I Wish To Never Leave Your Side - Chapter 19

Mo Lishen draped the coat over Qiu Yan and led her away from the banquet.

“That person just now was…” Qiu Yan tentatively asked.

“Are you full?” Mo Lishen didn’t turn around, pulling her forward as her voice drifted to Qiu Yan’s ears with the wind.

“I’m full.” Qiu Yan knew that Mo Lishen didn’t want to talk about it and would always change the subject.

Returning to the house at Qingshui Bay, Qiu Yan changed out of the evening gown and returned it to Bai Hua.

Evening gowns for banquets were mostly rented or provided by brands, and had to be returned after being worn.

Mo Lishen sat on the sofa and waved at Qiu Yan: “Come here.”

Qiu Yan obediently sat beside her. The next moment, her ankle was grasped by Mo Lishen and placed on her knee.

Somehow, Mo Lishen produced a white medicine box, similar to the one she had given Qiu Yan before, but slightly smaller.

As Mo Lishen applied medicine to the areas rubbed raw by the shoes, Qiu Yan flinched the moment her skin was touched. Mo Lishen glanced up at her, lightening the pressure of her fingers as she gently applied the ointment.

“What kind of medicine is this?” Qiu Yan asked softly, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Only after finishing one foot and bending down to attend to the other did Mo Lishen speak: “Medicine I made myself, for external injuries.”

“You made it yourself?” Qiu Yan couldn’t hide her astonishment.

Mo Lishen didn’t respond further, focusing on applying the medicine.

Watching her tilted head and concentrated expression, Qiu Yan felt a sudden softness in her heart.

This was her first time encountering people from Mo Lishen’s circle. She had thought someone like Mo Lishen would be well-liked, but today she sensed that those people held no goodwill toward her.

The sycophants went without saying – for instance, when they approached Deng Jin, everyone avoided Mo Lishen, something Qiu Yan naturally noticed.

Including Deng Jin herself, she didn’t like Mo Lishen either. And that man, his gaze looked like he wanted to devour Mo Lishen.

As she thought about it, Qiu Yan felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. Unconsciously, she raised her hand to tuck Mo Lishen’s hair behind her ear.

The moment her fingers touched Mo Lishen’s hair, her right hand was seized, pain shooting through her wrist.

Mo Lishen’s gaze flashed with sharpness.

Qiu Yan was startled: “I… I wanted to fix your hair.”

Only then did Mo Lishen release her grip, saying coldly: “Don’t touch me suddenly in the future.”

“And don’t suddenly stand in front of me either.” Mo Lishen was referring to what happened at the banquet earlier.

Qiu Yan murmured an acknowledgment, obediently placing both hands on her knees.

After applying the medicine, Mo Lishen left the box with her and departed from Qingshui Bay.

Qiu Yan lay on the sofa, holding the medicine box up to the overhead light, examining it for a long time.

“Made it herself?” Qiu Yan unscrewed the cap, it still carried the faint scent of herbs, though upon closer inspection, it was slightly different from last time.

How is Mo Lishen so capable? Qiu Yan clasped the medicine box to her chest with both hands, smiling for a long while.

Early the next morning, Mo Lishen encountered Mo Licheng again in the elevator.

Mo Licheng had stubble on his jawline, dark circles under his eyes, and his hair wasn’t neatly combed back as usual. The whole person looked haggard.

“Mo Lishen.” Mo Licheng’s voice was as grating as if it had been scraped by a file.

Mo Lishen feigned surprise: “So it’s President Mo. I just recognized you. How did you end up like this overnight?”

“Thanks to you.” Mo Licheng’s eyes were fixed intently on Mo Lishen. “Don’t think that just because you snatched the Jin Su contract from me, you can secure your footing in the Mo family.”

“Grandfather will always side with me. You’re nothing but a pawn to him. The only reason you were kept around was out of pity.”

“And so?” Mo Lishen adjusted his hair, looking at him with a provocative smirk.

“Don’t get too cocky. The Mo family is still Grandfather’s family. No matter who it goes to, it will never fall into your hands.” Mo Licheng clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot, as if he wanted to tear Mo Lishen apart on the spot.

“A loser is a loser. You’re nothing but Mo Boren’s dog. What, did your master not give you any bones to chew on yesterday?” Mo Lishen sneered contemptuously.

“Don’t get too full of yourself. Don’t you like that little lover of yours? Aren’t you afraid you’ll never see her again?” Mo Licheng inched closer to Mo Lishen step by step.

Bai Hua, seeing that he had crossed the safe distance, reached out to stop Mo Licheng.

Mo Lishen found it utterly laughable: “President Mo, are you so starved from not getting any bones that you’ve lost your mind? Using a little bird to threaten me?”

Mo Licheng was about to say more, but the elevator reached the 24th floor. He gritted his teeth, nodded fiercely, and turned to leave.

On the 26th floor, Mo Lishen and Bai Hua stepped out of the elevator.

“President Mo, should we send someone to protect Miss Qiu?” Bai Hua reminded her.

Mo Lishen stopped in her tracks, her brow furrowing deeply. “What does her life or death have to do with me?”

A flicker of shock passed through Bai Hua’s eyes. It took her a few seconds to speak again. “I spoke out of turn.”

…

Qiu Yan had already gotten the keys to the apartment she rented. She planned to take advantage of the two days before Yuanyuan was discharged from the hospital to tidy up the place and buy a few things.

On the day she picked Yuanyuan up from the hospital, Qiu Yan dressed up carefully and went to the ward to get her.

As she turned the corner of the hallway, she saw Yuanyuan, wearing her little yellow duck hat and carrying her small water bottle, happily running from one ward to another. As soon as she entered a room, she would shout, “Grandpa, Grandma, I’m leaving today. You have to take good care of yourselves and get discharged from the hospital soon, just like Yuanyuan!”

Qiu Yan shook her head with a smile and continued walking.

Yuanyuan was more outgoing than Qiu Yan and exceptionally polite, winning affection wherever she went.

The elderly patients in the other wards were both happy for her and reluctant to see her go. They all eagerly stuffed her arms with treats.

At first, Yuanyuan politely declined, but eventually, she couldn’t refuse any longer and accepted everything.

As she stepped out of one ward and was about to enter the next, she spotted Qiu Yan.

Her dark pupils instantly lit up with excitement.

“Mommy!” the child shouted, dropping the treats in her arms and rushing toward Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan caught Yuanyuan steadily, kissing her cheeks over and over. “Our Yuanyuan is finally leaving the hospital. Are you happy?”

“Yes!” Yuanyuan nodded emphatically, her small hand stroking Qiu Yan’s face. “Yuanyuan is so happy. I finally get to live with my sister.”

Qiu Yan’s heart sank. She set Yuanyuan down and said softly, “Haven’t you finished saying goodbye to the grandpas and grandmas? Go and tell them bye-bye first. Mommy needs to talk to Aunt Liu about something.”

Yuanyuan happily hugged her little water cup and ran to the other hospital rooms.

Since Yuanyuan fell ill, Aunt Liu had been staying up with her through the nights. Aunt Liu had no children of her own, and Yuanyuan was such a well-behaved and sensible child that she had come to regard her as her own. Now that Yuanyuan was being discharged, she was just as happy.

But thinking that she might not see the little girl again, Aunt Liu couldn’t help but sigh as she folded Yuanyuan’s small clothes.

“Sister Liu.” Qiu Yan walked over and called out softly.

“Yuanyuan’s mom is here.” Aunt Liu quickly stood up and smiled at her.

“I’m just tidying up little Yuanyuan’s clothes. These are the ones she usually loves to wear the most. The weather is getting colder, so I’m sorting them out to make it easier later…” As she spoke, Aunt Liu’s eyes gradually reddened.

“Aunt Liu.” Qiu Yan stepped forward and took her hand. “I’d like to discuss something with you.”

“Go ahead.” Aunt Liu wiped the corner of her eye with her sleeve.

Qiu Yan glanced toward the door, feeling a bit reluctant to say it. “Could I trouble you to take care of Yuanyuan for a little while longer?”

Aunt Liu was taken aback. “But hasn’t Yuanyuan already been discharged?”

“So, I was hoping you could come to our home to take care of her. Would that be all right?” Qiu Yan lowered her head slightly, a hint of guilt in her voice. “I’m busy with work and sometimes can’t look after her properly. You’re the person I trust the most. I can increase your pay, if that’s okay?”

“I’d be more than willing. At home, I’m all by myself anyway, it’s much happier to be with Yuanyuan. But this child has been waiting for you for so long. Does she know about this?” Aunt Liu looked worried.

“I’ll talk to her.”

“Mom, Aunt Liu.” Yuanyuan came back carrying a pile of things, happily placing them on the bed. “Let’s go.”

The little girl’s face was sweaty from running. Qiu Yan took off her hat and wiped her forehead.

It had been some time since the surgery, and a short layer of hair had already grown back on Yuanyuan’s head. With her hair so short, the scar from the incision stood out starkly.

Seeing that scar still pained Qiu Yan. She avoided it as she wiped the sweat from Yuanyuan’s head.

“Put your clothes on properly, and we’ll go home.”

Yuanyuan packed her things into her little backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and tugged on Qiu Yan with one hand while holding Aunt Liu’s hand with the other, shouting happily, “Let’s go home!”

Qiu Yan hailed a taxi to their new apartment. The complex was newly built a few years ago, and the security was quite good. Compared to where they used to live, this place was a significant improvement.

Yuanyuan stared wide-eyed at the tall building stretching into the sky, pointing with one finger as she counted floor by floor: “One, two, three…”

“Mom, there are thirty floors in total!” Yuanyuan excitedly tugged at the hem of Qiu Yan’s clothes, shaking it.

They used to live in a basement, and the building above it had only six floors at most.

Qiu Yan smiled and gently pinched her cheek. Their newly rented apartment was on the eighth floor, and the three of them took the elevator up.

“Mom, can I press the button?” Yuanyuan looked at the glowing buttons in the elevator, her eyes filled with curiosity.

“Of course.” Qiu Yan held her hand and guided her finger to press the button for the eighth floor firmly. The screen lit up with an upward arrow, counting up until they reached the eighth floor.

Yuanyuan was overjoyed. It wasn’t that she had never seen an elevator before, but this felt different, this was the elevator that led to her and her sister’s home.

The elevator doors opened, and Qiu Yan led them to the apartment door, unlocking it with her key.

The new room was clean and spacious, with sunlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. Yuanyuan changed her shoes and walked to the center of the living room, spreading her arms as if to embrace the sun. “Mom, it’s so warm here.”

“Come, let’s take a look at the bedrooms.” Qiu Yan took Yuanyuan’s small hand and pushed open a door. “This is your room.”

The room was decorated with pale pink curtains, a bedsheet and duvet cover patterned with little yellow ducks, and a small yellow duck plush toy beside the pillow. On the desk stood a photo of Yuanyuan and Qiu Yan, and the entire room was arranged to feel exceptionally cozy.

“Wow,” Yuanyuan gasped, her small hand clutching tightly to Qiu Yan’s sleeve.

“Do you like it?” Qiu Yan asked with a warm smile.

Yuanyuan nodded her little head repeatedly.

“Now, let me show you Aunt Liu’s room.” Qiu Yan led Yuanyuan to the bedroom across the hall. “If you need anything, you can come to this room to find Aunt Liu.”

Yuanyuan nodded seriously before stepping out of the room and looking around curiously.

“What are you looking for?” Qiu Yan followed her out and asked.

Without a word, Yuanyuan ran to the bathroom, then to the kitchen, circling around inside and outside several times.

“Where is Mommy’s room?” Yuanyuan stood in front of Qiu Yan, her face full of confusion.

Qiu Yan remained silent.

Yuanyuan’s eyes lit up. “Is Mommy sleeping in the same room as Yuanyuan?”

Qiu Yan swallowed hard, her eyes growing slightly moist.

It seemed Yuanyuan understood immediately. She tugged forcefully at Qiu Yan’s hand, pulling her toward the door, and cried out, “I don’t want this big house anymore. Let’s go live in a house without windows. That one is cheaper, so Mommy won’t have to work so hard to earn money. Mommy, please return this house right away.”