I Want a Lifetime with You
Chapter 444

"Your family affairs are none of my business. I just want to tell you this. All these years, none of them, including Sheng, Yan, Jiayu or Ling, has lived a happy life. You only feel that everyone had done you wrong, but who's the one who caused things to turn out this way?" Ning Xin stood up. "That's all I want to say. It's up to you to decide what you're going to do next."

I can only be a mediator between them. Zhenyan and Yan's relationship will not change unless she takes the first step. "Jiayu is married and has her own family now. You should be grateful that she isn't affected by you."

The woman couldn't help but quiver. "Ning Xin!"

After a brief pause, Ning Xin scrutinized her while letting out a sigh. "I know you want to make peace with Jiayu and Yan, or else you wouldn't have looked for me today."

Song Zhenyan smile ruefully. "Do you replace someone like me ridiculous? Back then, I was the one who..." Her voice got stuck in her throat. "But now Jiayu is married. She treated me like an enemy the last time saw her."

"Are you worried that it's too late to make amends now?" Ning Xin understood her concerns. After all, the hurts that she had brought upon her children were beyond repair. "Where there's a will, there's a way. As long as you can still see them. I can help you if you want to meet up with Jiayu. As for Yan, if you want to be on good terms with him, then stop trying to split him and Nuan up."

Shi Nuan?

Song Zhenyan thought of the woman who looked exactly the same like Shen Qianan, yet they were utterly different in terms of character.

I've never expected my son to be with a woman like her. She's completely different from the kind of woman whom I imagined my son would be with. "Yan loves her deeply, so Nuan is the key if you want to reconcile with him."

"Are you asking me to please her?"

Ning Xin sneered, "Please her? Nuan doesn't need that. Yan won't mistreat you, provided that you don't make things difficult for his wife and get along well with her. I believe you both will get closer to one another as time goes. Trust me, she's a kind-hearted woman, and Yan isn't heartless as well."

I've said more than enough. The rest is up to Song Zhenyan herself.

Going upstairs, Ning Xin ran into Fu Sheng, who was standing at the doorway of his room and waiting anxiously. Taking a deep breath, Ning Xin walked over to him. "Sheng."

"Hello, Ning Xin." Fu Sheng seemed a little embarrassed, as if he were caught red-handed. "Have you finished talking to Zhenyan?"

Ning Xin gave him a nod. "Are you worried about her?"

Fu Sheng seemed abashed. Glancing at his shy expression, she chuckled. "You don't have to feel shy. She's your wife, and it's totally normal that you worry about her."

"No, you don't understand. Zhenyan..." He heaved a sigh. I used to be a competent man, yet Zhenyan is my nemesis.

"She just needs some time to mull things over, so please be patient, Sheng. You both are not getting any younger. Jiayu and Yan are married as well. So don't dwell on the past anymore. Since Zhenyan is back, you should spend more time with her."

"As your brother-in-law, I'm such a failure that I need you to guide and advise me." He shook his head helplessly. "Did she cause you any trouble just now?"

"No." Seeing Fu Heng coming out of his room, she said, "Sheng, I'll go back to my room now."

"Sure."

She walked over, then Fu Heng held her hand and brought her into the room.

On the other hand, Fu Sheng stood motionless right where he was. After a long while, he finally walked down the stairs.

Ning Xin was right. It's been many years, and a lot of things had changed as time passed. Fu Sheng himself knew that they were the ones who refused to get over it.

Meanwhile, Song Zhenyan had been sitting downstairs since the talk ended, deep in contemplation of the things that had happened all these years. Just when she was about to stand up, she saw Fu Sheng walking toward her.

He was still the same handsome and dashing man in her memory. Though his hair turned grey, it didn't taint his good looks and charm. Fu Chengyan looked stunning. Hence, as his father, it's only fair that he was good-looking.

Staring squarely at one another, both Song Zhenyan and Fu Sheng couldn't replace their words.

Finally, Song Zhenyan broke the ice. "I heard that Fu Ling is back."

Fu Sheng's body stiffened at her words. I thought she would either talk about us, Yan, Jiayu or the past.

Yet, she mentions nothing but Fu Ling.

Her name was like a taboo between the couple. It was the trigger of all the conflicts and divisions between them. If Song Zhenyan hadn't drugged him revengefully, the innocent woman wouldn't have been dragged into this mess, and Fu Ling wouldn't have been born.

Fury pulsed through the man's veins as his shoulder trembled with rage. He was at a loss for words.

To him, Fu Ling was the greatest sin and shame in his life.

She was the victim in this case, yet he abandoned her and didn't give her a rightful title. Now she must endure the humiliation of being an illegitimate daughter, and her name would never be in the family register.

Song Zhenyan noticed his reaction, and her heart skipped a beat. "That's not what I mean..."

"What were you trying to say? Do you have to remind me all the time that I've hurt you, Ling and her mother? Yeah, I'm a heinous man!"

"No, I didn't mean that." She hurriedly shook her head. The thought popped into her mind that she was the culprit who caused these things to happen. However, all these years, Fu Chengyan was the one who atoned for her wrongdoings.

As Ning Xin said, Fu Chengyan was only protecting Fu Ling when he refused to let her join the Fu clan. Wasn't it to protect Song Zhenyan as well?

"She... She's living alone outside. Perhaps you should bring her back and give her a proper title, so that no one will despise her for being an illegitimate daughter when she gets married."

"You..." Fu Sheng gaped at her in astonishment. Never did he expect her to show such a drastic change.

What happened between her and Ning Xin? What makes her character change in the blink of an eye?

No wonder Ning Xin said those words earlier. She's helping us.

Staring at the man's flabbergasted face, Song Zhenyan parted her lips. "I've never fulfilled my responsibility as a mother to Jiayu and Yan all these years. I... I know I've wronged them, so I want to make it up to them."

Hearing that, he wasn't surprised.

Song Zhenyan might not love him, but she still loved Fu Chengyan and Fu Jiayu. She left only to take her anger out on him. There was no mother who didn't love her own child.

"Have you thought it through? It isn't that hard if you want to make amends."

"What do you mean?" ong Zhenyan was puzzled.

"You're now a part of the Fu clan, so you should prioritize our family over the Song family. Do you understand?"

Her lips pressed tightly together. "But I'm part of the Song family too."

"I know. I'm not asking you to betray your family. What I mean is that you can't force Yan to marry Song Jingyu or any other woman."

"I got it." Song Zhenyan gave him a wry smile. "Now Yan's marriage is already a done deal, and Shi Nuan is pregnant too. No matter how cruel I am, I'll never break them up." Most importantly, she was hoping for her son's forgiveness.

"It's good that you understand. You don't need to do anything, just don't put Shi Nuan in a tight spot and be good to her. After she gives birth, you can help her take care of the baby. I believe Yan and Shi Nuan will see the change in you after some time. As for Ling..." Fu Sheng paused briefly. "Just let her be. She's doing fine now. The title of being a part of Fu clan means nothing to her now."

However, the truth was that Fu Sheng dared not face his daughter. He was afraid to see the look of hatred on Fu Ling's face.

He had never faced any obstacle other than Song Zhenyan, while Fu Ling and her mother were the only mishaps in his life. Nothing could erase the fact that he failed them. Previously, he had thought of divorcing Song Zhenyan and marrying Fu Ling's mother, so that he could give her a rightful status. However, she was headstrong, so she certainly wouldn't accept his offer.

"But aren't Fu Ling and the son of the Su family..." She recalled bumping into Fu Ling together with Su Shaoqing at the hospital. The Su family is so prominent. Why will they allow Su Shaoqing to marry an illegitimate daughter?

"Though you've let go, that doesn't mean that Ling is on the same page. Alright, don't worry about this. Now that Yan and Shi Nuan are staying here, you have plenty of opportunities. Think of a way you're going to get along with them."

In the meantime, in a corner beside the stairway, Fu Chengyan squinted his eyes. When Fu Sheng was heading upstairs, he stood aside to hide himself, so the former didn't notice him. Once Fu Sheng walked away, he came out of the corner. His eyes flicked between his father's departing back and downstairs. Right after, he turned around and entered his room.

As he came in, Shi Nuan was drying her hair. Surprised that he returned shortly after he had just left, she asked, "Didn't you say you wanted to drink water?"

"Yeah." Fu Chengyan murmured and nodded. He seemed slightly gloomy.

Immediately, the woman sensed the oddity and approached him. With her head tilted, she cast him a suspicious glance. "What's wrong?" She reached out to touch his forehead, but realized that he was fine. "No fever. But why do I feel that you sounded so weak?"

"Out of breath?" Fu Chengyan couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. Brushing aside the aggravating thoughts, he grabbed her hand and dragged her into his arms. "I'm not. Otherwise, I'm already dead. Use some common sense."

He gently pinched her nose. "Have you finished taking a bath?" The fragrance exuding from her body made Fu Chengyan's breathing get heavy, and a strange sensation rushed through his body. He couldn't resist leaning closer to the side of her face and took a sniff. Right away, he nibbled at her ears. "You naughty girl."