Jiang Feng returned to the hospital and saw that once again, Nangong Qingcheng was the only one keeping vigil overnight.
Today, Jiang Feng once again used his powerful connections to intimidate and embarrass the families of Nangong Jinming, leaving them no face to stay here.
Looking at the room full of gifts that couldn't all be carried away, they could only add to their humiliation!
Moreover, this incident didn't change their perception of Jiang Feng; instead, it made them hate and resent him even more. Jiang Feng's repeated public successes were built on trampling the faces of their families, deepening the grudges they held. The more successful Jiang Feng was, the more disgrace they felt.
Besides, an in-law who was once derided and looked down upon by everyone, suddenly rising above them, was a bitter pill to swallow. They attributed everything to Jiang Feng's lucky chance encounter saving Chu Renxiong's daughter.
It was sheer luck that Jiang Feng gained Chu Renxiong and Zhu Ge Yuheng's favor, who repeatedly supported him.
And it was luck again that through Chu Renxiong, Jiang Feng met so many bigwigs and built such a wide network. A small man getting ahead, putting on airs!
"Just wait, the higher he jumps now, the harder he'll fall in the future. Sooner or later, we'll see his true colors exposed. By then, it won't just be about washing away today's disgrace!" This was Nangong Jinming's parting words, and his hatred for Jiang Feng had reached a new peak!
...
"You're back?"
In the ward, Nangong Qingcheng stood up, looked at Jiang Feng and asked.
"Hmm, why are you alone again?" Jiang Feng frowned and asked. The Old Man was the whole family's Old Man, and Jiang Feng didn't mind Nangong Qingcheng and even himself fulfilling filial duties, but leaving Nangong Qingcheng to keep vigil every night was too much, wasn't it?
"They all went back and said they'd start taking turns tomorrow." Nangong Qingcheng did not ask what Jiang Feng had been doing, because she knew that even if she asked, Jiang Feng wouldn't tell her. There were many things Jiang Feng didn't want her to know, and she respected him. She firmly believed that when the time was right, Jiang Feng would let her know everything, and she was willing to wait for that.
Jiang Feng looked at the solitary Nangong Qingcheng and sighed with a sense of guilt.
He indeed had many things he couldn't let Nangong Qingcheng know. Many times, he wished for her to live a normal life, away from danger, protected by him. He didn't want her to worry or feel any pressure because of him.
"Get some sleep; I'll keep vigil for the Old Man tonight."
"No need, I'm not sleepy. It's you who's been out all night—you must be tired. You should rest." Nangong Qingcheng said sincerely.
"Listen to me, rest well." Jiang Feng reached out and touched Nangong Qingcheng's delicate and smooth face, smiling: "Your complexion hasn't recovered yet. Get more sleep. I'll take care of everything, you just sleep peacefully."
"Do I really look that bad?" Nangong Qingcheng was taken aback, feeling a little uncomfortable with Jiang Feng's sudden affectionate gesture, but she was more concerned about her own appearance.
"Just a bit haggard, after all," Jiang Feng sighed, "you haven't rested well for a full five days."
Hearing Jiang Feng mention this sensitive matter, Nangong Qingcheng's cheeks couldn't help but blush slightly. Wasn't her sleeplessness all because of Jiang Feng?
Restless, she couldn't sleep!
Unable to resist Jiang Feng, Nangong Qingcheng had to lie down on the accompanying bed to sleep, while Jiang Feng willingly sat by the Old Man's bedside, keeping vigil.
In the middle of the night, Nangong Honghu suddenly woke up. The anesthesia had worn off, and he woke up from the pain. Jiang Feng immediately stood up, placed his hand on his wound, and quietly infused a stream of True Qi, relieving the Old Man's pain.
"Xiao Feng?" After a few breaths, Nangong Honghu opened his eyes in a daze. Seeing Jiang Feng, he smiled with relief and lay back down contentedly.
"Old Man, how do you feel? Are you better?" Jiang Feng asked.
"Much better, has Qingcheng gone to sleep?" The Old Man looked at the accompanying bed and asked.
"She just fell asleep not long ago."
"Good, let her sleep. Xiao Feng, let's have a chat, just us." Nangong Honghu sighed and said.
Nangong Honghu had just undergone surgery and should have been getting plenty of rest. Even though Jiang Feng had infused him with some Devouring Sky Demon Qi, it wasn't enough to immediately recover as Situ Yan once did. However, since the Old Man insisted on chatting, Jiang Feng didn't persuade him otherwise.
"Old Man, what do you want to say?" Jiang Feng calmly asked.
"Xiao Feng, I've had a secret bottled up inside for over ten years. It's a rare chance like this; I want to open my heart to you." After this illness and the near loss of Jiang Feng, Nangong Honghu had come to terms with it, and he didn't want to take this secret to the grave. Otherwise, the truth would never be revealed, which wouldn't be fair to Jiang Feng.
"What secret?" Jiang Feng vaguely sensed that what the Old Man was about to say wasn't simple.
"Thirteen years ago, do you remember the scene when the two of us first met?" Nangong Honghu immersed in memories, gave a bitter smile: "That winter, you were a skinny child, fainting alone at the alleyway. If I hadn't happened upon you..."
"Then I wouldn't be here today." Jiang Feng chimed in. He knew well of this kindness but didn't understand why the Old Man brought it up.
"Xiao Feng, do you know, I truly rescued you, and later truly pledged my most beloved granddaughter to you because I saw an indomitable spirit in your eyes. I have seen many people in my time, and only truly exceptional people possess that look! You had suffered some significant blow, leading to self-abandonment and a world-weary attitude, but given a chance, I believed you would have your day of success. I trusted my intuition..."
Jiang Feng bitterly smiled in his heart. Old Man, you truly misjudged. If not for my rebirth, I would have long died in the wilderness—what talk is there of a comeback?
"So when you later pledged Qingcheng to me, was it to awaken my life aspirations? To give me a sense of responsibility and regain confidence?" Jiang Feng asked with a smile.
"Yes! And no!" Nangong Honghu said surprisingly.
Jiang Feng slightly frowned.
"Of course, I had this in mind, and I swear, I genuinely saw potential in you and Qingcheng, but beyond that, I had my own ulterior motives!"
"Ulterior motives?"
Nangong Honghu looked into Jiang Feng's eyes, speaking with bitterness: "Xiao Feng, you may not know, but the year after I took you home, a mysterious person came to me, explicitly insisting that I treat you well. Otherwise, they wouldn't let me go!"
Jiang Feng raised his eyebrows sharply: "Mysterious person? Who?"
"I don't know. That person was just a messenger, but I could tell he was no ordinary person. His presence was so overwhelming that I could hardly breathe. I dare say, in the vast Binhai, no one else like him could be found!"
Jiang Feng furrowed his brows even more deeply. This was a secret he indeed didn't know. If the Old Man hadn't spoken, he would have been kept in the dark forever!
For a moment, many thoughts and conjectures surged in his mind!
"Do you remember his appearance?"
"No, he arranged to meet me in a dark house, the light was dim, and I still don't know what he looks like, only his voice..."
"What about his voice?" Jiang Feng asked, getting to the critical point.
"His voice had a strong Capital City accent!"