Partie 9

The old gentleman had high hopes for him since childhood. Unlike the warm sun that was cherished in the palm of his hand, he offered him more in terms of education and guidance

Su Xiaocheng was unable to muster any energy throughout the night due to her menstrual period, and after completing half of her homework, she felt so sleepy that she kept yawning

Cheng An'an was unwilling to leave without doing anything. She naturally understood the old man's intentions, but she was extremely reluctant to let her son go to such a dangerous place. For the moment, she pretended not to know and asked Qin Zhaoyang to return home to fetch some clothes, as he would likely be staying in the courtyard for an extended period.

Spring is precisely the season when influenza is prevalent, and her sudden illness greatly alarmed Su Qiancheng, who took her directly to the hospital for an intravenous drip. When she returned home, the light next door remained off. After finishing her homework, she waited for a while before going to sleep.

The day after, she heard her father say that the formidable old man of the Qin family, who had dominated the battlefield, had passed away

Qin Zhaoyang was momentarily at a loss for words and could not respond.

She remained silent, truly feeling aggrieved on behalf of Qin Zhaoyang this time. Tears fell, soaking his shirt and causing a tingling sensation in his chest.

She was taken aback, feeling as if the cool wind blowing in through the window had penetrated deep into her heart

Su Xiaocheng went to wash the cup before returning it to Nuan Yang. By the time she came out again, it was already Qin Zhaoyang standing by the window

Qin Zhaoyang understood that Cheng An'an was intentionally giving him time, and seeing that Qin Mo did not object, he decided to leave first

Qin Zhaoyang picked up the teacup and took a sip, then said slowly: "I have heard that you have caused quite a bit of trouble again"

She silently took a few steps back, instinctively wanting to slip away. But when she turned around and saw the familiar furnishings in her room, she began to lament her lack of foresight. What was there to be afraid of in her own home? With a sense of confidence, she returned the cup.

Su Xiaocheng nodded. Just as she was about to say something more, Qin Zhaoyang had already reached out to take the cup.

Not sure if it is her illusion, Su Xiaocheng felt that he smiled much more gently this time than before

Fortunately, there is no school tomorrow, so she felt justified in sweeping her homework aside and dozing off for a while

In recent years, she has fallen ill more frequently, and Uncle Qin even took her to the United States for treatment for a month

Qin Nuanyang is the twin sister of Qin Zhaoyang, and she has had some health issues since childhood. Uncle Qin and Aunt Cheng are sometimes busy with work, so Qin Nuanyang usually stays in the courtyard accompanying her great-grandfather, and is picked up by Uncle Qin to go home in the evening

Seeing that he could not respond, the old gentleman began to understand, "I know this road is exhausting"

Qin Nuanyang seemed a bit surprised, then nodded and said, "Did my brother tell you?"

Su Xiaocheng initially bumped into the glass and at this moment did not feel much pain from the blow he received, laughing foolishly, "You are back!"

As soon as he left, Cheng An'an naturally accompanied Qin Mo, sitting down on the armrest and half leaning against his embrace, "Are you willing to?"

Qin Zhaoyang curled the corners of her lips in a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown. As soon as she opened the window and raised her hand, she tapped her on the forehead, saying, "It has been so long since we last met, yet you are still as foolish as ever. You haven't made any progress at all"

It was an expression of sadness that Su Xiaocheng had never seen before

Ultimately, someone in this family must walk this path; otherwise, after such a long history, will the Qin family truly withdraw from the political arena?

Indeed, what Qin Zhaoyang said is the truth; the one most affected by the sudden passing of the old master is actually him. For him, the old master Qin was like a guiding light, and with his sudden departure, it feels as if a significant part of his heart has been left empty

He stood quietly in front of the desk, and after a while, he shook his head, "I don't know, Dad"

Su Xiaocheng searched around but could not find a suitable coat, so she simply wrapped herself in a bedsheet and sat by the window

After sleeping for about an hour, she was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on the window. She raised her head in confusion and saw Qin Nuanyang standing at the window, who gestured for her to open it.

After a while, he softly said: "Regarding his own intentions, I will not interfere much. I will do my best to speak to the old man; if he wishes to take that path, I will naturally support his rise. If he has other ideas, I will also do my utmost to protect him. However, in the end, he must carve out his own space. The vast family business of the Qin family will inevitably be handed over to him; he must take on this responsibility to ensure that in the future, his own wife and children will be worry-free. He is our son, you must believe in him."

At first, she did not react, but when she remembered that it was the long-lost sound of knocking on the window, she sprang up in surprise

She thought about it and felt sad, having hardly eaten a few bites throughout the entire day

As soon as she pulled back the curtain, she saw Qin Zhaoyang sitting on the windowsill, tapping on the window with his fingers. Only when he saw her come out did he retract his hand

When the young prince returned to see the old master that night, the old master was already nearing the end of his days. He called him to the bedside and asked him, "What do you wish to do in the future?"

She was taken aback, raised her head to look at him, "Are you willing to go and speak to the old man?"

The health of the warm sun was also poor, and after barely holding on until the old man was laid to rest, he went to the United States

In her impression, Su Xiaocheng also remembered this old gentleman; she called him "great-grandfather" along with Qin Zhaoyang, only knowing that he was a high-ranking and influential old general, a person whom Qin Zhaoyang respected and cared for deeply

This road naturally refers to the official path

With this thought in mind, Su Xiaocheng curiously asked, "Nuan Yang, are you planning to take the A exam?"

Su Xiaocheng fell into deep thought again, momentarily unable to distinguish whether he was joking or speaking seriously

Old Master Qin fell silent for a moment, then spoke directly and straightforwardly: "I have two sons who are in politics, yet my grandsons all prefer to engage in business. The Qin family has a vast lineage, and fortunately, it has not been severed by your father. I hope that you will also follow this path. What are your thoughts on this?"

His voice was clear and refreshing; she felt it was somewhat different in her ears, seemingly deeper than before. The sound was crisp and clean, particularly invigorating in the late evening.

Oh, Aunt Cheng has returned, but why hasn't he come back yet

Qin Zhaoyang's complexion seemed somewhat unwell; he did not take the cup but merely asked her, "Are you feeling better?"

Qin Mo slightly pursed his lips, remaining silent

At this moment, Cheng An'an pushed the door open, glanced at Su Xiaocheng across from her, and simply said: "Zhaoyang, we are going to see grandpa."

That night, Qin Mo summoned him to the study to grind ink. He took up the brush and wrote the character "安" and asked him, "Have you made up your mind?"

Hmm. He nodded, furrowing his brow as he wiped her tears, "How old are you? Aren't you ashamed of yourself"

Qin Zhaoyang looked at her in surprise for a moment, then smiled again, "Yes, I am back"

Qin Zhaoyang had not been in touch for several days, and it was not until a month later that Su Xiaocheng saw Aunt Cheng's nanny car parked at the door when she returned home from school

Her brows and eyes are elegantly arched, and her pair of eyes shines like the stars.

Qin Zhaoyang returned half a month later. Su Xiaocheng was sound asleep in the middle of the night when she was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on the window

Su Xiaocheng kept sticking out her tongue from the spiciness of the ginger juice and brown sugar water, as the liquid passed through her throat, making her mouth feel as if it were smoking

Cheng An'an naturally understood the reasoning behind it, and she pinched her thigh hard, immediately reddening her eyes. "Qin Mo, you were able to protect me so well in the perilous entertainment industry back then; how difficult can it be to take care of our son? Nuan Yang's health is also not good; do you want to see me worry myself to death?"

After a long silence, Qin Mo finally said softly, "If you cry again, I will not agree."

Qin Nuanyang's features do not closely resemble those of the Crown Prince. Su Xiaocheng, having studied biology, understands that fraternal twins result from the fertilization of different eggs. Qin Zhaoyang bears a closer resemblance to Cheng An'an, which accounts for his handsome features. As a child, he had delicate features, and now that he has grown, he presents a different charm.

When she opened the window, the warm sun seemed to pass the cup beside her. She was one year older than Su Xiaocheng, and her words carried a sense of care. "You really came quite late; I arrived on the first day of the new year, and at that time, we hadn't even started biology class. I thought I was going to die."

The cup suddenly fell to the ground with this remark, the clear sound of shattering glass echoed, startling her. When she looked up again, Qin Zhaoyang had already turned and walked away. Just before closing the door, he suddenly glanced back at her.

On Monday, she was still unwell, and Su Qiancheng, unwilling to let her attend class while sick, requested a day off for her

Su Xiaocheng downed the remaining half cup of brown sugar in one go, feeling a burning sensation in his stomach. "Hmm, he said he wants to score an A, so I guessed it was to take care of you nearby."

In the end, one cannot help but exclaim that the genes of the Qin family are exceptionally remarkable

Her eyes reddened, and Qin Mo frowned, pulling her a little tighter, "They are all my beloved ones, An An, please do not make it difficult for me. You know the old man's condition, I cannot go against his final wishes."

Such beauty is one that looks down upon everything; almost as soon as he appears, everything around him becomes his backdrop. Yet, he possesses a temperament that is indifferent and aloof, making him appear exceptionally graceful, while always maintaining a certain distance from others

"America." He took another sip of tea, glanced at her sideways, "Actually, I was supposed to stay there in the first place."

Before Qin Zhaoyang could speak, Cheng An'an pushed the door open and entered. She had been worried about Zhaoyang, so after waiting outside for a moment, she brought in tea to inquire about the situation.

Qin Zhaoyang glanced at her cow-print pajamas with some disdain, saying, "Why is your sense of aesthetics still so peculiar? Go put on some clothes, and let's have a chat"

He listened quietly until after a long while he finally comforted the old man to sleep. He returned and thought for a long time, yet he still had no answer.

She entered without even greeting anyone, went straight upstairs, and upon pulling back the curtains, found that the opposite side was still empty.

He held the old man's dry hand, slowly tightening his grip, remaining silent. He knew that the old man still had more to say.

The old man leaned against the headboard and sighed deeply, "Zhaoyang, you are the eldest son and grandson of the Qin family; you cannot be without a direction for what you will do in the future."

Su Xiaocheng, in her excitement, forgot to open her window. In her haste to greet someone, she bumped her head against the glass, causing her to grimace in pain. She turned on the light and looked in the mirror, only to find a large red mark.

Qin Mo uttered a soft "hm" and spoke word by word: "The Qin family can provide you with comfort now, but what about in the future"

Cheng An'an looked at him for a moment, then softly sighed, "I know, his journey is still long, and ultimately I cannot taste all the hardships for him."

The day after, Su Xiaocheng caught a cold, the illness struck like a mountain collapsing, compounded by the relentless onslaught of her menstrual period, resulting in a persistent high fever

Qin Mo glanced at the time and felt reluctant to have her stay up so late with him. He decided that she should first help warm Yang to sleep tonight and then rest. He would stay in the study for a while longer.

That night, she stayed awake for a long time, waiting for Qin Zhaoyang to return. In the end, she fell asleep on the desk, with the window wide open, and the room was bright.

However, the words spoken... Su Xiaocheng rolled her eyes, ignoring him, "Where have you been?"

He finally sighed, embraced her in his arms, and said, "His surname is Qin, he is the son I hold dear in my hands, how could I possibly bear to part with him?"

Cheng An'an raised her head to look at him, grasping his hand tightly, "I cannot bear it, Qin Mo. My son, I do not wish for him to be bound to the center of controversy in the future, living his life with extreme caution. He has this ability, but I cannot let go of him."

Qin Nuanyang resembles her father more, with a captivating charm subtly reflected in her features, and her facial features are undoubtedly exquisite.