Chapter 354: Don't let me remind you

Chen Villa.

In his room, Jianyu was on his bed with the laptop in front of him, but no matter what, he couldn’t concentrate on his work.

His gaze would automatically glance at the date below in the taskbar on the laptop. His jaw tightened, and he cursed.

“Fuck!”

Jianyu threw his laptop on the bed, feeling mentally exhausted. He rubbed the space in between his brows and felt a headache coming.

Serena…

Naturally, he knew it was her birthday. He didn’t want to think about it. He tried to shut all his senses to forget her, but he failed. Serena’s face, her smile, and her memories invaded his mind like a storm which refused to calm down.

Jianyu walked up to the cupboard and opened the drawer. He took out the small box and opened it.

A beautiful diamond ring lay atop. His gaze locked on to it as he thought about how one of the happiest days it was supposed to be today.

When he learned that he was going to be a father, Jianyu instantly thought of this plan to surprise Serena on her birthday.

He was going to propose her. He wanted to ask her hand for marriage.

He wanted Serena to be his wife.

Jianyu let out a self-deprecating laugh as he fiddled with the ring in his hand.

He clutched the ring. He wanted to throw it away for a long time, but he couldn’t do it. He started to feel a little breathless, and he quickly put it back again in the cupboard.

Alright, I need a good bath, or I will go crazy.

As he went to take a shower, Chen Guiren, who was just passing by, caught Jianyu staring at the ring box in his hand. He observed the pain and longing in his eyes even if he had tried to hide it with anger.

Chen Guiren silently walked away.

—

In the hospital, Nana was still thinking the way of wishing Serena happy birthday such that it didn’t seem that she had softened her heart for her.

The twins gurgled at her with their chirpy voices.

“Aa boo boo…”

“Ksrjdjdjjxud…”

The twins, Yukito and Yukira, also came to visit play with their twin nephews. The boys looked excited and hopped their tiny bodies in place as they flapped their hands towards their uncles. The gleam in their eyes was clear.

“Aaa…ahhh..aaah”

“Ayaa…yoooooo…”

Yukira giggled and swirled his finger above them. Jian and Nian swayed their sight in the direction where Yuki would swirl his finger.

Yukito finally pinched their cheeks when he couldn’t help himself.

“Ah, Nee-chan. I really want to hold them!” He whined.

Nana shook her head. “You can say that again. Everybody is saying the same thing,” she pouted. “I am also waiting for this week to get over.”

She sighed.

“Okay. You look after them for a whirl. I will just come back in a minute.”

They were more than happy to.

As Nana went out, a figure suddenly came in front of her, and Nana was almost startled as she gasped.

“I am sorry, Mam- Oh, it’s you.” He warmly smiled at her.

Nana looked back at Pei Yuan, who seemed visibly surprised.

“Oh. Pei Yuan. How are you here?”

Then she looked at his broken arm that was bandaged.

“Ah? What happened?”

Pei Yuan seemed embarrassed. “I got into a minor accident. A drunk motorcyclist suddenly jumped in front of my car.”

“That’s terrible. How is your injury now?”

Pei Yuan felt over the moon. “I am fine. However, I won’t be able to use my right hand for a while. This is the worst time because I have so much work to do in the office.”

Nana smiled. “It’s okay. Don’t force yourself. Naturally, your boss will also understand. So you can rest.”

Pei Yuan seemed to be lost in her dazzling smile. The concern in her voice for him made his heart thump faster.

“Of course. I think I am in your way. I should leave.”

He took a step ahead but winced in pain.

“Oh, careful!”

Nana slightly supported his arm from below. Even if it was through the bandage, Pei Yuan felt the soft sensation of her touch that jolted him from within.

Nana looked around and found a nurse. “Oh, excuse me! Can you please help him?”

The nurse immediately trotted towards them. “Oh no. Sir. Let me help you outside.”

Pei Yuan cursed that nurse in his mind. He didn’t want any other woman to touch him.

What if Nana is testing me? What if she feels hurt if I let her close to me?

He smiled. “No. Thank you. I can manage.”

“But, sir…”

“I said I am fine.”

The nurse flinched a bit when she sensed a bit coldness in his tone.

Nana asked. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Of course!”

“Okay, then. Take care.” Nana left with the nurse.

As Pei Yuan was about to leave too, a cold voice came from behind. The temperature seemed to drop below the freezing point.

“Don’t let me remind you that Nana is my wife, or there would be dire consequences, Pei Yuan.”

Pei Yuan narrowed his eyes, and his gaze darkened. How could he not recognize his nemesis’s voice?

Jinhai stepped out from the shadows, and the two men locked their icy gazes on one another as if a battle had started.

—

Cemetery.

Liang Xiao Dan got up. She silently stared at her sister. “You still have time, Xiao Fan. There might be differences between you and Serena, but today…you can try to bridge those gaps even if it may be a small effort. Let your daughter know that you love her too.”

Xiao Fan raised her head and looked back at Xiao Dan, tears trickling down.

Liang Xiao Dan hesitated, but she kept her hand on her shoulder.

“Xiao Fan. I am not saying to forget about her completely. No parent can do that. Just… don’t let it hamper your present anymore. You don’t have to be a mother alone.”

Huo Xiao Fan looked puzzled.

“I mean to say that let Serena be her sister, let Shen be her father, let Liwei be her big brother, let me be her Aunt, let Nana and Shin be her cousins…”

She froze.

“Don’t isolate her as if she only has a relationship with you. She has a big family, Xiao Fan, and they all want to love her as much as you do. You just never gave them a chance.”

Liang Xiao Dan took a step to leave, but she stopped. “In the banquet, you said that we could never go back to how things were before. But I still hope for that day to come. I will never stop wishing for it.”

She left.

For a long time, her sister’s words were resounding in her mind.

After what seeming to come to a decision, Huo Xiao Fan opened Serena’s number.

She waited. She took a deep breath and hit the dial button.

After the third ring, the call was picked up.

“Hello, Zhilan.”