Chapter 301: Hospital Visit

Chen Qingdi sighed. "I know you were angry about her past behavior, but with how she is now... I really don't dare let her see you."

"Qingdi, I'm begging you, please let me go to the hospital to see my mother! I promise nothing will happen," Shen Mingyue pleaded, on the verge of tears.

Chen Qingdi relented with a sigh. "Fine, alright! I'll have Chen Yuan go with you, but you can't stay too long. Otherwise, I'm afraid... Okay, it's settled. I'll wait for you at home."

After hanging up, Chen Qingdi's heart grew heavy.

He knew this would be a huge blow to Shen Mingyue, as she had always deeply loved and respected her mother.

Before long, Chen Yuan arrived at Chen Qingdi's home.

"Qingdi, are we going to the hospital now?" Chen Yuan asked.

Chen Qingdi nodded. "Yeah. We should get going. I don't want Mingyue to break down when she sees her mother."

The two men drove to the hospital entrance, where Shen Mingyue was already waiting for them.

"Qingdi, thank you," Shen Mingyue said gratefully.

Chen Qingdi gently patted her on the shoulder. "Don't mention it. Come on, let's go see your mother."

The three of them entered the hospital and walked to the door of Yao Shufen's room. Through the window, they could see Yao Shufen lying on the bed, her eyes shut tight.

"Mom!" Shen Mingyue cried out, but Yao Shufen didn't react at all.

Chen Yuan and Chen Qingdi exchanged a worried glance.

"Mom, it's me, Mingyue! Please, wake up!" Shen Mingyue called out again.

Suddenly, Yao Shufen's eyes shot open. She stared at the ceiling in terror, screaming, "Stay away! You can't hurt me! I will have my revenge! I won't let you go!"

Shen Mingyue jumped back, staring at Yao Shufen in terror.

Chen Qingdi stepped forward and gently patted Shen Mingyue's shoulder. "Mingyue, let's go. We shouldn't disturb her any longer."

Trembling, Shen Mingyue nodded and followed Chen Qingdi and Chen Yuan out of the hospital room. By the time they reached the entrance, she could no longer hold back her tears and began to cry.

"Qingdi, what on earth is going on? How did my mother end up like this?" Shen Mingyue asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

Chen Qingdi sighed. "I'm not entirely sure of the specifics, but I can tell you this: your mother's condition is very serious."

"Is there any chance she'll ever be the same again?" Shen Mingyue asked through her tears.

Chen Qingdi gently shook his head. "I don't know. At this point, it's all up to fate."

At his words, Shen Mingyue's sobs grew more heartbroken. She had always adored her mother, and it was excruciating to see her in this state.

"Qingdi, I know my mother crossed you in the past, but you can't just treat her like some mental patient," Shen Mingyue said accusingly.

Chen Qingdi gave a wry smile. "I know her past behavior made you very angry, but what I'm doing is for your own good."

"For my own good? What do you mean by that?" Shen Mingyue asked, confused.

"President Sun, hope you've been well." Chen Qingdi smiled at Sun Miao, his eyes full of playful mockery and challenge.

Sun Miao's skin crawled under his gaze, but he forced himself to sound nonchalant. "President Chen. Been a while."

The two found a private room at the Rose Grand Hotel and sat down. The moment he was seated, Sun Miao felt an oppressive aura. He had once been cowed by Chen Qingdi's imposing presence, but after their last encounter, he believed he'd found a way to counter him. Yet, the man across from him today, with eyes glinting with cunning and amusement, made him feel a growing sense of unease.

"President Sun, I hear you've been terribly busy lately," Chen Qingdi said, lounging leisurely on the sofa and taking a delicate sip of his tea.

"Just a few miscellaneous things, nothing worth mentioning," Sun Miao said with an awkward laugh.

He knew perfectly well that the positive news stories his paper had been running were all at Chen Qingdi's instruction.

"President Sun, let's not beat around the bush." Chen Qingdi looked at him, his gaze suddenly serious. "I want us to cooperate."

"Cooperate?" Sun Miao frowned. "What could I possibly do to help President Chen?"

"I need you to be my voice at the newspaper," Chen Qingdi said bluntly.

"I know you have a large readership. I want you to use your influence to spread information that is beneficial to my Mingyue Group."

"But, wouldn't that damage our paper's reputation?" Sun Miao hesitated.

"It won't," Chen Qingdi said with a faint smile. "I'll bring your paper more advertising revenue. Besides, we can sign a contract to protect your interests."

Sun Miao was stunned. He'd never imagined that a business titan like Chen Qingdi would ever humble himself to ask for his cooperation.

A strange sense of accomplishment welled up inside him, yet he was still hesitant. He didn't know if he should agree to Chen Qingdi's request.

"President Sun, I know you're a man of principle." Chen Qingdi looked at him, his eyes full of admiration.

"But, I also know you're a smart man. You should understand that in this society, only those who control the narrative have real influence."

Chen Qingdi's words struck a chord with Sun Miao. While it was true that he was a man of principle, he also understood that one could only truly act on those principles by controlling the narrative. Otherwise, they were just empty words, dismissed by others.

"Alright," Sun Miao said, taking a deep breath. "I agree."

A satisfied smile spread across Chen Qingdi's face. He took a bank card out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

"A small token of my sincerity," he said. "It has eighty thousand US Dollars on it. A little gift to seal our new friendship."

Sun Miao's heart skipped a beat when he saw the card. He understood this wasn't just about the money.

This was a sign of Chen Qingdi's trust and validation. He felt the heavy weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders.

He knew he had to do his job well to be worthy of this trust and validation.

"President Chen, I'll do my best," Sun Miao said earnestly, his eyes filled with resolve. He knew this was a promise to himself as much as it was to Chen Qingdi.

Walking out of the Rose Grand Hotel, Sun Miao felt his heart lighten considerably. He knew he had finally found a platform where he could put his talents to use.

He also knew his life was about to change drastically, but he wasn't afraid. He had faith in his abilities, and in his principles.