The Young Urban Doctor

Those who knew Ling Ruonan had a common impression of her: she was a very strong-willed woman who acted decisively and had a bit of an iron lady flair. Within the Northern Group she controlled, she was akin to a queen.

If one were to survey those who knew Ling Ruonan and ask if they had ever seen her show any weakness or shed tears, a hundred percent of them would shake their heads.

Yet today, Ling Ruonan had shed tears, displaying uncontrolled emotions. Yang Qingyin, sitting across from her, was rather at a loss and felt extremely uncomfortable.

“Mrs. Ling, how about you see him for a bit? Go to his room; that way no one will know,” suggested Yang Qingyin tactfully. Whether as a woman or as someone quite close to Luo Ziling, she wished for the mother and son, who hadn’t seen each other for twenty years, to have a face-to-face meeting, to talk and emotionally connect.

Certainly, she would never spread the word and would order Xiaoli strictly not to leak a thing to anyone.

She hoped that her presence could help mend the twenty-year gap between Luo Ziling and Ling Ruonan.

To Yang Qingyin’s surprise, Ling Ruonan still shook her head, “No, I think I’m not yet ready to face him, and he is not ready either. I hope that when we truly meet for the first time, it will be in my own home. I want him to know he has a home, a mother, just like any other child.”

While saying this, Ling Ruonan’s eyes were still red, and she occasionally dabbed at them with a tissue.

“I’m sorry for making you laugh at me,” Ling Ruonan said softly, noticing Yang Qingyin’s complex gaze, “I always lose control of my emotions when it comes to matters involving him.”

“Mrs. Ling, seeing you like this really moves me. I don’t know the details about what happened years ago, so I can’t judge right from wrong. Even if I were informed of the events, it wouldn’t be my place to judge,” said Yang Qingyin softly. “But I know that if I were you and I met a man I truly loved, I would pursue him without a second thought. I wouldn’t accept a family arrangement or give up my love for a political marriage. As a woman, I deeply understand the decision you made back then. If it were me, I would make the same choice as you.”

These words from Yang Qingyin utterly shocked Ling Ruonan; she had never dreamed Yang Qingyin would speak like this.

The woman who was entangled with her son, causing her great worry, had actually said she understood such a decision.

Over the years, Ling Ruonan rarely heard anyone say they understood her decision from that time, so she was very surprised by Yang Qingyin’s words.

“Mrs. Ling, I believe that hatred will eventually pass and that time will smooth everything over. I also believe that your family of three will finally reunite. If I can, I am willing to do something about it, even though I don’t know much about the past issues,” Yang Qingyin said, looking at Ling Ruonan with a sincere expression.

Ling Ruonan also looked at Yang Qingyin and finally showed a bitter smile, “Qingyin, thank you. I really appreciate your understanding. But the storm that event caused years ago is much bigger than you imagine. If it weren’t so, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. It’s not something you or I can change. So, I still hope you can approach this rationally. Otherwise, a tragedy is inevitably going to repeat itself.”

Yang Qingyin didn’t interrupt, just listened quietly, her beautiful big eyes staring blankly at the cup in front of her.

Ling Ruonan smiled bitterly, continuing, “Back then, his grandfather and Ouyang Lingyun had set a marital agreement. I knew his grandfather hoped to use this marriage to bring him back to Yanjing. But in the end, I still rejected the arranged marriage by both families. I didn’t want them to be bound by a marriage arranged by elders, as I had suffered from it, and I didn’t want them to follow in the same footsteps. Of course, I also didn’t like Ouyang Feifei as a suitable wife for him; they were not a good match. He needs someone who understands him and is willing to take good care of him, because he has lacked a mother’s love since childhood. He is happy being with you, and actually… I am too. If it weren’t for the grudge between our families, I would do everything possible to bring you two together. But now, all I can do is…”

“Mrs. Ling, in truth, I’m also someone who doesn’t know how to take care of others, and moreover, I haven’t decided to end up with him yet. For now, our willingness to play and travel together is simply because it feels good to be with him,” Yang Qingyin said, struggling to express her thoughts but still pressing on under Ling Ruonan’s gaze: “However, he’s the first boy I’ve met who made me feel so good at first sight. I enjoy spending time and talking with him. Since the day I learned he was your son, I’ve been aware that our eventual end might well be tragic. Walking away now could perhaps yield the best outcome. But I…”

After a glance at Ling Ruonan, who was still watching her intently, Yang Qingyin earnestly continued her thoughts, “But in the end, I’ve decided to let things take their natural course. Perhaps, the feeling will fade one day, and then we will simply drift apart. Moreover, if my family doesn’t know about his background, they won’t intervene and cause him any harm.”

“I trust that you will not divulge his background to anyone, but ever since he arrived in Yanjing, so much has happened. Your family might already know something about him, only they haven’t actively investigated. Otherwise, they would have certainly interfered by now,” Ling Ruonan said, revealing another bitter smile. “I owe him far too much, and the separation of twenty years has weakened our maternal bond. I don’t want to see him get hurt again, nor do I want to stir up a greater upheaval. So, I still hope that you will think rationally and decide cautiously.”

After pausing, Ling Ruonan added, “I already asked Wuyue to share my thoughts with him, and I think he will consider them. I took the liberty of coming to you today in hopes that you might also give it careful thought. Of course, I can’t impose anything on you and I don’t want to force you to do anything. I just hope that you can… not let him get hurt again, okay?”

Hearing Ling Ruonan’s almost pleading words, Yang Qingyin couldn’t help the sting in her nose, feeling the urge to cry, but ultimately she only said softly, “Mrs. Ling, I fully understand and completely respect your meaning; rest assured, I will approach this matter rationally.”