medical treatment in China is now no worse than the world standard. Suitable treatments can be very effective in prolonging life expectancy. Even diseases that are difficult to permanently cure can be suppressed to some extent to allow for a normal life expectancy.”

“There’s no need to trick me. Only in China can the number one private hospital’s top floor for special grade wards stay open,” Fang Wanqing said disdainfully. “And even that can’t even be called living. It can only be considered ‘not biologically dead’.”

Yan Jin had no response.

Her tongue was still as sharp as ever. Whether it was on purpose or accidental, her words always pierced the bottom of people’s hearts. Thus, no matter how brilliantly talented she was, her interpersonal relations.h.i.+ps with others were always so bad that they wanted her dead. At the research inst.i.tute, she had always been ostracized.

It was a good thing Chu Ge didn’t come with him today.

Despite all of his unspoken criticisms, Yan Jin’s mind was still relaxed enough to appreciate this.

“I might as well just tell you everything to save you the trouble,” Fang Wanqing said indifferently. “I have late-stage cancer. I know that it can’t be cured, and I’m not interested in treatment. I found out half a year ago. The doctor was stunned when I turned down the treatment. Perhaps it was his first time seeing someone immediately reject both treatment and preliminary hospital observation without further consideration.” [TLN: Generally, before long-term inpatient treatment, there is a short observation period for better a.s.sessment of treatment success and factors such as patient quality of life degradation, etc.] Fang Wanqing stuck her tongue out mischievously. Despite her old age, the immature action didn’t seem too out of place.

Yan Jin nodded, indicating his agreement with Fang Wanqing’s speculation. It was easy to imagine such a scene.

“I’m not trash-talking medical treatment in China or anything; it’s just a statement of fact. They don’t tell patients realistic prognoses nor give up when they should. Instead, they just give people false hope… What good will further observation do? It’s completely unnecessary. Once I saw the medical report, I knew there was no saving me. After so many years at the research inst.i.tute, I’m clearer than anyone else on how someone looks when they won’t survive.” Fang Wanqing’s words took on a mournful tone. “After finding out I was going to die, I actually felt relieved. After so many years, my retribution is finally coming. Finally! At long last, this sinner can go down to see Old Xiao again. After Old Xiao left, I wanted to accompany him so many times. But, I didn’t dare to die. The Heavens allowed me to live to atone for my sins. How could I dare to die…? Don’t you youngsters laugh at my superst.i.tions. The Heavens are watching our every move. In the beginning, this illness didn’t have any symptoms. Only recently did a few symptoms begin to manifest. I had to laugh when I almost escaped cancer. It’s the Heavens pardoning me.”

“It’s not your fault.” Yan Jin could only repeat this over and over again. He didn’t have anything else to say.

The lady in front of him was older than him by twenty years. She didn’t have any less experience than him. Even now, she could face life and death so indifferently. Thus, he couldn’t provide her with any psychological help. Nor could he offer anything material.

Because she no longer needed anything.

“*Sigh*, I’ve become an old confused woman. I already said that I wouldn’t talk about these things in the past, but then I did that anyway.” Fang Wanqing drank some tea and laughed. “The past is in the past. The present is what’s important.”

Yan Jin didn’t comment.

Not all past events would fade away with time. Some would linger around like a needle in the heart and grow together with flesh. No matter how much time pa.s.sed, whenever the topic came up again, all of the barriers would be broken to reveal the sharp tip again.

“I don’t have any objections to you two getting married. However, as you can see, I don’t have much time left. No more than half a year…” Fang Wanqing paused and then corrected herself. “Do it in the next three months. Since the marriage can’t be held in China, I won’t be able to handle long-distance travel soon with my old age. I don’t think you would want to see an old skeleton walking around with an IV bottle in the left hand and a terminal illness notice in the right.”

Yan Jin didn’t laugh at Fang Wanqing’s gallows humor. No one would be able to directly face such person on death’s door and still laugh.

“The ceremony will be held as soon as possible. We’ll come to pick you up ourselves.”

“It would be my honor.”

……

……

Before leaving, Fang Wanqing gave a card to Yan Jin.

“Right, this card contains the money from selling the house. I’ve owed money to that child for so long, so now I can finally clear all my debt. Originally, I only planned to give half of this, but seeing that he’s going to get married, you can consider the remaining half as dowry.”

“…Thanks.”

Fang Wanqing departed.

Yan Jin solemnly put the card safely away.

Even though he hadn’t obtained a more explicit promise from Fang Wanqing, Yan Jin was already completely satisfied.

Letting Fang Wanqing know how Xiao Yu felt about her was only an added benefit. Yan Jin’s main goal this time was to get her to recognize their marriage.

When Yan Jin’s investigations had revealed that Fang Wanqing was nearing the end of her life, he had immediately moved his meeting with her up in his calendar.

Xiao Yu still didn’t know about Fang Wanqing’s cancer. The potential effect of this was extremely large. Everyone in the Xiao Family was extremely superst.i.tious. If Fang Wanqing was intensely opposed to Xiao Yu’s marriage with another man and then unexpectedly pa.s.sed away despite hospital treatment, Xiao Yu would likely start jumping to conclusions. Thus, Yan Jin wanted to take control of this unknown variable as early as possible.

Everything had gone smoothly.

Yan Jin took a drink of his coffee. He put his cup down, emitting a clear sounding clink.

The youth sitting in front of him s.h.i.+vered.

“M-Mr. Yan.”

“You heard what happened earlier. Your mother has come down with an incurable illness. What do you think?”

Sitting in front of Yan Jin was Fang Wanqing’s own son, Xiao Zihao. After Yan Jin had sent Fang Wanqing off, he had returned to the hotel and sat down in the same seat as earlier.

Xiao Zihao had already been waiting in the seat his mother had just vacated.

“I, I…” Despite hearing about his mother’s terminal illness, Xiao Zihao cared more about how to placate the temperamental person in front of him.

His life was in this person’s hands!

Although his mother had contracted an incurable illness, if he said something wrong right now, he would immediately lose his life!