Chapter 175

When Shen Li returned to the ward, she didn't know what Yu Lizhen had said to Shen Zhaozhao.

She had red eyes and left the ward after a glance at Shen Li.

Yu Lizhen was wearing a blue-striped hospital gown, her face much paler than before.

She was silent for a moment before speaking slowly: "Where is your father?"

"He left..." Shen Li stood by the hospital bed, a wave of helpless bitterness spreading in her heart.

Hearing this, there was no ripple on Yu Lizhen's face, only saying faintly: "Why didn't you go with him?"

Shen Li's eyes swelled slightly, and she shook her head gently: "I can't go."

"You are sick, I have to take care of you."

Her voice was very light, carrying a bit of caution.

Yu Lizhen looked at her silently, then closed her eyes and leaned against the head of the bed: "You know everything?"

Shen Li responded dully: "Yes."

"This illness is not worth treating. The money at home, I've been saving bit by bit for you since you were little; it was originally meant for you. You have plenty of places to spend money in the future when you study, graduate, get married, and have children; there's no need to waste it on an incurable disease."

"Go back to Su Shi and keep your grandmother company."

Shen Li lowered her eyes, crystalline teardrops hanging on her long lashes, her voice as light as a falling leaf: "I want to stay by your side and accompany you through the treatment."

"... It will get better."

She had already lost her father...

Shen Li couldn't bring herself to leave her mother's side and ignore her when she needed her most.

To watch her suffer through the illness alone and lose her.

If she left today.

Shen Li knew she would regret it for the rest of her life.

And later...

Later, Shen Wenqing chose to leave with nothing, transferring all the money he had onto one card and selling the property in Haishi, giving all the money to Yu Lizhen for her treatment.

Exhausting everything to exchange for a glimmer of hope for her to live was what he should do.

Because...

He felt guilty toward her.

These years, they had consumed too much emotion on each other.

Liang Jingze used his family's connections and finally contacted an international authority in the field of breast cancer treatment.

In half a month, the house was quickly transferred.

At eight in the morning, Shen Li took her processed passport and took Yu Lizhen on an international flight to Europe.

The plane dived into the clouds until it disappeared into the horizon.

Shen Li took one last look at this city.

Finally, her gaze fixed on another location.

She would always remember...

The southern summer of August, in Wuchuan, more than three thousand kilometers away from Haishi.

A boy wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and gray trousers, smiling with unbridled arrogance, walked in through the back door of the classroom corridor.

And stopped beside her.

Stunning her most beautiful time.

Six years of time, like a white horse passing a crack.

In the warm-toned living room, warm yellow light spilled over the soft sofa.

The air was filled with the rich and healing aroma of food.

The glass door of the kitchen was half-hidden. Liang Jingze was wearing a light-colored half-apron and a gray shirt, the sleeves casually folded up to his forearms, revealing clean-lined wrists. He held a spoon, gently pan-searing and flipping the steak in the pan with skilled movements, adding a bit of domestic warmth to a man who usually didn't cook easily.

"How long do you plan to stay after returning to the country this time?" He placed the seared steak on a plate, drizzled it with the prepared sauce, added some seasonal vegetables, and served it in front of Shen Li.

Shen Li was staring at her phone screen, replying to messages. After a while, she reacted slowly, "... I'm not going back."

"I have already applied to my advisor to stay in the country for graduate school."

Liang Jingze hadn't changed much in these six years, only that with age, he had more of a man's mature charm.

He took off his apron and tossed it casually on a chair, then pulled out a chair and sat down beside her.

Shen Li wasn't used to playing with her phone while eating, so she turned off the screen and set it aside, focusing on enjoying the delicacy, cutting a piece of steak and putting it into her mouth.

"How does it taste?" The look in Liang Jingze's eyes turned gentle, a light arc spreading at the corners of his mouth, like a gourmet waiting for a guest's evaluation.

Yes, Liang Jingze had recently fallen in love with cooking and specifically pulled her over to have her taste-test.

Shen Li said truthfully: "It tastes good, your skills are excellent."

"Have you found a place to stay? Recently, a friend of mine was sent abroad by the company to manage business there, and his house just happened to become vacant. You and Auntie just returned... it should be hard to find a place to live for a while. If you don't mind, you can stay there temporarily; the rent can be at the lowest market rate."

Shen Li lowered her long lashes, eating very slowly. After a few seconds, she simply agreed, "Then... I'll trouble you."

"The country has changed quite a bit in these few years. When you have time, I'll take you around to look."

"Mm, I have time these two days."

It was rare to have time off, so she really should have a good time.

When she was nearly finished eating, seeing the weather outside turn gloomy, it looked like a heavy rainstorm was coming soon.

Before the rain, Liang Jingze drove Shen Li back to the hotel.

Shen Li sat in the car, looking at the scenery outside the window.

Liang Jingze was driving seriously, his gaze looking in the direction not far ahead, "I forgot to ask just now, which school did you apply to for graduate school?"

Shen Li came back to her senses slightly and told him: "Jiangchuan University."

Liang Jingze turned his head and looked at her with an unreadable expression: "Wuchuan?"

Shen Li didn't hide it and nodded: "Mm."

Liang Jingze: "What about Auntie? Do you plan to leave her alone in Haishi?"

Shen Li shook her head: "Shen Zhaozhao will take care of her."

Shen Zhaozhao ultimately didn't choose to study abroad. Perhaps her conscience was awakened, she changed her temperament, stayed at Qingbei University, successfully graduated, and now worked as a programmer writing code for a tech company.

Occasionally, she would take on private jobs for others to earn some extra money.

Whenever she earned money, she would transfer it to her card.

But every time, she would return a portion of it.

The prize money she won from participating in the Mathematics Competition back then was all remitted to Shen Li, without keeping a cent.

The Jiangchuan University that Shen Li chose to apply for graduate school was no worse than Qingbei University.

It was the best university in Wuchuan, and its computer science and medical majors were top-tier in the country.

Liang Jingze was silent for a moment, then responded to her: "The temperature in Wuchuan is a bit colder than in Haishi, remember to bring some thicker clothes."

Shen Li responded with an absent-minded "Mm."

Raindrops fell patter-patter, hitting the windshield, at first only a few scattered spots.

In an instant, the rain suddenly became heavy.

A thin layer of water mist rose on the road, and the car slowly stopped at a red light ahead.

"When do you plan to leave?"

Shen Li's voice was very light, speaking faintly: "After moving and getting Mom settled, we'll see."

By the way, she also wanted to go back to Su Shi to see Grandma.

These years, she didn't know if Grandma was doing well on her own.

They had left too hastily back then, and many things hadn't been cleared up in person.

Shen Li's studies were heavy on weekdays; even getting a good night's sleep had become a luxury, and the time she could talk to Grandma on the phone was pitifully little.

After thinking about it, she said again: "It should be... in these two days."