Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 606 Wang Shujuan Uses Illness as Motivation

"Zhan Yue, look how worried your sister Yingying is! Mom, it's really alright. Besides, your sister Yingying is taking care of me. You can go to school with Zhan Mengyan without worry."

As Wang Shujuan spoke, her slender fingers gently stroked Zhan Yue's tense brows, her voice as soft as a feather: "Yue'er, look at the trees outside. The leaves fall but will grow back, and people get better when they are sick. Don't let your mother's health break your wings that chase the wind."

Wang Shujuan suddenly grasped Zhan Yue's hand, the warmth of her palm seeping through her skin: "I've counted the textbooks in your schoolbag, each one is a record of your future, and your mother is just a comma in the book of your life."

Zhan Yue's eyes were red and swollen, and her fingers, gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, were slightly white from the force. Her voice was choked with suppressed sobs: "Mom, I'm not going to school anymore. I'll take a year off to stay home with you, and then I'll repeat a year of high school. There will be other opportunities to go to school in the future."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shujuan forced a weak yet resolute smile, raising her hand to rest on Zhan Yue's. Her hand was thin with distinct knuckles, but her palm carried a familiar warmth.

“Silly child,” Wang Shujuan said in a low voice, her breath a little short, but each word was clear, “Didn’t we agree last night that you would go to school? How can you just say you don’t want to go? Your mother has been waiting for this day for a long time.”

Zhan Yue's tears instantly rolled down her cheeks, and she shook her head, saying, "But Mom, your health..."

“I know my own body.” Wang Shujuan gently interrupted Zhan Yue, patting Zhan Yue’s hand reassuringly with her fingertips. “It’s just a minor old ailment. The doctor said to take the medicine on time and take good care of myself. You’re by my side every day, and I’m getting anxious, which makes me recover slower.”

Wang Shujuan gazed out the window at the starry spring sky, but her eyes seemed to see far beyond. "I remember when you were little, you always said you wanted to fly far away and see the sights I'd never seen. Now that your wings are strong enough, it's time for you to take flight. How can you hold back because of this old tree of yours?"

These words brought Zhan Yue's tears to a head. The struggles and guilt she had never spoken aloud were laid bare before her mother's calm yet resolute words. She remembered how her mother had toiled tirelessly, how she had supported her studies and dreams even in hardship. The hardships of the past intertwined with her current haggard appearance on her sickbed, impacting Zhan Yue's heart.

Wang Shujuan raised her hand and clumsily but gently wiped away Zhan Yue's tears with her fingertips, as if wiping away a precious treasure. "Don't cry," Wang Shujuan's voice became even softer, with a heartbreaking open-mindedness, "The proudest thing in my life is raising my daughters and seeing you succeed. Yue'er, your path is ahead of you, it is bright and wide. Mom is at home, and being well is your biggest support. Pursuing your academic dreams is the best medicine for Mom."

Those simple words, devoid of flowery language, were brimming with the most selfless and profound love a mother could give during life's most difficult moments—using her own illness as encouragement, not a burden. This love, like a warm current, instantly shattered all of Zhan Yue's feigned strength. She finally couldn't help but grasp her mother's hand tightly and burst into tears. These weren't tears of sorrow, but a torrent of heartache, gratitude, and boundless energy stirred by deep understanding and unconditional support.