Chapter 216 He Understood the Meaning of Living

Words : 1365 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

Yun Shifei looked at Xu Yuejiao as if she were looking at an idiot.It was she who said it wouldn’t work before, and now it was she who said it would. Xu Yuejiao was aware of Yun Shifei’s skepticism, but she didn’t feel there was anything to be embarrassed about. She even grabbed Yun Shifei and said, "So, come on, tell me about the other person." "There’s nothing to say about something that’s not even remotely happening." "How could it be ’not remotely happening’? From what I see, that guy seems to like you quite a bit." "Sister Jiaojiao, perhaps the affection between us isn’t on the same level." "No way, believe me, he definitely likes you." Xu Yuejiao felt that sometimes bystanders see things more clearly than those involved. When she first came over, she accidentally touched Yun Shifei’s shoulder, which caused her to choke a little. Cheng Lie’s reaction was so tense, and he even gave her a cold glare. If that wasn’t nervousness caused by fondness, she’d barge headfirst into a wall! Yun Shifei didn’t think much about it. She didn’t want to continue discussing this topic with Xu Yuejiao. If they kept talking about it, it would never end. She placed the practice sheets she was about to write onto the desk. "Sis, let’s just study well together." Xu Yuejiao: "..." This little sister loves studying so much, she might as well marry her studies for the rest of her life! The closer it got to the New Year, the more joy filled other households, but the Cheng Family alone was shrouded in dark clouds. Zhao Haishuang had transformed her old impatience into today’s grief; she had lost her appetite and felt like her life was over. "The doctor actually said our Ah Huai has leukemia, this... how could this happen!" Ever since Zhao Haishuang received the test results, she had been losing sleep. Leukemia—a terrifying illness. No wonder Cheng Huai had been unwell for so long; his immune system was gradually being destroyed! "It’s okay, Haishuang. The doctor said he’ll recover as long as he undergoes proper treatment," Cheng Guomin comforted Zhao Haishuang. But in truth, his brows were tightly furrowed. He wasn’t sure what to do either. Leukemia is a very serious illness, and the doctors were currently discussing the next steps for treatment. Will he really get better? Zhao Haishuang didn’t believe it. She’d heard of those who had leukemia and eventually died from it. She honestly didn’t know what to do now. However, their family had money, so they would hire the best doctors nationwide. No matter what, her son had to live! This was the only way Zhao Haishuang could console herself, yet her anxiety only swelled inside. Why did this happen? Wasn’t Cheng Huai healthy on normal days? Even the doctors couldn’t explain the cause of his illness. The origins of leukemia were indeed complex, and this uncertainty burned Zhao Haishuang from within, like a fiery oil poured over her heart. After her disfigurement, she had placed all her remaining hope on Cheng Huai. Yet now, even Cheng Huai had fallen ill! He was her only son, and now, she feared she might lose her only one. Despair kept overtaking Zhao Haishuang’s emotions. Cheng Guomin was also deeply troubled. Not long ago, he’d bribed substantial amounts of money to the higher-ups, yet the project had failed to progress and was now practically at a standstill. He couldn’t figure out where things had gone wrong. Even when he asked around, there were no answers. He had never encountered such a situation before. This was supposed to be the new project he was gambling everything on. The longer he held onto it, the more money he lost. He had no idea what else to do. And at this moment, Cheng Huai’s situation arose. The very son he had placed his hope on had fallen ill. Leukemia—even though he assured Zhao Haishuang that things would be fine, in reality, he was uncertain himself. The more Cheng Guomin thought about it, the more distressed he became. He couldn’t even eat and chain-smoked relentlessly, the floor littered with cigarette butts. The festive mood of the approaching New Year grew stronger outside, but within the Cheng Family, no one was in the mood to celebrate. Every day, Zhao Haishuang took Cheng Huai to the hospital, while also expanding her network of connections, reaching out to anyone she could. She sought advice from doctors all over the country about what to do. At the same time, she vented her rage on Cheng Lie: "It must be that little idiot! Who knows what he did to cause problems for my Ah Huai." Cheng Lie hadn’t done anything at all, yet she began resenting him. Though she couldn’t openly retaliate, she deliberately gave him expired snacks, and when it was mealtime and Cheng Guomin wasn’t around, she simply didn’t serve food. Since she couldn’t eat herself, she figured Cheng Lie shouldn’t either. Cheng Huai’s illness filled her with both fear and dread. As Cheng Guomin’s illegitimate son, there was a chance Cheng Lie might inherit everything belonging to Cheng Guomin. This wasn’t impossible! In the past, she’d thought Cheng Lie’s autism made him easy to manipulate. But now, she found herself wishing that if Cheng Huai were autistic, that’d at least mean he could still live. Leukemia, however... The more Zhao Haishuang thought about it, the more her heart ached, and her treatment of Cheng Lie deteriorated further. It was the New Year season, yet all she gave him to eat was rice mixed with plain vegetables, worse than what other families fed their dogs. Cheng Huai’s leukemia also took Cheng Lie by surprise. But after the initial shock, he showed no reaction. Perhaps this was karma. The young man’s gaze was cold and sharp as he quietly painted. Zhao Haishuang had taken away the most cherished thing in his life, and now, it was her turn to lose what she cherished most. As he thought this, a painting materialized under his hands. In the painting was a woman, soft and beautiful, with long hair and a dress. A smile adorned her face. Even though so many years had passed, time erasing all traces, he didn’t have a single photograph of her. Yet her appearance was engraved in his mind, as if carved in stone. He could never forget her for as long as he lived. Just as he could never wipe away the memory of that black night. The sky had been dark, like ink spilled across the heavens. The earth, too, was cloaked in blackness, save for the blood flowing from her body, so vividly red. That red splashed onto him like paint, staining him. It wouldn’t come off. Couldn’t be washed away. In those initial days, his dreams were often drenched in the color of blood. Because of this, he’d developed a fear of bright colors. Eventually, it got a little better, but he still couldn’t forget. How could he, when he faced the faces of his sworn enemies every day? Zhao Haishuang despised him for being an illegitimate child, but didn’t he loathe them just as much? If he had a choice, he wouldn’t have been born. If time travel truly existed, he would return to his mother’s womb and kill himself there. And as for the woman in the painting, he both loved and hated her. He loved her for giving him a short but brilliant glimpse of the world. She had fulfilled all her responsibilities as a mother, allowing him to live happily even without a father’s love. He had not always been the person he was now. Yet he hated her, too. Why had she given him such a shameful identity? Why hadn’t she protected him? Why had she left him like that, forcing him to survive wretchedly in this world for so many years? But in the end, the love outweighed the hate. Especially now, as he finally understood the meaning of his existence. A sweet, vivid image of a girl appeared in his mind. Her presence had shown him the reason for staying alive.

Chapter 216 He Understood the Meaning of Living

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