Chapter 694 - 212: The Estranged Mother and Daughter
{Apologies, I originally planned to be away for a day, but ended up missing two days. Fortunately, today I’ve resumed.
I really got sick, probably with the flu, had a fever for two days, and to top it off, my eyes also got infected, one eye was red and swollen as if I’d been punched, so I’ve been using eye drops for two days.
I highly suspect that while on a business trip, I probably caught some virus in a crowded space]
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Chapter Two Hundred and Twelve [Estranged Mother and Daughter] (6600)
Lu Xiuting was brought back home by her husband Yang Jiaming from the Medical Institute.
When discharged, it was clearly summer, with the weather forecast showing a temperature as high as 32 degrees that day.
Yet, as Lu Xiuting walked out of the hospital’s inpatient building, she still felt a chill in her body. She even made a point of wearing a shawl—a Burberry one at that, with a big logo—after all, it was a wealthy family.
However, this was clearly an autumn/winter shawl, drawing curious glances from others in the hospital.
Lu Xiuting was pale, a kind of bloodless white, even her lips showed little color.
As she exited the lobby, her steps were weak and she felt she could barely muster any strength, as if even breathing made her feel fatigued.
Yang Jiaming supported his wife to the car, helping her sit inside.
His expression was equally somber. Tired, anxious, helpless, disappointed, sorrowful...
Although they had been married for nearly twenty years, and his feelings had long faded, Yang Jiaming was still quite hopeful for the "third child" she once brought.
He wasn’t a primary heir in the Yang Family—in that circle in Port City, some families cling to very old and traditional, even decayed practices.
This was not surprising, after all, Port City only formally abolished the concubine system in the 1970s.
Before the 1970s, many large families had legal "concubines."
Unfortunately, Yang Jiaming’s mother was one of those "concubines."
According to traditional etiquette, he was considered an illegitimate child.
Being an illegitimate child naturally meant he had to stand aside in matters of inheritance, and the family’s core assets wouldn’t be his. If he wanted a greater share of the inheritance, he could only have more children.
While his own father was still alive, having more children would mean when his father passed away, more inheritance would be divided among them.
So, he was quite hopeful for the former third child—only now, everything was gone.
Especially after Lu Xiuting’s miscarriage, while she was hospitalized for treatment and exams, before her discharge, the doctor’s conversation with Yang Jiaming also implied: Lu Xiuting, after all, was not young, and her physical condition was relatively weak. After this miscarriage, it was not recommended that she become pregnant again in the future...
Which meant, it was unadvisable for her to bear more children in the future.
Yang Jiaming felt somewhat helpless as well.
With one less child, he might get two or three million less in inheritance in the future...
If that doesn’t work... maybe he could have a child with another woman?
Once the child is born, when the old man eventually passes away, he would still have to allocate some inheritance to the child. Before the child grows up, it’s like the inheritance is under his own name...
It’s all about money!
Truth be told, Yang Jiaming didn’t really hold a strong view on monogamy.
He was born in the ’80s and grew up in Port City—by the time he was born, the city had only abolished the concubine system for a few years.
Moreover, while the system was abolished, those living mistresses and concubines didn’t all die overnight—the law’s repeal meant it wasn’t allowed in the future, but those existing at the time were still recognized.
Growing up in Port City and in a family like the Yang Family, where his parents and some close family friends kept mistresses, it was a common occurrence.
To him, it seemed perfectly natural.
Over the years, as he and Lu Xiuting’s attraction gradually waned, and the novelty of a new marriage faded, Yang Jiaming had also been involved with other women outside in recent years—just discreetly or briefly...
If he wanted another child...
Yang Jiaming sighed inwardly, glanced at Lu Xiuting sitting next to him, and the slight sense of guilt in his heart quickly dissipated.
"In the next few days, just rest at home. I’ll have Aunt Hu take care of you and buy some supplements for you to stew."
Yang Jiaming’s tone was gentle, but Lu Xiuting detected a hint of indifference.
She glanced at Yang Jiaming: "What about you?"
"Hmm, there are some things at the company, I need to go on a business trip for a few days, probably about a week. There are some unresolved orders at the Sunan factory, I’ll meet the manufacturers, maintain the relationships, visit a few cities, it’ll take a few days."
Yang Jiaming said half-jokingly.
Lu Xiuting listened, her gaze dimming and then nodded slightly: "Okay, I understand."
The car started and drove towards home.
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The home was still the same, a large riverside flat, considered a luxury property.
The decor was personally managed and selected by Lu Xiuting back in the day—the interior design, furniture, décor, accessories, and decorations...
As Lu Xiuting entered, she stood at the door momentarily dazed, feeling that the crystal chandelier in the living room was somewhat blinding.
This was a style from many years ago... back then, such crystal chandeliers were symbols of luxury and elegance, now they’ve become old-fashioned and complex, while young upstarts prefer more novel trends.