Ling Nuan was standing outside the door.
The cold wind failed to calm her emotions.
"Sis." Xun Cong poked his head out from behind the door. "Grandma's asleep."
Ling Nuan came back to her senses and gave Xun Cong a smile. "I'm coming."
Grandma Xun had gone to rest, so in the living - room now were only Xun Yao's family.
Seeing Ling Nuan approaching, Zhao Shuting looked anxious and hesitant. Not daring to speak up herself, she nudged Xun Cong.
Xun Cong didn't take the hint at all. "Why are you nudging me? I've got nothing to say to my sis."
Zhao Shuting: "..."
Having no other choice, Zhao Shuting had to step forward to Ling Nuan and say, "Nuan Nuan, Auntie wants to apologize to you. Auntie really knows I was wrong this time."
"Auntie was just worried about Cong Cong, so I did something wrong. Can you forgive Auntie just this once?" Zhao Shuting said timidly.
Before Ling Nuan could say anything, Xun Cong sneered first. "Don't drag me into this. I'm not taking such a big blame. You'd already done something wrong before I got into trouble. And are you sure you only need Sis to forgive you once?"
Zhao Shuting: "..."
How could she have given birth to such a son?
Zhao Shuting forced out a smile. "Nuan Nuan, Auntie is really sorry for you. But look, your brother is on your side. Even if you hate me, you should think about your brother. For your brother's sake, okay?"
Xun Yao added silently beside them, "If your auntie really gets a criminal record, it will affect Cong Cong's future. Your uncle and auntie may have behaved badly, but your brother really cares about you. For Cong Cong's sake..."
"I'm not going to be a civil servant or join the Party in the future. Whether Mom and Dad have a criminal record doesn't matter to me!" Xun Cong flatly refused.
Hearing this, Xun Yao got anxious. "What are you talking nonsense about! Do you really want to see your mom go to jail?"
Xun Cong scoffed.
He knew what his parents had done to upset his cousin, but he never thought it would be such a serious matter.
"I'm not talking nonsense. I'm not a naive kid anymore. If you do something wrong, you should pay the price. Why didn't you think about the consequences when you did all this?"
Xun Cong gritted his teeth in anger. "To put it bluntly, you were just gambling on the fact that Sis was too kind - hearted to report you and send you to jail. Right?"
At this, Xun Cong almost laughed. "Who would have thought that Sis was too soft - hearted, but her husband was even more decisive. Now you're in a hurry? It's too late!"
Ling Nuan was originally touched by Xun Cong's words, but when she heard the word "husband", she almost choked.
This brat dared to say anything!
Zhao Shuting was also furious. "If it weren't for you, would I have gone to your sister's company to talk nonsense?"
"Please, don't shift the blame onto me. For me? What have you done for me? For making me feel guilty at a young age and getting involved in a mess for no reason? No, thank you." Xun Cong seemed extremely cold - hearted.
These words almost made Zhao Shuting faint.
Xun Yao was also angry. He raised his hand. "You're being too rebellious! She's your mom! How can you talk to her like that?"
Xun Cong wasn't afraid at all. He even leaned his face forward. "Come on, hit me here. I'm your son. You can do whatever you want to me. But Sis has nothing to do with you and owes you nothing. You have to pay Sis back for what you've done!"
Xun Yao was so angry that he couldn't bring his hand down.
Ling Nuan pinched the bridge of her nose and said, "That's enough."
The three of them fell silent immediately.
Ling Nuan looked at Zhao Shuting and Xun Yao. "For Cong Cong's sake, I can drop the charges this time."
Hearing this, Zhao Shuting's eyes lit up.
"Don't get too excited. I have three conditions for dropping the charges." Ling Nuan said.
Zhao Shuting quickly said, "Nuan Nuan, tell me."
"First, stop all contact with Huo Xiao. Second, be good children and daughter - in - law in front of Grandma and accompany her through her last days. Third, don't tell anyone about me or interfere in my business."
Zhao Shuting didn't hesitate at all. "Okay, Nuan Nuan, Auntie agrees to you."
Xun Cong added lightly beside them, "Mom, why don't you swear an oath? If you break your oath, may your son, me, die a miserable death, live alone for the rest of my life, and have no descendants."
Zhao Shuting was so stunned that she couldn't say a word.
How on earth did she give birth to such a bold - mouthed son?
Xun Cong knew that his sister would probably downplay the matter for his sake. Since Zhao Shuting didn't say anything, he decided to speak up.
"Sis, since you're willing to let Mom off this time, I swear to you here that I'll keep an eye on Mom. If Mom does anything against you or Grandma again, I'll die a horrible death, be struck by lightning, and have no descendants."
Xun Cong didn't believe in such things, but Zhao Shuting did.
She wanted to stop him, but Xun Cong spoke too fast.
"You little brat, you dare to say anything!" Zhao Shuting was so angry that her eyes were red. She tried to hit Xun Cong hard.
Xun Cong didn't dodge and reminded his parents again, "Mom and Dad, you must behave yourselves. Otherwise, not only will I die a miserable death, but with the solid evidence of your rumor - spreading, Sis can sue you at any time."
Zhao Shuting: "..."
"And if you do anything bad to Sis again, I'll sever ties with you. If you're capable, go have another child. Otherwise, your Xun family will have no descendants!" Xun Cong's words really hit home.
"Got it, got it. You little brat, talk without any scruples!" Zhao Shuting was furious but helpless.
Her son was siding with others, and she had a handle in Ling Nuan's hands. How could she dare to cause trouble?
No matter how much money she had, her son was more important.
This farce finally came to an end.
When Xun Cong left with Xun Yao and his wife, he didn't forget to wink at Ling Nuan secretly, looking as if to say, "Sis, don't worry. I'll take care of Mom and Dad."
Ling Nuan couldn't help but laugh.
After laughing, thinking of what happened in the hospital, her smile faded a bit.
Huo Xiao deserved whatever fate awaited her, but innocent children should be spared. It seemed that Huo Xiao's child had suffered since birth because of his mother.
Ling Nuan couldn't tell what her attitude was towards Huo Xiao and Shen Shaoqing's child. Before she knew it, she had already arrived at the hospital.
She was standing at the entrance of the inpatient building but didn't go in.
"Nuan Nuan?" Shen Shaoqing's somewhat surprised voice rang out.
He didn't want to stay in the ward because the atmosphere there made him uncomfortable, so he found an excuse to come out for some fresh air. He never expected to see Ling Nuan!
"Nuan Nuan!" Shen Shaoqing quickly walked up to Ling Nuan, his face beaming with surprise. "Are you here to see me? You're worried about me. You still care about me, right?"
Ling Nuan: "?"
Ling Nuan was in a mess. Suddenly, Shen Shaoqing started babbling on his own. Before Ling Nuan could react, he hugged her.
Just as she was about to push Shen Shaoqing away, she suddenly sensed something and looked up sharply.
She met Huo Linsheng's gaze.
Ling Nuan: "..."
True to the saying, extreme joy begets sorrow.