Chapter 402 - 232: Jiang Sifan: Mom, If I Forgive Dad, What About You?

Chapter 402: Chapter 232: Jiang Sifan: Mom, If I Forgive Dad, What About You?

Wen Wan nodded and turned to walk toward the dormitory building.

After a few steps, she looked back at them one more time, waved, and then quickly ran into the building.

The car continued on, heading toward the men’s dormitory.

Jiang Sifan sat in the back, silent the whole time.

Lu Fan glanced at him in the rearview mirror and asked with a smile, "What’s wrong? Still worried?"

Jiang Sifan shook his head, his voice a little low. "I’m not worried. I just feel... I really have you to thank for everything this time."

Lu Fan chuckled. "You’re my son. Who else would I help?"

Jiang Sifan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Thank you."

Lu Fan was taken aback for a second, then he laughed and waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, that’s enough thanks. You should get some rest when you get back. You’ve been completely worn out these past two days."

The car stopped in front of the men’s dormitory.

Jiang Sifan pushed the door open and got out.

He stood by the car, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly turned and gave Lu Fan, who was still in the car, a deep bow.

Jiang Sifan straightened up and said earnestly, "If it weren’t for you this time, Wen Wan and I really wouldn’t have known what to do. Thank you."

Lu Fan watched him, a wave of emotion suddenly washing over him.

’This kid... he’s really grown up.’

He smiled and waved his hand. "Alright, alright, hurry on up. Bring Wen Wan over to the estate to visit when you have time."

Jiang Sifan nodded and turned to walk toward the dormitory building.

After a few steps, he stopped and looked back.

The car was still there, and Lu Fan was watching him.

He waved, then turned and walked quickly into the building.

Lu Fan leaned back against his seat, watching Jiang Sifan’s back disappear through the doorway, and couldn’t help but smile.

He said to Chen He, "Let’s go. Back to the estate."

Back in his dorm, Jiang Sifan lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

His phone vibrated. He picked it up and saw a message from Wen Wan.

Wen Wan: [Class President, thank you for today.]

Jiang Sifan replied.

Jiang Sifan: [It’s nothing. Get some rest.]

Wen Wan: [Okay, you too.]

Jiang Sifan stared at the words on the screen and suddenly remembered what her grandfather had said.

"I’m entrusting Wan’Er to you now."

He put his phone down and stared at the ceiling, his heart beating a little fast.

He rolled over and buried his face in his pillow.

After a while, he picked up his phone again and found Jiang Yixia’s number.

He hesitated for a moment before dialing.

The phone rang twice before someone picked up.

"Hello? Son?" Jiang Yixia’s voice came through the phone, tinged with pleasant surprise. "What made you decide to call your mom?"

Jiang Sifan leaned against the headboard and hesitated before finally saying, "Mom, there’s something I want to tell you."

Jiang Yixia could tell from his tone that something was off. "What’s wrong?" she asked hurriedly. "Did something happen?"

Jiang Sifan recounted the events of the past two days.

He told her everything, from Wen Wan being called home, to discovering her mother had tricked her into going back for a blind date, to Lu Fan helping book plane tickets, arrange the hospital transfer, and pay the medical bills, to them driving through the night to pick Wen Wan up, and finally, to seeing her grandfather in the hospital today.

He spoke slowly, as if organizing his own thoughts.

On the other end of the line, Jiang Yixia listened quietly, not interrupting him.

When he was finished, Jiang Sifan fell silent for a moment, then began, "Mom, I used to think he had an ulterior motive for everything he did. He helped me because he wanted me to forgive him. He helped Wen Wan because he wanted me to think well of him."

"But this time was different. Wen Wan’s family situation has nothing to do with him. He could have just ignored it, but he got involved anyway. He had someone look into her grandfather’s illness, book the tickets, arrange the hospital transfer, pay the medical bills... He didn’t say a word to me; he just went and did it all." He paused, his voice growing quieter.

Jiang Yixia didn’t say anything.

Jiang Sifan continued, "Mom, he seems to have really changed. I don’t know if I should forgive him, but... for what he did this time, I’m truly grateful to him."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

Finally, Jiang Yixia’s voice came through, filled with relief. "Sifan, you’ve grown up."

Jiang Sifan didn’t speak.

"I can’t make this decision for you," Jiang Yixia explained. "Just do whatever you feel is right in your heart."

After another long silence, Jiang Sifan finally responded, "I know, Mom."

After hanging up, he placed his phone on the pillow beside him and stared at the ceiling.

He thought about the hospital today, about how her grandfather had grabbed his hand and pressed the money into it.

He also remembered the matter-of-fact tone Lu Fan had used when he said, "You’re my son."

He rolled over and closed his eyes.

This time, he didn’t bury his face in his pillow.

He thought about many things: what her grandfather had said, the way Wen Wan had cried in the car, the look in Lu Fan’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

He remembered his childhood, how his mother would carry him on her back to the hospital every time he got sick.

He remembered middle school, how he had to deal with being bullied all by himself.

He remembered high school, how he’d sworn to protect his mother and sister so that no one could ever bully them again.

He had thought he could handle anything.

But today at the hospital, watching Wen Wan cry at her grandfather’s bedside, he realized he couldn’t do anything at all.

It was Lu Fan who booked the plane tickets. It was Lu Fan who arranged the car. It was Lu Fan who paid the medical bills. It was Lu Fan who had someone keep an eye on Mrs. Wen’s whereabouts.

He hadn’t done a single thing. He had just stood by and watched.

He clenched the blanket in his fist.

’That man... he did so much without me even knowing.’

’And I knew nothing. I actually thought I was so capable, that I could handle anything on my own.’

He suddenly felt that he wasn’t so capable after all.

The streetlights outside went out. Dawn was breaking.

He closed his eyes, and this time, he fell asleep.

Meanwhile, after returning to her dorm, Wen Wan was also lying in bed, unable to sleep, staring at the ceiling.

Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a "Good night" message from Jiang Sifan.

She replied "Good night" and put her phone on her pillow.

She thought back to the hospital today, how her grandfather had taken Jiang Sifan’s hand and told her to step outside.

She had stood in the hallway, her heart pounding, wondering what her grandfather was going to say to him.

When Jiang Sifan came out later, his eyes were a little red, but he didn’t say anything.

She didn’t know what her grandfather had told him, but she was sure it had been something very important.

She remembered her grandfather telling her not to come back again.

She remembered her grandfather pulling money from under his pillow to press into Jiang Sifan’s hand.

Tears started to fall again.

She remembered her childhood, how her grandfather would always sneak her little treats.

A piece of candy, an apple, a small handful of sunflower seeds.

The year she got into university, her grandfather had pressed five hundred yuan into her hand, his own hands trembling.

He had said, "Wan’Er has made something of herself. Grandpa is so happy."

Now he was old, lying in a hospital bed, and he was still thinking of her.

She wiped her tears, picked up her phone, and sent a message to her grandfather.

Wen Wan: [Grandpa, I made it back to school. Please rest and get well. I’ll come visit you again soon.]

After sending it, she placed her phone by her pillow and closed her eyes.

Back in the city hospital room, Wen Wan’s grandfather, who had just sent Mrs. Wen away, was staring at his phone screen.

He read Wen Wan’s message several times, an involuntary smile spreading across his face.

The grandfather thought of the young man from today—tall, well-built, and very polite. When he looked at Wen Wan, his eyes seemed to sparkle.

’This grandson-in-law, I approve!’

But in a remote mountain village, Mrs. Wen was still on the phone, apologizing profusely to the boss of the Liu Family’s construction materials business in town.

"Don’t you worry. Even if I have to crawl, I’ll crawl all the way to Jinling and drag her back to be your wife..."