NOVPUBAfter they relented to their daughter's request, Meng Qiaoping sighed and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's eat before the food gets cold."
"Aunt Su, let me help you," Song Yan said, heading to the kitchen to get the utensils and side dishes.
Sitting across from his sister, Su Jian looked at her and asked worriedly, "Lanying, are you sure this is what you want? You are not agreeing to be with him just to repay him, right?"
Su Lanying smiled and replied, "Brother, if I want to repay him, there is no need to use my future. I really like him and I want to give us a chance to try."
Su Jian let out the breath stuck in his chest and said, "As long as you are sure, I will support you. If he dares to bully you, you tell me. I will beat him until even his mother can't recognize him!"
As soon as he said those words, Su Lide slapped the back of his son's head and scolded, "Such arrogance! Do you think you are a thug? Did you feed your manners and upbringings to the dogs?"
Rubbing his sore head, Su Jian muttered, "I'm just saying. If something really happens, my cousin will do the beating. I will just cheer him on."
"What are you mumbling about?" Su Lide asked with raised brows.
"Nothing," Su Jian said, quickly lowering his head.
Seeing her family no longer dwelling on the earlier matters, Su Lanying let out a soft sigh of relief.
They had an early lunch together. After watching Su Lanying drink her medicine and making sure she was alright, Song Yan finally took his medical bag and left the Su family's house.
Today was his day off, so instead of returning to the hospital, he went to the inn to visit his mother. There was only one state-owned inn in the county town, so it wasn't hard to find her.
When he arrived, he saw his mother having a meal in the dining room. Seeing her son walk over, Mother Song let out a snort and ignored him.
After he took a seat across from her, she said coldly, "Son, if you came to ask for my permission to date that girl, you can give up on that idea. I will never agree to this relationship."
Song Yan looked at his mother for a while before calmly replying, "Mother, I didn't come to ask for your permission."
Taken aback by his words, Mother Song asked, "Then what are you doing here? Are you here to argue with me?"
Shaking his head, Song Yan said, "Mother, I never understood why you became like this, or why Father couldn't stay with us anymore. But now, I think I finally understand you."
"I'm your son, and because of that, I inherited your madness. From the moment my heart moved for her, I knew I was doomed. Without her... I don't know how I would continue living."
Meeting his mother's surprised gaze, he continued, "Mother, if you still want me to treat you as my mother, then please stop what you are doing."
"I promised Lanying and her family that I would treat her well, and I won't let anyone hurt her, including my own family, or myself. So if you do anything to harm her, I won't forgive you."
Mother Song was stunned by her son's words. It took her a while to recover. Looking at her son in disbelief, she said, "Son, do you understand what you are saying?"
"I'm well aware," Song Yan replied with a faint smile.
"Since you know something's wrong with me, that this obsession isn't normal, how can you let yourself fall into the same hell? Son, you can still stop."
Song Yan smiled bitterly and said, "Mother, I can't stop. Even if I know I might end up like you, I still can't let her go."
Mother Song went silent after hearing that. After a long while, she finally asked, "So, you have known about my illness for a while?"
Song Yan nodded and replied, "I found out not long after Father left."
Then, after a pause, he added, "Mother, even though Father left, I know he never had another woman. Maybe the two of you should have a proper talk and try to find a solution. Avoiding him won't fix anything, it only torments the both of you."
Mother Song smiled sadly and replied, "Your father left. What's there left to talk about? He once said he would accept all of me, but when he found out about my condition, he ran away."
"Do you know what he said before he left? He said I was too controlling. That I didn't trust him. That my love made him suffocate. Staying with me made him scared and couldn't breathe."
Reaching out, she held her son's hand. "Son, I don't want you to follow my path. That's why you can't be with her. Please, listen to me. Marry the girl I chose for you."
Song Yan gently pulled his hand away and said, "I don't want to. Mother, I came today to inform you, not to ask your permission. From this day on, Lanying is my future wife. Whether you accept it or not, that won't change my decision."
"But her health is poor. She might not be able to have children. What if she…what if she is gone one day? What will you do?" Mother Song asked, her voice laced with worry.
"Mother, I won't let that happen. I'm a doctor, I will do everything I can to cure her. We will live a long life and grow old together. Even if we never have children, having her is enough for me," Song Yan replied firmly.
After finishing his words, he stood up and said, "Mother, you should return to the capital as soon as possible. I'm busy and won't be able to accompany you anymore."
Sitting alone in her chair, Mother Song watched her son's retreating figure and let out a weary sigh. She had once hoped her son would escape the fate she couldn't, but in the end, he still walked the same path.
Looking out the window, she could only hope that the girl he loved would be able to bear his overwhelming affection and wouldn't abandon him the way his father once abandoned her.
