Chapter Sixty-Nine: A Final Letter?

The hospital. Tang Zhichu pushed open the door to the ward.

What greeted him was Wang Jun standing by the window, his eldest aunt in pajamas, and Tao Bo sitting in a chair with his head bowed.

Hearing the sound, the three looked toward the door.

Wang Jun walked over and spoke in a low voice, "His organs are starting to fail. The doctor doesn't recommend chemotherapy anymore."

Tang Zhichu froze for a moment, then walked to the bedside. The old man was unconscious, wearing an oxygen mask, and hooked up to an IV.

When they arranged for him to be discharged last time, the doctor had said that he should eat whatever he wanted, so when Tang Zhichu had dinner with the uncles, he had let him drink a little wine.

Tang Zhichu knew the old man would be a trial in his life after arriving in this world, but he hadn't expected it to come so soon.

Wang Jun stood beside Tang Zhichu, expressionless. He reached into the inner pocket of his coat, took out an envelope, and pressed it into Tang Zhichu's hand.

After handing over the envelope, Wang Jun glanced at Tang Xiujü. She said nothing, but took Tao Bo and Wang Jun with her as they left.

Tang Zhichu stood before Tang Maode's hospital bed and opened the letter.

It was his father's handwriting. Though Tang Maode had not studied much, his penmanship was excellent.

"I don't know if this counts as a will. Maybe just a letter. Why write a letter? Because every time I see you, I can't help but scold you.

You said the show finishes recording tomorrow. Does that mean your old man hasn't let you down? At least I didn't hold you back.

A few things to explain. This damn illness hurts. Every time the pain hits, I yell for a knife. All the things you ought to bear, Wang Jun took on instead. Remember, he's your uncle, closer than blood.

Your eldest uncle is proud. I've never submitted to him. He's not as tall as me, not as good-looking, and I'm not inferior to him at work. We've argued and fought, but when it mattered, he never refused me. Your eldest aunt and the others, no need to elaborate—they know how to treat you and me, and we must remember it in our hearts. Your youngest aunt is the pride of our Tang family. When in doubt, ask her; she'll help you.

Our Tang family isn't about being close. We fight and argue, that's normal, but there's only one requirement: within your ability, you must lend a hand. That's our tradition. Never forget your roots.

I should've written down my expectations for you, but I won't. Even if I did, it'd be pointless. Just remember—Tang Zhichu, you're an adult. Every action has its consequence. Don't be afraid, and never back down. Face it.

Last time your cousin came over, you found the wine he brought under my bed. Actually, I was nervous then, because in the very back, there was a bottle of medicine. That was my last lesson for you. I resisted, didn't take the medicine. Your old man didn't flinch; he just lost to this illness.

As for your mother, she's still your mother. If that man treats you well, it's no harm to call him 'second dad.' If he's a decent person, he'll treat you well.

You know where the bank card is. The secret is your birthday. There's some money in it. Take care of it yourself.

Getting old now. My mind isn't as quick. I'll write about the show next time.

...

As he read, Tang Zhichu took deep breaths, but in the end, he couldn't hold back—the tears spilled over.

He reached under the blanket and clasped Tang Maode's hand.

The old man had endured more than Tang Zhichu realized. He, this not-quite-son but real son, had done far too little.

"Hoo... Dad, hang in there, just a bit longer... at least, let's share a drink together."

...

Jiang Lan, clutching a folder under her arm, appeared at the entrance of Old Tang Sichuan Cuisine.

She grumbled inwardly about how fast he'd run—she'd chased after him all the way and hadn't caught sight of him.

The men at the dinner table had been so caught up in conversation that her own matters went unmentioned. Then he took a call and left halfway. Can't he act like a proper person?

Jiang Lan's company was now mass-producing QQ gummies and had reached a partnership with the show's production team.

She had come to find Tang Zhichu, to deliver money, but he was too quick to catch.

"Is your boss in?" Jiang Lan asked the receptionist.

The receptionist stared at Jiang Lan for a while, thinking she looked familiar. "Sorry, our boss is very busy lately, rarely comes to the shop."

Jiang Lan nodded. Where could he have gone? Calls wouldn't go through, either.

Helpless, Jiang Lan turned to leave, thinking she'd try again next time.

But just as she turned, she came face to face with a lady.

The woman appeared to be in her forties, slightly plump, dignified, and it was clear she'd been quite pretty in her youth.

Jiang Lan smiled politely and nodded, intending to walk past.

But the lady spoke. "Hello, you're Jiang Lan, aren't you?"

Jiang Lan grew wary. "And you are...?"

The woman smiled. "I'm Tang Zhichu's mother. I learned about you from your show."

...

She'd actually encountered Tang Zhichu's mother. Jiang Lan's mind stalled for a moment, but she managed to greet her politely, "Hello, Auntie."

Realizing what was happening, Jiang Lan grew curious—curious how they had raised Tang Zhichu.

He hadn't just won over Chen Siyang, but had also managed to charm the two male guests on the show, who now called him brother. She had to admit, he was quite impressive.

"Are you looking for him? I think I know where he is. Why don't I take you there?"

Jiang Lan glanced at the folder tucked under her arm and nodded. "Alright, thank you, Auntie."

The lady shook her head. "It's no trouble. My surname is Xu, my given name is Yuzi. You can call me Aunt Xu."

Jiang Lan smiled. "Thank you, Aunt Xu."

Xu Yuzi had driven herself, and Jiang Lan, following the host's lead, got into her car.

It was clear Xu Yuzi was a gentle woman. Her movements were light, and she waited for Jiang Lan to fasten her seatbelt before starting the car.

"They should be at the hospital now," Xu Yuzi said, glancing in the rearview mirror.

"The hospital?"

"Yes. His father has pancreatic cancer; it was already advanced when they found it."

Jiang Lan was stunned, and her breathing quickened.

Pancreatic cancer? So, the last time he went to the hospital, it was to see his father?

"This child is very independent. He hasn't asked the family for money since university. Every time I tried to give him some, he refused. Maybe it's my fault—I didn't get along with his father, and we divorced when he was in high school..." Xu Yuzi drove out of the parking lot, her voice soft and low.

She felt that if she went to see them, the atmosphere would be awkward; meeting a friend of her son was a good buffer.

She'd considered divorce for years, waiting until her son grew up, but when she saw no hope in Tang Maode, she took the initiative. She knew taking Tang Zhichu with her wasn't possible—Tang Maode would have fought desperately.

So, Xu Yuzi left with nothing but herself.

"He's very introverted, rarely leaves the house. If his father hadn't gotten sick, he definitely wouldn't have joined the show. I can even guess he was forced by his dad. So he might seem a bit silly, but he's not stupid—otherwise he wouldn't have managed to earn his own money while studying..."

Xu Yuzi said this because she'd watched the show. Tang Zhichu's performance wasn't as dazzling as the others, but there was a reason, so she explained it to Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan looked out the window. She hadn't realized Tang Zhichu had such a story.

The last time she took him to the hospital, they'd joked together, laughed. She hadn't known she was taking him to see his cancer-stricken father.

No wonder his spirits were so low that first day.

Perhaps that's also why he pushed Chen Siyang away?