Chapter 73: The Illness

They stayed for lunch at the Xi family’s house.

Because Qin Miaoyu had eaten a little too much cake earlier, she couldn’t eat much of her meal. Feeling a bit uncomfortable and needing the restroom, she excused herself and left the table. She had originally planned to return the same way after using the bathroom, but the grand garden caught her eye, and she changed her course, wandering toward the sprawling grounds.

The Xi family’s garden was much larger and more beautiful than the Liang family’s back garden. As Qin Miaoyu strolled through the flowers, she suddenly heard her sister-in-law’s voice. She couldn’t quite make out the words, only catching fragments about Binbin and illness.

She was about to continue on her way when she heard the word “matching”—what kind of illness would require a match? She considered stepping closer to listen, but her sister-in-law’s voice suddenly rose with emotion. Qin Miaoyu paused, then quietly slipped away.

Back in the living room, Sister Suning called her over. “Help me decide which wedding dress looks best.”

Zheng Suning was holding a newly delivered catalogue of wedding dresses. Qin Miaoyu flipped through it; every dress was exquisite.

“What kind do you like, Suning?” she asked.

Suning replied, “I don’t mind—just pick whichever looks good.”

Liang Siyuan interrupted, “She likes lace elements, nothing too extravagant.”

“Liang Siyuan! What are you saying?” Suning’s tone was slightly reproachful.

Liang Siyuan gently smoothed her hair. “Don’t worry, Miaoyu is family. She won’t laugh at you. There’s nothing embarrassing about liking a touch of lace.”

Watching their interaction, Qin Miaoyu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Liang Sixuan had once claimed her second brother and Suning were only marrying because of their elders’ arrangement, but to Qin Miaoyu, it was obviously more than that.

She picked up the catalogue, asked a few more questions about their tastes, and finally selected two dresses for Suning to consider. “Suning, look at these two. I personally prefer a bit of lace, so both have that element. See if you like them?”

Suning took the catalogue, studying the two choices closely, and finally settled on the latter with a radiant smile.

At that moment, Liang Sixuan approached with a man. Qin Miaoyu recognized him—Xi Beiqin, the Xi family’s third cousin, who had grown up alongside Suning.

He carried himself with a certain air of aggression. Instinctively, Qin Miaoyu glanced at her second brother, but he remained calm and composed.

“Well, well, Zheng Suning—still so fond of lace at your age?” Xi Beiqin teased.

Suning bowed her head, reluctant to reply. Catching a signal from her second brother, Qin Miaoyu immediately spoke up. “Third cousin, is there anything wrong with liking lace? I chose these dresses for Suning.”

Her face was gentle and sweet, her tone full of innocent confusion.

Faced with Qin Miaoyu’s gentle defense, Xi Beiqin quickly changed his tune. “No, no, I was just joking with your Suning.”

“That’s good. I’d feel terrible if Suning were mocked because of my suggestion.”

Liang Siyuan added, “Beiqin, Suning is your second cousin-in-law. Mind your manners from now on.”

Xi Beiqin’s face, which had just relaxed, tensed again. “They’re not married yet. I’ll wait for the actual wedding before I start calling her that.”

With that, he strode away, forgetting all about Liang Sixuan, who had come with him.

Watching her second brother’s face darken, Liang Sixuan felt a little afraid. Though she was also somewhat intimidated by her older brother, he was usually kind to her. The second brother, however, seemed to be nicer only because she was his sister.

“Sixuan, why did you bring Xi Beiqin over here? You know he’s not on good terms with Suning right now. Was this your intention?” her second brother asked sharply.

Sixuan quickly defended herself, “No, I just thought Suning hadn’t been back in a long time, and I didn’t expect third cousin to act like he used to. That’s why I told him you were here when he asked.”

Liang Siyuan’s gaze was piercing. “You’d better be telling the truth. If not, keep your little schemes to yourself. Don’t use others as your stepping stone.”

Tears welled up in Sixuan’s eyes, and she ran off.

A few days after returning from the Xi family’s house, Qin Miaoyu noticed that Liang Qibin hadn’t been seen at the old residence.

“Qibin’s not well—he’s been admitted to the hospital,” Xi Ruofen explained.

“What’s wrong with him? He was just discharged, and now he’s back in the hospital?” Qin Miaoyu asked.

But Xi Ruofen shook her head. “I’m not sure. Your sister-in-law hasn’t told me anything.”

Seeing that Xi Ruofen genuinely seemed unaware, Qin Miaoyu, though suspicious, didn’t press further. She knew she wouldn’t get any answers, even if she kept asking. The Liang family cared deeply about their eldest grandson—there was no way they didn’t know what was wrong with him.

Fortunately, the next day, her sister-in-law Wei Wei returned, saying that Liang Qibin’s condition had stabilized.

“I’ve scheduled check-ups for everyone at the hospital. It’s best if everyone gets examined—Qibin’s illness was discovered by chance, and it’s better to have regular full-body check-ups. Otherwise, something could be wrong and we wouldn’t know.”

“I had a check-up earlier this year, so I’ll skip this time,” Qin Miaoyu replied.

But Wei Wei was insistent. “Everyone should go. I heard you support yourself now—how thorough a check-up could you afford? The Third City Hospital is the best in Nancheng, one of the top in the country. If there’s a problem, we can treat it in time.”

“Exactly, Qin Miaoyu. Sister-in-law is being kind—why are you making excuses? No one’s trying to harm you; don’t be so ungrateful,” Liang Sixuan chided.

Wei Wei hurried to smooth things over. “Sixuan, don’t say that. Miaoyu, before I came back, Qibin said he wanted to see you. After our check-ups at the hospital, let’s stop by and visit him, all right?”

In the end, Qin Miaoyu agreed and messaged Lu Qi’an to say she couldn’t pick him up at the airport.

Qin Miaoyu was the first to finish her check-up. Afterward, Wei Wei told her which room Qibin was in and suggested she visit him first.

Qibin had been suffering a lot from his illness these past days. Wei Wei had finally managed to calm him down, thinking that seeing Qin Miaoyu might cheer him up.

Two imposing bodyguards were stationed outside Qibin’s hospital room. They checked Qin Miaoyu’s identity before going in to ask Qibin for permission.

Inside, upon hearing that Qin Miaoyu had come, Qibin’s eyes lit up for a moment, but soon guilt and embarrassment clouded his expression.

“Tell my aunt I don’t want to see her.”

“All right.”

“Wait—add this: tell her I hate painting now. I don’t want to see anything or anyone related to painting. She should move out of the Liang house as soon as possible. Then maybe, when I return, I’ll be in a better mood. Go.”