Forever by Your Side Until Old Age

The memory of that suspicious car accident left me feeling restless and unsettled, a dull ache throbbing in my head. Sigh! I should stop thinking about Sister Ye; even if her accident was a calculated murder, there is nothing I can do. Her fate, good or ill, is in her own hands now.

Despite these thoughts, my heart felt heavy and uneasy. The reason was simple: I genuinely wanted to help her, but I was at a complete loss as to how, and this helplessness only fueled my anxiety.

My pre-ordered breakfast arrived in the morning. As I was eating, I received a call from Sister Li, who said she was coming to the hospital to visit me.

"Sister, please don't worry," I said. "I'm really not in any serious trouble; I’ll be discharged in a few days. You don't need to go through the trouble of coming here."

"Little brother," she replied, "I’ve already arrived in Qingxi. Tell me which bed you’re in. Also, what would you like for breakfast? I’ll bring some over for you."

"Sister, there’s no need to trouble yourself, I’ve already eaten..." After she asked for the hospital address and room number, she added, "I’ll be there in a few dozen minutes."

"Sister, don't rush. Have your breakfast first before you come."

A short while later, Sister Li arrived at my ward, accompanied by Xiao Lu. Since I had driven Sister Li’s Mercedes G-Wagon and left it at Jin Yulian’s company, she had hitched a ride with Xiao Lu. Xiao Lu is my immediate supervisor, so it was only natural for her to accompany Sister Li to check on me, given that I was hospitalized with injuries.

After some polite exchanges, Sister Li looked at my head, which was wrapped up like a mummy, and felt a pang of heartache, asking me one question after another. Xiao Lu chatted for a bit, then made an excuse about having other matters to attend to and took her leave. As for my absence from work, it was simply recorded as sick leave.

Once Xiao Lu had gone, Sister Li sat by my bedside and began to press me for details. Being the only family I had, I didn't hold back, telling her everything about A-Yun and Ling Xue, though I omitted some minor details and simply mentioned that they both seemed to have feelings for me.

Hearing this, Sister Li sighed, "Of course they both like you. If they didn't, why would they bother coming to the hospital to sit by your bed?"

I gave a bitter laugh. "Sister, I don't know how to choose anymore. While Ling Xue is quite wonderful, her mind is too calculating, and I’m a bit afraid of her. As for A-Yun, although she is great, our bond doesn't seem particularly solid, and I lack the confidence..."

Sister Li comforted me, "Don't overthink it. Everything will work out in the end. It would be a great stroke of luck to marry either one of them. I’m just worried that if you end up with neither, all this joy will have been for nothing, and that would be truly tragic."

I laughed, "Sister, are you cursing me?"

"Little brother, how could I?" she replied. "I’m just reminding you. I’m worried you’ll experience a great fall after such highs; the blow would be devastating."

"Listening to your tone, it seems you don't have much faith in your little brother?" I asked.

Sister Li sighed, "Little brother, you might not understand the nature of high-society marriages. The waters there are too deep! Even if a wealthy heiress likes you, it is very difficult to succeed without the standing to match her status."

I nodded. "Well, Ling Xue said that when the snow falls next year, I should come to marry her..."

"It seems she wants you to achieve something within the year so that you’ll be qualified to marry her," Sister Li observed.

"I think that’s what she means," I said, "but achieving anything of note in a year is easier said than done."

Sister Li offered, "Little brother, if you really want to start a business, I can help you with ten million..."

I laughed, "Sister, that’s your dowry! How could I ever take that?"

She gave a wry smile. "Little brother, I’ve come to understand things. I no longer think about that heartless man. Living life freely and on my own terms—how carefree and happy that would be."

"If that’s truly how you feel, Sister, then I will accompany you until we grow old," I said.

"Don't say such bleak things," she replied. "You are still young and have a bright future to build. I’m already old and just want to spend the rest of my life in peace."

I comforted her, "Sister, you’re only in your thirties; you’re in the golden prime of your beauty. Many actresses in their forties still dress like young girls, pretending to be youthful."

Sister Li laughed, "How can I compare to those stars? They are beautiful and have fans cheering them on!"

"Sister," I insisted with a grin, "your looks are no less than theirs. In my eyes, some of those stars aren't even as pretty as you!"

Sister Li said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; you’re just trying to flatter me..." After saying this, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, perhaps realizing she had misspoken.

Shifting the subject, she said, "Little brother, before I came today, I looked at some real estate listings. There’s a villa for sale in the Nanshan New Residence district in Qingxi that looks quite nice. It has just been renovated and never lived in; the owner likely ran into a capital crunch and is listing it at a low price."

The Nanshan New Residence area is located on the outskirts of Qingxi District. It takes half an hour to drive to Qingxi’s city center and about forty minutes to downtown Mingzhou. Simply put, it was originally at the border between Qingxi County and Mingzhou, but now there is a subway station nearby. By subway, it takes less than half an hour to reach downtown Mingzhou and only about twenty minutes to reach the Qingxi city station.

"Sister, are you planning to buy a villa?" I asked. She nodded, "My foster mother likes to grow flowers and plants, so a villa is the most suitable choice!"

I nodded, "Nanshan New Residence is in Qingxi, which is a valley in the Mingzhou housing market. Buying a villa there is a good deal. By the way, have you been there to see it yourself?"

"I’ve seen the photos online," she said. "It really is quite nice. It’s a detached unit with a private courtyard for flowers, plants, and trees. The price is about twenty percent lower than the market rate, around six million, but they require full payment."

"Sister, a good house won't wait for anyone," I advised. "If you want it, be decisive. If you hesitate, someone else will snap it up."

"I’ve already made an appointment with the real estate agent," she replied. "I’ll drive over to take a look later, and if it’s suitable, I’ll sign the contract."

I handed her the car keys and told her the vehicle was parked at Jin Yulian's company. After a few more words, Sister Li left.