The Sweet Rival (Mango Shen and Nathaniel Ye)

"Mrs. Ye, I'm leaving."

Maxton's voice sounded behind Mango.

Mango paused for a moment. She asked in confusion when she saw Maxton, "What's wrong?"

"There's something wrong with your friend, Novalee's condition. My colleague can't handle it. So I have to go back and check on her."

Upon hearing Maxton's words, Mango's heart tensed up.

"What's wrong with Novalee?"

"I don't know. My colleague didn't make things clear. He just said the condition isn't good and asked me to go back as soon as possible. Since there is an expert treating Mr. Ye, I won't waste my time here. Let's keep in touch when we have time in the future."

What Maxton said was not very clear, causing Mango to be even more worried.

She spread herself too thin when there were all sorts of things clumped together.

"Thank you for taking care of Nathan these days, Dr. Zhong. I feel very grateful, and I hope that you can do your best to help Novalee when you get back. She's my friend, and I can't get away now. I can only hope that you will do your best, and I appreciate your sacrifice."

"Mrs. Ye, you flatter me. For the sake of Genevieve, I won't ignore your friend, don't worry. Since Genevieve isn't around, I won't need to inform her. I've booked the quickest flight, and it will take off in another half an hour. I have to hurry. Take care, Mrs. Ye."

Maxton left so hastily that Mango was caught off guard.

Then, she quickly took out a credit card and handed it to Maxton.

"Dr. Zhong, this is the consultation fee. Please accept this token of appreciation. You may take this."

"What are you doing, Mrs. Ye? Are you humiliating me? I'm here because of Genevieve. I've never thought of making money. Besides, networking is much more important than money. If I'm in need of you in the future, just do me a favor."

"Sure, will do!"

Mango immediately agreed.

After Maxton left, Mango sent a text to Genevieve and saw Noah carrying a stretcher to pick up Nathaniel.

"Where's Zion?"

When Mango thought of how the brat had disappeared, she couldn't help asking.

"He's going out with Genevieve to buy something. I'll bring Nathan over first. The people in jail said that Nanny Zhang's mental state isn't that good today, so I want her to confirm when Nathan can wake up." Upon hearing Noah's words, Mango was a little worried.

"I'll go with you."

"You need to get dressed. I'll wait for you outside."

Mango entered the room. Meanwhile, Noah also asked

one to get Nathaniel out.

After changing her clothes, Mango went to the prison together with Noah, Nathaniel, and Zion.

When they reached the prison gate, Mango was still hesitant. She even held Zion's hand and didn't let go.

Zion smiled and said, "Mommy, you'd better wait outside. I'll be out soon."

"No way!"

Mango refused in one fell swoop.

Although Zion was smiling, his stubborn temper was exactly the same as Mango's.

"Mommy."

Although he was playing coy, Mango knew that Zion was determined to go in to see Nanny Zhang.

She had no idea why Zion insisted on meeting Nanny Zhang. They didn't have any special sentiments for each other, so was it because they were related by blood?

Mango looked at Zion and frowned.

Meanwhile, Zion smiled as he looked at Mango, but he still refused to back down.

When Noah saw the tense atmosphere, he couldn't help but cough and say, "Let's do it this way. Mango will accompany Nathan and wait outside whereas I'll accompany Zion inside. If there's anything wrong, I'll bring him out, is that okay?"

This was the best solution for the moment.

Although Mango was reluctant, Zion smiled and said, "Sure, why not? Right, Mommy?"

"You must be cautious. That woman is cruel and merciless. Don't be fooled by her."

Mango knew that talking behind people's backs wasn't good for Zion's growth, but she was a mother after all.

"Alright."

Zion's answer was quite direct.

Seeing that Zion was acting like this, Mango didn't know what to say. She let go of him and watched him walk in with Noah.

Noah didn't know the reason why Zion insisted on meeting Nanny Zhang, but she didn't ask any questions. This brat had always advocated for himself in dealing his stuffs.

Both of them went to the reception room, where Nanny Zhang had been waiting.

Her face lit up when she saw Zion.

"You seemed to have grown taller again."

She said with a smile.

Zion looked at her. He thought about Nanny Zhang who once treated him viciously, and then he looked at that dying old woman again. He frowned slightly.

"I've heard from my mommy that you want to see me?"

"To be precise, I wish to see both Rita and you."

Nanny Zhang's words made Zion frown slightly again.

"Rita's ill. She's not feeling well and can't come over. Just tell me if you have something to say."

Zion seemingly behaved like the eldest son of the family.

Nanny Zhang looked at Zion, and it was as if she was looking at Nathaniel when he was a child.

She had a faraway look in her eyes.

"You know what? You look very much alike as your father now. Since he was young, he protected Nick this way as well. He took up everything by himself." Zion listened quietly and didn't interrupt Nanny Zhang's words.

Nanny Zhang recounted Nathaniel's childhood stories to Zion. She even told him that Nathaniel had peed his pants when he was a kid and refused to go home. He hid outside and waited for everyone to leave before returning home. In the end, the matter had escalated to the extent that he caught a cold.

"Your daddy has been concerned with his image since his youth. He has been uptight since his youth, which made him fall in love late. In addition, he had made you suffer a lot with your mother. You should not learn from him when you grow up. Sometimes, when you see a girl you like, you should say what you want to say and don't hold it in. Your reputation doesn't matter that much." Nanny Zhang's words were very benevolent.

Zion nodded.

It was the first time Nanny Zhang had seen Zion being so quiet and peaceful with her.

She looked at Zion carefully. Although Zion's appearance was very similar to Nathaniel's, there were some parts that were still similar to Mango's.

"I remember when your Mommy just married into the Ye family. Zion, treat your mommy better in the future as she's had a truly tough life before."

"That's my Mommy, of course, I will. What do you want to say instead?"

Zion's words stunned Nanny Zhang.

That was right!

What did she want to say?

In fact, she wanted to say everything. She just wanted to talk to her grandson, even if it was just about the weather.

In the past, she never thought that she needed familial affection. However, she found out she was reluctant to part with them when her life was coming to an end.

She was reluctant to part with this world and her family.

She realized that she had too much to tell the children, and she even wanted to bring them out to play. She was their grandma but she had never bought anything for them, let alone have any communication with them.

After one's death, there might be people visiting their graves. What about her?

Would someone visit her grave after she died?

Was someone going to collect her corpse?

Nanny Zhang was very remorseful.

It was only when a person reached the end of her life would she realize that everything that she once valued was so insignificant. Blood and kinship were what she yearned for the most.

She stretched her hand and wanted to touch Zion's head. However, Zion dodged her subconsciously.

The atmosphere immediately became awkward.

Nanny Zhang wanted to smile, but she didn't manage to do it.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held it back stubbornly.

Seeing her like this, Zion couldn't help but feel a little softhearted.

After all, he was a four-year-old child.

"Are you alright?"

Zion's voice was very soft, carrying a hint of uncertainty.

He only asked one question, but it made Nanny Zhang burst into tears.

It turned out that she was also lonely.

Alas, she was also in need of love.

Even if this love was given by a four-year-old child.

"Can I hug you?"

Nanny Zhang's request immediately alerted Noah.

He pulled Zion behind him and said coldly, "Nanny Zhang, since you're already like this, don't make everyone hate you more. Zion is still a child."

"I just want to hug him. He is my grandson."

Nanny Zhang looked at Noah with pleading eyes.

However, Noah remained unfazed.

"Now only you realize that he's your grandson? Look at the things you've done before, which one of them is worthy of your grandson? Nanny Zhang, don't blame me for being unkind. What did you do to Nathan and Mango? How were you able to see Zion today? Don't you know?"

"I didn't poison Nathan. He's my own son. I didn't do anything to Mango either as I know that she's Nathan's favorite person. I'm dying soon. I don't want my son to hate me anymore. If I don't say that, Mango would never bring Zion here to see me. I'm exhausted, and there's not much time left for me. Can you please let me hold my grandson?" Nanny Zhang's tears fell like rain from an overcast sky.

She regretted it!

She was indeed remorseful 1

If only she'd known that her life was so short, she would not have done so many cruel things to her son and grandson.

Had she been possessed?

It was said that a mother wouldn't kill one of her own. How could she do it to her own child?

Even if she bore a grudge, she shouldn't have vented it on her sons and grandchildren, right?

However, was there any point in regretting it now?

Nanny Zhang knew that there was no such thing as what-ifs. She hated herself so much when she looked at Zion in front of her.

"Zion, please don't hate me, okay? I had no other choice. I know that I've done something wrong. Many things were wrong from the beginning, but now that I've come this far, there's no way to salvage it. You have to think twice before you do anything in the future. Don't make mistakes like Grandma's, because you'll never have a chance to turn back when you do it. In the end, you might lose your family and die alone."

Nanny Zhang cried her heart out.

Her life had been tough and she hadn't shed many tears. But at this moment, she was as fragile as a doll.

Zion couldn't help but feel a little soft-hearted as he watched Nanny Zhang acting this way from behind Noah.

"Did you cure my mommy's throat?"

He asked weakly.

Nanny Zhang immediately raised her head and nodded, "Yes, this is what I owe her."

"Thank you. Thanks for curing my mommy."

Zion's words stunned Nanny Zhang and made her cry even harder.

She just did what was supposed to be done, but she didn't expect to be thanked by her grandson.

She suddenly felt that everything that she had planned in the past was dismantled by Zion's words of gratitude.

"Zion!"

Nanny Zhang cried her heart out, but she suddenly sensed a hand touching her head.