Chapter 119: Wen Suxue was a Disciple of Old Master Fang

Cheng Wan had once lost a child.

The one in her belly now was also hard-won.

It was difficult to give up, but to keep it meant struggling to get past the hurdle in her heart.

Her mood was complicated, and her mind was in a mess.

Forget it, she would take things one step at a time.

When Cheng Wan finished persuading herself, she found Lin Qingya sitting by the bedside, lost in thought, her eyes terribly red.

"Qingya, did I scare you?" Cheng Wan patted Lin Qingya on the shoulder.

Lin Qingya came back to her senses, her eyes moist, looking somewhat sad.

"Wanwan, you must take good care of yourself." She tried her best to suppress the distress in her heart; Wanwan had just experienced such a shock.

She did not want her own affairs to disturb her further.

Cheng Wan chuckled: "I am fine."

Lin Qingya was exceptionally dependent on Cheng Wan at this moment; she knew Cheng Wan needed to rest, yet she was unwilling to leave.

She asked Cheng Wan in a low voice: "Do you still remember the first time we met?"

"Of course I remember."

Three years ago, Cheng Wan came to Yuncheng under the identity of Qin Xingwan; the Qin Family was not very friendly to her, Qin Jianguo and his wife disliked her for being from the countryside and having no manners, and Qin Shen and Qin Yun Shu always came and went together, often deliberately ignoring her.

At that time, she was full of resentment, feeling it was not worth it for Xingwan.

That day, Qin Jianguo and his wife blamed her again for the sake of Qin Yun Shu, and in a fit of anger, she left the Qin Family; it was raining heavily, and as she waited for a bus at the station, she saw a woman walking toward the middle of the road, looking utterly soul-lost.

She pulled the woman back.

That was Lin Qingya.

"I picked you up and brought you home, but you wouldn't say anything no matter what I asked; I almost wanted to call the police."

As Cheng Wan spoke, warmth welled up in her heart.

She had not expected back then that they would accompany each other for three years.

Thinking of those things, Lin Qingya felt an even sharper bitterness in her heart.

She gripped Cheng Wan's hand tightly, her smile somewhat bitter, and after a deep breath, she said: "I have saved up some money and want to return to my hometown."

Cheng Wan was stunned; this news was too sudden.

She was reluctant to let her go.

In Yuncheng now, Lin Qingya was her only best friend.

"Why? Did something go wrong with the business?"

Lin Qingya hid the bitterness in her heart and raised a smile: "I have already saved a lot of money, enough for me to retire early. I don't like Yuncheng; I want to go back to my hometown, open a shop, or do some small business, and start settling down."

Cheng Wan did not want her good friend to leave, but the pace of life in Yuncheng was indeed fast.

Lin Qingya's choice was not wrong.

She supported her friend's decision: "Once I finish my affairs here, I will come find you and beg Boss Lin to support me."

Lin Qingya broke into a smile through her tears, and her mood felt less heavy.

"Then I will go to Bali Town."

She gently stroked Cheng Wan's lower abdomen and said softly: "If you want to keep this child, I am willing to raise him."

Cheng Wan lowered her eyes; she could not give any answer right now.

As the two were talking, Fang Yiwen arrived.

He brought flowers and fruit and inquired with concern about Cheng Wan's physical condition.

Cheng Wan expressed her gratitude.

Fang Yiwen had also come for another matter.

"When I was looking for someone in Bali Town back then, I was actually looking for your master, Wen Suxue."

He sighed slightly, feeling very regretful.

"She was another disciple of my grandfather; no wonder my grandfather said back then that you had a familiar style."

Cheng Wan had long guessed this possibility.

Fang Yiwen explained: "I wanted to tell my grandfather about this sooner, but his old ailment flared up a while ago, so I didn't dare to say anything; it was only yesterday that I told him this news."

Otherwise, Old Master Fang would have wanted to see Cheng Wan.

Cheng Wan did not mind this; in her view, her master had already passed away, and she did not force the human connections left behind while she was alive.

"Is Old Master Fang alright?" she asked.

"Much better. He originally wanted to arrange a meeting with you, but then heard you were hospitalized," Fang Yiwen said with a bitter smile, "It's just bad timing."

"Once my health improves, I will go see Old Master Fang."

Fang Yiwen nodded: "Aunt Wen was extremely talented in perfumery; she had formulated many perfumes herself, and I remember she even wrote a book of formulas."

He sighed, "Now that the book of formulas is in your hands, you can go even further on this path of perfumery in the future."

Cheng Wan furrowed her delicate brows, puzzled: "What book of formulas?"

Fang Yiwen paused, quite surprised, and said: "The Perfume Notes that Aunt Wen wrote, didn't she give them to you?"

Cheng Wan shook her head; she had never known about any Perfume Notes.

When she and Xingwan learned perfumery, Wen Suxue taught them hand-in-hand.

She had never shown them any Perfume Notes.

Fang Yiwen was silent for a few seconds, his gentle-as-jade face full of regret, "Then perhaps Aunt Wen felt you had learned well enough and didn't give the Perfume Notes to you."

He turned to mention another matter, "My grandfather was very saddened to hear the bad news about Aunt Wen; from what I gather, he is preparing to take on one more closing disciple."

His eyes were full of anticipation, "Cheng Wan, I hope you can become my grandfather's disciple."

"When?" Cheng Wan felt a bit excited inside.

She hoped her perfume-making skills could advance further; being able to learn from Elder Fang was her honor.

"Grandfather wants to hold a Perfume Conference to screen for those with talent," Fang Yiwen explained to Cheng Wan in detail, "Once the time is set, I will notify you."

Just as Cheng Wan was about to agree, Chu Li's voice came from the doorway.

"She is not participating."

The smile on Cheng Wan's face faded.

Fang Yiwen was dissatisfied with Chu Li.

Because he believed Chu Li was hindering Cheng Wan, a future master of the perfume world.

The gentle expression he had just a moment ago instantly turned cold.

"President Chu, this is Cheng Wan's business; she can decide for herself."

The implication was that Chu Li was meddling.

Lin Qingya also did not care for Chu Li and chimed in, "You have already divorced Wanwan, so you have no right to control her."

Chu Li said indifferently, "She is pregnant and should have less contact with those spices."

There are some spices that pregnant women cannot smell even a little bit.

Fang Yiwen and Lin Qingya were suddenly speechless.

The safety of a pregnant woman is the most important thing.

Cheng Wan ignored Chu Li and only said to Fang Yiwen, "Send it to me once the time is set."

Fang Yiwen hurriedly agreed; even if she didn't participate, it would be good to go and take a look.

He did not care for Chu Li, so seeing that the matter was settled, he left first.

Lin Qingya was still sitting there, not moving.

Chu Li's indifferent gaze swept over, carrying a hint of dissatisfaction.

Lin Qingya turned her head away, pretending she didn't see it.

Cheng Wan knew Chu Li wanted to talk about that matter, so she patted Lin Qingya on the shoulder, "Qingya, you have a lot to do at your shop, go back first."

Only then did Lin Qingya reluctantly stand up and say pointedly, "Some people can't be relied upon; if you need anything, call me."

Cheng Wan knew she was referring to Chu Li and smiled, saying she would.

Lin Qingya huffed and left.

Cheng Han happened to enter from the doorway; the two crossed paths and stopped at the same time.

Emotions welled up in Lin Qingya, and she clenched her palms.

Cheng Wan saw her standing there without moving and asked what was wrong.

Lin Qingya came back to her senses, her tense body slowly relaxed, and she said it was nothing, then brushed past Cheng Han.

She did not look at Cheng Han again.