Did the knife hurt when it pierced your palm?
Of course—
Anyone who says it doesn't should try it!
But no matter how much it hurt, Li Qianfan had to do it.
Shen Yun could see that while Su Nanyin smiled outwardly, her cold gaze was fixed on his hands. How could Li Qianfan not see that?
He knew she was contemplating whether to cripple one of his hands or both.
If it weren't for the need to go to the Black Water Forest, Li Qianfan would have just broken his left hand.
At that moment—
He had pulled Su Nanyin into his embrace, and it was this damned left hand, without his brain's consent, that had made its favorite move.
As the fruit knife pierced his palm, blood immediately gushed out.
Shen Yun exclaimed in alarm, "Qianfan!"
Li Qianfan, however, pulled the knife out again and raised it high, saying to Su Nanyin, "I will stab myself three times to apologize to you."
The knife flashed—
But then paused.
This was because a pair of small hands had appeared on the back of his left hand.
They were Shen Yun's hands.
Shen Yun's hands covered his left hand.
If Li Qianfan were to stab further, he would only injure her.
"Qianfan, what are you doing?"
Shen Yun cried, "A misunderstanding! It's just a misunderstanding! You didn't mean to do anything treasonous! Mom, and you! He just hugged me and kissed my cheek. Don't you remember, on Qianfan's hundredth day, you held him and fed him milk for a long time?"
Su Nanyin—
As her anger surged again, she felt a flood of helplessness.
Her daughter was not only trying to persuade her not to take the hug and kiss seriously to protect that rascal, but she was also bringing up something from twenty years ago.
Indeed.
On Li Qianfan's hundredth day, because Li family village had successfully proposed to Du Junlin on his behalf, many people had egged Su Nanyin on to hold the infant and feed him milk first.
Coincidentally, there was a similar custom in Lingnan.
It represented the mother-in-law, and also the mother of the son-in-law.
Su Nanyin, who was still lactating at the time, had graciously held the infant and gone to the room to feed him a full meal.
Thinking back to the events of twenty-odd years ago, and then looking at her sobbing daughter and the blood seeping from between two hands,
Su Nanyin's anger finally dissipated.
Sigh.
This is karma.
I owe this rascal.
She sighed inwardly and said coldly to Li Qianfan, "Get up and bandage your wound."
With her mother finally relenting, Shen Yun hurriedly pulled Li Qianfan to his feet and they walked to the low cabinet.
Inside the low cabinet was a simple first-aid kit provided by the hotel for its guests.
For an ordinary person, a hand pierced by a knife would definitely require hospital treatment.
But for Li Qianfan, this was a superficial wound, a million miles away from death.
His immunity to all poisons meant that the wound would not become infected, and all that was needed was to bandage it to prevent excessive blood loss.
But even so—
Shen Chongchong, who was heartbroken, couldn't help but sob, softly chiding him for being too foolish.
After all, Su Nanyin was "our mom." What was wrong with hugging and kissing her? As long as he sincerely apologized, was there any need for self-harm?
What nonsense!
Li Qianfan felt that stabbing himself was simply idiotic behavior.
Su Nanyin, standing nearby, grew more annoyed the more she listened.
Being kissed and hugged by her daughter was normal.
But being kissed and hugged by that rascal from the Li family— what was that?
"Sigh, silly Chongchong has completely fallen for him."
Su Nanyin could only sigh inwardly, keeping a stern face and remaining silent.
Shen Yun, holding Li Qianfan's hand, walked over and then made a gesture as if to kneel.
"Stop kneeling."
Su Nanyin, once again with her legs crossed, waved her right foot and said coldly, "Without sincerity, even if you kneel until your legs break, it will be useless."
Li Qianfan looked embarrassed but, with Shen Yun's pull, sat down on the sofa.
Su Nanyin said, "Delete all those things on your phone. How dare you tell people that I, damn it, would find eighty men to serve Li Wujiang!"
Who said Su Nanyin couldn't curse?
Li Qianfan quickly took out his phone and deleted furiously.
"I asked you to come this time to ask you a few questions."
Su Nanyin had seen enough. She realized she absolutely could not give that rascal any leeway.
After all, he was the grandson of a scoundrel and the son of a womanizer; he had bad seeds in his bones.
"Please, go ahead."
Li Qianfan nodded and bowed, acting cautiously.
Shen Yun looked at him and inexplicably felt like laughing.
But she dared not, and stood up to go to the restroom, to wash the blood off her hands and then get a wet towel to wipe Li Qianfan's hands clean.
Her hem was quietly pulled by Li Qianfan.
He dared not face Su Nanyin alone—
Having Shen Chongchong by his side gave him the confidence to not panic.
Shen Yun understood immediately and quietly reached back, holding his right hand and squeezing it slightly, signaling, "Don't be afraid, Chongchong will protect you."
"Hmph!"
Su Nanyin, sitting on the sofa opposite them, saw their little exchange and snorted.
Getting straight to the point: "What are your thoughts on Junlin's voluntary annulment of the engagement?"
Li Qianfan thought for a moment and asked cautiously, "Auntie, can I tell you the truth?"
Su Nanyin said impatiently, "Nonsense! Do you think I, like a thief, would travel all the way to Qingyun just to listen to your lies?"
Li Qianfan immediately answered truthfully, "Relaxed. I finally feel like a heavy burden has been lifted. From now on, I won't have nightmares at night."
Su Nanyin was stunned—
Then she slowly asked, "You dislike Junlin that much?"
Seeing her mother about to get angry again, Shen Chongchong quickly squeezed Li Qianfan's hand.
Li Qianfan, however, nodded, meeting Su Nanyin's gaze.
Without flinching, he said with a tone of confession: "Auntie, if you were me, would you have any good feelings towards a girl who wanted to castrate you seven years ago? Would you have nightmares, dreaming that one day she would cut you with a knife?"
Su Nanyin—
Was speechless!
She could only say, "What happened seven years ago was indeed Junlin's fault. You were right to avoid the marriage at all costs."
Li Qianfan immediately nodded, "You are very understanding. A good mother and a good wife."
"Nonsense, do I need you to flatter me about whether I'm good or not?"
Su Nanyin rolled her eyes subconsciously but then felt that this gesture was not appropriate for a "son-in-law."
She quickly coughed and continued, "Do you know that Junlin headed straight for the Black Water Forest after the engagement was broken off?"
She hadn't gone there.
She was currently being held captive in the Zhizhi Club and was constantly cursing me.
Li Qianfan muttered inwardly and nodded.
"The reason she went there, besides feeling it was a burden on her shoulders."
Su Nanyin said, "Actually, your influence was the most crucial. Because of your rejection of the marriage, she has lost all desire to live in this world. Every time I think about this, I regret agreeing to the Li family village's proposal twenty years ago. I can say without hesitation that Junlin was pushed by you to a dead end, seeking her own demise."
Li Qianfan remained silent.
What Su Nanyin said was right, and also not right.
Or rather, in this matter, there was no right or wrong.
"I'll ask you again."
Su Nanyin asked, "Are you going to the Black Water Forest?"
"No!"
Li Qianfan shook his head without thinking, "I'd be an idiot to go looking for death. My mother said I can die, but I must not die in this situation."
Mama's boy!
Heh—
Su Nanyin scoffed inwardly and asked, "What if I asked you to go?"
"No!"
Li Qianfan looked up at the ceiling and said, "Let alone you, even if my mother forced me, I wouldn't go."
Coward!
Su Nanyin began to get angry inwardly again and slowly said, "I meant, I want you to catch up with Junlin and take care of each other. That way, your chances of both returning alive would greatly increase."
"Auntie, are you too naive, or do you think I'm easily fooled?"
Li Qianfan frowned and said, "If I go alone, maybe there's a 30% chance of survival. But if I go with Du Junlin, the chance of returning alive will not exceed 3%! It's almost certain she'll drag me down to die with her. We couldn't be husband and wife in life, so dying together is definitely her only thought when she sees me. What's even more terrifying is that the enemy can't kill me, but I might die by her hand."
Hearing him dare to call her naive made Su Nanyin quite angry.
But soon—
Her lips moved, and she had nothing to say.
The reason was simple.
Li Qianfan's words might be crude, but they made sense!
If he really caught up with Du Junlin, Du Junlin would absolutely do that!!
"Junlin will despise you and look down on you even in another world."
Su Nanyin said sullenly.
Li Qianfan said brazenly, "She despised and looked down on me when she was alive, and I didn't care. What's more, now that she's dead?"
Sigh.
Qianfan is getting better and better at acting.
Shen Chongchong, who had known all along that he would go to the Black Water Forest, sighed inwardly.
Su Nanyin—
Kicked his leg and cursed, "You damn it!"
Did she dare curse Sister Wujiang?
Forget it.
Given her seniority, she was actually a generation older than Sister Wujiang, so Li Qianfan forgave her.
Moreover.
This beautiful woman who, while kicking, unintentionally exuded so much charm, was after all the former (and in fact) mother-in-law of that rascal, wasn't she?
Su Nanyin, still not appeased, kicked Li Qianfan again and then asked, "How do you plan to treat Chongchong?"
How to treat Chongchong?
Li Qianfan instinctively glanced at Shen Yun.
Shen Yun lowered her head, looking shy and demure.
Not receiving any useful hints from Shen Yun, Li Qianfan could only ask Su Nanyin, "Auntie, since Yun and I have already consummated our relationship, what are your thoughts?"
Su Nanyin said calmly, "You divorce Su Ziyu and marry Chongchong."
Li Qianfan remained silent.
Su Nanyin's request was within his expectations.
He didn't need to say anything; he believed Su Nanyin would understand his intentions.
Su Nanyin understood, of course.
In fact.
She hadn't expected Li Qianfan to actually divorce Su Ziyu and marry Shen Chongchong.
But from a mother's perspective, Su Nanyin had to make this request.
"Li Qianfan."
Su Nanyin said sternly, "I don't care how you and Chongchong got together. All I know is that you must give her a wedding."
Li Qianfan did not answer her question, but looked at Shen Yun.
Shen Yun also looked at him.
The tender affection in their eyes was evident to anyone.
Li Qianfan said in a low voice, "Chongchong, I'm sorry."
He could not give Shen Yun a wedding.
Shen Yun nodded slightly, then let go of his hand, stood up, and walked quickly towards the bedroom (this was a hotel suite).
Li Qianfan thought she was heartbroken and wanted to hide in the bedroom to cry secretly.
No—
Shen Yun reached the bedroom door and opened it.
Ignoring her mother standing beside her, she smiled coquettishly, "Brother, look."
Li Qianfan looked into the bedroom.
On the wall above the bed in the bedroom, a large red character for joy quickly caught his eye.
On the wall—
There was also a wedding photo of him and Shen Yun.