Volume One, Chapter 15: I Could Even Be His Mother

“Aunt Li, hello, I’m listening.”

After a long time without connecting, the call finally went through. Lin Chen was extremely nervous, his voice trembling slightly.

He knew very well.

The elderly lady was calling to talk about Xu Mi.

“Xiao Chen, I won’t hide it from you anymore. Tang Tang woke up four days ago, but she didn’t want me to tell you, so I had to keep it from you all this time. Actually, her body isn’t nearly recovered yet, but I don’t know what came over her today—she insisted on being discharged. We couldn’t persuade her, so we brought her home. I hope you won’t blame her for keeping you in the dark.”

“Not at all, how could I blame her? I’m more than happy, Auntie. May I see her?” Lin Chen finally voiced what he longed to say.

The elderly lady clearly heard him.

But after a few moments’ hesitation, she acted as if she hadn’t: “Xiao Chen, the main reason I’m calling is to sincerely thank you. Tang Tang’s early discharge is largely thanks to your efforts.”

“Aunt Li, you’re too kind. I’m Xu Mi’s husband; all this is what I should be doing. May I see her now?”

The elderly lady once again declined Lin Chen’s request to meet, smiling gently as she changed the subject. “Could you give me another Class A card number? The one you gave me before can’t transfer the full nine hundred thousand at once.”

Hearing her words, Lin Chen’s heart sank.

Was this the end for him and Xu Mi?

The elderly lady’s tone was clearly all business...

With that thought, he resolutely said, “Auntie, I don’t want the remaining nine hundred thousand.”

“Oh?” The surprise in her voice was unmistakable. “Why is that?”

“Auntie, to be honest with you, after spending all this time together, I... I’ve grown fond of Xu Mi. I want to try continuing a relationship with her.”

There was silence on the other end.

After a few seconds, she spoke again in a soft tone: “Young man, don’t throw around words like like and love so easily. Feelings aren’t that cheap. And are you sure you don’t want the rest of the money? Nine hundred thousand! That could save you years of hard work—and I can tell you could use it.”

“Auntie, I’m sure. I don’t want that money. As for the initial hundred thousand, when I earn it back, I’ll repay you. I truly care for Xu Mi. Can you tell me where she is now?”

The elderly lady was genuinely surprised.

She hadn’t expected Lin Chen not only to refuse the remaining nine hundred thousand but also to want to return the initial hundred thousand.

That alone spoke volumes about his sincerity.

After a moment’s thought, she slowly responded, “You don’t have to return that hundred thousand. Xiao Chen, I want to ask you sincerely—do you really want to be with Tang Tang?”

“Really! I truly want to be with her. Please give me a chance, Auntie. I promise I’ll treat her well.” Lin Chen eagerly poured out his earnest heart.

“I will pass your request along to her. But let me remind you again—there’s nearly a twenty-year age difference between you two.”

Her words weren’t meant to discourage but to make sure Lin Chen had thought this through, not acted on impulse.

“Auntie, I understand. Actually, I quite like the older wife, younger husband pairing. I truly like her.”

“Don’t you care what others will say? She’s much older than you.”

“I don’t care. The moment I said I wanted to be with her, I had already considered everything. It’s definitely not a rash decision, nor am I after anything from her.”

“If Tang Tang knows your feelings, she’ll be moved. But in the end, it’s up to her to decide. Please wait a moment.”

With that, the elderly lady ended the call.

After hanging up, she turned to look at Xu Mi, whose eyes were wide with surprise.

“Tang Tang, you heard all that, right? I think this young man truly cares for you. Why don’t you try dating him?”

“No, no way.”

Xu Mi shook her head vigorously like a rattle. “Mom, how old is he? He could be my son’s age. If we really got together, what would people think of me?”

Though she refused verbally, she couldn’t help but recall the kiss she shared with Lin Chen that day.

That kiss—

Soft, sweet, unforgettable.

Her cheeks flamed crimson like ripe apples.

“You silly girl, being together is between you two. Why care what others think? Everyone knows their own pain and comfort.”

“Mom, don’t try to persuade me. No means no. He’s just too young.”

In truth, Xu Mi hadn’t mentioned one thing.

Lin Chen was the son of her close friend Zhao Xiuxiu.

That alone showed how deeply she cared about appearances.

“Alright then, I’ll turn him down and get a lawyer to finalize the divorce papers.”

Saying this, Li Xiulan pulled out her phone to call Lin Chen.

But just as the call connected—

Xu Mi snatched the phone away and hung up.

“Mom, please don’t... don’t be so hasty. Let me think about it, okay?”

For some reason, at the moment her mother picked up the phone, a wave of sadness swept over her.

She felt a sour ache in her heart.

Li Xiulan saw through her daughter’s thoughts but didn’t press. Smiling, she said, “You’ve got him on your mind already, haven’t you...”

Caught by her mother’s insight, Xu Mi’s cheeks flushed, but she denied it aloud: “I don’t! I just think divorcing like this would be cruel to him... How about you tell him we won’t see each other for a while—30 days, no, 10 days—and that we’ll both think things through, so we don’t make rash decisions.”

Li Xiulan could see through the self-deception and the excuse her daughter was making.

Still, she didn’t expose her, instead smiling warmly: “Alright, I’ll call him back now.”

...

“Hello, Xiao Chen?”

“Auntie, I’m here. Did Xu Mi agree?” Lin Chen’s voice trembled, his throat tight as if awaiting a verdict.

“Xiao Chen, don’t be so anxious,” the elderly lady said calmly, neither hurried nor slow.

“There’s an old saying: what is meant to be will be, and what isn’t, don’t force. So if it’s meant to be yours, it will be in the end.”

Hearing her cryptic words, Lin Chen felt even more confused.

“Auntie, so—did Xu Mi agree or not?”