CHAPTER 124: Wan & Shan's Side Story [5]

Before leaving, Shan Pan nodded and smiled at Wan Shiying, saying, "Grandma, I'll go upstairs first. Let's talk about the surname change later."

"Okay, no rush." Wan Shiying nodded, understanding that her goal should already been achieved. Shan Pan was clearly about to agree to her earlier, so she patiently waited for Shan Pan to come back downstairs.

After going upstairs, Shan Pan skillfully changed Shan Le's diaper and then Qin Zhaoci went downstairs to the car. When Shan Pan finished changing Shan Le's fresh diaper, Qin Zhaoci came back with a relatively large gift and handed it to Shan Pan.

"What did she send?" Shan Pan frowned, holding the somewhat heavy gift box, feeling curious.

"You can open it and see." Qin Zhaoci pointed to the floor, indicating that Shan Pan could open it there.

Unable to resist her curiosity, Shan Pan handed Shan Le over to Qin Zhaoci and then crouched down to unwrap the gift.

After removing the outer packaging, the contents were revealed.

She lifted the cloth covering and found a framed oil painting inside.

The painting depicted herself holding her daughter.

Although Wan Baiyun had been in the military for so many years, her painting skills had not diminished in the slightest. The painting was vivid and lifelike, with excellent use of light and shade, rich color combinations, once again stunning Shan Pan.

Even though Wan Baiyun had never seen Shan Pan holding a child, the Shan Pan in the painting was depicted as beautiful, with a gentle and radiant motherly aura.

Shan Le also appeared as her usual well-behaved and adorable self, a chubby little darling with bright eyes gazing at the Shan Pan in the painting. She smiled, revealing a pink gum line, creating a heartwarming scene of motherly love and filial piety.

In the bottom right corner of the painting, there was a line of small characters: "To my beloved and my daughter Lele, may they be forever happy and blessed."

Qin Zhaoci had never opened Wan Baiyun's gift, so she was also amazed when she saw the painting.

After sighing, Qin Zhaoci also understood that Wan Shiying had truly shattered a child's dream, a child who was undoubtedly talented.

"Do not agree to her." Qin Zhaoci suddenly blurted out.

Shan Pan was taken aback. After covering the painting with the cloth again, she turned to Qin Zhaoci and asked, "What? Agree to whom?"

Qin Zhaoci shook her head. "Do not agree to Wan Shiying's request to change Le Le's surname. Wan Baiyun wouldn't agree either."

Shan Pan didn't understand. "Why?"

Qin Zhaoci lowered her gaze. "Shan Pan, do you know why Wan Baiyun has emphasized repeatedly that she wants Le Le to be a happy child?"

Shan Pan shook her head. "Isn't that every parent's wish?"

"Yes, but this wish is even stronger for Wan Baiyun." Qin Zhaoci lowered her head and tapped her optical brain. "This is a recording I made earlier. If you have time, please listen to it. It's a long recording, and it might be a bit noisy, but I hope you can listen to it till the end."

"If you have any questions after listening, you can message me."

"Also, regarding Wan Shiying's request to change Le Le's surname, make your decision after listening to the recording. Otherwise, I'm afraid you might regret it."

Shan Pan furrowed her brow, nodded, and looked at the message box where Qin Zhaoci sent the recording, her eyes conflicted.

After carrying Shan Le downstairs, Shan Pan saw Wan Shiying still waiting for her and explained with a smile, "Grandma, something came up and delayed me. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Wan Shiying looked at Shan Le in Shan Pan's arms and smiled, wiping the drool off Shan Le's mouth. "Great-grandma's little treasure, so adorable."

While Wan Shiying was playing with the child, Shan Pan pondered Qin Zhaoci's words and spoke up, "Grandma, about the surname change for Le Le, I might need to discuss it with my parents. After all, it was Wan Baiyun who discussed it with my parents initially, so we should discuss any further changes."

"Of course." Wan Shiying nodded. She trusted Shan Pan's parents and knew they were not unreasonable people.

After the banquet, the nanny put Shan Le to sleep, and Shan Pan stared at the recording in her optical brain. She hesitated for a long time, flipping back and forth, before gathering the courage to finally play the recording.

Just as Qin Zhaoci had mentioned, the background of the recording was noisy, with the distinct sounds of pouring drinks and clinking glasses.

Shan Pan was familiar with such sounds, as she used to accompany Wan Baiyun to bars frequently.

"Wan Baiyun, do you like Shan Pan?"

Upon hearing Qin Zhaoci's question, Shan Pan's heart instinctively skipped a beat, faintly tinged with an unnoticed anticipation.

As she listened to Wan Baiyun's confession of liking her, a complex expression appeared in Shan Pan's eyes. Subsequently, Qin Zhaoci began asking the questions that puzzled Shan Pan as well.

With each of Wan Baiyun's answers, Shan Pan's face grew increasingly somber, and her eyes became redder.

After the recording ended, a single tear rolled down Shan Pan's cheek.

In her mind, she flashed back to the scene from when Wan Baiyun was stabbed, in a delirious state, and pleading, "Don't save me, don't save me," 

It seemed she had never really attempted to understand Wan Baiyun.

Shan Pan covered her face, realizing that she had never asked Wan Baiyun why she had become like this, nor did she inquire about what Wan Shiying had done to her.

Wan Shiying had always been good to her, so she had always thought that the grandmother and granddaughter had only minor conflicts. She never imagined that the conflict between them ran so deep.

What Wan Shiying had done couldn't be described as merely excessive. 

Even just listening to Wan Baiyun's account, bystanders would feel distressed. Shan Pan couldn't fathom how Wan Baiyun managed to endure such days in the past.

Recalling her casual questions to Wan Baiyun in the past, she finally understood that her eyes at the time were filled with clouds of darkness and pain that she couldn't comprehend.

She also never imagined that her own selfishness back then would once again stifle Wan Baiyun's budding dreams.

Shan Pan listened to the recording over and over again, each time causing her heart to ache for Wan Baiyun uncontrollably.

Looking at her daughter sleeping peacefully beside her, Shan Pan gently pinched her little hand, opened her optical brain, and sent a message to Qin Zhaoci: "Can we talk tomorrow?"

The next day, Qin Zhaoci woke up and discovered Shan Pan's message. After thinking for a moment, she suggested meeting at a mental health clinic.

"Why did you ask me to come here?" Shan Pan looked puzzled when they met at the appointed location.

Qin Zhaoci blinked her eyes and didn't answer Shan Pan's question. Instead, she asked, "You've listened to the recording, haven't you?"

"Yes," Shan Pan nodded.

"That's good." Qin Zhaoci nodded. "I secretly recorded this audio without Wan Baiyun's knowledge. I've been torn for the past few months about whether to let you listen to it. It was not until last night when I saw Wan Shiying trying to interfere with Le Le that I felt you should know her true nature."

"As Wan Baiyun said, let Shan Le grow up in the Shan family. The Wan family is not suitable for a child's upbringing."

"Yes, I will refuse her." Shan Pan pursed her lips and lowered her gaze. "Why didn't she ever tell me about all this?"

Qin Zhaoci shook her head. "Wan Baiyun, all these years, under Wan Shiying's suppression and control, has lost the ability to express herself. I guided her to speak up while she was intoxicated for the recording."

"In her sober state, she would never tell you these things."

"She has always felt that she couldn't bring you happiness because she couldn't break free from Wan Shiying's overpowering control. She could only try to push you away, not wanting you and Le Le to end up like her, trapped for a lifetime."

After listening, Shan Pan took a deep breath but remained silent.

Qin Zhaoci continued, "I called you here today because I wanted to ask if you would be willing to become Wan Baiyun's guardian."

"What do you mean?" Shan Pan raised an eyebrow.

Qin Zhaoci explained, "I persuaded her to come here for psychological treatment. According to her attending psychologist, there have been preliminary improvements. During this time, her doctor has been sharing her progress with me."

"I don't think it's enough to just hear it from me all the time. So I thought of asking you to be her guardian. It would also give you a chance to understand Wan Baiyun, to see what kind of person she truly is and what she's thinking."

"Don't worry, I've blocked any notifications about her visits to the psychologist. Since she married you, Wan Shiying has relaxed her surveillance on her, so she won't find out."

Shan Pan frowned and remained silent for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

Qin Zhaoci smiled in relief. "In that case, I'll give you the contact information of the psychologist when we get back."

"As for whether or not to forgive Wan Baiyun, the choice is up to you. I won't persuade you. However, I think it would be best to wait until she has made significant progress in her treatment before considering these things. She is not in a good place for emotional involvement right now, and it's easy for her to hurt you."

"Alright, thank you for the reminder." Shan Pan nodded, agreeing to the suggestion.

After that, Shan Pan often received updates on Wan Baiyun's treatment from the psychologist.

She still didn't reply to the messages Wan Baiyun sent her, but she read every single one of them. She could tell that Wan Baiyun's desire to express herself had become stronger than before, and everything was gradually getting better.

When Le Le turned one year old, Wan Baiyun went to visit her and it was the first time she encountered Shan Pan.

Upon seeing Shan Pan, Wan Baiyun's eyes filled with surprise, and she couldn't help but call out, "Pan Pan."

Shan Pan and Wan Baiyun locked eyes for a moment, and Shan Pan pursed her lips. "My mother has something to attend to, so I'm here today."

"Oh, oh, alright." Wan Baiyun's amber eyes were filled with joy, mirroring the smile on Shan Pan's face as she held little Le Le in her arms.

"Mama." Le Le stretched out her chubby hand and suddenly called out towards where Wan Baiyun was.

Shan Pan was taken aback and leaned down to kiss Le Le's little face. "Our little baby can say 'mama' now. Say it again."

"Mama." Le Le said the second time with much more proficiency, even reaching out her hand towards Wan Baiyun.

Wan Baiyun was surprised that Le Le remembered her now. She smiled and took her daughter in her arms, kissing her face. "Baby, I am your mother. Call me mother."

"Kii~" Le Le said, her words still unclear.

Shan Pan laughed happily. "It seems Le Le can't say it clearly yet."

"Hmm," Wan Baiyun smiled joyfully. "But that's alright. Isn't it, my Le Le?"

Wan Baiyun gently touched her daughter's smooth and tender cheek and then turned to look at Shan Pan, who had a smile on her face. "Le Le looks so much like you."

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