After Cao Chunmei and Qian Rong left, Qian Jinglan sat down on a chair, her expression dazed.
Clearly, this waiver had broken her heart.
Qian Jinglan didn’t care about the Qian family’s wealth, she cared about her father’s attitude toward her.
Just like twenty years ago, it was too heartless!
Ye Qiu comforted her, “Mom, don’t be sad. I’m here with you, and our lives will only get better from now on.”
“Mm.”
Qian Jinglan nodded, then said, “I used to think that one day, Father might come around and let me bring you home.”
“Now it seems that was just wishful thinking on my part.”
“Of course, he’s a world-renowned scholar with students everywhere, how could he let an unwed pregnant daughter bring a bastard child back home, heh…”
Qian Jinglan gave a bitter laugh, deeply disappointed in Qian Lao Ye Zi’s actions.
Ye Qiu didn’t know how to console her, so he changed the subject, “Mom, there’s something I haven’t told you. Last time I went to the capital, I met Third Uncle.”
“Third Uncle? You mean Ye Wudi?”
Ye Qiu nodded slightly.
Qian Jinglan’s face grew serious, and she asked nervously, “Qiuer, has your identity been exposed?”
“Not quite,” Ye Qiu said, “Only Grandpa, Third Uncle, and the War God know my true identity.”
“Ye Wudi didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”
“Mom, why would you say that?”
Qian Jinglan explained, “Back when your father was still around, Ye Wudi was always challenging him to fights, he loved a good brawl.”
Ye Qiu smiled, “Third Uncle didn’t hassle me. Last time in the capital, I ran into some danger, and it was Third Uncle who stepped in to sort it out.”
Qian Jinglan breathed a sigh of relief.
Ye Qiu asked, “Mom, I heard from Third Uncle that when you took me away from the capital back then, Grandpa had people secretly protecting us.”
“And later, he even sent you some money, but you didn’t take it.”
“Is that true?”
Qian Jinglan said, “I don’t know if Grandpa sent people to protect us back then, but he did send money later, and I didn’t accept it.”
“When your father got into trouble, they didn’t step in, so I naturally wouldn’t take their money.”
“Back then, I just thought that no matter what, I’d raise you on my own.”
Ye Qiu was deeply moved, “Mom, these past twenty-plus years must’ve been hard on you.”
“Not hard at all, seeing how accomplished you are now makes me happy.”
As a mother, Qian Jinglan’s greatest pride was having a son like Ye Qiu.
“Oh right, Mom, I brought back a little guy to show you.”
Ye Qiu pulled the medicine sable out of his pocket.
The little creature was still sleeping, its round belly puffed up, looking adorably goofy.
Qian Jinglan thought it was a hamster, “This hamster’s a lot bigger than usual, and the color’s different too.”
Ye Qiu chuckled, “Mom, it’s not a hamster, it’s a medicine sable.”
“Medicine sable?” Qian Jinglan looked puzzled.
Ye Qiu explained, “It’s actually a purple sable, but since it loves eating herbs and is great at finding them, it’s called a medicine sable. Mom, I’ll leave it with you, can you look after it for a while?”
“Sure.”
Qian Jinglan took the sable from Ye Qiu, and just then, the little guy opened its eyes.
The medicine sable stared at Qian Jinglan with a confused look, then glanced at Ye Qiu, sniffing as if asking, “Who’s this?”
Ye Qiu said to it, “Little guy, this is my mom, you need to listen to her from now on, got it?”
The sable looked at Qian Jinglan, nodded its tiny head, rolled around in her hands a few times, then went back to sleep.
“So cute,” Qian Jinglan said, delighted.
“Mom, how’s your health been lately?” Ye Qiu asked with concern.
He’d been so busy lately that he hadn’t checked on Qian Jinglan’s well-being.
Qian Jinglan replied, “I’m doing fine, just recently my neck’s been a bit sore.”
“Let me take a look.”
Ye Qiu stepped behind her, gently pressed her neck with both hands, and quickly identified the issue.
“Mom, you’ve got some bone hyperplasia in your neck, I’ll give you a couple of needles, don’t worry, it’ll be quick.”
Ye Qiu pulled out his golden needles.
After a quick sterilization, he inserted a few into her neck.
Just then, he noticed how much grayer the hair at the back of Qian Jinglan’s head had gotten.
A pang of guilt hit Ye Qiu.
Qian Jinglan was just over forty, if not for the grueling years of raising him alone, how could she have aged so fast?
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
“Mom, don’t move, I’m going to add a couple more needles.”
Ye Qiu took out five more golden needles and placed them on her head.
Then, he pressed his palm over them, channeling his innate true qi wildly through the needles into her scalp.
Five minutes passed.
Ye Qiu withdrew his hand and flicked his fingers.
“Buzz!”
The five needles vibrated in unison.
A few more minutes went by.
Gradually, a smile spread across Ye Qiu’s face.
His innate true qi was working, Qian Jinglan’s gray hair was turning black at a visible rate.
At the same time, the wrinkles on her face began to fade.
Twenty minutes later.
Ye Qiu removed the needles and said excitedly, “Mom, go look in the mirror.”
“Look at what?” Qian Jinglan asked, confused.
“There’s a flower on your face,” Ye Qiu teased.
Qian Jinglan laughed, “How could there be a flower on my face?”
“Really, go check it out!” Ye Qiu insisted.
Feeling odd, Qian Jinglan walked to the mirror and froze.
Her hair was free of gray, her face wrinkle-free, her skin smooth, she looked twenty years younger.
“Is this… still me?”
Qian Jinglan touched her face, incredulous.
Ye Qiu grinned, “Mom, when I get the chance, I’ll refine a beauty pill for you, your skin will get even better.”
“Qiuer, your medical skills are incredible, you’ve actually made me young again…”
Beep beep beep!
Before Qian Jinglan could finish, her phone on the table rang urgently, she picked it up, an unknown number on the screen.
“Hello, who’s this?” Qian Jinglan answered.
“Jinglan, it’s me, Qian Bowen,” a deep voice came through.
“Big Brother?” Qian Jinglan paused.
“I sent Chunmei and Rong’er to Jiangzhou to get you and your son, have they arrived?”
Qian Bowen said, “Father’s not going to make it, he wants to see you before he goes.”
“Come back quick, it might be too late otherwise!”
