Since Ning Anmiao had promised Yin Yiyan to help her create a batch of design drafts, she would naturally try her best to make them perfect.
Not only did she rush to complete the design drawings in a short period of time, but she also provided her personal insights on clothing fabrics and some effective choices.
When Yin Yiyan saw the packed files sent over, she was so touched that she was almost in tears.
Yan: [Miaomiao, you're really an angel!]
Seeing Yin Yiyan's delighted and satisfied reply, Ning Anmiao felt that her efforts in the past few days had paid off.
Meow: [I'm glad you're satisfied. I wish your batch of designed clothes a great success.]
Yan: [With your friendly design, a great success is surely a given. I'll share half of the earnings with you then!]
Meow: [No need. I'm just helping out as a friend. Just remember to treat me to a meal later.]
Yan: [No way. I must give you the money as your start - up fund after your divorce. After you open your studio, we can cooperate again!]
At the words "divorce", Ning Anmiao's eyes dimmed.
Since the last argument with Lu Yan, they hadn't said a single word to each other. Even during the most basic daily life, there was no conversation.
It seemed like they had returned to the old days.
Only that in the past, they still had some "intimate exchanges" at night. Now that their bodies were swapped, they even slept back - to - back in bed.
It had a bit of a sense of sharing the same bed but having different dreams.
Just like this, they lived an ordinary life for some time.
One day, Lu Yan received a call from Ning Anmiao's mother, Bai Jiaying.
"Miaomiao, your dad had a sudden cerebral infarction and was hospitalized. Do... do you want to come and see him?"
On the phone, Bai Jiaying's tone was full of hesitation, as if she was very worried that her daughter would be angry.
Compared with Ning Zhijing's dignity, Bai Jiaying obviously had the qualities of a good wife and mother. Her voice was gentle and kind, soft and delicate, making it hard for people to refuse.
"Your dad is just stubborn. In the past two years, you've been alone outside. Although he hasn't mentioned it much, he actually cares a lot."
Bai Jiaying tried hard to speak well of Ning Zhijing: "Since he drove you away that year, he's been very regretful. He doesn't say it, but I can see it clearly."
"He's been so worried about you in the past two years that he's fallen ill. He was hospitalized several times before, and he didn't let me inform you. This sudden cerebral infarction really scares me, Mom is worried..."
As she spoke, Bai Jiaying's voice trembled, and she couldn't even finish her sentence.
Hearing this, Lu Yan's originally cold expression softened a little.
"Listen to Mom, come and see your dad once, okay?"
In the end, Bai Jiaying's tone was almost pleading: "Please, Miaomiao."
Lu Yan was silent for a while and finally gave in.
"Mom, send me the hospital address."
---
It took about three hours to drive from Shanghai to Jiangcheng.
When he arrived at the hospital in Jiangcheng, Lu Yan took a deep breath, bought a bouquet of flowers and a fresh fruit basket downstairs, and then went up to the ward with them to find the ward where Ning Zhijing was.
The last time he met Mr. Ning was three years ago on that snowy night when he took Ning Anmiao away.
At that time, he just glanced at this elder, and he could feel the other's strong and aloof temperament, which made people in awe.
After all these years, he appeared in front of Ning Zhijing again, but in Ning Anmiao's identity.
He pursed his lips, calmed his mood, and knocked on the door twice.
Then he pushed the door open and went in.
On the hospital bed, Ning Zhijing was wearing a big striped hospital gown. Although a bit haggard, he was still in high spirits.
At the moment, he was turning his head and chatting with Bai Jiaying. Hearing the noise at the door, he looked up and his eyes froze for a second.
When Bai Jiaying saw "Ning Anmiao" appear, her eyes immediately lit up with joy: "Miaomiao, come here quickly."
As a mother, Bai Jiaying naturally loved her daughter. She could tell at a glance that "Ning Anmiao" had lost a lot of weight, and she felt heart - ache immediately.
It seemed that Miaomiao had suffered a lot outside.
"What are you doing here!"
As expected, Ning Zhijing's voice sank: "Unfilial daughter! Who told you to come!"
This scolding instantly cooled the atmosphere to freezing point.
Seeing the situation was not good, Bai Jiaying quickly spoke up to smooth things over for this father - daughter pair: "Alright, alright. You haven't seen each other for so many years. Put away your bad temper."
Ning Zhijing frowned slightly and turned his head to the side: "Seeing her makes me annoyed. Ungrateful thing."
"Ning Anmiao" stood there, holding the fruits and the flower bouquet in her hand, not moving a step for a long time.
The atmosphere in the room was a bit awkward.
"Miaomiao, don't just stand there. Come and sit down quickly."
Bai Jiaying winked at "Ning Anmiao" and waved to her: "Just now I was telling your dad that you would come to see him, but he didn't believe me."
"Now that you're here, he must be very happy in his heart. Don't listen to his stubborn words."
After just a few words, Bai Jiaying's eyes couldn't help getting wet. She raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Ning Anmiao" didn't say a word and just sat down beside Bai Jiaying.
He didn't know why, but a wave of sadness welled up in his chest. Finally, he opened his lips and said with difficulty: "Mom, don't cry."
"Mom won't cry. Mom is happy." Bai Jiaying smiled, but the tears flowed even more.
She had thought that their family would never be reunited in this lifetime.
"Humph, what's there to be happy about seeing this ungrateful girl?"
Ning Zhijing still didn't look at "Ning Anmiao" and stubbornly stared out of the ward window, refusing to look at "Ning Anmiao" at all.
Obviously, the old Mr. Ning still hadn't forgiven his daughter.
"Ning Anmiao" pursed her lips, wanting to say something, but what came out was just a stiff and polite sentence: "Dad, are you feeling better?"
"I was getting better, but seeing you makes it worse."
Ning Zhijing said with a cold face, "Don't call me Dad. If I wasn't feeling unwell now, I'd definitely get out of bed and beat you up."
Lu Yan lowered his head, listening to Ning Zhijing's scolding, and his chest felt a twinge of pain.
Although they were critical words, he felt extremely warm. A feeling called "being cared about" gradually melted in his heart and spread throughout his body.
Lu Yan, who had been strictly educated by his mother since childhood, felt the care of a normal family for their child for the first time. He was a bit caught off guard.
Only when you care about someone will you be so nagging.
He came here today. Firstly, he was entrusted by Bai Jiaying to visit her parents on behalf of Miaomiao. Secondly, he wanted to see Ning Zhijing's attitude.
After all, his attitude would largely determine whether Miaomiao could return to the Ning family in the future.
After today's meeting, he understood most of it in his heart.
"Dad, I bought you some fruits. Later, let Mom wash them for you and see if they're fresh."