After calming down Zhen Han and Yan Manjia, Yan Sui and Meng Ting returned downstairs. Gu Li had already come out of the room and, recalling something, looked somewhat at a loss; he was also quite shocked.
“Come sit down, let’s talk right here.”
Yan Sui led Meng Ting to the sofa and then spoke to Gu Li.
Although they didn’t look up, Yan Manjia’s door was open, so they should be able to hear what he said and then come out to listen to what Gu Li had to say.
Gu Li sat down and remained silent for a while before finally speaking.
“Twenty-five years ago, I was twenty years old, just starting to make a name for myself, but I also got into a bit of trouble, so I hid in a bar to drink…”
Gu Li found that his memory of that night was surprisingly vivid. He paused for a moment before continuing, “She had been drinking, staggering over, and pulled me into a forceful kiss…”
It was Gu Li’s first kiss. He didn’t know if it was Yan Manjia’s as well, but her kiss was equally inexperienced. Fueled by the alcohol, their kiss became quite passionate. He might have been somewhat moved at the time, but soon he noticed that the people chasing him had also entered the bar.
But at that moment, a clearly ill-intentioned man was pulling at Yan Manjia. Yan Manjia struggled and fought back, but she was indeed drunk. The crowd watching the commotion might just let him get away with it. He grabbed Yan Manjia and ran.
Not only was that man chasing them, but the people who had been chasing him were also in pursuit.
They ran all over the foreign city, hid in trash bins, took refuge in other people’s backyards only to be chased by dogs. In short, that night was quite a mess.
He even got injured while protecting Yan Manjia. They hid in the bushes of a park, lying in a pile of grass.
Just when everything seemed to be settling down, Yan Manjia suddenly had a reaction to the drugs. But the people chasing them were not far away, and Gu Li didn’t dare to let them make too much noise. He covered Yan Manjia’s mouth, but couldn’t stop the rest.
To be precise, that night, it was Yan Manjia who forced him. Saying this, even Gu Li’s old face turned a bit red.
“I took her to a small inn. I needed to tend to my injuries, and when I returned, she was already gone.”
Gu Li’s first kiss and first time were both given to Yan Manjia. She was undoubtedly special to him. “Later, I looked for her again, but she already had someone she deeply loved, so I didn’t disturb her anymore.”
He had been thinking about Yan Manjia for a while, but his life always took him to the most dangerous places, and this thought gradually faded with time. However, he could never have imagined that after that night, Yan Manjia would have given birth to a child for him, who is now so grown up.
Gu Li looked at Yan Sui, his expression quite complicated. “What is his name?” he asked, referring to Zhen Han.
“My name is Zhen Han,” Zhen Han appeared at the top of the stairs. He looked at Gu Li with clear and imposing eyes, but if what Gu Li said was true, he really had nothing to blame him for.
Yan Manjia hesitated a bit but followed along. She glanced at Zhen Han, then at Gu Li, and really wanted to facepalm, “Did I overpower you?”
Her tone was quite fierce, but all her memories of that night were just a blur. She had no recollection of Gu Li at all, even though she remembered forcing a kiss on someone, the face remained vague.
“The drink you had must have been spiked with something hallucinogenic. Whatever happened that night, you wouldn’t remember.”
He had been thinking about that night for many years, but Yan Manjia had completely forgotten all about it the next day.
“As for… it probably doesn’t count. The situation was complicated at the time, and I was somewhat willing.” He was probably half-pushed, half-willing.
Zhen Han quickly pulled Yan Manjia behind him. Gu Li wasn’t as scholarly as he appeared; right in front of so many people, he had just flirted with Yan Manjia.
Zhen Han’s gaze slid from Gu Li to Yan Sui. He didn’t trust Gu Li, but he was willing to trust Yan Sui’s judgment.
Yan Sui gave him a slight nod. Zhen Han withdrew his gaze, pulling Yan Manjia to sit on the sofa, but he still blocked Gu Li’s view of Yan Manjia.
He didn’t speak, and Gu Li didn’t know what to say either. Yan Manjia was still in shock by the fact that she had forced others before, so she remained silent as well. The atmosphere became awkward in an instant.
Meng Ting tilted his head to look at Yan Sui. Even he didn’t know what to say to ease the tension. He leaned closer to Yan Sui and whispered to him.
“What’s going on? I don’t quite understand…” Gu Li was Zhen Han’s father, but what else were they so tangled up about?
Yan Sui, upon hearing this, ruffled Meng Ting’s hair, then turned back to look at Gu Li.
“I will further refine your identity. I’ll provide you with the information in a couple of days.”
Gu Li’s identity was quite mysterious, and his international status was particularly sensitive. Yan Sui couldn’t let him involve Yan Manjia or Zhen Han, so he had to take precautions.
“I’ll have Uncle Xiao arrange your accommodation.” Originally, he had planned to have Gu Li stay at their home to keep a close eye and take care of He Yue, but with the atmosphere so awkward, it would be unbearable for Zhen Han and Yan Manjia.
“No need. Let him stay here. We’ll move back to the seaside villa,” Zhen Han said, glancing at Gu Li with a calm tone.
“But that’s so inconvenient for you,” Yan Manjia protested immediately. Zhen Han’s commute alone would take three to four hours, which was indeed inconvenient, but he just couldn’t rest easy with her living alone.
“Besides, this is our home. Why should we make way for him?” Yan Manjia’s tone was still irritable, and she stomped her foot on the ground.
“Let’s all live together!”
After Yan Manjia finished speaking, she stood up and looked at Gu Li. “Come with me.”
Her stance made it seem like she was about to challenge Gu Li to a duel, but she actually had something to confirm with him.
Zhen Han looked at Yan Manjia as if she were a complete fool, and indeed, she was. He was protecting her, yet she was walking right into trouble. Zhen Han turned his head away, clearly frustrated with her.
She and Gu Li walked to an open area on the lawn to talk. Zhen Han stood by the window with his arms crossed, his face dark and somewhat intimidating.
“What’s wrong with cousin?”
Meng Ting couldn’t help but ask Yan Sui again; he still didn’t understand why Zhen Han was angry.
“Don’t worry about them. What do you want to do this afternoon? I’ll stay with you.”
As he spoke, Yan Sui gently wrapped his arm around Meng Ting’s waist, pulling his attention back to him.
Hearing this, Meng Ting leaned towards Yan Sui again. “Just being with you is enough. I don’t really feel like doing anything.”
All he wanted was to stay like this with Yan Sui, holding each other, without needing to do anything specific.
“What about you? Do you have something you want to do?” Meng Ting asked Yan Sui, glancing towards the window before planting a kiss on his cheek. “I can accompany you too.”
Yan Sui rubbed his cheek against Meng Ting’s and said, “Then take a nap with me.”
These past few days have been too hectic, even if they went out to play, Meng Ting probably wouldn’t be interested. Taking a nap together might seem a bit mundane, but it’s good for their health. Yan Sui completely agrees with what Nanny Wang said this morning about Meng Ting losing weight.
“Alright,” Meng Ting agreed without hesitation, his eyes curving into a smile. He pulled Yan Sui’s neck down, pecked his lips, and then carefully let go.
However, Zhen Han really wasn’t in the mood to pay attention to this side. He was looking at Yan Manjia and Gu Li with a rather strange expression. Seeing the two of them turn back and head towards the living room, he snorted and went straight upstairs.
Gu Li’s arrival didn’t have a huge impact on Zhen Han’s state of mind, but it wasn’t entirely without effect either. Seeing a face so similar to his own made him feel suffocated.
Yan Manjia’s conversation with Gu Li was ultimately for Zhen Han’s sake. She already felt like an inadequate mother and didn’t want Gu Li’s arrival to disrupt Zhen Han’s life plans. Her family’s Zhen Han was a good kid, except for being a bit awkward in personality; everything else was fine.
“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything unnecessary or annoying.”
Gu Li also felt at a loss with the sudden appearance of a son. He needed some time to sort out his thoughts, but one thing was certain—he wouldn’t force anything on Zhen Han or Yan Manjia. The reason was simple: he had no right to.
Even though Zhen Han was his son, he had no right. He hadn’t known of his existence, had never been part of his upbringing, and had never contributed in the slightest. How could he possibly have the face to make any demands?
“Zhen Han is your son, and that will never change.”
Hearing this, Yan Manjia finally felt relieved. “As long as you understand…”
She thought for a moment and then said, “My family’s Han Han doesn’t have a very good temper, so don’t provoke him. Otherwise, I’ll have to teach you a lesson too.”
“Alright,” Gu Li agreed, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.
When they returned to the living room, Zhen Han was already gone. Yan Manjia asked Yan Sui about him but didn’t press further. Her shoulders slowly slumped, and then she turned to Meng Ting. “Ting Ting darling, you must say nice things about me to Han Han.”
Their relationship had just started to improve recently, and she really didn’t want Gu Li’s arrival to set them back to square one.
Yan Manjia felt inexplicably wronged, but she couldn’t blame Gu Li. He had been brought by Yan Sui to treat He Yue at the Yan family home.
Meng Ting blinked, puzzled by her request. “Nice things? I don’t know how to say nice things…”
Seeing Yan Manjia’s pitiful expression, he thought for a moment and said, “Cousin is very sensible. Give him some time, and he’ll come around.”
In Meng Ting’s view, Zhen Han is definitely more sensible than Yan Manjia. He couldn’t help but remind her again, “Auntie, you need to be good.”
“Alright,” Yan Manjia replied with a helpless smile, her old face flushed with embarrassment. Now even Meng Ting could lecture her like this. Was she really that disobedient?
***
At lunch, the Yan family’s long dining table finally served its purpose. With Gu Li included, there were a total of seven people seated around the table, making it quite full. The atmosphere while eating was still somewhat awkward, but everyone was trying to adapt, not saying much, and focusing on their meal.
Meng Ting remained unaffected and couldn’t bear to see Yan Sui affected either. While eating himself, he continuously served dishes to Yan Sui, urging him to make sure he ate his fill.
Many eyes turned their way, and Meng Ting finally noticed. He swallowed the food in his mouth before speaking.
“Yan Sui works very hard, so he must eat well…” Otherwise, he would feel distressed.
The remaining words were left unspoken, but it was no different from saying them out loud. Meng Ting had never knew how to hide his affection for Yan Sui.
As for others, Meng Ting felt he couldn’t manage them and didn’t intend to either. As long as his Yan Sui wasn’t hungry, that was enough.
Hearing this, Yan Sui picked up a dish Meng Ting liked and placed it in his bowl. “You eat too. I’ll make sure to eat my fill.”
“Okay,” Meng Ting gave Yan Sui a look of praise, then happily continued eating. His family’s Yan Sui was just so well-behaved and worry-free.
After lunch, Meng Ting and Yan Sui took a short walk before heading upstairs for a nap. They didn’t come down until almost three o’clock in the afternoon.
Meng Ting was still a bit groggy, but after playing with Dahuang and Maoqiu on the grass for a while, he was fully awake.
Yan Sui called Meng Ting back to eat dessert. He returned with two equally lively pets, was taken by Yan Sui to wash his hands, then sat on one side of the sofa, being fed by Yan Sui.
“Yan Sui is feeding me because he’s afraid I’ll make a mess.”
It would have been fine if Meng Ting didn’t explain. Once he did, the innocent ceiling gets several eye rolls.
However, only Yan Yu, He Yue, and Yan Manjia were sitting on the sofa, while Zhen Han, Gu Li, and the Yan family’s private doctor, Li Yi, were organizing the operating room in the basement. Various equipment needed to be checked and adjusted, as He Yue’s foot couldn’t be completely healed with just one surgery.
His treatment period would take nearly a year, and even under ideal conditions, the recovery period would take one to two years.
The operating room would be ready soon, but the treatment plan still needed more research. Zhen Han and Li Yi were not ignorant people. Even if they didn’t know before, the past few hours of interaction had given them a good idea.
Li Yi went back to prepare the medicines and equipment as per Gu Li’s request. Gu Li and Zhen Han were still in the operating room, and Gu Li spoke up.
“Why did you become a veterinarian?”
He could tell that Zhen Han’s medical knowledge was quite solid. With just a glance at Zhen Han’s hands, he could confirm his practical skills were good. Yet, he had learned from Yan Manjia that Zhen Han ran a pet hospital.
“Do you look down on veterinarians?”
Zhen Han’s willingness to assist Gu Li had surprised Yan Manjia. She gave Gu Li a few warning looks, but only received some ambiguous smiles in return.
“Of course not. It’s just that your hands are well-suited for surgery,” Gu Li, as a doctor, naturally had no biases, but he could see where Zhen Han’s true talents lay and didn’t want them to be wasted.
However, Zhen Han shook his head. “I think I’m suited to be a veterinarian. Why separate surgery and internal medicine? Treating everything together is much more interesting.”
Zhen Han’s reason for becoming a veterinarian was that simple. He was very interested in medicine, not just in one area. But the classification of human medicine was too fragmented, which he felt limited his interests. So, he studied veterinary medicine and then supplemented his knowledge in various areas on his own.
Gu Li was momentarily speechless but didn’t say more. Perhaps treating animals was indeed better than treating humans—at least there weren’t as many complications.
Gu Li asked Zhen Han a question, and naturally, Zhen Han wouldn’t let him off the hook either. “Why are you being hunted? Women? Wealth?”
Upon hearing this, Gu Li raised his eyebrows and shook his head helplessly. “No.”
“It’s faith.”
Zhen Han was momentarily speechless upon hearing this, but then he remembered that Gu Li was born in the complex region of the Middle East.
“I’m probably a traitor to the faith of doctors because I wouldn’t treat someone even if they were dying in front of me.” Gu Li would never do something like saving an enemy soldier. “I have no faith.”
When Gu Li said this, his entire demeanor was different. His experiences were likely beyond what Zhen Han could imagine.
Zhen Han didn’t respond. He lowered his head and continued to adjust a machine, but he also wouldn’t tell Gu Li that the doctor he most admired during his student days was him. Debates about whether he was righteous or evil had been held countless times at school.
He only admired his medical skills and always found those debates quite boring. But at this moment, his heart suddenly stirred because of the word ‘faith’ that Gu Li mentioned.
Gu Li looked at Zhen Han and couldn’t help but smile. In that moment of realization, he also felt that he was smiling.
But what was he smiling about? It was happiness, a very simple kind of happiness.
They continued to work in the operating room. It was almost six o’clock when Yan Manjia came down to call them, and they finally went back up.
As soon as Yan Manjia’s eyes glanced over, Zhen Han already knew what she was thinking. “What are you worrying about for nothing? Don’t you know there’s a term called ‘learning on the sly’?” Was he the kind of person who would help others for free?
Yan Manjia was indeed reassured. She nodded in agreement. “Han Han is so smart.”
Gu Li, who had heard the conversation between the mother and son clearly, shook his head in silence but didn’t join their conversation. He wanted to, but it wasn’t the right time yet.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 069.2″]
半推半就 (bàn tuī bàn jiù): lit. half willing and half unwilling; to be half willing (at heart) and half unwilling (in appearance); to yield after making a show of resistance; to yield with a show of resistance; yielding while pretending to resist; reluctantly agreeing; with feigned reluctance; to refuse while approaching. It describes the way of pretending to refuse.孤陋寡聞 (gū lòu guǎ wén): ignorant and ill-informed; ignorant and inexperienced; ill-informed and narrow-minded; From the Book of Rites, Book 18 (《禮記·學記》): 發然後禁，則捍格而不勝；時過然後學，則勤苦而難成；雜施而不孫，則壞亂而不修；獨學而無友，則孤陋而寡聞；燕朋逆其師；燕辟廢其學。此六者，教之所由廢也。, Prohibition of evil after it has been manifested meets with opposition, and is not successful. Instruction given after the time for it is past is done with toil, and carried out with difficulty. The communication of lessons in an undiscriminating manner and without suitability produces injury and disorder, and fails in its object. Learning alone and without friends makes one feel solitary and uncultivated, with but little information. Friendships of festivity lead to opposition to one’s master. Friendships with the dissolute lead to the neglect of one’s learning. These six things all tend to make teaching vain.
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