Chapter 208

Shen Li shook her head and said gently, "I just wanted to tell you these things, I feel like saying them out loud makes it feel a bit better. As for buying a house... I still plan to wait and see, I'm not in a hurry."

Xie Qin usually looked unserious and spoke in a way that was off-key, but whenever he encountered serious matters, the things he did always made Shen Li feel that with him around, she could feel very at ease.

Just like last time, after Xie Qin learned about her mother's condition, he immediately used his connections to find the most authoritative chief physician for breast cancer treatment in the country to personally give her mother an examination and treatment.

Xie Qin nodded in agreement, a trace of tenderness crossing his eyes: "In the future, no matter what happens, you can tell me. You don't have to hide things or bottle them up in your heart."

"Shen Li, remember! I am your reliance and your backing."

"You can take off your mask in front of me, you don't have to carry everything on your own shoulders. Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you, hear me?"

Shen Li curved her lips at him, "I know."

She lowered her head and picked up her chopsticks to eat a few bites of noodles, feeling that if she didn't eat them soon, they would get soggy.

After eating for a while, Shen Li suddenly remembered some things and felt it was better to make them clear: "Xie Qin."

Xie Qin: "Mm."

"Are you in a hurry to get married?" She didn't hesitate and asked directly, her eyes carrying a bit of seriousness.

Xie Qin, who had already finished eating and was sitting there playing on his phone waiting for her, heard this sentence, lifted his eyelids, raised his eyebrows, and looked at her with a half-smile, putting down his phone, "Why? Are you in such a hurry to marry me?"

"If you want to, I can have the wedding and banquet all prepared within a month. When the time comes, you just need to show up. We can even take the wedding photos later."

"If you're in a hurry, I'll be in a hurry with you."

"If you're not in a hurry, I'll take it slow with you. Anyway... we're already like an old married couple, it doesn't matter if it's a moment or a year or two later."

The waiting period would be at least three years no matter what.

Plus she would be working in the hospital in the future, being busy was a common occurrence, and it wouldn't have a ceiling...

Xie Qin felt depressed just thinking about it.

Shen Li pursed her lips tightly; every time, Xie Qin stood on her side and thought for her, and she felt an inexplicable sense of indebtedness toward him: "If the time is too long, will it delay you?"

Xie Qin looked at her amusedly, "What kind of delay is that? I'm already yours, it doesn't matter if we get married or not."

"Hurry up and eat, what time is it, you still have class tomorrow."

Shen Li felt what he said made sense: "Alright."

Xie Qin glanced at his phone; chatting and chatting, it was already past one o'clock.

Shen Li finished eating quickly, went back to her room, brushed her teeth, and fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed.

A few days later, when Yu Lizhen came to Wuchuan, Liang Jingze and Shen Zhaozhao accompanied her.

The place they stayed was a residential area with a better environment near Donghu, not far from Shen Li's school, and the nearest hospital was also the best in Wuchuan City, the Jiangchuan University Affiliated Hospital.

Shen Li took some time at noon to settle her mother into the rented apartment.

Liang Jingze also came to Wuchuan for a meeting, and after sending them downstairs to the apartment, he left.

Shen Zhaozhao and Shen Li took her luggage upstairs; the smart door lock password was the same as it used to be at home, so there was no need to specifically memorize it.

After the door opened, there was a large floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, where sunlight could basically shine in all day.

Shen Zhaozhao asked: "Mom... where should I put Auntie's luggage?"

The address she couldn't change for a moment almost slipped out.

Shen Li told her: "In the largest room inside."

Shen Zhaozhao: "I'll go tidy it up."

Yu Lizhen said in a cold voice: "No need for you. I can tidy up this little bit of luggage myself. You're quite busy with work too. It's fine with A-Li here, you should go back first."

Shen Zhaozhao could tell that these words were meant to send her away.

From the ten years of pampering in the past to the cold treatment now, Shen Zhaozhao felt a bit aggrieved and hurt in her heart, but no matter what, she wasn't biological, and she had no right to call out her grievances: "I'll come see you again when I have time."

Yu Lizhen responded perfunctorily: "Mm."

Shen Zhaozhao looked at Shen Li, "I'll be going then."

Shen Li nodded: "Mm."

After Shen Zhaozhao left, Shen Li told her: "You should have someone by your side to take care of you, she is more suitable than me."

Yu Lizhen didn't answer this sentence, but changed the subject, looking at the luxurious decoration of the house, "This place isn't cheap for a month, right."

Shen Li said truthfully: "I didn't rent it, I'm not too sure."

Yu Lizhen's gaze landed on her, her eyes hesitant, but finally, she asked slowly: "Are you... living with him now?"

Shen Li didn't deny it: "Yes."

Without waiting for her to say anything else, Shen Li continued to tell her: "The day Shen Zhaozhao told me you were coming, I told him very clearly that I don't have much time to take care of you."

"Originally one room was for you, and the other room was for her."

"A-Li." Yu Lizhen called her name, and the next second, her tone became heavy, "Mom... only has you left."

"So many years have passed, are you still unwilling to forgive Mom?"

The second day after returning to Haishi, she came to Wuchuan.

She wasn't even willing to stay by her side for a while longer.

Shen Li looked at her in silence, unable to speak for a moment.

She had long since stopped hating, let alone forgiving. Regarding the past, thinking too much or dwelling on it only felt exhausting. The emotions in her heart had long been smoothed out by time after years of accumulation.

Six years of care was her responsibility, and also an obligation she couldn't escape.

Now she had done everything she should have done.

Shen Li only maintained this relationship with her through that thin thread of blood.

She couldn't bring herself to be cruel, nor could she let her mother live alone and helpless.

Yu Lizhen had completely cut off ties with her maternal family, and now, she only had her as a relative.

But... Shen Li was not.

She still had Xie Qin, and she still had Xie Qin's family.

Although Shen Li hadn't met Xie Qin's mom and dad, they were always in contact, and from the process of chatting, she could feel that Xie Qin had lived in a loving family since he was a child, surrounded by love.

So she wouldn't be lonely in the future.

A sense of hurt appeared in Yu Lizhen's eyes, "Mom came... with no other meaning. You are grown up now, and I have no right to demand anything of you or control you regarding who you are with or what you want to do."

"Mom staying in Haishi alone, sleeping in the room, always felt it was too cold and cheerless."

"I just thought... to stay by your side, even if it's just to cook you a meal."

Shen Li wanted to say something.

But in her mind, she recalled the call Liang Jingze made to her before they came yesterday, and the things he told her.

Liang Jingze: "During the time you weren't here, I could tell that Auntie's condition started to get worse again."

"I think all of her emotions are mostly related to you."

"If you can't let go of the past, you don't have to force yourself to accept it; I will help you take care of Auntie more."

Shen Li's gaze shifted, and she sighed in her heart. She still couldn't bring herself to be cruel; her mother had finally managed to control her illness.

She wasn't afraid of trouble, nor was she afraid that the past would affect her.

What she was afraid of... was her mother's illness recurring.

If she were to be gone.

Shen Li knew she would be very sad and in pain.

So no matter what, Shen Li would always accommodate her, at least while she was still doing well.

Shen Li: "I'll come back for dinner in the evening, you can buy whatever groceries you want."