Chapter 61: Encounter with the Cantankerous Old Man

Xianyu Jing couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile. How did he know she was hungry? She’d barely picked at her lunch, lacking any appetite, and now her stomach was rumbling with hunger.

She thanked him, took the bag, and opened it to find a cake. Ah, it was her favorite—vanilla mousse cake.

Jiang Mohe sat beside her, quietly watching as she ate with relish.

Halfway through, Xianyu Jing suddenly recalled the last time he brought her a late-night snack and asked, "Is this another one of your workplace treats?"

"No," Jiang Mohe replied with utmost seriousness.

"Good," Xianyu Jing squinted her eyes and continued eating.

With the cake and a bottle of milk settling warmly in her stomach, Xianyu Jing felt revived, as if her strength had returned all at once. She leaned contentedly against the back of the chair, and the worries that had weighed on her for days seemed to dissolve completely.

Why fret over so many troubles? Better to enjoy a good meal. That was what her elder brother always said to encourage her.

Thinking of her brother, Xianyu Jing turned to look at Jiang Mohe and found that he had resumed his cold, distant expression, his eyes alertly scanning the surroundings.

In truth, Jiang Mohe’s temperament was nothing like her brother’s carefree indifference. Yet Xianyu Jing couldn’t help but search for traces of her brother in Jiang Mohe.

Why was that? She was perplexed herself.

When Jiang Mohe’s gaze met hers, he saw her eyes filled with inquiry.

"Are you still hungry?"

Xianyu Jing felt embarrassed. Did he think all she cared about was eating?

"Thank you. I'm full," she replied.

Just as she finished speaking, Jiang Mohe suddenly reached out and touched the tip of her nose.

Xianyu Jing froze, and Jiang Mohe paused as well, noticing a crumb of cake on his fingertip.

But regardless, the gesture had been far too intimate!

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and Jiang Mohe turned away, his expression equally unnatural.

The atmosphere grew awkward.

Not far off, an elderly man in a wheelchair was berating a young nurse, "I told you I want to be alone. If you keep following me, I’ll have your director fire you!"

The nurse trembled, trying to persuade him, "Mr. Mo said not to let you stay out too long. The weather’s getting colder, your health—"

"My health is excellent!" the old man boomed, voice strong as a bell. "Call my grandson and have him send someone to take me home immediately!"

"This..." The nurse was clearly distressed. "Sir, please return to your room. Let’s wait for the director—"

"I don't want to see the director! That old fox Qiao Zhenshan is in league with that Mo boy. If he comes, he’ll never let me go!" the old man shouted angrily. "Call my grandson now, or I’ll freeze to death here rather than go upstairs!"

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The young nurse was so anxious she was nearly in tears.

Other passing nurses saw the scene and quickly avoided it.

The old man turned and spotted Xianyu Jing and Jiang Mohe, then wheeled himself over.

Jiang Mohe immediately stood, blocking the wheelchair’s wheels with his foot before the old man could approach.

The old man bristled, "You brat, what are you doing? Get your filthy foot out of the way!"

Jiang Mohe replied coldly, "Please leave."

The old man looked at him with disdain, "Do you know who I am? How dare you tell me to leave!"

Jiang Mohe remained unmoved, repeating, "Please leave."

"Ha, you rascal!" The old man cursed furiously.

He pressed a button on a short stick in his hand and it suddenly lengthened, then swung it at Jiang Mohe’s foot.

Smack!

He missed, striking the wheel instead.

The old man withdrew the stick, but Jiang Mohe’s foot remained firmly in place, immobilizing the wheelchair.

The old man tried again, but missed once more, swinging so hard that the stick slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

He was nearly beside himself with rage!

Just as he was about to explode, Xianyu Jing picked up the stick, shortened it, and approached the old man.

"Sir, we mean no offense. Please don’t be angry," she said, signaling Jiang Mohe to let go of the wheel.

Jiang Mohe didn’t move, but the old man calmed down, staring at Xianyu Jing intently and murmuring, "Why does she look so much like—"

Then he asked, "Girl, what’s your name?"

Xianyu Jing was puzzled, but replied, "Sir, my name is Xianyu Jing."

"Xianyu?" The old man's expression became strange. "Not Nangong?"

Xianyu Jing understood then. The elderly man must have known her great-grandmother and saw the resemblance.

Indeed, she and her great-grandmother shared similar features in their youth, though her eyes were not blue.

Xianyu Jing had no intention of exposing her identity. She handed the stick back to the old man and said, "You must be mistaken."

He took the stick, his expression tinged with sorrow. "Yes, I suppose so. They say her whole family was killed—how could there possibly be any descendants..."

Xianyu Jing paused mid-step. She was tempted to turn back and question him, but reason told her not to be impulsive.

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She didn’t know the old man’s background; if he found out her true identity, trouble could follow.

Whether it was about her great-grandmother or her mother, both were tied to the Nangong family’s enemies. She couldn’t invite disaster.

Xianyu Jing didn’t linger, quickly heading into the inpatient ward. Jiang Mohe followed closely behind.

Only the old man continued to watch her departing figure, muttering to himself, "So very alike! Except for the eyes..."

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The birthday cake arrived shortly after six in the evening. Xianyu Jing took plenty of photos of Xiaoyu and also recorded videos of her singing the birthday song, making a wish, and blowing out the candles.

She intended to send them to Xi Junle, but Xiaoyu said, "Sister, just send the photos, don’t send the video."

"Why not?" Xianyu Jing didn’t understand.

"Because your singing is really too..."

Before Xiaoyu could finish, her mother snatched the phone away, so Xianyu Jing didn’t hear the rest.

When it was time to leave, Xiaoyu’s mother insisted on seeing her off.

She held Xianyu Jing’s hand, thanking her earnestly, "Thank you for delivering Xi Junle’s gift, and for spending time with Xiaoyu on her birthday. You’ve taken up so much of your time."

Xianyu Jing replied calmly, "No need to thank me. I was entrusted with the task."

Xiaoyu’s mother sighed with gratitude, "Meeting Xi Junle has been Xiaoyu’s great fortune!"

"Xiaoyu is adorable," Xianyu Jing said.

If she were Xi Junle, she would do everything possible to help Xiaoyu prolong her life.

Yet Xiaoyu’s mother said, "Xi Junle has helped Xiaoyu so much—we will be grateful to him for a lifetime. Please tell him for us: even if we never find a suitable bone marrow donor, it’s all right.

Some things are destined. We will not complain."

Xianyu Jing was puzzled. "But wasn’t a donor already found?"

Xiaoyu’s mother’s voice choked with emotion, "That person passed away yesterday afternoon in a car accident on the way to catch a flight... I heard he had an older sister who’s married."

Xianyu Jing was silent.

So Xi Junle had left the imperial city in a hurry to find that donor’s sister, hoping she could donate in her brother’s place?

Bittersweet feelings welled up in Xianyu Jing’s heart. Her family had just passed away; caught in her own grief, how could she possibly care about another’s life or death?