Chapter 587: Thanks for appearing in my life

Shen Junze’s extra two concert tickets eventually ended up in the hands of Shen Qinglan. Fu Hengyi hadn’t returned from the military, so Shen Qinglan decided to go with Chu Yunrong. At that time, Shen Qinglan didn’t know that Shen Junze still had one more concert ticket, so she was surprised when she saw him at the venue.

"Ah, Jun Ze, you’re here too. If we had known, we could have come together," Chu Yunrong was the first to spot Shen Junze, knowing that the concert tickets were from him.

"Mr. Shen, are you here already?" Wang Ning’s voice also echoed. The trio turned to look at her; she wore a white evening gown, the outfit she would perform in later.

"Aunt Chu, hello." Wang Ning had once met Chu Yunrong and remembered her, but Chu Yunrong didn’t recall the girl in front of her. Seeing that the other party recognized her, while she didn’t, made things a bit awkward.

"Miss Wang Ning." Shen Junze noticed Chu Yunrong’s awkwardness and called out Wang Ning’s name. Once Chu Yunrong heard the name, she immediately remembered and confusion flashed across her eyes. Wasn’t it said that Wang Ning wasn’t interested in Shen Junze? Could it be that Shen Junze was pursuing her?

Thinking this, Chu Yunrong instantly became happy. This child, if you’re pursuing someone, you should just tell me, I would definitely help you.

"So, you are Ningning. I often hear your mother mention you, saying you’re outstanding. Seeing you today, indeed, you’re both beautiful and smart," Chu Yunrong held Wang Ning’s hand warmly.

Faced with this sudden warmth, Wang Ning was inwardly baffled, but she maintained a proper smile on her face. Although she specialized in violin, she had also attended several of Chu Yunrong’s piano concerts. Chu Yunrong was an excellent musician, so Wang Ning continued the conversation smoothly. Both being musicians, they weren’t short of topics, so Shen Junze and Shen Qinglan followed behind, listening to their musical exchange.

"This girl is nice," Shen Qinglan said softly to Shen Junze.

Shen Junze felt embarrassed, "Sis, it’s not what you’re thinking. The last time I was dining with friends, I happened to meet her in the restaurant and helped her out of a situation. As a thank you, she gave me a few concert tickets," he explained.

Shen Qinglan glanced sideways, "What am I thinking?" She hadn’t said anything, but he was in a rush to explain. Initially, Shen Qinglan hadn’t thought much about it, but now...

"Sis, it’s really not what you’re thinking, I can barely even consider her a friend," Shen Junze lowered his voice, worried that the two ahead might overhear.

Shen Qinglan responded, "Even better if you’re not friends, you can be more straightforward."

Shen Junze... Why did he feel like he was making things worse?

Wang Ning led them to their seats and then left; the concert was about to start. She needed to make final preparations backstage. Chu Yunrong patted Shen Junze’s hand, "The girl is really nice. It’s normal that she isn’t interested in you, but don’t lose heart. One meeting is nothing; she hasn’t gotten to know you yet. You could try contacting her, let her have the chance to understand you better, and maybe she’ll take an interest in you."

Shen Junze... Was this supposed to be comforting? Why didn’t he feel comforted at all?

Regardless of what Shen Junze thought, Chu Yunrong was quite pleased with Wang Ning, admiring her beauty, talent, and demeanor. Such a girl would be perfect for their Shen family. She secretly planned how to help Shen Junze win her over.

So, after the concert, Chu Yunrong invited Wang Ning to the Shen house as a guest. Unable to refuse, Wang Ning came, and she wasn’t surprised at all upon seeing Shen Junze there. Being intelligent, she had already figured out Chu Yunrong’s intentions.

After dinner, Shen Junze drove Wang Ning home, leaving her at the base of her apartment building, "If what my aunt said during dinner troubled you, please don’t take it to heart. She meant no harm."

Today at the dinner table, Chu Yunrong had openly and subtly praised Shen Junze, almost to the sky. Wang Ning couldn’t pretend to be unaware, and indeed, she felt somewhat uncomfortable. However, Shen Junze bringing it up this seriously, even explaining on behalf of Chu Yunrong, managed to dissipate the slight embarrassment in Wang Ning’s heart.

"I can understand. Men should marry and women should marry when they reach a certain age. Our parents hope we will settle down and start our careers, and I get that, my parents feel the same. But your great-aunt is really good to you."

Shen Jun Ze’s eyes warmed slightly. "Yeah, my great-aunt and her family are all very good to me."

"Thank you for driving me home today. I’ll treat you to a meal another day. This time you can’t compete with me to pay the bill again." Last time she invited Shen Jun Ze for a meal, it ended up being Shen Jun Ze who paid.

Looking at the smiling woman in front of him, Shen Jun Ze unconsciously curled his lips, and a "sure" spilled out of his mouth.

"Then I’ll be going first, goodbye." Wang Ning got out of the car to go home, and Shen Jun Ze watched her enter the complex before he drove away.

Less than three days later, Wang Ning fulfilled her promise to invite Shen Jun Ze for a meal. When Shen Jun Ze arrived, he looked somewhat pale, but Wang Ning didn’t notice because it was not very obvious.

At the restaurant, it was Wang Ning’s turn to order. Shen Jun Ze kept one hand under the table, actually pressing it against his abdomen. His stomach was acting up today; he hadn’t wanted to come out, but having promised, he didn’t want to cancel, so he forced himself to come. But now, his stomach was getting increasingly uncomfortable.

After Wang Ning finished ordering, she handed the tablet back to the waiter and turned to see Shen Jun Ze frowning, so she asked with concern, "Mr. Shen, what’s wrong?"

Shen Jun Ze shook his head with a smile, "It’s nothing. Just a little stomach discomfort because I was in a hurry this morning and forgot to eat breakfast."

Hearing this, Wang Ning didn’t take it seriously, as she often skipped meals herself.

The food arrived, looking and smelling delicious, but Shen Jun Ze had no appetite. However, having just said he was hungry, it would be disrespectful not to eat, so he forced himself to take a few bites. Suddenly, his face changed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, then blacked out and collapsed.

Wang Ning stood frozen in place, taking several seconds to react before she hurried over to help him up and quickly dialed emergency services.

When Shen Jun Ze woke up, he was in the hospital. He turned his head slightly and saw Wang Ning, who was leaning over the bed. He stirred, and Wang Ning immediately woke up. Seeing that he was awake, she instantly smiled, "You’re finally awake. You really scared me." How could she not be frightened when someone suddenly vomited blood in the middle of a meal?

"The doctor said you have a gastric perforation. You’ll likely need to stay in the hospital for a while. I wanted to call your family, but I didn’t know the password for your phone to contact them," Wang Ning explained why she was alone at the hospital.

"Give me your family’s phone number, and I will call them now," said Wang Ning.

Shen Jun Ze looked at her intently, seeing the genuine concern on her face, his eyes flickered, and he recited a series of numbers — it was Shen Qinglan’s number.

After calling Shen Qinglan, Wang Ning turned to Shen Jun Ze, "The doctor said you’ve had this stomach problem for a long time now. Haven’t you been to see a doctor?"

"I have, and the doctor prescribed some medicine, but I often forget to take it when I’m busy," Shen Jun Ze said, his voice weak.

Wang Ning frowned slightly, "Why doesn’t your family remind you to take your medicine? Stomach issues can be minor or very serious. Like this time, it was quite dangerous. You really should take better care of your stomach. You’re still young and shouldn’t be treating your body like this."

Hearing Wang Ning mention his family, Shen Jun Ze’s eyes dimmed. His family, other than the Shen Family, was his mother. He rarely went back to the Shen family, and his mother hadn’t contacted him for years. Did he still have a family?

Wang Ning was speaking when she realized the other person wasn’t responding. She glanced at him and just caught the fleeting shadow of sadness in his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat, it seemed her words had touched a nerve. She wondered if it could be family related.

Shen Qinglan arrived promptly, and after confirming Shen Junze’s condition, she expressed her gratitude to Wang Ning. If Wang Ning hadn’t taken him to the hospital today, Shen Junze’s situation could have been dire.

Wang Ning felt awkward, "Actually, it’s my fault. If I had known he was unwell today, I wouldn’t have asked him out for dinner."

Shen Qinglan smiled, "Regardless, I still want to thank Miss Wang."

"Since he’s alright now, and you’re here, I’ll leave first. By the way, why didn’t his parents come to see him?" Wang Ning asked instinctively seeing only Shen Qinglan had come.

"His father passed away a few years ago," Shen Qinglan explained, yet she didn’t mention his mother. Wang Ning sensed something unusual but didn’t ask further and left.

The following two days, Wang Ning visited Shen Junze daily, chatting and laughing with him in the hospital room. Chu Yunrong saw them once and seeing them so jovial, she retreated from the room doorway, her face beaming with joy. If Shen Junze and Wang Ning could be together, she would be delighted.

Since Wang Ning came daily, Shen Junze and Wang Ning grew acquainted. Seeing her bustling about for him, Shen Junze knew he wasn’t devoid of feelings. However, he also remembered that Wang Ning wasn’t interested in him. Her care was probably because he had fainted during their meal, out of mere concern as a friend.

But somehow, just the thought of Wang Ning seeing him as just a friend made his heart inexplicably ache.

Unbeknownst to Lu Yaqin, Shen Junze stayed in the hospital. Ten days later, on the day of his discharge, Wang Ning personally came to pick him up.

"Seeing you hopping around now really reassures me. That day seriously scared me to death. Someone uninformed might think I had poisoned you," Wang Ning joked, her face relaxed.

Shen Junze slightly turned his head to look at the easygoing woman walking beside him, his lips pursed. Would he stop seeing her from tomorrow on?

Thinking this, his heart felt a wave of loss.

After dropping Shen Junze at home, Wang Ning prepared to leave. "You rest well at home. Don’t overwork yourself anymore. No job is worth more than your health. If your health is ruined, all the money in the world won’t help, you know?"

Wang Ning cautioned Shen Junze. Shen Junze nodded.

"Alright, I’ll be leaving then." Wang Ning was about to leave when Shen Junze suddenly grabbed her arm. Wang Ning looked at him puzzled, "What’s wrong?"

Shen Junze pursed his lips, "Stay for lunch, I’ll cook."

"No, I need to rush back to the orchestra this afternoon. Let’s do it another day." Knowing that he had just been discharged, Wang Ning didn’t want him to exert himself. However, her words made Shen Junze feel more dejected, wondering if she was already unwilling to share a meal now that he was discharged. His lips turned bitter, and his grip on her arm unconsciously loosened.

As Wang Ning was opening the door to leave, Shen Junze called out to her again, "Wang Ning."

Wang Ning paused, turning to look at him, "What’s up?" Her eyes caring.

Shen Junze looked at her intensely, lips sealed.

Wang Ning walked back, "Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"

Shen Junze shook his head, as if making a resolve, and spoke softly, "Wang Ning, what do you think of me?"

Wang Ning was startled, and replied instinctively, "You’re quite good. Why ask so suddenly?"

"What about being your boyfriend? Would I qualify?"

Wang Ning froze on the spot, Shen Junze fumbled, explaining, "I mean, maybe we could try dating? I really like you." His voice grew softer, and his ears reddened.

Wang Ning noticed his reddening ears and face, her eyes filled with a smile. This man truly was innocent, getting bashful while confessing his feelings.

Thinking this, she chuckled. Just as Shen Junze thought she was going to reject him, he heard Wang Ning say, "Alright, I don’t dislike you either, so let’s give it a try."

Shen Junze looked up abruptly, shocked, "You..."

Wang Ning quirked an eyebrow, amused, "What about me? Were you just joking?"

Shen Junze shook his head frantically, "Of course not, I’m serious. I just didn’t expect you to agree." After all, Wang Ning was so exceptional, in his mind, she wouldn’t fancy him.

Wang Ning smiled, "Since you’re serious, then from this moment on, you’re my boyfriend. But boyfriend, I really do need to leave now. How about you pick me up from work tonight?"

Shen Junze nodded, planning to walk her out but was stopped by Wang Ning, "No need to see me out, just rest well. Just come to pick me up after work." She walked out, but halfway, she suddenly ran back, hugged Shen Junze and said, "I’m off, see you tonight."

Shen Junze stood there dumbly, grinning like an idiot.

Chu Yunrong soon learned about Shen Junze and Wang Ning’s relationship, as Wang Ning didn’t hide it from her mother. And since her mother knew, Chu Yunrong did too.

Chu Yunrong was very happy with the news, so was Old Sir Shen. Perhaps the only person who might not be pleased was Lu Yaqin, as she only got to know her son had been in a relationship when they were planning an engagement, after two years of them dating.

But by then, no one cared about her concerns. Shen Junze informing Lu Yaqin was a notice, not a request for opinions.

That same year, in May, Shen Junze and Wang Ning got married. The following February, Wang Ning gave birth to a son for Shen Junze.

Shen Junze watched his wife lying weakly on the hospital bed, gently wiping the sweat from her forehead caused by the labor. His eyes filled with tenderness, "Ningning, thank you for coming into my life, giving me a warm and complete home."

Wang Ning looked at Shen Junze, smiled slightly, and held his hand, their fingers interlocked.