Starting as the President of a Billionaire Group Chapter 1149: 1124: A Mother's Love for Her Daughter

Concerned that Ye Chen might feel awkward, Mrs. Zhao let out a sigh and remarked, “You young people should handle your own matters well.”

Ye Chen stayed quiet, not wanting to mislead this kind elderly lady; at present, his sentiments toward Zhao Ziwei held no romantic spark between man and woman.

His words to Mrs. Zhao the day before had been solely to urge Zhao Ziwei back to the hospital for prompt treatment.

Since he, Ye Chen, bore responsibility for the incident, he was determined to heal Zhao Ziwei completely and ease his own guilt.

“Alright, Ye Chen, the kitchen’s full of smoke; better wait outside,” Mrs. Zhao smiled and suggested.

Ye Chen stepped out of the kitchen and settled on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.

All of a sudden, a loud crash echoed, prompting Ye Chen to dash back into the kitchen where Mrs. Zhao sat on the floor in agony, the vegetable basin spilled over nearby.

Gently, Ye Chen assisted Mrs. Zhao to the sofa, helping her sit down to recover.

Noting Mrs. Zhao’s face drained pale like paper, Ye Chen asked urgently, “Auntie, what’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing serious, Ye Chen. Just a small problem; I’ll recover after some rest,” Mrs. Zhao managed a faint smile.

Right then, pain caused sweat to bead profusely on Mrs. Zhao’s forehead.

“Auntie, how long has this troubled you? You need a hospital checkup right away,” Ye Chen urged swiftly.

Watching Mrs. Zhao clutch her stomach in intense suffering, Ye Chen grew deeply worried.

“Even a checkup won’t change much. As people age, these pains are common; nothing grave.”

Abruptly, her gaze fixed on Ye Chen as she directed, “Ye Chen, keep this from Ziwei; I don’t want her fretting. She’s still hospitalized and requires a positive mindset for swift recovery.”

“Rest easy, Auntie, Ziwei won’t hear it from me. Still, don’t put off treating your condition,” Ye Chen replied with a furrowed brow.

Mrs. Zhao fell silent, seated there with labored breaths.

Ye Chen pictured the immense pain Mrs. Zhao endured, bearing it stoically.

Witnessing Mrs. Zhao’s deep care for her daughter moved Ye Chen profoundly.

Truly, parental love runs endlessly deep.

Moments later, Mrs. Zhao rose from the sofa and headed back to the kitchen.

Spotting this, Ye Chen halted her at once, insisting, “Auntie, rest properly; I’ll handle the cooking.”

Though uncertain of Ye Chen’s culinary prowess, Mrs. Zhao lacked the energy to continue cooking herself.

“Okay, Ye Chen, I’ll leave it to you then,” Mrs. Zhao said with regret.

Entering the kitchen, Ye Chen gathered the scattered vegetables into the basin and rinsed them clean.

Once vegetables and meat were cleaned and chopped, Ye Chen fired up the stove to cook.

From the sofa, Mrs. Zhao kept glancing nervously at the bustling figure in the kitchen.

To Mrs. Zhao, few youths today possessed cooking skills.

She had planned a special meal for her daughter, yet her chronic ailment flared up, leaving her inwardly frustrated and distressed.

Soon, a tantalizing aroma wafted from the kitchen.

The fragrance proved irresistible, even making Mrs. Zhao salivate.

Ye Chen served the finished dishes one after another onto plates and carried them out.

Beholding the visually appealing and delicious-looking dishes, surprise lit up Mrs. Zhao’s face.

In modern times, young people who cook well are few, and those excelling like this are rarer still.

Mrs. Zhao found herself liking Ye Chen more with each passing moment.

Arrayed on the table sat sweet and sour ribs, chicken meatballs, stir-fried lotus root, tomato and egg, plus seaweed egg soup.

Four dishes with soup, perfectly balanced in meat and veggies, revealed Ye Chen’s heartfelt effort.

Were Ye Chen her daughter’s boyfriend, Mrs. Zhao would rest completely assured.

“Ye Chen, your cooking rivals a top restaurant chef. Did you train elsewhere?” Mrs. Zhao inquired.

“Nope, I just mess around at home occasionally,” Ye Chen replied, rubbing his head sheepishly.

With his divine-level cooking mastery, Ye Chen handled not just home dishes but Western cuisine effortlessly too.

“Excellent, truly rare for a young man like you to cook so superbly,” Mrs. Zhao beamed at him.

Next, she portioned the dishes into lunch boxes and announced, “Ye Chen, let’s head out.”

“Auntie, you’re unwell now, so stay back; Ziwei might fret seeing you pale,” Ye Chen cautioned.

Ye Chen made a valid point; Mrs. Zhao dreaded her daughter spotting her frail state and worrying. Yet, knowing her dire health, she felt time slipping away.

Regardless, she resolved to visit her daughter that day.

“Ye Chen, I’m okay; go start the car downstairs, and I’ll follow slowly on foot,” Mrs. Zhao told him.

“Auntie, allow me to carry you down the stairs,” Ye Chen offered quickly.

“No thanks, no thanks; I can walk on my own, just slowly is all,” Mrs. Zhao dismissed with a wave of her hand.

After all, Ye Chen wasn't her actual son-in-law, so she couldn't possibly burden him by having him carry her down. Mrs. Zhao grasped this subtle point well.

Noticing Mrs. Zhao's resolute rejection, Ye Chen didn't push further and headed down to ready the car, respecting her preference.

Nearly ten minutes passed before Mrs. Zhao managed to descend the stairs.

Maybe from the agony, sweat had thoroughly soaked her garments.

“Auntie, off we go,” Ye Chen assisted Mrs. Zhao into the vehicle and remarked.

Ye Chen steered the car in the direction of the hospital.

Once parked, Ye Chen wanted to help Mrs. Zhao out, yet she brushed him away.

With no choice, he trailed behind as Mrs. Zhao proceeded forward, ready to support her if discomfort struck.

Mrs. Zhao labored her way to the ward entrance. She straightened her disheveled hair, took a brief pause, then stepped inside.

Gazing at her daughter on the bed, Mrs. Zhao's heart twinged sharply, “Ziwei, how are you feeling today?”

“Mom, why are you here once more? I told you not to visit,” Zhao Ziwei expressed with worry.

“No, I arrived alongside Ye Chen. Back home, I kept thinking of you, so instead of fretting there, coming here eases my mind,” Mrs. Zhao explained, gently caressing her daughter's hair.

“Oh, and Ziwei, Auntie prepared your beloved dishes,” Ye Chen announced while pulling out the lunchboxes.

The moment they were uncovered, a tantalizing fragrance wafted through the air.

“It smells amazing, got my mouth watering already. And I'm starting to feel hungry too,” Zhao Ziwei remarked, playfully sticking out her tongue.

“Quick, dig in before it cools,” Mrs. Zhao urged with a smile.

The instant Zhao Ziwei savored her first mouthful, her eyes flew wide open as she exclaimed, “Mom, your cooking has gotten even better! This tastes incredible now.”

Hearing her daughter's compliment, Mrs. Zhao's smile faded instantly. She hadn't prepared the food; Ye Chen had done it.

Should her daughter learn the truth, she'd definitely fret over her.

“That's right, Ziwei, look at all the effort Auntie put in, even heading to the market specially for fresh ingredients to whip this up for you. Treat her well,” Ye Chen advised, gazing at Zhao Ziwei.

Right then, Mrs. Zhao's expression grew a bit grim, unnoticed by Zhao Ziwei but caught by Ye Chen.