Meng Jingwei, who was resting in bed, sat up upon seeing Madam Qing appear. “Grandma Qing.”
Out of courtesy, Meng Jingwei still addressed her as ‘Grandma Qing’.
Meng Jingwei knew that the engagement between Qing Muye and Li Yun’er had naturally been approved by Madam Qing.
When she was pregnant, Madam Qing would never have allowed Li Yun’er into the Qing family, but now things had turned out differently.
Meng Jingwei was unsure if Madam Qing had been unable to persuade Qing Muye, or if she was being two-faced.
Madam Qing was wearing a black velvet qipao. Over seventy, she had slightly permed, chin-length hair and wore light makeup, exuding an elegant aura.
He walked to the bedside and looked at the pale and haggard Meng Jingwei. Though he felt a pang of sympathy, he also expressed displeasure, “Even though Qing Muye is engaged to Li Yun’er, you shouldn’t have aborted the child this way.”
The child in her womb was the Qing family’s great-grandchild, whom Madam Qing had longed for many years.
After finally having a child, she never expected it to end up as ‘drawing water with a bamboo basket,’ all for naught.
Although Meng Jingwei liked Madam Qing, she felt naturally unhappy hearing these words.
With pale lips, she leaned against the headboard, a curve forming at the corner of her mouth, and gave a cold smile. “Grandma Qing, do you think I should have given birth to this child?”
Meng Jingwei never considered herself a reproductive tool.
Although in the end, to uncover the truth behind her adoptive parents’ car accident and to treat her adoptive father, she could have used the child in her womb as a ‘sacrifice,’ she knew the Qing family would never mistreat the child.
But who would have thought that Qing Muye would end up engaged to Li Yun’er?
She absolutely could not accept her child being born and calling Li Yun’er ‘Mother’!
“I…”
Madam Qing knew she had wronged Meng Jingwei and sighed, “Alas, although I’m unhappy about you aborting the child, I understand your character, girl. You’re a good girl, much better than Li Yun’er. But I’m old, and I can’t make decisions about marriage anymore. It’s that boy Muye who is unlucky.”
Hearing Madam Qing’s words earlier had made Meng Jingwei a little unhappy, but Madam Qing’s willingness to explain everything actually made Meng Jingwei feel much more comfortable.
“I am not worthy of Qing Muye, nor do I aspire to marry into the Qing family.”
Meng Jingwei replied truthfully.
Madam Qing looked at her, quite puzzled. “So many women are scrambling to marry into the Qing family, yet you are the first one I’ve come to regard with esteem.”
At the Qing family’s old residence, Meng Jingwei spent three days with Madam Qing.
During those three days, Madam Qing had originally intended for Meng Jingwei to conceive a great-grandchild for the Qing family. She hadn’t expected that after three days of interaction, she had grown fond of this diligent and unpretentious girl.
She glanced back at the butler behind her. The butler stepped forward and handed something to Meng Jingwei.
“Girl, I know you’re a good child, struggling financially and still needing to pay for your parents’ medical treatment. Keep this money; it’s considered compensation from the Qing family.”
After speaking, Madam Qing sincerely apologized, “Although you and that boy Muye had a relationship by accident that day, ultimately, you were innocent.”
The child in her womb was gone, and while she was unhappy, the child was already gone. Even if she argued with Meng Jingwei, the child wouldn’t return.
Moreover, Meng Jingwei was originally an outsider, only becoming involved due to a misunderstanding.
“No, you don’t need to.”
Meng Jingwei had initially thought Madam Qing had come to ‘demand an explanation,’ but she hadn’t expected her to come to offer compensation.
“Grandma Qing, though I, Meng Jingwei, am poor, I will work hard to earn money to support my parents. As for this…”
Meng Jingwei handed the check back to Madam Qing. “Please take it back. I don’t need it.”
“Do you think it’s too little?”
Madam Qing glared at her unhappily.
“With the child gone, I have no further connection with the Qing family, so there’s no need to accept the Qing family’s ‘kindness’.”
“How is this ‘kindness’? It’s just a little compensation. If you don’t take it, this old woman will feel uneasy.”
“If I accept it, then I would be the one feeling uneasy.”
Meng Jingwei pressed the check into the butler’s hand and then said to Madam Qing, “I’m very happy that Grandma Qing came to see me today. However… I’m a little tired and want to sleep.”
She was showing Madam Qing the door.
Meng Jingwei now only wanted to sever ties with the Qing family.
“You…”
Madam Qing was quite helpless and could only nod in agreement. “Alright, then rest well.”
She got up, and the butler came to assist her.
“Rest well, girl, you must take good care of yourself.” She said with earnest admonition, “A miscarriage is damaging to the body. Be sure to take care of yourself. After all, you’re a young lady.”
“Thank you, Grandma Qing.”
From Madam Qing’s initial direct ‘questioning’ upon entering to her current concern, Meng Jingwei felt as if she had been on a roller coaster.
But at least she knew Madam Qing was a reasonable person.
“Consider this a debt owed by the Qing family. If you ever need help in the future, just call me, and I will help if I can.”
As she was leaving, Madam Qing added one last instruction.
“Yes. I appreciate Grandma Qing’s good intentions.”
Meng Jingwei didn’t take her words to heart.
Having experienced a lot recently, Meng Jingwei just wanted some peace and quiet for a while.
The doctor said she had experienced severe bleeding after taking medication that day and needed to stay in the hospital for a few days before recuperating at home.
Meng Jingwei was still shaken.
In her impulsive decision to abort the child that day, she had taken a large dose of medication, which had almost cost her her life.
Fortunately, she had survived; otherwise, her adoptive parents would have had to suffer.
In the following days, Xiao Cheng would unfailingly visit to have dinner with her every day, staying for two hours before leaving.
During this time, Meng Jingwei specifically went to the hospital’s rear garden to video call her adoptive mother.
Because the rear garden had pleasant scenery, resembling a park, she lied that she was on a business trip and made the video call while she was out for a walk in the park.
After a week in the hospital, Meng Jingwei processed her discharge papers.
As she carried her luggage out of the hospital, she discovered Xiao Cheng waiting for her at the hospital entrance in his car.
Dressed in gray casual wear and wearing silver-gray sunglasses, he held a bouquet of flowers. “Congratulations on your discharge.”
“Why are you here?”
Seeing Xiao Cheng, Meng Jingwei was somewhat surprised.
She hadn’t told anyone about her discharge today, so how did Xiao Cheng know.
“If I want to know something, there’s nothing I don’t know.”
Xiao Cheng took Meng Jingwei’s luggage, placed the flowers in her hand, and casually put an arm around her shoulder in a friendly gesture. “What are your plans after being discharged? You’ve already resigned from your job at Mu Se Club. How about considering working at my company?”