Chapter 1047 - 1020: Apologies Rejected by Qiuqiu
"Qiuqiu?! How did you get here?" Qiuqiu’s dad thought he was hallucinating.
He was both surprised and happy; his child came to see him!
"I heard you’re about to kick the bucket, so I came to see if you’re still breathing. Seems like you’re still busy with wishful thinking, guess you’re not dying yet."
Qiuqiu placed the fruit he bought on the bedside table and glanced at the man lying on the bed.
It’s only been a few days since they last met, but how did these days make him feel like this eyesore of an old man aged so much on the bed?
He’s lost a lot of weight, eyes sunken deep.
"Qiuqiu, don’t talk to your dad like that. Uncle used to take painkillers just for business deals." The cousin worried Qiuqiu might provoke the patient, tried to mediate.
"Actually, I’m fine, just a minor issue, I’ll be discharged tomorrow or the day after." Qiuqiu’s dad pretended to say nothing was wrong.
Qiuqiu pointed at the door, "Clear the room, I have words with this old man."
"But—" The cousin was a bit uneasy; these two would quarrel upon meeting, the current situation shouldn’t lead to someone getting literally angered to death.
"Get out!"
Upon Qiuqiu’s command, the cousin dared not linger, promptly turned and left.
Qiuqiu took a banana from the bag and asked while peeling.
"Is it late stage?"
"Yes..."
"How many more years do you get if surgery works?" He didn’t know how he felt when he found out his father had late stage cancer, just felt some people should always be lively and annoying, but in a blink, they’re about to be gone.
Like a dream, unreal.
"Uncertain, the doctor says I’m at the early part of the late stage, if post-surgery doesn’t spread, there’s 3-5 years, optimistically might even make a miracle."
Qiuqiu’s dad never thought this day would come where he could calmly discuss life and death with his child, at this moment all past events didn’t matter.
Qiuqiu knows his father described the most optimistic scenario, another being surgery failure or spreading, perhaps gone in a flash.
He was sure he hated this old man, but at this moment, his heart was uncontrollably sad.
"You’re so selfish, giving me a lifetime of pain, I just wanted to show you I could live my own life whether male or female, just as I’m about to succeed, you’re leaving. It’s easy for you to leave, did you even think of me?"
Qiuqiu’s dad’s eyes welled up, tears streamed down. "Sorry Qiuqiu, dad didn’t want to be sick, found out it’s late stage. Now, the hardest thing for me to let go is—"
"Shut up!" Qiuqiu didn’t want to hear it, angrily pointed at his father, thought the evil patient on the bed was at least a patient, then dejectedly dropped his hand, deeply inhaled and restrained his emotions.
"Let’s compromise, from now on, I manage the company’s affairs, you focus on getting well. You owe me a normal life, which you haven’t given back to me. You can’t just leave; you must live to atone. I want you living to see how happy I am, I’ll show you how wrong your past actions were. You can’t die, you hear? You owe me, you must live."
Qiuqiu’s dad began to choke up, "Dad’s sorry to you..."
After talking with Qian, he finally understood all of Qiuqiu’s anomalies were caused by him, but now even if he wanted to compensate, there’s no way; who knows when heaven might take him away.
Debts owed are debts indeed.
"Don’t fucking say sorry to me! The most useless words in the world are those three. After screwing everyone over, does saying it even help? Can you bring my life, which you derailed, back on track? What you can do now is live as hard as possible; your living is atonement for me, got it?"
Qiuqiu loathed this old man deeply, yet strangely hoped he wouldn’t just go; the reason was unclear, a complex emotion.
"Dad also wants to live well, but... can life and death always be by choice? Qiuqiu, Dad’s got his will prepared; if I don’t survive the surgery, our family’s mine is yours. If you want to manage, do it; if not, find a good man and marry."
"I don’t care for your money, old man, let’s make a deal. I’ll manage your mine, assist with your business transformation, but don’t interfere with my marital freedom. Whether I marry or not is none of your business. Whoever I choose to be with in the future is none of your business either. If you agree, I’ll stay; if not, I’m leaving."
Hearing Qiuqiu is willing to manage the family business, naturally, Qiuqiu’s dad beamed with joy. Though Qiuqiu now mentioned he doesn’t want him interfering in marriage, since words reached this point, father and daughter’s estrangement lessens, still a chance for repair.
If before death he could be forgiven by his child, he’d pass on peacefully to the beyond.
"Old man, live well, alright? I still need you to see how capable I am." Qiuqiu handed the peeled banana to his father’s mouth, Qiuqiu’s dad gratefully took a bite, then thought and asked.
"You and that journalist girl—"
Though the daughter doesn’t acknowledge him, Qiuqiu’s dad frequently checked on Qiuqiu’s situation, knows Qiuqiu has a stable girlfriend, which is his greatest worry.
"I currently have no mind to ponder these feelings matters; don’t overthink. Focus on having a successful surgery."
Thinking of that enthusiastic yet shy Baihe, Qiuqiu’s heart ached dully.
He hurt her so much today, estimated no chance of being even friends in the future.
He can’t let their relationship bear a grave’s heaviness. If his old man really kicks it, even if he and Bai Jin become a couple, they’d be guilty forever.
His fate doesn’t matter, but Bai Jin’s innocent.
Such a lovely girl, only blamed for his bad luck lacking the fortune of having her.
Indeed, upon hearing Qiuqiu and Bai Jin broke up, Qiuqiu’s dad’s face lit up.
"Good, good, breaking up is good. You two weren’t right together; break up, don’t delay her. See if she needs compensating, whether it’s money or arranging connections for her promotion. Just don’t make contact again, Qiuqiu, this way Dad’s really happy, finally like a normal kid."
Contrasting his father’s joyful expression, Qiuqiu’s heart bled droplet by droplet.
Haha, normal.
Yes, he "normal" now, yet no one understands the "abnormal" person’s "abnormal" emotional scars.
Those few letters exhausted all his passion and hope, yet destiny pushed him to this beyond-return position.
Yu Minglang got off work, conveniently heard Qian making a phone call.
"Zheng Xu, got something for you to handle."
Huh? Former rival standby?
Yu Minglang’s ears immediately perked up, Qian glimpsed at him, he instantly pretended to look elsewhere, gentlemanly pretending disinterest and not eavesdropping.
Qian inwardly amused; will this guy stifle?
Yes, let him stew, she enjoys seeing him anxious yet powerless. But now Qian still needs outside support helping Qiuqiu’s side, Xiaoqiang temporarily stews in vinegar for a while.