I Want a Lifetime with You
Chapter 398

When Fu Ling returned to her rented place, it was late at night. She entered the house cautiously and saw the nanny waiting for her. "Is he asleep?"

"Yes, Ms. Gu. Bai is asleep." The nanny took off her apron. "Ms. Gu, I've prepared dinner for you. You can eat it now. I need to go back home. By the way, Bai had a slight fever just now. His temperature had since come down, but he was suffering a lot. Ms. Gu, I think you should bring him to the hospital. If this goes on, his condition might get worse!"

"Really? Did Bai cry today?" Fu Ling's brows knitted together after hearing the nanny's report. She hurried into the room to feel Bai's forehead, which was slightly burning. She picked her son up and told the nanny, "You can leave now. I'll take care of Bai. Thank you for staying this late! I'm really sorry for all the trouble." She whipped out a stack of cash and handed it to the nanny. "Here you go. If it isn't enough, let me know!"

"It's more than enough. Actually, I haven't finished spending the money you gave me last time." The nanny shook her head. "Your mother and I came from the same village. Don't worry; I'll help you take good care of Bai. Though you need to come home earlier next time as I need to go back home and take care of my kid too!"

"I understand. I'm really sorry. I'll come back earlier next time!" Fu Ling promised.

After the nanny left, Fu Ling hurriedly changed clothes and tidied Bai up before heading to the hospital.

She busily tended to him until the wee hours of the night, and when Bai's temperature went down, she breathed a sigh of relief. Right then, the doctor arrived to do his rounds. When he saw Fu Ling, he said, "It's you again. The child's condition is getting worse, so we can't afford any more delays. We can't promise a 100% recovery rate, so I suggest you replace his birth father ASAP. Otherwise—"

"I got it, doctor. I'll think of a way," Fu Ling cut the doctor off. "Can't Bai take some sort of medicine? He's suffering a lot."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Gu. Bai is still too young. We suggest he undergoes a bone marrow transplant. That's the best treatment for his condition. As he was born with leukemia, we can't guarantee his recovery if he doesn't receive a bone marrow transplant. To shorten his misery, we suggest="

"Okay, got it."

After the doctor left, Fu Ling took Bai's hand. The young boy's ashen face made her heart ache immensely. "Bai, please get well soon. I'll replace your daddy so he can cure your illness, alright?" "Mommy!" Bai regained consciousness right then. His eyes turned red-rimmed when he saw Fu Ling. "Mommy, I missed you. Where did you go? Are you going to abandon me?"

"Of course not. Why would I abandon my lovely Bai? Be good, okay? Mommy went to work today. You need to listen to the nanny, alright?" Fu Ling reached out and caressed Bai's forehead before pressing a kiss on it. Her face was full of concern as she asked, "Good boy. Does it hurt?”

Bai shook his head profusely. "No. I am a man, so it doesn't hurt!"

"What a good boy." Fu Ling brushed another kiss across his fluffy cheek. "Sleep tight. Mommy will be right beside you."

Bai gripped Fu Ling's hand tightly. It was obvious that the little guy felt insecure. At his reaction, the ache in Fu Ling's heart intensified.

When the little boy finally fell asleep, Fu Ling retracted her hand gently. She walked to the corridor and was about to light up a cigarette when she changed her mind. Glancing at the garden in the hospital not far away, she caressed her belly wistfully before a bitter smile flitted across her lips.

When Su Shaoqing arrived, Fu Ling's hand was on her belly protectively. She seemed deep in thought, her gaze sorrowful. She was holding a pack of cigarettes without doing anything.

Fu Ling stared out of the window silently for a long time before she felt a chill run down her spine. She spun around and met Su Shaoqing's gaze.

Immediately, her hair stood on end as she glared at the man warily. Narrowing her eyes, she demanded, "Why are you here?"

This isn't Su Shaoqing's hospital. There's no reason for him to be here unless...

"Did you stalk me?"

"I don't think 'stalk' is an appropriate term," Su Shaoqing replied calmly. He went over to her and stretched his hand out to touch her shoulder, but she swerved away from his touch. Fu Ling slapped the back of Su Shaoqing's hand as she glowered at him and declared, "I believe I said I don't want to see you anymore."

"Then you shouldn't have come back!" Su Shaoqing had enough of her rejections. He inched closer to her. "Ling, now that you're back, you should know that I'm not one to give up."

"Nonsense!" Fu Ling scoffed, refusing to believe his words. "I'm warning you, stay away from me. Otherwise, I'll beat you up every time I see you!"

Fu Ling waved her fists threateningly and exclaimed, "I'm not the person I used to be. That Fu Ling is already dead. Now, I feel annoyed every time I see you!"

"Ling!" As Fu Ling was about to leave, Su Shaoqing grabbed her arm. Fu Ling instantly delivered a blow, but Su Shaoqing avoided her attack easily. He grabbed Fu Ling's hands with one hand, wrapped another around her waist, and pinned her to the wall. "Self-defense skills? Who taught you that?"

It only took one attack from her for him to realize how different she was. If she had been defending herself against another person instead of him, she would've easily succeeded. Su Shaoqing frowned and was about to reach out for her when she yelled, "Don't touch me!"

Su Shaoqing's hand froze midair. Once he had stopped advancing, Fu Ling shoved him away forcefully. She quickly patted the spot where Su Shaoqing had touched her, acting as if she had just seen something disgusting

Fu Ling's eyes reddened as she bit her lip. Taking a deep breath, she inquired, "Su Shaoqing, what on earth do you want?"

Su Shaoqing scrunched up his brows at her reaction. He felt slightly suffocated as he stretched a trembling hand out. Before he could touch Fu Ling, he froze again. Gazing at the woman, he let out a faint sigh "Is this it?"

"What else do you expect? Do we have another choice? I'm going to leave if we're done talking."

"Why are you in the hospital?" Su Shaoqing questioned. "Are you sick?"

Fu Ling bit her lip. "It's none of your business!"

"Ling, you should know that my hospital is the best in Jiang City." Su Shaoqing's words made Fu Ling stop in her tracks.

She clenched her fists and exclaimed through gritted teeth, "You investigated me! Su Shaoqing, how despicable of you!"

The man in question shut his eyes. "Besides Chengyan, I'm the only one you can ask help from. Li Heng isn't here, so Pei Huan can't help you."

The corner of her mouth quirked up. "Oh? You're certainly well-prepared, Mr. Su. What do you want in return?"

"I'll help you get the bone marrow donor, but you need to return to my side."

Fu Ling's fists balled up as her expression froze awkwardly. "You're right. I can ask Chengyan to help me. Why would I ask for your help, then?" Fu Ling mocked. "Return to you? We've never been together. 'Return' isn't an appropriate term."

Su Shaoqing's fingers trembled. "You..."

"Enough. That was your trump card, right? Well, you already know what my decision is. I'll deal with this myself. This is none of your business. Even if I'm desperate, I shall turn to Chengyan and Pei Huan for help. I don't need an outsider like you to interfere in my business and make demands!"

"Ling, that child-"

"It's none of your business!"

"But..." That child's age proves that he's our...

Fu Ling snorted. "Su Shaoqing, do you think the child's yours?" She was looking at him like he was an idiot. "Did you forget how you watched me abort our child?"

"I..." Su Shaoqing seemed crestfallen. The more indifferent Fu Ling was, the more upset he felt. "As long as the child is yours, I can—"

"Stop! Su Shaoqing, are you dumb? You refused to accept your own child, but you will take in another man's child? My child has nothing to do with you."

"..."

"What? You're not the father of my child. Anyway, it's none of your business, so stop investigating me and butting in. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what I will do to you!" Fu Ling's balled-up fists relaxed as her mouth curved into a smile. "Mr. Su, you should leave now."

With that, she walked past Su Shaoqing and left without looking back. She was so determined - she was acting like how he had acted when he left her three years ago.