Chapter 100
After all the twists and turns, the portion of equity Old Master Wang had put into play still ended up in Jin Zijin’s hands.
Delisting liquidation, equity consolidation, debt sorting; all the complicated procedures were completed by Jin Zijin’s team in just half a month.
By the day all the paperwork was finally settled, Jin Zijin placed a thick share transfer agreement in front of Wen Yan.
Wen Yan had just come off surgery then and was sitting on the living room sofa, unpacking the sweet soup Jin Zijin had brought her.
It was a bowl of tapioca sweet soup. Jin Zijin liked sweet things, so Wen Yan had asked Xiao Qiu what desserts nearby were especially good, and had deliberately gone out of her way after work to buy it for her.
“Try it and see if it tastes good.” Wen Yan had just handed over the spoon when Jin Zijin passed the document to her.
When she saw the words on the cover of the contract, Wen Yan’s hand paused.
“Wang Group Equity Transfer Agreement…” She looked up at the person beside her, eyes full of surprise. “For me?”
Jin Zijin nodded. “Of course.”
She nudged the contract into Wen Yan’s hands, her tone so matter-of-fact it was as if she were talking about the weather. “Didn’t I tell you before? Everything from the Wang family—once I take it, it all goes to you.”
“Sign it quickly. I’ve already found someone to manage the company, so from now on you just take the annual dividends.”
“Even though the Wang family business is basically done for, if I salvage it a bit, the money you get every year will still be enough for you to buy equipment and do new research.”
As she said this, Jin Zijin laughed, a trace of smugness in her expression. “That way, you’ll never need to apply for funds from the hospital again or put up with those old professors’ faces.”
Wen Yan looked at the contract in front of her and felt her eyes sting slightly.
It wasn’t the first time she had received material gifts from Jin Zijin.
The card Jin Zijin gave her had a terrifyingly high limit, though she rarely used it; the gifts Jin Zijin bought her were always the best, from clothes to jewelry to everyday necessities, each one carefully chosen.
Just the watch on her wrist alone was worth nearly thirty million.
But this was different.
This was something Jin Zijin had taken back for her from the Wang family; from the family that had bled her mother dry for a lifetime and wounded her for half of hers.
It was a source of confidence that belonged entirely to her.
Wen Yan held the contract in her hands and looked up at Jin Zijin, her eyes watery. “Okay.”
“Thank you, Zijin.”
“What are you thanking me for?” Jin Zijin reached out and rubbed the top of her hair, her gaze full of affection. “Silly girl.”
“This was always yours to begin with. It’s what you deserve.”
——————
The next day, Wen Yan made time to go to the hospital.
The VIP ward was quiet, with only the monitoring equipment’s regular beeping echoing softly through the room.
Wang Manyu was still sunk in sleep. There was still no color in her face, and she looked even thinner than before. Only the slight rise and fall of her chest proved that she was still alive.
Wen Chen sat by the bed holding a half-read book. When he saw her come in, he lifted a hand slightly to signal her to keep her voice down.
Wen Yan lightened her steps and walked over, sitting down beside Wen Chen.
Her gaze landed on her mother in the hospital bed and lingered for a few seconds. She only felt that this face was both familiar and strange.
A moment later, she withdrew her gaze and asked in a low voice, “How is she today?”
“Same as always.” Wen Chen tugged at the corner of his mouth and gave a tired smile.
He hadn’t shaved in several days; blue stubble had come out along his chin, and exhaustion clung to him in a way that wouldn’t go away.
“The doctor says all her vitals are improving; she just refuses to wake up.” He paused, his eyes falling on Wang Manyu’s face as his voice lowered even more. “For now, let’s leave it at that.”
He closed the book in his hands and turned to look at Wen Yan. “I’ve already handed off all the research I was handling to my colleagues. From here on, Dad and I will take turns keeping watch. You should go to work when you need to; do what you need to do.”
Wen Yan patted his arm. “Working hard there, you filial son.”
“Fine, fine. Don’t mock me; you’re no better.”
The siblings traded a few jabs at each other. After a moment, Wen Chen asked, “What about the Wang family? How’s that going?”
“Did your wife say anything?”
Wen Yan met his gaze and chose her words carefully. “Basically everything’s been settled. She took over the Wang family company, and Grandpa only has ten percent of the shares left.”
Wen Chen gave her a thumbs-up. “Impressive.”
Wen Yan smiled and continued, “But our dear eldest cousin got pulled out.”
“The old man sold off real estate everywhere, and all those bottles, jars, paintings, and antiques he’d collected for decades were sold too. He raised enough money to set Wang Yuchen up with a new company outside, and it looks like he’s ready to try making a comeback.”
When Wen Chen heard this, he let out a sneer. “He really is something. At that age, practically half in the grave, and still this able to make trouble.”
“And not afraid of gambling away even the money for his coffin.”
The siblings rarely saw each other more than twice a year, and every time they got together, they were talking trash about the Wang family.
As soon as Wen Yan sat beside Wen Chen, it was as if some switch had been flipped; her words turned sharp too. “Can’t be helped. The son is too useless, and he’s so control-freakish. Otherwise, why would he still refuse to retire from the company at over ninety and keep his grip on power so tightly?”
“Now that the son can’t amount to anything, if he’s thinking about the Wang family’s future, then of course he’ll pour everything into training the granddaughter.”
“After all, a granddaughter can still give him a great-grandson.”
Wen Chen gave a cold laugh. “Exactly. Once he gets a great-granddaughter or two, when he dies someone will bang the funeral basin for him and burn incense for him; he’ll die satisfied.”
He clicked his tongue several times and looked at Wen Yan, making a vicious guess. “You tell me, he’s done plenty of business, so how is his head still this muddled?”
“Children come out of women’s bellies; what do men have to do with it? A child born to a woman is at least guaranteed to be her own bloodline, but men?”
“The second a wife cheats, what roots or lineage are left? It’s all just someone else taking over the nest.”
“And still talking about branching out and spreading the family tree, taking a few more wives? Pah…”
They had discussed this countless times when they were children.
Wen Yan glanced at him and said flatly, “So our good uncle can’t have children anymore.”
Because after Wang Jinyu had Wang Yuchen, he still couldn’t have a son, and Old Master Wang started telling him to go out and ‘meet’ more women.
Then karma hit. After divorcing his ex-wife, Wang Jinyu went for a checkup and found out he had low sperm count; after that, no matter what methods he tried, he couldn’t get anyone pregnant.
As for their fine old grandfather, whether he had secretly done IVF himself, they didn’t know.
But even if he had, he still wouldn’t manage it.
That kind of bloodline deserved to die out.
The two of them huddled together and spent a long time bad-mouthing the Wang family from top to bottom, inside and out.
They cursed Old Master Wang as a weird old bastard; cursed Wang Jinyu as a useless “family glory” and a useless son...
And of course, Wang Yuchen was not spared either.
After running their mouths for a while, they perfectly finished the visit and happily went back to their own homes.
——————
Before long, the weekend arrived.
It was already early summer; the sunlight was bright and the breeze was gentle, warm on the skin. Jin Zijin brought Wen Yan back to the old residence.
Just as the car came to a stop, a string of tiny cat meows sounded from the courtyard.
Then a fluffy little orange-and-white ball came trotting over, its four short legs moving furiously as it meowed around the car wheels.
“Slow down, don’t fall.” Grandma Jin followed behind with a cat teaser in hand. Watching the little cat run over, she smiled so kindly that her eyes and brows softened.
She was wearing a deep purple knitted cardigan, her hair combed neatly. Standing in the sunlight, she looked warm and luminous.
Wen Yan pushed open the car door. As soon as she crouched down, Mi Tang recognized her.
The little fellow scurried into her arms on its short legs, rubbing its head against her palm while rumbling with purrs; it was clingy beyond belief.
“Did you miss me?” Wen Yan laughed, scratching under its chin.
Mi Tang narrowed its eyes comfortably, its little paws lightly clutching her wrist and refusing to let go. Its soft paw pads pressed against Wen Yan’s wrist, leaving behind a small patch of warmth.
Jin Zijin stood to the side, watching the affectionate scene between woman and cat, her eyes full of laughter.
She crouched as well and reached out to stroke Mi Tang’s head. The little one’s fur was soft and smooth, wonderful to the touch; it slipped through her fingers like a cloud.
“Little one, were you good at Grandma’s house?”
“Very good; just clingy.” Grandma Jin came over with a smile.
She looked Wen Yan up and down, her gaze resting on her face for a few seconds before she reached out and took Wen Yan’s hand, squeezing her palm.
“Yan Yan, your injuries are all healed, right?” Grandma Jin asked with obvious concern.
“They’re all healed, Grandma; I’ve been fine for a long time.” Wen Yan stood up with Mi Tang in her arms and curved her lips at Grandma Jin. “It’s you who’s worked hard, taking care of Mi Tang for us for so long.”
“What’s there to work hard about? I’d be overjoyed to have a great-granddaughter keeping me company and making a fuss.”
Hearing this, Jin Zijin laughed. “That’s perfect then; next year I’ll give you two, one on the left and one on the right, so you won’t even be able to hold them all.”
Grandma Jin naturally understood that she was joking and reached out to flick her nose, indulgent. “You, always the naughtiest!”
“All right, Grandma, let’s go inside first.”
“Okay.”
Wen Yan and Jin Zijin supported Grandma Jin from either side as they headed into the house.
The stone path in the courtyard had been warmed by the sun, and stepping on it felt comfortable. On both sides, the tulips were in full bloom, packed closely together and brilliant under the light.
“Having such a little one at home makes it much livelier,” Grandma Jin said as they walked, her voice full of amusement. “She sleeps every day hugging your pillow; she misses you terribly.”
As she walked, she told them a lot of little stories about Mi Tang.
With a pet companion, the old lady’s life really had become a little more animated.
Wen Yan looked down at the cat in her arms.
The little one had buried its head in the crook of her arm, eyes narrowed to slits, tail flicking lazily; it was utterly at ease.
Her heart softened all at once.
After lunch with Grandma Jin, the old lady went back to rest.
Wen Yan and Jin Zijin sat in the courtyard, teasing Mi Tang with a cat wand.
The afternoon sun was just right, and the vine-covered chairs in the courtyard had been warmed through.
A feather was tied to the end of the cat wand. Jin Zijin shook it, and Mi Tang’s eyes followed at once, its little head tilting this way and that.
After a few jumps, it suddenly pounced.
The little fellow leaped up and down, grabbing at the feather in the air with its claws flailing around. Sometimes when it missed, it would roll once on the ground, then get back up and continue pouncing. It was lively as anything, like a moving orange furball.
“Oh, you almost caught it!” Jin Zijin laughed and lifted the wand higher; Mi Tang stood up, batting at the air with both forepaws, meowing in anxious frustration.
Wen Yan stood by watching, her eyes smiling into crescents.
This kind of life was really nice.
Being carefree with the person she loved; it felt as though many years later, even when they were both gray-haired and their strength had faded, they would still be keeping each other company.
Thinking of it that way, the future suddenly seemed rather promising.
——————
Busy days came and went, and another week passed.
That Friday, Wen Yan as usual had to go to the medical school to teach the students.
Her teaching load had increased this year, and the course had gone from an elective to core surgery.
The classroom was full. Sunlight poured through the windows and landed on the students’ notebooks. Wen Yan stood at the podium teaching the basics of spinal surgery, occasionally adding a few clinical cases; the students listened carefully, heads bent now and then to take notes.
When the bell rang, Wen Yan was wrapping up. “That’s all for today. Don’t forget to preview next week’s class in advance.”
The students got up in dribs and drabs. Some came over with questions, others packed their bags and headed out. Wen Yan patiently answered a few questions; once most of them had left, she started tidying her lesson plan.
Her phone buzzed then. She wiped her hands and opened the message.
It was from Wang Fu.
【Yan Yan, are you free next Saturday? Qinghe gave birth to a little girl, six jin and four liang. We’re holding a small one-month banquet at home. Can you come?】
Wen Yan’s eyes lit up at once. Her fingers flew over the screen as she replied: 【Teacher, she already gave birth? I heard you say the due date was still half a month away before. Why didn’t anyone tell me at all?】
Barely two seconds after she sent it, Wang Fu called. “She came a few days early, and because she was so small when she was born, we didn’t dare tell people right away.”
His voice carried a joy he couldn’t quite hide, along with the softness of a man becoming a grandfather for the first time. Even through the phone, one could tell he was smiling.
“Once Qinghe and the baby were both stable, we only then dared tell you. Don’t blame your teacher for not informing you earlier, all right?”
“How could I blame you, Teacher?” Wen Yan said with a smile. “I’m thrilled already. I’ll definitely go next Saturday, and I’ll make sure to prepare a big red envelope for our little junior.”
“It’s enough that you come; the red envelope doesn’t matter.” Wang Fu laughed, then reminded her about a few work matters. “How’s things at home lately? Still busy? Don’t tire yourself out; make sure you rest.”
“We’re fine, Teacher. Don’t worry.” Wen Yan answered, feeling warm inside.
After hanging up, she stood in the empty classroom, looking out at the sunlight beyond the window, and the smile on her lips wouldn’t go away.
When Jin Zijin came home that evening and had just changed her shoes, Wen Yan pulled her down onto the sofa.
“I’ve got good news for you.” Wen Yan’s eyes were sparkling. She leaned close to Jin Zijin, her face full of barely restrained excitement.
Seeing her like this, Jin Zijin couldn’t help laughing. “What good news has you this happy?”
“Teacher’s granddaughter was born!” Wen Yan said brightly. “A little girl, six jin and four liang. They’re holding the one-month banquet next Saturday and invited me to dinner.”
Jin Zijin raised a brow, reached out, and pinched her cheek with a smile. “All right. Then next Saturday I’ll go with you to the banquet.”
Wen Yan froze, a little surprised.
“You have time?” She tilted her head and started counting Jin Zijin’s schedule. “I remember you’ve got an international video conference next Saturday morning, and in the afternoon you still have to go check the progress at the development zone’s new factory. Isn’t your schedule packed?”
Jin Zijin waved a hand indifferently, very grandly. “So what? Time can be squeezed out.”
“How could I miss my wife’s teacher’s family banquet?”
She paused, a sly glint flashing in her eyes. “Besides, I still want to see the newborn baby.”
Wen Yan looked at the smile in her eyes and leaned in to kiss her on the lips. “Okay. Then we’ll go together.”
——————
Next Saturday arrived quickly.
Wen Yan and Jin Zijin brought the prepared gifts and, just as they reached downstairs, saw Wang Yan waiting for them.
When Wang Yan saw them, she smiled. “You’re the last ones. Come in and sit for a while.”
“Okay, Senior Sister.”
Wang Yan took the gifts from their hands and led them inside.
“How have you been lately? Your family’s matters have really caused quite a stir,” Wang Yan asked as they walked. “I heard from my dad that your hand was injured. Is it better now?”
“It’s better, better. Just a small thing.” Wen Yan held Jin Zijin’s hand and followed along, smiling as she answered. “What about Senior Sister? How does it feel to be a mother?”
Wang Yan looked back and smiled at her. “To be honest, there’s not much of a real sense of it. It feels like I’m dreaming.”
Wen Yan smiled. “That does sound really surreal.”
The three of them spoke as they quickly reached the door.
As soon as it opened, a faint milky scent mixed with the fragrance of food rushed out to meet them. The house had been tidied spotlessly; it was cleaner than usual. In the living room sat several of Wen Yan’s senior sisters from other departments, chatting with the mistress of the house.
“Yan Yan’s here!” the senior sisters greeted her with smiles.
Wen Yan’s teacher’s wife stood up at once and took her hand. “Come, come, girl, sit down, sit down.”
Her gaze landed on Jin Zijin beside her, full of friendly smiles. Several who had been especially close to Wen Yan during graduate school even gave her teasing winks.
Wen Yan greeted the senior sisters with a smile, then asked the teacher’s wife in a low, slightly puzzled voice, “Auntie, why are there only us senior sisters here? Where are the senior brothers?”
At that, the teacher’s wife smiled helplessly and lowered her voice. “The family is full of girls, so your teacher didn’t invite those bratty boys.”
She paused and let out a sigh, her tone carrying some displeasure.
“And your teacher… sigh. After what happened with Zhang Sheng and Song Yu, your teacher looked into and asked about the other bratty boys too… sigh… just thinking about it makes me angry. Never mind, let’s not bring it up.”
Wen Yan didn’t ask further. She just nodded and followed the teacher’s wife to sit on the sofa.
The living room was lively; the senior sisters were gathered together chatting. Some were looking at baby photos on their phones, others were discussing childcare advice, all talking over one another in a cheerful buzz.
From the kitchen came the sound of Auntie stir-frying dishes; the sizzling mingled with the fragrance of scallions, ginger, and garlic, enough to whet anyone’s appetite.
Jin Zijin politely greeted the senior sisters, then leaned close to Wen Yan and asked softly, “Should I go see the mother and baby in the bedroom?”
Wen Yan nodded. “I’ll go with you.”
The teacher’s wife hurriedly said, “Go ahead, go gently, don’t startle the baby. Qinghe’s in the master bedroom.”
Jin Zijin answered and tiptoed toward the master bedroom.
The master bedroom was quiet, the curtains half drawn and the light soft.
Su Qinghe had just finished her confinement period and was leaning against the headboard. Her face was still a little pale, but she was smiling gently. She wore a light pink nightgown, her hair loosely pinned up, and there was a softness about her that came with becoming a mother for the first time.
Wang Yan was already back in the room, sitting by the bed and carefully changing the baby’s diaper.
Her movements were clumsy but earnest; her brows were slightly furrowed and her lips pressed into a line, as if facing a formidable enemy. She held the diaper in her hands and fiddled with it for ages, not knowing where to begin.
“You’re doing it wrong. You need to lift the back first,” Su Qinghe instructed beside her, her voice gentle. “Yes, a little more to the left. Good, good, stick it on.”
Wang Yan let out a long breath, and sweat had actually broken out on her forehead.
When she saw Jin Zijin come in, both of them greeted her with smiles.
“Come, come, have a seat.” Wang Yan stood up and pulled over a chair for her.
Jin Zijin thanked her with a smile, then walked carefully to the bedside, her gaze falling on the baby in the crib; her eyes instantly lit up.
The little one was wrapped in a pink swaddle, a tiny bundle. With her eyes closed, she slept soundly. Her eyelashes were long, dense, and curled upward like two little fans.
Her small mouth was still moving, as if she were drinking milk in her dream. Soft and tender, she was unbelievably cute.
“She’s so tiny.” Jin Zijin lowered her voice; her tone was full of wonder and unmistakable fondness.
She crouched down beside the crib and stared at the little one without blinking, as if looking at some priceless treasure.
“Can I hold her?” She looked up at Su Qinghe, her eyes carrying a careful plea.
Su Qinghe was amused by that look and nodded. “Of course.”
She patiently taught Jin Zijin. “Here, support her head and waist like this. Yes, slowly, don’t panic. One hand here, the other hand under her bottom. Yes, just like that.”
Jin Zijin learned very seriously, her movements extremely cautious, even her breathing kept light.
Once she had the little one safely in her arms and felt the warm little body against her, she went rigid all at once.
She didn’t dare move her arms; she didn’t dare move her body; even her gaze turned exceptionally gentle, as if afraid of breaking something precious.
The little one nuzzled in her arms and continued sleeping soundly. Her little nose twitched, her mouth smacked twice, and then she settled again.
Jin Zijin’s heart melted instantly.
Holding the child, she gently rocked her, and the smile on her lips never faded.
“She’s so soft,” she said softly, her voice carrying a kind of emotion that was hard to describe. “How can she be this soft?”
Wang Yan watched from the side and smiled. “You and Wen Yan can have one too later, then you can hold one every day.”
At that, Jin Zijin looked up at her, then lowered her eyes to the baby in her arms. The smile in her eyes deepened. “That depends on whether Wen Yan’s willing.”
Since Wen Yan had asked that question, Jin Zijin had never brought up having children again.
Wen Yan leaned against the doorframe, watching Jin Zijin hold the baby.
The woman who was usually decisive and imposing, with a full-bodied aura of command, now had an almost impossibly soft expression.
She held the tiny infant with tender, awkward care; her eyes were filled with bright, fervent joy.
Looking at her, Wen Yan suddenly remembered those words Jin Zijin had once said to her while they were curled up on the sofa.
She had said that although your mother wasn’t a perfect mother, as a parent, she was much better than her own parents.
People were lifted up generation after generation and were also constantly trying to improve generation after generation.
Did that mean humanity was still evolving, and that what people called genes could also be surpassed?
Wen Yan’s heartbeat suddenly slowed by half a beat.
Then what about her, with the Wen family’s coldness and the Wang family’s selfishness woven into her very bones? Could that also be surpassed?
Could someone like her, who had grown up with so little maternal love and who had spent so long simply learning how to reconcile with her own family of origin, also become an amazing mother?
Wen Yan didn’t know.
She stood where she was, looking at the tiny new life in Jin Zijin’s arms, her heart a mess and yet strangely warm.
Just then, Jin Zijin looked up and happened to meet her eyes.
The woman’s eyes were shining. She smiled at her and said, “Yan Yan, she’s so fragrant and soft. Come hold her.”
Wen Yan came back to herself and walked over with a smile.
When Wang Yan saw her approach, she immediately smiled. “Yan Yan definitely can. You’re a doctor; you know this better than we do, so you definitely don’t need to be taught.”
Wen Yan smiled and nodded, carefully taking the baby from Jin Zijin’s arms.
She supported the baby’s head and neck with her left hand and her little bottom with her right; her movements were practiced and gentle as she steadily held the child in her arms.
It was a strange feeling.
Soft, tiny, warm, nestled in her arms… just like Mi Tang; soft and lovable.
Her heartbeat seemed to come through the thin layer of clothing, thump thump thump, fast and strong.
Jin Zijin stared from the side, her eyes wide with surprise.
“How are you so practiced at this?” She leaned in, sounding utterly incredulous. “I’ve been learning for ages and I’m still clumsy.”
Wen Yan looked down at the baby in her arms, the corners of her mouth curving in a tender smile.
“When I was an intern in college, I had to rotate through all the departments, and I was in obstetrics for almost three months.” She spoke softly, rocking the baby slightly. “I had to hold newborns every day; after doing it so much, you get used to it.”
“And besides,” she paused, then looked up at Jin Zijin with a smile in her eyes, “I have a good memory. Once is enough and I’ll remember.”
“So amazing.” Jin Zijin leaned closer, looking at the baby in Wen Yan’s arms and then at Wen Yan’s gentle profile, praising her without reservation. “How can our Yan Yan know everything? You’re way too impressive.”
Wen Yan was laughed at by the praise and didn’t say anything.
The baby in her arms suddenly stirred.
The little one wrinkled her tiny nose, then slowly opened her eyes.
The infant’s eyes were like black grapes, big and bright, staring blankly at Wen Yan as if looking at a strange new world.
She blinked, her eyelashes fluttering, and then her soft little fingers grabbed Wen Yan’s index finger at once.
The warm touch came from her fingertip like a faint electric current, instantly racing through her whole body.
Wen Yan’s heart melted all at once.
She looked down at this tiny life just newly arrived in the world, looked at her clear, innocent eyes, looked at the little hand gripping her finger.
And suddenly she couldn’t help thinking: when she had just been born, had she also been this tiny bundle arriving in an unfamiliar world?
Had there also been a pair of hands carefully holding her, giving her warmth, giving her a sense of safety?
Had she also, without knowing it, received the kindness of many strangers?
It was precisely those unexpected kindnesses that had accompanied her through the hardest days and helped her grow into who she was now.
So the world wasn’t that bad, was it?
It was good too.
Wen Yan lifted her head and looked at Jin Zijin beside her.
The woman was looking at her gently. In that gaze were love, pity, pride, and boundless anticipation for the future.
She had Jin Zijin.
She had a teacher and senior sisters who loved her.
She had met many people who had shown her kindness.
Even if life meant taking a little hardship along the way, that was all right.
Because of those hardships, the happiness in her hands felt all the more precious.
That was life, after all; it was meant to be experienced.
Wen Yan lowered her head and looked at the baby in her arms, who was still clutching her finger tightly.
The little one was still staring at her, eyes bright, little hand gripping hard, as if she had already decided this was her person.
Wen Yan tilted her head and thought about it. If that was the case, then becoming a mother might not be a bad thing at all; it might even be something worth experiencing.