I’ll Hold Your Hand And Promise You A Lifetime - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Old Man Who Appeared Out Of Nowhere (3)

“So, for Qingling’s sake, I accepted the bl00d running through this child’s veins, even though it wasn’t entirely hers. I raised her as if she were mine and Qingling’s child.”
Shen Shao stared silently at the photo, his eyes fixed on the woman he had loved and lost.

“Whose child is she, really?” Shen Wei asked in a low voice.

“Mine. And Su Nian’s.” Shen Shao forced himself to speak the name he hated.

“She’s our family’s child,” Shen Wei said, recalling the feeling of the child’s tiny hand gripping his finger so tightly.

“Dad.” Shen Shao knelt down. “I’ve failed you. I couldn’t bring Qingling back. But you recognizing this child… I couldn’t ask for more.”

“Get up. A man’s knees are worth gold. Don’t kneel so easily.” Shen Wei reached out and helped his son to his feet. He realized now how much his son had gone through—how blind he had been, how harsh.

“Dad, since you’ve accepted her, even if I’m no longer around, she’ll be okay.”

“Don’t say such foolish things. You need to raise her well. The past is the past. You’ve made a promise—now you must fulfill it.” Shen Wei looked deep into Shen Shao’s eyes.

“Heh, yeah… I don’t even know how the person I loved most died. I really am useless,” Shen Shao said, lowering his head, his expression hidden. “I swore I’d protect her for a lifetime, but she died in pain. Still… I’m going to make good on that promise now. Don’t worry, Dad—I’ll keep my word.”

Shen Wei had no idea that his own words would push Shen Shao down a path of no return.

That night, after their heart-to-heart conversation, Shen Shao simply told Shen Wei and He Juan that he still had work to finish. Once done, he’d come back, find a stable job, and stay to raise the child and care for his parents.

Since his son spoke so sincerely, Shen Wei let him go.

Little Shen Qingling brought Shen Wei and He Juan immense joy. Shen Wei registered her as a legal family member, enrolled her in preschool, and doted on her like any loving grandfather—taking her everywhere.

That day, Shen Wei and He Juan were waiting with Shen Qingling at the front gate for Shen Shao to come home. What they received instead was devastating news.

Shen Wei would never forget that night—seeing Shen Shao lifelessly lying on a stretcher. He Juan fainted on the spot. Shen Wei wanted to speak but couldn’t. His hands froze, his feet felt like lead, and he stood there as if nailed to the ground, forgetting even to blink.

At the funeral, Su Nian arrived wearing a bright red coat, a cold, mocking smile on her lips. She blocked everyone from entering the mourning hall. Like a soul lost, she crouched beside Shen Shao’s corpse and whispered,
“Shen Shao, remember this: what you owed me, I’ll take it back from your daughter.”

Then she turned toward Shen Qingling, who was being held in He Juan’s arms, and reached out to grab her.
“She looks too much like you. Too much.”

He Juan held the child protectively, while Shen Wei stepped in and blocked Su Nian.
“Su Nian, Qingling is our family’s child. She has nothing to do with you.”

Su Nian gave a strange, seductive laugh. “Uncle, that’s not something you get to say.” Then she asked coldly, “What’s her name?”

“Qingling. Shen Qingling,” Shen Wei replied calmly, meeting her gaze.

“Hmph. Shen Shao, Meng Qingling… The two of you, so tragically in love.” Her voice twisted into madness. “How could my child bear that wench’s name?!”

Suddenly, Su Nian snatched Shen Qingling from He Juan’s arms and ran out, shouting, “My child! She’s mine!”

Shen Qingling burst into tears from the sudden chaos, struggling and kicking in Su Nian’s arms.
“Grandma! Grandma!”

“Qingling! Give her back!” He Juan cried, ignoring her health as she chased after them.

“Stop her!” Shen Wei shouted to his guards.

Su Nian was quickly surrounded. She raised Shen Qingling high over her head, her eyes wild.
“My child… But she looks too much like Shen Shao.” A glint of madness flashed in her eyes, and she made a motion to slam Qingling to the ground.

“Su Nian!” Shen Wei roared. “That’s your child! The one in your arms is your own! She’s also part of the Shen family! Look at her! Look!”

Su Nian seemed possessed, shaking her head violently.
“She’s not!!!”

Shen Wei gave a signal to the guards, then rushed forward and snatched Shen Qingling away, shielding her with his body. The others wrestled the screaming Su Nian to the ground.

As Shen Wei carried Qingling back to the mourning hall, Su Nian shrieked,
“Shen Shao deserved to die! If he hadn’t visited Meng Qingling’s family, I’d never have met him! He should’ve died on that hospital bed with her! Then no one would’ve known!”

Shen Wei handed Shen Qingling to He Juan, then strode back to Su Nian, lowering his voice coldly.
“Don’t think I don’t know it was you who sent that letter. If not for that letter, Shao’er wouldn’t have left. Don’t ever come here again. None of us want to see you—especially not Qingling.”

Su Nian lay on the floor, laughing like a madwoman.
“You all deserve this! Every last one of you!”

Yue Xi leaned on the sofa, listening intently. Seeing that Shen Wei was getting tired, she quickly handed him a cup of tea.

“Good child,” Shen Wei said, taking it and moistening his throat. “Cough… do you understand now?”

“Yes,” Yue Xi nodded. “So Su Nian is my biological mother. But how did my dad end up having a child with her?”

“They couldn’t escape fate,” Shen Wei sighed. “Su Nian and Meng Qingling were once very good friends. Then your dad came into the picture. Both of them fell in love with him—but your dad only loved Qingling. Su Nian grew jealous and vowed to win him over. She got him drunk, and that’s how you came to be.”

“Meng Qingling saw it all, but because she knew Shen Shao loved her and still cared about Su Nian as a friend, she let it go. She asked Su Nian to give birth to the child, and promised she’d never hold it against her. Not long after, Qingling fell seriously ill.”

“Su Nian begged her to let her marry Shen Shao—said she’d divorce after the baby was born. She just wanted a chance to be with him once. At the time, Qingling knew her days were numbered and didn’t want Shen Shao to live alone for the rest of his life. So she agreed and persuaded your father.”

“Meng Qingling really loved my dad…” Yue Xi murmured. She never imagined her father’s story was so complicated. She had always thought she was just an orphan—never realizing her origins were so tangled and full of shame.

“That’s why she changed him,” Shen Wei said. “She made that wild son of mine fall for one woman only.”

“What about that letter you mentioned—the one you said Su Nian sent?”

“She definitely sent it. I’m not sure what she was thinking. The letter said Meng Qingling’s condition worsened due to a misdiagnosis, implying she died because of medical malpractice. Your dad couldn’t handle that. He went to CH—Qingling’s hometown, where she spent her final days. On his way back, he got into a car accident… and never made it home.”
Shen Wei pulled out a small notebook from his coat.
“This was found on him. It’s for you. I’ve kept it all these years.”

Yue Xi accepted it carefully, holding it in both hands.
“But why don’t I remember any of this?”

Shen Wei didn’t answer.
“Do you know why I had Ning Ran travel with you all these years, only to bring you back here?”

Yue Xi shook her head, guessing, “Because of Meng Qingling?”

“This is the one place Su Nian would never dare to come. Even the most unhinged people have their limits. This place is Su Nian’s prison—because here, there’s Qingling… and your dad.”

“You mean… my dad wasn’t buried in Y City? He’s here?”

“I was a harsh and domineering father all my life. Let me honor his wish, at least once.” Shen Wei had softened greatly over the years. His son’s death made him reflect deeply.

“I’m sure Dad’s doing well now—he’s with Meng Qingling,” Yue Xi comforted him.

“Yes.” Shen Wei stood, pacing slowly. “Qingling… do you remember anything from when you were four?”

Yue Xi shook her head.
“I don’t remember the age exactly, but I often recall a woman in a white nightgown, with long hair… I can never see her face clearly, but every time I think of her, I feel like… she’s my mom.”

“That was Su Nian,” Shen Wei said with a heavy sigh, hands clasped behind his back as he looked up at the ceiling.

Shen Wei and He Juan had only just begun to recover from the pain of losing their son when another shock hit them like a storm.

“Where’s Qingling? Where’s the child?” Shen Wei grabbed the security guard’s collar, eyes bloodshot. “I asked you—where is she?!”

The guard was so frightened he nearly cried.
“I-I-I didn’t pick her up. The teacher said… said her mother came to get her.”

Shen Wei shoved him hard.
“Her mother?! Where were you?! Huh?!”

“I-I just went to the bathroom,” the guard stammered, realizing the gravity of his mistake.

“You! You went to the bathroom and didn’t pick her up? Get out of my sight!”

“C-Commander… I’ll find her—I swear I’ll bring her back!”

Shen Wei slammed his hands on the desk, shaking with rage.
“Then go!!!”

“Y-Yes!” The guard ran off in a panic.

He Juan leaned against the doorframe, her voice trembling, legs weak.
“Qingling was taken by Su Nian?”

“Don’t panic—just sit down. I’ll send someone out to search immediately.” Shen Wei helped her into a chair.

“I’m afraid… I’m afraid Su Nian might hurt her…” He Juan broke down in tears.

“She won’t. No matter what, Qingling is her own flesh and bl00d. Even if she hates Shao’er and Qingling’s mother, she wouldn’t hurt the child. That day, she was already insane, but she still didn’t drop her. Stay home. I’ll call Xiao Huang over.”
Shen Wei pulled on his uniform and rushed out, heart heavy despite his wife’s heart condition.

He returned home exhausted. His hair had turned visibly whiter overnight, and he looked years older. The pain of losing his son was still fresh, and now his granddaughter was missing.

“Old Wei… where’s Qingling?” He Juan rushed out of the bedroom despite her condition as soon as she heard the door.

Shen Wei shook his head, collapsed onto the sofa, and buried his face in his hands, letting out a long, heavy sigh.

“Please, Buddha, please protect our Qingling,” He Juan prayed, hands together.

“Xiao Huang, help her back inside,” Shen Wei said weakly.

“Report—we’ve searched all suspicious locations in the city. No sign of her,” an officer reported.

“Useless!!” Shen Wei threw his cup. “What about the police station?”

“No news.”

“Speak louder!”

“No news!”

“Keep searching! I refuse to believe she vanished in a day!”

“Yes, sir!”

Shen Wei slammed his fist on the table, then flipped it over.
“Useless! All of you!”

That year, when Shen Qingling was four, Shen Wei and He Juan grieved deeply. They aged rapidly in their pain.
Until one day, Shen Wei received word and found Qingling burning with fever in a small, abandoned shack on the outskirts of town.

“After Su Nian took you, we completely lost all contact. When we finally got you back, you didn’t remember anything. To prevent Su Nian from finding you again, I had no choice but to find Ning Ran, Ding Qiang, and the others to protect you,” Shen Wei said as he sat back on the sofa.
“Su Nian was like a madwoman, scouring every corner for you. That’s when I had Ning Ran take you overseas.”

Yue Xi stayed silent. Her memory of being four was completely gone—it felt like a piece of herself had been erased.
“Grandpa… I want to visit my dad. Maybe I’ll remember something.