CHAPTER 512: 491: APOLOGY (CHAPTER 3)

Ye Ling gave birth after being induced, as mother-in-law had said. Since it was pre-labor bleeding, the birth was quicker than when water breaks, but it still took her more than two hours to deliver the baby. After she gave birth, she was so exhausted she passed out. When she opened her eyes, she was already in the hospital room.

The room was quiet, with no one else around except Shen Bin standing with his back to her by the window. Ye Ling didn’t make a sound and just watched his silhouetted figure against the sunset; it seemed to elongate him, and he stood there silently exuding loneliness and sorrow.

Ye Ling’s heart tightened fiercely, "Shen Bin."

Before her voice fell, the person at the window instantly turned around and was at her bedside within a few large strides. He slightly lowered his body, concern etched on his cold, handsome face, "You’re awake? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"

"I’m fine." Ye Ling tugged at her mouth. Having just given birth, it felt as though all her strength had been drained. She couldn’t even hear her own voice, and when she lifted her hand slightly, he seemed to understand her thoughts and immediately reached over to gently hold her hand in his.

"Don’t worry about me." Suddenly, Ye Ling no longer wanted to be angry with the man in front of her or give him the cold shoulder.

Perhaps he kept things from her when something happened, but thinking back on those matters, she came back, having been caught up in the Shen Family issues, almost losing the baby. She had been frightened and began to feel tender for the man before her.

"I’m sorry." Shen Bin tightly pressed her hand to his lips, gently kissed it, and then took a deep breath, "Every time when you need me the most, I’m not by your side. I’ve thought a lot, about how I’m not a qualified husband, how I can’t help you, and after marriage, I brought you many difficulties. If something had happened to you this time, I would never forgive myself for the rest of my life."

"It’s all in the past." Ye Ling held his hand, shaking her head to stop him from saying more and from blaming himself further.

Shen Bin nodded, "From now on, I’ll make sure to take good care of you."

Ye Ling smiled.

As the two talked in the hospital room, Zhao Guodong in the hallway outside heard the sounds from inside and approached. Seeing the situation, he quickly pushed the door open and entered, resulting in everyone else following him in.

Everyone was chatting noisily, speaking over each other, making the hospital room particularly lively. Ye Ling smiled with pursed lips, watching as everyone was around her, feeling warmth in her heart.

Since the moment the labor pain started, she had thought a lot, especially while giving birth, realizing that life is short, and there’s no need to constantly dwell on things. As long as one is happy, that’s enough. Opening her eyes and seeing Shen Bin’s lonely figure, getting hurt herself is perhaps less painful than seeing him heartbroken?

Knowing his conscience was already distressed and he felt perpetual guilt, why should she continue to dwell on right and wrong with him?

Once she thought it through, Ye Ling felt a sense of relief. Listening to Zhao Guodong and Liu Nan argue about the newly-born child again, she simply smiled without interrupting, knowing it’s abnormal for them not to quarrel when they’re together.

The baby, finally brought back after being placed in an incubator upon Ye Ling’s awakening, was said to need its first taste of breast milk. Even though born small and prematurely, the baby had a lot of flesh, prompting Ye Ling to call out ’Little Fatty.’ Everyone crowded around to look and agreed the nickname was quite fitting, thus her son’s nickname was settled.

Ye Zhenfen also wore a smile on her face. Seeing her daughter-in-law and grandchild well, she was finally at peace, busily instructing the help to go home and stew soup to nourish Ye Ling’s body, while also detailing what could or couldn’t be added, keeping herself busy to no end.

Ye Ling and Shen Bin knew keeping her occupied made her happy, feeling needed, so they didn’t stop her.

It wasn’t until evening when the nurse came in to usher people out that Zhao Guodong and the others, their stomachs growling, finally left.

Yang Hui, in front of everyone, handed Ye Ling a hundred yuan as a gift, and Liu Nan, while leaving, slipped the money directly into the bed. When Ye Ling took it out, she found it was five hundred yuan.

The amount of money shocked Ye Ling a bit, but Shen Bin reassured her they could return it when Zhao Guodong got married, which eased her mind.

Comparing Liu Nan and Yang Hui’s actions, one could see the disparity in true character and wealth between people. Yang Hui gave a hundred yuan publicly for a little show off, while Liu Nan gave more discreetly, which told the difference.

Once Zhao Guodong and the others had just been sent off, Zhang Zhenlian arrived. She kept her head down as if devastated, entering the hospital room and repeatedly apologizing, "Ye Ling, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I was crazy back then, didn’t think through anything, heard you say those words, only then I forgot everything. I’m sorry, please forgive me."

"It’s late, you can go back if there’s nothing else. My wife needs to rest." The one who spoke was Shen Bin.

Naturally stern, his demeanor now matched his tone, leaving Zhang Zhenlian’s face pale as she started crying silently. After the daytime incident, she dared not return home and quietly came to the hospital, only surfacing once Zhao Guodong and the others had left.

She knew Ye Ling wouldn’t forgive her, but hadn’t expected Shen Bin to be the first to speak, and with such a cold hardness, her heart couldn’t help but sink further.

"If you truly came to apologize, we know it now. My wife needs rest, and if you truly care for her, don’t disturb her. Standing here crying, are you really here to apologize?" Shen Bin didn’t give her a chance to speak, "About the situation with Ye Qian, you don’t need to blame my wife. They are not the same person, and what you mentioned, I will discuss with Ye Qian and your husband."

"I’m sorry." Zhang Zhenlian wanted to ask Shen Bin not to alert her husband, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Now that Ye Ling had a premature birth and almost an accident, what right did she have to ask Ye Ling not to seek an explanation?

Thinking of her husband’s resentful gazes toward her, Zhang Zhenlian felt a chill all over, later not even remembering how she walked out of the hospital, just noticing that there were fewer and fewer people on the streets as she headed home.

Returning home, Si Daochen was already back, reeking of alcohol; Zhang Zhenlian didn’t need to ask to know he had been out drinking with Ye Qian again. Thinking about her own issues, her heart began to harbor resentment. This was the man she had always loved, to whom she had given so much, yet he, always felt she was unworthy of him.