Chapter 471: Your Fate Has Come to You Safe and Sound

Gu Zhiyan once again went to find the doctor, and from the doctor's mouth confirmed that the two bottles of medicine were completely different.

The bottle Wu Ma brought over was the real medication for treating bipolar disorder, while the bottle in his hand was a fake that looked and smelled similar.

Gu Zhiyan immediately decided to have the fake medicine's ingredients tested, to determine whether it would cause harm to the human brain.

The report wouldn't come out that quickly. Gu Zhiyan returned to his mother's hospital room with unease and doubt, and asked, "Mom, have you been taking the medicine the doctor prescribed for you on schedule?"

Song Shiwei's anger instantly flared: "I took it! You're just like your father."

Gu Zhiyan didn't know the details of the conflict between his parents, so he didn't quite understand what "just like" was supposed to mean.

But his mother had taken it—taken the medicine and still couldn't control her manic episodes? Medicine wasn't omnipotent, but it shouldn't leave someone this prone to irritability and rage.

"Where did this medicine come from?"

"The doctor prescribed it. Your father personally found the doctor."

Gu Zhiyan remembered that his mother's medicine had always been kept in her own care; the nannies were only responsible for bringing water over and reminding her to take it on time, so he asked, "Where do you usually keep your medicine? Has anyone touched it?"

"Zhi Yan, what does this have to do with the medicine?" Song Shiwei had been questioned by her husband and then her son about whether she had been taking her medicine on time—each time reminding her that something was wrong with her brain—so she grew impatient the moment she heard it.

Seeing that he wouldn't get anywhere with her in this state, Gu Zhiyan decided to go back for a trip.

"Where are you going?" Song Shiwei instantly grew tense, sitting up slightly straighter, afraid he was going back to A City and would leave his own mother to fend for herself.

Gu Zhiyan said he needed to go back for a bit. Song Shiwei chased after him with questions about whether he was going to pack up his things, visibly tense and frightened.

A mother looking at her own child with eyes that feared being abandoned—any child with a heart would be unable to bear such a gaze.

"Mom, what are you worried about?" Gu Zhiyan was somewhat asking what he already knew.

Song Shiwei looked anxious: "Your father wants to divorce me, are you going to abandon Mom too?"

"I'm just going back for a trip, it doesn't mean anything." Gu Zhiyan said sternly, "I won't abandon you. After all, I'm not you."

Song Shiwei's face alternated between pale and flushed.

She knew she could never escape the curse of Jiang Lai, no matter what.

She hadn't expected that the son she had raised would turn around and lecture her instead. Furious, she grabbed a used spoon from the nightstand and hurled it at Gu Zhiyan.

The white porcelain soup spoon struck Gu Zhiyan's suit, tumbled to the floor, and let out a crisp cracking sound.

Gu Zhiyan raised his hand and brushed at the oil stain on his chest. It wouldn't come off, so he simply stopped trying.

Song Shiwei's eyes were bloodshot as she said through gritted teeth: "I want to see Jiang Lai. Go get her for me."

Gu Zhiyan was puzzled: "In what capacity would I summon her? And in what capacity would you see her?"

Song Shiwei: "You're her biological brother and I'm her biological mother!"

Gu Zhiyan: "You don't even acknowledge her."

Song Shiwei deflated like a punctured ball, suddenly curving her back, both hands gripping the quilt tightly: "Go get her. I want to see her. Is it too much to ask to see her just once!"

Gu Zhiyan looked at his mother in this state, unable to fathom why she wanted to see Jiang Lai. If she wanted to apologize to Jiang Lai, he could pass along a message, but whether Jiang Lai came or not was Jiang Lai's own business.

Gu Zhiyan didn't have Jiang Lai's contact information, but he had Ke Zhongyu's—not his personal number. Ke Zhongyu was a person who drew clear lines between love and hate, and sharing Jiang Lai's grievances, had long since blocked him.

Fortunately, he still had Ke Zhongyu's work number, which was managed by Ke Zhongyu's secretary.

Secretary Cen relayed the message to Ke Zhongyu, but the first person to see the message was Jiang Lai.

Ke Zhongyu's phone was temporarily in Jiang Lai's hands; Ke Zhongyu had been called into the Shufang by the old master to talk.

Jiang Lai knew it was because Ke Zhongyu had barged into the Gu family's ancestral hall with people yesterday—he was probably going to get a scolding.

So much so that sitting on the sofa in the Nian Family's living room, even with tea in hand, she couldn't taste anything, her peripheral vision glancing every now and then toward the direction Ke Zhongyu had just left.

Old Madam Nian, her aunt-in-law Cui Moyuan, and the obediently seated Ke Zhongying all looked at Jiang Lai, seeing her worry.

Cui Moyuan pushed a dessert toward Jiang Lai and smiled gently at her.

Ke Zhongying asked: "Grandma, Aunt-in-law, Grandpa and Uncle won't do anything to my brother, right?"

Jiang Lai pricked up her ears, her attention falling on Old Madam Nian, whose hair was entirely silver.

Old Madam Nian looked at the two young girls before her—one fidgety, one still—and said with a smile: "Don't worry, your brother has thick skin."

But Jiang Lai's heart rose to her throat. She parted her lips to say something, but then caught her aunt-in-law gently shaking her head at her, so she had to swallow the words she wanted to say.

Cui Moyuan said: "It's fine, Grandma is just scaring you. How could Grandpa bear to lay a hand on his only eldest grandson? Even if Grandpa could bear it, your Uncle certainly couldn't."

From everything said, Jiang Lai could hear that Ke Zhongyu would be punished, which made her even more worried.

Old Madam Nian said: "Chongying has always been the restless type. Might as well take Jiang Lai to get familiar with this place ahead of time."

"Okay!" Ke Zhongying's eyes lit up. She got up, grabbed Jiang Lai's hand, and quickly left.

Old Madam Nian shook her head with a light smile: "My two grandchildren really do like her."

Cui Moyuan: "Jiang Lai is a lovable child, and her background makes people's hearts ache for her."

Old Madam Nian sighed. She wouldn't comment on the Gu family's affairs, then added: "Zhaoning also likes and dotes on this girl. Since Zhaoning isn't here, you go keep the child company in Zhaoning's place."

Cui Moyuan smiled: "You want me to leave you here all alone?"

Old Madam Nian: "You've been keeping me company since you married in. Aren't you tired of it yet?"

Cui Moyuan's eyes narrowed with a smile: "Then I'll go comfort the two little girls, so they don't actually think Zhongyu is in there getting beaten and scolded."

Old Madam Nian waved her hand: "Go on, go on."

By the time Cui Moyuan found the two girls, they were by the pond feeding koi.

Ke Zhongying urged: "Sister Jiang Lai, trust me, nothing will really happen to my brother. He's shameless—no matter who scolds him, he won't crack. If anything, he's more likely to make Grandpa crack first."

The words were crude but the logic was sound. Still, Jiang Lai couldn't control her worry.

"Chongying's right, there's nothing wrong with what she said." Cui Moyuan gently stroked Jiang Lai's back, then stood to one side and said, "The relationship between the Nian Family and the Gu family is what it is, and the Gu family's old master was angered into the hospital. If our old master didn't reprimand Zhongyu, it wouldn't be justifiable—appearances still need to be kept up."

Ke Zhongying nodded vigorously beside them.

Jiang Lai called out "Aunt-in-law" to Cui Moyuan. Cui Moyuan smiled and said "good girl," then continued telling Jiang Lai: "It's actually good for Zhongyu to get scolded. Once the old man finishes scolding him, his anger will subside and the matter will pass. In times like these, if we humor the elders a little, their mood improves and Zhongyu's scolding might be lighter. After all, the two elders in our family aren't unreasonable people—they just have their own logic for how they do things."

Jiang Lai said thank you, Aunt-in-law, again.

Cui Moyuan could tell she was still worried, and smiled: "Zhongyu has finally found someone who understands and cares for him."

Jiang Lai thought of Ke Zhongyu's appearance, and her expression softened, though her voice still carried a hint of coolness: "I've also found someone who understands my heart and warms me."

Cui Moyuan: "Fate. The two of you truly are fated."

The three of them wandered around together until Ke Zhongyu came looking for them.

Cui Moyuan teased Jiang Lai: "Your fate has come looking for you safe and sound."

Jiang Lai lifted her gaze and looked over — Ke Zhongyu was walking toward her.

Ke Zhongying pulled her aunt's hand and hurried off, giving the two of them some space to whisper.

Ke Zhongyu came before Jiang Lai: "I'm fine, A Lai."

Jiang Lai slowly moved closer to Ke Zhongyu and wrapped her arms around his waist: "I was worried about you."

"I know." Ke Zhongyu held her tightly, holding tight his lover whose emotions were gradually revealing themselves.

But Jiang Lai only held on for a few seconds before letting go, tilting her head up and saying: "Song Shiwei wants to see me."

Ke Zhongyu: "What do you think?"

Jiang Lai: "She fainted too quickly yesterday — don't we still have some things left unsaid?"

Ke Zhongyu chuckled softly: "Right."