Chapter 180: A Village Hidden in the Willows, Another Village in the Flowers ⑤
All matters at the company were not properly handed over before he left. While waiting for the red light, he several times wanted to step on the accelerator and rush to the hospital. But… reason told him that even if he rushed over, he couldn’t help much. His subordinate had already called to say she was out of life danger, but his usually controlled emotions were now running wild. He had never felt so helpless. His mind was in chaos, and his actions followed suit, losing all order. He was truly flustered, an inexplicable sense of panic and confusion overwhelming him.
He rubbed his temples, his heart aching and his head throbbing, feeling unwell.
When Nie Aiwen arrived at the hospital, Nie Aifang had not yet woken up. He walked quickly forward. Nie Aifang on the bed had her eyes closed. Nie Qiu was sitting on a stool by the bedside, sleeping with her arm as a pillow on the bed.
Nie Aiwen gently stepped forward and held Nie Aifang’s hand. He lightly brushed aside her bangs. Her face was very pale, her lips devoid of color. His heart felt as if it had been punched, making it unbearable.
Frowning, Nie Aiwen’s brows furrowed into a vertical line. He felt unwell; he had never seen Nie Aifang like this before.
Even when Nie Qiu’s dad passed away, she hadn’t been this haggard and pale. At this moment, he blamed himself immensely. Why did he instigate people to demolish that residential area? Was he happy that something like this happened?
Actually, what he was thinking then was that he had paid off his loan, and his income could now afford a better house in City A. He could be considered to have a house and a car. This stability made him unable to resist thinking about bringing her along. He didn’t want to see her work so hard anymore.
He knew that she had to get up before dawn every morning at five o’clock. After washing up, she would go to pick up vegetables, then transport them to the vegetable market. After washing them at the market, she would set up her stall, and then sell the vegetables. These tasks seemed simple, but having lived in the countryside, he knew that they were actually extremely arduous and tiring.
He thought that if the house was demolished, they would definitely have to find another place to live. Finding a place to live in a big city is not easy. A decent residential area apartment costs seven to eight hundred a month, and even the less desirable suburban houses are rented by migrant workers. He was her younger brother, and Nie Qiu’s uncle. Naturally, he thought she would ask him for help.
He had originally planned to buy a house and let them move in first, and then deal with other matters slowly. But the developer had given him one for free earlier, and… she had actually gotten injured because of the demolition!
He felt unwell, an indescribable discomfort. Yet, he dared not voice this discomfort. If she knew that he had played a part in the house demolition, how would she look at him? Therefore, he dared not say it.
Nie Qiu would occasionally check the infusion bag hanging for Nie Aifang, so she wasn’t sleeping soundly. Not long after Nie Aiwen arrived, a slight disturbance woke her up. She opened her eyes and saw Nie Aiwen staring intently at Nie Aifang.
That kind of gaze, deep and infatuated, focused and pained, was like… like when she had packed her bags and moved out of Yang Zihao’s house. Yang Zihao’s gaze. Nie Qiu’s heart trembled, and she closed her eyes.
Nie Aiwen… did he still like Nie Aifang? Did he still love Nie Aifang? When Nie Aiwen brought Li Mingxue home, she had harbored doubts. Could someone who loved so deeply, so deeply, that they would show vulnerability in front of a junior, give up on this relationship so easily? Such a long, long relationship.
However, time and again, she couldn’t help but believe that her uncle had really found a university student girlfriend. That he had truly given up on that relationship with Nie Aifang.
Li Kai returned after buying two stir-fry dishes and two bowls of porridge. He was taken aback when he saw Nie Aiwen. He placed the packed food in his hand on the bedside table. Fearing he might wake Nie Qiu, he only nodded politely at Nie Aiwen.
Nie Qiu knew Li Kai had returned, so she opened her eyes. Seeing Nie Aiwen, she pretended to have just noticed him and greeted him.
Nie Aiwen asked Nie Qiu a few questions about Nie Aifang’s condition, and Nie Qiu answered them one by one.
Nie Aiwen asked Li Kai to help look after Nie Aifang, then turned to Nie Qiu, “Nie Qiu, can you come out for a moment? I have something I want to tell you.”
Nie Qiu stood up, nodded, and followed Nie Aiwen out of the hospital room into the corridor outside.
“I’ve already heard. The house at home was demolished, right?” Nie Aiwen looked at the green belt outside the corridor and asked Nie Qiu behind him.
Nie Qiu nodded. “Yes, it’s already been demolished by the developer.” Actually, even if Nie Aifang hadn’t said anything, Nie Qiu could guess that a large part of the reason they hadn’t left was the rent. The long-term residents of that residential area paid rent once a year, and most people calculated the dates according to the lunar calendar. It was only late November, so there were still two months left on the lease agreement. Nie Qiu had also heard Nie Aifang say that the house they rented cost three hundred and fifty a month, meaning there were still seven hundred yuan in the landlord’s hands.
“When your mom gets better, come and live at my place!” Nie Aiwen turned around and said to Nie Qiu.
“Uncle…” Nie Qiu didn’t want to bring it up, but since Nie Aiwen had said it, Nie Qiu didn’t intend to pretend not to know. “Uncle, do you… love my mom?”
Nie Aiwen was stunned for a moment, then nodded with a sense of relief. “Yes, I do.”
“Then… then what about Aunt Li?”
“Pfft!” Nie Aiwen laughed and ruffled Nie Qiu’s hair. “Silly child… Li Mingxue is just an employee at my company. She’s just… just pretending to be my girlfriend. Besides, I’m self-aware. I’m in my thirties, how could I be an old ox eating young grass!”
“So, does Uncle mean that if you were still young, you would like Li Mingxue?” Nie Qiu raised an eyebrow and asked.
“What ‘if’ is there?” Nie Aiwen bent down, his gaze level with Nie Qiu’s. “Qiu Qiu, I’ve already fallen in love with your mom. I can’t love anyone else…” When she got married, he gave up and also got married and had children. When her husband left, in terms of feelings, he wanted to be with her, but in terms of morality, he couldn’t divorce his wife to take care of her. Now… he had no burdens and could legitimately pursue the person he loved. He had missed one chance, and he didn’t want to miss a second.
That’s right! There aren’t so many ‘ifs’. If you fall in love, you fall in love. No one can predict who they will like or fall in love with. Perhaps everyone has their ideal partner in mind, but when they meet that person, it is that person. All standards and requirements disappear, and in their heart, there is only one thought: it’s not Bill, it’s them.
“Alright, I’ll stay here to take care of your mom. It’s getting late. You should see your classmate out. You can’t have them stay here all this time,” Nie Aiwen said to Nie Qiu.
