Chapter 28 I Wish to See Your Wife at Once

Shen Yue picked up a Fuji apple from the fruit platter and carefully peeled it from top to bottom. As she spoke, she watched her grandmother’s expression, probing her mood. Seeing her grandmother bow her head in silence, lost in thought, Shen Yue continued, “Grandma, why don’t you meet him? Maybe he’s here to apologize on behalf of his wife.”

Shen Hanqing looked at Shen Yue with a calm, emotionless gaze and replied indifferently, “His wife did nothing wrong. He’s not here to apologize.”

“Grandma, are you actually saying Zhang Guoguo did nothing wrong? She almost killed uncle!”

“But isn’t the hatred of a father’s murder irreconcilable? Besides, your uncle brought it upon himself.”

Shen Yue was speechless, never expecting her grandmother to speak up for Zhang Guoguo. As for Shen Hanqing, so much had happened since she came in that she couldn’t process it all. Now she only hoped for some outside distraction to keep her from brooding over her own failings as a parent. So she said, “Let him in.”

“Alright.” Shen Yue walked out happily, her eyes sparkling as she flashed Luo Minglang a sweet smile. “Mr. Luo, my grandmother will see you now.”

“Crazy, crazy, even grandma’s gone mad,” Shen Wei muttered in disbelief. He couldn’t handle so much at once—a father he didn’t know, a grandmother who felt like a stranger, and a difficult cousin. Unable to face it, he simply turned and left, overwhelmed by loneliness.

Luo Minglang stood before Shen Hanqing with a poised confidence, offering a polite smile. “Hello, Madam Shen. Are you feeling any better?”

Shen Hanqing nodded, reclining on the bed as she regarded him. “I hear you have urgent business with me? What is it?”

He placed a bouquet of lilies by her bedside, then reached into his coat and handed her a letter. “This is a letter from my wife. She insisted I deliver it to you personally.”

She took the letter, puzzled. “Why didn’t she come herself?”

“She wanted to, but given the current circumstances, she thought it best to avoid suspicion.”

“So aside from this letter, you have nothing else to discuss?” She raised the letter, and at the sight of the handwriting, her heart clenched, leaving her deeply unsettled.

Shen Yue noticed and found it odd—her grandmother hadn’t even opened the letter yet. “Grandma, what’s wrong?”

“Leave us.” Shen Hanqing closed her eyes, fighting back tears, and spoke again, “Xiaoyue, go on out. I need to speak with Mr. Luo privately.”

Shen Yue gladly complied, closing the door behind her but not without a lingering glance at Luo Minglang. The sight of that peerless man always set her heart racing.

She and Luo Minglang were not exactly well-acquainted, having met only a few times at business gatherings. Back then, she would always find excuses to approach him, but he remained aloof and indifferent, which only made her more determined. Not long ago, when Luo Minglang revealed he was married, she, like many other women who admired him, was heartbroken and spent three days in a daze.

Now, just being able to speak to him and have his attention felt wonderful to her. Yet what infuriated and filled her with jealousy was that Zhang Guoguo turned out to be his wife. This fact made her wholly uncomfortable, for in her eyes, only she herself was worthy of such an outstanding man.

“This letter—is it from your wife?” Shen Hanqing asked, watching him closely. He replied with a measured tone, “My wife said the letter was written by your granddaughter, Shen Linyue, and she was merely passing it along.”

His words left Shen Hanqing silent for a long time. The letter paper was brand new, and before Linyue went to prison, she was well aware of the people she had interacted with. The date on the envelope was from yesterday. She concluded that Zhang Guoguo must be a particularly significant person. It also reminded her that, although she had never met Zhang Guoguo, the woman had always inquired after her well-being and seemed to know her preferences intimately—a thought that was both comforting and unsettling.

After a few minutes of silence, Shen Hanqing looked up from the handwriting on the letter, her eyes moist but shining with hope. She said to Luo Minglang, “Could you help arrange it? I wish to see your wife immediately.”

“Meeting my wife is not difficult. But before that, I hope we can make an agreement,” Luo Minglang replied sincerely. Facing this frail, respected elder whom his wife so dearly admired, he was willing to humble himself. “I hope, for humanitarian reasons, that you will not press charges against my wife over the dispute with your eldest son.”

“To become so successful, you must have your own means of saving your wife.”

“But I believe true peace comes only through forgiveness. After all, my wife acted only to avenge her father’s murder. I think, of all people, you understand this best, Madam.”

His gentleness, the love and protectiveness in his voice and eyes, moved Shen Hanqing deeply. In this dazzling world, she rarely encountered such genuine affection. She smiled with rare warmth and said, “Now I finally understand why you’ve achieved so much at such a young age, Mr. Luo.”

Luo Minglang looked a little puzzled at the sudden change in topic. The old lady continued, “A person’s success is closely linked to their family. You love your wife and your family deeply—that is the mark of true success. I like you, and I admire your wife as well. I have no reason to make things difficult for her, especially since she did nothing wrong.”

Somewhat surprised by the old lady’s magnanimity, Luo Minglang nodded. “Please wait here. I’ll go bring her now.”

As Luo Minglang stepped out, Shen Yue immediately approached eagerly. “Finished talking?”

He gave a polite smile, then said to Tao Deli, “Go back and bring my wife here.”

“What?” Shen Yue’s face went pale in an instant. “My grandmother wants to see Zhang Guoguo?”

“Is there a problem, Miss Shen?” Luo Minglang asked, puzzled. She forced a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze evasive and insincere. “No, not at all.” But only she knew how much she hated Zhang Guoguo.

Having overheard this conversation, Zhang Guoguo, who had been hiding around the corner, finally removed her hat and sunglasses and stepped forward. Luo Minglang was the first to see her and was a little surprised by her appearance.