I Agree to Your Terms

On a summer night in the mountains, aside from the annoying sound of cicadas, there was often the unexpected delight of fireflies.

Tiny fireflies danced in the air, creating a beautiful scene.

However, in the sky garden on the second floor of the Qin family mansion, the two people standing opposite each other had no interest in appreciating the beauty around them.

Qin Yun’s lips were pressed into a tight line, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and her eyes were filled with a brewing storm, ready to erupt at any moment.

She listened as her father, in a cold and indifferent tone, told her, “If you don’t agree, then I’m sorry, but that little girl will have to fend for herself.”

Qin Shu didn’t seem to care at all that, as a renowned doctor in the medical field, saying such words would greatly tarnish his image.

Perhaps it was because he had spent so many years on the front lines, treating and saving lives, that he had seen too much life and death. The survival of a little girl who had nothing to do with him didn’t concern him in the slightest, so he could say such things with ease.

Qin Yun was so angry at his words that she laughed.

She laughed so hard that her whole body trembled, and tears even welled up in the corners of her eyes.

She should have known all along that this old man would use this situation to manipulate her, taking the opportunity to accomplish something he hadn’t been able to do for years.

“When I entered medical school, my teacher told us that any doctor with a conscience would never stand by and watch a patient die.”

“It seems I overestimated you.”

Qin Yun stopped laughing, but a mocking smile still played on her lips, her eyes filled with scorn.

The middle-aged man sitting across from her was long accustomed to his daughter’s sarcasm. He didn’t even raise an eyebrow at her words, simply taking another sip of tea.

Then, in a slow and deliberate manner, he said, “Everyone has their reasons, Ah Yun.”

“I’ve contributed to the medical field for so many years, and now I just want to fulfill a small wish. Is that too much to ask?”

Besides, at his age, what use were those so-called morals and reputation?

All he wanted was to move his wife’s grave to a place closer to him.

As he spoke, a glimmer of hope appeared in Qin Shu’s eyes.

“As long as you agree, I’ll go find someone right away. I won’t delay that little girl’s treatment, I promise, Ah Yun!”

In fact, Qin Shu had tried to move the grave directly before.

But unfortunately, his daughter’s stubbornness was just like her late mother’s—unyielding and unpersuadable.

To put it bluntly, she was like a stone in a latrine—stubborn and unpleasant.

When Qin Yun was not even 20 years old, she had dared to call the police on them and even sought out a law professor at her university to help her file a lawsuit.

If Qin Shu hadn’t had a few connections in the legal field, it could have caused a significant scandal. Otherwise, young Qin Yun might have really taken a chunk out of him.

Since that incident, Qin Shu had only been able to test Qin Yun’s attitude through indirect means.

Qin Yun felt her blood boiling, waves of anger surging in her heart, and memories of past grievances replaying in her mind.

She clenched her fists, lowered her head, and blinked a few times, quickly sorting through her thoughts.

“I’ve never asked you for anything, nor have I ever asked you to do anything for me.”

“And now, even this one time, you want to completely break my heart?”

Qin Yun lifted her head again, her eyes filled with determination, but her voice was softer than ever before.

She knew that confronting him head-on wouldn’t work, so she decided to change her strategy, playing the pity card to see if she could awaken any empathy in the old man.

Qin Shu’s heart wavered for a moment, a mix of emotions flashing in his eyes.

There was struggle, guilt, unease, and finally, resolve.

“You…”

Just as Qin Shu was about to refuse Qin Yun, he heard something unexpected.

“Dad.”

In the empty garden, with only the two of them present, Qin Yun’s “Dad” rang clearly in Qin Shu’s ears.

He stared at her in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“What did you call me?”

He must not have heard wrong, and it wasn’t a hallucination, right?

She had just called him “Dad,” hadn’t she?

Not long ago, in the hospital, Qin Yun had been calling him “Old Fool” with every sentence. But now, she had actually called him “Dad”?!

For years, Qin Yun had never once called him that!

The sudden joy hit Qin Shu like a ton of bricks, leaving him almost speechless.

Qin Yun carefully observed the old man’s expression, noticing the flicker in his eyes. She decided to push further, calling him again.

“Dad.”

“Let’s make a deal.”

“If you agree to help, I’ll return to the Qin family and acknowledge my roots. How about that?”

This was the best solution Qin Yun could come up with after weighing the pros and cons.

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t accept moving her mother’s grave here. Doing so would mean her mother would never rest in peace, even in death.

That would be more painful for Qin Yun than dying herself.

On the other hand, she couldn’t give up on Fang Wenjing’s life.

Anyone with eyes could see how much Fang Zhou cared about his sister.

If Fang Wenjing died, Fang Zhou might not be able to handle it.

Although, in the dead of night, Qin Yun had once entertained the twisted thought of cutting off all of Fang Zhou’s connections—his family, his friends—leaving him completely isolated, with only her by his side.

But unless absolutely necessary, Qin Yun didn’t want to go that far.

Now, she had a chance to turn things around, and of course, she had to try.

Qin Shu’s eyes flickered as if he were seriously considering the feasibility of this proposal.

So Qin Yun upped the ante.

“Isn’t your goal to ensure the Qin family has a successor? With my talent in medicine, am I not better than those cousins of yours?”

“Besides, returning to the Qin family was also my mother’s wish.”

Qin Yun’s words were firm, especially the last sentence, which struck a deep chord in Qin Shu’s heart.

He quickly thought it over and realized that her request was actually acceptable.

After all, having Qin Yun return to the Qin family was one of his ultimate goals.

Of his three children, two were already deceased. No matter what, the remaining one had to return to the Qin family.

Call him old-fashioned or stubborn, but Qin Shu believed that his child must acknowledge their roots.

“Alright, I agree.”

After some consideration, Qin Shu finally accepted Qin Yun’s proposal.

“Then tomorrow, we’ll go to the police station and transfer your household registration.”

He wasn’t one to believe in empty promises; he needed to see sincerity before trusting Qin Yun.

“Alright, no problem.”

Qin Yun silently breathed a sigh of relief, but when she turned away, her eyes darkened considerably.

So, it’s just acting, right? She could endure that.

Rather than desecrating her mother’s ashes, she would bear this burden herself. It was the best compromise she could make.

It was a win-win situation, as long as she ignored her own feelings.

But the sudden collapse of years of persistence felt like a joke.

Her heart was filled with bitterness and sorrow, and she even felt a strange sense of grievance.

But as an adult, she had to take responsibility for every decision she made.

Qin Yun watched the fireflies dancing in the distance and silently made a note in her heart for Fang Zhou.

I’ve paid a high price for you, Fang Zhou. I hope you won’t disappoint me in the future.