Chapter 36

Chapter 36: His Vasectomy Wound The air inside the car fell silent in an instant. Secretary Shen thought he had misheard, stammering, "G-g-getting... married?" He must have misheard, right? Given how newlywed the boss and Youth Lin were—they hadn't even been married for half a month yet. Getting married made sense. Why would he be getting a vasectomy? Yu Jianghai looked up at him, and Secretary Shen immediately shut his mouth, becoming a quiet, obedient driver. Meanwhile, Lin Meiyan, sitting in the backseat with Yu Jianghai, was clearly stunned. "What did you say?" The dim lighting inside the car couldn't hide her beautiful face. Yu Jianghai said nothing, simply taking her hand and placing it on his trousers. Lin Meiyan's hands were very fair, with slender fingers, except for a few thin calluses on her palms and fingertips. Yu Jianghai rubbed them gently. Lin Meiyan stiffened slightly, then leaned down, positioning herself below Yu Jianghai's face, tilting her head up to look at him as she asked softly, "Yu Jianghai, what did you just say you were going to do?" Never mind Secretary Shen—even Lin Meiyan herself thought she must have misheard. Yu Jianghai didn't answer. He just smiled. "Yanyan, you'll know when we get there." Half an hour later, the car arrived at Jiangcheng People's Hospital. Secretary Shen was the first to run out and open the car door—first for Yu Jianghai, who then went to open Lin Meiyan's door. Lin Meiyan was still somewhat dazed. Yu Jianghai held her wrist and navigated to Dr. Yue's office with practiced ease. Just as they were about to enter, Lin Meiyan suddenly said to Yu Jianghai, "Yu Jianghai, think this through carefully. Once you go in, there's no turning back." Yu Jianghai's expression didn't change. "I don't take the road back." —Except when it came to Lin Meiyan. He knocked on the door, and after a moment, a voice came from inside Dr. Yue's office. "Come in." They had arrived at a fortunate time—Dr. Yue happened to be on duty. He assumed it was an ordinary patient, but when he looked up and saw Yu Jianghai, he froze for a moment. "President Yu? What brings you here?" He even stood up proactively to exchange pleasantries. No surprise there—over the years, Yu Jianghai had given him far too much. Back in those days, the regulations weren't so strict, and Dr. Yue didn't just draw a salary from the People's Hospital—he also drew one from Yu Jianghai. That's right, he also worked part-time as Yu Jianghai's family physician, and the family physician salary was much higher than what he earned as a hospital doctor. What was this? This was more money, less work, and higher pay. Who wouldn't love a boss like that? But this time, Dr. Yue was curious—Yu Jianghai hadn't called him over; instead, he had come to Dr. Yue's office in person. What, was his job in jeopardy? Yu Jianghai walked in holding Lin Meiyan's hand, his voice calm. "Brought my wife in for a check-up." Dr. Yue's gaze fell on their interlocked fingers, then traveled upward. If he remembered correctly, the last time Secretary Shen had invited him to Yu Jianghai's office, the person lying on that bed was this very woman. Dr. Yue quickly formed a plan in his mind. He smiled warmly. "President Yu, you got married and didn't even invite me for a wedding toast—that's really quite something." "The banquet hasn't been held yet." A man like Yu Jianghai rarely explained himself, but he did now. "When we hold the banquet in the future, we'll be sure to invite you." His explanation actually flattered Dr. Yue, who hurriedly said, "Then I'll be waiting for that!" With that, he walked over to his desk and sat down, asking, "What seems to be the problem with Comrade Lin?" How was Lin Meiyan supposed to answer that? She felt a bit embarrassed. If it were a stranger, that would be one thing, but this person happened to be someone Yu Jianghai knew well. She instinctively looked up at Yu Jianghai. Yu Jianghai remained composed. He led Lin Meiyan to sit down, then unhurriedly said to Dr. Yue, "We were intimate yesterday, and in the rush, we didn't take any contraceptive measures. See if you can think of something for my wife?" Think of what? Naturally, a method that would do minimal harm to her body. Dr. Yue was somewhat surprised—he hadn't expected Yu Jianghai and Lin Meiyan's relationship to progress so quickly. But as a doctor who had honed his skills over many years, his expression betrayed nothing. "How long ago?" He really did look like a physician questioning a patient. Yu Jianghai said, "Less than seven hours." "That's still within the window, but there's no guarantee it will be one hundred percent effective in preventing pregnancy." Dr. Yue thought for a moment, then said honestly, "I don't practice gynecology or obstetrics here." "Let me introduce your wife to a female doctor?" Yu Jianghai was more than happy with that—he didn't want a male doctor like Dr. Yue examining Lin Meiyan anyway. He gave a grunt of acknowledgment. Dr. Yue breathed a sigh of relief and personally escorted Lin Meiyan to the gynecology department on the second floor. After explaining everything to the doctor there, he left. Seeing how seriously Dr. Yue treated Lin Meiyan, the gynecologist curiously glanced at her after he was gone. "Are you dating Dr. Yue?" Dr. Yue was thirty-one this year, unmarried and single—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him young and accomplished. Lin Meiyan let out a soft "ah" — she was a bit surprised, then shook her head. "I'm married." "My husband is acquainted with Dr. Yue." Hearing that she was married, the other woman dropped the matter. But thanks to the connection through Dr. Yue, she was very accommodating throughout the examination and when prescribing medication. She even helped Lin Meiyan rinse her private area separately. "It's a bit swollen and red down here. I'll prescribe some ointment for you to take home and have your husband apply for you. But—" She paused, then offered a word of advice. "When you and your husband are intimate, tell him not to be so rough." Lin Meiyan's face flushed bright red in an instant, so hot she felt like she might explode. She stammered and nodded. The gynecologist looked at her and couldn't help shaking her head. "Newlyweds are so thin-skinned. Call your husband in — I'll tell him myself." Lin Meiyan wanted to say no need — she couldn't bear that kind of scene. Unfortunately, Yu Jianghai, who had been waiting at the door, had already heard the commotion and strode in quickly. The gynecologist was surprised when she saw who it was. "You're President Yu of Jianghai Dicai?" The reason they knew him was because Dr. Yue had taken on a side job as a personal physician for the president of Jianghai Dicai — his monthly salary was more than triple what they made at the hospital. How could they not be envious? Yu Jianghai gave a brief "Mm." The female doctor hesitated for a moment, but ultimately upheld her professional duty and explained everything thoroughly. "Your wife has delicate skin, and that area is quite tender. When you're intimate, be more careful — don't use brute force and charge in recklessly." "She's swollen quite a bit down there." Yu Jianghai genuinely hadn't known any of this. He turned to look at Lin Meiyan. She had her head lowered as far as it would go, her fair face flushed crimson — from the look of her, she wished she could find a crack in the floor to crawl into. Seeing her reaction, Yu Jianghai understood everything without further explanation. He gave an "Mm" and began asking the female doctor detailed questions. The doctor listed several precautions, and he noted each one. Finally, seeing that he was actually listening, she added a bit more. "The most effective method is to use condoms — that can significantly reduce harm to a woman's body." Yu Jianghai indicated that he understood. When he stood up, he thanked her, then glanced at Secretary Shen. Secretary Shen understood immediately. After Yu Jianghai and Lin Meiyan left, Secretary Shen lingered behind, deliberately closing the office door before handing the female doctor a large red envelope in private. "Dr. Chen, this is a small token of appreciation from our boss." Dr. Chen was about to refuse when Secretary Shen continued, "From now on, we'll be counting on you to take good care of our boss's wife." Dr. Yue was a male doctor — when it came to examinations, he naturally wasn't as convenient as a female gynecologist. Dr. Chen paused. "I don't want the red envelope." She pushed it back, which left Secretary Shen utterly bewildered — was there really money that couldn't be given away in this world? Dr. Chen hesitated, then finally stated her true intention. "Does your boss still need a personal physician?" "Whatever Dr. Yue can do, I can do too!" Doctors' salaries were low these days — it clearly wasn't realistic to support a family on that kind of pay. A golden side gig like Dr. Yue's was exactly what she wanted. Before Secretary Shen could answer, Dr. Yue poked his head in through the door, looking aggrieved. "Chen Fang, I refer patients to you and you poach my clients? That's not right." Dr. Chen wasn't embarrassed at all. "You see male patients, I see female patients." "You can't take over the gynecology work, and I can't take over yours." "We each do our own job." Dr. Yue said, "Deal!" He agreed readily enough, which surprised Dr. Chen — she'd expected him to grumble a bit, but he didn't at all. Instead, he'd even generously recommended her. Dr. Chen went to ask Secretary Shen, "Secretary Shen, do you think I could become the gynecology personal physician for Jianghai Dicai?" This— Secretary Shen really couldn't answer that on the spot. "That's not something I can decide. I'll need to report to my boss first." Dr. Chen nodded. "I'm not in a hurry. When there's a result, just have Dr. Yue pass me a message." "I'd be more than happy to be a personal physician!" What she wanted was exactly that — a personal physician position. What could Secretary Shen even say to that? He nodded to her and left. Meanwhile, Yu Jianghai was accompanying Lin Meiyan to pick up her medication. Truth be told, this kind of task was hardly something that required Yu Jianghai's presence. One word from him and someone else would have handled it. But Yu Jianghai didn't want that — even doing the most trivial things together with Lin Meiyan brought him joy. After they finished picking up the medicine and came out, Secretary Shen walked over quickly. "Boss." He murmured something in Yu Jianghai's ear. Yu Jianghai frowned slightly, but gave his answer quickly. "Fine." Secretary Shen acknowledged with an "Mm." "Then I'll go let Dr. Chen know." "Know what?" After Secretary Shen left, Lin Meiyan couldn't help but ask Yu Jianghai about it. He said lightly, "Dr. Chen, who treated you before, wants to come to Jianghai Dicai as a family doctor." Actually, that wasn't it. She wanted to be Lin Meiyan's personal gynecologist. After hearing this, Lin Meiyan subconsciously furrowed her brows. "For me?" Yu Jianghai held her hand, leading the way ahead. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a cold and imposing aura. Standing in front of her, he shielded her from the jostling of passersby. In response to Lin Meiyan's question, he hummed in acknowledgment. Lin Meiyan was led along by him, tilting her head up to look at him. "There's no need. If I get sick, I can just come to the hospital myself." "Besides, people don't stay sick forever." Yu Jianghai looked at the patients coming and going in the hospital lobby, his furrowed brows almost capable of crushing a mosquito. "The hospital isn't as convenient as a family doctor." "Moreover." He turned and pulled Lin Meiyan closer into his embrace, just in time to avoid a patient bumping into her. He said, "A family doctor doesn't cost much anyway." Nonsense. A doctor's monthly salary was one hundred and thirty yuan, and Yu Jianghai was paying the family doctor three times the market rate—over three thousand a year. For an ordinary family, earning three thousand was already out of reach, let alone supporting a family doctor. Lin Meiyan wanted to say something more, but Yu Jianghai gazed at her. "Yanyan, the hospital is crowded and bustling. I'm not at ease." "Besides, privacy is very important when it comes to medical care." Not like now, wandering around the hospital—if they came one day, by the next day everyone would know about it. Lin Meiyan pressed her lips together and ultimately didn't refuse. Yu Jianghai took her to get the medication, then led her to Dr. Yue's office. Dr. Yue had already made the arrangements. He said to Yu Jianghai, "President Yu, please follow me to the operating room." Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment. He turned back to look at Lin Meiyan. "Wait here for me for a moment." He paused, then added deliberately, "It'll be quick." Lin Meiyan immediately understood. Almost reflexively, she grabbed Yu Jianghai's hand. "Do you really have to do it?" She looked up at him, her autumn-water eyes filled with disapproval. From Yu Jianghai's angle, her face was delicate, fair, and smooth. Especially those bright eyes that could melt a person's heart. "It's a minor thing. I'll be back soon." He raised his hand to pat her head. "Don't worry, Yanyan." Lin Meiyan said nothing. She clutched his wrist and refused to let go. "Yu Jianghai." She tried to persuade him further, but Yu Jianghai's mind was made up. "I asked Dr. Yue. The fastest is twenty minutes." "Wait outside for me, alright?" He gazed at her, his tone very gentle. This was a side of Yu Jianghai that Dr. Yue had never seen before. He was somewhat surprised, thinking to himself that President Yu seemed to have become a different person in front of Youth Lin. How to put it? It was like tempered steel turning into a gentle wrap around one's finger. Lin Meiyan slowly released Yu Jianghai's hand, her face full of worry. Yu Jianghai reassured her, "Dr. Yue is very skilled and very professional. Don't worry." Lin Meiyan looked at Dr. Yue, who nodded with a serious expression. "Ten years wielding the scalpel." "Never made a mistake." Of course, if it weren't for that, he wouldn't have entered the Jiangcheng People's Hospital right after graduation. After all, the doctors who could get into this hospital at a young age were all the cream of the crop. Only then did Lin Meiyan fall silent. She watched Yu Jianghai enter the operating room, then sat on the long bench in the hospital corridor, waiting quietly. Secretary Shen went to get a cup of water, and Lin Meiyan took the medicine Dr. Chen had prescribed earlier with it. Seeing her worried, Secretary Shen comforted her, "My boss has always had this intention. It's just that he never had the chance to carry it out before." Lin Meiyan: "??" Listen to that—what kind of shocking words were these? Seeing that she didn't believe it, Secretary Shen added a bit more. "Really. Before the boss found you, Director Yu often introduced him to potential marriage partners. To settle it once and for all, my boss wanted to come and get a vasectomy." But at that time, he hadn't found Lin Meiyan yet, so Yu Jianghai didn't dare. He was afraid of accidents. "And now?" Lin Meiyan asked, "He's not afraid of accidents now?" Secretary Shen thought for a moment, then said very seriously, "Youth Lin, I think for the boss, he would rather have something happen to himself than to you." That was Yu Jianghai's true intention. The moment those words fell, Lin Meiyan was stunned. Her heart was in turmoil. Of course, she couldn't say a single word either. For a moment, there was only the sound of footsteps from people passing through the corridor. She stared at the door of the operating room, feeling for the first time that time was passing far too slowly. Inside the operating room. Dr. Yue was fully equipped. Holding a silver scalpel, he said to Yu Jianghai, "President Yu, once I make this cut, it will be very difficult for you to have a reversal in the future." A vasectomy is easy to perform; the hard part is the reversal surgery. The lights on the operating table were somewhat glaring. Yu Jianghai closed his eyes to rest, his voice calm. "Go ahead." He didn't want to bring Lin Meiyan to the hospital for birth control pills a second time. As for condoms— The size didn't fit; there was no need to force it. Dr. Yue glanced at him under the bright surgical light, noting his indifferent expression that betrayed nothing. He felt even more admiration for the man. Anyone looking at him would think he was heading to a contract negotiation, not a vasectomy. "President Yu, let me first explain the risks clearly." Dr. Yue's face was gentle and professional. "Once you undergo the procedure, you and Youth Lin will not be able to have a second child." In other words, you and Youth Lin will only have Qiaoqiao as your daughter for the rest of your lives. Yu Jianghai opened his eyes, deep and calm. "Mm." "Will it affect usage?" The question made even Dr. Yue a bit awkward. He gripped the scalpel, his expression serious. "No, it won't. My technique is very good." He practiced integrated Chinese and Western medicine, skilled in both internal and surgical fields—calling him a general practitioner wouldn't be an overstatement. Yu Jianghai folded his hands over his lower abdomen, his expression stern, his voice indifferent. "Begin." Dr. Yue nodded and administered the anesthesia. Throughout the process, he kept observing the man's expression, and seeing that he didn't even furrow his brow, he continued. Dr. Yue was very professional—or rather, doctors these days were all highly capable, because there were so few of them that one doctor had to do the work of ten. That was how Dr. Yue had been honed. It took him only fifteen minutes to complete all the steps, and with a touch of playful mischief, he tied a neat black bow at the final stitch. He examined his work for a moment, unable to suppress a flicker of pride. He was a genius! Unfortunately, this genius work couldn't be shown to the patient. After quickly tidying up, he said to Yu Jianghai, "President Yu, since this is your first day post-surgery, you'll need to stay under observation for twenty-four hours. Once we confirm there are no issues, you can be discharged." Yu Jianghai opened his eyes, his long lashes shadowing his eyelids and masking most of his emotions. He hummed in acknowledgment and sat up to get dressed. Dr. Yue moved first. "Let me, let me." He crouched down to help Yu Jianghai put on his pants, but Yu Jianghai frowned slightly. He didn't like this gesture from Dr. Yue. "Can my wife come in?" His voice was somewhat hoarse—perhaps an effect of the anesthesia—and his mind was briefly hazy, but he remembered clearly enough to protect his dignity. Dr. Yue stood up, still holding the pants, and explained, "President Yu, in a doctor's eyes, there's no gender distinction. Besides, we're both men." Yu Jianghai took the pants and covered himself. "Let my wife come in." His tone carried a faint command. Dr. Yue couldn't argue with him, so he went to the operating room door and called out to Lin Meiyan, "Youth Lin, come over here. President Yu is looking for you." That nearly scared Lin Meiyan to death! She thought something had gone wrong during Yu Jianghai's surgery. She hurried over in a few quick steps, her face turning pale. "Dr. Yue, did something happen to Yu Jianghai?" Dr. Yue looked at her and couldn't help but be struck by her beauty—fragile like a gardenia beaten by rain. No wonder President Yu kept her so close to his heart. Dr. Yue shook his head. "No, he's fine. Go in and help him get dressed." "Huh?" Clearly, Lin Meiyan couldn't keep up with his train of thought. A moment later, Lin Meiyan entered the operating room and saw Yu Jianghai lying on the hospital bed, waiting for her to come in and help him put on his pants. Lin Meiyan: "..." She couldn't help but say, "Yu Jianghai, Dr. Yue could have helped you with the pants too." Why did he insist on her coming in? He'd nearly scared her to death. "I only want you to do it." Yu Jianghai's voice was calm. "Only you can." When Dr. Yue heard this, he thought to himself—well, he'd just performed the vasectomy on President Yu, so why didn't he say only Lin Meiyan could do that? Really. Picky about who touches him regardless of the situation! So fussy! Lin Meiyan didn't know what to say to that, but she cooperated and helped Yu Jianghai put on his pants. When she saw the bow tied at his wound— Her eyes widened in surprise. "What's wrong?" Yu Jianghai couldn't see it; the anesthesia hadn't worn off yet, so he couldn't bend down. Lin Meiyan instinctively glanced at Dr. Yue, who also looked a bit embarrassed and pretended not to notice. Lin Meiyan shook her head. "Nothing." Yanyan and Dr. Yue shared a secret. When Yu Jianghai realized this, he felt extremely displeased. Fortunately, Lin Meiyan had already finished helping him put on his pants. She pushed him out while asking Dr. Yue about the precautions for the coming days. Dr. Yue said, "Just keep a light diet. Avoid soy sauce, and avoid foods like fish, shrimp, and peanuts that may aggravate the wound." "Stay in the hospital for observation for a day first. Once we confirm there are no issues, you can be discharged. For three months after discharge, no intercourse." At this, Yu Jianghai suddenly looked up, his drowsy gaze sharpening by several degrees. Dr. Yue said, "President Yu, I am stating the facts. I must ask that you, as a patient, follow the doctor's orders." "If you have intercourse before the scheduled time, it could harm you, and it might also render this vasectomy surgery pointless." Before Yu Jianghai could answer, Lin Meiyan blushed and said, "I'll keep an eye on him." Dr. Yue thought to herself, the family member is much easier to deal with than the patient. After Lin Meiyan pushed Yu Jianghai out, she couldn't help but say, "Yu Jianghai, you need to listen to the doctor." Yu Jianghai sat in the wheelchair, eyes closed, resting. "I won't." His bone structure was exceptionally handsome—high brow bones, deep eye sockets, and when his eyes were closed, his lashes were impossibly long, practically a lash god. Lin Meiyan was momentarily stunned. Almost reflexively, she asked, "If you won't listen to the doctor, who will you listen to?" "To you." At that, Lin Meiyan fell silent too. Fortunately, a nurse came over to guide them. By the time Yu Jianghai had his surgery, Secretary Shen had already arranged the hospital room—a private one. One person per room, complete with a dedicated washroom. That was quite special. After Lin Meiyan pushed Yu Jianghai in, the only thought she had upon seeing the room was that not everyone had to squeeze into a shared ward after all. Even when she had given birth, she'd shared a room with five other pregnant women—noisy and chaotic. But this room was exceptionally quiet. Lin Meiyan and Secretary Shen helped Yu Jianghai lie down on the hospital bed together. Secretary Shen had even brought along work from Jianghai Dicai. Lu Qingyuan also came along—he had just returned from a business trip and wanted to report the results to Yu Jianghai, but couldn't find him at Jianghai Dicai or Linji. Instead, he found him at the hospital. Where was Lu Qingyuan supposed to go to make sense of that? "Wait, Old Yu, how did you end up in the hospital?" Yu Jianghai didn't answer. Lu Qingyuan stepped out and checked the sign by the door. "Urology." Indeed, it was a urology ward, no mistake. "Wait, Old Yu, did you discover you're impotent after getting married?" Listen to how absurd that was. Yu Jianghai frowned, not answering his question but asking instead, "Have all the suppliers been secured?" The second phase of Jianghai Dicai was about to break ground, and all the preliminary materials like construction supplies needed to be fully prepared. After all, you couldn't start construction and then prepare—that would be too late. Once construction began and all the workers were in place, even if they weren't working, the daily labor costs would be enormous. "All secured. All goods will be stocked by the end of the month." That was exactly what Yu Jianghai wanted to hear. He grunted in acknowledgment. "Has the date been set?" The so-called date referred to the groundbreaking day for Jianghai Dicai. People in construction tended to believe in a bit of mysticism—for major occasions like breaking ground, they would deliberately pick an auspicious day. "September first." After hearing this, Yu Jianghai frowned slightly. "On the first, my daughter starts school." He definitely had to take Qiaoqiao to school. "The kindergarten is so close to Jianghai Dicai Phase Two. After you drop off Qiaoqiao, you can come over for the groundbreaking ceremony. No problem." Lu Qingyuan had it all arranged nicely. Yu Jianghai grunted. "Then let's go with that plan." "Today is August twenty-sixth. There are five days until groundbreaking. Keep a close eye on things during this period—don't let anything go wrong." Lu Qingyuan naturally agreed without hesitation. While they discussed work, Lin Meiyan quietly stepped out. As she left, she carried a thermos to fill it with hot water at the boiler room. "Have you really thought this through? After the vasectomy, Qiaoqiao will be the only child you'll ever have." Lu Qingyuan waited until Lin Meiyan had left before speaking in a low voice to Yu Jianghai. Yu Jianghai looked up. "Mm." "With assets as massive as Jianghai Dicai, you're going to give it all to your daughter?" There was a hint of probing in those words. Once Yu Jianghai had the vasectomy, it meant he would never have another child of his own. And Jianghai Dicai, such a vast commercial empire, would have no heir. As for Qiaoqiao, she was his child too, but she was a girl. When she grew up, she would marry someone. Then the vast Jianghai Dicai would become someone else's family's property. Could Yu Jianghai be content with giving away what he had built through a lifetime of struggle? Yu Jianghai said, "What are you trying to say?" He fixed his gaze on Lu Qingyuan. Even though the two had known each other for years, Lu Qingyuan still felt his scalp tingle. "Just what I said." "Old Yu, don't tell me you don't understand." Yu Jianghai stared at him. "What's mine is Qiaoqiao's." "She'll be the only child I'll ever have in this lifetime." That was clear enough. Because love is about owing, about making up for it. That was true for Yu Jianghai. Lu Qingyuan understood. He couldn't help but give a thumbs up. "You're something else." Most people really didn't have that kind of conviction. "You don't want a son?" Even Lu Qingyuan himself still held old-fashioned views, believing that the family business needed a son to inherit. It wasn't that he was old-fashioned—it was just the tradition. Yu Jianghai closed his eyes, his tone indifferent. "Having Qiaoqiao is enough for me." One child was enough. Lin Meiyan had forgotten something and turned back to get her money. She walked to the door of the hospital room and happened to overhear those words. She stood at the doorway for a long time, unable to snap out of it. "Yu Jianghai," she murmured. "I'm sorry." She shouldn't have done that. Lin Meiyan fled from the hospital room door as if escaping a famine, standing by the window and gazing at the unobstructed sky outside, her heart a tangle of mixed emotions. She had known long ago that Yu Jianghai would be a good father, but hearing those words with her own ears still made her feel fortunate for Qiaoqiao. At least from the perspective of choosing a father, the father she had picked for Qiaoqiao was the right one. Not every father could unwaveringly want only a daughter. Nor could every father be willing to leave his vast family fortune to his only daughter. At least here, Yu Jianghai was the exception. Lin Meiyan stood in place for a long time before carrying her thermos to the hot water room. But just as she filled it and was about to leave, she ran into Mother Yu, who had also come to fetch water. Their eyes met. Mother Yu was somewhat surprised. "What are you doing here?" Before Lin Meiyan could answer, Mother Yu seemed to think of something. "Are you here to visit my Old Yu?" She was even a little pleased. "Comrade Lin, I knew you were a sensible one." "The conflict between my Old Yu and Jiang Hai is all because of you. The fact that you're willing to visit my Old Yu, I'm truly—" happy. Those two words hadn't even been finished when Lin Meiyan cut her off. "No." "No what?" Mother Yu was taken aback. Lin Meiyan didn't explain further, just quickly capped her thermos, turned around, and made to leave. Mother Yu chased after her. "You're not here to visit our Old Yu? Then what are you doing here?" "This is the VIP ward." Ordinary people couldn't possibly be on this floor. Lin Meiyan paused mid-step, glanced back at Mother Yu, and said, "I'm not here to visit Comrade Yu." She left after dropping those words. Mother Yu watched her go, still puzzled. She filled her own thermos and returned to the hospital room. The moment she stepped inside, she said to Father Yu, "Old Yu, do you know who I just saw here?" "Who?" Father Yu was still a bit surprised. He'd been staying here for over a week now and could clearly feel his body recovering quite a bit. Mother Yu's words reached her lips but she swallowed them back. "No one." She was afraid that mentioning the name Lin Meiyan would set her husband off again. She could keep it hidden, but Yu Qingya came bustling in noisily, carrying the meals she'd gotten from the cafeteria, her face full of shock as she entered the room. "Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, do you know who I just saw in the hospital room?" Mother Yu wanted to stop her but it was already too late. Yu Qingya, like a string of firecrackers, rattled off in a burst, "I saw sister-in-law in the room next door." The moment the words "sister-in-law" came out, both Mother Yu and Father Yu looked over at the same time. Father Yu frowned. "Lin Meiyan? How could she possibly be here?" How would Yu Qingya know that? She immediately realized she'd misspoken. Father Yu also caught on, and he looked at Mother Yu. "The one you ran into just now was also Lin Meiyan?" There was no hiding it now. Mother Yu could only nod, letting out an "Mm." "It was her." "But how could she be here?" "This is the VIP ward—ordinary people can't get in." That was a good question. "Qingya, go find out." Father Yu gave the order without hesitation. Yu Qingya was reluctant. "I'm not going to go find out. What if I hear something bad—do I tell you or not?" "Dad, just rest and recover. Why do you care what she's doing?" Actually, she wanted to call her sister-in-law, but she was afraid of agitating Father Yu. Father Yu shot her a glare and got out of bed himself. "If you won't go, I'll go see for myself." Mother Yu and Yu Qingya naturally tried to stop him again, and in the end, Yu Qingya had no choice but to agree. But after she made a round and came back, her expression was somewhat strange. She didn't know where to begin. Just then, a nurse came by to give Father Yu an injection. Seeing him there, the nurse teased, "Dean Yu, your son really treats your daughter-in-law well." No argument there. The hospital wasn't that big. Yu Jianghai had his vasectomy in the morning, and by the afternoon, the news had spread throughout the entire hospital. Father Yu suppressed his temper and asked, "What do you mean?" "You don't know yet?" The nurse said with a smile. "Your son got a vasectomy this morning so your daughter-in-law wouldn't have to suffer through pregnancy." The moment those words landed, the room fell into dead silence. "What did you say?" Father Yu couldn't help but repeat, "What did you say?!" He asked twice in a row. The nurse also realized she'd misspoken. She stammered, "It's just that President Yu got a vasectomy." Everyone knew President Yu. When Father Yu was brought in for emergency treatment, President Yu had been the one keeping watch at the hospital. Through all that back and forth, everyone naturally became familiar with his face. This time, even if Father Yu wanted to pretend he hadn't heard, it was impossible. His expression turned extremely ugly. After the nurse left, he yanked the needle out of the back of his hand. With a soft pop, blood splattered a good distance. Mother Yu gasped, "Old Yu, Old Yu!" She tried to support Father Yu, but he shoved her aside, charging out like an aging tiger, reckless and unstoppable. "Don't stop me." He turned back to look at Mother Yu. "I don't believe it. I don't believe it—our son got a vasectomy." "Do you believe it?" Their Jiang Hai was only just past thirty, so young, with such a promising future and career. How could he have gotten a vasectomy? How? Mother Yu didn't believe it either. Questioned by Father Yu, she ultimately didn't stop him. Father Yu, leaning on his cane, made his way out of the ward, asked for the room number, and headed straight to Yu Jianghai's ward. Inside the ward, Lin Meiyan had fetched hot water and wiped Yu Jianghai's face and hands. He had basically finished most of his work. He loved these moments alone with Lin Meiyan. He also loved how she took care of him down to the smallest detail. No—rather than saying Lin Meiyan came to take care of him, it was more accurate to say he loved that her heart and eyes were filled with nothing but him. At that thought, Yu Jianghai took her hand. "No need to keep busy. Sit down and rest for a while." Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment. Yu Jianghai had Secretary Shen find a pair of nail clippers. With nothing else to do, he lifted her hand and began trimming her nails. Her nails were delicate, pink and glossy, beautiful like fine pearl shells. Yu Jianghai couldn't bear to let go. Lin Meiyan, on the other hand, was a little exasperated. "Yu Jianghai, you're the patient. I'm not the patient." There was no reason for the patient to take care of her. Yu Jianghai focused on trimming her nails, every stroke meticulous. "Does it hurt?" Lin Meiyan shook her head. Yu Jianghai said slowly, "I used to trim your nails before." "And I'll still be the one to trim them in the future." "Even if you're hospitalized?" "Mm. Even if I'm hospitalized, sick, old, or dying." He looked into Lin Meiyan's eyes. "Yanyan, as long as I'm here." —As long as I'm always here. His gaze was too scorching. Lin Meiyan instinctively looked away, lowering her eyes, her long lashes veiling her emotions. "Yu Jianghai." "You don't have to do this." Her voice was barely a murmur. She felt she couldn't bear such heavy love from him. Yu Jianghai held her hand, lifted it to his lips, and gave it a light peck—so gentle, like a dragonfly skimming the water. "I'm happy to." His voice was low, carrying a hint of delightful satisfaction. He was thoroughly enjoying himself. Lin Meiyan didn't know what to say to that. She looked up at Yu Jianghai. In just one day, a thick stubble had grown on his chin. She suddenly asked, "Did you bring a razor?" Yu Jianghai shook his head. "It's at home." Lin Meiyan seemed a little disappointed. "Then when I go back to pack your hospital things, I'll bring it along." Yu Jianghai let out a low, muffled laugh. "Are you going to shave me?" "Mm." Lin Meiyan said softly, "Is that not allowed?" "Allowed." Yu Jianghai caught her hand, clearly amused. "Then since I can't move right now, will you feed me?" Lin Meiyan's gaze drifted downward, lingering briefly on the middle of his hospital pants. Her voice was a little flustered. "Yu Jianghai, you got a vasectomy, not your hands cut off. How can you not eat on your own?" "But I want you to feed me." The air seemed to go still. Lin Meiyan's face grew warm, and she tried to pull away. "Yu Jianghai, you're being unreasonable." Yu Jianghai didn't let go. He just gazed at her, his stare intensely possessive. If you looked closely, it also held a barely concealed fondness. Lin Meiyan ultimately conceded. After a long moment, her voice drifted out, "Fine, fine, fine, fine—I'll feed you until you live forever." Yu Jianghai loved hearing that. He said, "Good." The air went quiet, as if something had shifted between them. The two locked eyes, until the ward door was suddenly shoved open with force. The next second, a furious voice rang out, "Yu Jianghai!" "Yu Jianghai, how dare you—how dare you get a vasectomy?!" Author's note: Yu Jianghai: I dared!